Synthesis of Bioactive Diarylheptanoids from Alpinia officinarum and Their Mechanism of Action for Anticancer Properties in Breast Cancer Cells

Insights into the anticancer effects of galangal and galangin: A comprehensive review

BACKGROUNDS

Cancer continues to be the leading cause of death worldwide, significantly impacting both health and the economy. Natural products have emerged as promising sources for the development of new anticancer drugs, with galangal and their active ingredient, galangin, garnering substantial interest.

PURPOSE

This study summarizes recent findings on the anticancer properties of galangal and galangin, highlighting their potential to target various cancer types.

METHODS

We systematically searched the literature across PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, using keywords such as "Alpinia officinarum," "Alpinia galanga", "galangal," and "galangin." This thorough approach allowed us to gather and compile a comprehensive collection of existing research on the topic.

RESULTS

This article provided a thorough analysis of the distribution of galangal, the methods used to extract the active compounds of galangal, and the anticancer properties of both galangin and galangal. It is important to note that galangal and galangin primarily function by regulating the signaling pathways of PI3K/Akt, MAPK, AMPK, p53, NF-κB, and Ras/RAF/MEK/ERK, which in turn triggers apoptosis, autophagy, and ROS while preventing the migration and invasion of cancer cells. We also discussed their toxicity, bioavailability, and clinical uses.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, galangal extract and galangin have a lot of promise for treating cancer. It is anticipated that this review will further advance the use of galangal extract and galangin as potential cancer treatment medications. Moreover, the discovery and development of drugs based on galangal has enormous potential for the therapy of cancer.

Recent Advances in the Synthesis of Diarylheptanoids

In the quest for synthesizing biologically important natural products, medicinal chemists embark on an endless journey. This review focuses on the reports published towards the syntheses of diarylheptanoids, classifying them into linear, tetrahydropyran, diarylether, and biphenyl categories. The synthesis methods for each class from 2013 to 2023 are discussed, providing a comprehensive overview of the advancements in the field. Representative natural product examples are highlighted for each category. The review emphasizes the importance of diarylheptanoids in the realms of chemistry and medicine, showcasing their potential as valuable compounds for medicinal and synthetic chemists.

Modular Enantioselective Total Syntheses of the erythro-7,9-Dihydroxy- and 9-Hydroxy-7-Keto-8,4'-Oxyneolignans

A modular, enantioselective approach to access the bioactive 7,9-dihydroxy- and 9-hydroxy-7-keto-8,4'-oxyneolignans is disclosed, which employs stereoselective Mitsunobu reactions of enantiopure 2-aryl-1,3-dioxan-5-ols and functionalized phenols. The enantiopure dioxanols are prepared through Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation of protected coniferyl or sinapyl alcohols and subsequent benzylidene acetal formation. Through a mix-and-match coupling approach, six of the eight possible erythro-7,9-dihydroxy-8,4'-oxyneolignan enantiomeric natural products (bearing a C-1' hydroxypropyl chain) were generated following sequential deprotection. Subsequent benzylic oxidation afforded the 7-keto-derivatives, resulting in enantioselective syntheses of each enantiomer of the natural products asprenol B and icariol A1.

Influence of Thermal Treatment on the Composition of Alpinia officinarum Rhizome

Alpinia officinarum is a representative of the Zingiberaceae family, which is known for its wide use in the food and pharmaceutical industries also due to its precious pharmacological potential. The major aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of thermal treatment on the composition of the rhizome of Alpinia officinarum and its antioxidant activity. The fresh rhizome was subjected to various thermal treatment processes-boiling, frying and microwave heating during various time intervals-and their composition and antioxidant activity were determined using chromatographic (HPLC - High Performance Liquid Chromatography and HPLC-MS - High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry) and spectrophotometric (DPPH and TPC - Total Phenolic Content) methods. Pinobanksin was the main compound found in the extract of the fresh rhizome (537.79 mg/kg), followed by galangin (197.7 mg/kg) and zingerone (185.5 mg/kg). The effect of thermal treatment on the rhizome composition was varied. In general, thermal processing significantly decreased the content of active compounds in the rhizome. However, there were some exceptions-boiling for 4 min significantly increased the content of pinobanksin (1162.4 mg/kg) and galangin (280.7 mg/kg), and microwave processing for 4 min increased the content of pinocembrin (213 mg/kg). It was found that boiling and microwave treatment significantly increased the antioxidant activity of the processed rhizomes.

Improved synthesis of deoxyalpinoid B and quantification of antileishmanial activity of deoxyalpinoid B and sulforaphane

The total synthesis and antileishmanial activity of deoxyalpinoid B is reported via a cationic gold-catalyzed Meyer-Schuster rearrangement. The activity of deoxyalpinoid B and a known inducer of oxidative stress, sulforaphane, against Leishmania donovani and Leishmania infantatum are both reported for the first time. Both compounds exhibit potent antileishmanial activity against both species. We hypothesize that the activation of intracellular oxidative stress is a key molecular response for the inhibition of Leishmania.

Efficient total synthesis of three alpinoids via the Au(I)-catalyzed Meyer-Schuster rearrangement

The total syntheses of three structurally related natural products, deoxyalpinoid B, deoxyalpinoid A, and alpinoid F, are reported, and each features a Au(I)-catalyzed Meyer-Schuster rearrangement as the key step. The synthesis of alpinoid F is reported for the first time. The syntheses of these natural products, all of which exhibit potent anticancer activity, are readily amenable to the preparation of structural analogs.

Diarylheptanoid analogues from the rhizomes of Zingiber officinale and their anti-tumour activity

Diarylheptanoid analogues from the rhizomes of Zingiber officinale and their anti-tumour activity.