Protective effect of polysaccharides isolated from the seeds of Cuscuta chinensis Lam. on 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal mucositis in mice

Purpose: To evaluate the protective effect of Cuscuta chinensis Lam. polysaccharides (PCCL) on 5-fluorouracil-(5-FU)-induced intestinal mucositis (IM) in mice. Methods: PCCL was orally administered at a dose of 20 mg·kg­1 for 7 days and its protective effect on 5-FU-induced IM (5-FU, 50 mg·kg­1 for 5 days) was evaluated by monitoring changes in body weight, degree of diarrhea, levels of tissue inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 6, and interleukin 1ß levels), apoptosis rates, and the expression levels of caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2. Results: The severity of mucosal injury (as reflected by body weight changes, degree of diarrhea, height of villi, and damage to crypts) was significantly attenuated by PCCL administration. PCCL also reduced the levels of tissue inflammatory factors, the apoptosis rate, and the expression of caspase-3 and Bax, and increased Bcl-2 expression. Conclusions: PCCL administration may be significantly protective against 5-FU-induced IM by inhibiting apoptosis and regulating the abnormal inflammation associated with it.

Beneficial effects of Cuscuta chinensis extract on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis through modulation of RANKL/OPG signals

Cuscuta chinensis Lam. (Convolvulaceae) is an important herbal medicine widely used to improve sexual function, treat osteoporosis, and prevent aging, and has been reported to exhibit anti-osteoporotic effects in vitro. However, the activity of Cuscuta chinensis Lam. on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis still remains unclear. The present study aimed to assess the protective effect and the underlying mechanism of action of Cuscuta chinensis extract (CCE) against glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in vivo. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups as follows: control group, osteoporosis group, and 2 CCE-treated osteoporosis groups (100 mg·kg-1·day-1). Blood samples and femur bones were collected for immunohistochemistry, biochemical, mRNA expression, and western blot analysis. HPLC analysis revealed that chlorogenic acid, quercetin, and hyperin were the major constituents of CCE. The results indicated that CCE increased bone length, bone weight, and bone mineral density and suppressed dexamethasone (DEX)-induced reduction in body weight. In addition, TRAP staining indicated that CCE reduced osteoclasts in DEX-induced osteoporosis rats. Mechanistically, CCE treatment alleviated the increase of bone resorption markers and the decline of osteogenic markers, which might be partially mediated by regulation of RANKL/OPG and RunX2 pathways. These results suggest that CCE showed promising effects in the protection against glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis through protecting osteoblasts and suppressing osteoclastogenesis.

Improved antimelanogenesis and antioxidant effects of polysaccharide from Cuscuta chinensis Lam seeds after enzymatic hydrolysis

Cuscuta chinensis polysaccharide (CPS) was extracted using hot water and enzymatically hydrolyzed C. chinensis polysaccharide (ECPS) was produced by the mannase enzymatic hydrolysis process. The purpose of this research was to investigate the antimelanogenic activity of ECPS and CPS in B16F10 melanoma cells. The in vitro antioxidant activity was assessed by their ferric iron reducing power and DPPH free radical scavenging activities. The molecular mass distribution of polysaccharides was determined using SEC-MALLS-RI. CPS was successfully enzymatically degraded using mannase and the weighted average molecular weights of CPS and ECPS were 434.6 kDa and 211.7 kDa. The results of biological activity assays suggested that the enzymatically hydrolyzed polysaccharide had superior antimelanogenic activity and antioxidant effect than the original polysaccharide. ECPS exhibited antimelanogenic activity by down-regulating the expression of tyrosinase, MITF, and TRP-1 without cytotoxic effects in B16F10 melanoma cells. In conclusion, ECPS have the potential to become a skin whitening product.

Essential oil composition, carotenoid profile, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the parasitic plant Cuscuta mitraeformis / Composición del aceite esencial, perfil de carotenoides, actividades antioxidantes y antimicrobianas de la planta parásita Cuscuta mitraeformis

The chemical composition of the essential oil and carotenoid content of the parasitic plant Cuscuta mitraeformis are described for the first time. The essential oil was analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS revealing nonanal (24.6%) as the main constituent followed by thymol (16.5%) and eugenol (7.5%). The total carotenoid content (130 mg 100 g-1 FW) was determined by HPLC-DAD. The carotenoid fraction contained ß-carotene (76.4 mg 100 g-1 FW) and lutein (18.9 mg 100 g-1 FW) as the most abundant compounds. A weak antioxidant activity was observed by the essential oil against DPPH radical (IC50, 1.4 mg mL-1), whereas a strong antioxidant activity was determined for the carotenoid fraction (IC50, 60.1 µg mL-1). The essential oil inhibited the growth of Clavibacter michiganensis, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato and Erwinia carotovora with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 122.5, 184.5, 234.2 µg mL-1, respectively.

La composición química del aceite esencial y el contenido de carotenoides de la planta parásita Cuscuta mitraeformis se describen por primera vez. El aceite esencial fue analizado por GC-FID y GC-MS siendo el nonanal (24.6%) el constituyente principal seguido del timol (16.5%) y el eugenol (7.5%). El contenido total de carotenoides (130 mg 100 g-1 PF) fue determinado por HPLC-DAD. La fracción de carotenoides contuvo ß-caroteno (76.4 mg 100 g-1 PF) y luteína (18.9 mg 100 g-1 PF) como compuestos mayoritarios. Fue observada una actividad antioxidante débil por parte del aceite esencial frente al radical DPPH (IC50, 1.4 mg mL-1), mientras que una fuerte actividad antioxidante fue determinada para la fracción de carotenoides (IC50, 60.1 µg mL-1). El aceite esencial inhibió el crecimiento de Clavibacter michiganensis, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato y Erwinia carotovora con una concentración mínima inhibitoria de 122.5, 184.5, 234.2 µg mL-1, respectivamente.

Anti-steroidogenic activity of methanolic extract of Cuscuta reflexa roxb. stem and Corchorus olitorius Linn. seed in mouse ovary.

Methanolic extract (ME) of both C. reflexa stem and C. olitorius seed arrested the normal oestrus cycle of adult female mouse and significantly decreased the weight of ovaries and uterus. The cholesterol and ascorbic acid contents in ovaries were significantly increased in the treated mice. Two key enzymes, delta5-3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, were decreased significantly in ME of both C. reflexa stem and C. olitorius seed after 17 days of treatment. High level of substrates and low level of enzymes indicate the inhibition of steroidogenesis in treated mice and may be due to the presence of flavonoids.

Cuscuta hyalina Roth., an insect development inhibitor against common house mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus Say.

A preliminary screening of crude acetone extract of Cuscuta hyalina Roth. was conducted against the laboratory reared preadult stages of common house mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) (Diptera: Culicidae). 24 h LC50 of third and fourth instar larvae and pupae were 303 ppm, 306.44 ppm and 97.66 ppm respectively. The extract completely restrained the adult mosquito emergence at sublethal doses (50 ppm for third instar and 75 ppm for fourth instar), by disrupting the normal morphogenesis. The extract was found to be an effective oviposition deterrent at 80 ppm. The plant was also found to be effective in suppressing the adult emergence when directly sprinkled as dry powder on the water surface.