Furanocoumarin compounds isolated from Dorstenia foetida potentiate irinotecan anticancer activity against colorectal cancer cells.

Although the anticancer activity of Dorstenia foetida was already observed, the chemical entity responsible for this activity remained unidentified. In this study, the cytotoxic activity of two furanocoumarin compounds, i.e., 5-methoxy--3-(3-methyl-2,3-dihydroxybutyl)-psoralen (1) and 5-methoxy-3-(3-methyl-2,3-dihydroxybutyl)-psoralen diacetate (2) isolated from ethyl acetate fraction of D. foetida (whole plant) was investigated in several cancer cell lines including HN22, MDA-MB-231, HCT116, and HT29. The results revealed that compound 2 exhibited cytotoxic activity, particularly against colorectal cancer cell lines HCT116 and HT29. The interplay between compound 2 and irinotecan (Iri) showed synergism against HCT116, which was analyzed by CompuSyn software. The simulation revealed that, at the molar ratio of Iri:2 of 1:40, the concentration predicted to achieve a 90 % inhibitory effect when used in the combination would be ~28- and ~4-fold lower than the concentration of compound 2 and Iri, resp., when used individually. Finally, the percentage of apoptotic cells in the HCT116 line treated with the combination was markedly higher than in the cells treated with the individual agent (60 % apoptotic cells for the combination compared to 17 and 45 % for Iri and compound 2 monotherapy, resp). In conclusion, our results identified compound 2 as a plant-derived compound exhibiting anticancer properties that can act synergistically with Iri and warranted further research to assess the potential of this synergism for colorectal cancer treatment.

Acute and subacute toxicological evaluation of the ethanol leaf extract of Morus mesozygia stapf. (Moraceae) in rodents.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditionally, the Morus mesozygia tree leaf has been used to manage maladies such as peptic ulcer, hyperglycemia, dermatitis, rheumatism, stomach-ache, arthritis, cough, malignancies, and malaria in parts of Africa. AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to evaluate the potential of ethanol leaf extract of Morus mesozygia (EEMm) to induce toxicity by employing both acute and sub-acute oral toxicity experimental models. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The extract's cytotoxicity was studied using brine shrimps (Artemia salina) lethality assay (BSLA), while in the acute toxicity test, male and female mice were administered a single oral dose of EEMm (2000 mg/kg). Male and female Wistar rats received repeated doses of 100 or 500 mg/kg EEMm orally for 28 days in the sub-acute toxicity experiment. The phytochemical analysis of EEMm was done using the HPLC. RESULTS: The BSLA revealed a moderate cytotoxic potential of the extract, with an LC50 of 567.13 ± 0.27 µg/mL. All the animals survived the acute toxicity test, with no significant changes in the relative organ weights, suggesting that LD50 is greater than 2000 mg/kg. The animal weights did not vary significantly in the sub-acute toxicity test neither were the alterations in biochemical and hematological tests pronounced, although the histoarchitectures of the kidney, liver and spleen indicated slight anomalies in the evaluated animals. The HPLC analysis revealed the presence of quercetin, ferulic acid, rutin, caffeic acid, morin and gallic acid. CONCLUSIONS: Ethanol leaf extract of Morus mesozygia demonstrated a safe toxicity profile in rodents, supporting its broad folkloric use in African ethnomedicine.

Cardiac glycosides from Streblus asper with potential antiviral activity.

Ten undescribed cardiac glycosides, strasperosides A-J, together with twelve known analogues, were isolated from Streblus asper Lour. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, electronic circular dichroism data, and chemical methods. These cardiac glycosides showed diversity in steroid skeleton and sugar moiety. Strasperosides A and B are a pair of unusual stereoisomers featuring different orientation of the lactone motif. Ten cardiac glycosides demonstrated potent antiviral effects on HSV-1 in vitro with the IC50 values from 0.19 ± 0.08 to 1.03 ± 0.25 µM and the therapeutic indices from 66.61 ± 5.08 to 326.75 ± 11.75.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of 1,6,7-Trihydroxy-2-(1,1-dimethyl-2-propenyl)-3-methoxyxanthone Isolated from Cudrania tricuspidata via NF-κB, MAPK, and HO-1 Signaling Pathways in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated RAW 264.7 and BV2 Cells.

Neuroinflammation activated by microglia affects inflammatory pain development. This study aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory properties and mechanisms of 1,6,7-trihydroxy-2-(1,1-dimethyl-2-propenyl)-3-methoxyxanthone (THMX) from Cudrania tricuspidata in microglia activation-mediated inflammatory pain. In RAW 264.7 and BV2 cells, THMX has been shown to reduce lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines, including nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin (PG) E2, interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). THMX also decreased LPS-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and the activation of p65 nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Interestingly, THMX also activated heme oxygenase (HO)-1 expression. These findings suggest that THMX is a promising biologically active compound against inflammation through preventing MAPKs and NF-ĸB and activating HO-1 signaling pathways.

Phylogenomic analyses of the Neotropical Artocarpeae (Moraceae) reveal a history of introgression and support the reinstatement of Acanthinophyllum.

This molecular study of the Neotropical Artocarpeae, the closest living allies of the Asia-Pacific breadfruit genus, uses phylogenomic and network analyses to untangle the evolutionary history of this difficult group. Results paint a picture of a rapid radiation, with introgression, incomplete lineage sorting, and lack of gene tree resolution confounding attempts to reconstruct a well-supported bifurcating tree. While coalescent-based species trees were markedly at odds with morphology, multifurcating phylogenetic network analyses recovered multiple histories, with clearer traces of morphological alliances. The sole unambiguous finding is the sister relationship between Clarisia sect. Acanthinophyllum and the rest of the Neotropical Artocarpeae; as a result, the genus Acanthinophyllum is reinstated.

Benzo[b]naphtho[2,1-d]furans and 2-Phenylnaphthalenes from Streblus usambarensis.

Three new benzo[b]naphtho[2,1-d]furans, usambarins A-C (1-3), five new 2-phenylnaphthalenes, usambarins D-H (4-8), a new flavan (9), and a new phenyl-1-benzoxepin (10) as well as two known compounds (11 and 12) were isolated from the extract of the stem and roots of Streblus usambarensis (Moraceae). The structures were deduced using NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric analyses, and those of compounds 1 and 4 were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Usambarin D (4) demonstrated moderate antibacterial activity (MIC 9.0 µM) against Bacillus subtilis, while none of the tested compounds were effective against Escherichia coli.

Protective Effects of Cudrania tricuspidata Against Helicobacter pylori-Induced Inflammation in C57BL/6 Mice.

Helicobacter pylori modulates the host inflammatory response, resulting in chronic gastritis, which contributes to gastric cancer pathogenesis. We verified the effect of Cudrania tricuspidata on H. pylori infection by inhibiting H. pylori-induced inflammatory activity. Five-week-old C57BL/6 mice (n = 8) were administered C. tricuspidata leaf extract (10 or 20 mg/kg per day) for 6 weeks. An invasive test (campylobacter-like organism [CLO]) and noninvasive tests (stool antigen test [SAT] and H. pylori antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) were performed to confirm the eradication of H. pylori. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of C. tricuspidata, pro-inflammatory cytokines levels and inflammation scores were measured in mouse gastric tissue. C. tricuspidata significantly decreased the CLO score and H. pylori immunoglobulin G antibody optical density levels at both 10 and 20 mg/kg per day doses (P < .05). C. tricuspidata decreased the H. pylori antibody levels in a concentration-dependent manner, increased negative responses to SAT by up to 37.5%, and inhibited the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL; IL-1ß, IL-6, 1L-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha). C. tricuspidata also relieved gastric erosions and ulcers and significantly reduced the inflammation score (P < .05). We measured rutin in C. tricuspidata extract as a standard for high-performance liquid chromatography. C. tricuspidata leaf extract showed anti-H. pylori activity through the inhibition of inflammation. Our findings suggest that C. tricuspidata leaf extract is potentially an effective functional food material against H. pylori.

Megastigmane glycosides from Streblus ilicifolius (S.Vidal) Corner and their anti-inflammatory activity.

Twelve undescribed megastigmane glycosides, streilicifolosides A-L (1-12), together with 8 known analogues (13-21) were isolated from the leaves of Streblus ilicifolius (S.Vidal) Corner. Their plannar structures were elucidated using extensive NMR spectroscopic methods (1D and 2D-NMR spectroscopy), and HRESIMS spectroscopic data analyses. The absolute configurations of the undescribed compounds were determined by the glucose-induced shift-trend, calculated and experimental circular dichroism spectroscopy. All the compounds were tested for inhibitory effects on the production of NO in LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells, and streilicifoloside E and platanionoside D exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity comparable to that of the positive control, with IC50 values of 26.33 and 21.84 µM, respectively. Furthermore, these two compounds markedly decreased the secretion of PGE2 and TNF-α and inhibited the expression of COX‒2, iNOS and NF-κB/p65 in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the structure-activity relationships of the isolates were also discussed. The results suggest that streilicifoloside E and platanionoside D could be used as potential candidates for the development of new anti-inflammatory agents.

Milicia excelsa (Moraceae) reversed the effects of letrozole-induced aromatase inhibition in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrinopathy affecting 5-20% of women of childbearing age. There is no single drug for the treatment of PCOS and current therapies have significant side effects. This study evaluated the ability of Milica excelsa to improve PCOS symptoms in rats. METHODS: Induction of PCOS was achieved using letrozole (a reversible aromatase inhibitor; 1 mg/kg; given orally for 21 days). From day 22, PCOS rats received the aqueous extract of M. excelsa roots (14 and 140 mg/kg). Clomiphene citrate (1 mg/kg) was administered to the positive control. The negative and the normal controls received the vehicle (5% DMSO). Treatments were given orally for 7 or 14 days. Vaginal smears were scrutinized daily during the experiment. Body weight was measured hebdomadal. Animals were sacrificed after the two treatment periods for biochemical and histological analyses. RESULTS: Aromatase inhibition caused hyperandrogenism (p<0.001), overweight (p<0.001) and fat accumulation (p<0.001). It also blocked the estrous cycle at the diestrus phase and altered ovarian dynamics as evidenced by the accumulation of cystic (p<0.001) and atretic (p<0.001) follicles. In contrast, M. excelsa induced weight loss (p<0.001), reduction in fat weight (p<0001), and lower serum androgen and LH levels (p<0.001). It also restored the estrous cycle and improved ovarian dynamics by increasing the amount of Graafian follicles (p<0.001) and corpora lutea (p<0.001), and decreasing that of cystic and atretic follicles (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Milica excelsa corrected hyperandrogenism and overweight in PCOS animals, and reduced cyst formation and follicle atresia in their ovaries.

Screening and Structure-Activity Relationship for Selective and Potent Anti-Melanogenesis Agents Derived from Species of Mulberry (Genus Morus).

Tyrosinase is a multifunctional, copper-containing and rate-limiting oxidase that catalyses crucial steps in the melanogenesis pathway and is responsible for skin-pigmentation abnormalities in mammals. Numerous tyrosinase inhibitors derived from natural and synthetic sources have been identified as an objective for the development of anti-melanogenesis agents. However, due to side effects and lack of expected efficiency, only a small percentage of them are used for medical and cosmetic purposes. This critical review focuses on searching for novel active substances and recently discovered plant-derived anti-tyrosinase inhibitors from the Morus genus (Moraceae family). A detailed analysis of their structure-activity relationships is discussed. The information contained in this article is crucial for the cosmetics and medical industries, in order to show new directions for the effective search for natural anti-melanogenesis products (with satisfactory efficiency and safety) to treat and cure hyperpigmentation.

The complete chloroplast genome sequences of three Broussonetia species and comparative analysis within the Moraceae.

Background: Species of Broussonetia (family Moraceae) are commonly used to make textiles and high-grade paper. The distribution of Broussonetia papyrifera L. is considered to be related to the spread and location of humans. The complete chloroplast (cp) genomes of B. papyrifera, Broussonetia kazinoki Sieb., and Broussonetia kaempferi Sieb. were analyzed to better understand the status and evolutionary biology of the genus Broussonetia. Methods: The cp genomes were assembled and characterized using SOAPdenovo2 and DOGMA. Phylogenetic and molecular dating analysis were performed using the concatenated nucleotide sequences of 35 species in the Moraceae family and were based on 66 protein-coding genes (PCGs). An analysis of the sequence divergence (pi) of each PCG among the 35 cp genomes was conducted using DnaSP v6. Codon usage indices were calculated using the CodonW program. Results: All three cp genomes had the typical land plant quadripartite structure, ranging in size from 160,239 bp to 160,841 bp. The ribosomal protein L22 gene (RPL22) was either incomplete or missing in all three Broussonetia species. Phylogenetic analysis revealed two clades. Clade 1 included Morus and Artocarpus, whereas clade 2 included the other seven genera. Malaisia scandens Lour. was clustered within the genus Broussonetia. The differentiation of Broussonetia was estimated to have taken place 26 million years ago. The PCGs' pi values ranged from 0.0005 to 0.0419, indicating small differences within the Moraceae family. The distribution of most of the genes in the effective number of codons plot (ENc-plot) fell on or near the trend line; the slopes of the trend line of neutrality plots were within the range of 0.0363-0.171. These results will facilitate the identification, taxonomy, and utilization of the Broussonetia species and further the evolutionary studies of the Moraceae family.

Cytotoxic and Pro-Apoptotic Effects of Leaves Extract of Antiaris africana Engler (Moraceae).

Antiaris africana Engler leaves have been used in Senegalese folk medicine to treat breast cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the anticancer potential of Antiaris africana Engler leaves using several human cancer cell lines. The leaves of Antiaris africana Engler were extracted in parallel with water or 70% ethanol and each extract divided into three parts by successive liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate and butanol. The phytochemical components of the active extract were investigated using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS/MS). The cytotoxic and cytostatic effects of each extract, as well as their fractions, were evaluated in vitro via flow and image cytometry on different human cancer phenotypes, such as breast (MCF-7), pancreas (AsPC-1), colon (SW-620) and acute monocytic leukemia (THP-1). Both hydro-alcoholic and aqueous extracts induced strong apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. The water fraction of the hydro-alcoholic extract was found to be the most active, suppressing the cell growth of MCF-7 in a dose-dependent manner. The half maximum effective concentration (EC50) of this fraction was 64.6 ± 13.7 µg/mL for MCF-7, with equivalent values for all tested phenotypes. In parallel, the apoptotic induction by this fraction resulted in a EC50 of 63.5 ± 1.8 µg/mL for MCF-7, with again equivalent values for all other cellular tested phenotypes. Analysis of this fraction by UPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS/MS led to the identification of hydroxycinnamates as major components, one rutin isomer, and three cardiac glycosides previously isolated from seeds and bark of Antiaris africana Engler and described as cytotoxic in human cancer models. These results provide supportive data for the use of Antiaris africana Engler leaves in Senegal.

Efficacy of Moraceae with chlorhexidine mouthwash on the microbial flora of critically ill intubated patients: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Critically ill intubated patients are routinely provided with chlorhexidine (CHX) for their mouth washing, but CHX mouthwash induces several complications. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Moraceae with CHX mouthwash in the reduction of oral bacterial count in critically ill patients and to compare it with CHX-alone mouthwash. This double-blind, randomized, controlled trial included critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation. The patients were randomly divided into two groups based on the Modified Beck oral assessment score. The primary endpoint was a reduction in oral bacterial counts after mouth washing on day 1 and day 4. Thirty patients were included in this study; 15 patients received Moraceae with CHX mouthwash and 15 patients received CHX-alone mouthwash. The oral bacterial counts in the Moraceae with CHX group did not differ from the CHX group after mouth washing on day 1 and day 4 of admission. The patients in the CHX group experienced more intolerable taste than those in the Moraceae group (60% vs. 13.3%, P = 0.008). Moraceae with CHX mouthwash had the same effectiveness as CHX alone on bacterial flora but exhibited less intolerable side effects than CHX alone.Trial registration: TCTR20190530003; 30/05/2019.

The Genus Broussonetia: An Updated Review of Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Applications.

The Broussonetia genus (Moraceae), recognized for its value in many Chinese traditional herbs, mainly includes Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent. (BP), Broussonetia kazinoki Siebold (BK), and Broussonetia luzonica (Blanco) Bureau (BL). Hitherto, researchers have found 338 compounds isolated from BP, BK, and BL, which included flavonoids, polyphenols, phenylpropanoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, and others. Moreover, its active compounds and extracts have exhibited a variety of pharmacological effects such as antitumor, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, antibacterial, and antiviral properties, and its use against skin wrinkles. In this review, the phytochemistry and pharmacology of Broussonetia are updated systematically, after its applications are first summarized. In addition, this review also discusses the limitations of investigations and the potential direction of Broussonetia. This review can help to further understand the phytochemistry, pharmacology, and other applications of Broussonetia, which paves the way for future research.

Cardiac glycosides from the roots of Streblus asper Lour. with activity against Epstein-Barr virus lytic replication.

Cardiac glycosides (CGs) show potential broad-spectrum antiviral activity by targeting cellular host proteins. Herein are reported the isolation of five new (1-5) and eight known (7-13) CGs from the roots of Streblus asper Lour. Of these compounds 1 and 7 exhibited inhibitory action against EBV early antigen (EA) expression, with half-maximal effective concentration values (EC50) being less than 60 nM, and they also showed selectivity, with selectivity index (SI) values being 56.80 and 103.17, respectively. Preliminary structure activity relationships indicated that the C-10 substituent, C-5 hydroxy groups, and C-3 sugar unit play essential roles in the mediation of the inhibitory activity of CGs against EBV. Further enzyme experiments demonstrated that these compounds might inhibit ion pump function and thereby change the intracellular signal transduction pathway by binding to Na+/K+-ATPase, as validated by simulated molecular docking. This study is the first report that CGs can effectively limit EBV lytic replication, and the observations made in this study may be of value for lead compound development.

Improvement in Solubility-Permeability Interplay of Psoralens from Brosimum gaudichaudii Plant Extract upon Complexation with Hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin.

Psoralen (PSO) and 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MOP) are widely used drugs in oral photochemotherapy against vitiligo and major bioactive components of root bark extract of Brosimum gaudichaudii Trécul (EBGT), previously standardized by LC-MS. However, the exceptionally low water solubility of these psoralens can cause incomplete and variable bioavailability limiting their applications and patient adherence to treatment. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to investigate the effects of 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HP-ß-CD) inclusion complex on the solubility and jejunal permeability of PSO and 5-MOP from EBGT. Characterization of inclusion complexes were evaluated by current methods in nuclear magnetic resonance studies on aqueous solution, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and scanning electron microscopy in solid state. Ex vivo rat jejunal permeability was also investigated and compared for both pure psoralens and plant extract formulation over a wide HP-ß-CD concentration range (2.5 to 70 mM). Phase solubility studies of the PSO- and 5-MOP-HP-ß-CD inclusion complex showed 1:1 inclusion complex formation with small stability constants (Kc < 500 M−1). PSO and 5-MOP permeability rate decreased after adding HP-ß-CD by 6- and 4-fold for pure standards and EBGT markers, respectively. Nevertheless, the complexation with HP-ß-CD significantly improved solubility of PSO (until 10-fold) and 5-MOP (until 31-fold). As a result, the permeability drop could be overcome by solubility augmentation, implying that the HP-ß-CD inclusion complexes with PSO, 5-MOP, or EBGT can be a valuable tool for designing and developing novel oral drug product formulation containing these psoralens for the treatment of vitiligo.

A chromosome-level genome assembly of Artocarpus nanchuanensis (Moraceae), an extremely endangered fruit tree.

Artocarpus nanchuanensis (Moraceae), which is naturally distributed in China, is a representative and extremely endangered tree species. In this study, we obtained a high-quality chromosome-scale genome assembly and annotation information for A. nanchuanensis using integrated approaches, including Illumina, Nanopore sequencing platform, and Hi-C. A total of 128.71 Gb of raw Nanopore reads were generated from 20-kb libraries, and 123.38 Gb of clean reads were obtained after filtration with 160.34× coverage depth and a 17.48-kb average read length. The final assembled A. nanchuanensis genome was 769.44 Mb with a 2.09 Mb contig N50, and 99.62% (766.50 Mb) of the assembled data was assigned to 28 pseudochromosomes. In total, 39,596 genes (95.10%, 39,596/41,636) were successfully annotated, and 129 metabolic pathways were detected. Plants disease resistance/insect resistance genes, plant-pathogen interaction metabolic pathways, and abundant biosynthesis pathways of vitamins, flavonoid, and gingerol were detected. Unigene reveals the basis of species-specific functions, and gene family in contraction and expansion generally implies strong functional differences in the evolution. Compared with other related species, a total of 512 unigenes, 309 gene families in contraction, and 559 gene families in expansion were detected in A. nanchuanensis. This A. nanchuanensis genome information provides an important resource to expand our understanding of the unique biological processes, nutritional and medicinal benefits, and evolutionary relationship of this species. The study of gene function and metabolic pathway in A. nanchuanensis may reveal the theoretical basis of a special trait in A. nanchuanensis and promote the study and utilization of its rare medicinal value.

A Synbiotic Combination of Lactobacillus gasseri 505 and Cudrania tricuspidata Leaf Extract Prevents Stress-Induced Testicular Dysfunction in Mice.

This study investigated the effects of a synbiotic combination (Syn) of Lactobacillus gasseri 505 (505) and Cudrania tricuspidata leaf extract (CT) on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in mice under chronic stress. Unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) significantly increased the serum levels of corticosterone, however, treatment with Syn suppressed UCMS-induced increases. Histopathological analysis of the testes showed that these organs experienced some damage during UCMS, but this was repaired following treatment with Syn. Similarly, the transcription levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), GnRH receptor, and gonadotropins, moreover, testicular development (i.e., Adam5, Adam29, and Spam1) - and steroidogenesis (i.e., Lhr, Egfr, and StAR) -related genes were significantly downregulated by UCMS. These UCMS-induced changes were inhibited by the administration of Syn, which was confirmed by the results of in situ hybridization analysis. These results suggest that the administration of Syn could attenuate the testicular dysfunctions induced by UCMS.

Cytotoxic cardiac glycosides from the root of Streblus asper.

Bioassay-guided separation of the root of Streblus asper led to the identification of six undescribed cardiac glycosides, including a rare cardiac glycoside dimer, along with twelve previously reported analogues. Their structures were determined on the basis of analyses of spectroscopic methods (1D and 2D-NMR spectroscopy), high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESIMS), circular dichroism (CD), and comparison of their spectroscopic data with previously reported data. Regarding their cytotoxic activities, microculture tetrazolium assays showed that all isolated cardiac glycosides strongly inhibited MCC-803, T24, SKOV-3, HepG2, Wi-38, and A549 cancer cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 0.075 µM to 0.752 µM. One cardiac glycoside, a rare cardiac glycoside dimer, exhibited the strongest activity against the six cancer cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 0.075 µM to 0.214 µM. In addition, the structure-activity relationships (SARs) of cardiac glycosides were investigated. In summary, S. asper showed marked cytotoxicity to several cancer cell lines, which could be meaningful for discovering new anticancer agents.

Molecular networking-guided strategy for the pharmacokinetic study of herbal medicines: Cudrania tricuspidata leaf extracts.

In this study, the pharmacokinetic profiles of the bioactive components in the leaf extract of the medicinal herb, Cudrania tricuspidate, were investigated using an MS/MS-based molecular networking system. To identify the major active components of the C. tricuspidate leaf extract (CLE), HPLC-DAD analysis was conducted with a standard mixture of six flavonoids (rutin, isoquercitrin, nicotiflorin, kaempferol 3-O-glucoside, quercetin, and kaempferol). The unknown peaks were determined via molecular networking analysis using the mass dataset obtained by liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF/MS). For the subsequent pharmacokinetic study, CLE (1 g/kg) was orally administered to rats, and plasma samples were collected. The product ion mass data of plasma samples using LC-QTOF/MS were obtained and subjected to molecular networking analysis. The resulting molecular networking map indicated that the glucuronide metabolites of quercetin and kaempferol were the major circulating species. Accordingly, quercetin and kaempferol were determined following ß-glucuronidase treatment, and their pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. These findings indicate that the proposed molecular network-based approaches are potential and efficient methods for the pharmacokinetic study of herbal medicines.