The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology最新文献

Objectives: Croton tiglium Linn. (Euphorbiaceae) is an ancient medicinal plant that has been used for a long time, which is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. And it is widely used for defecation, induced labour, treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, headache, as well as rheumatoid arthritis.

Key findings: Approximately 150 compounds have been isolated and identified from the seeds, stems, leaves and branches of C. tiglium, including fatty acids, terpenoids, alkaloids, the plants proteins and other types of components. Based on a wide range of biological properties, C. tiglium has a wide range of pharmacological effects, such as antitumor, anti-HIV, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.

Summary: The review aims to provide a critical and comprehensive evaluation of the botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicity of C. tiglium, with a vision for promoting further pharmaceutical research to explore its complete potential for better clinical application. The tigliane diterpenoids have been the most studied compounds isolated from C. tiglium, which showing a variety of biological activities, but there is insufficient evidence to explain the mechanism of action. In addition, C. tiglium may have potential toxic effects, and it is necessary to reduce the toxic effects to ensure the safety of clinical medication, which may promote the discovery and development of new drugs.

Objectives: Peptides and proteins represent great potential for modulating various cellular processes including oxidative stress, inflammatory response, apoptosis and consequently the treatment of related diseases. However, their therapeutic effects are limited by their inability to cross cellular barriers. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), which can transport cargoes into the cell, could resolve this issue, as would be discussed in this review.

Key findings: CPPs have been successfully exploited in vitro and in vivo for peptide/protein delivery to treat a wide range of diseases involving oxidative stress, inflammatory processes and apoptosis. Their in vivo applications are still limited due to some fundamental issues of CPPs, including nonspecificity, proteolytic instability, potential toxicity and immunogenicity.

Summary: Totally, CPPs could potentially help to manage the diseases involving oxidative stress, inflammatory response and apoptosis by delivering peptides/proteins that could selectively reach proper intracellular targets. More studies to overcome related CPP limitations and confirm the efficacy and safety of this strategy are needed before their clinical usage.

Objectives: Hyperoside (Hyp), as the main ingredient from Semen Cuscutae, Abelmoschus moschatus, Acanthopanax senticosus, its protective effect in testicular dysfunction and mechanisms have not been studied. Here, we explored the action of Hyp in preventing oxidative stress-induced testicular damage and underlying mechanisms.

Methods: The testicular injury model caused by oxidative stress was successfully built via Triptolide (TP) intraperitoneal injection in male mice. After Hyp (12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg/day) treatment, testes weights, sperm count and morphology, histological changes, oxidative stress biomarkers from testicular tissue were detected. Also, the molecular mechanism was investigated by western blotting and immunohistochemistry assay.

Key findings: These data suggested that Hyp significantly ameliorated TP-induced testicular atrophy, microstructural injury and spermatogenic dysfunction. Besides, it was shown that apoptosis-related proteins (cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved PARP) were prominently suppressed. The mechanical results indicated that Hyp significantly promoted Nrf2 translocation and elevated antioxidant enzymes expression in the testicular tissue. Meanwhile, this study also found that Hyp could improve TP-induced mitochondrial dysfunction via the SIRT1-PGC-1α signalling pathway.

Conclusions: The present study indicated that Hyp exerted a potent ameliorative effect against testicular injury caused by oxidative stress via stimulating Keap1-Nrf2 and SIRT1-PGC1a signalling pathway.

Objectives: This work investigated the effect of the lipophilic long carbon chain of carrier material on the thermodynamic properties and the recrystallization kinetics of solid dispersion (SD).

Methods: The thermodynamic properties and recrystallization kinetic parameters of amorphous andrographolide (AG)-PEG8000 laurate (SM12)-SD, AG-PEG8000 palmitate (SM16)-SD and AG-PEG8000 behenate (SM22)-SD were determined and calculated by differential scanning calorimetry combining AGV equation and Avrami equation.

Key findings: From AG-SM12-SD to AG-SM22-SD with the increase of the carbon chain length of carrier material, the glass transition temperature, the maximum relaxation enthalpy and the mean relaxation time of SD increased at first and then decreased; the isothermal crystallization rate constants at different temperatures and non-isothermal crystallization rate constants at different heating rates of SD showed a trend of decreasing at first and then increasing.

Conclusions: Increasing the carbon chain length of polyethylene glycol fatty acid ester can improve the space-limiting effect of the carrier material on the AG molecule, but the carbon chain length of carrier was not the longer the better. SM16 had the appropriate spatial scale, which better limited the molecular mobility of AG in SD, so AG-SM16-SD has better thermodynamic stability and recrystallization kinetic stability.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the potential of aqueous extract from Mitracarpus frigidus aerial parts (MFAq) in the treatment of inflammation and oxidative stress, as well as to characterize its chemical constituents.

Methods: Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined, and phytoconstituents were detected by ultra-fast liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UFLC-QTOF-MS). The antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH, TAC and β-carotene/linoleic acid assays. In-vitro anti-inflammatory activity, cell viability and cell cycle were performed in J774A.1 cell line. In-vivo anti-inflammatory activity was investigated by two ear oedema assays (croton oil and phenol).

Key findings: Chlorogenic acid, clarinoside, quercetin-hexosylpentoside, rutin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-rhamnosylhexoside, quercetin-pentosylrhamnosylhexoside, harounoside, 2-azaanthraquinone and sucrose were identified by UFLC-QTOF-MS. MFAq showed antioxidant activity, which was positively correlated to the content of phenolic compounds. MFAq significantly inhibited the production of nitric oxide, did not decrease viability in MTT assay (all concentrations) and showed no changes in membrane permeability and cell cycle of J774A.1 cell line. Furthermore, MFAq showed a reduction in ear oedema in all tested doses.

Conclusion: MFAq was effective in some antioxidant and inflammatory parameters, in the experimental conditions that were used in the study. This is the first report of chemical composition and bioactivities from this extract.