Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomédecine & pharmacothérapie
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Biomed. Pharmacother. · Aug 2016
Eupatilin inhibits the apoptosis in H9c2 cardiomyocytes via the Akt/GSK-3β pathway following hypoxia/reoxygenation injury.
Eupatilin, a pharmacologically active flavone derived from the Artemisia plant species, has been reported to have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and neuroprotective activities against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). However, the role of eupatilin in myocardial I/R injury remains unclear. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the potential molecular mechanisms against hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) induced cardiomyocytes apoptosis in vitro. ⋯ Eupatilin also suppressed oxidative stress and apoptosis in H9c2 cells after myocardial I/R injury. Furthermore, eupatilin obviously increased the phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β in H9c2 cells. Our results suggested that eupatilin could provide significant cardioprotection against myocardial I/R injury, and the potential mechanisms might involve inhibition of cardiomyocyte apoptosis through activating the Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway.
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Biomed. Pharmacother. · Aug 2016
Erythropoietin attenuates renal and pulmonary injury in polymicrobial induced-sepsis through EPO-R, VEGF and VEGF-R2 modulation.
Sepsis remains the most important cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) and acute lung injury (ALI) in critically ill patients. The cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model in experimental mice reproduces most of the clinical features of sepsis. Erythropoietin (EPO) is a well-known cytoprotective multifunctional hormone, which exerts anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic and pro-angiogenic effects in several tissues. ⋯ Additionally, EPO administration attenuates deleterious septic damage in renal cortex through the overexpression of EPO-R in tubular interstitial cells and the overexpression of the pair VEGF/VEGF-R2. Similarly CLP- induced ALI, as evidenced by parenchymal lung histopathologic alterations, was ameliorated through pulmonary EPO-R, VEGF and VEGF-R2 over expression suggesting and improvement in endothelial survival and functionality. This study demonstrates that EPO exerts protective effects in kidneys and lungs in mice with CLP-induced sepsis through the expression of EPO-R and the regulation of the VEGF/VEGF-R2 pair.
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Biomed. Pharmacother. · Jul 2016
Caffeic acid attenuates oxidative stress, learning and memory deficit in intra-cerebroventricular streptozotocin induced experimental dementia in rats.
Oxidative stress has been implicated in cognitive decline as seen during normal aging and in sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). Caffeic acid, a polyphenolic compound, has been reported to possess potent antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. The role of caffeic acid in experimental dementia is not fully understood. ⋯ Whereas, caffeic acid treatment significantly (p<0.001) and dose dependently attenuated STZ induced behavioral and biochemical abnormalities in rats. The observed cognitive improvement following caffeic acid in STZ treated rats may be due to its antioxidant activity and restoration of cholinergic functions. Our results suggest the therapeutic potential of caffeic acid in cognitive disorders such as AD.
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Biomed. Pharmacother. · May 2016
Isoquercetin ameliorates tunicamycin-induced apoptosis in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons via suppressing ROS-dependent endoplasmic reticulum stress.
Recent studies showed that Isoquercetin (Iso), a novel extracts of plants and fruits could protect neuronal cells from neurotoxicity and neuro-inflammation. However, its role in acute spinal cord injury (ASCI) have not been elucidated. In the present study, we investigated whether Iso could prevent Tunicamycin (TUN)-induced rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons from apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. ⋯ Collectively, Iso prevented TUN-induced DRG neurons apoptosis by inhibiting mitochondrial and ER stress-associated apoptotic signaling cascades, suggesting that Iso possessed neuro-protective ability which could be beneficial in the prevention of ASCI.
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Biomed. Pharmacother. · May 2016
Punica granatum (pomegranate) leaves extract induces apoptosis through mitochondrial intrinsic pathway and inhibits migration and invasion in non-small cell lung cancer in vitro.
Most conventional treatments on non-small cell lung carcinoma always accompany with awful side effects, and the incidence and mortality rates of this cancer are increasing rapidly worldwide. The objective of this study was to examine the anticancer effects of extract of Punica granatum (pomegranate) leaves extract (PLE) on the non-small cell lung carcinoma cell line A549, H1299 and mouse Lewis lung carcinoma cell line LL/2 in vitro, and explore its mechanisms of action. Our results have shown that PLE inhibited cell proliferation in non-small cell lung carcinoma cell line in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. ⋯ Moreover, PLE could also decrease the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔYm), indicating that PLE may induce apoptosis via mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway. Furthermore, PLE blocked H1299 cell migration and invasion, and the reduction of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression were also observed in vitro. These results suggested that PLE could be an effective and safe chemotherapeutic agent in non-small cell lung carcinoma treatment by inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and impairing cell migration and invasion.