Lemon Juice Mediated Reaction under Ultrasound Irradiation: Synthesis of Indolofuroquinoxalines as Potential Anticancer Agents

Recent updates on the anticancer activity of quinoxaline hybrids (Jan. 2017-Jan. 2022)

Abstract:

Cancer as one of the leading causes of death among non-communicable diseases has already posed a heavy burden on the world health system. Chemotherapy is one of the most effective approaches for cancer treatment, but multidrug resistance, lack of efficacy, and toxic side effects hamper efficacious cancer chemotherapy, creating an urgent need to develop novel, more effective and less toxic anticancer therapeutics. Quinoxalines as fascinating structures constitute an important class of heterocycles in drug discovery. Quinoxaline hybrids could exert anticancer activity through diverse mechanisms and possess profound in vitro and in vivo efficacy against various cancers including multidrug-resistant forms. Thus, quinoxaline hybrids represent useful templates for the control and eradication of cancer. The purpose of the present review article is to provide an emphasis on the recent developments (Jan. 2017-Jan. 2022) in quinoxaline hybrids with insights into their in vitro and in vivo anticancer potential as well as structure-activity relationships (SARs) to facilitate further rational design of more effective candidates.

Daily Consumption of Lemon and Ginger Herbal Infusion Caused Tumor Regression and Activation of the Immune System in a Mouse Model of Breast Cancer

The Mediterranean diet includes the consumption of various fruits and vegetables. Lemon and ginger are highly popular in Mediterranean cuisine. The current study aims to evaluate both anticancer and immunomodulatory activities of lemon and ginger combination. The antiproliferative activities of the combination were tested against different cancer cell lines using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The degree of apoptosis induction and vascular endothelial growth factor expression were detected using ELISA. Balb/C mice were inoculated with the EMT6/P breast cancer cells and received combination water extract orally for 14 days. The effect of the water extract on splenocytes proliferation was measured using the mitogen proliferation assay. Macrophage function was evaluated using the nitro blue tetrazolium assay and pinocytosis was assessed using the neutral red method. Gas chromatography coupled to the tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine the composition of the combination. The lemon and ginger combination showed significant apoptosis induction and angiogenesis suppression effects. Fifty percent of the mice taking this combination did not develop tumors with a percentage of tumor reduction of 32.8%. This combination showed a potent effect in stimulating pinocytosis. Alpha-pinene and α-terpineol were detected in high percentages in the combination water extract. The lemon and ginger combination represents promising options to develop anticancer infusions for augmenting conventional anticancer therapies. Further testing is required to understand the exact molecular mechanisms of this combination.

Synthesis of 2-Substituted 4-Arylidene-5(4H)-oxazolones as Potential Cytotoxic Agents in the Presence of Lemon Juice as a Biocatalyst

BACKGROUND

The oxazolone class of compounds is known to exert a profound effect on malignant cell proliferation, tumor angiogenesis and /or on the established neoplastic vasculature. Additionally, these compounds are generally known to have a low tendency to interact with DNA which is not common with most of the conventional cytotoxic agents. Thus, this class of compounds is of particular interest for the discovery and development of patient-friendly anticancer agents.

OBJECTIVE

The initial objective of this study was to synthesize and evaluate 2-substituted 4-arylidene- 5(4H)-oxazolones for their potential anticancer properties.

METHODS

A simple, mild and non-hazardous synthetic methodology has been developed for the preparation of 2-substituted 4-arylidene-5(4H)-oxazolones. The methodology involved lemon juice mediated condensation of N-acyl glycine derivatives including hippuric acid with arylaldehydes in PEG-400 under ultrasound irradiation. All the synthesized compounds were screened via an MTT assay for their potential cytotoxic properties in vitro using the cancerous cell lines e.g. K562 (human chronic myeloid leukemia), Colo-205 (human colon carcinoma), and A549 (human lung carcinoma) and a non-cancerous HEK293 (human embryonic kidney) cell line.

RESULTS

Compounds 3a, 3c and 3i showed promising growth inhibition against A549 cell line but no significant effects on HEK293 cell line, indicating their selectivity towards cancer cells. Moreover, their IC50 values suggested that all these compounds were comparable to the reference drug doxorubicin indicating their potential against lung cancer.

CONCLUSION

The 4-arylidene-5(4H)-oxazolone framework presented here could be a new template for the design and discovery of potential anticancer agents especially for lung cancer.

The Impact of Herbal Infusion Consumption on Oxidative Stress and Cancer: The Good, the Bad, the Misunderstood

The release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress is associated with the development of many ailments, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer. The causal link between oxidative stress and cancer is well established and antioxidants are suggested as a protective mechanism against cancer development. Recently, an increase in the consumption of antioxidant supplements was observed globally. The main sources of these antioxidants include fruits, vegetables, and beverage. Herbal infusions are highly popular beverages consumed daily for different reasons. Studies showed the potent antioxidant effects of plants used in the preparation of some herbal infusions. Such herbal infusions represent an important source of antioxidants and can be used as a dietary protection against cancer. However, uncontrolled consumption of herbal infusions may cause toxicity and reduced antioxidant activity. In this review, eleven widely consumed herbal infusions were evaluated for their antioxidant capacities, anticancer potential and possible toxicity. These herbal infusions are highly popular and consumed as daily drinks in different countries. Studies discussed in this review will provide a solid ground for researchers to have better understanding of the use of herbal infusions to reduce oxidative stress and as protective supplements against cancer development.