Hyperoside mitigates photoreceptor degeneration in part by targeting cGAS and suppressing DNA-induced microglial activation.

Activated microglia play an important role in driving photoreceptor degeneration-associated neuroinflammation in the retina. Controlling pro-inflammatory activation of microglia holds promise for mitigating the progression of photoreceptor degeneration. Our previous study has demonstrated that pre-light damage treatment of hyperoside, a naturally occurring flavonol glycoside with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, prevents photooxidative stress-induced photoreceptor degeneration and neuroinflammatory responses in the retina.

Identifying the Active Sites in MoSi@MoO Heterojunctions for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution.

Developing Two-dimensional (2D) Mo-based heterogeneous nanomaterials is of great significance for energy conversion, especially in alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), however, it remains a challenge to identify the active sites at the interface due to the structure complexity. Herein, the real active sites are systematically explored during the HER process in varied Mo-based 2D materials by theoretical computational and magnetron sputtering approaches first to filtrate the candidates, then successfully combined the MoSi and MoO together through Oxygen doping to construct heterojunctions. Benefiting from the synergistic effects between the MoSi and MoO, the obtained MoSi@MoO exhibits an unprecedented overpotential of 72 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm.

Promoting hydrophilic cupric oxide electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction to methanol via interfacial engineering modulation.

Copper-based catalysts have been extensively investigated in electrochemical carbon dioxide (CO) reduction to promote carbon products generated by requiring multiple electron transfer. However, hydrophilic electrodes are unfavourable for CO mass transfer and preferentially hydrogen (H) evolution in electrochemical CO reduction. In this paper, a hydrophilic cupric oxide (CuO) electrode with a grassy morphology was prepared.

Hyperoside protects against oxidative stress-mediated photoreceptor degeneration: therapeutic potentials for photoreceptor degenerative diseases.

Background: Photoreceptor degeneration underpinned by oxidative stress-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death leads to progressive and irreversible vision impairment. Drug treatments that protect against photoreceptor degeneration are currently available in the clinical settings. It has been shown that hyperoside, a flavonol glycoside, protects against neuronal loss in part by suppressing oxidative stress and maintaining the functional integrity of mitochondria.

Dengyinnaotong attenuates atherosclerotic lesions, gut dysbiosis and intestinal epithelial barrier impairment in the high fat diet-fed ApoE mice.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Dengyinnaotong (DYNT) is a traditional Chinese medicine-based patent drug officially approved for the treatment of ischemic stroke primarily based on its indigenous application for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in Southwest China. Atherosclerosis is the principal pathology underlying the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke and coronary artery disease. However, whether DYNT is effective at mitigating atherosclerosis remains unknown.

Ginsenoside Re Mitigates Photooxidative Stress-Mediated Photoreceptor Degeneration and Retinal Inflammation.

Loss of photoreceptors is the central pathology accountable for irreversible vision impairment in patients with photoreceptor degenerative disorders. Currently, mechanisms-based pharmacological therapies protecting photoreceptors from degenerative progression remain clinically unavailable. Photooxidative stress plays a pivotal role in initiating the degenerative cascade in photoreceptors.

Cuscuta chinensis Lam. Protects Against Light-Induced Retinal Degeneration: Therapeutic Implications for Photoreceptor Degenerative Disorders.

Lam. (CCL) is a medicinal herb widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of ophthalmic diseases, including age-dependent vision-threatening retinal degenerative disorders that involve irreversible loss of the first-order retinal neurons, photoreceptors. However, evidence is lacking if CCL is pharmacologically active at protecting against loss of photoreceptors and photoreceptor degeneration-associated retinal structural and functional impairment.

Astragaloside A Protects Against Photoreceptor Degeneration in Part Through Suppressing Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage-Induced Necroptosis and Inflammation in the Retina.

Purpose: Photoreceptors are specialized retinal neurons responsible for phototransduction. Loss of photoreceptors directly leads to irreversible vision impairment. Pharmacological therapies protecting against photoreceptor degeneration are clinically lacking.

Circulating MicroRNA-505 May Serve as a Prognostic Biomarker for Hypertension-Associated Endothelial Dysfunction and Inflammation.

Our previous study has reported that the plasma microRNA-505 (miR-505) is elevated in hypertensive patients. However, the pathophysiological significance of miR-505 in hypertension remains to be elucidated. Hypertension is not only a vascular disorder, but also an inflammatory condition.

Glycosides from with their protective effects on photoreceptor cells in light-damaged mouse retinas.

A new phenylethanoid, hebitol IV (), along with fifteen known glycosides (), were isolated from water extract of the flower buds of . Their structures were elucidated on the basis of 1 D-NMR, 2 D-NMR and MS data. Molecular docking showed the potential activities of the natural products against VEGFR-2.

Dual Activity of Ginsenoside Rb1 in Hypertrophic Cardiomyocytes and Activated Macrophages: Implications for the Therapeutic Intervention of Cardiac Hypertrophy.

Purpose: Owing to the important mechanistic implications in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, inflammation has been proposed as a druggable target for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. Ginseng is a widely used medicinal herb for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders. As one of the major chemical components of ginseng, ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1) contributes to the cardiovascular effects of ginseng.

Shihu Yeguang Pill protects against bright light-induced photoreceptor degeneration in part through suppressing photoreceptor apoptosis.

Photoreceptor cells are first-order retinal neurons that directly contribute to the formation of vision. Photoreceptor degeneration is the primary cause of vision impairment during the course of retinopathies such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration, for which photoreceptor-targeted therapies are currently unavailable. Shihu Yeguang Pill (SYP), a classic formula in traditional Chinese medicine, has a long histology of clinical application for the treatment of a wide range of retinopathies in China.

Deep Phase Transition of MoS for Excellent Hydrogen Evolution Reaction by a Facile C-Doping Strategy.

Metallic 1T-phase MoS is considered to be the ideal electrocatalyst to carry out hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) because of favorable conductivity and sufficient active site compared with 2H-phase MoS. Nevertheless, 1T-phase MoS is conventionally synthesized in a complicated process, with the production of an unstable product, which hinders their practical applications. Herein, we propose a facile approach through a carbon-doping-induced phase transition to obtain highly stable 1T-2H mixed MoS nanosheets.

Candesartan attenuates hypertension-associated pathophysiological alterations in the gut.

Intestinal pathophysiological alterations have recently been revealed to be implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension, necessitating further investigations to better understand the intestinal effects of anti-hypertensive drugs. The current study thus investigated the pharmacological implications of a commonly used first-line angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, candesartan cilexetil, on the intestinal barrier impairment and gut dysbiosis in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). The results revealed that candesartan treatment protected against ileal and colonic pathologies and increased the intestinal expression of genes encoding tight junction proteins such as cingulin, occludin and tight junction protein 1 in SHRs.

Targeted regulation of Rell2 by microRNA-18a is implicated in the anti-metastatic effect of polyphyllin VI in breast cancer cells.

Polyphyllin VI (PP-VI) is one of the major saponins present in Paris polyphylla Sm., a medicinal plant primarily used for cancer treatment in China and India. However, its anti-metastatic activity remains largely unknown.

Direct repression of IGF2 is implicated in the anti-angiogenic function of microRNA-210 in human retinal endothelial cells.

Pathological angiogenesis leads to the development of retinal vasculopathies and causes severe vision impairment. Increased understanding of the mechanisms underlying the angiogenic behavior of retinal endothelial cells helps provide new insights for developing treatment of retinal vasculopathies. Pro-angiogenic function of miR-210 has previously been identified.

Combination of ginsenoside Rb1 and Rd protects the retina against bright light-induced degeneration.

Photoreceptor degeneration is a central pathology of various retinal degenerative diseases which currently lack effective therapies. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities are noted for Panax notoginsenoside saponins (PNS) and related saponin compound(s). However, the photoreceptor protective potentials of PNS or related saponin compound(s) remain unknown.

Apigenin-7-diglucuronide protects retinas against bright light-induced photoreceptor degeneration through the inhibition of retinal oxidative stress and inflammation.

Vision impairment in retinal degenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration is primarily associated with photoreceptor degeneration, in which oxidative stress and inflammatory responses are mechanistically involved as central players. Therapies with photoreceptor protective properties remain to be developed. Apigenin-7-diglucuronide (A7DG), a flavonoid glycoside, is present in an assortment of medicinal plants with anti-inflammatory or ant-oxidant activities.

Ginsenoside Rd attenuates breast cancer metastasis implicating derepressing microRNA-18a-regulated Smad2 expression.

Metastasis remains a major cause of mortality and poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. Anti-metastatic therapies are in great need to achieve optimal clinical outcome in breast cancer patients. Panax Notoginseng Saponins (PNS) has previously been shown to inhibit breast cancer metastasis in mouse.

Changes in interconnected pathways implicating microRNAs are associated with the activity of apocynin in attenuating myocardial fibrogenesis.

Myocardial fibrosis is the endpoint pathology common to many cardiovascular disorders. We have previously shown that apocynin (APO), a naturally occurring NADPH oxidase inhibitor, significantly prevents the development of isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial injury and fibrogenesis. The current study investigated the changes in microRNAs (miRNAs) and their potential implication in the cardioprotective effects of APO.

Celastrol protects mouse retinas from bright light-induced degeneration through inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Background: Photoreceptor death leads to vision impairment in several retinal degenerative disorders. Therapies protecting photoreceptor from degeneration remain to be developed. Anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative stress, and neuroprotective effects of celastrol have been demonstrated in a variety of disease models.

Shexiang Tongxin dropping pill attenuates atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE deficient mouse model.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Shexiang Tongxin dropping pill (STDP) is a formulation of Traditional Chinese Medicine mainly used for clinical treatment of stable angina pectoris in China.

Aim Of The Study: To investigate the effects and mechanisms of STDP treatment on atherosclerosis.

Materials And Methods: ApoE deficient (ApoE(-/-)) mice were utilized to evaluate the effect of STDP treatment (30 mg/kg/day) on atherosclerotic lesions.

Notoginsenoside R1 attenuates atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE deficient mouse model.

Aims: Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. The current study evaluated the interventional effects of a naturally occurring compound Notoginsenoside R1 (NR1) on atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice.

Methods And Results: The atherosclerotic lesion was significantly alleviated by NR1 treatment and this attenuation was marked by reduction in lipid deposition, fibrosis and oxidative stress.

Apocynin attenuates isoproterenol-induced myocardial injury and fibrogenesis.

Oxidative stress is mechanistically implicated in the pathogenesis of myocardial injury and the subsequent fibrogenic tissue remodeling. Therapies targeting oxidative stress in the process of myocardial fibrogenesis are still lacking and thus remain as an active research area in myocardial injury management. The current study evaluated the effects of a NADPH oxidase inhibitor, apocynin, on the production of reactive oxygen species and the development of myocardial fibrogenesis in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial injury mouse model.

Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) inhibits breast cancer metastasis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Panax notoginseng (Burkill) F.H. Chen (Araliaceae) has been extensively used as a therapeutic agent to treat a variety of diseases.