The American journal of Chinese medicine
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Oxidative stress is an important contributor to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The overproduction of reactive oxygen species observed in AD patients results in the loss of mitochondrial function, altered metal ion homeostasis, lipopolysaccharide metabolism disorder, reduced anti-oxidant defense, increased release of inflammatory factors, and the aggravation and accumulation of amyloid-beta and tau hyper-phosphorylation, which directly cause synaptic and neuronal loss and lead to cognitive dysfunction. Thus, oxidative stress proves to be a fundamental part of AD development and progression, suggesting the potential benefits of anti-oxidant-based therapies for AD. ⋯ Obtained results revealed key genes (such as AKT1, BCL2, IL-6, TNF-[Formula: see text] and BAX) and signaling pathways (like PI3K-AKT and BCL2/BAX) are closely associated with the biological processes responding to oxidative stress. Further verification of the survival/anti-oxidant effects of WSEAA in vitro and in vivo showed that the extract has anti-oxidatant/neuronal survival action against H2O2-induced damage, and is thus able to prevent the cognitive decline and pathological changes of 3xTg transgenic (3xTg) mice via the regulation of key target-genes and pathways, such as PI3K-AKT and BCL2/BAX, related to survival/apoptosis. Our findings strongly indicate the potential of WSEAA for the prevention and treatment of AD.
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The treatment of cardiovascular diseases and obesity, two diseases posing a major risk to human health, has been plagued by the scarcity of potent and effective medication with fewer side effects. To address this problem, numerous efforts, and some progress, have been made. Among possible treatments are some medicinal herbs; particularly promising is Alisma orientale (AO). ⋯ Results from the research currently available reveal that active constituents of AO, such as alisol B 23-acetate, alisol A 24-acetace, and alisol A, have been proven to be effective for treating cardiovascular diseases by modulating the lipid metabolism of macrophages, improving the biological behavior of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and enhancing anti-inflammatory effects. Moreover, the active constituents of AO can also intervene in obesity by modulating abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism and fat decomposition of the body by activating the AMPK- and PPAR-related signaling pathways. In summation, based upon our research of available literature, this review reveals that AO and its active constituents have a great potential to be used as drugs for treating cardiovascular diseases and ameliorating obesity.
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Panax ginseng, as a kind of rare and valuable Chinese materia medica with the largest global trade volume, has been widely applied in many fields, such as medicine, food, health care, and production of daily chemical products. It is widely used in Asia, Europe, and America. However, its global trade and standardization present different features and an uneven development in different countries or regions. ⋯ Besides, European countries, as another consumption market of Panax ginseng, pay more attention to the research and development of its products. Although Panax ginseng has been widely recorded in various national pharmacopoeias and regional standards, the current standards of Panax ginseng differ in quantity, composition, and distribution, and the existing standards cannot be enough to meet the demands of its global trade. Based on the above issues, we systemically summarized and analyzed the status and features of Panax ginseng standardization and put forward suggestions on the development needs of international standardization of Panax ginseng to guarantee its quality and safety, regulate the order of its global trade, and resolve trade disputes, thereby promoting the high-quality development of the Panax ginseng industry.
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Meta Analysis
Traditional Chinese Patent Medicine in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicine compared with western medicine in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease using the Network Meta-analysis. This study retrieved relevant studies from 7 databases, and the retrieval time was from the establishment of each database to June 2022. After the screening, data extraction, and quality assessment, 47 studies were finally analyzed, involving 11 Chinese patent medicines. ⋯ Additionally, oral Chinese patent medicine intervention alone ranked first in reducing adverse reactions. In the funnel plots of the MMSE, ADL, and effective rate, most studies were symmetrically distributed on both sides of the midline, where small sample effects and publication bias might exist to some extent. However, this conclusion still needs to be combined with clinical syndrome differentiation and treatment, and more large-sample, multi-center, high-quality studies are needed for further verification.
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Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies in women, and exhibits high metastasis, recurrence and fatality rates. Novel therapies for breast cancer are constantly emerging, such as targeted therapy, oncolytic virotherapy, and immunotherapy. Despite their potential, these new therapies are still in their infancy, and chemotherapy remains the standard treatment for breast cancer. ⋯ Additionally, senescence, autophagy, angiogenesis, and glycolysis mechanisms were observed to play a role in their antibreast cancer activity. Furthermore, multiple signaling pathways contributed to the antitumor effects of S. baicalensi, such as the NF-[Formula: see text]B, Wnt/[Formula: see text]-catenin, SATB1, Bcl2 family proteins, Caspase, PI3K/Akt, mTOR, ERK, p38-MAPK, TGF-[Formula: see text]/Smad, and Hippo/YAP pathways. This review provides valuable insights into the role of S. baicalensis as a breast cancer treatment and acts as a foundation for further investigations in this field.