Curcumol: a review of its pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, drug delivery systems, structure-activity relationships, and potential applications.

Curcumol (Cur), a guaiane-type sesquiterpenoid hemiketal, is an important and representative bioactive component extracted from the essential oil of the rhizomes of Curcumae rhizoma which is also known as "Ezhu" in traditional Chinese medicine. Recently, Cur has received considerable attention from the research community due to its favorable pharmacological activities, including anti-cancer, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-convulsant, and other activities, and has also exerted therapeutic effect on various cancers, liver diseases, inflammatory diseases, and infectious diseases. Pharmacokinetic studies have shown that Cur is rapidly distributed in almost all organs of rats after intragastric administration with high concentrations in the small intestine and colon. Several studies focusing on structure-activity relationship (SAR) of Cur have shown that some Cur derivatives, chemically modified at C-8 or C-14, exhibited more potent anti-cancer activity and lower toxicity than Cur itself. This review aims to comprehensively summarize the latest advances in the pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties of Cur in the last decade with a focus on its anti-cancer and hepatoprotective potentials, as well as the research progress in drug delivery system and potential applications of Cur to date, to provide researchers with the latest information, to highlighted the limitations of relevant research at the current stage and the aspects that should be addressed in future research. Our results indicate that Cur and its derivatives could serve as potential novel agents for the treatment of a variety of diseases, particularly cancer and liver diseases.

Development of a hydrogel containing bisabolol-loaded nanocapsules for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in a Balb/c mice model.

α-Bisabolol (αBIS), a plant-derived compound with anti-inflammatory properties, is potentially a therapeutic agent for Atopic dermatitis. However, its poor water solubility and photoinstability limit its topical application. Therefore, the present study, aimed to develop cationic polymeric nanocapsules of αBIS to improve its skin delivery, photostability, and therapeutic efficacy. The αBIS-loaded nanocapsules were prepared using the solvent displacement technique. A Box-Behnken (BB) design was employed to statistically optimize formulation variables and αBIS-loaded nanocapsules characterized by particle size, surface charge and encapsulation efficiency. The optimal formulation was selected, and the spherical shape of the nanocapsules was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, hydrogel containing αBIS-loaded nanocapsules was prepared by thickening of nanocapsule suspension with Carbopol 934 and evaluated for rheology, in vitro drug release and skin permeation. Furthermore, a mice model of atopic dermatitis was used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential of the hydrogels. The optimal formulation displayed a spherical morphology under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with an optimum particle size of 133.00 nm, polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.12, high EE% of 93 %, and improved optical stability of αBIS in the prepared nanocapsules compared to the free drug. The nano-based hydrogels demonstrated non-Newtonian pseudoplastic behavior and an increased αBIS in vitro release profile without causing skin irritation in rabbits. Drug retention within the dermis and epidermis layers significantly surpassed that of drug-free hydrogel. Moreover, in vivo histopathological studies and myeloperoxidase (MPO) enzyme activity, revealed that hydrogel containing bisabolol nanocapsules exhibited The best anti-inflammatory effect. The results showed that hydrogels containing bisabolol nanocapsules markedly alleviated dermatitis-related inflammation and reduced skin thickness in Balb/c mice. Our findings support nanocapsules as an effective drug delivery system to enhance αBIS stability, bioavailability, and therapeutic efficacy in AD treatment.

Costunolide ameliorates intestinal dysfunction and depressive behaviour in mice with stress-induced irritable bowel syndrome via colonic mast cell activation and central 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common chronic functional bowel disease, associated with a high risk of depression and anxiety. The brain-gut axis plays an important role in the pathophysiological changes involved in IBS; however, an effective treatment for the same is lacking. The natural compound costunolide (COS) has been shown to exert gastroprotective, enteroprotective, and neuroprotective effects, but its therapeutic effects in IBS are unclear. Our study explored the effect of COS on intestinal dysfunction and depressive behaviour in stress-induced IBS mice. Mice were subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress to trigger IBS, and some were administered COS. Behavioural tests, histochemical assays, western blotting, and measurement of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels in the colon and hippocampus were applied to monitor the physiological and molecular consequences of COS treatment in IBS mice. COS administration relieved intestinal dysfunction and depression-like behaviours in IBS mice. Improvements in low-grade colon inflammation and intestinal mucosal permeability, inhibition of the activation of mast cells, upregulation of colonic Occludin expression, and downregulation of Claudin 2 expression were also observed. COS was also found to upregulate GluN2A, BDNF, p-ERK1/2, and p-CREB expression and 5-HT levels in hippocampal cells but inhibited 5-HT metabolism. Molecular docking showed that COS could form hydrogen bonds with the serotonin transporter (SERT) to affect the reuptake of 5-HT in the intercellular space. In conclusion, COS alleviates intestinal dysfunction and depressive behaviour in stress-induced IBS mice by inhibiting mast cell activation in the colon and regulating 5-HT metabolism in the central nervous system.

Atractylenolide I enhances responsiveness to immune checkpoint blockade therapy by activating tumor antigen presentation.

One of the primary mechanisms of tumor cell immune evasion is the loss of antigenicity, which arises due to lack of immunogenic tumor antigens as well as dysregulation of the antigen processing machinery. In a screen for small-molecule compounds from herbal medicine that potentiate T cell-mediated cytotoxicity, we identified atractylenolide I (ATT-I), which substantially promotes tumor antigen presentation of both human and mouse colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and thereby enhances the cytotoxic response of CD8+ T cells. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) with multiplexed quantitative mass spectrometry identified the proteasome 26S subunit non-ATPase 4 (PSMD4), an essential component of the immunoproteasome complex, as a primary target protein of ATT-I. Binding of ATT-I with PSMD4 augments the antigen-processing activity of immunoproteasome, leading to enhanced MHC-I-mediated antigen presentation on cancer cells. In syngeneic mouse CRC models and human patient-derived CRC organoid models, ATT-I treatment promotes the cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells and thus profoundly enhances the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade therapy. Collectively, we show here that targeting the function of immunoproteasome with ATT-I promotes tumor antigen presentation and empowers T cell cytotoxicity, thus elevating the tumor response to immunotherapy.

Distribution of inhaled volatile ß-caryophyllene and dynamic changes of liver metabolites in mice.

ß-caryophyllene (BCP), an essential oil component of many herbs and spices, has various biological activities as a functional food factor. A distinct feature of BCP is its volatile double-ring sesquiterpene structure. Orally administered BCP is reportedly detected in its intact form in mice serum; however, the distribution of inhaled volatile BCP throughout the body remains unknown. This study aimed to estimate the distribution properties of inhaled volatile BCP and to investigate its effects on metabolism. After mice were exposed to volatile BCP, it was detected in the lung, olfactory bulb, brain, serum, heart, liver, kidney, epididymal fat, and brown adipose tissue. BCP was further detected in the brain, liver, and brown adipose tissue 24 h after exposure. Metabolites related to glutathione metabolism were significantly altered in the liver. These results suggest that inhaled volatile BCP is widely distributed in murine tissues and affects the dynamics of metabolites in the liver.

Rapid Profiling of the Marker Components in Artemisia annua L. and their Metabolites in Rats Using an Improved Liquid Chromatography-tandem Highresolution Mass Spectrometry-based Technology.

BACKGROUND: As parasite resistance to the main artemisinin drugs has emerged in Southern Asia, the traditional herb Artemisia annua L. (AAL) from which artemisinin (QHS) isolated was found to overcome resistance to QHS. However the component and metabolite profiles of AAL remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: In this study, component profiling of marker compounds in AAL (amorphane sesquiterpene lactones and flavonoids) was performed and their subsequent metabolism was investigated in rats. METHODS: For efficient component classification and structural characterization, an improved liquid chromatography- tandem high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)-based analytical strategy was applied, i.e., background subtraction (BS) followed by ring-double-bond (RDB) filter in tandem with repeated BS processing. Structures of detected components/metabolites were characterized based on integrated information including their HRMSn patterns, RDB values, the established component/metabolite network, the biosynthesis pathways of AAL, and/or NMR data. RESULTS: A total of 38 amorphane sesquiterpene lactones and 35 flavonoids were found in AAL as prototype compounds, among which 26 components were previously undescribed. Major compounds were identified by comparing them with reference standards. Among 73 AAL prototypes administered, 38 were absorbed in the circulation as the prototype. Moreover, 20 metabolites of amorphane sesquiterpene lactones and 10 metabolites of flavonoids were detected in rats. The major metabolic pathways included oxidation, methylation, glucuronidation and sulfation. CONCLUSION: The component and metabolite network were established for marker components in AAL, which will be valuable to understand the synergistic antimalarial potency of QHS in A. annua L. The analytical strategy can also be applied to other herbal medicines.

Atractylenolides, essential components of Atractylodes-based traditional herbal medicines: Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.

The rhizome of the plant Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz is the major constituent of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Baizhu, frequently used to treat gastro-intestinal diseases. Many traditional medicine prescriptions based on Baizhu and the similar preparation Cangzhu are used in China, Korea and Japan as Qi-booster. These preparations contain atractylenolides, a small group of sesquiterpenoids endowed with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Atractylenolides I, II and III also display significant anticancer properties, reviewed here. The capacity of AT-I/II/IIII to inhibit cell proliferation and to induce cancer cell death have been analyzed, together with their effects of angiogenesis, metastasis, cell differentiation and stemness. The immune-modulatory properties of ATs are discussed. AT-I has been tested clinically for the treatment of cancer-induced cachexia with encouraging results. ATs, alone or combined with cytotoxic drugs, could be useful to treat cancers or to reduce side effects of radio and chemotherapy. Several signaling pathways have been implicated in their multi-targeted mechanisms of action, in particular those involving the central regulators TLR4, NFκB and Nrf2. A drug-induced reduction of inflammatory cytokines production (TNFα, IL-6) also characterizes these molecules which are generally weakly cytotoxic and well tolerated in vivo. Inhibition of Janus kinases (notably JAK2 and JAK3 targeted by AT-I and AT-III, respectively) has been postulated. Information about their metabolism and toxicity are limited but the long-established traditional use of the Atractylodes and the diversity of anticancer effects reported with AT-I and AT-III should encourage further studies with these molecules and structurally related natural products.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of cnicin from blessed thistle (Centaurea benedicta) and its inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins against Schistosoma mansoni.

Schistosomiasis, caused by a blood fluke of the genus Schistosoma, afflicts over 230 million people worldwide. Treatment of the disease relies on just one drug, praziquantel. Cnicin (Cn) is the sesquiterpene lactone found in blessed thistle (Centaurea benedicta) that showed antiparasitic activities but has not been evaluated against Schistosoma. However, cnicin has poor water solubility, which may limit its antiparasitic activities. To overcome these restrictions, inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins may be used. In this work, we evaluated the in vitro and in vivo antischistosomal activities of cnicin and its complexes with ß-cyclodextrin (ßCD) and 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HPßCD) against Schistosoma mansoni. Cnicin were isolated from C. benedicta by chromatographic fractionation. Complexes formed by cnicin and ßCD (Cn/ßCD), as well as by cnicin and HPßCD (Cn/HPßCD), were prepared by coprecipitation and characterized. In vitro schistosomicidal assays were used to evaluate the effects of cnicin and its complexes on adult schistosomes, while the in vivo antischistosomal assays were evaluated by oral and intraperitoneal routes. Results showed that cnicin caused mortality and tegumental alterations in adult schistosomes in vitro, also showing in vivo efficacy after intraperitoneal administration. The oral treatment with cnicin or Cn/ßCD showed no significant worm reductions in a mouse model of schistosomiasis. In contrast, Cn/HPßCD complex, when orally or intraperitoneally administered to S. mansoni-infected mice, decreased the total worm load, and markedly reduced the number of eggs, showing high in vivo antischistosomal effectiveness. Permeability studies, using Nile red, indicated that HPßCD complex may reach the tegument of adult schistosomes in vivo. These results demonstrated the antischistosomal potential of cnicin in preparations with HPßCD.

Low Oral Bioavailability and Partial Gut Microbiotic and Phase II Metabolism of Brussels/Witloof Chicory Sesquiterpene Lactones in Healthy Humans.

Free and glycosylated sesquiterpene lactones (SLs), which are abundant in leafy vegetables including Brussels/witloof chicory, possess health-promoting effects in vivo. However, the pharmacokinetics of dietary source of SLs remain largely unknown. In this open-label and single-dose trial, sixteen healthy volunteers consumed 150 g of Brussels/witloof chicory juice containing 48.77 µmol SLs in 5 min. Blood, urine, and fecal samples were collected before and after chicory consumption in 24 h. No SLs were detected in the serum, urine, and fecal samples before chicory consumption in all of the participants. Chicory consumption increased lactucin, 11ß,13-dihydrolactucin, and their glucuronide/sulfate conjugates, rather than lactucopicrin and 11ß,13-dihydrolactucopicrin, as well as glycosylated SLs in biological samples. The peak concentration of total SLs in serum reached 284.46 nmol/L at 1 h, while, in urine, this peak was 220.3 nmol between 2 and 6 h. The recovery of total SLs in blood, urine, and feces was 7.03%, 1.13%, and 43.76% of the ingested dose, respectively. Human fecal suspensions with intestinal microbiota degraded glycosylated SLs in chicory, and converted lactucopicrin and 11ß,13-dihydrolactucopicrin to lactucin and 11ß,13-dihydrolactucin, respectively. Collectively, Brussels/witloof chicory SLs are poorly bioavailable and they undergo partial gut microbial and phase II metabolism in humans.

Investigation on the urinary excretion kinetics of three atractylenolides from crude and processed Atractylodis rhizoma extracts in rats by UPLC-MS/MS.

Atractylodis rhizoma is a frequently-used traditional Chinese medicine in clinical practice, which have the effect of eliminating dampness and tonifying spleen. And after being processed with wheat bran, the dryness of A. rhizoma is reduced, and the function of tonifying spleen is enhanced. Atractylenolides are the major bioactive components of A. rhizoma, including atractylenolide I (AI), atractylenolide Ⅱ (AⅡ) and atractylenolide Ⅲ (AⅢ). The present study aimed to develope a new UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous quantification of three atractylenolides in rat urine, and applied to the excretory kinetics in Sprague-Dawley rats after oral administration of crude and processed A. rhizoma extracts. Analytes and internal standard were detected without interference in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode with positive electrospray ionization. The excretory kinetics parameters were calculated by a urine drug analysis model of drug and statistics (DAS) 3.2.8 software. The t1/2 and Ke of three atractylenolides had no significant difference between crude and processed A. rhizoma, but the recovery accumulative excretion of them in processed A. rhizoma were apparently higher than the crude ones (p<0.05, p<0.01). The results showed that only a small amount of atractylenolides excreted in urine and processing A. rhizoma with wheat bran by stir frying could promote the urinary excretion of them.

Human Gut Microbiota Metabolism of Dietary Sesquiterpene Lactones: Untargeted Metabolomics Study of Lactucopicrin and Lactucin Conversion In Vitro and In Vivo.

SCOPE: Gut microbiota converts dietary phytochemicals into metabolites and modulates their health effects. The microbial metabolism of dietary terpenoids, as the sesquiterpene lactones of leafy vegetables, is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: In vitro fermentation of lactucopicrin, lactucin, and romaine lettuce with gut microbiota from independent donors, show their extensive metabolism through untargeted metabolomics of the fecal incubations. Dehydroxylations and double bond hydrogenations are the main catabolic reactions. Isomers of dihydrolactucopicrin, tetrahydrolactucopicrin, and deoxylactucin, are observed after lactucopicrin metabolism. Tetrahydrolactucin and hexahydrolactucin are also found after lactucin metabolism. Lettuce fermentation shows similar metabolic conversions. Phase II conjugates of most of these metabolites are detected in the urine of healthy volunteers after escarole salad intake. Glucuronides, and sulfates, of dihydrolactucopicrin, tetrahydrolactucopicrin, dihydrolactucin, and deoxylactucin, are detected in the urine although with large inter-subject variability. CONCLUSION: This is the first report on the gut microbiota metabolism of sesquiterpene lactones in humans, and one of the first reports to describe that dietary terpenoids of widely consumed leafy vegetables are extensively catabolized by human gut microbiota. A large inter-subject variation in the metabolism of sesquiterpene lactones also reflects differences in gut microbiota composition. It suggests that inter-individual differences in their health effects should be expected.

Dissolving microneedles for transdermal delivery of huperzine A for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Increasingly attention has been paid to the transdermal drug delivery systems with microneedles owing to their excellent compliance, high efficiency, and controllable drug release, therefore, become promising alternative with tremendous advantages for delivering specific drugs such as huperzine A (Hup A) for treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) yet with low oral bioavailability. The purpose of the present study is to design, prepare, and evaluate a dissolving microneedle patch (DMNP) as a transdermal delivery system for the Hup A, investigating its in vitro drug release profiles and in vivo pharmacokinetics as well as pharmacodynamics treating of AD. Skin penetration experiments and intradermal dissolution tests showed that the blank DMNP could successfully penetrate the skin with an adequate depth and could be quickly dissolved within 5 min. In vitro transdermal release tests exhibited that more than 80% of the Hup A was accumulatively permeated from DMNP through the skin within three days, indicating a sustained release profile. In vivo pharmacokinetic analysis demonstrated that the DMNP group resulted in longer T max (twofold), longer t 1/2 (fivefold), lower C max (3:4), and larger AUC(0-∞) (twofold), compared with the oral group at the same dose of Hup A. Pharmacodynamic research showed a significant improvement in cognitive function in AD rats treated with DMNP-Hup A and Oral-Hup A, as compared to the model group without treatment. Those results demonstrated that this predesigned DMNP is a promising alternative to deliver Hup A transdermally for the treatment of AD.

Development and Validation of Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of 7ß-(3-Ethyl-cis-crotonoyloxy)-1α-(2-methylbutyryloxy)-3,14-dehydro-Z-notonipetranon in Rats.

Recently, potent neuroprotective and anti-diabetic effects of 7ß-(3-Ethyl-cis-crotonoyloxy)-1α-(2-methylbutyryloxy)-3,14-dehydro-Z-notonipetranone (ECN), a sesquiterpenoid isolated from Tussilago farfara Linnaeus, have been elucidated. To facilitate further pre-clinical evaluation in rats, an analytical method for the determination of ECN in rat plasma was developed and optimized by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Plasma samples were pretreated by the protein precipitation method with an acetonitrile solution of losartan (LST) as the internal standard. Chromatographic separation was performed using a an Octadecyl-silica (ODS) column (2.6 µm, 100 x 4.6 mm) in the isocratic mode. The mobile phase, comprising 10 mM ammonium formate in water pH 5.75) and acetonitrile (11:89, v/v), was eluted at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. Mass spectrometric detection was performed in the multiple reaction monitoring mode with positive electrospray ionization, and the mass transitions of ECN and LST were m/z 431.3 to 97.3 and m/z 423.1 to 207.2, respectively. The calibration curves of spiked plasma samples were linear in the 10.0-10,000 ng/mL range (r2 > 0.996). The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was determined as 10.0 ng/mL. Validation was conducted in the LLOQ, and three quality control (QC) sample levels (10.0, 25.0, 3750, and 7500 ng/mL) were studied. Among them, the relative standard deviation for the within- and between-run precisions was under 9.90%, and the relative error of the accuracies was within the -8.13% to 0.42% range. The validated method was successfully employed to investigate the pharmacokinetic properties of ECN in rats, which revealed the linear pharmacokinetic behavior of ECN for the first time.

Preparation, characterization, pharmacokinetics and anticancer effects of PEGylated ß-elemene liposomes.

Objective: This study aimed to develop a new polyethylene glycol (PEG)ylated ß-elemene liposome (PEG-Lipo-ß-E) and evaluate its characterization, pharmacokinetics, antitumor effects and safety in vitro and in vivo. Methods: The liposomes were prepared by ethanol injection and high-pressure micro-jet homogenization. Characterization of the liposomes was conducted, and drug content, entrapment efficiency (EE), in vitro release and stability were studied by ultra-fast liquid chromatography (UFLC) and a liquid surface method. Blood was drawn from rats to establish the pharmacokinetic parameters. The anticancer effect was evaluated in a KU-19-19 bladder cancer xenograft model. Histological analyses were performed to evaluate safety. Results: The PEG-Lipo-ß-E showed good stability and was characterized as 83.31 ± 0.181 nm in size, 0.279 ± 0.004 in polydispersity index (PDI), -21.4 ± 1.06 mV in zeta potential, 6.65 ± 0.02 in pH, 5.024 ± 0.107 mg/mL in ß-elemene (ß-E) content, and 95.53 ± 1.712% in average EE. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated the formation of PEG-Lipo-ß-E. Compared to elemene injection, PEG-Lipo-ß-E demonstrated a 1.75-fold decrease in clearance, a 1.62-fold increase in half-life, and a 1.76-fold increase in area under the concentration-time curves (AUCs) from 0 hour to 1.5 hours (P < 0.05). PEG-Lipo-ß-E also showed an enhanced anticancer effect in vivo. Histological analyses showed that there was no evidence of toxicity to the heart, kidney, liver, lung or spleen. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates PEG-Lipo-ß-E as a new formulation with ease of preparation, high EE, good stability, improved bioavailability and antitumor effects.

Bioavailability and Pharmacokinetics of Anisatin in Mouse Blood by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: Anisatin is a neurotoxic sesquiterpene dilactone wildly found in plants of the family Illiciaceae. Due to morphological similarities among Illiciaceae fruits, fatal poisonings are frequent. OBJECTIVE: This study is aimed at developing a rapid, simple ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method to determine anisatin's bioavailability in mouse blood and the method's application to pharmacokinetics. METHODS: Blood samples were preprocessed by protein precipitation using acetonitrile. Salicin (internal standard, IS) and anisatin were gradient-eluted by a mobile phase of methanol and water (0.1% formic acid) in a UPLC BEH C18 column. This step involved using an electrospray ionization source of anisatin at a mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) of 327.1 → 127.0 and IS at m/z 285.1 → 122.9 in the negative ion mode with multiple reaction monitoring. RESULTS: The calibration curve ranged from 1 to 2000 ng/ml (r > 0.995), with the method's accuracy ranging from 86.3% to 106.9%. Intraday and interday precision were lower than 14%, and the matrix effect was between 93.9% and 103.3%. The recovery rate was higher than 67.2%. CONCLUSIONS: The developed UPLC-MS/MS method was successfully used for a pharmacokinetic study of oral (1 mg/kg) and intravenous (0.5 mg/kg) administration of anisatin to mice-the absolute bioavailability of anisatin in the mouse blood was 22.6%.

Multi-Targeting by ß-Elemene and Its Anticancer Properties: A Good Choice for Oncotherapy and Radiochemotherapy Sensitization.

Several studies have focused on chemical agents, tailored from natural edible products, used to prevent and treat various diseases. ß-elemene is a well-known compound derived from Curcuma wenyujin that possesses a wide spectrum of anticancer properties under preclinical and clinical conditions. Several studies have demonstrated its inhibitory effect both in humans and animals with cancers. Numerous in vivo and in vitro experimental models have revealed that ß-elemene can modulate multiple molecular pathways involved in carcinogenesis. In general, (1) ß-elemene itself can inhibit and kill tumor cells through a variety of mechanisms, and (2) can synergistically enhance the effect of radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, (3) also can regulate autoimmune in the treatment of tumors. In this article, we critically focused on the available scientific evidence discussing the use of ß-elemene in cancer prevention, and its molecular targets and mechanisms of action in different types of cancer. In addition, we have discussed its sources, chemistry, bioavailability, and future research directions.

Validation and application of a novel UHPLC-MS/MS method for the measurement of furanodienone in rat plasma.

A sensitive ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was established to analyze furanodienone in rat plasma. In the process of chromatographic separation, selected reaction monitoring transitions for furanodienone and patchouli alcohol (internal standard, IS) were m/z 231.1 → 83.2 and m/z 205.1 → 95.1, respectively. Great linearity of furanodienone in plasma samples was found in the corresponding concentration range (r > 0.995). Intra- and inter-day precisions (RSD, %) were <11.3% in plasma, and the accuracy (RE, %) was within ±10.7%. This method was used to the furanodienone study on rat pharmacokinetics after a single oral dose of 10 mg/kg of furanodiene. The results indicated that the maximum observed plasma concentration was 52.4 ± 19.1 ng/ml at 1.2 ± 0.7 h with an elimination half-life of 2.2 ± 0.7 h. The obtained data indicated that furanodienone could be moderately distributed and eliminated.

Dental resin as controlled release layer for the development of an innovative long-acting intra-oral delivery system.

The objective of the present study was to develop a novel long-acting intra-oral delivery system (LIDS) to overcome the frequent administration by the nonparenteral route with Huperzine A (HupA) as a model drug. HupA-LIDS was prepared using a magnetic drug delivery with dental resin as release controlling layer for long-term release of HupA. The factors that influenced the drug release comprised of the type and amount of pore formers, the speed of shaker, resin layer weight and drug loading. These factors were evaluated and optimized. The in-vitro release studies showed that the system was able to deliver HupA in an approximately zero-order kinetic. The SEM study showed that the multiple orifices on the surface of a resin layer formed due to presence of pore formers, which contributed to the HupA release. The pharmacokinetic study in rabbits demonstrated the HupA-LIDS could be released in vivo for more than 8 days with prolonged Tmax and significantly reduced Cmax in comparison with commercial tablets. This study provided some pioneering ideas for developing intra-oral extended release drug delivery system using dental resin as release controlling materials. The optimized HupA-LIDS can make excellent sustained release and have the potential for the long-acting product in the therapy of Alzheimer's disease.

The Optimization Design Of Lactoferrin Loaded HupA Nanoemulsion For Targeted Drug Transport Via Intranasal Route.

BACKGROUND: Huperzine A (HupA) is a selective acetylcholinesterase inhibitor used to treat Alzheimer's disease. The existing dosage of HupA lacks brain selectivity and can cause serious side effects in the gastrointestinal and peripheral cholinergic systems. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to develop and characterize a HupA nanoemulsion (NE) and a targeted HupA-NE modified with lactoferrin (Lf) for intranasal administration. METHODS: The NE was formulated using pseudo-ternary phase diagrams and optimized with response surface methodology. Particle size distribution and zeta potential were evaluated, and transmission electron microscopy was performed. We investigated the transport mechanisms of HupA-NEs into hCMEC/D3 cells, an in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier. HupA-NE, Lf-HupA-NE, and HupA solution were intranasally administered to rats to investigate the brain-targeting effects of these formulations. A drug targeting index (DTI) was calculated to determine brain-targeting efficiency. RESULTS: Optimized HupA-NE had a particle size of 15.24±0.67 nm, polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.128±0.025, and zeta potential of -4.48±0.97 mV. The composition of the optimized HupA-NE was 3.00% isopropyl myristate (IPM), 3.81% Capryol 90, and 40% Cremophor EL + Labrasol. NEs, particularly Lf-HupA-NE, were taken up into hCMEC/D3 cells to a greater extent than pure drug alone. Western blot analysis showed that hCMEC/D3 cells contained P-glycoprotein (P-gp), breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), and multidrug resistance associated protein 1 (MRP1) transporters. The likely mechanisms resulting in higher NE transport to the brain were uptake by specific transporters and transcytosis. In vivo, intranasal Lf-HupA-NE significantly enhanced drug delivery to the brain compared to HupA-NE, which was confirmed by differences in pharmacokinetic parameters. The DTI of Lf-HupA-NE (3.2±0.75) demonstrated brain targeting, and the area under the curve for Lf-HupA-NE was significantly higher than that for HupA-NE. CONCLUSION: Lf-HupA-NE is a promising nasal drug delivery carrier for facilitating delivery of HupA to the central nervous system.

A Nasal Temperature and pH Dual-Responsive In Situ Gel Delivery System Based on Microemulsion of Huperzine A: Formulation, Evaluation, and In Vivo Pharmacokinetic Study.

Huperzine A (hup A), extracted from the Chinese medicinal plant Huperzia serrata, is a reversible and highly selective second-generation acetylcholine esterase (AchE) inhibitor for treating Alzheimer's disease (AD), but it suffers from low bioavailability in the brain. This study aimed to develop a nasal temperature and pH dual-responsive in situ gel delivery system based on microemulsion of hup A (hup A-M-TPISG). The optimal formulation was obtained by central composite design and response surface methodology. The optimized mucoadhesive formulation, hup A-M-TPISG, was composed of pluronic F127 (20.80%), pluronic F68 (2.8%), and chitosan (0.88%) as the gel matrix, which could gelatinize under physiological conditions (29-34°C, pH 6.5) because of its temperature and pH responsiveness. The optimized hup A-M-TPISG formulation was further evaluated by in vitro release and in vivo pharmacokinetic studies via microdialysis. The in vitro release study showed continuous and steady drug release from hup A-M-TPISG, which was in accordance with the first-order model. Moreover, the pharmacokinetic results revealed that the optimized formulation for nasal administration, with convenient administration and improved patient compliance, could achieve similar brain-targeting properties as intravenous administration. In conclusion, the hup A-M-TPISG for intranasal administration, as an effective and safe vehicle, could enhance the absorption of hup A in vivo and would be a promising noninvasive alternative for partially improving brain-targeting therapy.