Acanthopanax senticosus Protects Structure and Function of Mesencephalic Mitochondria in A Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the neuro-protective effects of Acanthopanax senticosus Harms (EAS) on mesencephalic mitochondria and the mechanism of action, using a mouse model of Parkinson's disease (PD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The chemical fingerprint analysis of the extract of Acanthopanax senticosus Harms (EAS) was performed using the ultra performance liquid chromatograph and time of flight mass spectrometry. Thirty mice were randomly divided into the control group, the MPTP model group, and the EAS treated group with MPTP (MPTP+EAS group, 10 in each group). The MPTP model group and the MPTP+EAS group received MPTP-HCl (30 mg/kg i.p) once a day for 5 days. The control group received an equal volume of saline (20 mL/kg i.p) once a day for 5 days. Induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine hydrochloride daily (MPTP-HCl, 30 mg/kg) for 5 days, the PD mice were treated with EAS at 45.5 mg/kg daily for 20 days. The behavioral testing of mice was carried out using the pole-climbing test. The integrity and functions of neurons were examined in mesencephalic mitochondria in a PD mouse model, including nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase ubiquinone flavoprotein 2 (NDUFV2), mitochondrially encoded nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase 1 (MT-ND1), succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit A (SDHA), and succinate dehydrogenase cytochrome b560 subunit (SDHC).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment with EAS, the behavioral changes induced by MPTP were attenuated significantly (P<0.05). EAS protected the mesencephalic mitochondria from swelling and attenuated the decreases in their membrane potential (both P<0.05), which was supported by an ultra-structural level analysis. The changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS), malonic dialdehyde (MDA), oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system 4 subunits levels and PD-related proteins expressions (parkin, Pink1, DJ-1, α-synuclein, and Lrrk2) reverted to near normal levels (all P<0.05), based on the results of immune-histological and Western blotting observations.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The neuro-protective effects of EAS are linked to protecting mice against MPTP-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and structural damage. Therefore, EAS is a promising candidate for the prevention or treatment of mitochondrial neurodegenerative disorders, such as PD.</p>

Red ginseng and cancer treatment / 中国天然药物

The ginseng family, including Panax ginseng (Asian ginseng), Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng), and Panax notoginseng (notoginseng), is commonly used herbal medicine. White ginseng is prepared by air-drying after harvest, while red ginseng is prepared by a steaming or heating process. The anticancer activity of red ginseng is significantly increased, due to the production of active anticancer ginsenosides during the steaming treatment, compared with that of white ginseng. Thus far, anticancer studies have been mostly focused on Asian ginseng. In this article, we review the research progress made in the anticancer activities of red Asian ginseng, red American ginseng and red notoginseng. The major anticancer mechanisms of red ginseng compounds include cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis/paraptosis, and inhibition of angiogenesis. The structure-function relationship analysis has revealed that the protopanaxadiol group ginsenosides have more potent effects than the protopanaxatriol group. Sugar molecules in ginsenosides inversely impact the antiproliferative potential of these compounds. In addition, ginsenoside stereoselectivity and double bond position also influence the anticancer activity. Future studies should focus on characterizing active red ginseng derivatives as potential anticancer drugs.

Phenolic constituents from Oplopanax horridus / 中国中药杂志

The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by various chromatographic techniques indluding silica gel, reverse phase silica gel, sephadex LH-20 and pre-HPLC and identified by their physicochemical properties and spectral data. Sixteen phenolic compounds had been isolated and n-butanol extracts which were fractionated from the ethanol extract of Oplopanax horridus roots bark. Their structures were identified as below, including 7 phenylpropanoid compounds, ferulic acid (1), 3-acetylcaffeic acid (2), caffeic acid (3), homovanillyl alcohol 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4), 3-hydroxyphenethyl alcohol 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), 3, 5-dimethoxycinnamyl alcohol 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), and 3-dimethoxycinnamyl alcohol 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7). Three coumarins, scopoletin (8), esculetin (9) and 3'-angeloyl-4'-acetyl-cis-knellactone (10). And 6 lignan compounds, (+)-isolaricires-inol-9'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (11), 3, 3'-dimethoxy-4, 9, 9'-trihydroxy-4', 7-epoxy-5', 8-lignan-4, 9-bis-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (12), (+)-5, 5'-dimethoxylariciresinol 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (13), (-)-5,5'-dimethoxylariciresinol 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (14), (-)-pinoresinol 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (15), and (+)-5, 5'-dimethoxylariciresinol 9'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (16). All compounds were isolated and identified for the first time from this plant All the constituents except compounds 4, 6, 12 and 13 were obtained for the first time from the genus Oplopanax.

Progress in anti-cancer research of American ginseng: with an example of colorectal cancer / 药学学报

Cancer is a group of various diseases, all of which involve unregulated cell growth. Many currently used chemotherapeutic drugs are derived from botanicals. Thus, searching botanical sources for novel oncology medications, including identifying the lead compounds and their derivatives for chemoprevention, is an essential step in advancing cancer therapeutics. This article mainly focuses on the data from our previous American ginseng anti-colon cancer studies. In addition to the potential role of American ginseng on cancer, the herb as an adjuvant for cancer treatment is presented, including describing the attenuation of adverse events induced by chemotherapeutic agents and increasing of quality of cancer patient life. Since heat-treated American ginseng and ginsenoside gut microbiome metabolites showed significant increases in cancer chemopreventive effects, active constituents of the steamed herb and their gut metabolites should be clearly identified, and the structure-activity relationship should be further explored. Data obtained from herbal medicine studies and clinical trials will help develop useful anticancer agents.

Effects of Triterpenoid Glycosides from Fresh Ginseng Berry on SW480 Human Colorectal Cancer Cell Line / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The pharmacological activities, notably the anticancer properties, of bioactive constituents fromfresh American ginseng berry have not yet been well studied. In this study, we investigated the antiproliferative effects of fresh American ginseng berry extract (AGBE) and its representative triterpenoid glycosides using the human colorectal cancer cell line SW480. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), the contents of 8 ginsenosides in AGBE were determined. The cell growth inhibitory effects of AGBE and three triterpenoid glycosides (ginsenosides Rb3, Re, and Rg3) were evaluated by proliferation assay and 3H-thymidine incorporation assay. Cell cycle and apoptotic effects were analyzed by using flow cytometry after staining with propidium iodide and annexin V. RESULTS: HPLC analysis data showed that AGBE has a distinct ginsenoside profile. AGBE inhibited SW480 cell growth significantly in a time-dependent (24-96 hours) and concentration-dependent (0.1-1.0 mg/mL) manner. Ginsenosides Rb3, Re, and Rg3 also possess significant antiproliferative activities on SW480 cells. 3H-thymidine incorporation assay indicated that AGBE and ginsenosides Rb3, Re, and Rg3 might inhibit the transferring and duplication of DNA in SW480 cells. Flow cytometric assay data suggested that AGBE arrested SW480 cells in S and G2/M phases, and significantly induced cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION: AGBE and ginsenosides Rb3, Re, and Rg3 possessed significant antiproliferative effects and induced changes of morphological appearance on SW480 cells. The mechanisms of the antiproliferation of AGBE and tested ginsenosides involved could be cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis.