Traditional Chinese medicines derived natural inhibitors of ferroptosis on ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke(IS)is a globally prevalent cerebrovascular disorder resulting from cerebral vessel occlusion,leading to significant morbidity and mortality.The intricate pathological mechanisms underlying IS complicate the development of effective therapeutic interventions.Ferroptosis,a form of programmed cell death(PCD)characterized by iron overload and accumulation of lipid peroxidation products,has been increasingly recognized as a key contributor to IS pathology.Traditional Chinese medicines(TCMs)have long been utilized in the management of IS,prompting extensive research into their potential as sources of natural ferroptosis inhibitors.This review investigates the critical role of ferroptosis in IS and provides a comprehensive analysis of current research on natural ferroptosis inhibitors identified in TCMs,aiming to lay a theoretical groundwork for the development of innovative anti-IS therapies.

Counteraction of Nogo-A and axonal growth inhibitors by green tea polyphenols and other natural products

Neuronal injuries such as stroke,traumatic brain injury,and spinal cord injury are leading causes of major disability and death.Chronic therapy for these neuronal injuries requires the promotion of axonal regeneration from the remaining neurons（Schwab and Strittmatter,2014）.

Comparative assessment of natural and synthetic reproductive inhibitors in Oreochromis niloticus

Nowadays, natural sources of sex reversal agents are preferred over synthetic ones in fish farming due to their reliability and economic value. This study compared the effectiveness of 17α-methyltestosterone (MT), Carica papaya seed meal (PSM), and common carp testes (CCT) with tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in terms of sex reversal, hematological parameters, gonadal histology, enzymatic activity, and overall growth. A 90-day trial was conducted with 560 tilapia fry (2- 3 days old) distributed into one control and six treatment aquaria, each with two replicates. Fries were fed with a control diet (T0) or one of six experimental diets (T1-T6) containing different MT, PSM, or CCT levels for 30 days, followed by the control diet for 60 days. MT induced the highest male proportion (85% and 75% in T2 and T1, respectively), while PSM and CCT enhanced tilapia’s growth and carcass composition. Histological analysis revealed gonadal deformities in MT and PSM treatments, which might lead to sterility. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) was reduced in natural treatments as compared with synthetic ones. Hematological parameters did not show any adverse effects of PSM and CCT. Protease and amylase activities were higher in PSM and CCT than in MT, indicating better digestion and feed absorption. PSM and CCT are biodegradable, locally available, and eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic hormones to change sex in tilapia. Natural sources (plant and animal by-products) are preferable to synthetic sources as they are less expensive and control prolific breeding in tilapia.

Peanut testa extracts enhance anticancer effect of cisplatin against human cholangiocarcinoma cells via modulation of histone deacetylase inhibitory activity

Objective:To investigate the effect of combination treatments of cisplatin and KK4 and ICG15042 peanut testa extracts against cholangiocarcinoma cells in vitro.Methods:The growth inhibition,cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of cholangiocarcinoma cells were determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and flow cytometry analysis,respectively.The levels of proteins involved in apoptosis were assessed using Western blotting assays.The caspase activity was assessed using a colorimetric caspase activity assay.Results:Cisplatin and peanut(KK4 and ICG15042)testa extracts inhibited the growth of cholangiocarcinoma cell lines(KKUM214 and KKU-100 cells)in a dose-and time-dependent manner.The combination treatments reduced cell viability and induced apoptosis of cholangiocarcinoma cells more efficiently than singledrug treatments.Cancer cell death synergistically mediated by cisplatin and peanut testa extracts was observed in KKU-M214 cells(combination index<1.0)but not in KKU-100 cells(combination index>1.0).The combination treatments also increased the subG1 population and caused KKU-M214 cell cycle arrest at S and G2/M phases,which were the combined effects of cisplatin(S phase arrest)and peanut testa extracts(G2/M phase arrest).In addition,p ERK1/2,Ac-H3,Bcl-2 and proteins related to apoptosis,including Bax and caspases 3,8,9,exhibited enhanced expression in KKUM214 cells.The combination treatments caused down-regulation of p53,whereas the expression of p21 was fairly constant when compared with cisplatin single drug treatment.Conclusions:Peanut testa extracts in combination with cisplatin synergistically reduce cell viability and induce apoptosis through stimulation of caspases 3,8 and 9 in KKU-M214 cells.

Carboxylesterases mediated herb-drug interactions:a systematic review

Esterases participate in the metabolism of^10%of the clinical drugs that contain ester or amide bonds,but the esterases mediated drug/herb-drug interactions(DDIs or HDIs)have not been reviewed in depth.Carboxylesterases(CEs),the most abundant esterases expressed in the metabolic organ of mammals,play a pivotal role in hydrolysis of a variety of endogenous and xenobiotic esters.In the human body,two predominant carboxylesterases including hCE1 and hCE2 have been identified and extensively studied over the past decade.These two enzymes have been found with hydrolytic activity towards a variety of endogenous esters and ester-containing drugs.Recent studies have demonstrated that strong inhibition on hCEs may slow down the hydrolysis of CEs substrates,which may affect their pharmacokinetic properties and thus trigger potential DDIs or HDIs.Over the past decade,many herbal extracts and herbal constitutes have been found with strong inhibitory effects against CEs,and their potential risks on herb-drug interactions(HDIs)have also attracted much attention.This review focused on recent progress in hCEs mediated herb-drug interactions.The roles of hCEs in drug metabolism,the inhibitory capacities and inhibition mechanism of a variety of herbal extract and herbal constitutes against hCEs have been well summarized.Furthermore,the challenges and future perspectives in this field are highlighted by the authors.All information and knowledge presented in this review will be very helpful for the pharmacologists to deeper understand the metabolic interactions between herbal constituents and hCEs,as well as for clinical clinicians to reasonable use herbal medicines for alleviating hCEs-associated drug toxicity or avoiding the occurrence of clinically relevant hCEs-mediated HDIs.

Bulbine frutescens phytochemicals as novel ABC-transporter inhibitor:a molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation study

Aim:The present in silico study aimed to evaluate the ATP-binding cassette(ABC)transporter inhibition potential of Bulbine frutescens(B.frutescens)phytochemicals.Methods:Several previous studies and databases were used to retrieve the ligands and target protein structure.The molecular docking study was performed using the Auto Dock Tools,and the GROMACS package was applied to accomplish molecular dynamics simulation.Results:Utilizing the molecular docking and simulation approach,~25 phytochemicals were screened against the ABC transporter protein.Docking score analysis revealed that B.frutescens phytochemical 4’-Demethylknipholone 2’-β-D-glucopyranoside exhibited strong binding on the ABC transporter protein with a minimum binding score-9.8 kcal/mol in comparison to the standard ABC transporter inhibitor diltiazem(-6.86 kcal/mol).Furthermore,molecular dynamics simulation for 4’-Demethylknipholone 2’-β-D-glucopyranoside showed an acceptable root mean square deviation,radius of gyration,root mean square fluctuation,and hydrogen bond,in addition to other lead compounds.Conclusion:The in-silico study demonstrated that B.frutescens phytochemical 4’-Demethylknipholone 2’-β-D-glucopyranoside possesses anti-drug resistance properties and requires further testing in preclinical settings.

5-Alkylpyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde derivatives from the Chinese sponge Mycale lissochela and their PTP1B inhibitory activities

Two new 5-alkylpyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde derivatives,mycalenitrile-15（1） and mycalenitrile-16（2）,along with five known related ones（3-7）,were isolated from the South China Sea sponge Mycale lissochela.The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis and by comparison of their NMR data with those reported in the literature.In bioassay,compounds 1 and 7 exhibited significant PTPIB（Protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B,a recognized target for diabetes and obesity） inhibitory activities with IC（50） values of 8.6 and 3.1 μmoI/L,respectively.A preliminary SAR analysis of the isolated compounds with their PTP1 B inhibitory effects was described.

Functional and binding studies of gallic acid showing platelet aggregation inhibitory effect as a thrombin inhibitor

Objective:This study was devoted to identifying natural thrombin inhibitors from traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and evaluating its biological activity in vitro and binding characteristics.Methods:A combination strategy containing molecular docking,thrombin inhibition assay,surface plasmon resonance(SPR)and molecular dynamics simulation were applied to verify the study result.Results:Gallic acid was confirmed as a direct thrombin inhibitor with IC;of 9.07μmol/L and showed a significant inhibitory effect on thrombin induced platelet aggregation.SPR-based binding studies demonstrated that gallic acid interacted with thrombin with a KDvalue of 8.29μmol/L.Molecular dynamics and binding free energy analysis revealed that thrombin-gallic acid system attained equilibrium rapidly with very low fluctuations,the calculated binding free energies was-14.61 kcal/mol.Ala230,Glu232,Ser235,Gly258 and Gly260 were the main amino acid residues responsible for thrombin inhibition by gallic acid,providing a mechanistic basis for further optimization.Conclusion:This study proved that gallic acid is a direct thrombin inhibitor with platelet aggregation inhibitory effect,which could provide a basis for the follow-up research and development for novel thrombin inhibitors.