Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 14, 2026
08:15
Author Spotlight: Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking to Decipher the Action of Jiawei Shengjiang San Against Diabetic Kidney Disease
Published on: May 10, 2024
982
Bioactive phytochemicals that regulate the cellular processes involved in diabetic nephropathy.
Amna Parveen1, Mirim Jin2, Sun Yeou Kim3
1Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan; Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Gachon University, 191 Hambakmoe-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea.
Summary
Medicinal plants and their compounds show promise in managing diabetic nephropathy (DN) by targeting key cellular pathways. Further research is needed to confirm their efficacy in preclinical models and humans.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Nephrology
- Phytochemistry
Background:
- Diabetic nephropathy (DN) treatments are limited by multiple causative factors and adverse effects of synthetic drugs.
- Medicinal plants and their bioactive compounds offer a safer, more effective alternative for managing chronic diseases like DN.
- Natural products are increasingly recognized for their potential in addressing the complex pathology of DN.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review medicinal plants and their bioactive phytochemicals that regulate cellular processes in DN initiation.
- To explore natural products as a therapeutic strategy for diabetic nephropathy.
- To identify plant-derived compounds that target key pathways involved in DN.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search of electronic databases (Embase, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct).
- Focused on English-language works concerning phytochemicals and medicinal plants for DN amelioration.
- Analysis of studies detailing the regulation of cellular processes in DN by plant-derived compounds.
Main Results:
- Medicinal plants contain bioactive constituents that can slow DN progression and improve renal function.
- These compounds target multiple pathological pathways including p38MAPK, JNK, ERK, TGF-β, RhoA, NF-κB, Wnt, JAK-STAT, AMPK, mTOR, Akt, and TXNIP.
- Inhibiting these pathways with plant-derived agents may offer significant therapeutic benefits for DN.
Conclusions:
- Traditional herbs and their bioactive constituents demonstrate pharmacological activities regulating DN cellular processes.
- The efficacy of these natural compounds in animal models and humans requires further investigation.
- Preclinical and clinical studies are essential to evaluate the nephroprotective effects of medicinal plants in diabetic nephropathy.
Related Concept Videos
02:41Chromatin Structure Regulates pre-mRNA Processing
8.3K
In eukaryotic cells, nascent mRNA transcripts need to undergo many post-transcriptional modifications to reach the cell cytoplasm and translate into functional proteins. For a long time, transcription and pre-mRNA processing were considered two independent events that occur sequentially in the cell. However, it has now been well established that transcription and pre-mRNA processing are two simultaneous processes that are precisely regulated inside the cell.
The chromatin structure, especially...
The chromatin structure, especially...
8.3K
02:23Master Transcription Regulators
7.9K
Master transcription regulators are regulatory proteins that are predominantly responsible for regulating the expression of multiple genes. Often these genes work in concert to drive a complex process. Activation of a master transcription regulator can lead to a cascade of transcriptional activation necessary for that outcome. These regulators can directly bind to the regulatory sequences of the various genes involved, or they can indirectly regulate transcription by binding to regulatory...
7.9K
01:46Epigenetic Regulation
33.9K
Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
33.9K
02:14GTPases and their Regulation
9.9K
Guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins), also known as GTPases, are a superfamily of proteins that regulate many cellular processes, such as cell signaling, vesicular transport, and the regulation of cell shape and motility. Mutation or dysfunction of these proteins can lead to disease. There are around 40,000 known G-proteins that can broadly be classified into two groups ‒ small G-proteins consisting of a single domain and large multi-domain G-proteins.
Large G-proteins,...
Large G-proteins,...
9.9K
01:25Bioactivation and Tissue Toxicity
15
Bioactivation is a metabolic process that transforms less reactive substances into highly reactive metabolites, initiating tissue toxicity. This transformation can lead to various toxic effects, including carcinogenesis and teratogenesis. Reactive metabolites are classified into two main types: electrophiles and free radicals.Electrophiles are electron-deficient species and are produced primarily by the enzyme cytochrome P-450 during the metabolism of compounds containing carbon, nitrogen, or...
15
02:24Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps
26.6K
Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
26.6K