Nanoparticle-mediated immunogenic cell death for cancer immunotherapy.

The field of cancer therapy is witnessing the emergence of immunotherapy, an innovative approach that activates the body own immune system to combat cancer. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) has emerged as a prominent research focus in the field of cancer immunotherapy, attracting significant attention in recent years. The activation of ICD can induce the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), such as calreticulin (CRT), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1), and heat shock proteins (HSP). Subsequently, this process promotes the maturation of innate immune cells, including dendritic cells (DCs), thereby triggering a T cell-mediated anti-tumor immune response. The activation of the ICD ultimately leads to the development of long-lasting immune responses against tumors. Studies have demonstrated that partial therapeutic approaches, such as chemotherapy with doxorubicin, specific forms of radiotherapy, and phototherapy, can induce the generation of ICD. The main focus of this article is to discuss and review the therapeutic methods triggered by nanoparticles for ICD, while briefly outlining their anti-tumor mechanism. The objective is to provide a comprehensive reference for the widespread application of ICD.

ß-Escin: An Updated Review of Its Analysis, Pharmacology, Pharmacokinetics, and Toxicity.

[Formula: see text]-Escin is an oleanane-type pentacyclic triterpenoid saponin extracted from the seeds of Aesculus hippocastanum (AH), which is more widely distributed. [Formula: see text]-Escin sodium has been approved by the American FDA for clinical usage. This paper is intended to summarize an updated and comprehensive review of the pharmacological activities, pharmacokinetic properties, toxicity, and analytical methods of [Formula: see text]-escin. Studies have shown that [Formula: see text]-escin has significant antitumor, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and other activities alongside less adverse effects and higher safety than other compounds. The review shows that the pharmacological effects of [Formula: see text]-escin involve mechanisms such as ATM/[Formula: see text]H2AX, RhoA/Rock, GSK-3[Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text]-Catenin, HER2/HER3/Akt, and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways, and Cyclin A, p21[Formula: see text], survivin, Bcl-2, Mcl-1, Caspases, TGF-[Formula: see text], MMPs, and TNF-[Formula: see text] among other inflammatory factors. [Formula: see text]-Escin has significant cytotoxicity; the use of the chitosan/xanthan gum-based polyelectrolyte complexes PA1 and PC-11 to modify it not only to reduces its toxicity, but also improves its drug efficacy. Because of this, these compounds may become a new research hotspot. [Formula: see text]-Escin in vivo metabolism can be converted by the CYP1A2 enzyme in the intestinal flora to produce [Formula: see text]-escin, deacylated, deglycosylated, and 21[Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-crotonoyl-protoescin, and the binding rate of the plasma proteins is higher than 90%. These are mainly metabolized by the liver, kidneys, and other organs, and excreted in the form of urine and feces. The number of reports on the specific mediators of the metabolism of [Formula: see text]-escin and their mechanisms and metabolites is relatively small; furthermore, the results are vague. Therefore, a complete and in-depth exploration of the pharmacokinetic characteristics of [Formula: see text]-escin is needed to provide a more complete and effective theoretical reference for the study of its pharmacodynamic activity.

[Chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Dictamni Cortex: a review].

Dictamni Cortex, the dried root bark of Dictamnus dasycarpus, has many chemical constituents, such as alkaloids, limonoids, flavonoids, sesquiterpenoids, glycosides, and steroids.It has the effects of anti-inflammation, anti-fungi, anti-arteriosclerosis, stopping bleeding, anti-cancer, neuroprotection, and antioxidation.The chemical constituents of Dictamni Cortex are the important material basis for its medicinal effects.This paper reviewed the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Dictamni Cortex and analyzed the research trend and present research progress on this medicinal, with a view to its further development and utilization.

Hyperoside: A review on its sources, biological activities, and molecular mechanisms.

Hyperoside is a natural flavonol glycoside in various plants, such as Crataegus pinnatifida Bge, Forsythia suspensa, and Cuscuta chinensis Lam. Medical research has found that hyperoside possesses a broad spectrum of biological activities, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antidepressant, and organ protective effects. These pharmacological properties lay the foundation for its use in treating multiple diseases, such as sepsis, arthritis, colitis, diabetic nephropathy, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion, pulmonary fibrosis, and cancers. Hyperoside is obtained from the plants and chemical synthesis. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of hyperoside on its sources and biological activities to provide insights into its therapeutic potential, and to provide a basis for high-quality studies to determine the clinical efficacy of this compound.

Polysaccharides derived from Chinese medicinal herbs: A promising choice of vaccine adjuvants.

Adjuvants have been used in vaccines for a long time to promote the body's immune response, reducing vaccine dosage and production costs. Although many vaccine adjuvants are developed, the use in human vaccines is limited because of either limited action or side effects. Therefore, the development of new vaccine adjuvants is required. Many studies have found that natural polysaccharides derived from Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) possess good immune promoting effects and simultaneously improve humoral, cellular and mucosal immunity. Recently polysaccharide adjuvants have attracted much attention in vaccine preparation because of their intrinsic characteristics: immunomodulation, biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity and safety. This review article systematically analysed the literature on polysaccharides possessing vaccine adjuvant activity from TCM plants, such as Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), Rehmannia glutinosa polysaccharide (RGP), Isatis indigotica root polysaccharides (IRPS), etc. and their derivatives. We believe that polysaccharide adjuvants can be used to prepare the vaccines for clinical use provided their mechanisms of action are studied in detail.

Salvia plebeia R. Br. polysaccharides (SPP) against RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) infection: Antiviral effect and mechanisms of action.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antiviral effect of Salvia plebeia R. Br. polysaccharides (SPP) against RSV and underlying mechanisms. METHODS: SPP was extracted via alcohol-precipitation method and extract was separated into various fractions using ultrafiltration method. The polysaccharide content was determined using UV-Vis. Antiviral effect of SPP and fractions was measured using MTT method and Reed-Muench method. Sixty Balb/c mice were randomly divided into 6 groups, and received either Ribavirin or SPP. Their body weight and food intake were recorded every day throughout the experiment period. The lung index inhibition ratio and pulmonary virus titer were determined followed by the histological analysis of lungs. Furthermore, time-of-addition and effective stage analysis were carried out to determine the mechanism of action. The TLR-3 and TLR-4 levels in the lungs were determined using qRT-PCR. The levels of IFN-γ, IL-2 and TNF-α in serum were determined using ELISA. RESULTS: The SPP content is 4.396%. SPP has shown a good anti-RSV effect both in vitro (TI = 123.041) and in vivo models. The antiviral activity of fractions with molecular weight ≥ 10,000 is found to possess more potent antiviral activity than other fractions. SPP inhibits the RSV proliferation and reduces the lung lesions induced by RSV. The mechanism of action involves the inhibition of TLR-3 and TLR-4 in lungs, up-regulation of IFN-γ and IL-2, and down-regulation of TNF-α in serum. It is also shown to improve the body's immune function. CONCLUSION: SPP has a potential to treat diseases caused by RSV.

Brucea javanica: A review on anticancer of its pharmacological properties and clinical researches.

BACKGROUND: The dried fruits of Brucea javanica (L.) Merr (BJ) is being widely investigated, both in lab and in clinic, to explore its potential anticancer activity and molecular mechanism involved. PURPOSE: We appraised the available literature and suggested the future research directions to improve the medicinal value of BJ. METHOD: In this review, we have summarized the scientific findings from experimental and clinical studies regarding the anticancer activity and mechanisms. RESULTS: Numerous studies have reported that BJ exerts anticancer effect on various types of cancer lines through inhibiting cell proliferation, inducing apoptosis, inhibiting migration/invasion, inducing autophagy and restraining angiogenesis. Brucea javanica triggers the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), release of cytochrome C, activation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and regulation of a series of signal pathways and proteins related to cancer. The molecular mechanism involved are inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR, NF-κB and Nrf2-Notch1 pathways; up or down modulating the levels of p53, p62, p21, Bax, and Bcl-2 respectively, and inhibiting the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Brucea javanica's efficacy in treating cancer patients either as a main or supportive treatment is also discussed in this review. CONCLUSION: This review will serve as a comprehensive resource of BJ's potential as anticancer agent and its molecular pathways. The analysis of the literature suggests that BJ can serve as a potential candidate for the treatment of cancer.

A review: Natural polysaccharides from medicinal plants and microorganisms and their anti-herpetic mechanism.

The infections caused by Herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1 and -2) are seriously endangering the health of all human beings. Once infected with these two viruses, it will cause life-long latency in the host, and the continuous recurrence of the infection will seriously affect the quality of life. Moreover, infections with HSV-1 and HSV-2 have been reported to make the body susceptible to other diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and HIV. Thus, more attention should be paid to the development of novel anti-HSV drugs. Polysaccharides obtained from medicinal plants and microorganism (both land and sea) are reported to be promising anti-herpes substances. However, their antiviral mechanisms are complex and diverse, which includes direct inhibition of virus life cycle (Adsorption, penetration, genetic material and protein synthesis) and indirectly through improving the body's immunity. And each step of the research processes from extraction to structural analysis contributes to the result in terms of antiviral activity. Therefore, The complex mechanisms involved in the treatment of Herpes simplex infections makes development of new antiviral compounds is difficult. In this paper, the mechanisms of polysaccharides in the treatment of Herpes simplex infections, the research processes of polysaccharides and their potential clinical applications were reviewed.

Salvia plebeia R. Br. : an overview about its traditional uses, chemical constituents, pharmacology and modern applications.

Salvia plebeia R. Br. (SP), has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It contains a number of chemical components and reported to possess a variety of pharmacological activities. SP is distributed in many countries such as China, Korea, Japan, Afghanistan and India. SP was first described in Compendium of Materia Medica in the Ming dynasty. The aim of this review is to compile all the information reported in the literature on SP. This review covers traditional uses, including 16 TCM classics and 21 traditional prescriptions; a total of 93 compounds from SP have been reported, including flavonoids, monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids, triterpenes, phenolic acids etc; biological actives such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, hypoglycaemic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, sedative, antiasthmatic, antiviral, antitumour, hepatoprotective effects etc. In addition, this paper also compiled the quality control studies and clinical applications. The future prospects and the existing problems of SP were also discussed. Overall, we believe this review will be a comprehensive record of SP for researchers to refer for carrying out for further research.

Evaluation of antiviral effect and toxicity of total flavonoids extracted from Robinia pseudoacacia cv. idaho.

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the antiviral effect of total flavonoids extracted from Robinia pseudoacacia cv. idaho (RPTF) in vivo and its toxicity on rats with oral gavage. RPTF was prepared by percolation with 70% ethanol for 24 h and its antiviral effect on different kinds of viruses was evaluated in vitro by MTT staining. The long-term toxicity of RPTF on rats was evaluated through the detection of general behavior, body weight, food intake and related organ tissue sections of experimental animals. We found that RPTF produced significantly inhibitory effects on HSV-1 and EV-71 viruses with the therapeutic index TI values 113.8 and 46.2, respectively. Moreover, toxicity evaluation in vivo showed no significantly adverse effects in rats, indicating that RPTF was safe in use. In conclusion, we demonstrated that RPTF, natural compounds in the Chinese traditional medicine, could act as promising and effective antiviral therapeutics with relative safety in use.