Pharmacology Commons^™

Cryptocaryone Induces Apoptosis In Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells By Inhibiting Aerobic Glycolysis Through Akt And C-Src Signaling Pathways, Chen-Lin Yu, Yu-Wei Lai, Jih-Jung Chen, Jie-Jen Lee, Tsung-Hsien Chou, Chen-Chen Huang, Shih-Chia Liu, Guang-Wei Chen, Chung‐Hsin Tsai, Shih-Wei Wang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of liver cancer, with the second highest mortality rate in all cancer. Energy reprogramming is one of the hallmarks of cancer, and emerging evidence showed that targeting glycolysis is a promising strategy for HCC treatment. Cryptocaryone has been shown to display promising anti-cancer activity against numerous types of cancer. Previous study also indicated that cryptocaryone induces cytotoxicity by inhibiting glucose transport in cancer cells, but the detailed mechanism still needs to be elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the anti-cancer effect and glycolytic metabolism of cryptocaryone in human …

Dehulled Adlay (Coix Lachryma-Jobi L.) Ameliorates Hepatic Gluconeogenesis And Steatosis In Streptozotocin/High-Fat Diet-Induced Diabetic Rats, Shing-Hwa Liu, Wan-Hsin Wu, Huei-Ping Tzeng, Wenchang Chiang, Meng-Tsan Chiang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Adlay (Coix lachryma-jobi L.) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine with various biological activities. We investigated the anti-diabetic effects of different parts of adlay seeds, including polished adlay (PA), adlay bran (AB) and dehulled adlay (DA) in a streptozotocin (STZ)/high fat diet (HFD) diabetic rat model (DM). DM rats supplemented with or without PA (43%), AB (3%), or DA (46%) diet for 8 weeks. The plasma glucose and insulin levels and the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) were increased in DM group; among the three adlay diets, DA has the best effects attenuating all of these alterations in DM …

Biological And Clinical Significance Of The Age-Rage Axis In The Aggressiveness And Prognosis Of Prostate Cancer, Shih-Hong Khoo, Pei-Ru Wu, Kun-Tu Yeh, Shih-Lan Hsu, Chi-Hao Wu

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Dietary factors and chronic hyperglycemia are linked to the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and prostate cancer (PCa) risk. The activation of the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) acts as a bridge between various RAGE ligands and certain malignancies. This study showed that the interaction of AGEs and RAGE promoted PCa cell proliferation, invasion, and autophagy-mediated survival in response to chemotherapeutic agents. RAGE-overexpressed PCa cells underwent epithelial-mesenchymal transition and showed increased cancer stem cell-like properties. In mouse xenograft models, RAGE-overexpressed cells showed more substantial tumorigenic capacity than parental cells, whereas RAGE knockdown decreased tumorigenicity. The clinical data validated a …

Steamed Daylily Flower (Hemerocallis Fulva L.) Protected Cardiac And Hepatic Cells Against Ethanol Induced Apoptotic And Oxidative Damage, Sheng-Lei Yan, Wen-Tzu Wu, Mei-Chin Mong, Mei-Chin Yin

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Our previous study examined the phytochemical composition and bio-activities of raw daylily flower (Hemerocallis fulva L.). However, this plant food is usually served via heat process such as cooking in a soup. This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical profile and biofunctions of steamed daylily flower (SDF). The content of total phenolic acids, total flavonoids, total carotenoids, total anthocyanins and total triterpenoids in SDF aqueous extract was assessed. Normal cardiac and hepatic cells, H9c2 and L-02 cells, were used to evaluate the protective effects of SDF against ethanol. SDF concentrations of 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1% were applied to treat …

Analysis And Identification Of Phenolic Compounds With Antiproliferative Activity From Chinese Olive (Canarium Album L.) Fruit Extract By Hplc-Dad-Spe-Tt-Nmr, Yu-Te Yeh, Chien-Kuang Chen, Yi-Chun Liao, Shoei-Sheng Lee, Shu-Chen Hsieh

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Chinese olives (Canarium album L.) are rich in phenolic compounds, exhibiting a broad spectrum of potential clinical applications. This study is the first report on the isolation and elucidation of bioactive compounds with high antiproliferative activity from the ethyl acetate fraction of a Chinese olive fruit methanolic extract (CO-EtOAc). We used the WST-1 assay to determine which subfractions of CO-EtOAc had significant antiproliferative activity using the murine colon cancer cell line CT26. Subsequently, the functional compounds were characterized by the hyphenated technique and high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-solid phase extraction-transfer tube-nuclear magnetic resonance (HPLC-DAD-SPE-TT-NMR). Thirteen phenolic constituents were identified …

Glycine-Rich Peptides From Fermented Chenopodium Formosanum Sprout As An Antioxidant To Modulate The Oxidative Stress, Chen-Che Hsieh, Shu-Han Yu, Hsing-Chun Kuo, Darin Khumsupan, Hsiao-Chu Huang, Yu-Wei Liou, Chen-Yu Kao, Szu-Chuan Shen, Kuan-Chen Cheng

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Rhizopus oligosporus was utilized in the solid-state fermentation of Chenopodium formosanum sprouts (FCS) in a bioreactor. Subsequently, the antioxidant activity of food proteins derived from FCS was investigated. Results showed that glycine-rich peptide (GGGGGKP, G-rich peptide), identified from the < 2 kDa FCS proteins, had antioxidant values. According to SwissADME, AllerTOP, ToxinPred, and BIOPEP-UWM analyses, G-rich peptide was identified as safe, non-toxic, and non-allergenic. Afterward, the peptide was examined using in silico and in vitro studies to evaluate its potential alleviating oxidative stress caused by particulate matter. This study proposed plausible mechanisms that involve the binding of G-rich peptide which inhibited phosphorylation of the v-rel avian reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog A (RELA) subunit on NF-κB pathway. The inhibition then resulted in down regulation of NF-κB transcription and genetic expression of inflammatory …

Investigation Of Microwave Extraction Of Red Cabbage And Its Neurotherapeutic Potential, Halil Koyu, Serdar Demir, Mehmet Zeki Haznedaroglu

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

In the pursuit of bioactive compounds with health benefits from food and medicinal plants, optimization of process to reduce solvent, raw material, energy and time consumption has been a valuable research objective. Sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources are of critical importance for sustainability goals. In this manner, microwave extraction of red cabbage which has been a mass cultivated plant for food purposes, was optimized for maximizing acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, tyrosinase inhibitory activity and bioactive content. Quantitative analysis of total phenol, flavonoid and anthocyanin content were performed using spectrophotometry and UPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS. Optimum conditions were determined as 600 W, 100% …

Abundance Of Prevotella Copri In Gut Microbiota Is Inversely Related To A Healthy Diet In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Chih-Yiu Tsai, Po-Yu Liu, Meng-Chuan Huang, Chiao-I Chang, Hsin-Yun Chen, Yu-Hsien Chou, Chi-Neu Tsai, Chia-Hung Lin

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

While the gut microbiota is known to be influenced by habitual food intake, this relationship is seldom explored in type 2 diabetes patients. This study aims to investigate the relationship between dietary patterns and gut microbial species abundance in 113 type 2 diabetes patients (mean age, 58 years; body mass index, 29.1; glycohemoglobin [HbA1c], 8.1%). We analyzed the gut microbiota using 16S amplicon sequencing, and all patients were catogorized into either the Bacteroides enterotype (57.5%, n = 65) or the Prevotella enterotype (42.5%, n = 48) using the partitioning around medoids clustering algorithm, based on the most representative genera. Patients …

Therapeutic Effects Of Orally Administration Of Viable And Inactivated Probiotic Strains Against Murine Urinary Tract Infection, Vo Thi Hong Van, Zhen-Shu Liu, Yueh Jen Hsieh, Wei-Chen Shiu, Bo-Yuan Chen, Yu-We Ku, Po-Wen Chen

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are highly prevalent bacterial infections that pose significant health risks. Specific probiotic strains have been recommended for UTI control and management of antibiotic resistance. Otherwise, paraprobiotics, defined as inactivated probiotic cells, offer potential advantages by minimizing risks associated with live microorganisms. However, the effectiveness of heat-killed probiotic strains against UTIs remains uncertain. Additionally, lactoferrin (LF), an iron-binding glycoprotein, exhibits immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, we had developed recombinant LF-expression probiotics, which can display considerate antibacterial activities against select food-borne pathogens in vitro. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activities of heat-killed natural …

Recent Advances In Combined Avant-Garde Technologies (Thermal-Thermal, Non-Thermal-Non-Thermal, And Thermal-Non-Thermal Matrix) To Extract Polyphenols From Agro Byproducts, Isaac Duah Boateng

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Because food byproducts (waste) are rich in phytoconstituents, valorizing them is crucial for global food security. However, conventional extraction (CE), including decoction, maceration, Soxhlet, etc., for agro byproducts’ polyphenol extraction are time-consuming and rely significantly on vast volumes of potentially aggressive solvents. Hence, Avant-garde extraction technologies, including non-thermal (high hydrostatic pressure (HHPE), pulsed-electric field (PEF), high voltage electrical discharges (HVED), etc.) and thermal extraction (supercritical fluid (SCF), subcritical water extraction (SWE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), etc.), as well as their thermal combinations (SCF-PLE, SCCO2-SWE, SCCO2-MAE, etc.), non-thermal combinations (HHPE+UAE, PEF+UAE, HVED+UAE, etc.) and combined thermal-non-thermal (MAE-UAE, etc.) are increasingly replacing CE. …

Kinome Profiling Identifies Mark3 And Stk10 As Potential Therapeutic Targets In Uveal Melanoma, Usman Baqai, Alison M. Kurimchak, Isabella Trachtenberg, Timothy J. Purwin, Jelan I. Haj, Anna Han, Kristine Luo, Nikole Fandino Pachon, Angela Jeon, Vivian Chua, Michael A. Davies, J Silvio Gutkind, Jeffrey L. Benovic, James S. Duncan, Andrew E. Aplin

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Most uveal melanoma cases harbor activating mutations in either GNAQ or GNA11. Despite activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway downstream of Gαq/11, there are no effective targeted kinase therapies for metastatic uveal melanoma. The human genome encodes numerous understudied kinases, also called the "dark kinome". Identifying additional kinases regulated by Gαq/11 may uncover novel therapeutic targets for uveal melanoma. In this study, we treated GNAQ-mutant uveal melanoma cell lines with a Gαq/11 inhibitor, YM-254890, and conducted a kinase signaling proteomic screen using multiplexed-kinase inhibitors followed by mass spectrometry. We observed downregulated expression and/or activity of 22 kinases. …

Chemical Composition, Mineral Profile, Anti-Bacterial, And Wound Healing Properties Of Snail Slime Of Helix Aspersa Müller, Marouane Aouji, Amine Rkhaila, Bouchra Bouhaddioui, Malak Zirari, Hala Harifi, Youness Taboz, Lalla Aicha Lrhorfi, Rachid Bengueddour

BioMedicine

Mucus is a substance made by snails that serves a variety of purposes and is increasingly employed in the medical and cosmetic industries. It includes bioactive compounds with a range of biological characteristics that could be useful in the treatment of particular issues. This study assessed the wound-healing efficiency, antibacterial activity, chemical and mineral composition of Helix aspersa Müller slime. Inductively Coupled Argon Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used for mineral analysis, while Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was used for chemical characterization. The findings showed that the H. aspersa Müller slime had inhibitory activity on …

Enteroendocrine Cell Regulation Of The Gut-Brain Axis, Joshua Barton, Annie Londregan, Tyler Alexander, Ariana Entezari, Manuel Covarrubias, Scott Waldman

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Enteroendocrine cells (EECs) are an essential interface between the gut and brain that communicate signals about nutrients, pain, and even information from our microbiome. EECs are hormone-producing cells expressed throughout the gastrointestinal epithelium and have been leveraged by pharmaceuticals like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy), terzepatide (Mounjaro), and retatrutide (Phase 2) for diabetes and weight control, and linaclotide (Linzess) to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and visceral pain. This review focuses on role of intestinal EECs to communicate signals from the gut lumen to the brain. Canonically, EECs communicate information about the intestinal environment through a variety of hormones, dividing EECs into …

Piperine Encourages Apoptosis In Human Cervical Adenocarcinoma Cells Through Ros Generation, Dna Fragmentation, Caspase-3 Activation And Cell Cycle Arrest, Asif Jafri, Juhi Rais, Sudhir Kumar, Md Arshad

Research Symposium

Background: Cancer is one of the most common destructive diseases and the second leading cause of death in humans. Among cancer, cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy among women globally. Thus, there is a continuous need to search for chemotherapeutic chemicals or naturally occurring drugs to resolve this global health problem. Piperine (1-piperoylpeperdine) is present in the fruits of black pepper (Piper nigrum Linn.) and long pepper (Piper longum Linn.). It possesses several pharmacological properties and in the present study we have evaluated its anti-cancer potential on human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cells.

Methods: The anti-proliferative effect …

Jinhua Qinggan Granule Uhplc-Q-Extractive-Orbitrap-Ms Assay: Putative Identification Of 45 Potential Anti-Covid-19 Constituents, Confidential Addition, And Pharmacopoeia Quality-Markers Recommendation, Jingyuan Zeng, Xican Li, Rongxin Cai, Chunhou Li, Shaoman Chen

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

The study combined UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS analysis with authentic standards, to create a novel strategy for isomers recognition and putative identification. Through the strategy, anti-Covid-19 Jinhua Qinggan Granule was found to comprise 28 isomers and 45 potential anti-Covid-19 constituents. The detection of three constituents (Danshensu, cryptotanshin, and tanshinone IIA) suggests Danshen as confidential additive. Based on this, 6 constituents are recommended as quality-marker candidates, including chlorogenic acid, acteoside, peimisine, baicalein, licoricesaponin H2, and tanshinone IIA. Obviously, the study can not only help the public to really understand the Granule's formula and chemistry, but also facilitate its Pharmacopoeia collection in future.

Autophagy-Urea Cycle Pathway Is Essential For The Statin-Mediated Nitric Oxide Bioavailability In Endothelial Cells, Wen-Hua Chen, Bei-Chia Guo, Chia-Hui Chen, Man-Chen Hsu, Chih-Hsien Wang, Tzong-Shyuan Lee

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Statins induce nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability by activating endothelial nitric oxide synthase via kinase- and calciumdependent pathways in endothelial cells (ECs). However, their effect on the metabolism of L-arginine, the precursor for NO biosynthesis, and regulatory mechanism have not yet been investigated. In this study, we investigated the role of the autophagy–urea cycle-L-arginine pathway in simvastatin-mediated NO bioavailability in ECs. Griess's assay was used to determine the NO bioavailability. Protein expression was assessed using Western blot analysis. Further, immunocytochemistry was performed to observe autophagosome formation, while conventional assay kits were used to quantify the levels of different intermediate substrates of …

Identification For Metabolism Profiles And Pharmacokinetic Studies Of Tradition Chinese Prescription Ji-Ming-San And Its Major Metabolites In Rats By Uhplc-Q-Tof-Ms/Ms And Uhplc-Ms/Ms, Cheng-Yang Hsieh, Ching-Chiung Wang, Lemmuel L. Tayo, Po-Wei Tsai, Chia-Jung Lee

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Ji-Ming-Shan (JMS) is a traditional prescription use for patients with rheumatism, tendons swelling, athlete's foot, diuresis and even gout. This study developed a rapid and sensitive method for the analysis of JMS chemical components in the Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription and in the serum samples of rats which were administered with the herbal extract. Two mass spectrometric approaches were used namely Ultra-performance liquid chromatographyquadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) method for the major metabolites of the JMS extract while Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was employed for the detection of the JMS metabolites in the sera of rats. It was …

Cordycepin Inhibits Erk Pathway To Suppress Fgf9-Induced Tumorigenesis With Ma-10 Mouse Leydig Tumor Cells, Li-Ching Chen, Chin-Ying Chen, Yi-Ping Lee, Bu-Miin Huang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) is a member of FGF family, and abnormal expression of FGF9 can promote tumorigenesis. Cordycepin, a major bioactive component in fungus Cordyceps sinensis, could suppress various tumors. We have shown that cordycepin could inhibit FGF9-induced testicular tumor growth in vitro and in vivo with MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells. In the present study, the mechanisms related to apoptosis and autophagy were determined. Results show that cordycepin significantly suppressed cell viability and colony formation with correlatedly morphological change related to cell death in FGF9-treated MA-10 cells. Flow cytometry and western blotting results further demonstrate that …

An Integrative Approach For Compressive Quality Control Of Respireaidtm, A Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula Against Sars-Cov-2, Kun-Teng Wang, Chia-Jung Lee, Ming-Chung Lee, Chao-Yu Chen, Yun-Chen Tsai, Wu-Chang Chuang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

RespireAid™ (NRICM101) is an effective anti-SARS-CoV-2 traditional Chinese medicine formula and has been licensed as a drug or dietary supplement in Taiwan, Luxembourg, Australia, Singapore, Cambodia, Philippines, and Canada. In this study, we provided integrated quality control strategy to analyze the ingredient of RespireAid™. In addition, the lot-to-lot efficacy stabilities were also evaluated. We found that RespireAid™ comprised of monosaccharides and disaccharides (34.0%), maltodextrin (23.5%), inorganic elements and ash (12.2%), oligosaccharides and polysaccharides (11.4%), principal components (4.4%), moisture (4.0%), amino acids (3.5%), b-Cyclodextrin (0.25%), menthol (0.25%), and nucleotides (0.14%), while the remainder was unidentified (6.36%). This is the first time …

Attenuation Of Diabetes-Mediated Muscle Atrophy In Rats By Fish Oil Enriched Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Supplementation, Shing-Hwa Liu, Wei-Hsuan Lin, Huei-Ping Tzeng, Meng-Tsan Chiang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of muscle wasting/atrophy, which adversely affects quality of life. We hypothesized that long term supplementation of fish oil may have protective effects against sarcopenia or muscle atrophy in streptozotocin (STZ) and high-fat (HF) diet-induced diabetic rat model. Wistar rats at age of 7 weeks were injected with saline or STZ to induce hyperglycemia. After one week, they were fed on a normal control diet or HF diet with/without supplementation of fish oil for 18 weeks. Feeding diabetic rats with a fish oil-enriched diet alleviated body weight loss and the impaired glucose tolerance using …