The American journal of Chinese medicine
-
Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, called Danshen in Chinese, is the dried root and rhizome of S. miltiorrhiza, which is part of the mint family, Lamiaceae; it has chiefly been used to treat blood stasis and improve blood flow in cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases for over 2000 years. Recent preclinical studies have indicated that S. miltiorrhiza has a wide range of pharmacological properties making it useful for the treatment of diverse liver diseases. S. miltiorrhiza protects the liver from harmful hepatotoxins, reduces hepatic oxidative stress, ameliorates steatosis, and alleviates hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, and cancer. ⋯ In particular, salvianolic acid B and cryptotanshinone, both compounds derived from S. miltiorrhiza, possess therapeutic activities similar to those of S. miltiorrhiza, and thus may play a crucial role in the therapeutic activity of S. miltiorrhiza in liver diseases. Because reports on the pharmacological effects of this herb are scattered, this review aimed to consolidate the available literature to allow the re-evaluation and identification of gaps to guide future research. This review focuses on the role of S. miltiorrhiza in improving the molecular pathology of liver diseases, as reported in in vitro and in vivo studies.
-
Hemorrhagic shock (HS) is the leading cause of death in trauma patients. Inflammation following HS can lead to cardiac damage. Pachymic acid (PA), a triterpenoid extracted from Poria cocos, has been found to possess various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. ⋯ Notably, PA-pretreatment suppressed NF-[Formula: see text]B pathway activation via inhibiting NF-[Formula: see text]B p65 phosphorylation and its nuclear translocation. In conclusion, PA-pretreatment ameliorates HS-induced cardiac injury, potentially through its inhibition of the NF-[Formula: see text]B pathway. Therefore, PA treatment holds promise as a strategy for mitigating cardiac damage in HS.
-
Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is thought to be the major cause of end-stage renal disease. Due to its complicated pathogenesis and the low efficacy of DN treatment, a deep understanding of new etiological factors may be useful. Ferroptosis, a nonapoptotic form of cell death, is characterized by the accumulation of iron-dependent lipid peroxides to lethal levels. ⋯ We found HG-induced abnormal activation of ferroptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells, and QCT treatment inhibited ferroptosis by downregulating the expression of transferrin receptor 1 (TFR-1) and upregulating the expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH-1), and the cystine/glutamate reverse antiporter solute carrier family 7 member (SLC7A11) in DN mice and HG-incubated HK-2 cells. Subsequently, both in vitro and in vivo results confirmed that QCT activated the NFE2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/Heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) signaling pathway by increasing the levels of Nrf2 and HO-1. Therefore, this study supports that QCT inhibits the ferroptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells by regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, providing a novel insight into the protective mechanism of QCT in DN treatment.
-
COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to global public health since its outbreak. The Qing-Fei-Pai-Du decoction (QFPDD), a Chinese herbal formula, is widely used in China to treat COVID-19. It exerts an impressive therapeutic effect by inhibiting the progression from mild to critical disease in the clinic. ⋯ In addition, QFPDD also inhibited the polarization of M1 macrophages and downregulated the expressions of IL-6, TNF-[Formula: see text], MIP-2, MCP-1, and IP-10, while also upregulating the IL-10 expression. The phosphorylated TAK1, IKK[Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text], and I[Formula: see text]B[Formula: see text] and the subsequent translocation of phosphorylated p65 into the nuclei were decreased by QFPDD. These findings indicated that QFPDD reduces the intensity of the cytokine storm by inhibiting the NF-[Formula: see text]B signaling pathway during severe viral infections, thereby providing theoretical and experimental support for its clinical application in respiratory viral infections.