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  • Xue-mei CHEN, Juan LIANG, Xiu-ling SONG, Xiao-hua LIU, Chu-peng XUE, Yu-ge HUANG, Wen LI
    Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica. 2022, 57(6): 1614-1620.

    Ferroptosis is a novel cell death mode proposed in recent years, which is characterized by intracellular iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Its mechanisms include lipid peroxidation, iron accumulation and the imbalance of antioxidant system. The crosstalk between ferroptosis and asthma is gradually deepening. Elucidating the specific mechanism of ferroptosis in regulating asthma is helpful to broaden the understanding of the pathology of asthma. This paper expounds the role of ferroptosis in airway epithelial cells in the occurrence and development of asthma from three perspectives: lipid peroxidation, iron accumulation and the imbalance of antioxidant system, hoping to find new targets and strategies for asthma treatment.

  • Meng WANG, Hiroshi KURIHARA, Yi-fang LI, Wen-jun DUAN, Rong-rong HE
    Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica. 2022, 57(6): 1557-1564.

    The remodeling of phospholipid includes two processes: deacylation and reacylation. It realizes the conversion of nascent phospholipids to mature phospholipids by changing the length and types of fatty acids at specific sites of phospholipids, which is a key step in phospholipid metabolism. Phospholipids are not only the basic components of biological membranes, but also participate in the transduction of many molecular signals in cells. Therefore, phospholipid remodeling disorders can affect the structure and function of cell membranes, as well as the activity of membrane proteins, causing a series of intricate signaling cascades, and finally lead to many pathological changes including neurodegeneration. This paper reviews the basic process of phospholipid remodeling and the involvement of its key enzymes, calcium independent group VIA phospholipase A2 (iPLA2β), peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6), calcium independent group VIB phospholipase A2 (iPLA2γ) as well as acyl-CoA lysocardiolipin acyltransferase 1 (ALCAT1) in the pathology of Parkinson's disease. The mutations in the gene encoding iPLA2β, PLA2G6, have been widely reported to be directly related to hereditary Parkinson disease-14 (PARK14). Here we focus on the molecular mechanism of iPLA2β in the development of Parkinson's disease, mainly involving phospholipid fatty acid metabolism disorders, mitochondrial physiology abnormalities and α-synuclein aggregate formation and other aspects, which will help to understand the role of phospholipid remodeling in Parkinson's disease, and provide new clues for the development of new Parkinson's disease diagnosis and treatment strategies.

  • Bai-he SUN, Yi-ting WANG, Yu-fei LU, Lin-lin MA
    Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica. 2022, 57(6): 1574-1583.

    Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a cytoprotective enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of heme to CO, biliverdin, and iron, which together protect cells from oxidative and inflammatory damage and play an important role in maintaining cell homeostasis. In recent years, HO-1 has also been found to have antiviral biological effects, and the induced expression of HO-1 inhibits the replication of various viruses such as hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, human immunodeficiency virus, dengue virus, ebolavirus, influenza A virus, Zika virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, human respiratory syncytial virus, hepatitis A virus and enterovirus 71. The inhibitory effect of HO-1 on these viruses involves three mechanisms, including direct inhibition of virus replication by HO-1 and its downstream products, enhancement of type I interferon responses in host cell, and attenuation of inflammatory damage caused by viral infection. This review focuses on the recent advances in the antiviral effect of HO-1 and its mechanism, which is expected to provide evidence for HO-1 as a potential target for antiviral therapy.

  • Feng WEI, Jing-tong DENG, Hai-tao CHENG, Ke-jian PANG, Xin-zhou YANG
    Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica. 2022, 57(6): 1863-1867.

    The ethyl acetate part of the alcoholic extract of Cordia dichotoma fruits was purified by a combination of normal-phase silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 gel column chromatography and semi-preparative HPLC, and the structure was identified by modern spectroscopic techniques (UV, IR, MS, NMR). A total of 10 compounds were isolated and identified as cordilide (1), (S)-2-hydroxy-3-(4′-hydroxyphenyl) propanoic acid (2), vanillic acid (3), p-coumaric acid (4), 3-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)propan-1-one (5), benzoic acid (6), p-hydroxypropiophenone (7), p-hydroxyacetophenone (8), 5′-methoxyevofolin B (9) and vanillin (10). Among them, compound 1 is a pair of new phenylpropanoid enantiomers, and compounds 3, 6, 8 and 9 were isolated for the first time from the genus.

  • Le-ling SONG, Yue WANG, Ruo-fei LI, Cheng-gen ZHU, Qing-lan GUO, Jian-gong SHI
    Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica. 2022, 57(6): 1832-1839.

    Five new megastigmanes (1-5) were isolated from a decoction of Uncaria rhynchophylla by separation techniques of column chromatography using a combination of multiple stationary phases, including macroporous adsorbent resin, MCI resin, silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and Toyopearl HW-40F, and reversed phase HPLC. Their structures were characterized by spectroscopic data analysis of HR-ESI-MS, NMR, and CD, in combination with Mosher's mothed as well as ECD and NMR calculations. The new compounds were named uncarphyllonone A (1), uncarphyllonols A (2) and B (3), and uncarphabscisic acids A (4) and B (5). Although the structures of 3 and 4 were previously reported, the reported NMR spectroscopic data were incorrect or do not support the assigned structures in literatures. This is also the first report of discovery of new megastigmane natural products from the Uncaria genus.

  • Ling-ling ZHOU, Kang QIAN, Peng YANG, Qi-zhi ZHANG
    Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica. 2022, 57(6): 1630-1640.

    Mitochondrial oxidative stress has been recognized as a preliminary and critical factor that aggravates the pathological cascade of Alzheimer's disease, which induces the production of β-amyloid protein, upregulates the expression of phosphorylated tau protein and triggers oxidative damage to lipids, proteins and mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid. Central neurons are more vulnerable to oxidative stress than non-neuronal cells due to their high oxygen demand, abundant unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidant enzymes deficiency. On this account, this review introduces the causes of mitochondrial oxidative stress, and analyzes the important role of mitochondrial oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Meanwhile, the review focuses on the design and intervention strategies of drug delivery systems targeting mitochondrial oxidative stress in neurons, aiming to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

  • Jia-qi WANG, Hui-yi LI, Yu-qiao HUANG, Qi-qing WENG, Gui-xiang WANG, Tian LAN
    Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica. 2022, 57(6): 1604-1613.

    The discovery of regulatory cell death has led to new breakthroughs in the field of disease treatment. As a novel discovered regulatory cell death in the past decade, ferroptosis is characterized by abnormal increase of intracellular iron ions and peroxidative damage of cell membrane lipids, morphological features of mitochondrial volume reduction, increased mitochondrial membrane density, as well as mitochondria decrease or disappear. The mechanism of ferroptosis is mainly associated with factors such as iron metabolism disorder, lipid metabolism abnormality, amino acid antioxidant system imbalance and oxidative stress. Since the liver is the main organ of human body for storing iron ions, it is necessary to deeply investigate the mechanism of ferroptosis in liver diseases. Relevant studies have shown that ferroptosis plays different roles in various liver diseases and is closely related to the process of liver diseases, including drug-induced liver injury, alcoholic fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases, viral hepatitis, liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of this review is to link ferroptosis and liver diseases, concentrating on the iron metabolism disorder, accumulation of lipid peroxides in cell membranes, imbalance of amino acid antioxidant system, hyperpolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential and its accumulation of lipid peroxides, oxidative stress-related transcription factors and other aspects. This review summarizes the regulatory mechanism, current situation and the roles of ferroptosis in liver diseases, in order to provide a new theoretical basis and ideas for the in-depth study of ferroptosis and the treatment of liver diseases.

  • Ru-xi NING, Zhi-wei XIONG, Ying-xia ZHAO, Xiao-xin HU, Liang FENG, Xiao-bin JIA
    Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica. 2022, 57(6): 1887-1894.

    This study aims to construct a dynamic two-dimensional characterization technique for the hygroscopicity of traditional Chinese medicine extracts and investigate the effect of material properties of powders on hygroscopicity. The dynamic hygroscopicity-time curves of the powders were measured at 25 ℃ and 75% humidity, and the semi-equilibrium hygroscopicity time (t1/2) and equilibrium hygroscopicity (F) were derived as two-dimensional evaluation indicators. Finally, the correlation between the material properties and the hygroscopic behavior was analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares analysis (PLS). The results showed that the dynamic two-dimensional characterization system of hygroscopicity constructed with 1/t1/2 = 0.1 h-1 and F = 15% as the center can classify the hygroscopic behavior of traditional Chinese medicine extracts into four categories: fast hygroscopicity with strong hygroscopicity, slow hygroscopicity with strong hygroscopicity, fast hygroscopicity with weak hygroscopicity and slow hygroscopicity with weak hygroscopicity. The moisture absorption was negatively correlated with D50, D90, ρb and ρt; the moisture absorption rate was negatively correlated with D10, D50, D90, ρb, ρt, and positively correlated with moisture content. The hygroscopicity dynamic two-dimensional characterization indicators of Chinese medicine extracts (CMEs) constructed in this study matched with the physical properties. The method of dynamic multi-dimensional characterization technology is feasible and scientific, and the idea has strong promotional value.

  • Hong-cheng ZHAO, Yue-qing WANG, Qing-yun LI, Hao DENG, Xiao TAN, Xiao-wen LIU
    Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica. 2022, 57(6): 1750-1757.

    Glioblastoma is a malignant tumor in central nervous system, which has strong invasion, poor prognosis and short survival time. At present, the main treatment strategy of glioblastoma is surgical excision, supplemented by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, due to incomplete resection and high recurrence rate, it is urgent to find novel therapeutic method for glioblastoma. Photodynamic therapy, as a promising non-surgical treatment, provides a new strategy for postoperative adjuvant therapy of glioblastoma. This review summarizes the mechanism and clinical application of photodynamic therapy mediated by various photosensitizers in glioblastoma, in order to provide help for the treatment of glioblastoma.

  • Cai-ying PENG, Shuang CHENG, Yan-fen XIONG, Jian-qun LIU, Hui-lian HUANG, Ji-cheng SHU
    Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica. 2022, 57(6): 1855-1862.

    Twenty compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of Smilax glabra by using various chromatographic techniques, including macroreticular resin, silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by physicochemical properties, MS and spectroscopic data. These compounds were elucidated as glabraside A (1), glabraone A (2), 5-hydroxy-3ʹ, 4ʹ, 7-trimethoxy-flavanone (3), naringenin (4), quercetin 7-O-α-L-rhamnoside (5), neoastilbin (6), neoisoastilbin (7), isoastilbin (8), eriodictyol-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (9), naringenin-7-O-α-L-rhamnoside (10), kaempferol 3-O-[4′′′′′-O-acetyl-α-L-rhamnosyl-(1→6)]-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)]-β-D-glucopyranoside (11), 5-hydroxymaltol (12), 3, 4, 5-trimethoxyphenyl-1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (13), 2-(3′, 4′-dihydroxyphenyl)-1, 3-benzodioxole-5-aldehyde (14), kompasinol A (15), (+)-syringaresinol (16), cis-resveratrol (17), trans-resveratrol (18), flufuran (19) and 5-hydroxymethyl-furaldehyde (20). Two new compounds (1 and 2) showed inhibitory activity toward nitric oxide (NO) production, with IC50 values of 56.8 and 29.5 μmol·L-1, respectively.