ABSTRACT
Rhinacanthus nasutus is the shrubs of Acanthacesa of Rhinacanthus nasutus. It has been used as traditional Zhuang medicine for thousands of years, with antipyretic and alexipharmic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, antiasthmatic and expectorant effects. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that R. nasutus has been used for treatment of various diseases, including pneumonia, gastritis and hepatitis. In addition, naphthoquinone esters isolated from this plant exhibits antitumor, antiviral, antifungal, and immunomodulatory activities, with a high application value. Scholars at home and abroad have isolated a variety of compounds from R. nasutus, including 20 naphthoquinones, organic acids, lignans, alkaloids and other structural types of components. Among them, naphthoquinones have a variety of biological activities. Up to now, there are no systematic and comprehensive report on the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of naphthoquinones. In this review, we summarized the chemical constituents of naphthoquinones with pharmacological activity, finding that R. nasutus and naphthoquinones have a great potential to be developed as a traditional Chinese medicine for tumors, diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver, which can provide an important scientific basis for defining the pharmacodynamic basis of the pharmacological activities and a reference for further research and comprehensive utilization of Zhuang medicine of Rhinacanthus nasutus.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the effect of extracts from Phyllanthus acidus (P. acidus) (L.) Skeels and Rhinacanthus nasutus (R. nasutus) (L.) Kurz leaves on melanogenesis and the underlying mechanism in normal human epidermal melanocytes (NHEM) and a reconstitutive skin model. Methods: NHEM and a reconstitutive skin model were stimulated with ethanol extracts of P. acidus (L.) Skeels and R. nasutus (L.) Kurz leaves. mRNA expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase (TYR), tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1) and dopachrome tautomerase (DCT) were examined by real-time PCR. The melanin content in NHEM was also measured. Moreover, protein levels of tyrosinase were determined using western blot analysis. Results: In NHEM and the reconstitutive skin model, ethanol extracts from P. acidus (at 12.5 and 25.0 μg/mL) and R. nasutus (at 6.25 and 12.50 μg/mL) significantly diminished mRNA expression of MITF, TYR, TYRP1 and DCT in a concentration-dependent manner. P. acidus and R. nasutus extracts also reduced the amount of melanin in α-MSH-stimulated NHEM. Moreover, P. acidus and R. nasutus extracts markedly suppressed tyrosinase at the translational level in the reconstitutive skin model. Conclusions: P. acidus and R. nasutus extracts significantly reduced melanogenesis in NHEM and the reconstitutive skin model, suggesting that P. acidus and R. nasutus extracts can inhibit melanin synthesis through downregulation of MITF, TYR, TYRP1 and DCT. Therefore, the ethanol extracts of P. acidus and R. nasutus contain compounds that have the potential for development as a skin lightening agent for the treatment of hyperpigmentation disorder or melasma.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the effect of extracts from Phyllanthus acidus (P. acidus) (L.) Skeels and Rhinacanthus nasutus (R. nasutus) (L.) Kurz leaves on melanogenesis and the underlying mechanism in normal human epidermal melanocytes (NHEM) and a reconstitutive skin model. Methods: NHEM and a reconstitutive skin model were stimulated with ethanol extracts of P. acidus (L.) Skeels and R. nasutus (L.) Kurz leaves. mRNA expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase (TYR), tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1) and dopachrome tautomerase (DCT) were examined by real-time PCR. The melanin content in NHEM was also measured. Moreover, protein levels of tyrosinase were determined using western blot analysis. Results: In NHEM and the reconstitutive skin model, ethanol extracts from P. acidus (at 12.5 and 25.0 μg/mL) and R. nasutus (at 6.25 and 12.50 μg/mL) significantly diminished mRNA expression of MITF, TYR, TYRP1 and DCT in a concentration-dependent manner. P. acidus and R. nasutus extracts also reduced the amount of melanin in α-MSH-stimulated NHEM. Moreover, P. acidus and R. nasutus extracts markedly suppressed tyrosinase at the translational level in the reconstitutive skin model. Conclusions: P. acidus and R. nasutus extracts significantly reduced melanogenesis in NHEM and the reconstitutive skin model, suggesting that P. acidus and R. nasutus extracts can inhibit melanin synthesis through downregulation of MITF, TYR, TYRP1 and DCT. Therefore, the ethanol extracts of P. acidus and R. nasutus contain compounds that have the potential for development as a skin lightening agent for the treatment of hyperpigmentation disorder or melasma.
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Objective: To investigate the effect of Rhinacanthus nasutus (R. nasutus) leaf extract on impaired glucose and lipid metabolism in obese ICR mice. Methods: Obesity was induced in the male ICR mice by feeding them a high-fat diet (60 kcal% fat) for 12 weeks. After the first six weeks of the diet, the obese mice were administered with the water extract of R. nasutus leaves at 250 and 500 mg/kg per day for the next six weeks. Subsequently, the blood glucose, lipid profiles, insulin, leptin, and adiponectin levels were measured. The liver and adipose tissues were excised for his-topathological examination and protein expression study. Results: After six weeks of the treatment, R. nasutus extract (at 250 and 500 mg/kg per day) was found to reduce the elevated blood glucose level, improve the insulin sensitivity, decrease the serum leptin, and increase the serum adiponectin levels. The obese mice treated with R. nasutus were found to have a reduction in the increased lipid concen-trations in their serum and liver tissues. Moreover, treatment with R. nasutus reduced the fat accumulation in the liver and the large adipocyte size in the fat tissues. Interestingly, the administration with R. nasutus extract was marked by an increase in the hepatic peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor alpha, fat cell adiponectin, and glucose transporter 4 proteins. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first report on the impact of R. nasutus extract in improving the impaired glucose and lipid metabolism in high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice via stimulating the insulin sensitivity in the liver and adipose tissues.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the effect of Rhinacanthus nasutus (R. nasutus) leaf extract on impaired glucose and lipid metabolism in obese ICR mice. Methods: Obesity was induced in the male ICR mice by feeding them a high-fat diet (60 kcal% fat) for 12 weeks. After the first six weeks of the diet, the obese mice were administered with the water extract of R. nasutus leaves at 250 and 500 mg/kg per day for the next six weeks. Subsequently, the blood glucose, lipid profiles, insulin, leptin, and adiponectin levels were measured. The liver and adipose tissues were excised for histopathological examination and protein expression study. Results: After six weeks of the treatment, R. nasutus extract (at 250 and 500 mg/kg per day) was found to reduce the elevated blood glucose level, improve the insulin sensitivity, decrease the serum leptin, and increase the serum adiponectin levels. The obese mice treated with R. nasutus were found to have a reduction in the increased lipid concentrations in their serum and liver tissues. Moreover, treatment with R. nasutus reduced the fat accumulation in the liver and the large adipocyte size in the fat tissues. Interestingly, the administration with R. nasutus extract was marked by an increase in the hepatic peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor alpha, fat cell adiponectin, and glucose transporter 4 proteins. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first report on the impact of R. nasutus extract in improving the impaired glucose and lipid metabolism in high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice via stimulating the insulin sensitivity in the liver and adipose tissues.
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Rhinacanthus nasutus (RN) and selenium have been used for treatment of various illnesses, but the mechanisms of action remain largely unknown. This study focused on the influence of RN and selenium extracts on lipidperoxidation RN (water and ethanol extracts). The results of the present study showed that the methanalic extract was found to contain highest amount of non-enzymic antioxidants followed by the aqueous extract. It is evident that Rhinacanthus nasutus leaf extracts offered efficient antioxidant defense in the rat liver an in vitro model which simulates in vivo condition, when exposed to H2O2.Health benefits can be obtained from the leaves with decreased risk of disease as the leaves could prevent or protect the oxidative damage caused by environmentally benign oxidant hydrogen peroxide.
ABSTRACT
Rhinacanthus nasutus (RN) and selenium have been used for treatment of various illnesses, but the mechanisms of action remain largely unknown. The results of the present study showed that the methanolic extract was found to contain highest amount of non-enzymic antioxidants followed by the aqueous extract. It is evident that Rhinacanthus nasutus leaf extracts offered efficient antioxidant defense in the rat liver an in vitro model which simulates in vivo condition, when exposed to H2O2. Health benefits can be obtained from the leaves with decreased risk of disease as the leaves could prevent or protect the oxidative damage caused by environmentally benign oxidant hydrogen peroxide.
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The pharmacognsy of Rhinacanthus nasutus (L.) Linclau was studied by microscopic ob-servation and UV spectroscopy to provide a scientific basis for the identification, development and utiliza-tion of its resources. As a result, obvious characteristics for its identification were revealed, which can beused to identify twigs and leaves of R. nasutus.
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Objective To study the chemical constituents of the Dai ethno-medicine Rhinacanthus nasutus.Methods The chemical constituents had been spearated with chromatography and their structures were determined by spectral analyses.Results Nine compounds and two mixture were isolated and identified as C26—C32 alkyl mixture(Ⅰ),?-monopalmitin(Ⅱ),palmitic acid(Ⅲ),stearic acid(Ⅳ),lignoceric acid(Ⅴ),?-sitosterol(Ⅵ),lupeol(Ⅶ),p-hydroxy benzoic acid(Ⅷ),daucosterol(Ⅸ),?-ethyl-D-idosopyranoside(Ⅹ),and mixture of KNO3 and NaNO3(Ⅺ).Conclusion Compound Ⅹ is a new artificial compound during isolation and compounds Ⅰ—Ⅴ,Ⅷ—Ⅺ are isolated from R.nasutus for the first time.