Natural sources, biosynthesis, biological functions, and molecular mechanisms of shikimic acid and its derivatives

Shikimic acid is a hydroaromatic compound possessing critical biological properties,such as antibacterial and antiviral activity.This review mainly focused on shikimic acid and its derivatives.We first briefly introduced the sources of shikimic acid and its derivatives and discussed their biosynthesis.Several in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that shikimic acid and its derivatives exhibit diverse bioactivities,such as antioxidant,antiviral,anti-inflammatory,antibacterial,hypolipidemic,bone protective,skin protective,neuroprotective,and antidiabetic activities.We mainly focused on the related molecular mechanisms.Overall,the wide range of bioactivities of shikimic acid and its derivatives indicate that a more detailed exploration of their potential for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases is warranted.

Anti-inflammatory natural products modulate interleukins and their related signaling markers in inflammatory bowel disease:A systematic review

This review aims to identify in vivo studies investigating the potential of plant substances and their natural molecules in managing inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).Specifically,the objective is to examine the impact of these substances on interleukins and other key inflammatory signaling markers.Relevant articles published up to December 2022 were identified through a search of the PubMed,Scopus,Web of Science,and Embase databases.The search used keywords including“inflammatory bowel disease”,“medicinal plants”,“natural molecules”,“anti-inflammatory”,and“ulcerative colitis”,and identified 1,878 potentially relevant articles,of which 89 were included in this review after completion of the selection process.This study provides preclinical data on natural products(NPs)that can potentially treat IBD,including ulcerative colitis.The main actions of these NPs relate to their effects on nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κβ),the Janus kinase(JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription(STAT)signaling pathway,the regulation of T helper 17/regulatory T cells balance,and oxidative stress.The ability of these NPs to inhibit intestinal inflammation appears to be dependent on lowering levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α),interleukin(IL)-1β,and IL-17,via the Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK)1,NF-κβ-p65,and STAT3 pathways.In addition,NPs were shown to reduce oxidative stress and the severity of ulcerative colitis,as well as increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes.These actions suggest that NPs represent a promising treatment for IBD,and potentially have greater efficacy and safety than current treatments.