Octyl gallate and gallic acid isolated from Terminalia bellarica regulates normal cell cycle in human breast cancer cell lines

Gallic acid promotes macrophage phagosome acidification and phagolysosome formation by activating NLRP3/mTOR signaling pathway

INTRODUCTION

Gallic acid (GA) has a good therapeutic effect in bacteriological inhibition and plays a variety of functions in maintaining the stability of the immune system. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of GA on the bactericidal activity of macrophages against Vibrio vulnificus (Vv).

METHODS

A cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was carried out to test the cytotoxicity of GA on J774A.1 cells. Concentration of proinflammatory cytokines in J774A.1 cells were evaluated by ELISA. The internalization and degradation of Vv in the phagosomes were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The phagosome acidification and phagolysosome formation were detected to evaluate the bacteria-clearing function of J774A.1 cells. The bactericidal activity of GA in vivo was also investigated by collecting the survival time of Vv infected mice and observing the inflammatory infiltration of organs.

RESULTS

Our results demonstrated that GA at 50 μM significantly inhibited the proinflammatory cytokines levels, promoted phagosome acidification and phagolysosome formation in J774A.1 cells with Vv infection. This may be related to the activation of NLRP3/mTOR signaling pathway. Additionally, GA treatment improves the survival and bactericidal activity of mice infected with Vv.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, GA exerts bactericidal activity against Vv infection by regulating the formation and acidification of phagocytic lysosomes in macrophages.

Gallic acid suppresses the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma through inducing autophagy via the PI3K/Akt/Atg16L1 signaling pathway

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common type of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), is not sensitive to traditional radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The polyphenolic compound Gallic acid (GA) can be naturally found in a variety of fruits, vegetables and plants. Autophagy, an intracellular catabolic process, regulates the lysosomal degradation of organelles and portions in cytoplasm. It was reported that autophagy and GA could affect the development of several cancers. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of GA on ccRCC development and clarify the role of autophagy in this process. In the present study, the effects of GA on the proliferation, migration and invasion of ccRCC cells were investigated in vitro by Cell Counting Kit‑8, colony formation, flow cytometry, wound healing and Transwell migration assays, respectively. Additionally, the effects of GA on ccRCC growth and metastasis were evaluated using hematoxylin‑eosin and immunohistochemical staining in vivo. Moreover, it was sought to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms using transmission electron microscopy, western blotting and reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR analyses. In the present study, it was revealed that GA had a more potent viability inhibitory effect on ccRCC cells (786‑O and ACHN) than the effect on normal renal tubular epithelial cell (HK‑2), which demonstrated that GA selectively inhibits the viability of cancer cells. Furthermore, it was identified that GA dose‑dependently inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of ccRCC cells in vitro and in vivo. It was demonstrated that GA promoted the release of autophagy markers, which played a role in regulating the PI3K/Akt/Atg16L1 signaling pathway. All the aforementioned data provided evidence for the great potential of GA in the treatment of ccRCC.

Identification of octyl gallate, a novel apoptosis-inducing compound for colon cancer therapy, from Sanguisorba officinalis L. by cell membrane chromatography and UHPLC-(Q)TOF-MS/MS

Colon cancer is a common gastrointestinal malignancy that ranks third in incidence among gastrointestinal cancers. Therefore, screening bioactive compounds for treatment of colon cancer is urgently needed. Sanguisorba officinalis L. (SO) has been demonstrated that the extractions or monomers possess potential anti-tumor effect. In this study, we firstly used cell membrane chromatography (CMC) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with (quadrupole) time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-(Q) TOF-MS/MS) to identify a novel active ingredient, octyl gallate (OG), from SO methanol extract (SO-MtOH). HCT116 and SW620 cells lines were used for in vitro research, which showed OG presents great anti-colon cancer effect by inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and repressing the migration and invasion. Furthermore, SW620 bearing athymic nude mice was used to investigate the potential antitumor activity in vivo, which exhibited OG treatment remarkably lessened the tumor volume. Mechanism studies showed that OG downregulated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling axis and induced apoptosis by upregulating the Bax/Bcl-2 protein and the cleaved caspase-3, caspase-9. In conclusion, our research innovatively applied the method of CMC to intriguingly unearth the potential anti-colon cancer ingredient OG and demonstrated its the great antineoplastic activity, which provide a new insight for researchers efficiently developing the novel apoptosis-inducing compound for colon cancer therapy.

Polyethyleneimine in designed nanocomposite based magnetic halloysite nanotubes for extraction and determination of gallic acid in green tea

An innovative and simple nanocomposite denoted as MHNTs@PEI was synthesized for gallic acid (GA) analytical sample pretreatment. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) functionalized was binded onto magnetic halloysite nanotubes (MHNTs) to inhence adsorption capacity. MHNTs@PEI was obtained only through two steps modification (amination and PEI modification). Characterizations showed that there are layers of synthetic PEI on the tubular structure of the material and magnetic spheres on its surface, both indicating successful synthesis of the nanocomposite. Furthermore, the adsorption isotherms and kinetic modeling showed that the Langmuir model and pseudo-first-order model fit the adsorption data, respectively. MHNTs@PEI achieved an adsorption capacity of 158 mg·g-1. Overall, the abundant adsorption sites significantly improved the adsorption performance of the MHNTs@PEI. Regeneration tests demonstrated that the MHNTs@PEI exhibits effective adsorption, even after undergoing five consecutive cycles. Optimization of key parameters (ratio, volume of elution, elution time and frequency) in the process of adsorption and desorption was also conducted. The limit of detection (LOD) and that of the quantification (LOQ) were 0.19 and 0.63 μg·mL-1, respectively, and the recoveries were 95.67-99.43 %. Finally, the excellent magnetism (43.5 emu·g-1) and the adsorption feature of MHNTs@PEI enabled its successful utilization in analytical sample pretreatment through the extraction of GA from green tea.

Octyl Gallate and Gallic Acid Isolated from Terminalia bellirica Circumvent Breast Cancer Progression by Enhancing the Intrinsic Apoptotic Signaling Pathway and Elevating the Levels of Anti-oxidant Enzymes

Exploration of new strategies and identification of less expensive novel chemoprevention agents against breast cancer progression have become the need of the hour. Thus, the present study aimed at evaluating the anti-cancer efficacies of octyl gallate (OG) and gallic acid (GA) isolated from Terminalia bellirica (T. bellirica) in breast cancer cell lines and DMBA-induced Sprague-Dawley animal model. The results of western blot analysis show significant (p < 0.05) downregulation of anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL) expression and up-regulation of pro-apoptotic protein (Bak and Bax) expression in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Our findings also show that DMBA-induced Sprague-Dawley rats (50-55 days old) orally administered with OG (20 mg/kg body wt.) and GA (20 mg/kg body wt.) for a treatment period of 14 weeks were observed for normalized body weight changes and hematological indices and significant reduction of tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen 15.3 (CA 15.3), and oxidative stress (TBARS) in serum, while the activity of anti-oxidant enzyme (SOD, CAT, and GPx) levels estimated in the mammary tissue was found restored back to normal. Computational molecular interaction study was also performed to substantiate the in vitro obtained results. The tissue histology reveals the therapeutic role of OG and GA. The study conducted brings to limelight of the molecular mechanisms of intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway through which OG and GA exert their chemopreventive action. Both OG and GA can be explored further as chemotherapeutic natural drugs for their ability to prevent breast cancer progression.

Alkyl gallates inhibit serine O-acetyltransferase in bacteria and enhance susceptibility of drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria to antibiotics

A principal concept in developing antibacterial agents with selective toxicity is blocking metabolic pathways that are critical for bacterial growth but that mammalian cells lack. Serine O-acetyltransferase (CysE) is an enzyme in many bacteria that catalyzes the first step in l-cysteine biosynthesis by transferring an acetyl group from acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) to l-serine to form O-acetylserine. Because mammalian cells lack this l-cysteine biosynthesis pathway, developing an inhibitor of CysE has been thought to be a way to establish a new class of antibacterial agents. Here, we demonstrated that alkyl gallates such as octyl gallate (OGA) could act as potent CysE inhibitors in vitro and in bacteria. Mass spectrometry analyses indicated that OGA treatment markedly reduced intrabacterial levels of l-cysteine and its metabolites including glutathione and glutathione persulfide in Escherichia coli to a level similar to that found in E. coli lacking the cysE gene. Consistent with the reduction of those antioxidant molecules in bacteria, E. coli became vulnerable to hydrogen peroxide-mediated bacterial killing in the presence of OGA. More important, OGA treatment intensified susceptibilities of metallo-β-lactamase-expressing Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) to carbapenem. Structural analyses showed that alkyl gallate bound to the binding site for acetyl-CoA that limits access of acetyl-CoA to the active site. Our data thus suggest that CysE inhibitors may be used to treat infectious diseases caused by drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria not only via direct antibacterial activity but also by enhancing therapeutic potentials of existing antibiotics.

Octyl gallate targeting the 3C-like protease exhibits highly efficient antiviral activity against swine enteric coronavirus PEDV

Infection with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes severe watery diarrhea in newborn piglets, leading to substantial financial losses for the swine industry. In this study, we screened small molecule drugs targeting 3 C-like protease (3CLpro) by molecular docking, and further evaluated the antiviral activity of the screened drugs against PEDV. Results showed that octyl gallate (OG), a widely used food additive, exhibited strong binding affinity with the 3CLpro active sites of PEDV. Bio-layer interferometry and fluorescence resonance energy transfer revealed that OG directly interacts with PEDV 3CLpro (KD = 549 nM) and inhibits 3CLpro activity (IC₅₀ = 22.15 µM). OG showed a strong inhibition of PEDV replication in vitro. Virus titers were decreased by 0.58 and 0.71 log₁₀ TCID₅₀/mL for the CV777 and HM2017 strains, respectively. In vivo, all piglets in the PEDV-infected group died at 48 h post-infection (hpi), while 75% of piglets in the OG treatment group showed significant relief from the clinical symptoms, pathological damage, and viral loads in the jejunum and ileum. Moreover, the western blotting results showed that OG also has strong antiviral activity against other swine enteric coronaviruses, including transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), and swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV). Our findings revealed that OG could be developed as a novel antiviral drug against PEDV. The OG exhibited a potential broad-spectrum antiviral drug for control of other swine enteric coronaviruses.

Investigation of Antiparasitic Activity of Two Marine Natural Products, Estradiol Benzoate, and Octyl Gallate, on Toxoplasma gondii In Vitro

Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is a common disease worldwide and could be severe and even fatal in immunocompromised individuals and fetuses. Limitation in current available treatment options drives the need to develop novel therapeutics. This study assessed the anti-T. gondii potential of 103 marine natural products. A luminescence-based β-galactosidase activity assay was used to screen the marine natural products library. Afterward, those compounds that displayed over 70% parasite inhibition ratio were further chosen to assess their cytotoxicity. Compounds exhibiting low cytotoxicity (≥80% cell viability) were applied to evaluate the inhibition efficacy on discrete steps of the T. gondii lytic cycle, including invasion, intracellular growth, and egress abilities as well as the cell cycle. We found that both estradiol benzoate and octyl gallate caused >70% inhibition of tachyzoite growth with IC₅₀ values of 4.41 ± 0.94 and 5.66 ± 0.35 μM, respectively, and displayed low cytotoxicity with TD₅₀ values of 34.11 ± 2.86 and 26.4 ± 0.98 μM, respectively. Despite their defects in inhibition of invasion and egress of tachyzoite, the two compounds markedly inhibited the tachyzoite intracellular replication. Flow cytometric analyses further suggested that the anti-T. gondii activity of estradiol benzoate, rather than octyl gallate, may be linked to halting cell cycle progression of tachyzoite from G1 to S phase. Taken together, these findings suggest that both estradiol benzoate and octyl gallate are potential inhibitors for anti-T. gondii infection and support the further exploration of marine natural products as a thinkable source of alternative and active agents against T. gondii.

Octyl gallate decrease lymphocyte activation and regulates neutrophil extracellular traps release

BACKGROUND

Inflammation is a complex mechanism with an objective to destroy and eliminate the invading microorganisms. During acute inflammation, the neutrophils are the major cells involved in this process and, although they defend the organism, must die to not generate damage. The two major mechanisms that drive neutrophils to death are: apoptosis and a novel mechanism recently discovered denominated NETosis. This process is a "suicidal mechanism", in which the cells release "neutrophil extracellular traps" (NETs) during the inflammatory response. Octyl gallate (OG) is one of the gallic acid derivates, with several protective effects, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory in cancer models. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the action of OG on the proliferation of lymphocytes, neutrophils activation, and its effectiveness in an experimental sepsis model.

METHODS

Lymphocytes and neutrophils were obtained from healthy donors. Cell viability, apoptosis, NETs release and antioxidant capacity of OG were observed. In addition, survival was evaluated in an experimental model of sepsis in C57BL/6 mice.

RESULTS

Our study demonstrated, for the first time, that the OG can act as an inhibitor of reactive oxygen species (ROS) release, NETs formation in primary human neutrophils and, modulates the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) effect in neutrophil apoptosis. The OG also inhibited peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) proliferation in vitro. Despite the positive results, we did not observe an increase in the survival of septic animals.

CONCLUSIONS

The pharmacological potential of OG, modulating activation of neutrophils and lymphocytes, suggests the use as an adjuvant therapeutic strategy in inflammatory diseases.

A Network Pharmacology Analysis of the Systems-Perspective Anticancer Mechanisms of the Herbal Drug FDY2004 for Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor with high incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates in women. In recent years, herbal drugs have been assessed as anticancer therapy against breast cancer, owing to their promising therapeutic effects and reduced toxicity. However, their pharmacological mechanisms have not been fully explored at the systemic level. Here, we conducted a network pharmacology analysis of the systems-perspective molecular mechanisms of FDY2004, an anticancer herbal formula that consists of Moutan Radicis Cortex, Persicae Semen , and Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, against breast cancer. We determined that FDY2004 may contain 28 active compounds that exert pharmacological effects by targeting 113 breast cancer-related human genes/proteins. Based on the gene ontology terms, the FDY2004 targets were involved in modulating biological processes such as cell growth, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. Pathway enrichment analysis identified various breast cancer-associated pathways that may mediate the anticancer activity of FDY2004, including the PI3K-Akt, MAPK, TNF, HIF-1, focal adhesion, estrogen, ErbB, NF-kappa B, p53, and VEGF signaling pathways. Thus, our analysis offers novel insights into the anticancer properties of herbal drugs for breast cancer treatment from a systemic perspective.

Analysis, occurrence, toxicity and environmental health risks of synthetic phenolic antioxidants: A review

The continuous improvement of living standards is related to higher requirements for the freshness and taste of food. For example, synthetic phenolic antioxidants (SPAs) are added to fats and fried foods as food additives to minimize the oxidative rancidity of oils and fats. Hence, the global use of SPAs is increasing year by year. Dibutyl hydroxytoluene is one of the widely used SPAs, often in combination with butyl hydroxyanisole or gallate SPAs. The extensive use of these compounds makes them and their transformation products to be widespread in various environmental matrices, including indoor dust, wastewater, river water, sewage sludge, and sediment, as well as human samples, such as nails and urine, at concentrations varying from nanogram per gram (ng/g) to microgram per gram (μg/g). Animal experiments have shown that high-dose SPA exposure is toxic, which may lead to DNA damage and mismatches and the development of cancerous tumors. Since the biosphere shares the same set of genetic codes, humans and animals have many identical or similar feedback mechanisms and information pathways. Therefore, the damage of SPAs to animals may also threaten human health. This review discusses the properties, occurrence, analysis, and environmental health risks of typical SPAs, including butyl hydroxyanisole, dibutyl hydroxytoluene, tert-butylhydroquinone, propyl gallate, octyl gallate, and lauryl gallate, used as food additives. In addition, AO2246, which is used in food packaging bags, is also considered. Future research directions on SPAs and their transformation products (TPs) are identified and discussed.

Gallic acid for cancer therapy: Molecular mechanisms and boosting efficacy by nanoscopical delivery

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Majority of recent research efforts in the field aim to address why cancer resistance to therapy develops and how to overcome or prevent it. In line with this, novel anti-cancer compounds are desperately needed for chemoresistant cancer cells. Phytochemicals, in view of their pharmacological activities and capacity to target various molecular pathways, are of great interest in the development of therapeutics against cancer. Plant-derived-natural products have poor bioavailability which restricts their anti-tumor activity. Gallic acid (GA) is a phenolic acid exclusively found in natural sources such as gallnut, sumac, tea leaves, and oak bark. In this review, we report on the most recent research related to anti-tumor activities of GA in various cancers with a focus on its underlying molecular mechanisms and cellular pathwaysthat that lead to apoptosis and migration of cancer cells. GA down-regulates the expression of molecular pathways involved in cancer progression such as PI3K/Akt. The co-administration of GA with chemotherapeutic agents shows improvements in suppressing cancer malignancy. Various nano-vehicles such as organic- and inorganic nano-materials have been developed for targeted delivery of GA at the tumor site. Here, we suggest that nano-vehicles improve GA bioavailability and its ability for tumor suppression.

A Review of the Health Protective Effects of Phenolic Acids against a Range of Severe Pathologic Conditions (Including Coronavirus-Based Infections)

Phenolic acids comprise a class of phytochemical compounds that can be extracted from various plant sources and are well known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. A few of the most common naturally occurring phenolic acids (i.e., caffeic, carnosic, ferulic, gallic, p-coumaric, rosmarinic, vanillic) have been identified as ingredients of edible botanicals (thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage, mint, etc.). Over the last decade, clinical research has focused on a number of in vitro (in human cells) and in vivo (animal) studies aimed at exploring the health protective effects of phenolic acids against the most severe human diseases. In this review paper, the authors first report on the main structural features of phenolic acids, their most important natural sources and their extraction techniques. Subsequently, the main target of this analysis is to provide an overview of the most recent clinical studies on phenolic acids that investigate their health effects against a range of severe pathologic conditions (e.g., cancer, cardiovascular diseases, hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and viral infections—including coronaviruses-based ones).

Chemical Modification of Glycosaminoglycan Polysaccharides

The linear anionic class of polysaccharides, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), are critical throughout the animal kingdom for developmental processes and the maintenance of healthy tissues. They are also of interest as a means of influencing biochemical processes. One member of the GAG family, heparin, is exploited globally as a major anticoagulant pharmaceutical and there is a growing interest in the potential of other GAGs for diverse applications ranging from skin care to the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions, and from the treatment and prevention of microbial infection to biotechnology. To realize the potential of GAGs, however, it is necessary to develop effective tools that are able to exploit the chemical manipulations to which GAGs are susceptible. Here, the current knowledge concerning the chemical modification of GAGs, one of the principal approaches for the study of the structure-function relationships in these molecules, is reviewed. Some additional methods that were applied successfully to the analysis and/or processing of other carbohydrates, but which could be suitable in GAG chemistry, are also discussed.

Fuzheng Jiedu Xiaoji formulation inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma progression in patients by targeting the AKT/CyclinD1/p21/p27 pathway

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor with limited treatment options. Conventional antitumor therapy combined with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to limit tumor progression has gradually become the focus of complementary and alternative therapies for HCC treatment. The Fuzheng Jiedu Xiaoji formulation (FZJDXJ) alleviates the clinical symptoms of patients and inhibits tumor progression, but its curative effect still requires extensive clinical research and mechanistic analysis.

PURPOSE

To explore the effectiveness of FZJDXJ in HCC patients and investigate its biological function and mechanism underlying anticancer therapy.

METHODS

This randomized controlled clinical trial enrolled 291 HCC patients receiving transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy; patients received either FZJDXJ combined with standard treatment, or standard treatment alone, for 48 weeks. Statistical analyses were performed according to survival time at the end of the trial. The main constituents of the FZJDXJ extracts were identified and evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) and molecular docking. The antitumor effects of FZJDXJ and its specific biological mechanism of action were studied.

RESULTS

After 48 weeks of treatment, one-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were significantly different between the two groups. Co-administration of FZJDXJ and TACE prolonged the OS of HCC patients, especially in BCLC A or B stage. FZJDXJ and TACE treatment effectively extended the PFS of patients, especially in the BCLC B stage. HPLC-MS/MS identified 1619 active constituents of FZJDXJ, including formononetin, chlorogenic acid (CGA), caffeic acid, luteolin, gallic acid, diosgenin, ergosterol endoperoxide, and lupeol, which may function through the AKT/CyclinD1/p21/p27 pathways. Through molecular docking, CGA and gallic acid could effectively combine with Thr308, an important phosphorylation site of AKT1. FZJDXJ inhibited tumor growth in nude mice. In vitro, FZJDXJ-mediated serum inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of liver cancer cells, and promoted cell apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

Clinically, FZJDXJ combined with TACE therapy significantly prolonged OS and PFS and reduced the mortality rate of HCC patients. Mechanistically, FZJDXJ effectively inhibited the proliferation and migration of liver cancer cells through the modulation of the AKT/CyclinD1/p21/p27 pathways, and may be a promising TCM drug for anti-HCC therapy.

Octyl gallate triggers dysfunctional mitochondria leading to ROS driven membrane damage and metabolic inflexibility along with attenuated virulence in Candida albicans

Recently the high incidence of worldwide Candida infections has substantially increased. The growing problem about toxicity of antifungal drugs and multidrug resistance aggravates the need for the development of new effective strategies. Natural compounds in this context represent promising alternatives having potential to be exploited for improving human health. The present study was therefore designed to evaluate the antifungal effect of a naturally occurring phenolic, octyl gallate (OG), on Candida albicans and to investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. We demonstrated that OG at 25 μg/ml could effectively inhibit C. albicans. Mechanistic insights revealed that OG affects mitochondrial functioning as Candida cells exposed to OG did not grow on non-fermentable carbon sources. Dysfunctional mitochondria triggered generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which led to membrane damage mediated by lipid peroxidation. We explored that OG inhibited glucose-induced reduction in external pH and causes decrement in ergosterol levels by 45%. Furthermore, OG impedes the metabolic flexibility of C. albicans by inhibiting the glyoxylate enzyme isocitrate lyase, which was also confirmed by docking analysis. Additionally, OG affected virulence traits such as morphological transition and cell adherence. Furthermore, we depicted that OG not only prevented biofilm formation but eliminates the preformed biofilms. In vivo studies with Caenorhabditis elegans nematode model confirmed that OG could enhance the survival of C. elegans after infection with Candida. Toxicity assay using red blood cells showed only 27.5% haemolytic activity. Taken together, OG is a potent inhibitor of C. albicans that warrants further structural optimization and pharmacological investigations.

Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) roxb. (Bahera) in health and disease: A systematic and comprehensive review

BACKGROUND

Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. is one of the oldest medicinal herbs of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as well as South-East Asia. Its medicinal utility has been described in the different traditional medicinal systems, such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and traditional Chinese medicine.

PURPOSE

The present study is aimed at providing a comprehensive overview on the traditional medicinal use, major phytoconstituents, biological and pharmacological activities and related mechanisms of actions and clinical studies of T. bellirica. Another objective is to describe current limitations and future direction of T. bellirica-related research.

METHODS

PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and EBOSCO host databases were selected to explore literature published between 1980 and 2020 (till March). Keywords used in various combinations comprised of Terminalia bellirica, phytoconstituents, health effects, pharmacological activities, molecular targets, in vitro, in vivo, clinical studies, and disease prevention.

RESULTS

A broad spectrum in vitro and in vivo studies suggested various biological and pharmacological effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, renoprotective, antidiabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and anticancer activities. Diverse bioactivities of T. bellirica have been ascribed to the presence of many bioactive phytochemicals, such as glucoside, tannins, gallic acid, corilagin, ellagic acid, ethyl gallate, galloyl glucose, chebulagic acid, and arjunolic acid.

CONCLUSION

Preclinical and clinical studies have suggested that T. bellirica plant and its phytoconstituents have immense potential for prevention and treatment of various diseases. Additional in vivo studies and clinical trials are warranted to realize the complete medicinal attributes of this plant.

Mapping Pharmacological Network of Multi-Targeting Litchi Ingredients in Cancer Therapeutics

Considerable pharmacological studies have demonstrated that the extracts and ingredients from different parts (seeds, peels, pulps, and flowers) of Litchi exhibited anticancer effects by affecting the proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, metastasis, chemotherapy and radiotherapy sensitivity, stemness, metabolism, angiogenesis, and immunity via multiple targeting. However, there is no systematical analysis on the interaction network of “multiple ingredients-multiple targets-multiple pathways” anticancer effects of Litchi. In this study, we summarized the confirmed anticancer ingredients and molecular targets of Litchi based on published articles and applied network pharmacology approach to explore the complex mechanisms underlying these effects from a perspective of system biology. The top ingredients, top targets, and top pathways of each anticancer function were identified using network pharmacology approach. Further intersecting analyses showed that Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), Gallic acid, Kaempferol, Luteolin, and Betulinic acid were the top ingredients which might be the key ingredients exerting anticancer function of Litchi, while BAX, BCL2, CASP3, and AKT1 were the top targets which might be the main targets underling the anticancer mechanisms of these top ingredients. These results provided references for further understanding and exploration of Litchi as therapeutics in cancer as well as the application of “Component Formula” based on Litchi’s effective ingredients.

Sevoflurane inhibits the progression of ovarian cancer through down-regulating stanniocalcin 1 (STC1)

Background

Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of female death worldwide, with a poor prognosis of advanced patients. Sevoflurane, a volatile anesthetic commonly used in clinical operations, has been reported to have anti-cancer activity against some tumors. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of sevoflurane on the progression of ovarian cancer and its potential mechanism.

Methods

The effects of sevoflurane on ovarian cancer cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, cell cycle, and apoptosis were determined by functional experiments in vitro. Gelatin zymography assay was performed to examine MMP9 activity. In vivo, sevoflurane was injected into mice of transplantation tumor with SKOV3 cells or with pcDNA-STC1 treated SKOV3 cells.

Results

We found that sevoflurane inhibited the viability of SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells in a dose-dependent manner, and colony formation assay revealed that sevoflurane inhibited ovarian cancer cell colony-formation abilities. Additionally, sevoflurane could induce cell cycle arrest and promote cell apoptosis in SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells. Moreover, sevoflurane reduced the migration and invasion abilities of SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells, as well as the MMP-9 activity. Furthermore, sevoflurane down-regulated the expression of stanniocalcin 1 (STC1), and up-regulation of STC1 could reverse the inhibitory effects of sevoflurane on cell proliferation and invasion. In vivo, sevoflurane significantly inhibited the tumor growth, which was be reversed by STC1 overexpression.

Conclusion

These data reveal an anti-cancer activity of sevoflurane on the growth and invasion of ovarian cancer, which may be through down-regulating STC1. Sevoflurane may serve as a potential anti-cancer agent in ovarian cancer therapy.

Suppressive Effects of Octyl Gallate on Streptococcus mutans Biofilm Formation, Acidogenicity, and Gene Expression

The accumulation of biofilm by Streptococcus mutans bacteria on hard tooth tissues leads to dental caries, which remains one of the most prevalent oral diseases. Hence, the development of new antibiofilm agents is of critical importance. The current study reports the results from testing the effectiveness of octyl gallate (C8-OG) against: (1) S. mutans biofilm formation on solid surfaces (polystyrene, glass), (2) acidogenicity, (3) and the expression of biofilm-related genes. The amount of biofilm formed by S. mutans bacteria was evaluated using the colorimetric method and optical profilometry. The pH of the biofilm growth medium was measured with microelectrode. A quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to assess the expression of genes encoding glucan binding protein B (gbpB), glucosyltransferases B, -C, -D (gtfB, -C, -D), and the F-ATPase β subunit of the F₁ protein (atpD). The results show that C8-OG significantly diminished biofilm formation by exposed S. mutans on solid surfaces and suppressed acidogenicity in a dose-dependent manner, compared to unexposed bacteria (p < 0.05). The C8-OG concentration of 100.24 µM inhibited S. mutans biofilm development on solid surfaces by 100% and prevented a decrease in pH levels by 99%. In addition, the RT-qPCR data demonstrate that the biofilm-producing bacteria treated with C8-OG underwent a significant reduction in gene expression in the case of the four genes under study (gbpB, gtfC, gtfD, and atpD), and there was a slight decrease in expression of the gtfB gene. However, C8-OG treatments did not produce significant expression change compared to the control for the planktonic cells, although there was a significant increase for the atpD gene. Therefore, C8-OG might be a potent antibiofilm and/or anticaries agent for oral formulations that aim to reduce the prevalence of dental caries.