CYBERMED LIFE - ORGANIC  & NATURAL LIVING

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  • Discovery of Bioactive Natural Products for the Treatment of Acute Respiratory Infections - An Integrated Approach. 📎

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    Abstract Title:

    Discovery of Bioactive Natural Products for the Treatment of Acute Respiratory Infections - An Integrated Approach.

    Abstract Source:

    Planta Med. 2018 Jul ;84(9-10):684-695. Epub 2018 Mar 19. PMID: 29554706

    Abstract Author(s):

    Ulrike Grienke, Christina E Mair, Johannes Kirchmair, Michaela Schmidtke, Judith M Rollinger

    Article Affiliation:

    Ulrike Grienke

    Abstract:

    In this work, an integrated approach for the identification of new antiviral agents from natural sources for the treatment of acute respiratory infections is presented. The approach comprises (i) the selection of starting material based on traditional knowledge, (ii) phenotypic screening of extracts for antiviral activity, and (iii) the implementation ofpredictions to identify antiviral compounds and derive the molecular mechanism underlying their biological activity. A variety of starting materials from plants and fungi was selected for the production of 162 extracts. These extracts were tested in cytopathic effect inhibition assays against influenza virus A/Hong Kong/68 (HK/68), rhinovirus A2 (RV-A2), and coxsackie virus B3 (CV-B3). All extracts were also evaluated regarding their cytotoxicity. At an ICthreshold of 50 µg/mL, 20, 11, and 14% of all tested extracts showed antiviral activity against HK/68, CV-B3, and RV-A2, respectively. Among all active extracts (n = 47), 68% showed antiviral activity against one of the investigated viruses, whereas 31% inhibited at least two viruses. Herein, we present a comprehensive dataset of probed extracts along with their antiviral activities and cytotoxicity. Application examples presented in this work illustrate the phytochemical workflow for the identification of antiviral natural compounds. We also discuss the challenges, pitfalls, and advantages of the integrated approach.

  • Neferine attenuates the protein level and toxicity of mutant huntingtin in PC-12 cells via induction of autophagy. 📎

    Abstract Title:

    Neferine attenuates the protein level and toxicity of mutant huntingtin in PC-12 cells via induction of autophagy.

    Abstract Source:

    Molecules. 2015 ;20(3):3496-514. Epub 2015 Feb 18. PMID: 25699594

    Abstract Author(s):

    Vincent Kam Wai Wong, An Guo Wu, Jing Rong Wang, Liang Liu, Betty Yuen-Kwan Law

    Article Affiliation:

    Vincent Kam Wai Wong

    Abstract:

    Mutant huntingtin aggregation is highly associated with the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease, an adult-onset autosomal dominant disorder, which leads to a loss of motor control and decline in cognitive function. Recent literature has revealed the protective role of autophagy in neurodegenerative diseases through degradation of mutant toxic proteins, including huntingtin or a-synuclein. Through the GFP-LC3 autophagy detection platform, we have identified  neferine,  isolated  from  the  lotus  seed  embryo  of Nelumbo nucifera, which is able to induce autophagy through an AMPK-mTOR-dependent pathway. Furthermore, by overexpressing huntingtin with 74 CAG repeats (EGFP-HTT 74) in PC-12 cells, neferine reduces both the protein level and toxicity of mutant huntingtin through an autophagy-related gene 7 (Atg7)-dependent mechanism. With the variety of novel active compounds present in medicinal herbs, our current study suggests the possible protective mechanism of an autophagy inducer isolated from Chinese herbal medicine, whichis crucial for its further development into a potential therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative disorders in the future.

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