Chinese herbal medicines with beneficial effects

Among the vast resources of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbal species, only a handful of Chinese herbs are growing in frigid regions or extreme environment but they have a unique property. The most recognizable TCM herb falling in this category is Panax ginseng, which is widely considered the representative tonic herb with oceans of beneficial effects on human health. In this article, we will introduce several typical Chinese herbal medicines with beneficial effects aiming to arouse broader attention from the scientific community to expand the exploration and exploitation on this for their potential applications to meet the increasingly demanding medical needs.

Identification of hub genes and networks in cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury

Acute kidney injury induced by cisplatin poses a serious health hazard to patients. Thus, this study was undertaken to elucidate key signaling pathways and hub genes relevant for therapeutic intervention involved in cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury(CI-AKI) by bioinformatics. We identified differentially expressed genes(DEGs) by R language on GSE106993 and GSE153625 datasets, downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). GO enrichment analysis and KEGG analysis were used to identify the main functions of common differential genes. The STRING database was used to construct protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and hub genes were selected by Cytoscape. TransmiR v2.0 database and miRWalk2.0 database were used to construct transcription factor (TF)/microRNA (miRNA)/mRNA networks. Chinese herbal medicines targeting hub genes were screened by the ETMC database. 817 up-regulated genes and 769 down-regulated genes were obtained in CI-AKI model. Tumor necrosis factor(TNF) signaling pathway, P53 signaling, and metabolic signaling pathway are important pathways in CI-AKI. 8 hub genes were identified through PPI (Trp53、Egf、Stat3、Jun、Casp3、Cdh1、Ptgs2、Cat). We also constructed TF/microRNA/mRNA regulatory networks, including 2 TFs, 4 miRNAs and 214 mRNAs. The results of ETMC database analysis showed that Sang-Ye and Ban-Xia could be used for the treatment of CI-AKI. In this study, we identified 8 hub genes and 3 important signaling pathways in CI-AKI model by bioinformatics analysis, which provide targets for the treatment of CI-AKI. And the two Chinese herbal medicines obtained from our research, Sang-Ye and Ban-Xia, are expected to be used for the treatment of CI-AKI. Meanwhile, the TF/miRNA/mRNA networks we constructed are helpful to the further study of the mechanism of CI-AKI.

Anti-Stroke Chinese Herbal Medicines Inhibit Abnormal Amyloid-β Protein Precursor Processing in Alzheimer’s Disease

Background: Chinese Herbal Medicines (CHMs), as an important and integral part of a larger system of medicine practiced in China, called Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), have been used in stroke therapy for centuries. A large body of studies suggest that some Chinese herbs can help reverse cognitive impairment in stroke patients, while whether these herbs also exert therapeutic benefits for Alzheimer’s disease remains to be seen. Objective: To address this issue, we selected four types of CHMs that are commonly prescribed for stroke treatment in clinical practice, namely DengZhanXiXin (D1), TongLuoJiuNao (T2), QingKaiLing (Q3), and HuangQinGan (H4), and tested their effects on amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) processing in vitro. Methods: AβPP, β-secretase (BACE1), and 99-amino acid C-terminal fragment of AβPP (C99) stably transfected cells were used for the tests of AβPP processing. The production of Aβ, activity of BACE1, neprilysin (NEP), and γ-secretase were assessed by ELISA, RT-PCR, and western blot. Results: By upregulating BACE1 activity, D1 increased Aβ production whereas decreased the ratio of Aβ 42/Aβ 40; by downregulating BACE1 activity and modulating the expression of γ-secretase, T2 decreased Aβ production and the ratio of Aβ 42/Aβ 40; by downregulating BACE1 activity, Q3 decreased Aβ production; H4 did not change Aβ production due to the simultaneously downregulation of BACE1 and NEP activity. Conclusion: Our study indicates that these four anti-stroke CHMs regulate AβPP processing through different mechanisms. Particularly, T2 with relatively simple components and prominent effect on AβPP processing may be a promising candidate for the treatment of AD.

New Insights Into the Effects of Individual Chinese Herbal Medicines on Chronic Kidney Disease

The clinical and experimental study into the effects of Chinese herbal medicines on chronic kidney disease has evolved over the past 40 years with new insight into their mechanism and evidence of their clinical effects. Among the many traditional Chinese herbs examined in chronic renal disease, five were found to have evidence of sufficient clinical efficacy, high frequency of use, and well-studied mechanism. They are: Abelmoschus manihot and Huangkui capsule, Salvia miltiorrhiza and its components (tanshinone II A, salvianolic acid A and B); Rhizoma coptidis and its monomer berberine; Tripterygium wilfordii and its components (triptolide, tripterygium glycosides); Kudzu root Pueraria and its monomer Puerarin. These Chinese herbal medications have pharmaceutical effects against fibrosis, inflammation and oxidative stress and also promote renal repair and regeneration. This article reviews their clinical efficacy, anti-fibrotic effects in animal models, and molecular mechanism of action.

Research Progress in Chinese Herbal Medicines for Treatment of Sepsis: Pharmacological Action, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacokinetics

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection; the pathophysiology of sepsis is complex. The incidence of sepsis is steadily increasing, with worldwide mortality ranging between 30% and 50%. Current treatment approaches mainly rely on the timely and appropriate administration of antimicrobials and supportive therapies, but the search for pharmacotherapies modulating the host response has been unsuccessful. Chinese herbal medicines, i.e., Chinese patent medicines, Chinese herbal prescriptions, and single Chinese herbs, play an important role in the treatment of sepsis through multicomponent, multipathway, and multitargeting abilities and have been officially recommended for the management of COVID-19. Chinese herbal medicines have therapeutic actions promising for the treatment of sepsis; basic scientific research on these medicines is increasing. However, the material bases of most Chinese herbal medicines and their underlying mechanisms of action have not yet been fully elucidated. This review summarizes the current studies of Chinese herbal medicines used for the treatment of sepsis in terms of clinical efficacy and safety, pharmacological activity, phytochemistry, bioactive constituents, mechanisms of action, and pharmacokinetics, to provide an important foundation for clarifying the pathogenesis of sepsis and developing novel antisepsis drugs based on Chinese herbal medicines.