Inhibitory effect of γ-ray-modified hydroxymethylated baicalins on NO production.

Baicalin, a glucuronic flavone, is the major active component in the medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis. Herein, baicalin was irradiated by γ-rays to afford four unusual flavanones, baicalinols A (2), B (3), and C (4) and peroxybaicaleinol (5), and two known flavones, oroxylin A (6) and baicalein (7). The structures of the hydroxymethylated products were elucidated using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, and their absolute configuration was established using electronic circular dichroism spectroscopy. Novel hydroxymethylated flavanones 2 and 3 suppressed both nitric oxide (NO) production and the expression of inducible NO synthase and showed significantly higher anti-inflammatory activities in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages than the parent compound. These newly generated hydroxymethylated flavanones can be potentially used for treating inflammatory diseases.

The effects of centipedegrass extract on hair growth via promotion of anagen inductive activity.

To investigate the CGE on hair growth and to explore the mechanism that is involved in the acceleration of anagen induction, we investigated the effects of CGE studied on cell proliferation and molecular mechanism in human hair dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) and keratinocytes (HaCaT cells). Additionally, hair growth evaluation was carried out following topical treatment of the dorsal skin of telogen C57BL/6 mice with CGE for 14 days. As result, CGE increased cell viability and ALP activity in hDPCs. Moreover, CGE increased the expression of catenin beta 1 (CTNNB1), ALP, sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) genes in hDPCs. CGE increased the expression of proteins such as ALP, ß-catenin, and phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (pGSK3ß), and protein kinase B (pAKT) in hDPCs. Furthermore, CGE induced the proliferation of HaCaT cells and up-regulated AKT-ERK-GSKß-ß-catenin signaling in HaCaT cells. Additionally, the anagen induction effects of CGE were confirmed on the telogen-anagen transition mice model. these findings demonstrated that CGE promoted the entering the growth phase of hair follicle via activation of ß-catenin signaling pathways in vivo. Thus, this study suggests that CGE might be a potential therapeutic reagent for hair growth.

Centipedegrass extract enhances radiosensitivity in melanoma cells by inducing G2/M cell cycle phase arrest.

Melanoma is aggressive, highly metastatic, and potentially fatal. In the case of patients with advanced melanoma, it is difficult to expect a good prognosis, since this cancer has low sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The use of natural ingredients may enhance existing therapies. Centipedegrass extract (CGE) which contains phenolic structures and C-glycosyl flavones, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects and anti-cancer effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radio sensitizing effects of CGE in combination with ionizing radiation (IR). Two melanoma cell lines were exposed to IR after treatment with CGE at concentrations that were not toxic alone. The effects of CGE + IR on cell survival, cell cycle, and apoptotic cell death were examined using MTT and Muse® Cell Analyzer, and fluorescence microscopy. Molecular signaling mechanisms were explored by western blots. Our findings showed that co-treatment of CGE + IR reduced the survival of melanoma cells more than IR alone. Also, cell cycle arrest in CGE-treated cells was enhanced and these cells became more radiosensitive. CGE + IR increased apoptotic cell death more than IR alone. Western blot results showed that the effect of CGE + IR involved MAPKs (ERK1/2, p38, and JNK) pathway. Our study suggests that CGE + IR treatment enhanced radio-sensitization and cell death of melanoma cells via cell cycle arrest and the MAPKs pathway.

Centipedegrass extracts regulate LPS-mediated aberrant immune responses by inhibiting Janus kinase.

BACKGROUND: Centipedegrass extract (CGE) is rich in several polyphenolic compounds including C-glycosylflavonoids, such as maysin and its derivatives, and exerts antioxidant, anti-adipogenic and anticancer effects. However, the effect of CGE on the immune system is unclear. PURPOSE: CGE might inhibit NO production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In this study, we propose a molecular mechanism for regulation of aberrant immune responses by CGE in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. STUDY DESIGN: We will preparation of Centipedegrass extract and purify partially in rich of maysin and its derivatives. And examine the effect of the CGE on immune system using LPS-induced RAW cells and animals. METHODS: LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) and interleukin-6 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA and protein levels of immune mediators were analyzed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting, respectively. RESULTS: CGE inhibited LPS-induced NO production in a concentration-dependent manner by suppressing inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in LPS-stimulated cells; this effect was mediated by inhibition of the JAK/STAT pathway. However, CGE did not regulate the expression of other factors, including phosphorylated p38, c-jun N-terminal kinase, or extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. In addition, CGE increased T cells percentage in peripheral blood after oral administration. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that CGE suppresses LPS-induced production of NO and expression of iNOS by directly inhibiting JAK2 kinase activity and enhancing effects on the immune system in mice.

Continuous cropping of endangered therapeutic plants via electron beam soil-treatment and neutron tomography.

Various medicinal plants are threatened with extinction owing to their over-exploitation and the prevalence of soil borne pathogens. In this study, soils infected with root-rot pathogens, which prevent continuous-cropping, were treated with an electron beam. The level of soil-borne fungus was reduced to ≤0.01% by soil electron beam treatment without appreciable effects on the levels of antagonistic microorganism or on the physicochemical properties of the soil. The survival rate of 4-year-old plant was higher in electron beam-treated soil (81.0%) than in fumigated (62.5%), virgin (78%), or untreated-replanting soil (0%). Additionally, under various soils conditions, neutron tomography permitted the monitoring of plant health and the detection of root pathological changes over a period of 4-6 years by quantitatively measuring root water content in situ. These methods allow continual cropping on the same soil without pesticide treatment. This is a major step toward the environmentally friendly production of endangered therapeutic herbs.

Maysin and Its Flavonoid Derivative from Centipedegrass Attenuates Amyloid Plaques by Inducting Humoral Immune Response with Th2 Skewed Cytokine Response in the Tg (APPswe, PS1dE9) Alzheimer's Mouse Model.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a slow, progressive neurodegenerative disease and the most common type of dementia in the elderly. The etiology of AD and its underlying mechanism are still not clear. In a previous study, we found that an ethyl acetate extract of Centipedegrass (CG) (i.e., EA-CG) contained 4 types of Maysin derivatives, including Luteolin, Isoorientin, Rhamnosylisoorientin, and Derhamnosylmaysin, and showed protective effects against Amyloid beta (Aß) by inhibiting oligomeric Aß in cellular and in vitro models. Here, we examined the preventative effects of EA-CG treatment on the Aß burden in the Tg (Mo/Hu APPswe PS1dE9) AD mouse model. We have investigated the EA-CG efficacy as novel anti-AD likely preventing amyloid plaques using immunofluorescence staining to visually analyze Aß40/42 and fibril formation with Thioflavin-S or 6E10 which are the profile of immunoreactivity against epitope Aß1-16 or neuritic plaque, the quantitation of humoral immune response against Aß, and the inflammatory cytokine responses (Th1 and Th2) using ELISA and QRT-PCR. To minimize the toxicity of the extracted CG, we addressed the liver toxicity in response to the CG extract treatment in Tg mice using relevant markers, such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/ alanine aminotransferase (ALT) measurements in serum. The EA-CG extract significantly reduced the Aß burden, the concentration of soluble Aß40/42 protein, and fibril formation in the hippocampus and cortex of the Tg mice treated with EA-CG (50 mg/kg BW/day) for 6 months compared with the Tg mice treated with a normal diet. Additionally, the profile of anti-inflammatory cytokines revealed that the levels of Th2 (interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-10 (IL-10)) cytokines are more significantly increased than Th1 (interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-2(IL-2)) in the sera. These results suggest that the EA-CG fraction induces IL-4/IL-10-dependent anti-inflammatory cytokines (Th2) rather than pro-inflammatory cytokines (Th1), which are driven by IL-2/IFN-γ. With regard to the immune response, EA-CG induced an immunoglobulin IgG and IgM response against the EA-CG treatment in the Tg mice. Furthermore, EA-CG significantly ameliorated the level of soluble Aß42 and Aß40. Similarly, we observed that the fibril formation was also decreased by EA-CG treatment in the hippocampus and cortex after quantitative analysis with Thioflavin-S staining in the Tg brain tissues. Taken together, our findings suggested that Maysin and its derivative flavonoid compounds in the EA-CG fraction might be beneficial therapeutic treatments or alternative preventative measures to adjuvant for boosting humoral and cellular include immune response and anti-inflammation which may lead to amyloid plaque accumulation in Alzheimer's patients' brains.

Inhibition of RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation through the downregulation of c-Fos and NFATc1 by Eremochloa ophiuroides (centipedegrass) extract.

Osteoclasts, derived from hematopoietic stem cells, are specialized macrophages and have a homeostatic role in skeletal modeling and remodeling with bone-forming osteoblasts. However, excessive osteoclast activity induces bone diseases, including osteoporosis, periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis. Natural substances have received attention as therapeutic drugs in human diseases. In the current study, cells isolated from mouse bone marrow, and a mouse model, were used to determine the effect of centipedegrass extract (CGE) on osteoclasts. Multiple concentrations of CGE were administered to bone marrow cells for 24­72 hours and, for the in vivo study, mice were treated with CGE for 8 days. The effects of CGE on transcription and translation of osteoclast-associated molecules were then determined using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting, respectively. In the present study it was shown that CGE extracted from Eremochloa ophiuroides (centipedegrass) inhibited receptor activator of nuclear factor κ­B ligand (RANKL)­mediated osteoclast differentiation in bone marrow macrophages, without cytotoxicity, in a dose­dependent manner. CGE decreased the expression levels of osteoclast­specific genes, including matrix metalloproteinase­9, osteoclast­associated immunoglobulin­like receptor and cathepsin K, however, CGE had no inhibitory effect on the expression levels of mitogen­activated protein kinases, nuclear factor­κB and Akt. Furthermore, the protein and RNA levels of RANKL­induced c­Fos and nuclear factor of activated T-cell cytoplasmic 1 were suppressed by CGE. These results indicated that CGE may serve as a useful drug in the prevention of bone loss.

Protective effect of centipedegrass against Aß oligomerization and Aß-mediated cell death in PC12 cells.

CONTEXT: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the abnormal accumulation of ß-amyloid (Aß). Multiple Aß-aggregated species have been identified, and neurotoxicity appears to be correlated with the amount of non-fibrillar oligomers. Potent inhibitors of Aß oligomer formation or Aß-induced cell toxicity have emerged as attractive means of therapeutic intervention. Eremochloa ophiuroide Hack. (Poaceae), also known as centipedegrass (CG), originates from China and South America and is reported to contain several C-glycosyl flavones and phenolic constituents. OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether CG could suppress Aß aggregation, BACE1 activity, and toxicity at neuronal cell. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The inhibitory effect of CG extracts toward aggregation of Aß42 was investigated in the absence and presence of 50 µg/mL CG. We investigated the inhibitory effects of CG (0-5 µg/mL) on BACE1 using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based assay. The effects of CG (0-75 µg/mL) on Aß42-induced neurotoxicity were examined in PC12 cells in the presence or absence of maysin and its derivatives of CG. RESULTS: We isolated EA-CG fraction (70% MeOH fraction from EtOAc extracts) from methanol extracts of CG, which contained approximately 60% maysin and its derivatives. In the present studies, we found that several Aß oligomeric forms such as the monomer, dimer, trimer, and highly aggregated oligomeric forms were remarkably inhibited in the presence of 50 µg/mL of EA-CG. EA-CG also inhibited BACE1 enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner. EA-CG treatment generated approximately 50% or 85% inhibition to the control at the tested concentrations of 1 or 5 µg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the neurotoxicity induced by Aß42 was significantly reduced by treatment of EA-CG, and the 75 µg/mL EA-CG treatment significantly increased cell viability up to 82.5%. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: These results suggested that the anti-Alzheimer's effects of CG occurred through inhibition of neuronal cell death by intervening with oligomeric Aß formation and reducing BACE1 activity. Maysin in CG could be an excellent therapeutic candidate for the prevention of AD.

Centipedegrass extract induces apoptosis through the activation of caspases and the downregulation of PI3K/Akt and MAPK phosphorylation in leukemia cells.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), which involves the blood and bone marrow, is the most common type of cancer in children younger than 5 years of age. Previous studies have investigated the effects of centipedegrass extract (CGE), which is mainly composed of maysin and its derivatives, and have demonstrated that it has various biological activities, including antioxidant and anti­inflammatory activities, pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity, anti-adipogenic activity and insecticidal activity. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the anticancer effects of CGE in ALL cell lines and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these effects. Cell viability was measured by thiazolyl blue tetrazolium blue (MTT) assay. Apoptosis, cell cycle progression and mitochondrial membrane potential (∆Ψm) were determined by flow cytometry. The effects of CGE on the phosphatidylinositol 3­kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway and mitogen­activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were assessed by immunoblotting. PI3K, MAPK and caspase inhibitors were used to further confirm the molecular mechanisms involved. Our results clearly demonstrated that the proliferation of the ALL cells was significantly inhibited by CGE in a dose­dependent manner. Apoptosis was accompanied by the induction of significant G1 cell cycle arrest. The resulting alteration of the ∆Ψm increased the activity of caspase­3/7. The induction of apoptosis was enhanced by the combined treatment of CGE with a PI3K inhibitor or an extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor, whereas the CGE­induced apoptosis was inhibited in the presence of caspase inhibitors, such as z­VAD­fmk and z­IETD­fmk. Furthermore, CGE inhibited PI3K activity by decreasing the levels of phosphorylated (p­)Akt, p­BAD, and Bcl­2 together with the levels of MAPKs, including p­ERK and p­JNK, but demonstrated no effects on p38 MAPK. Thus, our data suggest that CGE may be a novel natural compound with potential for use as an antitumor agent in ALL.

Schisandra chinensis prevents alcohol-induced fatty liver disease in rats.

Schisandra chinensis (SC), a traditional herbal medicine, has been prescribed for patients suffering from various liver diseases, including hepatic cancer, hypercholesterolemia, and CCl4-induced liver injury. We investigated whether SC extract has a protective effect on alcohol-induced fatty liver and studied its underlying mechanisms. Rats were fed with ethanol by intragastric administration every day for 5 weeks to induce alcoholic fatty liver. Ethanol treatment resulted in a significant increase in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and hepatic triglyceride (TG) levels and caused fatty degeneration of liver. Ethanol administration also elevated serum TG and total cholesterol (TC) and decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, after administration of ethanol plus SC extracts, the ethanol-induced elevation in liver TC and TG levels was reversed. Elevation in serum TG was not observed after treatment with SC. Moreover, compared with the ethanol-fed group, the rats administered ethanol along with SC extracts for 5 weeks showed attenuated fatty degeneration and an altered lipid profile with decreased serum TC and TG, and increased HDL cholesterol levels. Chronic ethanol consumption did not affect peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) levels, but it decreased PPARα and phospho-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) levels in the liver. However, SC prevented the ethanol-induced decrease in PPARα expression and induced a significant decrease in sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 expression and increase in phospho-AMPK expression in rats with alcoholic fatty liver. SC administration resulted in a significant decrease in intracellular lipid accumulation in hepatocytes along with a decrease in serum TG levels, and it reversed fatty liver to normal conditions, as measured by biochemical and histological analyses. Our results indicate that the protective effect of SC is accompanied by a significant increase in phospho-AMPK and PPARα expression in hepatic tissue of alcoholic rats, thereby suggesting that SC has the ability to prevent ethanol-induced fatty liver, possibly through activation of AMPK and PPARα signaling.

Molecular mechanism of apoptosis induction in skin cancer cells by the centipedegrass extract.

BACKGROUND: Centipedegrass extract (CGE) is mainly composed of maysin and its derivatives, which are recognized internationally as natural compounds. Compared to other flavonoids, maysin has a unique structure in that mannose is bound to the flavonoid backbone. CGE exhibits some biological properties in that it can function as an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-adipogenic, and insecticidal. Whether CGE has other biological functions, such as anti-cancer activity, is unknown. METHODS: B16F1 (mouse) and SKMEL-5 (human) cells were treated with CGE, and their subsequent survival was determined using MTT assay. We performed a cell cycle analysis using propidium iodide (PI), and detected apoptosis using double staining with annexin V-FITC/PI. In addition, we examined mitochondrial membrane potentials using flow cytometry, as well as signaling mechanisms with an immunoblotting analysis. RESULTS: CGE inhibited skin cancer cell growth by arresting the cell cycle in the G2/M phase, and increased both early and late apoptotic cell populations without affecting normal cells. Furthermore, we observed mitochondrial transmembrane depolarization, increased cytochrome-c release, caspase-3 and caspase-7 activation, and increased poly ADP-ribose polymerase degradation. CGE also downregulated activation of p-AKT, p-glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß), and p-BAD in a time-dependent manner. LY294002 inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) significantly sensitized skin cancer cells, which led to an increase in CGE-induced apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: CGE controlled skin cancer cell growth by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/GSK-3ß signaling pathway and activating the effector caspases. This study is the first to demonstrate anti-cancer properties for CGE, and that CGE may be an effective therapeutic agent for treating skin cancer.

Centipede grass exerts anti-adipogenic activity through inhibition of C/EBPß, C/EBPα, and PPARγ expression and the AKT signaling pathway in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

BACKGROUND: Centipede grass (CG) originates from China and South America and is reported to contain several C-glycosyl flavones and phenolic constituents, including maysin and luteolin derivatives. This study aimed to investigate, for the first time, the antiobesity activity of CG and its potential molecular mechanism in 3T3-L1 cells. METHODS: To study the effect of CG on adipogenesis, differentiating 3T3-L1 cells were treated every day with CG at various concentrations (0-100 µg/ml) for six days. Oil-red O staining and triglyceride content assay were performed to determine the lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. The expression of mRNAs or proteins associated with adipogenesis was measured using RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis. We examined the effect of CG on level of phosphorylated Akt in 3T3-L1 cells treated with CG at various concentration s during adipocyte differentiation. RESULTS: Differentiation was investigated with an Oil-red O staining assay using CG-treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We found that CG suppressed lipid droplet formation and adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment of the 3T3-L1 adipocytes with CG resulted in an attenuation of the expression of adipogenesis-related factors and lipid metabolic genes. The expression of C/EBPα and PPARγ, the central transcriptional regulators of adipogenesis, was decreased by the treatment with CG. The expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism, aP2 were significantly inhibited following the CG treatment. Moreover, the CG treatment down-regulated the phosphorylation levels of Akt and GSK3ß. CONCLUSIONS: Taken collectively, these data indicated that CG exerts antiadipogenic activity by inhibiting the expression of C/EBPß, C/EBPα, and PPARγ and the Akt signaling pathway in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Pancreatic lipase inhibition by C-glycosidic flavones Isolated from Eremochloa ophiuroides.

Activity-guided fractionation of a methanolic extract of the leaves of Eremochloa ophiuroides (centipede grass) using a pancreatic lipase inhibitory assay led to the isolation and identification of a new C-glycosidic flavone, luteolin 6-C-ß-D-boivinopyranoside (1), as well as eight known compounds. The structures of these compounds were established on the basis of interpretation of their spectroscopic data. Among these isolates, the C-glycosidic flavones 1-5 showed potent inhibitory effects on pancreatic lipase, with IC50 values ranging from 18.5 ± 2.6 to 50.5 ± 3.9 µM.