Depletion of β-sitosterol and enrichment of quercetin and rutin in Cissus quadrangularis Linn fraction enhanced osteogenic but reduced osteoclastogenic marker expression

Therapeutic Potential of Quercetin as an Antioxidant for Bone-Muscle-Tendon Regeneration and Aging

Quercetin (QC), a naturally occurring bioflavonoid found in various fruits and vegetables, possesses many potential health benefits, primarily attributed to its robust antioxidant properties. The generation of oxidative stress in bone cells is a key modulator of their physiological behavior. Moreover, oxidative stress status influences the pathophysiology of mineralized tissues. Increasing scientific evidence demonstrates that manipulating the redox balance in bone cells might be an effective technique for developing bone disease therapies. The QC antioxidant abilities in skeletal muscle significantly enhance muscle regeneration and reduce muscle atrophy. In addition, QC has been shown to have protective effects against oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and matrix degradation in tendons, helping to maintain the structural integrity and functionality of tendons. Thus, the antioxidant properties of QC might be crucial for addressing age-related musculoskeletal disorders like osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and tendon-related inflammatory conditions. Understanding how QC influences redox signaling pathways involved in musculoskeletal disorders, including their effect on bone, muscle, and tendon differentiation, might provide insights into the diverse advantages of QC in promoting tissue regeneration and preventing cellular damage. Therefore, this study reviewed the intricate relationship among oxidative stress, inflammation, and tissue repair, affected by the antioxidative abilities of QC, in age-related musculoskeletal tissues to improve the overall health of bones, muscles, and tendons of the skeletal system. Also, reviewing the ongoing clinical trials of QC for musculoskeletal systems is encouraging. Given the positive effect of QC on musculoskeletal health, further scientific investigations and controlled human intervention studies are necessary to explore the therapeutic potential to its optimum strength.

Rutin promotes osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by increasing ECM deposition and inhibiting p53 expression

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an important source of cells for bone regeneration. Although the utilization of MSCs along with growth factors and scaffolds is a beneficial clinical approach for bone tissue engineering, there is need for improvement on the effectiveness of MSC osteogenesis and differentiation. Rutin is a natural flavonoid and a major component for cell proliferation and bone development. However, studies on the mechanism through which rutin regulates osteogenesis and MSC differentiation are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanisms of rutin on osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. MSCs were extracted from umbilical cords and treated with rutin, followed by the examination of osteogenesis-related markers. Rutin treatment promoted the differentiation of MSCs towards the osteogenic lineage rather than the adipogenic lineage and increased the expression of osteogenic markers. RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis indicated that rutin regulated p53, a key gene in regulating the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. Additionally, cellular experiments showed that rutin-induced decrease in p53 expression increased the formation of extracellular matrix (ECM) by promoting p65 phosphorylation and caspase-3 cleavage. Conclusively, this study demonstrates the importance of rutin in osteogenesis and indicates that rutin possesses potential pharmaceutical application for bone regeneration and bone tissue engineering.

Cissus Extracts in Dentistry: A Comprehensive Review on its Untapped Potential

Natural products have received a lot of attention in a variety of medical sectors, including dentistry. Cissus, a flowering plant genus, has long been used for its therapeutic benefits. The purpose of this review is to thoroughly investigate the possibilities of Cissus extracts in dentistry. To that end, we used specific selection criteria for the selection of pertinent scientific articles published in the scientific information databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, and ProQuest. We found that the diverse array of bioactive compounds found in varied species of Cissus holds promise for applications ranging from oral wound healing to periodontal health. This review summarizes known studies on antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and tissue-regenerative characteristics of Cissus extracts, shedding light on their potential significance in modernizing modern dental practices. It exerts that Cissus extracts have the potential to supplement established dentistry therapies by providing all-natural remedies for a variety of oral health conditions.

Pharmacological and mechanistic aspects of quercetin in osteoporosis

Osteoporosis (OP) is a bone disease associated with increasing age. Currently, the most common medications used to treat OP are anabolic agents, anti-resorptive agents, and medications with other mechanisms of action. However, many of these medications have unfavorable adverse effects or are not intended for long-term use, potentially exerting a severe negative impact on a patient's life and career and placing a heavy burden on families and society. There is an urgent need to find new drugs that can replace these and have fewer adverse effects. Quercetin (Que) is a common flavonol in nature. Numerous studies have examined the therapeutic applications of Que. However, a comprehensive review of the anti-osteoporotic effects of Que has not yet been conducted. This review aimed to describe the recent studies on the anti-osteoporotic effects of Que, including its biological, pharmacological, pharmacokinetic, and toxicological properties. The outcomes demonstrated that Que could enhance OP by increasing osteoblast differentiation and activity and reducing osteoclast differentiation and activity via the pathways of Wnt/β-catenin, BMP/SMAD/RUNX2, OPG/RANKL/RANK, ERK/JNK, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and transcription factors. Thus, Que is a promising novel drug for the treatment of OP.

Cissus quadrangularis L extract-loaded tricalcium phosphate reinforced natural polymer composite for guided bone regeneration

Natural medicines plants are significant considerable attention as potential therapeutic agents for bone tissue engineering. Cissus quadrangularis L (CQ). is a potent therapeutic plant known for its own osteogenic properties. In this research work, a phytoconstituents-filled composite was produced by incorporating CQ extract with gelatin (Gel) and pectin (Pec) polymers collective through β- tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) bioceramic via a green template method. The effect of CQ-filled composite morphology and chemical structural properties, in vitro cytotoxicity, cell proliferation, and differentiation was investigated. FTIR spectroscopic results indicated the prepared materials' structural confirmation. The CQ extract was the alcoholic -OH merge with the hydroxyl and -NH groups in the range of 3000 cm^-1 to 3500 cm^-1. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the β-TCP ceramic was perfectly embedded in Gel-Pec polymeric matrix, which is important for bone regeneration. In vitro cell culture results indicated that β-TCP/Gel-Pec/CQ composite provided 92.0% of a favorable substrate for mesenchymal stem cell viability. The gene expression and RT-PCR studies represent the materials with good osteogenic expression, especially the β-TCP/Gel-Pec/CQ composite is observed at 168.0% and 188.0% for RUNx2 and OCN, respectively. The result of the physicochemical characterizations and cell viability studies suggest that CQ-loaded β-TCP/Gel-Pec composite can serve as a potential biomaterial for bone tissue repair and regeneration.

Bioinformatics analysis combined with molecular dynamics simulation validation to elucidate the potential molecular mechanisms of Jianshen Decoction for treatment of osteoporotic fracture

Osteoporotic fracture (OPF) is a prevalent skeletal disease in the middle-aged and elderly. In clinical practice, Jianshen Decoction (JSD) has been used to treat OPFs. However, the specific effective components and mechanisms of JSD on OPF have not been explored. Therefore, this study used bioinformatics analysis combined with molecular dynamics simulation validation to explore the molecular mechanism of JSD treatment of OPF. Public databases (TCMSP, Batman TCM) were used to find the effective active components and corresponding target proteins of JSD (screening conditions: OB ≥ 30%, drug-likeness ≥ 0.18, half-life ≥ 4). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to OPF lesions were obtained based on the gene expression omnibus database (screening conditions: adjust P value < .01, | log2 FC | ≥ 1.0). The BisoGenet plug-in and the CytoNCA plug-in of Cytoscape were used to derive the potential core target proteins of JSD in the treatment of OPF. The JSD active ingredient target interaction network and the JSD-OPF target protein core network were constructed using the Cytoscape software. In addition, the R language Bioconductor package and clusterProfiler package were used to perform gene ontology (GO)/Kyoto Encylopedia Of Genes And Genome (KEGG) enrichment analysis on core genes to explain the biological functions and signal pathways of core proteins. Finally, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were carried out through PyMOL, AutoDockTools 1.5.6, Vina, LeDock, Discovery Studio (DS) 2019, and other software to verify the binding ability of drug active ingredients and core target proteins. A total of 245 targets and 70 active components were identified. Through protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction, 39 core targets were selected for further research. GO/KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the DNA-binding transcription factor binding, RNA polymerase II-specific DNA-binding transcription factor binding, MAPK signaling pathway, and ErbB signaling pathway were mainly involved. The results of molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations supported the good interaction between MYC protein and Quercetin/Stigmasterol. In this study, bioinformatics, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations were used for the first time to clarify the active components, molecular targets, and key biological pathways of JSD in the treatment of OPF, providing a theoretical basis for further research.

New frontiers of invasive plants for biosynthesis of nanoparticles towards biomedical applications: A review

Above 1000 invasive species have been growing and developing ubiquitously on Earth. With extremely vigorous adaptability, strong reproduction, and spreading powers, invasive species have posed an alarming threat to indigenous plants, water quality, soil, as well as biodiversity. It was estimated that an economic loss of billions of dollars or equivalent to 1 % of gross domestic product as a consequence of lost crops, control efforts, and damage costs caused by invasive plants in the United States. While eradicating invasive plants from the ecosystems is practically infeasible, taking advantage of invasive plants as a sustainable, locally available, and zero-cost source to provide valuable phytochemicals for bionanoparticles fabrication is worth considering. Here, we review the harms, benefits, and role of invasive species as important botanical sources to extract natural compounds such as piceatannol, resveratrol, and quadrangularin-A, flavonoids, and triterpenoids, which are linked tightly to the formation and application of bionanoparticles. As expected, the invasive plant-mediated bionanoparticles have exhibited outstanding antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, and antioxidant activities. The mechanism of biomedical activities of the invasive plant-mediated bionanoparticles was insightfully addressed and discussed. We also expect that this review not only contributes to efforts to combat invasive plant species but also opens new frontiers of bionanoparticles in the biomedical applications, therapeutic treatment, and smart agriculture.

Identification of kaempferol as an OSX upregulator by network pharmacology-based analysis of qianggu Capsule for osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic disease of skeleton with reduced bone density and weaker bone. Qianggu Capsule as a traditional chinese medicine has been widely used to treat osteoporosis. The potential pharmacological mechanism of its active ingredient Gusuibu is not well understood. The purpose of this work is to analyze the anti-osteoporosis function of Gusuibu based on network pharmacology, and further explore the potential mechanism of Qianggu Capsule. The active compounds and their corresponding targets of Gusuibu were obtained from TCMSP, TCMID, and BATMAN-TCM databases. Potential therapeutic targets for osteoporosis were obtained through DisGeNET, TTD, GeneCards, MalaCards, CTD, and OMIM databases. The overlapping targets of Gusuibu and osteoporosis were obtained. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed. The “Gusuibu-active compounds-target genes-osteoporosis” network and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were constructed, and the top hub genes were screened by using the plug-in CytoHubba. Molecular docking was used to verify the binding activity of hub genes and key compounds. We identified 21 active compounds and 140 potential therapeutic targets that may be related to Gusuibu and 10 hub genes (AKT1, IL6, JUN, TNF, MAPK3, VEGFA, EGFR, MAPK1, CASP3, PTGS2). Molecular docking analysis demonstrated that four key active small molecules in Gusuibu (including Luteolin, Naringenin, Kaempferol, and Beta-sitosterol) have excellent binding affinity to the target proteins encoded by the top 10 hub genes. Our new findings indicated that one key active compound kaempferol activated the expression of osteoblast specific transcription factor OSX through JNK kinase pathway.

Therapeutic application of quercetin in aging-related diseases: SIRT1 as a potential mechanism

Quercetin, a naturally non-toxic flavonoid within the safe dose range with antioxidant, anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties, plays an important role in the treatment of aging-related diseases. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a member of NAD+-dependent deacetylase enzyme family, is extensively explored as a potential therapeutic target for attenuating aging-induced disorders. SIRT1 possess beneficial effects against aging-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), Depression, Osteoporosis, Myocardial ischemia (M/I) and reperfusion (MI/R), Atherosclerosis (AS), and Diabetes. Previous studies have reported that aging increases tissue susceptibility, whereas, SIRT1 regulates cellular senescence and multiple aging-related cellular processes, including SIRT1/Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 and SIRTI/PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β mediated oxidative stress, SIRT1/NF-κB and SIRT1/NLRP3 regulated inflammatory response, SIRT1/PGC1α/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP and SIRT1/PKD1/CREB controlled phosphorylation, SIRT1-PINK1-Parkin mediated mitochondrial damage, SIRT1/FoxO mediated autophagy, and SIRT1/FoxG1/CREB/BDNF/Trkβ-catenin mediated neuroprotective effects. In this review, we summarized the role of SIRT1 in the improvement of the attenuation effect of quercetin on aging-related diseases and the relationship between relevant signaling pathways regulated by SIRT1. Moreover, the functional regulation of quercetin in aging-related markers such as oxidative stress, inflammatory response, mitochondrial function, autophagy and apoptosis through SIRT1 was discussed. Finally, the prospects of an extracellular vesicles (EVs) as quercetin loading and delivery, and SIRT1-mediated EVs as signal carriers for treating aging-related diseases, as well as discussed the ferroptosis alleviation effects of quercetin to protect against aging-related disease via activating SIRT1. Generally, SIRT1 may serve as a promising therapeutic target in the treatment of aging-related diseases via inhibiting oxidative stress, reducing inflammatory responses, and restoring mitochondrial dysfunction.

Antibacterial Activity against Foodborne Pathogens and Inhibitory Effect on Anti-Inflammatory Mediators' Production of Brazilin-Enriched Extract from Caesalpinia sappan Linn

Caesalpinia sappan L. heartwood was collected from Mae Chaem District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. Crude extracts were prepared by Soxhlet’s extraction using 50, 60, and 70% of ethanol (EtOH) at 50, 60, and 70 °C, and the brazilin content was measured using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogens and anti-inflammatory aspects were investigated. C. sappan, prepared from 70% EtOH at 70 °C (E70T70), significantly (p < 0.05) exhibited the highest amount of brazilin (7.90 ± 0.50% w/w). All extracts were investigated for anti-inflammatory activity through an inhibition effect on nitric oxide (NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) production in RAW264.7 mouse macrophage cells. The inhibitory effect on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) production in HT-29 and HCT116 was also studied. All the extracts inhibited NO, iNOS, and COX-2 production induced by combined lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ, especially E70T70, indicating the highest inhibition effect among other extracts. Additionally, E70T70 was selected to determine the antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The result showed that 200 µg/mL extract reduced all test pathogens 100% at 24 h. These results suggested the potential of using C. sappan L. extract as a natural preservative in food and a natural active pharmaceutical ingredient.

Local Wisdom and Diversity of Medicinal Plants in Cha Miang Forest in Mae Kampong Village, Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Their Potential for Use as Osteoprotective Products

"People-Forest-Miang" communities are villages located in the cultivated area of Camellia sinensis var. assamica, or Cha Miang, in northern Thailand. Cha Miang forests are a form of agriculture relying on forest-rich bioresources. This study focuses on a survey of the diversity of medicinal plants used by "People-Forest-Miang" communities in Mae Kampong Village, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The results demonstrated that 73 species of medicinal plants were used to prevent and treat various ailments. The highest number of species (30.14%) was used for musculoskeletal system disorders, followed by digestive system disorders (21.92%) and unspecified medicinal disorders (15.07%). The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is the most widely recognized biochemical marker for osteoblast activity. The ALP activity of ethanol and deionized water extracts of the nine selected medicinal plants used for musculoskeletal system disorders were examined in the MG63 cell line. The results showed that the numerous water extracts, including MKP1, MKP2, MKP5, MKP6, MKP7, MKP8, and MKP9, and the ethanolic extracts-namely, MKP2, MKP3, MKP7, and MKP9-significantly increased ALP activity in the MG-63 cell line. The findings indicate that some medicinal plants may be further studied for active chemicals and developed as natural active pharmaceutical ingredients for osteoprotective products.

Rutin alleviates cardiomyocyte injury induced by high glucose through inhibiting apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a common complication of diabetes, in which endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) serves an important role. Rutin can treat the myocardial dysfunction of diabetic rats. However, to the best of our knowledge, studies on the effects of Rutin on myocardial injury caused by diabetes from the perspective of ERS have not previously been reported. In the present study, the role of rutin in the regulation of ERS in myocardial injury was assessed. Different high glucose concentrations were used to treat H9C2 myoblast cells to establish a myocardial damage model. A cell counting kit-8 assay was used to determine cell viability. A lactate dehydrogenase kit was used to detect cytotoxicity. Apoptosis levels were determined using a TUNEL assay. Western blotting was used to determine the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins and ERS-related proteins, including heat shock protein A family member 5, inositol-requiring enzyme-1α, X-box binding protein 1, activating transcription factor 6, C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP), cleaved caspase-12 and caspase-12. The anti-apoptotic and anti-ERS effects of Rutin on H9C2 cardiac cells induced by high glucose were examined after the administration of the ERS activator thapsigargin (TG). The results indicated that rutin could dose-dependently inhibit the level of apoptosis and ERS induced by high glucose in H9C2 cells. After administration of the ERS activator TG, it was demonstrated that TG could reverse the anti-apoptotic and anti-ERS effects of rutin on H9C2 cells stimulated with high glucose. Collectively, the present results suggested that rutin may alleviate cardiomyocyte model cell injury induced by high glucose through the inhibition of apoptosis and ERS.

Antioxidant Activity and Anti-Photoaging Effects on UVA-Irradiated Human Fibroblasts of Rosmarinic Acid Enriched Extract Prepared from Thunbergia laurifolia Leaves

The current study investigated the inhibiting effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) production in a cell-based study of standardized rosmarinic acid enriched extract (SRAEE) prepared from Thunbergia laurifolia leaves. HPLC chromatogram revealed that rosmarinic acid is a major component in prepared SRAEE, followed by caffeic acid. SRAEE exhibited antioxidant activity both in vitro and cell-based studies. SRAEE showed scavenging effects on nitric oxide and superoxide anion and inhibition effects on lipid peroxidation in vitro. SRAEE also inhibited ROS and MMP-1 production in normal human dermal fibroblast cells induced by H₂O₂ and UVA, respectively, without exerted cytotoxicity. Additionally, collagen degradation was protected by SRAEE induced by UVA. Nitric oxide and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) productions were also inhibited by SRAEE in RAW264.7 mouse macrophage cells induced by combined lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-interferon-γ (IFN-γ). The results indicated that SRAEE is a potential candidate as a natural pharmaceutical active ingredient for cosmeceutical product application.

Integrated Strategy of Network Pharmacological Prediction and Experimental Validation Elucidate Possible Mechanism of Bu-Yang Herbs in Treating Postmenopausal Osteoporosis via ESR1

Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is a type of bone metabolism disease-related to estrogen deficiency with an increasing incidence. Traditional Chinese (TCM) has always been used and showed effectiveness in treating PMOP. In the current study, Bu-Yang herbs were considered to be the most frequently used and efficient TCM herbs in PMOP treatment. However, chemical and pharmacological profiles were not elucidated. Network pharmacology was conducted on representative Bu-Yang herbs (Yin-Yang-Huo. Du-Zhong, Bu-Gu-Zhi, Tu-Si-Zi) to investigate the mechanism of Bu-Yang herbs on PMOP. Chemical compounds, potential targets, and disease related genes were available from the corresponding database. Results showed that Bu-Yang herbs could interact with ESR1 and estrogen signaling pathways. For further validation, the Bu-Yang decoction (BYD), formula consisted of the above-mentioned 4 Bu-Yang herbs was presented for experimental validation. In vivo, BYD significantly reversed ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis progress in a dose-dependent manner by up-regulation of bone mineral density and amelioration of bone microarchitecture. In vitro, BYD dramatically improved the proliferation and mineral nodules formation of osteoblasts. Both in vitro and in vivo results illustrated that the phenotype change induced by BYD is correlated with up-regulated of ESR1 and activation of the β-catenin pathway. Meanwhile, inhibition of ESR1 by ICI182, 780 blocked the osteogenic phenotype and β-catenin pathway activation induced by BYD. In conclusion, the current study suggested that Bu-Yang herbs are the most useful TCM herbs in treating PMOP. Furthermore, the integrated strategy of network pharmacology prediction with experimental validation suggested that BYD exerted its anti-PMOP via ESR1 and the downstream mechanism might be activation of the β-catenin signaling pathway.

Orthobiologics with phytobioactive cues: A paradigm in bone regeneration

Bone injuries occur due to various traumatic and disease conditions. Healing of bone injury occurs via a multi-stage intricate process. Body has the potential to rectify most of the bone injuries but some severe traumatic cases with critical size defects may require interventions. Autografts are still considered the "gold standard" for fracture healing but due to limitations associated with it, new alternatives are warranted. The field of orthobiologics has provided novel approaches using scaffolds, bioactive molecules, stem cells for the treatment of bone defects. Phyto-bioactives have been widely used in alternative medicine and folklore practices for curing bone ailments. It is believed that different bioactive constituents in plants work synergistically to give the therapeutic efficacy. Bioactives in plants extracts act upon different signal transduction pathways aiding in bone healing. The present review focuses on the use, chemical composition, mode of delivery, mechanism of action, and possible future strategies of three medicinal plants popularly used in traditional medicine for bone healing: Cissus quadrangularis, Withania somnifera and Tinospora cordifolia. Plants extracts seem to be a natural and non-toxic therapeutic alternative in treating bone injuries. Most of the studies on bone healing for these plants have reported oral administration of the extracts and presented them as a safe alternative without any side effects despite giving higher doses. Forthcoming studies could be directed towards the local delivery of extracts at the defect site. Unification of herbal extracts and orthobiologics could be an interesting direction in the field of bone healing in future. The present review intends to provide a bird's eye view of different strategies used in bone healing, mechanisms involved and future direction of advancements using phytobioactives and orthobiologics.

Quercetin as an Agent for Protecting the Bone: A Review of the Current Evidence

Quercetin is a flavonoid abundantly found in fruits and vegetables. It possesses a wide spectrum of biological activities, thus suggesting a role in disease prevention and health promotion. The present review aimed to uncover the bone-sparing effects of quercetin and its mechanism of action. Animal studies have found that the action of quercetin on bone is largely protective, with a small number of studies reporting negative outcomes. Quercetin was shown to inhibit RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis, osteoblast apoptosis, oxidative stress and inflammatory response while promoting osteogenesis, angiogenesis, antioxidant expression, adipocyte apoptosis and osteoclast apoptosis. The possible underlying mechanisms involved are regulation of Wnt, NF-κB, Nrf2, SMAD-dependent, and intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways. On the other hand, quercetin was shown to exert complex and competing actions on the MAPK signalling pathway to orchestrate bone metabolism, resulting in both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on bone in parallel. The overall interaction is believed to result in a positive effect on bone. Considering the important contributions of quercetin in regulating bone homeostasis, it may be considered an economical and promising agent for improving bone health. The documented preclinical findings await further validation from human clinical trials.