Phytotherapy Research最新文献

{"title":"Resveratrol Bioavailability After Oral Administration: A Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trial Data.","authors":"Izabela Szymkowiak, Justyna Marcinkowska, Malgorzata Kucinska, Milosz Regulski, Marek Murias","doi":"10.1002/ptr.8379","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ptr.8379","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Annually, a growing body of studies substantiates the health advantages of polyphenolic compounds, yet their practical application is constrained by swift metabolism and low bioavailability. Resveratrol, a stilbene derivative showcasing typical polyphenolic traits, is particularly noteworthy. Despite abundant bioavailability data from in vitro and animal studies, applying these findings to humans demands nuanced consideration. The objective of this article is to conduct a meta-analysis on clinical trial data, systematically assessing the oral bioavailability of resveratrol and deriving meaningful insights into its efficacy in humans. To achieve this goal, we thoroughly examined publications across five major global databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase, and Science Direct. The study exclusively included clinical trials involving healthy adults, where pharmacokinetic parameters were measured following the oral administration of at least one dose of resveratrol as a single preparation. For the meta-analysis data extraction, the mean score and standard deviation (SD) were included. Heterogeneity, degree of inconsistency between studies, and meta-regression were assessed. From these searches, we scrutinized data from 84 oral administrations encompassing nine resveratrol doses ranging from 25 to 5000 mg. Our findings indicate a linear increase in the amount of free resveratrol entering the bloodstream with the administered dose, while T _max values remain unaffected. The mean maximum plasma concentration of resveratrol (31.07 ng/mL) closely mirrors the mean C _max observed in the group administered a medium resveratrol dose ranging from 100 to 500 mg (33.59 ng/mL). This similarity implies the appropriateness of employing these specific doses of resveratrol, taking into consideration both its bioavailability and very low risk of potential side effects. However, the analysis of available human oral bioavailability data is constrained by methodological inconsistencies prevalent in existing studies. The meta-analysis underscores substantial heterogeneity, underscoring the imperative for multiple studies to rectify this prevailing trend.</p>","PeriodicalId":20110,"journal":{"name":"Phytotherapy Research","volume":" ","pages":"453-464"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142668678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perspectives, Experiences, and Practices of Healthcare Professionals and Patients Towards Herb-Drug Interaction: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies.","authors":"Chen Shen, Zhi-Ying Ren, Hui-Di Lan, Ling-Yao Kong, Ming Yang, You-Zhu Su, Xiao-Lei Yue, Zu-Lin Wan, Li-Xue Xiao, Pi-Pi Chen, Xun Li, Xian Zhou, Nicola Robinson, Jian-Ping Liu","doi":"10.1002/ptr.8384","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ptr.8384","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of the study was to understand healthcare professionals, pharmacists, and patients perspectives and experiences on clinical practice of herb-drug interactions (HDIs). A systematic review of qualitative studies was conduct. 10 electronic databases were searched from inception through September 2023. Qualitative studies, mixed-method studies, and unstructured or semi-structured cross-sectional surveys focused on healthcare professionals, pharmacists and patients' perspectives, attitudes, clinical practice behaviors, and information needs regarding HDI were included. Thematic synthesis employed Nvivo 12 software. Of 6655 studies identified, 1267 full-text articles were retrieved. Of these, 18 studies conducted in 11 countries/regions were eligible for inclusion, involving 1273 patients, 302 healthcare professionals, and 230 pharmacists. Five over-arching explanatory themes were identified: perspectives, attitudes, practices, experiences, expectations, and information needs. Complementary and alternative (CAM) physicians, pharmacists, and general practitioners were considered by patients to possess the ability or responsibility to assess potential HDIs. Pharmacists yet encountered difficulties due to conflicting information sources and inadequate training. Healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, usually only assessed HDIs when they were deemed to cause serious adverse effects. Regarding expectations and information needs, patients were particularly concerned about the risk of adverse HDIs, the severity of HDIs, and the appropriate intervals between drug doses. They would like to receive relevant HDI alerts. Results suggest that government, policy makers, healthcare professionals, and the education system should give attention to HDIs and improve health professional-patient communication. Further research should also be conducted on the understanding and practices of CAM practitioners in China. Trial Registration: CRD42022324777 (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#recordDetails).</p>","PeriodicalId":20110,"journal":{"name":"Phytotherapy Research","volume":" ","pages":"505-520"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11745149/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142625867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epigenetic Effects of Natural Products in Inflammatory Diseases: Recent Findings.","authors":"Qianyi Yao, Tanjun Wei, Hongmei Qiu, Yongqing Cai, Lie Yuan, Xin Liu, Xiaoli Li","doi":"10.1002/ptr.8364","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ptr.8364","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Inflammation is an essential step for the etiology of multiple diseases. Clinically, due to the limitations of current drugs for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as serious side effects and expensive costs, it is urgent to explore novel mechanisms and medicines. Natural products have received extensive attention recently because of their multi-component and multi-target characteristics. Epigenetic modifications are crucial pathophysiological targets for developing innovative therapies for pharmacological interventions. Investigations examining how natural products improving inflammation through epigenetic modifications are emerging. This review state that natural products relieve inflammation via regulating the gene transcription levels through chromosome structure regulated by histone acetylation levels and the addition or deletion of methyl groups on DNA duplex. They could also exert anti-inflammatory effects by modulating the proteins in typical inflammatory signaling pathways by ubiquitin-related degradation and the effect of glycolysis derived free glycosyls. Studies on epigenetic modifications have the potential to facilitate the development of natural products as therapeutic agents. Future research directed at better understanding of how natural products modulate inflammatory processes through less studied epigenetic modifications including neddylation, SUMOylation, palmitoylation and lactylation, may provide new implications. Meanwhile, higher quality preclinical studies and more powerful clinical evidence are still needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of the natural products. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01764204; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05845931; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04657926; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02330276.</p>","PeriodicalId":20110,"journal":{"name":"Phytotherapy Research","volume":" ","pages":"90-137"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142605928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Crucial Role of c-Myc/Monocarboxylate Transporter 4 Signaling in Capsaicin Induced Apoptotic and Anti-Warburg Effects in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.","authors":"Jin Young Suh, Deok Yong Sim, Chi-Hoon Ahn, Su-Yeon Park, Bum-Sang Shim, Bonglee Kim, Dae Young Lee, Hyo Bong Jeong, Hye Eun Lee, Sung-Hoon Kim","doi":"10.1002/ptr.8388","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ptr.8388","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Though Capsaicin from chili peppers was known to have antitumor effects in several cancers, the underlying antitumor pathogenesis of Capsaicin is not clear to date. Thus, the antitumor mechanism of Capsaicin was explored in Hep3B and Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells in relation to c-Myc/monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) signaling. To elucidate the antitumor mechanism of capsaicin, cytotoxicity assay, cell cycle analysis, Western blotting, RT-qPCR, RNA interference, ELISA, immunoprecipitation, and mouse xenograft model were used in this work. Capsaicin increased the cytotoxicity, subG1 population, and the number of TUNEL-positive bodies in Huh7 and Hep3B cells. Consistently, Capsaicin diminished the expression of pro-PARP, HK2, PKM2, LDHA, glucose transporter type 1 (Glut1), c-Myc, and monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) in Huh7 and Hep3B cells, along with decreased production of glucose, lactate, and ATP. However, a glycolysis end product pyruvate treatment reversed the capacity of Capsaicin to attenuate the expression of pro-PARP, HK2, c-Myc, and MCT4 in Hep3B cells. Furthermore, Capsaicin reduced c-Myc stability in the presence of cycloheximide and induced c-Myc ubiquitination in Hep3B cells, while c-Myc directly binds to MCT4 as a lactate transporter and downstream of c-Myc in Hep3B cells by immunoprecipitation and correlation factor (Spearman efficient = 0.0027). Furthermore, a preliminary analysis of an animal study reveals that Capsaicin significantly suppressed the growth of Hep3B cells inoculated in BALB/c nude mice without hurting body weight, liver, and spleen. Our findings provide novel evidence that Capsaicin exerts apoptotic and anti-Warburg effect via c-Myc/MCT4 signaling axis as a potent anticancer candidate for liver cancer therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":20110,"journal":{"name":"Phytotherapy Research","volume":" ","pages":"536-547"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142802046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epoxymicheliolide Reduces Radiation-Induced Senescence and Extracellular Matrix Formation by Disrupting NF-κB and TGF-β/SMAD Pathways in Lung Cancer.","authors":"Heng Zhou, Yong Chen, Ningzu Jiang, Yanxian Ren, Jiayuan Zhuang, Yue Ren, Lin Shen, Chenghao Li","doi":"10.1002/ptr.8352","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ptr.8352","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lung cancer is a major cause of cancer-related mortality, and radiotherapy is often limited by tumor resistance and side effects. This study explores whether epoxymicheliolide (ECL), a compound from feverfew, can enhance radiotherapy efficacy in lung cancer. We tested ECL on A549 and PC-9 lung cancer cell lines to evaluate its effect on x-ray irradiation. We measured apoptosis, NF-κB pathway inhibition, TGF-β secretion reduction, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition suppression. In vivo, C57BL/6 mice with lung tumors received ECL and radiotherapy. ECL enhanced the antiproliferative effects of x-ray irradiation, induced apoptosis in senescent cells, inhibited the NF-κB pathway, reduced TGF-β levels, and suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition. ECL also inhibited tumor growth and improved survival in mice. ECL is a promising adjunct to radiotherapy for lung cancer, improving treatment outcomes by targeting multiple tumor progression mechanisms. It offers potential for enhanced management of lung cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":20110,"journal":{"name":"Phytotherapy Research","volume":" ","pages":"51-63"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142591311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Effect of Spirulina Supplementation on Blood Pressure in Adults: A GRADE-Assessed Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.","authors":"Hamidreza Shiri, Javad Yasbolaghi Sharahi, Maryam Alizadeh Sani, Seyyed Mohammad Javad Mousavi, Mohammad Hadi Nematollahi, Ali Akbar Soleimani, Jamal Amri, Ghodratollah Panahi","doi":"10.1002/ptr.8377","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ptr.8377","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Previous studies have yielded controversial results regarding the effect of spirulina on blood pressure (BP), which need updating. So, this updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) carry out a more accurate estimation of the effect of spirulina on BP in adults. This systematic searches (in PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science) until April 1, 2024, to identify related RCTs based on PICOS guidelines (population (individuals > 18 years old), the intervention (spirulina), the comparison (control or placebo group), the outcomes (systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP)), the study design (RCTs)), and PRISMA-checklist (Supporting Information, data S2). We evaluated the impact of spirulina on DBP and SBP. Conventional procedures were employed for analyzing publication bias, heterogeneity, and sensitivity. The GRADE criteria and the Cochrane assessment method were employed to evaluate the risk of bias (ROB) and certainty of evidence across the studies, respectively. The result shows spirulina consumption decreases SBP (WMD: -4.41 mmHg, 95% CI: -6.74 to -2.07, I ² = 66.1%) and DBP (WMD: -2.84 mmHg, 95% CI: -4.65 to -1.03, I ² = 62.3%). Subgroup analysis demonstrated SBP and DBP were still lower in individuals with ≥ 120 and ≥ 80 mmHg, hypertension (HTN) individuals, overweight individuals, age > 50 years, and > 8 weeks of intervention. Indeed, we do not observe publication bias, ROB, or interference studies in the overall results of BPs, and based on GRADE, our outcomes have moderate quality. Because of the low number of studies and participants, the dose-response and meta-regression are not significant. His study demonstrated spirulina intervention decreased SBP and DBP in HTN and overweight individuals, age > 50 years, and > 8 weeks of intervention. So, spirulina intake decreases BP and could be used in clinical practice. Furthermore, more and high-quality RCTs are needed to establish the clinical efficacy of the spirulina and determine cutoff spirulina interventions based on dose and duration. Trial Registration: PROSPERO: CRD42024534608.</p>","PeriodicalId":20110,"journal":{"name":"Phytotherapy Research","volume":" ","pages":"397-412"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142625911","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive Insights Into the Combinatorial Uses of Selected Phytochemicals in Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Treatment: Isothiocyanates, Quinones, Carotenoids, and Alkaloids.","authors":"Xi Deng, Zhongming Yang, Mingzhao Han, Norsharina Ismail, Norhaizan Mohd Esa, Ahmad Faizal Abdull Razis, Md Zuki Abu Bakar, Kim Wei Chan","doi":"10.1002/ptr.8378","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ptr.8378","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite the advancement in cancer diagnosis and treatment, colorectal cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Given the high recurrence rate of colorectal cancer even after surgical resection, chemotherapy has been clinically used to improve the treatment outcomes of colorectal cancer. However, chemotherapy is well-known for its toxic side effects. Thus, phytochemicals have been widely studied in recent years as preventive and therapeutic agents for colorectal cancer owing to their relatively low toxicity. Moreover, combinatorial uses of phytochemicals with other natural compounds or with drugs may amplify the positive outcomes of colorectal cancer prevention and treatment by intervening in multiple signaling pathways and targets. This review summarized the combinatorial use of several well-studied groups of phytochemicals, that is, isothiocyanates, quinones, carotenoids, and alkaloids, in the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer, and suggested it as a potential approach to improve the anticancer efficacy of single compounds and minimize the toxic side effects associated with conventional drugs. Notably, we generalized the in vitro, in vivo, and clinical experiments-based molecular mechanisms whereby the selected phytochemicals in combination with other compounds exerted anti-colorectal cancer effects by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, cell invasion, and tumor growth. Overall, this review provides a reference and new perspective to propel further advancements in research and development of preventative and therapeutic strategies for colorectal cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":20110,"journal":{"name":"Phytotherapy Research","volume":" ","pages":"413-452"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142668676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of phytosterols on cardiovascular risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.","authors":"Yanhong Yang, Jiayue Xia, Tingqing Yu, Shiyun Wan, Yajie Zhou, Guiju Sun","doi":"10.1002/ptr.8308","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ptr.8308","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of death globally. The primary risk factors are high blood lipid levels, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Phytosterols are naturally occurring plant bioactive substances. Short-term clinical trials have demonstrated phytosterols' cholesterol-lowering potential, but their effects on cardiovascular risk factors remain controversial, and relevant meta-analyses are limited and incomplete. We conducted a systematic and comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library up to December 22, 2023. A total of 109 randomized controlled trials (RCTS) of phytosterols (PS) intervention on cardiovascular risk factor outcomes were included in a preliminary screening of the retrieved literature by Endnote 20. We assessed the quality of all included randomized controlled trials using the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias tool. Cochrane data conversion tool was used for data conversion, and finally Stata was used for meta-analysis, egger test and sensitivity analysis of the included studies. The results indicated that dietary phytosterols intake could significantly decrease total cholesterol (TC) level (mean difference = -13.41; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -15.19, -11.63, p &lt; 0.001), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level (mean difference = -12.57; 95% CI: -13.87, -11.26, p &lt; 0.001), triglycerides (TG) level (mean difference = -6.34; 95% CI: -9.43, -3.25, p &lt; 0.001), C-reactive protein (CRP) level (mean difference = -0.05; 95% CI: -0.08, -0.01, p = 0.671), systolic blood pressure (SBP) level (mean difference = -2.10; 95% CI: -3.27, -0.9, p &lt; 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) level (mean difference = -0.83; 95% CI: -0.58, -0.07, p = 0.032), increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level (mean difference = 0.46; 95% CI: 0.13, 0.78, p = 0.005), but did not alter the levels of blood glucose (GLU) (mean difference = -0.44; 95% CI: -1.64, 0.76, p = 0.471), glycosylated hemoglobin, Type A1C (HbA1c) (mean difference = -0.28; 95% CI: -0.75, 0.20, p = 0.251), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (mean difference = 0.00; 95% CI: -0.02, 0.02, p = 0.980), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) (mean difference = 0.08; 95% CI: -0.08, 0.24, p = 0.335), oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OXLDL-C) (standard mean difference = 0.16; 95% CI: -0.38, 0.06, p = 0.154), body mass index (BMI) (mean difference = 0.01; 95% CI: -0.07, 0.09, p = 0.886), waist circumference (WC) (mean difference = -0.10; 95% CI: -0.50, 0.30, p = 0.625) and body weight (mean difference = 0.03; 95% CI: -0.18, 0.24, p = 0.787). Our results suggest that phytosterols may be beneficial in reducing the levels of TC, LDL-C, TG, CRP, SBP, and DBP, but have no significant effect on GLU, HbA1c, TNF-α, IL-6, OXLDL-C, BMI, WC, and Weight. However, there were a small number of RCTS included in this study and their small population size may have reduced the quality of the study. And most of the included studies were short-term","PeriodicalId":20110,"journal":{"name":"Phytotherapy Research","volume":" ","pages":"3-24"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142688627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the Role of Herbal Compounds in Skin Aging: A Systematic Review of Topical Approaches.","authors":"Asly Poh-Tze Goh, She-May Goh, Wai-Kit Tow, Kar-Men Toh, Uma Devi Palanisamy, Usha Sundralingam","doi":"10.1002/ptr.8375","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ptr.8375","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recently, dermatology has increasingly focused on understanding skin aging and exploring novel therapeutic approaches. Despite progress in cosmetic and pharmaceutical research, a significant gap remains in comprehensively understanding the effects and mechanisms of herbal extracts on skin aging. While many studies have examined the bioactivities of herbal compounds in preclinical models, comprehensive human trials have been scarce over the past decade. This review aims to address this gap by synthesizing human trials from the past decade, focusing on the therapeutic effects of herbal extracts on skin aging. The objective is to unravel the mechanisms contributing to skin aging and assess the therapeutic potential of herbal compounds. Following the PRISMA 2020 guideline, a systematic review was performed across OvidMEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase via Ovid. A meticulous search strategy identified relevant clinical trials. The review highlights the essential role of herbal compounds in skin aging, particularly their antioxidant activity in suppressing the aging process. Analysis of 51 clinical trials offers valuable insights into their diverse effects on skin aging parameters. Herbal compounds are promising alternatives to synthetic products for treating skin aging. Their demonstrated efficacy in mitigating wrinkles, enhancing elasticity, maintaining hydration, and controlling pigmentation underscores their potential in developing antiaging therapeutics. However, further studies are needed to identify specific compounds responsible for these effects and understand their mechanisms. Future directions include conducting large-scale trials, exploring synergies with other ingredients, and optimizing delivery systems for sustainable, effective antiaging therapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":20110,"journal":{"name":"Phytotherapy Research","volume":" ","pages":"315-363"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142625403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Red Yeast Rice or Lovastatin? A Comparative Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy Through a Multifaceted Approach.","authors":"Giovanna Rigillo, Giulia Baini, Renato Bruni, Giulia Puja, Elisabetta Miraldi, Luca Pani, Fabio Tascedda, Marco Biagi","doi":"10.1002/ptr.8371","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ptr.8371","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The increasing use of red yeast rice (RYR) as a natural supplement to manage blood cholesterol levels is driven by its active compound, monacolin K (MK), which is chemically identical to the statin drug lovastatin (LOV). Despite its growing popularity, concerns persists regarding the safety and efficacy of RYR compared to pure statins. This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical composition, pharmacological effects, and safety profile of various RYR samples in comparison with LOV. RYR samples with different MK content were analyzed using HPLC-DAD to quantify monacolins and other bioactive compounds. The inhibitory activity on HMG-CoA reductase was assessed through an enzymatic assay, while pharmacokinetic properties were predicted using in vitro simulated digestion and in silico models. In vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated in intestinal, hepatic, renal, and skeletal muscle cell models. Additionally, the transcriptional levels of muscle damage-related target genes were evaluated by qRT-PCR in skeletal muscle cells treated with a selection of RYR samples. Significant variability in the phytochemical composition of RYR samples was observed, particularly in the content of secondary monacolins, triterpenes, and polyphenols. The RYR phytocomplex exhibited superior inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase activity compared to isolated LOV, suggesting synergistic effects between secondary monacolins and other compounds. Molecular insights revealed that RYR samples had a lower impact on muscle cells than LOV, as reflected also by cell viability. These findings suggest that RYR could serve as a safe alternative to purified statins. However, further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms behind the synergistic activity of the phytocomplex and to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of this natural product.</p>","PeriodicalId":20110,"journal":{"name":"Phytotherapy Research","volume":" ","pages":"264-281"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11745150/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142605859","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}