Integrating Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology of Cotinus coggygria and Toxicodendron vernicifluum: What Predictions can be Made for the European Smoketree?

Background Senescence is a tumor suppressor mechanism activated in stressed cells to prevent replication of damaged DNA. Senescent cells have been demonstrated to play a causal role in driving aging and age-related diseases using genetic and pharmacologic approaches. We previously demonstrated that the combination of dasatinib and the flavonoid quercetin is a potent senolytic improving numerous age-related conditions including frailty, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. The goal of this study was to identify flavonoids with more potent senolytic activity. Methods A panel of flavonoid polyphenols was screened for senolytic activity using senescent murine and human fibroblasts, driven by oxidative and genotoxic stress, respectively. The top senotherapeutic flavonoid was tested in mice modeling a progeroid syndrome carrying a p16INK4a-luciferase reporter and aged wild-type mice to determine the effects of fisetin on senescence markers, age-related histopathology, disease markers, health span and lifespan. Human adipose tissue explants were used to determine if results translated. Findings Of the 10 flavonoids tested, fisetin was the most potent senolytic. Acute or intermittent treatment of progeroid and old mice with fisetin reduced senescence markers in multiple tissues, consistent with a hit-and-run senolytic mechanism. Fisetin reduced senescence in a subset of cells in murine and human adipose tissue, demonstrating cell-type specificity. Administration of fisetin to wild-type mice late in life restored tissue homeostasis, reduced age-related pathology, and extended median and maximum lifespan. Interpretation The natural product fisetin has senotherapeutic activity in mice and in human tissues. Late life intervention was sufficient to yield a potent health benefit. These characteristics suggest the feasibility to translation to human clinical studies. Fund NIH grants P01 AG043376 (PDR, LJN), U19 AG056278 (PDR, LJN, WLL), R24 AG047115 (WLL), R37 AG013925 (JLK), R21 AG047984 (JLK), P30 DK050456 (Adipocyte Subcore, JLK), a Glenn Foundation/American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) BIG Award (JLK), Glenn/AFAR (LJN, CEB), the Ted Nash Long Life and Noaber Foundations (JLK), the Connor Group (JLK), Robert J. and Theresa W. Ryan (JLK), and a Minnesota Partnership Grant (AMAY-UMN#99)-P004610401–1 (JLK, EAA).

Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is one of the bioactive ingredients isolated from the roots of plants belonging to licorice, including Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Mongolian glycyrrhiza, Glycyrrhiza glabra, and so forth. Liquiritigenin is available in common foods and alternative medicine, and its derivative-ISL is applied into food additives and disease treatment like cancer therapy, antibiotic therapy, and so on. This review aims at providing a comprehensive summary of the pharmacological activities of ISL. The information published between 1972 and 2014 from a number of reliable sources including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Springer, and Wiley-Blackwell. The practical application of ISL on the various disease prevention and treatments may stem from its numerous pharmacological properties such as antiinflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-oxidative, anticancer activities, immunoregulatory, hepatoprotective, and cardioprotective effects. However, further studies are needed to verify the target-organ toxicity or side effects investigation.