Inhibition by components of Glycyrrhiza uralensis of 3CLpro and HCoV-OC43 proliferation.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). 3CLpro is a key enzyme in coronavirus proliferation and a treatment target for COVID-19. In vitro and in silico, compounds 1-3 from Glycyrrhiza uralensis had inhibitory activity and binding affinity for 3CLpro. These compounds decreased HCoV-OC43 cytotoxicity in RD cells. Moreover, they inhibited viral growth by reducing the amounts of the necessary proteins (M, N, and RDRP). Therefore, compounds 1-3 are inhibitors of 3CLpro and HCoV-OC43 proliferation.

Hydrophilic Versus Lipophilic Statin Treatments in Patients With Renal Impairment After Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background Hydrophilic and lipophilic statins have similar efficacies in treating coronary artery disease. However, specific factors relevant to renal impairment and different arterial pathogeneses could modify the clinical effects of statin lipophilicity, and create differences in protective effects between statin types in patients with renal impairment. Methods and Results A total of 2062 patients with acute myocardial infarction with an estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 were enrolled from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry between November 2011 and December 2015. The primary end point was a composite of 2-year major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACEs) after acute myocardial infarction occurrence. MACEs were defined as all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction, revascularization, and stroke. Propensity-score matching and Cox proportional hazards regression were performed. A total of 529 patients treated with hydrophilic statins were matched to 529 patients treated with lipophilic statins. There was no difference in the statin equivalent dose between the 2 statin groups. The cumulative event rate of MACEs, all-cause mortality, and recurrent myocardial infarction were significantly lower in patients treated with hydrophilic statins in the propensity-score matched population (all P<0.05). In the multivariable Cox regression analysis, patients treated with hydrophilic statins had a lower risk for composite MACEs (hazard ratio [HR], 0.70 [95% CI, 0.55-0.90]), all-cause mortality (HR, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.49-0.93]), and recurrent myocardial infarction (HR, 0.40 [95% CI, 0.21-0.73]), but not for revascularization and ischemic stroke. Conclusions Hydrophilic statin treatment was associated with lower risk of MACEs and all-cause mortality than lipophilic statin in a propensity-score matched observational cohort of patients with renal impairment following acute myocardial infarction.

Antioxidant and Anti-Melanogenic Activities of Heat-Treated Licorice (Wongam, Glycyrrhiza glabra × G. uralensis) Extract.

Melanin is a brown or black pigment that protects skin from ultraviolet radiation and reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, overproduction of melanin is associated with lentigines, melasma, freckles and skin cancer. Licorice has shown antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-platelet, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities and is used as a natural treatment for skin whitening. We aimed to confirm the potential of Wongam, a new cultivar of licorice developed by the Rural Development Administration (RDA), as a whitening agent in cosmetics. In addition, we verified the effect of heat treatment on the bioactivity of licorice by comparing antioxidant and anti-melanogenic activities of licorice extract before and after heating (130 °C). The heat-treated licorice extract (WH-130) showed higher radical-scavenging activities in the ABTS+ (2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazolin-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt) and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assays. In addition, WH-130 inhibited melanogenesis more effectively due to downregulation of tyrosinase in B16F10 melanoma cells than non-heated licorice extract. Moreover, heat treatment increased total phenolic content. In particular, isoliquiritigenin, an antioxidant and anti-melanogenic compound of licorice, was produced by heat treatment. In conclusion, WH-130, with increased levels of bioactive phenolics such as isoliquiritigenin, has potential for development into a novel skin whitening material with applications in cosmetics.

Neuroprotective Effects of Coreopsis lanceolata Flower Extract against Oxidative Stress-Induced Apoptosis in Neuronal Cells and Mice.

Coreopsis lanceolata L. is a perennial plant of the family Asteraceae, and its flower is known to contain flavonoids with various bioactivities. We evaluated the effect of Coreopsis lanceolata L. flower (CLF) extracts on H2O2-induced oxidative stress (OS) in neuronal cells and mouse neurons. The flowering part of CL was used as CLF1 (70% ethanol extract) and CLF2 (water extract), and 10 types of phenolic compounds were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. To evaluate the neuroprotective effects of CLF, the antioxidant activities of the extracts were measured, and the expression levels of antioxidant enzymes and proteins related to OS-induced apoptosis in neuronal cells and mouse neurons treated with the extracts were investigated. In the in vitro study, CLF ameliorated H2O2-induced oxidative stress and induced the expression of antioxidant enzymes in PC12 cells. Furthermore, CLF1 enhanced the expression of the Bcl-xL protein but reduced the expression of Bax and the cleavage of caspase-3. In the same manner, CLF1 showed neuroprotective effects against OS in vivo. Pretreatment with CLF1 (200 mg/kg) increased the Bcl-2 protein and decreased Bax compared with the 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+)-treated C57BL/6 mice model group. Our results suggest that the protective effects of CLF1 on MPP+-induced apoptosis may be due to its anti-apoptotic activity, through regulating the expression of the Bcl-2 family. CLF1 exerts neuroprotective effects against OS-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells in a Parkinson's disease model mouse. This effect may be attributable to the upregulation of Bcl-2 protein expression, downregulation of Bax expression, and inhibition of caspase-3 activation. These data indicate that CLF may provide therapeutic value for the treatment of progressive neurodegenerative diseases.

Renal dysfunction is associated with decline of cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults: Korean frailty and aging cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive decline is common in older adults. Similarly, the prevalence of renal dysfunction is also increased in the elderly population. We conducted this study to clarify the relationship between renal dysfunction and decline of cognitive function in community-dwelling elderly population. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was performed using data from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study, a nationwide cohort study. Total 2847 (1333 men, 1514 women) eligible participants were enrolled for this study. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, mL/min/1.73m2) was calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. Global cognitive function was assessed with the Mini-mental State Examination-Korean version. Other domains of cognitive function were tested with the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's disease and the Frontal Assessment Battery. RESULTS: The mean age of all participants was 76.0 ± 3.9 years and eGFR (all in mL/min/1.73 m2) was 77.5 ± 14.3. And the mean eGFR was 91.7 ± 3.2 in quartile 1, 84.9 ± 1.8 in quartile 2, 76.1 ± 3.7 in quartile 3, and 57.2 ± 10.8 in quartile 4. In baseline characteristics, participants with lower eGFR tend to have lower cognitive function scores than participant with higher eGFR. In linear regression analysis, eGFR was correlated with the word list memory (ß = 0.53, P = 0.005), word list recall (ß = 0.86, P < 0.001), and word list recognition (ß = 0.43, P = 0.030) after adjustment of confounding variables. Moreover, after multivariate adjustment the association with cognitive impairment in quartile 2 was stronger (adjusted OR: 1.535, 95% CI: 1.111-2.120, P = 0.009), and the ORs of cognitive impairment were 1.501 (95% CI: 1.084-2.079, P = 0.014) in quartile 3 and 1.423 (95% CI: 1.022-1.983, P = 0.037) in quartile 4. CONCLUSION: In older adults, the immediate, recent memory, and recognition domains were significantly related to renal function. Also, the mild renal dysfunction was independently associated with impairment of global cognitive function. These results suggest that the early stages of renal dysfunction could be an effective target to prevent worsening of cognitive impairment. Therefore, regular monitoring and early detection of mild renal dysfunction in elderly population might be needed.

Radiation safety: a focus on lead aprons and thyroid shields in interventional pain management.

C-arm fluoroscopy is useful equipment in interventional pain management because it helps to guide correct needle targeting for the accurate injection and drug delivery. However, due to increased use of C-arm fluoroscopy in various pain procedures, the risk of radiation exposure is a significant concern for pain physicians. The harmful biological effects of ionizing radiation on the human body are well known. It is therefore necessary to strive to reduce radiation exposure. Lead aprons with thyroid shields are the most fundamental radiation protective devices for interventional procedures, and are very effective. However, the operator's radiation safety cannot be guaranteed because pain physicians seem to lack sufficient interest, knowledge, and awareness about radiation safety. Also, inappropriate care and use of radiation protective devices may result in a higher risk of radiation exposure. The purpose of this article was to review the literature on radiation safety with a focus on lead aprons and thyroid shields and present recommendations related to those devices during C-arm fluoroscopic-guided interventions by pain physicians.