In Vitro Antiproliferative Effect of Arthrocnemum indicum Extracts on Caco-2 Cancer Cells through Cell Cycle Control and Related Phenol LC-TOF-MS Identification

Antiproliferative activities of some selected Nigerian medicinal plants against breast, liver, and cervical cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Phytochemicals have become a growing source of alternative medicine in developing countries due to the poor prognosis, high cost of conventional pharmaceuticals, and undesirable effects associated with mainstream cancer treatment.

OBJECTIVE

This study was aimed at investigating the anticancer effect of some selected Nigerian medicinal plants used in cancer treatment. These include ethanol extracts of Dialium guineense root (DGR), Dialium guineense leaves (DGL), Jateorhiza macrantha leaves (JML), Musanga cecropioides leaves (MCL), Musanga cecropioides stembark (MCSB), Piptadeniastrum africanum stembark (PASB), Piptadeniastrum africanum root (PAR), Pupalia lappacea flower tops (PLF), Raphiostylis beninensis root (RBR), Raphiostylis beninensis leaves (RBL), Ritchiea capparoides leaves (RCL), Ritchiea capparoides stembark (RCSB), and Triplochiton scleroxylon stembark (TSB).

METHODS

The cytotoxic activity of the extracts was examined using a brine shrimp lethality assay and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay against three cancer cell lines, including MCF-7, HUH-7, and HeLa. The selectivity of all extracts towards cancer cells was investigated using normal lung fibroblasts (MRC-5). Cell migration and colony-forming assays of active extracts against MCF-7 cells were also performed. Additionally, the total polyphenolic contents of the active extracts were estimated using standard methods.

RESULTS

The extract of PASB had the highest cytotoxicity (LC50 = 1.58 μg/mL) on the brine shrimps compared to vincristine sulphate (LC50 = 2.24 μg/mL). In the cell viability assay, all the extracts produced significant (p < 0.05) growth inhibitory effects against all cell lines tested in a dose-dependent manner. All extracts were selective to cancer cells at varying degrees. Worth mentioning are the extracts of MCL, DGR, RBR, and PASB, which exhibited 14-, 7-, 6- and 2-fold selectivity toward MCF-7 cancer cells relative to normal lung fibroblast (MRC-5), respectively. These four extracts also significantly inhibited cell migration and colony formation in MCF-7-treated cells in dose-dependent manners. Considerable amounts of phenolics, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins were detected in all extracts evaluated.

CONCLUSION

These findings advocate the continued development of MCL, DGR, RBR, and PASB as potential chemotherapeutic agents.

Salt-Tolerant Plants, Halophytes, as Renewable Natural Resources for Cancer Prevention and Treatment: Roles of Phenolics and Flavonoids in Immunomodulation and Suppression of Oxidative Stress towards Cancer Management

Halophytes and xerophytes, plants with adequate tolerance to high salinity with strong ability to survive in drought ecosystem, have been recognized for their nutritional and medicinal values owing to their comparatively higher productions of secondary metabolites, primarily the phenolics, and the flavonoids, as compared to the normal vegetation in other climatic regions. Given the consistent increases in desertification around the world, which are associated with increasing salinity, high temperature, and water scarcity, the survival of halophytes due to their secondary metabolic contents has prioritized these plant species, which have now become increasingly important for environmental protection, land reclamation, and food and animal-feed security, with their primary utility in traditional societies as sources of drugs. On the medicinal herbs front, because the fight against cancer is still ongoing, there is an urgent need for development of more efficient, safe, and novel chemotherapeutic agents, than those currently available. The current review describes these plants and their secondary-metabolite-based chemical products as promising candidates for developing newer cancer therapeutics. It further discusses the prophylactic roles of these plants, and their constituents in prevention and management of cancers, through an exploration of their phytochemical and pharmacological properties, with a view on immunomodulation. The important roles of various phenolics and structurally diverse flavonoids as major constituents of the halophytes in suppressing oxidative stress, immunomodulation, and anti-cancer effects are the subject matter of this review and these aspects are outlined in details.

Cytotoxic, apoptotic activities and chemical profiling of dimorphic forms of Egyptian halophyte Cakile maritima scop

Cakile maritima ssp. aegyptiaca (Wild.) Nyman is growing with dimorphic leaf forms (entire or pinnatifid lamina) along the Mediterranean coast of Egypt. The cytotoxic activities of dried shoot systems of the two morphological forms were evaluated by testing and comparing the effects of ethanolic and aqueous extracts on the viability of five human cell lines. GC-MS analysis was performed to identify the bioactive and anticancer compounds present in the most active extracts. MTT assay indicated that both aqueous and ethanolic extracts have selective cytotoxic activities against cancer cell lines with no inhibitory activities against normal Wi38 or Vero cell lines. The underlying mechanism of cytotoxicity involved the induction of G2/M phase arrest in targeted cells MCF-7 and HCT-116 associated with inducing apoptosis in both cell lines, as indicated by Annexin-V assay. Apoptosis investigation in MCF-7 and HCT-116 cells treated with ethanolic extracts, was further investigated through RT-PCR, which exhibited elevation of proapoptotic genes of P53, BAX, Capase-3,6,7,8,9, and downregulation of antiapoptotic gene (BCL-2) upon treatment. The GC-MS analysis of ethanolic extracts of pinnatifid and entire forms revealed the existence of 18 and 13 compounds, respectively, with eleven compounds that were detected in pinnatifid form only and seven compounds were identified exclusively in the entire form. Molecular Docking study revealed that the identified compounds exhibited good binding affinity towards BCL-2 inhibition, and this agreed with the suggested apoptotic mechanism. To the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first scientific evidence underline the variability in the chemical composition associated with variable anticancer activities of dimorphic forms of C. maritima.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Pro-Oxidant and Cytotoxic Effects of Tucum-Do-Cerrado (Bactris setosa Mart.) Extracts in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Caco-2 Cells

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. Bioactive natural compounds can act in cancer chemoprevention as tumor growth inhibitors. Tucum-do-cerrado (Bactris setosa Mart.) is a Brazilian fruit that contains several phenolic compounds. This study investigated the effect of tucum aqueous extract in Caco-2 cells in comparison to primary human intestinal organoids and fibroblasts. Cells were exposed to 0.5 and 1 mg/ml of tucum aqueous extract for 24 h. ROS production, mRNA levels for SOD1 and SOD2, CAT, GPX1, NFE2L2, HIF1A and NOS2 were evaluated in Caco-2 cells exposed to tucum extract. Cell viability of Caco-2 cells was decreased upon tucum extract exposure. Mitochondrial ROS levels increased in Caco-2 cells exposed to tucum extract. The mRNA levels of SOD1, SOD2, CAT, GPX, NFE2L2 and HIF1A were downregulated in Caco-2 cells exposed to tucum extract, while NOS2 mRNA levels remained unchanged. Protein levels of SOD2, CAT and NRF2 remained unchanged in Caco-2 cells treated with tucum extract, indicating that catalase and SOD2 cellular functions may be unaffected by the tucum extract at 24 h, of exposure. Aqueous extract of tucum-do-cerrado may induce cellular toxicity in a cancer cell-specific manner, possibly through increased mitochondrial ROS production and gene expression regulation.

Effects of Isorhamnetin on Diabetes and Its Associated Complications: A Review of In Vitro and In Vivo Studies and a Post Hoc Transcriptome Analysis of Involved Molecular Pathways

Diabetes mellitus, especially type 2 (T2DM), is a major public health problem globally. DM is characterized by high levels of glycemia and insulinemia due to impaired insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity of the cells, known as insulin resistance. T2DM causes multiple and severe complications such as nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy causing cell oxidative damages in different internal tissues, particularly the pancreas, heart, adipose tissue, liver, and kidneys. Plant extracts and their bioactive phytochemicals are gaining interest as new therapeutic and preventive alternatives for T2DM and its associated complications. In this regard, isorhamnetin, a plant flavonoid, has long been studied for its potential anti-diabetic effects. This review describes its impact on reducing diabetes-related disorders by decreasing glucose levels, ameliorating the oxidative status, alleviating inflammation, and modulating lipid metabolism and adipocyte differentiation by regulating involved signaling pathways reported in the in vitro and in vivo studies. Additionally, we include a post hoc whole-genome transcriptome analysis of biological activities of isorhamnetin using a stem cell-based tool.

A metabolomics approach to evaluate the effect of lyophilization versus oven drying on the chemical composition of plant extracts

Lyophilization is the “gold standard” for drying plant extracts, which is important in preserving their quality and extending their shelf-life. Compared to other methods of drying plant extracts, lyophilization is costlier due to equipment, material and operational expenses. An alternative method is post-extraction oven-drying, but the effects of this process on extract quality are unknown. In this study, crude extracts from Arthrocnemum macrostachyum shoots were compared using three post-extraction drying methods (lyophilization and oven drying at 40 and 60 °C) and two extraction solvents (water and aqueous 50% ethanol). Untargeted metabolomics coupled with chemometrics analysis revealed that post extraction oven-drying resulted in the loss of up to 27% of molecular features when compared to lyophilization in water extracts only. In contrast, only 3% of molecular features were lost in aqueous 50% ethanol extracts when subjected to oven drying. That is to say, ethanol used as a solvent has a stabilizing effect on metabolites and enhances their resistance to thermal transformation in the oven. Collectively, oven-drying of extracts was as effective as lyophilization in preserving metabolites in extracts only when 50% ethanol was used as a solvent. The results presented in this paper demonstrate the value of selecting solvent-appropriate post-extraction drying methods.

Halophytes as source of bioactive phenolic compounds and their potential applications

Halophytes are salt-tolerant plants that inhabit environments in which they are exposed to extreme stress, wherefore they exhibit conserved and divergent metabolic responses different from those of conventional plants. Thus, the synthesis and accumulation of metabolites, especially of those oxidative stress-related such as phenolic compounds, should be investigated. The potential of halophytes as a source of phenolics and their prospective industrial applications are evaluated based on a comprehensive review of the scientific literature on the phenolic compounds of more than forty halophytes and their biological activities. Additionally, an overview of the analytical methodologies adopted for phenolics determination in halophytes is provided. Finally, the prospective uses and beneficial effects of the phenolic preparations from these plants are discussed. Halophytes are complex matrices, exhibiting a wide variety of phenolics in their composition, wherefore the results can be greatly affected depending on the organ plant under analysis and the extraction methodology, especially the extraction solvent used. High-performance liquid chromatography, coupled with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) or mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), are the most used technique. Halophytes biosynthesize phenolics in concentrations that justify the remarkable antioxidant and antimicrobial activities shown, making them ideal sources of bioactive molecules to be employed in a multitude of sectors.

Therapeutic effect of Arthrocnemum machrostachyum methanolic extract on Ehrlich solid tumor in mice

Background

The anti-cancer effect of the halophyte Arthrocnemum indicum, a member of Arthrocnemum family of salt-tolerant plants, was evaluated against colorectal cancer cell, CaCo2. However, the anti-cancer effect of another halophyte Arthrocnemum machrostachyum was not investigated yet. Herein, the anticancer effect of A. machrostachyum methanolic extract (AME) was evaluated against Ehrlich solid tumor (EST) in mice and the potential mechanism of action was also studied.

Methods

Male Swiss albino mice (n = 28) were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 7/group). Group 1 (negative control group); group 2 (EST) injected intramuscularly by 0.2 mL Ehrlich ascitic carcinoma (2 × 10⁶ cells); and groups 3 and 4 injected intratumorally with AME (180 and 360 mg/kg body weight, respectively) at D12 trice weekly for 2 weeks. Gene expression, protein expression, DNA damage, and TNFa level in tumors were determined by real-time PCR, western blot, comet assay, and Elisa, respectively.

Results

Treatment with AME induced anti-tumor effects against EST as indicated by 1) notable reduction in tumor size; 2) elevation in tissue necrosis and apoptosis, as confirmed histologically; 3) increased DNA fragmentation; 4) decreased expression of the apoptotic genes (p53, Bax and caspase 3), and increased expression of the anti-apoptotic marker Bcl2; 5) significantly upregulated cell cycle regulatory genes Cdc2 and connexin26, and; 6) decreased TNFa levels in tumor tissues. Interestingly, a high dose of AME exhibited a more potent anti-tumor effect against EST.

Conclusion

These findings indicate that AME has a potent antitumor effect against EST and could be used as an adjuvant to anticancer drugs to combat tumor, but after application of further confirmatory clinical trials.

Anti-Proliferative Effects of Methanol and Water Extracts of Pyrrosia piloselloides on the Hela Human Cervical Carcinoma Cell Line

Background:

Cervical cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed neoplasms and a leading cause of cancer death among females worldwide. Limitations with conventional medical treatments have driven researchers to search for alternative approaches using natural products. This study aimed to detemine potential anti-proliferative effects of methanol and water extracts of Pyrrosia piloselloides (P. piloselloides) on the HeLa cell line.

Methods:

3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays were performed to determine IC50 concentrations and apoptosis analysis was by flow cytometry. To identify chemical compounds in the extracts, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed.

Results:

P. piloselloides methanol extracts (PPME) showed antiproliferative effects on HeL awith an IC50 of 16.25μg/mL while the P. piloselloides water extract (PPWE) was without influence. Neither extract showed any significant effects on apoptosis. GC-MS analysis, revealed 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (23.1%), allopurinol (8.66%) and 3, 5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-2,3-dihydropyran-4-one (7.41%) as major components in the PPME, while sulfolan-3-ol (10.1%), linoleic acid (9.06%) and β-sitosterol acetate (7.98%) predominated in the PPWE case.

Conclusion:

This first study of P. piloselloides showed PPME to exert potent anti-proliferative effect on HeLa cell lines. Further research now needs to be performed to establish the mechanisms of inhibition.

What Has Come out from Phytomedicines and Herbal Edibles for the Treatment of Cancer?

Several modern treatment strategies have been adopted to combat cancer with the aim of minimizing toxicity. Medicinal plant-based compounds with the potential to treat cancer have been widely studied in preclinical research and have elicited many innovations in cutting-edge clinical research. In parallel, researchers have eagerly tried to decrease the toxicity of current chemotherapeutic agents either by combining them with herbals or in using herbals alone. The aim of this article is to present an update of medicinal plants and their bioactive compounds, or mere changes in the bioactive compounds, along with herbal edibles, which display efficacy against diverse cancer cells and in anticancer therapy. It describes the basic mechanism(s) of action of phytochemicals used either alone or in combination therapy with other phytochemicals or herbal edibles. This review also highlights the remarkable synergistic effects that arise between certain herbals and chemotherapeutic agents used in oncology. The anticancer phytochemicals used in clinical research are also described; furthermore, we discuss our own experience related to semisynthetic derivatives, which are developed based on phytochemicals. Overall, this compilation is intended to facilitate research and development projects on phytopharmaceuticals for successful anticancer drug discovery.

Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antitumoral Effects of Aqueous Ethanolic Extract from Phoenix dactylifera L. Parthenocarpic Dates

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant, the anti-inflammatory, and the antitumoral activities of the aqueous ethanolic extract from Phoenix dactylifera L. parthenocarpic dates. The antioxidant activity was carried using DPPH radical scavenging activity. The result showed that parthenocarpic dates had strongly scavenging activity on DPPH reaching 94% with an IC₅₀ value of 0.15 ± 0.011 mg/mL (p < 0.05). The anti-inflammatory potential was determined by the inhibitory effect of the aqueous ethanolic extract on phospholipase A₂ activity as well as on carrageenan-induced paw oedema in mice. The in vitro study showed that the extract inhibited the phospholipase A₂ activity with an IC₅₀ value of 130 μg/mL and the in vivo study showed a significantly decrease in the paw oedema after 1 h compared to the control group. Finally, the antiproliferative activity of the aqueous ethanolic extract was assessed by MTT test against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines. This extract was effective in inhibiting MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cancer cells growth with IC₅₀ values of 8 and 18 mg/mL, respectively, after 72 h treatment. These results confirm the ethnopharmacological significance of Phoenix dactylifera L. parthenocarpic dates, which could add support for its pharmaceutical use.

Halotolerant Rhizobacteria Promote Growth and Enhance Salinity Tolerance in Peanut

Use of Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is a promising strategy to improve the crop production under optimal or sub-optimal conditions. In the present study, five diazotrophic salt tolerant bacteria were isolated from the roots of a halophyte, Arthrocnemum indicum. The isolates were partially characterized in vitro for plant growth promoting traits and evaluated for their potential to promote growth and enhanced salt tolerance in peanut. The 16S rRNA gene sequence homology indicated that these bacterial isolates belong to the genera, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Agrobacterium, and Ochrobactrum. All isolates were nifH positive and able to produce indole -3-acetic acid (ranging from 11.5 to 19.1 μg ml-1). The isolates showed phosphate solubilisation activity (ranging from 1.4 to 55.6 μg phosphate /mg dry weight), 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase activity (0.1 to 0.31 μmol α-kB/μg protein/h) and were capable of reducing acetylene in acetylene reduction assay (ranging from 0.95 to 1.8 μmol C2H4 mg protein/h). These isolates successfully colonized the peanut roots and were capable of promoting the growth under non-stress condition. A significant increase in total nitrogen (N) content (up to 76%) was observed over the non-inoculated control. All isolates showed tolerance to NaCl ranging from 4 to 8% in nutrient broth medium. Under salt stress, inoculated peanut seedlings maintained ion homeostasis, accumulated less reactive oxygen species (ROS) and showed enhanced growth compared to non-inoculated seedlings. Overall, the present study has characterized several potential bacterial strains that showed an enhanced growth promotion effect on peanut under control as well as saline conditions. The results show the possibility to reduce chemical fertilizer inputs and may promote the use of bio-inoculants.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles inhibit murine photoreceptor-derived cell proliferation and migration via reducing TGF-β and MMP-9 expression in vitro

OBJECTIVES

To investigate behaviour and expression of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-9) in murine photoreceptor-derived cells (661W) after incubation with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We explored effects of ZnO nanoparticles on 661W cells using a real-time cell electronic sensing system, flow cytometry, multiple function microplate reading, real-time quantitative PCR detection system and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay respectively.

RESULTS

Our results indicate that ZnO nanoparticles induced overload of calcium and reactive oxygen species within cells, causing formation of apoptotic bodies, disruption of cell cycle distribution, and reduction in expression of TGF-β and MMP-9, to suppress cell proliferation and migration. Our findings show that disruption of intracellular calcium homoeostasis and overproduction of reactive oxygen species were closely associated with reduction of TGF-β and MMP-9 in 661W cells under ZnO nanoparticle treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Results of our study indicate that ZnO nanoparticles suppressed cell proliferation and migration, and reduced production of TGF-β and MMP-9 at both gene and protein levels. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that reduced TGF-β and MMP-9 levels inhibit cell proliferation and migration under ZnO nanoparticle influence.

Effect of apple, baobab, red-chicory, and pear extracts on cellular energy expenditure and morphology of a Caco-2 cells using transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

The present study investigated the effects of four food extracts on the Caco-2 intestinal cell line using a new transepithelial electrical resistance method (TEER) concurrent with electron microscopy (SEM).