BioMedicine-Taiwan最新文献

Background: Dahlia (Dahlia variabilis), a widely cultivated ornamental plant in Indonesia, is known to contain 84.08% inulin in its tubers. Numerous studies have demonstrated the antidiabetic potential of inulin from various plant sources. However, most of the research is in the form of a mixture of inulin with other active substances, and no one has analyzed the effects of inulin derived from dahlia tubers. This study examines the effect of inulin from dahlia tuber extract on blood glucose levels, serum insulin expression, pancreatic tissue insulin expression, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and the extent of insulitis in diabetic rats.

Methods: In this experimental study, 20 male Wistar rats were randomly allocated to five groups. Group I served as the control, Group II as the STZ-induced diabetic group, Group III as the STZ-induced diabetic group treated with inulin (0.5 g/kgBW), Group IV as the STZ induced diabetic group treated with inulin (1.0 g/kgBW), and Group V as the STZ-induced diabetic group treated with inulin (1.5 g/kgBW). The inulin was administered for 21 days. The degree of insulitis was evaluated using a scoring system, serum insulin concentration via ELISA, and insulin expression in the pancreas through immunohistochemistry.

Results: Administration of inulin from dahlia tubers significantly reduced serum glucose concentrations in diabetic rats. Notably, only inulin extracts at doses of 1 g/kgBW and 1.5 g/kgBW showed a significant reduction in insulitis and HOMA-IR index in diabetic rats, while the 0.5 g/kgBW inulin extract reduced insulitis without affecting HOMA-IR. Inulin extract administration did not affect insulin expression in serum or pancreatic tissue.

Conclusions: Inulin from dahlia tuber can exert antidiabetic properties by improving insulin resistance and insulitis. These studies suggest the great potential of dahlia tubers as the source of inulin for prebiotic functional foods.

Sustaining the continuity of cells and their homeostasis throughout the lifespan is compulsory for the survival of an organism. Cellular senescence is one of mechanisms involved in cell homeostasis and survival, and plays both important and detrimental roles in the maintenance of malfunctioned and normal cells. However, when exposed to various insults (genetic, metabolic and environmental), the cells undergo oxidative stress which may induce premature senescence, or so-called stress-induced premature senescence. Many age-related diseases are associated with premature senescence. Hence, there is growing interest in the intake of natural sources such as dietary food, which has protective functions on human health and diseases as well as on premature senescence. There are many natural food sources which have beneficial effects on delaying cell senescence, of which bee products are one of them. Bee products (honey, propolis, royal jelly, bee pollen, bee bread, venom and wax) are rich in polyphenols, a compound that exerts powerful antioxidant actions against oxidative stress and is able to delay premature senescence that is linked to ageing. This review describes the factors triggering senescence, the biomarkers involved and the prevention of senescence by the polyphenols present in bee products. Thus, it is hoped that this will provide new insights into the clinical management of age-related diseases.

Lithium, despite being an indispensable agent in the treatment of psychiatric disorders, has a narrow therapeutic index and needs to be carefully administered. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a rare but potentially fatal complication due to central dopaminergic blockade. This case report illustrates the challenges in lithium therapy particularly related to the development of NMS when further risk factors such as polypharmacy and dehydration are present. We report a case of a 50-year-old man with underlying bipolar affective disorder who was previously able to tolerate olanzapine and lithium well, however developed chronic lithium toxicity due to diminished lithium elimination in acute kidney injury following a two-week history of viral acute gastroenteritis. He also developed NMS which could either be triggered independently by olanzapine; lithium toxicity; or attributed by a synergistic combination from lithium and olanzapine which led to an enhanced neurotoxicity in an already unstable dopaminergic pathway. Fluid therapy and supportive care allowed the patient to recover, and he was discharged well with a lower potency neuroleptic with slow dose titration.

The intricately orchestrated progression of mammary tissue development involves the precise coordination of gland differentiation and cellular proliferation. Nevertheless, the understanding of the role and regulatory mechanisms governing the DNA replication machinery in mammary gland development remains limited. Given the essential role of DNA replication in the viability of living cells, any genetic disturbance to its replicative function, in any form, will impede organ development. This circumstance poses a technical challenge in elucidating the potential function of cell proliferation in mammary morphogenesis. PCNA is crucial in DNA replication, playing a pivotal role in the development of complete eukaryotic organisms. The phosphorylation of PCNA at tyrosine 211 (Y211) has been demonstrated to play a significant role in supporting replication forks and, consequently, cell proliferation. Therefore, the utilization of a knock-in mouse model, wherein the Y211 residue of PCNA is replaced with phenylalanine (211F), presents an opportunity to evaluate the impact of reduced cell proliferation potential on mammary gland development. Interestingly, the lack of Y211 phosphorylation did not significantly impact the rates of proliferation or cell death in the mammary gland. In contrast, the absence of Y211PCNA led to an increased, rather than reduced, growth of the mammary gland. This was evident in assessments of gland length and the number of terminal end buds (TEBs) in both postnatal and virgin mammary glands. Notably, this observation correlated with an elevation in tissue stemness within the 211F glands compared to the WT glands. Additionally, it was consistent with the greater body weight gains observed in 211F pups compared to WT pups during the weaning period. Our findings unveil an unexpected aspect that may carry significance for mammary development. This newfound is associated with the regulation of a central component within the DNA replication machinery, providing insights into the intricate interplay governing mammary tissue expansion.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a severe health problem for which there is no specific treatment, leading to neurological or neuropsychological consequences. One of the most described disorders, even after mild TBI (mTBI), is depression, related to mechanisms involving reactive oxygen species (ROS). The Mucuna pruriens (M. pruriens) plant has various antioxidant, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Purpose: There is insufficient evidence of M. pruriens use for the treatment of neurobehavioral and depressive impairments induced by TBI and of the mechanisms underlying this effect, so we aimed to evaluate the ability of shortterm administration of M. pruriens extract to prevent neurobehavioral impairment and depression-like behaviors in a murine model of mTBI as well as evaluate the role of oxidative stress.

Methods: Male Wistar rats underwent mTBI or sham surgery. Immediately after, they were treated with vehicle or M. pruriens extract (50 mg/kg ip/day for five days). We evaluated neurobehavioral recovery using the Neurobehavioral Severity Scale-Revised (NSS-R) and the immobility time in the forced swimming test 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days after mTBI. In addition, lipid peroxidation (LP) and GSH concentrations were determined in some brain areas (motor cortex, striatum, midbrain, and nucleus accumbens).

Results: M. pruriens extract did not decrease neurobehavioral impairment caused by mTBI. Nevertheless, it prevented depression-like behaviors starting three days after mTBI, reduced LP, and increased GSH in some brain areas. Conclusions: M. pruriens may prevent depression-like behaviors and reduce oxidative stress by decreasing LP and increasing concentrations of antioxidant compounds.

Purpose: Phytochemicals have been found effective in reducing the oxidative stress and damage to cardiovascular and other tissues. In this study, the effects of alantolactone (AL) on cardiac parameters in rabbits exposed to artificially-induced oxidative stress were investigated.

Method: The oxidative stress was induced in a group of White New Zealand rabbits by injecting 40% hydrogen peroxide solution (1 ml/kg body weight) thrice with an interval of 72 h. The hydrogen peroxide-treated animals were orally treated with AL extracted from the roots of Inula helenium (1 ml/kg repeated thrice after 72 h). Blood samples were taken before and after the hydrogen peroxide and AL treatments, and the sera were subjected to analysis of oxidative damage in terms of malondialdehyde content (MDA), total antioxidant activity (TAOA), linoleic acid reduction capacity (LARC), hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity (HRSC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity (DPPH RSC), superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and catalase activity, and cardiac parameters including troponin-I content (Trop-I), creatine kinase-MB (CKMB), aspartate transaminase (AST).

Results: The hydrogen peroxide treatment substantially enhanced MDA content and SOD activity and decreased LARC, HRSC, DPPH, and catalase activity. The AL treatment significantly decreased MDA content, TAOA, Trop-I, CK-MB, and AST levels and increased LARC, DPPH RSC, HRSC, and catalase activity.

Conclusion: The observed effect of AL treatment on the animals' oxidative stress, antioxidant status, and cardiac biomarkers emphasizes that AL may effectively manage oxidative stress and cardiac damage.

Background: Stroke is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, and an effective therapeutic strategy for the prevention of patients with cerebral ischemia induced brain injury is lacking. Traditional Chinese medicine with neuroprotective activities might be beneficial and provide alternative therapeutic opportunities for cerebral ischemia.

Purposes: This study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotection and possible mechanisms of Gueichih-Fuling-Wan (GFW), its' constitutive herbs, and their active compounds on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced brain injury in rodents.

Methods: Various doses of extracts (0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 g/kg) of GFW and five constituent herbs (Cinnamomi Cortex, CC; Poria cocos, PC; Paeonia lactifloa, PL; Paeonia suffruticosa, PS and Prunus perisica, PP) were orally administered. Different doses of active compounds (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/kg) of GFW such as cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid (from CC), paeoniflorin (from PL), and paeonol (from PS) were intraperitoneally administered. Their effects on cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R)induced brain injury in rodents were evaluated.

Results: GFW, its' constituent herbs, and the active compounds reduced the infarct area dose-dependently (***P < 0.001). Cinnamaldehyde showed the most significant reduction (***P < 0.001). Therefore, trans-cinnamaldehyde (TCA) was further used to evaluate the neuroprotective mechanism of the I/R-induced brain injury. TCA (10, 20, 30 mg/ kg, p.o.) showed an inhibitory effect of I/R-induced brain damage in mice in a dose-dependent manner. Besides, GFW and TCA dose-dependently reduced the COX-2 protein expression level, and TCA reduced the TUNEL (+) apoptosis. TCA dose-dependently increased the pro-survival NR2A and Bcl-2 protein expression level and decreased the pro-apoptotic NR2B and cytochrome c, caspase 9, and caspase 3 expression (***P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The above data revealed that GFW, its' constituent herbs, and active compounds protected against I/R-induced brain injury in rodents. TCA from CC might participate in GFW protecting against cerebral ischemia-induced brain injury by inhibiting neuroinflammation and apoptosis.

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and synovial joint destruction.

Aims: The current study investigated the possible beneficial effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles doped curcumin (ZnONPs-DC) on the recovery of RA and antioxidant status of experimental rabbits.

Methods: RA was induced in experimental rabbits by injecting complete Freund's adjuvant and collagen type-II emulsion (100 μL/kg body weight) in the base of their tail. Arthritic rabbits were orally treated with ZnONPs, curcumin, and ZnONPs-DC(250 μL/kg bodyweight). Serumsamples fromthe control and study groupswere collected before and afterRAinduction and after treatment. The sera were subjected to analysis of biological markers of RA and antioxidant status.

Results: The complete Freund's adjuvant and collagen type II treatment resulted in positive rheumatoid factor and C-reactive protein elevated oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant potential. Each treatment showed the absence of rheumatoid factor and C-reactive protein decreased oxidative stress and improved antioxidant potential compared to the control. However, ZnONPs-DC treatment showed a comparatively higher decline in serum malondialdehyde MDA content and an elevation in the antioxidant activity of RA animals.

Conclusions: In conclusion, using zinc oxide nanoparticles-doped curcumin may be an effective anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory drug in controlling RA.

Background: Metastasis of breast cancer cells to distant sites including lungs, liver, lymph node, brain and many more have substantially affected the overall survival outcome and distant metastasis free survival rate amongst the diseased individuals. Several pre-clinical and clinical studies were carried out to determine the potency of vigorous inhibitors but they extensively deteriorated the patient's quality of life. Hence, there exists an urgent need to explore potent natural remedy to fight against metastatic breast cancer.

Methods: Ayurvedic medicinal plants documented in literature for their ability to fight against breast cancer was screened and their respective active moieties were evaluated to exert inhibitory effect against MMP9. Drug like efficacy of phytochemicals were determined using Molecular docking, MD Simulation, ADMET and MM-PBSA and were further compared with synthetic analogs i.e. Doxycycline.

Results: Out of 1000 phytochemicals, 12 exerted highest binding affinity (BA) even more than -9.0 kcal/mol that was significantly higher in comparison to Doxycycline which exhibited BA of -7.3 kcal/mol. In comparison to 37 × 30 × 37 Å, 53 × 45 × 66 Å offered best binding site and the highest BA was exhibited by Viscosalactone at LYS104, ASP185, MET338, LEU39, ASN38. During MD Simulation, Viscosalactone-MMP9 complex remained stable for 20 ns and the kinetic, electrostatic and potential energies were observed to be better than Doxycycline. Furthermore, Viscosalactone obtained from Withania somnifera justified the Lipinski's Rule of 5.

Conclusion: Viscosalactone obtained from W. somnifera may act as promising drug candidate to fight against metastatic breast cancer.

Herpes simplex, varicella-zoster lesions, skin rashes, diabetes, snake bites and insect bites have all been treated by using Clinacanthus nutans (C. nutans). The pharmacological effects of C. nutans are influenced by the presence of terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolic acids, saponins, glycosides, steroids and tannins. This review focused on the phytochemical makeup, which varies geographically and is a subject of scarcely existing knowledge. C. nutans served as the primary search term, while the keywords "phytochemicals", "chemical component" and "phytochemistry" were used to search the literature in the Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases. The articles pertinent to the subject were found and reviewed. The phytochemical composition of C. nutans varied depending on the region it was cultivated in, and was influenced by the environmental conditions, genetics, air temperature and postharvest practices.