Protocatechuic aldehyde (PAL) has been reported to bind to DJ-1, a key protein involved in Parkinson’s disease (PD), and exerts potential neuroprotective effects via DJ-1 in SH-SY5Y cells. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective pharmacological effects of PAL against neurotoxin-induced cell and animal models of PD. In cellular models of PD, PAL markedly increased cell viability rates, mitochondrial oxidation-reduction activity and mitochondrial membrane potential, and reduced intracellular ROS levels to prevent neurotoxicity in PC12 cells. In animal models of PD, PAL reduced the apomorphine injection, caused turning in 6-OHDA treated rats, and increased the motor coordination and stride decreases in MPTP treated mice. Meanwhile, in an MPTP mouse model, PAL prevented a decrease of the contents of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites in the striatum and TH-positive dopaminergic neuron loss in the substantia nigra (SN). In addition, PAL increased the protein expression of DJ-1 and reduced the level of α-synuclein in the SN of MPTP lesioned mice. PAL also increased the spine density in hippocampal CA1 neurons. The current study demonstrates that PAL can efficiently protect dopaminergic neurons against neurotoxin injury in vitro and in vivo, and that the potential mechanisms may be related to its effects in increasing DJ-1, decreasing α-synuclein and its growth-promoting effect on spine density.

Oral administration freeze-dried Actinidia arguta powder could ameliorate ulcerative colitis disease via inhibiting the activation of MAPKs pathway.

Two new isoxazoline compounds, 1-oxa-2-azaspiro[4.5]dec-2-ene-8β-ol (1) and 1-oxa-2-azaspiro[4.5]dec-2-ene-8α-ol (2), were isolated from the husks of fruits of Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge and their structures were determined by spectroscopic analyses, including X-ray crystallography, HRESI-MS, UV, IR, and 1D and 2D NMR (HSQC, HMBC, NOESY) methods. Neither compound showed significant inhibitory effects on butyrylcholinesterase (BuchE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), nor the selected tumor cells growth. Based on an online activity prediction program (PASS ONLINE), the structures with isoxazoline skeletons were found to show potential anti-asthmatic (AM) and anti-anaphylaxis (AP) activities; moreover, compounds 1 and 2 were predicted to possess high affinities for many enzymes involved in AM and AP according to the RCSB Protein Data Bank. High-affinity binding to phosphodiesterase IV (PDE-4), an important inflammatory modulator in asthma, was demonstrated experimentally, beside that, the predicted structures based on compounds 1 and 2 were analyzed for PDE-4 interactions using the molecular docking methodology of Discovery Studio 3.0 (DS 3.0). The predicted structure 2A-6 exhibited much higher affinity and stability of PDE-4 binding than the clinical PDE-4 inhibitor rolipram.

Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and airway inflammation are key pathophysiological features of many respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To evaluate the treatment responses of procaterol and CD38 inhibitors in an ozone-induced AHR mice model, we hypothesized that procaterol and two synthetic CD38 inhibitors (Compounds T and H) might have therapeutic effects on the ozone-induced AHR mice model, and the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) pathway and the CD38 enzymatic activity might be involved in the mechanisms. With the exception of the Control group, ozone exposure was used to establish an AHR model. Male Kunming mice in the Procaterol and CD38 inhibitors groups were treated with an emulsifier of procaterol hydrochloride, Compound T or H. Results indicated that (1) no drug showed severe toxicity in this study; (2) ozone exposure induced airway inflammation and AHR; (3) intragastric treatment with procaterol and Compound T achieved potent therapeutic effects, but Compound H did not show any therapeutic effect; (4) the NF-κB pathway was involved in both the pathogenic mechanisms of ozone and therapeutic mechanisms of procaterol and Compound T; (5) however, the in vivo effect of Compound T was not caused by its inhibitory activity on CD38. Taken together, procaterol and Compound T are potentially good drugs to treat asthma and COPD complicated with ozone exposure.