The American journal of Chinese medicine
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Aging is an irresistible natural law of the progressive decline of body molecules, organs, and overall function with the passage of time, resulting in eventual death. World Health Organization data show that aging is correlated with a wide range of common chronic diseases in the elderly, and is an essential driver of many diseases. Panax Ginseng C. ⋯ Hence, exploring the hepatoprotective properties of Rg2 and its possible molecular mechanism by Senescence Accelerate Mouse Prone 8 (SAMP8) and gut microbiota. Our study demonstrated that Rg2 can inhibit pyroptosis and apoptosis through caspase 8, and regulate the gut-liver axis to alleviate liver inflammation by changing the composition of gut microbiota, thus improving aging-induced liver injury. These findings provide theoretical support for the pharmacological effects of ginsenosides in delaying aging-induced liver injury.
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This study explores the anti-inflammatory properties of lupeol, a notable phytosterol found in various medicinal plants, highlighting its potential as a candidate for new drug development. We examined the effects of lupeol on heme oxygenase (HO)-1, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), as well as its impact on inflammatory markers in the lung tissues of LPS-challenged mice. ⋯ In vivo, lupeol significantly lowered iNOS expression and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from LPS-treated mice. These findings suggest that lupeol exerts its anti-inflammatory effects by modulating key signaling pathways, positioning it as a promising candidate for the development of novel therapeutics targeting pathological inflammation.
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Acupuncture and moxibustion are widely acknowledged as effective complementary therapies for managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in traditional Chinese medicine. However, the regulatory mechanisms by which these two therapies exert their therapeutic effects in IBD are yet to be fully elucidated. The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of action underlying acupuncture and moxibustion and the regulative differences between them as therapeutic interventions for IBD. ⋯ Acupuncture and moxibustion had distinct effects on the regulation of the intestinal microbiota and metabolic pathways in IBD mice. Moxibustion regulated a greater number of metabolic pathways than acupuncture, the majority of which were associated with amino acid metabolism, brain signal transmission, energy metabolism, and anti-inflammatory pathways. These findings provide a scientific basis for the differential applications of acupuncture and moxibustion in clinical practice.
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Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has become the primary cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), causing an urgent need for preventive strategies for DKD. Astragaloside I (ASI), a bioactive saponin extracted from Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge has been demonstrated to possess a variety of biological activities. This study investigates the therapeutic potential of ASI in DKD and the underlying molecular mechanism using db/db mice in vivo and high glucose (HG)-induced SV40-MES-13 cells in vitro. ⋯ Furthermore, ASI downregulated HDAC3 expression, upregulated Klotho expression, and enhanced Klotho release. ASI is directly bound to HDAC3, and the beneficial effects of ASI on Klotho/TGF-β1/Smad2/3-mediciated renal fibrosis in DKD were reversed by the HDAC3 agonist ITSA-1. In conclusion, ASI attenuates renal fibrosis in DKD, and may act through concurrently inhibiting HDAC3 and TGF-β1, thereby regulating HDAC3-mediciated Klotho/TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway.
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Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major public health problem worldwide that still lacks effective treatments. Recent studies have suggested that ferroptosis is a key mediator of AKI due to its activation of lipid peroxidation. Therefore, we hypothesized that antiferroptosis agents might be a novel potential therapeutic strategy for AKI. ⋯ Moreover, knockdown of VKORC1 diminished the renal protective and antiferroptosis roles of LG. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that LG protected against AKI by inhibiting VKORC1-mediated ferroptosis. This suggests that inhibiting ferroptosis might be a novel therapeutic approach in the future.