The American journal of Chinese medicine
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18[Formula: see text]-glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) is the active ingredient of the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Glycyrrhizae radix et rhizoma. We previously demonstrated that GA inhibited tumor growth in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the effect of GA on transforming growth factor-[Formula: see text] (TGF-[Formula: see text]-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis were still unclear. ⋯ Mechanistically, GA inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT3 by increasing the expression of Src homology 2 domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatases 1 and 2 (SHP1 and SHP2). Therefore, we concluded that GA inhibited TGF-[Formula: see text]-induced EMT and metastasis via the SHP1&SHP2/STAT3/Snail pathway. Our data provide an attractive therapeutic target for future multimodal management of HCC.
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While pattern identification (PI) is an essential process in traditional medicine (TM), it is difficult to objectify since it relies heavily on implicit knowledge. Therefore, this study aimed to propose a machine learning (ML)-based analysis tool to evaluate the clinical decision-making process of PI in terms of explicit and implicit knowledge, and to observe the actual process by which this knowledge affects the choice of diagnosis and treatment in individual TM doctors. Clinical data for the development of the analysis tool were collected using a questionnaire administered to allergic rhinitis (AR) patients and the diagnosis and prescription results of TM doctors based on the completed AR questionnaires. ⋯ The analysis results for eight doctors showed that our tool could successfully identify explicit and implicit knowledge in the PI process. This is the first study to evaluate the actual process by which explicit and implicit knowledge affect the choice of individual TM doctors and to identify assessment tools for the definition of the decision-making process in diagnosing PI and prescribing herbal treatments by TM clinicians. The assessment tool suggested in this study could be broadly used for the standardization of precision medicine, including TM therapeutics.
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Based on network pharmacology tools and public bioinformatics databases, the pharmacodynamic target and key mechanism of icariin (ICA) in the treatment of ovarian cancer (OC) were identified and experimentally verified. Our previous research showed that TNF, MMP9, STAT3, PIK3CA, ERBB2, MTOR, IL2, PTGS2, KDR and F2 are important targets of ICA in the treatment of OC. TNF, as a hub gene in tumor tissues, was associated with poor prognosis. ⋯ ICA can block the classical NF-[Formula: see text]B pathway by inhibiting I[Formula: see text]B[Formula: see text] phosphorylation and consequently blocking the activation of the NF-[Formula: see text]B pathway in SKOV3 cells. ICA can also promote apoptosis by blocking the activation of the NF-[Formula: see text]B pathway in SKOV3 cells via inhibition of NF-[Formula: see text]Bp65 nuclear translocation. After using a PI3K pathway inhibitor, we further discovered that ICA may reduce AKT signal transduction by inhibiting the level of Akt phosphorylation, resulting in a loss of PI3K/Akt-dependent activation of the NF-[Formula: see text]B pathway.
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Osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disease, and treatment is required for the prevention of low bone mass, deterioration of microstructural bone tissue, and fragility fractures. Osteoporosis therapy includes calcium, vitamin D, and drugs with antiresorptive or anabolic action on the bone. Therapy for osteoporosis does not include taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), but pain associated with osteoporotic fractures can be treated by taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). ⋯ Herein, we reviewed the recent progress of PsMHES with anti-osteoporosis activities, looking to introduce the advances in the various pharmacological mechanisms and targets involved in the anti-osteoporosis effects, extraction methods, main mechanism involved in Wnt/[Formula: see text]-catenin pathways and RANKL (Receptor Activator for NF[Formula: see text]B ligand or TNFSF25) pathways, and Structure-Activity Relationships (SAR) analysis of PsMHES. Typical herbs likeAchyranthes bidentate and Morinda officinalis used for the treatment of osteoporosis are introduced; their traditional uses in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are discussed in this paper as well. This review will help to the recognition of the value of PsMHES in anti-osteoporosis and provide guidance for the research and development of new anti-osteoporosis agents in clinic.
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Cisplatin (DDP)-based chemotherapy is the first-line regimen for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, advanced NSCLC patients may have innate resistance to DDP or develop resistance during DDP treatment. We investigated a natural compound, arteannuin B (Art B), for its potential effects on DDP resistance in NSCLC. ⋯ The combination of DDP and Art B showed better therapeutic effect than individual treatments both in vitro and in vivo. Art B increased intracellular Fe[Formula: see text] level, promoted calcium influx, and activated gap junction and MAPK pathways, which might contribute to Art B-mediated effects. Art B may serve as a new drug candidate to enhance the antitumor effect of DDP on NSCLC.