Anticancer Activity of 3,3′‐Diindolylmethane and the Molecular Mechanism Involved in Various Cancer Cell Lines

Polyaromatic Bis(indolyl)methane Derivatives with Antiproliferative and Antiparasitic Activity

Bis(indolyl)methanes (BIMs) are a class of compounds that have been recognized as an important core in the design of drugs with important pharmacological properties, such as promising anticancer and antiparasitic activities. Here, we explored the biological activity of the BIM core functionalized with different (hetero)aromatic moieties. We synthesized substituted BIM derivatives with triphenylamine, N,N-dimethyl-1-naphthylamine and 8-hydroxylquinolyl groups, studied their photophysical properties and evaluated their in vitro antiproliferative and antiparasitic activities. The triphenylamine BIM derivative 2a displayed an IC50 of 3.21, 3.30 and 3.93 μM against Trypanosoma brucei, Leishmania major and HT-29 cancer cell line, respectively. The selectivity index demonstrated that compound 2a was up to eight-fold more active against the parasites and HT-29 than against the healthy cell line MRC-5. Fluorescence microscopy studies with MRC-5 cells and T. brucei parasites incubated with derivative 2a indicate that the compound seems to accumulate in the cell's mitochondria and in the parasite's nucleus. In conclusion, the BIM scaffold functionalized with the triphenylamine moiety proved to be the most promising antiparasitic and anticancer agent of this series.

The Serious Side of Supplements: An Ischemic Stroke in a Healthy 38-year-old Female

The incidence of ischemic stroke in the young is on the rise. With young stroke victims, providers must consider both typical risk factors and other rare causes. We present a case of a healthy, 38-year-old female military dependent who presented with an ischemic right posterior central gyrus stroke in the setting of a patent foramen ovale and supplement diindolylmethane use. This case serves as a reminder of the hazards associated with supplement use and the importance of a thorough investigation of etiology in medical cases of ischemic stroke in the young.

Biosynthesis of anticancer phytochemical compounds and their chemistry

Cancer is a severe health issue, and cancer cases are rising yearly. New anticancer drugs have been developed as our understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind diverse solid tumors, and metastatic malignancies have increased. Plant-derived phytochemical compounds target different oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, protein channels, immune cells, protein channels, and pumps, which have attracted much attention for treating cancer in preclinical studies. Despite the anticancer capabilities of these phytochemical compounds, systemic toxicity, medication resistance, and limited absorption remain more significant obstacles in clinical trials. Therefore, drug combinations of new phytochemical compounds, phytonanomedicine, semi-synthetic, and synthetic analogs should be considered to supplement the existing cancer therapies. It is also crucial to consider different strategies for increased production of phytochemical bioactive substances. The primary goal of this review is to highlight several bioactive anticancer phytochemical compounds found in plants, preclinical research, their synthetic and semi-synthetic analogs, and clinical trials. Additionally, biotechnological and metabolic engineering strategies are explored to enhance the production of bioactive phytochemical compounds. Ligands and their interactions with their putative targets are also explored through molecular docking studies. Therefore, emphasis is given to gathering comprehensive data regarding modern biotechnology, metabolic engineering, molecular biology, and in silico tools.

Evaluation of the target-specific therapeutic potential of herbal compounds for the treatment of cancer

Cancer is among one of the most fatal diseases leading to millions of death around the globe. Chemotherapy is the most popular conventional approach for the treatment of cancer. However, this is usually associated with various side effects and puts the patients under extreme physical and mental stress. Besides, there are increasing concerns about drug resistance. Thus, to surmount these limitations, there is a need to explore some alternative treatments. Studies related to plant-derived compounds are crucial in the search for safer and more efficient treatments. Plants and their associated secondary metabolites have been a revolutionary approach in the field of cancer treatment, as they give answers to almost all the constraints faced by synthetic drugs. Various plants and associated secondary metabolites display a great prospective as cytotoxic anticancer agents due to their specific interference with validated drug targets, such as inhibitors of mitosis, topoisomerase I and II inhibitor, DNA interactive agent, protein kinase inhibitors, inhibitors of DNA synthesis. In this review, the therapeutic potential of various natural compounds and their derivatives are presented based on their molecular targets. These herbal compounds and their derivatives could provide a rich resource for novel anticancer drug development.