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1.
Toxicol Appl Pharmacol ; 487: 116949, 2024 Apr 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38688425

ABSTRACT

Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disorder characterized by the accumulation of abnormal extracellular matrix, scar tissue formation, and tissue stiffness. Type II alveolar epithelial cells (AEII) play a critical role in repairing lung tissue after injury, and repeated injury to these cells is a key factor in the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Chronic exposure to PM2.5, a type of air pollution, has been shown to increase the incidence and severity of pulmonary fibrosis by enhancing the activation of EMT in lung epithelial cells. Melatonin, a hormone with antioxidant properties, has been shown to prevent EMT and reduce fibrosis in previous studies. However, the mechanism through which melatonin targets EMT to prevent pulmonary fibrosis caused by PM2.5 exposure has not been extensively discussed before. In this current study, we found that melatonin effectively prevented pulmonary fibrosis caused by prolonged exposure to PM2.5 by targeting EMT. The study demonstrated changes in cellular morphology and expression of EMT markers. Furthermore, the cell migratory potential induced by prolonged exposure to PM2.5 was greatly reduced by melatonin treatment. Finally, in vivo animal studies showed reduced EMT markers and improved pulmonary function. These findings suggest that melatonin has potential clinical use for the prevention of pulmonary fibrosis.

2.
Injury ; 54(12): 111087, 2023 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37858443

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The effectiveness of using intraoperative robotic C-arm cone-beam computerized tomography (CT) to locate rib fractures during surgery was compared to using pre-operative CT. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with multiple rib fracture and treated surgically in the hospital between January 2019 and September 2020 were included. The study included two groups of patients. One group had their rib fractures identified using pre-operative CT, while the other group had their fractures localized using intraoperative cone-beam CT during surgery. The operative time, blood loss, number of incisions, length of incision, duration of chest drains, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and duration of post-operation stays were measured. RESULTS: A total of 12 patients received intraoperative cone-beam CT, while the remaining 18 patients only received pre-operative CT. Statistical analysis showed that the group treated with cone-beam CT had lower blood loss (p = 0.012), shorter incisions (p = 0.005), and better post-operation VAS scores (p = 0.027). There were also non-significant trends towards fewer incisions, shorter operation times, and shorter duration of chest drains in the group treated with cone-beam CT. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative localization of rib fracture sites with cone-beam CT is an effective method for rib fracture stabilization.


Subject(s)
Rib Fractures , Robotic Surgical Procedures , Humans , Rib Fractures/diagnostic imaging , Rib Fractures/surgery , Fracture Fixation, Internal/methods , Cone-Beam Computed Tomography/methods , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Retrospective Studies
3.
BMC Med Imaging ; 23(1): 151, 2023 10 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37814246

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of 17-gauge needles used in CT-guided percutaneous cryoablation for lung nodules were explored in this study. The purpose of the study was to compare the findings with earlier research and multi-center clinical trials that used various needle sizes. METHODS: Between 2016 and 2020, a retrospective study was conducted with approval from the institutional review board. A total of 41 patients were enrolled, and 71 lung nodules were treated in 63 cryoablation procedures using local anesthesia. Complication rates were recorded, and overall survival rates as well as tumor progression-free rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Self-limited hemoptysis was caused by 12.9% of the procedures, and drainage was required for pneumothoraces resulting from 11.3% of them. The overall survival rates at one, two, three, and four years were 97%, 94%, 82%, and 67%, respectively. The tumor progression-free rates at one, two, three, and four years were 86.2%, 77%, 74%, and 65%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Cryoablation for lung nodules using 17-Gauge needles can achieve similar rates of survival and tumor control rates, similar or even lower complication rates as compared with other studies and multi-center trials using mixed sized needles.


Subject(s)
Cryosurgery , Neoplasms , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Lung/diagnostic imaging , Lung/surgery , Lung/pathology
4.
Front Nutr ; 9: 989067, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36176640

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to examine the chemical and anti-aging properties of chicken essence (CE) prepared with Sesamum indicum, Angelica acutiloba, and Zingiber officinale (HCE). HCE was analyzed for nutritional and phytochemical composition, and its anti-aging effects were investigated on the D-galactose (Gal)-induced aging mice. Results showed that HCE possessed significantly higher calories and contents of valine and total phenols than CE; it also contained significant amounts of ferulic acid, sesamin, and sesamolin. HCE significantly decreased MDA and NO levels in serum and liver and increased liver GSH levels in the D-Gal-induced mice. HCE greatly enhanced SOD and CAT activities in serum and liver, and liver GPx activity, as well as upregulating SIRT1 expression and downregulating TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, iNOS, Cox-2, and MCP-1 expression in liver tissues. This study demonstrates that HCE was effective in suppressing the aging process through enhancing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and modulating the aging-related gene expression.

6.
Front Pharmacol ; 12: 785944, 2021.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34867418

ABSTRACT

Adlay (Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen (Rom. Caill.) Stapf) seeds are edible crop classified as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Adlay bran (AB) is one of the wastes generated during adlay refining processes. In this work, supercritical fluid extract of AB (AB-SCF) was investigated to reveal its lipid regulating potential and decode its bifunctional ingredients. AB-SCF×0.5 (30.84 mg/kg/body weight), AB-SCF×1 (61.67 mg/kg/BW), AB-SCF×5 (308.35 mg/kg/BW) and AB-SCF×10 (616.70 mg/kg/BW) were administrated to high fat-diet (HFD) induced hyperglycemic hamsters for 8 weeks. The results indicates that AB-SCF displays a prevention of dramatic body weight gains, lower levels of serum TG, TC, LDL-C and higher in HDL-C, amelioration of cardiovascular risk, alleviation of hepatic TG, TC and lipid peroxidation, and enhancement on cholesterol metabolism with higher bile acid excretion. Investigations on energy metabolic mechanism demonstrates that the hyperlipidemia mitigating capacities of AB-SCF are up-regulated on lipoprotein lipase, AMPK, p-AMPK and down-regulated at fatty acid synthase. Major bio-functional lipid compositions are identified as linoleic acid (28.59%) and oleic acid (56.95%). Non-lipid chemical and active markers are confirmed as 3-O-(trans-4-feruloyl)-ß-sitostanol (1463.42 ppm), 3-O-(cis-4-feruloyl)-ß-sitostanol (162.60 ppm), and ß-sitosterol (4117.72 ppm). These compositions might synergistically responsible for the mentioned activities and can be regarded as analytical targets in quality control. AB-SCF may be considered as a promising complementary supplement, and developed as a functional food or new botanical drug in the future.

7.
Front Pharmacol ; 12: 573145, 2021.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33995002

ABSTRACT

Objective: Harmonizing formulas are associated with beneficial renal outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD), but the therapeutic mechanisms are unclear. The study aims to explore the associations of intentions and independent factors with harmonizing formulas prescriptions for patients with CKD. Methods: We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study to explore factors associated with harmonizing formulas prescription. Patients who had been prescribed harmonizing formulas after CKD diagnosis was defined as the using harmonizing formulas group. Disease diagnoses when having harmonizing formula prescriptions and patient characteristics related to these prescriptions were collected. Results: In total, 24,971 patients were enrolled in this analysis, and 5,237 (21%) patients were prescribed harmonizing formulas after CKD diagnosis. The three most frequent systematic diseases and related health problems for which harmonizing formula prescriptions were issued in CKD were symptoms, signs, and ill-defined conditions (24.5%), diseases of the digestive system (20.67%), and diseases of the musculoskeletal system (12.9%). Higher likelihoods of harmonizing formula prescriptions were associated with young age (adjusted odds ratio: 0.98, 95% confidence interval: 0.97-0.98), female sex (1.79, 1.68-1.91), no diabetes (1.20, 1.06-1.36), no hypertension (1.38, 1.27-1.50), no cerebrovascular disease (1.34, 1.14-1.56), less disease severity (0.85, 0.83-0.88), using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (1.65, 1.54-1.78), and using analgesic drugs other than NSAIDs (1.47, 1.35-1.59). Conclusion: Harmonizing formulas are commonly used for treating symptoms of the digestive and musculoskeletal systems in CKD cases. Further research on harmonizing formula effectiveness with regard to particular characteristics of CKD patients is warranted.

8.
Sci Rep ; 10(1): 16378, 2020 10 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33009425

ABSTRACT

Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that is becoming a serious global threat, owing to its rising incidence in inter-tropical regions that yield over 50 million annual infections. There are currently no approved antiviral agents for the management of dengue, and recent shortcomings in its immunization called for immediate action to develop effective drugs with prophylactic ability to better manage its infection. In an attempt to discover novel antiviral sources, we identified the medicinal herb Polygonum cuspidatum (PC) as a bioactive botanical material against DENV infectivity. Specifically, the methanolic extract from PC rhizomes (PCME) potently inhibited DENV infection without causing significant cytotoxicity. Further examination on the viral life cycle demonstrated that PCME particularly targeted the initial stages of DENV infection, while pre- and post-infection treatments had no effect. More importantly, the PCME could efficiently inactivate DENV free virus particles and block the viral attachment and entry/fusion events without apparently influencing viral replication, egress, and cell-to-cell spread. The antiviral effect of PCME was also recapitulated in infection analysis using DENV pseudoparticles displaying viral structural proteins that mediate DENV particle entry. Besides, PCME treatment also inhibited direct DENV entry into several cell types relevant to its infection and reduced viral infectivity of other members of the Flaviviridae family, including the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Zika virus (ZIKV). Due to its potency against DENV entry, we suggest that the phytobioactive extract from PC is an excellent starting point as an antiviral source material for further development of therapeutic strategies in the prophylactic management of DENV infection.


Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Dengue Virus/drug effects , Dengue/drug therapy , Fallopia japonica/chemistry , Phytochemicals/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Virus Internalization/drug effects , Animals , Cell Line , Cell Line, Tumor , Chlorocebus aethiops , Hepacivirus/drug effects , Humans , Phytochemicals/chemistry , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Vero Cells , Virus Attachment/drug effects , Virus Replication/drug effects
9.
Molecules ; 25(10)2020 May 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32414033

ABSTRACT

Plants of the genus Callicarpa are known to possess several medicinal effects. The constituents of the Taiwan endemic plant Callicarpa hypoleucophylla have never been studied. Therefore, C. hypoleucophylla was selected for our phytochemical investigation. Two new clerodane-type diterpenoids, named callihypolins A (1) and B (2), along with seven known compounds were isolated from the leaves and twigs of the Lamiaceae plant C. hypoleucophylla and then characterized. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis, specifically, two-dimension nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The anti-inflammatory activity of compounds 1-9 based on the suppression of superoxide anion generation and elastase release was evaluated. Among the isolates, compounds 2-4 showed anti-inflammatory activity (9.52-32.48% inhibition at the concentration 10 µm) by suppressing superoxide anion generation and elastase release. Our findings not only expand the description of the structural diversity of the compounds present in plants of the genus Callicarpa but also highlight the possibility of developing anti-inflammatory agents from Callicarpa endemic species.


Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents , Callicarpa/chemistry , Diterpenes, Clerodane , Neutrophils/metabolism , Adult , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/chemistry , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Diterpenes, Clerodane/chemistry , Diterpenes, Clerodane/pharmacology , Female , Humans , Male , Neutrophils/pathology , Superoxides/metabolism
11.
Cancer Immunol Immunother ; 68(7): 1087-1094, 2019 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31089757

ABSTRACT

We evaluated the analytical and clinical performance of a novel circulating tumor cell (CTC)-based blood test for determination of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein expression status in real time in treatment-naïve non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. CTCs were detected in 86% of patients with NSCLC (I-IV) at the time of diagnosis, with a 67% PD-L1 positivity rate (≥ 1 PDL + CTC). Among 33 NSCLC patients with PD-L1 results available via both tissue immunohistochemistry (IHC) and CTC assays, 78.9% were positive according to both methods. The CTC test identified an additional ten cases that were positive for PD-L1 expression but that tested negative via IHC analysis. Detection of higher PD-L1 expression on CTCs compared to that in the corresponding tissue was concordant with data obtained using other platforms in previously treated patients. The concordance in PD-L1 expression between tissue and CTCs was approximately 57%, which is higher than that reported by others. In summary, evaluation of PD-L1 protein expression status on CTCs isolated from NSCLC patients is feasible. PD-L1 expression status on CTCs can be determined serially during the disease course, thus overcoming the myriad challenges associated with tissue analysis.


Subject(s)
B7-H1 Antigen/analysis , Biomarkers, Tumor/analysis , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/blood , Lung Neoplasms/blood , Neoplastic Cells, Circulating/metabolism , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , B7-H1 Antigen/metabolism , Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology , Cell Line, Tumor , False Negative Reactions , Feasibility Studies , Female , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Lung/pathology , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Male , Middle Aged
12.
J Food Drug Anal ; 27(1): 240-248, 2019 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30648577

ABSTRACT

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic disease characterized by hyperglycemia that can lead to long-term complications including heart diseases, stroke, retinopathy, and renal failure. Treatment strategies include stimulating glucose uptake and controlling blood glucose level. Bofutsushosan (BOF) and Daisaikoto (DAI) are two herb-based kampo medicines that have been demonstrated to improve metabolism-associated disorders including obesity, hyperlipidemia, and nonalcoholic fatty liver. Given their bioactivities against metabolic syndromes, we explored in this study the effect of BOF and DAI extracts on glucose absorption and used them as source to identify phytochemical stimulator of glucose absorption. Glucose uptake and mechanistic studies were evaluated in differentiated C2C12 skeletal muscle cells, and HPLC analysis was used to determine the molecular bioactive constituents. Our results indicated that the ethanolic extracts of BOF and DAI (BOFEE and DAIEE, respectively) enhanced the glucose uptake ratio in the differentiated C2C12 cells, and further analysis identified the flavone baicalin as a major constituent capable of efficiently stimulating glucose absorption. Mechanistic studies revealed that the effect from baicalin involved the activation of IRS-1 and GLUT-4, and implicated the AMPK, PI3K/Akt, and MAPK/ERK signaling cascades. Due to its potency, we suggest that baicalin merit further evaluation as a potential candidate anti-hyperglycemic agent for the treatment and management of T2DM.


Subject(s)
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Flavonoids/pharmacology , Glucose/metabolism , Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology , Insulin/metabolism , Animals , Cell Line , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry , Flavonoids/analysis , Glucose Transporter Type 4/genetics , Glucose Transporter Type 4/metabolism , Hypoglycemic Agents/chemistry , Mice , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism , Signal Transduction/drug effects
13.
Phytomedicine ; 53: 62-69, 2019 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30668413

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Despite the advent of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), HCV remains an important public health problem globally. There is at present no effective vaccine against the virus, and the DAAs in current use cannot prevent de novo infection, including in liver transplant setting wherein donor livers inevitably become re-infected. Developing inhibitors to HCV entry using nature-derived small molecules may help to expand/complement the current treatment options. PURPOSE: In this study, we explored the effect of the plant alkaloid berberine (BBR) on HCV early viral entry. METHODS: Cell culture-derived HCV (HCVcc), viral pseudoparticles bearing HCV glycoproteins (HCVpp), and entry-related assays were employed to assess BBR's bioactivity. Molecular docking was used to predict BBR-HCV glycoproteins interaction, and the compound's antiviral activity was confirmed against HCVcc infection of primary human hepatocytes (PHHs). RESULTS: BBR specifically impeded HCVcc attachment and entry/fusion steps without inactivating the free virus particles or affecting the expression of host cell entry factors and post-entry viral replication. BBR also effectively inhibited infection by viral pseudoparticles expressing HCV E1/E2 glycoproteins and molecular docking analysis pointed at potential interaction with HCV E2. Finally, BBR could suppress HCVcc infection of PHHs. CONCLUSIONS: We identified BBR as a potent HCV entry inhibitor, which merits further evaluation particularly for use in transplant setting against graft re-infection by HCV.


Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Berberine/pharmacology , Hepacivirus/drug effects , Viral Envelope Proteins/metabolism , Antiviral Agents/chemistry , Berberine/chemistry , Cells, Cultured , Hepacivirus/pathogenicity , Hepacivirus/physiology , Hepatitis C/drug therapy , Hepatocytes/drug effects , Hepatocytes/virology , Host-Pathogen Interactions/drug effects , Humans , Molecular Docking Simulation , Molecular Targeted Therapy , Virus Internalization/drug effects , Virus Replication/drug effects
14.
Viruses ; 10(12)2018 11 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30486350

ABSTRACT

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) remains an important public health threat with approximately 170 million carriers worldwide who are at risk of developing hepatitis C-associated end-stage liver diseases. Despite improvement of HCV treatment using the novel direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) targeting viral replication, there is a lack of prophylactic measures for protection against HCV infection. Identifying novel antivirals such as those that target viral entry could help broaden the therapeutic arsenal against HCV. Herein, we investigated the anti-HCV activity of the methanolic extract from Rhizoma coptidis (RC), a widely used traditional Chinese medicine documented by the WHO and experimentally reported to possess several pharmacological functions including antiviral effects. Using the cell culture-derived HCV system, we demonstrated that RC dose-dependently inhibited HCV infection of Huh-7.5 cells at non-cytotoxic concentrations. In particular, RC blocked HCV attachment and entry/fusion into the host cells without exerting any significant effect on the cell-free viral particles or modulating key host cell entry factors to HCV. Moreover, RC robustly suppressed HCV pseudoparticles infection of Huh-7.5 cells and impeded infection by several HCV genotypes. Collectively, our results identified RC as a potent antagonist to HCV entry with potential pan-genotypic properties, which deserves further evaluation for use as an anti-HCV agent.


Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Hepacivirus/drug effects , Hepacivirus/physiology , Hepatitis C/virology , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Ranunculaceae/chemistry , Virus Internalization/drug effects , Antiviral Agents/chemistry , Cell Line , Genotype , Humans , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Virus Replication/drug effects
15.
Kaohsiung J Med Sci ; 34(3): 150-159, 2018 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29475462

ABSTRACT

Artemisia capillaris (A. capillaris) is a common herbal drug used for thousands years in ancient China. A. capillaris has been empirically used to manage hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD), which is commonly caused by enterovirus 71 (EV71). EV71 can cause meningoencephalitis with mortality and neurologic sequelae without effective management. It is presently unknown whether A. capillaris is effective against EV71 infection. To test the hypothesis that it could protect cells from EV71-induced injury, a hot water extract of A. capillaris was tested in human foreskin fibroblast cells (CCFS-1/KMC) and human rhabdomyosarcoma cells (RD cells) by plaque reduction assay and flow cytometry. Inhibition of viral replication was examined by reverse quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Its effect on translations of viral proteins (VP0, VP1, VP2, protease 2B and 3AB), and apoptotic proteins were examined by western blot. A. capillaris was dose-dependently effective against EV71 infection in both CCFS-1/KMC cells and RD cells by inhibiting viral internalization. However, A. capillaris was minimally effective on viral attachment, VP2 translation, and inhibition of virus-induced apoptosis. Further isolation of effective molecules is needed. In conclusion, A. capillaris has anti-EV71 activity mainly by inhibiting viral internalization. A. capillaris would be better to manage EV71 infection in combination with other agents.


Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Artemisia/chemistry , Enterovirus A, Human/drug effects , Gene Expression Regulation, Viral , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Virus Internalization/drug effects , Antiviral Agents/isolation & purification , Apoptosis/drug effects , Cell Line , Cell Line, Tumor , Enterovirus A, Human/genetics , Enterovirus A, Human/metabolism , Fibroblasts/drug effects , Fibroblasts/pathology , Fibroblasts/virology , Foreskin/cytology , Humans , Male , Plant Extracts/isolation & purification , Protein Biosynthesis/drug effects , Viral Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Viral Proteins/genetics , Viral Proteins/metabolism , Virus Attachment/drug effects , Virus Replication/drug effects
16.
Am J Chin Med ; 45(2): 299-317, 2017.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28231741

ABSTRACT

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection can cause airway symptoms, brainstem encephalitis, neurogenic shock, and neurogenic pulmonary edema with high morbidity and mortality. There is no proven therapeutic modality. Flos Farfarae is the dried flower bud of Tussilago farfara L. that has been used to manage airway illnesses for thousands of years. It has neuro-protective activity and has been used to manage neuro-inflammatory diseases. However, it is unknown whether Flos Farfarae has activity against EV71-induced neuropathy. The current study used both human foreskin fibroblast (CCFS-1/KMC) and human rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cell lines to test the hypothesis that a hot water extract of Flos Farfarae could effectively inhibit EV71 infection. The authenticity of Flos Farfarae was confirmed by HPLC-UV fingerprint. Through plaque reduction assays and flow cytometry, Flos Farfarae was found to inhibit EV71 infection ([Formula: see text]). Inhibition of viral replication and protein expression were further confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), and western blot, respectively. The estimated IC[Formula: see text]s were 106.3[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]g/mL in CCFS-1/KMC, and 15.0[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]g/mL in RD cells. Therefore, Flos Farfarae could be beneficial to inhibit EV71 infection by preventing viral replication and structural protein expression.


Subject(s)
Enterovirus A, Human/genetics , Enterovirus A, Human/physiology , Fibroblasts/virology , Gene Expression/drug effects , Neuroprotective Agents , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Tussilago , Viral Structural Proteins/genetics , Viral Structural Proteins/metabolism , Virus Replication/drug effects , Cell Line, Tumor , Depression, Chemical , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Enterovirus A, Human/pathogenicity , Enterovirus Infections/drug therapy , Foreskin/cytology , Hep G2 Cells , Humans , Male , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use
17.
Gut ; 66(10): 1853-1861, 2017 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27436270

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Silibinin is a flavonolignan that is well established for its robust antiviral activity against HCV infection and has undergone several clinical trials for the management of hepatitis C. Despite its potency, silibinin suffers from poor solubility and bioavailability, restricting its clinical use. To overcome this limitation, we developed highly bioavailable silibinin nanoparticles (SB-NPs) and evaluated their efficiency against HCV infection. DESIGN: SB-NPs were prepared using a nanoemulsification technique and were physicochemically characterised. Infectious HCV culture systems were used to evaluate the influence of SB-NP on the virus life cycle and examine their antioxidant activity against HCV-induced oxidative stress. The safety profiles of SB-NP, in vivo pharmacokinetic studies and antiviral activity against infection of primary human hepatocytes were also assessed. RESULTS: SB-NP consisted of nanoscale spherical particles (<200 nm) encapsulating amorphous silibinin at >97% efficiency and increasing the compound's solubility by >75%. Treatment with SB-NP efficiently restricted HCV cell-to-cell transmission, suggesting that they retained silibinin's robust anti-HCV activity. In addition, SB-NP exerted an antioxidant effect via their free radical scavenging function. Oral administration of SB-NP in rodents produced no apparent in vivo toxicity, and pharmacokinetic studies revealed an enhanced serum level and superior biodistribution to the liver compared with non-modified silibinin. Finally, SB-NP efficiently reduced HCV infection of primary human hepatocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Due to SB-NP's enhanced bioavailability, effective anti-HCV activity and an overall hepatoprotective effect, we suggest that SB-NP may be a cost-effective anti-HCV agent that merits further evaluation for the treatment of hepatitis C.


Subject(s)
Antioxidants/pharmacology , Hepacivirus/drug effects , Silymarin/pharmacology , Animals , Antioxidants/administration & dosage , Antioxidants/pharmacokinetics , Cells, Cultured , Drug Delivery Systems , Hepacivirus/pathogenicity , Hepatocytes/virology , Humans , Life Cycle Stages/drug effects , Male , Nanospheres , Rats , Silybin , Silymarin/administration & dosage , Silymarin/pharmacokinetics
18.
Phytochemistry ; 131: 124-129, 2016 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27567453

ABSTRACT

Phytochemical investigation of the ethanolic extract of Grangea maderaspatana led to isolation of gramaderins A-D, together with thirteen known compounds. All isolates were assayed for their anti-inflammatory activities. Consequently, 5,7-dihydroxy-3,6,3',4',5'-pentamethoxyflavone and 5,3'-dihydroxy-3,6,7,4',5'-pentamethoxyflavone showed significant bioactivities by inhibiting superoxide anion generation. 8-Acetoxy-pentadeca-1,9Z,14-trien-4,6-diyne-3-ol also demonstrated potent inhibition on elastase release. The gramaderins A/C (ß-alkyl linked γ-lactone) and gramaderins B/D (α-alkyl linked γ-lactone) co-exist in this plant material, of which the latter derivatives are few in nature. Gramaderins C/D possess a special linear dilactone diterpene skeleton, which never been reported.


Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/isolation & purification , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/isolation & purification , Asteraceae/chemistry , Diterpenes/isolation & purification , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/chemistry , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/chemistry , Diterpenes/chemistry , Diterpenes/pharmacology , Flavones/chemistry , Lactones/chemistry , Molecular Structure
19.
Sci Rep ; 6: 29969, 2016 07 18.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27426693

ABSTRACT

Without a vaccine, hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a significant threat, putting 170-300 million carriers worldwide at risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the direct-acting antivirals targeting HCV replication have revolutionized the treatment of hepatitis C, several obstacles persist, including resistance development, potential side-effects, and the prohibitive cost that limits their availability. Furthermore, treatment of HCV re-infection in liver transplantation remains a significant challenge. Developing novel antivirals that target viral entry could help expand the scope of HCV therapeutics and treatment strategies. Herein, we report (4R,6S)-2-dihydromenisdaurilide (DHMD), a natural butenolide, as an efficient inhibitor of HCV entry. Specifically, DHMD potently inhibited HCV infection at non-cytotoxic concentration. Examination on the viral life cycle demonstrated that DHMD selectively targeted the early steps of infection while leaving viral replication/translation and assembly/release unaffected. Furthermore, DHMD did not induce an antiviral interferon response. Mechanistic dissection of HCV entry revealed that DHMD could inactivate cell-free virus, abrogate viral attachment, and inhibit viral entry/fusion, with the most pronounced effect observed against the viral adsorption phase as validated using ELISA and confocal microscopy. Due to its potency, DHMD may be of value for further development as an entry inhibitor against HCV, particularly for application in transplant setting.


Subject(s)
4-Butyrolactone/analogs & derivatives , Hepacivirus/physiology , Virus Internalization/drug effects , 4-Butyrolactone/chemistry , 4-Butyrolactone/pharmacology , 4-Butyrolactone/therapeutic use , Adsorption , Antiviral Agents/chemistry , Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Cell Line, Tumor , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Hepacivirus/drug effects , Hepatitis C/drug therapy , Hepatitis C/immunology , Humans , Immunity/drug effects , Microscopy, Confocal , Phyllanthus/chemistry , Reproducibility of Results , Virion/drug effects , Virion/metabolism , Virus Activation/drug effects
20.
J Ethnopharmacol ; 185: 132-9, 2016 Jun 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26993050

ABSTRACT

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Gan-Lu-Siao-Du-yin (GLSDY) is a prescription of traditional Chinese medicine. GLSDY contains 11 ingredients and is commonly used for endemic diseases. Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is an endemic disease that can cause meningoencephalitis with mortality and neurologic sequelae without any effective management. It is unknown whether GLSDY is effective against EV71 infection. AIM OF THE STUDY: To test the hypothesis that GLSDY can protect cell from EV71-induced injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Effects of a hot water extract of GLSDY on EV71 were tested in human foreskin fibroblast cells (CCFS-1/KMC) and human rhabdomyosarcoma cells (RD cells) by plaque reduction assay and flow cytometry respectively. Inhibition of viral replication was further examined by reverse quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Its effect on viral protein translation and virus-induced apoptosis were examined by western blot. RESULTS: GLSDY was dose-dependently effective against EV71 infection (p<0.0001) in both CCFS-1/KMC cells and RD cells. GLSDY was highly effective when supplemented after viral inoculation (P<0.0001) with an IC50 of 8.7µg/mL. GLSDY inhibited viral RNA replication (P<0.0001), formation of viral structural proteins (VP0, VP1, VP2 and VP3) and non-structural proteins (protease 2B and 3AB). Furthermore, 300µg/mL GLSDY is effective to inhibit virus-induced apoptosis possibly through direct inhibition of caspase-8 and indirectly by inhibition of Bax. CONCLUSIONS: GLSDY is cheap and readily available to manage EV71 infection by inhibiting viral replication, viral protein formations, and EV71-induced apoptosis.


Subject(s)
Apoptosis/drug effects , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Enterovirus A, Human/drug effects , Fibroblasts/virology , Rhabdomyosarcoma/virology , Virus Replication/drug effects , Cell Line, Tumor , Humans , Tissue Array Analysis
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