Metabolism and Pharmacological Mechanisms of Active Ingredients in Erigeron breviscapus

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fan Hua ◽  
Lin Peng ◽  
Kang Qiang ◽  
Zhao Zhi-Long ◽  
Wang Ji ◽  
...  

Background: Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand-Mazz. is a plant species in the Compositae family. More than 10 types of compounds—such as flavonoids, caffeinate esters, and volatile oils—have been identified in Erigeron breviscapus; however, it remains unknown as to which compounds are associated with its clinical efficacy. In recent years, flavonoids and phenolic acids have been considered as the main effective components of Erigeron breviscapus. The metabolism and mechanisms of these compounds in vivo have been extensively studied to improve our understanding of the drug. Method: In the present review, we summarize the relationships among these compounds, their metabolites, and their pharmacodynamics. Many methods have been implemented to improve the separation and bioavailability of these compounds from Erigeron breviscapus. Results: In China, Erigeron breviscapus has been used for many years. In recent years, through the study of its metabolism and the mechanisms of its effective components, the effects of Erigeron breviscapus in the treatment of various diseases have been extensively studied. Findings have indicated that Erigeron breviscapus improves cardiovascular and cerebrovascular function, and that one of its ingredients, scutellarin, has potential value in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, cancer, diabetic vascular complications, and other conditions. In addition, phenolic acid compounds and their metabolites also play an important role in anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, and improving blood lipids. Conclusion: Erigeron breviscapus plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular/cerebrovascular diseases, neuroprotection, and cancer through many different mechanisms of action. Further investigation of its efficacious components and metabolites may provide more possibilities for the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine and the development of novel drugs.

2013 ◽  
Vol 394 (10) ◽  
pp. 1263-1280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco J. Sánchez-Gómez ◽  
Cristina Espinosa-Díez ◽  
Megha Dubey ◽  
Madhu Dikshit ◽  
Santiago Lamas

Abstract Glutathione is considered the main regulator of redox balance in the cellular milieu due to its capacity for detoxifying deleterious molecules. The oxidative stress induced as a result of a variety of stimuli promotes protein oxidation, usually at cysteine residues, leading to changes in their activity. Mild oxidative stress, which may take place in physiological conditions, induces the reversible oxidation of cysteines to sulfenic acid form, while pathological conditions are associated with higher rates of reactive oxygen species production, inducing the irreversible oxidation of cysteines. Among these, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes have been proposed to be pathogenetically linked to this state. In diabetes-associated vascular complications, lower levels of glutathione and increased oxidative stress have been reported. S-glutathionylation has been proposed as a posttranslational modification able to protect proteins from over-oxidizing environments. S-glutathionylation has been identified in proteins involved in diabetic models both in vitro and in vivo. In all of them, S-glutathionylation represents a mechanism that regulates the response to diabetic conditions, and has been described to occur in erythrocytes and neutrophils from diabetic patients. However, additional studies are necessary to discern whether this modification represents a biomarker for the early onset of diabetic vascular complications.


1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (2_suppl) ◽  
pp. 222-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joong Yeol Park ◽  
Sung-Woo Ha ◽  
George L. King

Many vascular diseases in diabetes are known to be associated with the activation of the diacylglycerol (OAG)protein kinase C (PKC) pathway. The major source of OAG that is elevated in diabetes is de novo synthesis from glycolytic intermediates. Among the various PKC isoforms, the β-isoform has been shown to be persistently activated in diabetic animals. Multiple lines of evidence have shown that many vascular alterations in diabetes such as a decrease in the activity of Na+-K+ -adenosine triphosphatase (Na+-K+-ATPase), and increases in extracellular matrix, cytokines, permeability, contractility, and cell proliferation -are caused by activation of PKC. Inhibition of PKC by two different kinds of PKC inhibitors, LY333531, a selective PKC-β-isoform inhibitor, and d-α-tocopherol, were able to prevent or reverse the various vascular dysfunctions in diabetic rats. These results have also provided in vivo evidence that OAG-PKC activation could be responsible for the hyperglycemia-induced vascular dysfunctions in diabetes. Clinical studies are now being performed to clarify the pathogenic roles of the OAG-PKC pathway in developing vascular complications in diabetic patients.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Poojitha Rajasekar ◽  
Christina L. O’Neill ◽  
Lydia Eeles ◽  
Alan W. Stitt ◽  
Reinhold J. Medina

The vascular complications of diabetes significantly impact the quality of life and mortality in diabetic patients. Extensive evidence from various human clinical trials has clearly established that a period of poor glycemic control early in the disease process carries negative consequences, such as an increase in the development and progression of vascular complications that becomes evident many years later. Importantly, intensive glycemic control established later in the disease process cannot reverse or slow down the onset or progression of diabetic vasculopathy. This has been named the glycemic memory phenomenon. Scientists have successfully modelled glycemic memory using variousin vitroandin vivosystems. This review emphasizes that oxidative stress and accumulation of advanced glycation end products are key factors driving glycemic memory in endothelial cells. Furthermore, various epigenetic marks have been proposed to closely associate with vascular glycemic memory. In addition, we comment on the importance of endothelial progenitors and their role as endogenous vasoreparative cells that are negatively impacted by the diabetic milieu and may constitute a “carrier” of glycemic memory. Considering the potential of endothelial progenitor-based cytotherapies, future studies on their glycemic memory are warranted to develop epigenetics-based therapeutics targeting diabetic vascular complications.


2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gang Wang ◽  
Yanan Wang ◽  
Qinzhi Yang ◽  
Chunrong Xu ◽  
Youkun Zheng ◽  
...  

AbstractMethylglyoxal (MGO) is an active metabolite of glucose and plays a prominent role in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular complications, including endothelial cell apoptosis induced by oxidative stress. Metformin (MET), a widely prescribed antidiabetic agent, appears to reduce excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and limit cell apoptosis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are still not fully elucidated. We reported here that MET prevents MGO-induced apoptosis by suppressing oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo. Protein expression and protein phosphorylation were investigated using western blotting, ELISA, and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. Cell viability and apoptosis were assessed by the MTT assay, TUNEL staining, and Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide double staining. ROS generation and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were measured with fluorescent probes. Our results revealed that MET prevented MGO-induced HUVEC apoptosis, inhibited apoptosis-associated biochemical changes such as loss of MMP, the elevation of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and activation of cleaved caspase-3, and attenuated MGO-induced mitochondrial morphological alterations in a dose-dependent manner. MET pretreatment also significantly suppressed MGO-stimulated ROS production, increased signaling through the ROS-mediated PI3K/Akt and Nrf2/HO-1 pathways, and markedly elevated the levels of its downstream antioxidants. Finally, similar results were obtained in vivo, and we demonstrated that MET prevented MGO-induced oxidative damage, apoptosis, and inflammation. As expected, MET reversed MGO-induced downregulation of Nrf2 and p-Akt. In addition, a PI3K inhibitor (LY-294002) and a Nrf2 inhibitor (ML385) observably attenuated the protective effects of MET on MGO-induced apoptosis and ROS generation by inhibiting the Nrf2/HO-1 pathways, while a ROS scavenger (NAC) and a permeability transition pores inhibitor (CsA) completely reversed these effects. Collectively, these findings broaden our understanding of the mechanism by which MET regulates apoptosis induced by MGO under oxidative stress conditions, with important implications regarding the potential application of MET for the treatment of diabetic vascular complications.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingling Zhao ◽  
Shuai Yang ◽  
Lei Chen ◽  
Ronghua Yang ◽  
Yingbin Xu ◽  
...  

AbstractThe progression of diabetic complications does not halt despite termination of hyperglycemia, suggesting a “metabolic memory” phenomenon. However, whether metabolic memory exists in and affects the healing of diabetic wounds, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms, remain unclear. In this study, we found that wound healing was delayed and angiogenesis was decreased in diabetic mice, despite normalization of glycemic control. Thus, we hypothesized that transient hyperglycemic spikes may be a risk factor for diabetic wound healing. We showed that transient hyperglycemia caused persistent damage to the vascular endothelium. Transient hyperglycemia directly upregulated DNMT1 expression, leading to the hypermethylation of Ang-1 and reduced Ang-1 expression, which, in turn, induced long-lasting activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB and subsequent endothelial dysfunction. An in vivo study further showed that inhibition of DNMT1 promoted angiogenesis and accelerated diabetic wound healing by regulating the Ang-1/NF-κB signaling pathway. These results highlight the dramatic and long-lasting effects of transient hyperglycemic spikes on wound healing and suggest that DNMT1 is a novel target for diabetic vascular complications.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (16) ◽  
pp. 2974-2986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwang-sun Kim

Vectors are living organisms that transmit infectious diseases from an infected animal to humans or another animal. Biological vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and sand flies carry pathogens that multiply within their bodies prior to delivery to a new host. The increased prevalence of Vector-Borne Diseases (VBDs) such as Aedes-borne dengue, Chikungunya (CHIKV), Zika (ZIKV), malaria, Tick-Borne Disease (TBD), and scrub typhus has a huge impact on the health of both humans and livestock worldwide. In particular, zoonotic diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks place a considerable burden on public health. Vaccines, drugs, and vector control methods have been developed to prevent and treat VBDs and have prevented millions of deaths. However, development of such strategies is falling behind the rapid emergence of VBDs. Therefore, a comprehensive approach to fighting VBDs must be considered immediately. In this review, I focus on the challenges posed by emerging outbreaks of VBDs and discuss available drugs and vaccines designed to overcome this burden. Research into promising drugs needs to be upgraded and fast-tracked, and novel drugs or vaccines being tested in in vitro and in vivo models need to be moved into human clinical trials. Active preventive tactics, as well as new and upgraded diagnostics, surveillance, treatments, and vaccination strategies, need to be monitored constantly if we are to manage VBDs of medical importance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (11) ◽  
pp. 1744-1763 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Menini ◽  
Carla Iacobini ◽  
Claudia Blasetti Fantauzzi ◽  
Giuseppe Pugliese

Vascular complications are among the most serious manifestations of diabetes. Atherosclerosis is the main cause of reduced life quality and expectancy in diabetics, whereas diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy are the most common causes of end-stage renal disease and blindness. An effective therapeutic approach to prevent vascular complications should counteract the mechanisms of injury. Among them, the toxic effects of Advanced Glycation (AGEs) and Lipoxidation (ALEs) end-products are well-recognized contributors to these sequelae. L-carnosine (β-alanyl-Lhistidine) acts as a quencher of the AGE/ALE precursors Reactive Carbonyl Species (RCS), which are highly reactive aldehydes derived from oxidative and non-oxidative modifications of sugars and lipids. Consistently, L-carnosine was found to be effective in several disease models in which glyco/lipoxidation plays a central pathogenic role. Unfortunately, in humans, L-carnosine is rapidly inactivated by serum carnosinase. Therefore, the search for carnosinase-resistant derivatives of Lcarnosine represents a suitable strategy against carbonyl stress-dependent disorders, particularly diabetic vascular complications. In this review, we present and discuss available data on the efficacy of L-carnosine and its derivatives in preventing vascular complications in rodent models of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. We also discuss genetic findings providing evidence for the involvement of the carnosinase/L-carnosine system in the risk of developing diabetic nephropathy and for preferring the use of carnosinase-resistant compounds in human disease. The availability of therapeutic strategies capable to prevent both long-term glucose toxicity, resulting from insufficient glucoselowering therapy, and lipotoxicity may help reduce the clinical and economic burden of vascular complications of diabetes and related metabolic disorders.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-238
Author(s):  
Muflihatul Muniroh

AbstractThe exposure of methylmercury (MeHg) has become a public health concern because of its neurotoxic effect. Various neurological symptoms were detected in Minamata disease patients, who got intoxicated by MeHg, including paresthesia, ataxia, gait disturbance, sensory disturbances, tremors, visual, and hearing impairments, indicating that MeHg could pass the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and cause impairment of neurons and other brain cells. Previous studies have reported some expected mechanisms of MeHg-induced neurotoxicity including the neuroinflammation pathway. It was characterized by the up-regulation of numerous pro-inflammatory cytokines expression. Therefore, the use of anti-inflammatories such as N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) may act as a preventive compound to protect the brain from MeHg harmful effects. This mini-review will explain detailed information on MeHg-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines activation as well as possible preventive strategies using anti-inflammation NAC to protect brain cells, particularly in in vivo and in vitro studies.


Author(s):  
Hyoung-Jin Moon ◽  
Won Lee ◽  
Ji-Soo Kim ◽  
Eun-Jung Yang ◽  
Hema Sundaram

Abstract Background Aspiration testing before filler injection is controversial. Some believe that aspiration can help prevent inadvertent intravascular injection, while others cite false-negative results and question its value given that the needle position always changes somewhat during injection procedures. Objectives To test the relation of false-negative results to the viscosity of the material within the needle lumen and determine whether a less viscous material within the needle lumen could decrease the incidence of false-negative results. Methods In vitro aspiration tests were performed using 30-G and 27-G needle gauges, two cross-linked hyaluronic acid fillers, normal saline bags pressurized at 140 and 10 mmHg to mimic human arterial and venous pressures, and three needle lumen conditions (normal saline, air, and filler). Testing was repeated three times under each study condition (72 tests in total). For in vivo correlation, aspiration tests were performed on femoral arteries and central auricular veins in three rabbits (4–5 aspirations per site, 48 tests in total). Results In vitro and in vivo testing using 30-G needles containing filler both showed false-negative results on aspiration testing. In vitro and in vivo testing using needles containing saline or air showed positive findings. Conclusions False-negative results from aspiration testing may be reduced by pre-filling the needle lumen with saline rather than a filler. The pressurized system may help overcome challenges of animal models with intravascular pressures significantly different from those of humans. The adaptability of this system to mimic various vessel pressures may facilitate physiologically relevant studies of vascular complications.


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