Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
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Gut microbiota play important roles in insulin homeostasis and the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD). Yijin-Tang (YJT), a traditional Korean and Chinese medicine, is used in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases and obesity-related disorders such as insulin resistance (IR) and NAFLD. ⋯ These data demonstrated that gut microbiome and hepatic lipid profiles are regulated by YJT, which improved the IR and NAFLD in mice with diet-induced obesity.
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The novel coronavirus disease (2019-nCoV) has been affecting global health since the end of 2019 and there is no sign that the epidemic is abating . The major issue for controlling the infectious is lacking efficient prevention and therapeutic approaches. Chloroquine (CQ) and Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) have been reported to treat the disease, but the underlying mechanism remains controversial. ⋯ CQ and HCQ both inhibit the entrance 2019-nCoV into cells by blocking the binding of the virus with ACE2. Our findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of CQ and HCQ treatment effect on virus infection.
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Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive inflammatory disorder driven by a fibrotic cascade of events such as epithelial to mesenchymal transition, extracellular matrix production and collagen formation in the lungs in a sequential manner. IPF incidences were raising rapidly across the world. FDA approved pirfenidone and nintedanib (tyrosine kinase inhibitors) are being used as a first-line treatment drugs for IPF, however, neither the quality of life nor survival rates have been improved because of patient noncompliance due to multiple side effects. Thus, the development of novel therapeutic approaches targeting TGF-β mediated cascade of fibrotic events is urgently needed to improve the survival of the patients suffering from devastating disease. ⋯ Collectively, BCA treatment demonstrated the remarkable therapeutic effects on TGF-β/BLM mediated pulmonary fibrosis using IPF cells and rodent models. This current study may offer a novel treatment approach to halt and may be even rescue the devastating lung scarring of IPF.
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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has extensively and rapidly spread in the world, causing an outbreak of acute infectious pneumonia. However, no specific antiviral drugs or vaccines can be used. Phillyrin (KD-1), a representative ingredient of Forsythia suspensa, possesses anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and antiviral activities. However, little is known about the antiviral abilities and mechanism of KD-1 against SARS-CoV-2 and human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E). ⋯ KD-1 could significantly inhibit virus proliferation in vitro, the up-regulated expression of proinflammatory cytokines induced by SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-229E by regulating the activity of the NF-кB signaling pathway. Our findings indicated that KD-1 protected against virus attack and can thus be used as a novel strategy for controlling the coronavirus disease 2019.
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Osteosarcoma (OS) is a significant threat to the lives of children and young adults. Although neoadjuvant chemotherapy is the first choice of treatment for OS, it is limited by serious side-effects and cancer metastasis. β-Elemonic acid (β-EA), an active component extracted from Boswellia carterii Birdw., has been reported to exhibit potential anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. However, the anti-tumor effects and underlying mechanisms on OS as well as pharmacokinetic characteristics of β-EA remain unknown. ⋯ Overall, both in vitro and in vivo investigations showed the potential of β-EA for the treatment of human OS. The pharmacokinetic profile and considerable distribution in the tumor and bone tissues warrant further preclinical or even clinical studies.