Medicinal Herb Extracts Research Articles

Antibacterial and Toxicity Activities of Indonesian Herbal Medicine Extracts Used for Postpartum Treatment

Postpartum treatments have been used by local women in Indonesia for some time now. One commonly used postpartum treatment is the consumption of a traditional herbal medicine called PHM-1 during the first 40 days after childbirth. In addition, a second medicine known as PHM-2 is taken for days 41-80. However, sufficient scientific evidence about the benefits of this postpartum herbal medicine does not exist. In this study, the antibacterial abilities of PHM-1 and PHM-2 therefore was evaluated and showed positive potential for both. Low IC50 values were obtained against pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Rhodopseudomonas palustris, Ralstonia pickettii, and Staphylococcus epidermidis and compared with chloramphenicol as a positive control. The antibacterial activity of both PHM-1 and PHM-2 against R. pickettii had the highest inhibitory activity as evidenced by the lowest IC50 values of 11.16 and 6.26 μg/ml, respectively. Furthermore, an in vivo acute toxicity test showed that PHM-1 produced a low LD50 value of 3.28 g/kg BW for both of male and female mice. These results support the use of both PHM-1 and PHM-2 as antibacterial treatments for postpartum women.

Antibacterial and photocatalytic behaviour of green synthesis of Zn0.95Ag0.05O nanoparticles using herbal medicine extract

The present work aimed to synthesize Zn0.95Ag0.05O (ZnAgO) nanoparticles using rosemary leaf extracts as a green chemistry method. The characterization of Ag-doped ZnO nanoparticles was performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry (UV–visible). The XRD, FTIR, and UV–visible spectra confirmed the formation of the presence of hexagonal ZnAgO nanoparticles. FESEM micrograph shows that the nanoparticles have been distributed homogeneously and uniformly. The morphology of ZnAgO nanoparticles is quasi-spherical configuration. Also, the mean particle size is in the range of 22–40 nm. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue in the presence of Ag-doped ZnO nanoparticles is nearly 98.5% after exposing 100 min. The ultraviolet lamp was used as the light source for photocatalyst degradation. The disc diffusion method was chosen to study the antibacterial activity of as-synthesized ZnAgO nanoparticles. Antibacterial activity of Zn0.95Ag0.05O nanoparticles against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli revealed that the as-synthesized ZnAgO nanoparticles were efficient in inhibition of bacterial growth.

The effect of dietary combined herbs extracts (oak acorn, coriander, and common mallow) on growth, digestive enzymes, antioxidant and immune response, and resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila infection in common carp, Cyprinus carpio

The objective of the present investigation was to evaluate the effects of the combination of medicinal herbs extracts (CMO: Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), common mallow (Malva sylvestris), and oak acorn (Quercus brantii)) on growth, digestive enzymes activity, immune parameters, and disease resistance in common carp, Cyprinus carpio. A total number of three hundred fish (20.80 ± 0.25 g) were randomly attributed to five treatments fed with diets containing 0 (control), 0.5%, 1%, 3%, and 5% of CMO for a period of 60 days then were challenged with A. hydrophila infection. Based on the results, there were significant differences in all growth parameters, including final weight (FW), weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), and food conversion ratio (FCR) between CMO supplemented fish and control with the maximum values in the 5% CMO treatment (P < 0.05). Despite the control fish, no mortality was observed in CMO treatments (P < 0.05). CMO diets increased red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), hematocrit (Hct), hemoglobin (HB), and mean corpuscular volume (MCV), while decreased mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). Feeding the fish with CMO diets markedly increased total protein, albumin, and globulin values, while triglyceride, cholesterol, glucose, and cortisol decreased (P < 0.05). Antioxidant biomarkers in CMO-fed fish were significantly higher than those of the control group. Immune parameters in serum and mucus including lysozyme, total immunoglobulin (Total Ig), nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT), alternative complement activity (ACH50), protease, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and antioxidant enzymes were significantly higher in CMO-fed fish compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The highest and the lowest survival rates following a challenge with A. hydrophila were observed in 3% CMO and the control treatments, respectively. Polynomial regression analysis showed that the the best recommended inclusion level of CMO was 1% to maximize growth performance and improved feed conversion values. In conclusion, our findings revealed that the 3% CMO could elevate the growth, immune systems, antioxidant activity, and resistance to A. hydrophila in common carp.

Plant Extracts Rich in Polyphenols as Potent Modulators in the Growth of Probiotic and Pathogenic Intestinal Microorganisms.

Medicinal plants and their extracts contain substantial quantities of polyphenols. As metabolically active plant metabolites, polyphenols are food components with a wide range of biological activities. Given their poor absorbability in the digestive tract their activity toward the human host is typically mediated through interaction with intestinal microbes. As a result, polyphenols comprise a novel group of prebiotics. In this study, we tested the effect of five polyphenol-rich extracts from four medicinal herbs on the growth of probiotic and pathogenic microbes. The studied medicinal herbs were Gentiana asclepiadea L. (willow gentian), Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John's wort), Satureja montana L. (winter savory), and Achillea millefolium L. (yarrow). All these plants are traditionally used for the treatment of digestive problems. Extracts were prepared using safe solvent combinations. We tested the impact of addition of plant extracts on the growth of three probiotic lactobacilli and probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. The effect of addition of plant extracts to liquid media (concentration range 0.25–10 mg/mL) on the growth of probiotics, was tested in vitro. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was tested against several opportunistic bacteria and yeast. St. John's wort, winter savory, and willow gentian extracts showed a stimulative effect on probiotic yeast growth, while the highest growth-stimulating effect was achieved when microwave-assisted yarrow extract was used in the concentration of 0.5 mg/mL. Under these conditions growth of S. boulardii was increased 130-fold. In addition, the yarrow extract stimulated the growth of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v. The growth of two Lacticasibacillus rhamnosus strains was not stimulated by the addition of any extracts. Our results show that plant polyphenol-rich extracts can influence the growth of microorganisms that are typical members of the intestinal microbiota. For the first time we demonstrate that probiotic yeast growth can be stimulated by extracts of medicinal herbs, which when accompanied by suppression of Candida yeasts suggests a potential benefit of the treatment in diseases that are associated with fungal dysbiosis.

Pharmacopuncture with Herbal Medicine Extracts Effect in Women with Cervical Spondylosis: A Meta-analysis

Background: A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pharmacopuncture in women with cervical spondylosis. Methods: A systematic literature search from up to July 2021 was performed and 18 studies included 1566 women with cervical spondylosis at the start of the study; 813 of them were using pharmacopuncture, 219 were control, and 582 were using other treatments. They were reporting relationships between the efficacy and safety of pharmacopuncture in women with cervical spondylosis. The mean difference (MD) with its 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was calculated to assess the efficacy and safety of pharmacopuncture in women with cervical spondylosis using the continuous method with a random or fixed-effect model. Results: Pharmacopuncture in women with cervical spondylosis was significantly related to lower Visual analog scale (MD, -1.80; 95% CI, -2.33- -1.27, p<0.001), and no significant difference was found related to the McGill pain questionnaire (MD, -2.11; 95% CI, -4.89- -0.68, p=0.14) compared to control. Pharmacopuncture combined with other treatment in women with cervical spondylosis was significantly related to lower Visual analogue scale (MD, -1.79; 95% CI, -2.24- -1.34, p<0.001), lower Visual analogue scale after 3 months follow up (MD, -1.88; 95% CI, -3.36- -0.41, p=0.01), and higher SF-36 questionnaire (MD, 18.31; 95% CI, 13.33-23.29, p<0.001) compared to other treatment. Conclusions: Pharmacopuncture in women with cervical spondylosis was significantly related to the lower Visual analog scale, and no significant difference was found related to the McGill pain questionnaire compared to control. Pharmacopuncture combined with other treatments in women with cervical spondylosis was significantly related to lower Visual analog scale, lower Visual analog scale after 3 months follow up, and higher SF-36 questionnaire compared to other treatments.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of a Medicinal Herb Extract Mixture, HM-V, on an Animal Model of DNCB-Induced Chronic Skin Inflammation.

Chronic inflammatory skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, are caused by the accumulation of immune cells and the overproduction of chemokines, including CCL17 and CCL22, due to the activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines secreted from keratinocytes. In the present study, the inhibitory activity of HM-V on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)/interferon gamma (IFN-γ)-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines was examined in human keratinocytes (HaCaTs) and 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNCB)-induced chronic skin contact dermatitis animal models. Traditional Asian medicinal herb extracts mixture (HM-V), which have been extensively used in Asian medicine, were utilized. In TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced HaCaTs, HM-V strongly inhibited mRNA and protein expression of CCL17 and CCL22 in a concentration-dependent manner. The expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 was also inhibited. Therefore, localized administration of HM-V in the DNCB-induced animal model alleviated immune cell deposition and skin inflammation. The results indicate that HM-V exerts inhibitory effects on keratinocyte production of CCL17 and CCL22. Furthermore, HM-V may be a useful anti-inflammatory agent for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory skin diseases.

Abstract 1926: Selective induction of apoptosis by aqueous extract of Chinese medicinal herbs Scutellaria barbata and Oldenlandia diffusain HCT 116 colon cancer cells and CCD 841 CoN colon epithelial cells

Abstract Scutellaria barbata (SB) and Oldenlandia diffusa (OD) have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating liver, lung and rectal tumors. These two herbs are included in most of the herbal cancer treatment formulas in Taiwan hospitals. We previously showed that aqueous extracts of SB and OD inhibited mutagenesis, DNA binding and metabolism of aflatoxin B1 and benzo(a)pyrene. They were also shown to inhibit foci formation in the colon of AOM-induced mice. Other researchers demonstrated their effects in regulation of various apoptotic enzymes and pathways. Ethanol extract of SB was shown to inhibit colorectal cancer growth by suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway while ethanol extract of OD was indicated in the inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis of 5-FU resistant colorectal cancer cells via the regulation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In this study, the effects of aqueous extracts of SB and OD on the induction and modulation of apoptosis in HCT 116 colon cancer cells and CCD 841 CoN normal color epithelial cells were assessed using TUNEL assay, Apoptosis/Necrosis Detection Kit, and Human Apoptosis Antibody Array - Membrane (43 Targets) test (Abcam). Our data demonstrated that both the 3-hours and 6 hours of 1.5 mg/mL SB treatments induced apoptosis in HCT 116 colon cancer cells significantly (77.5 ± 1.5%, 87.5± 3.5%) as compared to the negative control (13.5 ± 0.5%, 17.0 ± 6.0%), p &amp;lt; 0.05. The percent of apoptosis was not significantly different as compared to that of the positive control induced by 1µMol Staurosporine (99.5 ± 0.5%, 91.9 ± 9.0%); while there was no notable induction of apoptosis in normal CCD 841 CoN colon epithelial cells (18.5 ± 1.5%, 14.4 ± 4.0% separately). The majority of the normal cells remained non-induced (71.0 ± 1.0%, 68.5 ± 6.5%). A similar selective induction of apoptosis, in the two cell lines separately, was obtained from the 3-hours and 6 hours of 1.5 mg/mL OD treatments (HCT116 - 44.0 ± 4.0%, 83.5± 15.5%; CCD841 CoN - 6.5 ± 5.5%, 7.0 ± 2.0% respectively). Modulation of various apoptosis markers production such as up-regulation of Bax, BID, Bad, p27, p53, Caspases 8 and 3; and down-regulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-w was also observed. These results suggested that SB and OD contain phytochemicals which selectively induce apoptosis in HCT 116 cancer cells by modulating these markers while not significantly affecting the normal CCD 841 CoN colon epithelial cells. Further study of their specific modulation effects and phytochemicals on apoptosis is warranted to reveal their potential chemopreventive and therapeutic properties against colon cancer and other cancers. Citation Format: Camille Kordas, Joshua Li, Kristin Ferrer, Yi Shan Jin, Nathaly Manrique, Min Seo Kang, Joon Seo, Sung Been Han, Jasmine Cha, Anthony Miller, Padma Tadi Uppala, Brian Yuen Wong. Selective induction of apoptosis by aqueous extract of Chinese medicinal herbs Scutellaria barbata and Oldenlandia diffusain HCT 116 colon cancer cells and CCD 841 CoN colon epithelial cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 1926.

Effects of commonly used medicinal herbs in Jordan on erythrocyte oxidative stress markers

Context: Much attention has been given recently to the antioxidant capacity of natural products, with particular interest on those that are frequently consumed by people. Aims: To evaluate the commonly used and frequently consumed edible herbs in Jordan to compare their in vitro and in vivo antioxidant properties. Methods: The in vitro antioxidant properties were tested by pre-incubating washed human erythrocytes with a given herb extract and then exposing these erythrocytes to H2O2 to induce oxidative stress, and then measuring erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) as a marker for lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl (PC) as a marker for protein oxidation, reduced glutathione (GSH) as a marker for cellular antioxidant status and the percentage of hemolysis as an indicator for the anti-hemolytic activity of the herb. The in vivo antioxidant properties were tested by giving orally aqueous extracts of the herbs tested in vitro to healthy individuals on daily bases for five days, with two blood samples being collected from each individual to measure the above-mentioned markers. Results: Pre-incubation of human erythrocytes in vitro with methanolic extracts of Zingiber officinale, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia triloba, Verbena triphylla, Nigella sativa and Origanum syriacum significantly improved erythrocyte MDA, PC and oxidant hemolysis. Oral consumption by healthy individuals of aqueous extracts of the same herbs for 5 days significantly improved erythrocyte MDA, GSH, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) at the sixth day of administration. Conclusions: These results indicate that aqueous extracts of medicinal herbs can be absorbed well and appear in body tissues inflecting in vivo antioxidant properties similar to their in vitro properties.

Effects of Astragalus membranaceus, Adenophora triphylla, and Ulmus pumila Extracts on Quality Characteristics and Storage Stability of Sous-Vide Cooked Chicken Breasts.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of Astragalus membranaceus (AM), Adenophora triphylla (AT), and Ulmus pumila (UP) extracts on the quality traits, palatability, and storage stability of sous-vide (SV) cooked chicken breasts. Chicken breasts were marinated in AM, AT, or UP extracts for 1 h, and then consistently cooked at a constant temperature of 60°C for 2 h. SV cooked chicken breasts with the UP extract exhibited lower lightness and higher yellowness values on the surface region compared to those with the AM and AT extracts (p<0.05). The control and UP groups displayed a similar overall visual acceptability (p>0.05), although the UP group had lower color acceptability (p<0.01). The UP group also had higher flavor and lower off-flavor intensities compared to the control group (p<0.05), although similar scores were observed in tenderness attributes and juiciness among the groups (p>0.05). Owing to these results regarding overall sensory acceptability, samples from the UP group were more preferred by the trained panelists compared to samples from the control group (p<0.001). On 14 d of cold storage, all the groups with herbal medicinal extracts exhibited a lower concentration of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances than the control group (p<0.05), and the AT and UP groups showed lower values compared to the AM group due to their higher flavonoid contents (p<0.001). Therefore, meat marination with herbal plant extracts before SV cooking can be effective for enhancing the overall quality of SV cooked chicken breast.

Toxicity of Jegosaponins A and B from Styrax japonica Siebold et al. Zuccarini in Prostate Cancer Cells and Zebrafish Embryos Resulting from Increased Membrane Permeability.

(1) Background: Screening of medicinal herbs is one of the most powerful approaches to identifying novel therapeutic molecules against many human diseases. To avoid potential harmful effects during medicinal use, toxicity testing is necessary in the early stages of drug discovery. The objective of this study was to identify the cytotoxic mechanisms of jegosaponin A and B from Styrax japonica Siebold et al. Zuccarini; (2) Methods: We screened Japanese medicinal herb extracts using PC-3 prostate cancer cells and found that a methanol extract isolated from the unripe fruit of Styrax japonica Siebold et al. Zuccarini (SJSZ) had an inhibitory effect on cell viability. We further performed fractionation assays with PC-3 cells and identified the bioactive compounds using LC/MS and NMR analysis. We clarified the toxic mechanisms of these compounds using PC-3 cells and zebrafish embryos; (3) Results: We identified two active molecules, jegosaponin A and jegosaponin B, in the inhibitory fractions of the methanol extract. These jegosaponins are toxic to zebrafish embryos during the early developmental stage. Jegosaponin A and B showed strong haemolytic activity in sheep defibrinated blood (EC50 = 2.1 μM, and 20.2 μM, respectively) and increased the cell membrane permeability in PC-3 cells and zebrafish embryos, which were identified using a membrane non-permeable DRAQ7, a fluorescent nucleus staining dye; (4) We identified the cytotoxic compounds jegosaponin A and B from SJSZ, which we showed to exhibit cell membrane disruptive properties using cell- and zebrafish-based testing.

Transdermal delivery of Chinese herbal medicine extract using dissolvable microneedles for hypertrophic scar treatment

Hypertrophic scars are unfavorable skin diseases characterized by excessive collagen deposition. Although systemic treatments exist in clinic to manage hypertrophic scars, they pose significant side effects and tend to lose efficacy over prolonged applications. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offers as a promising candidate to treat pathological scars. A large number of TCMs have been studied to show anti-scarring effect, however, the natural barrier of the skin impedes their penetration, lowering its therapeutic efficacy. Herein, we reported the use of dissolvable hyaluronic acid (HA) microneedles (MNs) as a vehicle to aid the transdermal delivery of therapeutic agent, a model TCM called shikonin for the treatment of hypertrophic scars. Here, shikonin was mixed with HA to make MNs with adequate mechanical strength for skin penetration, making its dosage controllable during the fabrication process. The therapeutic effect of the shikonin HA MNs was studied in vitro using HSFs and then further verified with quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Our data suggest that the shikonin HA MNs significantly reduce the viability and proliferation of the HSFs and downregulate the fibrotic-related genes (i.e., TGFβ1, FAP-α and COL1A1). Furthermore, we observed a localized therapeutic effect of the shikonin HA MNs that is beneficial for site-specific treatment.

Puerarin Restores Autophagosome-Lysosome Fusion to Alleviate Cadmium-Induced Autophagy Blockade via Restoring the Expression of Rab7 in Hepatocytes.

Autophagic dysfunction is one of the main mechanisms by which the environmental pollutant cadmium (Cd) induces cell injury. Puerarin (Pue, a monomeric Chinese herbal medicine extract) has been reported to alleviate Cd-induced cell injury by regulating autophagy pathways; however, its detailed mechanisms are unclear. In the present study, to investigate the detailed mechanisms by which Pue targets autophagy to alleviate Cd hepatotoxicity, alpha mouse liver 12 (AML12) cells were used to construct a model of Cd-induced hepatocyte injury in vitro. First, the protective effect of Pue on Cd-induced cell injury was confirmed by changes in cell proliferation, cell morphology, and cell ultrastructure. Next, we found that Pue activated autophagy and mitigated Cd-induced autophagy blockade. In this process, the lysosome was further activated and the lysosomal degradation capacity was strengthened. We also found that Pue restored the autophagosome-lysosome fusion and the expression of Rab7 in Cd-exposed hepatocytes. However, the fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes and autophagic flux were inhibited after knocking down Rab7, and were further inhibited after combined treatment with Cd. In addition, after knocking down Rab7, the protective effects of Pue on restoring autophagosome-lysosome fusion and alleviating autophagy blockade in Cd-exposed cells were inhibited. In conclusion, Pue-mediated alleviation of Cd-induced hepatocyte injury was related to the activation of autophagy and the alleviation of autophagy blockade. Pue also restored the fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes by restoring the protein expression of Rab7, thereby alleviating Cd-induced autophagy blockade in hepatocytes.

Antioxidant Properties of Extracts from Medicinal Plants Popularly Used in Taiwan

We have examined antioxidant activities of twenty-six medicinal herbal extracts that have been popularly used as folk medicines in Taiwan. The results of scavenging DPPH radical activity show that, among the 26 tested medicinal plants, Ludwigia octovalvis, Vitis thunbergii, Rubus parvifolius, Lindernia anagallis, and Zanthoxylum nitidum exhibited strong activities and their IC50 values for DPPH radicals were 4.6, 24, 27, 36, 50 g/mL, respectively. As for the su- peroxide anion scavenging activity (IC50, g/mL), the top five most significant activities were observed in plant extracts of Ludwigia octovalvis (26  g/mL), Vitis thunbergii (58  g/mL), Prunella vulgaris (113  g/mL), Saurauia oldhamii (124  g/mL), and Rubus parvifolius (151  g/mL). The IC50 values for DPPH and superoxide anion of catechin (positive control) were 2.5 and 7.2  g/mL, respectively. It was also observed in the present study that, at 1 mg/mL, Ludwigia octovalvis and Bombax malabaricum exhibited significant protection onψx174 supe r- coiled DNA against strand cleavage induced by UV irradiated H2O2 with a superior or compati- ble effect to that of catechin.

An In Vitro Evaluation of the Inhibition of Recombinant Human Carboxylesterase-1 by Herbal Extracts

Introduction: Methylphenidate is a psychostimulant prescribed for symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and is metabolized by carboxylesterase-1 (CES1) enzyme. There is little information on herbal medicine used for ADHD and their interactions with CES1. Methods: An in vitro study was conducted with extracts of 21 herbal medicines using a recombinant human CES1 enzyme inhibition assay to determine if the extracts influence enzyme activity. Extracts were initially evaluated for their potential to inhibit CES1 metabolism of 4-nitrophenyl acetate using an in vitro Microtiter plate enzyme inhibition assay. The most active extracts were serially diluted to establish the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) and were then tested for potential irreversible inhibition using a time-dependence enzyme assay. Phytochemical characterization of selected extracts was performed, and marker compounds were evaluated for their potential to inhibit CES1-mediated metabolism of the probe substrate. Results: The extracts exhibited a range of inhibition of CES1 activity, ranging from 15–95% at a standard screening concentration of 200 ?g/mL. Rhodiola rosea was the most potent inhibitor of CES1 (IC50 = 4.7 ?g/mL). No time-dependent inhibitors of CES1 were identified in this study. At 10 ?g/mL, marker compounds of ginger, [8]-gingerol (60.3%) and [10]-gingerol (67.2%), showed significant (P < 0.05) inhibition of CES1 compared to vehicle control. Discussion: The herbal medicine extracts showed varying inhibition at supraphysiologic concentrations and no risk of mechanism-based inhibition was observed. Herbal medicine used by ADHD patients have the potential to interact with CES1-mediated metabolism. To mitigate potential risk of herb-drug interactions, patients using herbal medicine alongside CES1-metabolized drugs should discuss their use with healthcare professionals. Conclusions: In vivo and clinical research are required to determine if the potential interactions would significantly affect safety and efficacy of methylphenidate at a clinical level.

Identification of existing pharmaceuticals and herbal medicines as inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 infection

The outbreak of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in more than 50 million confirmed cases and over 1 million deaths worldwide as of November 2020. Currently, there are no effective antivirals approved by the Food and Drug Administration to contain this pandemic except the antiviral agent remdesivir. In addition, the trimeric spike protein on the viral surface is highly glycosylated and almost 200,000 variants with mutations at more than 1,000 positions in its 1,273 amino acid sequence were reported, posing a major challenge in the development of antibodies and vaccines. It is therefore urgently needed to have alternative and timely treatments for the disease. In this study, we used a cell-based infection assay to screen more than 3,000 agents used in humans and animals, including 2,855 small molecules and 190 traditional herbal medicines, and identified 15 active small molecules in concentrations ranging from 0.1 nM to 50 μM. Two enzymatic assays, along with molecular modeling, were then developed to confirm those targeting the virus 3CL protease and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Several water extracts of herbal medicines were active in the cell-based assay and could be further developed as plant-derived anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents. Some of the active compounds identified in the screen were further tested in vivo, and it was found that mefloquine, nelfinavir, and extracts of Ganoderma lucidum (RF3), Perilla frutescens, and Mentha haplocalyx were effective in a challenge study using hamsters as disease model.

Classical Active Ingredients and Extracts of Chinese Herbal Medicines: Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Molecular Mechanisms for Ischemic Stroke.

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and approximately 87% of cases are attributed to ischemia. The main factors that cause ischemic stroke include excitotoxicity, energy metabolism disorder, Ca+ overload, oxidative damage, apoptosis, autophagy, and inflammation. However, no effective drug is currently available for the comprehensive treatment of ischemic stroke in clinical applications; thus, there is an urgent need to find and develop comprehensive and effective drugs to treat postischemic stroke. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has unique advantages in treating ischemic stroke, with overall regulatory effects at multiple levels and on multiple targets. Many researchers have studied the effective components of TCMs and have achieved undeniable results. This paper reviews studies on the anticerebral ischemia effects of TCM monomers such as tetramethylpyrazine (TMP), dl-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP), ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1), tanshinone IIA (TSA), gastrodin (Gas), and baicalin (BA) as well as effective extracts such as Ginkgo biloba extract (EGB). Research on the anticerebral ischemia effects of TCMs has focused mostly on their antioxidative stress, antiapoptotic, anti-inflammatory, proangiogenic, and proneurogenic effects. However, the research on the use of TCM to treat ischemic stroke remains incompletely characterized. Thus, we summarized and considered this topic from the perspective of pharmacokinetics, pharmacological effects, and mechanistic research, and we have provided a reference basis for future research and development on anticerebral ischemia TCM drugs.

Anti-inflammatory effect of herbal traditional medicine extract on molecular regulation in allergic asthma.

Asthma is an important global health problem, and the main cause of asthma is allergic reaction and immune system dysregulation. Airway inflammation causes bronchial narrowing, and goblet cell hyperplasia leads to mucus hypersecretion that leads to airflow obstruction and difficulty breathing. The Th2 cytokines can induce allergic asthma. Camellia, Adhatoda, and Glycyrrhiza are the traditional medicines that are used in some countries. In the current study, we evaluated three herbal extracts on airway inflammatory responses in asthmatic mice. The asthma model was induced in mice that were divided into 6 groups: Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) group, ovalbumin (OVA) group, OVA-budesonide group, OVA-Glycyrrhiza group, OVA-Camellia group, and OVA-Adhatoda group. Measurements of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), IgE, histamine, percentages of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALf), gene expression of COX-2, CCL24, CCL11, eotaxin, and histopathological study of lung were done. Adhatoda significantly attenuated the IL-4, IgE, and histamine levels. Glycyrrhiza attenuated the levels of IL-5, IL-13, GTP, GOT (on day 51), mRNA expression of eotaxin, CCL24, CCL11, and COX-2, eosinophil infiltration, mucus secretion, and goblet cell hyperplasia. Camellia decreased IL-13, GTP, COX-2 mRNA expression, mucus secretion, and goblet cell hyperplasia on day 31 and 51. We evaluated effect of three plants on allergic bio-factors. Glycyrrhiza as main anti-inflammatory treatment, Adhatoda as anti-allergic, and Camellia as anti-mucus releasing treatment can be used in attacks of allergic asthma.

Inhibitory mechanism of Chinese herbal medicine extracts on Escherichia coli and its application to fermented-bag sausage

Since Chinese Herbal Medicine contain many antimicrobial chemicals, they have great potential as new antimicrobial agents. Five Chinese Herbal Medicine extracts were obtained from hawthorn leaf, ginkgo leaf, bamboo leaf, redskin peanut, and lotus leaf by thermal reflux. The optimal mixed ratio was 2: 2: 5: 9 (hawthorn leaf, ginkgo leaf, bamboo leaf, redskin peanut) using the orthogonal method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 1.3 mg/mL. The total flavonoid content in the mixed-plant extract was 21.5%, and the quercetin, vitexin, different vitexin, galangal and resveratrol content were 0.32, 4.38, 1.87, 0.36 and 1.35 mg/L, respectively. The inhibitory mechanism was studied by changes in growth curves, cellular structure, cell-wall permeability and cell-membrane integrity. Results showed that the addition of plant extracts reduced the presence of E. coli, while increasing AKP, conductivity and ion-channel enzymes. Plant extracts damaged E. coli cell-walls and cell-membrane structures. The addition of 6% mixed-plant extract showed a positive effect on the quality and safety of fermented-bag sausage.

Tiao Geng decoction inhibits tributyltin chloride-induced GT1-7 neuronal apoptosis through ASK1/MKK7/JNK signaling pathway

Ethnopharmacological relevanceTiao Geng (TG) decoction is a Chinese herbal medicine extract that has been utilized for the treatment of menopausal symptoms for a history of over 30 years. In our previous study, we suggest that TG decoction possibly exerts an anti-apoptotic effect on hypothalamic neurons of ovariectomized rats via the ASK1/MKK7/JNK pathway. Tributyltin chloride (TBTC) causes oxidative damage and induces apoptosis of primary hypothalamic neurons in rats. Aim of the studyThe present work aimed to explore the inhibition of TG decoction on TBTC-induced GT1-7 cell apoptosis and its possible molecular mechanism. Materials and methodsThe GT1-7 cell line was exposed to TG decoction at diverse doses (31.25, 62.5, 125 μg/mL) for 24 h and later with TBTC (1 mg/L) for 1 h, with 17β-E2 (100 nM) treatment being the positive control. Then, CCK8 assay was conducted to evaluate cell viability, while flow cytometric analysis was conducted to examine the apoptosis level. Related pathways and differentially expressed proteins were identified by tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative phosphoproteomics. qRT-PCR was carried out to examine mRNA levels of Bax and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2). Western blotting was performed to detect the levels of Bax, Bcl-2, c-Jun, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), Caspase-3 (Casp3), Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 7 (MKK7), and apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) .Finally, cells were pretreated with SP600125, an inhibitor of JNK, later the expression of JNK and Casp3 was measured. ResultsApplication of TG decoction mitigated the GT1-7 cell apoptosis and injury caused by TBTC; besides, it inhibited the activation of the ASK1/MKK7/JNK pathway. Moreover, Bcl-2/Bax ratio became higher, and the MKK7, ASK1, Casp3 and c-Jun levels were inhibited. Besides, TG decoction combined with SP600125 (the JNK inhibitor) more significantly inhibited GT1-7 cell apoptosis caused by TBTC. ConclusionAs discovered from the experiment in this study, TG decoction has a neuroprotective effect, which is achieved through inhibiting the ASK1/MKK7/JNK signal transduction pathway to reduce GT1-7 cell apoptosis.

The preventive effect of medicinal herbal extract and gelatin sponge on alveolar osteitis: An in vivo micro-computed tomography and immunohistochemical analysis in rats

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the preventive effect of medicinal herbal extract (MHE) and gelatin sponge on alveolar osteitis (AO) in an experimental rat model. DesignTwenty-one Sprague-Dawley male rats with a mean age of 12 weeks were used. After extraction of the maxillary right first molar, an AO model was created for each animal. The animals were randomly separated to three equal groups. Group I served as a control, Group II was subjected to an intra-alveolar MHE application, and gelatin sponge was left in the sockets of Group III. On the 7th post-extraction day, the animals were sacrificed. The specimens were analyzed by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), histopathologically and immunohistochemically. ResultsMacroscopic evaluation revealed mild to intense signs of AO in all groups, but the difference was not significant (p < 0.05). Micro-CT analysis showed that bone formation was the highest in Group III (bone volume/total volume; 10.63 ± 4.9 %), whereas bone mineral density was the highest in Group I (2.05 ± 0.2 g/cm3). The difference was not significant (p > 0.05). In Group III, only 16.7 % of specimens showed no signal of inflammatory response (p < 0.01). The difference was not significant between the positive labeling for receptor activator of nuclear kappa-β (RANK), receptor activator of nuclear kappa-β ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin and osteopontin, but the intensity of Groups II and III was higher than the Group I for osteopontin (p < 0.01). ConclusionsMHE and gelatin sponge were not effective enough to prevent alveolar osteitis, but positive results were obtained in bone healing.