Oleanolic Acid Ameliorates Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia by Regulating PCNA-Dependent Cell Cycle Progression In Vivo and In Vitro

Diacerein provokes apoptosis, improves redox balance, and downregulates PCNA and TNF-α in a rat model of testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia: A new non-invasive approach

One of the most prevalent chronic conditions affecting older men is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), causing severe annoyance and embarrassment to patients. The pathogenesis of BPH has been connected to epithelial proliferation, inflammation, deranged redox balance, and apoptosis. Diacerein (DIA), the anthraquinone derivative, is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. This study intended to investigate the ameliorative effect of DIA on the prostatic histology in testosterone-induced BPH in rats. BPH was experimentally induced by daily subcutaneous injection of testosterone propionate for four weeks. The treated group received DIA daily for a further two weeks after induction of BPH. Rats' body and prostate weights, serum-free testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and PSA were evaluated. Prostatic tissue was processed for measuring redox balance and histopathological examination. The BPH group had increased body and prostate weights, serum testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, PSA, and oxidative stress. Histologically, there were marked acinar epithelial and stromal hyperplasia, inflammatory infiltrates, and increased collagen deposition. An immunohistochemical study showed an increase in the inflammatory TNF-α and the proliferative PCNA markers. Treatment with DIA markedly decreased the prostate weight and plasma hormones, improved tissue redox balance, repaired the histological changes, and increased the proapoptotic caspase 3 expression besides the substantial reduction in TNF-α and PCNA expression. In conclusion, our study underscored DIA's potential to alleviate the prostatic hyperplastic and inflammatory changes in BPH through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and apoptosis-inducing effects, rendering it an effective, innovative treatment for BPH.

Multidirectional Effects of Terpenoids from Sorbus intermedia (EHRH.) PERS Fruits in Cellular Model of Benign Prostate Hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common urological disease affecting aging men. Its pathogenesis is regarded as complex and multifactorial, with sex hormones and inflammation as key contributory factors. In the current study, we investigated the anti-BPH potential of terpenoids present in the fruits of Sorbus intermedia (EHRH.) PERS. Not only the effects on testosterone-stimulated normal prostate epithelial PNT2 cells, namely suppression of 5-α-reductase activity, PSA secretion, and cell proliferation, were determined but also the inhibitory activity on heat-induced protein denaturation, hyaluronidase, as well as IL-6, TNF-α, and NO release in LPS-treated macrophages. Sorbus terpenoids significantly inhibited 5-α-reductase activity and reduced PSA secretion in PNT2 cells, reversing the stimulatory effect of testosterone. PNT2 cell proliferation was also found to be attenuated. Subsequently, all compounds reduced the release of pro-inflammatory mediators in RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, ursolic acid (UA) and its aldehyde (UAL) were the most potent hyaluronidase inhibitors of all compounds, with IC₅₀ values of 225.75 µg/mL and 369.77 µg/mL, respectively. For better understanding and interpretation of the overall effect of Sorbus terpenoids on different aspects of BPH pathogenesis and development, cluster analysis was applied.

Quassinoids from Eurycoma longifolia Jack roots and their potential inhibitory activity against human benign prostatic hyperplasia cells (BPH-1) and testosterone-induced BPH rat model

Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is an enlargement of the prostate gland, because of hormonal changes in aging males which contribute significantly to excessive proliferation over apoptosis of prostatic cells. The anti-proliferative and induced apoptotic activities of Eurycoma longifolia quassinoids on cancer cell lines could be promising therapeutic targets on BPH. Hitherto, no report of the quassinoids against BPH problem was available. In this study, a systematic phytochemical fractionation of the root extract, TAF2 was performed, which led to the discovery of nine previously described C₂₀ quassinoids (1-9). Two undescribed C₂₀ (10 and 12) and one undescribed (11) C₁₉ quassinoids were identified by detailed NMR and HR-ESI-MS data analysis. Their absolute configurations were assigned by ECD spectral analysis. The quassinoids (1-12) were tested for inhibitory activity against the proliferation of human BPH-1 and human skin Hs27 fibroblast cells cultured in vitro. 1, 2 and 3 at 10 μM significantly reduced BPH-1 cell viability and were cytotoxic to Hs27 fibroblast cells. 2 was selected for further study of anti-BPH activity against testosterone induced BPH rats. At 5 mg/kg, 2 reduced the rat prostatic weight and prostatic index, consistent with the decrease in papillary acini number and epithelial thickness of the prostate tissues. These quassinoids may be potential anti-BPH compounds that require further studies.

Characterization and identification of chemical constituents in Corni Fructus and effect of storage using UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS

Corni Fructus (CF) has been widely used as both traditional medicine and food; however, systematic studies on its chemical profile and the impact of storage periods on the indicative components are lacking. In this study, UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS was used to investigate the fragmentation behaviors of multiple compounds from CF and the content variety of its indicative components for different storage periods. The major basic components of CF were determined to be iridoid glucosides, pentacyclic triterpenoids, phenolic acids, tannins and flavonoids. The characteristic cleavage pathways of the iridoid glucosides, pentacyclic triterpenoids, phenolic acids, tannins and flavonoids were further investigated and elaborated, which could assist in identifying the structures of similar components of other Chinese herbal medicines. Using accurate mass measurements for each precursor ion and the subsequent fragmented ions, and then comparing with standards and literature data, a total of 130 components, including 69 iridoid glucosides, 9 pentacyclic triterpenoids, 16 phenolic acids, 20 tannins and 16 flavonoids, 47 of which are potentially new compounds, were identified. The storage period studies indicated that the contents of 19 indicative components in CF changed differently with the prolongation of the storage period. Among them, morroniside, loganin, sweroside, cornuside, gallic acid, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid were the most important. These results provide abundant information for the identification and improved understanding of the chemical constituents in CF to clarify the content variety of its indicative components for different storage periods.

The Antimelanoma Biological Assessment of Triterpenic Acid Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles

One of several promising strategies for increasing the bioavailability and therapeutic potential of high-lipophilic biologically active compounds is gold nanoparticle formulation. The current study describes the synthesis and biological antimelanoma evaluation of three triterpen-functionalized gold nanoparticles, obtained using our previously reported antimelanoma benzotriazole-triterpenic acid esters. Functionalized gold nanoparticle (GNP) formation was validated through UV-VIS and FTIR spectroscopy. The conjugate's cytotoxic effects were investigated using HaCaT healthy keratinocytes and A375 human melanoma cells. On A375 cells, all three conjugates demonstrated dose-dependent cytotoxic activity, but no significant cytotoxic effects were observed on normal HaCaT keratinocytes. GNP-conjugates were found to be more cytotoxic than their parent compounds. After treatment with all three GNP-conjugates, 4,6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining revealed morphological changes consistent with apoptosis in A375 melanoma cells. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis revealed that the triterpene-GNP conjugate treated A375 melanoma cells had a fold change increase in Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX) expression and a fold change decrease in B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) expression. In A735 melanoma cells, high-resolution respirometry studies revealed that all three GNP-conjugates act as selective inhibitors of mitochondrial function. Furthermore, by examining the effect on each mitochondrial respiratory rate, the results indicate that all three conjugates are capable of increasing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), an apoptosis trigger in cancer cells.

Recent Advances Regarding the Molecular Mechanisms of Triterpenic Acids: A Review (Part I)

Triterpenic acids are phytocompounds with a widespread range of biological activities that have been the subject of numerous in vitro and in vivo studies. However, their underlying mechanisms of action in various pathologies are not completely elucidated. The current review aims to summarize the most recent literature, published in the last five years, regarding the mechanism of action of three triterpenic acids (asiatic acid, oleanolic acid, and ursolic acid), corelated with different biological activities such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, and antimicrobial. All three discussed compounds share several mechanisms of action, such as the targeted modulation of the PI3K/AKT, Nrf2, NF-kB, EMT, and JAK/STAT3 signaling pathways, while other mechanisms that proved to only be specific for a part of the triterpenic acids discussed, such as the modulation of Notch, Hippo, and MALAT1/miR-206/PTGS1 signaling pathway, were highlighted as well. This paper stands as the first part in our literature study on the topic, which will be followed by a second part focusing on other triterpenic acids of therapeutic value.

An Overview of Traditional Uses, Phytochemical Compositions and Biological Activities of Edible Fruits of European and Asian Cornus Species

Cornus species are widely distributed in central and southern Europe, east Africa, southwest Asia, and America. Several species are known for edible fruits, especially Cornus mas and Cornus officinalis. These delicious fruits, characterized by their remarkable nutritional and biological values, are widely used in traditional medicine. In contrast to the other edible Cornus species, C. mas and C. officinalis are the most studied for which little information is available on the main phytochemicals and their biological activities. Fruits are characterised by several classes of secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, anthocyanins, tannins, triterpenoids, and iridoids. The available phytochemical data show that the different classes of metabolites have not been systematically studied. However, these edible species are all worthy of interest because similarities have been found. Thus, this review describes the traditional uses of Cornus species common in Europe and Asia, a detailed classification of the bioactive compounds that characterize the fruits, and their beneficial health effects. Cornus species are a rich source of phytochemicals with nutritional and functional properties that justify the growing interest in these berries, not only for applications in the food industry but also useful for their medicinal properties.

Dihydroartemisinin attenuates benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats by inhibiting prostatic epithelial cell proliferation

Background

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common urological condition in aging men. While dihydroartemisinin (DHA) exhibits a wide range of pharmacological activities, to date, there have been no studies examining the effects of DHA on BPH.

Methods

An in vivo BPH model was constructed in rats via daily subcutaneous injection of testosterone propionate (TP) for 28 consecutive days. Rats were randomly distributed into four groups and treated as follows: (I) control; (II) TP treatment; (III) TP and finasteride treatment (positive control); and (IV) TP and DHA treatment. At the end of the experiment, rats were sacrificed and the prostate weight, prostate index, thickness of the epithelium, collagen deposition, serum dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels, 5α-reductase 2 (5AR-2) expression, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) levels in the prostate were examined. Normal human prostatic epithelial RWPE-1 cells were used in in vitro experiments to further investigate the anti-proliferative effects of DHA.

Results

TP increased the prostate weight and prostate index in rats, and this effect was reduced with DHA treatment. In addition, DHA attenuated the morphological changes and collagen deposition in the prostate tissue induced by TP. Furthermore, DHA reduced the expression of PCNA, serum DHT, and prostatic 5AR-2 in rats with TP-induced BPH. In vitro analysis revealed that DHA significantly inhibited the proliferation of TP-treated RWPE-1 cells.

Conclusions

DHA significantly inhibited the development of BPH by suppressing serum DHT levels, prostatic 5AR-2 expression, and the proliferation of benign prostatic epithelial cells. Thus, DHA is a novel medicinal agent with potential therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of patients with BPH.

Diacerein ameliorates testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats: Effect on oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis

Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is a serious medical condition among elderly male population. BPH pathogenesis has been linked to inflammation, cellular proliferation, oxidative stress and apoptosis. Diacerein (DIA) is a FDA approved anthraquinone drug that is used to treat joint diseases such as osteoarthritis. DIA has been studied for its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, yet its role in managing BPH has not been investigated. In this study, DIA administration for two weeks at 50 mg/kg in testosterone-induced BPH rats significantly reduced prostate weight and index. Moreover, prostatic biochemical and structural features in BPH rats were significantly improved upon DIA treatment. Mechanistically, DIA treatment associated prostatic anti-hyperplastic effects were linked to downregulation of Nrf-2/HO-1 axis, downregulation of inflammatory TNF-a, IL-1β, IL-6, downregulation of the cell proliferative marker PCNA and upregulation of caspase-3 levels. In addition, DIA treatment upregulated prostatic antioxidant GSH, the enzymatic SOD and CAT activities and reduced prostatic lipid peroxidation levels. Altogether, the present study provides evidence that DIA treatment might limit BPH progression via its potent anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative and apoptosis inducing effects.

Synthesis and antitumor activity evaluation of oleanolic acid saponins bearing an acetylated l-arabinose moiety

A series of oleanolic acid derivatives bearing acetyl-substituted l-arabinose moiety has been synthesized and screened in vitro for cytotoxicity against ten cancer cell lines and four normal cell lines. The antiproliferative evaluation indicated that synthetic derivatives showed excellent selectivity, as they were toxic against only A431 cell line. Among them, the compound 6 possesses the best inhibitory activity. A series of pharmacology experiments showed that compound 6 significantly induced A431 cells apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, which could serve as a promising lead candidate for further study.

Active Components and Pharmacological Effects of Cornus officinalis: Literature Review

Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc. (Shanzhuyu), a herb and food plant in east Asia, has the properties of tonifying the liver and kidney, and nourishing the essence according to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. C. officinalis has been commonly used to treat asthenia diseases, liver, and kidney diseases, and reproductive system diseases since ancient times. The objectives of this article were to review the pharmacological effects and phytochemistry of C. officinalis. We conducted a literature review of the pharmacological effects of C. officinalis by different systems and compared the effects with the traditional usages, discussed the research status and potential blanks to be filled. The experimental studies showed that C. officinalis extract and its active components had various pharmacological effects such as anti-oxidation, anti-apoptosis, anti-inflammation, anti-diabetes, anti-osteoporosis, immunoregulation, neuroprotection, and cardiovascular protection, but clinical studies are still needed to assess whether the reported pharmacological activities have confirmed efficacy.

Carica papaya leaf extract inhibits prostatitis-associated prostatic hyperplasia via the TRAF6/TAK1/MEK/NF-κB pathway

Prostatitis, defined as a pathological inflammatory change in the prostate tissue, is one of the most prevalent urological conditions in men. However, optimal management of prostatitis remains unclear, and treatment outcomes are unsatisfactory owing to adverse effects. Carica papaya leaf extract (PAL) is known for its antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anticancer properties; however, evidence of its anti-inflammatory effect in prostatic tissues remains elusive. In this study, the therapeutic effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of PAL in mice with experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP) and a prostatic cell line (RWPE-1 cells) exposed to inflammatory conditioned medium were investigated. PAL suppressed pathological alterations in EAP and markedly reduced prostate weight in EAP mice. Histological analysis revealed that PAL alleviates prostatic hyperplasia. Furthermore, PAL significantly reduced cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA and protein expression; production of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and transforming growth factor-β; and TRAF6/TAK1/MEK/ERK and NF-κB pathway-related protein expression. TRAF6/TAK1/MEK/ERK and NF-κB pathway-related proteins were upregulated in inflammatory conditioned medium-stimulated RWPE-1 cells, but PAL reduced the expression of these markers. Particularly, PAL treatment suppressed the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and phosphorylation of p65 in RWPE-1 cells exposed to the inflammatory conditioned medium. Collectively, the results demonstrate the anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory effects of PAL in the experimental prostatitis model, which highlights the potential of PAL as a new therapeutic agent in the treatment of prostatic disease.

Anti-Proliferative Effects of Standardized Cornus officinalis on Benign Prostatic Epithelial Cells via the PCNA/E2F1-Dependent Cell Cycle Pathway

Cornus officinalis, widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, exhibits pharmacological effects against erectile dysfunction and pollakisuria, which are pathological symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Although traditional usage and a study on BPH have been reported, to our knowledge, no study has investigated the exact molecular mechanism(s) underlying the anti-proliferative effects of standardized C. officinalis on prostatic cells. We standardized C. officinalis 30% ethanol extract (COFE) and demonstrated the therapeutic effects of COFE on human BPH epithelial cells and testosterone-induced BPH in rats. In vitro studies using BPH-1 cells demonstrated an upregulation of BPH-related and E2F Transcription Factor 1(E2F1)-dependent cell cycle markers, whereas treatment with COFE clearly inhibited the proliferation of BPH epithelial cells and reduced the overexpression of G1 and S checkpoint genes. Additionally, COFE administration alleviated the androgen-dependent prostatic enlargement in a testosterone-induced BPH animal model. COFE exerted these anti-BPH effects by the inhibition of anti-apoptotic markers, suppression of PCNA expression, and regulation of E2F1/pRB-dependent cell cycle markers in rats with BPH. These results suggest that COFE exerts anti-proliferative effect by regulating PCNA/E2F1-dependent cell cycle signaling pathway both in vivo and in vitro. These findings reveal the therapeutic potential of COFE, which could be used as a substitute for BPH treatment.

Development and Evaluation of Oleanolic Acid Dosage Forms and Its Derivatives

Oleanolic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid compound that exists widely in medicinal herbs and other plants. Because of the extensive pharmacological activity, oleanolic acid has attracted more and more attention. However, the structural characteristics of oleanolic acid prevent it from being directly made into new drugs, which limits the application of oleanolic acid. Through the application of modern preparation techniques and methods, different oleanolic acid dosage forms and derivatives have been designed and synthesized. These techniques can improve the water solubility and bioavailability of oleanolic acid and lay a foundation for the new drug development. In this review, the recent progress in understanding the oleanolic acid dosage forms and its derivatives are discussed. Furthermore, these products were evaluated comprehensively from the perspective of characterization and pharmacokinetics, and this work may provide ideas and references for the development of oleanolic acid preparations.

Network pharmacology analysis of the therapeutic mechanisms of the traditional Chinese herbal formula Lian Hua Qing Wen in Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), gives fundamental support to the clinical use of LHQW

BACKGROUND

The traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal formula Lian Hua Qing Wen (LHQW) improves the results of COVID-19 treatment. Three very recent studies analyzed with network pharmacology some working mechanisms of LHQW. However, we used more techniques and also included Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) (a SARS-CoV receptor, possibly the viral entry point in alveolar lung cells) and the immune system, as cytokine storm is essential in the late phase.

PURPOSE

Extensive detailed Network Pharmacology analysis of the LHQW- treatment mechanism in COVID-19.

METHODS

TCM-herb-meridian and protein interaction network (PIN) of LHQW, based on LHQW herbs meridian information and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) information of the LHQW-component targets. Hub and topological property analyses to obtain crucial targets and construct the crucial LHQW-PIN. Functional modules determination using MCODE, GO and KEGG pathway analysis of biological processes and pathway enrichment. Intersection calculations between the LHQW-proteins and ACE2 co-expression-proteins.

RESULTS

LHQW herbs have relationships to Stomach-, Heart-, Liver- and Spleen-systems, but most (10 of the 13 herbs) to the Lung system, indicating specific effects in lung diseases. The crucial LHQW PIN has the scale-free property, contains 2,480 targets, 160,266 PPIs and thirty functional modules. Six modules are enriched in leukocyte-mediated immunity, the interferon-gamma-mediated signaling pathway, immune response regulating signaling pathway, interleukin 23 mediated signaling pathway and Fc gamma receptor-mediated phagocytosis (GO analysis). These 6 are also enriched in cancer, immune system-, and viral infection diseases (KEGG). LHQW shared 189 proteins with ACE2 co-expression proteins.

CONCLUSIONS

Detailed network analysis shows, that LHQW herbal TCM treatment modulates the inflammatory process, exerts antiviral effects and repairs lung injury. Moreover, it also relieves the "cytokine storm" and improves ACE2-expression-disorder-caused symptoms. These innovative findings give a rational pharmacological basis and support for treating COVID-19 and possibly other diseases with LHQW.