Effects of furanodiene on 95-D lung cancer cells: apoptosis, autophagy and G1 phase cell cycle arrest

Terpenoids from Curcumae Rhizoma: Their anticancer effects and clinical uses on combination and versus drug therapies

Cancer is a fatal disease with high mortality and low survival rate worldwide. At present, there is still no known cure for most cancers. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) represents a noteworthy reservoir for anticancer agents in drug discovery and development. Curcumae Rhizoma (called Ezhu in Chinese) is widely prescribed in TCM for anticancer therapy owing to its broad-spectrum antineoplastic activities. Especially, the terpenoids isolated from the essential oil of Curcumae Rhizoma form an integral part of cancer research and are well established as a potential anticancer agent. For example, β-elemene has been developed into a new drug for the treatment of solid tumors in China, and is currently undergoing clinical trials in the United States. The review aims to systematically summarize the recent advances on the anticancer effects and related molecular mechanisms of Curcumae Rhizoma, and its terpenoids (β-elemene, Furanodiene, Furanodienone, Germacrone, Curcumol, Curdione). In addition, we evaluated and compared the anticancer efficacy and clinical use of the terpenoids with combination therapies and traditional therapies. Therefore, this review provides sufficient evidence for the anticancer therapeutic potential of Curcumae Rhizoma and its terpenoids, and will contribute to the development of potential anticancer drugs.

Microwave-assisted ionic liquid-based micelle extraction combined with trace-fluorinated carbon nanotubes in dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction to determine three sesquiterpenes in roots of Curcuma wenyujin

INTRODUCTION

Germacrone, furanodiene and β-elemene are the representative bioactive compounds in Curcuma species. The conventional extraction methods of these three sesquiterpenes are usually time-consuming and require a large volume of hazardous organic solvents. Thus, a fast and reliable method for extracting these sesquiterpenes from Curcuma plant is required urgently.

OBJECTIVE

To establish a novel and simple extraction method for quantitative analysis of small amounts of sesquiterpenes in C. wenyujin plant.

METHODOLOGY

A method using microwave-assisted ionic liquid-micelle extraction combined with dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction (DMSPE) has been proposed for the extraction of three sesquiterpenoids in Curcuma plant. Fluorinated carbon nanotubes (FCNTs) were used as an adsorbent in DMSPE for the first time. Parameters concerning the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) conditions and the DMSPE were investigated and evaluated to achieve optimum extraction efficiency of target analytes.

RESULTS

The final conditions of ionic liquid-micelle based MAE were selected to be 0.25 M of 1-decyl-3-vinylimidazolium bromide as the extraction solvent, microwave irradiation for 10 min at 60°C. And the optimal DMSPE conditions were found to be 2 μg/mL of FCNTs as the adsorbent, extraction time of 2 min and 100 μL of acetonitrile as the elution solvent. The developed method exhibited good linearities (R > 0.9990), high repeatability and recoveries. The proposed method has been successfully applied in determination of sesquiterpenes in C. wenyujin samples.

CONCLUSION

The work shows a potential in analysing small amounts of sesquiterpenes in complex samples and represents the first attempt of using FCNTs as an adsorbent for the microextraction mode.

Prospect of natural products in glioma: A novel avenue in glioma management

Glioma is one of the most perplexing cancers because of its infiltrating nature, molecular signaling, and location in central nervous system. Blood-brain barrier acts as a natural barrier to the glioma making it difficult to access by conventional chemotherapy. Clinicians are using natural compounds or their derivatives for several diseases including different cancers. However, the feasibility of using natural compounds in glioma is not explored in details. Natural compounds can act over a wide variety of signaling pathways such as survival and metabolic pathways and induce cell death. Some of the natural agents have additional benefits of crossing biological barriers such as blood-brain barrier with ease having few or no impact on the surrounding healthy cells. All of these benefits make natural compounds a prospective candidate for the glioma management. This article evaluates the benefits of using natural compounds for glioma therapy and their possible mechanism of actions. We have discussed the natural compounds assessed currently for glioma therapy and proposed a few novel natural compounds with potential antiglioma effect based on their mechanism of action.

Furanodiene Induces Extrinsic and Intrinsic Apoptosis in Doxorubicin-Resistant MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells via NF-κB-Independent Mechanism

Chemotherapy is used as a primary approach in cancer treatment after routine surgery. However, chemo-resistance tends to occur when chemotherapy is used clinically, resulting in poor prognosis and recurrence. Currently, Chinese medicine may provide insight into the design of new therapies to overcome chemo-resistance. Furanodiene, as a heat-sensitive sesquiterpene, is isolated from the essential oil of Rhizoma Curcumae. Even though mounting evidence claiming that furanodiene possesses anti-cancer activities in various types of cancers, the underlying mechanisms against chemo-resistant cancer are not fully clear. Our study found that furanodiene could display anti-cancer effects by inhibiting cell viability, inducing cell cytotoxicity, and suppressing cell proliferation in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Furthermore, furanodiene preferentially causes apoptosis by interfering with intrinsic/extrinsic-dependent and NF-κB-independent pathways in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 cells. These observations also prompt that furanodiene may be developed as a promising natural product for multidrug-resistant cancer therapy in the future.

Furanodienone induces G0/G1 arrest and causes apoptosis via the ROS/MAPKs-mediated caspase-dependent pathway in human colorectal cancer cells: a study in vitro and in vivo

Furanodienone, a major bioactive constituents of sesquiterpene derived from Rhizoma Curcumae, has been proven to possess the potent anticancer efficacy on human breast cancer cells. Here, we investigated the cytotoxicity of furanodienone on human colorectal carcinoma cell lines in vitro and in vivo, as well as its underlying molecular mechanisms in the induction of apoptosis. In this study, we found that furanodienone significantly inhibited proliferation of RKO and HT-29 cells, induced mitochondrial dysfunction characterized by collapse of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and reduction of ATP level, and promoted the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that functions upstream of caspase-dependent apoptosis. The antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine, a ROS scavenger, abolished this apoptosis induced by furanodienone. In addition, furanodienone elevated the expression of p-p38, p-JNK, but decreased p-ERK, as a result of the produced ROS. The specific inhibitors U0126, SP600125 and SB202190 attenuated the expression of MAPKs, and regulated the expression of cleaved caspase-8, -9 and -3. Furthermore, the potential inhibitory effect of furanodienone on CRC cells was also corroborated in mouse xenograft model. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that furanodienone-triggered ROS plays a pivotal role in apoptosis as an upstream molecule-modulating activity of caspases in mitochondrial pathway via stimulating MAPKs signaling pathway. Our finding may provide a novel candidate for development of antitumor drugs targeting on colorectal cancer.

[Advances in the Research of the Regulation of Chinese Traditional Medicine Monomer and Its Derivatives on Autophagy in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer]

The high morbidity and mortality of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) did influence the quality of life of tumor patients world-wide. There is an urgent need to develop new therapies that have high anti-tumor activity and low toxicity side effects. It is widely accepted that autophagy can play diverse roles in carcinogenesis, such as induces pro-death of lung cancer cells or helps the escape from cell death, making it become a proper anticancer target. It's believed that various monomers of Chinese traditional medicine closely correlates to anti-NSCLC activities, and that even could affect the acquired multiple drug resistance (MDR). Furthermore, autophagy might be the underling mechanisms which could play a role as the candidate targets of natural active compounds. Recent studies of terpenoids, alkaloid, dietary polyphenols, saponins and other active ingredients that extracted from a large variety of herbs suggest that different monomer compounds could either regulate the activity of pro-death autophagy or influence the level of protective autophagy of NSCLC cells, thus changing their drug sensitivity and cell viability. This paper aims to give a systemic description of the latest advances about natural compounds and their derivatives that involved in tumorigenesis of NSCLC via inducing the autophagy.

Chemical constituents and biological research on plants in the genus Curcuma

Curcuma, a valuable genus in the family Zingiberaceae, includes approximately 110 species. These plants are native to Southeast Asia and are extensively cultivated in India, China, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Peru, Australia, and the West Indies. The plants have long been used in folk medicine to treat stomach ailments, stimulate digestion, and protect the digestive organs, including the intestines, stomach, and liver. In recent years, substantial progress has been achieved in investigations regarding the chemical and pharmacological properties, as well as in clinical trials of certain Curcuma species. This review comprehensively summarizes the current knowledge on the chemistry and briefly discusses the biological activities of Curcuma species. A total of 720 compounds, including 102 diphenylalkanoids, 19 phenylpropene derivatives, 529 terpenoids, 15 flavonoids, 7 steroids, 3 alkaloids, and 44 compounds of other types isolated or identified from 32 species, have been phytochemically investigated. The biological activities of plant extracts and pure compounds are classified into 15 groups in detail, with emphasis on anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities.

Biological Activities of Essential Oils: From Plant Chemoecology to Traditional Healing Systems

Essential oils are complex mixtures of hydrocarbons and their oxygenated derivatives arising from two different isoprenoid pathways. Essential oils are produced by glandular trichomes and other secretory structures, specialized secretory tissues mainly diffused onto the surface of plant organs, particularly flowers and leaves, thus exerting a pivotal ecological role in plant. In addition, essential oils have been used, since ancient times, in many different traditional healing systems all over the world, because of their biological activities. Many preclinical studies have documented antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities of essential oils in a number of cell and animal models, also elucidating their mechanism of action and pharmacological targets, though the paucity of in human studies limits the potential of essential oils as effective and safe phytotherapeutic agents. More well-designed clinical trials are needed in order to ascertain the real efficacy and safety of these plant products.

Phytochemistry and Anticancer Potential of Notoginseng

Asian ginseng, American ginseng, and notoginseng are three major species in the ginseng family. Notoginseng is a Chinese herbal medicine with a long history of use in many Oriental countries. This botanical has a distinct ginsenoside profile compared to other ginseng herbs. As a saponin-rich plant, notoginseng could be a good candidate for cancer chemoprevention. However, to date, only relatively limited anticancer studies have been conducted on notoginseng. In this paper, after reviewing its anticancer data, phytochemical isolation and analysis of notoginseng is presented in comparison with Asian ginseng and American ginseng. Over 80 dammarane saponins have been isolated and elucidated from different plant parts of notoginseng, most of them belonging to protopanaxadiol or protopanaxatriol groups. The role of the enteric microbiome in mediating notoginseng metabolism, bioavailability, and pharmacological actions are discussed. Emphasis has been placed on the identification and isolation of enteric microbiome-generated notoginseng metabolites. Future investigations should provide key insights into notoginseng's bioactive metabolites as clinically valuable anticancer compounds.

Pulsatilla Saponin D Inhibits Autophagic Flux and Synergistically Enhances the Anticancer Activity of Chemotherapeutic Agents Against HeLa Cells

Pulsatilla saponin D (SB365), a saponin isolated from rhizoma of Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge) Regel, exhibited anticancer activities in various cancer types. In the present study, we identified that SB365 was a potent inhibitor of autophagic flux in several cancer cell lines. SB365 induced a robust accumulation of autophagosomes as evidenced by monodansylaervarine (MDC) staining and increased protein levels of LC3-II. However, SB365 caused the accumulation of p62, a substrate that should be degraded through the autophagy-lysosomal pathway. These results indicated that SB365 was an inducer of autophagosome formation, but an inhibitor of autophagic flux. Interestingly, we found that SB365 synergistically enhanced the anticancer activity of chemotherapeutic agents against cervical cancer HeLa cells. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that SB365 increased the phosphorylation of ERK and inhibited the phosphorylation of mTOR and p70S6K, suggesting that their roles in the effects of SB365 on autophagy. These results suggest that SB365 could be a promising adjuvant anticancer agent.

Effects of alisol B 23-acetate on ovarian cancer cells: G1 phase cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, migration and invasion inhibition

BACKGROUND

Ovarian cancer is the first leading cause of death among gynecologic malignancies worldwide. Discovery of new chemotherapeutic drugs is still imperative for the improvement of the survival rate.

PURPOSE

This study aims to investigate the anti-cancer potential of alisol B 23-acetate (AB23), a protostane-type triterpene isolated from the Alismatis Rhizoma, in the parental and paclitaxel-resistant ovarian cancer cells.

METHODS

MTT assay was performed to evaluate cell viability after treatment with AB23, along with flow cytometry for apoptosis and cell cycle analysis. Western blotting was conducted to determine the relative protein level. Wound healing and transwell assays were performed to investigate the effect of AB23 on cell migration and invasion.

RESULTS

AB23 obviously inhibited proliferation of the three ovarian cancer cell lines, down-regulated the protein levels of CDK4, CDK6, and cyclin D1, and blocked the cell cycle progressions in G1 phase. Meanwhile, AB23 induced accumulation of the sub-G1 phase in the three cell lines in a concentration dependent manner. The protein levels of cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 were up-regulated after treatment with AB23. Further study showed that AB23 induced endoplasmic reticulum stress through IRE1 signaling pathway and silencing of IRE1α partially enhanced AB23-induced apoptosis. Wound healing and transwell assays showed that AB23 could also suppress the migration and invasion of HEY cells. Moreover, it down-regulated the protein levels of matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9.

CONCLUSION

AB23 possessed anti-proliferation, anti-migration and anti-invasion activities as a single agent on ovarian cancer cells.

An Ethnopharmacological, Phytochemical and Pharmacological Review of the Genus Meconopsis

The Meconopsis plants (Chinese: 绿绒篙), belonging to the family Papaveraceae, have been used as traditional Tibetan medicine (TTM) for thousands of years. Meconopsis has the effects of clearing heat, reducing swelling, and easing pain, and is mainly prescribed for heat syndromes, hepatitis, pneumonia, and pain in joints. Phytochemical studies have revealed the presence of major isoquinoline alkaloids and flavonoids. Modern pharmacological research has demonstrated its antitumor, hepatoprotective, analgestic, antimicrobial, anti-oxidant, antitussive, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, resource availability, in-depth in vivo pharmacological study and qualitative and quantitative analysis are still insufficient and deserve further efforts. This paper provides a comprehensive advance on the ethnopharmacological, phytochemical, and pharmacological studies of the genus, in hopes of promoting a better understanding of their medicinal values.

Furanodiene alters mitochondrial function in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in an AMPK-dependent manner

Furanodiene is a bioactive sesquiterpene isolated from the spice-producing Curcuma wenyujin plant (Y. H. Chen and C. Ling) (C. wenyujin), which is a commonly prescribed herb used in clinical cancer therapy by modern practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine.

Prescription patterns of Chinese herbal products for patients with uterine fibroid in Taiwan: A nationwide population-based study

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Uterine fibroid (myoma) is one of the most common diseases in women. Although there are several studies on the efficacy of Chinese herbs, there is a lack of large-scale survey on the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of uterine fibroid. This study aimed to investigate the utilization of Chinese herbal products for patients with uterine fibroid, prescribed by licensed TCM doctors in Taiwan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A random sample comprised of one million individuals with newly diagnosed uterine fibroid between 2002 and 2010 from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database was analyzed. Demographic characteristics, TCM usage, the frequency as well as average daily dose of Chinese herbal formulas and the single herbs prescribed for patients with uterine fibroid, were analyzed.

RESULTS

Overall, 35,786 newly diagnosed subjects with uterine fibroid were included. Majority of these patients (87.1%; n=31,161) had visited TCM clinics. Among them, 61.8% of their visits used Chinese herbal remedies. Patients less than 45 years of age tended to use TCM more frequently than elder patients. Gui-Zhi-Fu-Ling-Wan (Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill) was the most frequently prescribed Chinese herbal formula, while San-Leng (Rhizoma Sparganii) was the most commonly prescribed single herb.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study identified the characteristics and prescription patterns of TCM for patients with uterine fibroid in Taiwan. Further basic mechanistic studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm the therapeutic effects and mechanisms.

Elaborating the role of natural products-induced autophagy in cancer treatment: achievements and artifacts in the state of the art

Autophagy is a homeostatic process that is highly conserved across different types of mammalian cells. Autophagy is able to relieve tumor cell from nutrient and oxidative stress during the rapid expansion of cancer. Excessive and sustained autophagy may lead to cell death and tumor shrinkage. It was shown in literature that many anticancer natural compounds and extracts could initiate autophagy in tumor cells. As summarized in this review, the tumor suppressive action of natural products-induced autophagy may lead to cell senescence, provoke apoptosis-independent cell death, and complement apoptotic cell death by robust or target-specific mechanisms. In some cases, natural products-induced autophagy could protect tumor cells from apoptotic death. Technical variations in detecting autophagy affect data quality, and study focus should be made on elaborating the role of autophagy in deciding cell fate. In vivo study monitoring of autophagy in cancer treatment is expected to be the future direction. The clinical-relevant action of autophagy-inducing natural products should be highlighted in future study. As natural products are an important resource in discovery of lead compound of anticancer drug, study on the role of autophagy in tumor suppressive effect of natural products continues to be necessary and emerging.

Benzyl isothiocyanate induces apoptosis of hepatocarcinoma cells

AIM: To investigate the influence of benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) on apoptosis of hepatoma carcinoma cell lines HLE and Bel-7402 in vitro, and to explore the possible mechanism involved.

METHODS: After HLE and Bel-7402 cells were treated with an optimal concentration of BITC for 24 h, cell proliferation was tested by MTT assay, the morphology of apoptotic hepatoma cells was observed after DAPI staining, the enzymatic activity of caspase 3 was assayed using Caspase3 Activity Assay Kit, and expression of caspase 8, caspase 3 and cell cycle related protein cyclin D1 were detected by Western blot.

RESULTS: MTT analysis showed that BITC had an obvious inhibitory effect on the proliferation of hepatoma cells. The growth rates of HLE and Bel-7402 cells treated with 40 µmol/L BITC were 71.56% and 78.09% (P < 0.05 vs control groups), respectively, and the growth rates of HLE and Bel-7402 cells treated with 80 µmol/BITC were 32.91% and 53.06% (P < 0.01 vs control groups), respectively. Hepatoma cells treated with BITC tended to showed characteristic morphological changes of apoptosis. BITC treatment elevated the activity of caspase 3 in hepatoma cells, stimulated the expression of caspase 3 and caspase 8, but inhibited cyclin D1 expression.

CONCLUSION: BITC induces apoptosis of hepatoma cells possibly by activating the caspase signal pathway and inhibiting cell cycle progression.