The American journal of Chinese medicine
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Uric acid nephropathy (UAN) is caused by excessive uric acid, which results in the damage of renal tissue via urate crystals deposition in the kidneys. The roots and rhizomes of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (S. miltiorrhiza) have been clinically used in many prescriptions to treat uric acid-induced renal damage. This study investigates the uricosuric and nephroprotective effects of the ethyl acetate extract of S. miltiorrhiza (EASM) and tanshinone IIA (a major component of S. miltiorrhiza, Tan-IIA) on UAN and explores the underlying molecular mechanism. ⋯ Moreover, EASM treatment significantly prevented excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in uric acid-induced HK-2 cells and suppressed the expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 (NOX4). EASM also suppressed ROS-activated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in vivo and in vitro. These results suggest that both EASM and Tan-IIA demonstrated inhibitory effects on UAN through relieving NOX4-mediated oxidative stress and suppressing MAPK pathways activation.
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Fucoidan is a type of polysaccharide rich in sulfuric acid groups and is mainly found in brown algae. Due to its extensive biological activities, such as anticoagulant, antitumor, antithrombotic, antiviral, anti-oxidant and enhancing immune function, fucoidan has gradually become a research hotspot. ⋯ In this paper, we discuss the important role of fucoidan in viral hepatitis, liver fibrosis, liver cancer, nonalcoholic fatty liver and liver injury induced by drugs and ischemia and briefly discuss its underlying mechanism. We supplement the theoretical basis for its clinical application and provide effective targets for the development of follow-up dominant drugs.
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Achillea millefolium L. (AM) is an aromatic herb with a variety of pharmacological properties, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activities. However, AM's effects on atopic dermatitis (AD) have not been investigated. This study evaluates the anti-AD activity of 50% ethanol-extracted AM in murine macrophage Raw 264.7 cells, in tumor necrosis factor-alpha/interferon-gamma (TNF-[Formula: see text]/IFN-[Formula: see text])-stimulated human immortal keratinocyte HaCaT cells in vitro, and in Biostir-AD-treated NC/Nga mice in vivo. ⋯ AD-like symptoms, such as elevated serum immunoglobin E levels, epidermal thickening, high dermatitis severity score, transepidermal water loss, and reduced skin hydration, were relieved by the dietary administration of AM in Biostir-AD-treated NC/Nga mice. In addition, filaggrin expression increased significantly in AM-treated groups. These results suggest that AM could be a useful candidate for AD treatment.
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Black ginseng (BG), which is ginseng that has been steamed and dried nine times, and its main protopanaxatriol-type ginsenosides Rg4, Rg6, Rh4, and Rg2 have been reported to exhibit various forms of biological activity, including antiseptic, antidiabetic, wound-healing, immune-stimulatory, and anti-oxidant activity. The aim of the this study was to examine the effects of [Formula: see text] (a rare protopanaxatriol-type ginsenoside fraction; Rg2, Rg4, Rg6, Rh1, and Rh4) on heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) induction and on the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX-)2 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAECs). [Formula: see text] was tested to determine its effect on iNOS protein expression and inflammatory markers (interleukin [IL]-1[Formula: see text] and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-[Formula: see text] in the lung tissue of LPS-treated mice. The results showed that [Formula: see text] induced the expression of HO-1, reduced LPS-activated NF-[Formula: see text]B-luciferase activity, and inhibited iNOS/NO and COX-2/PGE2, which contributed to the inhibition of STAT-1 phosphorylation. ⋯ This reduction in iNOS/NO expression due to [Formula: see text] was reversed by siHO-1 RNA transfection. In LPS-treated mice, [Formula: see text] significantly reduced lung tissue iNOS protein levels and TNF-[Formula: see text] levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. In conclusion, these findings indicate that [Formula: see text] has a critical anti-inflammatory effect due to its ability to regulate iNOS via the inhibition of p-STAT-1 and NF-[Formula: see text]B, and thus it may be suitable for the treatment of inflammatory disease.
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Lymph node migration results in poor prognoses for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. Tricetin, a flavonoid derivative, regulates tumorigenesis activity through its antiproliferative and antimetastatic properties. However, the molecular mechanism of tricetin affecting the migration and invasion of NPC cells remains poorly understood. ⋯ PS-1 was transcriptionally inhibited via the Akt signaling pathway but not mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, such as the JNK, p38, and ERK1/2 pathways. In addition to upregulating GSK-3[Formula: see text] phosphorylation through Akt suppression, tricetin may downregulate the activity of PS-1. Overall, our study provides new insight into the role of tricetin-induced molecular regulation in the suppression of NPC metastasis and suggests that tricetin has prospective therapeutic applications for patients with NPC.