Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Abdur Rauf, Tareq Abu-Izneid, Anees Ahmed Khalil, Muhammad Imran, Zafar Ali Shah, Talha Bin Emran, Saikat Mitra, Zidan Khan, Fahad A. Alhumaydhi, Abdullah S. M. Aljohani, Ishaq Khan, Md Mominur Rahman, Philippe Jeandet, Tanweer Aslam Gondal
Summary: Berberine, a potential bioactive agent, shows remarkable health benefits and promising anticancer activity. It inhibits cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis through various mechanisms, and also plays a role in the early stages of cancer development. Despite its potential, pure berberine preparations for specific ailments are currently not approved, but research on its sources, extraction methods, pharmacokinetics, and proposed mechanisms of action related to its anticancer potential continues.
Article
Plant Sciences
Fengjiao Xu, Meiyan Liu, Yating Liao, Ya Zhou, Peng Zhang, Youlin Zeng, Zhonghua Liu
Summary: This study demonstrates that salt formation modification is an effective strategy to enhance the anti-cancer activity of berberine hydrochloride. The four berberine fatty acid salts induce apoptosis through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Ai-Mei Liao, Bangrong Cai, Ji-Hong Huang, Ming Hui, Kyung-Ku Lee, Kwang Youl Lee, ChangJu Chun
Summary: The research on DG-Ara-C conjugate showed that DG can change the biomembrane affinity of Ara-C and successfully replace cholesterol during liposome preparation, demonstrating better anti-cancer activity.
FOOD AND CHEMICAL TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Isabella Panfoli, Alessandra Puddu, Nadia Bertola, Silvia Ravera, Davide Maggi
Summary: Metformin is the first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes, acting through inhibition of hepatic glucose production and activation of AMP-activated protein kinase. Different concentrations of metformin have different effects, with micromolar concentrations potentially activating the mitochondrial electron transport chain. This indicates a hormetic effect of metformin based on its concentration in target tissues.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Enrique Ortega-Forte, Samanta Hernandez-Garcia, Gloria Vigueras, Paula Henarejos-Escudero, Natalia Cutillas, Jose Ruiz, Fernando Gandia-Herrero
Summary: This study reports a novel mitochondria-targeted iridium(III) complex, OncoIr3, which exhibits advantageous properties as a bioimaging agent and shows potent anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo through an oncosis process.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Michele Anselmi, Adina Borbely, Eduard Figueras, Carmela Michalek, Isabell Kemker, Luca Gentilucci, Norbert Sewald
Summary: The study utilized a hydrophilic beta-glucuronidase-cleavable linker to connect an anticancer drug with a target protein, demonstrating the potential of hydrophilic sugar linkers in reducing cytotoxicity and providing guidance for the development of therapies containing hydrophobic anticancer drugs.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Anife Ahmedova, Rositsa Mihaylova, Silviya Stoykova, Veronika Mihaylova, Nikola Burdzhiev, Viktoria Elincheva, Georgi Momekov, Denitsa Momekova
Summary: Pt(IV) complexes formed by linking pyrene butyric acid with cisplatin exhibit high anticancer potency against leukemia cells and multidrug-resistant derivatives, while showing low toxicity to healthy cells. The larger bis-pyrene complex is found to potentially be trapped in the cytoskeleton, limiting its cytotoxicity to adherent cells.
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Valeria Ciaffaglione, Maria N. Modica, Valeria Pittala, Giuseppe Romeo, Loredana Salerno, Sebastiano Intagliata
Summary: This review discusses the progress made in the development of 5-FU-based mutual prodrugs over the past decade to improve therapeutic efficacy and achieve targeted delivery to cancer tissues, aiming to minimize toxicity to healthy cells and reduce side effects.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Joao Franco Machado, Fernanda Marques, Teresa Pinheiro, Maria J. Villa J. de Brito, Gonzalo Scalese, Leticia Perez-Diaz, Lucia Otero, Joao P. M. Antonio, Dinorah Gambino, Tania S. Morais
Summary: Four new Cu(I) complexes were synthesized and characterized, and their anti-trypanosome and anticancer activities were evaluated. The complexes showed higher cytotoxicity against T. cruzi and chemoresistant prostate PC3 cells compared to benchmark drugs nifurtimox and cisplatin. They also exhibited high cellular internalization and activation of apoptosis in ovarian OVCAR3 cells. However, the production of reactive oxygen species was not significant.
Review
Biology
Christian Bailly
Summary: This analysis retraces the discovery of a series of sesquiterpenes, plagiochilins A-W, isolated from various liverwort plants. While these compounds have been little studied from a pharmacological perspective, plagiochilins A and C have exhibited significant antiproliferative activities against cultured cancer cells. Plagiochilin A and its derivatives hold potential for further research and the design of novel anticancer drugs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Monika Malik, Dinesh Kumar, Humphrey Lotana, Kavita Shah, Dalip Kumar
Summary: A facile and efficient approach using copper-mediated cross-coupling reaction was developed to synthesize a diverse range of N-arylated indolylsulfoximines. These compounds showed potent and selective cytotoxicity against cancer cells and had low toxicity towards normal cells, indicating their potential as effective anti-cancer agents.
BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Ravi Chitrakar, Deepa Rawat, Ramakrishna Sistla, Lakshma Nayak Vadithe, Adimurthy Subbarayappa
Summary: The design, synthesis, and study of anticancer properties of sulfenylated 2-phenylimidazo[1,2-a] pyridines and their analogues showed potent activity towards human liver cancer cells HepG2. These compounds were able to arrest the cell cycle at G2/M phase and induce apoptosis in HepG2 cells, confirmed by different assays.
BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Er-Jun Hao, Gong-Xin Li, Yu-Ru Liang, Ming-Sheng Xie, Dong-Chao Wang, Xiao-Han Jiang, Jia-Yi Cheng, Zhi-Xian Shi, Yang Wang, Hai-Ming Guo
Summary: The study designed, synthesized, and evaluated 103 novel acyclic nucleosides for their anticancer activities, with compound 9b showing promising inhibitory effects on colon cancer cells. All (R)-configured derivatives displayed stronger anticancer activity, with compound 9b inducing apoptosis and inhibiting colony formation. Importantly, compound 9b exhibited low systemic toxicity and inhibited tumor growth in a mouse model, suggesting it as a potential lead compound for future anticancer drug discovery.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tian-Yi Zhang, Xue-Qian Bai, Zhi-Jiang Zhou, Lian-Hai Jin, Dong-Hai Zhao, Si-Mei Sun
Summary: A series of dihydrotriazine derivatives bearing 5-aryloxypyrazole moieties were designed and their anticancer activities were explored. Compound 10e exhibited the most potent antiproliferative activity against HepG-2 cells and induced autophagy and apoptosis. Further studies revealed enhanced expression of key proteins and autophagosome formation.
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Puwei Zhang, Jianing Zhang, Lin Zhao, Shizheng Li, Kun Li
Summary: The study found that quercetin can alleviate AC-induced cardiotoxicity and enhance the antitumor activity of AC in TNBC cells, making it a potential novel agent for treating TNBC.
PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Yanan Jia, Yangpeng Lu, Yajie Wang, Min Zhang, Chengwei He, Haixia Chen
Summary: This study demonstrated that ultrasonic degradation and spheroidization processing can enhance the biological activity of corn silk polysaccharide (CSP), with NP-1 showing the highest alpha-glucosidase inhibitory effect. The improved activity of NP-1 may be attributed to the increased binding sites for alpha-glucosidase. Additionally, NP-1 was found to enhance glucose uptake in cells by regulating the PI3K/Akt signal pathway and GLUT4 translocation.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(2022)
Review
Spectroscopy
Fangbo Xia, Jian-Bo Wan
Summary: Lipids play essential roles in biological functions and mass spectrometry is the preferred method for lipid analysis. However, untargeted qualitative profiling and absolute quantitation of lipids are still challenging due to their structural diversity and similarity. Chemical derivatization techniques have been developed to improve lipidomic analysis, providing more structural information and better analytical performance.
MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS
(2023)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Bingren Tian, Jiayue Liu, Yumei Liu, Jian-Bo Wan
Summary: The popularity of plant bioactive ingredients in the food industry is increasing. However, these ingredients have some deficiencies. Cyclodextrins (CDs) have been extensively studied as excellent carriers for plant bioactive ingredients and can be added to film materials to create bioactive food packaging. This review summarizes the extraction methods of plant bioactive ingredients, the addition of CD inclusion compounds to thin-film materials, and their applications in food packaging. The release model and mechanism of active film materials based on various plant bioactive ingredients with CDs are also highlighted.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
(2023)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xiangjun Kong, Huali Zuo, Hsien-Da Huang, Qianru Zhang, Jiayu Chen, Chengwei He, Yuanjia Hu
Summary: This article aims to summarize the current situation, development trends, and emerging technologies in the field of STING modulation. Through the analysis of clinical-stage drugs and global patent status, it is found that research and development on STING are increasing, but the current STING agonists have shown limited anti-tumor efficacy in clinical trials.
JOURNAL OF ADVANCED RESEARCH
(2023)
Editorial Material
Immunology
Senthil Kumaran Satyanarayanan, Huanxing Su, Hi-Joon Park, Kuan-Pin Su
Summary: Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), a burgeoning concept in recent years, holds potential for effective treatments of mental health disorders. Traditional and alternative therapies have gained momentum due to unmet needs and treatment failures in modern pharmacological approaches, specifically targeting mental disorders. This Special Issue focuses on introducing recent advances in traditional and alternative medications in East Asia at the interface of immunology, neurosciences, molecular psychiatry, and behavioral medicine neurosciences.
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
(2023)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Bingren Tian, Jiayue Liu, Wanzhexi Yang, Jian-Bo Wan
Summary: Petroleum-based packaging materials are harmful to the environment and human health due to their nonbiodegradable nature. Researchers are now focusing on developing efficient, biodegradable, and nontoxic food packaging films. Essential oils (EOs) are being used as a natural alternative to synthetic additives due to their favorable antioxidant and antibacterial properties. This review summarizes the mechanisms of EOs and analyzes the properties and performance of food packaging films incorporating EOs. The future prospects and challenges of using EOs-containing biopolymer films in food packaging are also discussed.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Po-Han Chou, Cheng-Hao Tu, Chun-Ming Chen, Ming-Kuei Lu, Chon-Haw Tsai, Wan-Ting Hsieh, Hui-Chen Lai, Senthil Kumaran Satyanarayanan, Kuan-Pin Su
Summary: The aim of this study was to investigate the antidepressant efficacy of bilateral theta-burst stimulation (biTBS) in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and its effects on brain responses measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during emotional processing. The results showed that the biTBS group had significantly decreased depression scores at week 8, and this difference persisted during the 24-week follow-up period. At week 4, patients in the biTBS group exhibited increased brain activities over the left superior and middle frontal gyrus during negative emotional stimuli.
PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Ke Zhang, Miaodan Huang, Ang Li, Jing Wen, Lingli Yan, Yunhao Li, Liman Guo, Kumaran Satyanarayanan Senthil, Yangyang Zhou, Guobing Chen, Yong Liu, Xiaofei Zhang, Xiaoli Yao, Dajiang Qin, Huanxing Su
Summary: In this study, DIAPH3 is identified as a scaffold protein that initiates liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and forms cytosolic phase-separated DIAPH3 granules (D-granules) in response to stress. These D-granules sequester DIAPH3 and inhibit actin filament assembly in filopodia, serving as a regulatory hub for actin cytoskeletal remodeling during stress.
Article
Immunology
Hsien-Yin Liao, Senthil Kumaran Satyanarayanan, Yi-Wen Lin, Kuan-Pin Su
Summary: This study investigated the specific efficacy and immune effects of acupuncture on pain and depression in patients with comorbid chronic pain and major depressive disorder (MDD). The results showed that specific acupoints for pain did not show greater efficacy than depression-specific acupoints, and pain-specific acupoints even improved depression symptoms better. The study suggests that pain and depression may share common biological mechanisms.
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Liu Shu-Tsen, Lin Sheng-Che, Chang Jane Pei-Chen, Yang Kai-Jie, Chu Che-Sheng, Yang Chia-Chun, Liang Chih-Sung, Sun Ching-Fang, Wang Shao-Cheng, Senthil Kumaran Satyanarayanan, Su Kuan-Pin
Summary: There is growing evidence that COVID-19 is associated with increased risks of psychiatric sequelae, including depression, anxiety, cognitive impairments, sleep disturbance, and fatigue. This review provides timely updates on clinical research findings and identifies potential key targets for developing effective treatment strategies for long COVID. Additionally, the Formosa Long COVID Multicenter Study (FOCuS) applies the inflammation theory to the pathogenesis and treatment of post-COVID depression and anxiety.
CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Halliru Zailani, Senthil Kumaran Satyanarayanan, Wei-Chih Liao, Hsien-Feng Liao, Shih-Yi Huang, Piotr Galecki, Kuan-Pin Su, Jane Pei-Chen Chang
Summary: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death globally, particularly in individuals over 40 years old. Mood disorders are frequently comorbid with COPD, but often overlooked or undiagnosed, leading to poor treatment outcomes and increased mortality. The exact link between COPD and mood disorders is still uncertain, but it is believed that inflammation in the lungs, blood, and brain may contribute to the development of mood disorders in COPD. Antidepressants are commonly used to manage mood disorders in COPD, but their efficacy is limited due to tolerability issues. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), which regulate inflammatory responses, may offer promising alternatives for managing mood disorders in COPD.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jian Zou, Rujie Yang, Ruibing Feng, Jiayue Liu, Jian-Bo Wan
Summary: The potential beneficial effects of ginsenoside Rk2 in mitigating alcoholic liver injury in mice are reported. Rk2 acts as an inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome signaling in the liver, reducing liver inflammation caused by chronic-plus-single-binge ethanol feeding. Additionally, Rk2 improves alcohol-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction by enhancing NLRP6 inflammasome in the intestine.
JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS
(2023)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Halliru Zailani, Senthil Kumaran Satyanarayanan, Wei-Chih Liao, Yi-Ting Hsu, Shih-Yi Huang, Piotr Galecki, Kuan-Pin Su, Jane Pei-Chen Chang
Summary: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common lung disease that is associated with pulmonary inflammation and cognitive impairment. The exact mechanisms of cognitive impairment in COPD patients are still unclear, but hypoxia, oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and cerebral manifestations of these conditions are believed to play crucial roles. Current medications for cognitive impairment in COPD patients may have life-threatening adverse effects, indicating the need for alternative medications. This review discusses the potential role of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFAs) in improving cognitive deficits in COPD patients and highlights the importance of clinical studies to evaluate the efficacy of omega-3 PUFAs in managing cognitive impairment in COPD patients.
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Senthil Kumaran Satyanarayanan, Zisis Kozlakidis
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Emergency Medicine
Zi-Ai Zhao, Lingli Yan, Jing Wen, Senthil Kumaran Satyanarayanan, Feng Yu, Jiahong Lu, Yong U. Liu, Huanxing Su
Summary: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) disrupts normal brain function and can have serious consequences. Blood vessels are often damaged in TBI, leading to impaired cerebral vascular repair, which can result in prolonged symptoms and poor outcomes. Understanding the cellular response and function in vascular repair after TBI is crucial for developing new therapeutic strategies. This review discusses the mechanisms of cerebrovascular impairment following TBI and the role of different cell types in vascular repair, as well as potential treatment techniques targeting these cells.