SPAGYRIC HERBALISM

New compound from blessed thistle promotes functional nerve regeneration

UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE

 

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DRIED BLESSED THISTLE (CNICUS BENEDICTUS)

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CREDIT: DIETMAR FISCHER

Blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus) is a plant in the family Asteraceae and also grows in our climate. For centuries, it has been used as a medicinal herb as an extract or tea, e.g. to aid the digestive system. Researchers at the Center for Pharmacology of University Hospital Cologne and at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Cologne have now found a completely novel use for Cnicin under the direction of Dr Philipp Gobrecht and Professor Dr Dietmar Fischer. Animal models as well as human cells have shown that Cnicin significantly accelerates axon (nerve fibres) growth. The study ‘Cnicin promotes functional nerve regeneration’ was published in Phytomedicine.

Rapid help for nerves

Regeneration pathways of injured nerves in humans and animals with long axons are accordingly long. This often makes the healing process lengthy and even frequently irreversible because the axons cannot reach their destination on time. An accelerated regeneration growth rate can, therefore, make a big difference here, ensuring that the fibres reach their original destination on time before irreparable functional deficits can occur. The researchers demonstrated axon regeneration in animal models and human cells taken from retinae donated by patients. Administering a daily dose of Cnicin to mice or rats helped improve paralysis and neuropathy much more quickly.

Compared to other compounds, Cnicin has one crucial advantage: it can be introduced into the bloodstream orally (by mouth). It does not have to be given by injection. “The correct dose is very important here, as Cnicin only works within a specific therapeutic window. Doses that are too low or too high are ineffective. This is why further clinical studies on humans are crucial,” said Fischer. The University of Cologne researchers are currently planning relevant studies. The Center for Pharmacology is researching and developing drugs to repair the damaged nervous system.

The current study received funding of around 1,200,000 euros from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research within the framework of the project PARREGERON.

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JOURNAL

Phytomedicine

DOI

10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155641 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Cnicin promotes functional nerve regeneration

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

14-Apr-2024

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 SPAGYRIC HOMEOPATHY

Study demonstrates antimicrobial action of polyalthic acid from copaiba oil

Findings reported in the journal Antibiotics by scientists working in Brazil and the United States pave the way for the development of drugs against resistant bacteria

Peer-Reviewed Publication

FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO

Polyalthic acid from copaiba oil is an effective antibacterial and should be used to develop alternative medications that can contribute to the effort to overcome antimicrobial resistance (“superbugs”), according to an article by researchers based in Brazil and the United States published in the journal Antibiotics.

More than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the US and more than 35,000 people die as a result each year, says a report issued in 2019 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Antimicrobial or antibiotic resistance is when germs (bacteria, fungi) develop the ability to defeat the antibiotics designed to kill them (it does not mean our bodies are resistant to antibiotics). It is expected to become the main global cause of death by 2050.

The crisis is due to improper prescribing of antibiotics, intense use of these drugs in agriculture, and overuse of a small number since the leading pharmaceutical companies decided to abandon the development of antibiotics owing to high cost and low return on investment.

In this context, resorting to plants as a source of novel drugs has proved a promising alternative. To stimulate knowledge production in this field, researchers in Brazil at the University of São Paulo’s Ribeirão Preto School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCFRP-USP) and São Carlos Institute of Physics (IFSC-USP), in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Franca (UNIFRAN), also in Brazil, and the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Western New England University (WNE) in the US, investigated copaiba oil, derived from Copaifera trees and traditionally used in the Amazon region as a natural remedy for its wound-healing, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Its main constituents are diterpenes (20%), including polyalthic acid, and sesquiterpenes (80%). Both groups of compounds are anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.

The research was supported by FAPESP via six projects (13/07600-3, 11/23493-7, 11/13630-7, 22/07984-5 and 19/04788-8. 

The researchers synthesized four polyalthic acid analogs with structural modifications to make them more active against pathogens, and investigated their efficacy against biofilms of Staphylococcus epidermidis, a bacterium that causes skin and digestive tract infections, and against several Gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, S. epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus). They also determined the minimum dosage required to inhibit planktonic (free-floating) bacteria.

Activity tests and comparisons with the original polyalthic acid and the drug most prescribed by physicians showed that the analogs developed by the researchers eradicated S. epidermidis, and were active against all the Gram-positive bacteria tested. Although they were less active than the prescribed drug, the results reinforced the importance of additional in vitro and in vivo testing of the substance.

“The advantage of studying polyalthic acid is that previous research has shown that some terpenes don’t lose their activity, and their continuous use therefore doesn’t make bacteria develop resistance,” said Cássia Suemi Mizuno, a researcher at WNE and last author of the article.

The analogs were found to be safe in an analysis of hemolytic activity, i.e. their ability to destroy red blood cells.

Next steps

“Our research is an important contribution to efforts to beat antimicrobial resistance and serves as a foundation on which other groups can made further progress,” Mizuno said.

Next steps will include producing more derivatives with other parts of the polyalthic acid molecule, improving their activity and pursuing prospective partners in the pharmaceutical industry for more research, she added. 

Investment in copaiba oil extraction in the Amazon will be needed, as will the recruitment of forest dwellers who are familiar with the native vegetation and can identify the species with the highest level of polyalthic acid content (Copaifera reticulata Ducke). 

“It should be stressed that we don’t destroy any trees in our research. Extraction of copaiba oil is like rubber tapping. You just make a groove in the bark of the tree trunk,” Mizuno said.

About São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. You can learn more about FAPESP at www.fapesp.br/en and visit FAPESP news agency at www.agencia.fapesp.br/en to keep updated with the latest scientific breakthroughs FAPESP helps achieve through its many programs, awards and research centers. You may also subscribe to FAPESP news agency at http://agencia.fapesp.br/subscribe.

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ARTICLE TITLE

Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of Polyalthic Acid Analogs

Cocoa pods — a source of chocolate, and potentially, flame retardants

Peer-Reviewed Publication

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

 

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COCOA PODS, LIKE THIS ONE WITH PARTS OF THE HUSK REMOVED FOR ANALYSES, COULD BE A USEFUL STARTING MATERIAL FOR FLAME RETARDANTS.

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CREDIT: DIMITRIS CHARALAMPOPOULOS

As Halloween approaches, so too does the anticipation of a trick-or-treating stash filled with fun-sized chocolate candy bars. But to satisfy our collective craving for this indulgence, millions of cocoa pods are harvested annually. While the beans and pulp go to make chocolate, their husks are thrown away. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering show that cocoa pod husks could be a useful starting material for flame retardants.

It’s estimated that about 24 million tons of leftover cocoa pod husks are produced yearly. Waste husks have been explored as a source of carbohydrates and sugars, but they also contain lignin, a tough lipid polymer found in many woody plants. And lignin could be a renewable replacement for some substances typically derived from petroleum, such as flame retardants. While most methods to produce lignin have centered on hardwood trees, some scientists have processed other plant materials that would otherwise go to waste, such as rice husks and pomegranate peels. So, Nicholas J. Westwood and coworkers wanted to see if high-quality lignin could be extracted from cocoa pod husks and determine whether it has the potential to make valuable, practical materials.

The researchers obtained cocoa husks and milled them into a powder. After rinsing to remove fatty residues, they boiled the powdered husks in a mixture of butanol and acid, a standard lignin extraction method called the butanosolv process. They next confirmed the isolated lignin’s quality and high purity, finding no evidence of carbohydrates or other contaminants.

Then, over the course of three chemical steps, the team modified the pure lignin biopolymer to have flame-retardant properties. They attached 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide, which is a fire suppressant molecule called DOPO, into the backbone of the lignin polymer. In experiments, when the modified lignin was heated, it charred — but did not burn up — a sign that it could act as a flame retardant. The researchers recognize that human safety tests are important and plan to conduct them after the next phase of testing. In the future, the researchers say they will optimize the properties of their cocoa pod husk-based flame-retardant materials.

The authors acknowledge funding from the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council through the Global Challenges Research Fund and for in-kind contributions from Mars Wrigley Confectionery.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

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JOURNAL

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

DOI

10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c03670 

ARTICLE TITLE

Organosolv Pretreatment of Cocoa Pod Husks: Isolation, Analysis, and Use of Lignin from an Abundant Waste Product

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 SPAGYRIC HERBALISM

U of T researchers lead discovery of ginger compound with potential to treat inflammatory bowel disease

University of Toronto

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Research Associate Jiabao Liu and Professor Henry Krause.

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Credit: University of Toronto

An international team led by researchers at the University of Toronto has found a compound in ginger, called furanodienone (FDN), that selectively binds to and regulates a nuclear receptor involved in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Through a screen to identify chemical components of ginger that bind to receptors associated with IBD, the team observed a strong interaction between FDN and the pregnane X receptor (PXR). FDN reduces inflammation in the colon by activating PXR’s ability to suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the body. While researchers have been aware of FDN for decades, they had not determined its functions or targets in the body until now.

“We found that we could reduce inflammation in the colons of mice through oral injections of FDN,” said Jiabao Liu, research associate at U of T's Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research. “Our discovery of FDN’s target nuclear receptor highlights the potential of complementary and integrative medicine for IBD treatment. We believe natural products may be able to regulate nuclear receptors with more precision than synthetic compounds, which could lead to alternative therapeutics that are cost-effective and widely accessible.”

The study was published recently in the journal Nature Communications.

IBD patients typically start to experience symptoms early in life; around 25 per cent of patients are diagnosed before the age of 20. There is currently no cure for IBD, so patients must adhere to life-long treatments to manage their symptoms, including abdominal pain and diarrhea, enduring significant psychological and economic consequences.

While patients with IBD have found some relief through changes to their diet and herbal supplements, it is not clear which chemical compounds in food and supplements are responsible for alleviating intestinal inflammation. With FDN now identified as a compound with potential to treat IBD, this specific component of ginger can be extracted to develop more effective therapies.

An additional benefit of FDN is that it can increase the production of tight junction proteins that repair damage to the gut lining caused by inflammation. The effects of FDN were demonstrated in the study to be restricted to the colon, preventing harmful side effects to other areas of the body.

Nuclear receptors serve as sensors within the body for a wide range of molecules, including those involved in metabolism and inflammation. PXR specifically plays a role in the metabolism of foreign substances, like dietary toxins and pharmaceuticals. Binding between FDN and PXR needs to be carefully regulated because over-activating the receptor can lead to an increase in the metabolism and potency of other drugs and signaling metabolites in the body.

FDN is a relatively small molecule that only fills a portion of the PXR binding pocket. The study shows that this allows for an additional compound to bind simultaneously, thereby increasing the overall strength of the bond and its anti-inflammatory effects in a controlled manner.

“The number of people diagnosed with IBD in both developed and developing countries is on the rise due to a shift towards diets that are more processed and are high in fat and sugar,” said Henry Krause, principal investigator on the study and professor of molecular genetics at U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine. “A natural product derived from ginger is a better option for treating IBD than current therapies because it does not suppress the immune system or affect liver function, which can lead to major side effects. FDN can form the basis of a treatment that is more effective while also being safer and cheaper.”

 

This research was supported by Canadian Institutes of Health Research; Agence Nationale de la Recherche SYNERGY; Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province, China; National Institutes of Health; National Natural Science Foundation of China; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and New Frontiers in Research Fund.

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Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-025-56624-0 

Article Title

An abundant ginger compound furanodienone alleviates gut inflammation via the xenobiotic nuclear receptor PXR in mice

 SPAGYRIC  HOMEOPATHY

Angelica gigas extract inhibits acetylation of eNOS in vascular dysfunction

Peer-Reviewed Publication

IMPACT JOURNALS LLC

 

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FIGURE 6. AGE IMPROVES ENDOTHELIAL CELL FUNCTIONS IN OXLDL-TREATED HUVECS.

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CREDIT: 2023 LEE ET AL.

“Angelica gigas Nakai (AG), a traditional medicinal herb, is garnering scientific attention for its potential in addressing a variety of health conditions.”

BUFFALO, NY- December 27, 2023 – A new research paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 15, Issue 23, entitled, “Angelica gigas extract inhibits acetylation of eNOS via IRE1α sulfonation/RIDD-SIRT1-mediated posttranslational modification in vascular dysfunction.”

Angelica gigas NAKAI (AG) is a popular traditional medicinal herb widely used to treat dyslipidemia owing to its antioxidant activity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelica_gigas

Angelica gigas - Wikipedia

Angelica gigas ... Angelica gigas, also called Korean angelica, giant angelica, purple parsnip, and dangquai, is a monocarpic biennial or short lived perennial ...

Vascular disease is intimately linked to obesity-induced metabolic syndrome, and AG extract (AGE) shows beneficial effects on obesity-associated vascular dysfunction. However, the effectiveness of AGE against obesity and its underlying mechanisms have not yet been extensively investigated. In this new study, researchers Geum-Hwa Lee, Hwa-Young Lee, Young-Je Lim, Ji-Hyun Kim, Su-Jin Jung, Eun-Soo Jung, Soo-Wan Chae, Juwon Lee, Junghyun Lim, Mohammad Mamun Ur Rashid, Kyung Hyun Min, and Han-Jung Chae from Jeonbuk National University and Jeonbuk National University Hospital supplemented 40 high fat diet (HFD) rats with 100–300 mg/kg/day of AGE to determine its efficacy in regulating vascular dysfunction. 

“[...] the primary aim of this study is to examine the inhibitory effects of AGE on dyslipidemia-associated vascular dysfunction, with a focus on its potential mechanisms of action.”

The vascular relaxation responses to acetylcholine were impaired in HFD rats, while the administration of AGE restored the diminished relaxation pattern. Endothelial dysfunction, including increased plaque area, accumulated reactive oxygen species, and decreased nitric oxide (NO) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) Ser1177 phosphorylation, were observed in HFD rats, whereas AGE reversed endothelial dysfunction and its associated biochemical signaling. Furthermore, AGE regulated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and IRE1α sulfonation and its subsequent sirt1 RNA decay through controlling regulated IRE1α-dependent decay (RIDD) signaling, ultimately promoting NO bioavailability via the SIRT1-eNOS axis in aorta and endothelial cells.

Independently, AGE enhanced AMPK phosphorylation, additionally stimulating SIRT1 and eNOS deacetylation and its associated NO bioavailability. Decursin, a prominent constituent of AGE, exhibited a similar effect in alleviating endothelial dysfunctions. These data suggest that AGE regulates dyslipidemia-associated vascular dysfunction by controlling ROS-associated ER stress responses, especially IRE1α-RIDD/sirt1 decay and the AMPK-SIRT1 axis.

“Ultimately, this study presents clearly evidence that AGE is a promising natural product-based functional food/herbal medicine candidate for preventing or regulating hyperlipidemic cardiovascular complications.”

 

Read the full paper: DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.205343 

Corresponding Authors: Kyung Hyun Min, Han-Jung Chae

Corresponding Emails: khmin1492@jbnu.ac.kr, hjchae@jbnu.ac.kr 

Keywords: Angelica gigas, decursin, IRE1α, sulfonation, RIDD, SIRT1, vascular dysfunction

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About Aging:

Launched in 2009, Aging publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways.

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JOURNAL

Aging-US

DOI

10.18632/aging.205343 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Angelica gigas extract inhibits acetylation of eNOS via IRE1α sulfonation/RIDD-SIRT1-mediated posttranslational modification in vascular dysfunction

 SPAGYRIC HERBALISM

Slimming with seeds: Cumin curry spice fights fat

Human clinical trials reveal anti-obesity and heart-protective effects of black cumin

Osaka Metropolitan University

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Black cumin seeds were shown to improve cholesterol levels in a medical trial led by an Osaka Metropolitan University team.

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Credit: Osaka Metropolitan University

Nigella sativa (black cumin), the spice that boosts the flavor of curries like korma and paneer also has another use: its seeds have long been used as a medicinal plant in traditional medicine for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Now, a clinical trial led by Osaka Metropolitan University suggests that they also have anti-obesity benefits.

To investigate these effects, a team led by Associate Professor Akiko Kojima-Yuasa of the Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology used cellular experiments and human clinical trials.

In the human clinical trial, participants who consumed 5g of black cumin seed powder daily—roughly a tablespoon—for 8 weeks showed significant reductions in blood triglycerides, LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels. In addition, HDL (‘good’) cholesterol levels increased.

Improvements in blood lipid profiles like these are associated with a lower risk of heart problems and premature death.

The group also performed cellular experiments to understand the processes involved. They found that black cumin seed extract inhibited adipogenesis—the formation and maturation of fat cells—by blocking both fat droplet accumulation and the differentiation process.

“This study strongly suggests that black cumin seeds are useful as a functional food for preventing obesity and lifestyle-related diseases,” Professor Kojima-Yuasa said. “It was so gratifying to see black cumin comprehensively demonstrate actual, demonstrable blood lipid-lowering effects in a human trial.”

“We hope to perform longer-term and larger-scale clinical trials to investigate the effects of black cumin on metabolism,” she added. “We are particularly interested in investigating its effects on insulin resistance in diabetes and inflammatory markers.”

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About OMU

Established in Osaka as one of the largest public universities in Japan, Osaka Metropolitan University is committed to shaping the future of society through the “Convergence of Knowledge” and the promotion of world-class research. For more research news, visit https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/ and follow us on social media: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.

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Journal

Food Science & Nutrition

DOI

10.1002/fsn3.70888 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Cells

Article Title

Black Cumin Seed (Nigella sativa) Confers Anti‐Adipogenic Effects in 3T3‐L1 Cellular Model and Lipid‐Lowering Properties in Human Subjects

New volume explores India’s wild vegetables and their scientific, nutritional, and cultural value

Bentham Science Publishers

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Bentham Science has released Wild Vegetables: Morphology, Phytochemistry and Utility – Part 2, an in-depth scientific reference documenting around 120 wild vegetable species from the Western Ghats, one of India’s richest biodiversity regions.

Covering plant families from Fabaceae to Zygophyllaceae, the book provides a comprehensive overview of each species’ morphology, phytochemistry, traditional uses, and nutritional composition. Organized alphabetically by plant family, it connects indigenous knowledge with modern plant science, promoting the rediscovery and sustainable use of underutilized edible plants.

This volume serves as a valuable resource for botanists, nutritionists, ethnopharmacologists, and general readers interested in traditional foods and biodiversity conservation.

 

About the Editors

Dr. Ganesh Chandrakant Nikalje (Seva Sadan’s R.K. Talreja College, University of Mumbai) specializes in halophyte research, bio-saline agriculture, and wild vegetable utilization. 

Ms. Apurva Shankar Chonde is pursuing her Ph.D. on the wild vegetables of Thane District, focusing on their domestication and value-added uses.  

Dr. Sudhakar Srivastava (Banaras Hindu University) is an expert in plant-metal interactions and sustainable environmental practices.   

Professor Suprasanna Penna (Amity University Mumbai) is an eminent plant biotechnologist and former Head of the Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division at BARC, with significant contributions to plant stress biology and mutation breeding.

 

Learn more about this title at: http://bit.ly/47fnsCt

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DOI

10.2174/97988988100091250101