Resina Draconis Research Articles

Loureirin B Ameliorates Glycolipid Metabolism Disorders in Ob/ob Mice by Regulating Bile Acid Levels and Modulating Gut Microbiota Composition.

Loureirin B (LB), an active component of Resina Draconis, exhibits hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects; however, its mode of action remains unclear. Here, ob/ob mice were utilized to investigate the effects of LB on the regulation of glucolipid metabolism disorders. Non-targeted metabolomics and 16S rDNA sequencing were performed to elucidate the potential mechanisms involved. Results indicated that LB treatment (45 mg/kg) significantly improved glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, reduced lipid levels, and alleviated hepatic steatosis. Non-targeted metabolomics analysis revealed that LB treatment regulated bile acid levels. Quantification of liver bile acids demonstrated that LB treatment significantly decreased the ratio of 12α-OH to non-12α-OH bile acids in the liver. 16S rDNA sequencing results showed that LB treatment increased the abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing microbiota while decreasing the abundance of bile salt hydrolase (BSH) enzyme-producing microbiota. In conclusion, LB ameliorates glucolipid metabolism disorders by regulating liver bile acid levels and modulating the composition of the gut microbiota.

Discovery of Loureirin analogues with colorectal cancer suppressive activity via regulating cell cycle and Fas death receptor

Chalcones and dihydrochalcones (DHCs) are important bioactive natural products (BNPs) isolated from traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, 13 chalcones were designed with the inspiration of Loureirin, a DHC extracted from Resina Draconis, and synthesized by classical Claisen-Schmidt reactions. Afterwards the reduction reactions were carried out to obtain the corresponding DHCs. Cytotoxicity assay indicated chalcones and DHCs possessed selective cytotoxicity against colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. The preliminary structure-activity relationships (SAR) of these compounds suggested the α, β-unsaturated ketone of the chalcones were crucial for the anticancer activity. Interestingly, compounds 3d and 4c exhibited selective anticancer activity against CRC cell line HCT116 with IC50s of 8.4 and 17.9 μM but not normal cell. Moreover, 4c could also inhibit the migration and invasion of CRC cells. Mechanism investigations showed 4c could induce cell cycle G2/M arrest by regulating cell cycle-associated proteins and could also up-regulate Fas cell surface death receptor. The virtual docking further pointed out that compounds 3d and 4c could nicely bind to the Fas/FADD death domain complex (ID: 3EZQ). Furthermore, silencing of Fas significantly enhanced the proliferation of CRC cells and attenuated the cytotoxicity induced by 4c. These results suggested 4c exerted its anticancer activity possibly regulating cell cycle and Fas death receptor. In summary, this study investigated the anticancer activity and mechanism of Loureirin analogues in CRC, suggesting these compounds may warrant further investigation as promising anticancer drug candidates for the treatment of CRC.

Transformation of Natural Resin Resina Draconis to 3D Functionalized Fibrous Scaffolds for Efficient Chronic Wound Healing.

Chronic wound healing is a major challenge in clinical practice. Secondary dressing damage and antibiotic resistance are the main obstacles for traditional wound dressings. Resina draconis (RD), a natural resin traditionally used in powder form for wound care, is now considered unsuitable due to the lack of gas permeability and moist environment required for wound healing. Here, RD is incorporated in situ by constructing a 3D coiled fibrous scaffold with polycaprolactone/polyethylene oxide. Due to the high porosity of 3D scaffold, the RD-3D dressings have a favorable swelling capacity, providing permeability and moisture for wound repair. Meanwhile, the transformation of RD powder into 3D dressings fully demonstrates capabilities of RD in rapid hemostasis, bactericidal, and inflammation-regulating activities. In vivo evaluations using pressure ulcer and infected wound models confirm the high efficacy of RD-3D dressing in early wound healing, particularly beneficial in the infected wound model compared to recombinant bovine FGF-basic. Further biological analysis shows that resveratrol, loureirin A, and loureirin B, as potentially bioactive components of RD, individually contribute to different aspects of wound healing. Collectively, RD-3D integrated dressings represent a simple, cost-effective, and safe approach to wound healing, providing an alternative therapy for translating medical dressings from bench to bedside.

Fabrication and hemostasis evaluation of a carboxymethyl chitosan/sodium alginate/Resina Draconis composite sponge

Hemostasis is the first step of emergency medical treatment. It is particularly important to develop rapid-acting and efficacious hemostatic materials. Carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), sodium alginate (SA) and Resina Draconis (RD) were composited uniformly by polyelectrolyte blending. Their composite sponges (CMCS/SA/RD) were prepared by freeze-induced phase separation. CMCS/SA/RD sponges were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and their blood absorption and hemolysis ratio were analyzed. The hemostatic effect of the composite sponges was evaluated by coagulation in vitro and in vivo. The composite sponges had a porous network structure. The water absorption ratio was >8000 %, and hemolysis ratio was <5 %. CMCS/SA/RD-II and CMCS/SA/RD-III composite sponges shortened the coagulation time in vitro by 11.33 s and 9.66 s, the hepatic hemostasis time by 13.8 % and 23.3 %, and the hemostasis time after mouse-tail amputation by 28.9 % and 23.9 %, respectively. A preliminary study on its coagulation mechanism showed that CMCS/SA/RD had significant effects on erythrocyte adsorption, platelet adhesion, and shortening of the activated partial thromboplastin time.

Loureirin A Promotes Cell Differentiation and Suppresses Migration and Invasion of Melanoma Cells via WNT and AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathways.

Resina Draconis is a traditional Chinese medicine, with the in-depth research, its medicinal value in anti-tumor has been revealed. Loureirin A is extracted from Resina Draconis, however, research on the anti-tumor efficacy of Loureirin A is rare. Herein, we investigated the function of Loureirin A in melanoma. Our research demonstrated that Loureirin A inhibited the proliferation of and caused G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in melanoma cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Further study showed that the melanin content and tyrosinase activity was enhanced after Loureirin A treatment, demonstrated that Loureirin A promoted melanoma cell differentiation, which was accompanied with the reduce of WNT signaling pathway. Meanwhile, we found that Loureirin A suppressed the migration and invasion of melanoma cells through the protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Taken together, this study demonstrated for the first time the anti-tumor effects of Loureirin A in melanoma cells, which provided a novel therapeutic strategy against melanoma.

Multifunctional combined drug-loaded nanofibrous dressings with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant stress and microenvironment improvement for diabetic wounds.

The treatment of diabetic wounds remains a formidable clinical challenge worldwide. Because of persistent inflammatory reaction, excessive oxidative stress, cell dysfunction, poor blood microcirculation and other microvascular complications, diabetic wounds often fall into inflammatory circulation and are difficult to heal, making patients confront the risk of amputation. In this study, silver complex nanoparticles with Resina Draconis extract and Rhodiola rosea L. extract were loaded in situ onto thermoplastic polyurethane nanofibers to develop a multifunctional electrospun nanofiber wound dressing with excellent mechanical properties, superior water absorption and breathability, good coagulation promoting activity, strong antibacterial performance and antioxidant properties. This wound dressing could effectively enhance the migration and proliferation of fibroblasts, reduce the increased thickness of regenerated epidermis caused by diabetes, and the high expression and high lipid peroxidation levels of IL-1 β, IL-6, TNF α, iNOS and MMP-9, and raise the low expression of VEGF, which shows great potential to accelerate the wound healing of diabetic mouse models. The wound healing rate reached about 87.92%, close to the non-diabetic group. Our findings suggest a breakthrough in diabetic wound care, offering a viable solution to a long-standing medical shackle.

Chitosan derivative-based mussel-inspired hydrogels used as dressings for infectious wound healing

An ideal and highly desired wound dressing for the repair of infectious wounds should provide a moist environment, close adhesion to the wound site, and self-healing and antibacterial properties. Thus, in the present study, we manufactured multifunctional, mussel-inspired hydrogels CACS-Fe3+-CYCS and CACS-Fe3+ using catechol-grafted-chitosan (CACS) and cysteine-modified-chitosan (CYCS) as raw materials and ferric chloride as a cross-linking agent. The CACS-Fe3+-CYCS hydrogel exhibited excellent adhesion because of metal coordination between the ferric ion (Fe3+) and catechol groups and a strong covalent bond between the catechol groups and the amino and sulfhydryl groups. Its self-healing quality was attributed to the dynamic and reversible properties of metal coordination. The loading of the total flavones of Resina Draconis (RDF) provided the hydrogel with good antibacterial properties. The antibacterial rates of the CACS-Fe3+-CYCS and RDF-CACS-Fe3+-CYCS hydrogels for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were 90.62% and 96.45% and 99.98% and 100.00%, respectively. The RDF-CACS-Fe3+-CYCS hydrogel at pH 5.0, 6.8, and 8.0 in phosphate-buffered saline exhibited slow, sustained cumulative release rates of 53.94%, 71.97%, and 85.13% at 60 h, respectively. Complete wound healing was observed by day 12 in the CACS-Fe3+-CYCS hydrogel group (healing ratio = 96.59%). In the RDF-CACS-Fe3+-CYCS hydrogel group, complete healing was achieved by day 9 (healing rate = 94.46%; highest value at all treatment times). Thus, both hydrogels can be used as an ideal dressing for treating infectious wounds. The combination of traditional Chinese medicine and novel wound dressings can work synergistically, providing a novel strategy for designing biomimetic hydrogels for potential applications in wound healing.

DHMMF, a natural flavonoid from Resina Draconis, inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma progression via inducing apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest mediated by DNA damage-driven upregulation of p21

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and is extremely malignant in nature. It is an important way to discover anti-cancer drugs from natural products at present. (R)-7,3′-dihydroxy-4′-methoxy-8-methylflavane (DHMMF), a natural flavonoid, was isolated from Resina Draconis which is the red resin from Dracaena cochinchinensis (Lour.) S. C. Chen. However, the anti-hepatoma effect and underlying mechanisms of DHMMF remain unclear. Herein, we demonstrated that DHMMF treatment significantly inhibited the proliferation of human hepatoma HepG2 and SK-HEP-1 cells. The IC50 value of DHMMF for HepG2 and SK-HEP-1 cells were 0.67 μM and 0.66 μM, respectively, while the IC50 value of DHMMF for human normal liver LO2 cells was 120.60 μM. DHMMF induced DNA damage, apoptosis, and G2/M phase arrest in HepG2 and SK-HEP-1 cells. Furthermore, the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of DHMMF in human hepatoma cells were mediated by the upregulation of p21. Importantly, DHMMF exhibited potent anti-HCC efficacy in a xenograft mice model and an orthotopic mice model of liver cancer. Additionally, the combined administration of DHMMF and polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) inhibitor BI 6727 showed a synergistic anti-HCC efficacy. Collectively, we demonstrated that DHMMF treatment induced apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest via DNA damage-driven upregulation of p21 expression in human hepatoma cells. DHMMF may serve as a promising drug candidate for HCC treatment, especially for patients of HCC with low p21 expression. Our results also suggested that DHMMF treatment in combination with PLK1 inhibitor may serve as a potential treatment strategy for patients with HCC.

The inhibitory effect and mechanism of Resina Draconis on the proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells: a network pharmacology-based analysis

Resina Draconis (RD) is known as the "holy medicine for promoting blood circulation" and possesses antitumor properties against various types of cancer, including breast cancer (BC); however, the underlying mechanism is not well understood. To explore the potential mechanism of RD against BC using network pharmacology and experimental validation, data on bioactive compounds, potential targets of RD, and related genes of BC were obtained from multiple public databases. Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analyses were performed via the DAVID database. Protein interactions were downloaded from the STRING database. The mRNA and protein expression levels and survival analysis of the hub targets were analyzed using the UALCAN, HPA, Kaplan‒Meier mapper, and cBioPortal databases. Subsequently, molecular docking was used to verify the selected key ingredients and hub targets. Finally, the predicted results of network pharmacology methods were verified by cell experiments. In total, 160 active ingredients were obtained, and 148 RD target genes for the treatment of BC were identified. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that RD exerted its therapeutic effects on BC by regulating multiple pathways. Of these, the PI3K-AKT pathway was indicated to play an important role. In addition, RD treatment of BC seemed to involve the regulation of hub targets that were identified based on PPI interaction network analysis. Validation in different databases showed that AKT1, ESR1, HSP90AA1, CASP3, SRC and MDM2 may be involved in the carcinogenesis and progression of BC and that ESR1, IGF1 and HSP90AA1 were correlated with worse overall survival (OS) in BC patients. Molecular docking results showed that 103 active compounds have good binding activity with the hub targets, among which flavonoid compounds were the most important active components. Therefore, the sanguis draconis flavones (SDF) were selected for subsequent cell experiments. The experimental results showed that SDF significantly inhibited the cell cycle and cell proliferation of MCF-7 cells through the PI3K/AKT pathway and induced MCF-7 cell apoptosis. This study has preliminarily reported on the active ingredients, potential targets, and molecular mechanism of RD against BC, and RD was shown to exert its therapeutic effects on BC by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway and related gene targets. Importantly, our work could provide a theoretical basis for further study of the complex anti-BC mechanism of RD.

Resina Draconis Particles Encapsulated in a Hyaluronic-Acid-Based Hydrogel to Treat Complex Burn Wounds.

Severe burns require urgent new dressing treatments due to their irregular wounds and secondary injuries associated with dressing changes. In this study, a hyaluronic-acid-based hydrogel was developed to treat complex burn wounds. This hydrogel was prepared by mixing and cross-linking oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHA) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) through Schiff base reactions. Micronized Resina Draconis particles were encapsulated in this hydrogel to achieve sustained release of the active components when applied on wounds. The Resina-Draconis-loaded hydrogel (RD-Gel) demonstrated good mechanical properties and excellent self-healing. The results of in vitro experiments confirmed that RD-Gel had good biocompatibility, and was able to enhance cell migration and inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines. It also induced rapid hemostasis in rats, downregulated the levels of inflammatory cytokines, and promoted collagen regeneration on model animals, eventually accelerating the rebuilding of skin structures and wound recovery.

Loureirin A Exerts Antikeloid Activity by Antagonizing the TGF-β1/Smad Signalling Pathway.

It has been recently shown that loureirin A (LA), a major active component of resina draconis, might be effective in the prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis. We examined whether LA could inhibit the formation of keloids. To investigate the pharmacological effects of loureirin A on keloid formation and the underlying mechanisms. CellTiter-Blue viability assays were used to examine the proliferation of keloid fibroblasts (KFs) that were treated with LA. Fibroblast migration was evaluated using a cell migration assay. Immunofluorescence staining was used to measure the expression of α-SMA in KFs. RT-qPCR was used to evaluate the mRNA expression of Col-I, Col-III, α-SMA, Bax, and Caspase-3, while Western blotting was used to evaluate the protein expression of Col-I, Col-III, α-SMA, Bax, Caspase-3, p-Smad2, and p-Smad3. LA inhibited the proliferation of KFs and suppressed the migration and TGF-β1-induced myofibroblast differentiation of KFs. In addition, LA downregulated the mRNA and protein levels of Col-I, Col-III, and α-SMA while promoting the mRNA and protein levels of Bax and Caspase-3. Moreover, LA downregulated the protein levels of p-Smad2 and p-Smad3 in cultured TGF-β1-treated KFs ex vivo. These results show that LA has an antikeloid effect on KFs by suppressing the TGF-β1/Smad signalling pathway. Our findings suggest that LA may be a potential candidate drug for the prevention and treatment of keloids.

Resina Draconis extract exerts anti-HCC effects through METTL3-m6A-Survivin axis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. Herbal medicines have become an important treasure reservoir for anti-HCC drugs because of their high efficiency and low toxicity. Herein, we investigated whether a 75% ethanol extract from Resina Draconis (ERD) exhibited comprehensive anti-HCC effects both in vivo and in vitro. We revealed that ERD effectively inhibited proliferation and triggered apoptosis of HCC cells in a dose- and time-dependent maner, posing no apparent apoptotic toxicity to normal liver cells. Moreover, ERD significantly inhibited the migration, invasion and metastasis of HCC cells. Importantly, ERD treatment effectively inhibited the growth of xenograft HCC in nude mice with low toxicity and low side effects. Molecular mechanism analysis showed that ERD strongly reduced the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Survivin, ultimately leading to the cleavage activation of apoptosis executive proteins such as Caspase 3 and Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Survivin gene silencing apparently sensitized the apoptotic effect induced by ERD. Further experiments revealed that ERD inhibited N6-methyladenosine (m6 A) modification in Survivin mRNA by downregulating Methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) expression and reducing the binding rate of METTL3 and Survivin mRNA. Together, our findings suggest that ERD can be severed as a novel anti-HCC natural product by targeting METTL3-m6 A-Survivin axis.

Glycosylation of the polyphenols from Resina draconis by glycosyltransferase YjiC1

Resina Draconis (RD), also known as ‘dragon's blood’, contains a broad range of natural compounds, such as flavonoids, stilbenes and dihydrochalcones. It is clinically used to enhance blood circulation. However, the major components of RD suffer from relatively poor water solubility. Glycosylation is a critical determinant for modulating solubility and improving bioavailability and bioactivity of natural products. Herein, we report a novel method to efficiently synthesize glycosidic derivatives of the major polyphenols in RD using a microbial glycosyltransferase, i.e., YjiC1. Solubility test showed that the synthetic glycosidic derivatives displayed higher water solubility than the raw materials. This research sheds light on the structural modification of natural products for higher water solubility, which is important for innovative drug discovery.

Exploration of action mechanisms of Resina Draconis (Daemonorops draco Bl.) against pain by network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis

Exploration of action mechanisms of Resina Draconis (Daemonorops draco Bl.) against pain by network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis

Loureirin B Exerts its Immunosuppressive Effects by Inhibiting STIM1/Orai1 and KV1.3 Channels

Loureirin B (LrB) is a constituent extracted from traditional Chinese medicine Resina Draconis. It has broad biological functions and an impressive immunosuppressive effect that has been supported by numerous studies. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying Loureirin B-induced immune suppression are not fully understood. We previously reported that Loureirin B inhibited KV1.3 channel, calcium ion (Ca2+) influx, and interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion in Jurkat T cells. In this study, we applied CRISPR/Cas9 to edit KV1.3 coding gene KCNA3 and successfully generated a KV1.3 knockout (KO) cell model to determine whether KV1.3 KO was sufficient to block the Loureirin B-induced immunosuppressive effect. Surprisingly, we showed that Loureirin B could still inhibit Ca2+ influx and IL-2 secretion in the Jurkat T cells in the absence of KV1.3 although KO KV1.3 reduced about 50% of Ca2+ influx and 90% IL-2 secretion compared with that in the wild type cells. Further experiments showed that Loureirin B directly inhibited STIM1/Orai1 channel in a dose-dependent manner. Our results suggest that Loureirin B inhibits Ca2+ influx and IL-2 secretion in Jurkat T cells by inhibiting both KV1.3 and STIM1/Orai1 channels. These studies also revealed an additional molecular target for Loureirin B-induced immunosuppressive effect, which makes it a promising leading compound for treating autoimmune diseases.

DNA barcoding identification of original plants of a rare medicinal material Resina Draconis and related Dracaena species

Resina Draconis, a rare and precious traditional medicine in China, is known as the &quot;holy medicine for promoting blood circulation&quot;. According to the national drug standard, it's derived from the resin extracted from the wood of Dracaena cochinchinensis, a Liliaceae plant. In addition, a variety of Dracaena species all over the world can form red resins, and there is currently no molecular identification method that can efficiently identify the origin of Dracaena medicinal materials. In this study, seven species of Dracaena distributed in China were selected as the research objects. Four commonly used DNA barcodes(ITS2, matK, rbcL and psbA-trnH), and four highly variable regions(trnP-psaJ, psbK-psbI, trnT-trnL, clpP) in chloroplast genome were used to evaluate the identification efficiency of Dracaena species. The results showed that clpP sequence fragment could accurately identify seven species of Dracaena plants. However, due to the long sequence of clpP fragment, there were potential problems in the practical application process. We found that the combined fragment &quot;psbK-psbI+ trnP-psaJ&quot; can also be used for accurate molecular identification of the Resina Draconis origin plants and relative species of Dracaena, which were both relatively short sequences in the combined fragment, showing high success rates of amplification and sequencing. Therefore, the &quot;psbK-psbI+ trnP-psaJ&quot; combined fragment can be used as the DNA barcode fragments for molecular identification of Resina Dracon's origin plants and relative species of Dracaena. Research on the identification of Dracaena species, the results of this study can be used to accurately identify the original material of Resina Draconis, and providing effective means for identification, rational development and application of Resina Draconis base source.

Transcriptome profiling reveals candidate flavonoid-related genes during formation of dragon's blood from Dracaena cochinchinensis (Lour.) S.C.Chen under conditions of wounding stress

Ethnopharmacological relevanceDragon's Blood (Resina Draconis) is a red resin that has been used in traditional medicine to promote blood circulation, regenerate muscles, reduce swelling and pain, stop bleeding, etc., and its main chemical constituents are flavonoids. Dracaena cochinchinensis (Lour.) S.C.Chen is the only plant defined by the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China as a source of dragon's blood. Aim of the studyWe aimed to reveal genes involved in the biosynthesis and accumulation of flavonoids of D. cochinchinensis which is under wounding stress by performing a de novo transcriptome analysis. Materials and methodsD. cochinchinensis samples were collected for transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis at 0 days (0 d), 3 days (3 d), 6 days (6 d), and 10 days (10 d) after induction wounding stress, and tissues were microscopically observed after wounding stress. ResultsA total of 63,244 unigenes were obtained through bioinformatics analysis, and genes associated with the biosynthesis of flavonoids were identified. Through the analysis of DEGs after wounding stress in D. cochinchinensis, based on gene expression consistent with flavonoid accumulation levels, 20 genes in connection with the flavonoid synthesis pathway and 56 genes that may be responsible for flavonoid modification and transport, and also revealed TFs (MYB, bHLH) that may be responsible for flavonoid biosynthesis. Analysis of DEGs between the four periods revealed that after wounding stress, the greatest number of significant DEGs were enriched during the first 3 days, while fewer DEGs were enriched after day 3, which corresponding to only about 1/10 (353/3883) the number of DEGs during the first 3 days. In addition, putative unigenes involved in lignin biosynthesis, such as CSE, HCT, CCR, F5H, and CAD, were significantly down-regulation after D. cochinchinensis wounding stress, but the putative unigenes responsible for flavonoid biosynthesis, such as CHS, CHI, DFR, F3'5'H, F3H, ANR, FLS, and ANS were significantly up-regulation. ConclusionWe performed de novo transcriptome analysis of D.cochinchinensis under wounding stress, candidate genes and TFs involved in the biosynthesis and accumulation of flavonoids were identified, which is the first report on the transcript variants in flavonoid form accumulation in D. cochinchinensis under wounding stress. According to the results of DEGs analysis, wounding stress attenuated lignin biosynthesis meanwhile promoted flavonoid biosynthesis. In addition, we also compared the transcriptomics of the two different original plants (D.cochinchinensis and D.cambodiana) that form dragon's blood in order to provide further understanding of the formation of dragon's blood.

Flavonoids in Resina Draconis protect against pulmonary fibrosis via the TGF-β1/NOTCH1 pathway

It is known that flavonoids in Resina Draconis (FRD) have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, but the function and mechanisms of FRD against pulmonary fibrosis remain unknown. The study aimed to study the effect and mechanism of FRD on pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary fibroblasts were isolated and identified. After treatment with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and FRD-containing serum, expressions of TGF-β1, Jagged1, Notch1, alpha-smooth muscle actin, and collagen I were examined using real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot. Besides, the related proteins were verified in rats with bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. We successfully isolated and identified pulmonary fibroblasts and proved that FRD-containing serum inhibits proliferation and downregulates Notch1 expression in TGF-β1-induced fibroblasts. Moreover, our results indicate that FRD might alleviate pulmonary fibrosis via the Jagged1/Notch1 signaling pathways in vivo. Flavonoids in Resina Draconis might play a key role in pulmonary fibrosis via critical pathways, especially the TGF-β1 and NOTCH1 signaling pathways.

Effect of Loureirin B on Crohn\u2019s disease rat model induced by TNBS via IL-6/STAT3/NF-\u03baB signaling pathway

BackgroundCrohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic relapsing form of inflammatory bowel disease, seriously threatening human beings health. However, the pathogenesis of CD is still unclear and there is no specific effective drug for treatment of CD. Resina Donis (RD) obtained from Dracaena cochinchinensis (Lour.) S. C. Chen (Liliaceae), has been used for the treatment of CD clinically. Loureirin B (LB) is one of the most important chemical compositions and physiologically active ingredients of resina draconis. It has the molecular structure propan-1-one, 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3-(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3-(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl) propan-1-one. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of LB on CD and explore the underlying mechanisms.Methods and resultsIn this study, the result demonstrated that LB prolonged the survival time of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced rats and alleviated colonic damage in a dose dependent manner. Besides, LB remarkably ameliorated TNBS-induced inflammatory response via regulation of cytokines in the colonic tissues. Moreover, LB could reverse the established fibrosis and impede the accumulation infiltration, and improve the apoptosis induced by TNBS in a dose dependent manner. Further, LB dramatically suppressed TNBS-induced the activation of IL-6/STAT3/NF-κB signaling pathway.ConclusionsThese findings suggested that LB could be beneficial regarding ameliorating TNBS-induced CD, which may represent a novel approach to treat CD and provide an alternative choice for disorders associated with CD.

Resina Draconis Reduces Acute Liver Injury and Promotes Liver Regeneration after 2/3 Partial Hepatectomy in Mice.

Aim To investigate the protective effects and possible mechanisms of action of resina draconis (RD) on acute liver injury and liver regeneration after 2/3 partial hepatectomy (PH) in mice. Methods 2/3 PH was used to induce acute liver injury. Mice were divided into three groups: sham, vehicle + 2/3 PH, and RD + 2/3 PH. Resina draconis was administered intragastrically after 2/3 PH into the RD + 2/3 PH group, and the same volume of vehicle (1% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose) was injected into the vehicle + 2/3 PH group and sham group mice. The index of liver to body weight (ILBW) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were assayed to evaluate liver regeneration. Blood and liver tissues were collected for serological and western blotting analysis. Results Resina draconis protected against 2/3 PH-induced acute severe liver injury and promoted liver regeneration as shown by significantly increased ILBW compared with that of controls. 2/3 PH increased serum AST and ALT levels, which were significantly decreased by RD treatment, while 2/3 PH decreased serum TP and ALB, which were increased by RD treatment. In the RD + 2/3 PH group, PCNA expression was significantly increased compared with the 2/3 PH group. Further, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), TNFα, and EGFR levels were increased in the RD group at postoperative days 2 and 4 compared with the those in the 2/3 PH group. Conclusion Our results suggest that RD ameliorates acute hepatic injury and promotes liver cell proliferation, liver weight restoration, and liver function after 2/3 PH, probably via HGF, TNFα, and EGFR signaling.