Osthole extracted from a citrus fruit that affects apoptosis on A549 cell line by histone deacetylasese inhibition (HDACs)

Discovery of novel osthole derivatives exerting anti-inflammatory effect on DSS-induced ulcerative colitis and LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice

The modification based on natural products is a practical way to find anti-inflammatory drugs. In this study, 26 osthole derivatives were synthesized, and their anti-inflammatory properties were evaluated. The preliminary activity study revealed that most osthole derivatives could effectively inhibit inflammatory cytokines IL-6 secretion in LPS stimulated mouse macrophages J774A.1. Compound 7m exhibited the most effective anti-inflammatory activity (RAW264.7 IL-6 IC50: 4.57 μM, 32 times more active than osthole) in vitro with no significant influence on cell proliferation. Additionally, the mechanistic analysis demonstrated that compound 7m could block MAPK signal transduction by inhibiting the phosphorylation of JNK and p38, thereby inhibiting the release of inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, in vivo functional investigations revealed that 7m could substantially reduce DSS-induced ulcerative colitis and LPS-induced acute lung injury, with good therapeutic effects. The pharmacokinetics and acute toxicity experiments proved the safety and reliability of 7min vivo. Overall, Compound 7m could further be studied as potential anti-inflammatory candidate.

Combined effects of naringin and doxorubicin on the JAK/STAT signaling pathway reduce the development and spread of breast cancer cells

Breast cancer therapy options are limited due to its late diagnosis and poor prognosis. Doxorubicin is the fundamental therapy approach for this disease. Because chemotherapy has numerous adverse effects, the scope of the existing research was to appraise the synergetic effect of doxorubicin and naringin and explore the underlying mechanism. The cytotoxicity of doxorubicin and naringin on MCF-7 was monitored. Furthermore, the expression of STAT3 and JAK1 as well as the apoptotic and metastatic related genes (Bax, Bcl-2, Survivin, and VEGF) were conducted by immunoblotting assay and qRT-PCR. In addition, a wound healing test was utilized to appraise the migration and metastasis of MCF-7. Our results revealed that naringin and doxorubicin had a synergetic inhibitory influence on MCF-7 cells growth and migration. The synergetic action of doxorubicin and naringin effectively hindered the expression of STAT3, JAK1, Bcl-2, Survivin, and VEGF, with a boost in the level of Bax compared to cells treated with either doxorubicin or naringin. In conclusion, our findings imply that combining doxorubicin with naringin may be a favorable strategy for inhibiting the growth of breast cancer.

Antineoplastic activity of plant-derived compounds mediated through inhibition of histone deacetylase: a review

In the combat of treating cancer recent therapeutic approaches are focused towards enzymatic targets as they occupy a pivotal participation in the cascade of oncogenesis and malignancy. There are several enzymes that modulate the epigenetic pathways and chromatin structure related to cancer mutation. Among several epigenetic mechanisms such as methylation, phosphorylation, and sumoylation, acetylation status of histones is crucial and is governed by counteracting enzymes like histone acetyl transferase (HAT) and histone deacetylases (HDAC) which have contradictory effects on the histone acetylation. HDAC inhibition induces chromatin relaxation which forms euchromatin and thereby initiates the expression of certain transcription factors attributed with apoptosis, which are mostly correlated with the expression of the p21 gene and acetylation of H3 and H4 histones. Most of the synthetic and natural HDAC inhibitors elicit antineoplastic effect through activation of various apoptotic pathways and promoting cell cycle arrest at various phases. Due to their promising chemo preventive action and low cytotoxicity against normal host cells, bioactive substances like flavonoids, alkaloids, and polyphenolic compounds from plants have recently gained importance. Even though all bioactive compounds mentioned have an HDAC inhibitory action, some of them have a direct effect and others enhance the effects of the standard well known HDAC inhibitors. In this review, the action of plant derived compounds against histone deacetylases in a variety of in vitro cancer cell lines and in vivo animal models are articulated.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Anticancer Potency of Branched Poly (p-Hydroxy Styrene) Schiff-Bases

A significant issue in cancer biology is finding anticancer therapies that effectively kill cancer cells. Through the use of several aldehydes, Schiff bases based on branched poly (p-hydroxy styrene) are created. The branched polymer is first chloroacetylated, then aminated with 1,4-phenylenediamine, and finally, aldehydes are reacted with the aminated polymer to produce the Schiff base compounds. Through the utilization of FTIR, TGA, XRD, NMR, and elemental analysis, all synthesized Schiff-bases are identified and characterized. Further, the antineoplastic potential of all Schiff bases is evaluated against different cancer cell lines. The results gained from this study indicate that the Schiff base polymers have cytotoxic power against cancer cells depending on cancer cell type and this antiproliferation potency is dose-concentration dependent. Importantly, the prepared S1 Schiff-base polymer shows potent cytotoxicity and is able to trigger the apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in MCF-7 cells. Further, it downregulates VEGFR protein expression. The Schiff base polymers would have extensive applications in the biological disciplines.

Design, Preparation, and Evaluation of Osthol Poly-Butyl-Cyanoacrylate Nanoparticles with Improved In Vitro Anticancer Activity in Neuroblastoma Treatment

Osthol (osthole), known as a neuroprotective drug, has shown potent anticancer activity. However, the potential clinical application of osthol is limited due to its low water solubility and low bioavailability. Polybutyl cyanoacrylate (PBCA) has been widely used to improve the solubility of drugs with poor water solubility. In this study, an orthogonal experimental design (OED) was applied to design the preparation process of PBCA nanoparticles (NPs). Then, nanoparticles were prepared and evaluated in terms of physicochemical properties, in vitro release, and cellular uptake, etc. Further, the anti-cancer activity of osthol-PBCA NPs was demonstrated in SH-SY5Y cells. The pharmacokinetics and area under the curve (AUC) were investigated. The obtained osthol-NPs presented a spherical shape with a particle size of 110 ± 6.7 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.126, and a zeta potential of −13 ± 0.32 mV. Compared with the free osthol, the drugs in osthol-NPs presented better stability and sustained release pattern activity. In vitro analysis using SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells showed that osthol-loaded nanoparticles displayed a significantly enhanced intracellular absorption process (three times) and cytotoxicity compared with free osthol (p < 0.05, increased 10−20%). The in vivo pharmacokinetic study revealed that the AUC of osthol-NPs was 3.3-fold higher than that of free osthol. In conclusion, osthol-PBCA NPs can enhance the bioactivity of osthol, being proposed as a novel, promising vehicle for drug delivery.

Osthole: An up-to-date review of its anticancer potential and mechanisms of action

With its high incidence and mortality rates, cancer is one of the largest health problems worldwide. Investigating various cancer treatment options has been the focus of many domestic and international researchers, and significant progress has been made in the study of the anticancer effects of traditional Chinese medicines. Osthole, a coumarin compound extracted from Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cuss., has become a new research hotspot. There have been many reports on its anticancer effects, and recent studies have elucidated that its underlying mechanism of action mainly involves inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, inducing cancer cell apoptosis, inhibiting invasion and migration of cancer cells, inhibiting cancer angiogenesis, increasing sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs, and reversing multidrug resistance of cancer cells. This mini-review summarizes the research progress on the anticancer effects of osthole in recent years.

Effects of Osthole on Inflammatory Gene Expression and Cytokine Secretion in Histamine-Induced Inflammation in the Caco-2 Cell Line

Hyperactivity of the immune system in the gastrointestinal tract leads to the development of chronic, inflammation-associated disorders. Such diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, are not completely curable, but the specific line of treatment may reduce its symptoms. However, the response to treatment varies among patients, creating a necessity to uncover the pathophysiological basis of immune-mediated diseases and apply novel therapeutic strategies. The present study describes the anti-inflammatory properties of osthole during histamine-induced inflammation in the intestinal Caco-2 cell line. Osthole reduced the secretion of cytokines (CKs) and the expression level of inflammation-associated genes, which were increased after a histamine treatment. We have shown that the secretion of pro-inflammatory CKs (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α) during inflammation may be mediated by NFκB, and, after osthole treatment, this signaling pathway was disrupted. Our results suggest a possible role for osthole in the protection against inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract; thus, osthole may be considered as an anti-inflammatory modulator.

Osthole: an overview of its sources, biological activities, and modification development

Osthole, also known as osthol, is a coumarin derivative found in several medicinal plants such as Cnidium monnieri and Angelica pubescens. It can be obtained via extraction and separation from plants or total synthesis. Plenty of experiments have suggested that osthole exhibited multiple biological activities covering antitumor, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, osteogenic, cardiovascular protective, antimicrobial, and antiparasitic activities. In addition, there has been some research done on the optimization and modification of osthole. This article summarizes the comprehensive information regarding the sources and modification progress of osthole. It also introduces the up-to-date biological activities of osthole, which could be of great value for its use in future research.