Antiproliferative Effects of St. John's Wort, Its Derivatives, and Other Hypericum Species in Hematologic Malignancies

The potential role of Hypericum perforatum in wound healing: A literature review on the phytochemicals, pharmacological approaches, and mechanistic perspectives

St. John's Wort, commonly known as Hypericum perforatum L., is a flowering plant in the Clusiaceae family that traditionally been employed for treating anxiety, depression, wounds, burns, sunburn, irritation, and stomach ailments. This review provides a synopsis of H. perforatum L. phytoconstituents and their biological effects, highlighting its beneficial therapeutic properties for dermatological indications, as well as its antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenic activity in various applications including wound healing and skin conditions such as eczema, sun burn and minor burns also spastic paralysis, stiff neck and mood disorders as anti-depressant and nerve pains such as neuralgia. The data were collected from several databases as Web of Science PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Google Scholar using the terms: "H. perforatum L.", "H. perforatum L. /phytochemistry," and "H. perforatum extracts/wound healing" collected from 1994 to 2023. The findings suggest H. perforatum L. acts through various mechanisms and plays a role in each phase of the wound healing process, including re-epithelialization, angiogenesis, wound contraction, and connective tissue regeneration. H. perforatum L. enhances collagen deposition, decreases inflammation, inhibits fibroblast migration, and promotes epithelialization by increasing the number of fibroblasts with polygonal shape and the number of collagen fibers within fibroblasts. H. Perforatum L. extracts modulate the immune response and reduce inflammation were found to accelerate the wound healing process via inhibition of inflammatory mediators' production like interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression, and inducible nitric oxide synthase. Thus, H. perforatum L. represents a potential remedy for a wide range of dermatological problems, owing to its constituents with beneficial therapeutic properties. H. perforatum L. could be utilized in the development of novel wound healing therapies.

Small molecules targeting canonical transient receptor potential channels: an update

Transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels belong to an important class of non-selective cation channels. This channel family consists of multiple members that widely participate in various physiological and pathological processes. Previous studies have uncovered the intricate regulation of these channels, as well as the spatial arrangement of TRPCs and the binding sites for various small molecule compounds. Multiple small molecules have been identified as selective agonists or inhibitors targeting different subtypes of TRPC, including potential preclinical drug candidates. This review covers recent advancements in the understanding of TRPC regulation and structure and the discovery of TRPC small molecules over the past few years, with the aim of facilitating research on TRPCs and small-molecule drug discovery.

Beneficial Effect of Olive Oil and Its Derivates: Focus on Hematological Neoplasm

Olive oil (Olea europaea) is one of the major components of the Mediterranean diet and is composed of a greater percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid; polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic acid; and minor compounds, such as phenolic compounds, and particularly hydroxytyrosol. The latter, in fact, are of greater interest since they have found widespread use in popular medicine. In recent years, it has been documented that phenolic acids and in particular hydroxytyrosol have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiproliferative action and therefore interest in their possible use in clinical practice and in particular in neoplasms, both solid and hematological, has arisen. This work aims to summarize and analyze the studies present in the literature, both in vitro and in vivo, on the possible use of minor components of olive oil in some hematological neoplasms. In recent years, in fact, interest in nutraceutical science has expanded as a possible adjuvant in the treatment of neoplastic pathologies. Although it is worth underlining that, regarding the object of our study, there are still few preclinical and clinical studies, it is, however, possible to document a role of possible interest in clinical practice.

Effect of Diet and Oxidative Stress in the Pathogenesis of Lymphoproliferative Disorders

Lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of pathologies that result from clonal proliferation of lymphocytes. They are classified into Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma; the latter develops as a result of B, T, or NK cells undergoing malignant transformation. It is believed that diet can modulate cellular redox state and that oxidative stress is implicated in lymphomagenesis by acting on several biological mechanisms; in fact, oxidative stress can generate a state of chronic inflammation through the activation of various transcription factors, thereby increasing the production of proinflammatory cytokines and causing overstimulation of B lymphocytes in the production of antibodies and possible alterations in cellular DNA. The purpose of our work is to investigate the results of in vitro and in vivo studies on the possible interaction between lymphomas, oxidative stress, and diet. A variety of dietary regimens and substances introduced with the diet that may have antioxidant and antiproliferative effects were assessed. The possibility of using nutraceuticals as novel anticancer agents is discussed; although the use of natural substances in lymphoma therapy is an interesting field of study, further studies are needed to define the efficacy of different nutraceuticals before introducing them into clinical practice.

Hyperforin Elicits Cytostatic/Cytotoxic Activity in Human Melanoma Cell Lines, Inhibiting Pro-Survival NF-κB, STAT3, AP1 Transcription Factors and the Expression of Functional Proteins Involved in Mitochondrial and Cytosolic Metabolism

Hyperforin (HPF), the main component responsible for the antidepressant action of Hypericum perforatum, displays additional beneficial properties including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobic, and antitumor activities. Among its antitumor effects, HPF activity on melanoma is poorly documented. Melanoma, especially BRAF-mutated melanoma, is still a high-mortality tumor type and the currently available therapies do not provide solutions. We investigated HPF's antimelanoma effectiveness in A375, FO1 and SK-Mel-28 human BRAF-mutated cell lines. Cell viability assays documented that all melanoma cells were affected by low HPF concentrations (EC50% 2-4 µM) in a time-dependent manner. A Br-deoxy-uridine incorporation assay attested a significant reduction of cell proliferation accompanied by decreased expression of cyclin D1 and A2, CDK4 and of the Rb protein phosphorylation, as assessed by immunoblots. In addition, the expression of P21/waf1 and the activated form of P53 were increased in A375 and SK-Mel-28 cells. Furthermore, HPF exerts cytotoxic effects. Apoptosis is induced 24 h after HPF administration, documented by an increase of cleaved-PARP1 and a decrease of both Bcl2 and Bcl-xL expression levels. Autophagy is induced, attested by an augmented LC3B expression and augmentation of the activated form of AMPK. Moreover, HPF lowers GPX4 enzyme expression, suggesting ferroptosis induction. HPF has been reported to activate the TRPC6 Ca⁺⁺ channel and/or Ca⁺⁺ and Zn⁺⁺ release from mitochondria stores, increasing cytosolic Ca⁺⁺ and Zn⁺⁺ concentrations. Our data highlighted that HPF affects many cell-signaling pathways, including signaling induced by Ca⁺⁺, such as FRA1, pcJun and pCREB, the expression or activity of which are increased shortly after treatment. However, the blockage of the TRPC6 Ca⁺⁺ channel or the use of Ca⁺⁺ and Zn⁺⁺ chelators do not hinder HPF cytostatic/cytotoxic activity, suggesting that damages induced in melanoma cells may pass through other pathways. Remarkably, 24 h after HPF treatment, the expression of activated forms of the transcription factors NF-κB P65 subunit and STAT3 are significantly lowered. Several cytosolic (PGM2, LDHA and pPKM2) and mitochondrial (UQCRC1, COX4 and ATP5B) enzymes are downregulated by HPF treatment, suggesting a generalized reduction of vital functions in melanoma cells. In line with these results is the recognized ability of HPF to affect mitochondrial membrane potential by acting as a protonophore. Finally, HPF can hinder both melanoma cell migration and colony formation in soft agar. In conclusion, we provide evidence of the pleiotropic antitumor effects induced by HPF in melanoma cells.

The application of antidepressant drugs in cancer treatment

Antidepressants refer to psychotropic drugs which are used to treat mental illness with prominent emotional depression symptoms. It was reported that antidepressants had associated with anti-carcinogenic function which was associated with various signaling pathways and changing of microenvironment. Its mechanism includes cell apoptosis, antiproliferative effects, mitochondria-mediated oxidative stress, DNA damaging, changing of immune response and inflammatory conditions, and acting by inhibiting multidrug resistance of cancer cells. Accumulated studies showed that antidepressants influenced the metabolic pathway of tumor cells. This review summarized recent developments with the impacts and mechanisms of 10 kinds of antidepressants in carcinostasis. Antidepressants are also used in combination therapy with typical anti-tumor drugs which shows a synergic effect in anti-tumor. By contrast, the promotion roles of antidepressants in increasing cancer recurrence risk, mortality, and morbidity are also included. Further clinical experiments and mechanism analyses needed to be achieved. A full understanding of the underlying mechanisms of antidepressants-mediated anticarcinogenic effects may provide new clues for cancer prevention and clinical treatment.

Unravelling Phytochemical and Bioactive Potential of Three Hypericum Species from Romanian Spontaneous Flora: H. alpigenum, H. perforatum and H. rochelii

Hypericum perforatum L., also known as St. John’s Wort, is recognized worldwide as a valuable medicinal herb; however, other Hypericum species were intensively studied for their bioactive potential. To fill the research gap that exists in the scientific literature, a comparative evaluation between H. alpigenum Kit., H. perforatum L. and H. rochelii Griseb. & Schenk was conducted in the present study. Two types of herbal preparations obtained from the aerial parts of these species were analyzed: extracts obtained through maceration and extracts obtained through magnetic-stirring-assisted extraction. LC-DAD-ESI-MSn analysis revealed the presence of phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols and flavonoid derivatives as the main constituents of the above-mentioned species. Moreover, all extracts were tested for their antioxidant, enzyme-inhibitory and antimicrobial potential. Our work emphasizes for the first time a detailed description of H. rochelii phenolic fractions, including their phytochemical and bioactive characterization. In comparison with the other two studied species, H. rochelii was found as a rich source of phenolic acids and myricetin derivatives, showing important antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antibacterial activity. The study offers new perspectives regarding the chemical and bioactive profile of the less-studied species H. alpigenum and H. rochelii.

Network Pharmacology of Adaptogens in the Assessment of Their Pleiotropic Therapeutic Activity

The reductionist concept, based on the ligand–receptor interaction, is not a suitable model for adaptogens, and herbal preparations affect multiple physiological functions, revealing polyvalent pharmacological activities, and are traditionally used in many conditions. This review, for the first time, provides a rationale for the pleiotropic therapeutic efficacy of adaptogens based on evidence from recent gene expression studies in target cells and where the network pharmacology and systems biology approaches were applied. The specific molecular targets and adaptive stress response signaling mechanisms involved in nonspecific modes of action of adaptogens are identified.

Hyperforin and Myrtucommulone Derivatives Act as Natural Modulators of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in HCT116 Colon Cancer Cells

The therapeutic activities of natural plant extracts have been well known for centuries. Many of them, in addition to antiviral and antibiotic effects, turned out to have anti-tumor activities by targeting different signaling pathways. The canonical Wnt pathway represents a major tumorigenic pathway deregulated in numerous tumor entities, including colon cancer. Here, we investigated the acylphloroglucinols hyperforin (HF) from St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) and myrtucommulone A (MC A) from myrtle (Myrtus communis) and semi-synthetic derivatives thereof (HM 177, HM 297, HM298) for their effects on Wnt/β-catenin signaling. None of these substances revealed major cytotoxicity on STF293 embryonic kidney and HCT116 colon carcinoma cells at concentrations up to 10 μM. At this concentration, HF and HM 177 showed the strongest effect on cell proliferation, whereas MC A and HM 177 most prominently inhibited anchorage-independent growth of HCT116 cells. Western blot analyses of active β-catenin and β-catenin/TCF reporter gene assays in STF293 cells revealed inhibitory activities of HF, MC A and HM 177. In line with this, the expression of endogenous Wnt target genes, Axin and Sp5, in HCT116 cells was significantly reduced. Our data suggest that the acylphloroglucinols hyperforin, myrtucommulone A and its derivative HM 177 represent potential new therapeutic agents to inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling in colon cancer.

Canonical transient receptor potential channels and their modulators: biology, pharmacology and therapeutic potentials

Canonical transient receptor potential channels (TRPCs) are nonselective, high calcium permeability cationic channels. The TRPCs family includes TRPC1, TRPC2, TRPC3, TRPC4, TRPC5, TRPC6, and TRPC7. These channels are widely expressed in the cardiovascular and nervous systems and exist in many other human tissues and cell types, playing several crucial roles in the human physiological and pathological processes. Hence, the emergence of TRPCs modulators can help investigate these channels’ applications in health and disease. It is worth noting that the TRPCs subfamilies have structural and functional similarities, which presents a significant difficulty in screening and discovering of TRPCs modulators. In the past few years, only a limited number of selective modulators of TRPCs were detected; thus, additional research on more potent and more selective TRPCs modulators is needed. The present review focuses on the striking desired therapeutic effects of TRPCs modulators, which provides intel on the structural modification of TRPCs modulators and further pharmacological research. Importantly, TRPCs modulators can significantly facilitate future studies of TRPCs and TRPCs related diseases.

Determination of Potential Drug Candidate Molecules of the Hypericum perforatum for COVID-19 Treatment

The novel human coronavirus was firstly emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and has spread rapidly around the world. There is no known specific effective treatment of COVID-19. The most commonly used agents against this disease both in Turkey and around the world include chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir, favipiravir, and remdesivir. In the study, we investigated the drug potential of molecules that the components of an important medicinal plant Hypericum perforatum by using molecular docking and drug possibility properties of these molecules. The molecular docking results showed that the most stable complex was obtained with COVID-19 main protease and hypericin/isohypericin ligands with − 11 kcal/mol binding energy. Furthermore, ADMET, drug-likeness features of compounds of H. perforatum were investigated using the rules of Lipinski, Veber, and Ghose. According to the results obtained, it has been shown that H. perforatum has the potential to be an effective drug in the COVID-19 pandemic. In the next stage, it is necessary to carry out the clinically necessary reliability studies of these components. It is thought that it can be used for the treatment of COVID-19 if our molecular docking results are found to be in high correlation with clinical studies.