Luteolin-7-O-ß-d-glucuronide Ameliorates Cerebral Ischemic Injury: Involvement of RIP3/MLKL Signaling Pathway.

Luteolin-7-O-ß-d-glucuronide (LGU) is a major active flavonoid glycoside compound that is extracted from Ixeris sonchifolia (Bge.) Hance, and it is a Chinese medicinal herb mainly used for the treatment of coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, cerebral infarction, etc. In the present study, the neuroprotective effect of LGU was investigated in an oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) model and a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model. In vitro, LGU was found to effectively improve the OGD-induced decrease in neuronal viability and increase in neuronal death by a 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage rate assay, respectively. LGU was also found to inhibit OGD-induced intracellular Ca2+ overload, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) decrease. By Western blotting analysis, LGU significantly inhibited the OGD-induced increase in expressions of receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 3 (RIP3) and mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL). Moreover, molecular docking analysis showed that LGU might bind to RIP3 more stably and firmly than the RIP3 inhibitor GSK872. Immunofluorescence combined with confocal laser analyses disclosed that LGU inhibited the aggregation of MLKL to the nucleus. Our results suggest that LGU ameliorates OGD-induced rat primary cortical neuronal injury via the regulation of the RIP3/MLKL signaling pathway in vitro. In vivo, LGU was proven, for the first time, to protect the cerebral ischemia in a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model, as shown by improved neurological deficit scores, infarction volume rate, and brain water content rate. The present study provides new insights into the therapeutic potential of LGU in cerebral ischemia.

Human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1As catalyze aristolochic acid D O-glucuronidation to form a lesser nephrotoxic glucuronide.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Aristolochic acids (AAs) are naturally occurring nitro phenanthrene carboxylic acids primarily found in plants of the Aristolochiaceae family. Aristolochic acid D (AAD) is a major constituent in the roots and rhizomes of the Chinese herb Xixin (the roots and rhizomes of Asarum heterotropoides F. Schmidt), which is a key material for preparing a suite of marketed Chinese medicines. Structurally, AAD is nearly identical to the nephrotoxic aristolochic acid I (AAI), with an additional phenolic group at the C-6 site. Although the nephrotoxicity and metabolic pathways of AAI have been well-investigated, the metabolic pathway(s) of AAD in humans and the influence of AAD metabolism on its nephrotoxicity has not been investigated yet. AIM OF THE STUDY: To identify the major metabolites of AAD in human tissues and to characterize AAD O-glucuronidation kinetics in different enzyme sources, as well as to explore the influence of AAD O-glucuronidation on its nephrotoxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The O-glucuronide of AAD was biosynthesized and its chemical structure was fully characterized by both 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR. Reaction phenotyping assays, chemical inhibition assays, and enzyme kinetics analyses were conducted to assess the crucial enzymes involved in AAD O-glucuronidation in humans. Docking simulations were performed to mimic the catalytic conformations of AAD in human UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs), while the predicted binding energies and distances between the deprotonated C-6 phenolic group of AAD and the glucuronyl moiety of UDPGA in each tested human UGT isoenzyme were measured. The mitochondrial membrane potentials (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in HK-2 cells treated with either AAI, or AAD, or AAD O-glucuronide were tested, to elucidate the impact of O-glucuronidation on the nephrotoxicity of AAD. RESULTS: AAD could be rapidly metabolized in human liver and intestinal microsomes (HLM and HIM, respectively) to form a mono-glucuronide, which was purified and fully characterized as AAD-6-O-ß-D-glucuronide (AADG) by NMR. UGT1A1 was the predominant enzyme responsible for AAD-6-O-glucuronidation, while UGT1A9 contributed to a lesser extent. AAD-6-O-glucuronidation in HLM, HIM, UGT1A1 and UGT1A9 followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with the Km values of 4.27 µM, 9.05 µM, 3.87 µM, and 7.00 µM, respectively. Docking simulations suggested that AAD was accessible to the catalytic cavity of UGT1A1 or UGT1A9 and formed catalytic conformations. Further investigations showed that both AAI and AAD could trigger the elevated intracellular ROS levels and induce mitochondrial dysfunction and in HK-2 cells, but AADG was hardly to trigger ROS accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Collectively, UGT1A-catalyzed AAD 6-O-glucuronidation represents a crucial detoxification pathway of this naturally occurring AAI analogs in humans, which is very different from that of AAI.

Phenolic Compound, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and In Silico Studies of Extracts from the Aerial Parts of Lactuca saligna L.

Medicinal plants are considered a major source for discovering novel effective drugs. To our knowledge, no studies have reported the chemical composition and biological activities of Moroccan Lactuca saligna extracts. In this context, this study aims to characterize the polyphenolic compounds distributed in hydro-methanolic extracts of L. saligna and evaluate their antioxidant and antibacterial activities; in addition, in silico analysis based on molecular docking and ADMET was performed to predict the antibacterial activity of the identified phenolic compounds. Our results showed the identification of 29 among 30 detected phenolic compounds with an abundance of dicaffeoyltartaric acid, luteolin 7-glucoronide, 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, and 5-caffeoylquinic acid with 472.77, 224.30, 196.79, and 171.74 mg/kg of dried extract, respectively. Additionally, antioxidant activity assessed by DPPH scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and ferrous ion-chelating (FIC) assay showed interesting antioxidant activity. Moreover, the results showed remarkable antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes with minimum inhibitory concentrations between 1.30 ± 0.31 and 10.41 ± 0.23 mg/mL. Furthermore, in silico analysis identified three compounds, including Apigenin 7-O-glucuronide, Quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, and 3-p-Coumaroylquinic acid as potent candidates for developing new antibacterial agents with acceptable pharmacokinetic properties. Hence, L. saligna can be considered a source of phytochemical compounds with remarkable activities, while further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to explore the main biological activities of this plant.

Identification of novel F2-isoprostane metabolites by specific UDP-glucuronosyltransferases.

UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) catalyze the conjugation of glucuronic acid with endogenous and exogenous lipophilic small molecules to facilitate their inactivation and excretion from the body. This represents approximately 35 % of all phase II metabolic transformations. Fatty acids and their oxidized eicosanoid derivatives can be metabolized by UGTs. F2-isoprostanes (F2-IsoPs) are eicosanoids formed from the free radical oxidation of arachidonic acid. These molecules are potent vasoconstrictors and are widely used as biomarkers of endogenous oxidative damage. An increasing body of evidence demonstrates the efficacy of measuring the ß-oxidation metabolites of F2-IsoPs rather than the unmetabolized F2-IsoPs to quantify oxidative damage in certain settings. Yet, the metabolism of F2-IsoPs is incompletely understood. This study sought to identify and characterize novel phase II metabolites of 15-F2t-IsoP and 5-epi-5-F2t-IsoP, two abundantly produced F2-IsoPs, in human liver microsomes (HLM). Utilizing liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we demonstrated that glucuronide conjugates are the major metabolites of these F2-IsoPs in HLM. Further, we showed that these molecules are metabolized by specific UGT isoforms. 15-F2t-IsoP is metabolized by UGT1A3, 1A9, and 2B7, while 5-epi-5-F2t-IsoP is metabolized by UGT1A7, 1A9, and 2B7. We identified, for the first time, the formation of intact glucuronide F2-IsoPs in human urine and showed that F2-IsoP glucuronidation is reduced in people supplemented with eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids for 12 weeks. These studies demonstrate that endogenous F2-IsoP levels can be modified by factors other than redox mechanisms.

Chrysin 7-O-ß-D-glucuronide, a dual inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro and PLpro, for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) resulted in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Given the advent of subvariants, there is an urgent need to develop novel drugs. The aim of this study was to find SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi targeting the proteases 3CLpro and PLpro. After screening 25 flavonoids, chrysin 7-O-ß-D-glucuronide was found to be a potent inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 on Vero E6 cells, with half-maximal effective concentration of 8.72 µM. Surface plasmon resonance assay, site-directed mutagenesis and enzymatic activity measurements indicated that chrysin-7-O-ß-D-glucuronide inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by binding to H41 of 3CLpro, and K157 and E167 of PLpro. Hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry analysis showed that chrysin-7-O-ß-D-glucuronide changes the conformation of PLpro. Finally, chrysin 7-O-ß-D-glucuronide was shown to have anti-inflammatory activity, mainly due to reduction of the levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6.

UPLC-Q-Exactive/MS based analysis explore the correlation between components variations and anti-influenza virus effect of four quantified extracts of Chaihu Guizhi decoction.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Chaihu Guizhi decoction (CGD) is a classic Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) prescription for the treatment of influenza and fever, composes of Bupleuri Radix (Chaihu), Cinnamomi Ramulus (Guizhi), Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin), Codonopsis Radix (Dangshen), Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma Praeparata Cum Melle (Zhigancao), Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum (Fabanxia), Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens (Shengjiang), Paeoniae Radix Alba (Baishao) and Jujubae Fructus (Dazao) in the ratio of 12:4.5:4.5:4.5:3:6:4.5:4.5:4. The efficacy of TCM, if there are differences, depends on the different extraction methods and extracted components. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study was to evaluate the anti-influenza virus effect of CGD extracts with different extraction methods, analyze the components and explore their correlation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CGD were prepared with four extraction methods respectively, the traditional decoction (TD), two steps alcohol-water extraction (AWE), alcohol reflux extraction (AE) and water reflux extraction (WE). Based on the influenza mouse model, the efficacy of anti-influenza virus in vivo of the four CGD extracts were evaluated with the therapeutic index of body weight, rectal temperature, lung index, thymus index and lung viral load of mice. The chemical components in four CGD extracts, and compounds absorbed in rats blood with prototypes or metabolites were identified by UPLC-Q-Exactive/MS. The partial least squares (PLS) method was used to explore the correlation between the components variation in CGD extracts and the comprehensive efficacy index. The potential effective components were further accessed by molecular docking. RESULTS: Comparing with the other three extracts, AWE has the best anti-influenza effect. It could ameliorate the symptoms caused by influenza virus infection in mice, increase body weight and rectal temperature, reduce the lung index and virus load in lung tissue. 129, 144, 140 and 129 components were identified from TD, AWE, AE, and WE respectively. The identified components were mainly including flavonoids, terpenoids, organic acids, phenylpropanoids, amino acids, nucleosides, phenols, alkaloids, etc. 43 prototypes and 49 metabolites of CGD were detected in rat plasma after oral administration. Seven components, cinnamaldehyde, wogonoside, baicalin, baicalein, gallic acid, oroxylinA-7-O-glucuronide and coumarin, showed significant correlation with anti-influenza effects, all of which had good binding activity with NA, IL-6, STAT3, AKT1, EGFR and TNF. CONCLUSION: Two steps alcohol-water extraction was optimal for CGD preparation. Cinnamaldehyde, wogonoside, oroxylinA-7-O-glucuronide, coumarin, gallic acid, baicalein and baicalin play a certain essential role in anti-influenza effects and may be taken as a potential maker compounds for quality evaluation of CGD.

Consumption of Roasted Coffee Leads to Conjugated Metabolites of Atractyligenin in Human Plasma.

Roasted coffee contains atractyligenin-2-O-ß-d-glucoside and 3'-O-ß-d-glucosyl-2'-O-isovaleryl-2-O-ß-d-glucosylatractyligenin, which are ingested with the brew. Known metabolites are atractyligenin, atractyligenin-19-O-ß-d-glucuronide (M1), 2ß-hydroxy-15-oxoatractylan-4α-carboxy-19-O-ß-d-glucuronide (M2), and 2ß-hydroxy-15-oxoatractylan-4α-carboxylic acid-2-O-ß-d-glucuronide (M3), but the appearance and pharmacokinetic properties are unknown. Therefore, first time-resolved quantitative data of atractyligenin glycosides and their metabolites in plasma samples from a pilot human intervention study (n = 10) were acquired. None of the compounds were found in the control samples and before coffee consumption (t = 0 h). After coffee, neither of the atractyligenin glycosides appeared in the plasma, but the aglycone atractyligenin and the conjugated metabolite M1 reached an estimated cmax of 41.9 ± 12.5 and 25.1 ± 4.9 nM, respectively, after 1 h. M2 and M3 were not quantifiable until their concentration enormously increased ≥4 h after coffee consumption, reaching an estimated cmax of 2.5 ± 1.9 and 55.0 ± 57.7 nM at t = 10 h. The data suggest that metabolites of atractyligenin could be exploited to indicate coffee consumption.

Determination of Luteolin 7-Glucuronide in Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt. Leaf Extracts from Different Regions of China and Republic of Korea and Its Cholesterol-Lowering Effect.

Lowering blood cholesterol levels is crucial for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia. To develop Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt. leaves as a functional food with a cholesterol-lowering effect, in this study, we collected P. frutescens (L.) Britt. leaves from different regions of China and Republic of Korea. On the basis of the extraction yield (all components; g/kg), we selected P. frutescens (L.) Britt. leaves from Hebei Province, China with an extract yield of 60.9 g/kg. After evaluating different concentrations of ethanol/water solvent for P. frutescens (L.) Britt. leaves, with luteolin 7-glucuronide as the indicator component, we selected a 30% ethanol/water solvent with a high luteolin 7-glucuronide content of 0.548 mg/g in Perilla. frutescens (L.) Britt. leaves. Subsequently, we evaluated the cholesterol-lowering effects of P. frutescens (L.) Britt. leaf extract and luteolin 7-glucuronide by detecting total cholesterol in HepG2 cells. The 30% ethanol extract lowered cholesterol levels significantly by downregulating 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase expression. This suggests that P. frutescens (L.) Britt leaves have significant health benefits and can be explored as a potentially promising food additive for the prevention of hypercholesterolemia-related diseases.

Comparative urine metabolomics of mice treated with non-toxic and toxic oral doses of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate.

The green tea polyphenol, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), has been studied for its potential positive health effects, but human and animal model studies have reported potential toxicity at high oral bolus doses. This study used liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics to compare the urinary EGCG metabolite profile after administration of a single non-toxic (100 mg kg-1) or toxic (750 mg kg-1) oral bolus dose to male C57BL6/J mice to better understand how EGCG metabolism varies with dose. EGCG metabolites, including methyl, glucuronide, sulfate, and glucoside conjugates, were tentatively identified based on their mass to charge (m/z) ratio and fragment ion patterns. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) results showed clear separation of the urine metabolite profiles between treatment groups. The most differentiating metabolites in the negative and positive ion modes were provisionally identified as di-glucuronidated EGCG quinone and di-glucuronidated EGCG, respectively. The presence of EGCG oxidation products at toxic dose is consistent with studies showing that EGCG toxicity is associated with oxidative stress. Relative amounts of methylated metabolites increased with dose to a lesser extent than glucuronide and sulfate metabolites, indicating that methylation is more prominent at low doses, whereas glucuronidation and sulfation may be more important at higher doses. One limitation of the current work is that the lack of commercially-available EGCG metabolite standards prevented absolute metabolite quantification and identification. Despite this limitation, these findings provide a basis for better understanding the dose-dependent changes in EGCG metabolism and advance studies on how these differences may contribute to the toxicity of high doses of EGCG.

[Dead heart of pith-decayed Scutellariae Radix: a study based on multi-omics].

Dead heart is an important trait of pith-decayed Scutellariae Radix. The purpose of this study was to clarify the scientific connotation of the dead heart using multi-omics. Metabolomics and transcriptomics combined with multivariate statistical analysis such as principal component analysis(PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) were used to systematically compare the differences in chemical composition and gene expression among phloem, outer xylem and near-dead xylem of pith-decayed Scutella-riae Radix. The results revealed significant differences in the contents of flavonoid glycosides and aglycones among the three parts. Compared with phloem and outer xylem, near-dead xylem had markedly lowered content of flavonoid glycosides(including baicalin, norwogonin-7-O-ß-D-glucuronide, oroxylin A-7-O-ß-D-glucuronide, and wogonoside) while markedly increased content of aglycones(including 3,5,7,2',6'-pentahydroxy dihydroflavone, baicalin, wogonin, and oroxylin A). The differentially expressed genes were mainly concentrated in KEGG pathways such as phenylpropanoid metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, ABC transporter, and plant MAPK signal transduction pathway. This study systematically elucidated the material basis of the dead heart of pith-decayed Scutellariae Radix with multiple growing years. Specifically, the content of flavonoid aglycones was significantly increased in the near-dead xylem, and the gene expression of metabolic pathways such as flavonoid glycoside hydrolysis, interxylary cork development and programmed apoptosis was significantly up-regulated. This study provided a theoretical basis for guiding the high-quality production of pith-decayed Scutellariae Radix.

Neuroprotection against Aluminum Chloride-Induced Hippocampus Damage in Albino Wistar Rats by Leucophyllum frutescens (Berl.) I.M. Johnst. Leaf Extracts: A Detailed Insight into Phytochemical Analysis and Antioxidant and Enzyme Inhibition Assays.

BACKGROUND: A previously unstudied medicinal plant, Leucophyllum frutescens (Berland.) I.M. Johnst. (Scrophulariaceae) was investigated to evaluate its potential in preventing and treating neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. METHODS: Methanolic leaf extract (MELE) and its fractions (HELE, CHLE, and BULE) were evaluated for their polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity by five different methods, including in vitro enzyme inhibition assays, which are clinically linked to neurodegenerative diseases. The potentially active n-butanol fraction (BULE) was further evaluated for its neuroprotective effects using an albino rat animal model and phytoconstituents profiling using Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and in silico molecular docking by Maestro® Schrödinger. RESULTS: The n-butanol fraction (BULE) in the hydroalcoholic leaf extract exhibited the highest total phenolic content (230.435 ± 1.575 mg gallic acid equivalent gm-1± SD). The chloroform leaf extract exhibited the highest total flavonoid content (293.343 ± 3.756 mg quercetin equivalent gm-1± SD) as well as the highest antioxidant content, which was equivalent to Trolox, with five assay methods. Similarly, the chloroform and n-butanol fractions from the hydroalcoholic leaf extract significantly inhibited human acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase with their IC50 values of 12.14 ± 0.85 and 129.73 ± 1.14 µg∙mL-1, respectively. The in vivo study revealed that BULE exhibited a significant neuroprotective effect at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg/day in an aluminum chloride-induced neurodegenerative albino rat model. The LC-MS/MS analysis of BULE tentatively confirmed the presence of biologically active secondary metabolites, such as theobromine, propyl gallate, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, myricetin-3-acetylrhamnoside, isoquercitrin-6'-O-malonate, diosmetin-7-O-glucuronide-3'-O-pentose, pinoresinol diglucoside, asarinin, eridictoyl, epigallocatechin, methyl gallate derivative, and eudesmin. The results from the computational molecular docking of the identified secondary metabolites revealed that diosmetin-7-O-glucuronide-3'-O-pentose had the highest binding affinity to human butyrylcholinesterase, while isoquercetin-6'-O-malonate had the highest to human acetylcholinesterase, and pinoresinol diglucoside to human salivary alpha-amylase. CONCLUSIONS: The present study concluded a need for further exploration into this medicinal plant, including the isolation of the bioactive compounds responsible for its neuroprotective effects.

Unusual acetylated flavonol glucuronides, oxyphyllvonides A-H with renoprotective activities from the fruits of Alpinae oxyphylla.

As a widely consumed spice and Traditional Chinese Medicine, Alpinae oxyphylla has been used to treat conditions such as diarrhea, ulcers, dementia, and enuresis. Fruits of A. oxyphylla were phytochemically studied and the bioactive constituents against renal fibrosis were identified. Eight previously undescribed acetylated flavonol glucuronides named oxyphyllvonides A-H (1-7 and 10), two known acetylated flavonol glucuronides (8 and 9), together with seven known flavone glycosides (11-17) were isolated from the fruits of A. oxyphylla. Among them, flavonol glucuronides were discovered in Zingiberaceae for the first time. The planar structures of 1-7 and 10 were determined using HRESIMS and extensive spectroscopic techniques (UV, IR, 1D-NMR, and 2D-NMR). The absolute configurations of the sugar moiety in these compounds were determined by using LC-MS analysis of acid-hydrolyzed derivatized monosaccharides. Biological evaluation showed that 7-10, 13, 14, 16 and 17 inhibit renal fibrosis in TGF-ß1-induced kidney proximal tubular cells. In addition, 7, 8 and 14 were superior to nootkatone in inhibiting Fibronectin expression. The finding has significant relevance to our ongoing research on the anti-renal fibrosis activity of A. oxyphylla.

Co-consuming green tea with raloxifene decreases raloxifene systemic exposure in healthy adult participants.

Green tea is a popular beverage worldwide. The abundant green tea catechin (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a potent in vitro inhibitor of intestinal UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) activity (Ki ~2 µM). Co-consuming green tea with intestinal UGT drug substrates, including raloxifene, could increase systemic drug exposure. The effects of a well-characterized green tea on the pharmacokinetics of raloxifene, raloxifene 4'-glucuronide, and raloxifene 6-glucuronide were evaluated in 16 healthy adults via a three-arm crossover, fixed-sequence study. Raloxifene (60 mg) was administered orally with water (baseline), with green tea for 1 day (acute), and on the fifth day after daily green tea administration for 4 days (chronic). Unexpectedly, green tea decreased the geometric mean green tea/baseline raloxifene AUC0-96h ratio to ~0.60 after both acute and chronic administration, which is below the predefined no-effect range (0.75-1.33). Lack of change in terminal half-life and glucuronide-to-raloxifene ratios indicated the predominant mechanism was not inhibition of intestinal UGT. One potential mechanism includes inhibition of intestinal transport. Using established transfected cell systems, a green tea extract normalized to EGCG inhibited 10 of 16 transporters tested (IC50 , 0.37-12 µM). Another potential mechanism, interruption by green tea of gut microbe-mediated raloxifene reabsorption, prompted a follow-up exploratory clinical study to evaluate the potential for a green tea-gut microbiota-drug interaction. No clear mechanisms were identified. Overall, results highlight that improvements in current models and methods used to predict UGT-mediated drug interactions are needed. Informing patients about the risk of co-consuming green tea with raloxifene may be considered.

Multiplex Quantitative Analysis of 9 Compounds of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi in the Plasma of Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Infected Mice Based on HPLC-MS/MS and Pharmacodynamic Effect Correlation Analysis.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi possesses the therapeutic properties of heat-clearing, dampness-drying, diarrhea alleviation, and detoxification, making it a clinically used remedy for respiratory infections. The objective of this study was to investigate the changes in constituent content, pharmacodynamic effects, and material basis of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi in the plasma of mice infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The results showed that a sensitive and efficient high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method was established in this study. Multiple quantitative analyses of Baicalein, Apigenin-7-glucuronide, Baicalin, Oroxylin A 7-O-beta-d-glucuronide, Wogonoside, Norwogonin, Wogonin, Chrysin, and Oroxylin A in mouse plasma revealed a bimodal absorption phenomenon within the time frame of 0.167 h to 6 h post-administration, with the exception of chrysin. Following 6 h of administration, the concentrations of 9 components continued to decrease until they became undetectable. In comparison to the model group, all administered groups exhibited significant reductions in lung index and viral load, with their lung index repair rate and viral suppression rate aligning with the blood concentration-time curve. Finally, through the application of the gray correlation analysis method, we identified Baicalein, Baicalin, Oroxylin A 7-O-beta-d-glucuronide, Wogonoside, Norwogonin, and Wogonin as potential pharmacodynamic material bases of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi against RSV infection.

Toward an Improved Triterpene 3-O-Glucuronidation: The Systematic Determination of the Relative Reactivities of Glucuronyl Donors and Acceptors.

3-O-ß-Glucuronide triterpenes are plant-derived compounds. Some of them have been used as herbal medicine and in pharmaceuticals, such as chikusetsu saponins and Quillaja saponins. However, the demand for these materials has remained largely a challenge owing to their natural scarcity and low-yielding purification process. Therefore, a chemical triterpene 3-O-glucuronidation was conducted in this study to alleviate the surging demand on natural source. Various glucuronyl imidate donors and oleanane-type triterpene acceptors were synthesized, and the relative reactivity values (RRV) and acceptor nucleophilic constants (Aka) were systematically measured to study their influence on glucuronidation yield. As a result, applying donors in higher RRV value generally improved the production of 3-O-glucuronide triterpenes. Meanwhile, a bulky pivaloyl group was an ideal 2-O-protection to provide ß-selectivity and prevented side reactions, including orthoester formation and acyl-transfer reaction. Collectively, a positive correlation was observed between reactive donors/acceptors and improved glucuronidation yields. These findings offered insights on the influence of donors' and acceptors' reactivities on 3-O-ß-glucuronide triterpenes synthesis, and this knowledge would help to access saponins of interest to address future needs.

Performance of Urinary Phenyl-γ-Valerolactones as Biomarkers of Dietary Flavan-3-ol Exposure.

BACKGROUND: Phenyl-γ-valerolactones (PVLs) have been identified as biomarkers of dietary flavan-3-ol exposure, although their utility requires further characterization. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the performance of a range of PVLs as biomarkers indicative of flavan-3-ol intake. METHODS: We report the results of 2 companion studies: a 5-way randomized crossover trial (RCT) and an observational cross-sectional study. In the RCT (World Health Organization, Universal Trial Number: U1111-1236-7988), 16 healthy participants consumed flavan-3-ol-rich interventions (of apple, cocoa, black tea, green tea, or water [control]) for 1 d each. First morning void samples and 24-h urine samples were collected with diet standardized throughout. For each participant, 1 intervention period was extended (to 2 d) to monitor PVL kinetics after repeat exposure. In the cross-sectional study, 86 healthy participants collected 24-h urine samples, and concurrent weighed food diaries from which flavan-3-ol consumption was estimated using Phenol-Explorer. A panel of 10 urinary PVLs was quantified using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: In both studies, 2 urinary PVLs [5-(3'-hydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone-4'-sulfate and putatively identified 5-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone-3'-glucuronide] were the principal compounds excreted (>75%). In the RCT, the sum of these PVLs was significantly higher than the water (control) after each intervention; individually, there was a shift from sulfation toward glucuronidation as the total excretion of PVLs increased across the different interventions. In the extended RCT intervention period, no accumulation of these PVLs was observed after consecutive days of treatment, and after withdrawal of treatment on the third day, there was a return toward negligible PVL excretion. All results were consistent, whether compounds were measured in 24-h urine or first morning void samples. In the observational study, the sum of the principal PVLs correlated dose dependently (Rs = 0.37; P = 0.0004) with dietary flavan-3-ol intake, with similar associations for each individually. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary 5-(3'-hydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone-4'-sulfate and putatively identified 5-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone-3'-glucuronide are recommended biomarkers for dietary flavan-3-ol exposure.

Polyphenol-enriched Desmodium elegans DC. ameliorate scopolamine-induced amnesia in animal model of Alzheimer's disease: In Vitro, In Vivo and In Silico approaches.

The current study aims to quantify HPLC-DAD polyphenolics in the crude extracts of Desmodium elegans, evaluating its cholinesterase inhibitory, antioxidant, molecular docking and protective effects against scopolamine-induced amnesia in mice. A total of 16 compounds were identified which include gallic acid (239 mg g-1), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (11.2 mg g-1), coumaric acid (10.0 mg g-1), chlorogenic acid (10.88 mg g-1), caffeic acid (13.9 mg g-1), p-coumaroylhexose (41.2 mg g-1), 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid (22.4 mg g-1), 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid (6.16 mg g-1), (+)-catechin (71.34 mg g-1), (-)-catechin (211.79 mg g-1), quercetin-3-O-glucuronide (17.9 mg g-1), kaempferol-7-O-glucuronide (13.2 mg g-1), kaempferol-7-O-rutinoside (53.67 mg g-1), quercetin-3-rutinoside (12.4 mg g-1), isorhamnetin-7-O-glucuronide (17.6 mg g-1) and isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside (15.0 mg g-1). In a DPPH free radical scavenging assay, the chloroform fraction showed the highest antioxidant activity, with an IC50 value of 31.43 µg mL-1. In an AChE inhibitory assay, the methanolic and chloroform fractions showed high inhibitory activities causing 89% and 86.5% inhibitions with IC50 values of 62.34 and 47.32 µg mL-1 respectively. In a BChE inhibition assay, the chloroform fraction exhibited 84.36% inhibition with IC50 values of 45.98 µg mL-1. Furthermore, molecular docking studies revealed that quercetin-3-rutinoside and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide fit perfectly in the active sites of AChE and BChE respectively. Overall, the polyphenols identified exhibited good efficacy, which is likely as a result of the compounds' electron-donating hydroxyl groups (-OH) and electron cloud density. The administration of methanolic extract improved cognitive performance and demonstrated anxiolytic behavior among tested animals.

Bioactive Compositions of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum J. Presl) Extracts and Their Capacities in Suppressing SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Binding to ACE2, Inhibiting ACE2, and Scavenging Free Radicals.

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum J. Presl) bark and its extracts are popular ingredients added to food and supplement products. It has various health effects, including potentially reducing the risk of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). In our study, the bioactives in cinnamon water and ethanol extracts were chemically identified, and their potential in suppressing SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) binding, reducing ACE2 availability, and scavenging free radicals was investigated. Twenty-seven and twenty-three compounds were tentatively identified in cinnamon water and ethanol extracts, respectively. Seven compounds, including saccharumoside C, two emodin-glucuronide isomers, two physcion-glucuronide isomers, and two type-A proanthocyanidin hexamers, were first reported in cinnamon. Cinnamon water and ethanol extracts suppressed the binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to ACE2 and inhibited ACE2 activity in a dose-dependent manner. Cinnamon ethanol extract had total phenolic content of 36.67 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g and free radical scavenging activities against HO• and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation (ABTS•+) of 1688.85 and 882.88 µmol Trolox equivalents (TE)/g, which were significantly higher than those of the water extract at 24.12 mg GAE/g and 583.12 and 210.36 µmol TE/g. The free radical scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH•) of cinnamon ethanol extract was lower than that of the water extract. The present study provides new evidence that cinnamon reduces the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 development.

LC-MS/(MS) confirmatory doping control analysis of intact phase II metabolites of methenolone and mesterolone after Girard's Reagent T derivatization.

In the present study, the application and evaluation of Girard's Reagent T (GRT) derivatization for the simultaneous detection and significantly important identification of different phase II methenolone and mesterolone metabolites by LC-MS/(MS) are presented. For the LC-MS analysis of target analytes two complementary isolation methods were developed; a derivatization and shoot method in which native urine is diluted with derivatization reagent and is injected directly to LC-MS and a liquid-liquid extraction method, using ethyl acetate at pH 4.5, for the effective isolation of both sulfate and glucuronide metabolites of the named steroids as well as of their free counterparts. For the evaluation of the proposed protocols, urine samples from methenolone and mesterolone excretion studies were analyzed against at least one sample from a different excretion study. Retention times, along with product ion ratios, were evaluated according to the WADA TD2021IDCR requirements, in order to determine maximum detection and identification time windows for each metabolite. Established identification windows obtained after LC-MS/(MS) analysis were further compared with those obtained after GC-MS/(MS) analysis of the same samples from the same excretion studies, for the most common analytes monitored by GC-MS/(MS). Full validation was performed for the developed derivatization and shoot method for the identification of methenolone metabolite, 3α-hydroxy-1-methylen-5α-androstan-17-one-3-glucuronide (mth3). Overall, the GRT derivatization presented herein offers a tool for the simultaneous sensitive detection of free, intact glucuronide and sulfate metabolites by LC-MS/(MS) that enhance significantly the detection and identification time windows of specific methenolone and mesterolone metabolites for doping control analysis.

In vitro acetylcholinesterase, tyrosinase inhibitory potentials of secondary metabolites from Euphorbia schimperiana and Euphorbia balsamifera.

Acetylcholinesterase, tyrosinase, and α-glucosidase inhibition activities of Euphorbia schimperiana and Euphorbia balsamifera extracts, fractions, and available pure compounds were evaluated for the first time. Acetylcholinesterase assay revealed a significant inhibitory activity of E. balsamifera total extract and n-hexane fraction with 47.7% and 43.3%, respectively, compared to the reference drug, which was 75%. The n-butanol fraction demonstrated tyrosinase inhibitory activity for E. balsamifera and E. schimperiana with 36.7% and 29.7%, respectively, compared to 60% for the reference drug. Quercetin-3-O-α-glucuronide, quercetin-3-O-ß-D-glucuronide-methyl ester, quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnoside, 3,3'-di-O-methyl ellagic acid, 3,3'-di-O-methyl-ellagic acid-4-ß-D-xylopyranoside, and 4-O-ethyl gallic acid were identified from E. schimperiana while quercetin-3-O-glucopyranoside and isoorientin were determined from E. balsamifera. The AChE inhibitory effect of pure compounds exhibited promising activity, where 4-O-ethylgallic acid demonstrated 51.1%, while the highest tyrosinase inhibition was demonstrated by isoorientin with 50.6% compared to the reference drug (60%). Finally, a molecular docking study was performed for the most promising AChE and tyrosinase inhibitors. The extracts, fractions, and isolated compounds showed no α-glucosidase inhibitory activity.