The objective of this study was to improve the stability and water-solubility of patchouli alcohol by complexing with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). The interactions between patchouli alcohol and β-CD were ...characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transformation-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and Scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. According to molecular modeling method, the enthalpy formation of host-guest illustrated the predominant configuration and the lowest value ΔbGo was -10.8174±1.9235 kcal/mol, suggesting the complex could reduce the energy of the system. The characterization analysis confirmed the formation of PA-CD inclusion complex, and the results indicated the advantage of the inclusion complex in stability and dissolution rates. These results identified PA-CD inclusion complex an effective way for the storage of PA, and better inclusion method still needed to be studied.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a polyphenolic substance derived from various medicinal plants. Although CGA is reported to ...have potential anti-PD effect, the beneficial effect and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to further investigate the protective effect and clarify the mechanism of action of CGA in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) models of PD.
Measurements of a-synuclein aggregation, movement disorders, and lipid, ROS and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were observed in NL5901 nematodes. Determinations of dopamine (DA) neuron degeneration, food perception, and ROS content were performed in 6-OHDA-exposed BZ555 nematodes. The autophagy activation of CGA was monitored using DA2123 and BC12921 nematodes. Meanwhile, RNAi technology was employed to knockdown the autophagy-related genes and investigate whether the anti-PD effect of CGA was associated with autophagy induction in C. elegans.
CGA significantly reduced α-synuclein aggregation, improved motor disorders, restored lipid content, and decreased ROS and MDA contents in NL5901 nematodes. Meanwhile, CGA inhibited DA neuron-degeneration and improved food-sensing behavior in 6-OHDA-exposed BZ555 nematodes. In addition, CGA increased the number of GFP::LGG-1 foci in DA2123 nematodes and degraded p62 protein in BC12921 nematodes. Meanwhile, CGA up-regulated the expression of autophagy-related genes in NL5901 nematodes. Moreover, the anti-PD effect of CGA was closely related to autophagy induction via increasing the expression of autophagy-related genes, including unc-51, bec-1, vps-34, and lgg-1.
The present study indicates that CGA exerts neuroprotective effect in C. elegans via autophagy induction.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, FSPLJ, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
BACKGROUNDNLRP3 inflammasome-mediated neuroinflammation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis and development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Microglial autophagic degradation not only decreases the ...deposits of extracellular Aβ fibrils but also inhibits the activation of NRLP3 inflammasome. Here, we aimed to identify the potent autophagy enhancers from Penthorum chinense Pursh (PCP) that alleviate the pathology of AD via inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome. METHODSAt first, autophagic activity-guided isolation was performed to identify the autophagy enhancers in PCP. Secondly, the autophagy effect was monitored by detecting LC3 protein expression using Western blotting and the average number of GFP-LC3 puncta per microglial cell using confocal microscopy. Then, the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome was measured by detecting the protein expression and transfected fluorescence intensity of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1, as well as the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. Finally, the behavioral performance was evaluated by measuring the paralysis in C. elegans, and the cognitive function was tested by Morris water maze (MWM) in APP/PS1 mice. RESULTSFour ellagitannin flavonoids, including pinocembrin-7-O-4″,6″-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-glucoside (PHG), pinocembrin-7-O-3″-O-galloyl-4″,6″-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-glucoside (PGHG), thonningianin A (TA), and thonningianin B (TB), were identified to be autophagy enhancers in PCP. Among these, TA exhibited the strongest autophagy induction effect, and the mechanistic study demonstrated that TA activated autophagy via the AMPK/ULK1 and Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathways. In addition, TA effectively promoted the autophagic degradation of NLRP3 inflammasome in Aβ(1-42)-induced microglial cells and ameliorated neuronal damage via autophagy induction. In vivo, TA activated autophagy and improved behavioral symptoms in C. elegans. Furthermore, TA might penetrate the blood-brain barrier and could improve cognitive function and ameliorate the Aβ pathology and the NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated neuroinflammation via the AMPK/ULK1 and Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathways in APP/PS1 mice. CONCLUSIONWe identified TA as a potent microglial autophagy enhancer in PCP that promotes the autophagic degradation of the NLRP3 inflammasome to alleviate the pathology of AD via the AMPK/ULK1 and Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathways, which provides novel insights for TA in the treatment of AD.
In the past five years, ethnopharmacy-based drugs have been increasingly used in clinical practice. It has been reported that hundreds of ethnopharmacy-based drugs can modulate autophagy to regulate ...physiological and pathological processes, and ethnomedicines also have certain therapeutic effects on illnesses, revealing the important roles of these medicines in regulating autophagy and treating diseases.
This study reviews the regulatory effects of natural products on autophagy in recent years, and discusses their pharmacological effects and clinical applications in the process of diseases. It provides a preliminary literature basis and reference for the research of plant drugs in the regulation of autophagy.
A comprehensive systematic review in the fields of relationship between autophagy and ethnomedicine in treating diseases from PubMed electronic database was performed. Information was obtained from documentary sources.
We recorded some illnesses associated with autophagy, then classified them into different categories reasonably. Based on the uses of these substances in different researches of diseases, a total of 80 active ingredients or compound preparations of natural drugs were searched. The autophagy mechanisms of these substances in the treatments of divers diseases have been summarized for the first time, we also looked forward to the clinical application of some of them.
Autophagy plays a key function in lots of illnesses, the regulation of autophagy has become one of the important means to prevent and treat these diseases. About 80 compounds and preparations involved in this review have been proved to have therapeutic effects on related diseases through the mechanism of autophagy. Experiments in vivo and in vitro showed that these compounds and preparations could treat these diseases by regulating autophagy. The typical natural products curcumin and tripterine have powerful roles in regulating autophagy and show good and diversified curative effects.
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•The autophagy-related natural products at home and abroad were for the first time systematically summarized.•All the natural products' regulatory effects on autophagy were included.•The clinical application of these products in autophagy was prospected.
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), including chronic disease such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and multiple sclerosis, and acute diseases like traumatic brain ...injury and ischemic stroke are characterized by progressive degeneration, brain tissue damage and loss of neurons, accompanied by behavioral and cognitive dysfunctions. So far, there are no complete cures for NDs; thus, early and timely diagnoses are essential and beneficial to patients’ treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become one of the advanced medical imaging techniques widely used in the clinical examination of NDs due to its non-invasive diagnostic value. In this review, research published in English in current decade from PubMed electronic database on the use of MRI to detect specific biomarkers of NDs was collected, summarized, and discussed, which provides valuable suggestions for the early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of NDs in the clinic.
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•MoS2 is used as a novel coating material for Li1.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13O2 via thermolysis of (NH4)2MoS4.•MoS2 coating layer is crystalline with the hexagonal phase.•MoS2 coated LMNCO ...exhibits the improved high-rate capability and cyclic stability, even at elevated temperature.
In order to improve the high-rate capacity and cycleability, the graphene-like structured MoS2 is successfully coated on Li1.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13O2 via wet chemical method followed by a solid state reaction. Transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry indicate that the surface of cathode particles is uniformly covered with a crystalline MoS2 layer (∼5nm thick) after 3wt% MoS2 surface coating. Compared with the bare sample, MoS2-coated electrode exhibits the improved Coulombic efficiency, cycleability and rate capability in the voltage range of 2.0–4.8V, even at elevated temperature. Based on the analysis from cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectra, the remarkably improved electrochemical performances of the surface-modified electrode are ascribed to the presence of lithium-active MoS2 coating with the layered structure, which could not only suppress the undesirable side reaction and increasing impedance, and enhance the structural stability of host material, but also provide the additional sites for insertion of extracted lithium to compensate the lost Li sites during the activation of LiLi0.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13O2 to effectively increase the initial Coulombic efficiency.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI), known as mechanical damage to the brain, impairs the normal function of the brain seriously. Its clinical symptoms manifest as behavioral impairment, cognitive decline, ...communication difficulties, etc. The pathophysiological mechanisms of TBI are complex and involve inflammatory response, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, and so on. Among them, oxidative stress, one of the important mechanisms, occurs at the beginning and accompanies the whole process of TBI. Most importantly, excessive oxidative stress causes BBB disruption and brings injury to lipids, proteins, and DNA, leading to the generation of lipid peroxidation, damage of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, neuronal apoptosis, and neuroinflammatory response. Transcription factor NF-E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), a basic leucine zipper protein, plays an important role in the regulation of antioxidant proteins, such as oxygenase-1(HO-1), NAD(P)H Quinone Dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), to protect against oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and neuronal apoptosis. Recently, emerging evidence indicated the knockout (KO) of Nrf2 aggravates the pathology of TBI, while the treatment of Nrf2 activators inhibits neuronal apoptosis and neuroinflammatory responses via reducing oxidative damage. Phytochemicals from fruits, vegetables, grains, and other medical herbs have been demonstrated to activate the Nrf2 signaling pathway and exert neuroprotective effects in TBI. In this review, we emphasized the contributive role of oxidative stress in the pathology of TBI and the protective mechanism of the Nrf2-mediated oxidative stress response for the treatment of TBI. In addition, we summarized the research advances of phytochemicals, including polyphenols, terpenoids, natural pigments, and otherwise, in the activation of Nrf2 signaling and their potential therapies for TBI. Although there is still limited clinical application evidence for these natural Nrf2 activators, we believe that the combinational use of phytochemicals such as Nrf2 activators with gene and stem cell therapy will be a promising therapeutic strategy for TBI in the future.
Hydrazine (HD) and mono‐methyl hydrazine (MMH), as the compositions of rocket fuels and corrosion inhibitor, have a significant impact on the atmospheric environment. The effects of them on the ...reaction between NO2 and H2O were investigated theoretically from mechanism and kinetics, and it is expected that they can promote the hydrolysis of NO2 due to their lower free energy barriers. For the subsequent reaction HNO3+HONO+HD/MMH, acid base complex and zwitterionic structure were produced through isomerization. When one or two water molecules were involved in the subsequent reaction, only zwitterionic structure can be found with the lower free energy barrier, and the products were more stable than those without water molecules. To study the atmospheric behavior of HD/MMH, the structures, thermodynamics, interaction forces and temperature dependence of the clusters, which were consisted with HNO3 and HONO with the base molecules including ammonia, amine and amide, were further calculated, and the results show that the hydrogen bond is the main interaction in the clusters. The global minima remained fixed when the temperature increases from 200 K to 325 K. The forming reactions of the clusters were spontaneous, suggesting that ammonia, amine and amide can promote the nucleation of HNO3 and HONO molecules.
The effects of Hydrazine (HD) and mono‐methyl hydrazine (MMH) on the reaction between NO2 and H2O were investigated theoretically from mechanism and kinetics. It is suggested that they promote the hydrolysis of NO2 due to their lower free energy barriers. Additionally, ammonia, amine and amide can promote the nucleation of the NO2 hydrolysis reaction products HNO3 and HONO molecules.
Ephemeral gullies, which are widely developed worldwide and threaten farmlands, have aroused a growing concern. Identifying and mapping gullies are generally considered prerequisites of gully erosion ...assessment. However, ephemeral gully mapping remains a challenge. In this study, we proposed a flow-directional detection for identifying ephemeral gullies from high-resolution images and digital elevation models (DEMs). Ephemeral gullies exhibit clear linear features in high-resolution images. An edge detection operator was initially used to identify linear features from high-resolution images. Then, according to gully erosion mechanism, the flow-directional detection was designed. Edge images obtained from edge detection and flow directions obtained from DEMs were used to implement the flow-directional detection that detects ephemeral gullies along the flow direction. Results from ten study areas in the Loess Plateau of China showed that ranges of precision, recall, and F-measure are 60.66%–90.47%, 65.74%–94.98%, and 63.10%–91.93%, respectively. The proposed method is flexible and can be used with various images and DEMs. However, analysis of the effect of DEM resolution and accuracy showed that DEM resolution only demonstrates a minor effect on the detection results. Conversely, DEM accuracy influences the detection result and is more important than the DEM resolution. The worse the vertical accuracy of DEM, the lower the performance of the flow-directional detection will be. This work is beneficial to research related to monitoring gully erosion and assessing soil loss.
The Fenglin and Fengcong landform units are considered to be an important representation for defining the degree of development of Karst landforms. However, these terrain features have been proven ...difficult to delineate and extract automatically because of their complex morphology. In this paper, a new method for identifying the Fenglin and Fengcong landform units is proposed. This method consists of two steps: (1) terrain openness calculation and (2) toe line extraction. The proposed method is applied and validated in the Karst case area of Guilin by using ASTER GDEM with one arc-second resolution. The openness of both the positive and negative terrain and a threshold were used to extract toe lines for segmenting depressions and pinnacles in Fenglin and Fengcong landforms. A comparison between the extracted Fenglin and Fengcong landform units and their real units from high resolution images was carried out to evaluate the capability of the proposed method. Results show the proposed method can effectively extract the Fenglin and Fengcong landform units, and has an overall accuracy of 93.28%. The proposed method is simple and easy to implement and is expected to play an important role in the automatic extraction of similar landform units in the Karst area.
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