Applicability of multi‑walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in loading dipyridamole (DDM), a poorly soluble drug, was evaluated. Additionally, the effect of drug‑loading efficiency on the release behavior of the MWCNT‑DDM system was also investigated. DDM as a model drug was incorporated into MWCNTs with different drug‑loading rates (10, 25 and 50%) using the solvent deposition method. The MWCNT‑DDM system was successfully established and characterized using common solid‑state characterization methods. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nitrogen adsorption analysis and Fourier transform‑infrared (FT‑IR) spectroscopy were carried out to observe the progress of drug loading. X‑ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to systematically assess the crystalline state of the DDM after being loaded into the MWCNTs. Improvements in dissolution rate were evaluated by the dissolution test. The results revealed that with the increase of drug loading, the form of DDM in the MWCNTs changed from amorphous to crystalline state. Also, the release rate of DDM decreased upon increasing the drug‑loading rate of carriers. In conclusion, MWCNTs are proven to be promising carriers for loading DDM.

Resibufogenin (RBG), a significant bufadienolide compound found in the traditional Chinese medicine Chansu, has garnered increasing attention in recent years for its wide range of pharmacological effects. This compound has shown promising potential in various therapeutic areas, including oncology, cardiology, and respiratory medicine. Among its notable properties, the anticancer effects of RBG are particularly striking, positioning it as a potential candidate for innovative cancer treatments. The mechanism of action of RBG is diverse, impacting various cellular processes. Its anticancer efficacy has been observed in different types of cancer cells, where it induces apoptosis and inhibits cell proliferation. Beyond its oncological applications, RBG also demonstrates substantial anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities. These properties suggest its utility in managing chronic inflammatory disorders and viral infections, respectively. The compound's cardiotonic effects are also noteworthy, providing potential benefits in cardiovascular health, particularly in heart failure management. Additionally, RBG has shown effectiveness in blood pressure regulation and respiratory function improvement, making it a versatile agent in the treatment of hypertension and respiratory disorders. However, despite these promising aspects, systematic reviews focusing specifically on RBG are limited. This article aims to address this gap by comprehensively reviewing RBG's origin, physiological, and pharmacological effects. The review will serve as a crucial reference for clinicians and researchers interested in the therapeutic applications of RBG, highlighting its potential in various medical domains. By synthesizing current research findings, this review will facilitate a deeper understanding of RBG's role in medicine and encourage further investigation into its clinical uses.

Cinobufagin (CBF) is a bufadienolide, which is a major active ingredient of toad venom. In recent years, CBF has attracted increasing attention due to its highly potent and multiple pharmacological activities. To better understand the status of research on CBF, we collated recent studies on CBF to provide a valuable reference for clinical researchers and practitioners. According to reports, CBF exhibits extensive pharmacological properties, including antitumor, analgesic, cardioprotection, immunomodulatory, antifibrotic, antiviral, and antiprotozoal effects. Studies on the pharmacological activity of CBF have mainly focused on its anticancer activity. It has been demonstrated that CBF has a therapeutic effect on liver cancer, osteosarcoma, melanoma, colorectal cancer, acute promyelocytic leukemia, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, multiple myeloma, gastric cancer, and breast cancer. However, the direct molecular targets of CBF are currently unknown. In addition, there are few reports on toxicological and pharmacokinetic of CBF. Subsequent studies focusing on these aspects will help promote the development and application of CBF in clinical practice.

Gastric cancer is one of the most common digestive carcinomas throughout the world and represents high mortality. There is an urgent quest for seeking a novel and efficient anti-gastric cancer drug. Euphorbia fischeriana Steud had long been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of cancer. According to the basic theory of traditional Chinese medicine, its antitumor mechanism is "to combat poison with poison". However, its effective material foundation of it is still ambiguous. In our previous work, we studied the chemical constituents of Euphorbia fischeriana Steud. Jolkinolide B (JB) is an ent-abietane type diterpenoid we isolated from it. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the anti-gastric effect and mechanism of JB. Results revealed that JB could suppress the proliferation of MKN45 cells in vitro and inhibit MKN45 xenograft tumor growth in nude mice in vivo. We further investigated its anti-cancer mechanism. On the one hand, JB caused DNA damage in gastric cancer MKN45 cells and induced the S cycle arrest by activating the ATR-CHK1-CDC25A-Cdk2 signaling pathway, On the other hand, JB induced MKN45 cells apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway, and ultimately effectively inhibited the growth of gastric cancer cells. These results suggest that JB appears to be a promising candidate drug with anti-gastric cancer activity and warrants further research.

To clarify the biological roles of the putative target thrombospondin-1 (THBS1) and the impact of the traditional Chinese medicine monomer Lycorine on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. The AML cell lines HL-60 and THP-1 were used in vitro to assess the effects of lycorine on cell growth and apoptosis. Network pharmacology and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database analysis were used to predict potential lycorine targets in AML. Clinical samples were used to validate the target THBS1’s expression. The binding affinity between lycorine and THBS1 was examined using molecular docking. Lastly, THBS1 overexpression in AML cells confirmed its function. In a dose-dependent way, lycorine induced apoptosis and markedly suppressed the growth of AML cell lines. THBS1 is a common target of lycorine in AML, and its expression is dramatically downregulated in AML, according to network pharmacology, GEO database analysis, and confirmation using clinical samples. Lycorine’s ability to bind to THBS1 and increase its expression levels in AML cells was validated by molecular docking. In AML cells, THBS1 overexpression mirrored the effects of lycorine by preventing cell division and triggering apoptosis. Lycorine inhibits the growth of AML cells and triggers apoptosis by targeting and upregulating the expression of THBS1. Therefore, it has antileukemic actions. One of the main targets for anti-AML treatment is THBS1.

This study aimed to characterize the expression pattern of TACC1 in gastric cancer (GC), investigate its correlation with clinicopathological features and patient prognosis, and evaluate its potential as a prognostic and therapeutic biomarker. Differential expression and immune infiltration analyses of TACC1 were performed using the TIMER and GEO databases. The association between TACC1 expression and clinicopathological characteristics in GC was further examined using the UALCAN database. Based on expression data from TCGA and GEO GC cohorts, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses as well as survival analyses were conducted using R software to assess the prognostic value of TACC1. Finally, co‐expression analysis was performed via the LinkedOmics database, followed by functional enrichment analysis of TACC1 co‐expressed genes. Our bioinformatics results demonstrated that upregulated TACC1 expression is significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with GC, supporting its potential as a novel prognostic biomarker for gastric cancer.