Cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction by Juniperus communis extract in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma through activation of p53-induced apoptosis pathway

Beyond Essential Oils: Diterpenes, Lignans, and Biflavonoids from Juniperus communis L. as a Source of Multi-Target Lead Compounds

Common Juniper (Juniperus communis L.) is a gymnosperm that stands out through its fleshy, spherical female cones, often termed simply "berries". The cone berries and various vegetative parts (leaves, twigs and even roots) are used in traditional phytotherapy, based on the beneficial effects exerted by a variety of secondary metabolites. While the volatile compounds of Juniperus communis are known for their aromatic properties and have been well-researched for their antimicrobial effects, this review shifts focus to non-volatile secondary metabolites-specifically diterpenes, lignans, and biflavonoids. These compounds are of significant biomedical interest due to their notable pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer effects. The aim of this review is to offer an up-to-date account of chemical composition of Juniperus communis and related species, with a primary emphasis on the bioactivities of diterpenes, lignans, and biflavonoids. By examining recent preclinical and clinical data, this work assesses the therapeutic potential of these metabolites and their mechanisms of action, underscoring their value in developing new therapeutic options. Additionally, this review addresses the pharmacological efficacy and possible therapeutic applications of Juniperus communis in treating various human diseases, thus supporting its potential role in evidence-based phytotherapy.

Discovery and Mechanistic Studies of Dual-Target Hits for Carbonic Anhydrase IX and VEGFR-2 as Potential Agents for Solid Tumors: X-ray, In Vitro, In Vivo, and In Silico Investigations of Coumarin-Based Thiazoles

A dual-targeting approach is predicted to yield better cancer therapy outcomes. Consequently, a series of coumarin-based thiazoles (5a-h, 6, and 7a-e) were designed and constructed as potential carbonic anhydrase (CA) and VEGFR-2 suppressors. The inhibitory actions of the target compounds were assessed against CA isoforms IX and VEGFR-2. The assay results showed that coumarin-based thiazoles 5a, 5d, and 5e can effectively inhibit both targets. 5a, 5d, and 5e cytotoxic effects were tested on pancreatic, breast, and prostate cancer cells (PANC1, MCF7, and PC3). Further mechanistic investigation disclosed the ability of 5e to interrupt the PANC1 cell progression in the S stage by triggering the apoptotic cascade, as seen by increased levels of caspases 3, 9, and BAX, alongside the Bcl-2 decline. Moreover, the in vivo efficacy of compound 5e as an antitumor agent was evaluated. Also, molecular docking and dynamics displayed distinctive interactions between 5e and CA IX and VEGFR-2 binding pockets.

Anti-Lymphangiogenic Terpenoids from the Heartwood of Taiwan Juniper, Juniperus chinensis var. tsukusiensis

To look in-depth into the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Taiwan juniper, this study investigated the chemical profiles and anti-lymphangiogenic activity of Juniperus chinensis var. tsukusiensis. In this study, four new sesquiterpenes, 12-acetoxywiddrol (1), cedrol-13-al (2), α-corocalen-15-oic acid (3), 1,3,5-bisaoltrien-10-hydroperoxy-11-ol (4), one new diterpene, 1β,2β-epoxy-9α-hydroxy-8(14),11-totaradiene-3,13-dione (5), and thirty-three known terpenoids were successfully isolated from the heartwood of J. chinensis var. tsukusiensis. The structures of all isolates were determined through the analysis of physical data (including appearance, UV, IR, and optical rotation) and spectroscopic data (including 1D, 2D NMR, and HRESIMS). Thirty-four compounds were evaluated for their anti-lymphangiogenic effects in human lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs). Among them, totarolone (6) displayed the most potent anti-lymphangiogenic activity by suppressing cell growth (IC50 = 6 ± 1 µM) of LECs. Moreover, 3β-hydroxytotarol (7), 7-oxototarol (8), and 1-oxo-3β-hydroxytotarol (9) showed moderate growth-inhibitory effects on LECs with IC50 values of 29 ± 1, 28 ± 1, and 45 ± 2 µM, respectively. Totarolone (6) also induced a significant concentration-dependent inhibition of LEC tube formation (IC50 = 9.3 ± 2.5 µM) without cytotoxicity. The structure-activity relationship discussion of aromatic totarane-type diterpenes against lymphangiogenesis of LECs is also included in this study. Altogether, our findings unveiled the promising potential of J. chinensis var. tsukusiensis in developing therapeutics targeting tumor lymphangiogenesis.

Coumaric acid from M. polymorphum extracts reverses the activated state of hepatic stellate cells (GRX) and inhibits their proliferation by decreasing the p53/p21 pathway

Coumaric acid is a phenolic compound found in medicinal plants. Its use has been reported in the treatment of inflammatory diseases, prevention of alterations induced by oxidative stress, as well as acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity. Thus, this study evaluated coumaric acid as a potential treatment for liver fibrosis. Cell proliferation was assessed by the trypan blue exclusion technique and the cytotoxicity of coumaric acid was performed using an LDH assay. Mechanisms of cell apoptosis were evaluated by flow cytometry. The expression of genes associated with apoptosis, cell cycle control, and fibrosis was assessed by qPCR. The production of lipid droplets was quantified by oil red staining. The experiments performed showed that the treatment with coumaric acid was able to reduce cell proliferation without causing cell cytotoxicity or apoptosis. Coumaric acid was able to inhibit the expression of cyclin D1 and CDK's (CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6), increasing p53 and p21, which could lead to cell cycle arrest. Treatment with coumaric acid was also able to revert the activated phenotype of GRX cells to their quiescent state. Thus, our results suggest that coumaric acid has a potential therapeutic effect against liver fibrosis.

Inhibitory Effects of Rabdosia rubescens in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most frequently occurring diseases in the world. Rabdosia rubescens (RR) has been demonstrated to be effective against ESCC; however, the mechanism is unknown. The primary gene modules related to the clinical characteristics of ESCC were initially investigated in this research using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WCGNA) and differential expression gene (DEG) analysis. We employed network pharmacology to study the hub genes linked with RR therapy on ESCC. A molecular docking simulation was achieved to identify the binding activity of central genes to RR compounds. Lastly, a chain of experimentations was used to verify the inhibitory effect of RR water extract on the ESCC cell line in vitro. The outcomes revealed that CCNA2, TOP2A, AURKA, CCNB2, CDK2, CHEK1, and other potential central targets were therapeutic targets for RR treatment of ESCC. In addition, these targets are over-represented in several cancer-related pathways, including the cell cycle signaling pathway and the p53 signaling pathway. The predicted targets displayed good bonding activity with the RR bioactive chemical according to a molecular docking simulation. In vitro experiments revealed that RR water extracts could inhibit ESCC cells, induce cell cycle arrest, inhibit cell proliferation, increase P53 expression, and decrease CCNA2, TOP2A, AURKA, CCNB2, CDK2, and CHEK1. In conclusion, our study reveals the molecular mechanism of RR therapy for ESCC, providing great potential for identifying effective compounds and biomarkers for ESCC therapy.

Juniperus communis extract ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute kidney injury through the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase pathway

Septic shock can aggravate organ dysfunction and even lead to death. Juniperus communis (JCo) extract has been experimentally demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. We investigated the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanism of JCo extract in vivo and in vitro. In a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute kidney injury rat model, JCo extract improved animal survival, reduced kidney injury scores, suppressed kidney injury molecule-1, and preserved E-cadherin expression from LPS damage, as demonstrated by the immunohistochemistry examinations of the rat kidneys. In LPS-stimulated NRK-52E cells, JCo extract inhibited nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and increased adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) expression, prompting the activation of the antioxidant nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2/heme oxygenase-1 pathway against oxidative stress. JCo extract ameliorated LPS-induced acute kidney injury by suppressing NF-κB signaling and stimulating the release of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β through the AMPK pathway.

Salvianolic acid A (Sal A) suppresses malignant progression of glioma and enhances temozolomide (TMZ) sensitivity via repressing transgelin-2 (TAGLN2) mediated phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) / protein kinase B (Akt) pathway

Glioma originated from excessively proliferative and highly invaded glial cells is a common intracranial malignant tumor with poor prognosis. Resistance to temozolomide (TMZ) is a clinical challenge in glioma treatment due to the fact that chemoresistance remains a main obstacle in the improvement of drug efficacy. Salvianolic acid A (Sal A), originated from traditional Chinese herbal medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza, possesses anti-tumor effects and could facilitate the delivery of drugs to brain tumor tissues. In the present work, effects of Sal A on the viability, proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of human glioma cell line U87 cells as well as influence of Sal A on TMZ resistance were measured, so as to identify the biological function of Sal A in the malignant behaviors and chemoresistance of glioma cells. Additionally, activation of TAGLN2/PI3K/Akt pathway in glioma cells was also detected to investigate whether Sal A could regulate TAGLN2/PI3K/Akt to manipulate the progression of glioma and TMZ resistance. Results discovered that Sal A treatment reduced the viability, repressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of glioma cells as well as promoted the apoptosis of glioma cells. Besides, Sal A treatment suppressed TAGLN2/PI3K/Akt pathway in glioma cells. Sal A treatment strengthened the suppressing effect of TMZ on glioma cell proliferation and reinforced the promoting effect of TMZ on glioma cell apoptosis, which were abolished by upregulation of TAGLN2. To conclude, Sal A treatment could suppress the malignant behaviors of glioma cells and improve TMZ sensitivity through inactivating TAGLN2/PI3K/Akt pathway.

Zimbro (Juniperus communis L.) as a Promising Source of Bioactive Compounds and Biomedical Activities: A Review on Recent Trends

Plant-derived products and their extracted compounds have been used in folk medicine since early times. Zimbro or common juniper (Juniperus communis) is traditionally used to treat renal suppression, acute and chronic cystitis, bladder catarrh, albuminuria, leucorrhea, and amenorrhea. These uses are mainly attributed to its bioactive composition, which is very rich in phenolics, terpenoids, organic acids, alkaloids, and volatile compounds. In the last few years, several studies have analyzed the huge potential of this evergreen shrub, describing a wide range of activities with relevance in different biomedical discipline areas, namely antimicrobial potential against human pathogens and foodborne microorganisms, notorious antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, antidiabetic, antihypercholesterolemic and antihyperlipidemic effects, and neuroprotective action, as well as antiproliferative ability against cancer cells and the ability to activate inductive hepato-, renal- and gastroprotective mechanisms. Owing to these promising activities, extracts and bioactive compounds of juniper could be useful for the development of new pharmacological applications in the treatment of several acute and chronic human diseases.

Hesperidin-loaded nanoemulsions improve cytotoxicity, induce apoptosis, and downregulate miR-21 and miR-155 expression in MCF-7

Hesperidin, a ubiquitous plant-based flavanone, was encapsulated into nanoemulsions (HP-NEM) using a spontaneous emulsification method to improve its solubility and enhance bioavailability and efficacy in breast cancer treatment using MCF-7 cell lines. The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of HP-NEM against MCF-7 and its impact on oncomiRs, microRNA-21, and microRNA-155 expression were also assessed. The optimised HP-NEM displayed a spherical shape with 305 ± 40.8 nm, 0.308 ± 0.04, and -11.6 ± 3.30 mV and 93 ± 0.45% for particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta-potential (ζ), and encapsulation efficiency, respectively. Cytotoxicity studies using MTT assay showed selective toxicity of the HP-NEM against MCF-7 without affecting normal cells (HEK 293). Treatment with the HP-NEM induced cell death through apoptosis, cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, and downregulated miR-21 and miR-155 expression in MCF-7. This study supports the use of HP-NEM as a potential therapeutic agent in breast cancer treatment.

Evaluation of anticancer effects of Juniperus communis extract on hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer and accounts for the fourth leading cause of all cancer deaths. Scientific evidence has found that plant extracts seem to be a reliable choice due to their multitarget effects against HCC. Juniperus communis has been used for centuries in traditional medicine and its anticancer properties have been reported. As a result, the purpose of the study was to investigate the anticancer effect and mechanism of J. communis extract (JCo extract) on HCC in vitro and in vivo. In the present study, we found that JCo extract inhibited the growth of human HCC cells by inducing cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, extensive apoptosis and suppressing metastatic protein expressions in HCC cells. Moreover, the combinational treatment of JCo and VP-16 was found to enhance the anticancer effect, revealing that JCo extract might have the potential to be utilized as an adjuvant to promote HCC treatment. Furthermore, in vivo study, JCo extract significantly suppressed HCC tumor growth and extended the lifespan with no or low systemic and pathological toxicity. JCo extract significantly up-regulated the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins and tumor suppressor p53, suppressed VEGF/VEGFR autocrine signaling, down-regulated cell cycle regulatory proteins and MMP2/MMP9 proteins. Overall, our results provide a basis for exploiting JCo extract as a potential anticancer agent against HCC.

Role of Semisulcospira gottschei extract as medicinal food on reflux esophagitis in rats

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a globally prevalent disease and results from a reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus. Existing synthetic drug-based treatments for GERD have various drawbacks including refractory symptoms, relapse, or resistance due to long-term use or may result in mucosal degeneration, polyps, and osteoporosis. Semisulcospira gottschei (SE), a freshwater snail, has been generally consumed as a food source due to its excellent flavor and nutritional value in Korea and considered to have therapeutic properties for various diseases including dyspepsia, stomachache, and hepatic diseases. The present study aims to investigate whether Semisulcospira gottschei extract (SGE) has a protective effect on reflux esophagitis-induced rat models. The anti-inflammatory effects of SGE were evaluated via NO production in LPS-induced Raw 264.7 macrophage. And the protection effects of SGE were analyzed by assessing the amelioration of mucosal damage and expression of inflammation-associated proteins in reflux esophagitis (RE) rats. Our results indicate that SGE significantly suppressed NO production in LPS-induced raw 264.7 cells without any cytotoxicity. We observed mucosal lesions and histological changes in the esophagus of RE control rats. However, SGE treatment markedly ameliorated mucosal lesion ratio indicated through histological changes. SGE administration suppressed the expression of proteins related to inflammation, such as p-NF-κB, p-IκBα, COX-2, and TNF-α, in esophageal tissue. Moreover, SGE elevated the expression of claudin-5, which is a tight junction protein, involved in barrier function of epithelium and endothelium. The results suggest that SGE is useful as a medicinal food in esophagitis and may be helpful in developing effective treatment protocols for GERD.