Mechanism of Action of Flavonoids of Oxytropis falcata on the Alleviation of Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Oxytropis falcata Bunge is a plant used in traditional Tibetan medicine, with reported anti-inflammatory and antioxidants effects and alleviation of myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (MIRI). However, the underlying mechanism against MIRI and the phytochemical composition of O. falcata are vague. One fraction named OFF1 with anti-MIRI activity was obtained from O. falcata, and the chemical constituents were identified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS). The potential targets and signaling pathways involved in the action of O. falcata against MIRI were predicted by network pharmacology analysis, and its molecular mechanism on MIRI was determined by in vitro assays. The results revealed that flavonoids are the dominant constituents of OFF1. A total of 92 flavonoids reported in O. falcata targeted 213 potential MIRI-associated factors, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF), prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), and the NF-κB signaling pathway. The in vitro assay on H9c2 cardiomyocytes subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation injury confirmed that the flavonoids in OFF1 reduced myocardial marker levels, apoptotic rate, and the inflammatory response triggered by oxidative stress. Moreover, OFF1 attenuated MIRI by downregulating the ROS-mediated JNK/p38MAPK/NF-κB pathway. Collectively, these findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of O. falcata in alleviating MIRI, being a potential therapeutic candidate.

Development of a large scale process for the conversion of polysialogangliosides to monosialotetrahexosylganglioside with a novel strain of Brevibacterium casei producing sialidase.

A bioconversion process of producing GM1 (monosialotetrahexosylganglioside) on an industrial scale was developed with a novel sialidase-producing strain Brevibacterium casei. The sialidase hydrolyzed polysialogangliosides to produce GM1 but did not act on GM1. When Brevibacterium casei was cultured in a synthetic medium containing crude pig brain gangliosides (10% w/v) at 30 degrees C for 24 h in a 50 l fermenter, most of the polysialogangliosides were converted to GM1. The content of GM1 was increased from 9% in crude gangliosides to 45% with 70% (w/w) yield.