Asarone from Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma Potentiates the Nerve Growth Factor-Induced Neuronal Differentiation in Cultured PC12 Cells: A Signaling Mediated by Protein Kinase A

Structural identification and anti-neuroinflammatory effect of a heteropolysaccharide ATP50-3 from Acorus tatarinowii rhizome

Acorus tatarinowii, a famous traditional Chinese medicine, is used for the clinical treatment of memory impairment and dementia. In this research, AT50, the crude polysaccharide extracted from A. tatarinowii rhizome, significantly improved the memory and learning ability of mice with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and exerted excellent anti-neuroinflammatory effects. More importantly, AT50 returned the levels of NO, TNF-α, IL-1β, PGE-2, and IL-6 in AD mouse brains to normal levels. To identify the active ingredients in AT50, a heteropolysaccharide ATP50-3 was obtained from AT50. Structural analysis indicated ATP50-3 consisted of α-L-Araf-(1→, →2)-α-L-Araf-(1→, →3)-α-L-Araf-(1→, →5)-α-L-Araf-(1→, α-D-Xylp-(1→, →3,4)-β-D-Xylp-(1→, →3)-α-D-Galp-(1→, →3,6)-α-D-Galp-(1→, →6)-4-OAc-α-D-Galp-(1→, →3,4,6)-α-D-Galp-(1→, →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, →2,3,6)-β-D-Glcp-(1→, →4,6)-α-D-Manp-(1→, →3,4)-α-L-Rhap-(1→, →4)-α-D-GalpA-(1→, and →4)-α-D-GlcpA-(1 → residues and terminated with Xyl and Ara. Additionally, ATP50-3 significantly inhibited the release of proinflammatory factors in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV2 cells. ATP50-3 may be an active constituent of AT50, responsible for its anti-neuroinflammatory effects, with great potential to treat AD.

Unveiling the impact of aging on BBB and Alzheimer's disease: Factors and therapeutic implications

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a highly prevalent neurodegenerative condition that has devastating effects on individuals, often resulting in dementia. AD is primarily defined by the presence of extracellular plaques containing insoluble β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein (P-tau). In addition, individuals afflicted by these age-related illnesses experience a diminished state of health, which places significant financial strain on their loved ones. Several risk factors play a significant role in the development of AD. These factors include genetics, diet, smoking, certain diseases (such as cerebrovascular diseases, obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia), age, and alcohol consumption. Age-related factors are key contributors to the development of vascular-based neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. In general, the process of aging can lead to changes in the immune system's responses and can also initiate inflammation in the brain. The chronic inflammation and the inflammatory mediators found in the brain play a crucial role in the dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Furthermore, maintaining BBB integrity is of utmost importance in preventing a wide range of neurological disorders. Therefore, in this review, we discussed the role of age and its related factors in the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier and the development of AD. We also discussed the importance of different compounds, such as those with anti-aging properties, and other compounds that can help maintain the integrity of the blood-brain barrier in the prevention of AD. This review builds a strong correlation between age-related factors, degradation of the BBB, and its impact on AD.

Acorus tatarinowii Schott: A Review of Its Botany, Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology

Acorus tatarinowii Schott (A. tatarinowii) is a natural medicinal plant. It plays an indispensable role in the treatment of diseases by the empirical medicine system and has achieved remarkable curative effects. A. tatarinowii is often used to treat various diseases, such as depression, epilepsy, fever, dizziness, heartache, stomachache, etc. More than 160 compounds of different structural types have been identified in A. tatarinowii, including phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, lignans, flavonoids, alkaloids, amides, and organic acids. These bioactive ingredients make A. tatarinowii remarkable for its pharmacological effects, including antidepressant, antiepileptic, anticonvulsant, antianxiety, neuroprotective, antifatigue, and antifungal effects, improving Alzheimer's disease, and so on. It is noteworthy that A. tatarinowii has been widely used in the treatment of brain diseases and nervous system diseases and has achieved satisfactory therapeutic effects. This review focused on the research publications of A. tatarinowii and aimed to summarize the advances in the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology, which will provide a reference for further studies and applications of A. tatarinowii.

Osteogenic Potential and Bioactive Profiles of Piper sarmentosum Ethanolic Extract-Treated Stem Cells

Piper sarmentosum is a well-known traditional herbal plant in various diseases treatments. Multiple scientific studies have also reported various biological activities exhibited by the plant's extract, such as antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic and antihyperglycemic activities, and, in addition, a bone protective effect in ovariectomized rats has been reported. However, no known Piper sarmentosum extract is involved in osteoblast differentiation using stem cells. Our study aims to identify the potential of P. sarmentosum ethanolic extract to induce osteoblast differentiation of human peripheral blood stem cells. Prior to the assay, the proliferation ability of the cells was observed for 14 days and the presence of hematopoietic stem cells in the culture was determined by the expression of SLAMF1 and CD34 genes. During the differentiation assay, the cells were treated with P. sarmentosum ethanolic extract for 14 days. Osteoblast differentiation was examined using an (alkaline phosphatase) ALP assay, by monitoring the expression of osteogenic gene markers and by von Kossa staining. The untreated cells served as the negative control, while cells treated with 50 µg/mL ascorbic acid and 10 mM β-glycerophosphate acted as the positive control. Finally, the determination of the compound profile was performed using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The isolated cells were able to proliferate for 14 days during the proliferation assay. The expression of hematopoietic stem cell markers was also upregulated during the 14 days assay. Following the differentiation induction, the ALP activity exhibited a significant increase (p < 0.05) from day 3 of the differentiation assay. A molecular analysis also showed that the osteogenic markers ALP, RUNX2, OPN and OCN were upregulated compared to the positive control. The presence of mineralized cells with a brownish-stained morphology was observed, indicating the mineralization process increased in a time-dependent manner regardless of the concentration used. There were 54 compounds observed in the GC-MS analysis, including β-asarones, carvacrol and phytol, which have been shown to possess osteoinductive capacities. Our results demonstrate that the ethanolic extract of P. sarmentosum can induce osteoblast differentiation of peripheral blood stem cells. The extract contains potent compounds which can potentially induce the differentiation of bone cells, i.e., osteoblasts.

Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma: A comprehensive review of its chemical composition, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and toxicity

Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (ATR, Shi Chang Pu in Chinese), a natural product with multiple targets in various diseases. This review provides the comprehensive summary of the chemical composition, pharmacological effects, pharmacokinetics parameters and toxicity of ATR. The results indicated that ATR possesses a wide spectrum of chemical composition, including volatile oil, terpenoids, organic acids, flavonoids, amino acids, lignin, carbohydrates and so on. Accumulating evidence from various studies has shown that ATR exerts a wide range of pharmacological properties, including protecting nerve cells, alleviating learning and memory impairment, anti-ischemic, anti-myocardial ischemia, anti-arrhythmic, anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, and anti-oxidant activities. Currently, ATR is widely used in the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal digestive system, respiratory system in China, and for the treatment of epilepsy, depression, amnesia, consciousness, anxiety, insomnia, aphasia, tinnitus, cancers, dementia, stroke, skin diseases, and other complex diseases. Pharmacokinetic studies indicated that β-asarone, α-asarone, cis-methylisoeugenol, and asarylaldehyde, the active components of ATR, were absorbed slowly after oral administration of ATR. Moreover, toxicity studies have suggested that ATR has no carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic toxicity. Nevertheless, long term or high-dose toxicity testing in animals to explore the acute and chronic toxicity of acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma is still lacking. In view of good pharmacological activities, ATR is expected to be a potential drug candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, depression, or ulcerative colitis. However, further studies are needed to elucidate its chemical composition, pharmacological effects, molecular mechanisms and targets, improve its oral bioavailability, and clarify its potential toxicity.

Gut brain interaction theory reveals gut microbiota mediated neurogenesis and traditional Chinese medicine research strategies

Adult neurogenesis is the process of differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) into neurons and glial cells in certain areas of the adult brain. Defects in neurogenesis can lead to neurodegenerative diseases, mental disorders, and other maladies. This process is directionally regulated by transcription factors, the Wnt and Notch pathway, the extracellular matrix, and various growth factors. External factors like stress, physical exercise, diet, medications, etc., affect neurogenesis and the gut microbiota. The gut microbiota may affect NSCs through vagal, immune and chemical pathways, and other pathways. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been proven to affect NSCs proliferation and differentiation and can regulate the abundance and metabolites produced by intestinal microorganisms. However, the underlying mechanisms by which these factors regulate neurogenesis through the gut microbiota are not fully understood. In this review, we describe the recent evidence on the role of the gut microbiota in neurogenesis. Moreover, we hypothesize on the characteristics of the microbiota-gut-brain axis based on bacterial phyla, including microbiota's metabolites, and neuronal and immune pathways while providing an outlook on TCM's potential effects on adult neurogenesis by regulating gut microbiota.

Advances in extraction methods, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, molecular targets and toxicology of volatile oil from Acorus calamus var. angustatus Besser

Acorus calamus var. angustatus Besser (ATT) is a traditional herb with a long medicinal history. The volatile oil of ATT (VOA) does possess many pharmacological activities. It can restore the vitality of the brain, nervous system and myocardial cells. It is used to treat various central system, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. It also showed antibacterial and antioxidant activity. Many studies have explored the benefits of VOA scientifically. This paper reviews the extraction methods, chemical components, pharmacological activities and toxicology of VOA. The molecular mechanism of VOA was elucidated. This paper will serve as a comprehensive resource for further carrying the VOA on improving its medicinal value and clinical use.

Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential of α- and β-Asarone in the Treatment of Neurological Disorders

Neurological disorders are important causes of morbidity and mortality around the world. The increasing prevalence of neurological disorders, associated with an aging population, has intensified the societal burden associated with these diseases, for which no effective treatment strategies currently exist. Therefore, the identification and development of novel therapeutic approaches, able to halt or reverse neuronal loss by targeting the underlying causal factors that lead to neurodegeneration and neuronal cell death, are urgently necessary. Plants and other natural products have been explored as sources of safe, naturally occurring secondary metabolites with potential neuroprotective properties. The secondary metabolites α- and β-asarone can be found in high levels in the rhizomes of the medicinal plant Acorus calamus (L.). α- and β-asarone exhibit multiple pharmacological properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, anticancer, and neuroprotective effects. This paper aims to provide an overview of the current research on the therapeutic potential of α- and β-asarone in the treatment of neurological disorders, particularly neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), as well as cerebral ischemic disease, and epilepsy. Current research indicates that α- and β-asarone exert neuroprotective effects by mitigating oxidative stress, abnormal protein accumulation, neuroinflammation, neurotrophic factor deficit, and promoting neuronal cell survival, as well as activating various neuroprotective signalling pathways. Although the beneficial effects exerted by α- and β-asarone have been demonstrated through in vitro and in vivo animal studies, additional research is required to translate laboratory results into safe and effective therapies for patients with AD, PD, and other neurological and neurodegenerative diseases.

Electroacupuncture treatment improves motor function and neurological outcomes after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

Electroacupuncture (EA) has been widely used for functional restoration after stroke. However, its role in post-stroke rehabilitation and the associated regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we applied EA to the Zusanli (ST36) and Quchi (LI11) acupoints in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion. We found that EA effectively increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor tyrosine kinase B, synapsin-1, postsynaptic dense protein 95, and microtubule-associated protein 2 in the ischemic penumbra of rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion. Moreover, EA greatly reduced the expression of myelin-related inhibitors Nogo-A and NgR in the ischemic penumbra. Tyrosine kinase B inhibitor ANA-12 weakened the therapeutic effects of EA. These findings suggest that EA can improve neurological function after middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion, possibly through regulating the activity of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor/tyrosine kinase B signal pathway. All procedures and experiments were approved by the Animal Research Committee of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China (approval No. PZSHUTCM200110002) on January 10, 2020.

Regulation of Neurogenesis and Neuronal Differentiation by Natural Compounds

Neuronal damage or degeneration is the main feature of neurological diseases. Regulation of neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation is important in developing therapies to promote neuronal regeneration or synaptic network reconstruction. Neurogenesis is a multistage process in which neurons are generated and integrated into existing neuronal circuits. Neuronal differentiation is extremely complex because it can occur in different cell types and can be caused by a variety of inducers. Recently, natural compounds that induce neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation have attracted extensive attention. In this paper, the potential neural induction effects of medicinal plant-derived natural compounds on neural stem/progenitor cells (NS/PCs), the cultured neuronal cells, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are reviewed. The natural compounds that are efficacious in inducing neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation include phenolic acids, polyphenols, flavonoids, glucosides, alkaloids, terpenoids, quinones, coumarins, and others. They exert neural induction effects by regulating signal factors and cell-specific genes involved in the process of neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation, including specific proteins (β-tubulin III, MAP-2, tau, nestin, neurofilaments, GFAP, GAP-43, NSE), related genes and proteins (STAT3, Hes1, Mash1, NeuroD1, notch, cyclin D1, SIRT1, reggie-1), transcription factors (CREB, Nkx-2.5, Ngn1), neurotrophins (BDNF, NGF, NT-3) and signaling pathways (JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-catenin, MAPK, PI3K/Akt, GSK-3β/β-catenin, Ca2+/CaMKII/ATF1, Nrf2/HO-1, BMP). The natural compounds with neural induction effects are of great value for neuronal regenerative medicine and provide promising prevention and treatment strategies for neurological diseases.

Acorus tatarinowii Schott extract reduces cerebral edema caused by ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats: involvement in regulation of astrocytic NKCC1/AQP4 and JNK/iNOS-mediated signaling

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the Acorus tatarinowii Schott [Shi Chang Pu (SCP)] extract administered at the start of 2 h of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo), followed by 3 d of reperfusion, and to determine mechanisms involved in anti-edema effects in the penumbra of the cerebral cortex.

Method

Rats were intraperitoneally administered the SCP extract at a dose of 0.25 g/kg (SCP-0.25 g), 0.5 g/kg (SCP-0.5 g), or 1 g/kg (SCP-1 g) at the start of MCAo.

Result

SCP-0.5 g and SCP-1 g treatments effectively reduced the cerebral infarct size, ameliorated cerebral edema, reduced blood–brain barrier permeability, and restored neurological function. SCP-0.5 g and SCP-1 g treatments markedly downregulated the levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein, Na⁺-K⁺-2Cl⁻ cotransporter type 1 (NKCC1), aquaporin 4 (AQP4), phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK)/JNK, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), 3-nitrotyrosine, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), and zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1) and upregulated ZO-3 expression in the penumbra of the cerebral cortex 3 d after reperfusion.

Conclusions

SCP-0.5 g and SCP-1 g treatments exert neuroprotective effects against cerebral infarction and cerebral edema partially by mitigating astrocytic swelling and blood–brain barrier disruption. Moreover, the anti-cerebral edema effects of SCP extract treatments are possibly associated with the downregulation of astrocytic NKCC1/AQP4 and JNK/iNOS-mediated ICAM-1/MMP-9 signaling in the penumbra of the cerebral cortex 3 d after reperfusion.

Revealing the Pharmacological Mechanism of Acorus tatarinowii in the Treatment of Ischemic Stroke Based on Network Pharmacology

Aim

Stroke is the second significant cause for death, with ischemic stroke (IS) being the main type threatening human being's health. Acorus tatarinowii (AT) is widely used in the treatment of Alzheimer disease, epilepsy, depression, and stroke, which leads to disorders of consciousness disease. However, the systemic mechanism of AT treating IS is unexplicit. This article is supposed to explain why AT has an effect on the treatment of IS in a comprehensive and systematic way by network pharmacology.

Methods and Materials

ADME (absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted) is an important property for screening-related compounds in AT, which were screening out of TCMSP, TCMID, Chemistry Database, and literature from CNKI. Then, these targets related to screened compounds were predicted via Swiss Targets, when AT-related targets database was established. The gene targets related to IS were collected from DisGeNET and GeneCards. IS-AT is a common protein interactive network established by STRING Database. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment were analysed by IS-AT common target genes. Cytoscape software was used to establish a visualized network for active compounds-core targets and core target proteins-proteins interactive network. Furthermore, we drew a signal pathway picture about its effect to reveal the basic mechanism of AT against IS systematically.

Results

There were 53 active compounds screened from AT, inferring the main therapeutic substances as follows: bisasaricin, 3-cyclohexene-1-methanol-α,α,4-trimethyl,acetate, cis,cis,cis-7,10,13-hexadecatrienal, hydroxyacoronene, nerolidol, galgravin, veraguensin, 2′-o-methyl isoliquiritigenin, gamma-asarone, and alpha-asarone. We obtained 398 related targets, 63 of which were the same as the IS-related genes from targets prediction. Except for GRM2, remaining 62 target genes have an interactive relation, respectively. The top 10 degree core target genes were IL6, TNF, IL1B, TLR4, NOS3, MAPK1, PTGS2, VEGFA, JUN, and MMP9. There were more than 20 terms of biological process, 7 terms of cellular components, and 14 terms of molecular function through GO enrichment analysis and 13 terms of signal pathway from KEGG enrichment analysis based on P < 0.05.

Conclusion

AT had a therapeutic effect for ischemic via multicomponent, multitarget, and multisignal pathway, which provided a novel research aspect for AT against IS.

Enhancing and Complementary Mechanisms of Synergistic Action of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma and Codonopsis Radix for Alzheimer's Disease Based on Systems Pharmacology

Materials and Methods

In this study, a systems pharmacology-based strategy was used to elucidate the synergistic mechanism of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma and Codonopsis Radix for the treatment of AD. This novel systems pharmacology model consisted of component information, pharmacokinetic analysis, and pharmacological data. Additionally, the related pathways were compressed using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database, and the organ distributions were determined in the BioGPS bank.

Results

Sixty-eight active ingredients with suitable pharmacokinetic profiles and biological activities were selected through ADME screening in silico. Based on 62 AD-related targets, such as APP, CHRM1, and PTGS1, systematic analysis showed that these two herbs were mainly involved in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, and fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, indicating that they had a synergistic effect on AD. However, ATR acted on the KDR gene, while CR acted on IGF1R, MET, IL1B, and CHUK, showing that they also had complementary effects on AD. The ingredient contribution score involved 29 ingredients contributing 90.14% of the total contribution score of this formula for AD treatment, which emphasized that the effective therapeutic effects of these herbs for AD were derived from both ATR and CR, not a single herb. Organ distribution showed that the targets of the active ingredients were mainly located in the whole blood, the brain, and the muscle, which are associated with AD.

Conclusions

In sum, our findings suggest that the systems pharmacology methods successfully revealed the synergistic and complementary mechanisms of ATR and CR for the treatment of AD.

Identification of volatile active components in Acori Tatarinowii Rhizome essential oil from different regions in China by C6 glioma cells

Background

Acori Tatarinowii Rhizome (ATR) is a well-recognized Chinese herbal medicine prescribed to treat neurological disorders. The essential oil (ATEO) is considered as the active fraction of ATR and the content of ATEO is used as the only indicator for ATR content determination. The quality of ATEO varies widely due to region difference; however, little is known about how to study ATEO quality chemically and biologically in response to region difference. Thus, it is of great importance to identify volatile active components in ATEO to conduct quality study. In this study, we analyzed ATEO from different regions in China using chemical component analysis combined with biological activity evaluation.

Methods

GC-MS was used to obtain different volatile component profiles of ATEO and significantly changed volatile components were screened out. The neuroprotective activities of ATEO, including anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation and neurotrophic functions, were revealed in C6 glioma cells. The correlation study between the bioactivities and the components was performed.

Results

57 volatile components, including terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, aromatic compounds, and other aliphatic compounds, were identified. 8 volatile components (β-asarone, cis-methyl isoeugenol, γ-asarone, methyleugenol, calarene, longifolene, β-caryophyllene and caryophyllene oxide) from ATEO were significantly changed due to region difference and 2 of them (β-asarone and γ-asarone) showed strong correlation with neuroprotective activities.

Conclusions

Our results reveal that ATEO from different regions in China show great changes in chemical composition and biological activity. Moreover, phenylpropanoids (β-asarone and γ-asarone) present strong correlation with the bioactivities, which are considered as volatile active components in ATEO. The findings will be useful for the development of quality study of ATEO.

Shexiang Baoxin Pill, a Traditional Chinese Herbal Formula, Rescues the Cognitive Impairments in APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice

BACKGROUND

Shexiang Baoxin Pill (SBP), a formulated traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been widely used to treat cardiovascular diseases for years. This herbal mixture has been shown to promote differentiation of cultured neuronal cells. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of SBP in attenuating cognitive impairment in APP/PS1 transgenic mice.

METHODS

Ethanol and water extracts of SBP, denoted as SBPEtOH and SBPwater, were standardized and applied onto cultured rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells. The potential effect of SBPEtOH extract in attenuating the cognitive impairments in APP/PS1 transgenic mice was shown by following lines of evidence: (i) inhibition of Aβ fibril formation, (ii) suppression of secretions of cytokines, and (iii) improvement of behavioral tests by Morris water maze.

RESULTS

SBPwater and SBPEtOH inhibited the formation of β-amyloid fibrils and protected the Aβ-induced cytotoxicity in cultured PC12 cells. In APP/PS1 transgenic mice, the treatment of SBPEtOH inhibited expressions of NO, NOS, AChE, as well as aggregation of Aβ. Besides, the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were suppressed by SBP treatment in the transgenic mice. Importantly, the behavioral tests by Morris Water maze indicated that SBP attenuated cognitive impairments in APP/PS1 transgenic mice.

CONCLUSION

The current result has supported the notion that SPB might ameliorate the cognitive impairment through multiple targets, suggesting that SBP could be considered as a promising anti-AD agent.

Effect of co-administration of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma volatile oil on pharmacokinetic fate of xanthotoxol, oxypeucedanin hydrate, and byakangelicin from Angelicae Dahuricae Radix in rat

A combination of Angelicae Dahuricae Radix and Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma has been widely used as the herb pair in traditional Chinese medicine to treat stroke, migraine, and epilepsy. However, the underlying synergistic mechanism of the herb pair remains unknown. This study was aimed at investigating the effects of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma volatile oil on the pharmacokinetic parameters of xanthotoxol, oxypeucedanin hydrate, and byakangelicin from Angelicae Dahuricae Radix in rat, and in vitro absorption behavior of the three compounds using rat everted gut sac, in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion, and Caco-2 cell monolayer models. The pharmacokinetic study exhibited clear changes in the key pharmacokinetic parameters of the three main coumarins through co-administering with Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma volatile oil (50 mg/kg), the area under curve and the maximum plasma concentration of xanthotoxol increased 1.36 and 1.31 times; the area under curve, the maximum plasma concentration, mean residence time, half-life of elimination, and the time to reach peak concentration of oxypeucedanin hydrate increased by 1.35, 1.18, 1.24, 1.19 and 1.49 times, respectively; the area under curve, mean residence time, half-life of elimination, and time to reach peak concentration of byakangelicin climbed 1.29, 1.27, 1.37, and 1.28 times, respectively. The three coumarin components were absorbed well in the jejunum and ileum in the intestinal perfusion model, when co-administered with Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma volatile oil (100 μg/mL). The in vivo and in vitro experiments showed good relevance and consistency. The results demonstrated that the three coumarin compounds from Angelicae Dahuricae Radix were absorbed through the active transportation, and Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma volatile oil could promote the intestinal absorption and transport of these compounds by inhibiting P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated efflux.

The Essential Oil from Acori Tatarinowii Rhizome (the Dried Rhizome of Acorus tatarinowii Schott) Prevents Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Cell Injury in PC12 Cells: A Signaling Triggered by CREB/PGC-1α Activation

Acori Tatarinowii Rhizome (ATR, the dried rhizome of Acorus tatarinowii Schott), a well-recognized traditional Chinese herbal medicine, is prescribed to treat neurological disorders. The essential oil is considered as the active fraction of ATR, and the neuroprotection of ATR essential oil (ATEO) is proven, including the protection against oxidative stress. However, the cellular mechanism of ATEO against oxidative stress has not been fully illustrated. In this study, to investigate the cellular mechanism of ATEO, the cytoprotective effect of ATEO against H₂O₂-induced injury was revealed in PC12 cells. ATEO treatment increased the viability of cells affected by H₂O₂-mediated injury, inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and induced the expression of several antioxidant proteins (SODs, GPx, and UCPs). The cytoprotective effect of ATEO was related to upregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) expression, which was counteracted by PGC-1α specific knockdown. Using inhibitor of protein kinase A (PKA), we found that cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) activation was involved in ATEO-induced PGC-1α expression. Taken together, we suggest that ATEO effectively prevents H₂O₂-induced cell injury possibly through the activation of CREB/PGC-1α signaling in PC12 cells. The results provide a molecular insight into the effect of ATEO on cytoprotection against oxidative stress.

The Traditional Formula Kai-Xin-San Alleviates Polyglutamine-Mediated Neurotoxicity by Modulating Proteostasis Network in Caenorhabditis elegans

The inherited polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion diseases are characterized by progressive accumulation of aggregation-prone polyQ proteins, which may provoke proteostasis imbalance and result in significant neurotoxicity. Using polyQ transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans models, we find that Kai-Xin-San (KXS), a well-known herbal formula traditionally used to treat mental disorders in China, can alleviate polyQ-mediated neuronal death and associated chemosensory deficiency. Intriguingly, KXS does not reduce polyQ aggregation in vitro as demonstrated by Thioflavin-T test, but does inhibit polyQ aggregation in C. elegans models, indicating an indirect aggregation-inhibitory mechanism. Further investigation reveals that KXS can modulate two key arms of the protein quality control system, that is, heat shock response and autophagy, to clear polyQ aggregates, but has little effect on proteasome activity. In addition, KXS is able to reduce oxidative stress, which is involved in proteostasis and neurodegeneration, but has no effect on life span or dietary restriction response. To examine potential interaction of the four component herbs of KXS, a dissection strategy was used to study the effects of differential herbal combinations in C. elegans polyQ models. While the four herbs do contribute additively to KXS function, Panax ginseng is found to be the most effective constituent. Taken together, these findings not only demonstrate the neuroprotective ability of KXS but also suggest its potential as a proteostasis regulator in protein aggregation disorders and provide an insight into the mechanism studies of traditionally used complex prescriptions and their rationality.

Complete plastome sequence of Acorus tatarinowii (Acoraceae), a traditional Chinese medicinal plant from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China

The complete plastome of Acorus tatarinowii is 153,296 bp in length, with two long inverted repeats (25,752 bp for each) separating by a large single-copy (83,533 bp) and a small single-copy (18,240 bp). The plastome contained 112 unique genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNAs, and 4 ribosomal RNAs. Phylogenetic analyses showed that A. tatarinowii was closely related to A. gramineus.

Shexiang Baoxin Pill, a Formulated Chinese Herbal Mixture, Induces Neuronal Differentiation of PC12 Cells: A Signaling Triggered by Activation of Protein Kinase A

Background: Shexiang Baoxin Pill (SBP) is a well-known composite formula of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is commonly used today in treating cardiovascular diseases. SBP consists of seven materials thereof, including Moschus, extract of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Bovis Calculus Artifactus, Cinnamomi Cortex, Styrax, Bufonis Venenum, and Borneolum Syntheticum. Here, we are investigating the potential roles of SBP in inducing neuron differentiation, i.e., seeking possible application in neurodegenerative diseases.

Methods: Water and ethanol extracts of SBP, denoted as SBP_water and SBP_EtOH, respectively, as well as its individual herbal materials, were standardized and applied onto cultured rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells. The potential effect of SBP extracts in neuronal differentiation was suggested by following parameters: (i) induction of neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells, (ii) increase of neurofilament expression, and (iii) activation of transcription of neurofilament.

Results: The treatments of SBP_water and SBP_EtOH, or extracts from individual herbal materials, with or without low concentration of nerve growth factor (NGF), could potentiate the differentiation of cultured PC12 cells. The differentiation was indicated by increase of neurite outgrowth, as well as expression of neurofilaments. In addition, application of H89, a protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, suppressed the SBP-induced neurofilament expressions, as well as the phosphorylation of cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB) in cultures.

Conclusion: SBP is proposed to possess trophic activity in modulating neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells, and this induction is shown to be mediated partly by a cAMP-PKA signaling pathway. These results indicate the neurite-promoting SBP could be useful in developing potential drug in treating or preventing neurodegenerative diseases.

Asarones from Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma stimulate expression and secretion of neurotrophic factors in cultured astrocytes

Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (ATR, the dried rhizome of Acorus tatarinowii Schott.) is a traditional Chinese medicine widely used to treat brain diseases, e.g. depression, forgetfulness, anxiety and epilepsy. Several lines of evidence support that ATR has neuronal beneficial functions in animal models, but its action mechanism in cellular level is unknown. Here, we identified α-asarone and β-asarone could be the major active ingredients of ATR, which, when applied onto cultured rat astrocytes, significantly stimulated the expression and secretion of neurotrophic factors, i.e. nerve growth factor (NGF), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), in dose-dependent manners. These results suggested that the neuronal action of ATR, triggered by asarone, might be mediated by an increase of expression of neurotrophic factors in astrocytes, which therefore could support the clinical usage of ATR. In addition, application of PKA inhibitor, H89, in cultured astrocytes partially blocked the asarone-induced neurotrophic factor expression, suggesting the involvement of PKA signaling. The results proposed that α-asarone and β-asarone from ATR could serve as potential candidates for drug development in neurodegenerative diseases.

Regulation of Neural Stem Cell Fate by Natural Products

Neural stem cells (NSCs) can proliferate and differentiate into multiple cell types that constitute the nervous system. NSCs can be derived from developing fetuses, embryonic stem cells, or induced pluripotent stem cells. NSCs provide a good platform to screen drugs for neurodegenerative diseases and also have potential applications in regenerative medicine. Natural products have long been used as compounds to develop new drugs. In this review, natural products that control NSC fate and induce their differentiation into neurons or glia are discussed. These phytochemicals enable promising advances to be made in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Systems Pharmacological Approach to Investigate the Mechanism of Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma for Alzheimer's Disease

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (ATR) is widely used to treat memory and cognition dysfunction. This study aimed to confirm evidence regarding the potential therapeutic effect of ATR on Alzheimer's disease (AD) using a system network level based in silico approach. Study results showed that the compounds in ATR are highly connected to AD-related signaling pathways, biological processes, and organs. These findings were confirmed by compound-target network, target-organ location network, gene ontology analysis, and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. Most compounds in ATR have been reported to have antifibrillar amyloid plaques, anti-tau phosphorylation, and anti-inflammatory effects. Our results indicated that compounds in ATR interact with multiple targets in a synergetic way. Furthermore, the mRNA expressions of genes targeted by ATR are elevated significantly in heart, brain, and liver. Our results suggest that the anti-inflammatory and immune system enhancing effects of ATR might contribute to its major therapeutic effects on Alzheimer's disease.

A Chinese Herbal Preparation, Xiao-Er-An-Shen Decoction, Exerts Neuron Protection by Modulation of Differentiation and Antioxidant Activity in Cultured PC12 Cells

Xiao-Er-An-Shen Decoction (XEASD), a Chinese herbal formula, has been used in clinic for treating insomnia and mental excitement in children and adolescents. However, less of scientific data supports its effectiveness in clinic. Here, we aim to study the role of XEASD in regulating neuron differentiation and antioxidant activity. An HPLC-MS was used to chemically standardize herbal extract of XEASD. The standardized herbal extracts of XEASD (0.3–3.0 mg/mL) were applied onto cultured PC12 cells for 48 hours. The treatment with XEASD extract induced neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells in a dose-dependent manner, having the highest response by ~50% of differentiated cells. Application of XEASD extract dose dependently stimulated expressions of NF68, NF160, and NF200 in cultured PC12 cells. Furthermore, XEASD activated the phosphorylation of cAMP responsive element binding protein on PC12 cells, the effect of which was blocked by H89, a protein kinase A inhibitor. Moreover, XEASD showed free radical scavenging activity and stimulated the transcriptional activity of ARE. These results supported the neurobeneficial effects of XEASD in the induction of neurite outgrowth and protection against oxidative stress and could be useful for neurological diseases, in which neurotrophin deficiency and oxidation insult are involved.

Tatanan A from the Acorus calamus L. root inhibited dengue virus proliferation and infections

BACKGROUND

Acorus calamus l. (Acoraceae) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicinal plant, whose root are historically mainly used to treat neurodegenerative diseases, and for cholera treatment. This datum strongly indicates the antimicrobial activity of A. calamus.

PURPOSE

Our goal is to find the active constituents of A. calamus to treat dengue virus (DENV) infections, and to study the effects and mechanisms of these active substances.

METHODS

The root of A. calamus was extracted by ethanol. Mosquito larva C6/36 cells were used for DENV2 replication and transfection host. Mouse kidney fibroblast cells (BHK-21) were used as a host cell to study the infection ability of the virus. DENV2-induced cytopathic effect (CPE) and plaque assay were used to evaluate the inhibitory effect of A. calamus extracts on DENV2 infectivity inhibition. The levels of E and NS1 protein expression were measured by real-time PCR and western blot assays.

RESULTS

12 compounds were isolated from ethanol extract of A. calamus root, tatanan A showed the best anti-DENV ability among these 12 compounds, which significantly alleviated DENV2-induced CPE and cytotoxicity effects, with an EC₅₀ of 3.9 µM. In addition, RNA replication assay further confirmed the antivirus ability of tatanan A. Time-addition assay showed that tatanan A affected the early stage of viral RNA replication, which in turn inhibited mRNA and protein levels of DENV2.

CONCLUSIONS

These results demonstrated the anti-DENV2 effect of tatanan A, in inhibiting DENV2 RNA replication and infections. In summary, tatanan A was found to be a novel natural DENV inhibitor and a potential candidate for the treatment of DENV infectious disease.

Pharmacology and toxicology of α- and β-Asarone: A review of preclinical evidence

BACKGROUND

Asarone is one of the most researched phytochemicals and is mainly present in the Acorus species and Guatteria gaumeri Greenman. In preclinical studies, both α- and β-asarone have been reported to have numerous pharmacological activities and at the same time, many studies have also revealed the toxicity of α- and β-asarone.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this comprehensive review is to compile and analyze the information related to the pharmacokinetic, pharmacological, and toxicological studies reported on α- and β-asarone using preclinical in vitro and in vivo models. Besides, the molecular targets and mechanism(s) involved in the biological activities of α- and β-asarone were discussed.

METHODS

Databases including PubMed, ScienceDirect and Google scholar were searched and the literature from the year 1960 to January 2017 was retrieved using keywords such as α-asarone, β-asarone, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, pharmacological activities (e.g. depression, anxiety).

RESULTS

Based on the data obtained from the literature search, the pharmacokinetic studies of α- and β-asarone revealed that their oral bioavailability in rodents is poor with a short plasma half-life. Moreover, the metabolism of α- and β-asarone occurs mainly through cytochrome-P450 pathways. Besides, both α- and/or β-asarone possess a wide range of pharmacological activities such as antidepressant, antianxiety, anti-Alzheimer's, anti-Parkinson's, antiepileptic, anticancer, antihyperlipidemic, antithrombotic, anticholestatic and radioprotective activities through its interaction with multiple molecular targets. Importantly, the toxicological studies revealed that both α- and β-asarone can cause hepatomas and might possess mutagenicity, genotoxicity, and teratogenicity.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, further preclinical studies are required to confirm the pharmacological properties of α-asarone against depression, anxiety, Parkinson's disease, psychosis, drug dependence, pain, inflammation, cholestasis and thrombosis. Besides, the anticancer effect of β-asarone should be further studied in different types of cancers using in vivo models. Moreover, further dose-dependent in vivo studies are required to confirm the toxicity of α- and β-asarone. Overall, this extensive review provides a detailed information on the preclinical pharmacological and toxicological activities of α-and β-asarone and this could be very useful for researchers who wish to conduct further preclinical studies using α- and β-asarone.

GC-MS Fingerprinting Combined with Chemometric Methods Reveals Key Bioactive Components in Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma

This present study aims to identify the key bioactive components in acorus tatarinowii rhizoma (ATR), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with various bioactivities. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was employed to describe the relationship between the radical scavenging activity and the volatile components. The PLSR model was improved by outlier elimination and variable selection and was evaluated by 10-fold cross-validation and external validation in this study. Based on the PLSR model, eleven chemical components were identified as the key bioactive components by variable importance in projection. The final PLS regression model with these components has good predictive ability. The Q² was 0.8284, and the root mean square error for prediction was 2.9641. The results indicated that the eleven components could be a pattern to predict the radical scavenging activity of ATR. In addition, we did not find any specific relationship between the radical scavenging ability and the habitat of the ATRs. This study proposed an efficient strategy to predict bioactive components using the combination of quantitative chromatography fingerprints and PLS regression, and has potential perspective for screening bioactive components in complex analytical systems, such as TCM.

Asarone from Acori Tatarinowii Rhizome prevents oxidative stress-induced cell injury in cultured astrocytes: A signaling triggered by Akt activation

Acori Tatarinowii Rhizome (ATR; the dried rhizome of Acori tatarinowii Schott) is a well-known herb being used for mental disorder in China and Asia. Volatile oil is considered as the active ingredient of ATR, and asarones account for more than 90% of total volatile oil. Here, the protective effects of ATR oil and asarones, both α-asarone and β-asarone, were probed in cultured rat astrocytes. The cyto-protective effect of ATR oil and asarones against tBHP-induced astrocyte injury was revealed, and additionally ATR oil and asarones reduced the tBHP-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. In parallel, the activity of anti-oxidant response element (ARE) promoter construct (pARE-Luc), being transfected in cultured astrocytes, was markedly induced by application of ATR oil and asarones. The mRNAs encoding anti-oxidant enzymes, e.g. glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutamate-cysteine ligase modulatory subunit (GCLM), glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) were induced by ATR oil and asarones in a dose-dependent manner. The ATR oil/asarone-induced gene expression could be mediated by Akt phosphorylation; because the applied LY294002, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor, fully abolished the induction. These results demonstrated that α-asarone and β-asarone could account, at least partly, the function of ATR being a Chinese medicinal herb.