In patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), hyperactivated inflammation in the brain, particularly microglial hyperactivation in the substantia nigra (SN), is reported to be one of the triggers for the delayed loss of dopaminergic neurons and sequential motor functional impairments. We previously reported that (1) auraptene (AUR), a natural prenyloxycoumain, suppressed inflammatory responses including the hyperactivation of microglia in the ischemic brain and inflamed brain, thereby inhibiting neuronal cell death; (2) 7-isopentenyloxycoumarin (7-IP), another natural prenyloxycoumain, exerted anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects against excitotoxicity; and (3) 4′-geranyloxyferulic acid (GOFA), a natural prenyloxycinnamic acid, also exerted anti-inflammatory effects. In the present study, using an intranigral lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced PD-like mouse model, we investigated whether AUR, 7-IP, and GOFA suppress microglial activation and protect against dopaminergic neuronal cell death in the SN. We successfully showed that these prenyloxyphenylpropanoids exhibited these prospective abilities, suggesting the potential of these compounds as neuroprotective agents for patients with PD.

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FXR is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily and bile acids are endogenous ligands of FXR. FXR activation has recently been reported to inhibit intestinal inflammation and tumour development. This study aimed to investigate whether the novel FXR agonist nelumal A, the active compound of the plant Ligularia nelumbifolia, can prevent colitis and colorectal carcinogenesis. In a mouse colitis model, dextran sodium sulfate-induced colonic mucosal ulcer and the inflammation grade in the colon significantly reduced in mice fed diets containing nelumal A. In an azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate-induced mouse inflammation-related colorectal carcinogenesis model, the mice showed decreased incidence of colonic mucosal ulcers and adenocarcinomas in nelumal A-treated group. Administration of nelumal A also induced tight junctions, antioxidant enzymes, and FXR target gene expression in the intestine, while it decreased the gene expression of bile acid synthesis in the liver. These findings suggest that nelumal A effectively attenuates colonic inflammation and suppresses colitis-related carcinogenesis, presumably through reduction of bile acid synthesis and oxidative damage. This agent may be potentially useful for treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases as well as their related colorectal cancer chemoprevention.

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Elastic and ultradeformable liposomes were synthesized and physicochemically characterized to make suitable topical formulations for delivering the anti-inflammatory and anticancer compound 3-(4'-geranyloxy-3'-methoxyphenyl)-2-trans-propenoic acid. The average sizes of elastic and ultradeformable liposomes are below 300 nm, while the size distribution and Z-potential are below 0.3 and - 25 mV, respectively. The presence of 3-(4'-geranyloxy-3'-methoxyphenyl)-2-trans-propenoic acid does not affect the physicochemical parameters of nanovesicles. Elastic and ultradeformable liposomes show a zero order release kinetic and are stable at room temperature for a long time with or without 3-(4'-geranyloxy-3'-methoxyphenyl)-2-trans-propenoic acid. The ultradeformable liposomes are more deformable than elastic liposomes. These differences may depend on sodium cholate derivatives making nanoformulations. The 3-(4'-geranyloxy-3'-methoxyphenyl)-2-trans-propenoic acid-loaded elastic and ultradeformable liposomes can provide innovative nanotherapeutics-based natural compounds for the potential treatment of cutanous inflammation.