Screening of Bioactive Fraction of Radix Paeoniae Alba and Enhancing Anti-Allergic Asthma by Stir-Frying Through Regulating PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway

Therapeutic potential of Platycodin D in allergic asthma through anti-inflammatory and anti-remodeling effects

BACKGROUND

Allergic asthma (AA) is a prevalent chronic respiratory disease characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and chronic inflammation, significantly impairing patients' quality of life.

PURPOSE

This study investigates the therapeutic effects of Platycodin D (PLD) on AA and its underlying mechanisms via the EGFR/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

METHODS

In vitro, BEAS-2B cells treated with IL-4 and IL-13 simulated asthma's inflammatory environment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assessed PLD's modulation of inflammatory factors, while Western blot (WB) analyzed its impact on airway remodeling proteins. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-derived airway organoids (AOs) were used to evaluate PLD's effects on airway remodeling, observed through tissue staining and immunofluorescence. In vivo, an OVA-induced asthma mouse model was employed to assess PLD's therapeutic potential via lung function tests, serum biochemical analysis, and histopathology. Network pharmacology and transcriptomics predicted and validated PLD's target pathways.

RESULTS

In vivo experiments demonstrated that PLD significantly alleviated airway inflammation and remodeling in OVA-induced asthmatic mice. Specifically, treatment with 5 mg/kg PLD significantly reduced the number of inflammatory cells recovered from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) compared to the model group (p < 0.05). Serum levels of IgE, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and IL-17A were markedly decreased following PLD treatment (p < 0.05). PLD also improved lung function by reducing airway resistance (RL) across all tested methacholine concentrations, with significant reductions at 5, 10, and 20 mg/mL doses (p < 0.05). Histological analysis revealed that PLD attenuated pathological changes in lung tissues, including goblet cell hyperplasia and collagen deposition. Western blot analysis confirmed that PLD significantly downregulated the expression of COL1A1 and α-SMA in lung tissues (p < 0.05), suggesting suppression of airway remodeling. In vitro, PLD inhibited the expression of IL-6, IL-8, COL1A1, and α-SMA in human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells in a dose-dependent manner. Transcriptomic sequencing and RT-qPCR analysis further demonstrated that PLD downregulated key genes involved in the EGFR/PI3K/Akt pathway. Molecular docking showed high binding affinity between PLD and EGFR/PI3K proteins, supporting a potential mechanistic link.

CONCLUSION

PLD exerts therapeutic effects in allergic asthma by suppressing airway inflammation, improving lung function, and inhibiting airway remodeling. These effects are associated with the inhibition of the EGFR/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Our findings suggest that PLD may serve as a promising candidate for the treatment of allergic airway diseases.

Revealing the mechanism of Sanfu Patch dorsal application for alleviating OVA-induced asthma: an integrated approach combining TMT quantitative proteomics and molecular docking

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Allergic asthma is one of the leading respiratory diseases with complex pathology. Sanfu Patch (SFP) is a traditional Chinese medicine preparation served as a potential topical application therapy for asthma in summer dog days. However, the potential pharmacological substances and underlying mechanism of SFP are not clear.

AIM OF STUDY

This study aimed to explore active ingredients in SFP as well as their presence in blood and lung tissues, investigate efficacy and potential molecular mechanism of SFP in relieving airway inflammation and intervening airway remodeling of asthma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The chemical components of SFP were analyzed by UPLC-QTOF-MS. Sinapine thiocyanate, protopine, allocryptopine, tetrahydrocoptisine and kansuiphorin C in SFP extract were quantified by UPLC-MS/MS. A mouse asthma model was established by ovalbumin (OVA). The lung histopathology, respiratory function, cytokine (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13) and IgE levels were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of SFP on asthmatic mice. Tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics were performed on lung tissues to excavate proteins regulated by SFP. Western blot was used to validate the expression of relevant proteins. Finally, molecular docking was used to verify the targeting between screened proteins and constituents of SFP.

RESULTS

Sixty-three compounds were identified in SFP extract, along with twenty-five prototype components in blood and twenty in lung tissue have been found. The contents of sinapine thiocyanate, protopine, allocryptopine, tetrahydrocoptisine, and kansuiphorin C were quantified in SFP extract at 2.27 ± 0.06 mg/g, 1.36 ± 0.02 mg/g, 0.96 ± 0.02 mg/g, 0.42 ± 0.01 mg/g, 0.15 ± 0.01 mg/g, respectively. SFP had a significant ameliorative effect for allergic asthma in mice. SFP was contributed to alleviative airway hyperresponsiveness by declining airway resistance and increasing dynamic lung compliance. SFP not only attenuated airway inflammation and airway collagen deposition but also reduced serum and lung levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IgE, and significantly decreased the number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The TMT-based quantitative proteomics showed that SFP improved autophagy and asthma pathways. SFP significantly reduced OVA-induced protein expressions of CD40, CD40L, and CLN5. Furthermore, molecular docking results indicated high bond energies of alkaloids, sinapine thiocyanate, and kansuiphorin C binding to CD40, CD40L, and CLN5.

CONCLUSIONS

It was demonstrated that SFP was a potential natural active preparation in the treatment of asthma, which may have an inhibitory effect on airway inflammation. The therapeutic effect of SFP was related to the lysosome pathway and asthma pathway.

An integrated serum pharmacochemistry, network pharmacology, and metabolomics strategy: A study on raw and wine-processed Paeoniae Radix Alba in promoting blood circulation to alleviate blood stasis

Paeoniae Radix Alba (PRA) is a traditional Chinese medicine that can be processed with wine to achieve an enhanced effect of promoting blood circulation, thus alleviating blood stasis. However, to date, the changes in the bioactive compounds of PRA before and after wine-processing, as well as the mechanisms of action and the effects on ameliorating blood stasis syndrome (BSS), have not been adequately investigated. Therefore, we systematically elucidated the material basis and mechanisms of action of PRA in the treatment of BSS before and after wine processing by integrating serum pharmacochemistry, network pharmacology, and metabolomics approaches. The wine processing method significantly affected 11 components of PRA, including gallic acid, ethyl gallate, paeoniflorin, and 3-O-methylellagic acid 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. Benzoylpaeoniflorin and desbenzoylpaeoniflorin are key serum components of PRA both before and after wine processing. SRC and GAPDH are the central targets through which benzoylpaeoniflorin and desbenzoylpaeoniflorin exert their ameliorative effects on BSS, respectively. The metabolomics results indicated that six metabolic pathways-pyrimidine metabolism, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, tryptophan metabolism, and lysine degradation-play important roles in the amelioration of BSS by PRA and WPRA. 2'-Deoxycytidine, cortexolone, dihydrocortisol, L-gulonic gamma-lactone, L-uridine, D-ribulose, 4-trimethylammoniobutanoic acid, and indoleacetic acid have been identified as potential biomarkers for the amelioration of BSS by PRA and WPRA. The present study significantly contributes to elucidating the processing mechanism of PRA in "promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis through wine processing".

Protective effect of MP-40 mitigates BDL-induced hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting the NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis

Background

Hepatic fibrosis and its associated consequences continue to pose a substantial global health challenge. Developing novel approaches to hepatic fibrosis management and prevention is critically necessary. Radix Paeoniae Alba (RPA) is widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to treat various diseases. Our earlier research found that a bioactive component of RPA had a dose-dependent effect on anti-allergic asthma. RPA reduces allergic asthma by slowing the hepatic wind, according to "Treatise on Febrile Diseases". However, this bioactive fraction's pharmacological effects and mechanisms on the liver are unknown.

Aim

This study examined the bioactive fraction MP-40, the methanol extract of RPA (MRPA), on bile duct ligation (BDL) for its anti-hepatic fibrosis activity and potential mechanisms.

Methods

First, the effectiveness of MP-40 in treating BDL-induced hepatic fibrosis in mice and rats was evaluated through survival rates, ALT, AST HYP, and pathological changes. Molecular assays were performed using in vitro cultures of HSC-T6 activation. The expression of α-SMA and Collagen I evaluated fibro-tropic factors with HSC activation. Furthermore, the levels of pyroptosis were assessed by examining the expression of the pyroptosis-related proteins, including NLRP3, Cleaved Caspase-1, GSDMD-N, and 1L-1β. Additionally, the effective constituents of MP-40 were identified by extraction, separation, and identification. Finally, PF and TGG, as the delegate compounds of MP-40, were tested to confirm their inhibition effects on HSC-T6 activation.

Results

The findings demonstrated that MP-40 and MRPA could lower ALT, AST, and HYP levels, boost survival rates, and reduce liver damage in BDL mice and rats. Furthermore, MP-40 outperforms MRPA. MP-40 was proven to drastically diminish fibrotic α-SMA and Collagen I. The expression of pyroptosis-related proteins NLRP3, Cleaved Caspase-1, TGF-β1, GSDMD-N, and 1L-1β decreased. MP-40 inhibited the synthesis of pyroptosis-related proteins more effectively than MCC950 (an NLRP3-specific inhibitor). Monoterpene glycosides and tannins were shown to be the most potent MP-40 components. Finally, the delegate compounds MP-40, PF, and TGG were shown to have substantial inhibitory effects on HSC-T6 activation.

Conclusion

The results proved that MP-40 alleviates BDL-induced cholestatic hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis. PF and TGG play a role in treating BDL-induced cholestatic hepatic fibrosis in MP-40.

Simultaneous determination of five compounds of fried Radix Paeoniae Alba extract in beagle dogs plasma by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry and its application in a pharmacokinetic study

In this present study, we developed a reliable and simple ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) assay for the simultaneous quantification of paeoniflorin, albiflorin, oxypaeoniflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin and isomaltopaeoniflorin in beagle dog plasma. We also analyzed the pharmacokinetics of those components after oral administration of fried Radix Paeoniae Alba (FRPA) in beagle dogs. Plasma samples were processed by protein precipitation with methanol. Chromatographic separation was performed with a Waters HSS-T3 C18 column (100 × 2.1 mm, 1.8 μm, kept at 40°C) using multiple reaction monitoring mode. A gradient elution procedure was used with solvent A (0.02% formic acid-water) and solvent B (0.02% formic acid-acetonitrile) as mobile phases. Method validation was performed as US Food and Drug Administration guidelines, and the results met the acceptance criteria. The method we establish in this experiment was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of FRPA extract to beagle dogs.

Effects of oxidative stress regulation in inflammation-associated gastric cancer progression treated using traditional Chinese medicines: A review

Gastric cancer (GC) is a global public health concern that poses a serious threat to human health owing to its high morbidity and mortality rates. Due to the lack of specificity of symptoms, patients with GC tend to be diagnosed at an advanced stage with poor prognosis. Therefore, the development of new treatment methods is particularly urgent. Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), a precancerous GC lesion, plays a key role in its occurrence and development. Oxidative stress has been identified as an important factor driving the development and progression of the pathological processes of CAG and GC. Therefore, regulating oxidative stress pathways can not only intervene in CAG development but also prevent the occurrence and metastasis of GC and improve the prognosis of GC patients. In this study, PubMed, CNKI, and Web of Science were used to search for a large number of relevant studies. The review results suggested that the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and TCM prescriptions could target and improve inflammation, pathological status, metastasis, and invasion of tumor cells, providing a potential new supplement for the treatment of CAG and GC.

Rapid evaluation of Radix Paeoniae Alba and its processed products by near-infrared spectroscopy combined with multivariate algorithms

It is well known that the processing method of herbal medicine has a complex impact on the active components and clinical efficacy, which is difficult to measure. As a representative herb medicine with diverse processing methods, Radix Paeoniae Alba (RPA) and its processed products differ greatly in clinical efficacy. However, in some cases, different processed products are confused for use in clinical practice. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly control the quality of RPA and its processed products. Giving that the time-consuming and laborious operation of traditional quality control methods, a comprehensive strategy of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy combined with multivariate algorithms was proposed. This strategy has the advantages of being rapid and non-destructive, not only qualitatively distinguishing RPA and various processed products but also enabling quantitative prediction of five bioactive components. Qualitatively, the subspace clustering algorithm successfully differentiated RPA and three processed products, with an accuracy rate of 97.1%; quantitatively, interval combination optimization (ICO), competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling combined with successive projections algorithm (CARS-SPA) were used to optimize the PLS model, and satisfactory results were obtained in terms of wavelength selection. In conclusion, it is feasible to use NIR spectroscopy to rapidly evaluate the effect of processing methods on the quality of RPA, which provides a meaningful reference for quality control of other herbal medicines with numerous processing methods.

The most bioactive fraction of stir-fried Radix Paeoniae Alba regulating IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway in allergic asthma mouse

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Radix Paeoniae Alba (RPA), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used frequently in the treatment of asthma. Previous studies demonstrated the dichloromethane fraction of Stir-Frying RPA (FDCM) enhanced the effect of anti-allergic asthma compared with the dichloromethane fraction of RPA (DCM).

AIM OF THE STUDY

The significant increasing of Paeoniflorin (PF), ethyl gallate (EG), 1,2,3,4,6-pentagalloylglucose (PGG) had been observed in FDCM. This study aimed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of these compounds from FDCM in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic asthma mouse model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The significant difference contents compounds fraction (FB-40) and other fractions in FDCM were enriched by Medium Pressure Liquid Chromatography (MPLC). The pharmacodynamics was verified among all fractions in OVA-induced allergic asthma mice. Moreover, the drug dose dependence of FB-40 (0.42 mg/kg, 0.21 mg/kg, and 0.07 mg/kg), which were the most active fraction from FDCM for anti-allergic asthma, was explored. The expression of IL-6, p-STAT3, and STAT3 was analyzed by Western blot analysis. In addition, the main components of FB-40 were identified by UPLC with standards. Finally, the anti-inflammatory effects of the main components from FB-40 were detected by LPS-stimulated BEAS-2B cells using an Elisa assay.

RESULTS

The results showed that FB-40 was the most active fraction from FDCM, which could significantly improve the lung tissue pathological condition, and decrease the number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). It had greater pharmacological activity than its main component PF. FB-40 also showed dose dependence and regulated the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway in allergic asthma mice. Besides, PF, Albiflorin (AF), PGG, EG, and 1,2,3,6-Tetra-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose (TGG) from FB-40 were identified by UPLC with the standard. At last, in the LPS-induced BEAS-2B cell experiments, EG, PGG, 1,2,3,6-Tetra-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose (TGG) showed stronger inhibiting activities of cytokine than the monoterpenoid glycosides (PF and AF).

CONCLUSION

The research proved that FB-40 was an active fraction in FDCM, which regulates IL-6/STAT3 Signaling Pathway to ameliorate allergic asthma. Gallic acids including TGG and PGG, and EG also play a role in the treatment of allergic asthma in FB-40.