The American journal of Chinese medicine
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Hepatic fibrosis (HF) is a wound healing response featuring excessive deposition of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) that occurs during chronic liver injury. As an initial stage of various liver diseases, HF is a reversible pathological process that, if left unchecked, can escalate into cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. HF is a life-threatening disease presenting morbidity and mortality challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. ⋯ Catabolism of LDs is characteristic of the activation of HSCs and morphological transdifferentiation of cells into contractile and proliferative myofibroblasts, resulting in the deposition of ECM and the development of HF. Recent studies have revealed that various Chinese medicines (e.g., Artemisia annua, turmeric, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, etc.) are able to effectively reduce the degradation of LDs in HSCs. Therefore, this study takes the modification of LDs in HSCs as an entry point to elaborate on the process of Chinese medicine intervening in the loss of LDs in HSCs and the mechanism of action for the treatment of HF.
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Fungi play an important role in the solution to important global problems. Making use of processes and goods that are based on fungi can help promote sustainability by making the most efficient use of natural resources. Fungi stand apart from other organisms due to their extraordinary capacity to generate organic compounds. ⋯ We provide a condensed explanation of the significance of secondary metabolites in a variety of industries, such as the pharmaceutical industry, the food industry, the textile industry, and the transportation industry. In addition to providing a better understanding of biosynthetic regulation and the possibilities of genetic engineering, improved laboratory processes for the selection of nontoxigenic fungal strains have permitted the manufacture of larger quantities of safe commercial items. The significance of fungi in industrial settings is the topic that will be investigated in this review.
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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.
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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.
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Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most serious complications of diabetes and the most common cause of death. The autophagy of podocytes plays an important role in the pathogenesis of DN. Here, through screening the constituent compounds of practical and useful Chinese herbal formulas, we identified that isoorientin (ISO) strongly promoted the autophagy of podocytes and could effectively protect podocytes from high glucose (HG)-induced injury. ⋯ Furthermore, ISO was predicted to bind to the SH2 domain of PI3Kp85[Formula: see text], which is crucial for the recruitment and activation of PI3K. The protective effect of ISO and its effects on autophagy and particularly on mitophagy were further proved using a DN mice model. To summarize, our study identified the protective effects of ISO against DN and demonstrated that ISO was a strong activator of autophagy, which could provide a basis for drug development.