Polydatin inhibits cell proliferation, invasion and migration, and induces cell apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma

Polydatin protects against leukemia by inducing apoptosis and activating autophagy via p38-MAPK pathway

The clinical treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains suboptimal, necessitating the exploration of novel therapeutic strategies. Polydatin, a major active component of the Chinese herb Polygonum cuspidatum, exhibits multiple antitumor properties. However, its potential anti-AML effects and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, MOLM-13 cells, a representative cell line for AML, were treated with polydatin, and its effects on cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) were assessed using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry. The expression levels of key apoptotic and autophagic markers, including death receptors (DR4 and DR5), tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), Bcl-2, Bax, LC3, Beclin1, and P62, were analyzed by western blotting. Furthermore, autophagy levels were evaluated using GFP-LC3 fluorescence and monodansylcadaverine staining. To elucidate the relationship between polydatin and autophagy, the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA and the p38-MAPK activator SB203580 were employed. Polydatin significantly inhibited AML cell proliferation, induced apoptosis and autophagic flux, caused cell cycle arrest in the S phase, reduced Δψm, and promoted ROS generation. Following polydatin treatment, the protein expression levels of DR4, TRAIL, Bax, LC3, and Beclin1 were significantly increased, while DR5, Bcl-2, and P62 were markedly reduced. Additionally, SB203580 promoted polydatin's effects on cell proliferation inhibition, ROS generation, and autophagic flux, whereas 3-MA reversed these effects. These findings demonstrate that polydatin exerts anti-leukemic effects by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis through the activation of autophagy via the p38-MAPK pathway in MOLM-13 AML cells. This suggests that polydatin could serve as a potential therapeutic agent for AML.

Synergistic anticancer efficacy of polydatin and sorafenib against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line via inhibiting of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and reducing resistance to treatment

Polydatin (PD), a glucoside derivative of resveratrol, has been investigated for its potential to mitigate sorafenib (SOF) side effects and combat multidrug resistance in cancer treatment. The study evaluated its mechanism of action for inhibiting the protein kinase B/mTOR pathway in promoting breast cancer proliferation. The combined PD and SOF have synergistic effects with a combination index (CI) < 1 in the liver (HepG2) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines. Molecular docking studies were conducted to analyze interactions of PD& SOF with protein kinases as well as apoptotic and multidrug resistance proteins, including AKT1, PI3K, mTOR, Apaf-1, and ABCB1 in MCF-7 cells. Experimental validation through real-time PCR confirmed. PD has a strong binding affinity, particularly with AKT1 (-56 kcal/mol) and ABCB1 (-27.16 kcal/mol), a gene associated with multidrug resistance. These interactions were linked to anti-proliferative anti-angiogenic effects and reduced resistance to treatment, demonstrating PD has potential therapeutic benefits. Furthermore, PD combined with SOF induced apoptosis, inhibited cell growth, and arrested MCF-7 cells in the sub-G1 phase with increased intracellular ROS. This was accompanied by reduced expression of AKT1 and ABCB1 genes, reinforcing the anticancer efficacy of PD/SOF combination therapy. In conclusion, the findings suggest that PD/SOF could serve as a promising anticancer treatment strategy, warranting further investigation for potential clinical applications and mechanistic studies in vivo.

Natural resveratrol analogs differentially target endometriotic cells into apoptosis pathways

The specific characteristics of endometriotic cells are their ability to evade the apoptotic machinery and abnormal response to apoptotic stimuli. Natural-originated compounds may constitute a beneficial strategy in apoptosis modulation in endometriosis. We investigated and compared the potency of natural resveratrol analogs, including piceatannol, polydatin, and pterostilbene, in targeting cell death pathways, including apoptosis-related morphologic and biochemical processes, alongside the modulation of the critical genes expression. Upon resveratrol and pterostilbene treatment, a significant reduction of endometriotic cell viability and an increased apoptotic proportion of cells were noted. The lower antiproliferative potential was found for piceatannol and polydatin. Endometrial stromal T HESC cells were significantly more resistant than endometriotic epithelial 12Z cells to the cytotoxic activity of all analyzed compounds. They differentially affected endometriotic cell viability, cell cycle, anti- and proapoptotic genes regulation, caspases expression and enzymatic activity, and DNA fragmentation. Pterostilbene-mediated endometriotic cell apoptosis modulation was confirmed to be most effective but without evident caspase 3 upregulation. Our study provides valuable insight into the apoptogenic activity of resveratrol and its natural analogs in endometriotic cells. Data obtained revealed the highest therapeutic potential of pterostilbene by effectively targeting cell death determinants in endometriosis, strengthening its optimization in further extensive research.

Metabolic engineering for the high-yield production of polydatin in Yarrowia lipolytica

Polydatin, a glycosylated derivative of resveratrol, has better structural stability and biological activity than resveratrol. Polydatin is the extract of Polygonum cuspidatum, which has various pharmacological effects. Owing to its Crabtree-negative characteristics and high supply of malonyl-CoA, Yarrowia lipolytica was selected to produce polydatin. Initially, the resveratrol synthetic pathway was established in Y. lipolytica. By enhancing the shikimate pathway flow, redirecting carbon metabolism, and increasing the copies of key genes, a resveratrol yield of 487.77 mg/L was obtained. In addition, by blocking the degradation of polydatin, its accumulation was successfully achieved. Finally, by optimizing the glucose concentration and supplementing with two nutritional marker genes, a high polydatin yield of 6.88 g/L was obtained in Y. lipolytica, which is the highest titer of polydatin produced in a microbial host to date. Overall, this study demonstrates that Y. lipolytica has great potential for glycoside synthesis.

Deciphering STAT3 signaling potential in hepatocellular carcinoma: tumorigenesis, treatment resistance, and pharmacological significance

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered one of the greatest challenges to human life and is the most common form of liver cancer. Treatment of HCC depends on chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, and immunotherapy, all of which have their own drawbacks, and patients may develop resistance to these therapies due to the aggressive behavior of HCC cells. New and effective therapies for HCC can be developed by targeting molecular signaling pathways. The expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in human cancer cells changes, and during cancer progression, the expression tends to increase. After induction of STAT3 signaling by growth factors and cytokines, STAT3 is phosphorylated and translocated to the nucleus to regulate cancer progression. The concept of the current review revolves around the expression and phosphorylation status of STAT3 in HCC, and studies show that the expression of STAT3 is high during the progression of HCC. This review addresses the function of STAT3 as an oncogenic factor in HCC, as STAT3 is able to prevent apoptosis and thus promote the progression of HCC. Moreover, STAT3 regulates both survival- and death-inducing autophagy in HCC and promotes cancer metastasis by inducing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In addition, upregulation of STAT3 is associated with the occurrence of chemoresistance and radioresistance in HCC. Specifically, non-protein-coding transcripts regulate STAT3 signaling in HCC, and their inhibition by antitumor agents may affect tumor progression. In this review, all these topics are discussed in detail to provide further insight into the role of STAT3 in tumorigenesis, treatment resistance, and pharmacological regulation of HCC.

Polydatin Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Proliferation and Sensitizes Doxorubicin and Cisplatin through Targeting Cell Mitotic Machinery

Polydatin (PD) is a natural compound with anticancer activities, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. To understand how PD inhibited hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we studied PD treatments in HCC HepG2 and SK-HEP1 cells, and normal liver HL-7702 cells. PD selectively blocked the proliferation of HCC cells but showed low toxicity in normal cells, while the effects of doxorubicin (DOX) and cisplatin (DDP) on HCC and normal liver cells were opposite. In the cotreatment studies, PD synergistically improved the inhibitory activities of DOX and DDP in HCC cells but alleviated their toxicity in HL-7702 cells. Furthermore, RNA-seq studies of PD-treated HepG2 cells revealed multiple altered signaling pathways. We identified 1679 Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) with over a 2.0-fold change in response to PD treatment. Integrative analyses using the DEGs in PD-treated HepG2 cells and DEGs in a TCGA dataset of HCC patients revealed five PD-repressed DEGs regulating mitotic spindle midzone formation. The expression of these genes showed significantly positive correlation with poor clinical outcomes of HCC patients, suggesting that mitotic machinery was likely a primary target of PD. Our findings improve the understanding of PD's anticancer mechanisms and provide insights into developing effective clinical approaches in HCC therapies.

Chinese medicinal plant Polygonum cuspidatum ameliorates silicosis via suppressing the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Polygonum cuspidatum (PC) extract has effect on silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis. This study aimed to explore the anti-pulmonary-fibrosis effects and mechanism of PC. Sprague–Dawley rat model was constructed by inhalation of silicon dioxide suspension through tracheal intubation method. And histopathological examination showed that PC inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration, fibrous and collagen hyperplasia, and protected the normal structure of alveoli. TUNEL assay declared that PC retarded cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, up-regulation of basic fibroblast growth factor, plated-derived growth factor, and TNF-α in silicosis rats was decreased by PC addition. In addition, human fetal lung fibroblasts (HFL-1) cells were stimulated with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). PC administration increased the proliferation and invasion of TGF-β1-stimulated HFL-1 cells whereas decreased cell apoptosis. Moreover, western blotting exhibited that PC treatment decreased the expression of α-smooth muscle actin, collagen I, and collagen III in silicosis rats and TGF-β1-stimulated HFL-1 cells. Furthermore, the levels of Wnt/β-catenin pathway proteins were up-regulated in silicosis rats and TGF-β1-stimulated HFL-1 cells, which were weakened by PC treatment. Meanwhile, Wnt3a (an activator of Wnt/β-catenin) addition reversed the effect of PC addition. In conclusion, PC prevents silica-induced fibrosis through inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Uncovering the Anticancer Potential of Polydatin: A Mechanistic Insight

Polydatin or 3-O-β-d-resveratrol-glucopyranoside (PD), a stilbenoid component of Polygonum cuspicadum (Polygonaceae), has a variety of biological roles. In traditional Chinese medicine, P. cuspicadum extracts are used for the treatment of infections, inflammation, and cardiovascular disorders. Polydatin possesses a broad range of biological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and immunostimulatory effects. Currently, a major proportion of the population is victimized with cervical lung cancer, ovarian cancer and breast cancer. PD has been recognized as a potent anticancer agent. PD could effectively inhibit the migration and proliferation of ovarian cancer cells, as well as the expression of the PI3K protein. The malignancy of lung cancer cells was reduced after PD treatments via targeting caspase 3, arresting cancer cells at the S phase and inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome by downregulation of the NF-κB pathway. This ceases cell cycle, inhibits VEGF, and counteracts ROS in breast cancer. It also prevents cervical cancer by regulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), apoptosis, and the C-Myc gene. The objective of this review is thus to unveil the polydatin anticancer potential for the treatment of various tumors, as well as to examine the mechanisms of action of this compound.

Polydatin: Pharmacological Mechanisms, Therapeutic Targets, Biological Activities, and Health Benefits

Polydatin is a natural potent stilbenoid polyphenol and a resveratrol derivative with improved bioavailability. Polydatin possesses potential biological activities predominantly through the modulation of pivotal signaling pathways involved in inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Various imperative biological activities have been suggested for polydatin towards promising therapeutic effects, including anticancer, cardioprotective, anti-diabetic, gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, anti-microbial, as well as health-promoting roles on the renal system, the respiratory system, rheumatoid diseases, the skeletal system, and women's health. In the present study, the therapeutic targets, biological activities, pharmacological mechanisms, and health benefits of polydatin are reviewed to provide new insights to researchers. The need to develop further clinical trials and novel delivery systems of polydatin is also considered to reveal new insights to researchers.

[Effect of polydatin on the proliferation and apoptosis of THP-1 cells and the mechanism]

OBJECTIVES

To explore the effect of polydatin on the proliferation and apoptosis of acute monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 and the possible mechanism.

METHODS

After THP-1 cells were treated with polydatin at gradient concentrations for 24 hours and 48 hours, their proliferation was determined by CCK-8 assay, and half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was calculated. Logarithmically growing THP-1 cells were divided into two groups, a polydatin treatment group (treated with IC50 of polydatin) and a blank control group (treated without polydatin solution), and incubated for 48 hours. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle were measured by flow cytometry. The expression levels of PI3K, AKT, p-AKT, mTOR, p-mTOR, p70 S6K, and p-p70 S6K proteins were measured by Western blotting.

RESULTS

After treatment with polydatin, the proliferation of THP-1 cells was strongly inhibited, and the IC50 at 48 hours was 1 800 μmol/L. After treatment with 1 800 μmol/L polydatin solution for 48 hours, the apoptosis rate of THP-1 cells increased significantly compared with the blank control group (P<0.05). The cell cycle was arrested in the G0/G1 and S phases, with a significantly increased proportion of cells in the G0/G1 phase and a significantly decreased proportion of cells in the S phase, as compared with the blank control group (P<0.05). The expression levels of PI3K, AKT, p-AKT, mTOR, p-mTOR, p70 S6K, and p-p70 S6K proteins decreased significantly compared with the blank control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Polydatin can effectively inhibit the proliferation, block the cell cycle, and induce the apoptosis of THP-1 cells, which may be related to inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Polydatin Incorporated in Polycaprolactone Nanofibers Improves Osteogenic Differentiation

Polycaprolactone nanofibers are used as scaffolds in the field of tissue engineering for tissue regeneration or drug delivery. Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a biodegradable hydrophobic polyester used to obtain implantable nanostructures, which are clinically applicable due to their biological safety. Polydatin (PD), a glycosidic precursor of resveratrol, is known for its antioxidant, antitumor, antiosteoporotic, and bone regeneration activities. We aimed to use the osteogenic capacity of polydatin to create a biomimetic innovative and patented scaffold consisting of PCL-PD for bone tissue engineering. Both osteosarcoma cells (Saos-2) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were used to test the in vitro cytocompatibility of the PD-PCL scaffold. Reverse-phase (RP) HPLC was used to evaluate the timing release of PD from the PCL-PD nanofibers and the MTT assay, scanning electron microscopy, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity were used to evaluate the proliferation, adhesion, and cellular differentiation in both osteosarcoma and human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) seeded on PD-PCL nanofibers. The proliferation of osteosarcoma cells (Saos-2) on the PD-PCL scaffold decreased when compared to cells grown on PLC nanofibers, whereas the proliferation of MSCs was comparable in both PCL and PD-PCL nanofibers. Noteworthy, after 14 days, the ALP activity was higher in both Saos-2 cells and MSCs cultivated on PD-PCL than on empty scaffolds. Moreover, the same cells showed a spindle-shaped morphology after 14 days when grown on PD-PCL as shown by SEM. In conclusion, we provide evidence that nanofibers appropriately coated with PD support the adhesion and promote the osteogenic differentiation of both human osteosarcoma cells and MSCs.

Targeting Energy Metabolism in Cancer Treatment

Cancer is the second most common cause of death worldwide after cardiovascular diseases. The development of molecular and biochemical techniques has expanded the knowledge of changes occurring in specific metabolic pathways of cancer cells. Increased aerobic glycolysis, the promotion of anaplerotic responses, and especially the dependence of cells on glutamine and fatty acid metabolism have become subjects of study. Despite many cancer treatment strategies, many patients with neoplastic diseases cannot be completely cured due to the development of resistance in cancer cells to currently used therapeutic approaches. It is now becoming a priority to develop new treatment strategies that are highly effective and have few side effects. In this review, we present the current knowledge of the enzymes involved in the different steps of glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and the pentose phosphate pathway, and possible targeted therapies. The review also focuses on presenting the differences between cancer cells and normal cells in terms of metabolic phenotype. Knowledge of cancer cell metabolism is constantly evolving, and further research is needed to develop new strategies for anti-cancer therapies.

Polydatin: A Critical Promising Natural Agent for Liver Protection via Antioxidative Stress

Polydatin, one of the natural active small molecules, was commonly applied in protecting and treating liver disorders in preclinical studies. Oxidative stress plays vital roles in liver injury caused by various factors, such as alcohol, viral infections, dietary components, drugs, and other chemical reagents. It is reported that oxidative stress might be one of the main reasons in the progressive development of alcohol liver diseases (ALDs), nonalcoholic liver diseases (NAFLDs), liver injury, fibrosis, hepatic failure (HF), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this paper, we comprehensively summarized the pharmacological effects and potential molecular mechanisms of polydatin for protecting and treating liver disorders via regulation of oxidative stress. According to the previous studies, polydatin is a versatile natural compound and exerts significantly protective and curative effects on oxidative stress-associated liver diseases via various molecular mechanisms, including amelioration of liver function and insulin resistance, inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines, lipid accumulation, endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy, regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR, and activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), as well as increase of antioxidant enzymes (such as catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)). In addition, polydatin acts as a free radical scavenger against reactive oxygen species (ROS) by its phenolic and ethylenic bond structure. However, further clinical investigations are still needed to explore the comprehensive molecular mechanisms and confirm the clinical treatment effect of polydatin in liver diseases related to regulation of oxidative stress.

Old dog, new tricks: Polydatin as a multitarget agent for current diseases

Polydatin (PD) is a natural single-crystal product that is primarily extracted from the traditional plant Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc. Early research showed that PD exhibited a variety of biological activities. PD has attracted increasing research interest since 2014, but no review comprehensively summarized the new findings. A great gap between its biological activities and drug development remains. It is necessary to summarize new findings on the pharmacological effects of PD on current diseases. We propose that PD will most likely be used in cardiac and cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion-related diseases and atherosclerosis in the future. The present work classified these new findings according to diseases and summarized the main effects of PD via specific mechanisms of action. In summary, we found that PD played a therapeutic role in a variety of diseases, primarily via five mechanisms: antioxidative effects, antiinflammatory effects, regulation of autophagy and apoptosis, maintenance of mitochondrial function, and lipid regulation.

New Approaches on Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica) Bioactive Compounds and Their Potential of Pharmacological and Beekeeping Activities: Challenges and Future Directions

Known especially for its negative ecological impact, Fallopia japonica (Japanese knotweed) is now considered one of the most invasive species. Nevertheless, its chemical composition has shown, beyond doubt, some high biological active compounds that can be a source of valuable pharmacological potential for the enhancement of human health. In this direction, resveratrol, emodin or polydatin, to name a few, have been extensively studied to demonstrate the beneficial effects on animals and humans. Thus, by taking into consideration the recent advances in the study of Japanese knotweed and its phytochemical constituents, the aim of this article is to provide an overview on the high therapeutic potential, underlining its antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects, among the most important ones. Moreover, we describe some future directions for reducing the negative impact of Fallopia japonica by using the plant for its beekeeping properties in providing a distinct honey type that incorporates most of its bioactive compounds, with the same health-promoting properties.

Delphinidin induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in HER-2 positive breast cancer cell lines by regulating the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways

Delphinidin is an anthocyanidin monomer, commonly found in vegetables and fruits, and has demonstrated antitumor effects in the HER-2-positive MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cell line, with low cytotoxicity on normal breast cells. However, the direct functional mechanisms underlying the effect of delphinidin on HER-2-positive breast cancer cells has not been fully characterized. In the present study, it was found that delphinidin could induce G₂/M phase cell cycle arrest by inhibiting the protein expression level of cyclin B1 and Cdk1 in HER-2-positive breast cancer cell lines. In addition, delphinidin promoted the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway by inhibiting the ERK and NF-κB signaling pathway and activating the JNK signaling pathway. Therefore, delphinidin markedly suppressed the viability of the HER-2-positive breast cancer cell lines by modulating the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis. Overall, the findings from the present study demonstrated that delphinidin treatment could induce the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in human HER-2-positive breast cancer cell lines, providing an experimental basis for the prevention and treatment of HER-2-positive breast cancer by flavonoids.

Polydatin, a Glycoside of Resveratrol, Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Metastasis Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells In Vitro

Although various methods, such as surgery and chemotherapy, are applied to the treatment of OSCC, there are problems, such as functional and aesthetic limitations of the mouth and face, drug side effects, and lymph node metastasis. Many researchers are making efforts to develop new therapeutic agents from plant-derived substances to overcome the side effects that occur in oral cancer treatment. Polydatin is known as a natural precursor of resveratrol, and research on its efficacy is being actively conducted recently. Therefore, we investigated whether polydatin can induce apoptosis and whether it affects cell migration and invasion through the regulation of EMT-related factors in OSCC. Polydatin decreased the survival and proliferation rates of CAL27 and Ca9-22 cells, and induced the release of cytochrome c, a factor related to apoptosis, and fragmentation of procaspase-3 and PARP. Another form of cell death, autophagy, was observed in polydatin-treated cells. In addition, polydatin inhibits cell migration and invasion, and it has been shown to occur through increased expression of E-cadherin, an EMT related factor, and decreased expression of N-cadherin and Slug and Snail proteins and genes. These findings suggest that polydatin is a potential oral cancer treatment.

Polydatin gold nanoparticles potentiate antitumor effect of doxorubicin in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma-bearing mice

Breast cancer is a leading cause of death. Anticancer treatment such as gold nanoparticles (AuNP) seems highly promising in this regard. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the beneficial effect of doxorubicin (Dox) and polydatin (PD) AuNP in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) and the ability of PD-AuNP to protect the heart from Dox's deteriorating effects. EAC was induced in mice. The mice were divided into nine groups: normal, EAC, PD: received PD (20 mg/kg), Dox: received Dox (2 mg/kg), PD-AuNPH: received 10 ppm AuNP of PD, PD-AuNPL: received 5 ppm AuNP of PD, Dox-AuNP: received Dox-AuNP, PD-Dox-AuNP: received PD-Dox-AuNP, AuNP: received AuNP. On the 21st day from tumor inoculation, the mice were sacrificed and tumor and heart tissues were removed. Tumor β-catenin/Cyclin D1 and p53 were assessed by immunohistochemistry. IL-6 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. PD-AuNP and Dox-AuNP showed a significant reduction in tumor volume and weight more than their free forms. Also, PD-AuNP and Dox-AuNP showed markedly less dense tumor cells. β-catenin and Cyclin D1 were markedly decreased and p53 was highly upregulated by PD-AuNP and Dox-AuNP. Moreover, PD-AuNP and Dox-AuNP have the ability to decrease IL-6 production. PD-AuNP protected the heart from Dox-induced severe degeneration. Therefore, PD-AuNP could be a tool to decelerate the progression of breast cancer.

Control over Polymorph Formation of Polydatin in Binary Solvent System and Structural Characterization

Polydatin is a natural product used for anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor purposes, and often added in medicine, nutraceutical, cosmetics, and dietary supplement. Polymorphism is a key feature of solid-state pharmaceutical products. Polymorphic modifications may exhibit different physical and chemical properties. Here we report two different polymorphs, and the amorphous form of Polydatin. Polymorphs were prepared in binary solvent system. The crystal structures of the two forms were revealed for the first time. The structure and 3D packing were determined with single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The batch consistency and stability were identified with Powder X-ray diffraction analysis. Various functional groups present in the polymorphs were analyzed with fourier transform infrared spectroscopic method. The thermal properties were investigated with DSC and TGA. HPLC-MS was used for the pharmacokinetic study. Results show that form B has the faster absorption, and can be maintained in animal bodies for a longer time than form A.

Puerarin inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma invasion and metastasis through miR-21-mediated PTEN/AKT signaling to suppress the epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common primary malignant tumors of the liver worldwide. Liver resection and transplantation are currently the only effective treatments; however, recurrence and metastasis rates are still high. Previous studies have shown that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key step in HCC invasion and metastasis. Inhibition of EMT has become a new therapeutic strategy for tumors. Recently, puerarin, a well-characterized component of traditional Chinese medicine, has been isolated from Pueraria radix and exerts positive effects on many diseases, particularly cancers. In this study, CCK-8, EdU immunofluorescence, colony formation, wound healing, and migration assays were used to detect the effects of puerarin on HCC cells. We further analyzed the relationship between puerarin and miR-21/PTEN/EMT markers in HCC cell lines. Our results showed that HCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, tumor formation, and metastasis were reduced by puerarin in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, puerarin inhibited the EMT process of HCC by affecting the expression of Slug and Snail. Moreover, oncogenic miR-21 was inhibited by puerarin, coupled with an increase in the tumor suppressor gene PTEN. Increasing miR-21 expression or decreasing PTEN expression reversed the inhibition effects of puerarin in HCC. These data confirmed that puerarin affects HCC through the miR-21/PTEN/EMT regulatory axis. Overall, puerarin may represent a chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic agent for HCC treatment.

Polydatin protects H9c2 cells from hypoxia-induced injury via up-regulating long non-coding RNA DGCR5

Polydatin (PD), a monocrystalline polyphenolic drug mainly found in the roots of Polygonum cuspidatum, has various pharmacological activities. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) DiGeorge syndrome critical region gene 5 (DGCR5) was found to participate in the suppression of multiple cancers. Here, we proposed to study the effect of PD on myocardial infarction (MI) by inducing DGCR5. CCK-8 assay was performed to detect the viability of H9c2 cells. Flow cytometry was utilized to test apoptosis of H9c2 cells. These results determined the optimal concentration and effect time of hypoxia as well as PD. Si-DGCR5 was transfected into cells and the expression level was determined by qRT-PCR. Western blot was utilized to evaluate the expression of apoptosis-related proteins, Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved-caspase-3, as well as autophagy-associated proteins including Beclin-1, p62, and LC3-II/LC3-I. As a result, PD efficiently attenuated hypoxia-induced apoptosis and autophagy in H9c2 cells. The expression of DGCR5 was down-regulated by hypoxia and up-regulated by PD. Besides, knocking-down the expression of DGCR5 inhibited the protection of PD in H9c2 cells. In addition, PD up-regulated the accumulation of DGCR5, DGCR5 decreased the expression of Bcl-2 and p62, raised the expression of Bax and cleaved-caspase-3, and the proportion of LC3-II/LC3-I. PD stimulated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MEK/ERK signaling pathways via up-regulating the expression of DGCR5. Our data demonstrated that PD reduced cell apoptosis and autophagy induced by hypoxia in cardiomyocytes. Moreover, PD activated PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MEK/ERK signaling pathways by up-regulating the expression of DGCR5.

Shedding light on the interaction of polydatin and resveratrol with G-quadruplex and duplex DNA: a biophysical, computational and biological approach

Among polyphenols, trans-resveratrol (tRES) and trans-polydatin (tPD) exert multiple biological effects, particularly antioxidant and antiproliferative. In this work, we have investigated the interaction of tPD with three cancer-related DNA sequences able to form G-quadruplex (G4) structures, as well as with a model duplex, and compared its behaviour with tRES. Interestingly, fluorescence analysis evidenced the ability of tPD to bind all the studied DNA systems, similarly to tRES, with tRES displaying a higher ability to discriminate G4 over duplex with respect to tPD. However, neither tRES nor tPD produced significant conformational changes of the analyzed DNA upon binding, as determined by CD-titration analysis. Computational analysis and biological data confirmed the biophysical results: indeed, molecular docking evidenced the stronger interaction of tRES with the promoter of c-myc oncogene, and immunoblotting assays revealed a reduction of c-myc expression, more effective for tRES than tPD. Furthermore, in vitro assays on melanoma cells proved that tPD was able to significantly reduce telomerase activity, and inhibit cell proliferation, with tRES producing higher effects than tPD.

Unraveling the action mechanism of polygonum cuspidatum by a network pharmacology approach

As a popular Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), polygonum cuspidatum is widely used to treat various diseases in China. However, its biological function and action mechanism have yet to be systematically explored. In the present study, we first identified 14 potential active ingredients of polygonum cuspidatum using the TCMSP server and then conducted an in silico target prediction for these ingredients using PharmMapper. The subsequent KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of the 57 identified potential targets revealed that they were closely associated with cancer and gynecological disorders. Furthermore, a protein-protein interaction network of these targets was constructed using STRING and Cytoscape, through which 11 core targets were excavated according to degree, a key topological parameter. Meanwhile, we developed a novel formula, in which the "R value" is determined by average shortest path length and closeness centrality, two other key topological parameters, to evaluate the reliability of these predicted core targets. Intriguingly, among the top 10 core targets excavated using this new formula, 7 overlapped with the former 11 core targets, showing a good consistency in these core targets between the different prediction algorithms. Next, 7 ingredients were identified/validated from the crude extract of polygonum cuspidatum using UPLC-MS/MS. Noteworthy, 6 potential targets predicted for these 7 ingredients overlapped with the 7 core targets excavated from the previous in silico analyses. Further molecular docking and druggability analyses suggested that polydatin may play a pivotal role in manifesting the therapeutic effects of polygonum cuspidatum. Finally, we carried out a series of cell functional assays, which validated the anti-proliferative effects of polygonum cuspidatum on gynecological cancer cells, thus demonstrating our network pharmacology approach is reliable and powerful enough to guide the CHM mechanism study.

Chondro-protective effects of polydatin in osteoarthritis through its effect on restoring dysregulated autophagy via modulating MAPK, and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease of the cartilage that is prevalent in the middle-aged and elderly demography. Polydatin (PD), a natural resveratrol glucoside, has shown significant anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic potential in previous studies. This study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic properties of PD in vitro and in vivo, and elucidate their underlying mechanisms. The expression levels of all relevant factors were evaluated by qRT-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) where suitable. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis were analyzed using the suitable probes and flow cytometry. The histological evidence of cartilage was assessed in rat models, moreover, the several serum cytokines levels and autophagy levels were evaluated. The result showed PD displayed significant chondro-protective effects, inferred in terms of reduced inflammation and cartilage degradation, apoptosis inhibition, and lower ROS production. The protective effects were attenuated by the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA, indicating a mediating role of autophagy in PD action. Mechanistically, PD exerted its effects by inhibiting the MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways which led to the down-regulation of mTOR. In conclusion, PD protects against cartilage degeneration by activating the autophagy flux in the chondrocytes via the MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.

Wound Healing and the Use of Medicinal Plants

Cutaneous wound healing is the process by which skin repairs itself. It is generally accepted that cutaneous wound healing can be divided into 4 phases: haemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodelling. In humans, keratinocytes re-form a functional epidermis (reepithelialization) as rapidly as possible, closing the wound and reestablishing tissue homeostasis. Dermal fibroblasts migrate into the wound bed and proliferate, creating “granulation tissue” rich in extracellular matrix proteins and supporting the growth of new blood vessels. Ultimately, this is remodelled over an extended period, returning the injured tissue to a state similar to that before injury. Dysregulation in any phase of the wound healing cascade delays healing and may result in various skin pathologies, including nonhealing, or chronic ulceration. Indigenous and traditional medicines make extensive use of natural products and derivatives of natural products and provide more than half of all medicines consumed today throughout the world. Recognising the important role traditional medicine continues to play, we have undertaken an extensive survey of literature reporting the use of medical plants and plant-based products for cutaneous wounds. We describe the active ingredients, bioactivities, clinical uses, formulations, methods of preparation, and clinical value of 36 medical plant species. Several species stand out, including Centella asiatica, Curcuma longa, and Paeonia suffruticosa, which are popular wound healing products used by several cultures and ethnic groups. The popularity and evidence of continued use clearly indicates that there are still lessons to be learned from traditional practices. Hidden in the myriad of natural products and derivatives from natural products are undescribed reagents, unexplored combinations, and adjunct compounds that could have a place in the contemporary therapeutic inventory.

Network Pharmacology-Based Prediction of the Active Compounds, Potential Targets, and Signaling Pathways Involved in Danshiliuhao Granule for Treatment of Liver Fibrosis

This study aims to predict the active ingredients, potential targets, signaling pathways and investigate the “ingredient-target-pathway” mechanisms involved in the pharmacological action of Danshiliuhao Granule (DSLHG) on liver fibrosis. Pharmacodynamics studies on rats with liver fibrosis showed that DSLHG generated an obvious anti-liver fibrosis action. On this basis, we explored the possible mechanisms underlying its antifibrosis effect using network pharmacology approach. Information about compounds of herbs in DSLHG was collected from TCMSP public database and literature. Furthermore, the oral bioavailability (OB) and drug-likeness (DL) were screened according to ADME features. Compounds with OB≥30% and DL≥0.18 were selected as active ingredients. Then, the potential targets of the active compounds were predicted by pharmacophore mapping approach and mapped with the target genes of the specific disease. The compound-target network and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network were built by Cytoscape software. The core targets were selected by degree values. Furthermore, GO biological process analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were carried out to investigate the possible mechanisms involved in the anti-hepatic fibrosis effect of DSLHG. The predicted results showed that there were 108 main active components in the DSLHG formula. Moreover, there were 192 potential targets regulated by DSLHG, of which 86 were related to liver fibrosis, including AKT1, EGFR, and IGF1R. Mechanistically, the anti-liver fibrosis effect of DSLHG was exerted by interfering with 47 signaling pathways, such as PI3K-Akt, FoxO signaling pathway, and Ras signaling pathway. Network analysis showed that DSLHG could generate the antifibrosis action by affecting multiple targets and multiple pathways, which reflects the multicomponent, multitarget, and multichannel characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine and provides novel basis to clarify the mechanisms of anti-liver fibrosis of DSLHG.

Polydatin Regulates the Apoptosis and Autophagy of Fibroblasts Obtained from Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis

The development of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) occurs due to excessive proliferation of fibroblasts. Polydatin, a monomeric compound isolated from a traditional Chinese medicine Polygonum cuspidatum, exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects. However, the mechanisms underlying the regulatory effects of polydatin on the proliferation, apoptosis and autophagy of fibroblasts obtained from patients with AS remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of polydatin on symptoms associated with AS. Multiple cellular and molecular biology experiments were performed in the present study, such as cell viability assay, Western blotting, flow cytometry, monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining and immunofluorescence assays. In the present study, the results revealed that polydatin induced the apoptosis of fibroblasts isolated from patients with AS by upregulating the expression of active caspase-3 and Bax, and downregulating the expression of Bcl-2. Meanwhile, polydatin was revealed to enhance the autophagy of fibroblasts by increasing the expression levels of LC3II, Beclin 1 and Atg5. The results of MDC and immunofluorescence assays further demonstrated that polydatin significantly induced the formation of autophagosomes in fibroblasts. Furthermore, polydatin-induced apoptosis and autophagy were markedly inhibited following treatment with the autophagy inhibitor, 3-methyladenine (3-MA). In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that polydatin induces the apoptosis and autophagy of fibroblasts obtained from patients suffering from AS, and that polydatin may represent a therapeutic agent for the future treatment of patients with AS.

Antitumor Research of the Active Ingredients from Traditional Chinese Medical Plant Polygonum Cuspidatum

In recent years, the utilization of Chinese native medicine and other plant extracts in the treatment of diseases has attracted extensive attention, especially in the area of malignant tumors. However, lots of herbal remedies active ingredients have not been found or have been discovered but not effectively developed and applied. Therefore, screening new Chinese medicine active components and determining their antitumor effects have become a new breakthrough in the prevention and treatment of tumor disease. In the past years, a large number of studies have demonstrated that Polygonum cuspidatum and its active components like resveratrol showed excellent antitumor activities, including our own antitumor studies about resveratrol in colorectal cancer. The purpose of this review is to summarize the research progress of Chinese herb Polygonum cuspidatum and its active components in tumor diseases and provide theoretical basis for further scientific experiments and clinical applications.

Polydatin exerts anti-tumor effects against renal cell carcinoma cells via induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis and inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway

Purpose

Polydatin, a stilbenoid glucoside of a resveratrol derivative, has many biological functions, including antitumor effects. However, the antitumor effects of polydatin in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) have not been investigated.

Materials and methods

In the current study, MTT assays, transwell invasion assays and wound healing assays were performed to examine cell proliferation, invasion and migration. An apoptosis nucleosome ELISA was used to measure apoptosis. Caspase activity assays were applied to measure the activities of caspase-3/9. A Western blot assay was used to measure the change in protein levels.

Results

Our data demonstrated that polydatin inhibited the proliferation of RCC cells but not normal renal epithelial cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Polydatin also triggered apoptosis in a caspase-dependent manner. Moreover, polydatin treatment also led to the downregulation of Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 and to activation of Bax. Ectopic expression of Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 or silencing of Bax could repress the apoptosis that was induced by polydatin. Moreover, incubation with polydatin also suppressed the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in RCC cells.

Conclusion

Taken together, our data indicated that polydatin may be applied as a potent agent against RCC.