Protective effect of forsythoside B against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury by attenuating the TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

Acute lung injury (ALI), which is mainly triggered by infection, pneumonia, vasculitis, and sepsis, has no specific and effective therapy except for primary supportive treatment or bedside care. Excessive inflammation caused by innate immune cells is the major characteristic of ALI. Forsythoside B, a phenylethanoside compound, possesses good antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties in vivo and in vitro.

Mutation of cysteine 46 in IKK-beta increases inflammatory responses.

Activation of IκB kinase β (IKK-β) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling contributes to cancer pathogenesis and inflammatory disease; therefore, the IKK-β-NF-κB signaling pathway is a potential therapeutic target. Current drug design strategies focus on blocking NF-κB signaling by binding to specific cysteine residues on IKK-β. However, mutations in IKK-β have been found in patients who may eventually develop drug resistance.

Gambogenic acid inhibits proliferation of A549 cells through apoptosis inducing through up-regulation of the p38 MAPK cascade.

Gamboge is a dry resin secreted from Garcinia hanburryi, and gambogenic acid (GNA) is one of the main active compounds of gamboge. We have previously demonstrated the anticancer activity of GNA in A549 cells and pointed out its potential effects in anticancer therapies. Previous studies reported that GNA induced apoptosis in many cancer cell lines and inhibited A549 tumor growth in xenograft of nude mice in vivo.