Diversolides A-G, guaianolides from the roots of Ferula diversivittata

A comprehensive review on Phyto-MAP: A novel approach of drug discovery against Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis using AYUSH heritage

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Indian system of Traditional medicine, AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) has great potential with a History of Safe Use (HOSU) of thousands of medicinal plants included in pharmacopoeias. The multi-targeted approach of phytoconstituents present in different traditionally used medicinal plants makes them suitable candidates for research against various infective pathogens. MAP which is a dairy-borne pathogen is associated with the development of Johne's disease in ruminants and Crohn's disease like autoimmune disorders in human beings. There are no reliable treatment alternatives available against MAP, leaving surgical removal of intestines as the sole option. Hence, there exists an urgent need to search for leads against such infection.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present review has been conducted to find out the ethnopharmacological evidence about the potential of phytoconstituents against Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), along with the proposal of a potential phyto-MAP mechanism for the very first time taking anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anti-microbial traditional claims into consideration.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We have analyzed and reviewed different volumes of the two main traditional scriptures of India i.e. Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API) and Unani Pharmacopoeia of India (UPI), respectively-for identification of potential anti-MAP plants based on their claims for related disorders. These plants were further investigated systematically for their scientific publications of the last 20 years (2002-2022) available through electronic databases including Google Scholar, Pubmed, and Scopus. The studies conducted in vitro, cell lines, and in vivo levels were taken into consideration along with the associated mechanisms of phytoconstituents.

RESULTS

A total of 70 potential medicinal plants have been identified. Based on the ethnopharmacology, a potential phyto-paratuberculosis (Phyto-paraTB) mechanism has been proposed and out of 70, seven potential anti-MAP plants have been identified to have a great future as anti-MAP.

CONCLUSION

A novel and scientifically viable plan has been proposed for addressing anti-MAP plants for stimulating research against MAP and related disorders using mass-trusted AYUSH medicine, which can be used as an alternative remedy in resistance cases otherwise can be advocated as an adjuvant with modern treatments for better management of the disease.

Sesquiterpenes and Sesquiterpene Derivatives from Ferula: Their Chemical Structures, Biosynthetic Pathways, and Biological Properties

Ferula is a genus of flowering plants known for its edible and medicinal properties. Since ancient times, many species of Ferula have been used in traditional medicine to treat various health issues across countries, such as digestive disorders, respiratory problems, and even as a remedy for headaches and toothaches. In addition, they are also used as a flavoring agent in various cuisines. As the main active ingredients in Ferula, sesquiterpenes and their derivatives, especially sesquiterpene coumarins, sesquiterpene phenylpropanoids, and sesquiterpene chromones, have attracted the attention of scientists due to the diversity of their chemical structures, as well as their extensive and promising biological properties, such as antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial properties. However, there has not been a comprehensive review of sesquiterpenes and their derivatives from this plant. This review aims to provide an overview of the chemical structures, biosynthetic pathways, and biological properties of sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpene derivatives from Ferula, which may help guide future research directions and possible application methods for this valuable edible and medicinal plant.

Antibacterial and Antifungal Terpenes from the Medicinal Angiosperms of Asia and the Pacific: Haystacks and Gold Needles

This review identifies terpenes isolated from the medicinal Angiosperms of Asia and the Pacific with antibacterial and/or antifungal activities and analyses their distribution, molecular mass, solubility, and modes of action. All data in this review were compiled from Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, ChemSpider, PubChem, and library searches from 1968 to 2022. About 300 antibacterial and/or antifungal terpenes were identified during this period. Terpenes with a MIC ≤ 2 µg/mL are mostly amphiphilic and active against Gram-positive bacteria, with a molecular mass ranging from about 150 to 550 g/mol, and a polar surface area around 20 Ų. Carvacrol, celastrol, cuminol, dysoxyhainic acid I, ent-1β,14β-diacetoxy-7α-hydroxykaur-16-en-15-one, ergosterol-5,8-endoperoxide, geranylgeraniol, gossypol, 16α-hydroxy-cleroda-3,13 (14)Z-diene-15,16-olide, 7-hydroxycadalene, 17-hydroxyjolkinolide B, (20R)-3β-hydroxy-24,25,26,27-tetranor-5α cycloartan-23,21-olide, mansonone F, (+)-6,6'-methoxygossypol, polygodial, pristimerin, terpinen-4-ol, and α-terpineol are chemical frameworks that could be candidates for the further development of lead antibacterial or antifungal drugs.

The Cao-Xiang-Wei-Kang formula attenuates the progression of experimental colitis by restoring the homeostasis of the microbiome and suppressing inflammation

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is pathologically characterized by an immune response accommodative insufficiency and dysbiosis accompanied by persistent epithelial barrier dysfunction. The Cao-Xiang-Wei-Kang (CW) formula has been utilized to treat gastrointestinal disorders in the clinic. The present study was designed to delineate the pharmacological mechanisms of this formula from different aspects of the etiology of ulcerative colitis (UC), a major subtype of IBD. Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) was given to mice for a week at a concentration of 2%, and the CW solution was administered for 3 weeks. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and untargeted metabolomics were conducted to examine the changes in the microbiome profile, and biochemical experiments were performed to confirm the therapeutic functions predicted by system pharmacology analysis. The CW treatment hampered DSS-induced experimental colitis progression, and the targets were enriched in inflammation, infection, and tumorigenesis, which was corroborated by suppressed caspase 3 (Casp3) and interleukin-1b (IL-1b) and increased cleaved caspase 3 expression and casp-3 activity in the colon samples from colitis mice subjected to the CW therapy. Moreover, the CW therapy rescued the decreased richness and diversity, suppressed the potentially pathogenic phenotype of the gut microorganisms, and reversed the altered linoleic acid metabolism and cytochrome P450 activity in murine colitis models. In our in vitro experiments, the CW administration increased the alternative activation of macrophages (Mφs) and inhibited the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and subsequent death in intestinal organoids (IOs). We propose that the CW formula alleviates the progression of murine colitis by suppressing inflammation, promoting mucosal healing, and re-establishing a microbiome profile that favors re-epithelization.

Phytochemical screening and evaluation of the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Ferula caspica M. Bieb. extracts

Chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts from the aerial parts of Ferula caspica M. Bieb. were tested for their antioxidant capacities by CUPRAC, ABTS, FRAP, Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods and for antimicrobial activities by the broth microdilution method. Chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts showed the highest antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activity. Three known sesquiterpene derivatives; 1-(2',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,7,11-trimethyl-3-vinyl-6(E),10-dodecadien-1-one (1), 2,3-dihydro-7-hydroxy-2,3-dimethyl-2-[4',8'-dimethyl-3',7'-nonadienyl]-furo[3,2,c]coumarin (2), 2,3-dihydro-7-hydroxy-2,3-dimethyl-3-[4',8'-dimethyl-3',7'-nonadienyl]-furo[3,2,c]coumarin(3); phenylpropanoid; laserine/2-epilaserine (4/5) and steroid mixtures; stigmasterol and β-sitosterol (6/7) were isolated from chloroform extract; three known flavonoids; kaempferol-3-O-β-glucopyranoside (8), kaempferol-3-O-α-rhamnopyranoside (9), quercetin-3-O-β-glucopyranoside (10), and one benzoic acid derivative; 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (11) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods.

Apoptosis induction and cell cycle arrest induced by Sinkiangenone B, a novel phenylpropanoid derivative from the resin of Ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen

A new compound from Ferula sinkiangensis has the potential to treat gastric cancer through apoptosis induction and cell cycle arrest.

Modulation of Multidrug Resistance Protein 2 Efflux in the Cisplatin Resistance Human Ovarian Carcinoma Cells A2780/RCIS by Sesquiterpene Coumarins

Recent in vitro studies showed that sesquiterpene coumarins (SCs) can be used as chemosensitizers. In this study, 14 SCs were isolated and purified from roots of four Ferula species and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. The purified SCs were evaluated for multidrug resistance (MDR) reversal properties in A2780/RCIS cells (cisplatin-resistant derivatives of the human ovarian carcinoma cell line A2780P). Among the tested compounds, mogoltacin, mogoltadone, farnesiferol A, farnesiferol B, farnesiferol C, lehmferin, conferdione, and samarcandin showed significant MDR reversing effects. The combination of nontoxic concentrations of SCs (20 μM) with cisplatin enhanced cisplatin cytotoxicity on A2780/RCIS cells significantly. Flow cytometric efflux assay confirmed that the intracellular accumulation of 5-carboxyfluorescein diacetate (5-CFDA) was significantly increased in A2780/RCIS cells when treated with SCs. Our findings revealed that conferdione and samarcandin possessed the highest inhibitory effects on multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 pump efflux, and therefore, these compounds could be considered as lead scaffolds for further structure modifications.

Sesquiterpene lactones from Ferula oopoda and their cytotoxic properties

Two new sesquiterpene lactones, namely feruhodin A and feruhodin B, together with six known compounds, daucoeudesmanolactone, dehydrooopodin, oopodin, badkhysin, 7-demethylplastochromenol, and scoparone, were isolated from the roots of Ferula oopoda. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR techniques as well as high-resolution mass spectrometry. Cytotoxic effects of these compounds were evaluated against two human cancer cell lines including MCF7and K562 using the Alamar blue assay. The results showed that dehydrooopodin possessed significant cytotoxic effects with IC₅₀ values of 15 and 5 μM against MCF7 and K562, respectively.

Cytotoxic activities of phytochemicals from Ferula species

Background

Ferula species are reputed in folk medicine for the treatment of a variety of disorders. There have been sporadic reports on the chemopreventive and chemosensitizing activities of some terpenoid coumarin derivatives from the genus Ferula. The present study investigated the cytotoxic activity of 11 phytochemicals (conferone, farnesiferol A, acantrifoside E, mogoltadone, diversin, galbanic acid, herniarin, 7-isopentenyloxycoumarin, umbelliprenin, stylosin and tschimgine) from Ferula species together with a newly synthesized prenylated derivative of curcumin (gercumin II).

Methods

Cytotoxic activity of phytochemicals was evaluated against ovarian carcinoma (CH1), lung cancer (A549) and melanoma (SK-MEL-28) cell lines using MTT assay.

Results and conclusion

Overall, moderate cytotoxic activity was observed from the tested compounds with IC₅₀ values in the micromolar range. The highest activity against CH1 and A549 lines was from conferone while stylosin and tschimgine were the most potent compounds against SK-MEL-28 line. In conclusion, the findings of the present investigation did not support a potent cytotoxic activity of the tested phytochemicals against CH1, A549 and SK-MEL-28 cell lines. With respect to previous reports, the beneficial impact of these phytochemicals in cancer therapy may be more attributable to their chemopreventive or chemosensitizing activity rather than direct cytotoxic effects.

Disesquiterpene and sesquiterpene coumarins from Ferula pseudalliacea, and determination of their absolute configurations

The first disesquiterpene coumarin, sanandajin, five sesquiterpene coumarins, kamolonol acetate, fekrynol acetate, ethyl galbanate, methyl galbanate, farnesiferol B, and a sesquiterpene, aristolone, were isolated from a n-hexane extract of Ferula pseudalliacea roots. The structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESIMS data, and kamolonol acetate was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analysis. The absolute configuration of compounds was established by comparison of experimental and simulated ECD spectra using time dependence density function theory (TDDFT). In vitro antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum K1 strain was determined. sanandajin, kamolonol acetate and methyl galbanate showed moderate antiplasmodial activity, with IC(50) values of 2.6, 16.1 and 7.1 μM, respectively.

Sesquiterpene coumarins from Ferula gumosa

A new sesquiterpene coumarin, gumosin (1), two new sesquiterpene coumarin glycosides, gumosides A (2) and B (3), and 10 known compounds, namely, cauferoside (4), feselol (5), conferoside, ferilin, ferocaulidin, ligupersin A, conferol, and daucosterol, and the phenolic compounds acantrifoside E and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid 4-(6-O-sulfo)glucopyranoside, were isolated from a methanolic extract of Ferula gumosa roots. The structures of 1-3 were elucidated by spectroscopic data interpretation. The cytotoxic activity of the sesquiterpene coumarin derivatives was evaluated against a small panel of cancer cell lines.

Cancer chemopreventive activity of diversin from Ferula diversivittata in vitro and in vivo

A prenylated coumarin (diversin, 1) together with four new sesquiterpene lactones (diversolides A, D, F and G, 2-5) isolated from the roots of Ferula diversivittata were studied for their possible inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). All of the tested compounds were active against EBV-EA activation. Among these compounds diversin (IC(50): 7.7) exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect and was selected to examine its effects on in vivo two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) as initiator and TPA as promoter. Treatment with compound 1 (85nmol) along with DMBA/TPA inhibited papilloma formation up to week 7 and the percentage of papilloma bearers was approximately 93.3% at week 20. The average number of papillomas formed per mouse was only 5.5 even at week 20. The results of the present investigation indicated that diversin might be valuable as a potent cancer chemopreventive agent and its potency was comparable with those of curcumin and quercetin, two well-known cancer chemopreventive agents.