A review of the anticancer activity of Azadirachta indica (Neem) in oral cancer

Limonoids from neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) are potential anticancer drug candidates

Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.), a versatile evergreen tree recognized for its ethnopharmacological value, is a rich source of limonoids of the triterpenoid class, endowed with potent medicinal properties. Extracts of neem have been documented to display anticancer effects in diverse malignant cell lines as well as in preclinical animal models that has largely been attributed to the constituent limonoids. Of late, neem limonoids have become the cynosure of research attention as potential candidate agents for cancer prevention and therapy. Among the various limonoids found in neem, azadirachtin, epoxyazadiradione, gedunin, and nimbolide, have been extensively investigated for anticancer activity. Azadirachtin, a potent biodegradable pesticide, exhibits profound antiproliferative effects by preventing mitotic spindle formation and cell division. The antiproliferative activity of gedunin has been demonstrated to be mediated primarily via inhibition of heat shock protein90 and its client proteins. Epoxyazadiradione inhibits pro-inflammatory and kinase-driven signaling pathways to block tumorigenesis. Nimbolide, the most potent cytotoxic neem limonoid, inhibits the growth of cancer cells by regulating the phosphorylation of keystone kinases that drive oncogenic signaling besides modulating the epigenome. There is overwhelming evidence to indicate that neem limonoids exert anticancer effects by preventing the acquisition of hallmark traits of cancer, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis evasion, inflammation, invasion, angiogenesis, and drug resistance. Neem limonoids are value additions to the armamentarium of natural compounds that target aberrant oncogenic signaling to inhibit cancer development and progression.

The complete chloroplast genome of the genus Azadirachta

Azadirachta consists of 2 species and 1 variety indigenous to the tropical areas of the Indo-Malayan region. They are evergreen trees for multi-purpose utilization featured by containing azadirachtin. The complete chloroplast (cp) genome of Azadirachta indica, A. indica var. siamensis and Azadirachta excelsa were reported in this study, which was 160,876 bp, 160,477 bp, and 160,361 bp in length respectively. The whole cp genomes encode 131 genes (37 tRNA genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 86 protein-coding genes) in both A. indica and A. excelsa, while A. indica var. siamensis do not have the rrn4.5S gene in the inverted repeat regions. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that A. indica var. siamensis and A. exselsa were closely related and A. indica was separated from these two species, which suggested that A. siamensis could be a species rather than a variety.

Ethnobotanical study of plants used by the Munda ethnic group living around the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest in southwestern Bangladesh

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants is an integral part of the primary health care (PHC) system in almost every society. For more than two centuries, Munda, a small ethnic group in Bangladesh, has lived around the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest. This mangrove is rich in biodiversity but is threatened by global climate change. Information on the therapeutic use of plants by Munda ethnic minorities remains completely unknown. Therefore, it needs urgent documentation.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the study is (1) to search and compile data on the diversity of medicinal plants used by the Munda people for PHC needs, and (2) Quantitative analysis of these data to identify important medicinal plants and diseases related to treatment by this species.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We conducted repeated field surveys and interviews among 79 Munda informants to collect ethnobotanical data. Informants were selected through random sampling techniques and interviewed using an open and semi-structured questionnaire. We reported the primary (absolute) data as use reports (URs) with frequency citation (FC). The International Classification of Primary Care-2 (ICPC-2) was followed to categorize the therapeutic use of medicinal plants, and quantitative analysis was performed using the FC and informant consensus factor (ICF).

RESULTS

The present study explored and compiled a total of 3199 medicinal URs for 98 medicinal plant species to treat 132 ailment conditions under sixteen (16) ICPC-2 pathological groups. The highest URs (948) were noted for the digestive (D) group treated by 69 plant species, where the highest ICF value was measured for the social problem (Z) disease category (ICF: 1.00). Of the recorded medicinal plants, 17 were identified as true Mangrove (MNG), 24 as Mangrove Associates (MNA), and 57 as Non-Mangrove (NMG) species. Fabaceae (13 species) represented the leading family, followed by Lamiaceae and Compositae (5 species). Herbs (43%) have shown dominant life forms, and the leaves (41%) were frequently used plant parts. The most commonly cited preparation method was juice (24%), and the prevalent mode of administration was oral (62%). Azadirachta indica A. Juss. was the most widely used therapeutic plant species based on FC (39) values. The comparative literature review study reveals that the practices of 15 plants and their ethnomedicinal use by the Munda people are still entirely unexplored and newly reported in Bangladesh. Additionally, therapeutic use of 2 species, Brownlowia tersa (L.) Kosterm., and Dalbergia candenatensis (Dennst.) Prain has not been previously reported worldwide. In addition, 51 plant species (52%) of the total plants studied enlisted on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first ethnobotanical study on the Munda ethnic group in Bangladesh. This study indicates that Munda people still rely on medicinal plants for PHC and have a rich and varied traditional knowledge about the therapeutic use of plants. This study also warns of the high risk of the current availability status of plants in the study area. Therefore, this study calls for urgent steps to protect and conserve high-risk plants that can be done by taking both in-situ and ex-situ measures. In addition, further phytochemical and pharmacological investigations of the important medicinal plants cited in the study have been suggested.

Review On Documented Medicinal Plants Used For The Treatment Of Cancer

Background:

Cancer is a frightful disease and it is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Naturally derived compounds are gaining interest of research workers as they have less toxic side effects as compared to currently used treatments such as chemotherapy. Plants are the pool of chemical compounds which provides a promising future for research on cancer.

Objective:

This review paper provides updated information gathered on medicinal plants and isolated phytoconstituents used as anticancer agents and summarises the plant extracts and their isolated chemical constituents exhibiting anticancer potential on clinical trials.

Methods:

An extensive bibliographic investigation was carried out by analysing worldwide established scientific databases like SCOPUS, PUBMED, SCIELO, ScienceDirect, Springerlink, Web of Science, Wiley, SciFinder and Google Scholar etc. In next few decades, herbal medicine may become a new epoch of medical system.

Results:

Many researches are going on medicinal plants for the treatment of cancer but it is a time to increase further experimental studies on plant extracts and their chemical constituents to find out their mechanism of action at molecular level.

Conclusion:

The article may help many researchers to start off further experimentation that might lead to the drugs for the cancer treatment.

Plant-Based Antioxidant Extracts and Compounds in the Management of Oral Cancer

Oral cancer continues to be a leading cause of death worldwide, and its prevalence is particularly high in developing countries, where people chew tobacco and betel nut on a regular basis. Radiation-, chemo-, targeted-, immuno-, and hormone-based therapies along with surgery are commonly used as part of a treatment plan. However, these treatments frequently result in various unwanted short- to long-term side effects. As a result, there is an urgent need to develop treatment options for oral cancer that have little or no adverse effects. Numerous bioactive compounds derived from various plants have recently attracted attention as therapeutic options for cancer treatment. Antioxidants found in medicinal plants, such as vitamins E, C, and A, reduce damage to the mucosa by neutralizing free radicals found in various oral mucosal lesions. Phytochemicals found in medicinal plants have the potential to modulate cellular signalling pathways that alter the cellular defence mechanisms to protect normal cells from reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induce apoptosis in cancer cells. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of various medicinal plants and phytoconstituents that have shown the potential to be used as oral cancer therapeutics.

Nimbolide, a Neem Limonoid, Is a Promising Candidate for the Anticancer Drug Arsenal

Nimbolide, a major limonoid constituent of Azadirachta indica, commonly known as neem, has attracted increasing research attention owing to its wide spectrum of pharmacological properties, predominantly anticancer activity. Nimbolide is reported to exert potent antiproliferative effects on a myriad cancer cell lines and chemotherapeutic efficacy in preclinical animal tumor models. The potentiality of nimbolide to circumvent multidrug resistance and aid in targeted protein degradation broaden its utility in enhancing therapeutic modalities and outcome. Accumulating evidence indicates that nimbolide prevents the acquisition of cancer hallmarks such as sustained proliferation, apoptosis evasion, invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis, and inflammation by modulating kinase-driven oncogenic signaling networks. Nimbolide has been demonstrated to abrogate aberrant activation of cellular signaling by influencing the subcellular localization of transcription factors and phosphorylation of kinases in addition to influencing the epigenome. Nimbolide, with its ever-expanding repertoire of molecular targets, is a valuable addition to the anticancer drug arsenal.

Kirenol regulates the cell proliferative and inflammatory markers in DMBA-induced oral squamous cell carcinogenesis in hamster

This present findings hypothesized the modulatory effects of kirenol on expression pattern of cell proliferative and inflammatory markers during DMBA induced HBP carcinogenesis. The machinery pathways for chemomodulatory effect of kirenol was investigated by analyzing the levels of antioxidants histological changes, lipid peroxidation and molecular expression pathway of PCNA, NF-κB in the DMBA only painted HBPC. Oral cancer was developed in the HBP model by DMBA (0.5%) three times a week for 14th weeks. We analyzed body weight with deregulated molecular expressions pattern of PCNA and NF-κB was noticed in the DMBA induced hamsters compared to control hamsters. Oral administration of kirenol 30 mg/kg bw, to DMBA induced hamster models reverted the activity of the biochemical markers in Group 4. Besides, tumor tissues of hamsters receive antioxidant capability from kirenol exclaimed significant modifications in DMBA induced causes: inhibits cell proliferation (inhibits PCNA expression) and suppresses inflammation (decreased NF-κB expression) of markers. Taken together, the protective effect of that kirenol an augmenting inflammation of the started cells and exhibited antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, antilipid peroxidative and restores the xenobiotic enzymes levels (phase I and II) system and enhances antioxidant properties in oral carcinoma hamsters, in which turn, is reflected diminished tumor burden, volume, and multiplicity.

Terpenoids from Azadirachta indica are potent inhibitors of Akt: Validation of the anticancer potentials in hepatocellular carcinoma in male Wistar rats

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the commonest primary malignancy with poor patient prognosis and a high mortality rate. In this study, phytochemicals characterized from Azadirachta indica were screened against the catalytic site of Akt, and the anticancer potentials of the extracted leads (terpenoids) were determined in hepatocellular carcinoma in male Wistar rats. The lead compounds are terpenoids; hence, the extraction of terpenoids from A. indica. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) was employed for the characterization of the extract. Diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in male Wistar rats were treated with the terpenoids extract. The hit, lupeol demonstrates inhibition of Akt and is a potential drug candidate. The terpenoids extract downregulate Akt mRNA and demonstrated anti-Akt downstream signaling effects; anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenesis, pro-apoptotic, and cell cycle arrest, it also demonstrated cellular regeneration, hepatoprotection, antioxidant potentials, and cellular repairs in hepatocellular carcinoma in male Wistar rats. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignancy with poor patient prognosis and a high mortality rate. Akt, a serine/threonine kinase is at the crossroad of cell survival, the progression of the cell cycle, cell signaling, cell growth, cell division, and inactivation of pro-apoptotic factors. The inhibition of Akt is an effective therapeutic strategy against HCC. In this study, terpenoids from Azadirachta indica are potent inhibitors of Akt and hitherto demonstrate anticancer potentials. A. indica leaves are readily available globally and more also it is readily cultivated in African and Asia, continents with the highest prevalence of HCC. A. indica terpenoids extract demonstrate anti-HCC potentials and hence should be exploited in this regard.