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Zhang Q, Yuan Y, Cao S, Kang N, Qiu F. Withanolides: Promising candidates for cancer therapy. Phytother Res 2024; 38:1104-1158. [PMID: 38176694 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.8090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Natural products have played a significant role throughout history in the prevention and treatment of numerous diseases, particularly cancers. As a natural product primarily derived from various medicinal plants in the Withania genus, withanolides have been shown in several studies to exhibit potential activities in cancer treatment. Consequently, understanding the molecular mechanism of withanolides could herald the discovery of new anticancer agents. Withanolides have been studied widely, especially in the last 20 years, and attracted the attention of numerous researchers. Currently, over 1200 withanolides have been classified, with approximately a quarter of them having been reported in the literature to be able to modulate the survival and death of cancer cells through multiple avenues. To what extent, though, has the anticancer effects of these compounds been studied? How far are they from being developed into clinical drugs? What are their potential, characteristic features, and challenges? In this review, we elaborate on the current knowledge of natural compounds belonging to this class and provide an overview of their natural sources, anticancer activity, mechanism of action, molecular targets, and implications for anticancer drug research. In addition, direct targets and clinical research to guide the design and implementation of future preclinical and clinical studies to accelerate the application of withanolides have been highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Zhang
- School of Medical Technology, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - YongKang Yuan
- School of Medical Technology, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Shijie Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning Kang
- School of Medical Technology, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Substance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
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Zhang Z, Yang Y, Xu Y, Liu Y, Li H, Chen L. Molecular targets and mechanisms of anti-cancer effects of withanolides. Chem Biol Interact 2023; 384:110698. [PMID: 37690745 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Withanolides are a class of natural products with a steroidal lactone structure that exhibit a broad spectrum of anti-cancer effects. To date, several studies have shown that their possible mechanisms in cancer development and progression are associated with the regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Withanolides can also attenuate inflammatory responses, as well as modulate the genomic instability and energy metabolism of cancer cells. In addition, they may improve the safety and efficacy of cancer treatments as adjuvants to traditional cancer therapeutics. Herein, we summarize the molecular targets and mechanisms of withanolides in different cancers, as well as their current clinical studies on them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiruo Zhang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Yueying Yang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Hua Li
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China; Institute of Structural Pharmacology & TCM Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, China.
| | - Lixia Chen
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China.
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Yuan-Ce L, Yu-Yan P, Qi Z, Hong-Yang Z, Yan-Wen W, Yu-Mei S, Guang-Zhi Z, Jun-Lin Y. Physalis pubescens L. branch and leaf extracts inhibit lymphoma proliferation by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1192225. [PMID: 37554986 PMCID: PMC10404818 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1192225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Physalis pubescens L. is an annual or perennial plant in the family Solanaceae It is used in traditional medicine for treating sore throats, coughs, urinary discomfort, and astringent pain, and externally for pemphigus and eczema in northern China. The proliferation inhibitory activity and mechanisms of the ethyl acetate extract (PHY-EA) from the leaves of Physalis pubescens were investigated. High performance liquid chromatography was used to identify the chemical composition of PHY-EA; sulforhodamine B was used to detect the proliferation inhibitory effect of PHY-EA on MCF-7, CA-46, Hela, HepG2, B16, and other tumor cells; flow cytometry was used to detect the effect of PHY-EA on the lymphoma cell cycle and apoptosis; Western blot was used to detect the expression of the cycle- and apoptosis-related proteins. The expression of Ki-67 and cleaved caspase 3 was detected by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that PHY-EA contained physalin B, physalin O, and physalin L. PHY-EA blocked the cell cycle of G2/M→G0/G1 in lymphoma cells and induced apoptosis in tumor cells. Mouse transplantation tumor experiments showed that PHY-EA had a significant inhibitory effect on mouse transplantation tumors, and the tumor volume and weight were significantly reduced. In conclusion, PHY-EA has a good antiproliferative effect on Burkkit lymphoma, indicating its potential medicinal value.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Zeng Guang-Zhi
- Key Laboratory of Chemistry in Ethnic Medicinal Resources, State Ethnic Affairs Commission and Ministry of Education, School of Ethnic Medicine, Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming, China
| | - Yin Jun-Lin
- Key Laboratory of Chemistry in Ethnic Medicinal Resources, State Ethnic Affairs Commission and Ministry of Education, School of Ethnic Medicine, Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming, China
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Role of Plant-Derived Active Constituents in Cancer Treatment and Their Mechanisms of Action. Cells 2022; 11:cells11081326. [PMID: 35456005 PMCID: PMC9031068 DOI: 10.3390/cells11081326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite significant technological advancements in conventional therapies, cancer remains one of the main causes of death worldwide. Although substantial progress has been made in the control and treatment of cancer, several limitations still exist, and there is scope for further advancements. Several adverse effects are associated with modern chemotherapy that hinder cancer treatment and lead to other critical disorders. Since ancient times, plant-based medicines have been employed in clinical practice and have yielded good results with few side effects. The modern research system and advanced screening techniques for plants’ bioactive constituents have enabled phytochemical discovery for the prevention and treatment of challenging diseases such as cancer. Phytochemicals such as vincristine, vinblastine, paclitaxel, curcumin, colchicine, and lycopene have shown promising anticancer effects. Discovery of more plant-derived bioactive compounds should be encouraged via the exploitation of advanced and innovative research techniques, to prevent and treat advanced-stage cancers without causing significant adverse effects. This review highlights numerous plant-derived bioactive molecules that have shown potential as anticancer agents and their probable mechanisms of action and provides an overview of in vitro, in vivo and clinical trial studies on anticancer phytochemicals.
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Kowalczyk T, Merecz-Sadowska A, Rijo P, Mori M, Hatziantoniou S, Górski K, Szemraj J, Piekarski J, Śliwiński T, Bijak M, Sitarek P. Hidden in Plants—A Review of the Anticancer Potential of the Solanaceae Family in In Vitro and In Vivo Studies. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14061455. [PMID: 35326606 PMCID: PMC8946528 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14061455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The Solanaceae family is one of the most important arable and economic families in the world. In addition, it includes a wide range of valuable active secondary metabolites of species with biological and medical properties. This literature review focuses on the assessment of the anticancer properties of the extracts and pure compounds, and the synergistic effects with chemotherapeutic agents and nanoparticles from various species of the Solanaceae family, as well as their potential molecular mechanisms of action in in vitro and in vivo studies in various types of tumours. Abstract Many of the anticancer agents that are currently in use demonstrate severe side effects and encounter increasing resistance from the target cancer cells. Thus, despite significant advances in cancer therapy in recent decades, there is still a need to discover and develop new, alternative anticancer agents. The plant kingdom contains a range of phytochemicals that play important roles in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. The Solanaceae family is widely used in the treatment of various diseases, including cancer, due to its bioactive ingredient content. The purpose of this literature review is to highlight the antitumour activity of Solanaceae extracts—single isolated compounds and nanoparticles with extracts—and their synergistic effect with chemotherapeutic agents in various in vitro and in vivo cancer models. In addition, the biological properties of many plants of the Solanaceae family have not yet been investigated, which represents a challenge and an opportunity for future anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Kowalczyk
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Anna Merecz-Sadowska
- Department of Computer Science in Economics, University of Lodz, 90-214 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Patricia Rijo
- CBIOS—Research Center for Biosciences & Health Technologies, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal;
- iMed.ULisboa—Research Institute for Medicines, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mattia Mori
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Sophia Hatziantoniou
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece;
| | - Karol Górski
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lodz, 90-151 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Janusz Szemraj
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, 92-215 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Janusz Piekarski
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Chair of Oncology, Medical University in Lodz, Nicolaus Copernicus Multidisciplinary Centre for Oncology and Traumatology, 93-513 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Tomasz Śliwiński
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Michał Bijak
- Biohazard Prevention Centre, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Przemysław Sitarek
- Department of Biology and Pharmaceutical Botany, Medical University of Lodz, 90-151 Lodz, Poland
- Correspondence:
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Dai C, Shen L, Jin W, Lv B, Liu P, Wang X, Yin Y, Fu Y, Liang L, Ma Z, Zhang X, Wang Y, Xu D, Chen Z. Physapubescin B enhances the sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to trametinib by inhibiting the STAT3 signaling pathway. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2020; 408:115273. [PMID: 33035574 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2020.115273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Given the poor prognosis of unresectable advanced gastric cancer (GC), novel therapeutic strategies are needed. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade, the most frequently activated pathway in GC, plays an important role in tumorigenesis and metastasis. The MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway is an attractive therapeutic target for GC. In this study, trametinib, a mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor, reduced the p-ERK level and significantly increased signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation in GC cells, resulting in reduced sensitivity to trametinib. Physapubescin B (PB), a steroidal compound extracted from the plant Physalis pubescens L., inhibited the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of GC cells by suppressing STAT3 phosphorylation. The combination of PB and trametinib suppressed the STAT3 phosphorylation induced by trametinib, and synergistically suppressed gastric tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Together, these results indicate that inhibition of both MEK and STAT3 may be effective for patients with MAPK/ERK pathway-addicted GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Dai
- Key Laboratory of Digestive Pathophysiology of Zhejiang Province, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 54 Youdian Road, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Li Shen
- Institute of Basic Theory of TCM, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Weiyang Jin
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Bing Lv
- Key Laboratory of Digestive Pathophysiology of Zhejiang Province, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 54 Youdian Road, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Pei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Digestive Pathophysiology of Zhejiang Province, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 54 Youdian Road, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Xi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Digestive Pathophysiology of Zhejiang Province, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 54 Youdian Road, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Yifei Yin
- Key Laboratory of Digestive Pathophysiology of Zhejiang Province, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 54 Youdian Road, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Yufei Fu
- Key Laboratory of Digestive Pathophysiology of Zhejiang Province, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 54 Youdian Road, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Liguo Liang
- Key Laboratory of Digestive Pathophysiology of Zhejiang Province, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 54 Youdian Road, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Zhongjun Ma
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yu-Hang-Tang Road, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Xiaojian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yiping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Digestive Pathophysiology of Zhejiang Province, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 54 Youdian Road, Hangzhou 310006, China.
| | - Daogun Xu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Wenling Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Wenling, China.
| | - Zhe Chen
- Key Laboratory of Digestive Pathophysiology of Zhejiang Province, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 54 Youdian Road, Hangzhou 310006, China.
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