Anti-Cancer Activity of Catechin against A549 Lung Carcinoma Cells by Induction of Cyclin Kinase Inhibitor p21 and Suppression of Cyclin E1 and P–AKT

QM-CSA: A Novel Quantum Mechanics-Based Protocol for Evaluation of the Carcinogen-Scavenging Activity of Polyphenolic Compounds

In this study, a novel quantum mechanics-based protocol for the evaluation of carcinogen-scavenging activity (QM-CSA) is developed. The QM-CSA protocol represents a universal and quantitative approach to evaluate and compare the activation-free energies for alkylation reactions between individual polyphenolic compounds and chemical carcinogens of the epoxy type at physiological conditions by applying two scales: the absolute scale allowing for the comparison with guanine and the relative scale allowing the comparison with glutathione as a reference compound. The devised quantum mechanical methodology was validated by comparing the activation-free energies calculated with 14 DFT functionals in conjunction with two implicit solvation models (SMD and CPCM) and the experimental activation-free energies for reactions between nine investigated chemical carcinogens and guanine. According to the obtained results, the best agreement with experimental data was achieved by applying DFT functionals M11-L and MN12-L in conjunction with the flexible 6-311++G(d,p) basis set and implicit solvation model SMD, and the obtained uncertainties were proven to be similar to the experimental ones. To demonstrate the applicability of the QM-CSA protocol, functionals M11-L, and MN12-L in conjunction with the SMD implicit solvation model were applied to calculate activation-free energies for the reactions of nine investigated chemical carcinogens of the epoxy type with three catechins, namely EGCG, EGC, and (+)-catechin. The order of CSA in this series of catechins in comparison to guanine and glutathione was determined as (+)-catechin > EGC > EGCG. The obtained results, for the first time, demonstrated the evaluation and comparison of CSA in a series of selected catechins with respect to glutathione and guanine. Moreover, the presented results provide valuable insights into the reaction mechanisms and configurations of the corresponding transition states. The novel QM-CSA protocol is also expected to expand the kinetic data for alkylation reactions between various polyphenolic compounds and chemical carcinogens of the epoxy type, which is currently lacking in the scientific literature.

Exploiting spirooxindoles for dual DNA targeting/CDK2 inhibition and simultaneous mitigation of oxidative stress towards selective NSCLC therapy; synthesis, evaluation, and molecular modelling studies

The unique structure of spirooxindoles and their ability to feature various pharmacophoric motifs render them privileged scaffolds for tailoring new multitarget anticancer agents. Herein, a stereoselective multicomponent reaction was utilized to generate a small combinatorial library of pyrazole-tethered spirooxindoles targeting DNA and CDK2 with free radical scavenging potential as an extra bonus. The designed spirooxindoles were directed to combat NSCLC via inducing apoptosis and alleviating oxidative stress. The series' absolute configuration was assigned by X-ray diffraction analysis. Cytotoxicity screening of the developed spirooxindoles against NSCLC A549 and H460 cells compared to normal lung fibroblasts Wi-38 revealed the sensitivity of A549 cells to the compounds and raised 6e and 6h as the study hits (IC50 ∼ 0.09 μM and SI > 3). They damaged DNA at 24.6 and 35.3 nM, and surpassed roscovitine as CDK2 inhibitors (IC50 = 75.6 and 80.2 nM). Docking and MDs simulations postulated their receptors binding modes. The most potent derivative, 6e, induced A549 apoptosis by 40.85% arresting cell cycle at G2/M phase, and exhibited antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner compared to Trolox as indicated by DPPH scavenging assay. Finally, in silico ADMET analysis predicted the drug-likeness properties of 6e.

Unraveling the Bioactive Potential of Camellia japonica Edible Flowers: Profiling Antioxidant Substances and In Vitro Bioactivity Assessment

In recent years, the search for novel natural-based ingredients by food and related industries has sparked extensive research aimed at discovering new sources of functional molecules. Camellia japonica, traditionally known as an ornamental plant, has gained attention due to its diverse array of bioactive compounds with potential industrial applications. Although C. japonica flowers are edible, their phytochemical profile has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, a phenolic profile screening through an HPLC-ESI-QQQ-MS/MS approach was applied to C. japonica flower extracts, revealing a total of 36 compounds, including anthocyanins, curcuminoids, dihydrochalcones, dihydroflavonols, flavonols, flavones, hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, isoflavonoids, stilbenes, and tyrosols. Following extract profiling, their bioactivity was assessed by means of in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and neuroprotective activities. The results showed a multifaceted high correlation of phenolic compounds with all the tested bioactivities according to Pearson's correlation analysis, unraveling the potential of C. japonica flowers as promising sources of nutraceuticals. Overall, these findings provide insight into the valorization of C. japonica flowers from different unexplored cultivars thus diversifying their industrial outcome.

Effect of the combined binding of topotecan and catechin/protocatechuic acid to a pH-sensitive DNA tetrahedron on release and cytotoxicity: Spectroscopic and calorimetric studies

The therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy drugs can be effectively improved through the dual effects of their combination with natural polyphenols and the delivery of targeted DNA nanostructures. In this work, the interactions of topotecan (TPT), (+)-catechin (CAT), or protocatechuic acid (PCA) with a pH-sensitive DNA tetrahedron (MUC1-TD) in the binary and ternary systems at pHs 5.0 and 7.4 were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy and calorimetry. The intercalative binding mode of TPT/CAT/PC to MUC1-TD was confirmed, and their affinity was ranked in the order of PCA > CAT > TPT. The effects of the pH-sensitivity of MUC1-TD and different molecular structures of CAT and PCA on the loading, release, and cytotoxicity of TPT were discussed. The weakened interaction under acidic conditions and the co-loading of CAT/PCA, especially PCA, improved the release of TPT loaded by MUC1-TD. The targeting of MUC1-TD and the synergistic effect with CAT/PCA, especially CAT, enhanced the cytotoxicity of TPT on A549 cells. For L02 cells, the protective effect of CAT/PCA reduced the damage caused by TPT. The single or combined TPT loaded by MUC1-TD was mainly concentrated in the nucleus of A549 cells. This work will provide key information for the combined application of TPT and CAT/PCA loaded by DNA nanostructures to improve chemotherapy efficacy and reduce side effects.

Unveiling the potential of Muscadine grape Skin extract as an innovative therapeutic intervention in cancer treatment

The use of muscadine grape extracts (MGSE). in cancer treatment has gained attention due to its distinctive composition of polyphenols and antioxidants. This review analyses the reported anti-cancer properties of MGSE. The study commences by reviewing the phytochemical composition of MGSE, highlighting the presence of resveratrol and ellagic acid. Furthermore, the review underscores the mechanism of action of these active compounds in MGSE in combating cancer cells. The anti-cancer potential of MGSE compared to other plant extracts is also discussed. In addition, it highlights MGSE's superiority and distinct phytochemical composition in preventing cancer growth by comparing its anti-cancer compounds with those of other anti-cancer medicinal plants. Lastly, the combinatory approaches of MGSE with traditional cancer therapies, its safety, and its possible side effects were highlighted. This work provides an understanding of the anti-cancer properties of MGSE, positioning it as a valuable and unique challenge within the field of cancer therapy.

Steady-State Delivery and Chemical Modification of Food Nutrients to Improve Cancer Intervention Ability

Cancer is a crucial global health problem, and prevention is an important strategy to reduce the burden of the disease. Daily diet is the key modifiable risk factor for cancer, and an increasing body of evidence suggests that specific nutrients in foods may have a preventive effect against cancer. This review summarizes the current evidence on the role of nutrients from foods in cancer intervention. It discusses the potential mechanisms of action of various dietary components, including phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The findings of epidemiological and clinical studies on their association with cancer risk are highlighted. The foods are rich in bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, flavonoids, and ω-3 fatty acids, which have been proven to have anticancer properties. The effects of steady-state delivery and chemical modification of these food's bioactive components on anticancer and intervention are summarized. Future research should focus on identifying the specific bioactive compounds in foods responsible for their intervention effects and exploring the potential synergistic effects of combining different nutrients in foods. Dietary interventions that incorporate multiple nutrients and whole foods may hold promise for reducing the risk of cancer and improving overall health.

Comparison of different drying technologies for walnut (Juglans regia L.) pellicles: Changes from phenolic composition, antioxidant activity to potential application

The analysis of the phenolic profile in the walnut pellicle (WP) and its exploitability can help to promote the valorization of the industrial waste from walnut production. Three forms of 33 monomeric phenols in WPs were quantified based on our previously established LC-MS/MS method. The levels of protocatechuic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid in the WPs were the highest, exceeding 400 μg/g. Antioxidant tests revealed that all three phenolic forms of WPs were effective antioxidants (IC50: 2.12-35.05 µg/mL). The findings also revealed that drying temperature had a substantial type-dependent effect on phenolics and their antioxidant ability in WPs. KEGG enrichment analysis found that drying method has the greatest impact on WPs phenols in six metabolic pathways. Besides, 11 active substances in WPs were identified by a compound-targeted activity screening approach, indicating that WPs could be used as a natural antioxidant source in the development of medical and nutraceutical products.

New spiro-indeno[1,2-b]quinoxalines clubbed with benzimidazole scaffold as CDK2 inhibitors for halting non-small cell lung cancer; stereoselective synthesis, molecular dynamics and structural insights

Despite the crucial role of CDK2 in tumorigenesis, few inhibitors reached clinical trials for managing lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death. Herein, we report combinatorial stereoselective synthesis of rationally designed spiroindeno[1,2-b]quinoxaline-based CDK2 inhibitors for NSCLC therapy. The design relied on merging pharmacophoric motifs and biomimetic scaffold hopping into this privileged skeleton via cost-effective one-pot multicomponent [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction. Absolute configuration was assigned by single crystal x-ray diffraction analysis and reaction mechanism was studied by Molecular Electron Density Theory. Initial MTT screening of the series against A549 cells and normal lung fibroblasts Wi-38 elected 6b as the study hit regarding potency (IC50 = 54 nM) and safety (SI = 6.64). In vitro CDK2 inhibition assay revealed that 6b (IC50 = 177 nM) was comparable to roscovitine (IC50 = 141 nM). Docking and molecular dynamic simulations suggested that 6b was stabilised into CDK2 cavity by hydrophobic interactions with key aminoacids.

Identification of bioactive compounds from Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. (Lingonberry) as inhibitors for treating KRAS-associated cancer: a computational approach

Lung cancer is the cancer of the lung's epithelial cells typically characterized by difficulty breathing, chest pain, blood-stained coughs, headache, and weight loss. If left unmanaged, lung cancer can spread to other body parts. While several treatment methods exist for managing lung cancer, exploring natural plant sources for developing therapeutics offers great potential in complementing other treatment approaches. In this study, we evaluated the bioactive compounds in Vaccinium vitis-idaea for treating KRAS-associated lung cancer types. In this study, we concentrated on inhibiting the mutated Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) by targeting an associated protein (Phosphodiesterase 6δ) to which KRAS form complexes. We evaluated bioactive compounds from Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.), adopting computational approaches such as molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, molecular mechanics/generalized Born surface area (MM/GBSA) calculations, and pharmacokinetics analysis. A total of 26 out of 39 bioactive compounds of Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. had a higher binding affinity to the target receptor than an approved drug, Sotorasib. Also, further analyses of all lead/top compounds in this study identified (+)-Catechin (Cianidanol), Arbutin, Resveratrol, and Sinapic acid, to be potential drug candidates that could be pursued. In sum, Arbutin, (+)-Catechin, and Sinapic acid are predicted to be the top compound of Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. because of their pharmacokinetic properties and drug-likeness attributes. Also, their stability to the target receptor makes them a potential drug candidate that could be explored for treating KRAS mutation-associated lung cancer.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-023-00165-1.

Evaluation of cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of the extracts and phenolic compounds of Astragalus globosus Vahl and Astragalus breviflorus DC

Astragalus L. is a genus member of the Fabaceae family, representing about 3,000 species all over the world and 380 species in Turkey. Astragalus species have been used in traditional medicine for many years. Astragalus globosus Vahl, known as "top geven", is a dwarf, scapose, perennial herb, Astragalus breviflorus DC., known as "yünlü geven", is an extremely spiny dwarf shrub. These endemic species grow in the Turkish cities of Erzurum, Kars, and Van. This is the first phytochemical and cytotoxic investigation of Astragalus globosus Vahl and Astragalus breviflorus DC. The main extracts and sub-fractions from the plants were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic and apoptotic activities. The IC₅₀ values of dichloromethane, n-butanol, and water extracts of the aerial parts of A. globosus against the MCF-7 cell line were determined as 28.39, 868.60, and 1753.00 µg/mL. The values for the MDA-MB-231 cell line were 264.00, 620.30, and 1300.50 µg/mL, respectively. From A. globosus, the following were isolated: a flavone glycoside, diosmetin-7-O-rutinoside (1); and two flavonol glycosides, isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside (2) and quercetin-3-O-galactoside (3). From A. breviflorus, two phenolic acids, caffeic acid (4) and chlorogenic acid (5), and a flavan-3-ol, catechin (6), were isolated. Diosmetin-7-O-rutinoside was isolated from Astragalus species for the first time and showed the highest cytotoxic activities on the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 13.65 and 12.89 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, we observed that diosmin exerts cytotoxic effects by causing cell necrosis.

An Insight into Diverse Activities and Targets of Flavonoids

BACKGROUND

Flavonoids belong to the chemical class of polyphenols and are in the category of secondary metabolites imparting a wide protective effect against acute and chronic diseases.

OBJECTIVE

The study aims to investigate and summarize the information of various flavonoids extracted, isolated from various sources, and possess different pharmacological properties by acting on multiple targets.

METHODS

This comprehensive review summarizes the research information related to flavonoids and their pharmacological action targets from various sources like PubMed, Google Scholar and Google websites.

RESULTS

Extracted information in the paper discusses various therapeutic effects of flavonoids isolated from medicinal plant sources, which have the property to inhibit several enzymes, which finally results in health benefits like anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, antioxidant, anti-allergic, and anti-viral effects. This study also showed the different solvents and methods involved in the extraction and characterization of the isolated phytochemical constituents.

CONCLUSION

The findings showed the contribution of several flavonoids in the management and inhibition of various acute and chronic sicknesses by acting on different sites in the body. This study may lead to gaining interest for more research on the bioactives of different medicinal plants for the discovery of new lead compounds or further improvement of the efficacy of the existing compound.

In Vitro Antiproliferative Effects and Phytochemical Characterization of Carissa edulis ((Forssk) Vahl) and Pappea capensis (Eckyl and Zeyh) Extracts

Cancer mortality is a global concern. The current therapeutic approaches despite showing efficacy are characterized by several limitations. Search for alternatives has led to the use of herbal plants including C. edulis and P. capensis. However, there is limited research on antiproliferative effects of these medicinal plants. The study sought to evaluate antiproliferative effects of the plants against human breast and prostate cancers using cell viability, and gene expression assays to determine modulation of apoptotic genes. Further, Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrophotometer (LC-MS) and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrophotometer (GC-MS) analyses were performed to confirm phytocompounds in the extracts. The results indicated that ethylacetate extracts of C. edulis and P. capensis had the highest activity against cancer cells with IC50 values of 2.12 ± 0.02, and 6.57 ± 0.03 μg/ml on HCC 1395 and 2.92 ± 0.17 and 5.00 ± 0.17 μg/ml on DU145, respectively. Moreover, the plants extracts exhibited relatively less cytotoxic activities against Vero cell lines (IC50 > 20 μg/ml). The extracts also exhibit selectivity against the cancer cells (SI > 3). Further, mRNA expression of p53 in the treated HCC 1395 was increased by 7 and 3-fold, whereas by 3 and 2-fold in DU145 cells, upon treatment with ethylacetate extracts of C. edulis and P. capensis, respectively. Similarly, several-fold increases were observed in the number of transcripts of Bax in HCC 1395 and HOXB13 in DU145 cells. Phytochemical analyses detected presence of phytocompounds including flavonoids, phenolics, tocopherols and terpenoids which are associated with anticancer activity. Findings from this study provide a scientific validation for the folklore use of these plants in management of cancer.

Anticarcinogenic potentials of tea catechins

Catechins are a cluster of polyphenolic bioactive components in green tea. Anticarcinogenic effects of tea catechins have been reported since the 1980s, but it has been controversial. The present paper reviews the advances in studies on the anticarcinogenic activities of tea and catechins, including epidemiological evidence and anticarcinogenic mechanism. Tea catechins showed antagonistic effects on many cancers, such as gynecological cancers, digestive tract cancers, incident glioma, liver and gallbladder cancers, lung cancer, etc. The mechanism underlying the anticarcinogenic effects of catechins involves in inhibiting the proliferation and growth of cancer cells, scavenging free radicals, suppressing metastasis of cancer cells, improving immunity, interacting with other anticancer drugs, and regulating signaling pathways. The inconsistent results and their causes are also discussed in this paper.

Molecular insights and therapeutic implications of nanoengineered dietary polyphenols for targeting lung cancer: part II

Flavonoids represent a major group of polyphenolic compounds. Their capacity to inhibit tumor proliferation, cell cycle, angiogenesis, migration and invasion is substantially responsible for their chemotherapeutic activity against lung cancer. However, their clinical application is limited due to poor aqueous solubility, low permeability and quick blood clearance, which leads to their low bioavailability. Nanoengineered systems such as liposomes, nanoparticles, micelles, dendrimers and nanotubes can considerably enhance the targeted action of the flavonoids with improved efficacy and pharmacokinetic properties, and flavonoids can be successfully translated from bench to bedside through various nanoengineering approaches. This review addresses the therapeutic potential of various flavonoids and highlights the cutting-edge progress in the nanoengineered systems that incorporate flavonoids for treating lung cancer.

Phragmanthera austroarabica A.G.Mill. and J.A.Nyberg Triggers Apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 Cells In Vitro and In Vivo Assays: Simultaneous Determination of Selected Constituents

Phragmanthera austroarabica (Loranthaceae), a semi-parasitic plant, is well known for its high content of polyphenols that are responsible for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Gallic acid, catechin, and methyl gallate are bioactive metabolites of common occurrence in the family of Loranthaceae. Herein, the concentrations of these bioactive metabolites were assessed using high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). Methyl gallate, catechin, and gallic acid were scanned at 280 nm. Their concentrations were assessed as 14.5, 6.5 and 43.6 mg/g of plant dry extract, respectively. Phragmanthera austroarabica extract as well as the three pure compounds were evaluated regarding the cytotoxic activity. The plant extract exhibited promising cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231 breast cells with the IC₅₀ value of 19.8 μg/mL while the tested pure compounds displayed IC₅₀ values in the range of 21.26–29.6 μg/mL. For apoptosis investigation, P. austroarabica induced apoptotic cell death by 111-fold change and necrosis by 9.31-fold change. It also activated the proapoptotic genes markers and inhibited the antiapoptotic gene, validating the apoptosis mechanism. Moreover, in vivo studies revealed a significant reduction in the breast tumor volume and weight in solid Ehrlich carcinoma (SEC) mice. The treatment of SEC mice with P. austroarabica extract improved both hematological and biochemical parameters with amelioration in the liver and kidney histopathology to near normal. Taken together, P. austroarabica extract exhibited promising anti-cancer activity through an apoptosis-induction.

Characterization of Gels and Films Produced from Pinhão Seed Coat Nanocellulose as a Potential Use for Wound Healing Dressings and Screening of Its Compounds towards Antitumour Effects

The reuse of agro-industrial waste assumes great importance today. Pinhão is the seed of Araucaria angustifolia, which is native to the mountains of southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. The coat is a by-product of this seed and is rich in phenolic compounds. The present study aimed to use the residue as a precursor material for the production of nanocellulose through the mechanical defibrillation process and perform the characterization of the films and the gel to investigate the effect on the physical and regenerative properties when incorporated with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The modulus of elasticity was higher when the MFC of pinhão was added to the PVA. Film and gel had their cytotoxicity tested by MTT assay using 3T3 fibroblast and Schwann cancer cells, and a migration assay was also performed using the scratch test on HaCat keratinocyte cells. For the scratch test, film and gel samples with low concentration presented a complete scratch closure in 72 h. Molecular docking was performed and quercetin had the ideal interaction score values, so it was used with the PACAP protein which presented a slightly moderate interaction with the protein synthesis of Schwann cells, presenting compactness of the compound after 14 ns.

Global regulatory factor VeA upregulates the production of antitumor substances in endophytic Fusarium solani

A number of studies have demonstrated that endophytic fungi have the potential to produce antitumor active substances with novel structures and significant activities. In our previous studies, we isolated a Fusarium strain from the stem of the medicinal plant Nothapodytes pittosporoides (Oliv.). In this study, we identified this strain as Fusarium solani and found that its crude extract has significant antitumor activity against human alveolar adenocarcinoma cells (A549). We overexpressed the global regulatory factor VeA in F. solani (VeA^OE), resulting in a significant increase in antitumor activity. The MTT assay results showed that the inhibition rate of the VeA^OE mutant extract on A549 cancer cells was significantly higher than that of the WT extract, as the IC₅₀ decreased from 369.22 to 285.89 μg/mL, and the apoptosis ratio was significantly increased by approximately 4.86-fold. In VeA^OE, accumulation of alkaloids, terpenoids, carboxylic acid derivatives, phenols and flavonoid metabolites with potential antitumor activity was significantly increased compared with WT based on metabolomic analysis. Additionally, transcriptome analysis found that the expression patterns of 48 genes related to antitumor activity were significantly changed in VeA^OE, mainly involving glycosyl hydrolases, the Zn(2)-Cys(6) class, cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, 3-isopropylmalate dehydratase, and polyketide synthases. These results suggested that VeA mediated the antitumor activity of the metabolites in F. solani HB1-J1 by regulating multiple metabolic pathways.

Comparative Assessment of the Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities of Plicosepalus acacia and Plicosepalus curviflorus: Metabolomic Profiling and In Silico Studies

This study presents a comparison between two mistletoe plants—P. acacia and P. curviflorus—regarding their total phenolic contents and antioxidant and anticancer activities. P. curviflorus exhibited a higher total phenolics content (340.62 ± 19.46 mg GAE/g extract), and demonstrated higher DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ = 48.28 ± 3.41µg/mL), stronger reducing power (1.43 ± 0.54 mMol Fe⁺²/g) for ferric ions, and a greater total antioxidant capacity (41.89 ± 3.15 mg GAE/g) compared to P. acacia. The cytotoxic effects of P. acacia and P. curviflorus methanol extracts were examined on lung (A549), prostate (PC-3), ovarian (A2780) and breast (MDA-MB-231) cancer cells. The highest anticancer potential for the two extracts was observed on PC-3 prostate cancer cells, where P. curviflorus exhibited more pronounced antiproliferative activity (IC₅₀ = 25.83 μg/mL) than P. acacia (IC₅₀ = 34.12 μg/mL). In addition, both of the tested extracts arrested the cell cycle at the Pre-G1 and G1 phases, and induced apoptosis. However, P. curviflorus extract possessed the highest apoptotic effect, mediated by the upregulation of p53, Bax, and caspase-3, 8 and 9, and the downregulation of Bcl-2 expression. In the pursuit to link the chemical diversity of P. curviflorus with the exhibited bioactivities, its metabolomic profiling was achieved by the LC-ESI-TOF-MS/MS technique. This permitted the tentative identification of several phenolics—chiefly flavonoid derivatives, beside some triterpenes and sterols—in the P. curviflorus extract. Furthermore, all of the metabolites in P. curviflorus and P. acacia were inspected for their binding modes towards both CDK-2 and EGFR proteins using molecular docking studies in an attempt to understand the superiority of P. curviflorus over P. acacia regarding their antiproliferative effect on PC-3 cancer cells. Docking studies supported our experimental results; with all of this taken together, P. curviflorus could be regarded as a potential prospect for the development of chemotherapeutics for prostate cancer.

Plant Secondary Metabolites Produced in Response to Abiotic Stresses Has Potential Application in Pharmaceutical Product Development

Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) are vital for human health and constitute the skeletal framework of many pharmaceutical drugs. Indeed, more than 25% of the existing drugs belong to PSMs. One of the continuing challenges for drug discovery and pharmaceutical industries is gaining access to natural products, including medicinal plants. This bottleneck is heightened for endangered species prohibited for large sample collection, even if they show biological hits. While cultivating the pharmaceutically interesting plant species may be a solution, it is not always possible to grow the organism outside its natural habitat. Plants affected by abiotic stress present a potential alternative source for drug discovery. In order to overcome abiotic environmental stressors, plants may mount a defense response by producing a diversity of PSMs to avoid cells and tissue damage. Plants either synthesize new chemicals or increase the concentration (in most instances) of existing chemicals, including the prominent bioactive lead compounds morphine, camptothecin, catharanthine, epicatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), quercetin, resveratrol, and kaempferol. Most PSMs produced under various abiotic stress conditions are plant defense chemicals and are functionally anti-inflammatory and antioxidative. The major PSM groups are terpenoids, followed by alkaloids and phenolic compounds. We have searched the literature on plants affected by abiotic stress (primarily studied in the simulated growth conditions) and their PSMs (including pharmacological activities) from PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE Ovid, Google Scholar, Databases, and journal websites. We used search keywords: "stress-affected plants," "plant secondary metabolites, "abiotic stress," "climatic influence," "pharmacological activities," "bioactive compounds," "drug discovery," and "medicinal plants" and retrieved published literature between 1973 to 2021. This review provides an overview of variation in bioactive phytochemical production in plants under various abiotic stress and their potential in the biodiscovery of therapeutic drugs. We excluded studies on the effects of biotic stress on PSMs.

Swertia chirayita suppresses the growth of non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells and concomitantly induces apoptosis via downregulation of JAK1/STAT3 pathway

Lung carcinoma is the leading cause of cancer-related mortalities worldwide, and present therapeutical interventions are not successful enough to treat this disease in many cases. Recent years have witnessed a surge in exploring natural compounds for their antiproliferative efficacy to expedite the characterization of novel anticancer chemotherapeutics. Swertia chirayita is a valued medicinal herb and possess intrinsic pharmaceutical potential. However, elucidation of its anticancer effects at molecular levels remains unclear and needs to be investigated. We assessed the anticancer and apoptotic efficacy of S. chirayita ethanolic extract (Sw-EtOH) on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 cells during this exploratory study. The results elucidated that S. chirayita extract induced toxic effects within lung cancer cells by ~1 fold during cytotoxicity and LDH release assay at a 400 μg/ml concentration. Sw-EtOH extract elevates the level of ROS, resulting in the disruption of Δψm and release of cytosolic cytochrome c by 3.15 fold. Activation of caspases-3, -8 & -9 also escalated by ~1 fold, which further catalyze the augmentation of PARP cleavage (~3 folds), resulting in a four-fold increase in Sw-EtOH induced apoptosis. The gene expression analysis further demonstrated that Sw-EtOH extracts inhibited JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway by down-regulating the levels of JAK1 and STAT3 to nearly half a fold. Treatment of Sw-EtOH modulates the expression level of various STAT3 associated proteins, including Bcl-XL, Bcl-2, Mcl-1, Bax, p53, Fas, Fas-L, cyclinD1, c-myc, IL-6, p21 and p27 in NSCLC cells. Thus, our study provided a strong impetus that Sw-EtOH holds the translational potential of being further evaluated as efficient cancer therapeutics and a preventive agent for the management of NSCLC.

Integrative Network Pharmacology of Moringa oleifera Combined with Gemcitabine against Pancreatic Cancer

Gemcitabine (GEM) is the first-line chemotherapy drug for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Moringa oleifera (MO) exhibited various biological activities, including anticancer effects. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of their combination against pancreatic cancer has not yet been explored. This study evaluates the effect of MO and GEM against pancreatic cancer through network pharmacology. TCMSP, TCMID, and PubMed were used to identify and screen MO bioactive compounds. MO and GEM genes were predicted through DGIdb, CTD, and DrugBank. Pancreatic cancer genes were retrieved from OMIM and MalaCards. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) and compound-target-pathway network were established via STRING and Cytoscape. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analysis were conducted using DAVID Bioinformatic Tools. Catechin, kaempferol, quercetin, and epicatechin that met the drug screening requirements, and three additional compounds, glucomoringin, glucoraphanin, and moringinine, were identified as bioactive compounds in MO. Catechin was found to be the main hub compound in MO. TP53, AKT1, VEGFA, and CCND1 from PPI network were discovered as hub genes to have biological importance in pancreatic cancer. GO and pathway analysis revealed that MO and GEM combination was mainly associated with cancer, including pancreatic cancer, through regulation of apoptosis. Combination therapy between MO and GEM might provide insight in pancreatic cancer treatment.

Exploiting the Potential of Bioactive Molecules Extracted by Ultrasounds from Avocado Peels-Food and Nutraceutical Applications

Natural bioactive compounds from food waste have fomented interest in food and pharmaceutical industries for the past decade. In this work, it purposed the recovery of bioactive avocado peel extract using an environmentally friendly technique: the ultrasound assisted extraction. The response surface methodology was applied in order to optimize the conditions of the extraction, ethanol-water mixtures and time. The optimized extracts (ethanol 38.46%, 44.06 min, and 50 °C) were chemically characterized by HPLC-ESI-MS and FTIR. Its antioxidant ability, as well as, its effect on cell metabolic activity of normal (L929) and cancer (Caco-2, A549 and HeLa) cell lines were assessed. Aqueous ethanol extracts presented a high content in bioactive compounds with high antioxidant potential. The most representative class of the phenolic compounds found in the avocado peel extract were phenolic acids, such as hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids. Another important chemical group detected were the flavonoids, such as flavanols, flavanonols, flavones, flavanones and chalcone, phenylethanoids and lignans. In terms of its influence on the metabolic activity of normal and cancer cell lines, the extract does not significantly affect normal cells. On the other hand, it can negatively affect cancer cells, particularly HeLa cells. These results clearly demonstrated that ultrasound is a sustainable extraction technique, resulting in extracts with low toxicity in normal cells and with potential application in food, pharmaceutical or nutraceutical sectors.

Natural products targeting into cancer hallmarks: An update on caffeine, theobromine, and (+)-catechin

Natural products have been studied to reveal new therapies against human dysfunctions since they present several medicinal properties. Caffeine, theobromine and (+)-catechin are remarkable natural agents in the class of methylxanthines and flavonoids. These bioactive molecules have several biological activities, for instance, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor capacity. In this sense, studies focusing on these molecules have been performed to discover new treatments against diseases, such as cancer. Cancer is a serious public health problem worldwide responsible for more than 70% of all deaths globally. Industrialized products associated with a sedentary lifestyle and a diet low in antioxidants are related to neoplasms development. Unfortunately, many types of cancers are extremely aggressive and untreatable since, in many cases, they are resistant to chemotherapy. Therefore, revealing new strategies to block cancer growth is one of the biggest challenges to science. In this context, despite the known anticancer actions of caffeine, theobromine and (+)-catechin, it is still essential to elucidate the causal antitumor mechanism of these molecules by analyzing the dysfunctional cancer pathways associated with the hallmarks of cancer. Hence, this review aims to describe the anticancer activity of caffeine, theobromine, and (+)-catechin against the different hallmarks and enabling characteristics of cancer.

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.