Preventive and Therapeutic Roles of Berberine in Gastrointestinal Cancers

Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from various types of plants, including those from the Berberidaceae, Ranunculaceae, and Papaveraceae families. It has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating diarrhea and gastrointestinal disorders. The medicinal properties of BBR include antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, lipid-regulatory, and antidiabetic actions. Importantly, the efficacy of BBR against cancers has been assessed in several experimental studies and clinical trials. Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are a group of the most prevalent cancers worldwide that are associated with high morbidity and mortality, and their associated mortality has been increasing over the years. Thus, GI cancers have become a burden to the patients and health care systems. This review summarizes the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of BBR and explores its potential preventive and therapeutic applications against GI cancers.

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Herb-target virtual screening and network pharmacology for prediction of molecular mechanism of Danggui Beimu Kushen Wan for prostate cancer

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-86141-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Hong Li ◽

Andrew Hung ◽

Angela Wei Hong Yang

Keyword(s):

Prostate Cancer ◽

Binding Affinity ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Tight Binding ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Network Pharmacology ◽

High Morbidity ◽

High Binding ◽

High Binding Affinity

AbstractProstate cancer (PCa) is a cancer that occurs in the prostate with high morbidity and mortality. Danggui Beimu Kushen Wan (DBKW) is a classic formula for patients with difficult urination including PCa. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of DBKW for PCa. We obtained DBKW compounds from our previous reviews. We identified potential targets for PCa from literature search, currently approved drugs and Open Targets database and filtered them by protein–protein interaction network analysis. We selected 26 targets to predict three cancer-related pathways. A total of 621 compounds were screened via molecular docking using PyRx and AutoDock Vina against 21 targets for PCa, producing 13041 docking results. The binding patterns and positions showed that a relatively small number of tight-binding compounds from DBKW were predicted to interact strongly and selectively with three targets. The top five high-binding-affinity compounds were selected to generate a network, indicating that compounds from all three herbs had high binding affinity against the 21 targets and may have potential biological activities with the targets. DBKW contains multi-targeting agents that could act on more than one pathway of PCa simultaneously. Further studies could focus on validating the computational results via experimental studies.

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Hallucinogenic/psychedelic 5HT2A receptor agonists as rapid antidepressant therapeutics: Evidence and mechanisms of action

Journal of Psychopharmacology ◽

10.1177/0269881120986422 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 026988112098642

Author(s):

Rafael Guimarães dos Santos ◽

Jaime EC Hallak ◽

Glen Baker ◽

Serdar Dursun

Keyword(s):

Health Care Systems ◽

Treatment Compliance ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Antidepressant Effects ◽

Care Systems ◽

Drug Treatments ◽

Fast Acting

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is among the most prevalent mental health disorders worldwide, and it is associated with a reduced quality of life and enormous costs to health care systems. Available drug treatments show low-to-moderate response in most patients, with almost a third of patients being non-responders (treatment-resistant). Furthermore, most currently available medications need several weeks to achieve therapeutic effects, and the long-term use of these drugs is often associated with significant unwanted side effects and resultant reductions in treatment compliance. Therefore, more effective, safer, and faster-acting antidepressants with enduring effects are needed. Together with ketamine, psychedelics (or classic or serotoninergic hallucinogens) such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, and ayahuasca are among the few compounds with recent human evidence of fast-acting antidepressant effects. Several studies in the 1950s to 1970s reported antidepressive and anxiolytic effects of these drugs, which are being confirmed by modern trials (LSD, one trial; psilocybin, five trials; ayahuasca, two trials). The effects of these drugs appear to be produced primarily by their agonism at serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) receptors, especially the 5-HT2A receptor. Considering the overall burden of MDD and the necessity of new therapeutic options, the promising (but currently limited) evidence of safety and efficacy of psychedelics has encouraged the scientific community to explore more fully their beneficial effects in MDD.

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Preventing and managing antimicrobial resistance in the African region: A scoping review protocol

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0254737 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (7) ◽

pp. e0254737

Author(s):

Chinwe Juliana Iwu-Jaja ◽

Anelisa Jaca ◽

Ishmael Festus Jaja ◽

Portia Jordan ◽

Phelele Bhengu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antimicrobial Resistance ◽

Infectious Diseases ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Health Care Systems ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Antibiotic Consumption ◽

Morbidity And Mortality ◽

High Morbidity ◽

African Region ◽

Care Systems

Introduction Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) constitutes a significant threat to global health and food security, typically associated with high morbidity and mortality rate. The high burden of infectious diseases coupled with the weak health systems in most countries of Africa magnifies the risk of increasing AMR and its consequences thereof. This scoping review will be aimed at mapping the evidence on interventions used to prevent and manage antimicrobial resistance in Africa, guided by the “One Health” concept. Methods We will consider interventions targeting multiple sectors such as health care systems, the agricultural and veterinary sectors. The outcomes to be considered include reduction of AMR decreased morbidity and mortality due to infectious diseases, increased awareness for rational use of antimicrobials and reduced antibiotic consumption. We will include all types of studies regardless of study designs conducted within the context of the WHO African region. Studies will be excluded if they are not conducted in Africa and if they are literature reviews, only describing the concept of AMR without mentioning interventions. We will include studies identified through a comprehensive search of peer-reviewed and grey literature databases. In addition, we will search the reference lists of included studies and relevant reviews. Finally, we plan to do a citation search for included studies. Findings of this review will be narratively synthesized.

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Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes and Other Extracellular Vesicles as New Remedies in the Therapy of Inflammatory Diseases

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells8121605 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. 1605 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Carl Randall Harrell ◽

Nemanja Jovicic ◽

Valentin Djonov ◽

Nebojsa Arsenijevic ◽

Vladislav Volarevic

Keyword(s):

Stem Cell ◽

Mesenchymal Stem Cell ◽

Extracellular Vesicles ◽

Immune Cells ◽

Messenger Rna ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Inflammatory Diseases ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Bioactive Molecules ◽

Therapeutic Effects

There is growing evidence that mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based immunosuppression was mainly attributed to the effects of MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs). MSC-EVs are enriched with MSC-sourced bioactive molecules (messenger RNA (mRNA), microRNAs (miRNAs), cytokines, chemokines, immunomodulatory factors) that regulate phenotype, function and homing of immune cells. In this review article we emphasized current knowledge regarding molecular mechanisms responsible for the therapeutic effects of MSC-EVs in attenuation of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. We described the disease-specific cellular targets of MSC-EVs and defined MSC-sourced molecules, which were responsible for MSC-EV-based immunosuppression. Results obtained in a large number of experimental studies revealed that both local and systemic administration of MSC-EVs efficiently suppressed detrimental immune response in inflamed tissues and promoted survival and regeneration of injured parenchymal cells. MSC-EVs-based anti-inflammatory effects were relied on the delivery of immunoregulatory miRNAs and immunomodulatory proteins in inflammatory immune cells (M1 macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), CD4+Th1 and Th17 cells), enabling their phenotypic conversion into immunosuppressive M2 macrophages, tolerogenic DCs and T regulatory cells. Additionally, through the delivery of mRNAs and miRNAs, MSC-EVs activated autophagy and/or inhibited apoptosis, necrosis and oxidative stress in injured hepatocytes, neurons, retinal cells, lung, gut and renal epithelial cells, promoting their survival and regeneration.

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Potential of Bioactive Food Components against Gastric Cancer: Insights into Molecular Mechanism and Therapeutic Targets

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13184502 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (18) ◽

pp. 4502

Author(s):

Seog Young Kang ◽

Dongwon Hwang ◽

Soyoung Shin ◽

Jinju Park ◽

Myoungchan Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gastric Cancer ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Treatment Strategies ◽

Food Products ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Cancer Management ◽

Food Components ◽

Prevention And Treatment ◽

Bioactive Food Components

Gastric cancer, also known as stomach cancer, is a cancer that develops from the lining of the stomach. Accumulated evidence and epidemiological studies have indicated that bioactive food components from natural products play an important role in gastric cancer prevention and treatment, although its mechanism of action has not yet been elucidated. Particularly, experimental studies have shown that natural bioactive food products display a protective effect against gastric cancer via numerous molecular mechanisms, such as suppression of cell metastasis, anti-angiogenesis, inhibition of cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis, and modulation of autophagy. Chemotherapy remains the standard treatment for advanced gastric cancer along with surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, as well as immunotherapy, and its adverse side effects including neutropenia, stomatitis, mucositis, diarrhea, nausea, and emesis are well documented. However, administration of naturally occurring bioactive phytochemical food components could increase the efficacy of gastric chemotherapy and other chemotherapeutic resistance. Additionally, several studies have suggested that bioactive food components with structural stability, potential bioavailability, and powerful bioactivity are important to develop novel treatment strategies for gastric cancer management, which may minimize the adverse effects. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to summarize the potential therapeutic effects of natural bioactive food products on the prevention and treatment of gastric cancer with intensive molecular mechanisms of action, bioavailability, and safety efficacy.

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Review on Some Plants’ Therapeutic Effects against Gastrointestinal Microbes

Annual Research & Review in Biology ◽

10.9734/arrb/2019/v31i630066 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

M. S. Abdallah ◽

R. Go ◽

M. Mustafa ◽

M. Nallappan

Keyword(s):

Health Care Systems ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Active Ingredients ◽

Bioactive Constituents ◽

Salmonella Spp ◽

Plant Materials ◽

Plant Parts ◽

Care Systems ◽

Gastrointestinal Microbes

Plants play vital roles in many health care systems, be it rural or an urban community. Plants became familiar as medicine due to the primordial ideologies and believed. Several plant parts served as medicines to so many ailments including gastrointestinal ailments, due to the fact that their active ingredients are powerful against the microbes as well as healing so many physiological abnormalities. The principal antimicrobial components were used to inhibit the growth of microbes (S. aureus, E. coli, Salmonella spp, B. cereus, and B. subtili,), as well as most of the recognized compounds in most plants were aromatic or saturated organic compounds which enabled the plants to be active against the gastrointestinal microbes. The commonly used diluents were; water, methanol and Di methyl sulphate oxides to ascertain the level of activity of the plants. As such, plant materials in one way or the other are very active when dealing with microbes due to their active ingredients or the phytoconstituents. Most of the microbes identified in many reviewed researches were enteric bacterial species, by which divided into both gram negative and gram positive bacterial isolates, they differ in their cell components, which are the main targets of bioactive constituents to deal with any bacteria. However, certain parasites contributed towards the production of ailments for their survival and causing havoc to the hosts and sometimes be mutualistic.

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Current Advancement of the miR-17-92 Cluster in Gastrointestinal Cancers

Integrative Gastroenterology and Hepatology ◽

10.18314/igh.v2i1.1569 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 120-136

Author(s):

Liu Caifang ◽

Chen Sheng ◽

Sun Nina ◽

Shi Miao ◽

Han Chuan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

High Morbidity ◽

Gastrointestinal Cancers ◽

Regulate Gene Expression ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Recent Developments ◽

Advanced Stages ◽

Gi Cancers ◽

Poor Outcomes ◽

Regulate Gene

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, especially including esophageal, gastric and colorectal cancer, are common types of cancer with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite great advances having been made for these cancers, current treatments including surgery, Radiotherapy (RT) and Chemotherapy (CT) are still far from satisfactory as these cancers are usually discovered in advanced stages that are associated with short longevity and poor outcomes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short noncoding strands of RNA that regulate gene expression, affecting proliferation, development, differentiation, apoptosis, metabolism and Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition (EMT). The miR-17-92 cluster was detected as “oncomir-1”, which is involved in the onset and progression of numerous human cancers. This review presents the recent developments in knowledge about miR-17-92 clusters for diagnosing and treating GI cancers based on genetic functions, biological phenotypes, related mechanisms, biomarkers and therapeutic perspectives, which could provide a wider horizon for future use.

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Anti-Angiogenic Alternative and Complementary Medicines for the Treatment of Endometriosis: A Review of Potential Molecular Mechanisms

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2018/4128984 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Weilin Zheng ◽

Lixing Cao ◽

Zheng Xu ◽

Yuanyuan Ma ◽

Xuefang Liang

Keyword(s):

Natural Products ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Mechanisms Of Action ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Clinical Effects ◽

Chinese Medicines ◽

Complementary Medicines ◽

Angiogenic Therapy ◽

Keywords Endometriosis

Endometriosis is caused by the growth or infiltration of endometrial tissues outside of the endometrium and myometrium. Symptoms include pain and infertility. Surgery and hormonal therapy are widely used in Western medicine for the treatment of endometriosis; however, the side effects associated with this practice include disease recurrence and menopause, which can severely influence quality of life. Angiogenesis is the main biological mechanism underlying the development of endometriosis. Numerous natural products and Chinese medicines with potent anti-angiogenic effects have been investigated, and the molecular basis underlying their therapeutic effects in endometriosis has been explored. This review aims to describe natural products and compounds that suppress angiogenesis associated with endometriosis and to assess their diverse molecular mechanisms of action. Furthermore, this review provides a source of information relating to alternative and complementary therapeutic products that mediate anti-angiogenesis. An extensive review of the literature and electronic databases, such as the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed, and Embase, was conducted using the keywords ‘endometriosis,’ ‘traditional Chinese medicine,’ ‘Chinese herbal medicine,’ ‘natural compounds,’ and ‘anti-angiogenic’ therapy. Anti-angiogenic therapy is an emerging strategy for the treatment of endometriosis. Natural anti-angiogenic products and Chinese medicines provide several beneficial clinical effects, including pain relief. In this review, we summarize clinical trials and experimental studies of endometriosis using natural products and Chinese medicines. In particular, we focus on anti-angiogenic products and alternative and complementary medicines for the treatment of endometriosis and additionally examine their therapeutic efficacy and mechanisms of action. Anti-angiogenic natural products and/or compounds provide a new approach for the treatment of endometriosis. Future work will require randomized trials with larger numbers of subjects, as well as long-term follow-up to confirm the findings described here.

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Building castles on sands or quicksands?

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/s0007125000298000 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 173 (S36) ◽

pp. 12-18 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Alan Maynard ◽

Karen Bloor

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Systems ◽

Pharmaceutical Products ◽

New Drugs ◽

Economic Evaluations ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Treatment Of Depression ◽

Care Systems ◽

Essential Input ◽

The Cost

Economic evaluations of new and existing pharmaceutical products are an essential input into decision-making in health care. Health care systems around the world face steady increases in the total cost of pharmaceuticals. Increasingly, health care funders have to choose which drugs are subsidised and which are not reimbursed from public funds. In psychiatry, a number of new pharmaceutical products have recently been developed for the treatment of depression and schizophrenia which cost considerably more than traditional pharmacological products. Governments and purchasers, with limited budgets and expanded demands for funding, require pharmaceutical companies to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of their new therapies. It is no longer sufficient to consider the clinical or therapeutic effects of new drugs: purchasing choices are predicted on studies which identify, measure and value what is given up when a product is used (the cost) and what is gained (improved health outcome).

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A Literature-Based Update on Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn.: Traditional Uses, Nutraceutical, and Phytopharmacological Profiles

Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity ◽

10.1155/2021/6349041 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-19

Author(s):

Muhammad Torequl Islam ◽

Cristina Quispe ◽

Dina M. El-Kersh ◽

Manik Chandra Shill ◽

Kanchan Bhardwaj ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traditional Medicine ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Neurological Diseases ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Anticancer Properties ◽

Climbing Plant ◽

Therapeutic Uses ◽

Benincasa Hispida

Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn. (Cucurbitaceae) is an annual climbing plant, native to Asia with multiple therapeutic uses in traditional medicine. This updated review is aimed at discussing the ethnopharmacological, phytochemical, pharmacological properties, and molecular mechanisms highlighted in preclinical experimental studies and toxicological safety to evaluate the therapeutic potential of this genus. The literature from PubMed, Google Scholar, Elsevier, Springer, Science Direct, and database was analyzed using the basic keyword “Benincasa hispida.” Other searching strategies, including online resources, books, and journals, were used. The taxonomy of the plant has been made by consulting “The Plant List”. The results showed that B. hispida has been used in traditional medicine to treat neurological diseases, kidney disease, fever, and cough accompanied by thick mucus and to fight intestinal worms. The main bioactive compounds contained in Benincasa hispida have cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Further safety and efficacy investigations are needed to confirm these beneficial therapeutic effects and also future human clinical studies.

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