Ophiopogonin D alleviates acute lung injury by regulating inflammation via the STAT3/A20/ASK1 axis.

BACKGROUND: Acute lung injury (ALI) is characterized by acute pulmonary inflammatory infiltration. Alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) release numerous pro-inflammatory cytokines, which result in the pathological changes seen in ALI. Ophiopogonin D (OD), extracted from the roots of Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker Gawl. (Liliaceae), reduces inflammation; however, the efficacy of OD in ALI has not been reported and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. PURPOSE: This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of OD, as well as the underlying mechanisms, in AECs and a mouse ALI model. METHODS: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were used to stimulate macrophages and A549 cells, and a mouse ALI model was established by intratracheal LPS administration. The anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms of OD in the TNF-α-induced in vitro inflammation model was evaluated using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction qPCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blotting, nuclear and cytoplasmic protein extraction, and immunofluorescence. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of OD was evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin staining, qPCR, ELISA, and western blotting. RESULTS: The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissue of LPS-induced ALI mice exhibited increased TNF-α expression. TNF-α induced a significantly greater pro-inflammatory effect in AECs than LPS. OD reduced inflammation and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and transcription factor p65 phosphorylation in vivo and in vitro and promoted signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation and A20 expression, thereby inducing apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) proteasomal degradation. CONCLUSION: OD exerts an anti-inflammatory effect by promoting STAT3-dependent A20 expression and ASK1 degradation. OD may therefore have therapeutic value in treating ALI and other TNF-α-related inflammatory diseases.

Quality variation of maidong (Ophiopogon japonicus and Liriope spicata) - A HPTLC-based approach.

The tuberous roots of Ophiopogon japonicus and Liriope spicata are used for the same therapeutic purpose in traditional Chinese medicine and are collectively referred to as maidong medicine. Interestingly, it was observed that the price of tuberous roots varies depending on their location on the plant, and fibrous roots are usually discarded post-harvest. Mislabeling might be of concern due to similarities in morphological features between the two species. Moreover, paclobutrazol has been observed to be heavily applied during the production, and therefore might be of health concern. Overall, maidong might suffer from quality inconsistencies while its metabolomic complexity is influenced by growing region and cultivation practices, botanical species, and plant parts. To address these challenges, this study employed High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) approach, in which sample preparation and derivatization procedure were optimized to enable to capture more detailed and comprehensive metabolomic fingerprints. By integrating with rTLC algorithm and Multivariate Data Analysis (MVDA), an improved quality assessment was achieved. Samples were collected from four production regions and supplemented with commercial products from markets. The optimized HPTLC analysis recognized species- and region-specific metabolomic patterns of maidong, uncovering a 4% of mislabelled cases. Moreover, findings highlight the underexplored therapeutic potential of fibrous roots, and comparable therapeutic efficacy between different root types. Additionally, complemented by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) for paclobutrazol residue evaluation, 24.66% of the commercial maidong samples surpassed maximum residue limits of paclobutrazol, raising safety concerns. This research represents a significant analytical advancement, offering a robust, cost-effective, and comprehensive method for maidong quality control, and paving the way for more strict residue regulation and updates to herbal pharmacopoeias and monographs.

Phylogeography of cultivated and wild ophiopogon japonicus based on chloroplast DNA: exploration of the origin and sustainable cultivation.

BACKGROUND: Ophiopogon japonicus, mainly planted in Sichuan (CMD) and Zhejiang (ZMD) province in China, has a lengthy cultivation history. During the long period of domestication, the genetic diversity of cultivated O. japonicus has substantially declined, which will affect the population continuity and evolutionary potential of this species. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the phylogeography of cultivated O. japonicus to establish a theoretical basis for the utilization and conservation of the genetic resources of O. japonicus. RESULT: The genetic diversity and population structure of 266 O. japonicus individual plants from 23 sampling sites were analyzed based on 4 chloroplast DNA sequences (atpB-rbcL, rpl16, psbA-trnH and rpl20-5'rps12) to identify the effects of domestication on genetic diversity of cultivars and determine their geographic origins. The results showed that cultivated O. japonicus and wild O. japonicus had 4 and 15 haplotypes respectively. The genetic diversity of two cultivars (Hd = 0.35700, π = 0.06667) was much lower than that of the wild populations (Hd = 0.76200, π = 0.20378), and the level of genetic diversity in CMD (Hd = 0.01900, π = 0.00125) was lower than that in ZMD (Hd = 0.06900, π = 0.01096). There was significant difference in genetic differentiation between the cultivated and the wild (FST = 0.82044), especially between the two cultivars (FST = 0.98254). This species showed a pronounced phylogeographical structure (NST > GST, P < 0.05). The phylogenetic tree showed that the genetic difference between CMD and ZMD was not enough to distinguish the cultivars between the two producing areas by using O. amblyphyllus Wang et Dai as an outgroup. In addition, both CMD and ZMD have a closer relationship with wild populations in Sichuan than that in Zhejiang. The results of the TCS network and species distribution model suggested that the wild population TQ located in Sichuan province could serve as the ancestor of cultivated O. japonicus, which was supported by RASP analysis. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that cultivated O. japonicus has experienced dramatic loss of genetic diversity under anthropogenic influence. The genetic differentiation between CMD and ZMD is likely to be influenced by founder effect and strong artificial selection for plant traits. It appears that wild populations in Sichuan area are involved in the origin of not only CMD but also ZMD. In addition, we also raise some suggestions for planning scientific strategies for resource conservation of O. japonicus based on its genetic diversity and population structure.

Ophiopogon japonicus and its active compounds: A review of potential anticancer effects and underlying mechanisms.

BACKGROUND: Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker Gawl., a well-known Chinese herb, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Extensive in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that O. japonicus and its active compounds exhibit potential anticancer effects in a variety of cancer cells in vitro and suppress tumor growth and metastasis without causing serious toxicity in vivo. PURPOSE: This review aims to systemically summarize and discuss the anticancer effects and the underlying mechanisms of O. japonicus extracts and its active compounds. METHODS: The review is prepared following the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Various scientific databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched using the keywords: Ophiopogon japonicus, tumor, cancer, carcinoma, content, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity. RESULTS: O. japonicus extracts and the active compounds, such as ruscogenin-1-O-[ß-d-glucopyranosyl(1→2)][ß-d-xylopyranosyl(1→3)]-ß-d-fucopyranoside (DT-13), ophiopogonin B, and ophiopogonin D, exert potential anticancer effects, including the induction of cell cycle arrest, activation of apoptosis and autophagy, and inhibition of metastasis and angiogenesis. In addition, the mechanisms underlying these effects, as well as the pharmacokinetics, toxicity and clinical utility of O. japonicus extracts and active compounds are discussed. Furthermore, this review highlights the research and application prospects of these compounds in immunotherapy and combination chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: The traditional herb O. japonicus and its phytochemicals could be safe and reliable anticancer drug candidates, alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs. We hope that this review, which highlights the anticancer properties of O. japonicus, will contribute to drug optimization, therapeutic development, and future studies on cancer therapies based on this medicinal plant.

Comparison of Ophiopogon japonicus and Liriope spicata var. prolifera from Different Origins Based on Multi-Component Quantification and Anticancer Activity.

The tuberous root of Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker-Gawl. is a well-known Chinese medicine also called Maidong (MD) in Chinese. It could be divided into "Chuanmaidong" (CMD) and "Zhemaidong" (ZMD), according to the geographic origins. Meanwhile, the root of Liriope spicata (Thunb.) Lour. var. prolifera Y. T. Ma (SMD) is occasionally used as a substitute for MD in the market. In this study, a reliable pressurized liquid extraction and HPLC-DAD-ELSD method was developed for the simultaneous determination of nine chemical components, including four steroidal saponins (ophiopojaponin C, ophiopogonin D, liriopesides B and ophiopogonin D'), four homoisoflavonoids (methylophiopogonone A, methylophiopogonone B, methylophiopogonanone A and methylophiopogonanone B) and one sapogenin (ruscogenin) in CMD, ZMD and SMD. The method was validated in terms of linearity, sensitivity, precision, repeatability and accuracy, and then applied to the real samples from different origins. The results indicated that there were significant differences in the contents of the investigated compounds in CMD, ZMD and SMD. Ruscogenin was not detected in all the samples, and liriopesides B was only found in SMD samples. CMD contained higher ophiopogonin D and ophiopogonin D', while the other compounds were more abundant in ZMD. Moreover, the anticancer effects of the herbal extracts and selected components against A2780 human ovarian cancer cells were also compared. CMD and ZMD showed similar cytotoxic effects, which were stronger than those of SMD. The effects of MD may be due to the significant anticancer potential of ophiopognin D' and homoisoflavonoids. These results suggested that there were great differences in the chemical composition and pharmacological activity among CMD, ZMD and SMD; thus, their origins should be carefully considered in clinical application.

Simultaneous Extraction and Determination of Characteristic Steroidal Saponins and Homoisoflavonoids in Zhejiang Ophiopogon japonicus.

Zhejiang Ophiopogonjaponicus (ZOJ) is a specific variety of Ophiopogon japonicus with characteristic steroidal saponins and homoisoflavonoids, which are also main pharmacodynamic constituents with clinical effects, including curing inflammation and cardiovascular diseases. However, few analysis methods were applied to simultaneously and quantitatively determine two kinds of its constituents, and hazardous organic solvents are mostly used for extraction. In this study, a new validated simultaneous extraction and determination method for four characteristic steroidal saponins and homoisoflavonoids in ZOJ was established by ionic liquid-ultrasonic extraction (IL-UAE) combined with HPLC-DAD-ELSD analysis, which can be used for the quality control of ZOJ. Chromatographic separation was performed with a DAD wavelength at 296 nm, and the ELSD parameters of the drift tube temperature (DTT), atomizer temperature (AT), and nitrogen gas pressure (NGP) were set at 20% heating power, 70 °C, and 25 psi, respectively. The optimal IL-UAE conditions were 1 mol/L [Bmim]CF3SO3 aqueous solution, a liquid-material ratio of 40 mL/g, and an ultrasonic time of 60 min. The proposed method is reliable, reproducible, and accurate, which were verified with real sample assays. Consequently, this work will be helpful for the quality control of ZOJ. It can also present a promising reference for the simultaneous extraction and determination of different kinds of constituents in other medicinal plants.

Quality Evaluation of Ophiopogon japonicus from Two Authentic Geographical Origins in China Based on Physicochemical and Pharmacological Properties of Their Polysaccharides.

Ophiopogon japonicus is widely used as a tonic herb in China. According to the origins, MaiDong of Chinese materia medica can be classified as Zhe MaiDong (Ophiopogon japonicus in Zhejiang), Chuan MaiDong (Ophiopogon japonicus in Sichuan), Duanting Shan MaiDong (Liriope muscari), and Hubei MaiDong (Liriope spicata). In terms of quality control, polysaccharides-based evaluations have not yet been conducted. In this study, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was used for the preparation of polysaccharides from 29 batches of MaiDong. HPSEC-MALLS-RID and HPAEC-PAD were employed to investigate their molecular parameters and compositional monosaccharides, respectively. The ability to scavenge ABTS radicals and immune promotion abilities, in terms of nitric oxide releasing and phagocytosis on RAW 264.7 macrophages, were also compared. The results showed that polysaccharides in different MaiDong varied in molecular parameters. All polysaccharides mainly contained fructose and glucose with small amounts of arabinose, mannose, galactose, and xylose. For polysaccharides of Zhe MaiDong and Chuan MaiDong, the molar ratio of Fru to Glc was roughly 15:1 and 14:1, respectively. Zhe MaiDong exhibited better antioxidant and immune promotion activity, and so did that of fibrous roots. The pharmacological activity, however, did not account for the variation in growth years. Finally, indicators for quality control based on multivariate statistical analysis included: yield, antioxidant activity, the content of fructose, and RI signal. It was concluded that MaiDong's fibrous roots had similar components to the root, and their quality was not significantly affected by growth age. This may provide some guidance for the cultivation and use of MaiDong.

Rapid Screening of Lipase Inhibitors from Ophiopogonis Radix Using High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography by Two Step Gradient Elution Combined with Bioautographic Method.

In this study, a high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method by two step gradient elution with two mobile phases was developed for the simultaneous analysis of seven constituents in Ophiopogonis Radix. The chromatography was performed on silica gel 60 F254 plate with dichloromethane-methanol-ethyl acetate-water (70:25:12:3, v/v/v/v) and dichloromethane-methanol (300:1, v/v) as the mobile phase for two step gradient elution. Then, the HPTLC profiles were observed after derivatization with 10% sulfuric acid in ethanol solution. The obtained HPTLC images were further analyzed by chemometric approaches and the samples could be clustered based on regions and/or growth years, which were two important factors affecting the constituents in Ophiopogonis Radix. Furthermore, five compounds including ophiopogonin D, ophiopojaponin C, ophiopogonin D', ophiopogonin C' and methylophiopogonanone B were screened as potential lipase inhibitors from Ophiopogonis Radix by the HPTLC-bioautographic method. The binding modes and interactions between the five compounds and lipase were further explored by molecular docking analysis. The developed HPTLC method could be used for quality control of Ophiopogonis Radix and screening of the potential lipase inhibitors.

Oxidation of methylophiopogonanone A on the surface of TLC plate.

Methylophiopogonanone A (MOPNA, 1) is a characteristic homoisoflavonoid, having two methyl groups on the A ring, isolated from Ophiopogon Root (enlarged part of the root of Ophiopogon japonicus Ker-Gawler, Liliaceae). Although MOPNA is chemically stable in various organic solvents, such as acetone, chloroform, methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide, it gave a spot of higher polarity in addition to the spot of MOPNA on the surface of TLC plate. The spot was isolated and the structure of the major compound was revealed to be a compound with an oxygen atom at C-6 of the A ring. This oxidation on the surface of TLC plate was observed for synthetic intermediates of MOPNA having two methyl groups on a phloroacetophenone-type ring, suggesting that the methyl groups enhanced susceptibility to air oxidation. The structure of the major oxidation product was similar to those of humulone and sufflomin A. Humulone has two prenyl units and sufflomin A has two C-glucosyl moieties instead of the two methyl groups, respectively. As dialkylated phloroacetophenone derivatives seem susceptible to oxidation, air oxidation might be involved in the formation of these compounds.

MDG, an Ophiopogon japonicus polysaccharide, inhibits non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by regulating the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila.

MDG, a polysaccharide derived from Ophiopogon japonicus, displays a protective effect against obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, there is no definitive evidence proving the specific mechanism of MDG against NAFLD. The results showed MDG supplementation ameliorated lipid accumulation, liver steatosis, and chronic inflammation in high-fat diet-induced NAFLD mice. Besides, MDG increased the abundance and diversity of microbial communities in the gut. These effects were mediated by the colonization of fecal microbiota. Further investigation revealed that Akkermansia muciniphila levels correlated negatively with NAFLD development, and lipid metabolism-related signaling might be the key regulator. Our study suggested that MDG treatment could inhibit obesity and the NAFLD process by modulating lipid-related pathways via altering the structure and diversity of gut microbiota. In addition, Akkermansia miniciphila might be a promising candidate in future research into NAFLD.

The effect of miR-1338 on the immunomodulatory activity of ophiopogon polysaccharide liposome.

This study is to investigate the effect of microRNA-1338 (miR-1338) on the activity of Kupffer cells (KCs) and its mechanism regulated by ophiopogon polysaccharide liposome (OPL). KCs was treated with different OPL after transfected with miR-1338 mimic and miR-1338 inhibitor. The secretion of NO and iNOS, the expression of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD), the phagocytic activity, the expression of CD14 and MHC II, the apoptosis and the secretion of ROS were measured. In addition, the expressions of key signal factors TLR4, IKKß, MyD88 and NF-κB in NF-κB signaling pathway were measured by real-time PCR and Western blot (WB). The results showed that OPL could promote the secretion of iNOS, the expression of POD, the phagocytosis, the mRNA expression of TLR4, MyD88, IKKß and NF-κB, the protein expression of TLR4 and NF-κB, and inhibit the cell apoptosis and ROS secretion after transfected with miR-1338 mimic. After transfected with miR-1338 inhibitor, OPL could promote the secretion of NO and iNOS, the expression of POD, cell migration, phagocytosis, and inhibit cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, the mRNA expression of TLR4, MyD88, IKKß and NF-κB and the protein expression of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB were promoted. These results suggested that OPL could activate TLR4-NF-κB signaling pathway and thereby improve the activity of KCs by regulating miR-1338.

Paclobutrazol exposure induces apoptosis and impairs autophagy in hepatocytes via the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway.

Paclobutrazol (PBZ), one of the most widely used plant growth retardants in vegetables, fruits, and traditional Chinese medicine ingredients, exposes people to adverse events. In this study, HepaRG hepatocytes were cultured and exposed to PBZ (360 µM) in vitro to determine its mechanism. Results showed that PBZ exposure inhibited cell viability in a time- and dose-dependent manner and increased the oxidative stress and apoptosis ratio in HepaRG cells. These data revealed that the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) has an important role in PBZ-induced cell apoptosis, which is mediated by impaired autophagy and blocked by the AMPK activator. In conclusion, PBZ exposure induces apoptosis and impairs autophagy in hepatocytes via the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway.

An Efficient Regioselective Synthesis of 8-Formylhomoisoflavonoids with Neuroprotective Activity by Enhancing Autophagy.

6-Formylisoophiopogonone B (7a) and 8-formylophiopogonone B (7b), two natural products isolated from Ophiopogon japonicus, represent a subgroup of rare 6/8-formyl/methyl-homoisoflavonoid skeletons. Herein we report an efficient method for the synthesis of these formyl/methyl-homoisoflavonoids. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their neuroprotective effects on the MPP+-induced SH-SY5Y cell injury model and showed marked activity. Exploration of the neuroprotective mechanisms of compound 7b led to an increased expression of autophagy marker LC3-II and down-regulation of autophagy substrate p62/SQSTM1. Molecular docking studies showed that 7b may prevent the inhibition of the classic PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway by interfering with the human HSP90AA1.

Nontargeted metabolomic analysis and multiple criteria decision-making method induced robust quality markers screening for the authentication of herbal medicines from different origins by taking Ophiopogon japonicus (L. f.) Ker-Gawl. as a case study.

A key segment in medicinal plant authentication is the establishment of quality markers that embody the intrinsic metabolites difference independent of instruments and experiment conditions. A strategy integrating nontargeted metabolomics and multicriteria decision-making model for robust quality markers discovery is presented and applied to authenticate Ophiopogon japonicus (L. f.) Ker-Gawl. First, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight MSE approach was established for global metabolites profiling and identification. Second, multivariate statistical analysis was performed to explore potential quality markers of different origins of ophiopogonis radix. Third, potential quality markers were ordered and filtered by multicriteria decision-making model to infer robust quality markers and further validated in different instruments and experiment conditions by validation model. Fourth, the validation model using the robust quality markers managed to discriminate the origins of ophiopogonis radix samples procured from the herbal markets. Consequently, two robust quality markers, cixi-ophiopogon B and ophiopogonin D, were discovered and further validated on different instruments and experiment conditions. This integrated strategy provided a practical solution for reliable and convenient authentication of geo-authentic herb.

Differences in the Hemolytic Behavior of Two Isomers in Ophiopogon japonicus In Vitro and In Vivo and Their Risk Warnings.

Ophiopogonin D (OPD) and Ophiopogonin D' (OPD') are two bioactive ingredients in Ophiopogon japonicus. Previously published studies have often focused on the therapeutic effects related to OPD's antioxidant capacity but underestimated the cytotoxicity-related side effects of OPD', which may result in unpredictable risks. In this study, we reported another side effect of OPD', hemolysis, and what was unexpected was that this side effect also appeared with OPD. Although hemolysis effects for saponins are familiar to researchers, the hemolytic behavior of OPD or OPD' and the interactions between these two isomers are unique. Therefore, we investigated the effects of OPD and OPD' alone or in combination on the hemolytic behavior in vitro and in vivo and adopted chemical compatibility and proteomics methods to explain the potential mechanism. Meanwhile, to explain the drug-drug interactions (DDIs), molecular modeling was applied to explore the possible common targets. In this study, we reported that OPD' caused hemolysis both in vitro and in vivo, while OPD only caused hemolysis in vivo. We clarified the differences and DDIs in the hemolytic behavior of the two isomers. An analysis of the underlying mechanism governing this phenomenon showed that hemolysis caused by OPD or OPD' was related to the destruction of the redox balance of erythrocytes. In vivo, in addition to the redox imbalance, the proteomics data demonstrated that lipid metabolic disorders and mitochondrial energy metabolism are extensively involved by hemolysis. We provided a comprehensive description of the hemolysis of two isomers in Ophiopogon japonicus, and risk warnings related to hemolysis were presented. Our research also provided a positive reference for the development and further research of such bioactive components.

Rapid Screening and Identification of Chemical Constituents From Ophiopogon japonicus by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Electrospray Ionization and Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.

Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker-Gawl (Liliaceae), which is named as "Maidong" in China, is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating fever, cough, inflammation, epistaxis, constipation, respiratory disease and gastrointestinal disorders. However, the systematic analysis of chemical constituents of O. japonicus has not been well established because of the complexity and trace. In this paper, an effective and reliable high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method was successfully developed to separate and identify the chemical constituents from O. japonicus. As a result, a total of 30 compounds including steroidal saponins, homoisoflavonoids, allylbenzene, cholest and cryptomeridiol were screened or tentatively identified. Of them, three new steroidal saponins were found and tentatively characterized in O. japonicus. This study provides a meaningful material basis for further quality control and pharmacological research.

A polysaccharide extract from the medicinal plant Maidong inhibits the IKK-NF-κB pathway and IL-1ß-induced islet inflammation and increases insulin secretion.

The herb dwarf lilyturf tuber (Maidong, Ophiopogonis Radix) is widely used in Chinese traditional medicine to manage diabetes and its complications. However, the role of Maidong polysaccharide extract (MPE) in pancreatic ß-cell function is unclear. Here, we investigated whether MPE protects ß-cell function and studied the underlying mechanisms. We treated db/db and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice with 800 or 400 mg/kg MPE or water for 4 weeks, followed by an oral glucose tolerance test. Pancreas and blood were collected for molecular analyses, and clonal MIN6 ß-cells and primary islets from HFD-induced obese mice and normal chow diet-fed mice were used in additional analyses. In vivo, MPE both increased insulin secretion and reduced blood glucose in the db/db mice but increased only insulin secretion in the HFD-induced obese mice. MPE substantially increased the ß-cell area in both models (3-fold and 2-fold, p < 0.01, for db/db and HFD mice, respectively). We observed reduced nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit of NF-κB in islets of MPE-treated db/db mice, coinciding with enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). In vitro, MPE potentiated GSIS and decreased interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) secretion in MIN6 ß-cells. Incubation of MIN6 cells with tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interferon-γ, and IL-1ß amplified IL-1ß secretion and inhibited GSIS. These effects were partially reversed with MPE or the IκB kinase ß inhibitor PS1145, coinciding with reduced activation of p65 and p-IκB in the NF-κB pathway. We conclude that MPE may have potential for therapeutic development for ß-cell protection.

Investigating the authenticity of Ophiopogonis Radix and its Chinese patent medicines by using a nucleotide signature.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong), derived from the dried root tuber of Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker Gawl., has been widely used in the treatment of chronic inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases. However, Ophiopogonis Radix is often adulterated with some species because of morphological similarities. Adulterants circulating in herbal markets are a latent threat to the clinical safety and consumers' interest. AIM OF THE STUDY: We aimed to develop a nucleotide signature for identification of Ophiopogonis Radix and its Chinese patent medicines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 255 ITS2 sequences representing 39 species and 4 varieties were used to develop a nucleotide signature of Ophiopogonis Radix. The nucleotide signature was used to investigate 17 commercial crude drugs and eight batches of Chinese patent medicines. RESULTS: A 69 bp nucleotide signature unique to Ophiopogonis Radix was found. The survey revealed that 2 of 17 crude drug samples were adulterants detected as Liriopes Radix (Shanmaidong). Fortunately, no adulterants were detected in the eight batches of Chinese patent medicines. CONCLUSIONS: The newly developed nucleotide signature could be efficiently applied to identify Ophiopogonis Radix and its Chinese patent medicines, aiding in the authentication, quality control, and supervision of processed products in herbal markets.

Ophiopogonin D of Ophiopogon japonicus ameliorates renal function by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammatory response in streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy rats.

Ophiopogonin D (OP-D) is the principal pharmacologically active ingredient from Ophiopogon japonicas, which has been demonstrated to have numerous pharmacological activities. However, its protective effect against renal damage in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy (DN) rats remains unclear. The present study was performed to investigate the protective effect of OP-D in the STZ-induced DN rat model. DN rats showed renal dysfunction, as evidenced by decreased serum albumin and creatinine clearance, along with increases in serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, TGF-ß1, and kidney hypertrophy, and these were reversed by OP-D. In addition, STZ induced oxidative damage and inflammatory response in diabetic kidney tissue. These abnormalities were reversed by OP-D treatment. The findings obtained in the present study indicated that OP-D might possess the potential to be a therapeutic agent against DN via inhibiting renal inflammation and oxidative stress.

Delivery of polysaccharides from Ophiopogon japonicus (OJPs) using OJPs/chitosan/whey protein co-assembled nanoparticles to treat defective intestinal epithelial tight junction barrier.

The polysaccharides from Ophiopogon japonicus (OJPs) were known to have protective effects against diabetes, and cardiovascular and chronic inflammatory diseases. However, OJPs were poorly absorbed after oral administration, resulting in limited efficacy because of the low bioavailability. In this study, OJPs extracted and fractionated from Ophiopogon japonicus were used to prepare OJPs/chitosan (CS)/whey protein (WP) co-assembled nanoparticles. The OJPs/CS/WP nanoparticles showed high biocompatibility and inhibited the cytotoxicity of RAW264.7 cells induced by nickel. With the assistance of CS and WP, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of OJPs were enhanced because the nanoparticles improved OJPs uptake by RAW264.7 macrophage cells as evidenced by efficient scavenging of DPPH and ABTS free radicals and effective inhibition of NO production and the gene expressions of iNOS, COX2, TNF-α, CCL2, and CXCL2 inflammatory signals. Determining the transepithelial electrical resistance and paracellular permeability of Caco-2 monolayer/macrophage co-cultured system suggested that the OJPs-loaded nanoparticles effectively protected the intestinal epithelial barrier integrity against the damage caused by LPS-stimulated macrophage inflammation and attenuated the defects of intestinal epithelial TJ barrier and permeability. These findings suggest that the OJPs/CS/WP nanoparticles may be potential carriers for oral delivery of OJPs to treat intestinal barrier defects, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).