ABSTRACT
Autophagy is an important physiological process that can degrade cell components and maintain cell homeostasis, divided into three types including macroautophagy, microautophagy and chaperon-mediated autophagy generally, and macroautophagy is the most common form. Autophagy can affect the progression of a variety of diseases, such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, heart-related diseases, and autoimmune diseases, etc. However, autophagy can promote or inhibit diseases in different circumstances because of the dual roles of autophagy. Therefore, targeted regulating autophagy may be a potential treatment plan for diseases in specific stages of disease development. Now, with the development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) resources and the deepening of researches on the modern utilization of TCM, many active compounds from TCM have been discovered that can target autophagy to exert pharmacological activity. Most of the natural compounds activate or inhibit autophagy by affecting the classical PI3K/AKT/mTOR autophagy pathway. In addition, some compounds can also affect autophagy through MAPKs signaling pathways such as MEK/ERK, JNK and p38MAPK. These active compounds exert various biological activities by regulating autophagy, including anti-tumor, inhibiting neurodegenerative diseases, protecting cardiomyocytes, and relief of inflammatory response. In this review, we summarized the active compounds in TCM that affect autophagy by targeting different signaling pathways and their mechanisms of regulating autophagy, also introduced the effects of active compounds on diseases after affecting autophagy. Finally, this paper summarized and prospected the development of targeted autophagy for the treatment of diseases by TCM compounds, hoping to provide clues for subsequent exploration and research.
ABSTRACT
Mushrooms are abundant in bioactive natural compounds. Due to strict growth conditions and long fermentation-time, microbe as a production host is an alternative and sustainable approach for the production of natural compounds. This review focuses on the biosynthetic pathways of mushroom originated natural compounds and microbes as the production host for the production of the above natural compounds.
Subject(s)
Agaricales/chemistry , Bacteria/metabolism , Biological Products/metabolism , Biosynthetic Pathways , Fermentation , Metabolic EngineeringABSTRACT
This study focused, for the first time, on the effect of ultrasonic features on the extraction efficiency of secondary metabolites in mustard seed cake (MSC). The nematostatic potential of sonicated seed cake was examined against the second-stage juveniles (J2s) of root-knot nematode,
ABSTRACT
Dengue virus (DENV) is the most rapidly transmitted mosquito-borne pathogen, which is the main cause of seasonal outbreaks of dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever in tropical and subtropical regions, and may cause serious life-threatening diseases. There is an urgent need to develop effective vaccines or antiviral therapies. In this paper, we found that a podocarpane-type diterpenoid, (3α,5β,10α)-13-methoxypodocarpa-8,11,13-triene-3,12-diol (MPTD), isolated from the stems and leaves of Aleurites moluccana, showed good effect against DENV. The anti-DENV activity of MPTD against four different DENV serotypes was studied by plaque assay. The cytotoxicity of MPTD in Vero and Huh7 cells was tested by MTT assay. qRT-PCR and Western blot assays were used to investigate the anti-DENV activity of MPTD at RNA and protein levels, respectively. The results showed that MPTD greatly reduced the virus titer in DENV infected Vero cells, and its 50% effective concentration (EC50) for DENV (1–4) were 2.72 ± 0.39, 10.99 ± 5.18, 18.72 ± 0.21, and 0.48 ± 0.28 μmol·L-1, respectively. The results showed that MPTD inhibits DENV RNA level and the expression of E protein. In addition, MPTD may inhibit the early stage of DENV replication and exert antiviral activity. Further studies showed that the inhibitory effect of MPTD against DENV infection is not targeting the viral entry stage. Therefore, MPTD has a significant anti-dengue virus effect, and is an anti-DENV compound with potential application value.
ABSTRACT
Colorectal cancer is a common malignant tumor in the gastrointestinal tract, with the characteristics of high morbidity and mortality. Studies have shown that the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer is closely related to the abnormal activation of Wnt signaling pathway. Abnormal expression of β-catenin in Wnt pathway is found both in the cytoplasm and nucleus of tumor cells. Different drugs can target the Wnt signaling pathway and its upstream and downstream related factors to inhibit or suppress the development of colorectal cancer. We review the components of Wnt signaling pathway, and the correlation between Wnt signaling pathway and colorectal cancer. Then, we summarize the current status of drug research targeting the Wnt signaling pathway in colorectal cancer. Finally, the challenges and prospects of these methods and drugs were briefly summarized.
ABSTRACT
Enterococcus faecium has appeared as an important opportunistic pathogen that can cause urinary tract infections,surgical site infections, bacteremia, and endocarditis. Therefore, it is imperative to develop alternative therapeuticmethods to treat enterococcal infections. Sophoraflavanone G (5,7,2′,4′-tetrahydroxy-8-lavandulylflavanone, SPF-G)exhibited the strongest antibacterial activity based on the minimum inhibitory concentration values on two E. faeciumstrains (6.25 and 12.5 μg/ml at 24 and 48 hours of treatment, resp.) in the broth microdilution assay among thetested compounds and a remarkable bactericidal effect with a 12.5 μg/ml minimum bactericidal concentration value.Sophoraflavanone G (12.0 ± 2.3 mm inhibition zone for Korean Agricultural Culture Collection, Korea (KACC)11954 and 11.0 ± 3.0mm for Culture Collection of Antimicrobial Resistant Microbes, Korea (CCARM) 5506) alsoexhibited the highest susceptibility based on the agar diffusion assay. Membrane-permeabilizing agents with a lowdose of sophoraflavanone G synergistically activated anti-E. faecium activity through a 67% reduction of E. faeciumgrowth, and E. faecium-derived peptidoglycans (PGN) blocked the antibacterial activity. These results indicate thatsophoraflavanone G could bind to the bacterial cell wall and induce E. faecium cell wall damage. Transmissionelectron microscopy (TEM) images of E. faecium treated with sophoraflavanone G also exhibited cell lysis, followedby leakage of intracellular components, confirming that sophoraflavanone G has anti-E. faecium activity by bindingto the PGN and disrupting the cell wall. This study showed the possible usage of sophoraflavanone G as an effectivenatural anti-E. faecium compound
ABSTRACT
Fungi produce various secondary metabolites that have beneficial and harmful effects on other organisms. Those bioactive metabolites have been explored as potential medicinal and antimicrobial resources. However, the activities of the culture filtrate (CF) and metabolites of white-rot fungus (Schizophyllum commune) have been underexplored. In this study, we assayed the antimicrobial activities of CF obtained from white-rot fungus against various plant pathogens and evaluated its efficacy for controlling anthracnose and gray mold in pepper plants. The CF inhibited the mycelial growth of various fungal plant pathogens, but not of bacterial pathogens. Diluted concentrations of CF significantly suppressed the severity of anthracnose and gray mold in pepper fruits. Furthermore, the incidence of anthracnose in field conditions was reduced by treatment with a 12.5% dilution of CF. The active compound responsible for the antifungal and disease control activity was identified and verified as schizostatin. Our results indicate that the CF of white-rot fungus can be used as an eco-friendly natural product against fungal plant pathogens. Moreover, the compound, schizostatin could be used as a biochemical resource or precursor for development as a pesticide. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the control of plant diseases using CF and active compound from white-rot fungus. We discussed the controversial antagonistic activity of schizostatin and believe that the CF of white-rot fungus or its active compound, schizostatin, could be used as a biochemical pesticide against fungal diseases such as anthracnose and gray mold in many vegetables.
Subject(s)
Agaricales , Fruit , Fungi , Incidence , Plant Diseases , Plants , VegetablesABSTRACT
Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD) is a famous prescription for treating cerebral ischemia stroke with qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome. More than 500 pieces of papers were reported about this prescription each year, including the medicinal resources, material bases, pharmaceutical, pharmacological effects, clinical application, preparation reform and so on, which showed the prescription research was broad and profound. Due to the complex constituents of this prescription, currently the network pharmacologic topologic method is difficult to illuminate the material basic and pharmacological mechanism of BHD. This paper has systematically sorted and analyzed BHD related research work for nearly ten years, mainly summarized pharmacy, pharmacology, and toxicology, thereby to put forward the present key problems to be solved immediately for creating a constituent Chinese medicine or natural compound medicine. Meanwhile, combined with the previous researches of quantitative network chromatopharmology, compared with the present medicine-marketed molecular structure main in treatment of ischemic stroke, intends to discuses critical technical problems of the material bases, the connection affirmation of effective ingredients and targets etc, in order to find out solution strategy and to lay a foundation for further development of a new constituent Chinese medicine or natural compound medicine.
ABSTRACT
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process by which the epithelial cells change to a mesenchymal phenotype.The highly conserved and fundamental process is integral in development, wound healing and contributes pathologically to fibrosis and cancer progression.The process can be activated by many transcription factors, growth factors or protein molecules, which involves complex molecular mechanism and signal transduction pathways.This paper reviews the development of molecular mechanisms of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and briefly summarizes the research progress of natural compounds targeting the EMT.
ABSTRACT
Tumor is a seriously disease that endanger human health.Gastrointestinal cancer is one of the most prevalent types of digestive system cancers among the Chinese population.While radiotherapy and chemotherapy kill cancer cells,their toxicity to normal cells cannot be ignored.Hence,polysaccharides from Chinese materia medica (CMM) have been the focus of anti-tumor research,as they can improve functions of the immune system and do not harm to normal cells.In this review,we have analyzed the recent advances in the study of the effects of polysaccharides from CMM on human gastric cancer cell lines (MGC-803 and SGC-7901) and intestinal tumor cell lines (LoVo,HCT-116,and HT-29) in vitro.The purpose of this study is to provide a material basis for clinical research of polysaccharides from CMM.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The status on the nomenclature and translation for the trivial name of natural compounds was reviewed in this paper, which could provide a reference to the standardization and normalization for the name of natural compounds. METHODS: Base on sorting out the relevant literature in this field, six nomenclatures and four translation principles, as well as fourteen naming methods and seven translation rules were put forward. The above-mentioned principles and methods were illustrated by analyzing and comparing the Chinese names of 128 compounds from natural products. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The Chinese names for the listed 128 natural compounds have been divided into three categories according to the standardization. (1) Official name: canonical name placed in the normotopia of the name; (2) Synonymy placed in the parentheses following the canonical name, which is not recommend to use; (3) False name labeled with 'false name' in order to expose the fallacy for putting an end to the circulation of erroneous reports. For example:acteoside (verbascoside and kusaginin), acteoside (Yangdignxianggan in Chinese) is the official name, the verbascoside and kusaginin. are synonymy (maoruihuagan and chouwutongning in Chinese) or false names [Maijiaozaogan (false name) and Leiye-shengmagan (false name) in Chinese].
ABSTRACT
The chemical composition of Lippia sidoides essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation was characterized and quantified by GC/MS and their insecticidal activity by fumigation test was assayed against Tenebrio molitor. Moreover, the toxicity of monoterpenes carvacrol, 1,8-cineol and thymol were also evaluated when applied alone or in binary (1:1) or tertiary (1:1:1) mixture. The essential oil of L. sidoides has as major constituents carvacrol (31.68 percent), ρ-cymene (19.58 percent), 1,8-cineole (9.26 percent) and ϒ-terpinene (9.21 percent), from a 21 compounds identified, being 92.53 percent of total. Both compounds have insecticidal activity against T. molitor, being the degree of toxicity of carvacrol > 1,8-cineole > L. sidoides essential oil > thymol, and its respectively LC50 at 24h were 5.53; 5.71; 8.04 and 14.71 µL/L air. When the different mixture of carvacrol, 1,8-cineole and thymol was assayed against T. molitor, the synergism among them was observed. For the mixture of carvacrol:1,8-cineole LC50 was 5.34 µL/L air; carvacrol:thymol 7.67 µL/L air; 1,8-cineole:thymol 7.51 µL/L air and carvacrol:1,8-cineole:thymol 6.34 µL/L air. Mainly, the monoterpene thymol had a synergic effect, which increased the toxicity of carvacrol and 1,8-cineole, both in binary mixture like carvacrol:thymol and 1,8-cineole:thymol.
A composição química do óleo essencial de Lippia sidoides obtido por hidrodestilação foi caracterizada e quantificada por GC/MS, bem como sua atividade inseticida por teste de fumigação foi avaliada sobre Tenebrio molitor. Além disso, a toxicidade dos monoterpenos carvacrol, 1,8-cineol e timol, também foi avaliada quando esses compostos foram aplicados isoladamente, ou em misturas binárias (1:1), ou terciárias (1:1:1). O óleo essencial de L. sidoides tem como principais constituintes o carvacrol (31,68 por cento), ρ-cimeno (19,58 por cento), 1,8-cineol (9,26 por cento) e ϒ-terpineno (9,21 por cento), em 21 compostos identificados, sendo 92,53 por cento do total. Ambos os compostos possuem atividade inseticida contra T. molitor, seguindo a ordem de toxicidade: carvacrol > 1,8-cineol > óleo essencial de L. sidoides > timol; sendo suas respectivas CL50 à 24 h de 5,53; 5,71; 8,04 e 14,71 µL/L ar. Quando as diferentes misturas de carvacrol, 1,8-cineol e timol foram avaliadas contra T. molitor, verificou-se o efeito sinérgico. Para a mistura de carvacrol:1,8-cineol a CL50 foi de 5,34 µL/L ar; carvacrol:timol de 7,67 µL/L ar; 1,8-cineol:timol de 7,51 µL/L ar e carvacrol:1,8-cineol:timol de 6,34 µL/L ar. Principalmente o monoterpeno timol teve efeito sinérgico, aumentando a toxicidade de carvacrol e 1,8-cineol quando em misturas binárias, tais como carvacrol:timol e 1,8-cineol:timol.