The American journal of Chinese medicine最新文献

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the predominant form of dementia, is a neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by a subtle onset and a spectrum of cognitive and functional declines. The clinical manifestation of AD encompasses memory deficits, cognitive deterioration, and behavioral disturbances, culminating in a severe impairment of daily living skills. Despite its high prevalence, accounting for 60-70% of all dementia cases, there remains an absence of curative therapeutics. Microglia (MG), the resident immune cells of the CNS, exhibit a bifurcated role in AD pathogenesis. Functioning in a neuroprotective capacity, MGs express scavenger receptors, facilitating the clearance of [Formula: see text]-amyloid protein (A[Formula: see text]) and cellular debris. Conversely, aberrant activation of MGs can lead to the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, thereby propagating neuroinflammatory responses that are detrimental to neuronal integrity. The dynamics of MG activation and the ensuing neuroinflammation are pivotal in the evolution of AD. Chinese medicine (CM), a treasure trove of traditional Chinese cultural practices, has demonstrated significant potential in the therapeutic management of AD. Over the past triennium, CM has garnered considerable research attention for its multifaceted approaches to AD, including the regulation of MG polarization. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the origins, polarization dynamics, and mechanistic interplay of MG with AD pathology. It further explores the nexus between MG polarization and cardinal pathological hallmarks of AD, such as A[Formula: see text] plaque deposition, hyperphosphorylation of tau, synaptic plasticity impairments, neuroinflammation, and brain-gut-axis dysregulation. The review also encapsulates the therapeutic strategies of CM, which encompass monomers, formulae, and acupuncture. These strategies modulate MG polarization in the context of AD treatment, thereby providing a robust theoretical framework in which to conduct future investigative endeavors in both the clinical and preclinical realms.

Rehmannia glutinosa is widely recognized as a prominent medicinal herb employed by practitioners across various generations for the purpose of fortifying kidney yin. Within Rehmannia glutinosa, the compound known as catalpol (CAT) holds significant importance as a bioactive constituent. However, the protective effects of CAT on kidneys, including ameliorative effects on chronic kidney disease - most prominently renal anemia and renal fibrosis - have not been clearly defined. In this study, the kidney injury model of NRK-52E cells and C57BL/6N male mice was prepared by exposure to aristolochic acid I (AA-I), and it was discovered that CAT could ameliorate oxidative stress injury, inflammatory injury, apoptosis, renal anemia, renal fibrosis, and other renal injuries both in vivo and in vitro. Further treatment of NRK-52E cells with Nrf2 inhibitors (ML385) and activators (ML334), as well as NF-κB inhibitors (PDTC), validated CAT's ability to target Nrf2 activation. Furthermore, the expression of phosphorylated NF-κB p65, IL-6, and Cleaved-Caspase3 protein was inhibited. CAT also inhibited NF-κB, and then inhibited the expression of IL-6, p-STAS3, TGF-β1 protein. Therefore, CAT can regulate Nrf2/NF-κB signaling pathway, significantly correct renal anemia and renal fibrosis, and is conducive to the preservation of renal structure and function, thus achieving a protective effect on the kidneys.

Neurological disorders (NDs) are diseases that seriously affect the health of individuals worldwide, potentially leading to a significant reduction in the quality of life for patients and their families. Herbal medicines have been widely used in the treatment of NDs due to their multi-target and multi-pathway features. Ginkgo biloba leaves (GBLs), one of the most popular herbal medicines in the world, have been demonstrated to present therapeutic effects on NDs. However, the pharmacological mechanisms of GBLs in the treatment of neurological disorders have not been systematically summarized. This study aimed to summarize the molecular mechanism of GBLs in treating NDs from the cell models, animal models, and clinical trials of studies. Four databases, i.e., PubMed, Google Scholar, CNKI, and Web of Science were searched using the following keywords: "Ginkgo biloba", "Ginkgo biloba extract", "Ginkgo biloba leaves", "Ginkgo biloba leaves extract", "Neurological disorders", "Neurological diseases", and "Neurodegenerative diseases". All items meeting the inclusion criteria on the treatment of NDs with GBLs were extracted and summarized. Additionally, PRISMA 2020 was performed to independently evaluate the screening methods. Out of 1385 records in the database, 52 were screened in relation to the function of GBLs in the treatment of NDs; of these 52 records, 39 were preclinical trials and 13 were clinical studies. Analysis of pharmacological studies revealed that GBLs can improve memory, cognition, behavior, and psychopathology of NDs and that the most frequently associated GBLs are depression, followed by Alzheimer's disease, stroke, Huntington's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Additionally, the clinical studies of depression, AD, and stroke are the most common, and most of the remaining ND data are available from in vitro or in vivo animal studies. Moreover, the possible mechanisms of GBLs in treating NDs are mainly through free radical scavenging, anti-oxidant activity, anti-inflammatory response, mitochondrial protection, neurotransmitter regulation, and antagonism of PAF. This is the first paper to systematically and comprehensively investigate the pharmacological effects and neuroprotective mechanisms of GBLs in the treatment of NDs thus far. All findings contribute to a better understanding of the efficacy and complexity of GBLs in treating NDs, which is of great significance for the further clinical application of this herbal medicine.

Chronic respiratory diseases are long-term conditions affecting the airways and other lung components that are characterized by a high prevalence, disability rate, and mortality rate. Further optimization of their treatment is required. Natural products, primarily extracted from organisms, possess specific molecular and structural formulas as well as distinct chemical and physical properties. These characteristics grant them the advantages of safety, gentleness, accessibility, and minimal side effects. The numerous advances in the use of natural products for treating chronic respiratory diseases have provided a steady source of motivation for new drug research and development. In this paper, we introduced the pathogenesis of chronic respiratory diseases and natural products. Furthermore, we classified natural products according to their mechanism for treating chronic respiratory diseases and describe the ways in which these products can alleviate the pathological symptoms. Simultaneously, we elaborate on the signal transduction pathways and biological impacts of natural products' targeting. Additionally, we present future prospects for natural products, considering their combination treatment approaches and administration methods. The significance of this review extends to both the research on preventing and treating chronic respiratory diseases, as well as the advancement of novel drug development in this field.

The aim of this study was to analyze the research hotspots and mechanisms of luteolin in tumor-related fields using bibliometric and bioinformatic approaches to guide future research. We conducted a comprehensive screening of all articles on luteolin and tumors in Web of Science from 2008 to 2023. The extracted words from these publications were visualized using VOSviewer, Scimago Graphica, and CiteSpace. Public databases were used to collect luteolin and tumor-related targets. GO and KEGG analyses of luteolin antitumor-related genes were performed using Metascape. Protein interaction networks were built with Cytoscape and STRING, identifying hub targets of luteolin in antitumor activity. Subsequently, the binding capacity of luteolin to these hub targets was assessed using molecular docking technology. We found that China dominated this field, the Egyptian Knowledge Bank published the most articles, and Molecules had the highest number of related publications. Recently, network pharmacology, target, traditional Chinese medicine, and nanoparticles have become research hotspots in luteolin's antitumor research. A total of 483 overlapping genes between luteolin and tumors were identified, and they were closely associated with the cancer-associated pathways, PI3K-Akt, and MAPK signaling pathways. Luteolin forms a complex network of antitumor-related genes, with TP53, TNF, STAT3, AKT1, JUN, IL6, and SRC playing key roles and showing strong binding affinity to luteolin. Computer technology is becoming increasingly integral to the discipline, and future research will focus on more precise antitumor mechanisms and effective clinical applications.

Isoliquiritigen (ISL), a constituent of licorice, has been shown to possess antitumorigenic effects in diverse cancer types. In this study, we observed that ISL suppressed breast tumor development significantly more effectively in immunocompetent mice than in immunocompromised ones. In exploring the cause of such a discrepancy, we detected robust tumor infiltration of CD8[Formula: see text] T lymphocytes in mice treated with ISL, not seen in tumors derived from vehicle-treated mice. Moreover, we found a dramatic reduction in PD-L1 in both experimental breast tumors and cultured breast cancer cells upon ISL treatment. In further experiments, we showed that ISL selectively elevated miR-200c in breast cancer and confirmed that PD-L1 mRNA is the target of miR-200c in both murine and human breast cancer cells. ISL suppression of PD-L1 was functionally linked to miR-200c/ZEB1/2 because (1) ISL diminished ZEB1/2; (2) knockdown of ZEB1/2 led to the disappearance of PD-L1; and (3) miR-200c antagomiR disabled ISL to reduce PD-L1. We found evidence that ISL reduced the level of PD-L1 by simultaneously intercepting the ERK and Src signaling pathways. In agreement with clinical finding that PD-L1 antibodies enhance efficacy of taxane-based therapy, we showed that ISL improved the tumoricidal effects of paclitaxel in an orthopedic murine breast tumor model. This study demonstrates that ISL-led tumor suppression acts through the augmentation of host antitumor immunity.

Recent studies have witnessed the incorporation of herbal medicine into the management of Disorders of Gut-Brain Interactions (DGBIs), reflecting a paradigm shift toward holistic healing modalities. However, there still exists a substantial gap in comprehending the utilization of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), particularly beyond the confines of China. This study endeavors to bridge this knowledge gap by meticulously identifying existing guidelines, critically reviewing TCM practices, and crafting contemporary treatment recommendations. We systematically searched several databases to retrieve related evidence in June 2023. Firstly, we employed the AGREE II tool to evaluate the recommended for use of TCM in the treatment of IBS, establishing a structured treatment selection hierarchy for different TCM patterns of IBS patients. Subsequently, we conducted an expert questionnaire to gain insights into the common treatment methods and medication choices practiced by clinical TCM doctors. Based on CM theory and experts' opinions, IBS with predominant Diarrheal (IBS-D) is divided into five Chinese medicine syndrome patterns, and IBS with predominant Constipation (IBS-C) is classified to four. A total of 22[Formula: see text]CM prescriptions were recommended for the management of IBS, 13 for IBS-D and 9 for IBS-C. The findings provide IBS patients with enhanced treatment choices while offering clinical physicians more specific treatment regimens. This research is the first to conduct a comprehensive study that combines guidelines with real clinical practices in the realm of TCM IBS treatment. This serves as a foundation for providing more personalized treatment options and improving the quality of life for patients.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global health concern with a high prevalence and increasing economic burden, but official medicine remains unavailable. Farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a nuclear receptor member, is one of the most promising drug targets for NAFLD therapy that plays a crucial role in modulating bile acid, glucose, and lipid homeostasis, as well as inhibits hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. However, the rejection of the FXR agonist, obecholic acid, by the Food and Drug Administration for treating hepatic fibrosis raises a question about the functions of FXR in NAFLD progression and the therapeutic strategy to be used. Natural products, such as FXR modulators, have become the focus of attention for NAFLD therapy with fewer adverse reactions. The anti-NAFLD mechanisms seem to act as FXR agonists and antagonists or are involved in the FXR signaling pathway activation, indicating a promising target of FXR therapeutic prospects using natural products. This review discusses the effective mechanisms of FXR in NAFLD alleviation, and summarizes currently available natural products such as silymarin, glycyrrhizin, cycloastragenol, berberine, and gypenosides, for targeting FXR, which can facilitate development of naturally targeted drug by medicinal specialists for effective treatment of NAFLD.

Osteoporosis is the most common bone metabolic disease, and it is becoming increasingly common as the global population ages. Osteoporosis and its complications, such as fractures and pain, negatively affect patient quality of life and easily lead to disability, placing enormous burdens on society. Although several anti-osteoporosis drugs are currently available, many adverse reactions have been observed during the long-term application of these drugs. Therefore, safer and more useful medications are urgently needed to replace those currently available. Chinese herbal medicine has been extensively used to treat osteoporosis, and the current literature confirms that such medicines have anti-osteoporosis effects, are safe, and have minimal side effects. Thus, Chinese herbal medicines are natural alternatives to pharmaceutical approaches to treating osteoporosis, and these medicines must be further developed and utilized. In this article, we review the mechanisms underlying the anti-osteoporosis effects of single herbal extracts and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas that have been elucidated since 2013, providing key evidence and support for future research on the anti-osteoporosis effects of Chinese herbal medicines. In addition, due to the complexity of the ingredients in Chinese herbal medicine, more thorough investigations are needed to determine the specific ingredients that are effective in osteoporosis treatment. Therefore, identifying the effective ingredients of Chinese herbal medicines will be a necessary focus in laboratory research and clinical application.

Salvianolic acid B (SalB), among the most abundant bioactive polyphenolic compounds found in Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge., exerts therapeutic and protective effects against various diseases. Although some summaries of the activities of SalB exist, there is lack of a scientometric and in-depth review regarding disease therapy. In this review, scientometrics was employed to analyze the number of articles, publication trends, countries, institutions, keywords, and highly cited papers pertaining to SalB research. The scientometric findings showed that SalB exerts excellent protective effects on the heart, lungs, liver, bones, and brain, along with significant therapeutic effects against atherosclerosis (AS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), liver fibrosis, diabetes, heart/brain ischemia, and osteoporosis, by regulating signaling pathways and acting on specific molecular targets. Moreover, this review delves into in-depth insights and perspectives, such as the utilization of SalB in combination with other drugs, the validation of molecular mechanisms and targets, and the research and development of novel drug carriers and dosage forms. In conclusion, this review aimed to offer a comprehensive scientometric analysis and in-depth appraisal of SalB research, encompassing both present achievements and future prospects, thereby providing a valuable resource for the clinical application and therapeutic exploitation of SalB.