Bone loss is a major issue for patients with osteoporosis, arthritis, periodontitis, and bone metastasis; however, anti-resorption drugs used to treat bone loss have been linked to a variety of adverse effects. Helminthostachys zeylanica (L.) Hook, belonging to the family Ophioglossaceae, is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat inflammation and liver problems. In the current study, ugonin L extracted from H. zeylanica was shown to reduce the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa beta ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis in RAW264.7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Ugonin L treatment also inhibited the mRNA expression of osteoclast markers. Ugonin L was also shown to promote cell apoptosis in mature osteoclasts and suppress RANKL-induced ERK, p38, JNK, and NF-κB activation. Taken together, ugonin L appears to be a promising candidate for the development of novel anti-resorption therapies.

Skeletal muscle atrophy occurs due to muscle wasting or reductions in protein associated with aging, injury, and inflammatory processes. High-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) protein is passively released from necrotic cells and actively secreted by inflammatory cells, and is implicated in the pathogenesis of various inflammatory and immune diseases. HMGB1 is upregulated in muscle inflammation, and circulating levels of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-18 (IL-18) are upregulated in patients with sarcopenia, a muscle-wasting disease. We examined whether an association exists between HMGB1 and IL-18 signaling in skeletal muscle atrophy. HMGB1-induced increases of IL-18 levels enhanced the expression of muscle atrophy markers and inhibited myogenic marker expression in C2C12 and G7 myoblast cell lines. HMGB1-induced increases of IL-18 production in C2C12 cells involved the RAGE/p85/Akt/mTOR/c-Jun signaling pathway. HMGB1 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) treatment rescued the expression of muscle-specific differentiation markers in murine C2C12 myotubes and in mice with glycerol-induced muscle atrophy. HMGB1 and IL-18 signaling was suppressed in the mice after HMGB1 shRNA treatment. These findings suggest that the HMGB1/IL-18 axis is worth targeting for the treatment of skeletal muscle atrophy.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common side effect of typical chemotherapeutics among cancer survivors. Despite the recent progress, the effective prevention and treatment strategies for CIPN remain limited. Better understanding of the pathogenesis of CIPN may provide new niches for developing a new ideal therapeutic strategy. This review summarizes the current understanding of CIPN and current recommendations along with completed/active clinical trials and aims to foster translational research to improve the development of effective strategies for managing CIPN.

Osteoporosis is a usual bone disease in aging populations, principally in postmenopausal women. Anti-resorptive and anabolic drugs have been applied to prevent and cure osteoporosis and are associated to a different of adverse effects. Du-Zhong is usually applied in Traditional Chinese Medicine to strengthen bone, regulate bone metabolism, and treat osteoporosis. Chlorogenic acid is a major polyphenol in Du-Zhong. In the current study, chlorogenic acid was found to enhance osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. Chlorogenic acid also inhibits the RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. Notably, ovariectomy significantly decreased bone volume and mechanical properties in the ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Administration of chlorogenic acid antagonized OVX-induced bone loss. Taken together, chlorogenic acid seems to be a hopeful molecule for the development of novel anti-osteoporosis treatment.