染料木素抗结直肠癌分子机制的研究进展

结直肠癌是世界范围内的恶性肿瘤，发病率逐年上升，预后差且尚无有效治疗药物。迫切需要探索挖掘结直肠癌发生发展的机制及寻找新的治疗药物。染料木素已被大量研究证明可用于结直肠癌的治疗。它是一种多酚异黄酮化合物，大量存在于大豆或大豆制品中，在亚洲人群中被广泛食用。具有多种生物活性，包括抗糖尿病、抗炎症、抗肥胖和抗血管生成、心脏保护功能及抗癌，其中抗癌作用研究最为广泛。染料木素抗结直肠癌的分子机制涉及多个方面：抑制肿瘤细胞增殖、侵袭及迁移，抗凋亡、氧化应激和炎症等。本文将围绕以上几个方面展开论述，将近年研究成果进行总结，以开发具有良好抗癌潜力的新型治疗药物，为结直肠癌的治疗提供理论基础。     

茶色素及其药理学功能

茶色素是茶叶多酚类及其衍生物的混合物,主要成分为茶黄素类、茶红纱类。茶色素含有大量的活性酚羟基等活性基因、具有极强的清除自由基和抗氧化作用。近代药理学研究表明,花色素具有防癌抗癌、防紫外线照射、抗氧化、抗动脉粥样硬化、抗龋护齿等多种药理功能。花色素产品的开可广泛用于医药、食品工业。     

抗氧化与促氧化-姜黄素抗癌机制

姜黄素具有广泛的药理活性,其中抗氧化性和抗癌活性倍受关注。姜黄素可通过抗氧化预防DNA损伤或者抗炎发挥防癌作用。高浓度姜黄素可促进癌细胞活性氧水平增高,激活相关细胞信号通路,诱导癌细胞凋亡,从而发挥抗癌作用。同时,姜黄素也可增加化疗药物的敏感性。但姜黄素因溶解性低、生物利用度低影响了其应用。纳米技术的引入和姜黄素衍生物的合成可以有效改善其溶解性等问题并提高药理活性。     

国内蝮蛇毒制剂的药理研究近况

蝮蛇毒制剂在临床上应用越来越广泛,这是由于蝮蛇毒的作用途径和机理的多样性所决定.本文介绍了国内蝮蛇毒药理作用研究近况,表明蝮蛇毒具有抗凝、去纤、溶栓、抗炎、抗癌、抗菌等功效.     

钒化合物的类胰岛素作用及其机制

钒是人体必需的微量元素之一,具有降血糖、抗炎、抗癌、杀精子等多种生理功能。近年来,钒化合物的类胰岛素作用引起了人们广泛的关注。钒化合物具有降糖、降脂、提高胰岛素作用效率和改善胰岛素抵抗等作用,目前认为这与其对磷酸酪氨酸磷酸酶的抑制作用有关。简要综述了钒化合物的类胰岛素作用及其机制的研究进展。     

枇杷叶的化学成分和药理作用研究进展

以近十几年来国内外的文献为依据,从化学成分和药理作用方面综述了枇杷叶的研究进展。枇杷叶含有三萜酸、挥发油、倍半萜、黄酮、糖苷类等成分,具有抗炎止咳、减肥降血糖、抗癌、抗氧化、保肝等作用。枇杷叶化学成分多样,药理作用广泛,具有较高的研究开发价值和广阔的应用前景。     

天然抗菌肽的研究进展及应用前景

天然抗菌肽是生物体内经诱导产生的一种具有抗菌活性的小分子多肽,来源广泛。目前已从多种物种中分离纯化出千余种抗菌肽,其分子量大约在3～6kD之间,由20～60个氨基酸残基组成。天然抗菌肽具有多种生物活性,如抗细菌、抗真菌、抗病毒和抗癌细胞等作用。综述了天然抗菌肽的分类、生物活性及其作用机理和应用前景。     

山奈酚生物功能研究进展

山奈酚是一种广泛存在于蔬菜、水果及中药材中的黄酮类化合物,具有抗氧化、抗炎、抗癌等多种生物功能,且安全无毒,具有良好的开发和应用前景。现从抗氧化、抗炎、抗癌,防治糖尿病、动脉粥样硬化和骨质疏松,保护神经、肝脏和心肌以及抑制蛋白激酶活性几个方面,对山奈酚生物功能的研究进展进行了综述,并分析了其应用前景,以期为山奈酚的合理开发利用提供参考与借鉴。     

白皮杉醇抗肿瘤作用研究进展

白皮杉醇是一种化学结构类似于白藜芦醇的天然小分子化合物,具有抗氧化、清除自由基、抗菌、抗炎、抗白血病、抗细胞增殖、提高免疫调节能力、抗癌、防癌等生物活性。白皮杉醇的抗氧化、抗侵袭等生物活性强于白藜芦醇,而其抗肿瘤作用机制尚未明确。近年,白皮杉醇在抑制肿瘤细胞增殖、诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡及抑制肿瘤细胞侵袭和迁移方面的作用越来越受到广泛关注,本文通过文献查阅后对白皮杉醇抗肿瘤作用的最新研究进展进行归纳总结,旨在为白皮杉醇进一步开发成抗肿瘤药物奠定理论基础和实验依据。     

姜黄素防治肾脏疾病的机制研究进展

姜黄素(curcumin)是提取于植物中的酮类天然化合物，具有抗炎、抗氧化、抗癌等作用。因其具有不良反应少、作用靶点广泛等优点，在各种肾脏疾病如肾炎、急/慢性肾损伤、肾纤维化等中发挥保护作用，并具有改善药物或有毒物质引起的肾脏损伤、减轻化疗药物对肾脏的损害和协同放化疗抗肾脏肿瘤的作用，近年来已成为肾脏疾病治疗的研究焦点，然而其潜在的作用机制及治疗作用以及后续的临床应用仍需进一步总结和探索。本文从病理生理的角度出发，系统综述了姜黄素在各种肾脏疾病中的作用及其潜在的机制，为后续的研究以及临床应用提供线索和依据。     

Nanocrystal technology for improving therapeutic efficacy of flavonoids

BackgroundBioflavonoids, secondary metabolites of plants, are beneficial in regulating human physiological mechanisms. Bioflavonoids majorly exist in the dietary intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, pulses, etc. In addition to their cardio-protective and neuroprotective activities, they also possess prominent pharmacological effects including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative and anti-thrombogenic actions. However, therapeutic efficacy of the bioflavonoids is hampered by their lipophilic nature, low solubility and variable bioavailability which catch the eyes of formulation scientists.PurposeNanocrystal formulations were studied for many bioflavonoids, although enough attention has not been given to their commercial exploitation, unlike drug nanocrystals. Nanocrystals of bioflavonoid can be prepared by top-down technique, bottom-up technique or combination of both. This review primarily focuses on nanocrystal technology for bioflavonoids, methods of production, critical process parameters, in vitro and in vivo studies conducted to evaluate the efficiency.MethodThe detailed literature survey was systematically carried out using different electronic databases. It includes Scopus, Web of Science, Medline via PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar. Also up-to-date patent search was conducted to understand the prior art and available intellectual properties.Result and conclusionIt was observed that several formulation and process parameters have an impact on flavonoids nanocrystals and their therapeutic efficacy. Also, clinical studies of flavonoid nanocrystals are barely done so far and thus, substantial safety and efficacy data is necessary for its commercial applications. Nevertheless, nanocrystals can be explored as a promising technology platform for improving overall therapeutic performance of flavonoids in future.     

Bioflavonoids as poisons of human topoisomerase II alpha and II beta

Bioflavonoids are human dietary components that have been linked to the prevention of cancer in adults and the generation of specific types of leukemia in infants. While these compounds have a broad range of cellular activities, many of their genotoxic effects have been attributed to their actions as topoisomerase II poisons. However, the activities of bioflavonoids against the individual isoforms of human topoisomerase II have not been analyzed. Therefore, we characterized the activity and mechanism of action of three major classes of bioflavonoids, flavones, flavonols, and isoflavones, against human topoisomerase IIalpha and IIbeta. Genistein was the most active bioflavonoid tested and stimulated enzyme-mediated DNA cleavage approximately 10-fold. Generally, compounds were more active against topoisomerase IIbeta. DNA cleavage with both enzyme isoforms required a 5-OH and a 4'-OH and was enhanced by the presence of additional hydroxyl groups on the pendant ring. Competition DNA cleavage and topoisomerase II binding studies indicate that the 5-OH group plays an important role in mediating genistein binding, while the 4'-OH moiety contributes primarily to bioflavonoid function. Bioflavonoids do not require redox cycling for activity and function primarily by inhibiting enzyme-mediated DNA ligation. Mutagenesis studies suggest that the TOPRIM region of topoisomerase II plays a role in genistein binding. Finally, flavones, flavonols, and isoflavones with activity against purified topoisomerase IIalpha and IIbeta enhanced DNA cleavage by both isoforms in human CEM leukemia cells. These data support the hypothesis that bioflavonoids function as topoisomerase II poisons in humans and provide a framework for further analysis of these important dietary components.     

Isoflavone genistein-8-c-glycoside prevents the oxidative damages in structure and function of rat liver microsomal membranes

Bioflavonoids (polyhydroxyphenols) are ubiquitous components of plants, fruits and vegetables; these compounds are efficient scavengers of free oxygen radicals and peroxides. The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and radioprotective effects of genistein-8-C-glicoside (G8CG), an isoflavone, isolated from the flowers of Lipinus luteusl L. G8CG prevents dose-dependently the destruction of the cytochrome P-450 and its conversion to an inactive form cytochrome P-420, inhibits membrane lipid peroxidation and membrane SH-group oxidation in isolated rat liver microsomal membranes under tert-butylhydroperoxide-induced oxidative stress. Single whole-body gamma-irradiation (1 Gy) of rats results in blood plasma and liver microsomal membrane lipid peroxidation, impairments of microsomal membrane structure and function. Rat treatment with G8CG (75 mg/kg) developed the clear protective effect, stabilized membrane structure and improved the parameters of the monooxygenase function. We can conclude that G8CG can be used as antioxidant and radioprotective agent.     

Inhibition of lactate transport and glycolysis in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells by bioflavonoids.

Bioflavonoids are potent inhibitors of lactate transport in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. The most effective bioflavonoids have four to five hydroxyl groups. Sugar substitution at carbon three, or reduction of the double bond between carbons two and three, decreases their inhibitory activity. Quercetin, the most extensively studied of these compounds, inhibits lactate efflux by 50% at 0.1 micrograms/mg of protein. On addition of quercetin to glycolyzing Ehrlich ascites tumor cells, lactate accumulates inside the cell and the intracellular pH drops. Total lactate production is also inhibited. Nigericin prevents the internal acidification that occurs in the presence of quercetin and also reduces the inhibition of glycolysis. Thus, it appears that inhibition of lactate efflux can affect glycolysis through a lowering of the intracellular pH. The inhibitory effect of quercetin on glycolysis can be explained by its effect on lactate efflux and its previously reported effect on the Na+--K+ ATPase [Suolinna, E.--M., et al. (1974) J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 53, 1515].     

Catechin inhibition of mutagenesis and alteration of DNA binding of 2-acetyl-aminofluorene in rat hepatocytes

Bioflavonoids are naturally occurring plant products that have demonstrated inhibitory effects on chemically induced carcinogenesis or mutagenesis. The chemoprotective effects are either direct scavenging of reactive molecules or indirect effects, such as enzyme activity alteration. Exposure of cultures of isolated rat hepatocytes to catechin (0.01-1.0 mM), a plant phenolic flavonoid, and subsequent addition of 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) resulted in an enhanced binding of AAF metabolites to hepatocellular DNA. Incubations of hepatocytes with catechin and S. typhimurium demonstrated no mutagenicity of catechin. At 1.0 and 5.0 mM concentrations of catechin with AAF and 30-min incubation with hepatocytes prior to plating there was inhibition of AAF-induced mutagenicity. However, at 0.5 mM of catechin there was a significant enhancement in mutagenicity. The increase in DNA binding of AAF in the cultures of hepatocytes is due to the alteration of metabolism by exposure to catechin. Catechin increases both N-hydroxylation and deacetylation pathways in the hepatocytes producing increases in N-hydroxy-AAF and aminofluorene. Both of these metabolites are important in AAF intermediates binding with DNA. The short-term incubation of catechin, AAF, hepatocytes, and S. typhimurium in the mutagenesis assay is not sufficient for induction of metabolic pathways. However, previously reported inhibition of detoxification pathways and/or scavenging of the proximate carcinogen can occur to alter mutagenesis in a dose-dependent manner.     

Bioflavonoid regulation of ATPase and hexokinase activity in Ehrlich ascites cell mitochondria.

(1) The mitochondrial ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) Ehrlich ascites cell mitochondria, was inhibited by D-glucose under physiological concentrations of ATP. The generation of ADP by the mitochondrial bound hexokinase, seems to be the reason for the D-glucose inhibitory effect. Reversal of the inhibitory effect of ADP on Ehrlich ascites cell mitochondria ATPase by an ATP-regenerating system was achieved. (2) Dissociation of mitochondrial bound hexokinase from the mitochondria eliminated the inhibitory effect of D-glucose. Rebinding of the hexokinase to the mitochondria regenerated the D-glucose inhibitory effect on Ehrlich ascites cell mitochondria ATPase. (3) Bioflavonoids such as quercetin inhibit the mitochondrial hexokinase activity, but do not change the mitochondrial ATPase activity of isolated Ehrlich ascites tumor cell mitochondria. (4) The inhibitory effect of bioflavonoids on mitochondrial bound hexokinase activity is shown to be dissociable from the ascites tumor cell mitochondria and seems to be associated with regulatory rather than catalitic sites of the enzyme.     

The Effects of Astilbin on Cognitive Impairments in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Bioflavonoids are being utilised as neuroprotectants in the treatment of various neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Astilbin, a bioflavanoid, has been reported to have potent neuroprotective effects, but its preventive effects on amyloid-β (Aβ)-induced, Alzheimer’s disease-related, cognitive impairment, and the underlying mechanisms of these effects have not been well characterised. Five-month-old APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice were randomly assigned to a vehicle group and two astilbin (either 20 or 40 mg/kg per day, intraperitoneally) groups. After 8 weeks of treatment, we observed beneficial effects of astilbin (40 mg/kg per day), including lessening learning and memory deficits and reducing plaque burden and Aβ levels. Furthermore, the expressions of both the cAMP responsive element-binding protein (CREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were significantly increased and the disturbance of AKT/GSK-3β signalling pathway was markedly ameliorated in the hippocampus of astilbin-treated (40 mg/kg per day) group. Our data suggest that astilbin might be a potential therapeutic agent against AD.     

Bioflavonoid quercetin inhibits mitosis and apoptosis of glomerular cells in vitro and in vivo

Bioflavonoids have been regarded as therapeutic agents for a wide range of disease including inflammation. In this report, we investigated effects of bioflavonoid quercetin on mitosis and apoptosis of glomerular cells in vitro and in vivo. Serum-stimulated rat mesangial cells were treated with or without quercetin, and total cell number, percentages of mitotic cells, and incorporation of [(3)H]-thymidine were evaluated. All three assays showed that mitogenic activity of mesangial cells was markedly attenuated by quercetin. To examine the effect of quercetin on apoptosis, mesangial cells were pretreated with or without quercetin and stimulated by hydrogen peroxide or tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Hoechst staining and DNA ladder assay showed that both apoptotic responses were dramatically inhibited by quercetin. We further investigated effects of quercetin on in vivo mitosis and apoptosis of glomerular cells. Rats were administered with or without quercetin intraperitoneally, and nephrotoxic serum nephritis was induced. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that treatment with quercetin significantly reduced the number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (+) cells and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (+) cells in the glomerulus. These data suggested that quercetin has the potential for inhibiting mitosis and apoptosis of glomerular cells both in vitro and in vivo.     

Myricetin and quercetin are naturally occurring co-substrates of cyclooxygenases in vivo

Bioflavonoids are ubiquitously present in the plant kingdom, and some of them are presently being sold as healthy dietary supplements around the world. Recently, it was shown that some of the dietary polyphenols were strong stimulators of the catalytic activity of cyclooxygenase I and II, resulting in increased formation of certain prostaglandin (PG) products in vitro and also in intact cells in culture. In the present study, we investigated the effect of two representative dietary compounds, quercetin and myricetin, on plasma and tissue levels of several PG products in normal Sprague-Dawley rats. We found that these two dietary bioflavonoids could strongly stimulate the formation of PG products in vivo in a time-dependent manner, and the stimulatory effect of these two bioflavonoids was dose-dependent with a unique biphasic pattern. At lower doses (<0.3 mg/kg b.w.), they strongly stimulated the formation of PGE₂, but at higher doses (>0.3 mg/kg b.w.), there was a dose-dependent reduction of the stimulatory effect. These results provide support for the hypothesis that some of the bioflavonoids are naturally occurring physiological co-substrates for the cyclooxygenases in vivo.     

Chalcone-based small-molecule inhibitors attenuate malignant phenotype via targeting deubiquitinating enzymes

The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is usurped by many if not all cancers to regulate their survival, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. Bioflavonoids curcumin and chalcones exhibit anti-neoplastic selectivity through inhibition of the 26S proteasome-activity within the UPS. Here, we provide evidence for a novel mechanism of action of chalcone-based derivatives AM146, RA-9 and RA-14, which exert anticancer activity by targeting deubiquitinating enzymes (DUB) without affecting 20S proteasome catalytic-core activity. The presence of the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl group susceptible to nucleophilic attack from the sulfhydryl of cysteines in the active sites of DUB determines the capacity of novel small-molecules to act as cell-permeable, partly selective DUB inhibitors and induce rapid accumulation of polyubiquitinated proteins and deplete the pool of free ubiquitin. These chalcone-derivatives directly suppress activity of DUB UCH-L1, UCH-L3, USP2, USP5 and USP8, which are known to regulate the turnover and stability of key regulators of cell survival and proliferation. Inhibition of DUB-activity mediated by these compounds downregulates cell-cycle promoters, e.g., cyclin D1 and upregulates tumor suppressors p53, p27Kip1 and p16Ink4A. These changes are associated with arrest in S-G₂/M, abrogated anchorage-dependent growth and onset of apoptosis in breast, ovarian and cervical cancer cells without noticeable alterations in primary human cells. Altogether, this work provides evidence of antitumor activity of novel chalcone-based derivatives mediated by their DUB-targeting capacity; supports the development of pharmaceuticals to directly target DUB as a most efficient strategy compared with proteasome inhibition and also provides a clear rationale for the clinical evaluation of these novel small-molecule DUB inhibitors.