Enhanced Antiviral Function of Magnesium Chloride-Modified Heparin on a Broad Spectrum of Viruses.

Previous studies reported on the broad-spectrum antiviral function of heparin. Here we investigated the antiviral function of magnesium-modified heparin and found that modified heparin displayed a significantly enhanced antiviral function against human adenovirus (HAdV) in immortalized and primary cells. Nuclear magnetic resonance analyses revealed a conformational change of heparin when complexed with magnesium. To broadly explore this discovery, we tested the antiviral function of modified heparin against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and found that the replication of HSV-1 was even further decreased compared to aciclovir. Moreover, we investigated the antiviral effect against the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and measured a 55-fold decreased viral load in the supernatant of infected cells associated with a 38-fold decrease in virus growth. The advantage of our modified heparin is an increased antiviral effect compared to regular heparin.

Relieving Sore Throat Formula Exerts a Therapeutic Effect on Pharyngitis through Immunoregulation and NF-κB Pathway.

Relieving Sore Throat Formula (RSTF) is a formula approved by the China Food and Drug Administration and has been used for the treatment of pharyngitis in clinic for many years. However, the potential pharmacological mechanism still remains unknown. We combined multiple methods including bioinformatics data digging, network pharmacology analysis, and pathway analysis to predict the potential target of RSTF. We verified our in silico prediction results with an in vivo/vitro antibacterial effect test, mouse phagocytic index test, proliferation, transformation, and migration of mouse spleen lymphocytes. Alteration of NF-κB pathway was determined by Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and PCR. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that the RSTF could significantly relieve the symptoms of pharyngitis. A rat saliva secretion test showed that RSTF can effectively relieve the xerostomia symptom. A phenol red excretion test showed that RSTF has an eliminating phlegm effect. A hot plate method and granuloma experiment proved that RSTF also have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. In silico prediction demonstrates that 70 active compounds of RSTF were filtered out through ADME screening and 84 putative targets correlated with different diseases. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that the candidate targets were mostly related to the response to bacteria and immunity signalling pathways, which are known contributors to pharyngitis. Experimental results confirmed that RSTF exerted therapeutic effects on pharyngitis mainly by antibacterial effect and downregulation of NF-κB activities. It is demonstrated both in silico and in vivo/vitro that RSTF exerted therapeutic effects on pharyngitis mainly through an antibiotic effect and downregulation of NF-κB signalling pathway.

Targeting inflammation in cancer-related-fatigue: a rationale for mistletoe therapy as supportive care in colorectal cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) affects a majority of patients (pts) with symptoms lasting up to several years after finishing therapy. These symptoms lead to decreased health related quality of life. Fatigue during treatment for colorectal cancer is common, but poorly understood and can affect compliance with post-surgical cancer therapy. We examined the fatigue levels during first-line chemo- or radio-chemotherapy protocols, which were supported by a pharmaceutical mistletoe preparation (Iscador(®)Qu) (181patients). We compared the outcome to a parallel control group (143 patients), which did not receive this supportive care treatment. METHODS: The medical records of 324 patients with non-metastasized colorectal cancer (UICC stage I-III), which were obtained from hospitals and resident physicians, were assessed. The documented treatment decision by chemo- or radio-chemotherapy supported by mistletoe interventions was followed for a median treatment period of 8.6 months. During the post-surgical treatment period the patients were diagnosed twice for the presence of fatigue symptoms by structural interviews carried out by physicians. RESULTS: At the end of the median treatment period, 16/181 patients (8.8%) were diagnosed with CRF in the supportive care group and 86/143 (60.1%) in the chemo- or radio-chemotherapy group without supportive mistletoe medication. Multivariable-adjusted ORs provided evidence for a chance to improve CRF by supportive mistletoe medication compared to chemo- or radio-chemotherapy alone over the time of treatment. The OR = 10.651 (95% CI 5.09-22.28; p < 0.001) declined from the first visit to OR = 0.054 (95 CI 0.02-0.13; p < 0.001) at the end of therapy. Furthermore, 14 confounding factors for risk assessment of CRF were compared by means of forest plots. It turned out that the hospital versus office-based treatment and the co-morbidity/inflammation represent independent but important determinants for fatigue levels. CONCLUSION: The clinically used mistletoe medication (Iscador(®)Qu) is the first candidate to be included in a supportive care modus into chemo- or chemo-radiotherapy protocols for colorectal patients to improve CRF without discernable toxicities.

Translational research in oncology: the need of additional in vitro preclinical testing methods for new drugs.

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in the Western world. Despite bold advances in therapeutic oncology, new drug development is infamously ineffective due to the lack of predictive in vitro models. Most patients that suffer from cancer do not die from the primary tumor but due to the development of metastases. And yet current in vitro screening methods for new drugs in oncology still largely target cytotoxicity or the inhibition of cell growth, in which a potential anti-metastatic activity cannot be assessed. Herein the current in vitro models in oncology are reviewed and a new rationale for the pre-clinical development of specific, anti-metastatic therapeutic agents is introduced.

Systematic evaluation of the clinical effects of supportive mistletoe treatment within chemo- and/or radiotherapy protocols and long-term mistletoe application in nonmetastatic colorectal carcinoma: multicenter, controlled, observational cohort study.

In Europe, patients with colorectal carcinoma (CRC) frequently receive mistletoe extracts to improve quality of life and survival. This study was designed to evaluate supportive treatment with mistletoe extract Iscador (ISC) in nonmetastatic CRC patients under routine clinical conditions and to create well-founded hypotheses for future prospective clinical studies. The design of a multicenter, controlled, retrospective, observational cohort study with parallel groups met the Good Epidemiological Practice rules. Anonymous unselected standardized data from eligible patients with surgically treated stage I-III CRC and adjuvant therapy (AT) or conventional aftercare were included. End points were adjuvant therapy-related adverse reactions (AT-ADRs), symptoms, and disease-free survival (DFS). The results were adjusted for confounder effects. Eight hundred four (429 ISC vs 375 control) CRC patients from 26 centers were observed for a median of 58 versus 51 months; the median ISC therapy lasted 52 months. ISC patients showed fewer AT-ADRs (19% vs 48%, p < .001) and fewer persisting symptoms (p < .001). The DFS hazard ratio of 0.60 (p = .013) suggests a survival benefit in ISC patients versus controls. ISC was well tolerated without life-threatening ADRs, drug interactions, or tumor enhancement. These results suggest a beneficial effect of supportive care ISC therapy within AT protocols and long-term ISC treatment in stage I-III CRC patients, particularly improvement in AT-ADRs and symptoms and possible extension of DFS.

The Viscum album extract Iscador P does not cause an autocrine interleukin-6 loop in B-Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma cell lines.

BACKGROUND: Single cases of clinical observations suggest the efficacy of the Viscum album (VA) extract Iscador P in the treatment of follicular B-Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (B-NHL). A previously published study aroused a controversial dispute as it indicated that IL-6 serum levels are elevated following i.v. VA treatment. Increased IL-6 levels have been shown to promote the progression of B-cell neoplasia such as B-NHL. Objective of this study was to investigate whether the VA extract influences the expression of IL-6 and its receptor components in follicular B-NHL cell lines. METHODS: Follicular B-NHL cell lines (WSU-NHL, DoHH-2) were incubated with clinically relevant doses of VA extract for up to 3 days. At specified time points (6, 24, 48, 72 h) samples were taken and the expression of IL-6 and its receptor components were analysed by real-time-RT-PCR, flow cytometry and ELISA. RESULTS: Treatment of follicular B-NHL cell lines with VA extract did not alter the expression level of IL-6 and its' receptor components at any time and with any of the applied VA extract concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically relevant doses of the VA extract do not trigger an autocrine or paracrine IL-6 loop nor do they initiate IL-6 trans-signalling in follicular B-NHL cell lines.