Steroids from Commiphora mukul display antiproliferative effect against human prostate cancer PC3 cells via induction of apoptosis

Commiphora mukul (Hook. ex Stocks) Engl.: Historical records, application rules, phytochemistry, pharmacology, clinical research, and adverse reaction

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Commiphora mukul (Hook. ex Stocks) Engl. (also known as Guggulu) is one of the oldest and most prominent herb used in Ayurvedic medicine. Commiphora mukul plants have traditionally been used to treat inflammation, diabetes, rheumatism, arthritis, obesity, and hyperlipidemia. It has long been used in China, India, Greece, and other countries. Commiphora mukul is an over-the-counter dietary supplement in the United States and Western countries. Commiphora mukul has excellent medicinal and commercial value and deserves further investigation.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This paper systematically reviews the historical records, application rules, phytochemistry, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, clinical research, and adverse reactions of C. mukul and provides a reference for its comprehensive application in basic research, new drug development, and clinical treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Literature were collected from databases such as PubMed, CNKI, Web of Science, TBRC, and other sources such as ancient books on traditional medicine, classic books on herbal medicine, and modern monographs. In this study, the application history and modern pharmacological research on C. mukul in the medicine of all ethnic groups were comprehensively and systematically reviewed.

RESULTS

According to the vast literature, the varieties, morphological characteristics, distribution, and description of C. mukul used in Unani medicine, Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, Tibetan medicine, Mongolian medicine, and Uygur medicine are highly consistent. Commiphora mukul is mainly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, obesity, hemorrhoids, urinary system diseases, skin diseases, inflammation, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, tumors, and other diseases. The core medicinal material combination in different ethnic medical preparations was C. mukul-Terminalia chebula Retz. (101 times), C. mukul-Moschus (55 times), C. mukul-Aucklandia lappa (Decne.) Decne. (52 times), and C. mukul-Acorus calamus L (27 times). Phytochemical studies confirmed that 150 components with different structures had been isolated and identified. Z-and E-guggulsterone are the main isomers in C. mukul. C. mukul has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypolipidemic, bone resorption, nervous system protection, myocardial protection, antibacterial, and other pharmacological properties. Clinical studies have only identified the role of C. mukul in treating hemorrhoids and lowering blood lipids.

CONCLUSIONS

As an essential traditional medicine, C. mukul is widely used in the national traditional medicine system, and rich in chemical constituents and exhibit pharmacological activities. This study found that current research on C. mukul mainly focuses on its chemical composition and pharmacological properties. However, scientific research on the quality control of medicinal materials, identification of original plants, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology are relatively weak, and research in this area needs to be strengthened.

Cytotoxic sesquiterpenoid dimers from the resin of Commiphora myrrha Engl

Seven undescribed sesquiterpenoid dimers, commiphomyrones A - G, together with three known analogs, were isolated from the resin of Commiphora myrrha Engl.. The structures of the undescribed compounds were elucidated based on a comprehensive analysis of spectroscopic data (NMR, UV, IR, and MS), and the absolute configurations were defined by comparing the experimental and calculated ECD spectra as well as by performing X-ray crystallographic analysis. All the isolated dimeric sesquiterpenoids feature a 7-oxabicyclo [2.2.1] hept-2-ene moiety formed by the [4 + 2] cycloaddition of two sesquiterpenoids. Commiphomyrones C and G and commiphoratone D showed cytotoxic activity against the HGC-27 cell line with IC50 values of 22.76, 25.01, and 27.51 μM, respectively.

In Vitro Antioxidant and Anticancer Properties of Various E. senegalensis Extracts

Although Erythrina senegalensis is a plant widely used in traditional medicine in sub-Saharan Africa, its biological properties have been poorly investigated to date. We first characterized by conventional reactions the composition of several stem bark extracts and evaluated in acellular and cellular assays their pro- or antioxidant properties supported by their high phenolic and flavonoid content, particularly with the methanolic extract. The pro- or antioxidant effects observed did not correlate with their IC₅₀ concentrations against five cancer cell lines determined by MTT assay. Indeed, the CH₂Cl₂ extract and its ethyl acetate (EtOAc) subfraction appeared more potent although they harbored lower pro- or antioxidant effects. Nevertheless, at equipotent concentration, both extracts induced ER- and mitochondria-derived vacuoles observed by fluorescent microscopy that further led to non-apoptotic cell death. LC coupled to high resolution MS investigations have been performed to identify chemical compounds of the extracts. These investigations highlighted the presence of compounds formerly isolated from E. senegalensis including senegalensein that could be retrieved only in the EtOAc subfraction but also thirteen other compounds, such as 16:3-Glc-stigmasterol and hexadecanoic acid, whose anticancer properties have been previously reported. Nineteen other compounds remain to be identified. In conclusion, E. senegalensis appeared rich in compounds with antioxidant and anticancer properties, supporting its use in traditional practice and its status as a species of interest for further investigations in anticancer drug research.

Myrrh induces the apoptosis and inhibits the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells through down-regulating cyclooxygenase-2 expression

OBJECTIVE

The present study is designed to evaluate the anti-tumor effects of myrrh on human gastric cancer both in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS

The gastric cancer cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay. Apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry and Hoechst 33342 staining. Wound healing was performed to evaluate the effects of myrrh on the migration. COX-2, PCNA, Bcl-2, and Bax expressions were detected by Western blot analysis. A xenograft nude mice model of human gastric cancer was established to evaluate the anti-cancer effect of myrrh in vivo.

RESULTS

Myrrh significantly inhibited cellular proliferation, migration, and induced apoptosis in vitro as well as inhibited tumor growth in vivo. In addition, myrrh inhibited the expression of PCNA, COX-2, and Bcl-2 as well as increased Bax expression in gastric cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

Myrrh may inhibit the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells, as well as induced their apoptosis by down-regulating the expression of COX-2.

Anticancer activity of plant leaves extract collected from a tribal region of India

The goal of this research was to explore the preliminary anticancer properties of five plants namely Calotropis procera, Moringa oleifera, Millettia pinnata, Basela alba and Euphorbia neriifolia available in Jharkhand which is used for the medicinal purpose by local tribes. In the present study, plant leaves from five species were collected, dried and extracted with solvents of increasing polarity, followed by assessment of their cytotoxicity in A549 non-small-cell lung cancer cells. In the antimicrobial assay, the methanol extract of the M. pinnata leaves exhibited comparatively higher zone of inhibition of 0.7 ± 0.20 cm against a Salmonella typhi culture than the other extracts. M. pinnata leaves extract also displayed the maximum percentage inhibition in the DPPH, 83.97 ± 0.01 FRAP, 193.14 ± 3.01 mM assays. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of the chloroform (37.45 ± 1.04) and ethyl acetate extracts (34.20 ± 0.81) of M. pinnata against A549 cells was found relatively higher with respect to another extract. In contrast, a study with the L132 normal epithelial lung cell line revealed less toxicity from the chloroform extract (0.33 ± 0.19) compared to the ethyl acetate extract (6.65 ± 0.59). Based on these findings, phytochemical investigation on chloroform and ethyl acetate extract of M. pinnata was performed using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis revealing the presence of β-sitosterol, lanceolatin B, karanjin, and stigmasterol. Congruently, a complete phytochemical and cytotoxic investigation of the M. pinnata extract constituents might infer the potency of this extract/s as anticancer, antioxidant and antimicrobial agents.

Resveratrol derivatives from Commiphora africana (A. Rich.) Endl. display cytotoxicity and selectivity against several human cancer cell lines

Commiphora africana (A. Rich.) Endl. (Burseraceae) is a medicinal plant widely used in Nigerian ethnomedicine. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the stem bark extract of C. africana and isolated cytotoxic compounds was investigated. Three resveratrol derivatives: (E)-resveratrol 3-O-rutinoside (1), 5-methoxy-(E)-resveratrol 3-O-rutinoside (2), and pinostilbene (3), together with 3-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzoic acid (4) were isolated from the methanol fraction of C. africana. Their structures were determined by extensive analysis of their HREIMS and NMR spectra. The cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds against four human carcinoma cells was determined using the MTT assay. Compound 1 displayed the highest antiproliferative effect on the cell lines, with IC₅₀ values of 16.80, 21.74, 17.89, and 17.44 μM, against MCF7, A549, PC3, and HepG2 human cancer cell lines, respectively. In addition, compounds 1-3 showed low toxicity against normal human prostate cell line, with selectivity indices greater than five across the carcinoma cells, indicating that the compounds possess potential in the development of low-toxicity chemotherapeutic agents. These results support the traditional use of this plant in the treatment of cancer.

Inhibition of human prostate cancer (PC-3) cells and targeting of PC-3-derived prostate cancer stem cells with koenimbin, a natural dietary compound from Murraya koenigii (L) Spreng

BACKGROUND

Inhibition of prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) is an efficient curative maintenance protocol for the prevention of prostate cancer. The objectives of this study were to assess the efficiency of koenimbin, a major biologically active component of Murraya koenigii (L) Spreng, in the suppression of PC-3 cells and to target PC-3-derived cancer stem cells (CSCs) through apoptotic and CSC signaling pathways in vitro.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The antiproliferative activity of koenimbin was examined using MTT, and the apoptotic detection was carried out by acridine orange/propidium iodide (AO/PI) double-staining and multiparametric high-content screening (HCS) assays. Caspase bioluminescence assay, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and immunoblotting were conducted to confirm the expression of apoptotic-associated proteins. Cell cycle analysis was investigated using flow cytometry. Involvement of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) was analyzed using HCS assay. Aldefluor™ and prostasphere formation examinations were used to evaluate the impact of koenimbin on PC-3 CSCs in vitro.

RESULTS

Koenimbin remarkably inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Koenimbin induced nuclear condensation, formation of apoptotic bodies, and G0/G1 phase arrest of PC-3 cells. Koenimbin triggered the activation of caspase-3/7 and caspase-9 and the release of cytochrome c, decreased anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and HSP70 proteins, increased pro-apoptotic Bax proteins, and inhibited NF-κB translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, leading to the activation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Koenimbin significantly (P<0.05) reduced the aldehyde dehydrogenase-positive cell population of PC-3 CSCs and the size and number of PC-3 CSCs in primary, secondary, and tertiary prostaspheres in vitro.

CONCLUSION

Koenimbin has chemotherapeutic potential that may be employed for future treatment through decreasing the recurrence of cancer, resulting in the improvement of cancer management strategies and patient survival.

Cytotoxic activity of the chemical constituents of Clerodendrum indicum and Clerodendrum villosum roots

OBJECTIVE

The roots of two Thai medicinal plants, Clerodendrum indicum and Clerodendrum villosum are found in traditional medicine practices. The aim of this research was to preliminarily study the cytotoxicity of extracts of their roots, and the parts that possessed cytotoxic activity were separated on a chromatograph to identify their active compounds.

METHODS

The extracts of both plants were screened for cytotoxicity on the SW620 cell line and the compounds isolated from the active extracts were further evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against five human cancer cell lines, including SW620, ChaGo-K-1, HepG2, KATO-III and BT-474 using the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.

RESULTS

Dichloromethane extracts of C. indicum and C. villosum were active against the SW620 cell line. Triterpenoids were mostly obtained from the extracts of these plants (0.28% and 1.02%, respectively) and exhibited varying degrees of cytotoxicity and specificity against the tested cell lines. Two triterpenoids, oleanolic acid 3-acetate and betulinic acid, displayed moderate to strong cytotoxicity toward all cancer cell lines, with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values of 1.66-20.49 µmol/L, whereas 3β-hydroxy-D:B-friedo-olean-5-ene and taraxerol were cytotoxic to only the SW620 cell line (IC₅₀ = 23.39 and 2.09 µmol/L, respectively). Triterpenoid, lupeol, showed potent cytotoxicity on both SW620 (IC₅₀ = 1.99 µmol/L) and KATO-III cell lines (IC₅₀ = 1.95 µmol/L), while a flavonoid, pectolinarigenin, displayed moderate cytotoxicity against these cells (IC₅₀ = 13.05 and 24.31 µmol/L, respectively). Although the widely distributed steroid, stigmasterol, was effective against the SW620 cell line (IC₅₀ = 2.79 µmol/L) and β-sitosterol was also active against SW620 (IC₅₀ = 11.26 µmol/L), BT-474 (IC₅₀ = 14.11 µmol/L) and HepG2 cancer cells (IC₅₀ = 20.47 µmol/L), none of the characteristic 24β-ethylsteroids of either Clerodendrum species were shown to be cytotoxic.

CONCLUSION

This study is the first report on the presence of cytotoxic triterpenoids from the roots of these medicinal plants, which have been used in herbal formulas as an antipyretic. Our findings support further in-depth study of this pharmacological activity as an anticancer agent.

Cytotoxic Properties of the Stem Bark of Citrus reticulata Blanco (Rutaceae)

The bioassay-guided fractionation of the n-hexane extract of Citrus reticulata Blanco (Rutaceae) stem bark yielded scoparone (1), xanthyletin (2), lupeol (3), β-amyrin (4), stigmasterol (5), β-sitosterol (6) and palmitic acid. The structures of these compounds were determined by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, i.e., 1D and 2D NMR and EI-MS, and by comparison with the reported data. Extracts, fractions and isolated compounds 1-6 were assessed for cytotoxicity by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-dphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay against three human cancer cell lines, i.e., human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549, human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF7 and human Caucasian prostate adenocarcinoma cell line PC3. Significant activity of the n-hexane and the dichloromethane extracts was observed against the breast cancer cell line MCF7 with IC₅₀ s of 45.6 and 54.7 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the 70% ethyl acetate in n-hexane chromatographic fraction showed significant activity displaying IC₅₀ values of 53.0, 52.4 and 49.1 μg/mL against the cancer cell lines A549, MCF7 and PC3, respectively. Encouragingly, an IC₅₀ of 510.0 μg/mL against the human normal prostate cell line PNT2 indicated very low toxicity and hence favourable selectivity indices for the 70% ethyl acetate in n-hexane fraction in the range of 9.6-10.4 towards cell lines A549, MCF7 and PC3. Because compounds isolated from the above fraction only delivered IC₅₀ values in the range of 18.2-96.3, 9.2-34.1 and 7.5-97.2 μg/mL against A549, MCF7 and PC3 cell lines, respectively, synergistic action between compounds is suggested. Bioassay results valorize the anticancer effectivity of the stem bark of this plant in Cameroonian pharmacopoeia. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Anti-cancer effects of torulene, isolated from Sporidiobolus pararoseus, on human prostate cancer LNCaP and PC-3 cells via a mitochondrial signal pathway and the down-regulation of AR expression

Torulene, inhibit LNCaP and PC-3 cells growth through Bcl-2/Bax mediated apoptosis and AR down-regulation.

New marine sterols from an algal-bearing gorgonian coral Pinnigorgia sp

Four new marine sterols, (22E,24R)-ergosta-5,22-diene-3β,11α-diol (1), (24S)-ergosta-5-ene-3β,11α-diol (2), 5α,6α-epoxy-23-demethylgorgost-8-ene-3β,7α-diol (3), and 5α,6α-epoxy-23-demethylgorgost-8(14)-ene-3β,7α-diol (4), along with a known metabolite, 23-demethylgorgost-7-ene-3β,5α,6β-triol (5), were isolated from an algal-bearing gorgonian coral Pinnigorgia sp., collected off the waters of Taiwan. The structures of these sterols were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods. Sterols 1-5 were tested for in vitro cytotoxicity in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Proliferation of HSCs plays a key role in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis.

γ-Oryzanol reduces caveolin-1 and PCGEM1 expression, markers of aggressiveness in prostate cancer cell lines

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer is a leading cause of death among men due to the limited number of treatment strategies available for advanced disease. γ-oryzanol is a component of rice bran, rich in phytosterols, known for its antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic and endocrinological effects. It is known that γ-oryzanol may affect prostate cancer cells through the down regulation of the antioxidant genes and that phytosterols have anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects. There are evidences showing that some of the components of γ-oryzanol can modulate genes involved in the development and progression of prostate cancer, as caveolin-1 (Cav-1) and prostate specific androgen-regulated gene (PCGEM1).

METHODS

To determine the effects of γ-oryzanol on prostate cancer cell survival we evaluated the cell viability and biomass by MTT and sulforhodamine B assays, respectively. Cell death, cell cycle and pERK1/2 activity were assessed by flow cytometry. The changes in gene expression involved in the survival and progression of prostate cancer cav-1 and PCGEM1 genes were evaluated by quantitative real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and cav-1 protein by immunofluorescence followed by confocal microscopy analysis.

RESULTS

We found that γ-oryzanol decreases cell viability and culture biomass by apoptosis and/or necrosis death in androgen unresponsive (PC3 and DU145) and responsive (LNCaP) cell lines, and signals through pERK1/2 in LNCaP and DU145 cells. γ-oryzanol also appears to block cell cycle progression at the G2/M in PC3 and LNCaP cells and at G0/G1 in DU145 cells. These effects were accompanied by a down regulation in the expression of the cav-1 in both androgen unresponsive cell lines and PCGEM1 gene in DU145 and LNCaP cells.

CONCLUSION

In summary, we used biochemical and genetics approaches to demonstrate that γ-oryzanol show a promising adjuvant role in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Synthesis and anti-cancer evaluation of steroidal diglycoside–pyrazoline hybrids

A new series of pyrazoline-steroidal diglycoside hybrids were synthesized via catalyzed cyclocondensation of the corresponding chalcones, screened for in vitro cytotoxic activity and the SAR deduced.