The modulation of immune cell death in connection to microRNAs and natural products.

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) spatiotemporally regulates damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) derived from dying cancer cells to signal the immune response. Intriguingly, these DAMPs and cytokines also induce cellular responses in non-immune cells, particularly cancer cells. Several ICD-modulating natural products and miRNAs have been reported to regulate the DAMP, cytokine, and cell death responses, but they lack systemic organization and connection.

Spatheliachromen mitigates methylglyoxal-induced myotube atrophy by activating Nrf2, inhibiting ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation, and restoring mitochondrial function.

Background: Methylglyoxal (MGO) is a potent precursor of glycative stress that leads to oxidative stress and muscle atrophy in diabetes. Spatheliachromen (FPATM-20), derived from Ficus pumila var. awkeotsang, exhibited potential antioxidant activity.

Marine anticancer drugs in modulating miRNAs and antioxidant signaling.

Several marine drugs exert anticancer effects by inducing oxidative stress, which becomes overloaded and kills cancer cells when redox homeostasis is imbalanced. The downregulation of antioxidant signaling induces oxidative stress, while its upregulation attenuates oxidative stress. Marine drugs have miRNA-modulating effects against cancer cells.

Preparation of Dearomatized p-Coumaric Acid Derivatives as DNA Damage Response Inhibitors with Potent In Vitro Antitumor Effect.

Our research group previously identified graviquinone (1) as a promising antitumor metabolite that is formed in situ when the antioxidant methyl caffeate scavenges free radicals. Furthermore, it exerted a DNA damaging effect on cancer cells and a DNA protective effect on normal keratinocytes. To expand and explore chemical space around qraviquinone, in the current work we synthesized 9 new alkyl-substituted derivatives and tested their in vitro antitumor potential.

Ferroptosis-Regulated Natural Products and miRNAs and Their Potential Targeting to Ferroptosis and Exosome Biogenesis.

Ferroptosis, which comprises iron-dependent cell death, is crucial in cancer and non-cancer treatments. Exosomes, the extracellular vesicles, may deliver biomolecules to regulate disease progression. The interplay between ferroptosis and exosomes may modulate cancer development but is rarely investigated in natural product treatments and their modulating miRNAs.

Quality and production enhancement of fish mint, Thunb., cultivated in a hydroponic planting system with designed plant growth-promoting additives.

Fish mint, Thunb. (HCT) is an edible vegetable that has also been used in traditional folk medicines. As both a medicinal herb and a dietary source, HCT has been clinically proven to be a pivotal ingredient in formulas administered to alleviate COVID-19 symptoms.

Protein phosphatase 2A modulation and connection with miRNAs and natural products.

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), a heterotrimeric holoenzyme (scaffolding, catalytic, and regulatory subunits), regulates dephosphorylation for more than half of serine/threonine phosphosites and exhibits diverse cellular functions. Although several studies on natural products and miRNAs have emphasized their impacts on PP2A regulation, their connections lack systemic organization. Moreover, only part of the PP2A family has been investigated.

Synthesis of bioactive evodiamine and rutaecarpine analogues under ball milling conditions.

Mechanochemical reactions achieved by processes such as milling and grinding are promising alternatives to traditional solution-based chemistry. This approach not only eliminates the need for large amounts of solvents, thereby reducing waste generation, but also finds applications in chemical and materials synthesis. The focus of this study is on the synthesis of quinazolinone derivatives by ball milling, in particular evodiamine and rutaecarpine analogues.

6--Butoxy-10-nitro-12,13-dioxa-11-azatricyclo[7.3.1.0]trideca-2,4,6,10-tetraene Improves the X-ray Sensitivity on Inhibiting Proliferation and Promoting Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis of Oral Cancer Cells.

This in vitro study examines the anti-oral cancer effects and mechanisms of a combined X-ray/SK2 treatment, i.e., X-ray and 6--butoxy-10-nitro-12,13-dioxa-11-azatricyclo[7.

Application of response surface methodology and quantitative NMR for the optimum extraction, characterization, and quantitation of Antrodia cinnamomea triterpenoids.

Antrodia cinnamomea (AC) is a treasured Asian medicinal mushroom, which has attracted attention due to recent research on its effectiveness in targeting a variety of serious ailments such as cancer and liver diseases. Among different A. cinnamomea constituents, triterpenoids are regarded as the most therapeutically attractive components because of their anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities.

Demethoxymurrapanine, an indole-naphthoquinone alkaloid, inhibits the proliferation of oral cancer cells without major side effects on normal cells.

Antioral cancer drugs need a greater antiproliferative impact on cancer than on normal cells. Demethoxymurrapanine (DEMU) inhibits proliferation in several cancer cells, but an in-depth investigation was necessary. This study evaluated the proliferation-modulating effects of DEMU, focusing on oral cancer and normal cells.

Anti-inflammatory and Antiphytopathogenic Fungal Activity of 2,3--Tirucallane Triterpenoids Meliadubins A and B from Cav. Barks with ChemGPS-NP and In Silico Prediction.

Two new rearranged 2,3--tirucallane triterpenoids, meliadubins A () and B (), along with four known compounds, -, were isolated from the barks of Cav. Compound exhibited a significant inflammatory inhibition effect toward superoxide anion generation in human neutrophils (EC at 5.54 ± 0.

Potential natural product 3,4-seco-schitriterpenoids from Kadsura japonica L. as anti-neuroinflammatory agents.

In the present study, the undescribed schitriterpenoids, kadsujanonols A-I (1-9), and eleven reported compounds (10-20) were isolated from K. japonica L. vines.

Connection between Radiation-Regulating Functions of Natural Products and miRNAs Targeting Radiomodulation and Exosome Biogenesis.

Exosomes are cell-derived membranous structures primarily involved in the delivery of the payload to the recipient cells, and they play central roles in carcinogenesis and metastasis. Radiotherapy is a common cancer treatment that occasionally generates exosomal miRNA-associated modulation to regulate the therapeutic anticancer function and side effects. Combining radiotherapy and natural products may modulate the radioprotective and radiosensitizing responses of non-cancer and cancer cells, but there is a knowledge gap regarding the connection of this combined treatment with exosomal miRNAs and their downstream targets for radiation and exosome biogenesis.

Utilization patterns and prescription characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine among patients with irritable bowel syndrome in Taiwan.

Few studies have investigated traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) utilization patterns for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), despite the potential benefits of exploring TCM utilization patterns in optimizing TCM management. This study aimed to evaluate TCM utilization patterns and clinical features for IBS patterns in Taiwan. This was a population-based cross-sectional study using claim data from the National Health Insurance Research Database between 2012 and 2018.

Guilu Erxian Jiao enhances protein synthesis, glucose homeostasis, mitochondrial biogenesis and slow-twitch fibers in the skeletal muscle.

Guilu Erxian Jiao (GEJ) is a commonly used nutritional supplement due to its rich content of amino acids. It is also a traditional herbal medicine for improving degenerative joint. This study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of GEJ water extract (GEJ-WE) on skeletal muscle in C2C12 myotubes and C57BL/6J mice.

Connection of Cancer Exosomal LncRNAs, Sponging miRNAs, and Exosomal Processing and Their Potential Modulation by Natural Products.

Cancerous exosomes contain diverse biomolecules that regulate cancer progression. Modulating exosome biogenesis with clinical drugs has become an effective strategy for cancer therapy. Suppressing exosomal processing (assembly and secretion) may block exosomal function to reduce the proliferation of cancer cells.

High-Purity Bioactive Ingredient-3,3'-Astaxanthin: A New Preparation from Genetically Modified without Column Chromatography and Gel Filtration.

A highly efficient methodology for bioactive ingredient 3,3'-astaxanthin (3,3'-AST) preparation from genetically modified yeast () with a combination of enzyme-assisted extraction and salt-assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) was achieved. The highest yield of 3,3'-AST indicated that FoodPro CBL for yeast cell walls hydrolysis could significantly enhance extraction and obtain, with the help of SALLE procedure, quantified 3,3'-AST over 99% in purity through cation chelation. In the oxygen radical antioxidant capacity (ORAC) assay, the antioxidant capacity of high-purity 3,3'-AST products were 18.

Modulation of AKT Pathway-Targeting miRNAs for Cancer Cell Treatment with Natural Products.

Many miRNAs are known to target the AKT serine-threonine kinase (AKT) pathway, which is critical for the regulation of several cell functions in cancer cell development. Many natural products exhibiting anticancer effects have been reported, but their connections to the AKT pathway (AKT and its effectors) and miRNAs have rarely been investigated. This review aimed to demarcate the relationship between miRNAs and the AKT pathway during the regulation of cancer cell functions by natural products.

New 3,4--3,19-Dinor- and Spongian-Based Diterpenoid Lactones from the Marine Sponge sp.

Continuing chemical investigation of the Red Sea sponge sp. led to the isolation of four new 3,4--3,19-dinorspongian diterpenoid lactones, secodinorspongins A-D (-), along with a classical spongian diterpenoid lactone, sponginolide (). The chemical structures, including the absolute configurations of these compounds, were elucidated using the extensive spectroscopic study composed of 1D and 2D NMR data analyses, and a comparison between calculated-electronic-circular-dichroism (ECD) and experimental-circular-dichroism (CD) spectra.

Modulating Effects of Cancer-Derived Exosomal miRNAs and Exosomal Processing by Natural Products.

Cancer-derived exosomes exhibit sophisticated functions, such as proliferation, apoptosis, migration, resistance, and tumor microenvironment changes. Several clinical drugs modulate these exosome functions, but the impacts of natural products are not well understood. Exosome functions are regulated by exosome processing, such as secretion and assembly.