Effects of Icariin and Its Metabolites on GPCR Regulation and MK-801-Induced Schizophrenia-Like Behaviors in Mice

Effects of the modified "Yijing Fang" on semen quality and reproductive hormones in male yaks with kidney yang deficiency: a focus on mitochondrial apoptosis pathways

Intensive semen collection often leads to "kidney yang deficiency" in male yaks, with symptoms like lethargy and poor semen quality. Our modified "Yijing Fang" was tested. Eight 3 - 6-year-old male yaks with this condition were split into treatment and negative control groups; four healthy yaks were a blank control. The treated yaks got the formula in feed for 5 days, then a 20-day break, repeating 3 times over 65 days. Semen was collected, and cAMP, cGMP, T/E2 levels, and mitochondrial apoptosis factors were analyzed. Results showed the formula boosted semen quality. cAMP and testosterone rose (p < 0.01), cGMP and estradiol fell (p < 0.01), cAMP/cGMP and T/E2 ratios climbed (p < 0.01). Bcl-2 upregulated, Bax, Cyt-C, and Caspase-3 downregulated (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the modified "Yijing Fang" is effective for yak reproduction, enhancing hormone secretion and reducing sperm apoptosis. Long-term studies are needed.

Emerging paradigms for target discovery of traditional medicines: A genome-wide pan-GPCR perspective

Traditional medicines serve not only as an integral part of medical treatments prescribed by healthcare providers but also as a fundamental reservoir for novel molecular scaffolds. However, gaps remain in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying their activity. A superfamily of membrane proteins, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), have been demonstrated to be potential targets for several compounds isolated from traditional medicines. Given that GPCRs serve as targets for approximately one-third of all marketed drugs, they may be compelling targets for repurposing traditional medicines. Despite this potential, research investigating their activity or potential ligands across GPCRome, the library of human GPCRs, is scarce. Drawing on the functional and structural knowledge presently available, this review contemplates prospective trends in GPCR drug discovery, proposes innovative strategies for investigating traditional medicines, and highlights ligand screening approaches for identifying novel drug-like molecules. To discover bioactive molecules from traditional medicines that either directly bind to GPCRs or indirectly modify their function, a genome-wide pan-GPCR drug discovery platform was designed for the identification of bioactive components and targets, and the evaluation of their pharmacological profiles. This platform aims to aid the exploration of all-sided relations between traditional medicines and GPCRome using advanced high-throughput screening techniques. We present various approaches used by many, including ourselves, to illuminate the previously unexplored aspects of traditional medicines and GPCRs.

Function and mechanism exploring of icariin in schizophrenia through network pharmacology

This study aims to explore the therapeutic effect and possible mechanisms of icariin in schizophrenia. SD rats were divided into five groups, a control group, a MK801-induced schizophrenia model group, and three icariin treatment groups, with twelve rats in each group. Morris water maze and open field were used to observe the spatial learning and memory ability of rats. Compared with the control group, rats in the MK801-induced model group showed an increase in stereotypic behavior score, distance of spontaneous activities, escape latency, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α expression, but a decrease in platform crossing times and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (P < 0.05). Furthermore, all the above changes of the model group were reversed after icariin treatment in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Network pharmacology found that icariin can exert anti-schizophrenic effects through some signaling pathways, such as relaxin, estrogen, and TNF signaling pathways. MAPK1, MAPK3, FOS, RELA, TNF, and JUN were the key targets of icariin on schizophrenia, and their expression was detected in animal models, which was consistent with the predicted results of network pharmacology. Icariin treatment may improve the spatial learning and memory ability of schizophrenic rats through TNF signaling pathway.