Salvianolic Acid B, a potential chemopreventive agent, for head and neck squamous cell cancer

The Effect of Salvianolic Acid A on Tumor-Associated Macrophage Polarization and Its Mechanisms in the Tumor Microenvironment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer, with a high degree of malignancy and poor prognosis. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) have been identified as significant contributors to the growth and metastasis of TNBC through the secretion of various growth factors and chemokines. Salvianolic acid A (SAA) has been shown to have anti-cancer activities. However, the potential activity of SAA on re-polarized TAMs remains unclear. As there is a correlation between the TAMs and TNBC, this study investigates the effect of SAA on TAMs in the TNBC microenvironment. For that purpose, M2 TAM polarization was induced by two kinds of TNBC-conditioned medium (TNBC-TCM) in the absence or presence of SAA. The gene and protein expression of TAM markers were analyzed by qPCR, FCM, IF, ELISA, and Western blot. The protein expression levels of ERK and p-ERK in M2-like TAMs were analyzed by Western blot. The migration and invasion properties of M2-like TAMs were analyzed by Transwell assays. Here, we demonstrated that SAA increased the expression levels of CD86, IL-1β, and iNOS in M2-like TAMs and, conversely, decreased the expression levels of Arg-1 and CD206. Moreover, SAA inhibited the migration and invasion properties of M2-like TAMs effectively and decreased the protein expression of TGF-β1 and p-ERK in a concentration-dependent manner, as well as TGF-β1 gene expression and secretion. Our current findings for the first time demonstrated that SAA inhibits macrophage polarization to M2-like TAMs by inhibiting the ERK pathway and promotes M2-like TAM re-polarization to the M1 TAMs, which may exert its anti-tumor effect by regulating M1/M2 TAM polarization. These findings highlight SAA as a potential regulator of M2 TAMs and the possibility of utilizing SAA to reprogram M2 TAMs offers promising insights for the clinical management of TNBC.

Novel Strategies for the Bioavailability Augmentation and Efficacy Improvement of Natural Products in Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is emerging as a major cause of mortality globally. Oral cancer occupies a significant proportion of the head and neck, including the cheeks, tongue, and oral cavity. Conventional methods in the treatment of cancer involve surgery, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, and these have not proven to completely eradicate cancerous cells, may lead to the reoccurrence of oral cancer, and possess numerous adverse side effects. Advancements in novel drug delivery approaches have gained popularity in cancer management with an increase in the number of cases associated with oral cancer. Natural products are potent sources for drug discovery, especially for anticancer drugs. Natural product delivery has major challenges due to its low solubility, poor absorption, inappropriate size, instability, poor permeation, and first-pass metabolism. Therefore, it is of prime importance to investigate novel treatment approaches for the delivery of bioactive natural products. Nanotechnology is an advanced method of delivering cancer therapy with minimal damage to normal cells while targeting cancer cells. Therefore, the present review elaborates on the advancements in novel strategies for natural product delivery that lead to the significant enhancement of bioavailability, in vivo activity, and fewer adverse events for the prevention and treatment of oral cancer. Various approaches to accomplish the desired results involve size reduction, surface property modification, and polymer attachment, which collectively result in the higher stability of the formulation.

Salvianolic acid B from Salvia miltiorrhiza bunge: A potential antitumor agent

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Lamiaceae) is a perennial herb widely found in China since ancient times with a high economic and medicinal value. Salvianolic acid B (Sal-B) is an important natural product derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza and this review summarizes the anticancer activity of Sal-B. Sal-B inhibits tumor growth and metastasis by targeting multiple cell signaling pathways. This review aims to review experimental studies to describe the possible anticancer mechanisms of Sal-B and confirm its potential as a therapeutic drug.

Targeting autophagy and neuroinflammation pathways with plant-derived natural compounds as potential antidepressant agents

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a life-threatening disease that presents several characteristics. The pathogenesis of depression still remains poorly understood. Moreover, the mechanistic interactions of natural components in treating depression to target autophagy and neuroinflammation are yet to be evaluated. This study overviewed the effects of plant-derived natural components in regulating critical pathways, particularly neuroinflammation and autophagy, associated with depression. A list of natural components, including luteolin, apigenin, hyperforin, resveratrol, salvianolic acid b, isoliquiritin, nobiletin, andrographolide, and oridonin, have been investigated. All peer-reviewed journal articles were searched by Scopus, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using the appropriated keywords, including depression, neuroinflammation, autophagy, plant, natural components, etc. The neuroinflammation and autophagy dysfunction are critically associated with the pathophysiology of depression. Natural components with higher efficiency and lower complications can be used for targeting neuroinflammation and autophagy. These components with different doses showed the beneficial antidepressant properties in rodents. These can modulate autophagy markers, mainly AMPK, LC3II/LC3I ratio, Beclin-1. Moreover, they can regulate the NLRP3 inflammasome, resulting in the suppression of proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β and IL-18). Future in vitro and in vivo studies are required to develop novel therapeutic approaches based on plant-derived active components to treat MDD.

Inhibitory Effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza Extract and Its Active Components on Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplastic Cells

The effective treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) can prevent cervical cancer. Salvia miltiorrhiza is a medicinal and health-promoting plant. To identify a potential treatment for CIN, the effect of S. miltiorrhiza extract and its active components on immortalized cervical epithelial cells was studied in vitro. The H8 cell was used as a CIN model. We found that S. miltiorrhiza extract effectively inhibited H8 cells through the CCK8 method. An HPLC–MS analysis revealed that S. miltiorrhiza extract contained salvianolic acid H, salvianolic acid A, salvianolic acid B, monomethyl lithospermate, 9′′′-methyl lithospermate B, and 9′′′-methyl lithospermate B/isomer. Salvianolic acid A had the best inhibitory effect on H8 cells with an IC50 value of 5.74 ± 0.63 μM. We also found that the combination of salvianolic acid A and oxysophoridine had a synergistic inhibitory effect on H8 cells at molar ratios of 4:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4, with salvianolic acid A/oxysophoridine = 1:2 having the best synergistic effect. Using Hoechst33342, flow cytometry, and Western blotting analysis, we found that the combination of salvianolic acid A and oxysophoridine can induce programmed apoptosis of H8 cells and block the cell cycle in the G2/M phase, which was correlated with decreased cyclinB1 and CDK1 protein levels. In conclusion, S. miltiorrhiza extract can inhibit the growth of H8 cells, and the combination of salvianolic acid A (its active component) and oxysophoridine has a synergistic inhibitory effect on H8 cells and may be a potential treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Salvianolic acid B suppresses EMT and apoptosis to lessen drug resistance through AKT/mTOR in gastric cancer cells

The drug resistance of tumor cells greatly reduces the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs in gastric cancer. Salvianolic acid B (Sal-B) is considered as a chemopreventive agent which suppresses oxidative stress and apoptosis. Therefore, the study aims to clarify the mechanism of Sal-B in drug-resistant gastric cancer cells. CCK8 assay analyzed cell viabilities after GES1, AGS and AGS/DDP cells were respectively treated by Sal-B of different concentration or after AGS/DDP cells were disposed by cisplatin (DDP) in different concentration. The colony formation, ROS generation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and EMT marker proteins were respectively analyzed through formation assay, ROS kits, TUNNEL staining, Wound healing, Transwell assays and Western blot. The results demonstrated that Sal-B acted alone or in synergy with DDP to reduce cell viabilities, initiate ROS generation, promote cell apoptosis, as well as decrease migration, invasion and EMT in AGS and AGS/DDP cells. AKT activator and mTOR activator significantly reversed the above effects of Sal-B. Collectively, Sal-B regulated proliferation, EMT and apoptosis to reduce the resistance to DDP via AKT/mTOR pathway in DDP-resistant gastric cancer cells. Sal-B could be a potential anti-drug resistance agent to chemotherapy in gastric cancer.

Medicinal management of oral submucous fibrosis in the past decade- A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a potentially malignant disorder with a high rate of malignant transformation. It is associated with chewing of areca nut and tobacco products with a high global prevalence, particularly in the southeast Asian countries. A wide range of treatment modalities are available, ranging from corticosteroids, antioxidants, nutritional supplements to herbal medicines but lacks a reliable treatment regimen.

AIM

This systematic review will comprehensively analyze the medicinal treatment for OSMF from 2011 to 2020, apprise the literature with new clinical studies, and initiate a discussion about other potential medicines.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A comprehensive electronic search was conducted in Pubmed, Scopus, and other databases from January 2011 to June 2020 according to the PRISMA guidelines, to identify all the clinical studies for the medicinal management of OSMF with definite keywords and defined criteria.

RESULTS

Among the thirty-two included clinical studies 23 were randomized controlled studies and 9 were case-control studies. The treatment outcomes were diverse, and the majority of the studies showed improvement in the subjective signs and symptoms of OSMF. Only a few studies noticed the side effects.

CONCLUSION

No single treatment modality is effective in the management of OSMF. The concurrent use of triple therapy is efficacious. The naturally occurring herbal medicines have an immense potential in the management of OSMF. Therefore, high-quality, longitudinal, multi-center randomized controlled trials with larger samples need to be conducted to further assess the efficacy of various medicinal formulations in conjunction with physiotherapy in the management of OSMF.

Possible applications of salvianolic acid B against different cancers

Cancer is the second death causing disease worldwide after cardiovascular abnormalities. The difficulty in treating tumor cells with more precise targeted interventions and recurrence of cancer after treatment may pose great difficulty in developing sustainable therapeutic regimens. These limitations have prompted the need to explore several compounds with ability to cease tumor growth while at the same time induce apoptosis of tumor cells. Several studies have emphasized the use of natural compounds as antitumor agents due to their high efficacy against cancer cells and low toxicity in normal cells. Salvianolic acid B (SAB), a naturally occurring phenolic compound extracted from the radix of Chinese herb Salvia miltiorrhiza can induce apoptosis in different types of tumor cells. It can be used to treat cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders, hepatic fibrosis, and cancers. Several studies have shown that SAB can mitigate tumorigenesis by modulating MAPK, PI3K/AKT, and NF-ĸB signaling pathways. It also sensitizes the tumor cells to different anti-cancer agents by reversing the multi-drug resistance mechanisms found in tumor cells. This review summarizes the studies showing antitumor potential of SAB in different types of cancer cell lines, animal models and highlights the possible mechanisms through which SAB can induce apoptosis, inhibit growth and metastasis in tumor cells. Moreover, the possible role of nano-technological approaches to induce targeted delivery of SAB to eradicate tumor cells has been also discussed.

Plant-Derived Molecules α-Boswellic Acid Acetate, Praeruptorin-A, and Salvianolic Acid-B Have Age-Related Differential Effects in Young and Senescent Human Fibroblasts In Vitro

Testing and screening of plant-derived molecules on normal human cells in vitro is a widely used approach for discovering their eventual health beneficial effects for human ageing and longevity. As little is known about age-associated differential effects of such molecules, here we report that young (<25% replicative lifespan completed) and near-senescent (>90% replicative lifespan completed) human skin fibroblasts exposed for 1–15 days to a wide range of concentrations (0.1–100 μM) of the three selected phytochemicals, namely α-boswellic acid acetate (ABC), praeruptorin-A (PTA), and salvianolic acid-B (SAB) had age-related differential effects. The parameters studied were the metabolic activity (MTT assay), cellular morphological phenotype, one-step growth characteristics, expression of genes involved in the cell cycle regulation and cytokine network genes, protein levels of p53, cytosolic superoxide dismutase (SOD1) and microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3), and the extent of protein carbonylation and protein aggregation as a sign of oxidative stress. All three compounds showed biphasic hormetic dose response by stimulating cell growth, survival and metabolic activity at low doses (up to 1 μM), while showing inhibitory effects at high doses (>10 μM). Furthermore, the response of early passage young cells was different from that of the late passage near-senescent cells, especially with respect to the expression of cell cycle-related and inflammation-related genes. Such studies have importance with respect to the use of low doses of such molecules as health-promoting and/or ageing-interventions through the phenomenon of hormesis.

Salvianolic Acid B Slows the Progression of Breast Cancer Cell Growth via Enhancement of Apoptosis and Reduction of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Angiogenesis

Breast cancer is the current leading cause of cancer death in females worldwide. Although current chemotherapeutic drugs effectively reduce the progression of breast cancer, most of these drugs have many unwanted side effects. Salvianolic acid B (Sal-B) is a bioactive compound isolated from the root of Danshen Radix with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Since free radicals play a key role in the initiation and progression of tumor cells growth and enhance their metastatic potential, the current study was designed to investigate the antitumor activity of Sal-B and compare it with the antitumor activity of the traditional anticancer drug, cisplatin. In vitro, Sal-B decreased the human breast cancer adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells proliferation in a concentration and time dependent manner. In vivo and similar to cisplatin treatment, Sal-B significantly reduced tumor volume and increased the median survival when compared to tumor positive control mice group injected with Ehrlich solid carcinoma cell line (ESC). Sal-B decreased plasma level of malondialdehyde as a marker of oxidative stress and increased plasma level of reduced glutathione (GSH) as a marker of antioxidant defense when compared to control ESC injected mice. Either Sal-B or cisplatin treatment decreased tumor tissue levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8), and Cyclin D1 in ESC treated mice. Contrary to cisplatin treatment, Sal-B did not decrease tumor tissue Ki-67 protein in ESC injected mice. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that Sal-B or cisplatin treatment increased the expression of the apoptotic markers caspase-3 and P53. Although Sal-B or cisplatin significantly reduced the expression of the angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ESC injected mice, only Sal-B reduced expression level of COX-2 in ESC injected mice. Our data suggest that Sal-B exhibits antitumor features against breast cancer cells possibly via enhancing apoptosis and reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and angiogenesis.

Salvianolic acid A & B: potential cytotoxic polyphenols in battle against cancer via targeting multiple signaling pathways

Nature has generously offered life-saving therapies to mankind by providing evolutionarily optimized drug-like entities in the form of natural products. These splendid gifts of nature have served as most suitable candidates for anti-cancer drug discovery due to their pleiotropic activity on target molecules. This review aims to provide an update on the natural sources and bioactivities of such gifts from nature, salvianolic acid A & B, which are major bioactive constituents of a traditional Chinses medicinal herb, Salvia miltiorrhiza. Salvianolic acid A & B have been reported to owe anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective activities. Currently salvianolic acids have been emerged as potent anti-cancer molecules. Salvianolic acid A & B fight cancer progression by prompting apoptosis, halting cell cycle and adjourning metastasis by targeting multiple deregulated signaling networks of cancer. Moreover, salvianolic acid A & B display potency towards sensitizing cancer cells to chemo-drugs. The review purposes that salvianolic acid A & B supply a novel opportunity for drug discovery but further experimentation is mandatory to embellish the knowledge of their pharmacological usage and to access their toxicological limits in order to establish these compounds as potential multitarget future drugs.

Herbal Compounds Play a Role in Neuroprotection through the Inhibition of Microglial Activation

Since microglia possess both neuroprotective and neurotoxic potential, they play a crucial role in the central nervous system (CNS). Excessive microglial activation induces inflammation-mediated neuronal damage and degeneration. At present, numerous herbal compounds are able to suppress neurotoxicity via inhibiting microglial activation. Therefore, many researchers focus on pharmacological inhibitors of microglial activation to ameliorate neurodegenerative disorders. Further work should concentrate on the exploration of new herbal compounds, which characteristically inhibit microglial neurotoxicity, rather than modulating neuroprotection alone. In this review, we summarize these herbal compounds, which in the past several years have been shown to exert potential neuroprotective activity by inhibiting microglial activation. The therapeutic targets and pharmacological mechanisms of these compounds have also been discussed.

Salvianolic acid B, a novel autophagy inducer, exerts antitumor activity as a single agent in colorectal cancer cells

Salvianolic Acid B (Sal B), an active compound extracted from the Chinese herb Salvia miltiorrhiza, is attracting more and more attention due to its biological activities, including antioxidant, anticoagulant and antitumor effects. However, autophagy induction in cancer cells by Sal B has never been recognized. In this study, we demonstrated that Sal B induced cell death and triggered autophagy in HCT116 and HT29 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Specific inhibition of autophagy by 3-MA or shRNA targeting Atg5 rescued Sal B-induced cell death in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that Sal B-induced autophagy may play a pro-death role and contribute to the cell death of colorectal cancer cell lines. Furthermore, AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was demonstrated to be a critical mediator in regulating Sal B-induced cell death. Overexpression of AKT by the transfection with AKT plasmid or pretreatment with insulin decreased Sal B-induced autophagy and cell death. Inversely, inhibition of AKT by LY294002 treatment markedly enhanced Sal B-induced autophagy and cell death. Taken together, our results demonstrate, for the first time, that Sal B is a novel autophagy inducer and exerts its antitumor activity as a single agent in colorectal cancer cells through the suppression of AKT/mTOR pathway.

Danshen extract circumvents drug resistance and represses cell growth in human oral cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Danshen is a common traditional Chinese medicine used to treat neoplastic and chronic inflammatory diseases in China. However, the effects of Danshen on human oral cancer cells remain relatively unknown. This study investigated the antiproliferative effects of a Danshen extract on human oral cancer SAS, SCC25, OEC-M1, and KB drug-resistant cell lines and elucidated the possible underlying mechanism.

METHODS

We investigated the anticancer potential of the Danshen extract in human oral cancer cell lines and an in vivo oral cancer xenograft mouse model. The expression of apoptosis-related molecules was evaluated through Western blotting, and the concentration of in vivo apoptotic markers was measured using immunohistochemical staining. The antitumor effects of 5-fluorouracil and the Danshen extract were compared.

RESULTS

Cell proliferation assays revealed that the Danshen extract strongly inhibited oral cancer cell proliferation. Cell morphology studies revealed that the Danshen extract inhibited the growth of SAS, SCC25, and OEC-M1 cells by inducing apoptosis. The Flow cytometric analysis indicated that the Danshen extract induced cell cycle G0/G1 arrest. Immunoblotting analysis for the expression of active caspase-3 and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein indicated that Danshen extract-induced apoptosis in human oral cancer SAS cells was mediated through the caspase pathway. Moreover, the Danshen extract significantly inhibited growth in the SAS xenograft mouse model. Furthermore, the Danshen extract circumvented drug resistance in KB drug-resistant oral cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

The study results suggest that the Danshen extract could be a potential anticancer agent in oral cancer treatment.

Nanomedicine, an emerging therapeutic strategy for oral cancer therapy

Oral cavity and oropharyngeal carcinomas (oral cancer) represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Despite efforts in improving early diagnosis and treatment, the 5-year survival rate of advanced stage of the disease is less than 63%. The field of nanomedicine has offered promising diagnostic and therapeutic advances in cancer. Indeed, several platforms have been clinically approved for cancer therapy, while other promising systems are undergoing exploration in clinical trials. With its ability to deliver drugs, nucleic acids, and MRI contrast agents with high efficiency, nanomedicine platforms offer the potential to improve drug efficacy and tolerability. The aim of the present mini-review is to summarize the current preclinical status of nanotechnology systems for oral cancer therapy. The nanoplatforms for delivery of chemopreventive agents presented herein resulted in significantly higher anti-tumor activity than free forms of the drug, even against a chemo-resistant cell line. Impressive results have also been obtained using nanoparticles to deliver chemotherapeutics, resulting in reduced toxicity both in vitro and in vivo. Nanoparticles have also led to improvements in efficacy of photodynamic therapies through the development of targeted magnetic nanoparticles. Finally, gene therapy using nanoparticles demonstrated promising results specifically with regards to inhibition of gene expression. Of the few in vivo studies that have been reported, many of these used animal models with several limitations, which will be discussed herein. Lastly, we will discuss several future perspectives in oral cancer nanoparticle-based therapy and the development of appropriate animal models, distinguishing between oral cavity and oropharyngeal carcinoma.

Anticancer Effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza Alcohol Extract on Oral Squamous Carcinoma Cells

Researchers have reported significant effects from Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) in terms of inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis in breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinomas, promyelocytic leukemia, and clear cell ovary carcinomas. Here we report our data indicating that Danshen extracts, especially alcohol extract, significantly inhibited the proliferation of the human oral squamous carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines HSC-3 and OC-2. We also observed that Danshen alcohol extract activated the caspase-3 apoptosis executor by impeding members of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family, but not by regulating the Bcl-2-triggered mitochondrial pathway in OSCC cells. Our data also indicate that the extract exerted promising effects in vivo, with HSC-3 tumor xenograft growth being suppressed by 40% and 69% following treatment with Danshen alcohol extract at 50 and 100 mg/kg, respectively, for 34 days. Combined, our results indicate appreciable anticancer activity and significant potential for Danshen alcohol extract as a natural antioxidant and herbal human oral cancer chemopreventive drug.

Interactions of Bovine Serum Albumin with Anti-Cancer Compounds Using a ProteOn XPR36 Array Biosensor and Molecular Docking

The aim of the work was to determine the interactions of a set of anti-cancer compounds with bovine serum albumin (BSA) using a ProteOn XPR36 array biosensor and molecular docking studies. The results revealed that a total of six anti-cancer compounds: gallic acid, doxorubicin, acteoside, salvianolic acid B, echinacoside, and vincristine were able to reversibly bind to the immobilized BSA. The sensorgrams of these six compounds were globally fit to a Langmuir 1:1 interaction model for binding kinetics analysis. There were significant differences in their affinity for BSA, with doxorubicin, the weakest binding compound having 1000-fold less affinity than salvianolic acid B, the strongest binding compound. However, compounds with a similar KD often exhibited markedly different kinetics due to the differences in k_a and k_d. Molecular docking experiments demonstrated that acteoside was partially located within sub-domain IIA of BSA, whereas gallic acid bound to BSA deep within its sub-domain IIIA. In addition, the interactions between these compounds and BSA were dominated by hydrophobic forces and hydrogen bonds. Understanding the detailed information of these anti-cancer compounds can provide important insights into optimizing the interactions and activity of potential compounds during drug development.

Salvianolic Acid B Alleviates Heart Failure by Inactivating ERK1/2/GATA4 Signaling Pathway after Pressure Overload in Mice

BACKGROUND

Heart failure(HF) is a dangerous disease that affects millions of patients. Radix Salvia is widely used in Chinese clinics to treat heart diseases. Salvianolic acid B(SalB) is the major active component of Radix Salvia. This study investigated the mechanisms of action and effects of SalB on HF in an experimental mouse model of HF.

METHODS

We created a mouse model of HF by inducing pressure overload with transverse aortic constriction(TAC) surgery for 2 weeks and compared among 4 study groups: SHAM group (n = 10), TAC group (n = 9), TAC+MET group (metprolol, positive drug treatment, n = 9) and TAC+SalB group (SalB, 240 mg•kg-1•day-1, n = 9). Echocardiography was used to evaluate the dynamic changes in cardiac structure and function in vivo. Plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentration was detected by Elisa method. In addition, H9C2 rat cardiomyocytes were cultured and Western blot were implemented to evaluate the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, AKT, and protein expression of GATA4.

RESULTS

SalB significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of Thr202/Tyr204 sites of ERK1/2, but not Ser473 site of AKT, subsequently inhibited protein expression of GATA4 and plasma BNP(P < 0.001), and then inhibited HF at 2 weeks after TAC surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data provide a mechanism of inactivating the ERK1/2/GATA4 signaling pathway for SalB inhibition of the TAC-induced HF.

Salvianolic acid B protects against myocardial damage caused by nanocarrier TiO2; and synergistic anti-breast carcinoma effect with curcumin via codelivery system of folic acid-targeted and polyethylene glycol-modified TiO2 nanoparticles

Targeted delivery by the folate ligand is an effective way to enhance an anti-breast carcinoma effect, due to its high affinity for the folate receptor, which is overexpressed in many tumor cells. In this study, we firstly synthesized a folic acid (FA)-targeted and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified TiO2 nanocarrier. Then, an FA-PEG-TiO2 nanoparticle (NP) codelivery system loaded with curcumin and salvianolic acid B were prepared by emulsion evaporation-solidification at low temperature. The obtained folate-targeted NPs (FA-NPs) showed more cytotoxicity on MCF7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells than a nontargeted NP group. Apart from a synergistic anti-breast cancer effect with curcumin, salvianolic acid B protects the cardiovascular system from oxidative injury by the TiO2 nanocarrier. With coumarin 6 as a fluorescent probe to observe cellular uptake of NPs, the results of in vitro cellular uptake demonstrated FA-NPs exhibited higher cellular uptake and accumulation in MCF7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells than nontargeted NPs. Then, in vivo biodistribution of NPs was further qualitatively and quantitatively confirmed by in vivo imaging. More importantly, the animal study further suggested that FA-NPs had significantly stronger antitumor effects via receptor-mediated targeted delivery. Consequently, FA-PEG-TiO2 NPs loaded with curcumin and salvianolic acid B could be a promising drug-delivery system to treat breast cancer.

AKT/mTOR signaling pathway is involved in salvianolic acid B-induced autophagy and apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Chinese medicines are emerging as an attractive new generation of anticancer drugs. Here, we explored the impact of salvianolic acid B (Sal B), the major water-soluble compounds of Danshen, on apoptosis and autophagy of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCC). We also investigated the related molecular mechanisms. We found that Sal B exhibits potent ability to inhibit HCC cells viability in a concentration-dependent manner, and to induce apoptosis via the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. Additionally, Sal B could also induce autophagy. Furthermore, pretreatment with the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine or 3-methyladenine showed the potential in attenuating the apoptosis rate induced by Sal B. Mechanistically, Sal B treatment inhibited the AKT/mTOR signaling cascade in vitro. Overexpression of AKT abolished the effects of Sal B on HCC cells, suggesting a critical role of the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in Sal B-induced biological effects. Our results indicated that the mitochondrial pathway was involved in Sal B-induced apoptosis of HCC cells. Moreover, the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was involved in Sal B-induced autophagy, which promoted apoptosis. This study may provide a promising strategy for using Sal B as a chemotherapeutic agent for patients with HCC.

Cellular uptake and anticancer activity of salvianolic acid B phospholipid complex loaded nanoparticles in head and neck cancer and precancer cells

Salvianolic acid B (SalB) was demonstrated to be a promising chemopreventive agent for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in the previous studies by our and other research institution, but the properties like low efficacy, poor systemic delivery, and low bioavailability has hampered its clinical applications. To continue our research program focused on the use of natural compounds on cancer chemoprevention, we propose a first example of phospholipid complex loaded nanoparticles (PLC-NPs) encapsulating SalB as a potential carrier for intervention of HNSCC (HN13, HN30) cells and precancer Leuk1 cells in this study. Qualitative and quantitive studies of cellular uptake showed that intracellular accumulation of SalB was significantly higher when HN13, HN30 and Leuk1 cells were incubated with SalB-PLC-NPs complex (nano-SalB) as against free-SalB. Cell viability assay revealed that the cell growth of HN13 and HN30 cells was significantly inhibited of 56.1% and 29.3%, respectively, for nano-SalB compared to an equivalent amount of free-SalB (P<0.001). Moreover, cell cycle and apoptosis assay showed that a clear trend of cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis was also observed within the HNSCC cells treated with nano-SalB. Collectively, this study demonstrated that nano-SalB was significantly more potent had an anticancer effect against HNSCC cells, which serves as the first step toward establishing SalB nano-formulations as promising cancer chemopreventive agents. The current study could pave a new way for the development of drugs that target HNSCC in the future.

Production of rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B from callus culture of Salvia miltiorrhiza with cytotoxicity towards acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM) Bunge is one of the widely-used Chinese medicinal herbs. In this study, the chemical constituents and anticancer potential of SM stems and leaves were examined with those of respective callus cultures. The callus culture for stem and leaf explants was initiated in modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Active constituents of respective extracts were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with DAD and MS (HPLC-DAD-MS). Rosmarinic acid (RA) and salvianolic acid B (Sal B) were determined to be the main phenolic compounds. Quantitative analyses revealed that callus stem extracts produced higher amount of RA and Sal B (stem RA: 1.27±0.38%; stem Sal B: 0.87±0.20%) than callus leaf did (leaf RA: 0.28±0.02%; leaf Sal B: 0.07±0.03%). Stem and leaf callus extracts exerted cytotoxic effects towards CCRF-CEM cells (stem: 13.1±0.90 μg/ml; leaf: 18.1±0.33 μg/ml). As expected, stem extract with higher amount of RA and Sal B showed lower IC50 value than leaf extract. These findings suggest the possibility to isolate bioactive constituents with anticancer properties from in vitro callus cultures of stems and leaves of SM.

Salvianolic Acid B Attenuates Experimental Pulmonary Fibrosis through Inhibition of the TGF-β Signaling Pathway

Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive and fatal disorder. In our previous study, we found that the Yiqihuoxue formula (YQHX), a prescription of Traditional Chinese Medicine, had a curative effect on scleroderma, a typical fibrotic disease. The aim of this study was to determine the key ingredient mediating the therapeutic effects of YQHX and to examine its effect on pulmonary fibrosis, including its mechanism. Luciferase reporter assays showed that the most important anti-fibrotic component of the YQHX was Salviae miltiorrhiza (SM). Experiments performed using a bleomycin-instilled mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis showed that Salvianolic acid B (SAB), the major ingredient of SM, had strong anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects through its inhibition of inflammatory cell infiltration, alveolar structure disruption, and collagen deposition. Furthermore, SAB suppressed TGF-β-induced myofibroblastic differentiation of MRC-5 fibroblasts and TGF-β-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of A549 cells by inhibiting both Smad-dependent signaling and the Smad-independent MAPK pathway. Taken together, our results suggest that SM is the key anti-fibrotic component of the YQHX and that SAB, the major ingredient of SM, alleviates experimental pulmonary fibrosis both in vivo and in vitro by inhibiting the TGF-β signaling pathway. Together, these results suggest that SAB potently inhibits pulmonary fibrosis.

Salvianolic acid B maintained stem cell pluripotency and increased proliferation rate by activating Jak2-Stat3 combined with EGFR-Erk1/2 pathways

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are considered the most powerful in terms of differentiating into three-germ-layer cells. However, maintaining self-renewing ESCs and iPSCs in vitro requires leukemia-induced factor (LIF), an expensive reagent. Here we describe a less expensive compound that may serve as a LIF substitute-salvianolic acid B (Sal B), a Salvia miltiorrhiza extract. We found that Sal B is capable of upregulating Oct4 and Sox2, two genes considered important for the maintenance of ESC pluripotency. Our MTT data indicate that instead of triggering cell death, Sal B induced cell proliferation, especially at optimum concentrations of 0.01 nM and 0.1 nM. Other results indicate that compared to non-LIF controls, Sal B-treated ESCs expressed higher levels of several stem cell markers while still maintaining differentiation into three-germ-layer cells after six passages. Further, we found that Sal B triggers the Jak2-Stat3 and EGFR-ERK1/2 signaling pathways. Following Sal B treatment, (a) levels of phosphorylated (p)-Jak2, p-Stat3, p-EGFR, and p-ERK proteins all increased; (b) these increases were suppressed by AG490 (a Jak2 inhibitor) and ZD1839 (an EGFR inhibitor); and (c) cytokines associated with the Jak2-Stat3 signaling pathway were upregulated. Our findings suggest that Sal B can be used as a LIF replacement for maintaining ESC pluripotency while increasing cell proliferation.

Bioinspired syntheses of dimeric hydroxycinnamic acids (lignans) and hybrids, using phenol oxidative coupling as key reaction, and medicinal significance thereof

Lignans are mainly dimers of 4-hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) and reduced analogs thereof which are produced in Nature through phenol oxidative coupling (POC) as the primary C-C or C-O bond-forming reaction under the action of the enzymes peroxidases and laccases. They present a large structural variety and particularly interesting biological activities, therefore, significant efforts has been devoted to the development of efficient methodologies for the synthesis of lignans isolated from natural sources, analogs and hybrids with other biologically interesting small molecules. We summarize in the present review those methods which mimic Nature for the assembly of the most common lignan skeleta by using either enzymes or one-electron inorganic oxidants to effect POC of HCAs and derivatives, such as esters and amides, or cross-POC of pairs of HCAs or HCAs with 4-hydrocycinnamyl alcohols. We, furthermore, provide outlines of mechanistic schemes accounting for the formation of the coupled products and, where applicable, indicate their potential application in medicine.

Salvianolic acid B attenuates toxin-induced neuronal damage via Nrf2-dependent glial cells-mediated protective activity in Parkinson's disease models

Salvianolic acid B (SalB), a bioactive compound isolated from the plant-derived medicinal herb Danshen, has been shown to exert various anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities in several neurological disorders. In this study, we sought to investigate the potential protective effects and associated molecular mechanisms of SalB in Parkinson’s disease (PD) models. To determine the neuroprotective effects of SalB in vitro, MPP⁺- or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuronal injury was achieved using primary cultures with different compositions of neurons, microglia and astrocytes. Our results showed that SalB reduced both LPS- and MPP⁺-induced toxicity of dopamine neurons in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, SalB treatment inhibited the release of microglial pro-inflammatory cytokines and resulted in an increase in the expression and release of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) from astrocytes. Western blot analysis illustrated that SalB increased the expression and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2). The knockdown of Nrf2 using specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) partially reversed the SalB-induced GDNF expression and anti-inflammatory activity. Moreover, SalB treatment significantly attenuated dopaminergic (DA) neuronal loss, inhibited neuroinflammation, increased GDNF expression and improved the neurological function in MPTP-treated mice. Collectively, these findings demonstrated that SalB protects DA neurons by an Nrf-2 -mediated dual action: reducing microglia activation-mediated neuroinflammation and inducing astrocyte activation-dependent GDNF expression. Importantly the present study also highlights critical roles of glial cells as targets for developing new strategies to alter the progression of neurodegenerative disorders.

The anticancer properties of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen): a systematic review

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen in Chinese) is a classical Huoxue Huayu (a traditional Chinese medical term means promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis) herb with 1000 years of clinical application. It mainly contains two groups of ingredients: the hydrophilic phenolic acids and the lipophilic tanshinones. Both groups have demonstrated multiple bioactivities, such as antioxidative stress, antiplatelet aggregation, anti-inflammation, among others. Recent data have demonstrated that its lipophilic compounds, especially the tanshinones, show potent anticancer activities both in vitro and in vivo. The anticancer effects of the hydrophilic phenolic acids have also been reported. Furthermore, tanshinones provide structural skeletons for chemical modifications, allowing for a series of derivatives of interests. This review provides a systematic summary of the anticancer profile and the underlying mechanisms of the bioactive compounds isolated from Danshen with special emphasis on tanshinones, aiming to bring new insights for further research and development of this ancient herb.

Salvianolic acid B induces apoptosis in human glioma U87 cells through p38-mediated ROS generation

Salvianolic acid B (SalB), the main water-soluble bioactive compounds isolated from the traditional Chinese medical herb Danshen, has been shown to exert anti-cancer effect in several cancer cell lines. The aim of our study was to investigate the potential anti-cancer effect of SalB in human glioma U87 cells. We found that treatment with SalB significantly decreased cell viability of U87 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. SalB also enhanced the intracellular ROS generation and induced apoptotic cell death in U87 cells. Western blot analysis suggested that SalB increased the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and p53 in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, blocking p38 activation by specific inhibitor SB203580 or p38 specific siRNA partly reversed the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects, and ROS production induced by SalB treatment. The anti-tumor activity of SalB in vivo was also demonstrated in U87 xenograft glioma model. All of these findings extended the anti-cancer effect of SalB in human glioma cell lines, and suggested that these inhibitory effects of SalB on U87 glioma cell growth might be associated with p38 activation mediated ROS generation. Thus, SalB might be concerned as an effective and safe natural anticancer agent for glioma prevention and treatment.

Current progress of research on pharmacologic actions of salvianolic acid B

As one of the main water-soluble composites of Radix Salviae, salvianolic acid B is a phenolic acid ingredient of the Chinese drug, which is rich content in the herb and has strong pharmaceutical activity. It is used to treat cardiocerebral vascular diseases, antagonize hepatic/renal fibrosis, prevent cancer, and promote stem cell proliferation and differentiation. In the researches of its acting mechanisms, rather deepened studies have been carried out for its application on cardiocerebral vascular diseases, but that for others are rather fewer.