Study on use of traditional medicinal plants as sources of new drugs

Traditional medicinal plants have been effectively used, with few side effects, over a long period of time. However, because of the large number of diverse plant species and complex multicomponent systems, the active components and pharmacological functions of many of these plants have not been defined. Therefore, the use of these plants as sources of new drugs still must be explored.

To screen the anti-inflammatory effects of medicinal plant extracts in vivo, we used Drosophila as a model organism, and adult flies were treated with toxic compounds. Out of 50 different medicinal plant extracts, 8 or 9 species significantly increased survival rates more than 70% compared to controls after treatment with SDS or NaCl, respectively. Among these extracts, however, we did not find a protective effect against SDS or NaCl. Furthermore, P. multiflorum Thunb., P. notoginseng (Burk) F. H. Chen, L. erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc., and C. rotundus L. specifically protect against SDS-induced gut damage but do not increase survival rate after NaCl treatment. This finding suggests that distinct mechanisms exist for these functions.

Next, we selected medicinal plants that have broad protective effects against SDS and NaCl for further investigation. Extracts of C. pilosula, S. lappa, I. cylindrical var. major, and M. toosendan were used to examine their anti-inflammatory properties in the Drosophila intestine. C. pilosula can be used to invigorate the function of the spleen and is good for the liver, and has anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Its main constituents include polysaccharides, saponins, sesquiterpenes, polyphenolic glycosides, alkaloids, polyacetylenes, essential oils, and phytosteroids. S. lappa is a traditional herbal medicine that has been used to treat asthma, inflammation, rheumatism, coughs, tuberculosis, and many other diseases. It contains several sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids, lignans, phenyl propanoids, alkaloids, triterpenes, and phytosterols. I. cylindrical var. major is commonly used as a diuretic and anti-inflammatory agent in traditional Chinese medicine and exhibits diverse pharmacological activities, such as cytotoxicity, neuroprotection, and vasodilation. However, its active compounds remain unclear. M. toosendan has been widely used for the treatment of malaria, stomach aches caused by round worms, or as an anti-helminthic, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory analgesic. It mainly contains limonoids, toosen-danin, and triterpenoid derivatives. More>>> http://www.cusabio.com/ELISA-Kit/Dog-Complement-4C4-ELISA-kit-1035335.html

Although these medicinal plants have been explored previously, most of the results were limited to in vitro studies, with only a few researchers investigating their pharmacological roles in vivo. There are no references about their protective effects in gut immunity. In this study, we observed high survival rates in the experimental groups after treatment with toxic compounds. The previous studies indicated that after ingestion of pathogenic or toxic compounds, the proliferation of ISCs increased to replace dead cells, which was required for tissue homeostasis. After treatment with SDS, large numbers of 7-AAD-stained cells were detected in the control group; however, only a few dead cells were observed in the groups fed plant extracts. These plant extracts decreased epithelial cell damage and melanotic tumor formation, protected gut morphology, and significantly improved the survival rates of adult flies after toxic compound treatment. However, there were no differences between groups with regard to stem cell proliferation. In addition, only extracts of C. pilosula significantly increased AMP levels after treatment with SDS, whereas extracts of S. lappa, I. cylindrical var. major, and M. toosendan increased basal AMP levels. The relationship between gut microbiota and the host immune system plays a vital role in organism health, and the dysregulation of this balance can lead to chronic inflammation and initiate tumor formation. The extracts of S. lappa, I. cylindrical var. major, and M. toosendan may contribute to the basal host immune system in the Drosophila intestine.

In conclusion, this study provides a foundation for the effective screening of a large number of pharmacological functions from traditional medicinal plant extracts. This study demonstrated that extracts of four different traditional medicinal plants (C. pilosula, S. lappa, I. cylindrical var. major, and M. toosendan) have protective effects against gut inflammation in Drosophila. These results may provide a pharmacological basis for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases in humans.

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