Adjuvant activities of immunostimulating natural products: Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. and Coriolus versicolor in BNT162b2 vaccination against COVID-19 infection.

The global pandemic of COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been developing all over the world for more than 3 years. In late 2020, several variants of concern of SARS-CoV-2 virus emerged, with increased viral fitness and transmissibility by mutations of the spike proteins of the viral particle, denting hopes of the use of early-generation vaccines for a widespread protective immunity against viral infection. The use of adjuvants may enhance the immune responses of the conventional application of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Creating a Vaccine-like Supplement against Respiratory Infection Using Recombinant Spores Expressing SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein with Natural Products.

Vaccination is the most effective method of combating COVID-19 infection, but people with a psychological fear of needles and side effects are hesitant to receive the current vaccination, and alternative delivery methods may help. , a harmless intestinal commensal, has recently earned a strong reputation as a vaccine production host and delivery vector, with advantages such as low cost, safety for human consumption, and straightforward oral administration. In this study, we have succeeded generating "S spores" by engineering with spore coat proteins resembling the spike (S) protein of the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

Whole extracts of Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae and Radix Cyathulae promote angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and in zebrafish .

Although Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae (RAB) and Radix Cyathulae (RC) are from two different medicinal plants, they are both used as 'Niu-Xi', a widely used traditional Chinese medicine that is believed to stimulate menstruation and affect bone injury. Angiogenesis is actively involved in treating these illnesses. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the whole extracts of RAB and RC possess pro-angiogenic effects.

Anti-inflammatory activities of Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi) and San-Miao-San supplements in MRL/lpr mice for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi; LZ) and San-Miao-San (SMS) are Chinese medicines (CMs) used to treat inflammatory ailments and numbing syndrome/arthralgia syndrome (Bi Zheng), respectively. Given that the main symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) include inflammation of the joints, joint pain, edema and palpitations of the heart because of problems associated with Bi Zheng, it was envisaged that LZ and SMS could be used as potential treatments for this autoimmune disease. This study aims to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of a combination formulation containing LZ and SMS (LZ-SMS) in SLE mice.

The hepatoprotective effect of the combination use of Fructus Schisandrae with statin--A preclinical evaluation.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Fructus Schisandrae is traditionally used as a liver-toning Chinese herb. Recent studies suggested Fructus Schisandrae could prevent high-fat diet-induced hepatic steatosis as well as improving anti-oxidative status within the liver, which is a proposed mechanism against statin-induced liver toxicity.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to determine if the combination use of Atorvastatin (AS) and Fructus Schisandrae aqueous extract (FSE) could (a) exert potent therapeutic effects not only on high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemia, but also on hepatomegaly (enlarge of liver size) and hepatic steatosis (fatty liver); and (b) reduce side effects caused by intake of statin alone including increased incidence of elevated liver enzymes and liver toxicity in Sprague Dawley rats.

Identification of Target Genes Involved in Wound Healing Angiogenesis of Endothelial Cells with the Treatment of a Chinese 2-Herb Formula.

Angiogenesis is vitally important in diabetic wound healing. We had previously demonstrated that a Chinese 2-herb formula (NF3) significantly stimulated angiogenesis of HUVEC in wound healing. However, the molecular mechanism has not yet been elucidated.

Induction of Angiogenesis in Zebrafish Embryos and Proliferation of Endothelial Cells by an Active Fraction Isolated from the Root of Astragalus membranaceus using Bioassay-guided Fractionation.

The objective of the study was to identify the active fraction(s) from AR aqueous extract responsible for promoting angiogenesis using bioassay-guided fractionation. The angiogenic activity was screened by monitoring the increase of sprout number in sub-intestinal vessel (SIV) of the transgenic zebrafish embryos after they were treated with 0.06-0.

Enumeration and functional investigation of endothelial progenitor cells in neovascularization of diabetic foot ulcer rats with a Chinese 2-herb formula.

Backbround: We investigated the effect of a Chinese 2-herb formula (NF3) on the enumeration and angiogenic differentiation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in diabetic foot ulcer rats.

Methods: EPCs and stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) were quantified by flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively. In vitro angiogenesis assays included proliferation, adhesion, migration and tube formation.

Pro-angiogenic effects of Carthami Flos whole extract in human microvascular endothelial cells in vitro and in zebrafish in vivo.

Aim: Carthami Flos (CF) is a Chinese herb traditionally used for cardiovascular disease and bone injury in China with pharmacological effects on improving blood circulation. The aim of this study was to investigate the angiogenic potential of CF whole extract (extracted by boiling with water, followed by ethanol) and the underlying mechanisms in human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1) in vitro and in transgenic TG(fli1:EGFP)(y1)/+(AB) zebrafish with transgenic endothelial cells expressing EGFP (Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein) in vivo.

Methods: Effects of CF whole extract on cell proliferation, migration and tube formation in HMEC-1 cells in vitro were detected by MTT assay, wound healing assay and tube formation assay.

Comprehensive proteomic analysis of a Chinese 2-herb formula (Astragali Radix and Rehmanniae Radix) on mature endothelial cells.

Endothelial cells are crucially involved in wound healing angiogenesis, restoring blood flow to wound tissues. Our previous study demonstrated that the Chinese 2-herb formula (NF3) possesses significant wound healing effect in diabetic foot ulcer rats with promising in vitro proangiogenic effects on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Here, we present the comparative global proteome analysis of NF3-treated HUVEC in static or scratch conditions, screening the comprehensive molecular targets in governing the proangiogenic response in wound healing.

A Chinese 2-herb formula (NF3) promotes hindlimb ischemia-induced neovascularization and wound healing of diabetic rats.

Diabetic foot ulcer is closely associated with peripheral vascular disease. Enhancement of tissue oxidative stress, reduction of nitric oxide (NO) and angiogenic growth factors, and abnormal matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity are pathophysiological factors in post-ischemic neovascularization and diabetic wound healing. Our previous study demonstrated that the Chinese 2-herb formula, NF3, showed significant wound healing effects on diabetic foot ulcer rats.

Anti-dermatophytic activity of bakuchiol: in vitro mechanistic studies and in vivo tinea pedis-inhibiting activity in a guinea pig model.

Bakuchiol was an active antifungal compound isolated from Psoraleae Fructus by means of bioassay-guided fractionation in our previous study. The present work aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms and the therapeutic effect of bakuchiol in Trichophyton mentagrophytes-induced tinea pedis. After exposure to bakuchiol at 0.

In vitro and in vivo mechanistic study of a novel proanthocyanidin, GC-(4→8)-GCG from cocoa tea (Camellia ptilophylla) in antiangiogenesis.

Angiogenesis, the process of blood vessel formation, is critical to tumor growth. Ant-angiogenic strategies demonstrated importance in cancer therapy. Cocoa tea (Camellia ptilophylla), a naturally decaffeinated tea commonly consumed as a healthy drink in southern China, had recently been found to be a potential candidate for antiangiogenesis.

Effect of anti-osteoporotic agents on the prevention of bone loss in unloaded bone.

Pharmaceutical countermeasures to treat disuse osteoporosis are rarely studied. Pharmaceutical studies for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis depend on the ovariectomized rat model, which is a suitable model for the disease in women. Disuse osteoporosis affects men and women, but there is lack of awareness and relevant pharmaceutical studies for this condition.

Anti-inflammatory activities of an active fraction isolated from the root of Astragalus membranaceus in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

The root of Astragalus membranaceus (AR), which has been widely used in Traditional Chinese herbal formulae for treating foot ulcer, was found to exhibit anti-inflammatory property, but its molecular mechanism still remains unknown. We previously identified the anti-inflammatory sub-fraction using bioassay-guided fractionation. The objective of the present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of the major active fraction (MAF) (0.

In Vivo Study on the Pharmacological Interactions between a Chinese Herbal Formula ELP and Antiresorptive Drugs to Counteract Osteoporosis.

Antiresorptive drugs, alendronate and raloxifene, are effective in lowering bone mineral density (BMD) loss in postmenopausal women. However, long-term treatment may be associated with serious side effects. Our research group has recently discovered that a Chinese herbal formula, ELP, could significantly reduce BMD loss in animal and human studies.

Isolation of anti-inflammatory fractions and compounds from the root of Astragalus membranaceus.

Foot ulceration, if not treated properly, will eventually result in amputation. Inflammation may impede the wound healing process if not properly controlled. The root of Astragalus membranaceus (AR) is one of the Chinese herbs commonly found in Chinese herbal formulae used for treating foot ulcer.

The effects of an antiosteoporosis herbal formula containing epimedii herba, ligustri lucidi fructus and psoraleae fructus on density and structure of rat long bones under tail-suspension, and its mechanisms of action.

An innovative anti-osteoporosis herbal formula containing epimedii herba, ligustri lucidi fructus and psoraleae fructus (ELP) has been previously shown its bone protecting effects in ovariectomized osteoporotic rats and also in post-menopausal osteopenic women. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of ELP against bone loss during physical inactivity or weightlessness. A hindlimb unloading tail-suspended rat model was used for studying the effects of ELP on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone micro-architecture.

Synergistic interaction between Astragali Radix and Rehmanniae Radix in a Chinese herbal formula to promote diabetic wound healing.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Astragali Radix (AR) and Rehmanniae Radix (RR) are two traditional Chinese medicines widely used in China for treating diabetes mellitus and its complications, such as diabetic foot ulcer.

Aim Of Study: In our previous study, a herbal formula NF3 comprising AR and RR in the ratio of 2:1 was found effective in enhancing diabetic wound healing in rats through the actions of tissue regeneration, angiogenesis promotion and inflammation inhibition. The aims of the present study were to investigate the herb-herb interaction (or the possible synergistic effect) between AR and RR in NF3 to promote diabetic wound healing and to identify the principal herb in the formula by evaluating the potencies of individual AR and RR in different mechanistic studies.

Development of a simple chromatographic method for distinguishing between two easily confused species, Hedyotis diffusa and Hedyotis corymbosa.

Hedyotis diffusa Willd. and Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lam.

Bioassay-guided isolation of norviburtinal from the root of Rehmannia glutinosa, exhibited angiogenesis effect in zebrafish embryo model.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The root of Rehmannia glutinosa (RR) is commonly used as a wound-healing agent in various traditional Chinese herbal formulae; while angiogenesis is one of the crucial aspects in wound-healing.

Aim Of The Study: The objective of the present study was to investigate the angiogenesis effects of RR aqueous crude extract and its active component(s) using zebrafish model.

Materials And Methods: The in vivo angiogenesis effect was studied using transgenic TG(fli1:EGFP)(y1)/+(AB) zebrafish embryos by observing the capillary sprouts formation in sub-intestinal vessel (SIV) of zebrafish embryos after 72 h post-fertilization under fluorescence microscopy.

Anti-inflammatory activities of Chinese herbal medicine sinomenine and Liang Miao San on tumor necrosis factor-α-activated human fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis.

Aim Of The Study: Sinomenine, an alkaloid isolated from the root of Sinomenium acutum, has been used to alleviate the symptoms of rheumatic diseases. Liang Miao San (LMS), composed of the herbs Rhizoma Atractylodis (Cangzhu) and Cotex Phellodendri (Huangbai), is another traditional Chinese medicine formula for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment. Although numerous studies have demonstrated the potential anti-inflammatory activities of sinomenine and LMS, the underlying intracellular mechanisms regulating the anti-inflammatory activities of sinomenine and LMS on human primary fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) from RA patients and normal control subjects have not been elucidated.

The in vivo and in vitro diabetic wound healing effects of a 2-herb formula and its mechanisms of action.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The herbs Radix Astragali (RA) and Radix Rehmanniae (RR) have long been used in traditional Chinese Medicine and serve as the principal herbs in treating diabetic foot ulcer.

Aim Of Study: Diabetic complications, such as foot ulcer, impose major public health burdens worldwide. In our previous clinical studies, two Chinese medicine formulae F1 and F2 have achieved over 80% limb salvage.

Polysaccharides from the root of Angelica sinensis promotes hematopoiesis and thrombopoiesis through the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Background: Dozens of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulas have been used for promotion of "blood production" for centuries, and we are interested in developing novel thrombopoietic medicines from these TCMs. Our previous studies have demonstrated the hematopoietic effects of DangGui BuXue Tong (DBT), a formula composed of Radix Angelicae Sinensis and Radix Astragali in animal and cellular models. As a step further to identify and characterize the active chemical components of DBT, we tested the hematopoietic and particularly, thrombopoietic effects of polysaccharide-enriched fractions from the root of Radix Angelicae Sinensis (APS) in this study.

Osteoprotective effects of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi aqueous extract in aged ovariectomized rats.

Background: Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (FLL) is a commonly used herb for treating bone disorders in Chinese medicine. The present study investigates the anti-osteoporotic activity of FLL aqueous extract in the model of postmenopausal bone loss in aged ovariectomized (OVX) female rats.

Methods: After eight weeks of treatment of FLL or water, the lumbar spine was scanned by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT).