Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk (S. divaricata, Fangfeng) is a herb in the Apiaceae family, and its root has been used since the Western Han Dynasty (202 B.C.). Chromones and coumarins are the pharmacologically active substances in S. divaricata. Modern phytochemical and pharmacological studies have demonstrated their antipyretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and anticoagulant activities. Technological and analytical strategy theory advancements have yielded novel results; however, most investigations have been limited to the main active substances-chromones and coumarins. Hence, we reviewed studies related to the chemical composition and pharmacological activity of S. divaricata, analyzed the developing trends and challenges, and proposed that research should focus on components' synergistic effects. We also suggested that, the structure-effect relationship should be prioritized in advanced research.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Coumarins/pharmacology* ; Apiaceae/chemistry* ; Chromones

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1) in lung slices from antigen -sensitized rats and the modulation by drugs.

METHODSIn isolated lung slices from ovalbumin(OVA)-sensitized rats, the relative expression of VCAM-1 was determined after drug treatment and OVA challenge.

RESULTThe expression of VCAM-1 was enhanced in the sensitized rat lungs,and OVA challenge did not further increase the expression. Glycocorticosteroid dexamethasone and leukotriene cysLT receptor antagonist ONO-1078 inhibited the expression,but tachykinin NK-1 receptor antagonist SR-140333 had no such effect.

CONCLUSIONVCAM-1 expression is enhanced in the sensitized rat lungs, and antigen challenge does not further up regulate the expression. Anti-inflammatory drugs have different effects on VCAM-1 expression. Dexamethasone and ONO-1078, but not SR-140333, can inhibit the expression.

Animals ; Chromones ; pharmacology ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Female ; In Vitro Techniques ; Lung ; chemistry ; Male ; Ovalbumin ; immunology ; Piperidines ; pharmacology ; Quinuclidines ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of aloesin and arbutin on normal cultured human melanocytes in synergetic method.

METHODSBuilding up the system of cultured human melanocytes. The cultured melanocytes in vitro were treated with the mixture of aloesin and arbutin. The cell viability and tyrosinase activity was measured by MTT assay, utilization of L-Dopa as the substrate respectively; melanin content was measured by image analysis system. Furthermore, the effects of the mixture on melanocytes were compared with that of aloesin and arbutin.

RESULTSThe mixture of aloesin and arbutin showed an inhibition on tyrosinase activity of human melanocytes and reduced significantly melanin content. Between the mixture and the single use of aloesin or arbutin, there is significant difference (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the mixture has little influence on melanocytes viability and there is negative significance.

CONCLUSIONThe mixture of aloesin and arbutin can significantly inhibit the tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis of cultured human melanocytes. It showed the effects of aloesin and arbutin in a synergistic manner. It is worth to give farther study later.

Arbutin ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Chromones ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Synergism ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Melanocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; drug effects ; metabolism

Natural product seselin and related derivatives with an angular pyranocoumarin skeleton were synthesized from 8-acetyl-7-hydroxycoumarins by condensation with acetone, reduction, and dehydration successively under mild conditions with total yield of > 50%. Twelve seselin derivatives were tested by the writhing response assay induced by acetic acid at a dose of 40 mg x kg(-1). Seselin (4a) and 4,8,8-trimethyl-9,9-dihydro-pyran[2,3-f] chromene-2,10-dione (2b) showed obviously antinociceptive activity with inhibitory effect of 85% and 50%, respectively, more or quite potent than aspirin in the same assay, suggesting that seselin derivatives could be a novel kind of potential antinociceptive agents.
Analgesics ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Chromones ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Coumarins ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Molecular Structure ; Pain Measurement ; drug effects

OBJECTIVESTo explore the effects of insulin on the expression and the regulatory pathway of AQP9 in normal human liver cells.

METHODSNormal human liver cells L02 were cultured and treated with PI3K inhibitor LY294002, AKT inhibitor A-443654, MAPK inhibitors SB2030580 and insulin at different concentrations respectively. The AQP9 mRNA and protein expressions were detected with semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot respectively.

RESULTSThe insulin (100 nmol/L approximately 500 nmol/L) treatment decreased the expression of AQP9 in normal human liver cells (P less than 0.05) concentration dependently, and the expression of AQP9 began to reduce from 3 hours of insulin stimulation (P less than 0.05), especially at insulin treatment for 12 hours (P less than 0.05); Incubated with the selective inhibitor of PI3K (LY294002) and AKT (A-443654), the inhibitory effects of insulin on AQP9 expression decreased (P less than 0.05); but it did not change significantly by blocking the MAPK signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONThe insulin treatment inhibited the expression of AQP9 and the PI3K/akt signal transduction pathway was involved in the mechanism.

Aquaporins ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Chromones ; pharmacology ; Hepatocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Insulin ; pharmacology ; Morpholines ; pharmacology ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of LY294002, a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibition, on sperm motility in asthenozoospermia patients in vitro, and further analyze the possible molecular mechanism.

METHODSSperm aseptically obtained by masturbation and prepared by swim-up technique from 10 patients with asthenozoospermia and 10 healthy fertile men were incubated with different concentrations of LY294002. Measurements of motility were carried out at 10, 30 and 60 min in all specimens by CASA.

RESULTSThe sperm in asthenozoospermia patients treated with LY294002 showed a significant increase in sperm progressive motility, the percentage of motile cells, VSL and VAP.

CONCLUSIONLY294002 can enhance the motility of sperm in asthenozoospermia patients in vitro.

Asthenozoospermia ; drug therapy ; Cells, Cultured ; Chromones ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Humans ; Male ; Morpholines ; pharmacology ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of LY294002, a specific inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, on growth and apoptosis of MCL Jeko-1 cell line and its mechanism. The proliferation inhibitory rate of Jeko-1 cells treated by different doses of LY294002 was assayed by MTT method; the level of apoptosis of Jeko-1 cells was detected by flow cytometry; the expression level of apoptosis-related protein Cyclin D1, Bcl-2, procaspase-3 and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway protein phosphorylated-Akt (p-Akt), phosphorylated-TOR (p-mTOR), phosphorylated-P70S6K (p-P70S6K) phosphorylated-Akt (p-Akt) in Jeko-1 cells were determined by Western blot. The results showed that the growth of Jeko-1 cell line was inhibited by LY294002. The apoptosis rates of Jeko-1 cells treated with 0, 5, 10 and 20 µmol/L of LY294002 for 24 hours were (3.25 ± 1.27)%, (11.34 ± 2.35)%, (22.81 ± 2.74)%, (43.61 ± 3.48)% respectively, the difference between them was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Phosphorylation levels of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway protein p-Akt, p-mTOR, p-P70S6K decreased, the expression of apoptosis-related protein cyclin D1, Bcl-2, procaspase-3 was down-regulated.It is concluded that the LY294002 can inhibit Jeko-1 cell proliferation, which may be realized through down-regulating the phosphorylation level of p-Akt, p-mTOR, p-P70S6K, inhibiting the P13k/Akt signaling pathway, and promoting the cell apoptosis.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Chromones ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic ; Humans ; Morpholines ; pharmacology ; Phosphorylation ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanisms involved in Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) invading human monocytic U937 cells.

METHODSS. aureus were added to U937 cells at multiplicity of infections (MOI) of 20:1 for 0, 15, 30, 60, and 90 minutes, respectively. Cell apoptosis was analyzed with Hoechst 33258 staining and Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)/propidium iodide (PI) flow cytometry analysis. Akt and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activities were detected by Western blotting.

RESULTSInfection of U937 cells with S. aureus induced rapid cell death in a time-dependent manner, and the cells displayed characteristic features of apoptosis. S. aureus-induced apoptosis was associated with a prominent downregulation of activated (phosphorylated) Akt and NF-kappaB. The inhibition of phosphorylated Akt by LY294002 led to the inhibition of NF-kappaB in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of Akt with LY294002 caused further increase in apoptosis of U937 cells.

CONCLUSIONSS. aureus can stimulate the apoptosis of U937 cells. S. aureus induces apoptosis of U937 cells by inhibiting Akt-regulated NF-kappaB.

Apoptosis ; Chromones ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Morpholines ; pharmacology ; NF-kappa B ; physiology ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; physiology ; Phosphorylation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology ; Staphylococcus aureus ; pathogenicity ; U937 Cells

OBJECTIVETo determine the effect of cysteinyl receptor agonist leukotriene D(4) (LTD(4)) and its antagonists on rat primary neurons.

METHODSIn the primarily cultured rat cortical neurons, the neuron injury was evaluated by measuring intracellular calcium, 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction, and propidium iodide (PI) and Hoechst 33258 staining. The in vitro ischemic injury was induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) for 1.5 h and reperfusion for 24 h.

RESULTLTD(4) (0.01-1 micromol/L) did not induce the elevation of intracellular calcium, neuron viability changes and neuron death. OGD-induced injury was not significantly ameliorated by the CysLT(1) receptor antagonists, pranlukast (0.2-10 micromol/L) and montelukast (0.2-10 micromol/L), as well as by the CysLT(1)/CysLT(2) receptor non-selective antagonist, BAY u9773 (0.02-1 micromol/L).

CONCLUSIONNeither agonist nor antagonists of cysteinyl receptors have the effects on the viability and ischemic-like injury in rat primary neurons.

Acetates ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cerebral Cortex ; cytology ; Chromones ; pharmacology ; Glucose ; pharmacology ; Leukotriene Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Leukotriene D4 ; pharmacology ; Neurons ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Quinolines ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Receptors, Leukotriene ; agonists

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the essential substance from the root of Gerbera piloselloides and its antitussive and de-sputum effects.

METHODThe essential substance (G4) was extracted from the root by alcohol and ethyl acetate, then it was separated by silica gel column eluted by the mixture of ethyl acetate and petroleum ether (5:95). Its chemical components were separated and identified by GC-MS. Its antitussive and de-sputum effect was tested by mice.

RESULT4 main peaks were separated and identified by GS-MS. They are beta-caryophyllene (15.160%), caryophyllene oxide (21.140%), aristolenepoxide (2.673%) and 6-acetyl-2,2-dimethyl-8(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-2H-chromoene (60.077%) respectively. Its antitussive and de-sputum effect was prominent when the mice was given G4 2,000 mg.kg-1 ig.

CONCLUSIONItis the first time that the antitussive and de-sputum essential substance was separated from the root of Gerbera piloselloides and its main compositions were analyzed.

Animals ; Antitussive Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Chromones ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Expectorants ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Mice ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sesquiterpenes ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology