Anti-fatigue effects of porcine placenta and its amino acids in a behavioral test on mice

Protective Effect and Mechanism of Placenta Extract on Liver

The placenta contains multiple biologically active substances, which exert antioxidation, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and delayed aging effects. Its extract can improve hepatic morphology and function: on the one hand, it can reduce liver interstitial collagen deposition, lipogenesis, and inflammatory cell infiltration and improve fibrosis; on the other hand, it can prevent hepatocellular degeneration by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibiting inflammatory cytokine production, further improve hepatocyte apoptosis and necrosis, and promote hepatocyte regeneration, making it a promising liver-protective agent. Current research on placenta extract (PE) mainly focuses on treating a specific type of liver injury, and there are no systematic reports. Therefore, this review comprehensively summarizes the treatment reports of PE on liver injury and analyzes its mechanism of action.

β-eudesmol inhibits thymic stromal lymphopoietin through blockade of caspase-1/NF-κB signal cascade in allergic rhinitis murine model

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a global health problem because of its steadily increasing incidence and prevalence that currently affects about 30% of people worldwide. β-eudesmol has various beneficial effects, including anti-cancer and anti-allergic activities. However, the effects of β-eudesmol on AR have not yet been clarified; thus, we investigated the effects of β-eudesmol in an ovalbumin-induced AR animal model using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, histamine assay, Western blotting, and hematoxylin and eosin staining methods. β-eudesmol reduced the nasal rubs score and levels of histamine and immunoglobulin E in serum of AR mouse. In addition, the levels of thymic stromal lymphopoietin, interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 were down-regulated and infiltration of eosinophils and the level of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 were inhibited by β-eudesmol administration. β-eudesmol administration also reduced active caspase-1 and nuclear factor-κB DNA binding activity in nasal mucosa tissues of AR mice. Taken together, these results indicate that β-eudesmol would be effective for the treatment of allergic and inflammatory diseases, such as AR.

Effects of Linalyl Acetate on Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin Production in Mast Cells

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is an important factor responsible for the pathogenesis of allergic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis and asthma. Because linalyl acetate (LA) possesses a wide range of pharmacological properties, being antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hyperpigmentation, we hypothesized that LA could inhibit TSLP. Therefore, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, caspase-1 assay, Western blot analysis, fluorescent analyses of the intracellular calcium levels, and the phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-induced edema model were used to investigate how LA inhibits the production of TSLP in HMC-1 cells. LA reduced the production and mRNA expression of TSLP in HMC-1 cells. LA also inhibited the activation of nuclear factor-κB and degradation of IκBα. PMA plus A23187 stimulation up-regulated caspase-1 activity in HMC-1 cells; however, this up-regulated caspase-1 activity was down-regulated by LA. Finally, LA decreased intracellular calcium levels in HMC-1 cells as well as PMA-induced ear swelling responses in mice. Taken together, these results suggest that LA would be beneficial to treatment of atopic and inflammatory diseases by reducing TSLP.

Antifatigue Potential Activity of Sarcodon imbricatus in Acute Excise-Treated and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Mice via Regulation of Nrf2-Mediated Oxidative Stress

Sarcodon imbricatus (SI), a precious edible fungus, contains 35.22% of total sugar, 18.33% of total protein, 24 types of fatty acid, 16 types of amino acid, and 8 types of minerals. Encouragingly, it is rich in potential antioxidants such as total polyphenols (0.41%), total sterols (3.16%), and vitamins (0.44%). In the present study, the antifatigue properties of SI and its potential mechanisms of action were explored by the experiments on acute excise-treated mice and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) mice. SI (0.25, 0.5, and 1 g/kg) significantly enhanced exercise tolerance in the weight-loaded forced swimming test (FST) and rota-rod test (RRT) and reduced the immobility in the tail suspension test on CFS mice. SI markedly increased the levels of glycogen in the liver and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the liver and muscle and decreased the lactic acid (LD) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) content in both acute swimming-treated mice and CFS mice. SI improved the endogenous cellular antioxidant enzyme contents in the two mouse models by improving the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in serum, liver, and muscle, respectively. In CFS mice, the enhanced expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), SOD1, SOD2, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and catalase (CAT) in the liver were observed after a 32-day SI administration. Our data indicated that SI possessed antifatigue activity, which may be related to its ability to normalize energy metabolism and Nrf2-mediated oxidative stress. Consequently, SI can be expected to serve as a novel natural antifatigue supplement in health foods.

Anti-stress effects of human placenta extract: possible involvement of the oxidative stress system in rats

BACKGROUND

Human placenta hydrolysate (hPH) has been utilized to improve menopausal, fatigue, liver function. Its high concentration of bioactive substances is known to produce including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities. However, its mechanisms of stress-induced depression remain unknown.

METHODS

The present study examined the effect of hPH on stress-induced depressive behaviors and biochemical parameters in rats. hPH (0.02 ml, 0.2 ml or 1 ml/rat) was injected intravenously 30 min before the daily stress session in male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to repeated immobilization stress (4 h/day for 7 days). The depressive-like behaviors of all groups were measured by elevated plus maze (EPM) and forced swimming test (FST). After the behavior tests, brain samples of all groups were collected for the analysis of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) staining.

RESULTS

Treatment with hPH produced a significant decrease of immobility time in the FST compared to the controls. Additionally, hPH treatment elicited a slightly decreasing trend in anxiety behavior on the EPM. Furthermore, hPH increased the level of GPx protein in the hippocampus, and decreased the expression of NADPH-d in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that hPH has anti-stress effects via the regulation of nitric oxide (NO) synthase and antioxidant activity in the brain. These results suggest that hPH may be useful in the treatment of stress-related diseases such as chronic fatigue syndrome.

Placenta and Placental Derivatives in Regenerative Therapies: Experimental Studies, History, and Prospects

Placental structures, capable to persist in a genetically foreign organism, are a natural model of allogeneic engraftment carrying a number of distinctive properties. In this review, the main features of the placenta and its derivatives such as structure, cellular composition, immunological and endocrine aspects, and the ability to invasion and deportation are discussed. These features are considered from a perspective that determines the placental material as a unique source for regenerative cell therapies and a lesson for immunological tolerance. A historical overview of clinical applications of placental extracts, cells, and tissue components is described. Empirically accumulated data are summarized and compared with modern research. Furthermore, we define scopes and outlooks of application of placental cells and tissues in the rapidly progressing field of regenerative medicine.

Synthesis and characterisation of celastrol derivatives as potential anticancer agents

In the present study, three series of novel celastrol derivatives were designed and synthesised by modifying the carboxylic acid at the 20th position with amino acid, amine, and triazole derivatives. All the synthesised compounds were screened for their anticancer activities using MTT assay against AGS, MGC-803, SGC-7901, HCT-116, A549, HeLa, BEL-7402, and HepG-2 cell lines. Most of the synthesised compounds exhibited potent antiproliferative effects. The most promising compound 3-Hydroxy-9β,13α-dimethyl-2-oxo-24,25,26-trinoroleana-1(10),3,5,7-tetraen-29-oic amide, N-(R)-methyl-3-(1H-indol-2-yl)propanoate (11) showed considerable high anticancer activity against AGS cell lines, with an IC₅₀ value of 0.44 μM, and considerably higher activities against HCT-116, BEL-7402, and HepG-2 cell lines, with IC₅₀ values of 0.78, 0.63, and 0.76 μM, respectively. The results of apoptosis tests and molecular docking study of compound 11 binding to Caspase-3 revealed that its mechanism of action with antiproliferative was possibly involved in inducing apoptosis by inducing the activation of caspase-3.

Anti-fatigue effect by active dipeptides of fermented porcine placenta through inhibiting the inflammatory and oxidative reactions

BACKGROUND

Recently, we reported an anti-fatigue effect of fermented porcine placenta (FPP). Glycine-leucine (GL) and leucine-glycine (LG) dipeptides are main peptides of FPP. However, the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of GL and LG dipeptides on fatigue are still unclear.

METHODS

Herein, we examined the anti-fatigue properties of GL and LG dipeptides using RAW264.7 macrophages and forced swimming test (FST) animal model.

RESULTS

Our data revealed that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-6 productions were markedly inhibited by GL or LG in RAW264.7 macrophages without inducing cytotoxicity. LPS-enhanced nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression were inhibited by GL or LG, whereas superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were significantly enhanced by GL or LG in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. The present study also figured out that these effects of GL and LG were mediated by blockade of caspase-1 and nuclear factor-κB activation. In FST-induced fatigue mouse model, the mice which received the GL or LG for 21days showed significant decreases of IL-1β, IL-6, and NO serum levels. Treatment with GL or LG significantly enhanced levels of SOD and glycogen and significantly lowered levels of lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate transaminase, and alanine transaminase.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, our results indicated that GL and LG dipeptides, active components of FPP, should be considered as candidate of anti-fatigue agents.

Estrogen-like osteoprotective effects of glycine in in vitro and in vivo models of menopause

Recently, the placenta mesotherapy has been widely used to treat menopause. Placenta contains amino acids, peptides, minerals, and estrogen. Here, we investigated the estrogen-like osteoprotective effects of glycine (a main ingredient of placenta) in in vitro and in vivo models of menopause. We assessed the effect of glycine on MG-63 osteoblast cell line, MCF-7 estrogen-dependent cell line, and ovariectomized (OVX) mice. Glycine significantly increased the MG-63 cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and phosphorylation of extracellular-signal-regulated kinase were increased by glycine in MG-63 cells. Glycine also increased the BrdU-incorporation and Ki-67 mRNA expression in MCF-7 cells. Glycine induced the up-regulation of estrogen receptor-β mRNA expression and estrogen-response element-luciferase activity in MG-63 and MCF-7 cells. In OVX mice, glycine was administered orally at a daily dose of 10 mg/kg per day for 8 weeks. Glycine resulted in the greatest decrease in weight gain caused by ovariectomy. Meanwhile, vaginal weight reduced by ovariectomy was increased by glycine. Glycine significantly increased the ALP activity in OVX mice. MicroCT-analysis showed that glycine significantly enhanced bone mineral density, trabecular number, and connectivity density in OVX mice. Moreover, glycine significantly increased the serum 17β-estradiol levels reduced by ovariectomy. Glycine has an estrogen-like osteoprotective effect in menopause models. Therefore, we suggest that glycine may be useful for the treatment of menopause.