Rosmarinic Acid suppressed high glucose-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cells by ameliorating the mitochondrial function and activating STAT3

Phytochemicals as potential target on thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are currently the major cause of death and morbidity on a global scale. Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) is a marker related to metabolism, oxidation, and inflammation induced in CVDs. The overexpression of TXNIP is closely related to the occurrence and development of CVDs. Hence, TXNIP inhibition is critical for reducing the overactivation of its downstream signaling pathway and, as a result, myocardial cell damage. Due to the chemical variety of dietary phytochemicals, they have garnered increased interest for CVDs prevention and therapy. Phytochemicals are a source of medicinal compounds for a variety of conditions, which aids in the development of effective and safe TXNIP-targeting medications. The objective of this article is to find and virtual screen novel safe, effective, and economically viable TXNIP inhibitors from flavonoids, phenols, and alkaloids derived from foods and plants. The results of the docking study revealed that silibinin, rutin, luteolin, baicalin, procyanidin B2, hesperetin, icariin, and tilianin in flavonoids, polydatin, resveratrol, and salidroside in phenols, and neferine in alkaloids had the highest Vina scores, indicating that these compounds are the active chemicals on TXNIP. In particular, silibinin can be utilized as a lead chemical in the process of structural alteration. These dietary phytochemicals may aid in the discovery of lead compounds for the development of innovative TXNIP agents for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

SIRT1/NFκB pathway mediates anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects of rosmarinic acid on in a mouse model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is considered as a common liver disease. SIRT1, a pivotal sensor, controls activation of metabolic, inflammatory and apoptotic pathways. Rosmarinic acid (RA) has positive effects on the liver injuries; nevertheless, its mechanisms are not completely studied. The aim of this study was to explore the role of rosmarinic acid on the pathways involved by SIRT1 for amelioration of a mouse model of NASH. To do this, C57/BL6 mice were divided into four equal groups (6 in each group). Animals received saline and rosmarinic acid as the control groups. NASH was induced by methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet. In the NASH + RA group, Rosmarinic acid was injected daily in mice fed on an MCD diet. Rosmarinic acid decreased plasma triglyceride, cholesterol, liver Steatosis and oxidative stress. Rosmarinic acid administration also increased SIRT1, Nrf2 and PPARα and decreased SREBP1c, FAS, NFκB and caspase3 expressions. Moreover, TNFα, IL6, P53, Bax/Bcl2 ratio and caspase3 expressions decreased. Our study demonstrated that remarkable effects of rosmarinic acid on the mice with NASH might be due to activation of SIRT1/Nrf2, SIRT1/NFκB and SIRT1/PPARα pathways, which alleviate hepatic steatosis, oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis.

Cardioprotective effect of rosmarinic acid against myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury via suppression of the NF-κB inflammatory signalling pathway and ROS production in mice

CONTEXT

Rosmarinic acid (RosA), a natural poly-phenolic compound isolated from a variety of Labiatae herbs, has been reported to have a range of biological effects.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the cardioprotective effects of RosA against myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Male C57BL/6J mice were given RosA (100 mg/kg) via intragastric administration. After 1 week of administration, the mice were subjected to 30 min/24 h myocardial I/R injury. The mice were randomly subdivided into 4 groups: Vehicle, RosA, Vehicle + I/R, and RosA + I/R. Infarct size (IS), cardiac function (including EF, FS), histopathology, serum enzyme activities, ROS changes, cis aconitase (ACO) activity, and specific mRNA and protein levels were assessed in vivo. HL-1 cells were pre-treated with or without RosA (50 μM), followed by stimulation with 9 h/6 h of oxygen and glucose deprivation/re-oxygenation (OGD/R). The cells were randomly subdivided into 4 groups: Vehicle, RosA, Vehicle + OGD/R, and RosA + OGD/R. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, ACO activity, ROS changes and protein levels were measured in vitro.

RESULTS

Treatment with RosA reduced the following indicators in vivo (p < 0.05): (1) IS (14.5%); (2) EF (-23.4%) and FS (-18.4%); (3) the myocardial injury enzymes CK-MB (20.8 ng/mL) and cTnI (7.7 ng/mL); (4) DHE-ROS: (94.1%); (5) ACO activity (-2.1 mU/mg protein); (6) ogdh mRNA level (122.9%); and (7) OGDH protein level (69.9%). Moreover, treatment with RosA attenuated the following indicators in vitro (p < 0.05): (1) LDH level (191 U/L); (2) DHE-ROS: (165.2%); (3) ACO activity (-3.2 mU/mg protein); (4) ogdh mRNA level (70.0%); and (5) OGDH (110.1%), p-IκB-a (56.8%), and p-NF-κB (57.7%) protein levels.

CONCLUSIONS

RosA has the potential to treat myocardial I/R injury with potential application in the clinic.

Protection against Oxidative Stress-Induced Apoptosis by Fermented Sea Tangle (Laminaria japonica Aresch) in Osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 Cells through Activation of Nrf2 Signaling Pathway

The purpose of the present study was to explore the efficacy of fermented extract of sea tangle (Laminaria japonica Aresch, FST) with Lactobacillus brevis on DNA damage and apoptosis in hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-stimulated osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells and clarify related signaling pathways. Our results showed that exposure to FST significantly improved cell viability, inhibited apoptosis, and suppressed the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in H₂O₂-stimulated cells. In addition, H₂O₂ triggered DNA damage in MC3T3-E1 cells was markedly attenuated by FST pretreatment. Moreover, H₂O₂-induced mitochondrial dysfunctions associated with apoptotic events, including loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), decreased Bcl-2/Bcl-2 associated x-protein (Bax) ratio, and cytosolic release of cytochrome c, were reduced in the presence of FST. FST also diminished H₂O₂-induced activation of caspase-3, which was associated with the ability of FST to protect the degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Furthermore, FST notably enhanced nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in the presence of H₂O₂ with concomitant upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression. However, artificial blockade of this pathway by the HO-1 inhibitor, zinc protoporphyrin IX, greatly abolished the protective effect of FST against H₂O₂-induced MC3T3-E1 cell injury. Taken together, these results demonstrate that FST could protect MC3T3-E1 cells from H₂O₂-induced damage by maintaining mitochondrial function while eliminating ROS along with activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidant pathway.

The protective effects of rosmarinic acid on ethanol-induced gastritis in male rats: antioxidant defense enhancement

Background and purpose:

Gastritis is one of the most current gastrointestinal disorders worldwide. Alcohol consumption is one of the major factors, which provides gastritis. Rosmarinic acid (RA) is found in many plants and has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, the protective effect of RA was evaluated on the histopathological indices, antioxidant ability, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) secretion in male rats.

Experimental approach:

Forty-two animals were divided into control, ethanol-induced gastritis, and RA groups, 6 each. The protective groups included RA administration before gastritis induction at 50 mg (R-G50), 100 mg (R-G100), 150 mg (R-G150), and 200 mg (R-G200) doses. Gastritis was induced by gavage of 1 mL pure ethanol in fasted animals. After 1 h of gastritis induction, the rats were sacrificed and stomach tissue was removed.

Findings/Results:

Histological evaluation revealed that RA significantly attenuated gastric ulcers, leucocyte infiltration, and hyperemia. It also increased mucosal layer thickness and restored gastric glands. Furthermore, RA decreased malondialdehyde level, increased superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione in the stomach tissue, and raised gastric PGE2 level.

Conclusion and implications:

Our study demonstrated that rosmarinic acid has a notable effect on gastritis protection that could be due to increased antioxidant defense and PGE2 secretion, eventually maintenance of mucosal barrier integrity and gastric glands.

Rosmarinic acid ameliorated cardiac dysfunction and mitochondrial injury in diabetic cardiomyopathy mice via activation of the SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway

Mitochondrial injury plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Previous studies demonstrated that rosmarinic acid (RA) treatment prevented high glucose-induced mitochondrial injury in vitro. However, whether RA can ameliorate cardiac function by preventing mitochondrial injury in DCM is unknown. The SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway has emerged as an important regulator of metabolic control and other mitochondrial functions. The present study was undertaken to determine the effects of RA on mitochondrial and cardiac function in DCM as well as the involvement of the SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway. Our results revealed that RA improved cardiac systolic and diastolic function and prevented mitochondrial injury in DCM, as shown by the reduced blood glucose and lipid levels, increased mitochondrial membrane potential levels, improved adenosine triphosphate synthesis, and inhibited apoptosis (P < 0.05). Moreover, RA upregulated the expression of SIRT1 and PGC-1α in DCM mice and high glucose-treated H9c2 cardiomyocytes (P < 0.05). Further mechanistic studies in H9c2 cardiomyocytes revealed that suppression of SIRT1 by Sh-SIRT1 counteracted the effects of RA on high glucose-induced abnormal metabolism of glucose and lipids, oxidative stress and apoptosis (P < 0.05). Taken together, these data indicate that RA prevented mitochondrial injury and cardiac dysfunction in DCM mice, and the SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway mediated the protective effects of RA.

Rosmarinic acid exerts an antagonistic effect on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by regulating the YAP1/TAZ-PPARγ/PGC-1α signaling pathway

Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a water-soluble phenolic compound extracted from Boraginaceae and Lamiaceae. This study was designed to investigate the role and mechanism of action of RA in improving nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Male SD rats maintained on a high fat diet and L02 cells stimulated with oleic acid were treated with RA. Our results showed that RA significantly reduced total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and malondialdehyde levels and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, superoxide dismutase and adenosine triphosphate levels both in vivo and in vitro. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and oil red O staining showed that RA had a good lipid-lowering effect and substantial protective effects on liver injury. Transmission electron microscopy and JC-1 fluorescence results showed that RA could improve mitochondrial damage in hepatocytes. Additionally, flow cytometry results indicated that RA inhibited ROS generation and apoptosis in L02 cells. The impaired hepatocytes were restored by using RA in NAFLD models characterized by down-regulating YAP1 and TAZ, meanwhile up-regulating PPARγ and PGC-1α. When YAP1 was over-expressed, RA reduced the expression of YAP1; however, the action of RA was significantly blocked by silencing YAP1. The experimental results indicated that RA markedly alleviated NAFLD by repairing mitochondrial damage and regulating the YAP1/TAZ-PPARγ/PGC-1α signaling pathway.

Natural Antioxidants Improve the Vulnerability of Cardiomyocytes and Vascular Endothelial Cells under Stress Conditions: A Focus on Mitochondrial Quality Control

Cardiovascular disease has become one of the main causes of human death. In addition, many cardiovascular diseases are accompanied by a series of irreversible damages that lead to organ and vascular complications. In recent years, the potential therapeutic strategy of natural antioxidants in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases through mitochondrial quality control has received extensive attention. Mitochondria are the main site of energy metabolism in eukaryotic cells, including myocardial and vascular endothelial cells. Mitochondrial quality control processes ensure normal activities of mitochondria and cells by maintaining stable mitochondrial quantity and quality, thus protecting myocardial and endothelial cells against stress. Various stresses can affect mitochondrial morphology and function. Natural antioxidants extracted from plants and natural medicines are becoming increasingly common in the clinical treatment of diseases, especially in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Natural antioxidants can effectively protect myocardial and endothelial cells from stress-induced injury by regulating mitochondrial quality control, and their safety and effectiveness have been preliminarily verified. This review summarises the damage mechanisms of various stresses in cardiomyocytes and vascular endothelial cells and the mechanisms of natural antioxidants in improving the vulnerability of these cell types to stress by regulating mitochondrial quality control. This review is aimed at paving the way for novel treatments for cardiovascular diseases and the development of natural antioxidant drugs.

[Rosmarinic acid inhibits high glucose-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy by activating Parkin-mediated mitophagy]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of rosmarinic acid (RA) on mitophagy and hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes exposed to high glucose (HG).

METHODS

Rat cardiomyocytes (H9c2) exposed to HG (25 mmol/L) were treated with 50 μmol/L RA or with both RA treatment and Parkin siRNA transfection, with the cells cultured in normal glucose (5.5 mmol/L) and HG as the controls. The expressions of PINK1, Parkin and LC3II/LC3I in the cells were detected by Western blotting. The formation of mitochondrial autophagosomes was observed by transmission electron microscope. Flow cytometry was employed to detect the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptotic rate of the cells. The activities of respiratory chain complex enzymes were measured by spectrophotometry. Fluorescence enzyme labeling and 3H-leucine labeling were used for determining the level of membrane potential and protein synthesis rate, respectively. The cell surface area was observed by light microscopy.

RESULTS

RA treatment significantly increased the expression levels of PINK1, Parkin and LC3-II/I (P < 0.05), promoted the formation of mitochondrail autophagosome, inhibited the production of reactive oxygen species (P < 0.05), restored the activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex enzymes and mitochondrial membrane potential (P < 0.05), inhibited apoptosis (P < 0.05), and reduced the cell surface area and protein synthesis rate of H9c2 cells induced by HG exposure (P < 0.05). The protective effects of RA against HG-induced oxidative stress and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was obviously blocked by inhibition of mitophagy mediated by transfection with Parkin siRNA (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

RA can protect rat cardiomyocytes against oxidative stress injury and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by HG by activating Parkin-mediated mitophagy.

Upregulation of miRNA-23a-3p rescues high glucose-induced cell apoptosis and proliferation inhibition in cardiomyocytes

Maternal hyperglycemia potentially inhibits the development of the fetal heart by suppressing cardiomyocyte proliferation and promoting apoptosis. Different studies have indicated that miRNAs are key regulators of cardiomyocyte proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis and play a protective role in a variety of cardiovascular diseases. However, the biological function of miRNA-23a in hyperglycemia-related cardiomyocyte injury is not fully understood. The present study investigated the effect of miRNA-23a-3p on cell proliferation and apoptosis in a myocardial injury model induced by high glucose. H9c2 cardiomyocytes were exposed to high glucose to establish an in vitro myocardial injury model and then transfected with miRNA-23a-3p mimics. After miRNA-23a-3p transfection, lens-free microscopy was used to dynamically monitor cell numbers and confluence and calculate the cell cycle duration. CCK-8 and EdU incorporation assays were performed to detect cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was used to measured cell apoptosis. Upregulation of miRNA-23a-3p significantly alleviated high glucose-induced cell apoptosis and cell proliferation inhibition (p < 0.01 and p < 0.0001, respectively). The cell cycle of the miRNA-23a-3p mimics group was significantly shorter than that of the negative control group (p < 0.01). The expression of cell cycle–activating and apoptosis inhibition-associated factors Ccna2, Ccne1, and Bcl-2 was downregulated by high glucose and upregulated by miRNA-23a-3p overexpression in high glucose-injured H9c2 cells. miRNA-23a-3p mimics transfection before high glucose treatment had a significantly greater benefit than transfection after high glucose treatment (p < 0.0001), and the rescue effect of miRNA-23a-3p increased as the concentration increased. This study suggests that miRNA-23a-3p exerted a dose- and time-dependent protective effect on high glucose-induced H9c2 cardiomyocyte injury.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: The Possible Therapeutic Roles of Phenolic Acids

As the powerhouse of the cells, mitochondria play a very important role in ensuring that cells continue to function. Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the main factors contributing to the development of cardiomyopathy in diabetes mellitus. In early development of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), patients present with myocardial fibrosis, dysfunctional remodeling and diastolic dysfunction, which later develop into systolic dysfunction and eventually heart failure. Cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the development and progression of DCM. Thus, it is important to develop novel therapeutics in order to prevent the progression of DCM, especially by targeting mitochondrial dysfunction. To date, a number of studies have reported the potential of phenolic acids in exerting the cardioprotective effect by combating mitochondrial dysfunction, implicating its potential to be adopted in DCM therapies. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide a concise overview of mitochondrial dysfunction in the development of DCM and the potential role of phenolic acids in combating cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction. Such information can be used for future development of phenolic acids as means of treating DCM by alleviating the cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction.

Proteomics analysis demonstrating rosmarinic acid suppresses cell growth by blocking the glycolytic pathway in human HepG2 cells

Rosmarinic acid (RA), isolated from herbal balm mint plants, has demonstrated potent anti-tumor properties against liver cancer. However, the precise underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of RA in HepG2 cells. RA anti-tumor activity was assessed using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays, and Hoechst 33258 staining. Apoptosis and the cell cycle distribution were evaluated by flow cytometry. A proteomics approach was used to identify differentially expressed proteins following RA treatment in HepG2 cells, and quantitative reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to validate the results. Bioinformatics analysis was also implemented to further understand the identified proteins, and western blotting was used to analyze the associated proteins. Our results suggested that RA treatment significantly inhibits the viability of HepG2 cells. The MTT and LDH assays indicated dose-dependent decreases in cell proliferation following RA treatment. Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry analysis showed that RA exhibits an apoptosis-inducing effect and induces cell cycle arrest in G1. The proteomics analysis successfully identified 16 differentially expressed proteins. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the identified proteins participated in several biological processes and exhibited various molecular functions, mainly related to inactivation of the glycolytic pathway. Further western blotting analysis showed that RA could downregulate the expression of glucose transporter-1 and hexokinase-2, leading to the suppression of glucose consumption and generation of lactate and ATP. Taken together, our study found that RA exhibits significant cytotoxic effects by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, possibly by blocking the glycolytic pathway in human HepG2 cells.

Network Analysis of Se-and Zn-related Proteins in the Serum Proteomics Expression Profile of the Endemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy Keshan Disease

Keshan disease (KD) is an endemic cardiomyopathy with high mortality. Selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies are closely related to KD. The molecular mechanism of KD pathogenesis is still unclear. There are only few studies on the interaction of trace elements and proteins associated with the pathogenesis of KD. In this study, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-coupled two-dimensional liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (2DLC-MS/MS) technique analysis was used to analyze the differential expression of proteins from serum samples. Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) was used to screen Se- and Zn-associated proteins. Then, pathway and network analyses of Se- and Zn-associated proteins were constituted by Cytoscape ClueGO and GeneMANIA plugins. One hundred and five differentially expressed proteins were obtained by 2DLC-MS/MS, among them 19 Se- and 3 Zn-associated proteins. Fifty-two pathways were identified from ClueGO and 1 network from GeneMANIA analyses. The results showed that Se-associated proteins STAT3 and MAPK1 and Zn-associated proteins HIF1A and PARP1, the proteins involved in HIF-1 signaling pathway and apoptosis pathway, may play significant roles in the pathogenesis of KD. The approach of this study would be also beneficial for further dissecting molecular mechanism of other trace element-associated disease.

High Glucose-Induced Cardiomyocyte Death May Be Linked to Unbalanced Branched-Chain Amino Acids and Energy Metabolism

High glucose-induced cardiomyocyte death is a common symptom in advanced-stage diabetic patients, while its metabolic mechanism is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to explore metabolic changes in high glucose-induced cardiomyocytes and the heart of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by ¹H-NMR-based metabolomics. We found that high glucose can promote cardiomyocyte death both in vitro and in vivo studies. Metabolomic results show that several metabolites exhibited inconsistent variations in vitro and in vivo. However, we also identified a series of common metabolic changes, including increases in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs: leucine, isoleucine and valine) as well as decreases in aspartate and creatine under high glucose condition. Moreover, a reduced energy metabolism could also be a common metabolic characteristic, as indicated by decreases in ATP in vitro as well as AMP, fumarate and succinate in vivo. Therefore, this study reveals that a decrease in energy metabolism and an increase in BCAAs metabolism could be implicated in high glucose-induced cardiomyocyte death.

Long-term Intake of Pasta Containing Barley (1-3)Beta-D-Glucan Increases Neovascularization-mediated Cardioprotection through Endothelial Upregulation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Parkin

Barley (1-3)β-D-Glucan (BBG) enhances angiogenesis. Since pasta is very effective in providing a BBG-enriched diet, we hypothesized that the intake of pasta containing 3% BBG (P-BBG) induces neovascularization-mediated cardioprotection. Healthy adult male C57BL/6 mice fed P-BBG (n = 15) or wheat pasta (Control, n = 15) for five-weeks showed normal glucose tolerance and cardiac function. With a food intake similar to the Control, P-BBG mice showed a 109% survival rate (P < 0.01 vs. Control) after cardiac ischemia (30 min)/reperfusion (60 min) injury. Left ventricular (LV) anion superoxide production and infarct size in P-BBG mice were reduced by 62 and 35% (P < 0.0001 vs. Control), respectively. The capillary and arteriolar density of P-BBG hearts were respectively increased by 12 and 18% (P < 0.05 vs. Control). Compared to the Control group, the VEGF expression in P-BBG hearts was increased by 87.7% (P < 0.05); while, the p53 and Parkin expression was significantly increased by 125% and cleaved caspase-3 levels were reduced by 33% in P-BBG mice. In vitro, BBG was required to induce VEGF, p53 and Parkin expression in human umbelical vascular endothelial cells. Moreover, the BBG-induced Parkin expression was not affected by pifithrin-α (10 uM/7days), a p53 inhibitor. In conclusion, long-term dietary supplementation with P-BBG confers post-ischemic cardioprotection through endothelial upregulation of VEGF and Parkin.

A critical courier role of volatile oils from Dalbergia odorifera for cardiac protection in vivo by QiShenYiQi

Component-based Chinese medicine (CCM) is derived from traditional Chinese medicine but produced with modern pharmaceutical standard and clearer clinical indications. However, it still faces challenges of defining individual component contribution in the complex formula. Using QiShenYiQi (QSYQ) as a model CCM, we investigated the role of Dalbergia odorifera (DO), an herbal component, in preventing myocardial damage. We showed that in vitro, QSYQ exerted considerable protective activities on cardiomyocytes from H₂O₂-induced mitochondrial dysfunction with or without DO. However, in isolated rat hearts, myocardial protection by QSYQ was significantly weakened without DO. In everted gut sac model, DO significantly enhanced absorption of the major QSYQ ingredients in different regions of rat intestine. Finally, in in vivo mouse model of doxorubicin (DOX)-induced myocardial damage, only QSYQ, but not QiShenYiQi without DO (QSYQ-DO), exerted a full protection. Taken together, our results showed that instead of directly contributing to the myocardial protection, Dalbergia odorifera facilitates the major active ingredients absorption and increases their efficacy, eventually enhancing the in vivo potency of QSYQ. These findings may shed new lights on our understanding of the prescription compatibility theory, as well as the impacts of “courier herbs” in component-based Chinese medicine.

Physagulide Q suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells by regulating the ROS-JAK2/Src-STAT3 signaling pathway

Physagulide Q (PQ), a new natural compound, was isolated from Physalis angulata L. in our laboratory.