Identification of genes involved in the regulation of 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide-induced toxicity in T-47D mammary cells

Andrographis paniculata and Andrographolide - A Snapshot on Recent Advances in Nano Drug Delivery Systems against Cancer

Cancer is one of the deadliest illnesses of the 21st century. Chemotherapy and radiation therapies both have considerable side effects. Antitumor antibiotics are one of them. Coughs, common colds, fevers, laryngitis, and infectious disorders have all been treated with Andrographis paniculata for centuries. Extracts of Andrographis effectively treat various ailments, as well as cancer. The most active molecule in Andrographis paniculata is andrographolide a, diterpene, and lactone. Andrographis paniculata and its derivatives have long been used to treat various ailments. Anti-inflammatory and cancerfighting characteristics have been observed in Andrographolide. Andrographolide, a diterpene lactone separated from Andrographis paniculata, has also been shown to have important criticalessential biological protective properties. It has also been suggested that it could be used to treat major human diseases like-rheumatoid like rheumatoid, colitis, and Parkinsons disease. This summary aims to highlight Andrographolide as a promising cancer treatment option. Several databases were searched for andrographolides cytotoxic/anti-cancer effects in pre-clinical and clinical research to serve this purpose. Several studies have shown that Andrographolide is helpful in cancer medication, as detailed in this review.

siRNA Targeting Mcl-1 Potentiates the Anticancer Activity of Andrographolide Nanosuspensions via Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the US. However, recurrence is frequently found despite adjuvant therapy being available. Combination therapy with cytotoxic drugs and gene therapy is being developed to be a new promising cancer treatment strategy. Introducing substituted dithiocarbamate moieties at the C12 position of andrographolide (3nAG) could improve its anticancer selectivity in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. However, its hydrophobicity is one of its main drawbacks. This work successfully prepared 3nAG nanosuspension stabilized with the chitosan derivative NSC (3nAGN-NSC) to increase solubility and pharmacological effectiveness. siRNAs have emerged as a promising therapeutic alternative for interfering with particular mRNA. The 3nAGN-NSC had also induced Mcl-1 mRNA expression in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells at 8, 12, and 24 h. This indicates that, in addition to Mcl-1 silencing by siRNA (siMcl-1) in MCF-7 with substantial Mcl-1 reliance, rationally devised combination treatment may cause the death of cancer cells in breast cancer. The Fa-CI analysis showed that the combination of 3nAGN-NSC and siMcl-1 had a synergistic effect with a combination index (CI) value of 0.75 (CI < 1 indicating synergistic effects) at the fractional inhibition of Fa 0.7. The synergistic effect was validated by flow cytometry, with the induction of apoptosis as the mechanism of reduced cell viability. Our findings suggested the rational use of 3nAGN-NSC in combination with siMcl-1 to kill breast cancer cells.

The Adroitness of Andrographolide as a Natural Weapon Against Colorectal Cancer

The conventional carcinoma treatment generally encompasses the employment of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery or use of cytotoxic drugs. However, recent advances in pharmacological research have divulged the importance of traditional treatments in cancer. The aim of the present review is to provide an overview of the importance of one such medicinal herb of Chinese and Indian origin: Andrographis paniculate on colorectal cancer with special emphasis on its principal bioactive component andrographolide (AGP) and its underlying mechanisms of action. AGP has long been known to possess medicinal properties. Studies led by numerous groups of researchers shed light on its molecular mechanism of action. AGP has been shown to act in a multi-faceted manner in context of colorectal cancer by targeting matrix metalloproteinase-9, Toll-like receptor or NFκB signaling pathways. In this review, we highlighted the recent studies that show that AGP can act as an effective immunomodulator by harnessing effective anti-tumor immune response. Recent studies strongly recommend further research on this compound and its analogues, especially under in-vivo condition to assess its actual potential as a prospective and efficient candidate against colorectal cancer. The current review deals with the roles of this phytomedicine in context of colorectal cancer and briefly describes its perspectives to emerge as an essential anti-cancer drug candidate. Finally, we also point out the drawbacks and difficulties in administration of AGP and indicate the use of nano-formulations of this phytomedicine for better therapeutic efficacy.

Mechanisms underlying the antiproliferative effects of a series of quinoxaline-derived chalcones

The present study aimed to characterize the effects of quinoxaline-derived chalcones, designed on the basis of the selective PI3Kγ inhibitor AS605240, in oral cancer cells. Three lead compounds, namely N9, N17 and N23, were selected from a series of 20 quinoxaline-derived chalcones, based on an initial screening using human and rat squamous cell carcinoma lineages, representing compounds with at least one methoxy radical at the A-ring. The selected chalcones, mainly N9 and N17, displayed marked antiproliferative effects, via apoptosis and autophagy induction, with an increase of sub-G1 population and Akt inhibition. The three chalcones displayed marked in vitro antitumor effects in different protocols with standard chemotherapy drugs, with acceptable toxicity on normal cells. There was no growth retrieval, after exposure to chalcone N9 alone, in a long-term assay to determine the cumulative population doubling (CPD) of human oral cancer cells. A PCR array evaluating 168 genes related to cancer and inflammation, demonstrated striking actions for N9, which altered the expression of 74 genes. Altogether, our results point out quinoxalinic chalcones, mainly N9, as potential strategies for oral cancer treatment.

The effects of Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees extract and diterpenoids on the CYP450 isoforms' activities, a review of possible herb-drug interaction risks

Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees is a popular medicinal plant and its components are used in various traditional product preparations. However, its herb-drug interactions risks remain unclear. This review specifically discusses the various published studies carried out to evaluate the effects of Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees plant extracts and diterpenoids on the CYP450 metabolic enzyme and if the plant components pose a possible herb-drug interaction risk. Unfortunately, the current data are insufficient to indicate if the extracts or diterpenoids can be labeled as in vitro CYP1A2, CYP2C9 or CYP3A4 inhibitors. A complete CYP inhibition assay utilizing human liver microsomes and the derivation of relevant parameters to predict herb-drug interaction risks may be necessary for these isoforms. However, based on the current studies, none of the extracts and diterpenoids exhibited CYP450 induction activity in human hepatocytes or human-derived cell lines. It is crucial that a well-defined experimental design is needed to make a meaningful herb-drug interaction prediction.

A classical genetic solution to enhance the biosynthesis of anticancer phytochemicals in Andrographis paniculata Nees

Andrographolides, the diterpene lactones, are major bioactive phytochemicals which could be found in different parts of the medicinal herb Andrographis paniculata. A number of such compounds namely andrographolide (AG), neoandrographolide (NAG), and 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide (DDAG) have already attracted a great deal of attention due to their potential therapeutic effects in hard-to-treat diseases such as cancers and HIV. Recently, they have also been considered as substrates for the discovery of novel pharmaceutical compounds. Nevertheless, there is still a huge gap in knowledge on the genetic pattern of the biosynthesis of these bioactive compounds. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate the genetic mechanisms controlling the biosynthesis of these phytochemicals using a diallel analysis. The high performance liquid chromatography analysis of the three andrographolides in 210 F₁ progenies confirmed that the biosynthesis of these andrographolides was considerably increased via intraspecific hybridization. The results revealed high, moderate and low heterosis for DDAG, AG and NAG, respectively. Furthermore, the preponderance of non-additive gene actions was affirmed in the enhancement of the three andrographolides contents. The consequence of this type of gene action was the occurrence of high broad-sense and low narrow-sense heritabilities for the above mentioned andrographolides. The prevalence of non-additive gene action suggests the suitability of heterosis breeding and hybrid seed production as a preferred option to produce new plant varieties with higher andrographolide contents using the wild accessions of A. paniculata. Moreover, from an evolutionary point of view, the occurrence of population bottlenecks in the Malaysian accessions of A. paniculata was unveiled by observing a low level of additive genetic variance (V_A) for all the andrographolides.

Scl gene construction, expression and effect on hemangioma

Hemangioma is a tumor that causes vascular endothelial cell hyperplasia, which commonly occur in newborns. Angiogenesis inhibitor targets the processes of angiogenesis, including the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells. A DNA sequence named Scl was designed, recombined into Pichia Pastoris, expressed by fermenting the engineered strain in a bioreactor, and purified the recombinant Scl by SP-sepharose fast flow. Scl can inhibit CAM angiogenesis. Only 1 μg of Scl significantly suppressed the growth of CAM blood vessel, similar to that of 25 μg of angiostatin. Scl showed a strong cytotoxicity on hemangioma cell (ATCC CRL No. 2587). After the drug acted for 24 h, the OD 570 measured value of the PBS control group averaged 1.873, whereas that of the Sc1 drug group was 0.692 (P < 0.01). Using the DeadEndTM Fluorometric TUNEL System, the detection results showed that 92 % of hemangioma cell apoptosis was observed in the Scl protein group, but only 1.3 % in the PBS control group (P < 0.01). After 2 weeks of treatment with the hemangioma model (cock's wattle) of the PBS group, 151 blood vessels with 100 views (40×) were obtained, whereas 250 in the PBS group (P < 0.01). During the two-week medication, the hemangioma model of the PBS group increased by 1.18 cm, whereas only 0.58 cm in the Scl drug group (P < 0.01).