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The Potential Use of Herbal Medicinal Products in Chronic Disorders

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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Medicinal Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2019) | Viewed by 55824

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Chingfeng Weng

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Guest Editor

1. Department of Life Science and Institute of Biotechnology, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan
2. Functional Physiology Section, Department of Basic Medical Science, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, Fujian, China
Interests: herbal and marine medicine; complementary and alternative medicine; metabolic syndrome; transdermal delivery; nanomedicine; molecular docking; computational biology; molecular and cellular physiology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recently, many conventional drugs have been hampered by a lack of effectiveness, antibiotic resistance, high side effects and burdens. This has to be overcome by new strategies and therapeutic alternatives. Natural products are considered to be an important source for new anticancer, antidiabetic, neurodegenerative diseases, antimicrobials, pathogenic fungi, viruses, and parasites. For the past few dacades, herbal medicinal products have proven their efficacy at curing or attenuating symptoms of many chronic diseases, such as metabolic disorder (diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia, steatosis), auto-immune diseases (lupus, rhumatoid arthritis), inflammation diseases (inflammatory bowel disease, colitis), and degenerative diseases (arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzeheimer’s disease). These herbal medicinal products, including pure compounds, extracts, and decoctions, ameliorate disease progression through many characteristics, such as inflammatory modulators, insulin sensitizers, and homeostatic keepers. This Special Issue hopes to comprehensively highlight the newest discoveries in herbal medicinal products for treating or attenuating symptoms of chronic diseases, especially herbal medicinal products as adjuvants for current treatments, side effect attenuators, or synergy toward current medicines. Additionally, studies that debate herbal–herbal interactions and herbal–drug are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Chingfeng Weng
Guest Editor

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Keywords

herbal medicine
chronic diseases
adjuvant
herbal-herbal interaction
alternative medicine

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1999 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Portulaca Oleracea Extract on Acute Alcoholic Liver Injury of Rats

by Jing-Yi Qiao, Han-Wei Li, Fu-Gang Liu, Yu-Cheng Li, Shuo Tian, Li-Hua Cao, Kai Hu, Xiang-Xiang Wu and Ming-San Miao

Molecules 2019, 24(16), 2887; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24162887 - 08 Aug 2019

Cited by 37 | Viewed by 3799

Abstract

The present study was envisaged to investigate the chemical constituents and the intervention effects of Portulaca oleracea extract (POE) on acute alcoholic liver injury of rats. The chemical composition of POE was detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Sixty male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: Normal control (NC) group, acute alcoholic liver injury model group (ALI), low, medium and high dose of POE (25, 50, 100 mg/kg) groups and bifendate (BF, 3.75 mg/kg) group. Each group was given by intragastrical administration for 7 days. Alcoholic liver injury was induced in the experimental model by administering 50% ethanol at 8 mL/kg and repeated administration after 6 h, for a period of 7 days. The results showed that pretreatment with POE significantly reduced the ethanol-elevated serum level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and triglyceride (TG). The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) in liver were enhanced followed by administration of POE, while the content of nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) was found to decrease. Hepatic content of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) was also reduced by POE treatment. These results indicated that POE could increase the antioxidant capacity and relieve the inflammatory injury of the liver cells induced by ethanol. Meanwhile, in our study, POE reduced the expression of miR-122, acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) 1 mRNA and protein and increased the expression of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) mRNA and protein in liver, which indicated that POE could improve the lipid metabolism disorder induced by ethanol. Our findings suggested that POE had protective effects on acute alcoholic liver injury of rats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential Use of Herbal Medicinal Products in Chronic Disorders)

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13 pages, 2115 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterizing the Neuroprotective Effects of S/B Remedy (Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and Bupleurum scorzonerifolfium Willd) in Spinal Cord Injury

by Tsung-Hsi Tu, Dann-Ying Liou, Di-You Lin, Hsin-Chun Yang, Ching-Jung Chen, Ming-Chao Huang, Wen-Cheng Huang, May-Jywan Tsai and Henrich Cheng

Molecules 2019, 24(10), 1885; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24101885 - 16 May 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2581

Abstract

The main causes of dysfunction after a spinal cord injury (SCI) include primary and secondary injuries that occur during the first minutes, hours, to days after injury. This treatable secondary cascade provides a window of opportunity for delivering therapeutic interventions. An S/B remedy (Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and Bupleurum scorzonerifolfium Willd) has anti-inflammatory, cytoprotective, and anticarcinogenic effects in liver or neurodegenerative diseases. The present work examined the effect of S/B on injured spinal cord neurons in cultures and in vivo. S/B effectively reduced peroxide toxicity and lipopolysaccharide stimulation in both spinal cord neuron/glial and microglial cultures with the involvement of PKC and HSP70. The effect of S/B was further conducted in contusive SCI rats. Intraperitoneal injections of S/B to SCI rats preserved spinal cord tissues and effectively attenuated microglial activation. Consistently, S/B treatment significantly improved hindlimb functions of SCI rats. In the acute stage of injury, S/B treatment markedly reduced the levels of ED1 expression and lactate and had a tendency to decrease lipid peroxidation. Taken together, we demonstrated long-term hindlimb restoration alongside histological improvements with systemic S/B remedy treatment in a clinically relevant model of contusive SCI. Our findings highlight the potential of an S/B remedy for acute therapeutic intervention after SCI. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential Use of Herbal Medicinal Products in Chronic Disorders)

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8 pages, 1489 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Plantago asiatica Seed Extracts Alleviated Blood Pressure in Phase I–Spontaneous Hypertension Rats

by Yaw-Syan Fu, Sheng-I Lue, Shiuan-Yea Lin, Chi-Lun Luo, Chi-Chen Chou and Ching-Feng Weng

Molecules 2019, 24(9), 1734; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24091734 - 04 May 2019

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2844

Abstract

Arterial pressure of each new breeding spontaneous Phase-1 hypertension (P1-HT) rat was recorded for 5 min by intravascular femoral artery catheter that served as a reference value prior to treatment. In the acute antihypertensive test, 0.36 g/kg Bwt of Plantago asiatica seed extract (PSE) was administered, via gavage feeding, to P1-HT rats, and the arterial pressures were continuously recorded for 1 h. The acute antihypertensive effects of PSE on P1-HT rats appeared within 15 min after PSE administration and lasted over 1 h with systolic pressure decreased 31.5 mmHg and diastolic pressure decreased 18.5 mmHg. The systolic pressure decreased 28 mmHg and diastolic pressure decreased 16 mmHg in P1-HT rats when simultaneously compared with verapamil hydrochloride (reference drug), whereas there were no significant differences in the pretreated reference values of acute PSE treatment and the untreated control. In the chronic test, P1-HT rats received 0.36 g/kg Bwt day of PSE or equal volume of water for 4 weeks via oral gavage, and the lower blood pressure tendencies of chronic PSE treatment were also found when compared with the controls. The antihypertensive values of PSE were also confirmed in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Oral administration with PSE can effectively moderate blood pressure within an hour, while taking PSE daily can control the severity of hypertension, suggesting PSE is a potentially antihypertensive herb. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential Use of Herbal Medicinal Products in Chronic Disorders)

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12 pages, 2859 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Inhibition of Amyloid Beta Aggregation and Deposition of Cistanche tubulosa Aqueous Extract

by Chien-Liang Chao, Hsin-Wen Huang, Hui-Chi Huang, Hsin-Fan Chao, Shuen-Wen Yu, Muh-Hwan Su, Chao-Jih Wang and Hang-Ching Lin

Molecules 2019, 24(4), 687; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24040687 - 14 Feb 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5068

Abstract

Cistanche tubulosa aqueous extract (CTE) is already used as a botanical prescription drug for treating dementia in China. Our previous studies reported that phenylethanoid glycosides of CTE have anti-Alzheimer’s disease (AD) activity by inhibiting amyloid β peptide (Aβ) aggregation and deposition. However, recent studies considered that the phenylethanoid glycosides may be metabolized by intestinal bacteria, because all analysis results showed that the bioavailability of phenylethanoid glycosides is extremely low. In this study we demonstrate how iron chelation plays a crucial role in the Aβ aggregation and deposition inhibition mechanism of phenylethanoid glycosides of CTE. In addition, we further proved phenylethanoid glycosides (1–3) could reach brain. Active CTE component and action mechanism confirmation will be a great help for product quality control and bioavailability studies in the future. At the same time, we provide a new analysis method useful in determining phenylethanoid glycosides (1–3) in plants, foods, blood, and tissues for chemical fingerprint and pharmacokinetic research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential Use of Herbal Medicinal Products in Chronic Disorders)

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11 pages, 1540 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Anti-inflammatory Flavonol Glycosides from Lindera akoensis Hayata

by Chung-Ping Yang, Pei-Hsin Shie, Guan-Jhong Huang, Shih-Chang Chien and Yueh-Hsiung Kuo

Molecules 2019, 24(3), 563; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24030563 - 04 Feb 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2327

Abstract

Inflammation is related to many diseases. Lindera akoensis Hayata was often used in folk
therapy in Taiwan for inflammation. In this study, three new flavonol acyl glycosides, namely
kaempferol-3-O--D-4”,6”-di-(E)-p-coumaroylglucoside (1), 3”-(E)-p-coumaroylafzelin (2) and 40-Omethyl-
2”,4”-di-(E)-p-coumaroylquercitrin (3), and three components, 3-dodecyl-4-hydroxy-
5-methyldihydrofuran-2-one (4), 2-acetoxyclovan-9-ol (5), (1,4,6)-trihydroxyeudesmane
(6) that were isolated from the natural product for the first time were obtained along with 25 known
compounds from L. akoensis. Their structures were determined by comprehensive spectroscopic
analyses (1D and 2D NMR, EI-, ESI- and HRESI-MS). The ability of 1 to decrease the LPS-stimulated
production of nitrite in RAW264.7 cell was evaluated, showing an IC₅₀ value of 36.3 ± 3.2 μM.
This result supports the value of L. akoensis as a traditional medicine resource. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential Use of Herbal Medicinal Products in Chronic Disorders)

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15 pages, 4271 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Cholesterol-Modulating Effect of Methanol Extract of Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) Leaves on Regulating LDLR and PCSK9 Expression in HepG2 Cells

by Heng-Yuan Chang, Jia-Ru Wu, Wan-Yun Gao, Huei-Ru Lin, Pei-Yi Chen, Chen-I Chen, Ming-Jiuan Wu and Jui-Hung Yen

Molecules 2019, 24(3), 493; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24030493 - 30 Jan 2019

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4148

Abstract

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) is a legume crop consumed as an indigenous vegetable in the human diet and a traditional medicinal plant with therapeutic properties. The current study highlights the cholesterol-modulating effect and underlying mechanisms of the methanol extract of Cajanus cajan L. leaves (MECC) in HepG2 cells. We found that MECC increased the LDLR expression, the cell-surface LDLR levels and the LDL uptake activity in HepG2 cells. We further demonstrated that MECC suppressed the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) mRNA and protein expression, but not affected the expression of other cholesterol or lipid metabolism-related genes including inducible degrader of LDLR (IDOL), HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR), fatty acid synthase (FASN), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC1), and liver X receptor-α (LXR-α) in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that MECC down-regulated the PCSK9 gene expression through reducing the amount of nuclear hepatocyte nuclear factor-1α (HNF-1α), a major transcriptional regulator for activation of PCSK9 promoter, but not that of nuclear sterol-responsive element binding protein-2 (SREBP-2) in HepG2 cells. Finally, we identified the cajaninstilbene acid, a main bioactive stilbene component in MECC, which significantly modulated the LDLR and PCSK9 expression in HepG2 cells. Our current data suggest that the cajaninstilbene acid may contribute to the hypocholesterolemic activity of Cajanus cajan L. leaves. Our findings support that the extract of Cajanus cajan L. leaves may serve as a cholesterol-lowering agent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential Use of Herbal Medicinal Products in Chronic Disorders)

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16 pages, 1217 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation of Herbal Formulation for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Based on In Vitro Screening and In Vivo Evaluation in a Mouse Model of Experimental Colitis

by Jaemin Lee, Han-Seok Choi, Jinkyung Lee, Jimin Park, Sang-Back Kim, Myoung-Sook Shin, Sullim Lee, Gwi Seo Hwang, Bon Am Koo and Ki Sung Kang

Molecules 2019, 24(3), 464; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24030464 - 28 Jan 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3937

Abstract

Many medicinal plants have been used traditionally in East Asia for the treatment of gastrointestinal disease and inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of 350 extracts (175 water extracts and 175 ethanol extracts) from 71 single plants, 97 mixtures of two plants, and seven formulations based on traditional medicine, to find herbal formulations to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In the in vitro screening, nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6 levels were determined in LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells and the TNF-α induced monocyte-epithelial cell adhesion assay was used for the evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity of the compounds. Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model and 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis model were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect against IBD of the samples selected from the in vitro screening. KM1608, composed of Zingiber officinale, Terminalia chebula and Aucklandia lappa, was prepared based on the screening experiments. The oral administration of KM1608 significantly attenuated the severity of colitis symptoms, such as weight loss, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding, in TNBS-induced colitis. In addition, inflammatory mediators, such as myeloperoxidase, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels decreased in the lysate of colon tissues treated with KM1608. Collectively, KM1608 ameliorated colitis through the regulation of inflammatory responses within the colon, which indicated that KM1608 had potential for the treatment of IBD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential Use of Herbal Medicinal Products in Chronic Disorders)

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12 pages, 1931 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Protective Effect of Phenolic Compounds Isolated from Mugwort (Artemisia argyi) against Contrast-Induced Apoptosis in Kidney Epithelium Cell Line LLC-PK1

by Kem Ok Kim, Dahae Lee, Nguyen Tuan Hiep, Ji Hoon Song, Hae-Jeung Lee, Dongho Lee and Ki Sung Kang

Molecules 2019, 24(1), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24010195 - 07 Jan 2019

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4287

Abstract

We investigated whether 14 phenolic compounds isolated from Artemisia argyi could prevent the apoptotic damage caused by iodixanol, an iodinated contrast agent, on LLC-PK1 cells. Iodixanol was used to induce cytotoxicity in LLC-PK1 cells. Apoptotic cell death was observed as the fluorescence intensity emitted by annexin V and Hoechst 33342 stains. Western blotting was used to detect specific proteins. Seven phenolic compounds protected against iodixanol-induced LLC-PK1 cell death in a concentration-dependent manner. Among them, methyl caffeate exerted the strongest protective effect, and co-treatment with 50 and 100 μM methyl caffeate decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species elevated by 25 mg/mL iodixanol. In addition, the treatment of LLC-PK1 cells with iodixanol resulted in an increase in apoptotic cell death, which decreased by co-treatment with methyl caffeate. Iodixanol caused a cytotoxicity-related increase in the phosphorylation of extracellular-signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and P38; and a similar increase in the expression levels of kidney injury molecule-1 and cleaved caspase-3. However, the up-regulation of these proteins was reversed by co-treatment with methyl caffeate. These findings suggest that phenolic compounds isolated from A. argyi play an important role in protecting kidney epithelium cells against apoptotic damage caused by iodixanol. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential Use of Herbal Medicinal Products in Chronic Disorders)

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9 pages, 665 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Bioavailability of Two Diosmin Formulations after Oral Administration to Healthy Volunteers

by Rosario Russo, Divya Chandradhara and Nunziatina De Tommasi

Molecules 2018, 23(9), 2174; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23092174 - 29 Aug 2018

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 11052

Abstract

Diosmin is a flavonoid commonly found in citrus fruits, largely used as adjuvant treatment for circulatory disorders, including chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and hemorrhoids. Following oral administration, diosmin is not directly absorbed but must first be hydrolyzed into its aglycone, diosmetin, which is then absorbed into the systemic circulation. The aim of the current cross-over clinical study was to assess the pharmacokinetic profile of µSmin^® Plus, a micronized diosmin flavonoid complex standardized in diosmin and formulated with a buffering agent (tested formulation). The study compared this to unformulated micronized diosmin (reference), in 16 healthy volunteers. Plasma samples were analyzed by HPLC-MS and plasma diosmetin concentration was measured after deconjugation with β-glucuronidase. For the tested formulation area under the curve (AUC_0-t), and maximum plasma and time concentration (C_max; t_max) were found to be 298.4 ± 163.7, 50.3 ± 22.6 and 2.2 ± 2.9, respectively. AUC_0-t and C_max of the reference were 31.9 ± 100.4 and 2.4 ± 1.9, respectively. The tested formulation showed higher plasmatic concentrations of diosmetin in comparison to those obtained after the administration of unformulated micronized diosmin. The relative bioavailability was 9.4 greater for the tested formulation than in micronized diosmin. In conclusion, our data indicate that µSmin^® Plus was rapidly and well absorbed into systemic circulation and may therefore be ideally suitable to deliver diosmin in human interventional trials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential Use of Herbal Medicinal Products in Chronic Disorders)

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Review

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15 pages, 43997 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Systems-Level Analysis of Mechanisms of Platycodon grandiflorum Based on A Network Pharmacological Approach

by Musun Park, Sa-Yoon Park, Hae-Jeung Lee and Chang-Eop Kim

Molecules 2018, 23(11), 2841; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23112841 - 01 Nov 2018

Cited by 36 | Viewed by 4768

Abstract

Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) is widely used in Asia for its various beneficial effects. Although many studies were conducted to understand the molecular mechanisms of PG, it is still unclear how the combinations of multiple ingredients work together to exert its therapeutic effects. The aim of the present study was to provide a comprehensive review of the systems-level mechanisms of PG by adopting network pharmacological analysis. We constructed a compound–target–disease network for PG using experimentally validated and machine-leaning-based prediction results. Each target of the network was analyzed based on previously known pharmacological activities of PG. Gene ontology analysis revealed that the majority of targets were related to cellular and metabolic processes, responses to stimuli, and biological regulation. In pathway enrichment analyses of targets, the terms related to cancer showed the most significant enrichment and formed distinct clusters. Degree matrix analysis for target–disease associations of PG suggested the therapeutic potential of PG in various cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer, prostate cancer, small-cell lung cancer, and renal cell carcinoma. We expect that network pharmacological approaches will provide an understanding of the systems-level mechanisms of medicinal herbs and further develop their therapeutic potentials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential Use of Herbal Medicinal Products in Chronic Disorders)

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15 pages, 1939 KiB

Open AccessReview

Neuroprotective Role of Phytochemicals

by Bharath Kumar Velmurugan, Baskaran Rathinasamy, Bharathi Priya Lohanathan, Varadharajan Thiyagarajan and Ching-Feng Weng

Molecules 2018, 23(10), 2485; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23102485 - 27 Sep 2018

Cited by 92 | Viewed by 10054

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases are normally distinguished as disorders with loss of neurons. Various compounds are being tested to treat neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) but they possess solitary symptomatic advantages with numerous side effects. Accumulative studies have been conducted to validate the benefit of phytochemicals to treat neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this present review we explored the potential efficacy of phytochemicals such as epigallocatechin-3-galate, berberin, curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin and limonoids against the most common NDs, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). The beneficial potentials of these phytochemicals have been demonstrated by evidence-based but more extensive investigation needs to be conducted for reducing the progression of AD and PD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential Use of Herbal Medicinal Products in Chronic Disorders)

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