Ning Li’s research while affiliated with Anhui Medical University and other places

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Publications (61)


Three new xanthones and other anti-inflammatory components from the aerial parts of Hypericum beanii
  • Article

December 2024

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5 Reads

Archives of Pharmacal Research

Wei Ma

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Fu-Cai Ren

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Xue-Ru Wang

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Ning Li

Hypericum beanii, a traditional folk medicine plant, has been employed in treating various inflammation-related diseases. In this study, three new prenylated xanthones, named beanigenin A (1), beanigenin B (2), and beanigenin C (3), along with twenty-five known compounds (4–28), were isolated from the aerial parts of H. beanii. The new xanthones were elucidated based on modern spectroscopic experiments, including nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) techniques, high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (HR-ESI-MS), and electronic circular dichroism (ECD). All the compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory effects by measuring their inhibitory effect on nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Our findings showed that compounds 1–10, 12, 14, 21–23, 26, and 28 displayed significant anti-inflammatory effects, with IC50 values ranging from 0.82 to 9.71 μM. The MOE software was utilized to conduct an in silico evaluation of the potential inhibitory activity of the three new xanthones against inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) proteins. The results indicated that the three new xanthones demonstrated a high binding affinity with both iNOS and COX-2 proteins.


Figure 2. Changes in H&E staining and Masson staining at the distal femur of mice after Eocc treatment. Representative micrographs of H&E and Masson-stained sections, magnified at 40× with a scale bar of 50 µm. The red arrows in the figure indicate bone trabeculae.
Figure 6. The Eocc activates ERα to promote osteogenic activity: (A) Cell viability of MCF−7 cells treated with different concentrations of the Eocc (0, 0.1, 1, 10 µg/mL) for 24 h, assessed by the CCK−8 assay. Treatment with 1 µM of E2 was used as a positive control. (B) The dual luciferase reporter assay measuring the activation of ERα and ERβ. Treatment groups included different concentrations of the Eocc (0, 0.1, 1, 10 µg/mL), positive control E2 (1 µM), co−treatment with E2 and ICI 182,780 (1 µM), and co−treatment with 0.1 µg/mL of the Eocc and ICI 182,780 (1 µM). (C,D) Western blot analysis and quantification of ERα and p−ERα expression levels. (E,F) Representative images of ALP Figure 6. The Eocc activates ERα to promote osteogenic activity: (A) Cell viability of MCF-7 cells treated with different concentrations of the Eocc (0, 0.1, 1, 10 µg/mL) for 24 h, assessed by the CCK-8
Summary of animal treatments and surgical procedures.
Design and methodology of in vitro experiments.
Cont.
Extract of Curculigo capitulata Ameliorates Postmenopausal Osteoporosis by Promoting Osteoblast Proliferation and Differentiation
  • Article
  • Full-text available

December 2024

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6 Reads

Cells

Ying Wang

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Xueru Wang

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Kaijin Wang

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[...]

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Ning Li

Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is a bone disease characterized by bone thinning and an increased risk of fractures due to estrogen deficiency. Current PMOP therapies often result in adverse side effects. The traditional medicinal plant Curculigo capitulata is commonly used to strengthen bones and support kidney function, but its role in treating PMOP is not well understood. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of the total extract of Curculigo capitulata (Eocc) on PMOP and to explore the underlying mechanisms. The major components of the extract were identified using HPLC. Transcriptomics was employed to predict potential targets. An osteogenic differentiation model of MC3T3-E1 cells was used in vitro. The osteogenic potential of the Eocc was assessed through CCK-8 cell viability assays, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, Alizarin Red staining, Western blotting, and qPCR. MCF-7 and HEK-293 cells were utilized to evaluate the estrogen-like activity of Eocc. Apoptosis rates were detected by flow cytometry. In vivo, a bilateral ovariectomized mouse model of PMOP was used to further validate the in vitro findings through histopathological analysis and WB results. The results demonstrated that the Eocc promoted the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells, increased ALP activity, and stimulated the formation of osteogenic mineralized nodules. It also upregulated the expression of osteogenic markers (Runx2, OCN, OPN, and BSP) at both the protein and mRNA levels. The Eocc induced the activation of ERα both in vitro and in vivo, initiating the Src/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, leading to the phosphorylation of GSK3β and subsequent osteogenesis. The activation of this pathway also stimulated the phosphorylation of mTOR and p70S6K while downregulating cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-9. Additionally, the Eocc reduced apoptosis during osteogenic differentiation and promoted cell proliferation. These findings suggest that the Eocc facilitates osteoblast proliferation and differentiation, improving bone integrity in PMOP mice, and may represent a promising therapeutic candidate for managing PMOP.

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Norlignans and Phenolics from Curculigo capitulata and Their Neuroprotection Against Glutamate-Induced Oxidative Injury in SH-SY5Y Cells

November 2024

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8 Reads

Molecules

The herb Curculigo capitulata (Lour.) Ktze is widely distributed in southern and southwestern China. The Curculigo genus and its primary chemical constituents exhibit remarkable antidepressant activities. To investigate the chemical constituents and potential health benefits of C. capitulata, a phytochemical study was conducted. In this study, seven new compounds (capitugenin A–G), including three new norlignans (1–3), a new chalcone dimer (4), a new hemiacetal (5), two novel pyrrolidine-based compounds (6 and 7), including one identified as a natural product (7), and nineteen known compounds (8–26), were isolated from C. capitulata. The chemical structures and absolute configurations of Compounds 1–7 were elucidated via comprehensive spectroscopic data analyses. The neuroprotective effects of Compounds 1–26 against glutamate-induced cell death were tested in the human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y. Compounds 1, 3, 6, 8, 11, and 17 showed significant neuroprotective effects, with protection rates ranging from 29.4 to 52.8% at concentrations ranging from 5 to 40 μM. Western blot analysis indicated that Compound 3 exerted a protective effect by regulating the expression of Nrf2/HO-1.



Bioassay-Guided Isolation and Identification of Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory Constituents from the Fruits of Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai

September 2024

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17 Reads

Molecules

Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai (C. speciosa) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that possesses not only abundant nutritional value but also significant medicinal properties. The extracts of C. speciosa fruits effectively reduce urate levels, but the specific chemical constituents responsible for this effect in C. speciosa fruits are still unknown. Therefore, this study aims to investigate and analyze the structure–activity relationships of these constituents to better understand their ability to lower uric acid. Activity-guided fractionation and purification processes were used to isolate compounds with xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory activity from C. speciosa fruits, resulting in three extracts: petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol. The ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions showed strong activity and underwent further separation and purification using chromatographic techniques. Twenty-four compounds were isolated and identified, with nine showing potent activity, including chlorogenic acid, methyl chlorogenate, butyl chlorogenate, ethyl chlorogenate, cryptochlorogenic acid methyl ester, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, benzoic acid and protocatechuic acid. The docking analysis showed that these compounds interacted with amino acid residues in the active site of XO through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. These findings suggest that these compounds help reduce uric acid in C. speciosa, supporting further investigation into their mechanism of action.


Figure 1. Structures of compounds 1-8 from Patrinia scabra Bunge.
Data of 1 H NMR (600 MHz) and 13 C NMR (151 MHz) in CD 3 OD (δ in ppm, J in Hz) of 1-2.
Novel Iridoid Derivatives Isolated from the Roots of Patrinia scabra with Potential Anti-Renal Fibrosis Activity In Vitro

September 2024

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5 Reads

Molecules

Scabrol B and Scabrol C, two newly identified iridoid derivatives (1 and 2) and six known compounds (3–8), were extracted from the roots of Patrinia scabra. The structures of these derivatives, including their absolute configurations, were elucidated via comprehensive NMR analysis, chemical derivatization, and quantum chemical ECD calculations. All isolated compounds were evaluated for their anti-renal fibrosis activity. The results demonstrate that compounds 1 and 2 showed dose-dependent protective effects against renal fibrosis in vitro by reducing the expression of fibronectin, collagen I, and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in NRK-49f cells mediated by TGF-β1.


Figure 1. Structures of compounds 1-24.
Table 1 .
1 H and 13 C NMR (600, 150 MHz) data of compound 1 in DMSO-d6.
Primer sequences.
Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Xanthones from Hypericum beanii on Macrophage RAW 264.7 Cells through Reduced NO Production and TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and COX-2 Expression

August 2024

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19 Reads

Molecules

Hypericum beanii N. Robson, a perennial upright herb, predominantly inhabits temperate regions. This species has been utilized for the treatment of various inflammation-related diseases. One new xanthone 3,7-dihydroxy-1,6-dimethoxyxanthone (1) and twenty-three known xanthones (2–24) were isolated from the aerial parts of H. beanii. The structure of the new compound was determined based on high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (HR-ESIMS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), ultraviolet spectrophotometry (UV) spectroscopic data. The anti-inflammatory effects of all the isolates were assessed by measuring the inhibitory effect on nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Compounds 3,4-dihydroxy-2-methoxyxanthone (15), 1,3,5,6-tetrahydroxyxanthone (19), and 1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxyxanthone (22) exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects at a concentration of 10 μM with higher potency compared to the positive control quercetin. Furthermore, compounds 15, 19, and 22 reduced inducible NO synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) mRNA expression in the LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, suggesting that these compounds may mitigate the synthesis of the aforementioned molecules at the transcriptional level, provisionally confirming their anti-inflammatory efficacy.



CHOP-mediated Gasdermin E expression promotes pyroptosis, inflammation, and mitochondrial damage in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury

February 2024

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16 Reads

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5 Citations

Cell Death and Disease

In clinical practice, renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a common cause of acute kidney injury (AKI), often leading to acute renal failure or end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The current understanding of renal IRI mechanisms remains unclear, and effective therapeutic strategies and clear targets are lacking. Therefore, the need to find explicit and effective ways to reduce renal IRI remains a scientific challenge. The current study explored pyroptosis, a type of inflammation-regulated programmed cell death, and the role of Gasdermins E (GSDME)-mediated pyroptosis, mitochondrial damage, and inflammation in renal IRI. The analysis of human samples showed that the expression levels of GSDME in normal human renal tissues were higher than those of GSDMD. Moreover, our study demonstrated that GSDME played an important role in mediating pyroptosis, inflammation, and mitochondrial damage in renal IRI. Subsequently, GSDME-N accumulated in the mitochondrial membrane, leading to mitochondrial damage and activation of caspase3, which generated a feed-forward loop of self-amplification injury. However, GSDME knockout resulted in the amelioration of renal IRI. Moreover, the current study found that the transcription factor CHOP was activated much earlier in renal IRI. Inhibition of BCL-2 by CHOP leaded to casapse3 activation, resulting in mitochondrial damage and apoptosis; not only that, but CHOP positively regulated GSDME thereby causing pyroptosis. Therefore, this study explored the transcriptional mechanisms of GSDME during IRI development and the important role of CHOP/Caspase3/GSDME mechanistic axis in regulating pyroptosis in renal IRI. This axis might serve as a potential therapeutic target.


Figure 1 shows the inhibitory effects of CSF-E, CSF-W, CSFTE, and AP on the activity of XOD. The activity of XOD was dose-dependently inhibited by four inhibitors. The CSF exhibited IC50 values for the inhibition. The values of IC 50 of CSF-E, CSF-W, CSFTE, and AP were 1483, 1085, 334.2, and 0.8832 µg/mL, respectively. The findings indicate that CSFTE exhibited superior inhibitory effects on XOD in comparison to CSF-E and CSF-W (Figure 1A) Therefore, in vivo animal experiments with CSFTE will be conducted. Although compared with properties of C. speciosa fruits extracts on XOD activity in vitro, Figure 1B demonstrates that AP exhibits a relatively higher inhibitory rate on XOD. However, AP treatment can cause a series of adverse effects, such as reactions of the skin, which are considered the primary adverse effects, hematological reactions, diarrhea, and fever [30].
Figure 1. C. speciosa fruits extract (A)-and AP (B)-inhibited XOD in vitro. Values are expressed as means = SD.
Anti-Hyperuricemic Effects of Extracts from Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai Fruits on Hyperuricemic Rats

February 2024

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27 Reads

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7 Citations

Metabolites

Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai (C. speciosa) fruit has medicinal and food applications and exhibits beneficial pharmacological properties. This study aimed to explore the hypouricemic effect of C. speciosa fruit extracts on hyperuricemic rats and uncover potential protective mechanisms. The rats were given hypoxanthine (HX, 100 mg/kg) and potassium oxonate (PO, 300 mg/kg) for 14 days to induce hyperuricemia. Subsequently, the rats were orally administered C. speciosa fruits total extract (CSFTE, 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg) and allopurinol (AP, 10 mg/kg) one hour after exposure to HX and PO. The results showed that CSFTE had significant xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibitory activity in vitro (IC50 value of 334.2 μg/mL) and exhibited hypouricemic effects in vivo, reducing uric acid (UA), creatinine (CRE), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels in serum. CSFTE increased UA excretion through the regulation of URAT1, GLUT9, OAT1, and OAT3 protein expression in the kidneys of hyperuricemic rats. Additionally, CSFTE (500 and 1000 mg/kg) was more effective than AP in improving renal injury and protecting kidney function in hyperuricemic rats. Our study demonstrated that CSFTE effectively reduced UA levels and protected the kidneys by inhibiting XOD expression in vitro and regulating UA, CRE, BUN, URAT1, GLUT9, OAT1, and OAT3 proteins in vivo.


Citations (40)


... In addition, astrocyte pyroptosis plays a pivotal role in cases of brain injury and ischemic lesions. Under certain conditions, tissue ischemia-reperfusion can initiate a cascade of pathological processes, such as inflammation and cellular pyroptosis [76,77]. Astrocyte pyroptosis may exacerbate neural damage and impact the repair process following injury. ...

Reference:

The role of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis in astrocytes during hyperoxia-induced brain injury
CHOP-mediated Gasdermin E expression promotes pyroptosis, inflammation, and mitochondrial damage in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury

Cell Death and Disease

... Pharmacological investigations have revealed that this plant exhibits a diverse range of attributes, including anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities, antioxidant activities, antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activities, gastrointestinal protective activities, as well as antitumor and immunomodulatory activities [10]. Our research group has previously conducted a study on the urate-lowering effect of C. speciosa [11], and it has been confirmed that the C. speciosa extract exhibited significant inhibitory effects on XO and demonstrated promising therapeutic potential for hyperuricemia in rats. However, further exploration is required to elucidate the specific components of C. speciosa extract and their underlying molecular mechanisms. ...

Anti-Hyperuricemic Effects of Extracts from Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai Fruits on Hyperuricemic Rats

Metabolites

... Chaenomeles sinensis is a member of the Rosaceae family. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, the ethyl acetate fraction of Chaenomeles sinensis (Thouin) Koehne fruits exhibited anti-diabetic and antiacetylcholinesterase properties [14]. ...

Phytochemistry and pharmacology of plants in the genus Chaenomeles
  • Citing Article
  • December 2023

Archives of Pharmacal Research

... Many plants of the Hypericum genus containing xanthones as bioactive constituents have been traditionally used as anti-inflammatory agents [13,39]. Among the xanthone derivatives tested, compounds 15, 19, and 22 showed a remarkable inhibitory effect, suggesting its potential anti-inflammatory activity. ...

Cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory constituents from roots of Hypericum beanii and the antitumor potential under the view of cancer-related inflammation
  • Citing Article
  • November 2023

Fitoterapia

... Parasitic planta may actively manipulate host physiology by transferring phytohormones [23]. Recent research efforts on T. chinense have primarily concentrated on exploring its vitro anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity using extracts [7,29,30], host range and selectivity [18] and understanding the developmental reprogramming involved in haustoria formation [31]. Nevertheless, there remains a scarcity of studies examining the intricate information exchange between T. chinense and its host plants. ...

Extracts of Thesium chinense inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and inflammation in vitro

... The size of these biofilms varied from microcolonies to large cell aggregates [106][107][108]. The listed pathogens are also common colonizers of upper respiratory tract tissues [109,110]. In particular, they form biofilms in the mucous membranes of the sinuses, adenoids, and tonsils [93]. ...

Antibacterial Activity of Thesium chinense Turcz Extract Against Bacteria Associated with Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

... Additionally, Candida albicans induced macrophages to polarize toward the M1 inflammatory phenotype in in vitro experiments, which may be due to the cell wall components of Candida albicans were recognized by pattern recognition receptors (Pattern recognition receptor, PRRs), thereby causing macrophage polarization and promoting the expression and production of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1, as well as chemokines CXCL-1 and CXCL-2, and recruitment of leukocytes. 37 The abnormal gut microbiome and higher intestinal permeability allowed the entry of metabolites such as LPS, bile acids and their derivatives, and tryptophan and its metabolites into the bloodstream, which participated in systemic circulation and prompted pancreatic macrophage polarization toward the inflammatory M1 phenotype. These hypotheses and related metabolites will be further confirmed in our subsequent studies. ...

The effect of herbal medicine in innate immunity to Candida albicans

... Chinese ethnomedical texts such as 'Ben Cao Tu Jing' and 'Guo Yao Ti Yao' have extensively documented its medicinal applications . In traditional Chinese medicine, TCT, often referred to as "Botanical Antibiotics," is primarily used to treat conditions including mastitis, pulmonitis, tonsillitis, laryngopharyngitis, and upper respiratory tract infections (Parveen et al., 2007;Liu et al., 2023). Previous research has identified various bioactive compounds in TCT, including polysaccharides, flavonoids, D-mannitol, terpenoids, alkaloids, aromatic compounds, and aliphatic acids (Lombard et al., 2020;Lombard et al., 2022). ...

Chemical Constituents of Thesium chinense Turcz and Their In Vitro Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Cytotoxic Activities

Molecules

... These thermally labile compounds are transformed into shogaols (SGs) at high temperature, which send out a pungent and spicy-sweet flavor (Wohlmuth et al., 2005). In addition, it has been reported that 6-SG has better biological activities than 6-GN (Wang et al., 2011). ...

Gingerol Derivatives from the Rhizomes of Zingiber Officinale

Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung B

... Gastroprotective, anti-ulcer [155] Review Discover Plants (2025) 2:18 | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44372-024-00074-3 can be transformed into a rhizome or corm [36]. ...

A New Chlorine-containing Glucosyl-fused Compound from Curculigo glabrescens

Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung B