Bioactivity-guided screening identifies pheophytin a as a potent anti-hepatitis C virus compound from Lonicera hypoglauca Miq.

Tseng

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

et al. 2010

Self Cite

The Chinese herb modified Yi Guan Jian (mYGJ) is an effective regimen that is usually used in outpatients with chronic liver diseases such as fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, the mechanism for the action of mYGJ on liver fibrosis is not yet clear. In this study, we found that mYGJ induced hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) apoptosis concomitant with the downregulation of Bcl-2 expression and slight elevation of Bax level. Moreover, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) were generated in the early stages of mYGJ-induced HSCs apoptosis to facilitate calcium and cytochrome c release from the mitochondria to cytosol. Subsequently, caspase 9 and caspase 3 were activated. Furthermore, the activation of ER stress-associated caspase 12 in HSCs was also evaluated. Together, we report the first evidence-based study to demonstrate that mYGJ decoction induces HSCs apoptosis through ROS accumulation and the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. These findings provide rationale for further clinical investigation of traditional Chinese medicine recipes against liver fibrosis.

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Chinese Herbal Decoction, Modified Yi Guan Jian, Induces Apoptosis in Hepatic Stellate Cells through an ROS‐Mediated Mitochondrial/Caspase Pathway

Tseng

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

et al. 2010

Self Cite

Chemistry & Biodiversity

“…To the best of our knowledge, it has not been recognized before in species belonging to the Plantaginaceae family, being more common to find in algae and crops such as green tea leaves, parsley, bellpepper, and Japanese bunching onion . Compound 1 is known to exert several interesting pharmacological properties such as the antioxidant, antiviral, anti‐inflammatory, antichemotactic, antihepatitis C, and antitumor ones …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Iridoids of Chemotaxonomy Relevance, a New Antirrhinoside Ester and Other Constituents from Kickxia spuria subsp. integrifolia (Brot.) R.Fern.

Venditti

Frezza

Serafini

et al. 2018

In this work, the secondary metabolite content of the EtOH extract of Kickxia spuria subsp. integrifolia (Brot.) R.Fern. is reported. Fourteen compounds were isolated and identified by means of column chromatography and NMR and MS instrumental techniques, respectively. Among the identified compounds, the chemotaxonomic markers of the species were evidenced, whereas others were reported for the first time in the genus. Among these, a new antirrhinoside derivative (12) was recognized. The iridoid content showed a molecular pattern very similar to those reported for other taxa comprised in the Antirrhinae tribe of Plantaginaceae, thus providing an additional evidence that supports the current botanical classification of the Kickxia genus. Anyway, most of the recognized components are able to exert important pharmacological properties which might suggest the possible employment of also this species in traditional medicine just like it happens for some other species of the Kickxia genus.

“…Moreover, NS3 may also interfere with host cell functions like protein kinase A arbitrated signal transduction and inhibition of cell transformation (6,33). Besides Portulaca oleracea, a number of studies have explored bioactive products from Galla Chinese, Rhodiola kirilowii, Lonicera hypoglauca Miq., Swietenia macrophylla, Solanum nigrum, and Camellia sinensis with anti-NS3 protease activity (10,36,38). Previous reports have verified that Epicatechin and Epigallocatechin compounds The quantitative expression of protein on blots was measured using freely available software Gel-quant-express.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Portulaca oleraceaL. as a Prospective Candidate Inhibitor of Hepatitis C Virus NS3 Serine Protease

et al. 2015

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide health problem affecting about 300 million individuals. HCV causes chronic liver disease, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and death. Many side effects are associated with the current treatment options. Natural products that can be used as anti-HCV drugs are thus of considerable potential significance. NS3 serine protease (NS3-SP) is a target for the screening of antiviral activity against HCV. The present work explores plants with anti-HCV potential, isolating possible lead compounds. Ten plants, used for medicinal purposes against different infections in rural areas of Pakistan, were collected. The cellular toxicity effects of methanolic extracts of the plants on the viability of Huh-7 cells were studied through the Trypan blue dye exclusion method. Following this, the anti-HCV potential of phytoextracts was assessed by infecting liver cells with HCV-3a-infected serum inoculum. Only the methanolic extract of Portulaca oleracea L. (PO) exhibited more than 70% inhibition. Four fractions were obtained through bioassay-guided extraction of PO. Subsequent inhibition of all organic extract fractions against NS3 serine protease was checked to track the specific target in the virus. The results showed that the PO methanolic crude and ethyl acetate extract specifically abridged the HCV NS3 protease expression in a dose-dependent fashion. Hence, PO extract and its constituents either alone or with interferon could offer a future option to treat chronic HCV.