The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a kind of cell membrane surface receptor with tyrosine kinase activity, which is closely related to the growth, proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, metastasis and other processes of tumor cells. Targeting EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors has become a hot topic for drug development for treatment of non-small-cell cancer (NSCLC). Herein, we summarized recent advances on the targeted therapeutic drugs for NSCLC in recent years.

Coffea arabica L. is a famous specie in genus caffee for medicinal treatment and diet with wide distribution and rich resources. It contains rich alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenes, which exhibited antioxidation, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antidiabetic, live protection, and neuroprotective activities. Herein, we summarized the progress in the chemical constituents and bioactivities of C. arabica L. to provide ideas for medicinal development prospects of C. arabica L.

Diterpenoid alkaloids are a diverse group of natural products with significant structural complexity and bioactivities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-arrhythmia, analgesia, local anesthetic, muscle relaxant, hypotensive, anti-tumor and immune regulation. In this article, we summarized the progress in antitumor activity of diterpenoid alkaloids to provide ideas for medicinal development prospects of antitumor.

Using natural lipids to covalently connect with antitumor agents to construct lipid-based molecular prodrugs and their nanosystems is a promising research frontier for sustainable medicinal chemistry, nanobiotechnology and tumor chemotherapy. This paper reviewed recent progress of lipid-based doxorubicin (molecular) prodrugs and their nanodelivery systems, including lipid-doxorubicin prodrugs, stimuli-responsive lipid-doxorubicin prodrugs, and lipid-doxorubicin prodrug-based drug co-delivery nanosystems. Additionally, possible future research outlooks in this field were also discussed.

In this paper, the extraction conditions of water-soluble polysaccharide from Bletilla striata were optimized by response surface methodology. With the dried Bletilla striata as raw materials, phenol-sulfuric acid method as the method of polysaccharide extraction rate, polysaccharide extraction rate as an indicator, the optimum process conditions for polysaccharide extraction from Bletilla striata were obtained including liquid-solid ratio of 15 mg/mL, extraction temperature 90 °C, extraction time of 90 h, sample immersion time 90 min, and extraction 2 times, achieving the corresponding polysaccharide yield of 48.38%. The antioxidant assays in vitro revealed that the polysaccharides from Bletilla striata exhibited a slight scavenging activity for 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl radicals and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cations.

Hydroxychloroquine, a known antiviral metabolite of chloroquine, is increasingly used along with antibiotic azithromycin for the treatment of COVID-19 infection. In about one month, India, the world’s largest manufacturer, delivered the pharmaceutical ingredient for treating COVID-19 to over 50 countries. Coupled to azithromycin, the therapy is being used across the world both for patients staying at home at the early phase of symptoms, as well as for patients hospitalized. We summarize achievements as of late April 2020, review possible modes of action and suggest avenues for the quick scale-up of production of hydroxychloroquine.

Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f. is a species of genus Bletilla (Family Orchidaceae) and it is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine. Bletilla striata polysaccharides (BSPs) were extracted from the tuber of Bletilla striata. Herein, we reviewed the extraction and purification methods of BSPs, compared the advantages and disadvantages of different methods comprehensively, and analyzed molecular weights and structural characterization of BSPs systematically. In addition, we analyzed hemostasis, anti-oxidation, anti-aging and other functional activities of BSPs to provide scientific basis for further study of BSPs.

Percutaneous penetration enhancers can regulate the transdermal absorption of drugs. Generally speaking, it can be divided into two categories: chemical synthesis and natural sources. Natural percutaneous penetration enhancers have the advantages of safety and mildness. This review summarizes the mechanism and characteristics of three kinds of percutaneous penetration enhancers and their combined application in transdermal drug delivery systems. The three different types of percutaneous penetration enhancers are fatty acids, alkaloids and terpenes. It is expected to provide considerations for the application research of percutaneous penetration enhancers rich in traditional Chinese medicines in transdermal drug delivery systems.

Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis Swingle is known as Foshou fruit that can be used as Chinese medicinal materials and has a health and longevity effect. In recent years, investigations about the chemical compounds of Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis Swingle have shown that its main compounds include flavonoids, essential oils, coumarins, and polysaccharides, with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant activity, effect on the autonomic nervous system, and other pharmacological effects. In this paper, the chemical compositions and pharmacological effects of Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis Swingle are summarized.

Diterpenoids are important chemical constituents isolated from the genus Illicium, which possess many pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, antiviral activities, cytotoxicity, and so on. Up to now, 68 diterpenoids have been isolated from the genus Illicium, and they are classified as abietane-type, pimarane-type and podocarpane-type. In this paper, the chemical constituents and bioactivities of the diterpenoids from the genus Illicium are reviewed.

Augmented reality is a technology-based on an interaction between the virtual and real-world, mixing them and expanding their possibilities. This technology is currently used in the most varied areas of human knowledge. The use of augmented reality in drug package has excellent potential in several diseases and could be an indispensable tool, especially in diseases with low medication adherence. In this context, its application in tuberculosis treatment could be of great help, as this treatment presents two major issues: the long-term treatment time (six months) and its severe side effects resulting in its non-adherence to the treatment. In this article, we aim to address the problems related to tuberculosis treatment causing non-adherence by using augmented reality. Using a smartphone in the medicine packaging could gain valuable information making patients be aware of following the treatment until the end.

^{Nicotiana tabacum} L., well known as tobacco, could be not only used for raw materials of producing cigarettes, but also as a folk Chinese herbal medicine. This paper offers a systematic review of newly reported compounds from N. tabacum over the past four years covering the literatures from the beginning of 2017 through the end of 2020 and describes their structural diversities and bioactivities. A total of 46 natural compounds and 42 references were updated and compiles in this review, which may be of interest to pharmacognosists and natural products chemists.

This study explores the inhibitory effect of triptolide on ovarian cancer cells through in vitro cell and in vivo animal model experiments. We use the CCK-8 survival rate experiment to determine appropriate concentration of triptolide and the type of cell line including SF9, HEK293, A2780 and Skov-3. Furthermore, the cell invasion and migration of A2780 and Skov-3 cells shows that triptolide had a strong inhibitory effect on ovarian cancer cell line. In addition, flow cytometry is used to detect the apoptosis and cycle of A2780 cells. The results prove that the proliferation of ovarian cancer cell lines is significantly inhibited by triptolide at a 200 nmol/L concentration. Finally, in vivo animal model shows a strong inhibitory effect of triptolide with a 200 nmol/L concentration on ovarian cancer. However, HE staining of animal liver, kidney and ovarian tissue section reveals that there is a stronger effect of 200 nmol/L triptolide on the damage of living organs coming from its toxicity. The result offers a chance for reasonable safety use of triptolide.

FlosPopuli is a dry male inflorescence of Populus tomentosa., Populus canadensis. Some researches show that FlosPopuli contains rich flavonoids and phenolic glycosides, which have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-viral effects. In order to systematically understand the chemical compositions and biological activities of FlosPopuli and lay the foundation for subsequent research, this article reviews the two above aspects. Fifty-three kinds of flavonoids, phenol glycosides and others were isolated from FlosPopuli; moreover, their antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and hypolipidemic effects were investigated.

Fourteen arenecarbaldehyde 2-pyridinylhydrazone derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic potential against four cancer cell lines using the MTT assay. The products were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS, and the cytotoxicity results were expressed as the concentration that induced 50% inhibition of cell growth (IC₅₀) in μM. The most active compound was 2-pyridinecarbaldehyde 2-pyridinylhydrazone, with an IC50 value of 0.96 μM, which displayed potent and selective activity against the human prostate cancer cell line, PC3, similar to the antineoplastic drug doxorubicin.

The protective effect of the polysaccharides on ethylene glycol induced kidney impairment has been explored. Polysaccharides have been extracted from Sargassum graminifolium, which belongs to brown algae. Three different doses of polysaccharides were used for rats with kidney stones by ethylene glycol feeding. Then, urinary biochemistry parameters, renal function factors including blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr) levels were detected. Besides, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in kidney tissue were elevated, which belong to proinflammatory cytokines. Moreover, kidney histopathological sections were examined. The results illustrated that polysaccharides not only increased calcium level but also decreased oxalate, Scr, and BUN levels. In addition, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were reduced. Moreover, renal micro-scopic analysis showed polysaccharides treatment alleviated observably calcium oxalate deposits in the kidney tissue. The results indicated that the renoprotective mechanism of SGP may be attributed to suppression of inflammation, reducing the growth of urinary stones and improving kidney function in vivo, which explained SGP through multiple ways to protect kidney cells from damaging of hyperoxaluria rats.

Fifteen compounds, including 11 flavonoids, 2 phenylethanoids and 2 phenylpropanoids, were isolated from the roots of Rhodiola rosea L. Among them, quercetin (1) and quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucoside (2) were afforded from the genus Rhodiola for the first time. All isolates were evaluated for their agitating activities on receptor 5-HT_2A and four compounds (12—15) showed obvious agitating activities, which were probably the main lipid-lowering active components of R. rosea L.