Gallic acid induces apoptosis via caspase-3 and mitochondrion-dependent pathways in vitro and suppresses lung xenograft tumor growth in vivo

Antiproliferative, apoptotic and anti-inflammatory potential of 5H-benzo[h]thiazolo[2,3-b]quinazoline analogues: Novel series of anticancer compounds

Lung cancer (LC) is the most common cancer in males. As per GLOBOCAN 2020, 8.1 % of deaths and 5.9 % of cases of LC were reported in India. Our laboratory has previously reported the significant anticancer potential of 5H-benzo[h]thiazolo[2,3-b]quinazoline analogues. In this study, we have explored the anticancer potential of 7A {4-(6,7-dihydro-5H-benzo[h]thiazolo[2,3-b]quinazolin-7-yl)phenol} and 9A {7-(4-chlorophenyl)-9-methyl-6,7-dihydro-5H-benzo[h]thiazolo[2,3-b]quinazoline}by using in-vitro and in-vivo models of LC. In this study, we investigated the antiproliferative potential of quinazoline analogues using A549 cell line to identify the best compound of the series. The in-vitro and molecular docking studies revealed 7A and 9A compounds as potential analogues. We also performed acute toxicity study to determine the dose. After that, in-vivo studies using urethane-induced LC in male albino Wistar rats carried out further physiological, biochemical, and morphological evaluation (SEM and H&E) of the lung tissue. We have also evaluated the antioxidant level, inflammatory, and apoptotic marker expressions. 7A and 9A did not demonstrate any signs of acute toxicity. Animals treated with urethane showed a significant upregulation of oxidative stress. However, treatment with 7A and 9A restored antioxidant markers near-normal levels. SEM and H&E staining of the lung tissue demonstrated recovered architecture after treatment with 7A and 9A. Both analogues significantly restore inflammatory markers to normal level and upregulate the intrinsic apoptosis protein expression in the lung tissue. These experimental findings demonstrated the antiproliferative potential of the synthetic analogues 7A and 9A, potentially due to their anti-inflammatory and apoptotic properties.

Gallic acid ameliorates endometrial hyperplasia through the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT pathway and the down-regulation of cyclin D1 expression

BACKGROUND

Gallic acid (GA) is an organic compound with phenolic properties that occurs naturally and can be found in Guizhi Fuling capsules, showcasing a wide range of biological functionalities.

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to examine the influence of GA on endometrial hyperplasia (EH) and elucidate its underlying mechanism.

METHODS

Initially, the induction of EH was achieved by administering estradiol to mice via continuous subcutaneous injection for a duration of 21 days. Concurrently, GA treatment was administered, and subsequently, the uterine tissue structure was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Following this, the proliferation of human endometrial cells treated by GA was determined utilizing the CCK-8 method. Furthermore, network pharmacology and single-cell-RNA-seq data were employed to identify the target of GA action. In addition, we will employ immunofluorescence (IF), immunohistochemistry (IHC), flow cytometry, western blot and RT-qPCR methodologies to investigate the impact of GA on the expression level of cyclin D1, PI3K, p-PI3K, AKT, p-AKT.

RESULTS

GA treatment ameliorated histopathological alterations in the uterus and suppress proliferation. Estradiol stimulation can activate the PI3K/AKT pathway, leading to up-regulation of cyclin D1 expression, whereas GA treatment results in down-regulation of its expression.

CONCLUSIONS

The expression of cyclin D1 is down-regulated by GA through the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT pathway, effectively mitigating estradiol-induced EH in mice.

Arbutus unedo L. Fractions Exhibit Chemotherapeutic Properties for the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

Novel treatments in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are essential due to imatinib resistance and the modest results obtained with multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitors. We investigated the possibility that the hydroalcoholic extract from the leaves of Arbutus unedo L. (AUN) could harbor novel chemotherapeutics. The bio-guided fractionation of AUN led to a subfraction, FR2-A, that affected the viability of both imatinib-sensitive and -resistant GIST cells. Cells treated with FR2-A were positive for Annexin V staining, a marker of apoptosis. A rapid PARP-1 downregulation was observed, although without the traditional caspase-dependent cleavage. The fractionation of FR2-A produced nine further active subfractions (FRs), indicating that different molecules contributed to the effect promoted by FR2-A. NMR analysis revealed that pyrogallol-bearing compounds, such as gallic acid, gallic acid hexoside, gallocatechin, myricetin hexoside, and trigalloyl-glucose, are the main components of active FRs. Notably, FRs similarly impaired the viability of GIST cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), suggesting a non-specific mechanism of action. Nevertheless, despite the lack of specificity, the established FRs showed promising chemotherapeutic properties to broadly affect the viability of GIST cells, including those that are imatinib-resistant, encouraging further studies to investigate whether pyrogallol-bearing compounds could represent an alternative avenue in GISTs.

Bioactive compounds from Actinidia arguta fruit as a new strategy to fight glioblastoma

In recent years, there has been a significant demand for natural products as a mean of disease prevention or as an alternative to conventional medications. The driving force for this change is the growing recognition of the abundant presence of valuable bioactive compounds in natural products. On recent years Actinia arguta fruit, also known as kiwiberry, has attracted a lot of attention from scientific community due to its richness in bioactive compounds, including phenolic compounds, organic acids, vitamins, carotenoids and fiber. These bioactive compounds contribute to the fruit's diverse outstanding biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, and anti-cancer properties. Due to these properties, the fruit may have the potential to be used in the treatment/prevention of various types of cancer, including glioblastoma. Glioblastoma is the most aggressive form of brain cancer, displaying 90 % of recurrence rate within a span of 2 years. Despite the employment of an aggressive approach, the prognosis remains unfavorable, emphasizing the urgent requirement for the development of new effective treatments. The preclinical evidence suggests that kiwiberry has potential impact on glioblastoma by reducing the cancer self-renewal, modulating the signaling pathways involved in the regulation of the cell phenotype and metabolism, and influencing the consolidation of the tumor microenvironment. Even though, challenges such as the imprecise composition and concentration of bioactive compounds, and its low bioavailability after oral administration may be drawbacks to the development of kiwiberry-based treatments, being urgent to ensure the safety and efficacy of kiwiberry for the prevention and treatment of glioblastoma. This review aims to highlight the potential impact of A. arguta bioactive compounds on glioblastoma, providing novel insights into their applicability as complementary or alternative therapies.

Exploring the potential immunomodulatory effects of gallic acid on milk phagocytes in bovine mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus

Bovine mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus may exacerbate by resulting in significant economic losses and impacting milk quality. To date, the use of gallic acid, a phenolic compound naturally occurring in various plants, holds promise due to its potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in many pieces of literature, thus, making it a subject of interest in bovine innate immunity research. Here we used gallic acid to assess its potential immunomodulation on milk phagocytes in vitro challenges with mastitis-causing bacteria. Our findings indicated that cells exposed to gallic acid showed no harm to cell viability but might maintain the longevity of cells during the bacterial infection. Gallic acid-treated cells displayed reduced cell migration, phagocytosis, and bacterial killing ability, while showing an increase in ROS production, all of which are undoubtedly linked to the intracellular killing abilities of the cells. Nonetheless, the extracellular structure called neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) was significantly released after receiving gallic acid, representing extracellular killing. We also reported that gallic acid neutralizes inflammation by regulating specific pro-inflammatory genes (IL1B, IL6, TNF) and ROS-generating genes (CYBA, LAMP1, RAC1), subsequently preventing tissue damage. Regarding apoptosis-related genes and proteins, the increased production of caspase-3 and Bcl-2 family proteins could potentially promote the longevity of cells, implicated in the mechanism of combating bacterial invasion during udder inflammation and infection. The novel role of gallic acid on milk phagocytes highlights its potential immunomodulatory properties and contributes to our understanding of its effects on bacterial-host interactions, and provides valuable molecular insights.

Anticancer Effect of Gallic Acid on Acidity-Induced Invasion of MCF7 Breast Cancer Cells

The acidic tumor environment has emerged as a crucial factor influencing the metastatic potential of cancer. We investigated the effect of an acidic environment on the acquisition of metastatic properties in MCF7 breast cancer cells and explored the inhibitory effects of gallic acid. Prolonged exposure to acidic culture conditions (over 12 weeks at pH 6.4) induced the acquisition of migratory and invasive properties in MCF7 cells, accompanied by increased expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 and 9 (MMP2 and MMP9, respectively), together with alterations in E-cadherin, vimentin, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers. Gallic acid effectively inhibited the survival of acidity-adapted MCF7 (MCF7-6.4/12w) cells at high concentrations (>30 μM) and reduced metastatic characteristics induced by acidic conditions at low concentration ranges (5-20 μM). Moreover, gallic acid suppressed the PI3K/Akt pathway and the nuclear accumulation of β-catenin, which were elevated in MCF7-6.4/12w cells. These findings highlight the potential of gallic acid as a promising therapeutic agent for metastatic traits in breast cancer cells under acidic conditions.

Effect of the extra-nuclear cation on the cytotoxicity and mechanism of action of pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate Ga(III) complexes

Two Ga(III) complexes (C1) and (C2) were prepared by the one-pot reaction of pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid and aminopyridine derivatives with gallium(III) nitrate octahydrate. The compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The distorted octahedral geometry was confirmed by crystallographic data for both complexes. The study of the in vitro cytotoxicity of the compounds showed that the presence of different extra-nuclear cations can affect the cytotoxicity of the same anionic complexes. The most significant antiproliferative activity was observed for C1 (IC50 = 0.69 μM, MAE = 73.96%) and C2 (IC50 = 3.78 μM, MAE = 60.35%) (where MAE represents the maximal antiproliferative effect) against A431 cell line. The mechanistic study evidenced the same pathway for the death of A431 cells treated with the complexes, although the results for C2 were obtained at approximately five times the concentration of C1. According to the study, both complexes induced cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase in A431 cells by upregulating the levels of p21, p27, p-cdc25C, and p-cdc2 and downregulating the levels of cdc25C, cdc2, and cyclin B1. In addition, apoptosis via a caspase-dependent mitochondrial pathway was confirmed by a decrease in Bcl-2 family proteins and an increase in the expression of procaspase-9 and 3. Also, the complexes induced autophagic cell death by activating the RAGE /PI3KC3/Beclin 1 pathway in A431 cells. DATA AVAILABILITY: CCDC 874052 and 874055 contain the supplementary crystallographic data for C1 and C2, respectively. These data can be obtained free of charge via http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structures?pid=ccdc:874052,874055&sid=CCDCManual, or from the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, 12 Union Road, Cambridge CB2 1EZ, UK; fax: (+44) 1223-336-033; or e-mail: deposit@ccdc.cam.ac.uk.

Natural Gallic Acid and Methyl Gallate Induces Apoptosis in Hela Cells through Regulation of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Protein Expression

Induction of apoptosis is one of the targeted approaches in cancer therapies. As previously reported, natural products can induce apoptosis in in vitro cancer treatments. However, the underlying mechanisms of cancer cell death are poorly understood. The present study aimed to elucidate cell death mechanisms of gallic acid (GA) and methyl gallate (MG) from Quercus infectoria toward human cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa). The antiproliferative activity of GA and MG was characterised by an inhibitory concentration using 50% cell populations (IC₅₀) by an MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] assay. Cervical cancer cells, HeLa, were treated with GA and MG for 72 h and calculated for IC₅₀ values. The IC₅₀ concentration of both compounds was used to elucidate the apoptotic mechanism using acridine orange/propidium iodide (AO/PI) staining, cell cycle analysis, the Annexin-V FITC dual staining assay, apoptotic proteins expressions (p53, Bax and Bcl-2) and caspase activation analysis. GA and MG inhibited the growth of HeLa cells with an IC₅₀ value of 10.00 ± 0.67 µg/mL and 11.00 ± 0.58 µg/mL, respectively. AO/PI staining revealed incremental apoptotic cells. Cell cycle analysis revealed an accumulation of cells at the sub-G1 phase. The Annexin-V FITC assay showed that cell populations shifted from the viable to apoptotic quadrant. Moreover, p53 and Bax were upregulated, whereas Bcl-2 was markedly downregulated. Activation of caspase 8 and 9 showed an ultimate apoptotic event in HeLa cells treated with GA and MG. In conclusion, GA and MG significantly inhibited HeLa cell growth through apoptosis induction by the activation of the cell death mechanism via extrinsic and extrinsic pathways.

Cytotoxicity and mechanism of action of metal complexes: An overview

After the discovery of cisplatin, many metal compounds were investigated for the therapy of diseases, especially cancer. The high therapeutic potential of metal-based compounds is related to the special properties of these compounds, such as their redox activity and ability to target vital biological sites. The overproduction of ROS and the consequent destruction of the membrane potential of mitochondria and/or the DNA helix is one of the known pathways leading to the induction of apoptosis by metal complexes. The apoptosis process can occur via the death receptor pathway and/or the mitochondrial pathway. The expression of Bcl2 proteins and the caspase family play critical roles in these pathways. In addition to apoptosis, autophagy is another process that regulates the suppression or promotion of various cancers through a dual action. On the other hand, the ability to interact with DNA is an important property found in several metal complexes with potent antiproliferative effects against cancer cells. These interactions were classified into two important categories: covalent/coordinated or subtle, and non-coordinated interactions. The anticancer activity of metal complexes is sometimes achieved by the simultaneous combination of several mechanisms. In this review, the anticancer effect of metal complexes is mechanistically discussed by different pathways, and some effective agents on their antiproliferative properties are explained.

Insight into the Biological Roles and Mechanisms of Phytochemicals in Different Types of Cancer: Targeting Cancer Therapeutics

Cancer is a hard-to-treat disease with a high reoccurrence rate that affects health and lives globally. The condition has a high occurrence rate and is the second leading cause of mortality after cardiovascular disorders. Increased research and more profound knowledge of the mechanisms contributing to the disease’s onset and progression have led to drug discovery and development. Various drugs are on the market against cancer; however, the drugs face challenges of chemoresistance. The other major problem is the side effects of these drugs. Therefore, using complementary and additional medicines from natural sources is the best strategy to overcome these issues. The naturally occurring phytochemicals are a vast source of novel drugs against various ailments. The modes of action by which phytochemicals show their anti-cancer effects can be the induction of apoptosis, the onset of cell cycle arrest, kinase inhibition, and the blocking of carcinogens. This review aims to describe different phytochemicals, their classification, the role of phytochemicals as anti-cancer agents, the mode of action of phytochemicals, and their role in various types of cancer.

Co-exposure to aflatoxin B1 and therapeutic coartem worsens hepatic and renal function through enhanced oxido-inflammatory responses and apoptosis in rats

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB₁) is a mycotoxin synthesised as a secondary metabolite by members of the Aspergillus species contaminating agricultural produce. Aspergillus species thrive in tropical climes, endemic to malaria. Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) effectively treat and prevent malaria recrudescence; Coartem (COA) is an ACT whose toxicity is evident. Although there are scanty studies on COA toxicity, the scientific literature is replete on AFB₁ toxic effects -including carcinogenicity. The current research investigates AFB₁ and COA toxicity in experimental Wistar rats' hepatorenal systems. Thirty albino rats were randomly grouped into five cohorts (n = 6) and treated as follows: Group I: Untreated control (2 mL/kg of corn oil); group II: AFB₁ alone (70 μg/kg); group III: COA alone (5 mg/kg); group IV: COA and a low dose of AFB1₁ (5 mg/kg & 35 μg/kg); while Group V: COA and a high dose AFB1₂ (5 mg/kg & 70 μg/kg) by gavage. Our results show that exposure to AFB₁ and COA significantly (p < 0.05) reduced superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione-S-transferase activities, besides reduced glutathione and total sulfhydryl groups level. Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, lipid peroxidation, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, nitric oxide, xanthine oxidase, and myeloperoxidase levels were increased (p < 0.05) in rats co-treated with COA and AFB1. Cell death was aggravated in COA and AFB1 groups, exemplified by increased Caspase-3 and 9 activities and alterations in the typical histological features of experimental rats' livers and kidneys. Finally, rats co-treated with AFB₁ and COA experienced increased hepatorenal dysregulation, oxidative and inflammatory tissue damage, and apoptotic cell death. All the observed systemic perturbations occurred dose-dependently. It is crucial, therefore, to prevent AFB₁ dietary contaminations during COA therapeutic regimen due to increased pathophysiological damage exerted on experimental rat liver and kidneys, as evidenced in this study.

The diminution and modulation role of water-soluble gallic acid-carboxymethyl chitosan conjugates against the induced nephrotoxicity with cisplatin

The toxicity of cisplatin (CDDP) toward the renal tubules and its severe effects on the proximal tubules limits its further use in cancer therapy. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the protective effects of gallic acid-grafted O-carboxymethyl chitosan (GA@CMCS) against nephrotoxicity induced by CDDP in rats. Renal injury was assessed in the GA@CMCS/CDDP-treated rats using kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1). Moreover, the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide (NO) were measured. The comet assay was performed to measure the DNA damage. The renoprotective activity of GA@CMCS was supported by histo- and immuno-pathological studies of the kidney. GA@CMCS significantly normalized the increases in kidney homogenate of KIM-1, MDA, and NO-induced by CDDP and significantly increased GSH as compared with the CDDP group. GA@CMCS also significantly protects rat kidneys from CDDP-induced histo- and immuno-pathological changes. Both biochemical findings and histo- and immuno-pathological evidence showed the renoprotective potential of GA@CMCS against CDDP-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and renal dysfunction in rats. In conclusion, GA@CMCS has been shown to mitigate the nephrotoxicity impact of CDDP in cancer therapy.

Therapeutic and Nutraceutical Effects of Polyphenolics from Natural Sources

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease, oxidative stress-related complications, and chronic age-related illnesses is gradually increasing worldwide. Several causes include the ineffectiveness of medicinal treatment therapies, their toxicity, their inability to provide radical solutions in some diseases, and the necessity of multiple drug therapy in certain chronic diseases. It is therefore necessary for alternative treatment methods to be sought. In this review, polyphenols were identified and classified according to their chemical structure, and the sources of these polyphenol molecules are indicated. The cardioprotective, ROS scavenging, anti-aging, anticancer properties of polyphenolic compounds have been demonstrated by the results of many studies, and these natural antioxidant molecules are potential alternative therapeutic agents.

Photoelectron Spectroscopic and Computational Study of the Deprotonated Gallic Acid and Propyl Gallate Anions

Antioxidants play important roles in eliminating reactive oxygen species (ROS), which have been associated with various degenerative diseases, such as cancer, aging, and inflammatory diseases. Gallic acid (GA) and propyl gallate (PG) are well-known antioxidants and have been widely studied in vitro and in vivo. The biological antioxidant abilities of GA and PG are related to the electronic structure of their dehydro-radicals. In this work, we report a combined photoelectron spectroscopic and computational study of the deprotonated gallic acid anion, [GA - H]^-, and deprotonated propyl gallate anion, [PG - H]^-. Adiabatic electron affinities of the dehydro-gallic acid radical, [GA - H]· and of the dehydro-propyl gallate radical, [PG - H]·, are measured to be 2.90 ± 0.05 eV and 2.85 ± 0.05 eV, respectively, and compared to computational results.

Synthesis and biological impacts of pollen shells/Fe3O4 nanoparticles composites on human MG-63 osteosarcoma cells

INTRODUCTION

Cell-adhesive surfaces play a pivotal role in biomedical engineering, as most biological reactions take place on surfaces. Pollen shell (PSh) ofPistacia vera L., as a new medical device, has previously been reported to cause cytotoxicity and apoptosis in MG-63 bone cancer cells.

METHODS

Iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4NPs) were synthesized and their reaction to PShs was gauged at different concentrations, and then characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, energy dispersion X-ray spectrometer, X-ray diffraction spectra, dynamic light scattering, and vibrating sample magnetometer. Then, the biological impacts of PShs/Fe3O4NPs composites on MG-63 cells were investigated in-vitro using MTT assay, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Annexin V/propidium iodide, FESEM, and DAPI staining.

RESULTS

Fe3O4NPs with a size range of 24-40 nm and a zeta potential value of -37.4 mV were successfully assembled on the PShs. The viability of MG-63 cells was significantly decreased when cultured on the magnetic PShs as compared to non-magnetic PShs, in Fe3O4 concentration and time-dependent manner. In contrast, magnetic PShs had a positive effect on the viability of normal human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs). The analysis of apoptosis-related genes in cancer cells revealed that loading Fe3O4NPs on PShs increased expression of BAX/BCL2 and caspase-3 genes. The increased apoptotic activity of combined PShs/Fe3O4NPs was further confirmed by flow cytometric measurement, morphological analysis, and DAPI staining.

CONCLUSION

The incorporation of Fe3O4NPs into PShs could effectively increase anticancer effects on MG-63 cells via the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway, evident by upregulation of BAX/BCL2 ratio and caspase-3.

Gallic acid: a dietary polyphenol that exhibits anti-neoplastic activities by modulating multiple oncogenic targets

Phytochemicals are being used for thousands of years to prevent dreadful malignancy. Side effects of existing allopathic treatment have also initiated intense research in the field of bioactive phytochemicals. Gallic acid, a natural polyphenolic compound, exists freely as well as in polymeric forms. The anti-cancer properties of gallic acid are indomitable by a variety of cellular pathways such as induction of programmed cell death, cell cycle apprehension, reticence of vasculature and tumor migration, and inflammation. Furthermore, gallic acid is found to show synergism with other existing chemotherapeutic drugs. Therefore, the antineoplastic role of gallic acid suggests its promising therapeutic candidature in the near future. The present review describes all these aspects of gallic acid at a single platform. In addition nanotechnology-mediated approaches are also discussed to enhance bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy.

Gallic Acid: A Potential Anti-Cancer Agent

Cancer is one of the most devastating diseases worldwide and definitive therapeutics for treating cancer are not yet available despite extensive research efforts. The key challenges include limiting factors connected with traditional chemotherapeutics, primarily drug resistance, low response rates, and adverse side-effects. Therefore, there is a high demand for novel anti-cancer drugs that are both potent and safe for cancer prevention and treatment. Gallic acid (GA), a natural botanic phenolic compound, can mediate various therapeutic properties that are involved in anti-inflammation, anti-obesity, and anti-cancer activities. More recently, GA has been shown to exert anti-cancer activities via several biological pathways that include migration, metastasis, apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, angiogenesis, and oncogene expression. This review discusses two aspects, one is the anti-cancer potential of GA against different types of cancer and the underlying molecular mechanisms, the other is the bibliometric analysis of GA in cancer and tumor research. The results indicated that lung cancer, prostate cancer, stomach cancer, and colon adenocarcinoma may become a hot topic in further research. Overall, this review provides evidence that GA represents a promising novel, potent, and safe anti-cancer drug candidate for treating cancer.

Antitumor Activities for Two Pt(II) Complexes of Tropolone and 8-Hydroxyquinoline Derivative

The reactions of cis-Pt(DMSO)2Cl2 and tropolone (HL) with 8-hydroxyquinoline (HQ) or 2-methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline (HMQ) gave [Pt(Q)(L)] (1) and [Pt(MQ)(L)] (2), which present mononuclear structures with their Pt(II) ions four-coordinated in square planar geometries. Their in vitro biological properties were evaluated by MTT assay, which showed a remarkable cytotoxic activity on the cancer cell lines. 1 shows higher cytotoxic activities on tumor cells such as T24, HeLa, A549, and NCI-H460 than complex 2 and cisplatin, with IC50 values <16 μM. Among them, an IC50 value of 3.6 ± 0.63 μM was found for complex 1 against T24 cells. It presented a tuning cytotoxic activity by substitution groups on 8-hydroxyquinoline skeleton. In our case, the substitution groups of -H are much superior to -CH3 against tumor cells. It revealed that both complexes can induce cell apoptosis by decreasing the potential of a mitochondrial membrane, enhancing reactive oxygen species and increasing Ca2+ levels of T24 cells. The T24 cell cycle can be arrested at G2 and G1 phases by complexes 1 and 2, respectively, with an upregulation for P21 and P27 expression levels and a down-regulation for cyclin A, CDK1, Cdc25A, and cyclin B expression levels. Furthermore, complex 1 exhibits satisfactory in vivo antitumor activity as revealed by the tumor inhibitory rate and the tumor weight change as well as by the cute toxicity assay and renal pathological examinations, which is close to cisplatin and much better than complex 2. All of these suggest that 1 might be a potential candidate for developing into a safe and effective anticancer agent.

Gallic acid for cancer therapy: Molecular mechanisms and boosting efficacy by nanoscopical delivery

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Majority of recent research efforts in the field aim to address why cancer resistance to therapy develops and how to overcome or prevent it. In line with this, novel anti-cancer compounds are desperately needed for chemoresistant cancer cells. Phytochemicals, in view of their pharmacological activities and capacity to target various molecular pathways, are of great interest in the development of therapeutics against cancer. Plant-derived-natural products have poor bioavailability which restricts their anti-tumor activity. Gallic acid (GA) is a phenolic acid exclusively found in natural sources such as gallnut, sumac, tea leaves, and oak bark. In this review, we report on the most recent research related to anti-tumor activities of GA in various cancers with a focus on its underlying molecular mechanisms and cellular pathwaysthat that lead to apoptosis and migration of cancer cells. GA down-regulates the expression of molecular pathways involved in cancer progression such as PI3K/Akt. The co-administration of GA with chemotherapeutic agents shows improvements in suppressing cancer malignancy. Various nano-vehicles such as organic- and inorganic nano-materials have been developed for targeted delivery of GA at the tumor site. Here, we suggest that nano-vehicles improve GA bioavailability and its ability for tumor suppression.

Dermal Drug Delivery of Phytochemicals with Phenolic Structure via Lipid-Based Nanotechnologies

Phenolic compounds are a large, heterogeneous group of secondary metabolites found in various plants and herbal substances. From the perspective of dermatology, the most important benefits for human health are their pharmacological effects on oxidation processes, inflammation, vascular pathology, immune response, precancerous and oncological lesions or formations, and microbial growth. Because the nature of phenolic compounds is designed to fit the phytochemical needs of plants and not the biopharmaceutical requirements for a specific route of delivery (dermal or other), their utilization in cutaneous formulations sets challenges to drug development. These are encountered often due to insufficient water solubility, high molecular weight and low permeation and/or high reactivity (inherent for the set of representatives) and subsequent chemical/photochemical instability and ionizability. The inclusion of phenolic phytochemicals in lipid-based nanocarriers (such as nanoemulsions, liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles) is so far recognized as a strategic physico-chemical approach to improve their in situ stability and introduction to the skin barriers, with a view to enhance bioavailability and therapeutic potency. This current review is focused on recent advances and achievements in this area.

Gallic Acid Hindered Lung Cancer Progression by Inducing Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in A549 Lung Cancer Cells via PI3K/Akt Pathway

This study elucidates the anti-cancer potential of gallic acid (GA) as a promising therapeutic agent that exerts its effect by regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway. To prove our research rationale, we used diverse experimental methods such as cell viability assay, colony formation assay, tumor spheroid formation assay, cell cycle analysis, TUNEL assay, Western blot analysis, xenograft mouse model and histological analysis. Treatment with GA inhibited cell proliferation in dose-dependent manner as measured by cell viability assay at 48 h. GA and cisplatin (CDDP) also inhibited colony formation and tumor spheroid formation. In addition, GA and CDDP induced apoptosis, as determined by the distribution of early and late apoptotic cells and DNA fragmentation. Western blot analysis revealed that inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway induced upregulation of p53 (tumor suppressor protein), which in turn regulated cell cycle related proteins such as p21, p27, Cyclin D1 and E1, and intrinsic apoptotic proteins such as Bax, Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase-3. The anti-cancer effect of GA was further confirmed in an in vivo mouse model. Intraperitoneal injection with GA for 4 weeks in an A549-derived tumor xenograft model reduced the size of tumor mass. Injection of them downregulated the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and p-Akt, but upregulated the expression of cleaved caspase-3 in tumor tissues. Taken together, these results indicated that GA hindered lung cancer progression by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, suggesting that GA would be a potential therapeutic agent against non-small cell lung cancer.

Effects of Gallotannin-Enriched Extract of Galla Rhois on the Activation of Apoptosis, Cell Cycle Arrest, and Inhibition of Migration Ability in LLC1 Cells and LLC1 Tumors

Gallotannin (GT) and GT-enriched extracts derived from various sources are reported to have anti-tumor activity in esophageal, colon and prostate tumors, although their anti-tumor effects have not been determined in lung carcinomas. To investigate the anti-tumor activity of GT-enriched extract of galla rhois (GEGR) against lung carcinomas, alterations in the cytotoxicity, apoptosis activation, cell cycle progression, migration ability, tumor growth, histopathological structure, and the regulation of signaling pathways were analyzed in Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC1) cells and LLC1 tumor bearing C57BL/6NKorl mice, after exposure to GEGR. A high concentration of GT (69%) and DPPH scavenging activity (IC₅₀=7.922 µg/ml) was obtained in GEGR. GEGR treatment exerted strong cytotoxicity, cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and subsequent activation of apoptosis, as well as inhibitory effects on the MAPK pathway and PI3K/AKT mediated cell migration in LLC1 cells. In the in vivo syngeneic model, exposure to GEGR resulted in suppressed growth of the LLC1 tumors, as well as inhibition of NF-κB signaling and their inflammatory cytokines. Taken together, our results provide novel evidence that exposure to GEGR induces activation of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and inhibition of cell migration via suppression of the MAPK, NF-κB and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways in LLC1 cells and the LLC1 syngeneic model.

Lignans and Polyphenols of Phyllanthus amarus Schumach and Thonn Induce Apoptosis in HCT116 Human Colon Cancer Cells through Caspases-Dependent Pathway

BACKGROUND

The anticancer effects of Phyllanthus amarus extract on various cancer cells have been investigated, however, the effects of its major constituents on HCT116 human colorectal cancer cells have not been reported.

OBJECTIVE

In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxic effect of 80% ethanol extract of P. amarus and its marker constituents (phyllanthin, hypophyllanthin, gallic acid, niranthin, greraniin, phyltetralin, isolintetralin, corilagin and ellagic acid) on HCT116 and their underlying mechanisms of action.

METHODS

Their antiproliferative and apoptotic effects on HCT 116 were performed using MTT assay and flow cytometric analysis, respectively, while caspases 3/7, 8 and 9 activities were examined using the colorimetric method. The expression of cleaved poly ADP ribose polymerase enzyme (PARP) and cytochrome c proteins was investigated by the immune-blot technique.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

HPLC and LC-MS/MS analyses demonstrated that the extract contained mainly lignans and polyphenols. The plant samples markedly suppressed the growth and expansion of HCT116 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner with no toxicity against normal human fibroblast CCD18 Co. P. amarus extract, phyllanthin and gallic acid induced mode of cell death primarily through apoptosis as confirmed by the exteriorization of phosphatidylserine. Caspases 3/7, 8, and 9 activities increased in a concentration-dependent manner following 24h treatment. The expressions of cleaved PARP (Asp 214) and cytochrome c were markedly upregulated.

CONCLUSION

P. amarus extract, phyllanthin and gallic acid exhibited an apoptotic effect on HCT116 cells through the caspases-dependent pathway.

Uncovering the Anti-Lung-Cancer Mechanisms of the Herbal Drug FDY2004 by Network Pharmacology

With growing evidence on the therapeutic efficacy and safety of herbal drugs, there has been a substantial increase in their application in the lung cancer treatment. Meanwhile, their action mechanisms at the system level have not been comprehensively uncovered. To this end, we employed a network pharmacology methodology to elucidate the systematic action mechanisms of FDY2004, an anticancer herbal drug composed of Moutan Radicis Cortex, Persicae Semen, and Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, in lung cancer treatment. By evaluating the pharmacokinetic properties of the chemical compounds present in FDY2004 using herbal medicine-associated databases, we identified its 29 active chemical components interacting with 141 lung cancer-associated therapeutic targets in humans. The functional enrichment analysis of the lung cancer-related targets of FDY2004 revealed the enriched Gene Ontology terms, involving the regulation of cell proliferation and growth, cell survival and death, and oxidative stress responses. Moreover, we identified key FDY2004-targeted oncogenic and tumor-suppressive pathways associated with lung cancer, including the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinase, tumor necrosis factor, Ras, focal adhesion, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 signaling pathways. Overall, our study provides novel evidence and basis for research on the comprehensive anticancer mechanisms of herbal medicines in lung cancer treatment.

Antiviral Activity of 3D, a Butene Lactone Derivative Against Influenza A Virus In Vitro and In Vivo

Influenza A virus is a highly variable and contagious respiratory pathogen that can cause annual epidemics and it poses an enormous threat to public health. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new generation of antiviral drugs to combat the emergence of drug-resistant strains of the influenza virus. A novel series of butene lactone derivatives were screened and the compound 3D was selected, as it exhibited in vitro potential antiviral activity against A/Weiss/43 H1N1 virus with low toxicity. In addition, 3D dose-dependently inhibited the viral replication, expression of viral mRNA and viral proteins. 3D exerted a suppressive effect on A/Virginia/ATCC2/2009 H1N1 and A/California/2/2014 H3N2 in vitro. The time-of-addition analysis indicated that 3D suppressed H1N1 in the early stage of its life cycle. A/Weiss/43 H1N1-induced apoptosis in A549 cells was reduced by 3D via the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. 3D could decrease the production of H1N1-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines that are induced by H1N1 in vitro and in vivo. The administration of 3D reduced lung lesions and virus load in vivo. These results suggest that 3D, which is a butene lactone derivative, is a promising agent for the treatment of influenza A virus infection.

A novel ruthenium(ii) gallic acid complex disrupts the actin cytoskeleton and inhibits migration, invasion and adhesion of triple negative breast tumor cells

This work describes the synthesis of three new ruthenium(ii) complexes with gallic acid and derivatives of the general formula [Ru(L)(dppb)(bipy)]PF₆, where L = gallate (GAC), benzoate (BAC), and esterified-gallate (EGA), bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine and dppb = 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductivity, NMR, cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis and IR spectroscopy, and two of them by X-ray crystallography. Cell viability assays show promising results, indicating higher cytotoxicity of the complexes in MDA-MB-231 cells, a triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line, compared with the hormone-dependent MCF-7 cell line. Studies in vitro with the MDA-MB-231 cell line showed that only Ru(BAC) and Ru(GAC) interacted with BSA. Besides that, the Ru(GAC) complex, which has a polyphenolic acid, interacted in an apo-Tf structure and function dependent manner and it was able to inhibit the formation of reactive oxygen species. Ru(GAC) was able to cause damage to the cellular cytoskeleton leading to inhibition of some cellular processes of TNBC cells, such as invasion, migration, and adhesion.

Polyphenol Extract from Evening Primrose (Oenothera paradoxa) Inhibits Invasion Properties of Human Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Cells

Extracts from the defatted evening primrose (Oenothera paradoxa Hudziok) seeds are the source of a range of stable polyphenolic compounds, including ellagic acid, gallic acid, and catechin. Our studies evaluate, for the first time, the influence of evening primrose isopropanol extract (EPE) on malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) cells. MPM is rarely diagnosed, its high aggressiveness and frequently noted chemoresistance limit its treatment schemes and it is characterized by low prognostic features. Here, we demonstrate that EPE inhibited MPM growth in a dose-dependent manner in cells with increased invasion properties. Moreover, EPE treatment resulted in cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase and increased apoptosis in invasive MPM cell lines. Additionally, EPE strongly limited invasion and MMP-7 secretion in MPM cancer cells. Our original data provide evidence about the potential anti-invasive effects of EPE in MPM therapy treatment.

Antiproliferative Effect and Mediation of Apoptosis in Human Hepatoma HepG2 Cells Induced by Djulis Husk and Its Bioactive Compounds

The antiproliferative effect and mediation of apoptosis in human hepatoma HepG2 cells induced by djulis husk and its bioactive compounds was investigated. The ethanolic extracts of djulis husk (EEDH) at 50, 250, and 500 µg/mL induced remarkable cytotoxicity on HepG2 cells. By flow cytometry analysis, EEDH slowed down the cell cycle at the Sub-G0 phase after 24 h of incubation. Moreover, all EEDH treatment induced an apoptotic response in HepG2 cells. EEDH-induced apoptosis was associated with the attenuation of mitochondrial transmembrane potentials (ΔΨ_m), an increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, activation of caspase-3, and poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) cleavage, as well as an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. According to the HPLC-DAD and HPLC-MS/MS analysis, quercetin and kaempferol derivatives and another sixteen compounds were present in EEDH. Quercetin and kaempferol at 25–150 μM showed antiproliferative action and induced apoptosis on HepG2 cells, which may in part account for the anticancer activity of EEDH. Overall, EEDH may be a potent chemopreventive agent due to apoptosis in HepG2 cells.

Herbal and Natural Dietary Products: Upcoming Therapeutic Approach for Prevention and Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The most common tumor linked with elevated death rates is considered the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), sometimes called the malignant hepatoma. The initiation and progression of HCC are triggered by multiple factors like long term alcohol consumption, metabolic disorders, fatty liver disease, hepatitis B and C infection, age, and oxidative stress. Sorafenib is the merely US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug used to treat HCC. Several treatment methods are available for HCC therapy such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy and adjuvant therapy but they often lead to several side effects. Yet these treatment methods are not entirely adequate due to the increasing resistance to the drug and their toxicity. Many natural products help to prevent and treat HCC. A variety of pathways are associated with the prevention and treatment of HCC with herbal products and their active components. Accumulating research shows that certain natural dietary compounds are possible source of hepatic cancer prevention and treatments, such as black currant, strawberries, plum, grapes, pomegranate, cruciferous crops, tomatoes, French beans, turmeric, garlic, ginger, asparagus, and many more. Such a dietary natural products and their active constituents may prevent the production and advancement of liver cancer in many ways such as guarding against liver carcinogens, improving the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic medications, inhibiting the growth, metastasis of tumor cells, reducing oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation. The present review article represents hepatic carcinoma etiology, role of herbal products, their active constituents, and dietary natural products for the prevention and treatment of HCC along with their possible mechanisms of action.

14-Deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide inhibits apoptosis in influenza A(H5N1) virus-infected human lung epithelial cells via the caspase-9-dependent intrinsic apoptotic pathway which contributes to its antiviral activity

Influenza A virus (IAV) infection represents a global health challenge. Excavating antiviral active components from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a promising anti-IAV strategy. Our previous studies have demonstrated that 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide (DAP), a major ingredient of a TCM herb called Andrographis paniculata, shows anti-IAV activity that is mainly effective against A/chicken/Hubei/327/2004 (H5N1), A/duck/Hubei/XN/2007 (H5N1), and A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) in vitro and in vivo. However, the underlying anti-IAV molecular mechanism of DAP needs further investigation. In the present work, we found that DAP can significantly inhibit the apoptosis of human lung epithelial (A549) cells infected with A/chicken/Hubei/327/2004 (H5N1). After DAP treatment, the protein expression levels of cleaved PARP, cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved caspase-9, and the activities of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in H5N1-infected A549 cells were all obviously downregulated. However, DAP had no inhibitory effect on caspase-8 activity and cleaved caspase-8 production. Meanwhile, the efficacy of DAP in reducing the apoptotic cells was lost after using the inhibitor of caspase-3 or caspase-9 but remained intact after the caspase-8 inhibitor treatment. Moreover, DAP efficiently attenuated the dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential, suppressed cytochrome c release from the mitochondria to the cytosol, and decreased the protein expression ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 in the mitochondrial fraction. Furthermore, the silencing of caspase-9 reduced the yield of nucleoprotein (NP) and disabled the inhibitory ability of DAP in NP production in A549 cells. Overall results suggest that DAP exerts its antiviral effects by inhibiting H5N1-induced apoptosis on the caspase-9-dependent intrinsic/mitochondrial pathway, which may be one of the anti-H5N1 mechanisms of DAP.

Application of nano/microencapsulated phenolic compounds against cancer

Nowadays, polyphenols as bioactive compounds are being used in producing anti-cancer drugs. Low stability against harsh environmental conditions, untargeted release, low solubility, and low absorption of pure phenolic molecules are significant barriers, which decrease the functions of polyphenols. Recently, the nanoencapsulation processes have been applied to overcome these restrictions, in which the anti-cancer activity of polyphenols has been noticeably increased. This review will focus on the anti-cancer activity of polyphenols, and the effect of loading polyphenolics into various micro/nanoencapsulation systems on their anti-cancer activity. Different encapsulation systems such as lipid and polymer based nanoparticles, and solid form of encapsulated phenolic molecules by nano-spray dryer and electrospinnig have been used for loading of polyphenols. Incorporation of phenolic molecules into various carriers inevitably increases their anti-cancer activity. Because, in this way, encapsulated cargos can provide a targeted release, which will increase the bioavailability of phenolic molecules and their functions such as absorption into cancer cell.

Gallic Acid Impedes Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Progression via Suppression of EGFR-Dependent CARM1-PELP1 Complex

Background

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a common cause of cancer-related deaths. This study identified the regulatory pattern of gallic acid in NSCLC.

Methods

Human NSCLC cells were treated with different doses of gallic acid, after which, MTT assay and flow cytometry were performed to determine the survival and apoptotic rate of human NSCLC cells. Then, co-immunoprecipitation assay was performed to analyze the relationships between gallic acid, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and CARM1-PELP1. Next, we analyzed whether PELP1, CARM1 and EGFR were associated with the effects of gallic acid on NSCLC cells by conducting rescue experiments. The expression pattern of phosphorylated EGFR, EGFR, Ki67, as well as Fas, FasL and Caspase 3 proteins in cancer cells or xenografts was measured by Western blot analysis. Lastly, the role of gallic acid in the tumor growth was assessed in nude mice.

Results

The ideal dose of gallic acid that presented good suppressive effect on NSCLC cells were 30 μM, 50 μM and 75 μM, respectively. Gallic acid played an inhibiting role in the activation of EGFR, which further reduced the formation of CARM1-PELP1 complex, ultimately repressed the proliferation and elevated apoptosis of NSCLC cells. Meanwhile, CARM1 repression led to decreased growth, proliferation and migration abilities of NSCLC cells. Animal experiments confirmed that gallic acid contributed to the inhibition of tumor growth in vivo.

Conclusion

To sum up, gallic acid could potentially prevent NSCLC progression via inhibition of EGFR activation and impairment of the binding of CARM1 to PELP1, highlighting a novel therapy to dampen NSCLC progression.

Investigation of Antibacterial and Antiinflammatory Activities of Proanthocyanidins from Pelargonium sidoides DC Root Extract

The study explores antibacterial, antiinflammatory and cytoprotective capacity of Pelargonium sidoides DC root extract (PSRE) and proanthocyanidin fraction from PSRE (PACN) under conditions characteristic for periodontal disease. Following previous finding that PACN exerts stronger suppression of Porphyromonas gingivalis compared to the effect on commensal Streptococcus salivarius, the current work continues antibacterial investigation on Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Escherichia coli. PSRE and PACN are also studied for their ability to prevent gingival fibroblast cell death in the presence of bacteria or bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), to block LPS- or LPS + IFNγ-induced release of inflammatory mediators, gene expression and surface antigen presentation. Both PSRE and PACN were more efficient in suppressing Staphylococcus and Aggregatibacter compared to Escherichia, prevented A. actinomycetemcomitans- and LPS-induced death of fibroblasts, decreased LPS-induced release of interleukin-8 and prostaglandin E2 from fibroblasts and IL-6 from leukocytes, blocked expression of IL-1β, iNOS, and surface presentation of CD80 and CD86 in LPS + IFNγ-treated macrophages, and IL-1β and COX-2 expression in LPS-treated leukocytes. None of the investigated substances affected either the level of secretion or expression of TNFα. In conclusion, PSRE, and especially PACN, possess strong antibacterial, antiinflammatory and gingival tissue protecting properties under periodontitis-mimicking conditions and are suggestable candidates for treatment of the disease.

Flavonoids of Rosa roxburghii Tratt offers protection against radiation induced apoptosis and inflammation in mouse thymus

The present study evaluated the protective effect of the natural compound flavonoids of Rosa roxburghii Tratt (FRT) against γ-radiation-induced apoptosis and inflammation in mouse thymus cells in vivo and in vitro. Thymus cells and mice were exposed to ⁶⁰Co γ-ray at a dose of 6 Gy. The radiation treatment induced significant cell apoptosis and inflammation. Radiation increased the expressions of cleaved caspase 3/8-10, AIF, and PARP-1, and FRT could mitigate their activation and inhibit subsequent apoptosis in the thymus both in vitro or in vivo. Irradiation increased the mRNA expression of ICAM-1/VCAM-1, IL-1α/IL-6 and TNF-α/NF-κB. Our results also indicated that FRT alleviated gene expression of some inflammatory factors such as ICAM-1/VCAM-1, TNF-α/NF-κB, but not IL-1α/IL-6. Irradiation increased the protein expression levels of ICAM-1/VCAM-1, IL-1α/IL-6 and TNF-α/NF-Κb, and our results also indicated that FRT alleviated protein level expression of certain inflammatory factors such as ICAM-1, IL-1α/IL-6, TNF-α/NF-κB, but not VCAM-1. Our results suggested that FRT enhanced radioprotection at least partially by regulating caspase 3/8-10, AIF, and PARP-1 to reduce apoptosis and by regulating ICAM-1, IL-1α/IL-6, TNF-α/NF-κB to reduce inflammation.

Delphinidin Chloride and Its Hydrolytic Metabolite Gallic Acid Promote Differentiation of Regulatory T cells and Have an Anti-inflammatory Effect on the Allograft Model

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) control the reactivity of other T cells to prevent excessive inflammatory responses. They also plays a role in preventing autoimmune diseases; but when they are overproduced, they decreased vital immunity, which can lead to invasion of external pathogens. Therefore, it is most important in preventing the development of immune diseases to maintain the homeostasis of these cells. Delphinidin chloride is an anthocyanidin and known to have anti-oxidant activities. However, its structure is very unstable and easily decomposed. One of these degradation products is gallic acid, which also has anti-oxidant effects. In this study, we examined the effect of these materials on Tregs in controlling immune response. It was found that these materials further promote differentiation into Tregs, and TGF-β and IL-2 related signals are involved in this process. Furthermore, it was verified that a variety of immunosuppressive proteins were secreted more, and the function of induced Tregs was also increased. Finally, in the allograft model, we could find a decrease in activated T cells when these materials were treated because they increased differentiation into Tregs. Therefore, these two materials are expected to become new candidates for the treatment of diseases caused by excessive activation of immune cells, such as autoimmune diseases. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Delphinidin, a kind of anthocyanin rich in pigmented fruits, and its hydrolytic metabolite, gallic acid, are known to have antimicrobial and anti-oxidant properties. In this experiment, it was shown that delphinidin and gallic acid had an effect of increasing the differentiation of regulatory T cells, and the effect of suppressing the function of memory T cells was also observed. Due to these functions, delphinidin and gallic acid might have the potential to be used as immune suppressive agents in organ transplant and autoimmune disease patients or be a model for food development associated with the immune system.

Apoptosis-inducing activities of Halopteris scoparia L. Sauvageau (Brown algae) on cancer cells and its biosafety and antioxidant properties

The aim of this study was to reveal the biological activities and in vivo toxicity profiles of n-hexane, chloroform and methanol extracts of brown algae Halopteris scoparia L. Sauvageau. In this study, extracts were tested for their phytochemical contents and antioxidant activities. The cytotoxic activities of the extracts against cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa), colon colorectal adenocarcinoma (CaCo-2) and breast adenocarcinoma (MCF7) cells were assessed by MTT assay and total RNAs derived from cell lines to analyze gene expression were analyzed by Real Time Ready Human Apoptosis Panel 96. Also, in vivo toxicity and irritation effects of extracts were evaluated by LD50 acute toxicity test and Hen's egg test chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM) assay, respectively. Our results showed that the phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined only in methanol extract (33.20 ± 1.41 mg GAE/g and 1.26 ± 0.95 mg QE/g). Also, n-hexane has a broader spectrum of content than methanol and chloroform extracts. Furthermore, n-hexane extract in DPPH and methanol extract in ABTS+ exhibited the best antioxidant activity. In addition, MTT results revealed that each three extracts cause a significant reduction in cell viability, especially in HeLa cells. When the apoptotic gene expressions were examined after treatment of extracts, the expression of many pro-apoptotic genes in both caspase-independent and caspase-dependent intrinsic and extrinsic pathways increased. These findings suggest that, considering that it had not led to irritation and toxicity in vivo, edible H. scoparia is a natural antioxidant and its apoptotic/cytotoxic activities can potentially be used against human cancers.

Regulation of the levels of health promoting compounds: lupeol, mangiferin and phenolic acids in the pulp and peel of mango fruit: a review

There is a demand for feasible methodologies that can increase/maintain the levels of health-promoting phytochemicals in horticultural produce, due to strong evidence that these compounds can reduce risk of chronic diseases. Mango (Mangifera indica L.), ranks fifth among the most cultivated fruit crops in the world, is naturally rich in phytochemicals such as lupeol, mangiferin and phenolic acids (e.g. gallic acid, chlorogenic acid and vanillic acid). Yet, there is still much scope for up-regulating the levels of these compounds in mango fruit through manipulation of different preharvest and postharvest practices that affect their biosynthesis and degradation. The process of ripening, harvest maturity, physical and chemical elicitor treatments such as low temperature stress, methyl jasmonate (MeJA), salicylic acid (SA) and nitric oxide (NO) and the availability of enzyme cofactors (Mg²⁺ , Mn²⁺ and Fe²⁺ ) required in terpenoid biosynthesis were identified as potential determinants of the concentration of health-promoting compounds in mango fruit. The effectiveness of these preharvest and postharvest approaches in regulating the levels of lupeol, mangiferin and phenolic acids in the pulp and peel of mango fruit will be discussed. In general spray application of 0.2% iron(II) sulphate (FeSO₄ ) 30 days before harvest, harvest at sprung stage, storage of mature green fruit at 5 °C for 12 days prior to ripening, fumigation of mature green fruit with 10^-5  mol L^-1 and/or 10^-4  mol L^-1 MeJA for 24 h or 20 and/or 40 µL L^-1 NO for 2 h upregulate the levels of lupeol, mangiferin and phenolic acids in pulp and peel of ripe mango fruit. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Anhydroglucitol-core gallotannins from red maple buds modulate viability of human blood neutrophils

Apoptosis of neutrophils is an essential checkpoint for the resolution of inflammation by shutting down the deleterious functions of these immune cells. This study investigated the role of anhydroglucitol-core gallotannins (ACGs) in apoptosis increase of human blood neutrophils treated by the hot water extract from red maple buds (RMB). Fractions obtained by liquid-liquid partitioning (ethyl acetate, butanol and water-remaining fractions) of the hot water extract from RMB were assessed for their effects on neutrophil viability by using flow cytometry. These fractions were then phytochemically analyzed to investigate the ability of major compounds to induce neutrophil apoptosis individually. Ethyl acetate and butanol fractions that contained the major ACGs ginnalin A, ginnalin 3,6 and ginnalin C stimulated the apoptosis of neutrophils. The three ACGs at 100 μM significantly increased the rate of the late apoptotic cells. When differentially combined, these ACGs have additive or antagonist effects. These effects are related to the concentrations of the constituents in the mixtures studied, especially so for ginnalin C. GinA increased FADD, phospho-Rad17, SMAC/Diablo and cytochrome C, while decreasing the anti-apoptotic protein catalase. These compounds could be useful for the development of novel therapeutic approaches that facilitate resolution of neutrophil-mediated inflammatory diseases.

Gallic acid caused cultured mice TM4 Sertoli cells apoptosis and necrosis

OBJECTIVE

The study was designed to determine the cytotoxic effect of gallic acid (GA), obtained by the hydrolysis of tannins, on mice TM4 Sertoli cells apoptosis.

METHODS

In the present study, non-tumorigenic mice TM4 Sertoli cells were treated with different concentrations of GA for 24 h. After treatment, cell viability was evaluated using WST-1, mitochondrial dysfunction, cells apoptosis and necrosis was detected using JC-1, Hoechst 33342 and propidium iodide staining. The expression levels of Cyclin B1, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX), and Caspase-3 were also detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western-blotting.

RESULTS

The results showed that 20 to 400 μM GA inhibited viability of TM4 Sertoli cells in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with 400 μM GA significantly inhibited PCNA and Cyclin B1 expression, however up-regulated BAX and Caspase-3 expression, caused mitochondrial membrane depolarization, activated Caspase-3, and induced DNA damage, thus, markedly increased the numbers of dead cells.

CONCLUSION

Our findings showed that GA could disrupt mitochondrial function and caused TM4 cells to undergo apoptosis and necrosis.

Pharmacological effects of gallic acid in health and diseases: A mechanistic review

OBJECTIVES

Gallic acid is a natural phenolic compound found in several fruits and medicinal plants. It is reported to have several health-promoting effects. This review aims to summarize the pharmacological and biological activities of gallic acid in vitro and animal models to depict the pharmacological status of this compound for future studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All relevant papers in the English language were collected up to June 2018. The keywords of gallic acid, antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, gastrointestinal-, cardiovascular-, metabolic-, neuropsychological-, and miscellaneous- diseases were searched in Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus.

RESULTS

Several beneficial effects are reported for gallic acid, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic properties. This compound has been reported to have therapeutic activities in gastrointestinal, neuropsychological, metabolic, and cardiovascular disorders.

CONCLUSION

Current evidence confirms the pharmacological and therapeutic interventions of gallic acid in multiple health complications; however, available data are limited to just cellular and animal studies. Future investigations are essential to further define the safety and therapeutic efficacy of gallic acid in humans.

Chemical composition of Acacia farnesiana (L) wild fruits and its activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and dysentery bacteria

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

In Mexico, plants are an important element of traditional medicine, and many are considered part of Mexican cultural heritage from prehispanic and colonial times. Nevertheless, relatively few systematic scientific studies have been conducted to fully characterize the chemical composition and pharmacological activities of Mexican medicinal plants. Acacia farnesiana is used in Mexican traditional medicine to treat dysentery and tuberculosis and therefore could have bioactive compounds that may explain its traditional use.

AIMS OF THE STUDY

i) To isolate and characterize the compounds from the hexanic, chloroformic and methanolic extracts; ii) to identify the volatile compounds from methylated hexanic and chloroformic extracts using GC-FID and GC-MS methods; iii) to identify the compounds from methanolic and aqueous extracts using HPLC-Q-TOF-MS; iv) to test the activity of extracts and isolated compounds against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and dysentery bacteria.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A. farnesiana fruits were collected in Acatlán de Osorio, Puebla, Mexico. Hexanic, chloroformic, methanolic and aqueous extracts were prepared and analyzed by different chromatographic techniques including column chromatography, flash chromatography, GC-FID, GC-MS and HPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Structural elucidation was carried out by NMR spectroscopic analysis. The activity of extracts, phytochemicals and semi-synthetic derivatives against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and G122 as well as dysentery bacteria (Campylobacter jejuni, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella enteritidis, Yersinia enterocolitica and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli) was determined by the broth microdilution method and reported as minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC µg/mL).

RESULTS

From both hexane and chloroform extracts, tetracosanoic acid (2S)-2,3-dihydroxypropyl ester (1) and (3β,22E)-estigmasta-5,22-dien-3-yl β-D-glucopyranoside (2) were isolated and characterized. From the methanolic extract, methyl gallate (3), gallic acid (4), (3β,22E)-estigmasta-5,22-dien-3-yl β-D-glucopyranoside (2), (2S) naringenin 7-O-β-glucopyranoside (prunin, 5), pinitol (6) and sucrose (7) were isolated and characterized. Furthermore, hexanic and chloroformic extracts were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS and 18 methylated fatty acids were identified for each extract in addition to three sterols. The methanolic and aqueous extracts were analyzed separately by HPLC-Q-TOF-MS, and 15 compounds were identified in each extract. The compounds 1, 2, and 7, in addition to 13 fatty acids and eight phenolic compounds, were identified for the first time in A. farnesiana. The extracts showed antitubercular (MIC 100-200 µg/mL) and antidysentery activity (MIC 100-200 µg/mL). Methyl gallate and its acetylated derivative showed activity against the sensible strain M. tuberculosis H37Rv with MIC values of 50-25 µg/mL, respectively. The flavanone prunin showed activity against multidrug resistant M. tuberculosis G122 (MIC 50 μg/mL). Methyl gallate, gallic acid and prunin showed activity against C. jejuni (MIC 50 μg/mL).

CONCLUSIONS

The activity of tested extracts and isolated compounds against M. tuberculosis and dysentery bacteria justifies the ethnomedical use of A. farnesiana fruits for the treatment of tuberculosis and dysentery.

Phenolic Compounds of Catalpa speciosa, Taxus cuspidate, and Magnolia acuminata have Antioxidant and Anticancer Activity

Tree bark represents an important source of medicinal compounds that may be useful for cancer therapy. In the current study, high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) was used to determine the profile of the phenolic compounds of Catalpa speciosa, Taxus cuspidata, and Magnolia acuminata bark extracts. The antioxidant and anticancer bioactivities against different cancer cell lines were investigated. M. acuminata exerted significantly higher antioxidant activities in the diphenyl picrylhydrazine and β-carotene-linoleic acid assays than the other species. In C. speciosa, novel profiles of phenolic acids (ferulic acid was the predominant compound) and catechin were detected. In T. cuspidata, six phenolic acids were detected; the predominant compounds were hydroxycaffeic acid and protocatechuic acid. In M. acuminata, two phenolic acids and three catechins were detected; catechin was the predominant compound. The three species exerted clear anticancer activity against MCF-7, HeLa, Jurkat, T24, and HT-29 cells, with the strongest activity found in the extracts from M. acuminata. No antiproliferative activity against normal cells was found. Flow cytometry revealed greater accumulation of necrotic and early/late apoptotic cells in various treated cancer cells than in untreated control cells, and protocatechuic acid induced a similar accumulation of necrotic cells to that of the bark extracts. Caspase-3 and -7 activity was increased in cancer cells treated with different bark extracts; the highest activity was found in the M. acuminata treatment. Our results suggested that the treatment of cancer cells with bark extracts of M. acuminata, C. speciosa, and T. cuspidata, and protocatechuic acid induced apoptosis, suggesting an association between anticancer activities and individual phenolic compounds.

Phytochemical analysis, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of wild and in vitro derived plants of Ceropegia thwaitesii Hook - An endemic species from Western Ghats, India

Ceropegia thwaitesii Hook (Asclepiadaceae), an endemic plant species, due to habitat destruction and over exploitation has a very restricted distribution in the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India. The present wrok aimed to determine the chemical composition, the total phenolic (TPC), flavonoid (TFC) and tannin content (TEC), and to assess the antioxidant properties of various extracts of in vivo plants (IVP) and in vitro regenerated plants (IRP) of C. thwaitesii. Some phenolic compounds like gallic acid, cathechol, vanillin and salicylic acid were identified and quantified by HPLC. All the extracts possessed relevant radical scavenging activity on DPPH, Superoxide radical scavenging activity, and Nitric oxide radicals as well as total antioxidant ability. DPPH assay of in vitro methanol stems extracts and ethanol leaves extracts revealed the best antioxidant properties with important IC50 values of 0.248 ± 0.45 µg/mL and 0.397 ± 0.67 µg/mL, respectively, whereas in vivo chloroform stems extracts showed a lower antioxidant activity (IC50 of 10.99 ± 0.24 µg/mL). The IRP methanol extracts of stem and leaves had good inhibitory activity against all tested microorganisms in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggested that in vitro raised plants of C. thwaitesii are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds to be exploited on an industrial level as food additive.

Cytotoxic effects of two extracts from garlic (Allium sativum L.) cultivars on the human squamous carcinoma cell line SCC-15

Garlic (Allium sativum L., Alliaceae) has acquired a reputation as a therapeutic agent and herbal remedy to prevent and treat several pathologies. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of two Allium sativum L. cultivars, Harnaś and Morado, on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, viability and apoptotic process in human squamous carcinoma cell line SCC-15. The experiments were conducted on SCC-15 cell line exposed to increasing concentrations of garlic extracts of 0.062, 0.125, 0.250, 0.500 and 1.000 mg/mL. After the experiments, ROS formation, caspase-3 activity and neutral red uptake were measured in the cells, and in a collected medium lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release was measured. The Spanish cultivar Morado has demonstrated higher potential to stimulate ROS production in SCC-15 cells after a short time period (6 h) than the Polish cultivar Harnaś. However, the Polish cultivar Harnaś manifested more prolonged potential to stimulate ROS production in SCC-15 cells. Both studied garlic extracts induced cytotoxicity on SCC-15 cell line which was probably ROS-dependent. We also determined that in SCC-15 cells high concentrations of studied extracts did not cause activation of caspase-3 which suggested caspase-independent or necrotic cell death.

Dendritic cells pulsed with generated tumor cell lysate from Phyllanthus amarus Schum. & Thonn. induces anti-tumor immune response

Background

Dendritic cells (DCs) are unique antigen presenting cells (APC) which play a pivotal role in immunotherapy and induction of an effective immune response against tumors. In the present study, 80% ethanol extract of Phyllanthus amarus was used to generate tumor lysate (TLY) derived from HCT 116 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines via induction of apoptosis. Monocyte-derived DCs were generated ex vivo from the adherent population of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The generated TLY were used to impulse DCs to investigate its effect on their cellular immune functions including antigen presentation capacity, phagocytic activity, chemotaxis capacity, T-cell proliferation and cytokines release.

Methods

The effect of P. amarus-generated TLY on DCs maturation was evaluated by determination of MHC class I, II and CD 11c expression as well as the co-stimulatory molecules CD 83 and 86 by using flow cytometry. The phagocytic capacity of TLY-pulsed DCs was investigated through FITC-dextran uptake by using flow cytometry. The effect on the cytokines release including IL-12, IL-6 and IL-10 was elucidated by using ELISA. The migration capacity and T cell proliferation activity of pulsed DCs were measured. The relative gene expression levels of cytokines were determined by using qRT-PCR. The major constituents of P. amarus extract were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by using validated reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods.

Results

P. amarus-generated TLY significantly up-regulated the expression levels of MHC class I, CD 11 c, CD 83 and 86 in pulsed DCs. The release of interleukin IL-12 and IL-6 was enhanced by TLY-DCs at a ratio of 1 DC: 3 tumor apoptotic bodies (APO), however, the release of IL-10 was suppressed. The migration ability as well as allogeneic T-cell proliferation activities of loaded DCs were significantly enhanced, but their phagocytic capacity was highly attenuated. The gene expression profiles for IL-12 and IL-6 of DCs showed increase in their mRNA gene expression in TLY pulsed DCs versus unloaded and LPS-treated only DCs.

Conclusion

The effect of P. amarus-generated TLY on the immune effector mechanisms of DCs verified its potential to induce an in vitro anti-tumor immune response against the recognized tumor antigen.