Based on previous studies about microflora regulation and immunity enhancement activities of polysaccharides from
Nannf. var.
(Nannf.) L. T. Shen (CPP), there is little study on intestinal mucosal ...immunity, which is a possible medium for contacting microflora and immunity. In the present study, the BALB/c mice were divided into five groups (eight mice in each group), including a normal group (Con), a model control group (Model), and model groups that were administered CPP (50, 100, 200 mg/kg/d) orally each day for seven days after intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg BW/d cyclophosphamide (CP) for three days. CPP recovered the spleen index and restored the levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-10, as well as serum IgG. In addition, it elevated ileum secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), the number of
and acetic acid content in cecum. These results indicated that CPP plays an important role in the protection against immunosuppression, especially mucosa immune damage, and the inhibition of pathogenic bacteria colonization, which could be considered a potential natural source of immunoregulator.
The antioxidant effect of salidroside has been proven, but its role in liver injury is poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the protective effects and mechanism of salidroside on ...liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl
) in vivo. Mice were pretreated with salidroside (60 mg/kg, intraperitoneally injected, i.p.) once per day for 14 consecutive days and then administered with CCl
(15.95 g/kg, i.p.) for 24 h to produce a liver injury model. Salidroside attenuated hepatic transaminase elevation in serum and ameliorated liver steatosis and necrosis, thereby suggesting its protective effect on the liver. Salidroside antagonized CCl
-induced toxicity by equilibrating antioxidation system, thereby inhibiting reactive oxygen species accumulation, and restoring mitochondrial structure and function. Salidroside exerts antioxidant and liver-protective effects by selectively inhibiting the activation of genes, including growth arrest and DNA -damage-inducible 45 α (Gadd45a), mitogen-activated protein kinase 7 (Mapk7), and related RAS viral oncogene homolog 2 (Rras2), which induce oxidative stress in the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. These results revealed that salidroside can protect the liver from CCl
-induced injury by resisting oxidative stress and protecting mitochondrial function.
Pseudorabies virus (PRV), in the family Herpesviridae, is a pathogen of Aujeszky's disease, which causes great economic losses to the pig industry. Recent outbreaks of Pseudorabies imply that new ...control measures are urgently needed. The present study shows that kaempferol is a candidate drug for controlling PRV infection, as it possesses the ability to inhibit PRV replication in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. Kaempferol at a concentration of 52.40 µmol L−1 could decrease PRV-induced cell death by 90%. With an 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 25.57 µmol L−1 kaempferol was more effective than acyclovir (positive control) which has an IC50 value of 54.97 µmol L−1. A mode of action study indicated that kaempferol inhibited viral penetration and replication stages, decreasing viral loads by 4- and 30-fold, respectively. Addition of kaempferol within 16 h post infection (hpi) could significantly inhibit virus replication, and viral genome copies were decreased by almost 15-fold when kaempferol was added at 2 hpi. Kaempferol regulated the NF-κB and MAPKs signaling pathways involved in PRV infection and changed the levels of the target genes of the MAPKs (ATF-2 and c-Jun) and NF-κB (IL-1α, IL-1β and IL-2) signaling pathways. The findings of the current study suggest that kaempferol could be an alternative measure to control PRV infection.
Rhizome of
is an effective medical plant, which has been extensively applied for centuries in migraine and cardiovascular diseases treatment in China. Polysaccharides from this plant have been shown ...to have interesting bioactivities, but previous studies have only been performed on the neutral polysaccharides. In this study, LCP-I-I, a pectic polysaccharide fraction, was obtained from the 100 °C water extracts of
rhizomes and purified by diethylaminethyl (DEAE) sepharose anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Monosaccharide analysis and linkage determination in addition to Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer and Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum, indicated that LCP-I-I is a typical pectic polysaccharide, with homo-galacturonan and rhamnogalacturonan type I regions and arabinogalactan type I and type II (AG-I/AG-II) side chains. LCP-I-I exhibited potent complement fixation activity, ICH
of 26.3 ± 2.2 µg/mL, and thus has potential as a natural immunomodulator.
•Two polysaccharides were isolated from the fermentation liquid of M. dendrobii.•MDP–1 mainly composed of mannose, xylose, and galactose with Mw of 6.02 × 105 Da.•MDP–2 mainly composed of ...galacturonic acid, galactose and rhamnose with Mw of 1.70 × 106 Da.•MDPs could effectively scavenge superoxide, hydroxyl and DPPH radicals.•MDP–2 performed noticeable antioxidant activities.
Two polysaccharides, MDP-1 and MDP-2, were obtained from the fermentation liquid of M. dendrobii by anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Their chemical structures were measured by FT-IR, GC, 1H and 13C NMR spectra, indicating the mainly compositions of mannose, xylose, and galactose for MDP-1; galacturonic acid, galactose and rhamnose for MDP-2. Furthermore, the antioxidant activities of MDPs were investigated, showing different antioxidant activities, in which MDP–2 performed noticeable, with excellent superoxide radical activity better than BHT, high DPPH radical activity (IC50 at 227 μg/mL) comparable with BHT, moderate reducing power activity and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. The results indicated that the fermentation liquid of M. dendrobii could be used as a potential natural source of antioxidant.
In cancer cells, the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) that requires hormonal and nutrient signals for its activation, is constitutively activated. We found that overexpression of ...pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) activates mTORC1 signaling through phosphorylating mTORC1 inhibitor AKT1 substrate 1 (AKT1S1). An unbiased quantitative phosphoproteomic survey identified 974 PKM2 substrates, including serine202 and serine203 (S202/203) of AKT1S1, in the proteome of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Phosphorylation of S202/203 of AKT1S1 by PKM2 released AKT1S1 from raptor and facilitated its binding to 14-3-3, resulted in hormonal- and nutrient-signals independent activation of mTORC1 signaling and led accelerated oncogenic growth and autophagy inhibition in cancer cells. Decreasing S202/203 phosphorylation by TEPP-46 treatment reversed these effects. In RCCs and breast cancers, PKM2 overexpression was correlated with elevated S202/203 phosphorylation, activated mTORC1 and inhibited autophagy. Our results provided the first phosphorylome of PKM2 and revealed a constitutive mTORC1 activating mechanism in cancer cells.
Codonopsis pilosula possesses properties related to nourishing the spleen and stomach, and tonifying qi of stomach and mind in traditional Chinese medicine. Polysaccharides, which are the primary ...active components of C. pilosula, are thought to be in charge of their extensive use. Now, a systematic summary structural and bioactivities diversity of polysaccharide from C. pilosula (CPs) are necessary to address their future aspects and application.
In this review, the extraction and purification methods, structural features and bioactivities diversity of CPs are summarized and discussed. Structure-activity relationships (SAR) is also analyzed and discussed.
Boiling water extraction, ultrasonic extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis and microwave methods, subcritical water extraction and accelerated solvent extraction are used for extracting CPs. Among them, water extraction and alcohol precipitation method is the most frequently used one. Around 15 neutral fractions and 25 acidic fractions were purified from different species of C. pilosula, while only few of them were well characterized. CPs exhibited various biological activities, including immunomodulation, antitumor, prebiotics, antifatigue, antiviral, antioxidation activity. However, most of bioactivities reported were based on crude CPs; in vivo studies of purified CPs and the potential mechanisms need to be extensively investigated. SAR illustrates that chemical and enzymatic modification of CPs could significantly increase the bioactivity of CPs, but other impact factors on SAR such as water solubility, molecular weight and chain information are still unknown.
•Methods for Codonopsis pilosula polysaccharides extraction were discussed.•Around 40 CPs were purified from C. pilosula, and showed structural diversity.•CPs exhibited a wide range of bioactivities both in vitro and in vivo.•Chemical and enzymatic modification affects the bioactivities of CPs.•Mechanisms of activities of purified CPs in vivo are required to be explored.
The present study investigated acute and subchronic toxicity and safety pharmacology of modified pulsatilla granules（MPG）to provide a basis for a comprehensive understanding of MPG toxicity.The ...results of acute toxicity testing showed that the median lethal dose of MPG was more than 5 000 mg kg^-1,suggesting that MPG was considered as practically non-toxic.The subchronic toxicity study for 30 days was conducted by daily oral administration at doses of 375,750 and 1 500 mg kg^-1 in Sprague-Dawley rats.The results of subchronic toxicity study showed that the body weight and relative organ weight were not significantly changed by administration of MPG.The clinical chemistry study showed that MPG could induce kidney and liver damages.In histopathological,mild lesions in liver and kidney were also observed,suggesting that the liver and kidney might be potential target organs of MPG.In the safety pharmacology study,MPG did not exhibited any side effects to rats in cardiovascular system,respiratory system and central nervous system.These results suggested that MPG could be considered safe for veterinary use.
Xiang-Qi-Tang (XQT) is a Chinese herbal formula containing Rhizoma Cyperi, Andrographis paniculata and Astragalus membranaceus. The present study investigated the effects of XQT on the mortality and ...inflammatory mediators in a chicken model challenged with avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC). To detect the effect of XQT, the chickens were pretreated with the formula 12 h before being challenged with 108 colony forming unit (CFU) of APEC. The results showed that 0.6 g/kg XQT significantly elevated the survival rate of infected chickens. To further investigate the mechanism of decreasing mortality of XQT, we examined plasma inflammatory mediator levels. The levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and soluble endothelial protein C receptor (sEPCR) were significantly increased in chickens challenged with APEC alone, whereas chickens pretreated with 0.6 g/kg XQT showed marked decrease of these inflammatory mediator levels during the death peak. Taken together, this study demonstrates that XQT has protective effects in APEC-treated chickens. The action mechanisms of XQT involve anti-inflammation and antithrombotic activity. These findings may contribute to future research on the action mechanisms of this formula, as well as prevention of or therapy for avian colibacillosis.
PDF
