Anticancer effects of phytol against Sarcoma (S-180) and Human Leukemic (HL-60) cancer cells

Effectiveness of Semecarpus anacardium Linn. fruits in cancer and inflammatory diseases: A mini review

BACKGROUND

Semecarpus anacardium Linn. (SCA) fruits are found in India's sub-Himalayan, tropical, and central regions and have been utilized for centuries in traditional Indian medicine to treat various ailments. In recent times, a growing body of research has emerged indicating that the extracts and active components found in SCA fruits possess qualities that can potentially inhibit the development of cancer and inflammatory markers.

PURPOSE

This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the existing literature on the pharmacological mechanisms underlying the effects of extracts and phytochemicals of SCA fruits in cellular, animal models, and clinical trials of cancer and inflammatory diseases.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted utilizing several databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, preprint platforms, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews using the keywords "Semecarpus anacardium", "Anti-inflammatory," and "cancer". The collection of articles started with establishing the database and continued until April 2024.

RESULTS

Out of 1130 retrieved database records, 316 pertained to systematic reviews. The remaining 814 records focused on examining the anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties of SCA fruits. In the course of these investigations, the four primary cancer types linked to SCA fruits are identified as lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, and blood cancer.

CONCLUSION

The findings will provide more support for investigating SCA fruits in cancer treatment and will furnish thorough reference data and recommendations for future studies on this botanical medication.

Assessment of the anti-cancer potential of Ephedra foeminea leaf extract on MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, 4 T1, and MCF-10 breast cancer cell lines: Cytotoxic, apoptotic and oxidative assays

Ephedra foeminea is traditionally used to treat breast cancer in several Arab countries. Scientific studies have reported different effects of this plant on some cancer cell lines. The current study determined the anti-cancer potential of the methanolic extract of Ephedra foeminea against four different types of breast cancer cell lines in-vitro. The extract was prepared by maceration and phytoconstituents were identified by LC-MS analysis. The IC50 value was determined against MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, 4 T1, and MCF-10 cell lines using the MTT assay. Further investigations were carried out using IC50 concentration of the extract (40.09 µg/ml) to determine live/dead cells by acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining. The effect on the expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was evaluated by flow cytometry. The results were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's test. The LC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 34 and 30 phytoconstituents in positive and negative modes respectively. The Ephedra foeminea extract was most effective against 4 T1 cells in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.001) with an IC50 value of 40.09 µg/ml and showed negligible effect against MCF-10 cells. It increased apoptosis in 77.84 % of 4 T1 cells, as determined by acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining. The extract also increased the ROS expression in the 39.57 % of 4 T1 cells. The study results showed that Ephedra foeminea extract possesses an anti-cancer effect against 4 T1 cells by increasing the expression of ROS and inducing apoptosis in the 4 T1 cells. The result suggests Ephedra foemenia methanolic extract possesses a reasonable anti-cancer effect due to its effect on apoptosis and oxidative pathways. The results confirm the traditional belief that Ephedra is effective against breast cancerز.

The Ethanolic Extract of Dictyopteris Divaricata Induces Apoptosis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells by Inhibiting STAT3 Activity

Dictyopteris divaricata (DD) has been reported to exert diverse pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anticancer potential of the ethanolic extract of DD (EDD) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and to explore the underlying mechanism. EDD significantly suppressed cell proliferation in H1299, PC9, and H1975 NSCLC cells. EDD treatment increased the proportion of Annexin V-positive cells and cells in sub-G1 phase, indicating the induction of apoptosis. This observation was further supported by the presence of fragmented nuclei and increased expression of cleaved PARP and cleaved caspase-3 in NSCLC cells following EDD treatment. Mechanistically, EDD decreased the phosphorylation levels of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and Src. Transfection of constitutively activated STAT3 into H1975 cells partially attenuated EDD-induced apoptosis, highlighting the contribution of STAT3 inhibition to the anticancer activity of EDD. In addition, we identified fucosterol as a major constituent of EDD that exhibited similar anticancer potential in NSCLC cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate that EDD induces apoptosis in NSCLC cells by inhibiting STAT3 activity. We propose EDD as a potential candidate for the development of therapies targeting NSCLC.

Froriepia subpinnata Leaf Extract-Induced Apoptosis in the MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cell Line by Increasing Intracellular Oxidative Stress

Background

Froriepia subpinnata is one of the plants used in the diet of Iranian people. Previous studies have investigated the antioxidant and antibacterial effects of this plant extract, but no study has been conducted on its anticancer properties.

Objectives

In this study, we investigated the effect of F. subpinnata extract on MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

Methods

The inhibitory effect of F. subpinnata leaf extract was determined on the growth of cancer cells by the MTT test. The ROS (reactive oxygen species) test was used to investigate the impact of the extract on intracellular oxidative stress. Flow cytometry and real-time PCR tests were used to investigate the apoptosis-related molecular processes. The GC-MS analysis was performed to determine the most abundant components.

Results

The GC-MS analysis showed that phytol, mono-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), cinnamaldehyde, and neophytadiene constituted 60% of the extracted content. The MTT assay demonstrated that F. subpinnata leaf extract caused 50% lethality at a 400 μg/mL dose in MCF7 cells. The F. subpinnata extract at low doses decreased the ROS level for 24 hours in MCF-7, but by increasing the concentration, the ROS levels increased. At the IC50 dose (inhibitory concentration (IC) associated with 50% impact), the ROS level increased 3.5 times compared to the control group. Examining the effect of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) showed that this antioxidant agent could prevent the lethal impact of the extract and eliminate the ROS increase in MCF7 cells. Flow cytometry and real-time PCR results showed that the extract specifically induced apoptosis through the internal apoptosis pathway in this cancer cell line.

Conclusions

The F. subpinnata extract induced apoptosis by increasing ROS in MCF-7 cancer cells and can be considered for further studies.