Eupatilin regulates proliferation and cell cycle of cervical cancer by regulating hedgehog signalling pathway

Eupatilin attenuates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by activating the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway in mice

Eupatilin is a pharmacologically active flavonoid with a variety of biological activities, such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, anti-allergic and cardioprotective effects. However, whether eupatilin has protective effects on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity remains unknown. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the role of eupatilin in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Mice were exposed to a single dose of doxorubicin (15 mg/kg) to generate doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity or normal saline as a control. To explore the protective effects, mice were intraperitoneally injected with eupatilin daily for 7 days. Then, we examined the changes in cardiac function, inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress to evaluate the effects of eupatilin on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Additionally, RNA-seq analysis was introduced to explore the potential molecular mechanisms. Eupatilin ameliorated doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by attenuating inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis and ameliorated doxorubicin-induced cardiac dysfunction. Mechanistically, eupatilin activated the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, as evidenced by RNA-seq analysis and Western blot analysis. This study provides the first evidence that eupatilin ameliorates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by attenuating inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Pharmacotherapy with eupatilin provides a novel therapeutic regimen for doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

Eupatilin ameliorates postmenopausal osteoporosis via elevating microRNA-211-5p and repressing JAK2/STAT3 pathway

Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) poses a significant threat to women's health worldwide. Eupatilin is a key bioactive component of the Chinese herbal medicine Artemisia asiatica Nakai. Recent research reports have proved the inhibitory function of Eupatilin in many diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 21-23 nucleotide-long, single-stranded, noncoding RNA molecules generated endogenously, and many studies have indicated that miRNAs are involved in the development of osteoporosis. This study explored the role and potential mechanism of Eupatilin underlying PMOP. First, rats were given intragastric administration of Eupatilin every day and subcutaneous injections of oligonucleotides or plasmids that interfered with miR-211-5p or janus kinase 2 (JAK2) once a week. After 4 weeks, the PMOP rat model was established. Then, serum alkaline phosphatase, calcium, and phosphorus levels, as well as femur bone mineral density and biomechanical parameters, were detected. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson staining were applied for detecting the pathological condition of femur, and immunohistochemical staining was for detecting osteocalcin. MC3T3-E1 cells were transfected with plasmid vectors interfering with miR-211-5p or JAK2; and cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase cytotoxicity, and cell mineralization were subsequently examined. The relationship between miR-211-5p and JAK2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway was analyzed. The targeting relation between miR-211-5p and JAK2 was also verified. The experimental results revealed that Eupatilin improved the pathological conditions of PMOP rats by promoting the proliferation and mineralization of osteoblasts. MiR-211-5p was down-regulated and JAK2/STAT3 was upregulated in PMOP rats. Upregulation of miR-211-5p further improved the pathological conditions of PMOP rats based on Eupatilin treatment. MiR-211-5p inhibited the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. JAK2 offset the effects of elevated miR-211-5p on PMOP rats. Overall, Eupatilin attenuates PMOP through elevating miR-211-5p and repressing JAK2/STAT3 pathway, which suggests the utility of Eupatilin as a potential drug for POMP treatment.

Gastroprotective effect of eupatilin, a polymethoxyflavone from Artemisia argyi H.Lév. & Vaniot, in ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury via NF-κB signaling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Artemisia argyi H.Lév. & Vaniot (AA) has been extensively utilized as an important medicine and food homology in China, Japan, Korea, and eastern parts of Russia, owing to its pharmacological effects, which include anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antitussive, and antiallergic properties. Despite the extract of AA can significantly alleviate gastric mucosal injury, its precise material basis for effectiveness is not yet clear. As one of the polymethoxy flavonoids with high content in AA, the gastroprotective activity and molecular mechanism of eupatilin (EUP) require further investigation.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aims to investigate the gastroprotective effects and possible mechanisms of EUP by using an ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury model in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

EUP was isolated from 95% ethanol extract of AA using a systematic phytochemical method. The gastroprotective activity of EUP was evaluated using a male SD rat model with ethanol-induced gastric mucosa injury. Histopathology evaluation of gastric tissues was performed using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. The levels of cytokines in the plasma and tissues were tested using the ELISA kits, while western blot analysis was employed to assess the expressions of COX-2, iNOS, and NF-κB pathway proteins.

RESULTS

A sufficient amount of EUP was obtained from AA through chromatographic methods and identified by NMR experiment. In vivo, experimental results proved that EUP could significantly alleviate pathological features, increased SOD, GSH, and IL-10 levels, and decreased the contents of MDA, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Further in vitro and in vivo Western blot experimental results showed that EUP significantly down-regulates the expressions of the NF-κB signal pathway to relieve inflammatory responses.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that EUP could exert gastroprotective effects by inhibiting inflammation, enhancing gastric mucosal defense, and ameliorating oxidative stress, which is beneficial for providing scientific data for the development of gastric protection.

Eupatilin inhibits xanthine oxidase in vitro and attenuates hyperuricemia and renal injury in vivo

Uric acid (UA) is the final metabolite of purines in the liver that can cause hyperuricemia at high levels. The kidneys are the main excretory organs for UA. The excessive accumulation of UA in the kidneys causes the development of hyperuricemia that often leads to renal injury. Eupatilin (Eup) is a flavonoid natural product that possesses various pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory. We were interested in exploring the potential role of Eup in lowering UA and nephroprotective. We initially investigated the effects of Eup on xanthin oxidase (XOD) activity in vitro, followed by investigating its ability to lower UA levels, anti-inflammatory effects, nephroprotective effects, and the underlying mechanisms using hyperuricemia rats sustained at high UA level. The results showed that Eup had an inhibitory effect on XOD activity in vitro and significantly reduced serum UA, creatinine, BUN, IL-1β and IL-6 levels in hyperuricemic rats, ameliorating inflammation, renal oxidative stress and pathological injury. Furthermore, Eup inhibited ADA and XOD enzyme activities in the liver and serum and modulated GLUT9, URAT1 and ABCG2 protein expression in the kidneys and ileum. Our findings provide a scientific basis for suggesting Eup as an option for a potential treatment for hyperuricemia.

Carvacrol instigates intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis with abrogation of cell cycle progression in cervical cancer cells: Inhibition of Hedgehog/GLI signaling cascade

Recent times have seen a strong surge in therapeutically targeting the hedgehog (HH)/GLI signaling pathway in cervical cancer. HH signaling pathway is reported to be a crucial modulator of carcinogenesis in cervical cancer and is also associated with recurrence and development of chemoresistance. Moreover, our previous reports have established that carvacrol (CAR) inhibited the proliferation of prostate cancer cells via inhibiting the Notch signaling pathway and thus, it was rational to explore its antiproliferative effects in cervical cancer cell lines. Herein, the present study aimed to investigate the anticancer and apoptotic potential of CAR on C33A cervical cancer cells and further explore the underlying mechanisms. We found that CAR significantly suppressed the growth of C33A cells, induced cell cycle arrest, and enhanced programmed cell death along with augmentation in the level of ROS, dissipated mitochondrial membrane potential, activation of caspase cascade, and eventually inhibited the HH signaling cascade. In addition, CAR treatment increased the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins (Bax, Bad, Fas-L, TRAIL, FADDR, cytochrome c) and concomitantly reduced the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL) in C33A cells. CAR mediates the activation of caspase-9 and -3 (intrinsic pathway) and caspase-8 (extrinsic pathway) accompanied by the cleavage of PARP in cervical cancer cells. Thus, CAR induced apoptosis by both the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways. CAR efficiently inhibited the growth of cervical cancer cells via arresting the cell cycle at G0/G1 phase and modulated the gene expression of related proteins (p21, p27, cyclin D1 and CDK4). Moreover, CAR inhibited the HH/GLI signaling pathway by down regulating the expression of SMO, PTCH and GLI1 proteins in cervical carcinoma cells. With evidence of the above results, our data revealed that CAR treatment suppressed the growth of HPV^-C33A cervical cancer cells and further elucidated the mechanistic insights into the functioning of CAR.

Xanthomicrol Activity in Cancer HeLa Cells: Comparison with Other Natural Methoxylated Flavones

The methoxylated flavone xanthomicrol represents an uncommon active phenolic compound identified in herbs/plants with a long application in traditional medicine. It was isolated from a sample of Achillea erba-rotta subsp. moschata (musk yar-row) flowering tops. Xanthomicrol promising biological properties include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities. This study mainly focused on the evaluation of the xanthomicrol impact on lipid metabolism in cancer HeLa cells, together with the investigation of the treatment-induced changes in cell growth, morphology, and apoptosis. At the dose range of 5-100 μM, xanthomicrol (24 h of incubation) significantly reduced viability and modulated lipid profile in cancer Hela cells. It induced marked changes in the phospholipid/cholesterol ratio, significant decreases in the levels of oleic and palmitic acids, and a marked increase of stearic acid, involving an inhibitory effect on de novo lipogenesis and desaturation in cancer cells. Moreover, marked cell morphological alterations, signs of apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase were observed in cancer treated cells. The bioactivity profile of xanthomicrol was compared to that of the anticancer methoxylated flavones eupatilin and artemetin, and structure-activity relationships were underlined.

The role of Hedgehog and Notch signaling pathway in cancer

Notch and Hedgehog signaling are involved in cancer biology and pathology, including the maintenance of tumor cell proliferation, cancer stem-like cells, and the tumor microenvironment. Given the complexity of Notch signaling in tumors, its role as both a tumor promoter and suppressor, and the crosstalk between pathways, the goal of developing clinically safe, effective, tumor-specific Notch-targeted drugs has remained intractable. Drugs developed against the Hedgehog signaling pathway have affirmed definitive therapeutic effects in basal cell carcinoma; however, in some contexts, the challenges of tumor resistance and recurrence leap to the forefront. The efficacy is very limited for other tumor types. In recent years, we have witnessed an exponential increase in the investigation and recognition of the critical roles of the Notch and Hedgehog signaling pathways in cancers, and the crosstalk between these pathways has vast space and value to explore. A series of clinical trials targeting signaling have been launched continually. In this review, we introduce current advances in the understanding of Notch and Hedgehog signaling and the crosstalk between pathways in specific tumor cell populations and microenvironments. Moreover, we also discuss the potential of targeting Notch and Hedgehog for cancer therapy, intending to promote the leap from bench to bedside.

Natural Bioactives: Back to the Future in the Fight against Human Papillomavirus? A Narrative Review

Human papillomavirus (HPV) still represents an important threat to health worldwide. Better therapy in terms of further improvement of outcomes and attenuation of related side-effects is desirable. The pharmaceutical industry has always targeted natural substances-phytochemicals in particular-to identify lead compounds to be clinically validated and industrially produced as antiviral and anticancer drugs. In the field of HPV, numerous naturally occurring bioactives and dietary phytochemicals have been investigated as potentially valuable in vitro and in vivo. Interference with several pathways and improvement of the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents have been demonstrated. Notably, some clinical trials have been conducted. Despite being endowed with general safety, these natural substances are in urgent need of further assessment to foresee their clinical exploitation. This review summarizes the basic research efforts conducted so far in the study of anti-HPV properties of bio-actives with insights into their mechanisms of action and highlights the variety of their natural origin in order to provide comprehensive mapping throughout the different sources. The clinical studies available are reported, as well, to highlight the need of uniformity and consistency of studies in the future to select those natural compounds that may be suited to clinical application.

The role of flavonoids in inhibiting IL-6 and inflammatory arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the synovial joints. RA has well-known clinical manifestations and can cause progressive disability and premature death along with socioeconomic burdens. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been implicated in the pathology of RA where it can stimulate pannus formation, osteoclastogenesis, and oxidative stress. Flavonoids are plant metabolites with beneficial pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, and others. Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds found in a variety of plants, vegetables, and fruits. Many flavonoids have demonstrated anti-arthritic activity mediated mainly through the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This review thoroughly discusses the accumulate data on the role of flavonoids on IL-6 in RA.

The mechanism of microglia-mediated immune inflammation in ischemic stroke and the role of natural botanical components in regulating microglia: A review

Ischemic stroke (IS) is one of the most fatal diseases. Neuroimmunity, inflammation, and oxidative stress play important roles in various complex mechanisms of IS. In particular, the early proinflammatory response resulting from the overactivation of resident microglia and the infiltration of circulating monocytes and macrophages in the brain after cerebral ischemia leads to secondary brain injury. Microglia are innate immune cells in the brain that constantly monitor the brain microenvironment under normal conditions. Once ischemia occurs, microglia are activated to produce dual effects of neurotoxicity and neuroprotection, and the balance of the two effects determines the fate of damaged neurons. The activation of microglia is defined as the classical activation (M1 type) or alternative activation (M2 type). M1 type microglia secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines and neurotoxic mediators to exacerbate neuronal damage, while M2 type microglia promote a repairing anti-inflammatory response. Fine regulation of M1/M2 microglial activation to minimize damage and maximize protection has important therapeutic value. This review focuses on the interaction between M1/M2 microglia and other immune cells involved in the regulation of IS phenotypic characteristics, and the mechanism of natural plant components regulating microglia after IS, providing novel candidate drugs for regulating microglial balance and IS drug development.

Costunolide-Induced Apoptosis via Promoting the Reactive Oxygen Species and Inhibiting AKT/GSK3β Pathway and Activating Autophagy in Gastric Cancer

Objective: Costunolide (Cos) is a sesquiterpene lactone extracted from chicory. Although it possesses anti-tumor effects, the underlying molecular mechanism against gastric cancer cells remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the effect and potential mechanism of Cos on gastric cancer.

Methods: The effect of Cos on HGC-27 and SNU-1 proliferation was detected by CCK-8 and clone formation assay. The changes in cell apoptosis were determined using Hoechst 33258 and tunel staining. The morphology of autophagy was analyzed by autophagosomes with the electron microscope and LC3-immunofluorescence with the confocal microscope. The related protein levels of the cell cycle, apoptosis, autophagy and AKT/GSK3β pathway were determined by Western blot. The anti-tumor activity of Cos was evaluated by subcutaneously xenotransplanting HGC-27 into Balb/c nude mice. The Ki67 and P-AKT levels were examined by immunohistochemistry.

Results: Cos significantly inhibited HGC-27 and SNU-1 growth and induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase. Cos activated intrinsic apoptosis and autophagy through promoting cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and inhibiting the ROS-AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway. Moreover, preincubating gastric carcinoma cells with 3-methyladenine (3-MA), a cell-autophagy inhibitor, significantly alleviated the effects of Cos in inducing cell apoptosis.

Conclusion: Cos induced apoptosis of gastric carcinoma cells via promoting ROS and inhibiting AKT/GSK3β pathway and activating pro-death cell autophagy, which may be an effective strategy to treat gastric cancer.

The Involvement of Natural Polyphenols in the Chemoprevention of Cervical Cancer

From all types of cancer, cervical cancer manages to be in top four most frequent types, with a 6.5% rate of occurrence. The infectious vector that induces the disease, the high-risk Human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a sexually transmitted virus, is capable of transforming the host cell by modulating some of the principal signaling pathways responsible for cell cycle arrest, proliferation, and survival. Fortunately, like other cancer types, cervical cancer can be treated by chirurgical interventions or chemoradiotherapy, but these methods are not exactly the lucky clover of modern medicine because of the adverse effects they have. That is the reason why in the last years the emphasis has been on alternative medicine, more specifically on phytochemicals, as a substantial number of studies showed that diet contributes to cancer prevention and treatment. All these studies are trying to find new chemopreventive agents with less toxicity but high effectiveness both in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this review is to evaluate the literature in order to underline the advantages and disadvantages of polyphenols, a class of dietary compounds, as chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents. This review also aims to present polyphenols from different perspectives, starting with mechanisms of action and ending with their toxicity. The bigger picture illustrates that polyphenols have great potential in cervical cancer prevention, with strong effects on gene modulation.

5-Desmethylsinensetin isolated from Artemisia princeps suppresses the stemness of breast cancer cells via Stat3/IL-6 and Stat3/YAP1 signaling

AIMS

To study 5-desmethylsinensetin exhibiting potential anticancer activity against breast cancer stem cells and the related molecular mechanism.

MAIN METHODS

In this study, isolation of a cancer stem cell (CSC) inhibitor of Artemisia princeps was performed using a silica gel column, a Sephadex gel column, and high-performance liquid chromatography. A single compound was purified via activity-based isolation using mammosphere formation assays. An MTS was used to examine the proliferation of breast cancer cells, and flow cytometry was used to analyze apoptosis and cancer stem cell markers. Western blotting was used to detect the signaling pathway.

RESULTS

The isolated compound was identified as 5-desmethylsinensetin using nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. 5-Desmethylsinensetin suppresses the proliferation and mammosphere formation of breast cancer cells, reduces the subpopulations of CD44⁺/CD24^- and ALDH1⁺ cancer cells, and reduces the transcription of the stemness markers Oct4, c-Myc, Nanog and CD44 in Breast CSCs. 5-Desmethylsinensetin inhibits the total and nuclear expression of Stat3 and p-Stat3, as well as the translocation of YAP1. Additionally, 5-desmethylsinensetin reduces the mRNA and protein levels of IL-6.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that 5-desmethylsinensetin exhibits potential anticancer activity against breast cancer stem cells via Stat3-IL-6 and Stat3-YAP1 signaling.

The dietary flavonoid eupatilin attenuates in vitro lipid peroxidation and targets lipid profile in cancer HeLa cells

Eupatilin is a dietary flavonoid isolated from the alpine wormwoods, used for the genepy liqueur production. This flavone protects cells and tissues against oxidative stress and targets cancer cells, inducing cytotoxicity, cell circle arrest, apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction. This study examines the EUP in vitro antioxidant effects on cholesterol and phospholipid membrane oxidation and explores its ability to modulate the cancer cell lipid profile. This flavone remarkably protected fatty acids and cholesterol against oxidative degradation by scavenging lipoperoxyl radicals. EUP (24 h of incubation) significantly reduced viability and modulated the total lipid and fatty acid profiles in cancer HeLa cells. It induced marked changes in the phospholipid/cholesterol ratio, significant decreases in the levels of oleic and palmitic acids and a marked increase of stearic acid, involving an inhibitory effect on de novo lipogenesis and desaturation in cancer cells. Moreover, a noteworthy mitochondrial membrane depolarization, signs of apoptosis, abnormal mitosis with multi-nucleation (mitotic catastrophe) and morphological alterations were observed in cancer EUP-treated cells. Our results validate the EUP role as antioxidant agent for the treatment/prevention of disorders implicating a membrane lipid oxidative damage and substantiate cell lipid metabolism as another possible target of this dietary natural flavonoid in cancer HeLa cells.

Eupatilin attenuates TGF-β2-induced proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of retinal pigment epithelial cells

PURPOSE

The main characteristic of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is migration, adhesion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE). Eupatilin is a naturally occurring flavone that has the potential to inhibit cell proliferation and EMT. However, its efficacy on the PVR model induced by transforming growth factor-2 (TGF-β2) is unknown. In this study, the potential effect of eupatilin on proliferation and EMT in the treatment of RPE was investigated.

METHODS

Serum starved human RPE cells (ARPE-19) were treated with 10 ng/ml TGF-β2 alone or co-treated with 25 μM eupatilin for 48 h. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were used to assess targets at the mRNA and protein expression level, respectively. Apoptosis and cell cycle progression was assessed by image-based cytometry. The effect of treatment on cell migration was evaluated by wound healing assay.

RESULTS

Eupatilin inhibited TGF-β2-induced RPE cell proliferation via regulating the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis. TGF-β2 upregulated mRNA expression of mesenchymal markers fibronectin and vimentin was significantly downregulated by the treatment, while the epithelial markers E-cadherin and occludin expression was upregulated. The therapy significantly suppressed TGF-β2 encouraged cell migration through downregulating the expression of transcription factors Twist, Snail, and ZEB1 induced by TGF-β2. Furthermore, eupatilin significantly inhibited the expression of MMP-1, -7, and -9, and suppressed NF-κB signalling.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that eupatilin could inhibit the proliferation and transformation into fibroblast-like cells of RPE cells; thus the agent may be a potential therapeutic value in treating PVR.

Eupatilin Inhibits the Proliferation and Migration of Prostate Cancer Cells through Modulation of PTEN and NF-κB Signaling

BACKGROUND

Despite advances in the treatment of prostate cancer, side effects and the risks of developing drug resistance require new therapeutic agents. Eupatilin is a secondary metabolite of Artemisia asiatica and has shown potential anti-tumor activity in some cancers, but its potential in prostate cancer treatment has not yet been evaluated.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of eupatilin on prostate cancer cell proliferation and migration.

METHODS

Human prostate cancer PC3 and LNCaP cells were exposed to eupatilin and its efficacy on cell survival was determined by the MTT test. Apoptosis and cell cycle phases were evaluated by an image-based cytometer. Cell migration and invasion were evaluated by wound healing and matrigel migration assays; the expression of mRNA and protein was assessed by RT-qPCR and Western blot, respectively.

RESULTS

Eupatilin time- and dose-dependently reduced the viability of prostate cancer cells. Exposure of PC3 cells to 12.5μM-50μM eupatilin resulted in apoptosis by upregulating the expression of caspase 3, Bax and cytochrome c. Annexin V assessment also confirmed that eupatilin causes apoptosis. The treatment significantly upregulated the mRNA expression of p53, p21, and p27, causing cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. Administration of eupatilin inhibited migration and invasion of the cells by downregulating the expression of Twist, Slug and MMP-2, -7. In addition, the agent increased protein expression of tumor suppressor PTEN, while transcription factor NF-κB expression was reduced.

CONCLUSION

Eupatilin strongly prevents the proliferation of prostate cancer cells, and suppresses migration and invasion. Due to its therapeutic potential, the clinical use of eupatilin in prostate cancer should also be supported by in vivo studies.

Eupatilin Promotes Cell Death by Calcium Influx through ER-Mitochondria Axis with SERPINB11 Inhibition in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecological cancer-related mortality. The anticancer effect of eupatilin, a family of flavonoids, is known in many cancer types, but it is unclear what mechanism it plays in ovarian cancer. In this study, eupatilin promoted cell death of ovarian cancer cells by activating caspases, cell cycle arrest, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, calcium influx, disruption of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–mitochondria axis with SERPINB11 inhibition, and downregulation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Additionally, eupatilin-reduced SERPINB11 expression enhanced the effect of conventional chemotherapeutic agents against ovarian cancer cell progression. Cotreatment with siSERPINB11 and eupatilin increased calcium-ion-dependent apoptotic activity in ovarian cancer cells. Although there were no significant toxic effects of eupatilin on embryos, eupatilin completely inhibited tumorigenesis in a zebrafish xenograft model. In addition, eupatilin suppressed angiogenesis in zebrafish transgenic models. Collectively, downregulating SERPINB11 with eupatilin against cancer progression may improve therapeutic activity.