A Network Pharmacology Approach to Explore the Mechanism of HuangZhi YiShen Capsule for Treatment of Diabetic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: HuangZhi YiShen Capsule (HZYS) is a Chinese patent herbal drug that protects kidney function in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) patients. However, the pharmacologic mechanisms of HZYS remain unclear. This study would use network pharmacology to explore the pharmacologic mechanisms of HZYS. METHODS: Chemical constituents of HZYS were obtained through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database (TCMSP) and literature search. Potential targets of HZYS were identified by using the TCMSP and the SwissTarget Prediction databases. DKD-related target genes were collected by using the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, Therapeutic Target Database, GeneCards, DisGeNET, and Drugbank databases. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were carried out to further explore the mechanisms of HZYS in treating DKD. Molecular docking was conducted to verify the potential interactions between the prime compounds and the hub genes. RESULTS: 179 active compounds and 620 target genes were obtained, and 571 common targets were considered potential therapeutic targets. The top 10 main active compounds of HZYS were heparin, quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, methyl14-methylpentadecanoate, methyl (Z)-11-hexadecenoate, 17-hydroxycorticosterone, 4-pregnene-17α, 20ß, 21-triol-3, 11-dione, wogonin, and hydroxyecdysone. Hub signaling pathways by which HZYS treating DKD were PI3K-Akt, MAPK, AGE-RAGE in diabetic complications, TNF, and apoptosis. The top 10 target genes associated with these pathways were IL6, MAPK1, AKT1, RELA, BCL2, JUN, MAPK3, MAP2K1, CASP3, and TNF. Quercetin and Luteolin were verified to have good binding capability with the hub potential targets IL6, MAPK1, AKT1 through molecular docking. CONCLUSION: HZYS appeared to treat DKD by regulating the inflammatory, oxidative stress, apoptotic, and fibrosis signaling pathways. This study provided a novel perspective for further research of HZYS.

Four new steroids from the marine soft coral-derived fungus Penicillium sp. SCSIO41201.

Penicildiones A-D (1-4), four new steroids derivatives together with three known compounds including 16α-methylpregna-17α,19-dihydroxy-(9,11)-epoxy-4-ene-3,18-dione-20-acetoxy (5), stachybotrylactone B (6) and stachybotrin (7) were isolated from the soft coral-derived fungus Penicillium sp. SCSIO41201, cultured in the 1% NaCl PDB substrate. Their structures were determined through spectroscopic methods and X-ray crystallography. Biological evaluation results revealed that 6 exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against HL-60, K562, MOLT-4, ACHN, 786-O, and OS-RC-2 cell lines with IC50 values of 5.23, 4.12, 4.31, 23.55, 7.65 and 10.81 µmol·L-1, respectively, while other compounds showed weak or no cytotoxicity at 50 µmol·L-1.

Peptides and polyketides isolated from the marine sponge-derived fungus Aspergillus terreus SCSIO 41008.

Two new isomeric modified tripeptides, aspergillamides C and D (compounds 1 and 2), together with fifteen known compounds (compounds 3-17), were obtained from the marine sponge-derived fungus Aspergillus terreus SCSIO 41008. The structures of the new compounds, including absolute configurations, were determined by extensive analyses of spectroscopic data (NMR, MS, UV, and IR) and comparisons between the calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Butyrolactone I (compound 11) exhibited strong inhibitory effects against Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein tyrosine phosphatase B (MptpB) with the IC50 being 5.11 ± 0.53 µmol·L-1, and acted as a noncompetitive inhibitor based on kinetic analysis.

New chlorinated diphenyl ethers and xanthones from a deep-sea-derived fungus Penicillium chrysogenum SCSIO 41001.

Seven new compounds, including four new chlorinated diphenyl ethers, namely chrysines A-D (1-4), one new dichlorinated xanthone, chrysoxanthone (5), dichloroorcinol (6), and one new benzeneacetic acid derivative, 3-isopentyl-4-hydroxy phenylacetic acid methyl ester (7), along with fourteen known compounds (8-21), were isolated from a deep-sea-derived fungus Penicillium chrysogenum SCSIO 41001. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic methods and X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis. All of the isolated compounds (1-21) were evaluated for their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity using PNPG method. Among them, nine compounds (2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 17, and 18) exhibited inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase with IC50 values of 0.35, 0.20, 0.04, 0.16, 0.15, 0.09, 0.14, 0.14, and 0.12mM, respectively (IC50 0.28mM for the positive control acarbose).

[Synthesis of Cu2O-Ag-AgBr/MA visible photocatalyst and its performance in degradation of 2-chlorophenol].

Cu2O-Ag-AgBr/MA plasmon photocatalyst was prepared by the co-deposition of Cu2O and Ag-AgBr nanoparticles on mesoporous alumina (MA). The samples were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) ,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectra (UV-vis DRS). The results showed that both Ag+ and Ag0 existed on the surface. The photocatalytic activity of the samples prepared were evaluated by degradation of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) under visible light (λ >420 nm) irradiation. The results showed that the catalyst had high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of 2-CP. Meanwhile, the doping of Cu2O nanoparticles significantly inhibited the release of silver ions during the photocatalytic reaction, which improved the photostability of the catalyst. Analyses on the effects of various scavengers showed that h+ , O2- and OH radicals were the primary active species.

[Sterols of marine bryozoan Bugula neritina from the South China Sea].

OBJECTIVE: To study the sterol constituents of Bugula neritina from the South China Sea. METHODS: The alcohol extract of Bugula neritina was purified by silica gel column and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, and structures of the isolated compounds were identified by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with those of literatures. RESULTS: Ten sterols were isolated and identified from the petroleum ether fraction of alcohol extract of B. neritina L.:Cholest-4-en-3-one(I); cholesterol(II);3beta,5alpha,9alpha-trihydroxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-7,22-dien-6-one(III); 24-methyl-5alpha-cholesta-7,22-diene-3beta,5,6beta-triol(IV); 3beta-Hydroxy-7-methoxy-Cholesta-5-en(V);5alpha, 8alpha-epidioxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-6, 22-dien-3beta-ol(VI); 3beta-hydroxycholest-5-en-7-one (VII); and 6beta-hydroxy-cholest-4-en-3-one(VIII); Cholesta-5-ene-3beta,7beta-diol(IX); Cholesta-5,22(E)-dien-3beta,7alpha-diol(X). CONCLUSION: Compounds IV-X were isolated from Bugula neritina for the first time.

A new triterpene hexaglycoside from the bark of Kalopanax septemlobus (Thunb.) Koidz.

The new triterpene glycoside 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosylhederagenin 28-O-beta-D-gluco-pyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, named septemoside A (1), and the known 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside-28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester of hederagenin (2), were isolated from the bark of Kalopanax septemlobus. The structure elucidation of the compounds was based on spectroscopic evidence, including HRESIMS, 1D and 2D-NMR analysis.

The interleukin-18 inhibitory activities of echinocystic acid and its saponins from Impatiens pritzellii var. hupehensis.

Echinocystic acid (1), an echinocystic acid saponin, 2, and four of its ester saponins, 3-6, obtained from the active fraction of Impatiens pritzellii var. hupehensis, an traditional Chinese medicine for rheumatoid arthritis, were investigated for their effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced interleukin (IL)-18 in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Three of them, 1, 2 and 6, showed obvious activity to inhibit the production of IL-18, especially the ester saponins with a sugar chain at C-28, 6. Structure-activity relationships are discussed in brief.

Ferulic acid esters from Euphorbia hylonoma.

Octacosyl cis-ferulate (1), along with the trans isomer (2), cholest-5-en-3beta-ylhexadecanoate, chrysophanol and octadecanoic acid was isolated from the roots of Euphorbia hylonoma.