The American journal of Chinese medicine
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Metastasis of osteosarcoma is an important adverse factor affecting patients' survival, and cancer stemness is the crucial cause of distant metastasis. Capsaicin, the main component of pepper, has been proven in our previous work to inhibit osteosarcoma proliferation and enhance its drug sensitivity to cisplatin at low concentrations. This study aims to further explore the anti-osteosarcoma effect of capsaicin at low concentrations (100[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M, 24[Formula: see text]h) on stemness and metastasis. ⋯ Overall, capsaicin exerts a significant inhibitory effect on the stemness expression and metastatic ability of osteosarcoma. Moreover, it can inhibit the migratory ability of osteosarcoma by suppressing its stemness via downregulating SOX2 and EZH2. Therefore, capsaicin is expected to be a potential drug against osteosarcoma metastasis due to its ability to inhibit cancer stemness.
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During menopause, the sharp decline in estrogen levels leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in women. The inflammatory response and oxidative stress are reportedly involved in the development of cardiovascular disorders postmenopause. In this study, we evaluated the cardioprotective effects of puerarin, a phytoestrogen derived from the root of Pueraria lobate, and investigated its underlying molecular mechanisms. ⋯ The cardioprotective effects of puerarin were abolished by inhibitors of Akt and HO-1 and the estrogen receptor antagonist fulvestrant (ICI). This indicated that the estrogen receptor mediated by these two molecules plays important roles in conferring the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative functions of puerarin. These results demonstrate the therapeutic potential of puerarin for treating heart disease in postmenopausal women through Akt and HO-1 activation.
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To compare the long-term efficacy and safety of glycyrrhizic acid preparation and hormone treatment in patients with autoimmune hepatitis, we enrolled 377 patients in a study that lasted from January 2009 to January 2020. After performing propensity score matching, we included 58 patients in the hormone group and 58 in the glycyrrhizic acid preparation group in statistical analysis. We then compared the ratio of sustained biochemical responses at 48 weeks after treatment. ⋯ At the end of follow-up, the total bile acid in the hormone group was significantly higher than that in the glycyrrhizic acid preparation group (8.9[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]mol/L vs. 5.6[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]mol/L, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]). The incidence of adverse reactions in the hormone group was significantly higher than that in the glycyrrhizic acid preparation group (31.03% vs. 15.52%, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]). In conclusion, compared with the hormone treatment, glycyrrhizic acid preparation might be a safe and effective treatment for autoimmune hepatitis.
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Baicalin was reported to facilitate the apoptosis of colon cells and inhibit tumor growth in vivo. This study aimed to explore the specific mechanism and function of baicalin on colon cells. Relative mRNA levels were tested via qPCR. ⋯ The protective functions of miR-139-3p knockdown on tumor cells were abrogated by silencing CDK16. The combination of baicalin treatment and CDK16 knockdown further inhibited tumor growth of xenografted tumor mice compared with the groups injected with only sh-CDK16 or baicalin in vivo. In conclusion, baicalin inhibited colon cancer growth by modulating the miR-139-3p/CDK16 axis.
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Pyroptosis, an apoptotic pathway for pro-inflammatory cells, has attracted attention from researchers because of its role in the development of cardiac inflammation reactions. Chinese medicine (CM) has been given more and more attention during the pursuit of a treatment for coronary heart disease (CHD). Evidence suggests that myocardial cell pyroptosis affects the progression of CHD. ⋯ The frequently studied compounds that regulate pyroptosis in CHD include astragaloside IV (AS-IV), tanshinone IIA, aucubin, cinnamaldehyde (CD), ginsenoside Rb1, paeoniflorin, apigenin, berberine (BBR), ruscogenin (Rus), and total glucosides of paeonia (TGP). The patent drugs of CM that regulate pyroptosis in CHD include the Qishen granule (QSG), the Simiao Yong'an decoction (SMYAD), the Buyang Huanwu decoction (BYHWD), and the Shexiang Baoxin pill (SBP). Therefore, this paper reviews the pathogenesis of pyroptosis, the role of pyroptosis in CHD, and the potential therapeutic roles of CMs and their active ingredients targeting cell pyroptosis in the development of CHD.