Authors:Jingyuan Zeng et al. Abstract: The study combined UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS analysis with authentic standards, to create a novel strategy for isomers recognition and putative identification. Through the strategy, anti-Covid-19 Jinhua Qinggan Granule was found to comprise 28 isomers and 45 potential anti-Covid-19 constituents. The detection of three constituents (Danshensu, cryptotanshin, and tanshinone IIA) suggests Danshen as confidential additive. Based on this, 6 constituents are recommended as quality-marker candidates, including chlorogenic acid, acteoside, peimisine, baicalein, licoricesaponin H2, and tanshinone IIA. Obviously, the study can not only help the public to really understand the Granule's formula and chemistry, but also facilitate its Pharmacopoeia collection in future. PubDate: Thu, 31 Aug 2023 01:55:47 PDT
Authors:Wen-Hua Chen et al. Abstract: Statins induce nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability by activating endothelial nitric oxide synthase via kinase- and calciumdependent pathways in endothelial cells (ECs). However, their effect on the metabolism of L-arginine, the precursor for NO biosynthesis, and regulatory mechanism have not yet been investigated. In this study, we investigated the role of the autophagy–urea cycle-L-arginine pathway in simvastatin-mediated NO bioavailability in ECs. Griess's assay was used to determine the NO bioavailability. Protein expression was assessed using Western blot analysis. Further, immunocytochemistry was performed to observe autophagosome formation, while conventional assay kits were used to quantify the levels of different intermediate substrates of the urea cycle. In ECs, treatment with simvastatin induced the activation of autophagy flux, as evidenced by the increased levels of microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 II and autophagolysosome formation and decreased levels of p62. Inhibition of autophagy by ATG7 small interfering RNA (siRNA), chloroquine and bafilomycin A1 abolished simvastatin-induced NO bioavailability, EC proliferation, migration, and tube formation. Additionally, simvastatin increased the intermediate substrates levels of the urea cycle, including glutamate, acetyl-CoA, urea, and L-arginine, all of which were abrogated by chloroquine or bafilomycin A1. Genetic knockdown of argininosuccinate lyase using siRNA abrogated simvastatin-induced increase in NO bioavailability and EC-related functions. Moreover, inhibition of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) prevented simvastatin-induced activation of the autophagy–urea cycle pathway and NO production. Our findings suggest that simvastatin activates the autophagy–urea cycle pathway via TRPV1-AMPK signaling, which increases L-arginine bioavailability and ultimately promotes NO production in ECs. PubDate: Thu, 31 Aug 2023 01:55:42 PDT
Authors:Cheng-Yang Hsieh et al. Abstract: Ji-Ming-Shan (JMS) is a traditional prescription use for patients with rheumatism, tendons swelling, athlete's foot, diuresis and even gout. This study developed a rapid and sensitive method for the analysis of JMS chemical components in the Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription and in the serum samples of rats which were administered with the herbal extract. Two mass spectrometric approaches were used namely Ultra-performance liquid chromatographyquadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) method for the major metabolites of the JMS extract while Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was employed for the detection of the JMS metabolites in the sera of rats. It was revealed that the major components in the JMS extract were identified to be narirutin and hesperidin. It was confirmed that 17 compounds were determined in JMS prescription extract and 16 metabolites resulting from the biotransformation of narirutin and hesperidin were identified in the serum samples. In silico analyses also revealed that the metabolite hersperidin-7-glucoside exhibited the best binding ability with respect to the Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme target. This study showcased the possible biochemical mechanism involved in the therapeutic efficiency of JMS components and their biotransformation products. PubDate: Thu, 31 Aug 2023 01:55:38 PDT
Authors:Li-Ching Chen et al. Abstract: Fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) is a member of FGF family, and abnormal expression of FGF9 can promote tumorigenesis. Cordycepin, a major bioactive component in fungus Cordyceps sinensis, could suppress various tumors. We have shown that cordycepin could inhibit FGF9-induced testicular tumor growth in vitro and in vivo with MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells. In the present study, the mechanisms related to apoptosis and autophagy were determined. Results show that cordycepin significantly suppressed cell viability and colony formation with correlatedly morphological change related to cell death in FGF9-treated MA-10 cells. Flow cytometry and western blotting results further demonstrate that cordycepin induced apoptosis through the cleavage of caspase-8, -9, -3 and PARP in FGF9-treated MA-10 cells. However, the expressions of LC3-II, beclin-1 and p62 were not stimulated by cordycepin with the presence of FGF9, suggesting cordycepin would activate apoptosis, but not autophagy, in FGF9-treated MA-10 cells. Moreover, inhibition of ERK signal pathway and autophagy would enhance cordycepin-induced cell death effects in FGF9-treated MA-10 cells, referring that ERK signaling was regulated under cordycepin and FGF9 treatments. In NOD-SCID mouse allograft model inoculated with MA-10 cells, cordycepin significantly suppressed tumor growth with the presence of FGF9, and the cleavage of caspase-3 could be observed in tumor tissue, implying cordycepin induced caspase cascade to suppress tumor growth. Moreover, cordycepin plus U0126, ERK inhibitor, further significantly suppressed tumor growth with the presence of FGF9 as compared to the FGF9 only group, confirming the involvement of ERK signaling in this event. In conclusion, cordycepin induced caspase and ERK pathways to promote MA-10 cell apoptosis, but not autophagy, with the presence of FGF9.
Authors:Kun-Teng Wang et al. Abstract: RespireAid™ (NRICM101) is an effective anti-SARS-CoV-2 traditional Chinese medicine formula and has been licensed as a drug or dietary supplement in Taiwan, Luxembourg, Australia, Singapore, Cambodia, Philippines, and Canada. In this study, we provided integrated quality control strategy to analyze the ingredient of RespireAid™. In addition, the lot-to-lot efficacy stabilities were also evaluated. We found that RespireAid™ comprised of monosaccharides and disaccharides (34.0%), maltodextrin (23.5%), inorganic elements and ash (12.2%), oligosaccharides and polysaccharides (11.4%), principal components (4.4%), moisture (4.0%), amino acids (3.5%), b-Cyclodextrin (0.25%), menthol (0.25%), and nucleotides (0.14%), while the remainder was unidentified (6.36%). This is the first time that the chemical composition of a complex traditional Chinese medicine was clarified using various analytical instruments. The lot-to-lot anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation efficacies of RespireAid™ were consistent, with average 50% scavenging concentrations of 0.22 ± 0.02 mg/mL and 5.76 ± 0.59 mg/mL, respectively. From a comprehensive quality control strategy point of view, RespireAid™, designed from a traditional Chinese medicine formula, displayed high quality, transparency, and efficacy. This integrated strategy provides a clear and reliable way to evaluate the quality of complex traditional Chinese medicines. PubDate: Thu, 31 Aug 2023 01:55:29 PDT
Authors:Shing-Hwa Liu et al. Abstract: Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of muscle wasting/atrophy, which adversely affects quality of life. We hypothesized that long term supplementation of fish oil may have protective effects against sarcopenia or muscle atrophy in streptozotocin (STZ) and high-fat (HF) diet-induced diabetic rat model. Wistar rats at age of 7 weeks were injected with saline or STZ to induce hyperglycemia. After one week, they were fed on a normal control diet or HF diet with/without supplementation of fish oil for 18 weeks. Feeding diabetic rats with a fish oil-enriched diet alleviated body weight loss and the impaired glucose tolerance using OGTT test. Although fish oil did not improve the decreased muscle mass, the muscle atrophy induced by diabetes was attenuated by fish oil in gastrocnemius, soleus, tibialis anterior, and extensor digitorum longus muscles. Fish oil supplementation reversed the decreased expression of phospho (p)-AKT, pmTOR, and p-p70s6k, which are molecules related to protein synthesis. Besides, protein degradation-related signaling pathways were inhibited by fish oil, such as increasing p-FoxO1 and decreasing Atrogin-1 and MURF1 protein expression. Fish oil down-regulated the expression of autophagy-related molecules including ATG5, p62, and LC3B II/I ratio, which may result in less muscle atrophy. Inflammation-related signaling regulators including TNF-a, NF-kB, AGEs, and RAGE were suppressed by fish oil supplementation as well. Moreover, the down-regulated p-AMPKa, SIRT1, and PGC-1 in diabetic rats were counteracted by fish oil, which may improve mitochondrial function and further block FoxO action. These data suggest that long-term fish oil supplementation exerts protective effects against diabetesinduced muscle atrophy, which may in turn ameliorate insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. PubDate: Thu, 31 Aug 2023 01:55:25 PDT
Authors:Chih-Yi Hu et al. Abstract: Taiwan specialty teas are produced with distinct manufacturing processes from specific cultivars of tea plants in Camellia. Due to the widespread transplantation of Taiwan tea cultivars and active international trading of tea materials, an accurate and reliable method to identify tea cultivars at the border is vital to protect the image of premium Taiwan specialty teas. In this study, we introduced the Taiwan Tea Variety Identification (TTVID) kit, a capillary electrophoresis-based multiplex PCR assay consisting of 12 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. A database composing these 12 SSR loci genotypes in 144 cultivars was established for marker assessment and molecular diagnosis. The power of discrimination on a locus ranged from 0.7894 to 0.966 and the combined match probability of 12 SSR loci was 5.34e-14. Cultivar pairwise comparison among 144 accessions showed that over 90.6% of the pairs had differential genotypes on at least 10 of 12 SSR loci. Further assessment showed that the TTVID kit could unambiguously recognize the cultivars mixed in the loose-leaf teas processed with various degrees of fermentation and roasting. Our results suggested that this TTVID kit effectively identified cultivar composition in loose-leaf tea and is helpful for border control in preventing adulteration and fraud in the Taiwan tea market. PubDate: Thu, 31 Aug 2023 01:55:21 PDT
Authors:Pai-Wen Wu et al. Abstract: A simple and dependable technique, known as THAM method, has been developed to detect and measure ethyl eicosapentaenoate (EE-EPA) and ethyl docosahexaenoate (EE-DHA) in encapsulated fish oils. This technique involves using tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) as a catalyst, followed by analysis using gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization detector. Recoveries of EE-EPA and EE-DHA spiked between 5 mg/g and 20 mg/g were found to be between 90.8% and 95.2%, with coefficients of variation ranging from 0.2% to 2.5%, demonstrating the accuracy and precision of the technique. Additionally, its limitation of quantitation of EE-EPA and EE-DHA in fish oil samples was 0.2%. When compared with the direct injection method, the TMAH method yielded relative percent differences of no more than 3.8% in the amounts of ethyl esters of EPA and DHA in fish oil, while preventing contamination and maintaining its performance over time. Furthermore, when compared the total amounts of EPA and DHA with the boron trifluoride method, the relative percent differences were no more than 4.7% by the TMAH method. The advantages of using the TMAH method in distinguishing the ester forms of EPA and DHA and determining the total content of fatty acids in fish oils, which can provide an auxiliary check for evaluating the compliance of applications with the regulation related to the purity and form of EPA and DHA. PubDate: Thu, 31 Aug 2023 01:55:16 PDT
Authors:Mohammed Dalli et al. Abstract: Throughout history, medicinal and aromatic plants have been used extensively to cure a variety of ailments. This article provides a comprehensive overview of Cannabis sativa, specifically focusing on its legislative status, decriminalization, phytochemistry, antimicrobial activity, and safety. The study begins by briefly outlining the plant's history, including its cultivation, harvesting, and storage methods. The review analyzes extensively the antimicrobial properties of Cannabis sativaand its derivatives, specifically examining their reported antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic capabilities, which have been documented in databases such as Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Web of Science. The paper also discusses trends in studies about the plant object of the study, the different bioactive compounds that were identified in the plant (phenolic acids, flavonoids, alkaloids, cannabinoids, and terpenes), and safe consumption in several cannabis-based products including candies, desserts, wine and as food flavoring. Furthermore, this study has reported information about the legalization and decriminalization of cannabis use across the globe with a specific focus on Morocco because it has the largest cultivated area of C. sativa plant. However, some substances with potential antimicrobial properties were not investigated in this review due to the lack of data on their activity. The authors hope that their efforts will inspire future studies on the therapeutic uses of Cannabis sativaand its derivatives, ultimately leading to improved health outcomes. PubDate: Thu, 31 Aug 2023 01:55:12 PDT
Authors:Ya-Chu Tang et al. Abstract: Induction of antioxidant proteins and phase 2 detoxifying enzymes that neutralize reactive electrophiles are important mechanisms for protection against carcinogenesis. Normal cells provide multifaceted pathways to tightly control NF-E2- related factor 2 (NRF2)-mediated gene expression in response to an assault by a range of endogenous and exogenous oncogenic molecules. Transient activation of NRF2 by its activators is able to induce ARE-mediated cytoprotective proteins which are essential for protection against various toxic and oxidative damages, and NRF2 activators thereby have efficacy in cancer chemoprevention. Because NRF2 has a cytoprotective function, it can protect normal cells from carcinogens like an angel, but when the protective effect acts on cancer cells, it will give rise to invincible cancer cells and play a devilish role in tumor progression. Indeed, aberrant activation of NRF2 has been found in a variety of cancers that create a favorable environment for the proliferation and survival of cancer cells and leads to drug resistance, ultimately leading to the poor clinical prognosis of patients. Therefore, pharmacological inhibition of NRF2 signaling has emerged as a promising approach for cancer therapy. This review aims to compile the regulatory mechanisms of NRF2 and its double-edged role in cancer. In addition, we also summarize the research progress of NRF2 modulators, especially phytochemicals, in chemoprevention and cancer therapy. PubDate: Thu, 31 Aug 2023 01:55:08 PDT
Authors:Hung-Wen Liu et al. Abstract: Skeletal muscle function deficits result in metabolic disease development and physical dysfunction in older adults. Sarcopenia is characterized by a decrease in muscle mass and strength with advancing age, and it increases the risks of mobility impairments, disease development, and mortality. Lifestyle interventions involving a combination of diet and exercise to prevent and attenuate sarcopenia warrant substantial research attention. Resistance exercise training under supervision is a safe and the most effective approach to reducing age-related muscle loss and improving multiple aspects of overall health in the older population. The beneficial effects of resistance exercise training on skeletal muscle mass may be augmented by specific dietary supplements (i.e., green teaederived natural products). The purpose of this mini review is to provide an up-to-date, evidence-based account of the effectiveness of green teaederived natural products for supporting resistance trainingeinduced adaptations to prevent or attenuate age-related muscle mass loss. Based on animal and clinical studies, we provide insights into supplementation with green teaederived natural products, which may assist in the growth or maintenance of skeletal muscle and subsequently delay the onset of age-related metabolic diseases in older adults. PubDate: Thu, 31 Aug 2023 01:55:04 PDT
Authors:Yan-Cen Zhan et al. Abstract: Tetracycline (TC) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic and has been added to animal feeds to grow livestock under healthy conditions, making it important to have effective methods for rapidly detecting TC in complex samples. In this study, a novel method that uses lanthanide ions (i.e. Eu3+ and Gd3+) as magnetic and sensing probes for the detection of TC from aqueous samples is explored. When dissolving Gd3+ in tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) buffer at pH 9, magnetic Gd3+-Tris conjugates can be readily generated. The magnetic Gd3+-Tris conjugates possess trapping capacity toward TC from sample solutions via the chelation of Gd3+ and TC. Eu3+ is used as the fluorescence sensing probe against TC on the Gd3+-TC conjugates via the antenna effect. The fluorescence response derived from Eu3+ is increased with the increase of TC trapped on the Gd3+-based probes. The linear dynamic range against TC ranges from 20 to 320 nM, whereas the limit of detection toward TC is ~2 nM. Furthermore, the developed sensing method can be employed for the visual assay of TC with a concentration above ~0.16 µM under UV light illumination in the dark. Furthermore, we have demonstrated the applicability of the developed method to quantify TC in a chicken broth sample with complex matrix. Our developed method offers several advantages, including high sensitivity and good selectivity, for the detection of TC in complex samples. PubDate: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:06:08 PDT
Authors:Huang-Ju Tu et al. Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease with more than 50 million people suffer from it. Unfortunately, none of the currently available drugs is able to improve cognitive impairment in AD patients. Urolithin A (UA) is a metabolite obtained from ellagic acid and ellagitannin through the intestinal flora, and it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Previous reports found that UA had neuroprotective effects in an AD animal model, but the detailed mechanism still needs to be elucidated. In this study, we performed kinase-profiling to show that dual-specific tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) is the main target of UA. Studies showed that the level of DYRK1A in AD patients' brains was higher than that of healthy people, and it was closely related to the occurrence and progression of AD. Our results revealed that UA significantly reduced the activity of DYRK1A, which led to de-phosphorylation of tau and further stabilized microtubule polymerization. UA also provided neuroprotective effects by inhibiting the production of inflammatory cytokines caused by Aβ. We further showed that UA significantly improved memory impairment in an AD-like mouse model. In summary, our results indicate that UA is a DYRK1A inhibitor that may provide therapeutic advantages for AD patients. PubDate: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:06:04 PDT
Authors:Panawan Pruksapha et al. Abstract: Combination of piperaquine (PQ) (320 mg) and dihydroartemisinin (DHA) (40 mg) is an anti-malarial formulation, which is recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). Simultaneous analysis of PQ and DHA can be problematic due to the lack of chromophores or fluorophores in DHA molecule. Whereas PQ possesses strong UV absorption and it presents in 8 times of DHA contents in the formulation. In this study, two spectroscopic methods, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy, were developed for the determination of both drugs in combined tablets. The FTIR and Raman spectra were recorded in the attenuate total reflectance (ATR) and scattering modes, respectively. The original and pretreated spectra from FTIR and handheld-Raman were subjected to Unscrambler® program to construct partial least squares regression (PLSR) model comparing with references values obtained from high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-UV method. The optimal PLSR models of PQ and DHA from FTIR spectroscopy were obtained from orthogonal signal correction (OSC) pretreatment at the wavenumbers 400-1800 cm-1 and 1400-4000 cm-1, respectively. For Raman spectroscopy of PQ and DHA, the optimal PLSR models were obtained from standard normal variate (SNV) pretreatment at the wavenumbers 1200-2300 cm-1 and OSC pretreatment at the wavenumber 400-2300 cm-1, respectively. Determination of PQ and DHA in tablets from the optimum model was compared with HPLC-UV method. Results were not significantly different at 95% confidence limit (p-value> 0.05). The chemometrics-assisted spectroscopic methods were fast (1-3 min), economical and less labor intensive. Moreover, the handheld Raman spectrometer is portable and can be utilized for onsite analysis to facilitate the detection of counterfeit or substandard drugs at ports of entry. PubDate: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:06:00 PDT
Authors:Erdal DİNÇ et al. Abstract: Three-dimensional strategies involving the application of parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) to the kinetic UV absorbance measurements were elaborated to monitor the oxidation of quercetin with oxidant agents (K2Cr2O7 and KIO3) and to quantify analyte in a dietary supplement product. Loadings (spectral, kinetic and concentration profiles) were obtained by the PARAFAC deconvolution. Spectral identification, kinetics and quantification of the relevant analyte in the presence of interferent(s) were performed. The elaborated chemometric strategies were carefully validated to demonstrate the capability of the method. Assay results of the PARAFAC strategies were statistically compared to that of the newly developed UPLC method. PubDate: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:05:56 PDT
Authors:Tinglin Song et al. Abstract: Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) plays a critical role in the regulation of progesterone (P4) production. Resveratrol (RSV), a natural polyphenol, has beneficial effects on reproductive function. However, its effects on StAR expression and P4 production in human granulosa cells remain undetermined. In this study, we showed the treatment of RSV upregulated StAR expression in human granulosa cells. G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) and ERK1/2 signaling were involved in RSV-stimulated StAR expression and P4 production. In addition, the expression of a transcriptional repressor, Snail, was downregulated by RSV, which contributed to the RSV-induced induction of StAR expression and P4 production. PubDate: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:05:52 PDT
Authors:Yu-Shu Pan et al. Abstract: This study proposes the use of thiomalic acid–modified Au and Ag nanoparticle mixtures (TMA-Au/AgNP mixes) for the selective detection of tricyclazole. Upon the addition of tricyclazole, the color of TMA-Au/AgNP mixes solution changes from orange-red to lavender (red-shift). According to the density-functional theory calculations, tricyclazole-induced aggregation of TMA-Au/AgNP mixes through electron donor–acceptor interactions was proved. The sensitivity and selectivity of the proposed method are affected by the amount of TMA, volume ratio of TMA-AuNPs to TMA-AgNPs, pH value, and buffer concentration. The ratio of absorbance (A654/A520) of TMA-Au/AgNP mixes solution is proportional to the concentration of tricyclazole over the range 0.1–0.5 ppm with a linear correlation (R2 = 0.948). Moreover, the limit of detection was estimated at 0.028 ppm. The practicality of TMA-Au/AgNP mixes was validated for the determination of tricyclazole concentration in real samples (spiked recovery was 97.5%–105.2%), demonstrating its advantages of simplicity, selectivity, and sensitivity. PubDate: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:05:48 PDT
Authors:Yuan-Chih Chen et al. Abstract: Ractopamine has been authorized as a feed additive and permitted in animal husbandry. With the establishment of the regulation to limit the concentration of ractopamine, a rapid screening method for ractopamine is urgently needed. Additionally, how to combine the screening and confirmatory tests of ractopamine is also critical to maximizing the efficiency of testing. Here, we developed a lateral flow immunoassays-based method for the screening of ractopamine in foods and proposed a cost-benefit analysis approach to optimize cost allocation between screening and confirmatory tests. After verifying the analytical and clinical performance of the screening method, a mathematical model was established to calculate the screening and confirmatory test results with various parameter settings, such as cost allocation, false-negative tolerance, and total budget size. The developed immunoassay-based screening test could successfully distinguish gravy samples with ractopamine levels over and lower than maximum residue limits (MRL). The area under curve (AUC) value of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is 0.99. For the cost-benefit analysis, mathematical simulation indicated that when the samples are allocated to screening and confirmatory tests at the optimized cost allocation, the number of confirmed positive samples can increase by 26 times compared to the scenarios entirely relying on confirmatory testing. While conventional wisdom considers that screening should be carried out at low false-negative rates, such as 0.1%, our results indicated that the cutoff value of a screening test with a 20% false-negative rate at MRL could capture the maximum number of confirmed positive samples at a limited budget. Our work indicated that the participation of the screening method in ractopamine analysis and optimized cost allocation between screening and confirmatory tests could enhance the efficiency in detecting the positive samples, which provides a rational basis for decision-making in food safety enforcement for public health. PubDate: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:05:44 PDT
Authors:Chun Woong Park et al. Abstract: Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera L. Dunal), an Indian medicinal plant that has been used for centuries to treat insomnia, exhibits a variety of biological activities, such as improving cognitive function, immunity and anxiety. In this study, the effect of enzyme-treated Ashwagandha root extract (EA) and on sleep was evaluated using rodent models. Starch contained in the Ashwagandha root extract was removed by amylase treatment to prepare EA. To evaluate the sleep-promoting activity of EA, a pentobarbital-induced sleep test and electroencephalogram analysis were performed. In addition, the sleep-promoting mechanism of EA was elucidated by analyzing the expression of sleep-related receptors. In the pentobarbital-induced sleep test, EA dose-dependently increased sleep duration. Additionally, electroencephalogram analysis revealed that EA significantly increased δ-wave and non-rapid eye movement sleep times, which are involved in deep sleep, thereby improving sleep quality and quantity. EA also effectively relieved caffeine-induced insomnia symptoms. Furthermore, the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content in the brain and mRNA and protein expression of GABAA, GABAB1, and serotonin receptors were significantly increased by EA compared to the normal group. In particular, EA showed sleep-promoting activity by binding to various GABAA receptor sites. Collectively, EA exhibited sleep-promoting activity through the GABArergic system and may be used as a functional material to improve sleep deprivation. PubDate: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:05:40 PDT
Authors:Pei-Rong Yua et al. Abstract: Pulmonary injury is defined as a progressive inflammation. Extensive pro-inflammatory cytokines are secreted from alveolus, associated with the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis. The model of endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated lung cells has been applied to mimic the pulmonary injury. Some antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds can be used as chemopreventive agents of pulmonary injury. Quercetin-3-glucuronide (Q3G) has been showed to exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-aging and anti-hypertension effects. The aim of the study is to examine the inhibitory potential of Q3G on pulmonary injury and inflammation in vitro and in vivo. Firstly, human lung fibroblasts MRC-5 cells pre-treated with LPS were demonstrated to cause survival loss and ROS generation, were recovered by Q3G. Q3G also exhibited the anti-inflammatory effects on the LPS-treated cells with a reduction in the activation of NLRP3 [nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3] inflammasome, leading to pyroptosis. Also, Q3G showed the anti-apoptotic effect in the cells might be mediated via inhibition of mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. To further explore in vivo pulmonary-protective effect of Q3G, C57BL/6 mice were intranasally exposed to a combination of LPS and elastase (LPS/E) to perform the pulmonary injury model. The results revealed that Q3G ameliorated pulmonary function parameters and lung edema in the LPS/E-induced mice. Q3G also suppressed the LPS/E-stimulated inflammation, pyroptosis and apoptosis in the lungs. Taken together, this study suggested the lung-protective potential of Q3G via downregulation of inflammation, pyroptotic and apoptotic cell death, contributing to its chemopreventive activity of pulmonary injury. PubDate: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:05:36 PDT
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