Tailoring the Coordination Environment of Fe/Zn-BDC to Boost Peroxidase-like Activity for Highly Selective Detection of PFOS.

Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid potassium salt (PFOS) residues in ecosystems over long periods are of increasing concern and require a selective and stable optical probe for monitoring. Herein, two functional groups (-F and -NH2) with opposite electronic modulation ability were introduced into Fe/Zn-BDC (denoted as Fe/Zn-BDC-F4 and Fe/Zn-BDC-NH2, respectively) to tailor the coordination environment of the Fe metal center, further regulating the nanozyme activity efficiently. Notably, the peroxidase-like activity is related to the coordination environment of the nanozymes and obeys the following order Fe/Zn-BDC-F4 > Fe/Zn-BDC > Fe/Zn-BDC-NH2. Based on the excellent peroxidase-like activity of Fe/Zn-BDC-F4 and the characteristics of being rich in F atoms, a rapid, selective, and visible colorimetric method was developed for detecting PFOS with a detection limit of 100 nM. The detection mechanism was attributed to various interaction forces between Fe/Zn-BDC-F4 and PFOS, including electrostatic interactions, Fe-S interactions, Fe-F bonds, and halogen bonds. This work not only offers new insights into the atomic-scale rational design of highly active nanozymes but also presents a novel approach to detecting PFOS in environmental samples.

Biological activity and structural modification of isosteviol over the past 15 years.

Isosteviol is a tetracyclic diterpenoid obtained by hydrolysis of stevioside. Due to its unique molecular skeleton and extensive pharmacological activities, isosteviol has attracted more and more attention from researchers. This review summarized the structural modification, pharmacological activity and microbial transformation of isosteviol from 04/2008 to 10/2023. In addition, the research history, structural characterization, and pharmacokinetics of isosteviol were also briefly reviewed. This review aims to provide useful literature resources and inspirations for the exploration of diterpenoid drugs.

Futoquinol improves Aß25-35-induced memory impairment in mice by inhibiting the activation of p38MAPK through the glycolysis pathway and regulating the composition of the gut microbiota.

Futoquinol (Fut) is a compound extracted from Piper kadsura that has a nerve cell protection effect. However, it is unclear whether Fut has protective effects in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we aimed to explore the therapeutic effect of Fut in AD and its underlying mechanism. UPLC-MS/MS method was performed to quantify Fut in the hippocampus of mice brain. The cognition ability, neuronal and mitochondria damage, and levels of Aß1-42, Aß1-40, p-Tau, oxidative stress, apoptosis, immune cells, and inflammatory factors were measured in Aß25-35-induced mice. The content of bacterial meta-geometry was predicted in the microbial composition based on 16S rDNA. The protein levels of HK II, p-p38MAPK, and p38MAPK were detected. PC-12 cells were cultured in vitro, and glucose was added to activate glycolysis to further explore the mechanism of action of Fut intervention in AD. Fut improved the memory and learning ability of Aß25-35 mice, and reduced neuronal damage and the deposition of Aß and Tau proteins. Moreover, Fut reduced mitochondrial damage, the levels of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammatory factors. Fut significantly inhibited the expression of HK II and p-p38MAPK proteins. The in vitro experiment showed that p38MAPK was activated and Fut action inhibited after adding 10 mM glucose. Fut might inhibit the activation of p38MAPK through the glycolysis pathway, thereby reducing oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammatory factors and improving Aß25-35-induced memory impairment in mice. These data provide pharmacological rationale for Fut in the treatment of AD.

Chemical Constituents of the Fruits of Cornus Officinalis and Evaluation of their Neuroprotective Activity.

The phytochemical investigation of the fruits of Cornus officinalis yielded a new phenolic acid derivative, neophenolic acid A (1), and a novel flavonoid glycoside, (2R)-naringenin-7-O-ß-(6''-galloyl-glucopyranoside) (2 a), along with six known flavonoid glycosides (2 b-7). Their structures were determined by 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS data. The absolute configuration of 1 was established by ECD analysis. Compounds 1- 7 were evaluated for their neuroprotective activities against corticosterone (CORT)-induced injury in PC-12 cells. Compounds 1, 2 a, 2 b, 5, and 6 exhibited neuroprotective activities against CORT-induced neurotoxicity in PC-12 cells. The underlying mechanism study suggested that compounds 1, 2 a, 2 b, 5, and 6 were able to attenuate CORT-induced apoptosis and damage, increase the levels of MMP and decrease Ca2+ inward flow in PC-12 cells.

Six New Compounds from the Herbaceous Stems of Ephedra intermedia Schrenket C. A. Meyer and Their Lung-Protective Activity.

Six new compounds, (7R,8S,8'R)-balanophorone (1), (7'S,8'R,8R)-yunnanensin A (2), (3S)-thunberginol C (3), (8R,8'R)-maninsigin B (4), (7S,8R)-4,7,8-dihydroxy-9,9-dimethyl-chroman (5), and 4-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)butan-1-one (6), along with eight known compounds (7-14), were isolated from the herbaceous stems of Ephedra intermedia Schrenket C. A. Meyer. Their structures were elucidated based on their spectroscopic (MS, NMR, IR, and UV) data, and their absolute configurations were determined by comparing their calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroic (ECD) spectra. Moreover, compounds 1 and 3-6 were evaluated for their ability to protect human pulmonary epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) from injury induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro. The results showed that compound 6 exhibited a significant protective effect against LPS-induced injury in BEAS-2B, and compound 5 exhibited a slightly protective effect at the concentration of 10 µM.

Study on the Neuroprotective Effects of Eight Iridoid Components Using Cell Metabolomics.

Iridoid components have been reported to have significant neuroprotective effects. However, it is not yet clear whether the efficacy and mechanisms of iridoid components with similar structures are also similar. This study aimed to compare the neuroprotective effects and mechanisms of eight iridoid components (catalpol (CAT), genipin (GE), geniposide (GEN), geniposidic acid (GPA), aucubin (AU), ajugol (AJU), rehmannioside C (RC), and rehmannioside D (RD)) based on corticosterone (CORT)-induced injury in PC12 cells. PC12 cells were randomly divided into a normal control group (NC), model group (M), positive drug group (FLX), and eight iridoid administration groups. Firstly, PC12 cells were induced with CORT to simulate neuronal injury. Then, the MTT method and flow cytometry were applied to evaluate the protective effects of eight iridoid components on PC12 cell damage. Thirdly, a cell metabolomics study based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS) was performed to explore changes in relevant biomarkers and metabolic pathways following the intervention of administration. The MTT assay and flow cytometry analysis showed that the eight iridoid components can improve cell viability, inhibit cell apoptosis, reduce intracellular ROS levels, and elevate MMP levels. In the PCA score plots, the sample points of the treatment groups showed a trend towards approaching the NC group. Among them, AU, AJU, and RC had a weaker effect. There were 38 metabolites (19 metabolites each in positive and negative ion modes, respectively) identified as potential biomarkers during the experiment, among which 23 metabolites were common biomarkers of the eight iridoid groups. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the eight iridoid components regulated the metabolism mainly in relation to D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism, arginine biosynthesis, the TCA cycle, purine metabolism, and glutathione metabolism. In conclusion, the eight iridoid components could reverse an imbalanced metabolic state by regulating amino acid neurotransmitters, interfering with amino acid metabolism and energy metabolism, and harmonizing the level of oxidized substances to exhibit neuroprotective effects.

Chemical Constituents with Anti-Proliferative Activity on Pulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells from the Roots of Anthriscus sylvestris (L.) Hoffm.

A chemical investigation of Anthriscus sylvestris roots led to the isolation and characterization of two new nitrogen-containing phenylpropanoids (1-2) and two new phenol glycosides (8-9), along with fifteen known analogues. Structure elucidation was based on HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD). In addition, compounds 3, 6, 9-10, 12, and 17 exhibited inhibitory effects against the abnormal proliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells with IC50 values ranging from 10.7 ± 0.6 to 57.1 ± 1.1 µM.

[Metabolomics of interventional effects of Coptidis Rhizoma and its processed products on oral ulcer due to excess heat in rats].

Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q/TOF-MS) was employed to examine the impact of Coptidis Rhizoma(CR) and its processed products on the metabolism in the rat model of oral ulcer due to excess heat and to compare the effectiveness of CR and its three products. Male SD rats were randomly allocated to the sham-operation(Sham), model(M, oral ulcer due to excess heat), CR, wine/Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens/Euodiae Fructus processed CR(wCR/zCR/eCR), and Huanglian Shangqing Tablets(HST) groups. Except the Sham group, the other groups were administrated with Codonopsis Radix-Astragali Radix decoction by gavage for two consecutive weeks. The anal temperature and water consumption of rats were monitored throughout the modeling period of excess heat. Following the completion of the modeling, oral ulcer was modeled with acetic acid. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was employed to observe the mucosal pathological changes in oral ulcer. A colorimetric assay was employed to determine the serum level of glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was conducted to determine the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α), interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß), superoxide dismutase(SOD), and malondialdehyde(MDA) in the serum. The non-targeted metabolomics analysis based on UPLC-Q/TOF-MS was conducted on the serum samples. Metabolic profiles were then built, and the potential biomarkers were screened by principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA). The Mev software was used to establish a heat map and conduct cluster analysis on the quantitative results of the markers. The online databases including MBRole, KEGG, and MetaboAnalyst were used for pathway enrichment analysis and metabolic network building. The experimental results showed that the modeling led to pathological damage to the oral mucosa, elevated serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß, and MDA, and lowered levels of SOD and GSH-Px in rats. The drug administration recovered all the indices to varying extents, and wCR exhibited the best performance. Non-targeted metabolomics identified 48 differential metabolites including 27 metabolites in the positive ion mode and 21 metabolites in the negative ion mode. Five enriched pathways were common, including glycerophospholipid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, and tyrosine metabolism. Conclusively, CR and its three processed products could alleviate the inflammation and oxidative stress injury in rats suffering from oral ulcers due to excess heat by regulating lipid and amino acid metabolism. Notably, wCR demonstrated the most significant therapeutic effect.

Comparative pharmacokinetic studies of Ephedra herba in common cold and nephrotic syndrome rat models.

Ephedra herba is a conventional Chinese medicine to treat cold, fever, asthma, edema, and lung diseases in the clinic. At present, most pharmacokinetic studies focus on the pharmacokinetic process of alkaloids in normal animals. However, the non-alkaloid components are also active. In addition, the pharmacokinetic studies under pathological state make more sense for clarifying the material basis of efficacy. In this study, a sensitive and rapid ultra-high-performance-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and applied to determine nine bioactive components (ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, methylephedrine, (+)-catechin, epicatechin, vitexin, vicenin-2, cinnamic acid, and ferulic acid) in normal, common cold and nephrotic syndrome rats after the oral administration of Ephedra herba. Compared to the normal group, except for ferulic acid, the exposure levels of the other eight components were significantly increased and the plasma clearance clearly declined in common cold rats. Similarly, the exposure levels of seven components other than cinnamic acid and ferulic acid were also significantly augmented and the plasma clearance decreased significantly in nephrotic syndrome rats. In brief, the pathological conditions of the common cold and nephrotic syndrome could lead to alterations in the pharmacokinetics profiles of the nine components, which provide a reference for further exploration of the pharmacodynamics basis of Ephedra herba.

A comparative metabolomics study on dried and processed Rehmannia Radix.

The efficacy of Rehmannia Radix changes after processing. However, the precise effect of processing on the properties of Rehmannia Radix is an intricate topic, as this effect cannot be explained by traditional methods. The purpose of this study was to investigate how processing methods influence the properties of Rehmannia Radix, as well as the changes in body function after administering dried Rehmannia Radix (RR) and processed Rehmannia Radix (PR) using a metabolomics approach. In addition, principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis models were generated using SIMCA-P 14.0 to evaluate the properties of RR and PR. Potential biomarkers were identified, and associated metabolic networks were established to clarify differences in the properties and efficacies of RR and PR. The results showed that RR and PR have cold and hot properties, respectively. RR can exert a hypolipidaemic effect by regulating nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism. PR exerts a tonic effect and regulates the body's reproductive function through the regulation of alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, arachidonic acid, pentose and glucuronate metabolism, respectively. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry-based metabolomics is a promising approach to determine the cold/hot properties of traditional Chinese medicine formulations.

Enolase, a cadmium resistance related protein from hyperaccumulator plant Phytolacca americana, increase the tolerance of Escherichia coli to cadmium stress.

Phytolacca americana is a Cd hyperaccumulator plant that accumulates significant amounts of Cd in leaves, making it a valuable phytoremediation plant species. Our previous research found enolase (ENO) may play an important part in P. americana to cope with Cd stress. As a multifunctional enzyme, ENO was involved not only in glycolysis but also in the response of plants to various environmental stresses. However, there are few studies on the function of PaENO (P. americana enolase) in coping with Cd stress. In this study, the PaENO gene was isolated from P. americana, and the expression level of PaENO gene significantly increased after Cd treatment. The enzymatic activity analysis showed PaENO had typical ENO activity, and the 42-position serine was essential to the enzymatic activity of PaENO. The Cd resistance assay indicated the expression of PaENO remarkably enhanced the resistance of E. coli to Cd, which was achieved by reducing the Cd content in E. coli. Moreover, both the expression of inactive PaENO and PaMBP-1 (alternative translation product of PaENO) can improve the tolerance of E. coli to Cd. The results indicated PaENO may be alternatively translated into the transcription factor PaMBP-1 to participate in the response of P. americana to Cd stress.

The expression of the Cd resistance related protein PaENO can significantly increase the tolerance of E. coli to Cd, which was achieved by reducing the content of Cd in E. coli cells, and was independent of the enzymatic activity of PaENO. Moreover, PaENO may be alternatively translated into the transcription factor PaMBP-1 to participate in the response of P. americana to Cd stress.

Two new flavonoid thioglucosides from the seeds of Lepidium apetalum.

Two previously undescribed flavonoid thioglucosides lepidiumflavonosides A and B (1-2) and two known megastigmane compounds (7E,9S)-9-hydroxy-5,7-megastigmadien-4-one 9-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (3) and (9S)-4-oxo-ß-inol ß-D-glucopyranoside (4) were isolated from the water extract of the seeds of Lepidium apetalum Willd. The structural elucidation of isolated compounds was unambiguously determined based on extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses. All compounds were evaluated for their estrogen-like effects on MCF-7 cells in vitro. The results showed that compounds 1-4 significantly promoted the proliferation of MCF-7 cells, and the proliferation was antagonized by the specific ER antagonist ICI182,780, suggesting that compounds 1-4 might have the estrogen-like effect in vitro potentially.

Iodine-Modified Ag NPs for Highly Sensitive SERS Detection of Deltamethrin Residues on Surfaces.

It is essential to estimate the indoor pesticides/insecticides exposure risk since reports show that 80% of human exposure to pesticides occurs indoors. As one of the three major contamination sources, surface collected pesticides contributed significantly to this risk. Here, a highly sensitive liquid freestanding membrane (FSM) SERS method based on iodide modified silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) was developed for quantitative detection of insecticide deltamethrin (DM) residues in solution phase samples and on surfaces with good accuracy and high sensitivity. The DM SERS spectrum from 500 to 2500 cm-1 resembled the normal Raman counterpart of solid DM. Similar bands at 563, 1000, 1165, 1207, 1735, and 2253 cm-1 were observed as in the literature. For the quantitative analysis, the strongest peak at 1000 cm-1 that was assigned to the stretching mode of the benzene ring and the deformation mode of C-C was selected. The peak intensity at 1000 cm-1 and the concentration of DM showed excellent linearity from 39 to 5000 ppb with a regression equation I = 649.428 + 1.327 C (correlation coefficient R2 = 0.991). The limit of detection (LOD) of the DM was found to be as low as 11 ppb. Statistical comparison between the proposed and the HPLC methods for the analysis of insecticide deltamethrin (DM) residues in solution phase samples showed no significant difference. DM residue analysis on the surface was mimicked by dropping DM pesticide on the glass surface. It is found that DM exhibited high residue levels up to one week after exposure. This proposed SERS method could find application in the household pesticide residues analysis.

[Effect of aqueous extract of Corni Fructus on Aß_(25-35)-induced brain injury and neuroinflammation in mice with Alzheimer's disease].

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of Corni Fructus on ß-amyloid protein 25-35(Aß_(25-35))-induced brain injury and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease(AD) mice to provide an experimental basis for the treatment of AD by aqueous extract of Corni Fructus. Sixty C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into a sham group, a model group, a positive control group(huperizine A, 0.2 mg·kg~(-1)), a low-dose aqueous extract of Corni Fructus group(1.3 g·kg~(-1)), a medium-dose aqueous extract of Corni Fructus group(2.6 g·kg~(-1)), and a high-dose aqueous extract of Corni Fructus group(5.2 g·kg~(-1)). The AD model was induced by lateral ventricular injection of Aß_(25-35) in mice except for those in the sham group, and AD model mice were treated with corresponding drugs by gavage for 24 days. The behavioral test was performed one week before animal dissection. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was performed to observe the morphology of neurons in the hippocampal region. Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis level of primary hippocampal cells in mice. ELISA kits were used to detect the levels of ß-amyloid protein 1-42(Aß_(1-42)) and phosphorylated microtubule-associated protein Tau(p-Tau) in mouse brain tissues. Immunofluorescence and Western blot were used to detect the expression of related proteins in mouse brain tissues. MTT assay was used to detect the effect of compounds in aqueous extract of Corni Fructus on Aß_(25-35)-induced N9 cell injury. Molecular docking was employed to analyze the interactions of caffeic acid, trans-p-hydroxy cinnamic acid, isolariciresinol-9'-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside, esculetin, and(+)-lyoniresinol with ß-amyloid precursor protein(APP), interleukin-6(IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α). Aqueous extract of Corni Fructus could improve the learning and memory abilities of Aß_(25-35)-induced mice by increasing the duration of the autonomous activity, the rate of autonomous alternation, the preference coefficient, and the discrimination coefficient, and reduce Aß_(25-35)-induced brain injury and neuroinflammation in mice by increasing the expression levels of interleukin-10(IL-10) and B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2) in brain tissues, decreasing the expression levels of Aß_(1-42), p-Tau, IL-6, TNF-α, cysteine aspartate-specific protease 3(caspase-3), cysteine aspartate-specific protease 9(caspase-9), and Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), and decreasing the number of activated glial cells in brain tissues. The results of cell experiments showed that esculetin and(+)-lyoniresinol could improve Aß_(25-35)-induced N9 cell injury. Molecular docking results showed that caffeic acid, trans-p-hydroxy cinnamic acid, isolariciresinol-9'-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside, esculetin, and(+)-lyoniresinol had good binding affinity with APP and weak binding affinity with IL-6 and TNF-α. Aqueous extract of Corni Fructus could ameliorate cognitive dysfunction and brain damage in Aß_(25-35)-induced mice by reducing the number of apoptotic cells and activated glial cells in the brain and decreasing the expression level of inflammatory factors. Caffeic acid, trans-p-hydroxy cinnamic acid, isolariciresinol-9'-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside, esculetin, and(+)-lyoniresinol may be the material basis for the anti-AD effect of aqueous extract of Corni Fructus.

[Platycladi Semen oil ameliorates Aß_(25-35)-induced brain injury in mice based on network pharmacology and gut microbiota].

The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect and underlying mechanism of Platycladi Semen oil(SP) on Aß_(25-35)-induced brain injury in mice to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of Alzheimer's disease(AD). Male Kunming(KM) mice were randomly divided into a control group, a model group(brain injection of Aß_(25-35), 200 µmol·L~(-1), 0.15 µL·g~(-1)), a positive drug group(donepezil, 10 mg·kg~(-1)), and low-and high-dose SP groups(0.5 and 1 mL·kg~(-1)). Learning and memory ability, neuronal damage, levels of Aß_(1-42)/Aß_(1-40), p-Tau, related indicators of apoptosis and oxidative stress, and immune cells, and protein and mRNA expression related to the sphingosine kinase 1(SPHK1)/sphingosine-1-phosphate(S1P)/sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 5(S1PR5) signaling pathway of mice in each group were determined. In addition, compounds in SP were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS). The mechanism of SP against AD was investigated by network pharmacology, 16S rDNA gene sequencing for gut microbiota(GM), and molecular docking techniques. The results showed that SP could improve the learning and memory function of Aß_(25-35)-induced mice, reduce hippocampal neuronal damage, decrease the levels of Aß_(1-42)/Aß_(1-40), p-Tau, and indicators related to apoptosis and oxidative stress in the brain, and maintain the homeostasis of immune cells and GM. Network pharmacology and sequencing analysis for GM showed that the therapeutic effect of SP on AD was associated with the sphingolipid signaling pathway. Meanwhile,(Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid and(Z,Z)-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, the components with the highest content in SP, showed good binding activity to SPHK1 and S1PR5. Therefore, it is inferred that SP exerts anti-apoptosis and antioxidant effects by regulating GM and inhibiting SPHK1/S1P/S1PR5 pathway, thereby improving brain injury induced by Aß_(25-35) in mice. Moreover,(Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid and(Z,Z)-9,12-octadecadienoic acid may be the material basis for the anti-AD effect of SP.

[Aqueous extract of Epimedium sagittatum mitigates pulmonary fibrosis in mice].

This study aims to investigate the intervention effect of the aqueous extract of Epimedium sagittatum Maxim on the mouse model of bleomycin(BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis, so as to provide data support for the clinical treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. Ninety male C57BL/6N mice were randomized into normal(n=10), model(BLM, n=20), pirfenidone(PFD, 270 mg·kg~(-1), n=15), and low-, medium-, and high-dose E. sagittatum extract(1.67 g·kg~(-1), n=15; 3.33 g·kg~(-1), n=15; 6.67 g·kg~(-1), n=15) groups. The model of pulmonary fibrosis was established by intratracheal instillation of BLM(5 mg·kg~(-1)) in the other five groups except the normal group, which was treated with an equal amount of normal saline. On the day following the modeling, each group was treated with the corresponding drug by gavage for 21 days. During this period, the survival rate of the mice was counted. After gavage, the lung index was calculated, and the morphology and collagen deposition of the lung tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and Masson staining, respectively. The levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS) in lung cell suspensions were measured by flow cytometry. The levels of glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px), total superoxide dismutase(T-SOD), and malondialdehyde(MDA) the in lung tissue were measured. Terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling(TUNEL) was employed to examine the apoptosis of lung tissue cells. The content of interleukin-6(IL-6), chemokine C-C motif ligand 2(CCL-2), matrix metalloproteinase-8(MMP-8), transforming growth factor-beta 1(TGF-ß1), alpha-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA), E-cadherin, collagen Ⅰ, and fibronectin in the lung tissue was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The expression levels of F4/80, Ly-6G, TGF-ß1, and collagen Ⅰ in the lung tissue were determined by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA levels of CCL-2, IL-6, and MMP-7 in the lung tissue were determined by qRT-PCR. The content of hydroxyproline(HYP) in the lung tissue was determined by alkaline hydrolysation. The expression of α-SMA and E-cadherin was detected by immunofluorescence, and the protein levels of α-SMA, vimentin, E-cadherin in the lung tissue were determined by Western blot. The results showed the aqueous extract of E. sagittatum increased the survival rate, decreased the lung index, alleviated the pathological injury, collagen deposition, and oxidative stress in the lung tissue, and reduced the apoptotic cells. Furthermore, the aqueous extract of E. sagittatum down-regulated the protein levels of F4/80 and Ly-6G and the mRNA levels of CCL-2, IL-6, and MMP-7 in the lung tissue, reduced the content of IL-6, CCL-2, and MMP-8 in the alveolar lavage fluid. In addition, it lowered the levels of HYP, TGF-ß1, α-SMA, collagen Ⅰ, fibronectin, and vimentin, and elevated the levels of E-cadherin in the lung tissue. The aqueous extract of E. sagittatum can inhibit collagen deposition, alleviate oxidative stress, and reduce inflammatory response by regulating the expression of the molecules associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition, thus alleviating the symptoms of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice.

Thymidine and 2'-deoxyuridine reduce microglial activation and improve oxidative stress damage by modulating glycolytic metabolism on the Aß25-35-induced brain injury.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive disease with a long duration and complicated pathogenesis. Thymidine (Thy) and 2'-deoxyuridine (2'-De) are pyrimidines nucleotides that are associated with nervous system diseases. However, it remains unclear whether Thy and 2'-De exert neuroprotective effects in AD. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the interventional effects and mechanisms of Thy and 2'-De on the Aß25-35-induced brain injury. Donepezil (Do, 10 mg/kg/d), Thy (20 mg/kg/d), and 2'-De (20 mg/kg/d) were administered for 4 weeks after the injection of Aß25-35 peptides (200 µM, i.c.v.) to mice. UPLC-MS/MS method was performed to quantify Thy and 2'-De in the hippocampus of mice brain. The cognition ability, neuronal and mitochondria damage, and levels of Aß1-42/Aß1-40, p-Tau, Na+ K+-ATPase, apoptosis, oxidative stress, immune cells, and Iba 1+ were measured in Aß25-35-induced mice. The oxygen consumption (OCR) and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) were measured using a seahorse analyzer in Aß25-35-induced N9 cells. Moreover, 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), a glycolysis inhibitor, was added to explore the mechanisms underlying the effects of Thy and 2'-De on Aß25-35-induced N9 cells. The expression of Iba 1+ and levels of CD11b+ and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured after treatment with Thy (5 µM) and 2'-De (10 µM) against 2-DG (5 mM) in Aß25-35-induced N9 cells. The results suggested that Do, Thy, and 2'-De improved the cognition ability, attenuated the damage to hippocampus and mitochondria, downregulated the levels of Aß1-42/Aß1-40, p-Tau, Na+ K+-ATPase, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and Iba 1+, and regulated the immune response induced by Aß25-35 against the brain injury. Furthermore, Do, Thy, and 2'-De increased ATP production and inhibited glycolysis in Aß25-35-induced N9 cells. Moreover, 2-DG enhanced the effects of drugs, reduced microglial activation, and attenuated oxidative stress to interfere with Aß25-35-induced N9 cells. In conclusion, Thy and 2'-De reduced microglial activation and improved oxidative stress damage by modulating glycolytic metabolism on the Aß25-35-induced brain injury.

ß-Sitosterol inhibits ovalbumin-induced asthma-related inflammation by regulating dendritic cells.

AIM: To investigate the effects of ß-sitosterol (B-SIT) and the underlying mechanisms of action in an ovalbumin-induced rat model of asthma. METHODS: The pathological and morphological changes in lung and tracheal tissues were observed by H&E, PAS, and Masson's staining. The levels of IgE, TNF-α, and IFN-γ in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and those of IL-6, TGF-ß1, and IL-10 in serum were measured by ELISA. The relative expression levels of IL-5, IL-13, IL-21, CD11c, CD80, and CD86 mRNA in lung tissue were examined by RT-qPCR. Flow cytometry was performed to assess the levels of immune cells, including macrophages and neutrophils in spleen tissue and Th cells, Tc cells, NK cells, and DCs in peripheral blood. The protein expression levels of CD68, MPO, CD11c, CD80, and CD86 were detected by western blotting or immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: B-SIT improved the injury in OVA-induced pathology, decreased the levels of inflammatory factors of IgE, TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-ß1, IL-5, IL-13, and IL-21 and increased the levels of IFN-γ and IL-10. In addition, B-SIT decreased the number of macrophages and neutrophils and the relative expression levels of CD68 and MPO in the spleen. Moreover, B-SIT increased the number of Th cells, Tc cells, NK cells, and DCs in peripheral blood and upregulated the levels of CD11c, CD80, and CD86 in the spleen and lung. CONCLUSION: B-SIT improved symptoms in a rat model of asthma likely via the inhibition of inflammation by regulating dendritic cells.

Alkaloids from the stem of Ephedra equisetina.

Two new cyclotrypyamine alkaloids equisetinines A and B, as well as three known alkaloids (3-5) were isolated from the stems of Ephedra equisetina Bunge. Their structures were characterized by spectroscopic methods, and the absolute configurations of the new compounds were determined by interpretation of their electronic circular dichroism. Anti-asthmatic activities of compounds were evaluated by releasing ß-Hex in C48/80-induced RBL-2H3 cells, and compound 5 exhibited significant anti-asthmatic activities.

Renoprotective activity of a new amide and a new hydroxycinnamic acid derivative from the fresh roots of Rehmannia glutinosa.

A new amide, named rehmagluamide (1), and a new hydroxycinnamic acid derivative, named nepetoidin F (2), together with six known compounds, 2'-O-methyluridine (3), puroglutamic acid (4), biliverdic acid (5), peterolactam (6), nicotinic acid (7), nicotinamide (8), were isolated from the fresh roots of Rehmannia glutinosa. All the structures of compounds were identified by the interpretation of their spectroscopic data and comparison with those reported in the literatures. The protective effects of compounds 1-7 on normal rat kidney tubule epithelioid (NRK-52e) cells injury induced by LPS were investigated. The results indicated that compounds 1, 2, and 7 exhibited protective effects against LPS-induced NRK 52e cells injury.