Amomum tsao-ko suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses in RAW264.7 macrophages via Nrf2-dependent heme oxygenase-1 expression

Antidiabetic diarylheptanoids from the leaves of Amomum tsao-ko and their inhibition mechanism against α-glucosidase

Thirteen diarylheptanoids, including four undescribed ones (1-4), were isolated from the leaves of Amomum tsao-ko. Compounds 1 and 2 are two unusual diarylheptanoid-phenylpropanoid hybrids. Several of the isolates were tested for their biological activity in promoting GLP-1 secretion and inhibiting multiple type 2 diabetes-related enzymes. 2-Hydroxymusaitinerin A (1) demonstrated broad inhibitory activity against GPa, PTP1B and α-glucosidase with inhibition rates of 99.0 %, 59.4 % and 55.9 %, respectively at 200 μM. Platyphyllone (12) is a mixed-type inhibitor of α-glucosidase (IC50 = 25.8 μM), inhibiting the enzyme through both non-competitive and anti-competitive modes, as shown by enzyme kinetic study. Fluorescence quenching test confirmed that compound 12 directly interacted with α-glucosidase, forming a basal complex via a single binding site. Molecular docking predicted hydrogen-bonding interactions between OH-4'', OH-5 and 3‑carbonyl groups of 12 and α-glucosidase. This study highlights that the leaves of Amomum tsao-ko are a rich source of diarylheptanoids with multi-enzyme inhibitory effects.

Health-promoting compounds in Amomum villosum Lour and Amomum tsao-ko: Fruit essential oil exhibiting great potential for human health

The Zingiberaceae family serves as a diverse repository of bioactive phytochemicals, comprising approximately 52 genera and 1300 species of aromatic perennial herbs distinguished by their distinct creeping horizontal or tuberous rhizomes. Amomum villosum Lour. and Amomum tsao-ko Crevost & Lemaire., are the important plants of family Zingiberaceae that have been widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of many ailments. The Amomum species are employed for their aromatic qualities and are valued as spices and flavorings. In the essential oils (EOs) of Amomum species, notable constituents include, camphor, methyl chavicol, bornyl acetate, trans-p-(1-butenyl) anisole, α-pinene, and β-pinene.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this review is to present an overview of pharmacological studies pertaining to the extracts and secondary metabolites isolated from both species. The foremost objective of review is not only to increase the popularity of Amomum as a healthy food choice but also to enhance its status as a staple ingredient for the foreseeable future.

RESULT

We endeavored to gather the latest information on antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, antiobesity, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties of plants as well as their role in neuroprotective diseases. Research conducted through in-vitro studies, animal model, and compounds analysis have revealed that both plants exhibit a diverse array health promoting properties.

CONCLUSION

the comprehensive review paper provides valuable insights into the diverse range of bioactive phytochemicals found in A. villosum and A. tsao-ko, showcasing their potential in preventing diseases and promoting overall human well-being. The compilation of information on their various health-enhancing properties contributes to the broader understanding of these plants and their potential applications in traditional medicine and beyond.

Translation and validation of a Swedish version of the Visual Vertigo Analogue Scale

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to construct and validate a Swedish translation (VVAS-S) of the Visual Vertigo Analogue Scale (VVAS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The original English VVAS was translated into Swedish by the two authors and back-translated by an independent professional translator. Pilot-tests were performed on two healthy participants and five patients suffering from Visually Induced Dizziness (VID). The translation was deemed understandable by all subjects. Twenty-one patients with VID were recruited to complete the VVAS-S, once in-lab and once at home after 2-3 weeks. Cronbach's alpha, inter-item consistency and internal consistency were calculated.

RESULTS

Test-retest values were reliably strong across all items. Cronbach's alpha was 0.843, which is considered to represent very-high reliability. The corrected-item total-correlation was above 0.3 for all items, meaning they were appropriately associated with one-another. Fourteen out of 36 inter-item correlation interactions were within the 0.2-0.4 range.

CONCLUSIONS

The VVAS-S was found to be comparable to the original VVAS in terms of internal reliability. The translation was perceived as easy to implement by all participants and can be considered ready for clinical use in a Swedish-speaking setting. Item-specific correlations may be valuable for developing future vertigo questionnaires.Key messagesThe Swedish version of the Visual Vertigo Analogue Scale is a questionnaire suitable for evaluating visually induced dizziness in a Swedish population. This study found that the Swedish questionnaire was comparable to the original in terms of internal consistency. The Swedish Visual vertigo Analogue Scale can be found as an appendix to this article.

Clinical characteristics of visual motion hypersensitivity: a systematic review

This qualitative systematic review presents an overview of the state of the research relating to visual motion hypersensitivity (VMH) and offers a reference tool for future studies in the field. The study set out to identify and collate articles investigating risk groups with aberrant responses to visual motion as compared to healthy control groups, presenting evidence for risk factors associated with visual motion hypersensitivity. Data were synthesized into the state of the research and analyzed in the context of the clinical characteristics of each risk factor. Literature searches were performed on Medline Ovid, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cinahl, identifying a total of 586 studies of which 54 were finally included. Original articles published between the dates of commencement for each database and 19th January 2021 were included. JBI critical appraisal tools were implemented for each corresponding article type. In total, the following number of studies was identified for each respective risk factor: age (n = 6), migraines (n = 8), concussions (n = 8), vestibular disorders (n = 13), psychiatric conditions (n = 5), and Parkinson's disease (n = 5). Several studies described VMH as the primary concern (n = 6), though these primarily included patients with vestibulopathies. There were considerable differences in the nomenclature employed to describe VMH, depending largely on the investigating group. An overview of investigated risk factors and their evaluation methods was presented in a Sankey diagram. Posturography was the most implemented methodology but due to diverse measurements meta-analyses were not possible. One may however note that while the easily implemented Vestibular Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) was designed for concussed patients, it may prove useful for other risk groups.

Metabolomics and Transcriptomics Reveal that Diarylheptanoids Vary in Amomum tsao-ko Fruit Development

Amomum tsao-ko is an important spice and medicinal plant that has received extensive attention in recent years for its high content of bioactive constituents with the potential for food additives and drug development. Diarylheptanoids are major and characteristic compounds in A. tsao-ko; however, the biochemical and molecular foundation of diarylheptanoids in fruit is unknown. We performed comparative metabolomics and transcriptomics studies in the ripening stages of A. tsao-ko fruit. The chemical constituents of fruit vary in different harvest periods, and the diarylheptanoids have a trend to decrease or increase with fruit development. GO enrichment analysis revealed that plant hormone signaling pathways including the ethylene-activated signaling pathway, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, abscisic acid, and response to hydrogen peroxide were associated with fruit ripening. The biosynthetic pathways including phenylpropanoid, flavonoids, and diarylheptanoids biosynthesis were displayed in high enrichment levels in ripening fruit. The molecular networking and phytochemistry investigation of A. tsao-ko fruit has isolated and identified 10 diarylheptanoids including three new compounds. The candidate genes related to diarylheptanoids were obtained by coexpression network analysis and phylogenetic analysis. Two key genes have been verified to biosynthesize linear diarylheptanoids. This integrative approach provides gene regulation and networking associated with the biosynthesis of characteristic diarylheptanoids, which can be used to improve the quality of A. tsao-ko as food and medicine.

Postural Control of Patients with Low Back Pain Under Dual-Task Conditions

Low back pain is a major global public health problem, but the current intervention effect is not ideal. A large body of previous literature suggests that patients with chronic low back pain may have abnormal postural control, which is more evident in the dual task situation. In recent years, research on postural control in patients with low back pain under dual-task conditions has gradually become a hot topic. However, the results obtained from these studies were not entirely consistent. In this review, we summarized relevant studies on the performance of postural control in patients with low back pain under dual-task conditions, analyze it from the perspective of the theoretical model of dual-task interaction, the specific research paradigm of dual task, the performance of postural control, and the related factors affecting postural control performance, etc. It was reasonable to assume that patients with low back pain might have a certain degree of abnormal postural control, and this abnormality was affected by comprehensive factors such as age, cognitive resource capacity, attention needs, complex sensorimotor integration, external environment, etc. Furthermore, postural control performance in low back pain patients under dual-task conditions was further influenced by the nature and complexity of the different tasks. In general, the more attention resources were needed, the external environmental conditions were worse, and the age-related functions were degenerate, etc., the weaker posture control ability was. In short, a deeper understanding of postural control in patients with low back pain under dual-task conditions may shed light on more references for the rehabilitation and management of low back pain, as well as some new ideas for scientific research on cognition and postural control.

Pyrus ussuriensis Maxim 70% ethanol eluted fraction ameliorates inflammation and oxidative stress in LPS-induced inflammation in vitro and in vivo

Pyrus ussuriensis Maxim (PUM) is a popular fruit among consumers, and also used as medical diet for dissolving phlegm and arresting cough. The present study aims to investigate the potential protective effect of P. ussuriensis Maxim 70% ethanol eluted fraction (PUM70) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced alveolar macrophages and acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. A total of 18 polyphenol compounds were tentatively identified in PUM70 by mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. The results in vivo suggested that PUM70 treatment could effectively alleviate the histological changes, and significantly inhibit the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6)). The cell test results show that PUM70 exerted its protective effect by suppressing the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels (inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and decreasing nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin 2 (PGE2) contents. In addition, it also inhibited the overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6). Furthermore, PUM70 induced the production of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) protein and nuclear translocation of Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2), indicating that PUM70 could mitigate oxidative injury via the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Moreover, PUM70 inhibited LPS-induced inflammation by blocking the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). The above results indicate that PUM70 has protective effects on LPS-induced ALI, possibly be related to the inhibition of MAPK and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways.

Genome Sequencing of Amomum tsao-ko Provides Novel Insight Into Its Volatile Component Biosynthesis

As an important economic and medicinal crop, Amomum tsao-ko is rich in volatile oils and widely used in food additives, essential oils, and traditional Chinese medicine. However, the lack of the genome remains a limiting factor for understanding its medicinal properties at the molecular level. Here, based on 288.72 Gb of PacBio long reads and 105.45 Gb of Illumina paired-end short reads, we assembled a draft genome for A. tsao-ko (2.70 Gb in size, contig N50 of 2.45 Mb). Approximately 90.07% of the predicted genes were annotated in public databases. Based on comparative genomic analysis, genes involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis, flavonoid metabolism, and terpenoid biosynthesis showed significant expansion. Notably, the DXS, GGPPS, and CYP450 genes, which participate in rate-limiting steps for terpenoid backbone biosynthesis and modification, may form the genetic basis for essential oil formation in A. tsao-ko. The assembled A. tsao-ko draft genome provides a valuable genetic resource for understanding the unique features of this plant and for further evolutionary and agronomic studies of Zingiberaceae species.

Amomum tsao-ko Crevost & Lemarié: a comprehensive review on traditional uses, botany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology

Tsaoko Fructus, the dried ripe fruit of Amomum tsao-ko Crevost & Lemarié, is used as both medicinal material and food additive. This review summarized the traditional uses, botany, phytochemistry, and pharmacological progress on Tsaoko Fructus. One classical prescription and the other 11 representative prescriptions containing Tsaoko Fructus were reviewed. The indications of these prescriptions are major in treating spleen and stomach disorders and epidemic febrile diseases including malaria. At least 209 compounds have been isolated and identified from Tsaoko Fructus, most of which belong to terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and organic acids. Essential oil, crude extract, and some compounds were observed to have pharmacological activities such as anti-biotics, anti-inflammation, antioxidant, mostly via in vitro experiments. However, the mechanism of its medicinal uses remains unclear. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of Tsaoko Fructus, which will be beneficial to exploring the mechanism and potential medicinal applications of Tsaoko Fructus, as well as developing a rational quality control system for Tsaoko Fructus as a medicinal material in the future.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11101-021-09793-x.

Polyphenol extract and essential oil of Amomum tsao-ko equally alleviate hypercholesterolemia and modulate gut microbiota

This study explored the effects of polyphenol extract (TKP) and essential oil (TKO) from Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemaire (tsao-ko) on plasma total cholesterol and gut microbiota. Four groups of hamsters (n = 8 each) were fed one of four diets, respectively, namely a high-cholesterol diet (HCD) containing 0.1% cholesterol, a HCD containing 0.5% cholestyramine (PCD), a HCD with daily oral administration of 1000 mg per kg body weight TKP, and a HCD with daily oral administration of 200 mg per kg body weight TKO for 6 weeks. TKP and TKO equally lowered plasma total cholesterol (TC) by 13-18% via increasing the fecal elimination of total acidic sterols by 50-191%. This might be due to up-regulation of liver cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) at both transcriptional and translational levels. At a family level, TKP and TKO diets favorably modified the relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, and Desulfovibrionaceae associated with acidic sterols and CYP7A1. It was therefore concluded that TKP and TKO were equally effective in alleviating hypercholesterolemia in hamsters via the interaction between gut microbiota and bile acid metabolism.

Multi-platform integration based on NIR and UV-Vis spectroscopies for the geographical traceability of the fruits of Amomum tsao-ko

Due to the world-wide concern relating to herb quality and safety, there is a momentum to authenticate the geographical origin of herb with multi-platform techniques. This study attempted to assess multi-platform information as a practical strategy for the geographical traceability of the fruits of Amomum tsao-ko. To this aim, one hundred and eighty dried fruits of A. tsao-ko from five geographical regions were analyzed by near infrared (NIR) and ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. On this basis, two variable dimension reduction strategies, including principal component analysis (PCA) and sequential and orthogonalized partial-least squares (SO-PLS), and two variables selection strategies, including variable importance in projection (VIP) and sequential and orthogonalized covariance selection (SO-CovSel), were performed to extract the feature information in the two blocks. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) classification algorithm combined with fused matrices was used to identify the geographical origins. The results of PLS-DA models indicated that SO-PLS and SO-CovSel, taking advantage of the sequential modeling coupled to orthogonalization, could not only identify the common information presented in the two blocks but also provide more concise methods without any loss of classification ability, which could be employed in authenticating the geographical regions of the fruits of A. tsao-ko, effectively.

The Use of Virtual Reality in Back Pain Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review aimed to synthesize the existing evidence of extended reality (XR) on pain and motor function outcomes in patients with back pain. Following the Cochrane guidelines, relevant articles of any language were selected by 2 independent reviewers from CINAHL, Cochrane, Embase, Medline and Web of Knowledge databases. Of 2,050 unique citations, 24 articles were included in our review. These studies included a total of 900 back pain patients. Despite broader XR search, all interventions were virtual reality (VR) based and involved physical exercises (n = 17, 71%), hippotherapy (n = 4, 17%), motor imagery (n = 1, 4%), distraction (n = 1, 4%), and cognitive-behavior therapy (n = 1, 4%). Sixteen controlled studies were included in a meta-analysis which suggested that VR provides a significant improvement in terms of back pain intensity over control interventions (Mean Difference: -0.67; 95% CI: -1.12 to -0.23; I² = 85%). Almost all included studies presented high risk of bias, highlighting the need to improve methodology in the examination of VR interventions. While the specific set of studies showed high heterogeneity across several methodological factors, a tentative conclusion could be drawn that VR was effective improving back pain intensity and tends to have a positive effect on improving other pain outcomes and motion function. PERSPECTIVE: Extended reality technologies have appeared as interesting nonpharmacological options for the treatment of back pain, with the potential to minimise the need for opioid medications. Our systematic review summarised existing applications of extended reality for back pain and proposed a few recommendations to direct further studies in the field.

Improvement of Obesity and Dyslipidemic Activity of Amomum tsao-ko in C57BL/6 Mice Fed a High-Carbohydrate Diet

Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemaire (Zingiberaceae) is a medicinal herb found in Southeast Asia that is used for the treatment of malaria, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, etc. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an ethanol extract of Amomum tsao-ko (EAT) on obesity and hyperlipidemia in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-carbohydrate diet (HCD). First, the mice were divided into five groups (n = 6/group) as follows: normal diet, HCD, and HCD+EAT (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/day), which were orally administered with EAT daily for 84 days. Using microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) analysis, we found that EAT inhibited not only body-weight gain, but also visceral fat and subcutaneous fat accumulation. Histological analysis confirmed that EAT decreased the size of fat tissues. EAT consistently improved various indices, including plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, atherogenic index, and cardiac risk factors, which are related to dyslipidemia—a major risk factor for heart disease. The contents of TC and TG, as well as the lipid droplets of HCD-induced hepatic accumulation in the liver tissue, were suppressed by EAT. Taken together, these findings suggest the possibility of developing EAT as a therapeutic agent for improving HCD-induced obesity and hyperlipidemia.

Ethanol Extract of Amomum tsao-ko Ameliorates Ovariectomy-Induced Trabecular Loss and Fat Accumulation

In Asia, Amomum tsao-ko has long been used as a spice or seasoning in food to stimulate digestion. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of ethanol extract of Amomum tsao-ko (EEAT) on menopausal osteoporosis and obesity. After the administration of EEAT in ovariectomy (OVX) mice models for five weeks, microcomputed tomography and a histological analysis were performed to assess, respectively, the trabecular structure and the fat accumulation in adipose, liver, and bone tissues. We also examined the effects of EEAT on a bone marrow macrophage model of osteoclastogenesis by in vitro stimulation from the receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa Β ligand (RANKL) through real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. In addition, ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) with authentic standards was applied to characterize the phytochemical profiling of EEAT. We found that EEAT significantly decreased OVX-induced body weight gain and fat accumulation, significantly prevented OVX-induced deterioration of bone mineral density and microstructure of trabecular tissues, and significantly inhibited osteoclast differentiation by downregulating NF-κB/Fos/NFATc1 signaling in osteoclasts. Furthermore, UHPLC-MS/MS identified eight beneficial phytochemicals in EEAT. Collectively, these results suggest that EEAT might be an effective nutraceutical candidate to attenuate menopausal osteoporosis by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and to prevent obesity by suppressing fat accumulation.

Assessment of the anti-virulence potential of extracts from four plants used in traditional Chinese medicine against multidrug-resistant pathogens

BACKGROUND

Multidrug-resistant pathogens are resistant to many antibiotics and associated with serious infections. Amomum tsaoko Crevost et Lemaire, Sanguisorba officinalis, Terminalia chebula Retz and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge, are all used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) against multidrug-resistant pathogens, and the purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial and anti-virulence activity of extracts derived from them.

METHODS

The antibacterial activity of ethanol and aqueous extracts from these four plants was examined against several multi-drug resistant bacterial strains, and their anti-virulence potential (including quorum quenching activity, biofilm inhibition, and blocking production of virulence factor δ-toxin) was assessed against different S. aureus strains. The chemical composition of the most effective extract was determined by LC-FTMS.

RESULTS

Only extracts from S. officinalis and A. tsaoko were shown to exhibit limited growth inhibition activity at a dose of 256 μg·mL-1. The S. officinalis ethanol extract, the ethanol and aqueous extract of A. tsaoko, and the aqueous extract of S. miltiorrhiza all demonstrated quorum quenching activity, but didn't significantly inhibit bacterial growth. The ethanol extract of S. officinalis inhibited bacterial toxin production and biofilm formation at low concentrations. Chemical composition analysis of the most effective extract of S. officinalis showed that it mainly contained saponins.

CONCLUSIONS

The most active extract tested in this study was the ethanol root extract of S. officinalis. It inhibited δ-toxin production and biofilm formation at low concentrations and saponins may be its key active components. While the four plants showed no direct antibacterial effects, their anti-virulence properties may be key to fighting bacterial infections.

Notoginsenoside R1 attenuates sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity

Background

Sevoflurane, a volatile anesthetic, is known to induce widespread neuronal degeneration and apoptosis. Recently, the stress-inducible protein sestrin 2 and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) have been found to regulate the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and suppress oxidative stress. Notoginsenoside R1 (NGR1), a saponin isolated from Panax notoginseng, has been shown to exert neuroprotective effects. The effects of NGR1 against neurotoxicity induced by sevoflurane were assessed.

Methods

Sprague-Dawley rat pups on postnatal day 7 (PD7) were exposed to sevoflurane (3%) anesthesia for 6 h. NGR1 at doses of 12.5, 25, or 50 mg/kg body weight was orally administered to pups from PD2 to PD7.

Results

Pretreatment with NGR1 attenuated sevoflurane-induced generation of ROS and reduced apoptotic cell counts. Western blotting revealed decreased cleaved caspase 3 and Bad and Bax pro-apoptotic protein expression. NGR1 substantially upregulated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression along with increased heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase-1 levels, suggesting Nrf2 signaling activation. Enhanced sestrin-2 and phosphorylated AMPK expression were noticed following NGR1 pretreatment.

Conclusion

This study revealed the neuroprotective effects of NGR1 through effective suppression of apoptosis and ROS via regulation of apoptotic proteins and activation of Nrf2/HO-1 and sestrin 2/AMPK signaling cascades.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Essential Oils of Amomum aromaticum Fruits in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated RAW264.7 Cells

Inflammation is a vital physiologic response of cellular injury, infection, or autoimmune activation. Overproduction of proinflammatory mediators may result in the chronic inflammation that leads to many diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis, and atherosclerosis. In this study, we assessed for the first time the anti-inflammatory effects of the essential oils of Amomum aromaticum fruits (AAE) in RAW264.7 murine macrophage model. As a result, AAE potently inhibited the production of nitric oxide in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells with the IC50 value of 0.45 ± 0.11 μg/ml. AAE also dose-dependently reduced the expression of two proinflammatory proteins iNOS and COX-2 in the stimulated cells. Phytochemical analysis revealed that major compositions of the volatile oils including 1,8 cineole (48.22%), geranial (9.24%), neral (6.72%), α-pinene (2.43%), and α-terpineol (2.28%) may contribute greatly to the inhibition effects due to their anti-inflammatory properties. The results suggest for the potential uses of AAE in chronic inflammation prevention.

Pterostilbene induces Nrf2/HO-1 and potentially regulates NF-κB and JNK-Akt/mTOR signaling in ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats

Hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury has a high occurrence rate of 1-4 per 1000 live births and is the leading cause of neurological disabilities. Despite the improvement in neonatal care, the effectiveness of current therapeutic strategies is limited, and thus, additional therapies with better results are of much needed. Pterostilbene is a stilbenoid possessing numerous preventive and therapeutic properties. The current study aimed to assess whether pterostilbene exerted protective effects in neonatal rats against experimentally induced ischemic brain injury. Pterostilbene was administered via oral gavage from postnatal day 3 to day 8. Rat pups that were seven-day-old were exposed to hypoxic-ischemic insult via ligation of the common carotid artery and hypoxic environment exposure. Pterostilbene treatment reduced neuronal loss and infarct volume. Pterostilbene administration regulated the NF-κB pathway, and the levels of inflammatory mediators (Nitric oxide, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) were reduced. HI-induced oxidative stress was significantly reduced by pterostilbene, as presented by decreased production of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species. Levels of glutathione were enhanced by pterostilbene. Pterostilbene regulated Nrf2/HO-1 and JNK expression and activated the PI3K/Akt-mTOR signals. These findings suggest that pterostilbene is a candidate compound for the treatment of neonatal HI.

Anticipatory postural control differs between low back pain and pelvic girdle pain patients in the absence of visual feedback

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of vision on anticipatory postural control (APA) responses in two groups of clinically diagnosed chronic low back pain patients, those with Posterior Pelvic Girdle pain and those with Non-Specific Low Back Pain compared to a matched group of healthy controls during the modified Trendelenburg task.

METHODS

Seventy-eight volunteer participants (60 females and 18 males) gave informed consent to take part in this study. 39 with confirmed LBP or PGP lasting longer than 12 weeks and 39 healthy matched controls performed 40 single leg lift tasks (hip flexion to 90° as quickly as possible) with their non-dominant lower limb. A force plate was used to determine the medial-lateral displacement of the center of pressure, and the initiation of weight shift; kinematics was used to determine initiation of leg lift; and electromyography was used to determine onset times from the external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO) and lumbar multifidus (MF), gluteus maximus (GM) and biceps femoris (BF).

RESULTS

The PGP group showed significantly longer muscle onset latencies in the BF, EO MF with visual occlusion (F_2,746 = 4.51, p < .0001).

CONCLUSION

The muscle onset delays identified between the two LBP sub-groups suggests that pain may not be the primary factor in alteration of APA response. The PGP group show a greater reliance on vision which may signal impairment in multiple feedback channels.

Bioactive compounds from the seeds of Amomum tsaoko Crevost et Lemaire, a Chinese spice as inhibitors of sphingosine kinases, SPHK1/2

Amomum tsaoko Crevost et Lemaire (Zingiberaceae), a traditional Chinese spice also known as “Caoguo” or “tsao-ko,” has been considered to have many health benefits. As part of our continuous efforts to screen natural resources exhibiting potential bioactivity, we examined the seeds of A. tsaoko and found that its EtOH extract inhibited sphingosine kinases 1 and 2 (SPHK1/2). Bioactivity-based analysis and chemical investigation of the EtOH extract led to the isolation and identification of four aliphatic alcohols (1–4), five fatty acids (5–9), 12 phenolics (10–21), and four terpenoids (22–25), including four new compounds, an acetylated aliphatic alcohol (2), a fatty acid (5), and two phenolics (10–11). In addition, compound 1 was isolated for the first time from natural sources in this study. The structures of all compounds were elucidated based on spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and/or 2D NMR and HR-ESIMS as well as LC/MS analysis. A recently developed method using competing enantioselective acylation (CEA) coupled with LC/MS analysis was applied for the assignment of absolute configuration of compound 5. The absolute configurations of compounds 10 and 11 were determined using ECD calculations. All of the compounds (1–25) isolated from the active fraction were evaluated for their SPHK1/2 inhibitory effects at the concentration of 10 μM. Aliphatic alcohols 2–4, fatty acids 7 and 9, and phenolic compounds 13–15 and 21 showed inhibition against the activity of SPHK1 up to 20% and aliphatic alcohols 2 and 4, fatty acid 8, and phenolic compounds 10, 11, 18, and 22 showed inhibition against the activity of SPHK2 up to 40% compared with the control. Compound 2 showed the highest potency to inhibit SPHK1 enzymatic activity, by 59.75%, and compound 22 showed the highest potency in inhibiting the activity of SPHK2, by 22.75%, in comparison with the control, where both exhibited higher inhibition compared to those of positive controls. Docking modeling studies were conducted to suggest the binding mode of 2 and 22 in the substrate-binding pocket of SPHK1 and SPHK2, respectively.

New bioactive compounds were identified from the seeds of Amomum tsaoko Crevost et Lemaire, a Chinese spice as inhibitors of sphingosine kinases, SPHK1/2.

Ethanol Extract of Lycopodium serratum Thunb. Attenuates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced C6 Glioma Cells Migration via Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Expression

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate how ethanol extract of L. serratum (ELS) could exert anti-migratory effects on glioma with the suppression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) downstream pathway.

METHODS

Cell viability of ELS on C6 glioma was detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Nitric oxide (NO) assay and 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay were applied to measure NO production and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced C6 glioma cells. NF-κB, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), inducible nictric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein were determined by Western blot. Wound healing assay was used to investigate the inhibitory effect of ELS on fetal bovine serum (FBS)-induced migration and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and -2 activity was examined by zymography.

RESULTS

ELS suppressed LPS-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 through inhibiting the expression of chemokine CCL2 (or monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, MCP-1). In addition, ELS inhibited the expression of iNOS, COX-2, and the production of NO by LPS in C6 glioma cells. ELS also significantly decreased serum-induced migration of C6 glioma cells in scratch wound healing in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.01). The activity of MMP-9 and -2 were also significantly attenuated by ELS with LPS treatment (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that downregulation of MMP-9 gene expression might be involved in the anti-migration effect of ELS against LPS-induced C6 glioma cells.

Rapid extraction of Amomum tsao-ko essential oil and determination of its chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities

A simple, green and efficient extraction method named modified-solvent free microwave extraction (M-SFME) was employed for the extraction of essential oils (EOs) from Amomun tsao-ko. The process of M-SFME was optimized with the prominent preponderance of such higher extraction yield (1.13%) than those of solvent free microwave extraction (SFME, 0.91%) and hydrodistillation (HD, 0.84%) under the optimal parameters. Thirty-four volatile substances representing 95.4% were identified. The IC₅₀ values of EOs determined by DPPH radical scavenging activity and β-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching assay were 5.27 and 0.63mg/ml. Furthermore, the EOs exhibited moderate to potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against all tested strains including five gram-positive and two gram-negative bacteria (MIC: 2.94-5.86mg/ml). In general, M-SFME is a potential and desirable alternative for the extraction of EOs from aromatic herbs, and the EOs obtained from A. tsao-ko can be explored as a potent natural antimicrobial and antioxidant preservative ingredient in food industry from the technological and economical points of view.

Curcumin attenuates hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats through induction of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 and heme oxygenase-1

Curcumin has previously demonstrated anti-inflammatory, anti-infective and immuno-suppressive effects. In the present study, whether the attenuating effects of curcumin against hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats are mediated via nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was investigated. A model of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury was created using 1-week-old Sprague Dawley rats (weight, 52±1 g). The model rats were treated with 150 mg/kg curcumin by gavage for 3 days. Malondialdehyde levels, and superoxide dismutase and caspase-3 activities were assayed using commercial kits and western blot analysis was used to measure inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), Nrf2 and HO-1 expression levels. Treatment with curcumin effectively reduced the brain injury score, increased myelin basic protein (MBP) expression and increased the quantity of neuronal cells in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Furthermore, treatment with curcumin significantly attenuated the changes in SOD activity and MDA levels and suppressed the iNOS protein expression induced in neonatal rats by hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Treatment with curcumin significantly increased Nrf2 and HO-1 expression in the neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. The present study indicated that curcumin attenuates hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats through the induction of Nrf2 and HO-1.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Sanghuangporus sanghuang Mycelium

Acute lung injury (ALI) is characterized by inflammation of the lung tissue and oxidative injury caused by excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species. Studies have suggested that anti-inflammatory or antioxidant agents could be used for the treatment of ALI with a good outcome. Therefore, our study aimed to test whether the mycelium extract of Sanghuangporus sanghuang (SS-1), believed to exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, could be used against the excessive inflammatory response associated with lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced ALI in mice and to investigate its possible mechanism of action. The experimental results showed that the administration of SS-1 could inhibit LPS-induced inflammation. SS-1 could reduce the number of inflammatory cells, inhibit myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, regulate the TLR4/PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and the signal transduction of NF-κB and MAPK pathways in the lung tissue, and inhibit high mobility group box-1 protein 1 (HNGB1) activity in BALF. In addition, SS-1 could affect the synthesis of antioxidant enzymes Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and Thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) in the lung tissue and regulate signal transduction in the KRAB-associated protein-1 (KAP1)/nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor Nrf2/Kelch Like ECH associated Protein 1 (Keap1) pathway. Histological results showed that administration of SS-1 prior to induction could inhibit the large-scale LPS-induced neutrophil infiltration of the lung tissue. Therefore, based on all experimental results, we propose that SS-1 exhibits a protective effect against LPS-induced ALI in mice. The mycelium of S. sanghuang can potentially be used for the treatment or prevention of inflammation-related diseases.

Anti-inflammatory activity of Sanghuangporus sanghuang by suppressing the TLR4-mediated PI3K/AKT/mTOR/IKKβ signaling pathway

Sanghuangporus sanghuang (SS) is a mushroom that belongs to the genus Sanghuangporus and it is commonly called “Sangwhang” in Taiwan.

Neuroprotective effects of ginsenosides on neural progenitor cells against oxidative injury

Ginsenosides exhibit various neuroprotective effects against oxidative stress. However, which ginsenoside provides optimal effects for the treatment of neurological disorders as a potent antioxidant remains to be elucidated. Therefore, the present study investigated and compared the neuroprotective effects of the Rb1, Rd, Rg1 and Re ginsenosides on neural progenitor cells (NPCs) following tert-Butylhydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced oxidative injury. Primary rat embryonic cortical NPCs were prepared from E14.5 embryos of Sprague-Dawley rats. The oxidative injury model was established with t-BHP. A lactate dehydrogenase assay and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling staining were used to measure the viability of the NPCs pre-treated with ginsenosides under oxidative stress. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to determine the activation of intracellular signaling pathways triggered by the pretreatment of ginsenosides. Among the four ginsenosides, only Rb1 attenuated t-BHP toxicity in the NPCs, and the nuclear factor (erythroizd-derived 2)-like 2/heme oxygenase-1 pathway was found to be key in the intracellular defense against oxidative stress. The present study demonstrated the anti-oxidative effects of ginsenoside Rb1 on NPCs, and suggested that Rb1 may offer potential as a potent antioxidant for the treatment of neurological disorders.

Amomum tsao-ko fruit extract suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase by inducing heme oxygenase-1 in macrophages and in septic mice

Amomum tsao-ko Crevost et Lemarié (Zingiberaceae) has traditionally been used to treat inflammatory and infectious diseases, such as throat infections, malaria, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. This study was designed to assess the anti-inflammatory effects and the molecular mechanisms of the methanol extract of A. tsao-ko (AOM) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages and in a murine model of sepsis. In LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages, AOM reduced the production of nitric oxide (NO) by inhibiting inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, and increased heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression at the protein and mRNA levels. Pretreatment with SnPP (a selective inhibitor of HO-1) and silencing HO-1 using siRNA prevented the AOM-mediated inhibition of NO production and iNOS expression. Furthermore, AOM increased the expression and nuclear accumulation of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which enhanced Nrf2 binding to antioxidant response element (ARE). In addition, AOM induced the phosphorylation of extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and generated reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, pretreatment with N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC; a ROS scavenger) diminished the AOM-induced phosphorylation of ERK and JNK and AOM-induced HO-1 expression, suggesting that ERK and JNK are downstream mediators of ROS during the AOM-induced signalling of HO-1 expression. In LPS-induced endotoxaemic mice, pretreatment with AOM reduced NO serum levels and liver iNOS expression and increased HO-1 expression and survival rates. These results indicate that AOM strongly inhibits LPS-induced NO production by activating the ROS/MAPKs/Nrf2-mediated HO-1 signalling pathway, and supports its pharmacological effects on inflammatory diseases.

Celery Seed Extract Blocks Peroxide Injury in Macrophages via Notch1/NF-κB Pathway

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced macrophage foam cell formation and injury is one of the major atherogenic factors. This study is aimed to investigate the protective effect of celery seed extract (CSE) on ox-LDL-induced injury of macrophages and the underlying signaling pathway. RAW264.7 macrophages were pre-incubated with CSE for 24 h, followed by stimulation with ox-LDL. Oil red O staining and enzymatic colorimetry indicated CSE significantly lessened lipid droplets and total cholesterol (TC) content in ox-LDL-injured macrophages. ELISA revealed that CSE decreased the secretion of inflammatory cytokine TNF-α and IL-6 by 12–27% and 5–15% respectively. MTT assay showed CSE promoted cell viability by 16–40%. Cell apoptosis was also analyzed by flow cytometry and laser scanning confocal microscope and the data indicated CSE inhibited ox-LDL-induced apoptosis of macrophages. Meanwhile, western blot analysis showed CSE suppressed NF-κBp65 and notch1 protein expressions stimulated by ox-LDL in macrophages. These results suggest that CSE inhibits ox-LDL-induced macrophages injury via notch1/NF-κB pathway.

Apigenin-7-glycoside prevents LPS-induced acute lung injury via downregulation of oxidative enzyme expression and protein activation through inhibition of MAPK phosphorylation

Apigenin-7-glycoside (AP7Glu) with multiple biological activities is a flavonoid that is currently prescribed to treat inflammatory diseases such as upper respiratory infections. Recently, several studies have shown that its anti-inflammatory activities have been strongly linked to the inhibition of secretion of pro-inflammatory proteins, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOs) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) induced through phosphorylation nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathways. Additionally, inflammation, which can decrease the activities of antioxidative enzymes (AOEs) is also observed in these studies. At the same time, flavonoids are reported to promote the activities of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) decreased by LPS. The purpose of this study was to assess these theories in a series of experiments on the suppressive effects of AP7Glu based on LPS-induced nitric oxide production in RAW264.7 macrophages in vitro and acute lung injury in mice in vivo. After six hours of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, pulmonary pathological, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, total polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) cells, cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and AOEs, are all affected and changed. Meanwhile, our data revealed that AP7Glu not only did significantly inhibit the LPS-enhanced inflammatory activity in lung, but also exhibited anti-inflammatory effect through the MAPK and inhibitor NF-κB (IκB) pathways.