Withania somnifera: a kind of food-medicine plant popular in world in recent years / 中国中药杂志

Withania somnifera, also known as Indian ginseng, is an important traditional medicine in the Ayurvedic medical system of India, which has a significant effect of adaptation. Modern studies have shown that the main chemical components of W. somnifera are withanolides, which have antioxidant, anti-tumor, enhancing immunity, cardiovascular protection, neuroprotection, anti-stress, anti-stress reaction and hypoglycemic activities. Studies on human, animal, mutagenesis, genotoxicity, reproductive toxicity and drug interaction showed that W. somnifera had good safety. Clinical trials have proved that W. somnifera is effective in treating a variety of human diseases. As a famous traditional medicine and modern dietary supplement, it has a high reputation and market in the international health product market, but in China, there is little scientific research, market development, product introduction and application. In this paper, the traditional application, chemical composition, pharmacological activity, safety evaluation and clinical study of the plant were introduced, so as to increase the understanding of the dual use of the plant, and to provide reference for the future introduction of the product, the service to the health of the Chinese people and the promotion of the "double cycle" of the trade of health products between China and the international community.

Withaminimas A-F, six withanolides with potential anti-inflammatory activity from Physalis minima / 中国天然药物

Withaminimas A-F (1-6), six new withaphysalin-type withanolides were isolated from the aerial parts of Physalis minima L.. The structures of these compounds were elucidated through a variety of spectroscopic techniques including HR-MS, NMR, and ECD. Compound 1 belongs to rare 18-norwithanolides, and 2-3 were 13/14-secowithanolides. According to the traditional usage of P. minima, inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccaride-activated RAW264.7 macrophages were evaluated, and compounds 1-4 exhibited significant inhibitory effects with IC values among 3.91-18.46 μmol·L.

Effect of carbon and nitrogen sources on in vitro flower and fruit formation and withanolides production in Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal.

We studied the influence of sucrose and nitrogen concentration on in vitro flowering and fruit setting in elongated shoots of Withania somnifera. BA (1.5 mg/l) and IAA (0.3 mg/l) on MS medium supplemented with 4% sucrose showed 67% of in vitro flower induction frequency, 9 flowers/shoot, 4 fruits/shoot and 11 seeds/fruit in elongated-shoots. Different concentrations of nitrogen sources (L-glutamine, adenine sulphate, ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate 5-25 mg/l) were tested in combination with 4% sucrose and BA at 1.5 mg/l and IAA at 0.3 mg/l. Highest number of flowers (20 flowers/shoot; 2.2-fold) and fruits (16 fruits/shoot; 3.39-fold), fruit setting (12 seeds/fruit; 1.08-fold) at a higher frequency (88 %) were achieved on MS medium augmented with 15 mg/l adenine sulphate with same PGRs and sucrose concentration. The maximum production of withanolide A (0.68 mg/g DW) and withanolide B (0.77 mg/g DW) was recorded in in vitro fruits. Highest accumulation of withaferin A (2 mg/g DW) was quantified from in vitro flowers, whereas, it was low in in vitro fruits (0.49 mg/g DW withaferin A). However, withanone (0.23 mg/g DW) was found accumulated uniformly in both in vitro flowers and fruits compared to control.

Withaferin A-Caused Production of Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species Modulates Apoptosis via PI3K/Akt and JNKinase in Rabbit Articular Chondrocytes

Withaferin A (WFA) is known as a constituent of Ayurvedic medicinal plant, Withania somnifera, and has been used for thousands of years. Although WFA has been used for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) and has a wide range of biochemical and pharmacologic activities, there are no findings suggesting its properties on chondrocytes or cartilage. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of WFA on apoptosis with focus on generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here we showed that WFA significantly increased the generation of intracellular ROS in a dose-dependent manner. We also determined that WFA markedly leads to apoptosis as evidenced by accumulation of p53 by Western blot analysis. N-Acetyl-L-Cystein (NAC), an antioxidant, prevented WFA-caused expression of p53 and inhibited apoptosis of chondrocytes. We also found that WFA causes the activation of PI3K/Akt and JNKinase. Inhibition of PI3K/Akt and JNKinase with LY294002 (LY)/triciribine (TB) or SP600125 (SP) in WFA-treated cells reduced accumulation of p53 and inhibited fragmented DNA. Our findings suggested that apoptosis caused by WFA-induced intracellular ROS generation is regulated through PI3K/Akt and JNKinase in rabbit articular chondrocytes.

Hair roots induction and culture of Withania somnifera and its withanolide A synthesis / 中国中药杂志

Withanolide A is a biologically active secondary metabolite occuring in roots and leaves of Withania somnifera. In the present study, adventitious roots from leaf explants of W. somnifera were induced for the production of withanolide-A by Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58C1 to obtain hair roots. Hair roots induction rate reached 30%. The withanolide A was determined by HPLC in different hair roots lines and different parts of W. somnifera. The average content of withanolide A in all hair roots lines were 1.96 times as high as that in wild-plant, the concentration of withanolide A in hair roots (1.783 mg x g(-1) dry weight) were 1.51 times as high as the roots of wild W. somnifera (1.180 mg x g(-1) dry weight), respectively. It is possible to obtain withanolide A from hair roots culture of W. somnifera.

Physalis angulata L. (Bolsa Mullaca): a review of its traditional uses, chemistry and pharmacology / Physalis angulata L. (Bolsa Mullaca): revisión de usos tradicionales, química y farmacología

Physalis angulata is a specie of the Solanaceae family, which edible fruit is used in several countries of tropical and subtropical regions of the world as medicinal and fruit-tree. This review shows research over the last 30 years, about traditional uses, chemical constituents and pharmacology of this specie. The studies related to traditional uses show that P. angulata is known for its antimalarial, anti-inflammatory and post-partum treating properties. It presents the different pharmacological experiments in vitro and in vivo models that have been made, also the identification of phytochemical constituents with medicinal importance, the main being physalins and withanolides. Pharmacological studies have shown antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antinociceptive, antimalarial, antileishmanial, immunosuppressive, antiasthmatic diuretic, and antitumor activities, thus validating its traditional uses and demonstrating the great potential of this specie for further development within the pharmaceutical industry.

Physalis angulata, es una especie de la familia Solanaceae, de frutos comestibles, que en diferentes países de regiones tropicales y subtropicales del mundo utilizan como medicinal y frutal. La presente revisión muestra las investigaciones realizadas durante los últimos 30 años, sobre los usos tradicionales, componentes químicos y farmacología de esta especie. Los estudios referidos a los usos tradicionales, muestran que la especie es conocida por propiedades antimaláricas, antiinflamatorias y en el tratamiento de postparto. Se muestran los diferentes experimentos farmacológicos de ensayos in vitro y modelos in vivo que se han realizado, asimismo la identificación de sus constituyentes fitoquímicos con importancia medicinal, siendo los principales las fisalinas y los witanólidos. Los estudios farmacológicos revelan que tiene actividad antiparasitaria, antiinflamatoria, antimicrobiana, antinociceptiva, antimalárica, antileishmania, inmunosupresor, antiasmático, diurético y antitumoral, validando de esta manera sus usos tradicionales y demostrando el gran potencial que tiene esta especie para un mayor desarrollo dentro de la industria farmacéutica.

Expression of DNA Methyltransferases in Breast Cancer Patients and to Analyze the Effect of Natural Compounds on DNA Methyltransferases and Associated Proteins / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: The DNA methylation mediated by specific DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), results in the epigenetic silencing of multiple genes which are implicated in human breast cancer. We hypothesized that the natural compounds modulate the expression of DNMTs and their associated proteins in the breast cancer cell lines and affect the methylation mediated gene silencing. METHODS: The DNMTs transcript expression was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the tumors and the adjacent normal breast tissues of the patients with invasive ductal breast carcinoma. We tested the hypothesis that the natural compounds, viz., epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), genistein, withaferin A, curcumin, resveratrol, and guggulsterone, have demethylation potential. To investigate this hypothesis, we analyzed the DNMTs expression at the transcript levels, followed by the analysis of DNMT1 and its associated proteins (HDAC1, MeCP2, and MBD2). RESULTS: The increased DNMTs transcripts expression, viz., DNMT1, DNMT3a, and DNMT3b, in the breast cancer tissues suggest involvement of the DNMTs in the breast carcinogenesis. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that the treatment with natural compounds, viz., EGCG, genistein, withaferin A, curcumin, resveratrol, and guggulsterone, resulted in a significant decrease in the transcript levels of all the DNMTs investigated. Importantly, these natural compounds decreased the protein levels of DNMT1, HDAC1, and MeCP2. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that the natural compounds, EGCG, genistein, withaferin A, curcumin, resveratrol, and guggulsterone, have the potential to reverse the epigenetic changes. Moreover, their lack of toxicity makes these natural compounds promising candidates for the chemoprevention of the breast cancer. In-depth future mechanistic studies aimed to elucidate how these compounds affect the gene transcription are warranted.

Withanolid amine and nicotine from Dunalia spinosa (Solanaceae) / Amino-witanólido y nicotina de Dunalia spinosa (Solanaceae)

A new withanolid amine was isolated from Dunalia spinosa (Solanaceae). Its relative stereochemistry was determined using FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies and high resolution mass spectrometry. Nicotine was also isolated; chemotaxonomic and archaeological implications are discussed.

Un nuevo amino-witanólido fue aislado de Dunalia spinosa (Solanaceae). Su estereoquímica relativa fue determinada usando espectroscopías FT-IR y RMN de 1H y 13C, y espectrometría de masas de alta resolución. También fue aislada nicotina; se discuten las implicancias quimotaxonómicas y arqueológicas.