Novel Jatrophane Diterpenoids from Euphorbia esula Promotes Lipid Clearance by Transcriptional Regulation of PCSK9.

PCSK9 has been recognized as an efficient target for hyperlipidemia and related cardiovascular/cerebrovascular diseases. However, PCSK9 inhibitors in the clinic are all biological products, and no small molecules are available yet. In the current work, we discovered that the crude extract of Euphorbia esula (E. esula) promoted LDL uptake in vitro and then obtained 8 new and 12 known jatrophane diterpenoids by activity-guided isolation. After summarized their structure-activity relationship of PCSK9 inhibition, we selected compound 11 (C11) with potent activity and high abundance to investigate its mechanism and in vivo efficacy. Mechanistically, C11 bound with HNF1α to influence its nuclear distribution and subsequently inhibit PCSK9 transcription, thereby enhancing LDLR and promoting LDL uptake. Moreover, C11 demonstrated obvious lipid-lowering activity in HFD mouse model. In conclusion, we first revealed the novel application of E. esula in the discovery of a lipid-lowering candidate and highlighted the potential of C11 in the treatment of hyperlipidemia.

Cyclo(L-Pro-L-Trp) from Chilobrachys jingzhao alleviates formalin-induced inflammatory pain by suppressing the inflammatory response and inhibiting TRAF6-mediated MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Chronic pain has emerged as a significant public health issue, seriously affecting patients' quality of life and psychological well-being, with a lack of effective pharmacological treatments. Numerous studies have indicated that macrophages play a crucial role in inflammatory pain, and targeting neuro-immune interactions for drug development may represent a promising direction for pain management. Chilobrachys jingzhao (C. jingzhao) is used as a folk medicine of the Li nationality with the efficacy of eliminating swelling, detoxicating, and relieving pain, and the related products are widely used in the market. However, the chemical constituents of C. jingzhao have not been reported, and the pharmacodynamic substance and the precise functional mechanism are unrevealed. Here we isolated a cyclic dipeptide, cyclo(L-Pro-L-Trp) (CPT) from C. jingzhao for the first time. CPT remarkably alleviated formalin-induced inflammatory pain and significantly inhibited inflammatory responses. In vivo, CPT attenuated neutrophil infiltration and plantar tissue edema and suppressed the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory molecules. In vitro, CPT suppressed inflammation triggered by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in both RAW 264.7 and iBMDM cells, reducing expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), superoxide, and pro-inflammatory molecules. A mechanistic study revealed that CPT exerted an anti-inflammatory activity by blocking the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways, as well as alleviating the ubiquitination of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6). Our results elucidated the pharmacodynamic material basis of C. jingzhao, and CPT can be a promising lead for alleviating inflammation and inflammatory pain.

Excessive fatty acids activate PRMT5/MDM2/Drosha pathway to regulate miRNA biogenesis and lipid metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Excessive fatty acids in the liver lead to the accumulation of lipotoxic lipids and then cellular stress to further evoke the related disease, like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). As reported, fatty acid stimulation can cause some specific miRNA dysregulation, which caused us to investigate the relationship between miRNA biogenesis and fatty acid overload. METHODS: Gene expression omnibus (GEO) dataset analysis, miRNA-seq, miRNA cleavage assay, RT-qPCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) were used to reveal the change of miRNAs under pathological status and explore the relevant mechanism. High fat, high fructose, high cholesterol (HFHFrHC) diet-fed mice transfected with AAV2/8-shDrosha or AAV2/8-shPRMT5 were established to investigate the in vivo effects of Drosha or PRMT5 on NAFLD phenotype. RESULTS: We discovered that the cleavage of miRNAs was inhibited by analysing miRNA contents and detecting some representative pri-miRNAs in multiple mouse and cell models, which was further verified by the reduction of the Microprocessor activity in the presence of palmitic acid (PA). In vitro, PA could induce Drosha, the core RNase III in the Microprocessor complex, degrading through the proteasome-mediated pathway, while in vivo, knockdown of Drosha significantly promoted NAFLD to develop to a more serious stage. Mechanistically, our results demonstrated that PA can increase the methyltransferase activity of PRMT5 to degrade Drosha through MDM2, a ubiquitin E3 ligase for Drosha. The above results indicated that PRMT5 may be a critical regulator in lipid metabolism during NAFLD, which was confirmed by the knocking down of PRMT5 improved aberrant lipid metabolism in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: We first demonstrated the relationship between miRNA dosage and NAFLD and proved that PA can activate the PRMT5-MDM2-Drosha signalling pathway to regulate miRNA biogenesis.

Cardiac glycosides from Streblus asper with potential antiviral activity.

Ten undescribed cardiac glycosides, strasperosides A-J, together with twelve known analogues, were isolated from Streblus asper Lour. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, electronic circular dichroism data, and chemical methods. These cardiac glycosides showed diversity in steroid skeleton and sugar moiety. Strasperosides A and B are a pair of unusual stereoisomers featuring different orientation of the lactone motif. Ten cardiac glycosides demonstrated potent antiviral effects on HSV-1 in vitro with the IC50 values from 0.19 ± 0.08 to 1.03 ± 0.25 µM and the therapeutic indices from 66.61 ± 5.08 to 326.75 ± 11.75.

Formyl phloroglucinol meroterpenoids from the leaves of Eucalyptus globulus subsp. maidenii and their ATP-citrate lyase inhibitory activities.

Three new formyl phloroglucinol meroterpenoids, eumaidials A-C (1-3), were isolated from the leaves of Eucalyptus globulus subsp. maidenii, along with ten known analogues (4-13). Their chemical structures were determined by various spectral data and electronic circular dichroism calculations. Eumaidial A (1) is the first ß-caryophyllene-based formyl phloroglucinol meroterpenoids from the genus Eucalyptus. Compounds 1-4 and 10 exhibited ATP-citrate lyase inhibitory activities, and compounds 2 and 3 suppressed the hepatocyte lipogenesis.

Bivalirudin vs heparin in cardiac-cerebral ischemic and bleeding events among Chinese STEMI patients during percutaneous coronary intervention: a retrospective cohort study.

Although bivalirudin has been recently made available for purchase in China, large-scale analyses on the safety profile of bivalirudin among Chinese patients is lacking. Thus, this study aimed to compare the safety profile of bivalirudin and heparin as anticoagulants in Chinese ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A total of 1063 STEMI patients undergoing PCI and receiving bivalirudin (n=424, bivalirudin group) or heparin (n=639, heparin group) as anticoagulants were retrospectively enrolled. The net adverse clinical events (NACEs) within 30 days after PCI were recorded, including major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (MACCEs) and bleeding events (bleeding academic research consortium (BARC) grades 2-5 (BARC 2-5)). The incidences of NACEs (10.1 vs 15.6%) (P=0.010), BARC 2-5 bleeding events (5.2 vs 10.3%) (P=0.003), and BARC grades 3-5 (BARC 3-5) bleeding events (2.1 vs 5.5%) (P=0.007) were lower in the bivalirudin group compared to the heparin group, whereas general MACCEs incidence (8.9 vs 6.4%) (P=0.131) and each category of MACCEs (all P>0.05) did not differ between two groups. Furthermore, the multivariate logistic analyses showed that bivalirudin (vs heparin) was independently correlated with lower risk of NACEs (OR=0.508, P=0.002), BARC 2-5 bleeding events (OR=0.403, P=0.001), and BARC 3-5 bleeding events (OR=0.452, P=0.042); other independent risk factors for NACEs, MACCEs, or BARC bleeding events included history of diabetes mellitus, emergency operation, multiple lesional vessels, stent length >33.0 mm, and higher CRUSADE score (all P<0.05). Thus, bivalirudin presented a better safety profile than heparin among Chinese STEMI patients undergoing PCI.

MiR-337-3p improves metabolic-associated fatty liver disease through regulation of glycolipid metabolism.

Epigenetic regulations play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease; therefore, elucidating the biological functions of differential miRNAs helps us to understand the pathogenesis. Herein, we discovered miR-337-3p was decreased in patients with NAFLD from Gene Expression Omnibus dataset, which was replicated in various cell and mouse models with lipid disorders. Subsequently, overexpression of miR-337-3p in vivo could ameliorate hepatic lipid accumulation, reduce fasting blood glucose, and improve insulin resistance. Meanwhile, we determined miR-337-3p might influence multiple genes involved in glycolipid metabolism through mass spectrometry detection, bioinformatics analysis, and experimental verification. Finally, we selected HMGCR as a representative example to investigate the molecular mechanism of miR-337-3p regulating these genes, where the seed region of miR-337-3p bound to 3'UTR of HMGCR to inhibit HMGCR translation. In conclusion, we discovered a new function of miR-337-3p in glycolipid metabolism and that might be a new therapeutic target of MAFLD.

MiR-552-3p Regulates Multiple Fibrotic and Inflammatory genes Concurrently in Hepatic Stellate Cells Improving NASH-associated Phenotypes.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a chronic liver disease characterized by hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and progressive fibrosis. Our previous study demonstrated that microRNA-552-3p (miR-552-3p) was down-regulated in the livers of patients with NASH and alleviated hepatic glycolipid metabolic disorders. However, whether miR-552-3p affects NASH progression remains unclear. In this current study, we found that hepatic miR-552-3p expression was negatively correlated with the degree of liver fibrosis and inflammation of NASH patients. Interestingly, the level of miR-552-3p was decreased during hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation in vitro. Overexpression of miR-552-3p could not only inhibit the expression of fibrotic and inflammatory genes, but also restrain the activation of TGF-ß1/Smad3 signaling pathway by down-regulating the expression of TGFBR2 and SMAD3 in HSCs, finally suppressing HSC activation. More importantly, overexpression of miR-552-3p ameliorated liver fibrosis and inflammation in two murine models: high fat/high fructose/high cholesterol diet-induced NASH model and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated liver fibrosis model. In conclusion, miR-552-3p plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of NASH by limiting multiple fibrotic and inflammatory pathways in HSCs, which may shed light on its therapeutic potential in NASH.

Enantiomeric pairs of macrocyclic acylphloroglucinols from Syzygium szemaoense.

Two enantiomeric pairs of macrocyclic acylphloroglucinols (1a/1b and 2a/2b) with an unprecedented carbon skeleton featuring a bicyclo[12.3.1]octadecane core, together with an undescribed biogenetically related long-chain acylphloroglucinol (3), were isolated from Syzygium szemaoense. Their structures were fully established by spectroscopic method, X-ray crystallographic analysis, and ECD calculation. Compounds 1b and 2a/2b exhibited inhibition against death-associated protein kinase-related apoptosis inducing protein kinase 2 (DRAK2) and ATP citrate lyase (ACLY), respectively.

The clinical role of serum cell division control 42 in coronary heart disease.

Cell division control 42 (CDC42) regulates blood lipids, atherosclerosis, T cell differentiation and inflammation, which is involved in the process of coronary heart disease (CHD). This study aimed to evaluate the CDC42 level and its correlation with clinical features, the T-helper 17 (Th17)/regulatory-T (Treg) cell ratio and prognosis in CHD patients. In total, 210 CHD patients, 20 healthy controls and 20 disease controls were enrolled. Serum CDC42 levels of all participants were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In CHD patients, Th17 and Treg cells were discovered by flow cytometry; CHD patients were followed-up for a median of 16.9 months (range of 2.5-38.2 months). CDC42 level was lowest in CHD patients (median (interquartile range (IQR)): 402.5 (287.3-599.0) pg/mL), moderate in disease controls (median (IQR): 543.5 (413.0-676.3) pg/mL) and highest in healthy controls (median (IQR): 668.0 (506.5-841.3) pg/mL) (p < .001). Moreover, in CHD patients, lower CDC42 level was related to more prevalent diabetes mellitus (p = .021), and higher levels of C-reactive protein (p = .001), Gensini score (p = .006), Th17 cells (p = .001) and Th17/Treg ratio (p < .001) but was associated with lower Treg cells (p = .018). Furthermore, CDC42 low level [below the median level (402.5 pg/mL) of CDC42 in CHD patients] was correlated with higher accumulating major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) risk (p = .029), while no correlation was found between the quartile of CDC42 level and accumulating MACE risk in CHD patients (p = .102). The serum CDC42 level is decreased and its low level is related to higher Th17/Treg ratio and increased accumulating MACE risk in CHD patients.

Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in coronary heart disease: Correlation with the T helper (Th)1/Th2 ratio, Th17/regulatory T (Treg) ratio, and major adverse cardiovascular events.

BACKGROUND: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) exerts protective roles against dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, and inflammation in cardiovascular diseases; meanwhile, it retards CD4+ T cell differentiation into T helper (Th)1 and Th17 cells. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the linkage of serum BDNF with Th1/Th2 ratio, Th17/regulatory T (Treg) ratio, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) risk in the coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. METHODS: This prospective study detected serum BDNF in 210 CHD patients, 50 disease controls (DCs), and 50 healthy controls (HCs) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. For CHD patients only, the proportion of Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg cells in blood CD4+ T cells was calculated by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The BDNF varied among CHD patients, DC, and HC (p < 0.001). Specifically, BDNF was declined in CHD patients compared with DCs (p < 0.001) and HCs (p < 0.001). In CHD patients, BDNF was negatively related to Th1 cells (p = 0.031), Th1/Th2 ratio (p = 0.026), Th17 cells (p = 0.001), and Th17/Treg ratio (p = 0.002). Concerning the prognosis, BDNF was reduced in patients with MACE occurrence compared to patients without MACE occurrence (p = 0.006). Furthermore, BDNF showed a trend (lacked statistical significance) to relate to longer MACE-free survival (p = 0.059). Besides, BDNF was related to the absence of obesity (p = 0.019), decreased total cholesterol (p = 0.043), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.019), C-reactive protein (p = 0.012), and Gensini score (p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Serum BDNF negatively correlates with Th1/Th2 ratio, Th17/Treg ratio, and estimates lower MACE risk in CHD patients.

Clinical value of long non-coding RNA KCNQ1OT1 in estimating the stenosis, lipid level, inflammation status, and prognostication in coronary heart disease patients.

OBJECTIVE: Long non-coding RNA KQT-like subfamily, member 1 opposite strand/antisense transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) could regulate lipid metabolism, vascular smooth muscle cell function, inflammation, and atherosclerosis. This study aimed to evaluate whether lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 could serve as a biomarker for reflecting coronary heart disease (CHD) patients' disease situation and prognosis. METHODS: LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 expression was determined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 267 CHD patients, 50 disease controls (DCs) (unexplained chest pain), and 50 healthy controls (HCs) by the RT-qPCR method. TNF-α, IL-17A, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1 were determined by the ELISA procedure in serum from CHD patients only. The mean (95% confidential interval) follow-up duration was 16.0 (15.3-16.8) months. RESULTS: LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 was highest in CHD patients, followed by DCs, and lowest in HCs (p < 0.001). LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 could distinguish the CHD patients from DCs (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.757) and from the HCs (AUC: 0.880). LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 was positively associated with triglyceride (p = 0.026), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.023), cardiac troponin I (p = 0.023), and C-reactive protein (p = 0.001). Besides, lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 was also positively linked with the Gensini score (p = 0.008). Furthermore, lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 was positively related to the TNF-α (p < 0.001), IL-17A (p = 0.008), and VCAM-1 (p = 0.003). LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 was elevated in CHD patients with MACE compared to those without MACE (p = 0.006); moreover, lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 high was associated with shorter MACE-free survival (p = 0.018). CONCLUSION: Circulating lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 expression not only reflects the stenosis degree, blood lipid level, and inflammation status but also predicts the MACE risk, while a large-scale study is needed for verification.

Acylphloroglucinol-monoterpene meroterpenoids from Eucalyptus tereticornis and their inhibitory activity against ATP citrate lyase.

Five undescribed enantiomeric pairs of acylphloroglucinol-monoterpene meroterpenoids ((+)-/(-)-eucateretins A-E) resolved by chiral-phase HPLC were obtained from the leaves of Eucalyptus tereticornis Smith, along with nine known analogues. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and ECD calculations. This is the first report of meroterpenoid enantiomers from this plant. Some of the isolates, (-)-eucateretin A, (+)-/(-)-eucateretins E, 7'α-eucalrobusone X, eucalrobusone X, and robustadial B, exhibited inhibitory effects on ATP citrate lyase, and 7'α-eucalrobusone X significantly suppressed the hepatocyte lipogenesis.

Bivalirudin vs heparin in cardiac-cerebral ischemic and bleeding events among Chinese STEMI patients during percutaneous coronary intervention: a retrospective cohort study

Although bivalirudin has been recently made available for purchase in China, large-scale analyses on the safety profile of bivalirudin among Chinese patients is lacking. Thus, this study aimed to compare the safety profile of bivalirudin and heparin as anticoagulants in Chinese ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A total of 1063 STEMI patients undergoing PCI and receiving bivalirudin (n=424, bivalirudin group) or heparin (n=639, heparin group) as anticoagulants were retrospectively enrolled. The net adverse clinical events (NACEs) within 30 days after PCI were recorded, including major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (MACCEs) and bleeding events (bleeding academic research consortium (BARC) grades 2-5 (BARC 2-5)). The incidences of NACEs (10.1 vs 15.6%) (P=0.010), BARC 2-5 bleeding events (5.2 vs 10.3%) (P=0.003), and BARC grades 3-5 (BARC 3-5) bleeding events (2.1 vs 5.5%) (P=0.007) were lower in the bivalirudin group compared to the heparin group, whereas general MACCEs incidence (8.9 vs 6.4%) (P=0.131) and each category of MACCEs (all P>0.05) did not differ between two groups. Furthermore, the multivariate logistic analyses showed that bivalirudin (vs heparin) was independently correlated with lower risk of NACEs (OR=0.508, P=0.002), BARC 2-5 bleeding events (OR=0.403, P=0.001), and BARC 3-5 bleeding events (OR=0.452, P=0.042); other independent risk factors for NACEs, MACCEs, or BARC bleeding events included history of diabetes mellitus, emergency operation, multiple lesional vessels, stent length >33.0 mm, and higher CRUSADE score (all P<0.05). Thus, bivalirudin presented a better safety profile than heparin among Chinese STEMI patients undergoing PCI.

Dimeric sesquiterpenoids and anti-inflammatory constituents of Sarcandra glabra.

Three novel dimeric sesquiterpenoids named sarglanoids A-C (1-3), two undescribed monomeric sesquiterpenoids named sarglanoids D (4) and E (5), and seven known compounds (6-12), were isolated and characterized from Sarcandra glabra. Compound 1 represents the first heterodimeric sesquiterpenoid composed of a eudesmane and an eremophilane moiety. Compound 2 possesses two eremophilane monomers featuring an undescribed dimerization pattern. Compound 3 is a symmetric eudesmane dimer with a rare 1,4-epoxy bridge. The structures of 1-5 were fully identified by spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. Compounds 3 and 6 suppressed the LPS-triggered inflammatory responses in RAW 264.7 cells.

MicroRNA-34a in coronary heart disease: Correlation with disease risk, blood lipid, stenosis degree, inflammatory cytokines, and cell adhesion molecules.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNA-34a (miR-34a) plays an essential role in regulating blood lipid, inflammation, cell adhesion molecules, and atherosclerosis, the latter factors are closely involved in the etiology of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the clinical value of miR-34a in CHD patients' management is rarely reported. Hence, this study aimed to assess the correlation of miR-34a with disease risk, blood lipid, coronary artery stenosis, inflammatory cytokines, and cell adhesion molecules of CHD. METHODS: A total of 203 CHD patients and 100 controls were recruited in this study, then their plasma samples were collected to detect the miR-34a by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, serum samples from CHD patients were obtained for inflammatory cytokines and cell adhesion molecule measurement by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: MiR-34a was elevated in CHD patients compared to controls (p < 0.001) and it disclosed a good diagnostic value of CHD (area under curve: 0.899, 95% confidence interval: 0.865-0.934). Besides, miR-34a positively correlated with triglyceride (p < 0.001), total cholesterol (p = 0.022) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.004), but not with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.110) in CHD patients. Moreover, miR-34a associated with Gensini score in CHD patients (p < 0.001). As to inflammation-related indexes and cell adhesion molecules, MiR-34a expression was positively linked with C-reactive protein (p < 0.001), tumor necrosis factor alpha (p = 0.005), interleukin (IL)-1ß (p = 0.020), IL-17A (p < 0.001), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (p < 0.001), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (p = 0.010) in CHD patients, but not with IL-6 (p = 0.118) and IL-10 (p = 0.054). CONCLUSION: MiR-34a might serve as a biomarker in assistance of diagnosis and management of CHD.

Two New Cytotoxic Maytansinoids Targeting Tubulin from Trewia nudiflora.

Two new maytansinoids, N-methyltreflorine (1: ) and methyltrewiasine (2: ), were isolated from the dried fruits of Trewia nudiflora, together with three known congeners (3:  - 5: ). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, and the absolute configuration of 1: and 2: was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Compounds 1:  - 5: exhibited strong cytotoxicity against human tumor cell lines, including HeLa, MV-4 - 11, and MCF-7, with IC50 values ranging from 0.12 to 11 nM. Compounds 1: and 4: also showed inhibitory activity against the MCF-7/ADR cell line with IC50 values of 13 and 28 nM, respectively. Compounds 1: and 2: significantly inhibited tubulin polymerization in vitro with IC50 values of 3.6 and 3.2 µM, respectively.

Rhodomeroterpene alleviates macrophage infiltration and the inflammatory response in renal tissue to improve acute kidney injury.

Inflammation is broadly recognized as an important factor in the pathogenesis of acute kidney injury (AKI), but pharmacological approaches to alleviate inflammation in AKI have not been proved successful in clinical trials. Macrophage infiltration into renal tissue promotes inflammatory responses that contribute to the pathogenesis of AKI. Suppression of renal tissue inflammatory responses is postulated to improve renal injury of patients and animals. Rhodomeroterpene (RMT) is a novel meroterpenoid isolated from the Rhododendron genus that was shown to exert anti-inflammatory action in vivo or in vitro in this study. We investigated the treatment effects of RMT on LPS-induced sepsis and two different AKI models. The results showed that pretreatment with RMT (30 mg kg-1  d-1 , ip, for 3 days) significantly inhibited acute inflammatory responses in LPS-induced septic mice. In both renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/R) and sepsis-induced AKI models, RMT (30 mg kg-1  d-1 , ip, for 3 days) ameliorated renal function and injury and alleviated inflammation by reducing the infiltration of immune cells, including macrophages and neutrophils. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that RMT inhibits inflammatory responses in macrophages. The anti-inflammatory effects of RMT may be due to the inactivation of the IKK/NF-κB and PI3K/PDK1/Akt inflammatory signaling pathways in macrophages. Collectively, our findings indicate that RMT ameliorates renal injury and alleviates the renal inflammatory state in different AKI models, suggesting that RMT may be a potential agent for the treatment of AKI.

Two New Oleanane-Triterpenoid Saponins from Clinopodium gracile.

Two new oleanane-triterpenoid saponins, clinograsaponins A (1) and B (2), together with twelve known ones (3-14), were isolated from the whole herb of Clinopodium gracile (Bentham) Matsumura. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis and chemical method. All the isolated compounds were evaluated for their activities against ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB).

Comprehensive characterization of the chemical constituents in Platycodon grandiflorum by an integrated liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry strategy.

Platycodon grandiflorum (PG), as a well-known medicine food homology species, possess various pharmacological effects and health benefits. Aiming to facilitate in-depth and global characterization of the chemical compositions of PG, a profiling method based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with ion mobility quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/IM-QTOF-MS) was conducted. Consequently, as many as 187 compounds were plausibly or unambiguously identified. Most importantly, phospholipids (PLs) were first observed and identified in PG. Due to their widely confirmed bioactivities, an analysis scheme was developed by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry combined with the online Paternò-Büchi reaction (HILIC-PB-MS/MS). The fatty acyl chains and C=C locations of 180 PLs molecular species, which fell into four classes, were unprecedently characterized. This exposure strategy of multi-type constituents greatly enriches the chemical profiling of PG, and helps promoting the further development of therapeutic agents and nutraceutical products from PG.