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Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Currently, an estimated 537 million individuals are affected by type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the occurrence of which is invariably associated with complications.... (Review)
Review
Currently, an estimated 537 million individuals are affected by type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the occurrence of which is invariably associated with complications. Glucose-lowering therapy remains the main treatment for alleviating T2DM. However, conventional antidiabetic agents are fraught with numerous adverse effects, notably elevations in blood pressure and lipid levels. Recently, the use of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) and their constituents has emerged as a preferred management strategy aimed at curtailing the progression of diabetes and its associated complications with fewer adverse effects. Increasing evidence indicates that gut microbiome disturbances are involved in the development of T2DM and its complications. This regulation depends on various metabolites produced by gut microbes and their interactions with host organs. TCMs' interventions have demonstrated the ability to modulate the intestinal bacterial microbiota, thereby restoring host homeostasis and ameliorating metabolic disorders. This review delves into the alterations in the gut microbiota and metabolites in T2DM patients and how TCMs treatment regulates the gut microbiota, facilitating the management of T2DM and its complications. Additionally, we also discuss prospective avenues for research on natural products to advance diabetes therapy.
Topics: Humans; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Hypoglycemic Agents; Animals
PubMed: 38930814
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122747 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024is a species of pharmacological interest for providing volatile and non-volatile extracts with antifungal and amebicidal properties. The biological activities of...
is a species of pharmacological interest for providing volatile and non-volatile extracts with antifungal and amebicidal properties. The biological activities of non-volatile extracts may be related to the presence of coumarins, a promising group of secondary metabolites. In the present study, leaves and inflorescences previously used for the extraction of essential oils instead of being disposed of were subjected to extraction with supercritical CO after pretreatment with microwaves. An experimental design was followed to seek the best extraction condition with the objective function being the maximum total extract. Pressure and temperature were statistically significant factors, and the optimal extraction condition was 240 bar, 60 °C, and pretreatment at 30 °C. The applied mathematical models showed good adherence to the experimental data. The extracts obtained by supercritical CO were analyzed and the presence of coumarins was confirmed. The extract investigated for cytotoxicity against bladder tumor cells (T24) exhibited significant reduction in cell viability at concentrations between 6 and 12 μg/mL. The introduction of green technology, supercritical extraction, in the exploration of as a source of coumarins represents a paradigm shift with regard to previous studies carried out with this species, which used organic solvents. Furthermore, the concept of circular bioeconomy was applied, i.e., the raw material used was the residue of a steam-distillation process. Therefore, the approach used here is in line with the sustainable exploitation of native plants to obtain extracts rich in coumarins with cytotoxic potential against cancer cells.
Topics: Coumarins; Carbon Dioxide; Plant Extracts; Humans; Chromatography, Supercritical Fluid; Plant Components, Aerial; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
PubMed: 38930806
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122741 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Four new diterpenoids, isodosins A-D (-), together with nine known compounds (-) were isolated and identified from the aerial parts of (Maxim.) Hara. The structures of...
Four new diterpenoids, isodosins A-D (-), together with nine known compounds (-) were isolated and identified from the aerial parts of (Maxim.) Hara. The structures of the new diterpenoids were elucidated based on the analysis of HR-ESI-MS data, 1D/2D-NMR-spectroscopic data, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Cytotoxicities of compounds , , , , and against the HepG2 and H1975 cell lines were evaluated with the MTT assay. As a result, compounds , , and revealed higher levels of cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells than against H1975 cells. Moreover, compund demonstrated the most efficacy in inhibiting the proliferation of HepG2 cells, with an IC value of 41.13 ± 3.49 μM. This effect was achieved by inducing apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the relationships between the structures and activities of these compounds are briefly discussed.
Topics: Humans; Diterpenes; Isodon; Plant Components, Aerial; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Apoptosis; Hep G2 Cells; Molecular Structure; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Plant Extracts; Structure-Activity Relationship; Cell Survival; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
PubMed: 38930799
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122733 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024(), a traditional anti-diabetic medicine mainly composed of flavonoids and isoflavones, has a long history in diabetes treatment in China. However, the anti-diabetic...
(), a traditional anti-diabetic medicine mainly composed of flavonoids and isoflavones, has a long history in diabetes treatment in China. However, the anti-diabetic active component is still unclear. Recently, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) has been a hot therapeutic target by negatively regulating insulin signaling pathways. In this study, the spectrum-effect relationship analysis method was first used to identify the active components of that inhibit PTP1B. The fingerprints of 12 batches of samples were established using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and sixty common peaks were identified. Meanwhile, twelve components were identified by a comparison with the standards. The inhibition of PTP1B activity was studied in vitro by using the p-nitrophenol method, and the partial least squares discriminant analysis, grey relational analysis, bivariate correlation analysis, and cluster analysis were used to analyze the bioactive compounds in . Peaks 6, 9 (glycitin), 11 (genistin), 12 (4'-methoxypuerarin), 25, 34, 35, 36, 53, and 59 were considered as potentially active substances that inhibit PTP1B. The in vitro PTP1B inhibitory activity was confirmed by glycitin, genistin, and 4'-methoxypuerarin. The ICs of the three compounds were 10.56 ± 0.42 μg/mL, 16.46 ± 0.29 μg/mL, and 9.336 ± 0.56 μg/mL, respectively, indicating the obvious PTP1B inhibitory activity. In brief, we established an effective method to identify PTP1B enzyme inhibitors in , which is helpful in clarifying the material basis of on diabetes. Additionally, it is evident that the spectrum-effect relationship method serves as an efficient approach for identifying active compounds, and this study can also serve as a reference for screening bioactive constituents in traditional Chinese medicine.
Topics: Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 1; Pueraria; Enzyme Inhibitors; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Isoflavones; Plant Extracts; Hypoglycemic Agents; Humans
PubMed: 38930797
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122731 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The current study was designed to uncover the chemistry and bioactivity potentials of growing wild in Jordan. In this context, the fresh aerial parts obtained from the...
The current study was designed to uncover the chemistry and bioactivity potentials of growing wild in Jordan. In this context, the fresh aerial parts obtained from the plant material were subjected to hydrodistillation followed by GC/MS analysis. The main components of the HDEO were γ-patchoulene (23.79%), β-dihydro agarofuran (23.50%), α-guaiene (14.11%), and valencene (13.28%). Moreover, the crude thanolic extract was partitioned to afford two main major fractions, the aqueous methanol (BLM) and butanol (BLB). Phytochemical investigation of both fractions, using conventional chromatographic techniques followed by careful inspection of the spectral data for the isolated compounds (NMR, IR, and UV-Vis), resulted in the characterization of five known compounds, including α-spinasteryl (), ethyl arachidate (), ethyl myristate (), quercetin-3--β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-4")-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (), and isorhamnetin-3--β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-4")-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (). The TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activity testing of both fractions and HDEO revealed an interesting ABTS scavenging potential of the BLB fraction compared to the employed positive controls, which is in total agreement with its high TP and TF contents. Cytotoxic evaluation tests revealed that BLM had interesting cytotoxic effects on the normal breast cell line MDA-MB-231 (ATCC-HTB-26) and the normal dermal fibroblast (ATCC PCS-201-012) and normal African green monkey kidney Vero (ATCC-CCL-81) cell lines. Despite both the BLB and BLM fractions showing interesting AChE inhibition activities (IC = 217.9 ± 5.3 µg/mL and 139.1 ± 5.6 µg/mL, respectively), the HDEO revealed an interestingly high AChE inhibition power (43.8 ± 2.7 µg/mL) that far exceeds the one observed for galanthamine (91.4 ± 5.2 µg/mL). The HDEO, BLM, and BLB exhbitied no interesting antimicrobial activity against , , , , or .
Topics: Jordan; Plant Extracts; Antioxidants; Animals; Bupleurum; Humans; Vero Cells; Phytochemicals; Chlorocebus aethiops; Cell Line, Tumor; Plant Components, Aerial; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Cell Survival; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
PubMed: 38930796
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122730 -
The Role of Natural Products from Herbal Medicine in TLR4 Signaling for Colorectal Cancer Treatment.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway constitutes an intricate network of protein interactions primarily involved in inflammation and cancer. This pathway... (Review)
Review
The toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway constitutes an intricate network of protein interactions primarily involved in inflammation and cancer. This pathway triggers intracellular signaling cascades, modulating transcription factors that regulate gene expression related to immunity and malignancy. Previous studies showed that colon cancer patients with low TLR4 expression exhibit extended survival times and the TLR4 signaling pathway holds a significant role in CRC pathogenesis. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have garnered substantial attention as an alternative therapeutic modality for CRC, primarily due to their multifaceted composition and ability to target multiple pathways. Emerging evidence indicates that specific TCM products, such as andrographolide, rosmarinic acid, baicalin, etc., have the potential to impede CRC development through the TLR4 signaling pathway. Here, we review the role and biochemical processes of the TLR4 signaling pathway in CRC, and natural products from TCMs affecting the TLR4 pathway. This review sheds light on potential treatment strategies utilizing natural TLR4 inhibitors for CRC, which contributes to the advancement of research and accelerates their clinical integration into CRC treatment.
Topics: Humans; Toll-Like Receptor 4; Colorectal Neoplasms; Signal Transduction; Biological Products; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Animals; Herbal Medicine
PubMed: 38930793
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122727 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Seven new abietane diterpenoids, comprising medusanthol A-G (-, , -) and two previously identified analogs ( and ), were isolated from the hexane extract of the aerial...
Seven new abietane diterpenoids, comprising medusanthol A-G (-, , -) and two previously identified analogs ( and ), were isolated from the hexane extract of the aerial parts of The structures of the compounds were elucidated by HRESIMS, 1D/2D NMR spectroscopic data, IR spectroscopy, NMR calculations with DP4+ probability analysis, and ECD calculations. The anti-neuroinflammatory potential of compounds - was evaluated by determining their ability to inhibit the production of nitric oxide (NO) and the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α in BV2 microglia stimulated with LPS and IFN-γ. Compounds - and exhibited decreased NO levels at a concentration of 12.5 µM. Compound demonstrated strong activity with an IC of 3.12 µM, and compound had an IC of 15.53 µM; both compounds effectively reduced NO levels compared to the positive control quercetin (IC 11.8 µM). Additionally, both compounds significantly decreased TNF-α levels, indicating their potential as promising anti-neuroinflammatory agents.
Topics: Abietanes; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Animals; Nitric Oxide; Mice; Microglia; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Plant Extracts; Cell Line; Molecular Structure; Lipopolysaccharides; Plant Components, Aerial
PubMed: 38930790
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122723 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure can contribute to photoaging of skin. is rich in ursolic acid (UA), which is beneficial to the prevention of photoaging. Because UA is...
Ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure can contribute to photoaging of skin. is rich in ursolic acid (UA), which is beneficial to the prevention of photoaging. Because UA is hardly soluble in water, the extract (COE) was obtained using water as the antisolvent to separate the components containing UA from the crude extract of . The effect of COE on UVB damage was assessed using . The results showed that COE could increase the lifespan and enhance the antioxidant enzyme activity of exposed to UVB while decreasing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. At the same time, COE upregulated the expression of antioxidant-related genes and promoted the migration of SKN-1 to the nucleus. Moreover, COE inhibited the expression of the downstream gene and the extension of the lifespan in mutants exposed to UVB, indicating that SKN-1 was required for COE to function. Our findings indicate that COE mainly ameliorates the oxidative stress caused by UVB in via the SKN-1/Nrf2 pathway.
Topics: Animals; Caenorhabditis elegans; Triterpenes; Ursolic Acid; Ultraviolet Rays; Plant Extracts; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; Oxidative Stress; Cornus; Antioxidants; Reactive Oxygen Species; Skin Aging; Transcription Factors; DNA-Binding Proteins; Longevity; NF-E2-Related Factor 2
PubMed: 38930783
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122718 -
Microorganisms May 2024The extensive harvesting of , as a biomedicinal plant and a wild source of quaternary benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids, has led to a rapid decline in its population. An...
The extensive harvesting of , as a biomedicinal plant and a wild source of quaternary benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids, has led to a rapid decline in its population. An alternative approach to the production of these bioactive compounds, which are known for their diverse pharmacological effects, is needed. Production of these compounds using alkaloid-producing endophytic fungi is a promising potential approach. In this research, we isolated an alkaloid-producing endophytic fungus, strain MC503, from the roots of . Genomic analysis was conducted to elucidate its metabolic pathways and identify the potential genes responsible for alkaloid biosynthesis. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analyses revealed the presence and quantified the content of sanguinarine (536.87 μg/L) and chelerythrine (393.31 μg/L) in the fungal fermentation extract. Based on our analysis of the morphological and micromorphological characteristics and the ITS region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA of the alkaloid-producing endophyte, it was identified as strain MC503. To the best of our knowledge, there is no existing report on from or other medicinal plants that produce sanguinarine and chelerythrine simultaneously. These findings provide valuable insights into the capability of to carry out isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis and lay the foundation for further exploration of its potential applications in pharmaceuticals.
PubMed: 38930470
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061088 -
Microorganisms May 2024Avocado tree wilt is a disease caused by Rands. Recently, this disease has been associated to , another causal agent. Avocado tree wilt is being currently controlled...
Avocado tree wilt is a disease caused by Rands. Recently, this disease has been associated to , another causal agent. Avocado tree wilt is being currently controlled with synthetic fungicides that kill beneficial microorganisms, polluting the environment and leading to resistance problems in plant pathogens. The current research work aims to provide alternative management using extracts from W. and L. to control the development of mycelia in in vitro. Raw extracts were prepared at UAAAN Toxicology Laboratory, determining the inhibition percentages, inhibition concentrations and inhibition lethal times. Several concentrations of the plant extracts were evaluated using the poisoned medium methodology, showing that both extracts control and inhibit mycelial development, in particular , which inhibits mycelial growth at concentrations lower than 80 mg/L, being lower than extracts. These extracts are promising candidates for excellent control of .
PubMed: 38930427
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061045