A novel combination of four flavonoids derived from Astragali Radix relieves the symptoms of cyclophosphamide‐induced anemic rats

• Published in: FEBS open bio Vol. 7; no. 3; pp. 318 - 323
• Main Authors: Zhang, Li, Gong, Amy G. W., Riaz, Kashif, Deng, Jun Y., Ho, Chih M., Lin, Huang Q., Dong, Tina T. X., Lee, Yi‐Kuen, Tsim, Karl W. K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.03.2017; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Algorithms; Anemia; Antioxidants; Blood tests; Blood transfusions; Bone marrow; Cancer therapies; Chemotherapy; Chinese medicine; Cyclophosphamide; Cytotoxicity; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Drug dosages; Erythrocytes; Erythropoietin; Experiments; feedback system control; Flavonoids; flavonoids combination; Free radicals; Hematocrit; hematological parameters; Hematology; Hemoglobin; Herbs; Hypoxia; Immunology; Kidneys; Laboratory animals; Leukocytes; Malondialdehyde; Medical research; Mortality; Oxidative stress; Transcription; Hong Kong China; China; flavonoids combination; feedback system control; hematological parameters
• ISSN: 2211-5463; 2211-5463
• DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.12146

By using a feedback system control scheme, the best combination of formononetin, ononin, calycosin, and calycosin‐7‐O‐β‐d‐glucoside derived from Astragali Radix was shown to activate a hypoxia response element, a regulator for erythropoietin (EPO) transcription, in kidney fibroblast. In cyclophosphamide‐induced anemic rats, the treatment of combined flavonoids, or EPO, improved the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit. In addition, the altered levels of antioxidant capacity, super oxidase dismutase, and malondialdehyde, triggered in anemic rats, were restored to control levels by the treatment of flavonoids. Here, we proposed a possible therapy by using the common flavonoids in treating anemia. An engineering approach—feedback system control—was used to screen for the best combination of flavonoids from Astragali Radix, a traditional Chinese medicine, to treat anemia. The screen tested for the most effective combination of formononetin, ononin, calycosin, and calycosin‐7‐O‐β‐d‐glucoside in activating the transcriptional activity of erythropoietin gene. This combination was then verified in a rat model of anemia.