Pub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1016/j.chmed.2025.02.001
Xuyu Chen , Yun Yang , Yangyang Liu , Chun Sui , Jianhe Wei
Objective
The objective of this study was to analyse fungal composition and exploit application potential in the Bantou (BT) agarwood-forming trunk of Aquilaria sinensis.
Methods
BT agarwood is a naturally formed agarwood that was collected after cutting. Total genomic DNA of the fungi in BT agarwood was extracted by the hexadecyltrimethy ammonium bromide (CTAB) method, followed by PCR amplification and library construction. The effective tags were obtained by the HiSeq2500 platform, and the data were subjected to bioinformatics and statistical analyses.
Results
A total of 7 850 040 effective tags were obtained, Ascomycota was the most abundant fungus at the phylum level, with a relative abundance of 56.36%–61.44%, followed by Basidiomycota, with a relative abundance of 10.49%–20.39%. Dothideomycetes, Agaricomycetes and Sordariomycetes were dominant at the class level, accounting for 26.21%–33.88%, 8.40%–17.66%, and 18.41%–24.11%, respectively. Lignosphaeria, Phaeoacremonium and Hermatomyces were dominant at the genus level, with relative abundances of 6.25%–7.64%, 1.95%–9.05% and 1.5%–5.4%, respectively. Diversity and richness analysis showed that the fungal composition in the agarwood formation sites (agarwood layer, upper agarwood layer and lower agarwood layer) were significantly lower than those in the decomposing layer and the healthy layer. That is, the fungal diversity and richness were significantly reduced during agarwood formation by the action of open wounds. The fungal community structure in the decomposing layer and agarwood formation sites obviously differed from that in the healthy layer. The number of Aspergillus taxa in agarwood formation sites decreased significantly (healthy layer is 0.5%, decomposing layer is 0.022%, upper agarwood layer is 0.012%, agarwood layer is 0.01%, and lower agarwood layer is 0.013%), indicating that agarwood may contain potential substances to inhibit the growth of Aspergillus.
Conclusion
Agarwood from agarwood formation sites contains potential substances that inhibit Aspergillus, which provides valuable information for the control of the genus of Aspergillus.
{"title":"Analysis of fungal composition in different layers of Bantou agarwood-forming trunk of Aquilaria sinensis revealing presence of Aspergillus-inhibiting substances in agarwood sites","authors":"Xuyu Chen , Yun Yang , Yangyang Liu , Chun Sui , Jianhe Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2025.02.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2025.02.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The objective of this study was to analyse fungal composition and exploit application potential in the Bantou (BT) agarwood-forming trunk of <em>Aquilaria sinensis.</em></div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>BT agarwood is a naturally formed agarwood that was collected after cutting. Total genomic DNA of the fungi in BT agarwood was extracted by the hexadecyltrimethy ammonium bromide (CTAB) method, followed by PCR amplification and library construction. The effective tags were obtained by the HiSeq2500 platform, and the data were subjected to bioinformatics and statistical analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 7 850 040 effective tags were obtained, Ascomycota was the most abundant fungus at the phylum level, with a relative abundance of 56.36%–61.44%, followed by Basidiomycota, with a relative abundance of 10.49%–20.39%. Dothideomycetes, Agaricomycetes and Sordariomycetes were dominant at the class level, accounting for 26.21%–33.88%, 8.40%–17.66%, and 18.41%–24.11%, respectively. <em>Lignosphaeria</em>, <em>Phaeoacremonium</em> and <em>Hermatomyces</em> were dominant at the genus level, with relative abundances of 6.25%–7.64%, 1.95%–9.05% and 1.5%–5.4%, respectively. Diversity and richness analysis showed that the fungal composition in the agarwood formation sites (agarwood layer, upper agarwood layer and lower agarwood layer) were significantly lower than those in the decomposing layer and the healthy layer. That is, the fungal diversity and richness were significantly reduced during agarwood formation by the action of open wounds. The fungal community structure in the decomposing layer and agarwood formation sites obviously differed from that in the healthy layer. The number of <em>Aspergillus</em> taxa in agarwood formation sites decreased significantly (healthy layer is 0.5%, decomposing layer is 0.022%, upper agarwood layer is 0.012%, agarwood layer is 0.01%, and lower agarwood layer is 0.013%), indicating that agarwood may contain potential substances to inhibit the growth of <em>Aspergillus</em>.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Agarwood from agarwood formation sites contains potential substances that inhibit <em>Aspergillus</em>, which provides valuable information for the control of the genus of <em>Aspergillus</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"17 2","pages":"Pages 315-321"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1016/j.chmed.2024.09.001
Wenze Wu , Yan Mi , Qingqi Meng , Ning Li , Wei Li , Pu Wang , Yue Hou
Natural polyphenols are a group of components widely found in traditional Chinese medicines and have been demonstrated to delay or prevent the development of aging and age-related diseases in recent years. As far as we know, the studies of natural polyphenols in aging and aging-related diseases have never been extensively reviewed. In the present paper, we reviewed recent advances of natural polyphenols in aging and common age-related diseases and the current technological methods to improve the bioavailability of natural polyphenols. The results showed that natural polyphenols have the potential to prevent or treat aging and common age-related diseases through multiple mechanisms. Nanotechnology, structural modifications, and matrix processing could provide strong technical support for the development of natural polyphenols to prevent or treat aging and age-related diseases. In conclusion, natural polyphenols have important potential in the prevention and treatment of aging and age-related diseases.
{"title":"Natural polyphenols as novel interventions for aging and age-related diseases: Exploring efficacy, mechanisms of action and implications for future research","authors":"Wenze Wu , Yan Mi , Qingqi Meng , Ning Li , Wei Li , Pu Wang , Yue Hou","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2024.09.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2024.09.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Natural polyphenols are a group of components widely found in traditional Chinese medicines and have been demonstrated to delay or prevent the development of aging and age-related diseases in recent years. As far as we know, the studies of natural polyphenols in aging and aging-related diseases have never been extensively reviewed. In the present paper, we reviewed recent advances of natural polyphenols in aging and common age-related diseases and the current technological methods to improve the bioavailability of natural polyphenols. The results showed that natural polyphenols have the potential to prevent or treat aging and common age-related diseases through multiple mechanisms. Nanotechnology, structural modifications, and matrix processing could provide strong technical support for the development of natural polyphenols to prevent or treat aging and age-related diseases. In conclusion, natural polyphenols have important potential in the prevention and treatment of aging and age-related diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"17 2","pages":"Pages 279-291"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1016/j.chmed.2024.09.005
Lixue He , Shixing Edi , Jun Ma , Zilin Kong , Chunguang Dai , Linfang Huang , Rui Zeng , Kaijun Gou
Nuclear radiation exposure events and tumor radiotherapy are highly susceptible to a range of psychological, physiological and other health problems, which can seriously affect patients’ quality of life. It has been shown that 87.5 % of tumor patients are exposed to varying degrees of radiation injury during radiotherapy. The treatment of radiation injury (RI) in modern medicine is limited to drug therapy, cell therapy, etc. Among them, the most chemical drugs cause many adverse reactions including fatigue, nausea, vomiting, etc., and there are very few drugs dedicated to the treatment of RI. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a rich natural medicinal resource, which has a wide range of pharmacological activities, multiple targets of action and minimal toxic side effects. Many studies have demonstrated that TCM and its compound preparations have enormous potential in the treatment of radiation induced comprehensive diseases. However, TCM is limited in clinical application due to its slow onset of action, complex active ingredients, and low bioavailability. Therefore, the article reviews the application, molecular mechanisms, and new dosage forms of TCM in the prevention and treatment of RI. On this basis, we will focus on discussing the development advantages and application prospects of the combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine to achieve highly efficient treatment of RI. This review aims to provide scientific and effective drug delivery strategies and basic theoretical support for the clinical effective treatment of RI with TCM, and further promote the innovative development of TCM.
{"title":"Prevention and treatment of radiation injury by traditional Chinese medicine: A review","authors":"Lixue He , Shixing Edi , Jun Ma , Zilin Kong , Chunguang Dai , Linfang Huang , Rui Zeng , Kaijun Gou","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2024.09.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2024.09.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nuclear radiation exposure events and tumor radiotherapy are highly susceptible to a range of psychological, physiological and other health problems, which can seriously affect patients’ quality of life. It has been shown that 87.5 % of tumor patients are exposed to varying degrees of radiation injury during radiotherapy. The treatment of radiation injury (RI) in modern medicine is limited to drug therapy, cell therapy, etc. Among them, the most chemical drugs cause many adverse reactions including fatigue, nausea, vomiting, etc., and there are very few drugs dedicated to the treatment of RI. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a rich natural medicinal resource, which has a wide range of pharmacological activities, multiple targets of action and minimal toxic side effects. Many studies have demonstrated that TCM and its compound preparations have enormous potential in the treatment of radiation induced comprehensive diseases. However, TCM is limited in clinical application due to its slow onset of action, complex active ingredients, and low bioavailability. Therefore, the article reviews the application, molecular mechanisms, and new dosage forms of TCM in the prevention and treatment of RI. On this basis, we will focus on discussing the development advantages and application prospects of the combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine to achieve highly efficient treatment of RI. This review aims to provide scientific and effective drug delivery strategies and basic theoretical support for the clinical effective treatment of RI with TCM, and further promote the innovative development of TCM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"17 2","pages":"Pages 220-234"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808505","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1016/j.chmed.2024.07.006
Bin Yao , Meng Zhang , Shaolei Zhao , Hongjian Yu , Jingze Zhang , Dailin Liu
Lophatheri Herba (Danzhuye in Chinese) is derived from the dried stems and leaves of Lophatherum gracile and has a long history of use as a medicinal and food source. Flavonoids and phenolic acids are the main active ingredients in Lophatheri Herba, which produce diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic effects. Flavonoid glycosides and hydroxybenzoic acids are respectively the main structure in 44 flavonoids and 16 phenolic acids obtained from Lophatheri Herba. Modern pharmacological studies have found that the main chemical constituents of Lophatheri Herba play important roles in anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective and hypoglycaemic effects. Studies have demonstrated that flavonoid monomers, for example, luteolin, isoorientin, luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucoside and apigenin are more effective in exerting the above pharmacological effects. In addition, Lophatheri Herba is used in different food products as the main ingredient or as an accessory. This review describes Lophatheri Herba in terms of its chemical composition, pharmacological effects and efficacy, food development and applications, and clinical utility, and discusses the problems facing its use. This study provides valuable ideas and a scientific basis for the future development and use of L. gracile.
Lophatheri Herba （dan竹叶）是由Lophatherum gracile的干茎和叶提炼而成，作为药用和食物来源有着悠久的历史。黄酮类化合物和酚酸类化合物是牛膝草的主要有效成分，具有利尿、抗炎、解热等作用。从枇杷草中分离得到的44种黄酮类化合物和16种酚类化合物的主要结构分别为黄酮类苷和羟基苯甲酸。现代药理学研究发现，罗芬草的主要化学成分具有抗炎、保心、保肝、降血糖等重要作用。研究表明，木犀草素、异荭草苷、木犀草素-7- o -β- d -葡萄糖苷、芹菜素等类黄酮单体更能发挥上述药理作用。此外，Lophatheri Herba在不同的食品中用作主要成分或辅助成分。本文从化学成分、药理作用和功效、食品开发应用、临床应用等方面综述了罗氏草的研究现状，并对其应用中存在的问题进行了讨论。本研究为今后的开发利用提供了有价值的思路和科学依据。
{"title":"Research and utilization status of Lophatherum gracile: A medicinal and food homologous plant","authors":"Bin Yao , Meng Zhang , Shaolei Zhao , Hongjian Yu , Jingze Zhang , Dailin Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2024.07.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2024.07.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Lophatheri Herba</em> (Danzhuye in Chinese) is derived from the dried stems and leaves of <em>Lophatherum gracile</em> and has a long history of use as a medicinal and food source. Flavonoids and phenolic acids are the main active ingredients in <em>Lophatheri Herba</em>, which produce diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic effects. Flavonoid glycosides and hydroxybenzoic acids are respectively the main structure in 44 flavonoids and 16 phenolic acids obtained from <em>Lophatheri Herba.</em> Modern pharmacological studies have found that the main chemical constituents of <em>Lophatheri Herba</em> play important roles in anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective and hypoglycaemic effects. Studies have demonstrated that flavonoid monomers, for example, luteolin, isoorientin, luteolin-7-<em>O</em>-<em>β</em>-<em>D</em>-glucoside and apigenin are more effective in exerting the above pharmacological effects. In addition, <em>Lophatheri Herba</em> is used in different food products as the main ingredient or as an accessory. This review describes <em>Lophatheri Herba</em> in terms of its chemical composition, pharmacological effects and efficacy, food development and applications, and clinical utility, and discusses the problems facing its use. This study provides valuable ideas and a scientific basis for the future development and use of <em>L. gracile</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"17 2","pages":"Pages 261-278"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Coix lacryma-jobi, a highly regarded Asian herb widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, is recognized for its dual benefits in promoting overall health and treating various diseases. While it exhibits moderate anticancer efficacy when used alone, this study investigated the enhanced anticancer potential of raw and cooked Coix lacryma-jobi var. lacryma-jobi (CL) seed extracts in combination with sorafenib against HCT116 and HepG2 cancer cell lines. The combination of sorafenib with other anticancer agents, including natural extracts, has garnered significant attention as a promising strategy for developing more effective cancer therapies.
Methods
Dry powders of raw (R) and cooked (C) CL seeds, obtained from a local commercial source in Thailand, were extracted and fractionated using ethanol (E), dichloromethane (D), ethyl acetate (A), and water (W) to produce eight fractions: CLRE, CLCE, CLRD, CLCD, CLRA, CLCA, CLRW, and CLCW. The coixol content in raw and cooked seed extracts was quantified and expressed as μg of coixol per gram of extract. The cytotoxic effects of these fractions were evaluated against HCT116 and HepG2 cells using the MTT assay. Fractions demonstrating the most significant cytotoxic responses were combined with sorafenib to evaluate their synergistic effects. Apoptosis induction and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were assessed, and the underlying mechanism of apoptosis was explored by analyzing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and antioxidant protein expression levels. Additionally, the combination treatment’s effect on the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway was investigated.
Results
One gram of CLCE and CLCD extracts contained higher coixol levels (7.02 μg and 9.69 μg, respectively) compared to CLRE and CLRD (2.66 μg and 5.96 μg, respectively). Coixol content in CLRA, CLRW, and CLCW fractions was undetectable under the study conditions. All extract fractions exhibited IC50 values exceeding 1 mg/mL after 24- and 48-hour incubations with HCT116 and HepG2 cells, indicating limited cytotoxicity when used independently. CLRD and CLCD fractions were selected for combination studies at a concentration of 1 mg/mL, combined with sub-IC50 concentrations of sorafenib to minimize its side effects. This combination significantly increased cytotoxicity, inducing apoptosis in HCT116 and HepG2 cells by elevating ROS levels and reducing the expression of superoxide dismutase 2 and catalase. Furthermore, the combination treatment downregulated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, indicating a targeted anticancer mechanism.
Conclusion
The combination of CLCD with sorafenib demonstrates significant potential as a strategy for future anticancer therapies. This CL seed extract, cultivated and commercially a
{"title":"Enhancement of apoptosis in HCT116 and HepG2 cells by Coix lacryma-jobi var. lacryma-jobi seed extract in combination with sorafenib","authors":"Supawadee Parhira , Guoyuan Zhu , Apirath Wangteeraprasert , Suphunwadee Sawong , Pennapha Suknoppakit , Julintorn Somran , Naphat Kaewpaeng , Khemmachat Pansooksan , Dumrongsak Pekthong , Piyarat Srisawang","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2025.02.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2025.02.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div><em>Coix lacryma-jobi</em>, a highly regarded Asian herb widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, is recognized for its dual benefits in promoting overall health and treating various diseases. While it exhibits moderate anticancer efficacy when used alone, this study investigated the enhanced anticancer potential of raw and cooked <em>Coix lacryma-jobi</em> var. <em>lacryma-jobi</em> (CL) seed extracts in combination with sorafenib against HCT116 and HepG2 cancer cell lines. The combination of sorafenib with other anticancer agents, including natural extracts, has garnered significant attention as a promising strategy for developing more effective cancer therapies.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Dry powders of raw (R) and cooked (C) CL seeds, obtained from a local commercial source in Thailand, were extracted and fractionated using ethanol (E), dichloromethane (D), ethyl acetate (A), and water (W) to produce eight fractions: CLRE, CLCE, CLRD, CLCD, CLRA, CLCA, CLRW, and CLCW. The coixol content in raw and cooked seed extracts was quantified and expressed as μg of coixol per gram of extract. The cytotoxic effects of these fractions were evaluated against HCT116 and HepG2 cells using the MTT assay. Fractions demonstrating the most significant cytotoxic responses were combined with sorafenib to evaluate their synergistic effects. Apoptosis induction and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were assessed, and the underlying mechanism of apoptosis was explored by analyzing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and antioxidant protein expression levels. Additionally, the combination treatment’s effect on the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway was investigated.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>One gram of CLCE and CLCD extracts contained higher coixol levels (7.02 μg and 9.69 μg, respectively) compared to CLRE and CLRD (2.66 μg and 5.96 μg, respectively). Coixol content in CLRA, CLRW, and CLCW fractions was undetectable under the study conditions. All extract fractions exhibited IC<sub>50</sub> values exceeding 1 mg/mL after 24- and 48-hour incubations with HCT116 and HepG2 cells, indicating limited cytotoxicity when used independently. CLRD and CLCD fractions were selected for combination studies at a concentration of 1 mg/mL, combined with sub-IC<sub>50</sub> concentrations of sorafenib to minimize its side effects. This combination significantly increased cytotoxicity, inducing apoptosis in HCT116 and HepG2 cells by elevating ROS levels and reducing the expression of superoxide dismutase 2 and catalase. Furthermore, the combination treatment downregulated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, indicating a targeted anticancer mechanism.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The combination of CLCD with sorafenib demonstrates significant potential as a strategy for future anticancer therapies. This CL seed extract, cultivated and commercially a","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"17 2","pages":"Pages 322-339"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1016/j.chmed.2025.02.004
Chunfu Wu
{"title":"Epigenetics and traditional Chinese medicine: A noteworthy research area","authors":"Chunfu Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2025.02.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2025.02.004","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"17 2","pages":"Pages 201-202"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1016/j.chmed.2024.11.002
Yu Wu , Yan Xu , Hao Cai , Zhengying Hua , Meimei Luo , Letao Hu , Nong Zhou , Xinghong Wang , Weidong Li
Objective
Salt-processed Psoraleae Fructus (SPF) is widely used as a phytoestrogen-like agent in the treatment of osteoporosis. However, due to improper clinical use or misuse, resulting in liver damage. In this study, network pharmacology was employed to analyze the mechanism of cholestatic liver damage. An adeno-associated virus overexpressing SULT1E1 (rAAV8-SULT1E1) was constructed and the hepatotoxicity of SPF, psoralen, and isopsoralen was determined.
Methods
By utilizing three databases inclding TCMSP, TCMID, and BATMAN- TCM, the targets of the three databases were summarized, and a total of 45 psoralen compounds were included. Network pharmacology analysis was then performed. The adenoviral vectors were injected into the tail vein of C57BL6 mice to elucidate the role of SULT1E1 in SPF-induced cholestasis-mediated hepatotoxicity in vivo. SPF (10 g/kg), psoralen, and isopsoralen (50 mg/kg each) were intragastrically administered to mice for 30 d. B-ultrasound and samples were collected and examined for follow-up experiments.
Results
A total of 854 targets were predicted for 45 active components, with 151 cholestasis-mediated hepatotoxicity-related disease targets obtained for SPF. A total of 126 pathways were enriched based on KEGG pathway analysis, with the “estrogen signaling pathway” identified as one of the top 20 pathways. In terms of pathological hepatic changes, treated mice had visually swollen hepatocytes, dilated bile ducts, and elevated serum biochemical markers, which were more prominent in mice treated with isopsoralen than in those treated with other compounds. Notably, the overexpression of SULT1E1 could reverse liver damage in each treatment group. B-ultrasound was used to observe the size of the gallbladder in vivo. The size of the gallbladder was found to significantly increase on day 30 after treatment in the SPF-, psoralen-, and isopsoralen-treated groups, especially the SPF group. Compared with the expression levels in the negative control group (rAAV8-empty + con), the expression levels of FXR, Mrp2, Bsep, SULT1E1, SULT2A1, Ntcp, and Nrf2 decreased, whereas those of CYP7a1 and IL-6 increased in the SPF-, psoralen-, and isopsoralen-treated groups.
Conclusion
The overexpression of SULT1E1 could alleviate the decreased or increased expression of indicators, indicating that SULT1E1 is an important target gene for SPF-induced liver damage. The severity of liver damage was significantly lower in the rAAV8-SULT1E1 groups than in the rAAV8-empty groups.
{"title":"Overexpression of SULT1E1 alleviates salt-processed Psoraleae Fructus-induced cholestatic liver damage","authors":"Yu Wu , Yan Xu , Hao Cai , Zhengying Hua , Meimei Luo , Letao Hu , Nong Zhou , Xinghong Wang , Weidong Li","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2024.11.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2024.11.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Salt-processed <em>Psoraleae Fructus</em> (SPF) is widely used as a phytoestrogen-like agent in the treatment of osteoporosis. However, due to improper clinical use or misuse, resulting in liver damage. In this study, network pharmacology was employed to analyze the mechanism of cholestatic liver damage. An adeno-associated virus overexpressing SULT1E1 (rAAV8-SULT1E1) was constructed and the hepatotoxicity of SPF, psoralen, and isopsoralen was determined.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>By utilizing three databases inclding TCMSP, TCMID, and BATMAN- TCM, the targets of the three databases were summarized, and a total of 45 psoralen compounds were included. Network pharmacology analysis was then performed. The adenoviral vectors were injected into the tail vein of C57BL6 mice to elucidate the role of SULT1E1 in SPF-induced cholestasis-mediated hepatotoxicity <em>in vivo</em>. SPF (10 g/kg), psoralen, and isopsoralen (50 mg/kg each) were intragastrically administered to mice for 30 d. B-ultrasound and samples were collected and examined for follow-up experiments.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 854 targets were predicted for 45 active components, with 151 cholestasis-mediated hepatotoxicity-related disease targets obtained for SPF. A total of 126 pathways were enriched based on KEGG pathway analysis, with the “estrogen signaling pathway” identified as one of the top 20 pathways. In terms of pathological hepatic changes, treated mice had visually swollen hepatocytes, dilated bile ducts, and elevated serum biochemical markers, which were more prominent in mice treated with isopsoralen than in those treated with other compounds. Notably, the overexpression of SULT1E1 could reverse liver damage in each treatment group. B-ultrasound was used to observe the size of the gallbladder <em>in vivo</em>. The size of the gallbladder was found to significantly increase on day 30 after treatment in the SPF-, psoralen-, and isopsoralen-treated groups, especially the SPF group. Compared with the expression levels in the negative control group (rAAV8-empty + con), the expression levels of FXR, Mrp2, Bsep, SULT1E1, SULT2A1, Ntcp, and Nrf2 decreased, whereas those of CYP7a1 and IL-6 increased in the SPF-, psoralen-, and isopsoralen-treated groups.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The overexpression of SULT1E1 could alleviate the decreased or increased expression of indicators, indicating that SULT1E1 is an important target gene for SPF-induced liver damage. The severity of liver damage was significantly lower in the rAAV8-SULT1E1 groups than in the rAAV8-empty groups.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"17 2","pages":"Pages 392-403"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808249","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1016/j.chmed.2024.01.003
Shuang He , Xiaoling Liang , Weixiong Chen , Yangji Nima , Yi Li , Zihui Gu , Siyue Lai , Fei Zhong , Caixiong Qiu , Yuying Mo , Jiajun Tang , Guanyi Wu
Objective
This study aims to elucidate the therapeutic potential of osthole for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD), focusing on its ability to alleviate chronic pruritus (CP) and the underlying molecular mechanisms.
Methods
In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of osthole in both a 2,4-dichloronitrobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD mouse model and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) stimulated huma immortalized epidermal (HaCaT) cells. The anti-itch effect of osthole was specifically assessed in the AD mouse model. Using methods such as hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot (WB), quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and immunofluorescence staining.
Results
Osthole improved skin damage and clinical dermatitis scores, reduced scratching bouts, and decreased epidermal thickness AD-like mice. It also reduced the levels of interleukin (IL)-31 and IL-31 receptor A (IL-31 RA) in both skin tissues and HaCaT cells. Furthermore, Osthole suppressed the protein expression levels of phosphor-p65 (p-p65) and phosphor-inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-Bα (p-IκBα). Meanwhile, it increased the protein expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and PPARγ in HaCaT cells.
Conclusion
These findings indicated that osthole effectively inhibited CP in AD by activating PPARα, PPARγ, repressing the NF-κB signaling pathway, as well as the expression of IL-31 and IL-31 RA.
目的探讨蛇床子素治疗特应性皮炎（AD）的治疗潜力，重点探讨其缓解慢性瘙痒（CP）的能力及其分子机制。方法研究蛇蛇素对2,4-二氯硝基苯（DNCB）诱导的AD小鼠模型和肿瘤坏死因子-α (TNF-α)和干扰素-γ (IFN-γ)刺激的人永生化表皮（HaCaT）细胞的抗炎作用。在AD小鼠模型中特异性评价蛇床子的止痒作用。采用苏木精和伊红（HE）染色、酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）、免疫印迹（WB）、实时荧光定量PCR （qRT-PCR）和免疫荧光染色等方法。结果sosthole改善了ad样小鼠的皮肤损伤和临床皮炎评分，减少了抓伤次数，降低了表皮厚度。它还降低了皮肤组织和HaCaT细胞中白细胞介素(IL)-31和IL-31受体A （IL-31 RA）的水平。此外，蛇床子素抑制磷酸化p65 （p-p65）和磷酸化核因子κ b α (p- κ b α)的蛋白表达水平。同时提高HaCaT细胞过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体α (PPARα)和PPARγ的蛋白表达水平。结论蛇床子素通过激活PPARα、PPARγ，抑制NF-κB信号通路，抑制IL-31、IL-31 RA的表达，有效抑制AD CP。
{"title":"Osthole ameliorates chronic pruritus in 2,4-dichloronitrobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis by inhibiting IL-31 production","authors":"Shuang He , Xiaoling Liang , Weixiong Chen , Yangji Nima , Yi Li , Zihui Gu , Siyue Lai , Fei Zhong , Caixiong Qiu , Yuying Mo , Jiajun Tang , Guanyi Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2024.01.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2024.01.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aims to elucidate the therapeutic potential of osthole for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD), focusing on its ability to alleviate chronic pruritus (CP) and the underlying molecular mechanisms.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of osthole in both a 2,4-dichloronitrobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD mouse model and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) stimulated huma immortalized epidermal (HaCaT) cells. The anti-itch effect of osthole was specifically assessed in the AD mouse model. Using methods such as hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot (WB), quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and immunofluorescence staining.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Osthole improved skin damage and clinical dermatitis scores, reduced scratching bouts, and decreased epidermal thickness AD-like mice. It also reduced the levels of interleukin (IL)-31 and IL-31 receptor A (IL-31 RA) in both skin tissues and HaCaT cells. Furthermore, Osthole suppressed the protein expression levels of phosphor-p65 (p-p65) and phosphor-inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-Bα (p-IκBα). Meanwhile, it increased the protein expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and PPARγ in HaCaT cells.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>These findings indicated that osthole effectively inhibited CP in AD by activating PPARα, PPARγ, repressing the NF-κB signaling pathway, as well as the expression of IL-31 and IL-31 RA.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"17 2","pages":"Pages 368-379"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140759956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1016/j.chmed.2024.07.004
Meijing Xu, Minghui Cui, Yu Wang, Boru Li, Lijin Feng, Hang Xing, Kuo Zhang
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a relatively common but complex mental illness with a range of diverse risk factors. Typical symptoms include the re-experience or avoidance of traumatic events, cognitive impairment, and hypervigilance. While the exact pathogenesis of PTSD is unclear, many studies indicate that epigenetic regulation plays a key role in its development. Specifically, numerous studies have indicated that the levels of histone acetylation and methylation, DNA methylation, and noncoding RNA are altered in PTSD patients. Further to this, natural products have been found to achieve epigenetic regulation of PTSD by regulating the expression of epigenetic enzymes, long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), and miRNA, thereby playing a role in improving PTSD symptoms. To date, however, no epigenetic regulation related drugs have been used in the treatment of PTSD. Furthermore, while natural products that can epigenetically regulate PTSD have received increasing levels of attention, there have not yet been any systematic reports on the topic. Here, we summarized the roles and mechanisms of natural products in the epigenetic regulation of PTSD, providing a novel and unique perspective that will help to guide the development and application of new PTSD treatments.
{"title":"Therapeutic potentials of natural products for post-traumatic stress disorder: A focus on epigenetics","authors":"Meijing Xu, Minghui Cui, Yu Wang, Boru Li, Lijin Feng, Hang Xing, Kuo Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2024.07.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2024.07.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a relatively common but complex mental illness with a range of diverse risk factors. Typical symptoms include the re-experience or avoidance of traumatic events, cognitive impairment, and hypervigilance. While the exact pathogenesis of PTSD is unclear, many studies indicate that epigenetic regulation plays a key role in its development. Specifically, numerous studies have indicated that the levels of histone acetylation and methylation, DNA methylation, and noncoding RNA are altered in PTSD patients. Further to this, natural products have been found to achieve epigenetic regulation of PTSD by regulating the expression of epigenetic enzymes, long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), and miRNA, thereby playing a role in improving PTSD symptoms. To date, however, no epigenetic regulation related drugs have been used in the treatment of PTSD. Furthermore, while natural products that can epigenetically regulate PTSD have received increasing levels of attention, there have not yet been any systematic reports on the topic. Here, we summarized the roles and mechanisms of natural products in the epigenetic regulation of PTSD, providing a novel and unique perspective that will help to guide the development and application of new PTSD treatments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"17 2","pages":"Pages 203-219"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141850825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1016/j.chmed.2025.01.004
Sichao Tian , Zhanglu Hu , Weidong Zhang
With the modernization drive of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), this perspective innovatively proposes integrating carbon dot research paradigms to facilitate the modernization of charcoal drugs in TCM. The research focuses on five core areas: analyzing and validating charcoal drugs components pharmacologically, exploring modern preparation methods, establishing a quality evaluation system, fixing preparation process parameters, and probing into the material basis. These steps aim to deepen the scientific understanding of the material basis of charcoal drugs, optimize its preparation process, and establish a comprehensive quality control system. This work provides a theoretical foundation and experimental evidence for the scientific understanding of charcoal drugs, further promoting their modernization and internationalization.
{"title":"Modernization of charcoal drugs: Integrating research paradigms of carbon dots to gain new perspectives","authors":"Sichao Tian , Zhanglu Hu , Weidong Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.chmed.2025.01.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chmed.2025.01.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the modernization drive of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), this perspective innovatively proposes integrating carbon dot research paradigms to facilitate the modernization of charcoal drugs in TCM. The research focuses on five core areas: analyzing and validating charcoal drugs components pharmacologically, exploring modern preparation methods, establishing a quality evaluation system, fixing preparation process parameters, and probing into the material basis. These steps aim to deepen the scientific understanding of the material basis of charcoal drugs, optimize its preparation process, and establish a comprehensive quality control system. This work provides a theoretical foundation and experimental evidence for the scientific understanding of charcoal drugs, further promoting their modernization and internationalization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9916,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Herbal Medicines","volume":"17 2","pages":"Pages 292-295"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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