1.
In silico identification of natural products from Traditional Chinese Medicine for cancer immunotherapy.
Cai, C, Wu, Q, Hong, H, He, L, Liu, Z, Gu, Y, Zhang, S, Wang, Q, Fan, X, Fang, J
Scientific reports. 2021;(1):3332
Abstract
Advances in immunotherapy have revolutionized treatments in many types of cancer. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which has a long history of clinical adjuvant application against cancer, is emerging as an important medical resource for developing innovative cancer treatments, including immunotherapy. In this study, we developed a quantitative and systems pharmacology-based framework to identify TCM-derived natural products for cancer immunotherapy. Specifically, we integrated 381 cancer immune response-related genes and a compound-target interaction network connecting 3273 proteins and 766 natural products from 66 cancer-related herbs based on literature-mining. Via systems pharmacology-based prediction, we uncovered 182 TCM-derived natural products having potential anti-tumor immune responses effect. Importantly, 32 of the 49 most promising natural products (success rate = 65.31%) are validated by multiple evidence, including published experimental data from clinical studies, in vitro and in vivo assays. We further identified the mechanism-of-action of TCM in cancer immunotherapy using network-based functional enrichment analysis. We showcased that three typical natural products (baicalin, wogonin, and oroxylin A) in Huangqin (Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi) potentially overcome resistance of known oncology agents by regulating tumor immunosuppressive microenvironments. In summary, this study offers a novel and effective systems pharmacology infrastructure for potential cancer immunotherapeutic development by exploiting the medical wealth of natural products in TCM.
2.
[Effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza compound injection on serum endothelin, prostaglandin I2/thromboxane A2 ratio alteration following myocardial ischemia-reperfusion in patients undergoing intracardiac surgery].
Shi, X, Xia, Z, Fang, J
Zhongguo Zhong xi yi jie he za zhi Zhongguo Zhongxiyi jiehe zazhi = Chinese journal of integrated traditional and Western medicine. 2000;(12):896-8
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza compound injection (SMCI) on serum endothelin (ET), prostaglandin I2(PGI2), thromboxane A2(TXA2), and PGI2/TXA2 ratio following myocardial ischemia-reperfusion in patients undergoing intracardiac surgery. METHODS Twenty patients, scheduled for selective surgery, were randomly divided into the SMCI group (group A, 10 cases) and the control group (group B, 10 cases). SMCI 200 mg/kg was given intravenously in group A before starting the operation and at the time of rewarming respectively, and equivalent volumes of normal saline were administered to group B. The central venous blood samples were collected to measure the serum concentration of ET, PGI2, TXA2, and PGI2/TXA2 ratio. RESULTS ET significantly reduced, while PGI2 and TXA2 obviously raised in both groups at the beginning (T1) of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) (P < 0.05). After cardiac ischemia-reperfusion, ET in group B increased rapidly and significantly (P < 0.05) and evidently higher than the corresponding value in group A 30 min after reperfusion (T3) till 24 hrs after reperfusion (T5). During reperfusion, PGI2 and TXA2 in group A decreased more rapidly than that of group B, while group A maintained higher PGI2/TXA2 ratio than that of group B. At T5, PGI2 and TXA2 in group A were significantly lower than those in group B, while PGI2/TXA2 ratio was higher than that in group B (P < 0.05). The serum ET level was obviously negatively correlated to PGI2/TXA2 ratio. The postoperative cardiac function recovered much better in group A than in that group B. CONCLUSION SMCI can significantly reduce serum ET level, raise PGI2/TXA2 ratio, thus facilitate the postoperative cardiac function recovery following intracardiac surgery under CPB.