Revista Brasileira De Farmacognosia-brazilian Journal of Pharmacognosy最新文献

Glycycoumarin is a representative coumarin compound with significant pharmacological activities isolated from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., Fabaceae. Studies have shown that glycycoumarin has many biological activities, such as anti-tumor, liver protection, antispasmodic, antibacterial, and antivirus. However, the poor solubility of glycycoumarin in water and the accompanying reactions of the phase I (hydroxylation) and II (glucuronidation) metabolism limit its druggability, which manifests as low absorption in the body after oral administration and low free drug concentration, ultimately leading to low bioavailability. Therefore, a comprehensive review of the pharmacological effects and pharmacokinetics of glycycoumarin is presented to provide a reference for further research and application as a therapeutic agent.

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Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43450-022-00342-x.

Brazil is one of the largest propolis producers in the world. Propolis is produced by bees from plant exudates and tissues, leading to many variations in the types of propolis. Generally, Brazilian propolis types are green, brown, and red. Despite not being the main research focus as the green and red propolis, brown propolis is the second most produced propolis type in Brazil and has tremendous economic and medicinal importance. Propolis has drawn attention with the rise in the search for healthier lifestyles, functional foods, biocosmetics, and natural products as therapeutic sources. This review covers the main chemical constituents identified in different types of Brazilian brown propolis, and their botanical sources, chemistry, and biological activities. The economic aspect of brown propolis is also presented. There are many gaps to be filled for brown propolis regarding the development of analytical methods, and quality control to allow its standardization, limiting its applicability in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Future perspectives regarding brown propolis research were discussed, especially biological activities, to support the medicinal uses of different types of brown propolis.

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Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43450-023-00374-x.

Alpha-lipoic acid is an organic, sulfate-based compound produced by plants, humans, and animals. As a potent antioxidant and a natural dithiol compound, it performs a crucial role in mitochondrial bioenergetic reactions. A healthy human body, on the other hand, can synthesize enough α-lipoic acid to scavenge reactive oxygen species and increase endogenous antioxidants; however, the amount of α-lipoic acid inside the body decreases significantly with age, resulting in endothelial dysfunction. Molecular orbital energy and spin density analysis indicate that the sulfhydryl (-SH) group of molecules has the greatest electron donating activity, which would be responsible for the antioxidant potential and free radical scavenging activity. α-Lipoic acid acts as a chelating agent for metal ions, a quenching agent for reactive oxygen species, and a reducing agent for the oxidized form of glutathione and vitamins C and E. α-Lipoic acid enantiomers and its reduced form have antioxidant, cognitive, cardiovascular, detoxifying, anti-aging, dietary supplement, anti-cancer, neuroprotective, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. α-Lipoic acid has cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects on several cancers, including polycystic ovarian syndrome. It also has usefulness in the context of female and male infertility. Although α-lipoic acid has numerous clinical applications, the majority of them stem from its antioxidant properties; however, its bioavailability in its pure form is low (approximately 30%). However, nanoformulations have shown promise in this regard. The proton affinity and electron donating activity, as a redox-active agent, would be responsible for the antioxidant potential and free radical scavenging activity of the molecule. This review discusses the most recent clinical data on α-lipoic acid in the prevention, management, and treatment of a variety of diseases, including coronavirus disease 2019. Based on current evidence, the preclinical and clinical potential of this molecule is discussed.

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Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43450-023-00370-1.

Influenza is an infectious acute respiratory disease with complications and a high mortality rate; the effective medicines for influenza therapy are limited. "Huanglian" or Coptidis Rhizoma, Coptis chinensis Franch., Ranunculaceae, and "ganjiang" or Zingiberis Rhizoma, Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Zingiberaceae, combination is clinically used for treating respiratory diseases. HPLC was applied for the quantification of berberine hydrochloride (1.101 mg/ml) and 6-gingerol (38.41 μg/ml) in the H₂O-soluble extract of the herbal formulation. In this study, the effect of "huanglian"- "ganjiang" extract on influenza virus H1N1-induced acute pulmonary inflammation was evaluated, in addition to the investigation of its anti-influenza mechanism in a mouse model. The analyzed herbal combination inhibited the expression of cytokine IL-6 and stimulated the expression of IL-2 in the serum of influenza virus-infected mice. Meanwhile, the herbal combination downregulated the gene and protein expression levels of TLR3, TLR7, MyD88, RIG-I, MAVS, TRAF3, and NF-κB p65, which are key targets of toll-like and RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathways in mice. In addition, the herbal combination could also promote the combination of intracellular autophagosomes and lysosomes in autophagosome-lysosome formation and improve impaired fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes by influenza virus. This study suggested that the "huanglian"- "ganjiang" extract may be a candidate therapeutic strategy for the treatment of H1N1 influenza.

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Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43450-023-00372-z.

Since ancient times, viruses such as dengue, herpes, Ebola, AIDS, influenza, chicken meat, and SARS have been roaming around causing great health burdens. Currently, the prescribed antiviral drugs have not cured the complications caused by viruses, whereas viral replication was not controlled by them. The treatments suggested are not only ineffectual, but also sometimes inefficient against viruses at all stages of the viral cycle as well. To fight against these contagious viruses, people rely heavily on medicinal plants to enhance their innate and adaptive immune systems. In this research, the preparation of ligands and proteins was performed using the Maestro V.13.2 module tool. This software, consisting of LigPrep, Grid Generation, SiteMap, and Glide XP, has each contributed significantly to the preparation of ligands and proteins. Ultimately, the research found that (R)-(+)-rosmarinic acid was found to have significant docking scores of - 10.847 for herpes virus, of - 10.033 for NS5, and - 7.259 for NS1. In addition, the Prediction of Activity Spectra for Substances (PASS) server indicates that rosmarinic acid possesses a diverse spectrum of enzymatic activities, as probability active (Pa) values start at > 0.751, whereas it has fewer adverse effects than the drugs prescribed for viruses. Accordingly, it was found the rate of acute toxicity values of (R)-(+)-rosmarinic acid at doses LD₅₀ log10 (mmol/g) and LD₅₀ (mg/g) in different routes of administration, such as intraperitoneal, intravenous, oral, and subcutaneous. Ultimately, the present study concluded that (R)-(+)-rosmarinic acid would expose significant antiviral effects in in vitro and in vivo experiments, and this research would be a valuable asset for the future, especially for those who wish to discover a drug molecule for a variety of viruses.

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Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43450-023-00381-y.

The use of nanotechnological products is increasing steadily. In this scenario, the application of nanotechnology in food science and as a technological platform is a reality. Among the several applications, the main use of this technology is for the development of foods and nutraceuticals with higher bioavailability, lower toxicity, and better sustainability. In the health field, nano-nutraceuticals are being used as supplementary products to treat an increasing number of diseases. This review summarizes the main concepts and applications of nano-nutraceuticals for health, with special focus on treating cancer and inflammation.

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Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43450-022-00338-7.