RESUMEN
Trichosanthes kirilowii (T. kirilowii) is a valuable plant used for both medicinal and edible purposes. It belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. However, its phylogenetic position and relatives have been difficult to accurately determine due to the lack of mitochondrial genomic information. This limitation has been an obstacle to the potential applications of T. kirilowii in various fields. To address this issue, Illumina and Nanopore HiFi sequencing were used to assemble the mitogenome of T. kirilowii into two circular molecules with sizes of 245,700 bp and 107,049 bp, forming a unique multi-branched structure. The mitogenome contains 61 genes, including 38 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 20 tRNAs, and three rRNAs. Within the 38 PCGs of the T. kirilowii mitochondrial genome, 518 potential RNA editing sites were identified. The study also revealed the presence of 15 homologous fragments that span both the chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes. The phylogenetic analysis strongly supports that T. kirilowii belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is closely related to Luffa. Collinearity analysis of five Cucurbitaceae mitogenomes shows a high degree of structural variability. Interestingly, four genes, namely atp1, ccmFC, ccmFN, and matR, played significant roles in the evolution of T. kirilowii through selection pressure analysis. The comparative analysis of the T. kirilowii mitogenome not only sheds light on its functional and structural features but also provides essential information for genetic studies of the genus of Cucurbitaceae.
Asunto(s)
Genoma Mitocondrial , Filogenia , Plantas Medicinales , Trichosanthes , Trichosanthes/genética , Trichosanthes/química , Genoma Mitocondrial/genética , Plantas Medicinales/genética , Evolución Molecular , Medicina Tradicional ChinaRESUMEN
The peel of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim, is considered one of the primary sources for Trichosanthis pericarpium in traditional Chinese medicine, exhibiting lipid-lowering properties. The impact on hyperlipidemia mice of the crude polysaccharide from the peel of T. Kirilowii (TRP) was investigated in this study. The findings revealed that TRP exhibited a significant improvement in hepatic lipid deposition. Moreover, it significantly decreased serum levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C, while concurrently increasing HDL-C. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing technique revealed that TRP group exhibited an increased relative abundance of Actinobacteria, a down-regulated relative abundance of Ruminiclostridium, and an up-regulated relative abundance of Ileibacterium. Therefore, TRP might play a role in anti-hyperlipidemia through regulation of the intestinal milieu and enhancement of microbial equilibrium. Consequently, targeted fractionation of TRP resulted in the isolation of a homogeneous acidic polysaccharide termed TRP-1. The TRP-1 polysaccharide, with an average molecular weight of 1.00 × 104 Da, and was primarily composed of Rha, GlcA, GalA, Glc, Gal and Ara. TRP-1 possessed a backbone consisting of alternating connections between â 6)-α-Galp-(1 â 4)-α-Rhap-(1 â 6)-α-Galp-(2 â 6)-ß-Galp-(1 â 6)-α-Galp-(2 â 6)-ß-Galp-(1 â units and branched chain containing â 6)-α-Glcp-(1â, 2,4)-ß-Glcp-(1, and â 4)-α-GlapA-(1â. Both TRP and TRP-1 exhibited significant disruption of cholesterol micelles, highlighting their potential as lipid-lowering agents that effectively inhibit cholesterol absorption pathways.
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Colesterol , Microbioma Gastrointestinal , Hiperlipidemias , Polisacáridos , Trichosanthes , Animales , Microbioma Gastrointestinal/efectos de los fármacos , Trichosanthes/química , Ratones , Hiperlipidemias/tratamiento farmacológico , Polisacáridos/farmacología , Polisacáridos/química , Polisacáridos/aislamiento & purificación , Colesterol/metabolismo , Colesterol/sangre , Hipolipemiantes/farmacología , Hipolipemiantes/química , Hipolipemiantes/aislamiento & purificación , Masculino , Estructura Molecular , Relación Estructura-Actividad , Relación Dosis-Respuesta a DrogaRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Herbal preparations are extensively utilised for the treatment of diseases in Asian countries. However, the variations in origin, climate, and production processes can lead to inconsistencies in the quality of herbal preparations. Existing quality control methods only target a few components in the finished product but ignore the control in the pharmaceutical process. Therefore, this study intends to develop a comprehensive component analysis method for intermediates in the pharmaceutical process to reveal the change patterns of substances and deepen the process understanding. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to develop a rapid and comprehensive process characterisation and critical process identification method for herbal preparations. METHODS: Six batches of Trichosanthis Pericarpium injection (TPI) intermediates were collected from the production process. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectra were acquired for qualitative and quantitative analysis of the se intermediates. Subsequently, chemometrics were used to identify critical processes and potential chemical markers. RESULTS: A total of 39 components in intermediates were identified, and the transfer of 25 components during the production process was investigated. Column chromatography was determined as the critical process. Nine components were identified as chemical markers. CONCLUSION: The application of 1H-NMR facilitated a comprehensive reflection of the chemical composition information of process intermediates, enabling investigations into the transfer of multi-component substances and accurate identification of critical processes and chemical markers.
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Espectroscopía de Protones por Resonancia Magnética , Espectroscopía de Protones por Resonancia Magnética/métodos , Quimiometría/métodos , Trichosanthes/química , Medicamentos Herbarios Chinos/química , Medicamentos Herbarios Chinos/análisis , Control de Calidad , Espectroscopía de Resonancia Magnética/métodosRESUMEN
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Trichosanthis pericarpium (TP; Gualoupi, pericarps of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to reduce heat, resolve phlegm, promote Qi, and clear chest congestion. It is also an essential herbal ingredient in the "Gualou Xiebai" formula first recorded by Zhang Zhongjing (from the Eastern Han Dynasty) in the famous TCM classic "Jin-Guì-Yào-Lüe" for treating chest impediments. According to its traditional description, Gualou Xiebai is indicated for symptoms of chest impediments, which correspond to coronary heart diseases (CHD). AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to identify the antithrombotic compounds in Gualoupi for the treatment of CHD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A CHD rat model was established with a combination of high-fat diet and isoproterenol hydrochloride (ISO) administration via subcutaneous multi-point injection in the back of the neck. This model was used to evaluate the antithrombotic effect of two mainstream cultivars of TP ("HaiShi GuaLou" and "WanLou") by analyzing the main components and their effects. Network pharmacology, molecular docking-based studies, and a zebrafish (Danio rerio) thrombosis model induced by phenylhydrazine was used to validate the antithrombosis components of TP. RESULTS: TP significantly reduced the body weight of the CHD rats, improved myocardial ischemia, and reduced collagen deposition and fibrosis around the infarcted tissue. It reduced thrombosis in a dose-dependent manner and significantly reduced inflammation and oxidative stress damage. Cynaroside, isoquercitrin, rutin, citrulline, and arginine were identified as candidate active TP compounds with antithrombotic effects. The key potential targets of TP in thrombosis treatment were initially identified by molecular docking-based analysis, which showed that the candidate active compounds have a strong binding affinity to the potential targets (protein kinase C alpha type [PKCα], protein kinase C beta type [PKCß], von Willebrand factor [vWF], and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 1 [PTGS1], fibrinogen alpha [Fga], fibrinogen beta [Fgb], fibrinogen gamma [Fgg], coagulation factor II [F2], and coagulation factor VII [F7]). In addition, the candidate active compounds reduced thrombosis, improved oxidative stress damage, and down-regulated the expression of thrombosis-related genes (PKCα, PKCß, vWF, PTGS1, Fga, Fgb, Fgg, F2, and F7) in the zebrafish model. CONCLUSION: Cynaroside, isoquercitrin, rutin, citrulline, and arginine were identified as the active antithrombotic compounds of TP used to treat CHD. Mechanistically, the active compounds were found to be involved in oxidative stress injury, platelet activation pathway, and complement and coagulation cascade pathways.
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Enfermedad Coronaria , Fibrinolíticos , Simulación del Acoplamiento Molecular , Farmacología en Red , Trichosanthes , Animales , Fibrinolíticos/farmacología , Fibrinolíticos/uso terapéutico , Fibrinolíticos/química , Enfermedad Coronaria/tratamiento farmacológico , Ratas , Masculino , Trichosanthes/química , Pez Cebra , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Medicamentos Herbarios Chinos/farmacología , Medicamentos Herbarios Chinos/química , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Extractos Vegetales/química , Extractos Vegetales/uso terapéutico , Medicina Tradicional China/métodosRESUMEN
In the present study, we hypothesised that Trichosanthes kirilowii seed protein isolate (TPI) obtained by different extraction methods have distinct structure, functional attributes and volatile profiles. Alkaline-extracted isolate (AE-TPI) exhibited lower protein content and a darker colour than the other two isolates because more polyphenols and pigments were coextracted. Salt-extracted isolate (SE-TPI) and AE-TPI had higher in vitro protein digestibility than reverse micelle-extracted isolate (RME-TPI) due to higher degrees of denaturation, which enabled them to be more susceptible to proteolysis. The SE-TPI gel resulted in a stronger gel network and greater hardness than the other two isolate gels. In the volatile profile, SE-TPI (22) yielded the largest number of volatile compounds, followed by AE-TPI (20) and RME-TPI (15). The current results indicated that the structure, functional properties and volatile profiles of TPI are largely influenced by the extraction technique.
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Trichosanthes , Trichosanthes/química , Semillas/químicaRESUMEN
The pericarps of Trichosanthes kirilowii are often used to treat cough in traditional Chinese medicine, and its ethanol extract exhibited effective therapeutic effects on acute lung injury (ALI) in vivo caused by H1N1. An anticomplement activity-guided fractionation on the extract resulted in the isolation of ten new terpenoids, including seven monoterpenoids, trichosanates A-G (1-7), and three cucurbitane-type triterpenoids, cucurbitacins W-Y (8-10), as well as eleven known terpenoids (11-21). The new terpenoids' structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis, X-ray crystallographic analysis (1), electronic circular dichroism (ECD) analysis and calculations (2-10). Twelve monoterpenoids (1-7 and 11-15) and five cucurbitane-type triterpenoids (8-10, 18, and 20) exhibited anticomplement activity in vitro. For the monoterpenoids, the long aliphatic chain substituents might enhance their anticomplement activity. Additionally, two representative anticomplement terpenoids, 8 and 11, obviously attenuated H1N1-induced ALI in vivo by inhibiting complement overactivation and reducing inflammatory responses.
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Subtipo H1N1 del Virus de la Influenza A , Trichosanthes , Triterpenos , Cucurbitacinas , Trichosanthes/química , Monoterpenos/farmacología , Triterpenos/farmacología , Triterpenos/química , Extractos Vegetales/farmacologíaRESUMEN
The aim of this study was to investigate whether the ethanol extract of the Trichosanthes kirilowii root (ETK), traditionally used to treat lung diseases, exhibits anticancer activity in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. ETK treatment suppressed the growth of EGFR TKI-resistant NSCLC cells, including H1299, H1975, PC9/ER (erlotinib-resistant PC9) and PC9/GR (gefitinib-resistant PC9) cells, in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Dose-dependent decline in anchorage-dependent and -independent colony formation was also detected following ETK treatment. We demonstrate that the growth-inhibitory effect of ETK was related to apoptosis induction, based on flow cytometry results showing ETK-induced increase in the percentage of cells with sub-G1 DNA and the population of annexin V-positive cells. Consistently, ETK induced chromatin condensation and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). As a molecular mechanism, the phosphorylation level of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and Src was decreased by ETK. ETK-induced apoptosis was partially reversed by transfection of constitutively activated STAT3, indicating that STAT3 inactivation mediated ETK-induced apoptosis in EGFR TKI-resistant NSCLC cells. Our results provide basic evidence supporting the role of ETK as a novel therapeutic in EGFR TKI-resistant NSCLC.
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Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas , Neoplasias Pulmonares , Extractos Vegetales , Humanos , Apoptosis , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/metabolismo , Línea Celular Tumoral , Proliferación Celular , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos , Receptores ErbB/genética , Receptores ErbB/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/metabolismo , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Trichosanthes/químicaRESUMEN
Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim seed is a primary source of edible vegetable oil and possesses a high nutritional value, making them extremely beneficial to humanity. To promote the extraction process of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim seed oil, the effect of microwave heating time (700 W for 0, 2, 4, and 6 min) on lipid composition, chemical properties, and antioxidant activity of oils was studied. The results showed that the oil yield of the seed increased with the microwave heating time. Besides, microwave heating time significantly affects (p < 0.05) DPPH and tocopherols, and the IC50 value of DPPH was highest with microwave heating for 6 min, whatever the shells are reserved. The tocopherol content was highest with microwave heating for 2 min in the seed shell oil, which was 1930.60 mg/kg. The longer microwave heating time could improve the oil yield and antioxidant activity of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim seed oil. The seed shell also affects chemical properties, fatty acid composition, antioxidant activity, and tocopherol contents of the Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim seed oil. The Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim seed shell oil has higher DPPH and tocopherols contents than seed kernel oil, while seed kernel oils showed higher oil yield and acid value. Our finding is valuable for manufacturers to choose suitable means to produce Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim seed oil of required qualities and chemical compositions for targeted use.
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Trichosanthes , Antioxidantes/análisis , Calefacción , Microondas , Aceites de Plantas/análisis , Semillas/química , Tocoferoles/análisis , Trichosanthes/químicaRESUMEN
Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim taxonomically belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and Trichosanthes genus. Its whole fruit, fruit peel, seed and root are widely used in traditional Chinese medicines. A ribosome-inactivating protein with RNA N-glycosidase activity called Trichosanthrip was isolated and purified from the seeds of T. kirilowii in our recent previous research. To further explore the biological functions of Trichosanthrip, the cDNA of T. kirilowii alpha-amylase inhibitor (TkAAI) was cloned through rapid-amplification of cDNA ends and its sequence was analyzed. Also, the heterologous protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and its alpha-amylase activity was further measured under optimized conditions. The full-length cDNA of TkAAI was 613 bp. The speculated open reading frame sequence encoded 141 amino acids with a molecular weight of 16.14 kDa. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the Alpha-Amylase Inhibitors Seed Storage domain sequence of TkAAI revealed significant evolutionary homology with the 2S albumin derived from the other plants in the Cucurbitaceae group. In addition, TkAAI was assembled into pET28a with eGFP to generate a prokaryotic expression vector and was induced to express in E. coli. The TkAAI-eGFP infusion protein was proven to exhibit alpha-amylase inhibitory activity against porcine pancreatic amylase in a suitable reaction system. Analysis of gene expression patterns proved that the relative expression level of TkAAI in seeds is highest. The results presented here forecasted that the TkAAI might play a crucial role during the development of T. kirilowii seeds and provided fundamental insights into the possibility of T. kirilowii derived medicine to treat diabetes related diseases.
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Trichosanthes , Albúminas , Aminoácidos , Amilasas , Animales , Clonación Molecular , ADN Complementario/genética , Escherichia coli/genética , Filogenia , Saporinas , Porcinos , Trichosanthes/química , Trichosanthes/genética , alfa-Amilasas/genéticaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To screen the effective antioxidant components in Trichosanthes extract based on the mean value of Deng's correlation degree and assess the antioxidant activity of the identified components. METHOD: High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to obtain the fingerprints of Trichosanthes extract, and the clearance rates of DPPH · and O2-· by 3, 9 and 27 mg/mL Trichosanthes extract were determined. The antioxidant spectrum effect of Trichosanthes extract was analyzed by calculating the mean value of Deng's correlation degree to screen the effective antioxidant component group. According to the contents of each known components in the antioxidant effective component group, mixed solutions of the components were prepared and tested for their clearance rates of DPPH · and O2-·. RESULTS: The 36 common peaks in HPLC fingerprints of Trichosanthes extract showed different degrees of correlation with DPPH · and O2-· clearance. The common peaks with a correlation degree greater than the median value included peaks 21, 36, 8, 31, 14, 5, 27, 2, 24, 15, 18, 33, 22, 34, 35, 19, 28 and 25. The 5 components, namely kaempferol (peak 36), isoquercitrin (peak 8), luteolin (peak 31), rutin (peak 5) and apigenin (peak 35), were tentatively identified to constitute the effective antioxidant component group with a mass ratio 3â¶2â¶2ⶠ1â¶1 in Trichosanthes extract. The prepared mixed solutions of antioxidant effective component group (6.12, 2.04, and 0.68 µg/mL) showed clearance rates of DPPH · of 65.4%, 64.0% and 61.0%, and clearance rates of O2-· of 12.9%, 9.5% and 8.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: We identified the material basis for the antioxidant activity of Trichosanthes and screened the antioxidant effective component group in Trichosanthes extract.
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Trichosanthes , Antioxidantes/farmacología , Cromatografía Líquida de Alta Presión/métodos , Luteolina , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Trichosanthes/químicaRESUMEN
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: A mixture (SH003) of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge, Angelica gigas Nakai, and Trichosanthes Kirilowii (Maxim.) has beneficial effects against several carcinomas. There have been few reports on an immune-enhancing activity of SH003 and its active constituent nodakenin. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed at identifying the immune-enhancing effect of SH003 and nodakenin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The immune-enhancing effect was evaluated using RAW264.7 macrophages, mouse primary splenocytes, and a cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced immunosuppression murine model. RESULTS: The results show that SH003 or nodakenin stimulated the production levels of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, IL-12, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, and nitric oxide (NO) and the expression levels of iNOS in RAW264.7 macrophages. SH003 or nodakenin also enhanced NF-κB p65 activation in RAW264.7 macrophages. SH003 or nodakenin stimulated the production levels of IFN-γ, IL-12, IL-2, TNF-α, and NO and the expression levels of iNOS in splenocytes. SH003 or nodakenin increased the splenic lymphocyte proliferation and splenic NK cell activity. In addition, SH003 or nodakenin increased the levels of IFN-γ, IL-12, IL-2, IL-6, and TNF-α in the serum and spleen of CP-treated mice, alleviating CP-induced immunosuppression. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the results of this study show that SH003 improved immunosuppression through the activation of macrophages, splenocytes, and NK cells. These findings suggest that SH003 could be applied as a potential immunostimulatory agent for a variety of diseases caused or exacerbated by immunodeficiency.
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Angelica/química , Planta del Astrágalo/química , Cumarinas/farmacología , Glucósidos/farmacología , Agentes Inmunomoduladores/farmacología , Fitoterapia , Trichosanthes/química , Animales , Cumarinas/química , Ciclofosfamida/toxicidad , Citocinas/genética , Citocinas/metabolismo , Regulación de la Expresión Génica/efectos de los fármacos , Glucósidos/química , Agentes Inmunomoduladores/química , Inmunosupresores/toxicidad , Células Asesinas Naturales/efectos de los fármacos , Macrófagos , Ratones , FN-kappa B , Bazo/citologíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE@#To screen the effective antioxidant components in Trichosanthes extract based on the mean value of Deng's correlation degree and assess the antioxidant activity of the identified components.@*METHOD@#High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to obtain the fingerprints of Trichosanthes extract, and the clearance rates of DPPH · and O2-· by 3, 9 and 27 mg/mL Trichosanthes extract were determined. The antioxidant spectrum effect of Trichosanthes extract was analyzed by calculating the mean value of Deng's correlation degree to screen the effective antioxidant component group. According to the contents of each known components in the antioxidant effective component group, mixed solutions of the components were prepared and tested for their clearance rates of DPPH · and O2-·.@*RESULTS@#The 36 common peaks in HPLC fingerprints of Trichosanthes extract showed different degrees of correlation with DPPH · and O2-· clearance. The common peaks with a correlation degree greater than the median value included peaks 21, 36, 8, 31, 14, 5, 27, 2, 24, 15, 18, 33, 22, 34, 35, 19, 28 and 25. The 5 components, namely kaempferol (peak 36), isoquercitrin (peak 8), luteolin (peak 31), rutin (peak 5) and apigenin (peak 35), were tentatively identified to constitute the effective antioxidant component group with a mass ratio 3∶2∶2∶ 1∶1 in Trichosanthes extract. The prepared mixed solutions of antioxidant effective component group (6.12, 2.04, and 0.68 μg/mL) showed clearance rates of DPPH · of 65.4%, 64.0% and 61.0%, and clearance rates of O2-· of 12.9%, 9.5% and 8.3%, respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#We identified the material basis for the antioxidant activity of Trichosanthes and screened the antioxidant effective component group in Trichosanthes extract.
Asunto(s)
Antioxidantes/farmacología , Cromatografía Líquida de Alta Presión/métodos , Luteolina , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Trichosanthes/químicaRESUMEN
Neuroinflammation, which is mediated by microglia that release various inflammatory cytokines, is a typical feature of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Hence, alleviating neuroinflammation by downregulating pro-inflammatory action, and upregulating anti-inflammatory action of microglia is an efficient therapeutic target for NDDs. In this study, we evaluated whether trichosanthis semen (TS), a dried ripe seed of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz, reduces lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation by regulating microglial responses in vitro and in vivo. Our results presented that TS reduced the release of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1ß, and interleukin-6 via inhibition of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway in LPS-treated BV2 microglial cells. Moreover, TS induced anti-inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-10, found in inflammatory zone 1, and chitinase 3-like 3 by the upregulation of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1). We further confirmed that TS administration suppressed microglial activation, but enhanced HO-1 expression in LPS-injected mice. These results suggest that TS has anti-neuroinflammatory effects via inhibition of NF-κB signaling through the activation of HO-1, and that TS may be a therapeutical candidate for NDDs treatment.
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Inflamación/tratamiento farmacológico , Lipopolisacáridos/toxicidad , FN-kappa B/metabolismo , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Semillas/química , Trichosanthes/química , Animales , Regulación de la Expresión Génica/efectos de los fármacos , Hemo-Oxigenasa 1/genética , Hemo-Oxigenasa 1/metabolismo , Inflamación/inducido químicamente , Proteínas de la Membrana/genética , Proteínas de la Membrana/metabolismo , Ratones , Microglía/efectos de los fármacos , FN-kappa B/genética , Óxido Nítrico/metabolismo , Óxido Nítrico Sintasa de Tipo II/metabolismo , Extractos Vegetales/química , Ratas , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
In the ongoing efforts to discover natural cholesterol-lowering compounds, dihydrocucurbitacin B, isolated from Trichosanthes cucumeroides roots, was found to promote LDL uptake by upregulating LDLR protein in a PCSK9-dependent process. In this study, an in-depth investigation of T. cucumeroides roots afforded 27 cucurbitacins (1-27), including seven new cucurbitacins (1-7), and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analyses. In order to gain insight into their structure-activity relationship, cucurbitacin derivatives (B1-11 and DB1-11) were synthesized. Evaluation of lipid-lowering activities of these cucurbitacins by an LDL uptake assay in HepG2 cells revealed that most of the compounds improved the LDL uptake rate, among which hexanorisocucurbitacin D (6) and isocucurbitacin D (21) exhibited the highest activities (rates of 2.53 and 2.47, respectively), which were comparable to that of the positive control, nagilactone B (rate of 2.07). According to a mechanistic study by Western blot analysis, compounds 6 and 21 dose-dependently increased LDLR protein levels and reduced PCSK9 protein levels, representing promising new lipid-lowering drug candidates.
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Cucurbitacinas/farmacología , Hipercolesterolemia/sangre , Trichosanthes/química , Cucurbitacinas/química , Células Hep G2 , Humanos , Extractos Vegetales/química , Raíces de Plantas/química , Análisis Espectral/métodos , Relación Estructura-ActividadRESUMEN
Microwave-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim seeds (TKMSP) was optimized using Response surface methodology (RSM) base on Central composite design (CCD). The optimum extraction conditions are detailed as follows: liquid-solid ratio 42 mL/g, extraction temperature 80 °C, microwave power 570 W, extraction time 26 min. Under this conditions, the mean value of TKMSP yield 2.43 ± 0.45% (n = 3), which was consistent closely with the predicted value (2.44%). The five polysaccharides (TKMSP-1, TKMSP-2, TKMSP-3, TKMSP-4 and TKMSP-5) were isolated from TKMSP by DEAE-52. TKMSP-1, TKMSP-2 and TKMSP-4 were common in containing Man, Rib, Rha, GluA, GalA, Glu, Gal, Xyl, Arab and Fuc. However, there was no Fuc in TKMSP-3, while TKMSP-5 lacked GluA, GalA and Fuc. UV-vis and FT-IR analysis combined with molecular weight determination further indicated that the five fractions were polydisperse polysaccharides. A significant difference was achieved in the structural characterization of these five fractions. TKMSP exhibited immunosuppressive activity on RAW264.7 cells. It can be applied as a potential immunosuppressant agent in medicine.
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Factores Inmunológicos/química , Polisacáridos/química , Trichosanthes/química , Animales , Supervivencia Celular , Factores Inmunológicos/farmacología , Ratones , Microondas , Peso Molecular , Extractos Vegetales/química , Extractos Vegetales/aislamiento & purificación , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Polisacáridos/aislamiento & purificación , Polisacáridos/farmacología , Células RAW 264.7 , Semillas/química , Espectroscopía Infrarroja por Transformada de FourierRESUMEN
Diaphania indica (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is an important phytophagous pest of Trichosanthes anguina L. in India. We studied life table parameters by age-stage, two-sex, amylolytic and proteolytic activities, and food utilization parameters of D. indica on the leaves of three T. anguina cultivars (Baruipur Long, Polo No. 1 and MNSR-1). Further, nutrients (total carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, amino acids and nitrogen) and antinutrients (total phenols, flavonols and tannins) in leaves were determined. The development time (egg to adult emergence) was the shortest on MNSR-1 (19.79 d) and the longest on Polo No. 1 (25.72 d). Fecundity was the highest and lowest on MNSR-1 (259 eggs) and Polo No. 1 (151.22 eggs), respectively. The lowest intrinsic rate of increase (rm) and net reproductive rate (R0) of D. indica on Polo No. 1 were 0.1112 d-1 and 27.22 offspring individual-1, respectively. The mean generation time (T) was the shortest on MNSR-1 (23.99 days) and the longest on Polo No. 1 (29.70 d). The larvae of D. indica fed with MNSR-1 had the highest level of amylolytic and proteolytic activities, and the lowest activities were in the larvae fed with Polo No. 1. The fifth-instar larvae fed with Polo No. 1 had the lowest consumption index and growth rate. The higher larval development time and lower fecundity of D. indica on Polo No. 1 were due to the lower level of nutrients and a higher level of antinutrients than other cultivars. Our results concluded that Polo No. 1 cultivar could be suggested for cultivation.
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Mariposas Nocturnas/crecimiento & desarrollo , Mariposas Nocturnas/fisiología , Trichosanthes/química , Fenómenos Fisiológicos Nutricionales de los Animales , Animales , Fenómenos Fisiológicos del Sistema Digestivo , Femenino , Fertilidad , Larva/crecimiento & desarrollo , Larva/fisiología , Tablas de Vida , Masculino , Trichosanthes/clasificaciónRESUMEN
Blockade of cell cycle re-entry in quiescent cancer cells is a strategy to prevent cancer progression and recurrence. We investigated the action and mode of action of CPF mixture (Coptis chinensis, Pinellia ternata and Fructus trichosanthis) in impeding a proliferative switch in quiescent lung cancer cells. The results indicated that CPF impeded cell cycle re-entry in quiescent lung cancer cells by reduction of FACT and c-MYC mRNA and protein levels, with concomitant decrease in H3K4 tri-methylation and RNA polymerase II occupancy at FACT and c-MYC promoter regions. Animals implanted with quiescent cancer cells that had been exposed to CPF had reduced tumour volume/weight. Thus, CPF suppresses proliferative switching through transcriptional suppression of FACT and the c-MYC, providing a new insight into therapeutic target and intervention method in impeding cancer recurrence.
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Proteínas de Unión al ADN/genética , Proteínas del Grupo de Alta Movilidad/genética , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/genética , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-myc/genética , Transcripción Genética/efectos de los fármacos , Factores de Elongación Transcripcional/genética , Células A549 , Animales , Araceae/química , Ciclo Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Línea Celular Tumoral , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Humanos , Masculino , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos BALB C , Ratones Desnudos , Regiones Promotoras Genéticas/efectos de los fármacos , ARN Mensajero/genética , Ranunculaceae/química , Trichosanthes/químicaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. To treat lung cancer, various anticancer drugs were developed and tested, but they failed because of drug resistance. In the present study, we tested herbal medicines, such as TK and CuD, as anticancer drugs to decrease side effects and resistance. METHODS: Cell viability was measured by an MTT assay. Analysis of cell cycle arrest was performed by flow cytometry. Induction of apoptosis by cucurbitacin D was measured by an annexin V-FITC/PI assay. We performed RTK kit analysis. Levels of p-ErbB3, p-STAT3, p-NF-κB, and caspases were measured by western blot analysis. Nuclear staining of ErbB3 was measured by immunocytochemistry. Transcriptional activity of STAT3 and NF-κB was detected by STAT3 and NF-κB luciferase reporter gene assays. RESULTS: We found a synergistic effect of TK with CDDP and PXD in primary culture of human NSCLC tumor cells. The combination of CDDP/PXD and TK or CuD inhibited the proliferation of H1299 cells. The combination of CDDP/PXD and TK or CuD induced sub-G1 and G2/M cell cycle arrest in H1299 cells. The combination of CDDP/PXD and TK or CuD induced apoptosis, regulated apoptotic molecules, caused morphological changes and inhibited colony formation in H1299 cells. We found that TK suppresses p-ErbB3 expression and signaling. The combination of CDDP/PXD and TK or CuD inhibited p-AKT, p-Erk, and p-JNK signaling and suppressed Stat3 and NF-κB transcriptional activity in H1299 cells. More importantly, the combination of CDDP/PXD and TK or CuD inhibited p-ErbB3 and downstream molecules in H1299 cells. The combination of CDDP/PXD and TK or CuD inhibited ErbB2/ErbB3 dimerization. Our results clearly demonstrate that the synergistic effect of CDDP/PXD and TK or CuD inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis by inhibiting ErbB3 signaling. CONCLUSION: The combination of CDDP/PXD and TK or CuD decreases cell proliferation and induces apoptosis by inhibiting ErbB3 signaling in H1299 lung cancer cells. TK or CuD could be useful as a compound to treat lung cancer. Additionally, targeting ErbB3 may also be useful for treating lung cancer.
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Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/tratamiento farmacológico , Cisplatino/farmacología , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamiento farmacológico , Pemetrexed/farmacología , Trichosanthes/química , Caspasas/metabolismo , Puntos de Control del Ciclo Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Línea Celular Tumoral , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Supervivencia Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Sinergismo Farmacológico , Medicamentos Herbarios Chinos , Humanos , Receptor ErbB-3/metabolismo , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Triterpenos/administración & dosificaciónRESUMEN
Trichosanthes kirilowii, which is a type of Liana from cucurbitaceous family, possesses many bioactive constituents and therefore has multifarious pharmacological functions. TKP, which is a serine protease extracted from the fruit of Trichosanthes kirilowii, has been reported to possess potential anticancer activity. However, the effects of TKP on cancer cell migration and invasion are still unknown. Here, we reported that TKP could inhibit the migration and invasion abilities of colorectal cancer cells. In addition, the mRNA, protein expression levels, and activities of migration and invasion-related proteins MMP2 and MMP9 were decreased in TKP-treated cells. Mechanistically, TKP treatment repressed Wnt/ß-catenin and Hedgehog/Gli1 signaling cascades. However, the addition of lithium chloride or the transfection of plasmid pcDNA3.1-V5-HisA-Gli1 reversed the impacts of TKP on MMP2, MMP9, cell migration, and invasion. These results indicated that TKP suppressed the migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells through blocking Wnt/ß-catenin and Hedgehog/Gli1 pathways-mediated MMP2 and MMP9.
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Adenocarcinoma/patología , Antineoplásicos Fitogénicos/farmacología , Movimiento Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Neoplasias Colorrectales/patología , Serina Proteasas/farmacología , Trichosanthes/química , Adenocarcinoma/genética , Adenocarcinoma/metabolismo , Antineoplásicos Fitogénicos/aislamiento & purificación , Línea Celular Tumoral , Movimiento Celular/genética , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Proliferación Celular/genética , Neoplasias Colorrectales/genética , Neoplasias Colorrectales/metabolismo , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica/efectos de los fármacos , Células HCT116 , Proteínas Hedgehog/metabolismo , Humanos , Invasividad Neoplásica , Extractos Vegetales/aislamiento & purificación , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Serina Proteasas/aislamiento & purificación , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Transducción de Señal/genética , Trichosanthes/enzimología , Vía de Señalización Wnt/efectos de los fármacos , Vía de Señalización Wnt/genética , Proteína con Dedos de Zinc GLI1/genética , Proteína con Dedos de Zinc GLI1/metabolismo , beta Catenina/metabolismoRESUMEN
23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin B (designated as C95 in this article) is a cucurbitane triterpenoid that has been shown to possess a variety of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-HIV-1 activities etc. In this study, we investigated the effects of 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin B on lipid regulation. We showed that 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin B (1-5 µM) dose-dependently promoted DiI-LDL uptake in HepG2 cells by upregulating low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) protein. In HepG2 cells, 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin B (1-10 µM) dose-dependently enhanced LDLR promoter activity by elevating the mature form of SREBP2 (sterol regulatory element binding protein 2) protein levels on one hand, and inhibited PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) promoter activity by attenuating HNF1α (hepatocyte nuclear factor-1α) protein levels in nuclei on the other hand. Consequently, the expression of LDLR protein markedly increased, whereas the PCSK9-mediated LDLR protein degradation decreased. In a high-cholesterol LVG golden Syrian Hamster model, administration of 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin B (30 mg · kg-1â d-1, intragastric, for 3 weeks) significantly decreased the serum LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. PCSK9 protein levels in the serum and liver tissues were significantly decreased, whereas LDLR protein levels in liver tissues were significantly increased in the treated animals as compared with the control animals. In conclusion, our study demonstrates for the first time that 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin B exhibits dual transcriptional regulation of LDLR and PCSK9 in HepG2 cells by increasing SREBP2 protein levels and decreasing HNF1α protein levels in the nuclei. These results propose a new strategy to simultaneously manage LDLR and PCSK9 protein expression and provide a promising lead compound for drug development.