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Ethnopharmacological relevance Cisplatin is an important chemotherapy to lung cancer, but it usually induces severe cachexia and acute kidney injury in patients. Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (SB), commonly known as a skullcap, is a popular Chinese herbal medicine mainly used to treat inflammation, infection, and malignancy. In this study, we report the synergic effect of SB and cisplatin to Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells, and the ameliorative effect of SB to cisplatin-induced cachexia and acute kidney injury. Materials and methods The extract of SB was applied by water boiling and lyophilization. The MTS assay was used to exam the in-vitro effects of SB and cisplatin on the LLC viability. In the animal experiment, male C57BL/6J mice were inoculated with LLC cells, and then treated by cisplatin intraperitoneally and the SB extract orally. Tumor volume, weights of tumor, murine body, white adipose tissue and gastrocnemius muscle, as well as serum levels of BUN and creatinine were measured during the experiment. Murine kidney sample was observed after the H&E and annexin V staining. Results SB provided an enhancement of cisplatin action to inhibit tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. In the animal experiment, SB improved the loss of murine body weight and gastrocnemius muscle, the elevating BUN level, and the apoptosis of renal tubular cells in mice receiving cisplatin therapy. Meanwhile, the current treatment of SB did not further interfere with the blood cell counts of mice receiving chemotherapy. Conclusion SB can enhance the anti-cancer effect of cisplatin. It also attenuates cisplatin-induced cachexia and acute kidney injury.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Liver fibrosis is a complex disease in which several pathological processes, such as inflammation and angiogenesis, are closely integrated. Materials and methods We hypothesised that treatment with the pharmacological agent, andrographolide (AP), which has multiple mechanisms of action, will provide a greater understanding of the role of AP during the multiple pathological processes that occur in advanced liver disease. Results Liver fibrogenesis was induced in mice using thioacetamide (TAA), which was administrated for 6 weeks. Andrographolide (5, 20 or 100 mg/kg) was then given once daily following TAA injection. Liver collagen was examined using hydroxyproline and α-SMA, while the inflammatory response was quantified by Western blot and RT-PCR assays. Liver angiogenesis, neutrophil infiltration and hypoxia were assessed using CD11b+, vWF and HIF-1α immunostaining. Mice with liver injuries that were treated with andrographolide showed improved inflammatory response and diminished angiogenesis and hepatic fibrosis. Andrographolide treatment inhibited liver neutrophil infiltration, while a decreased in TNF- α and COX-2 signalling indicated macrophage activation. Andrographolide decreased overall liver hypoxia, as shown by the downregulation of hypoxia-inducible cascade genes, such as VEGF. Andrographolide treatment resulted in a significant decrease in hepatic fibrogenesis, α-SMA abundance, and TGF-βR1 expression. Conclusions The present results suggest that multi-targeted therapies directed against angiogenesis, inflammation, and fibrosis should be considered for the treatment of advanced liver injury. They further suggest that andrographolide treatment may be a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of liver disease.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Indigo naturalis is used by traditional Chinese medicine to treat various inflammatory diseases. Aim of the study Topical indigo naturalis ointment showed efficacy in treating psoriasis in our previous clinical studies. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of the extract of indigo naturalis (QD) and its main components indirubin, indigo, and tryptanthrin in human neutrophils. Materials and methods Superoxide anion (O2 −) generation and elastase release were measured by spectrophotometry. Some important signals including mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), cAMP, and calcium were studied by Western blot analysis, an enzyme immunoassay, and spectrofluorometry. Results QD significantly inhibited O2 − generation and elastase release in formyl- l -methionyl- l -leucyl- l -phenylalanine (FMLP)-activated human neutrophils in a concentration-dependent fashion, while neither indirubin, indigo, nor tryptanthrin produced a comparable result. QD attenuated the FMLP-induced phosphorylation of extracellular regulated kinase, p38 MAPK, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase. Furthermore, QD inhibited calcium mobilization caused by FMLP. However, QD did not affect cellular cAMP levels. On the other hand, neither indirubin, indigo, nor tryptanthrin produced similar changes in human neutrophils. Conclusions Taken collectively, these findings indicate that QD, but not indirubin, indigo, or tryptanthrin, inhibited O2 − generation and elastase release in FMLP-induced human neutrophils, which was at least partially mediated by the inhibition of MAPK activation and regulation of calcium mobilization.