scholarly journals Acanthopanax henryi: Review of Botany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 2215
Author(s):  
Xiao-Jun Li ◽  
Si-Qi Tang ◽  
Hao Huang ◽  
Jiao Luo ◽  
Xiao-Dan Zhang ◽  
...  

Acanthopanax henryi (Oliv.) Harms (Araliaceae), also known as Eleutherococcus henryi and Caoyewujia (Hengliwujia) in Chinese, is a widely used traditional Chinese herb with the effects of expelling wind and removing dampness, relaxing the muscles and stimulating the blood circulation, and regulating the flow of qi to alleviate pain in the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Acanthopanax henryi (AH, thereafter) possesses ginseng-like activities and is known as ginseng-like herb. In the past decade, a great number of phytochemical and pharmacological studies on AH have been carried out. Several kinds of chemical compositions have been reported, including terpenoids (monoterpenoids, diterpenoids, and triterpenoid saponins), phenylpropanoids, caffeoyl quinic acid derivatives, flavonoids, lignans, sterols, fatty acids, etc., among which, triterpenoid saponins were considered to be the most active components. Considerable pharmacological experiments in vitro have demonstrated that AH possessed anti-neuroinflammatory, anti-adipogenic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-cancer, anti-oxidation, anti-AChE, anti-BuChE, and antihyaluronidase activities. The present review is an up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of the botany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of AH.

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Wang ◽  
Yan Tong ◽  
Oluwaniyi Isaiah Adejobi ◽  
Yuhua Wang ◽  
Aizhong Liu

Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo is an important epiphytic plant, belonging to the Orchidaceae family. There are various bioactive components in D. officinale plants, mainly including polysaccharides, alkaloids, and phenolic compounds. These compounds have been demonstrated to possess multiple functions, such as anti-oxidation, immune regulation, and anti-cancer. Due to serious shortages of wild resources, deterioration of cultivated germplasm and the unstable quality of D. officinale, the study has been focused on the biosynthetic pathway and regulation mechanisms of bioactive compounds. In recent years, with rapid developments in detection technologies and analysis tools, omics research including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics have all been widely applied in various medicinal plants, including D. officinale. Many important advances have been achieved in D. officinale research, such as chromosome-level reference genome assembly and the identification of key genes involved in the biosynthesis of active components. In this review, we summarize the latest research advances in D. officinale based on multiple omics studies. At the same time, we discuss limitations of the current research. Finally, we put forward prospective topics in need of further study on D. officinale.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 499-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rémi Safi ◽  
Marwan El-Sabban ◽  
Fadia Najjar

Ferula hermonis Boiss, is an endemic plant of Lebanon, locally known as “shilsh Elzallouh”. It has been extensively used in the traditional medicine as an aphrodisiac and for the treatment of sexual impotence. Crude extracts and isolated compounds of ferula hermonis contain phytoestrogenic substances having a wide spectrum of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological properties including anti-osteoporosis, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-fungal, anti-cancer and as sexual activity enhancer. The aim of this mini-review is to highlight the traditional and novel applications of this plant’s extracts and its major sesquiterpene ester, ferutinin. The phytochemical constituents and the pharmacological uses of ferula hermonis crude extract and ferutinin specifically will be discussed.


Biomedicines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 382
Author(s):  
Mario Dioguardi ◽  
Giorgia Apollonia Caloro ◽  
Luigi Laino ◽  
Mario Alovisi ◽  
Diego Sovereto ◽  
...  

The Rhopalurus junceus is a scorpion belonging to the Buthidae family that finds its habitat in Cuba. This scorpion is known by the common name of “Blue Scorpion”. The venom is used on the island of Cuba as an alternative cure for cancer and, more recently, in the research of active components for biomedicine. Recently, the venom has been tested in several studies to investigate its effects on cancer cell lines, and the initial results of in vitro studies demonstrated how this poison can be effective on certain carcinoma cell lines (Hela, SiHa, Hep-2, NCI-H292, A549, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, and HT-29). The aim of this review is, therefore, to describe the effects of the venom on carcinoma lines and to investigate all anti-cancer properties studied in the literature. The research was conducted using four databases, Pub Med, Scopus, EBSCO, and Web of Science, through the use of keywords, by two independent reviewers following the PRISMA protocol, identifying 57 records. The results led to a total of 13 articles that met the eligibility criteria. The data extracted for the purpose of meta-analysis included the IC50 of the venom on carcinoma cell lines. The results of the meta-analysis provided a pooled mean of the IC50 of 0.645 mg/mL (95% CI: 0.557, 0.733), with a standard error (SE) = 0.045, p < 0.001. The analysis of the subgroups, differentiated by the type of cell line used, provided insight regarding how the scorpion venom was effective on the cell lines of lung origin (NCI-H292, A549, and MRC-5) with a pooled mean of IC50 0.460 mg/mL (95% CI: 0.290, 0.631) SE (0.087) p < 0.001. The results described in the literature for in vitro studies are encouraging, and further investigations should be carried out and deepened.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Qi ◽  
Jianguo Cui ◽  
Baobin Mi ◽  
Xiaohong Yan ◽  
Wenwen Xu ◽  
...  

Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is a flavonoid isolated mainly from the licorice plant, a traditional Chinese herb. ISL has shown anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities. However, the pharmaceutical effects of ISL on atherosclerosis are seldom explored. In this study, we used apolipoprotein E (ApoE) knockout mouse model and angiotensin II- (Ang II-) stimulated vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to elucidate the pharmacological mechanism of ISL to inhibit atherosclerosis. We found that in ApoE−/− mice ISL could attenuate atherosclerotic lesion, reduce serum lipid levels, and inhibit TRPC5 expression. In vitro, ISL inhibited Ang II-stimulated proliferation of VSMCs and suppressed Ang II-induced TRPC5 and PCNA expressions in a dose-dependent fashion. In conclusion, our findings provide novel insight into the pharmacological effects of ISL on atherosclerosis and suggest that ISL is beneficial for cardiovascular protection.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hai-wang Wu ◽  
Yi-hui Feng ◽  
Dong-ying Wang ◽  
Wei-yu Qiu ◽  
Qing-ying Yu ◽  
...  

For centuries, the Chinese herb Cuscuta chinensis has been applied clinically for abortion prevention in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Total flavones extracted from Cuscuta chinensis (TFCC) are one of the active components in the herb and also display anti-abortion effect similar to the unprocessed material. However, how TFCC exerts the anti-abortion effect remains largely unknown. In this study, we aim at characterizing the anti-abortion effects of TFCC and its underlying molecular mechanism in vitro and in vivo using human primary decidua cells and a mifepristone-induced abortion model in rat, respectively. The damage to the decidua caused by mifepristone in vivo was reversed by TFCC treatment in a dosage-dependent manner. High dosage of TFCC significantly upregulated the expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and prolactin receptor (PRLR) in decidua tissue but downregulated the expression of p-ERK. Furthermore, we detected higher level of p-ERK and p-p38 in primary decidua cells from spontaneous abortion while treatment by TFCC downregulated their expression. Our results suggest TFCC mediates its anti-abortion effect by interfering with MAPK signaling pathway.


Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Ma ◽  
Peng Sun ◽  
Yifan Zhao ◽  
Kun Wang ◽  
Xiaoqiang Chang ◽  
...  

Artemisinin (ART) is a highly effective antimalarial agent isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Qinghao. Metabolism of ART and its derivatives in the body is one of the most pressing issues for pharmaceutical scientists. Herein, an efficient in vitro microorganism model for simulation of metabolism of ART in vivo was developed employing Cunninghamella elegans. Metabolites in the microbial transformation system and plasma of mice pre-administrated ART orally were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-electrospray ionization (ESI)-quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF)-mass spectrometry (MSE) combined with UNIFI software. Thirty-two metabolites were identified in vitro and 23 were identified in vivo. After comparison, 16 products were found to be common to both models including monohydroxylated ART, dihydroxylated ART, deoxyartemisinin, hydroxylated deoxyartemisinin, hydroxylated dihydroartemisinin (DHA), and hydroxylated deoxy-DHA. These results revealed that C. elegans CICC 40250 functioned as an appropriate model to mimic ART metabolism in vivo. Moreover, an overall description of metabolites of ART from C. elegans CICC 40250 has been provided. Notably, DHA was detected and identified as a metabolite of ART in mouse plasma for the first time.


2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 65
Author(s):  
Yamin Yasin ◽  
Faujan Ahmad

Betulinic acid, a triterpenoid found in many plant species, has attracted attention due to its important pharmacological properties, such as anti-cancer and anti-HIV activities. In order to obtain derivatives potentially useful for detailed pharmacological studies, derivatives were synthesized through the reaction of betulinic acid with benzoyl chloride and acetic anhydride using a lipase catalyst. Enzyme-catalyzed reaction of betulinic acid with benzoyl chloride yielded 3B-benzoil-lup-20(29)-ene-28-oic acid ester (BCL), whereas the acetic anhydride reaction yielded 3B-acetoxy-lup-20(29)-ene-28-oic acid ester (BAA). The BAA underwent further reaction with l-decanol to produce 3B-acetoxy-lup-20(29)-ene-28 decanoate (BAAD). The prepared betulinic acid derivatives were tested for cytotoxic activity on three callcer cell lines in vitro: all tested compunds showed greater activity than betulinic acid.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyan Li ◽  
Chuang Zhao ◽  
Jiamiao Wang ◽  
Lan Shen ◽  
Zhidan Liu

Abstract The traditional Chinese herb, She Xiang, has been found to accelerate the recovery of facial paralysis including Bell’s palsy by acupoint application in China. However, the underlining mechanism was not well known which has become an obstacle on the way to further development. In this study, we attempted to explore the pharmacology mechanism of She Xiang on facial paralysis treatment preliminarily by bioinformatics analysis. As a result, 59 active ingredients were identified in She Xiang by Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrated Database, such as 17-Beta-Estradiol, testosterone, and 2,6-Decamethylene Pyridine. Totally 837 genes were identified to be differently expressed in the blood sample of facial paralysis patients by RNA sequencing. Finally, 33 overlapped proteins were obtained overlapped with the prediction of comparative toxicogenomics database (CTD) and BATMAN. Proteins of interest were closely related with 406 GO BP and 4 pathways. The hub protein in PPI network contained FOS, JUN, POMC, and GPER1. Pharmacology network was constructed with 15 active components of She Xiang, 33 protein targets and 4 pathways. The docking model of Androst-4-Ene-3, 17-Dione (ASD) and FUS-JUN complexes (1FOS) was predicted and constructed. In conclusion, this work indicated testosterone as the effective component of She Xiang may advance the recovery of facial paralysis by targeting FUN, MAPK and cAMP signaling pathway; docking of ASD and 1FOS might play a critical role in facial paralysis treatment by She Xiang. Further work will be carried out in human or experimental animals to test and verify the predicted results.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (19) ◽  
pp. 5771
Author(s):  
Jianfeng Zhan ◽  
Feng He ◽  
Shuxian Chen ◽  
Abishek Jung Poudel ◽  
Ying Yang ◽  
...  

Essential oils (EOs) have been used in cosmetics and food due to their antimicrobial and antiviral effects. However, the applications of EOs are compromised because of their poor aqueous solubility and high volatility. Qiai (Artemisia argyi Levl. et Van. var. argyi cv. Qiai) is a traditional Chinese herb and possesses strong antibacterial activity. Herein, we report an innovative formulation of EO as nanohydrogels, which were prepared through co-assembly of Qiai EO (QEO) and Pluronic F108 (PEG-b-PPG-b-PEG, or PF108) in aqueous solution. QEO was efficiently loaded in the PF108 micelles and formed nanohydrogels by heating the QEO/PF108 mixture solution to 37 °C, by the innate thermo-responsive property of PF108. The encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of QEO reached 80.2% and 6.8%, respectively. QEO nanohydrogels were more stable than the free QEO with respect to volatilization. Sustained QEO release was achieved at body temperature using the QEO nanohydrogels, with the cumulative release rate reaching 95% in 35 h. In vitro antibacterial test indicated that the QEO nanohydrogels showed stronger antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and E. coli than the free QEO due to the enhanced stability and sustained-release characteristics. It has been attested that thermo-responsive QEO nanohydrogels have good potential as antibacterial cosmetics.


2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 65
Author(s):  
Yamin Yasin ◽  
Faujan Ahmacl

Betulinic acid. a triterpenoid found in many plant species, has attracted attention due to its important pharmacological properties, such as anti-cancer and anti-HIV activities. In order to obtain derivatives potentially useful for detailed pharmacological studies, derivatives were synthesized through the reaction of betulinic acid with benzoyl chloride and acetic anhydride using a lipase catalyst. Enzyme-catalyzed reaction of betulinic acid with benzoyl chloride yielded 3b-benzoil-lup-20(29)-ene-28-oic acid ester (BCL), whereas the acetic anhydride reaction yielded 3b-acetoxy-lup-20(29)-ene-28-oic acid ester (BAA). The BAA underwent further reaction with 1-decanol to produce 3b-acetoxy-lup-20(29)-ene-28 decanoate (BAAD). The prepared betulinic acid derivatives were tested for cytotoxic activity on three cancer cell lines in vitro: all tested compounds showed greater activity than betulinic acid.


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