Innovated formulation of TCM pangolin scales to develop a nova therapy of rheumatoid arthritis.

Pangolin scale (PS) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for treating rheumatic arthritis (RA), and diverse medicinal formulations and therapeutic properties of PS have proved great potential to supplement conventional treatments in integrative medicine-based strategies. However, few studies have investigated how different PS formulations can impact the management of RA. Herein, we developed an innovative formulation of PS processed with vinegar (PSP) and evaluated it by comparing with the traditional decoction of PS (PSD) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NASID) (i.e., meloxicam) in a RA Sprague Dawley rat model, which is induced with a complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). The anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated by paw edema measurement, arthritic score, histopathological examination, pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß and TNF-α) production and the whole blood viscosity. PSP treatments (249.0 mg/kg.bw) from day 14-42 alleviated paw edema (P < 0.001), arthritic index (score 0-1.5) and the inflammatory cell infiltration in the ankle joint, which may be attributed to inhibiting the production of TNF-α (P < 0.01) and IL-1ß (P < 0.05) in the serum. Although PSP is with fewer efficacies than meloxicam, it outperformed traditional formulation PSD (830 mg/kg.bw) in all above mentioned metrics. Furthermore, PSP exhibited a unique effect on reducing whole blood viscosity (P < 0.05) unobserved in meloxicam intervention. The present study demonstrates that PSP showed more efficient anti-inflammatory activity than PSD in CFA-induced RA rats, possibly due to the presence of higher levels of active ingredients. Thus, PSP may be a promising therapy for anti-inflammation in RA and can be integrated with conventional treatments, particularly for long-term RA management in an integrative treatment strategy.

Purification, characterization and anti-tumor activity of a pectic-type polysaccharide isolated from Ficus pandurata H.

A homogeneous polysaccharide (FP2) with 83.3 kDa molecular weight was obtained from the aerial parts of Ficus pandurata H. (Moraceae) by Sevag, anion-exchange chromatography and gel-filtration chromatography. On the basis of composition analysis, infrared spectra (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments, FP2 is a linear pectin with a main chain composed of →4)-α-D-GalpA-(1→. We investigated the anti-proliferative activity and its underlying mechanism of FP2 in HeLa cancer cells, using MTT assay and western blot analysis, respectively. Treatment with FP2 in HeLa cancer cells showed anti-proliferation effect and up-regulated the expression levels of caspase-3 and cleaved-PARP. IC50 values were 31.50 and 22.62 µg/ml for 24 h and 48 h, respectively. FP2 has potential of antitumor possibly due to apoptosis induction mediated through caspase-3 activation and cleavage of PARP. The results suggest that FP2 may be a promising plant polysaccharide targeting for anticancer therapy through activating the apoptotic pathway.

Phytochemical Compositions and Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Crude Extracts from Ficus pandurata H. (Moraceae).

Background. Ficus pandurata H. (Moraceae) is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine as a healthy food condiment or a medicine for treatment of various diseases including inflammation. Objective. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the phytochemical compositions and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of crude water (FPW) and ethanolic extracts (FPE) from Ficus pandurata H. Methods. Phytochemical compositions were identified by a high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry method (HPLC-ESI-MS). The antioxidant activities were evaluated by diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radical assays, and the anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated by paw edema and levels of inflammatory mediator TNF- α and PGE2 in monosodium urate (MSU) crystal-induced rats. Results. Six compounds were identified by HPLC-MS method, and abundance of phenolics was found in FPE. The FPE showed concentration-dependent-significant scavenging of DPPH and hydroxyl radicals with IC50 values 118.4 and 192.9 µ g/mL, respectively. The FPE treatment significantly inhibited the paw edema and the production of TNF- α and PGE2 in MSU crystal-induced rats. Conclusion. The FPE exerted stronger antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities which may be attributed to its high phenolic content.