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Danggui Buxue Decoction (DBD) as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely used to treat blood deficiency. With the immune regulation and hematopoietic effect, DBD improved the quality of life in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. We previously reported that DBD sensitized the response of NSCLC to Gemcitabine (Gem); however, the synergism and attenuation mechanism on the combination of Gem and DBD has not yet been elucidated. To investigate the mechanisms of DBD in enhancing the anticancer activity of Gem and alleviating Gem-induced myelosuppression. A549 nude mice model was established to study the effect on the combination of Gem and DBD. The organ indices, peripheral blood cells and the hematopoiesis-related cytokines were analyzed in Gem-induced myelosuppressive mice. Then we studied the whole process from Gem-induced bone marrow suppression to self-healing, and the mechanism of DBD's attenuation by the experiments of bone marrow nucleated cells (BMNCs). There were an enhanced anticancer effect and an improvement of hematopoietic function by combining of Gem and DBD in A549 nude mice model. DBD regulated Hu antigen R (HuR), deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2), increased the expression of thrombopoietin (TPO) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). For Gem-induced myelosuppressive mice, DBD improved the number of peripheral blood cells and the levels of hematopoiesis-related cytokines. Moreover, DBD was observed to reduce deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content at the G1 phase, promoted BMNCs proliferation and up-regulated cycle-related proteins. The results indicated that DBD not only improved the sensitivity of Gem but also alleviated Gem-induced myelosuppression. This study may provide a pharmacological basis for the combination of DBD and Gem in clinical application. [Display omitted] • The combination of Gem and DBD has enhanced anticancer effect and improved the hematopoietic function. • Danggui Buxue Decoction improved the sensitivity of gemcitabine through regulating the expressions of Hu antigen R (HuR), deoxycytidine kinase (dCK), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2). • For the first time, we studied the whole process from gemcitabine-induced bone marrow suppression to self-healing, and the mechanism of Danggui Buxue Decoction's attenuation. • Danggui Buxue Decoction alleviated gemcitabine-induced myelosuppression via promoting cell cycle transformation and regulating cycle-related proteins in bone marrow nucleated cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The root of Croton crassifolius has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), called Radix Croton Crassifolius, and commonly known as "Ji Gu Xiang" in Chinese. Its medicinal value has been recorded in several medical books or handbooks, such as "Sheng Cao Yao Xing Bei Yao", "Ben Cao Qiu Yuan" and "Zhong Hua Ben Cao". It has been traditional employed for treating sore throat, stomach-ache, rheumatism and cancer. At present, there are limited studies on the evaluation of low-polarity extracts of roots in C. crassifolius. Consequently, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antitumor effect of the low-polarity extract of C. crassifolius root. Extracts were obtained by supercritical fluid extraction. The extracts were tested for antitumor effects in vitro on several cancer cell lines. A CCK-8 kit was used for further analysis of cell viability. A flow cytometer and propidium iodide staining were used to evaluate the cell cycle and apoptosis. Hoechst staining, JC-1 staining and the fluorescence probe DCFH-DA were used to evaluate apoptotic cells. Molecular mechanisms of action were analyzed by quantitative RT‒PCR and Western blotting. Immunohistochemistry was used for the evaluation of xenograft tumors in male BALB/c mice. Finally, molecular docking was employed to predict the bond between the desired bioactive compound and molecular targets. Eleven diterpenoids were isolated from low-polarity C. crassifolius root extracts. Among the compounds, chettaphanin II showed the strongest activity (IC 50 = 8.58 μM) against A549 cells. Evaluation of cell viability and the cell cycle showed that Chettaphanin II reduced A549 cell proliferation and induced G2/M-phase arrest. Chttaphanin II significantly induced apoptosis in A549 cells, which was related to the level of apoptosis-related proteins. The growth of tumor tissue was significantly inhibited by chettaphanin II in experiments performed on naked mice. The antitumor mechanism of chettaphanin II is that it can obstruct the mTOR/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in A549 cells. Molecular docking established that chettaphanin II could bind to the active sites of Bcl-2 and Bax. Taken together, the natural diterpenoid chettaphanin II was identified as the major antitumor active component, and its potential for developing anticancer therapies was demonstrated for the first time by antiproliferation evaluation in vitro and in vivo. [Display omitted] • Eleven diterpenoids were obtained from the SFE extract of C. crassifolius roots. • Chettaphanin II showed the strongest antitumor activity against A549 cells. • Chettaphanin II inhibited A549 cell proliferation and arrested cells in G2/M-phase. • Chettaphanin II induced A549 cell apoptosis by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. • Chettaphanin II significantly inhibited the growth of tumor tissue in nude mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) is one of the main active components in Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer (ginseng), which has been widely used to delay senescence or improve health conditions for more than 2000 years. Increasing studies have revealed that Rg1 could regulate cell proliferation and differentiation, as well as anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, and might have protective effects on many chronic kidney diseases. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most dangerous microvascular complications of diabetes and is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. However, the role and mechanism of Rg1 against high-glucose and high-fat-induced glomerular fibrosis in DN are not clear. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of Rg1 on DN and its possible mechanism. The type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice models were established with a high-fat diet (HFD) combined with an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Urine protein and serum biochemical indexes were detected by corresponding kits. The kidney was stained with H&E, PAS, and Masson to observe the pathological morphology, glycogen deposition, and fibrosis. The expression of CD36 and p-PLC in the kidney cortex was detected by IHC. The expressions of FN and COL4 were detected by IF. Western blot and PCR were performed to examine protein and mRNA expressions of kidney fibrosis and TRPC6/NFAT2-related pathways in DN mice. Calcium imaging was used to examine the effect of Rg1 on [Ca2+] i in PA + HG-induced human mesangial cells (HMCs). Visualization of the interaction between Rg1 and CD36 was detected by molecular docking. Rg1 treatment for 8 weeks could prominently decrease urinary protein, serum creatinine, and urea nitrogen and downgrade blood lipid levels and renal lipid accumulation in T2DM mice. The pathological results indicated that Rg1 treatment attenuated renal pathological injury and glomerular fibrosis. The further results demonstrated that Rg1 treatment remarkably decreased the expressions of CD36, TRPC6, p-PLC, CN, NFAT2, TGF-β, p-Smad2/3, COL4, and FN in renal tissues from T2DM mice. Calcium imaging results found that Rg1 downgraded the base levels of [Ca2+] i and ΔRatioF340/F380 after BAPTA and CaCl 2 treatment. Molecular docking results showed that Rg1 could interact with CD36 with a good affinity. These results revealed that Rg1 could ameliorate renal lipid accumulation, pathological damage, and glomerular fibrosis in T2DM mice. The mechanism may be involved in reducing the overexpression of CD36 and inhibiting the TRPC6/NFAT2 signaling pathway in renal tissues of T2DM mice. [Display omitted] • Rg1 treatment ameliorates glomerular fibrosis and diabetic nephropathy in T2DM mice. • Rg1 treatment decreases the levels of blood lipids and renal DAG and IP3 in T2DM mice. • Rg1 treatment inhibits CD36 expression and PLC activation in T2DM mice. • Rg1 treatment inhibits TRPC6/CN/NFAT2 signaling in T2DM mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]