Protective effect of extract from Paeonia lactiflora and Astragalus membranaceus against liver injury induced by bacillus Calmette-Guérin and lipopolysaccharide in mice

Screening of potential α-glucosidase inhibitors from astragalus membranaceus by affinity ultrafiltration screening coupled with UPLC-ESI-Orbitrap-MS method

Astragalus membranaceus is a traditional Chinese medicine with multiple pharmacological activities. Modern pharmacological research has found that Astragalus membranaceus extract has an inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase, however, which component can inhibit the activity of α-glucosidase and its degree of inhibition are unknown. To address this issue, this study used affinity ultrafiltration screening combined with UPLC-ESI-Orbitrap-MS technology to screen α-glucosidase inhibitors in Astragalus membranaceus. Using affinity ultrafiltration technology, we obtained the active components, and using UPLC-ESI-Orbitrap-MS technology, we quickly analyzed and identified them. As a result, a total of 8 ingredients were selected as α-glucosidase inhibitors.

Jian Gan powder ameliorates immunological liver injury in mice by modulating the gut microbiota and metabolic profiles

BACKGROUND

Immunological liver injury (ILI) is a common liver disease associated with the microbiota-gut-liver axis. Jian Gan powder (JGP) exhibits both protective and therapeutic effects on hepatitis virus-induced ILI in the clinic. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. The aim of this study is to investigate the hepatoprotective effects and associated mechanisms of JGP in the context of gut microbiota, utilizing a mouse model of ILI.

METHODS

The mouse model was established employing Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) plus lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Following treatment with JGP (7.5, 15, or 30 g/kg), serum, liver, and fresh fecal samples were analyzed. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and untargeted metabolomics profiling were performed to assess the role of JGP on the gut microbiota and its metabolites.

RESULTS

JGP treatment markedly reduced serum IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-22, and hepatic p-STAT3 (phosphorylated transducer and activator of transcription-3) expression. In contrast, JGP increased the percentage of proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive liver cells in treated mice. Fecal 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that JGP treatment restored the levels of Alloprevotella, Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia, Muribaculum, Streptococcus, and Stenotrophomonas. Additionally, metabolomics analysis of fecal samples showed that JGP restored the levels of allylestrenol, eplerenone, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) (P-20:0/0:0), sphingomyelin (SM) d27:1, soyasapogenol C, chrysin, and soyasaponin I.

CONCLUSIONS

JGP intervention improves ILI by restoring gut microbiota and modifying its metabolic profiles. These results provide a novel insight into the mechanism of JGP in treating ILI and the scientific basis to support its clinical application.

Protective Effects of Honey-Processed Astragalus on Liver Injury and Gut Microbiota in Mice Induced by Chronic Alcohol Intake

Honey-processed Astragalus (HPA) is a mixture of Astragalus and honey, which is a processed product of Chinese medicine. It has the active ingredients of Astragalus and the unique effects of honey. However, the mechanism of HPA for improving alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is not clear. The purpose of this study is to explore the ameliorating effect and mechanism of HPA (4 and 8 g/kg bw) on alcoholic liver injury. Two doses of HPA were orally administered to alcohol-treated mice for four weeks. The results showed that HPA could effectively reduce triglycerides (TG) by 59% and free fat acid (FFA) and total cholesterol (TC) in serum and hepatic were reduced by least 25.9%. HPA could cause a decrease in serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) from 0.145 mM to 0.117 mM, and the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was increased. After alcohol-treated mice were supplemented with HPA, antioxidant markers (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), and Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)), liver function index (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)), proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)), and liver tissue were all significantly improved. This is related to the fact that HPA can promote the expression of oxidative stress-related genes and inhibit the expression of inflammation-related genes. In addition, HPA could also regulate the disturbance of the intestinal microflora. In general, HPA could significantly improve the accumulation of serum and liver lipids caused by alcohol and the imbalance of intestinal flora in mice. It could also improve liver function, oxidative stress, and inflammation.

Hypoglycemic effect of polysaccharide from Astragalus membranaceus on type 2 diabetic mice based on “gut microbiota-mucosal barrier”

Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharide (APP), the main active constituent possesses numerous bioactivities. In this research, the T2DM model mice was combined with streptozotocin to study the hypoglycemic effect and mechanism of...

Astragalus species: Insights on its chemical composition toward pharmacological applications

Astragalus L. is widely distributed throughout the temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. The genus is widely used in folk medicine and in dietary supplements, as well as in cosmetics, teas, coffee, vegetable gums, and as forage for animals. The major phytoconstituents of Astragalus species with beneficial properties are saponins, flavonoids, and polysaccharides. Astragalus extracts and their isolated components exhibited promising in vitro and in vivo biological activities, including antiaging, antiinfective, cytoprotective, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, antidiabesity, and immune-enhancing properties. Considering their proven therapeutic potential, the aim of this work is to give a comprehensive summary of the Astragalus spp. and their active components, in an attempt to provide new insight for further clinical development of these xenobiotics. This is the first review that briefly describes their ethnopharmacology, composition, biological, and toxicological properties.

Protective mechanism of Astragalus Polysaccharides against Cantharidin-induced liver injury determined in vivo by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry metabolomics

Cantharidin (CTD) is a promising anticancer drug; however, its dosage is limited by hepatotoxicity. We previously showed that Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) effectively improved chemical liver injury. In this study, we established a CTD-induced subacute liver injury mouse model and examined the effects of APS on weight, liver indexes, histopathology, serum biochemical indexes and liver metabolism. Compared with the control group, mice in the CTD model group had obvious liver damage, which was partially prevented by APS. Metabolomics demonstrated that CTD caused liver damage mainly by regulating glycerophospholipid metabolism, ABC transporter pathways and choline metabolism in cancer in vivo. APS regulated primary bile acid biosynthesis and glycerophospholipid metabolism, thus decreasing the liver damage caused by CTD. This study revealed the protective mechanism of APS against CTD-induced liver injury from the perspective of metabolomics. The results provide an important basis for analysing the mechanism of CTD-induced liver toxicity and for assessing clinical treatment options to reduce CTD liver toxicity.

Rapid discrimination of adulteration in Radix Astragali combining diffuse reflectance mid-infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy with chemometrics

Fraud in the global food and related products supply chain is becoming increasingly common due to the huge profits associated with this type of criminal activity and yet strategies to detect fraudulent adulteration are still far from robust. Herbal medicines such as Radix Astragali suffer adulteration by the addition of less expensive materials with the objective to increase yield and consequently the profit margin. In this paper, diffuse reflectance mid-infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) was used to detect the presence of Jin Quegen in Radix Astragali. 900 fake samples of Radix Astragali produced by 6 different regions were constructed at the levels of 2%, 5%, 10%, 30% and 50% (w/w). DRIFTS data were analyzed using unsupervised classification method such as principal component analysis (PCA), and supervised classification method such as linear discrimination analysis (LDA), K-nearest neighbor (K-NN), linear discrimination analysis combining K-nearest neighbor (LDA-KNN) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). The results of PCA showed that it was feasible to detect the adulteration of Radix Astragali by the combination of drift technique and chemometrics. PLS-DA obtained the best classification results in all four supervised methods with mean-centralization as the data preprocessing method, the prediction accuracy of PLS-DA model for the six groups of sample ranged from 95.00% to 98.33%. At the same time, LDA-KNN also achieved good classification results, and its correct prediction rate were also between 86.67% and 100.0%. The prediction results confirmed that the combination of DRIFTS technology and chemometrics can distinguish the amount of adulteration present in Radix Astragali. Additionally, the innovative strategy designed can be used to test the fraud of various forms of herbal medicine in other products.

Involvement of NF-κB in the reversal of CYP3A down-regulation induced by sea buckthorn in BCG-induced rats

Previous studies reported that sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L., Elaeagnaceae, HRP) exhibits hepatoprotective effects via its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties as well as its inhibitory effects on collagen synthesis. However, it is unclear whether this hepatoprotective effect is also achieved by regulating liver drug metabolism enzyme pathways. Herein, we examined the regulatory effect of HRP on cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) in rats with immune liver injury, and explored the molecular mechanism of its hepatoprotective effect. Rat models of immunological liver injury were induced by intravenous injections of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG; 125 mg kg-1; 2 wks). Specific protein levels were detected by ELISA or western blot, and CYP3A mRNA expression was detected by RT-PCR. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) detected relative changes in CYP3A metabolic activity based on the rates of 1-hydroxylation of the probe drug midazolam (MDZ). BCG pretreatment (125 mg kg-1) significantly down-regulated liver CYP3A protein expression compared with the control, metabolic activity, and transcription levels while up-regulating liver NF-κB, IL-1β, TNF-α and iNOS. HRP intervention (ED50: 78 mg kg-1) moderately reversed NF-κB, inflammatory cytokines, and iNOS activation in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05), and suppressed CYP3A down-regulation (P < 0.05); thereby partially alleviating liver injury. During immune liver injury, HRP may reverse CYP3A down-regulation by inhibiting NF-κB signal transduction, and protect liver function, which involves regulation of enzymes transcriptionally, translationally and post-translationally. The discovery that NF-κB is a molecular target of HRP may initiate the development and optimization of a clinical therapeutic approach to mitigate hepatitis B and other immunity-related liver diseases.

Discovery of chemical markers for identifying species, growth mode and production area of Astragali Radix by using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

BACKGROUND

Astragali Radix (AR) is a well-known Chinese herbal medicine. The quality of AR can be affected by many factors such as species, growth mode and production area, but there are still no chemical markers to distinguish it.

PURPOSE

To explore chemical markers for improving the quality assessment of AR and discover chemical markers for identifying species, growth mode and production area of AR.

METHODS

A highly sensitive, efficient and accurate method based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS) for simultaneous quantitative determination of 14 major chemical components (five flavonoids and nine triterpene saponins) in 94 batches of AR from China, Republic of Korea and Germany was developed for the first time. To explore chemical markers and assess changes in the contents of 14 compounds in the 94 batches of AR samples from different regions, hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were performed.

RESULTS

Astragaloside III was not only an important chemical marker for distinguishing two species of AR, i.e.: Astragalus mongholicus and A. membranaceus, but also a potential chemical marker for the classification of cultivated and semi-wild AR. In addition, in the batches of cultivated AR, the content of isoastragaloside II and cyclocephaloside II were greater in batches from the region of Shaanxi Province than that of other Provinces in China, but the content of calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside and astragaloside IV, which are the quality control markers of AR required by the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, were higher than that of other Provinces in China. In addition, the content of calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside, ononin, calycosin and astragaloside I could be used to identify samples of AR collected from China, Republic of Korea and Germany.

CONCLUSION

This UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS method could be applied to the quantitative evaluation of AR and could be an important and meaningful reference to develop chemical markers for quality control of AR.

Nrf2 participates in mechanisms for reducing the toxicity and enhancing the antitumour effect of Radix Tripterygium wilfordii to S180-bearing mice by herbal-processing technology

Context: Radix Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. (Celastraceae) (LGT) has outstanding curative efficacy; however, side effects include high toxicity, particularly hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Objective: To investigate detoxification mechanisms of LGT through processing separately with each of these medicinal herbs including Flower Lonicera japonica Thunb. (Caprifoliaceae) (JYH), Radix Paeonia lactiflora Pall. (Ranunculaceae) (BS), Herba Lysimachia christinae Hance (Primulaceae) (JQC), Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (Fabaceae) (GC) and Seed Phaseolus radiatus L. (Fabaceae) (LD) in S180-bearing mice by involving nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2). Materials and methods: LGT raw and processed products were orally administered at 60 mg/kg to KM male mice inoculated with S180 tumour cells for 14 consecutive days, and blood, tumour, liver and kidney were taken to observe the detoxifying effects and biological mechanisms. Results: Herbal-processing technology significantly weakened hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity evoked by LGT with ED₅₀ of the converted triptolide in each processed-herb product for serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, creatinine and urea nitrogen of 9.3, 16.6, 2.5 and 4.2 μg/kg, for liver glutathione, glutathione S-transferase, catalase, tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-10 of 114.9, 67.8, 134.1, 7.7, 4171.6 μg/kg, and for kidney 21.9, 20.5, 145.0, 529.7, 19.4 μg/kg, respectively. Moreover, herbal-processing technology promoted the accumulation of Nrf2 into the nucleus, and upregulated mRNA expression of Nrf2 and heme oxygenase-1. Additionally, herbal-processing technology enhanced the tumour inhibition rate with ED₅₀ 12.2 μg/kg. Discussion and conclusions: Herbal-processing technology improves the safety and effectiveness of LGT in cancer treatment, and future research may be focused on the Nrf2-related molecules.

Astragalus polysaccharides alleviate tilmicosin-induced toxicity in rats by inhibiting oxidative damage and modulating the expressions of HSP70, NF-kB and Nrf2/HO-1 pathway

The present study evaluated the toxic effects of Tilmicosin (TIL) on adult rats. The rats received a single subcutaneous injection of TIL at different doses (10, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mg/kg bw). TIL altered the biochemical parameters including liver and kidney function markers, glucose level and lipid profile as well as resulted in histopathological lesions in liver and adrenal glands mostly in rats exposed to 75 and 100 mg/kg bw. Then the role of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) at 100 and 200 mg/kg bw, in modulating the toxic effects induced by high dose of TIL was evaluated. Single injection of TIL at a dose of 75 mg/kg bw was found to increase the activity of ALT, AST and ALP enzymes, induce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decrease the total antioxidant capacity (TAC). TIL upregulated the hepatic mRNA expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) while blocked the Nrf2/HO-1 mediated response. These changes were also associated with increasing tumer necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interlukin1-beta (IL-1β) and nitric oxide levels. On the other hand, the results indicate that APS has a beneficial role particularly at high level in alleviating the stress and the hepatotoxic effects elicited by TIL injection in rats.

Formononetin, an active compound of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch) Bunge, inhibits hypoxia-induced retinal neovascularization via the HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

It has been reported that formononetin (FMN), one of the main ingredients from famous traditional Chinese medicine "Huang-qi" (Astragalus membranaceus [Fisch] Bunge) for Qi-tonifying, exhibits the effects of immunomodulation and tumor growth inhibition via antiangiogenesis. Furthermore, A. membranaceus may alleviate the retinal neovascularization (NV) of diabetic retinopathy. However, the information of FMN on retinal NV is limited so far. In the present study, we investigated the effects of FMN on the hypoxia-induced retinal NV and the possible related mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The VEGF secretion model of acute retinal pigment epithelial-19 (ARPE-19) cells under chemical hypoxia was established by the exposure of cells to 150 μM CoCl₂ and then cells were treated with 3-(5'-hydroxymethyl-2'-furyl)-1-benzylindazole (YC-1, a potent HIF-1α inhibitor, 1.0 μg/mL) or different concentrations of FMN (0.2 μg/mL, 1.0 μg/mL, and 5.0 μg/mL). The supernatants of cells were collected 48 hours later to measure the VEGF concentrations, following the manufacturer's instruction. The mRNA expressions of VEGF, HIF-1α, PHD-2, and β-actin were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and the protein expressions of HIF-1α and PHD-2 were determined by Western blot analysis. Furthermore, the rats with retinopathy were treated by intraperitoneal administration of conbercept injection (1.0 mg/kg) or FMN (5.0 mg/kg and 10.0 mg/kg) in an 80% oxygen atmosphere. The retinal avascular areas were assessed through visualization of the retinal vasculature by adenosine diphosphatase staining and hematoxylin and eosin staining.

RESULTS

FMN can indeed inhibit the VEGF secretion of ARPE-19 cells under hypoxia, downregulate the mRNA expression of VEGFA and PHD-2, and decrease the protein expression of VEGF, HIF-1α, and PHD-2 in vitro. Furthermore, FMN can prevent hypoxia-induced retinal NV in vivo.

CONCLUSION

FMN can ameliorate retinal NV via the HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway, and it may become a potential drug for the prevention and treatment of diabetic retinopathy.

Simultaneous determination of six active metabolites in Astragalus mongholicus (Fisch.) Bge. under salt stress by ultra-pressure liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

Astragalus membranaceus Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao (A. mongholicus, family Leguminosae) is one of the most important traditional Chinese herbs because it contains lots of bioactive metabolites, which have beneficial and pharmacological effects on health. Simultaneously, it has been proved to be a salt-tolerant plant-one of the potential species to control the soil salinization. Therefore, a sensitive and specific ultra-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometric (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of six main bioactive metabolites, astragaloside IV, cycloastragenol, calycosin-7-O-β-d-glucoside, calycosin, ononin and formononetin in different organs of A. mongholicus. The detection was accomplished by multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) scanning via electrospray ionization source operating in the positive ionization mode. Calibration curves offered linear ranges of two orders of magnitude with R(2) > 0.99. The method was fully validated for the linearity, intra-day and inter day precisions, accuracy, recovery, matrix effect and stability. Then this method was successfully applied to detect the content of major bioactive metabolites in different plant organs of A. mongholicus under salt stress. Significant variations in the content of six bioactive metabolites were observed after been processed by different levels of salinity in different part of plant. The results support for further exploration of the salt-tolerant mechanisms in A. mongholicus and its possibility as the species that control the soil salinization. Meanwhile, we established a UPLC-MS/MS assay of the trace components in seedling of A. mongholicus in this study.

The Relation between Hepatotoxicity and the Total Coumarin Intake from Traditional Japanese Medicines Containing Cinnamon Bark

Cinnamon bark is commonly used in traditional Japanese herbal medicines (Kampo medicines). The coumarin contained in cinnamon is known to be hepatotoxic, and a tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 0.1 mg/kg/day, has been quantified and used in Europe to insure safety. Risk assessments for hepatotoxicity by the cinnamon contained in foods have been reported. However, no such assessment of cinnamon bark has been reported and the coumarin content of Kampo medicines derived from cinnamon bark is not yet known. To assess the risk for hepatotoxicity by Kampo medicines, we evaluated the daily coumarin intake of patients who were prescribed Kampo medicines and investigated the relation between hepatotoxicity and the coumarin intake. The clinical data of 129 outpatients (18 male and 111 female, median age 58 years) who had been prescribed keishibukuryogankayokuinin (TJ-125) between April 2008 and March 2013 was retrospectively investigated. Concurrent Kampo medicines and liver function were also surveyed. In addition to TJ-125, the patients took some of the other 32 Kampo preparations and 22 decoctions that include cinnamon bark. The coumarin content of these Kampo medicines was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). TJ-125 had the highest daily content of coumarin (5.63 mg/day), calculated from the daily cinnamon bark dosage reported in the information leaflet inserted in each package of Kampo medicine. The coumarin content in 1g cinnamon bark decoction was 3.0 mg. The daily coumarin intake of the patients was 0.113 (0.049–0.541) mg/kg/day, with 98 patients (76.0%) exceeding the TDI. Twenty-three patients had an abnormal change in liver function test value, but no significant difference was found in the incidence of abnormal change between the group consuming less than the TDI value (6/31, 19.4%) and the group consuming equal to or greater than the TDI value (17/98, 17.3%). In addition, no abnormal change related to cinnamon bark was found for individual patients. This paper was done to assess the risk of hepatotoxicity by the coumarin contained in Kampo medicines and to clarify whether or not the Kampo preparations in general use that contain cinnamon bark may be safely used in clinical practice.

Clinical and structural effects of traditional Chinese medicine and the herbal preparation, Iberogast, in a rat model of ulcerative colitis

Plant-sourced formulations such as Iberogast and the traditional Chinese medicine formulation, Cmed, purportedly possess anti-inflammatory and radical scavenging properties. We investigated Iberogast and Cmed, independently, for their potential to decrease the severity of the large bowel inflammatory disorder, ulcerative colitis. Sprague Dawley rats (n = 8/group) received daily 1 mL gavages (days 0-13) of water, Iberogast (100 μL/200 μL), or Cmed (10 mg/20 mg). Rats ingested 2% dextran sulfate sodium or water ad libitum for 7 days commencing on day 5. Dextran sulfate sodium administration increased disease activity index scores from days 6 to 12, compared with water controls (P < .05). On day 10, 200 μL Iberogast decreased disease activity index scores in colitic rats compared with colitic controls (P < .05). Neither Iberogast nor Cmed achieved statistical significance for daily metabolic parameters or colonic crypt depth. The therapeutic effects of Iberogast and Cmed were minimal in the colitis setting. Further studies of plant extracts are required investigating greater concentrations and alternative delivery systems.

A standardized extract from Paeonia lactiflora and Astragalus membranaceus induces apoptosis and inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion of human hepatoma cell lines

Paeonia lactiflora and Astragalus membranaceus are two traditional Chinese medicines, which are commonly used in Chinese herb prescription to treat liver diseases. The protective effects of the extract prepared from the roots of Paeonia lactiflora and Astragalus membranaceus (PAE) on liver fibrosis have been demonstrated in previous studies. However, its effect on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been investigated to date. In this study, the effects of PAE on the apoptosis, proliferation, migration and invasion of the human hepatoma cell lines HepG2 and SMMC-7721 were investigated. Our data demonstrated that treatment with PAE (50-200 mg/l) caused an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of the hepatoma cell lines HepG2 and SMMC-7721. Furthermore, PAE induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells and SMMC-7721 cells, which was demonstrated by PI staining. In addition, immunocytochemistry and western blotting showed that PAE significantly decreased the expression of Bcl-2, while the expression of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 in HepG2 cells and SMMC-7721 cells was significantly increased after treatment with PAE. These results clearly demonstrated that PAE induced hepatoma cell apoptosis through increasing the Bax-to-Bcl-2 ratio and upregulating the activation of caspase-3. In addition, the results of wound healing assay and Matrigel invasion assay showed that PAE displayed inhibitory activity on the migration and invasion of HCC cells. Taken together, the present data provides evidence that PAE is a potent antineoplastic drug candidate for the treatment of HCC.

Anti-Viral Activity of Water Extract of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas Against Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Human Respiratory Tract Cell Lines

Paeonia lactiflora Pallas (P. lactiflora, Ranunculaceae) is a common ingredient of Sheng-Ma-Ge-Gen-Tang (SMGGT; Shoma-kakkon-to) and Ge-Gen-Tang (GGT; kakkon-to). SMGGT and GGT are different prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine with different ingredients designed for airway symptoms. Both SMGGT and GGT have anti-viral activity against human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV). Therefore, P. lactiflora was hypothesized to be the effective ingredient of both SMGGT and GGT against HRSV. However, P. lactiflora does not have any proven antiviral activity. This study used both human upper (Human larynx epidermoid carcinoma cell line, HEp-2) and lower (human lung carcinoma cell line, A549) respiratory tract cells to test the hypothesis that a hot water extract of P. lactiflora could effectively inhibit plaque formation induced by HRSV infection. The ability of P. lactiflora to stimulate anti-viral cytokines was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that P. lactiflora was time-dependently and dose-dependently effective against HRSV in HEp-2 and A549 cells, particularly supplemented before viral inoculation (p < 0.0001). 10 μg/ml P. lactiflora had a comparable anti-HRSV activity with 10 μg/ml ribavirin, a broad-spectrum antiviral agent. P. lactiflora was dose-dependently effective against viral attachment (p < 0.0001), with a better effect on A549 cells (p < 0.0001). P. lactiflora was time-dependently (p < 0.0001) and dose-dependently (p < 0.0001) effective against viral penetration. Moreover, P. lactiflora stimulated IFN-β secretion without any effect on TNF-α secretion. Therefore, P. lactiflora could be beneficial at preventing HRSV infection by inhibiting viral attachment, internalization, and stimulating IFN secretion.

The role of infliximab on paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Paracetamol has a reasonable safety profile when consumed in therapeutic doses. However, it could induce hepatotoxicity and even acute liver failure when taken at an overdose. Infliximab is tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) inhibitor agent, which has been developed as a therapeutic agent for TNF-α-mediated disease. It acts by binding and neutralizing TNF. The aim of our study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of infliximab on paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity and to understand the relationship between the TNF-α and paracetamol-induced liver injury. Fifty-six rats were divided into eight groups as each composed of seven rats: (1) intact, (2) 7 mg/kg infliximab, (3) 140 mg/kg NAC, (4) 2 g/kg paracetamol, (5) 2 g/kg paracetamol + 140 mg/kg NAC, (6) 2 g/kg paracetamol + 3 mg/kg infliximab, (7) 2 g/kg paracetamol + 5 mg/kg infliximab and (8) 2 g/kg paracetamol + 7 mg/kg infliximab groups. Liver function tests including lipid peroxidation levels were analyzed and histopathological changes of liver were also observed. There were statistically significant increases in the activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), levels of TNF-α and malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreases in the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and level of glutathione (GSH) in the group treated with paracetamol. Infliximab administration dramatically reduced serum ALT, AST and TNF-α level. Also, it restored GSH, SOD and decreased MDA levels in liver. Liver histopathological examination showed that infliximab administration antagonized paracetamol-induced liver pathological damage. The results of present study suggest that infliximab has significant hepatoprotective activity on paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity.

Cyptoporus polysaccharide prevents lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury associated with down-regulating Toll-like receptor 2 expression

AIM OF THE STUDY

To evaluate the effects and the possible mechanism of Cryptoporus polysaccharides (CP) extracted from fruiting body of Cryptoporus volvatus in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in rats and mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Acute lung injury was induced by intratracheally instillation of LPS into lung in either rats or mice, assessing leukocyte numbers and myeloperoxidase activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, as well as evaluating cytokines mRNA and protein expressions, and Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR(2)) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB mRNA levels in the lung tissues of mice. Vascular permeability and edema of lung in mice, and arterial blood gas in rats were also performed.

RESULTS

In ALI, CP-treated mice and rats exhibited significantly reduced leukocyte invasion, myeloperoxidase activity, vascular permeability, edema of lung, as well as tumor necrosis factor-α and Interleukin-1β mRNA and protein expressions in the lung tissues compared with vehicle-treated mice. TLR(2) and NF-κB mRNA levels of the lung tissues were decreased in CP-treated mice in response to LPS. And decline in arterial blood gas was recovered in CP-treated rats.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results supported a protective role of CP in ALI and suggested that the reduction of the activation of TLR(2) and NF-κB signal pathway in lung injury may be relavant to the pretreatment of CP.

Protective effects of IL-4 on Bacillus Calmette-Guerin and lipopolysaccharide induced immunological liver injury in mice

OBJECTIVE

Mice injected with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) were challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce inflammatory liver injury. This study was performed to explore the protective effects of interleukin (IL)-4 against liver injury induced by BCG and LPS in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mice injected with BCG (125 mg/kg) were challenged with LPS (10 μg/kg) to induce the model of inflammatory liver injury. Half an hour after injection of LPS, mice were subcutaneously administered rmIL-4 at 5 and 0.5 μg/kg, respectively. Liver injury was evaluated by serum transaminase assay and H & E staining. Liver cytokine concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and intrahepatic cytokine and iNOS mRNA levels by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Intrahepatic apoptosis was evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling. NF-κB p65 and ERK signal pathway was detected by Western-blotting. NF-κB signal pathway was also detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay.

RESULTS

IL-4 reduced the serum ALT, AST and LDH, alleviated the inflammatory cells infiltration, down regulated the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IFN-γ, IL-6 and iNOS mRNA in liver, and alleviated hepatic glutathione depletion (GSH). In addition, IL-4 displayed inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation and NF-κB activation.

CONCLUSION

IL-4 may protect mice against BCG/LPS-induced immune liver injury, besides ERK and NF-κB signal pathways were involved in the effects.

Differential effects of Radix Paeoniae Rubra (Chishao) on cytokine and chemokine expression inducible by mycobacteria

Background

Upon initial infection with mycobacteria, macrophages secrete multiple cytokines and chemokines, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), to mediate host immune responses against the pathogen. Mycobacteria also induce the production of IL-10 via PKR activation in primary human monocytes and macrophages. As an anti-inflammatory cytokine, over-expression of IL-10 may contribute to mycobacterial evasion of the host immunity. Radix Paeoniae Rubra (RPR, Chishao), a Chinese medicinal herb with potentials of anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and neuroprotective effects, is used to treat tuberculosis. This study investigates the immunoregulatory effects of RPR on primary human blood macrophages (PBMac) during mycobacterial infection.

Methods

The interaction of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) with PBMac was used as an experimental model. A series of procedures involving solvent extraction and fractionation were used to isolate bioactive constituents in RPR. RPR-EA-S1, a fraction with potent immunoregulatory effects was obtained with a bioactivity guided fractionation scheme. PBMac were treated with crude RPR extracts or RPR-EA-S1 before BCG stimulation. The expression levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-α were measured by qPCR and ELISA. Western blotting was used to determine the effects of RPR-EA-S1 on signaling kinases and transcriptional factors in the BCG-activated PBMac.

Results

In BCG-stimulated macrophages, crude RPR extracts and fraction RPR-EA-S1 specifically inhibited IL-10 production while enhanced IL-8 expression at both mRNA and protein levels without affecting the expressions of IL-6 and TNF-α. Inhibition of BCG-induced IL-10 expression by RPR-EA-S1 occurred in a dose- and time-dependent manner. RPR-EA-S1 did not affect the phosphorylation of cellular protein kinases including MAPK, Akt and GSK3β. Instead, it suppressed the degradation of IκBα in the cytoplasm and inhibited the translocation of transcription factor NF-κB1 p50 to the nucleus.

Conclusion

RPR crude extracts and its fraction RPR-EA-S1 inhibited anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and enhanced pro-inflammatory chemokine IL-8 expression in BCG-activated PBMac. The inhibitory effects of RPR-EA-S1 on IL-10 expression in BCG-activated PBMac may be due to the reduced nuclear translocation of NF-κB1 p50.

Hepatoprotective activity of scutellariae radix extract in mice fed a high fat diet with chronic alcohol exposure

Scutellariae radix (SR) is an herbal medicine used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. To investigate whether the SR water extract has a hepatoprotective effect in mice fed a high fat diet with chronic alcohol consumption, ICR mice were fed one of the following diets: a control diet (CD, 16% fat), a high fat diet (HFD, 40% fat), a high fat diet with either ethanol (HFDE, 25% v/v, ad libitum) alone or ethanol with SR extract (HFDESR, 100 mg/kg, p.o.) for 28 days, respectively. The combination of high fat diet with ethanol exposure induced hepatic damage that was manifested by a significant increase in the activities of functional enzymes, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum. Also, the liver and visceral fat weights were increased and the lipid profiles in serum and liver homogenate including triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol were significantly deteriorated. The SR supplements significantly reversed these altered parameters to near the values of the CD mice. Specifically, the expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzymeA (HMG-CoA) reductase in liver homogenate was significantly lowered in the HFDESR group compared with that of either the HFD or HFDE groups, which revealed that the SR extract could afford protection in the alleviation of high fat and alcoholic liver damage.

Hepatoprotective effects of an active part from Artemisia sacrorum Ledeb. against acetaminophen-induced toxicity in mice

AIMS OF STUDY

Although Artemisia sacrorum Ledeb. (Compositae) has long been used as one kind of oriental folk medicine to treat some liver diseases, the underlying mechanism(s) by which these effects are induced remains to be defined. This study was designed to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of 50% ethanol eluate precipitation of Artemisia sacrorum Ledeb. (EEP) on acetaminophen (APAP)-induced toxicity in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in mouse sera, and glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) in mouse liver tissues were measured. In addition, apoptosis and necrosis were evaluated by liver histopathological analysis and DNA laddering. Moreover, caspase-3 and -8 protein expressions in mouse livers were observed by Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Pretreated with EEP prior to the administration of APAP significantly prevented the increases of AST, ALT, and TNF-alpha levels in sera, and suppressed the GSH depletion, MDA accumulation in liver tissues markedly. In addition, EEP prevented APAP-induced apoptosis and necrosis, as indicated by liver histopathological analysis, immunohistochemical analysis, and DNA laddering. Furthermore, according to the results from Western blot analysis, EEP decreased APAP-induced caspase-3 and caspase-8 protein expressions in mouse livers markedly.

CONCLUSION

All these results suggest that the protective effects of EEP against APAP-induced liver injury may involve mechanisms associated with its inhibitive effects of lipid peroxidation and the down-regulation of TNF-alpha mediated apoptosis. In a word, EEP could be a valuable candidate for further development for prevention and treatment of hepatic injury.

Protective Effects of the Supernatant of Ethanol Eluate from Artemisia sacrorum Ledeb. against Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Injury in Mice [corrected]

This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of the active part of Artemisia sacrorum Ledeb. Extract (ASE) against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. As a result, pretreated with ASE prior to the administration of APAP significantly prevented the increases of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in serum, and glutathione (GSH) depletion, malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation in liver tissue. In addition, ASE prevented APAP-induced apoptosis and necrosis, as indicated by a liver histopathological analysis and DNA laddering. Furthermore, according to the results from Western blot analysis, ASE markedly decreased APAP-induced caspase-3 and -8 protein expressions in mouse livers. All these results suggest that the protective effects of ASE against APAP-induced liver injury may involve mechanisms associated with its inhibitive effects of lipid peroxidation and the down-regulation of TNF-alpha mediated apoptosis.