Ethyl acetate fraction of Sargassum pallidum extract attenuates particulate matter-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in keratinocytes and zebrafish

Objective:To evaluate the effect of the ethyl acetate fraction derived from Sargassum pallidum extract against particulate matter(PM)-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in HaCaT cells and zebrafish.Methods:HaCaT cells and zebrafish were used to evaluate the protective effects of the ethyl acetate fraction of Sargassum pallidum extract against PM-induced oxidative stress and inflammation.The production of nitric oxide(NO),intracellular ROS,prostaglandin E_(2)(PGE_(2)),and pro-inflammatory cytokines,and the expression levels of COX-2,iNOS,and NF-κB were evaluated in PM-induced HaCaT cells.Furthermore,the levels of ROS,NO,and lipid peroxidation were assessed in the PM-exposed zebrafish model.Results:The ethyl acetate fraction of Sargassum pallidum extract significantly decreased the production of NO,intracellular ROS,and PGE_(2) in PM-induced HaCaT cells.In addition,the fraction markedly suppressed the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibited the expression levels of COX-2,iNOS,and NF-κB.Furthermore,it displayed remarkable protective effects against PM-induced inflammatory response and oxidative stress,represented by the reduction of NO,ROS,and lipid peroxidation in zebrafish.Conclusions:The ethyl acetate fraction of Sargassum pallidum extract exhibits a protective effect against PM-induced oxidative stress and inflammation both in vitro and in vivo and has the potential as a candidate for the development of pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical products.

Therapeutic potential of ethyl acetate fraction of Tephrosia purpurea Linn.leaves in a rat model of gout

Objective: The present study is to determine the potential treatment effects of ethyl acetate fraction of Tephrosia purpurea Linn. leaves(EATP) against gout.Methods: Gout in experimental rats was induced with potassium oxonate at the dose of 250 mg/kg(intraperitoneal injection) for 7 consecutive days;EATP was administered 1 h after administration of the potassium oxonate on each day of experiment. Potassium oxonate was discontinued on the 8 th day;thereafter allopurinol(10 mg/kg, p.o.) and EATP(200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) were continued until day 14. The uric acid level was measured from serum and urine during the experiment. Other biochemical parameters were assessed, including blood and urine creatinine, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and total protein. Blood urea nitrogen, serum aspartate aminotransferase serum alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase were also measured. The blood was analyzed for levels of malondialdehyde and the antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase.Histopathological and radiological changes in the ankle of rats were observed after completion of the experiment.Results: EATP was able to decrease serum uric acid and creatinine level;it also reduced inflammation,oxidative stress and lysosomal enzyme level, which has a role in acute inflammation. EATP increased uric acid excretion through urine due to its uricosuric effect.Conclusion: EATP lowered the serum uric acid level and increased the urine uric acid level through excretion, which is useful in the treatment of gout. Hence the EATP was found to be helpful in the treatment of gout.

Ethyl Acetate Fraction in Hedyotis Diffusa Willd Inhibits T Cell Proliferation to Improve the Pathogenesis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Background:Abnormal proliferation of T cells plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of Systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE).The pharmaceutical effect of Hedyotis Diffusa Willd(HDW)on SLE has been investigated previously.Nevertheless,the biomedical mechanism is still left unclear.Objective:This study has been arranged to evaluate the therapeutic effect of the ethyl acetate fraction of HDW(EAHDW)on lupus mice and explore the potential therapeutic mechanism.Methods:EAHDW was prepared with 80%ethanol reflex extraction followed by successive extraction,and ana-lyzed with HPLC and UPLC-Q/TOP-MS.The potential targets and STAT3 affinity regulators were predicted with network pharmacology.The pharmaceutic effect of EAHDW was studied with MRL/lpr mice.Cytokines and au-toantibodies were quantified with ELISA assays.The pathological damage of glomerulus and STAT3 expression in the kidney was detected with histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques.The cell cycle properties in cell proliferation were identified with the flow cytometry.The western blot and dual-Luciferase reporter assay were applied to evaluate translational and transcriptional activity of STAT3,respectively.Results:In this study,the extraction ratio of EAHDW was 2.7±1%,in which 19 ingredients were identified.Network pharmacological analysis showed that the target genes of EAHDW were highly focused on influencing the abnormal T cell proliferation in SLE.EAHDW showed the beneficial effects on pathological changes and STAT3 expression in the glomerulus of lupus mice,and the levels of cytokines and autoantibodies in serum.In cytological study,EAHDW treatment attenuated the transcription and phosphorylation of STAT3,which inhibited T cell proliferation by prolonged S-phase of the cell cycle.A total of 5 compounds in EAHDW exhibited high docking affinity to the DNA-binding site of STAT3.Conclusion:EAHDW could reduce the inflammatory response and inhibit the proliferation of T cells by interfering with the STAT3 signaling pathway,thereby playing a therapeutic effect on SLE.

Chemical Composition of Fruit of Embelia undulata(Wall.)Mez

[Objectives]To study the chemical constituents of the fruit of Embelia undulata(Wall.)Mez.[Methods]Silica gel column chromatography,gel column chromatography,recrystallization,high-performance preparative liquid chromatography and other modern separation methods and techniques were used to separate and purify the chemical components of the ethyl acetate fraction of the fruit of E.undulata(Wall.)Mez,and based on the physical and chemical properties and spectral data,their structure was identified.[Results]Six compounds were isolated from the fruit of E.undulata(Wall.)Mez,including trimethyl citrate(1),vanillic acid(2),5-hydroxymethylfurfural(3),1,5-dimethyl citrate(4),1,6-dimethyl-5-ethyl citrate(5)and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid(6).[Conclusions]Compounds 1-6 are all isolated from E.undulata(Wall.)Mez for the first time.