Anticancer Potential of Myricanone, a Major Bioactive Component of Myrica cerifera: Novel Signaling Cascade for Accomplishing Apoptosis

Asperuloside inhibits the activation of pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts via activating transcription factor 6

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a crucial role in tumor progression and immune evasion. Asperuloside (ASP) is an iridoid glycoside with potential anti-tumor properties. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms of ASP on CAFs, particularly focusing on its effects on activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), a key regulator of endoplasmic reticulum stress.

METHOD

CAFs were treated with different concentrations of ASP (0, 1, 3, and 5 mM), and the role of ATF6 was investigated by over-expressing it in CAFs. Subsequently, western blot was used to detect ATF6, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), fibroblast activating protein (FAP), and vimentin protein levels in CAFs. The collagen gel contraction assay and Transwell assay were applied to evaluate the contraction and migration ability of CAFs. In addition, the interleukin (IL)-6, C-C motif chemokine ligand (CCL)-2, and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL)-10 levels were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

RESULTS

CAFs had significantly higher expression levels of α-SMA, FAP, and vimentin compared to normal fibroblasts (NFs). ASP significantly inhibited the activation, contraction, and migration of CAFs in a concentration-dependent manner. ASP treatment also reduced the expression of cytokines (IL-6, CCL2, and CXCL10) and down-regulated ATF6 levels. Over-expression of ATF6 mitigated the inhibitory effects of ASP.

CONCLUSION

ASP exerts its anti-tumor effects by down-regulating ATF6, thereby inhibiting the activation and function of pancreatic CAFs. These findings suggest that ASP could be a promising therapeutic agent for pancreatic cancer by modulating the tumor microenvironment.

Molecular targets and mechanisms of Guanxinning tablet in treating atherosclerosis: Network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis

BACKGROUND

Guanxinning tablet (GXNT), a Chinese patent medicine, is composed of salvia miltiorrhiza bunge and ligusticum striatum DC, which may play the role of endothelial protection through many pathways. We aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms of GXNT against atherosclerosis (AS) through network pharmacology and molecular docking verification.

METHODS

The active ingredients and their potential targets of GXNT were obtained in traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform and bioinformatics analysis tool for molecular mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine databases. DrugBank, TTD, DisGeNET, OMIM, and GeneCards databases were used to screen the targets of AS. The intersection targets gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analysis were performed in DAVID database. GXNT-AS protein-protein interaction network, ingredient-target network and herb-target-pathway network were constructed by Cytoscape. Finally, we used AutoDock for molecular docking.

RESULTS

We screened 65 active ingredients of GXNT and 70 GXNT-AS intersection targets. The key targets of protein-protein interaction network were AKT1, JUN, STAT3, TNF, TP53, IL6, EGFR, MAPK14, RELA, and CASP3. The Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway enrichment analysis showed that pathways in cancer, lipid and atherosclerosis, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway were the main pathways. The ingredient-target network showed that the key ingredients were luteolin, tanshinone IIA, myricanone, dihydrotanshinlactone, dan-shexinkum d, 2-isopropyl-8-methylphenanthrene-3,4-dione, miltionone I, deoxyneocryptotanshinone, Isotanshinone II and 4-methylenemiltirone. The results of molecular docking showed that tanshinone IIA, dihydrotanshinlactone, dan-shexinkum d, 2-isopropyl-8-methylphenanthrene-3,4-dione, miltionone I, deoxyneocryptotanshinone, Isotanshinone II and 4-methylenemiltirone all had good binding interactions with AKT1, EGFR and MAPK14.

CONCLUSION

The results of network pharmacology and molecular docking showed that the multiple ingredients within GXNT may confer protective effects on the vascular endothelium against AS through multitarget and multichannel mechanisms. AKT1, EGFR and MAPK14 were the core potential targets of GXNT against AS.

Mechanism of Bazhen decoction in the treatment of colorectal cancer based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation

Objective

Bazhen Decoction (BZD) is a common adjuvant therapy drug for colorectal cancer (CRC), although its anti-tumor mechanism is unknown. This study aims to explore the core components, key targets, and potential mechanisms of BZD treatment for CRC.

Methods

The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) was employed to acquire the BZD's active ingredient and targets. Meanwhile, the Drugbank, Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), DisGeNET, and GeneCards databases were used to retrieve pertinent targets for CRC. The Venn plot was used to obtain intersection targets. Cytoscape software was used to construct an "herb-ingredient-target" network and identify core targets. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were conducted using R language software. Molecular docking of key ingredients and core targets of drugs was accomplished using PyMol and Autodock Vina software. Cell and animal research confirmed Bazhen Decoction efficacy and mechanism in treating colorectal cancer.

Results

BZD comprises 173 effective active ingredients. Using four databases, 761 targets related to CRC were identified. The intersection of BZD and CRC yielded 98 targets, which were utilized to construct the "herb-ingredient-target" network. The four key effector components with the most targets were quercetin, kaempferol, licochalcone A, and naringenin. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis revealed that the core targets of BZD in treating CRC were AKT1, MYC, CASP3, ESR1, EGFR, HIF-1A, VEGFR, JUN, INS, and STAT3. The findings from molecular docking suggest that the core ingredient exhibits favorable binding potential with the core target. Furthermore, the GO and KEGG enrichment analysis demonstrates that BZD can modulate multiple signaling pathways related to CRC, like the T cell receptor, PI3K-Akt, apoptosis, P53, and VEGF signaling pathway. In vitro, studies have shown that BZD dose-dependently inhibits colon cancer cell growth and invasion and promotes apoptosis. Animal experiments have shown that BZD treatment can reverse abnormal expression of PI3K, AKT, MYC, EGFR, HIF-1A, VEGFR, JUN, STAT3, CASP3, and TP53 genes. BZD also increases the ratio of CD4+ T cells to CD8+ T cells in the spleen and tumor tissues, boosting IFN-γ expression, essential for anti-tumor immunity. Furthermore, BZD has the potential to downregulate the PD-1 expression on T cell surfaces, indicating its ability to effectively restore T cell function by inhibiting immune checkpoints. The results of HE staining suggest that BZD exhibits favorable safety profiles.

Conclusion

BZD treats CRC through multiple components, targets, and metabolic pathways. BZD can reverse the abnormal expression of genes such as PI3K, AKT, MYC, EGFR, HIF-1A, VEGFR, JUN, STAT3, CASP3, and TP53, and suppresses the progression of colorectal cancer by regulating signaling pathways such as PI3K-AKT, P53, and VEGF. Furthermore, BZD can increase the number of T cells and promote T cell activation in tumor-bearing mice, enhancing the immune function against colorectal cancer. Among them, quercetin, kaempferol, licochalcone A, naringenin, and formaronetin are more highly predictive components related to the T cell activation in colorectal cancer mice. This study is of great significance for the development of novel anti-cancer drugs. It highlights the importance of network pharmacology-based approaches in studying complex traditional Chinese medicine formulations.

Medicinal plants show remarkable antiproliferative potential in human cancer cell lines

Molecules isolated and identified from plant origin are used to manufacture most chemotherapeutic drugs for cancer treatment. We assumed that these plant extracts contain prolific bioactive compounds with potent antiproliferative activities and could be effective against different human cancer cells. Ethanolic extracts were prepared from Chelidonium majus, Myrica cerifera, Fumaria indica, Nigella sativa, and Silybum marianum, and the antiproliferative assay was performed in HepG2 and HeLa human cancer cell lines. All plants extract exhibited antiproliferative potential against studied cancer cell lines in the dose and time-dependent manner. Chelidonium majus and Silybum marianum have shown promising results against HepG2 and HeLa cells, respectively, followed by Myrica cerifera, Fumaria indica, and Nigella sativa. Results indicated that utilization of whole plant extract as anticancer compounds could be of great value in generating novel chemotherapeutic drugs.

[Chuanxiong Rhizoma inhibits brain metastasis of lung cancer through multiple active ingredients acting on multiple targets, pathways and biological functions]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the molecular mechanism mediating the inhibitory effect of Chuanxiong Rhizoma against brain metastasis of lung cancer using network pharmacology methods and molecular docking.

METHODS

The chemical components of Chuanxiong Rhizoma and their targets were obtained through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database. The relevant targets for brain metastasis of lung cancer were screened using the GeneCards database. Clusterpro-filerR package was used to perform GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. Cytoscape and STRING database were used to construct the "active ingredient-target-disease" network and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of Chuanxiong Rhizoma. The core components of Chuanxiong Rhizoma and their targets in the treatment of lung cancer brain metastasis were screened based on the topological parameters, and the results were verified using molecular docking and in Chuanxiong extract- treated human lung cancer PC9 cells by detecting the core target with Western blotting.

RESULTS

Forty-eight active ingredients of Chuanxiong Rhizoma including (Z)-ligustilide, butylphthalide, oleic acid, and myricetone were screened, which target 49 proteins including INS, BDNF, FOS, VEGFA, PTGS2, ESR1, MAPK14, and PTGS1. These proteins participated in 57 biological functions such as nuclear receptor activity, ligand activation, and transcription factor activity, involving 40 signaling pathways such as prolactin signaling pathway, breast cancer, and etrogen signaling. The results of molecular docking showed that myricetone, butylphthalide, 4-hydroxy-3 butylphthalide, (Z)-ligustilide, and ligustalide-E, among others, had strong affinities to 7 cores targets including BDNF, FOS, PTGS2, and MAPK14. In PC9 cells, treatment with Chuanxiong Rhizoma extract resulted in significant reductions in the phosphorylation levels of PI3K, Akt and VEGF (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Chuanxiong Rhizoma contains multiple active ingredients against brain metastasis lung cancer, and these ingredients act on multiple targets involving multiple signal pathways and biological functions.

Virtual screening of the multi-gene regulatory molecular mechanism of Si-Wu-tang against non-triple-negative breast cancer based on network pharmacology combined with experimental validation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Si-Wu-Tang (SWT), a prestigious herbal formula from China, has been extensively used for centuries for female-related diseases. It has been documented that SWT has a significant inhibitory effect on non-triple-negative breast cancer (non-TNBC) cells. However, there has been limited comprehensive analysis of the targeted effects of the anticancer components of SWT and its exact biological mechanism.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aims to uncover the mechanism by which SWT treats non-TNBC by applying a network pharmacological method combined with experimental validation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

First, SWT compounds were collected from the Traditional Chinese Medicines Systems Pharmacology database (TCMSP) and The Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ETCM), and then the targets related to SWT were obtained from the TCMSP and SwissTarget databases. Second, a target data set of non-TNBC proteins was established by using the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), GeneCards and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Third, based on the overlap of targets between SWT and non-TNBC, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built to analyse the interactions among these targets, which focused on screening for hub targets by topology. On these hub genes, we conducted a meta-analysis and survival analysis to screen the best match targets, ESR1, PPARG, CAT, and PTGS2, which had a strong correlation with the ingredients of SWT in our verification by molecular docking. In vitro experiments further proved the reliability of the network pharmacology findings. Finally, FunRich software and the ClusterProfiler package were utilized for the enrichment analysis of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) data.

RESULTS

A total of 141 active ingredients and 116 targets of SWT were selected. GO enrichment analysis showed that the biological processes through which SWT acted against non-TNBC (FDR<0.01) mainly involved modulating energy metabolism and apoptosis. According to RT-qPCR and Western blotting, the mRNA and protein expression of ESR1, PPARG and PTGS2 were upregulated (P < 0.01), and the mRNA and protein levels of CAT were downregulated (P < 0.01), suggesting a multi-gene regulatory molecular mechanism of SWT against non-triple-negative breast cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

This research explored the multi-gene pharmacological mechanism of action of SWT against non-TNBC through network pharmacology and in vitro experiments. The findings provide new ideas for research on the mechanism of action of Chinese medicine against breast cancer.

Network Pharmacology Strategy to Investigate the Pharmacological Mechanism of Siwu Decoction on Primary Dysmenorrhea and Molecular Docking Verification

Objective. To study the pharmacological mechanisms of Siwu decoction (SWD) on primary dysmenorrhea (PDM) and verify with molecular docking. Methods. The  Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) was utilized to acquire the active compounds and their corresponding target genes. The GeneCards database was utilized in the search for target genes that were associated with PDM. The intersection genes from the active target genes of SWD and those associated with PDM represented the active target genes of SWD that act on PDM. The Gene Ontology (GO) function enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were both carried out by RGUI 3.6.1 and Cytoscape 3.6.0 software. Cytoscape was also utilized for creating a compound-target network, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was created through the STRING database. Molecular docking simulations of the macromolecular protein target receptors and their corresponding compounds were performed using AutoDockTool 1.5.6 and AutoDock Vina software. Results. We identified 14 active compounds as well as 97 active target genes of SWD by using the TCMSP. We compared the 97 active target genes of SWD to the 299 target genes related to PDM, and 23 active target genes for SWD that act on PDM which correlated with 11 active compounds were detected. The compound-target network as well as the PPI network were created, in addition to selecting the most essential compounds and their targets in order to create a key compound-target network. The most essential compounds were kaempferol, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and myricanone. The key targets were AKT1, PTGS2, ESR1, AHR, CASP3, and PGR. Lastly, molecular docking was used to confirm binding of the target with its corresponding compound. Conclusion. The pharmacological mechanisms of SWD that act on PDM were investigated, and the active compounds in the SWD for treating PDM were further verified.

Phytochemicals with Added Value from Morella and Myrica Species

Terrestrial plants, due to their sessile nature, are highly exposed to environmental pressure and therefore need to produce very effective molecules that enable them to survive all the threats. Myrica and Morella (Myricaceae) are taxonomically close genera, which include species of trees or shrubs with edible fruits that exhibit relevant uses in traditional medicine. For instance, in Chinese or Japanese folk medicine, they are used to treat diarrhea, digestive problems, headache, burns, and skin diseases. A wide array of compounds isolated from different parts of Myrica and/or Morella species possess several biological activities, like anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, and cardio-/neuro-/hepatoprotective activities, both in vitro and in vivo, with myricanol, myricitrin, quercitrin, and betulin being the most promising. There are still many other compounds isolated from both genera whose biological activities have not been evaluated, which represents an excellent opportunity to discover new applications for those compounds and valorize Morella/Myrica species.

Network Pharmacology Identifies the Mechanisms of Action of TaohongSiwu Decoction Against Essential Hypertension

BACKGROUND TaohongSiwu decoction (THSWT), a traditional herbal formula, has been used to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as essential hypertension (EH) in China. However, the pharmacological mechanism is not clear. To investigate the mechanisms of THSWT in the treatment of EH, we performed compounds, targets prediction and network analysis using a network pharmacology method. MATERIAL AND METHODS We selected chemical constituents and targets of THSWT according to TCMSP and UniProtKB databases and collected therapeutic targets on EH from Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), Drugbank and DisGeNET databases. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) was analyzed by using String database. Then network was constructed by using Cytoscape_v3.7.1, and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment was performed by using Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) software. RESULTS The results of our network pharmacology research showed that the THSWT, composed of 6 Chinese herbs, contained 15 compounds, and 23 genes regulated the main signaling pathways related to EH. Moreover, the PPI network based on targets of THSWT on EH revealed the interaction relationship between targets. These core compounds were 6 of the 15 disease-related compounds in the network, kaempferol, quercetin, luteolin, Myricanone, beta-sitosterol, baicalein, and the core genes contained ADRB2, CALM1, HMOX1, JUN, PPARG, and VEGFA, which were regulated by more than 3 compounds and significantly associated with Calcium signaling pathway, cGMP-PKG signaling pathway, cAMP signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, Rap1 signaling pathway, and Ras signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS This network pharmacological study can reveal potential mechanisms of multi-target and multi-component THSWT in the treatment of EH, provide a scientific basis for studying the mechanism.

The Potential of Chinese Herbal Medicines in the Treatment of Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is a global health issue and places a considerable economic and medical burden on society. Thus, a concerted effort to improve the treatment of cervical cancer is warranted. Although several treatment options are currently available for treating patients with cervical cancer, such as chemoradiation and neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy, more aggressive systemic therapies and newer therapeutic agents are under investigation. Medicinal herbs have long been used to treat diseases. In this review, we summarize studies analyzing the antitumor effects and underlying mechanisms of Chinese herbal medicines, including the effects of crude extracts and compounds in vitro or in animal models for inducing apoptosis and inhibiting invasion or metastasis. Chinese herbal medicines with therapeutic targeting, such as those that interfere with tumor growth and progression in cervical cancer, have been widely investigated. To apply Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of cervical cancer, adequate clinical studies are required to confirm its clinical safety and efficiency. Further investigations focused on the purification, pharmacokinetics, and identification of compounds from Chinese herbal medicines in cervical cancer treatment are necessary to achieve the aforementioned treatment goals.

Genome sequencing provides insights into the evolution and antioxidant activity of Chinese bayberry

Background

Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. & Zucc.) is an economically important fruit tree characterized by its juicy fruits rich in antioxidant compounds. Elucidating the genetic basis of the biosynthesis of active antioxidant compounds in bayberry is fundamental for genetic improvement of bayberry and industrial applications of the fruit’s antioxidant components. Here, we report the genome sequence of a multiple disease-resistant bayberry variety, ‘Zaojia’, in China, and the transcriptome dynamics in the course of fruit development.

Results

A 289.92 Mb draft genome was assembled, and 26,325 protein-encoding genes were predicted. Most of the M. rubra genes in the antioxidant signaling pathways had multiple copies, likely originating from tandem duplication events. Further, many of the genes found here present structural variations or amino acid changes in the conserved functional residues across species. The expression levels of antioxidant genes were generally higher in the early stages of fruit development, and were correlated with the higher levels of total flavonoids and antioxidant capacity, in comparison with the mature fruit stages. Based on both gene expression and biochemical analyses, five genes, namely, caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, anthocyanidin 3-O-glucosyltransferase, (+)-neomenthol dehydrogenase, gibberellin 2-oxidase, and squalene monooxygenase, were suggested to regulate the flavonoid, anthocyanin, monoterpenoid, diterpenoid, and sesquiterpenoid/triterpenoid levels, respectively, during fruit development.

Conclusions

This study describes both the complete genome and transcriptome of M. rubra. The results provide an important basis for future research on the genetic improvement of M. rubra and contribute to the understanding of its genetic evolution. The genome sequences corresponding to representative antioxidant signaling pathways can help revealing useful traits and functional genes.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5818-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Actinorhizal trees and shrubs from Africa: distribution, conservation and uses

Actinorhizal plants are a group of perennial dicotyledonous angiosperms, comprised of more than 200 species, most of which can establish root-nodule symbiosis with the nitrogen fixing actinobacteria of the genus Frankia. They are key providers of fundamental goods and services and can give a major contribution to mitigate the combined effects of climate changes, human population growth and loss of biodiversity. This aspect is particularly relevant for the developing economies of many African countries, which are highly exposed to climate and anthropogenic disturbances. In this work we have analyzed the distribution, conservation and uses of actinorhizal species native to or introduced in Africa. A total of 42 taxa distributed over six botanical families (Betulaceae, Casuarinaceae, Myricaceae, Elaeagnaceae, Rhamnaceae and Coriariaceae) were identified. The vast majority is able to thrive under a range of diverse environments and has multiple ecological and economic potential. More than half of the identified species belong to the genus Morella (Myricaceae), most of them native to Middle, Eastern and Southern Africa. Although the information about the conservation status and uses of Morella spp. is largely incomplete, the available data is indicative of their potential in e.g. forestry and agroforestry, food and medicine. Therefore, efforts should be made to upgrade actinorhizal research in Africa towards the sustainable use of biodiversity at the service of local (bio)economies.

Biological Activities of Triterpenoids and Phenolic Compounds from Myrica cerifera Bark

Seven triterpenoids, 1 - 7, two diarylheptanoids, 8 and 9, four phenolic compounds, 10 - 13, and three other compounds, 14 - 16, were isolated from the hexane and MeOH extracts of the bark of Myrica cerifera L. (Myricaceae). Among these compounds, betulin (1), ursolic acid (3), and myricanol (8) exhibited cytotoxic activities against HL60 (leukemia), A549 (lung), and SK-BR-3 (breast) human cancer cell lines (IC₅₀ 3.1 - 24.2 μm). Compound 8 induced apoptotic cell death in HL60 cells (IC₅₀ 5.3 μm) upon evaluation of the apoptosis-inducing activity by flow cytometric analysis and by Hoechst 33342 staining method. Western blot analysis on HL60 cells revealed that 8 activated caspases-3, -8, and -9 suggesting that 8 induced apoptosis via both mitochondrial and death receptor pathways in HL60. Upon evaluation of the melanogenesis-inhibitory activity in B16 melanoma cells induced with α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), erythrodiol (7), 4-hydroxy-2-methoxyphenyl β-d-glucopyranoside (13), and butyl quinate (15) exhibited inhibitory effects (65.4 - 86.0% melanin content) with no, or almost no, toxicity to the cells (85.9 - 107.4% cell viability) at 100 μm concentration. In addition, 8, myricanone (9), myricitrin (10), protocatechuic acid (11), and gallic acid (12) revealed potent DPPH radical-scavenging activities (IC₅₀ 6.9 - 20.5 μm).

Structural differences in diarylheptanoids analogues from Alnus viridis and Alnus glutinosa influence their activity and selectivity towards cancer cells

Diarylheptanoids represent a group of plant secondary metabolites that possess multiple biological properties and are increasingly recognized for their therapeutic potential. A comparative study was performed on structurally analogous diarylheptanoids isolated from the bark of green (Alnus viridis) and black alder (Alnus glutinosa) to address their biological effects and determine structure-activity relationship. The structures and configurations of all compounds were elucidated by NMR, HR-ESI-MS, UV and IR. Diarylheptanoids actions were studied in human non-small cell lung carcinoma cells (NCI-H460) and normal keratinocytes (HaCaT). A. viridis compounds 3v, 5v, 8v and 9v that possess a carbonyl group at C-3 were considerably more potent than compounds without this group. A. viridis/A. glutinosa analogue pairs, 5v/5g and 9v/9g, which differ in the presence of 3' and 3″-OH groups, were evaluated for anticancer activity and selectivity. 5v and 9v that do not possess 3' and 3″-OH groups showed significantly higher cytotoxicity compared to analogues 5g and 9g. In addition, these two A. viridis compounds induced a more prominent apoptosis in both cell lines and an increase in subG0 cell cycle phase, compared to their A. glutinosa analogues. 5v and 9v treatment triggered intracellular superoxide anion accumulation and notably decreased mitochondrial transmembrane potential. In HaCaT cells, 9v and 9g with a 4,5 double bond caused a more prominent loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential compared to 5v and 5g which possess a 5-methoxy group instead. Although green alder diarylheptanoids 5v and 9v displayed higher cytotoxicity, their analogues from black alder 5g and 9g could be more favorable for therapeutic use since they were more active in cancer cells than in normal keratinocytes. These results indicate that minor differences in the chemical structure can greatly influence the effect of diarylheptanoids on apoptosis and redox status and determine their selectivity towards cancer cells.