The American journal of Chinese medicine
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Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), which can lead to renal failure in diabetic patients. At present, the first-line drugs for DN are mainly the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, and the latest approved aldosterone receptor antagonist finerenone, which delay the progression of DN to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), but the therapeutic effect is still not ideal. ⋯ In recently years, the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of TCM prescription, Chinese herbal medicine, and its active components on DN have received extensive attention in new drug development. This paper reviews the research progress of the mechanism of TCM on DN.
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Review
Ginsenoside Rg5: A Review of Anticancer and Neuroprotection with Network Pharmacology Approach.
Ginsenoside Rg5 (G-Rg5) is a rare ginsenoside isolated from ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer), and this compound is increasingly known for its potent pharmacological activities. ⋯ Likewise, molecular docking of the related proteins was performed, and the binding energies were all less than [Formula: see text]7.0[Formula: see text]kJ/mol, indicating that these proteins had excellent binding capacity with G-Rg5. The network pharmacology results revealed many potential G-Rg5 mechanisms, which need to be further explored. We expect that the network pharmacology approach and molecular docking techniques can help us gain a deeper understanding of the therapeutic mechanisms of different ginsenosides and even the ginseng plant, for further developing their therapeutic potential as well as clinical applications.
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The variable dosage forms of most traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) could be disadvantaged by low selectivity, poor biological distribution, limited bioavailability with low efficacy, and some adverse effects. These issues limit the control of clinical pharmacodynamics of the antitumor active components. ⋯ The increased numbers of new technologies have been used to study TCM dosage forms with remarkable achievements. In this review paper, we will provide a systematic overview of the new dosage forms of nano-formulations and co-medications in relation to nano-delivery systems in an attempt to provide useful references for practical application of active antitumor ingredients from the TCMs.
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Electroacupuncture (EA) is commonly used to treat cerebrovascular diseases. This study aimed to clarify the mechanisms of action of treatments of cerebral ischemic stroke from the perspective of gut microecology. We used a mouse model and cell cultures to investigate the effects of EA on the intestinal microflora in mice models of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and the mechanisms underlying the antioxidant activities of metabolites. ⋯ We confirmed that IPA binds to specific melatonin receptors (MTRs) in target cells and exerts antioxidant effects by adding MTR inhibitors or knocking out the MTR1 gene in vivo and in the oxygen and glucose deprivation/reperfusion models of N2a cell experiments. EA can prevent ischemic stroke by improving the composition of intestinal microbiota in MCAO mice. Moreover, this study reveals a new mechanism of intestinal flora regulation of stroke that differs from inflammation/immunity, namely gut microbiota regulates stroke by affecting IPA levels.
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Gambogic acid (GA), a natural and bioactive compound from the gamboge resin, has been reported to exhibit many oncostatic activities against several types of malignancies. However, its effects on the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain largely unexplored. To fill this gap, we investigated the anticancer role of GA and molecular mechanisms underlying GA's actions in combating oral cancer. ⋯ Moreover, such induction of HO-1 expression and caspase cleavage by GA was significantly diminished through the pharmacological inhibition of p38 kinase. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that GA promotes cell apoptosis in OSCC, accompanied with the activation of a p38-dependent apoptotic pathway. Our findings provide potential avenues for the use of GA with high safety and therapeutic implications in restraining oral cancer.