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Muthuramalingam P, Jeyasri R, Varadharajan V, Priya A, Dhanapal AR, Shin H, Thiruvengadam M, Ramesh M, Krishnan M, Omosimua RO, Sathyaseelan DD, Venkidasamy B. Network pharmacology: an efficient but underutilized approach in oral, head and neck cancer therapy-a review. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1410942. [PMID: 39035991 PMCID: PMC11257993 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1410942] [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: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The application of network pharmacology (NP) has advanced our understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms underlying diseases, including neck, head, and oral cancers, as well as thyroid carcinoma. This review aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of natural network pharmacology using compounds and traditional Chinese medicines for combating these malignancies. NP serves as a pivotal tool that provides a comprehensive view of the interactions among compounds, genes, and diseases, thereby contributing to the advancement of disease treatment and management. In parallel, this review discusses the significance of publicly accessible databases in the identification of oral, head, and neck cancer-specific genes. These databases, including those for head and neck oral cancer, head and neck cancer, oral cancer, and genomic variants of oral cancer, offer valuable insights into the genes, miRNAs, drugs, and genetic variations associated with these cancers. They serve as indispensable resources for researchers, clinicians, and drug developers, contributing to the pursuit of precision medicine and improved treatment of these challenging malignancies. In summary, advancements in NP could improve the globalization and modernization of traditional medicines and prognostic targets as well as aid in the development of innovative drugs. Furthermore, this review will be an eye-opener for researchers working on drug development from traditional medicines by applying NP approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pandiyan Muthuramalingam
- Division of Horticultural Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Rajendran Jeyasri
- Department of Biotechnology, Science Campus, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, India
| | | | - Arumugam Priya
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Anand Raj Dhanapal
- Chemistry and Bioprospecting Division, Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB), Coimbatore, India
| | - Hyunsuk Shin
- Division of Horticultural Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Muthu Thiruvengadam
- Department of Crop Science, College of Sanghuh Life Science, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Manikandan Ramesh
- Department of Biotechnology, Science Campus, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, India
| | - Murugesan Krishnan
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai, India
| | | | - Divyan Devasir Sathyaseelan
- Department of General Surgery, Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai, India
| | - Baskar Venkidasamy
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai, India
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Panossian A, Lemerond T, Efferth T. State-of-the-Art Review on Botanical Hybrid Preparations in Phytomedicine and Phytotherapy Research: Background and Perspectives. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:483. [PMID: 38675443 PMCID: PMC11053582 DOI: 10.3390/ph17040483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite some evidence supporting the synergy concept, the commonly known assumption that combinations of several herbs in one formulation can have better efficacy due to additive or synergistic effects has yet to be unambiguously and explicitly studied. STUDY AIM The study aimed to reveal the molecular interactions in situ of host cells in response to botanical hybrid preparations (BHP) intervention and justify the benefits of implementing BHP in clinical practice. RESULTS This prospective literature review provides the results of recent clinical and network pharmacology studies of BHP of Rhodiola rosea L. (Arctic root) with other plants, including Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (ashwagandha), (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (green tea), Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. and Maxim.) Maxim. (eleuthero), Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (schisandra), Leuzea carthamoides (Willd.) DC., caffeine, Cordyceps militaris L., Ginkgo biloba L.(ginkgo), Actaea racemosa L. (black cohosh), Crocus sativus L. (saffron), and L-carnosine. CONCLUSIONS The most important finding from network pharmacology studies of BHP was the evidence supporting the synergistic interaction of BHP ingredients, revealing unexpected new pharmacological activities unique and specific to the new BHP. Some studies show the superior efficacy of BHP compared to mono-drugs. At the same time, some a priori-designed combinations can fail, presumably due to antagonistic interactions and crosstalk between molecular targets within the molecular networks involved in the cellular and overall response of organisms to the intervention. Network pharmacology studies help predict the results of studies aimed at discovering new indications and unpredicted adverse events.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Thomas Efferth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55099 Mainz, Germany
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Boualam K, Ibork H, Lahboub Z, Sobeh M, Taghzouti K. Mentha rotundifolia (L.) Huds. and Salvia officinalis L. hydrosols mitigate aging related comorbidities in rats. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1365086. [PMID: 38464467 PMCID: PMC10920217 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1365086] [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: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Aging is often linked to oxidative stress, where the body experiences increased damage from free radicals. Plants are rich sources of antioxidants, playing a role in slowing down aging and supporting the proper functioning and longevity of cells. Our study focuses on exploring the impact of Mentha rotundifolia (MR) and Salvia officinalis (SO) hydrosols on aging-related comorbidities. Methods The chemical composition of MR and SO hydrosols was analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. 2,2-Diphenyl 1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,20-azino-bis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radicals scavenging assays were used to assess their in vitro antioxidant activity, and heat induced albumin denaturation test was used to evaluate their anti-inflammatory activity. Subsequently, we administered 5% of each plant hydrosol in the drinking water of 18-month-old rats for six months. We then conducted behavioral tests, including open field, dark/light box, rotarod, and Y-maze assessments, and measured biochemical parameters in plasma, liver and brain tissues. Results and discussion At two years old, animals treated with MR and SO hydrosols displayed fewer physical and behavioral impairments, along with well-preserved redox homeostasis in comparison with animals in the control group. These results highlighted the significance of MR and SO hydrosols in addressing various aspects of age-related comorbidities. The study suggests that these plant-derived hydrosols may have potential applications in promoting healthy aging and mitigating associated health challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khadija Boualam
- AgroBioSciences Program, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Ben-Guerir, Morocco
- Physiology and Physiopathology Team, Genomics of Human Pathologies Research Center, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Hind Ibork
- Physiology and Physiopathology Team, Genomics of Human Pathologies Research Center, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Zakaria Lahboub
- Plant Chemistry and Organic and Bioorganic Synthesis Team, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Mansour Sobeh
- AgroBioSciences Program, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Ben-Guerir, Morocco
| | - Khalid Taghzouti
- Physiology and Physiopathology Team, Genomics of Human Pathologies Research Center, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
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Ratiani L, Pachkoria E, Mamageishvili N, Shengelia R, Hovhannisyan A, Panossian A. Efficacy of Kan Jang ® in Patients with Mild COVID-19: A Randomized, Quadruple-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1196. [PMID: 37765004 PMCID: PMC10535596 DOI: 10.3390/ph16091196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and aim. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of the treatment of Kan Jang®, a fixed combination of Andrographis paniculata (Burm. F.) Wall. ex. Nees and Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Maxim extracts in patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19. Methods. One hundred and forty patients received six capsules of Kan Jang® (n = 68, daily dose of andrographolides-90 mg) or placebo (n = 72) and supportive treatment (paracetamol) for 14 consecutive days in a randomized, quadruple-blinded, placebo-controlled, two-parallel-group design. The efficacy outcomes were the rate of cases turning to severe, the detection rate of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 over the time of treatment, the duration, and the severity of symptoms (sore throat, runny nose, cough, headache, fatigue, loss of smell, taste, pain in muscles) in the acute phase of the disease. Other efficacy measures included improving cognitive and physical performance, quality of life, and the levels of inflammatory blood markers-interleukin 6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein, and D-dimer. Results. Kan Jang® significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the rate of cases turning to severe (5.36%) compared to the placebo (17.86%) and decreased the detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 virus over the time of the treatment. The statistical difference in the rates of patients with clinical deterioration in the Kan Jang treatment and placebo control groups was significant (p = 0.0176) both in the 112 patients in the included-per-protocol (IPP) analysis and in the 140 patients in the intended-to-treat (ITT) analysis (p = 0.0236); the absolute risk reduction in cases thanks to the Kan Jang treatment was 12.5%, and the number we needed to treat with Kan Jang was 8. The patient's recovery time (number of sick days at the home/clinic) was shorter in the Kan Jang group compared with the placebo group. The rate of attenuation of inflammatory symptoms in the Kan Jang® group was significantly higher, decreasing the severity of cough, sore throat/pain, runny nose, and muscle soreness compared with the placebo group. Kan Jang® significantly decreased the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptoms scores compared to the placebo in the sample size of 140 patients. However, the relief of fatigue and headache and the decrease in IL-6 in the blood were observed only in a subset of 86 patients infected during the second three waves of the pandemic. Kan Jang® significantly increased physical activity and workout; however, it did not affect cognitive functions (attention and memory), quality of life score, inflammatory marker D-dimer, and C-reactive protein compared with the placebo group. Conclusions. Overall, the results of this study suggest that Kan Jang® is effective in treating mild and moderate COVID-19 irrespective of the SARS-CoV-2 variant of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levan Ratiani
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First University Clinic, Tbilisi State Medical University, Gudamakari St., Tbilisi 0141, Georgia; (L.R.); (E.P.)
| | - Elene Pachkoria
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First University Clinic, Tbilisi State Medical University, Gudamakari St., Tbilisi 0141, Georgia; (L.R.); (E.P.)
| | - Nato Mamageishvili
- Department for History of Medicine and Bioethics, Faculty of Medicine, Tbilisi State Medical University, Vazha-Pshavela Ave. 33, Tbilisi 0162, Georgia; (N.M.); (R.S.)
| | - Ramaz Shengelia
- Department for History of Medicine and Bioethics, Faculty of Medicine, Tbilisi State Medical University, Vazha-Pshavela Ave. 33, Tbilisi 0162, Georgia; (N.M.); (R.S.)
| | - Areg Hovhannisyan
- Institute of Fine Organic Chemistry of the National Academy of Science, Azatutian Ave. 26, Yerevan 375014, Armenia;
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Panossian A. Challenges in phytotherapy research. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1199516. [PMID: 37324491 PMCID: PMC10264668 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1199516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Panossian
- Phytomed AB, Västervik, Sweden
- EuroPharma USA Inc., Green Bay, WI, United States
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Dobrek L, Głowacka K. Depression and Its Phytopharmacotherapy-A Narrative Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054772. [PMID: 36902200 PMCID: PMC10003400 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Depression is a mental health disorder that develops as a result of complex psycho-neuro-immuno-endocrinological disturbances. This disease presents with mood disturbances, persistent sadness, loss of interest and impaired cognition, which causes distress to the patient and significantly affects the ability to function and have a satisfying family, social and professional life. Depression requires comprehensive management, including pharmacological treatment. Because pharmacotherapy of depression is a long-term process associated with the risk of numerous adverse drug effects, much attention is paid to alternative therapy methods, including phytopharmacotherapy, especially in treating mild or moderate depression. Preclinical studies and previous clinical studies confirm the antidepressant activity of active compounds in plants, such as St. John's wort, saffron crocus, lemon balm and lavender, or less known in European ethnopharmacology, roseroot, ginkgo, Korean ginseng, borage, brahmi, mimosa tree and magnolia bark. The active compounds in these plants exert antidepressive effects in similar mechanisms to those found in synthetic antidepressants. The description of phytopharmacodynamics includes inhibiting monoamine reuptake and monoamine oxidase activity and complex, agonistic or antagonistic effects on multiple central nervous system (CNS) receptors. Moreover, it is noteworthy that the anti-inflammatory effect is also important to the antidepressant activity of the plants mentioned above in light of the hypothesis that immunological disorders of the CNS are a significant pathogenetic factor of depression. This narrative review results from a traditional, non-systematic literature review. It briefly discusses the pathophysiology, symptomatology and treatment of depression, with a particular focus on the role of phytopharmacology in its treatment. It provides the mechanisms of action revealed in experimental studies of active ingredients isolated from herbal antidepressants and presents the results of selected clinical studies confirming their antidepressant effectiveness.
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Rashan LJ, Özenver N, Boulos JC, Dawood M, Roos WP, Franke K, Papasotiriou I, Wessjohann LA, Fiebig HH, Efferth T. Molecular Modes of Action of an Aqueous Nerium oleander Extract in Cancer Cells In Vitro and In Vivo. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28041871. [PMID: 36838857 PMCID: PMC9960564 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28041871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer drug resistance remains a major obstacle in clinical oncology. As most anticancer drugs are of natural origin, we investigated the anticancer potential of a standardized cold-water leaf extract from Nerium oleander L., termed Breastin. The phytochemical characterization by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and low- and high-resolution mass spectrometry revealed several monoglycosidic cardenolides as major constituents (adynerin, neritaloside, odoroside A, odoroside H, oleandrin, and vanderoside). Breastin inhibited the growth of 14 cell lines from hematopoietic tumors and 5 of 6 carcinomas. Remarkably, the cellular responsiveness of odoroside H and neritaloside was not correlated with all other classical drug resistance mechanisms, i.e., ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABCB1, ABCB5, ABCC1, ABCG2), oncogenes (EGFR, RAS), tumor suppressors (TP53, WT1), and others (GSTP1, HSP90, proliferation rate), in 59 tumor cell lines of the National Cancer Institute (NCI, USA), indicating that Breastin may indeed bypass drug resistance. COMPARE analyses with 153 anticancer agents in 74 tumor cell lines of the Oncotest panel revealed frequent correlations of Breastin with mitosis-inhibiting drugs. Using tubulin-GFP-transfected U2OS cells and confocal microscopy, it was found that the microtubule-disturbing effect of Breastin was comparable to that of the tubulin-depolymerizing drug paclitaxel. This result was verified by a tubulin polymerization assay in vitro and molecular docking in silico. Proteome profiling of 3171 proteins in the NCI panel revealed protein subsets whose expression significantly correlated with cellular responsiveness to odoroside H and neritaloside, indicating that protein expression profiles can be identified to predict the sensitivity or resistance of tumor cells to Breastin constituents. Breastin moderately inhibited breast cancer xenograft tumors in vivo. Remarkably, in contrast to what was observed with paclitaxel monotherapy, the combination of paclitaxel and Breastin prevented tumor relapse, indicating Breastin's potential for drug combination regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luay J. Rashan
- Frankincense Biodiversity Unit, Research Center, Dhofar University, Salalah 211, Oman
- Correspondence: (L.J.R.); (T.E.); Tel.: +968-2323-7357 (L.J.R.); +49-6131-3925751 (T.E.)
| | - Nadire Özenver
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06100, Turkey
| | - Joelle C. Boulos
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Mona Dawood
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- 4HF Biotec GmbH, 79108 Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Al-Neelain University, Khartoum 12702, Sudan
| | - Wynand P. Roos
- Institute of Toxicology, Medical Center of the University Mainz, Obere Zahlbacher Straße 67, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Katrin Franke
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB), Weinberg 3, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | | | - Ludger A. Wessjohann
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB), Weinberg 3, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | | | - Thomas Efferth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Correspondence: (L.J.R.); (T.E.); Tel.: +968-2323-7357 (L.J.R.); +49-6131-3925751 (T.E.)
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Panossian A, Abdelfatah S, Efferth T. Network Pharmacology of Ginseng (Part III): Antitumor Potential of a Fixed Combination of Red Ginseng and Red Sage as Determined by Transcriptomics. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15111345. [PMID: 36355517 PMCID: PMC9696821 DOI: 10.3390/ph15111345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to assess the effect of a fixed combination of Red Ginseng and Red Sage (RG–RS) on the gene expression of neuronal cells to evaluate the potential impacts on cellular functions and predict its relevance in the treatment of stress and aging-related diseases and disorders. Methods: Gene expression profiling was conducted by transcriptome-wide mRNA microarray analyses of murine HT22 hippocampal cell culture after treatment with RG–RS preparation. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) was performed with datasets of significantly upregulated or downregulated genes and the expected effects on the physiological and cellular function and the diseases were identified. Results: RG–RS deregulates 1028 genes associated with cancer and 139 with metastasis, suggesting a predicted decrease in tumorigenesis, the proliferation of tumor cells, tumor growth, metastasis, and an increase in apoptosis and autophagy by their effects on the various signaling and metabolic pathways, including the inhibition of Warburg’s aerobic glycolysis, estrogen-mediated S-phase entry signaling, osteoarthritis signaling, and the super-pathway of cholesterol biosynthesis. Conclusion: The results of this study provide evidence of the potential efficacy of the fixed combination of Red Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Mey.) and Red Sage/Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge) in cancer. Further clinical and experimental studies are required to assess the efficacy and safety of RG–RS in preventing the progression of cancer, osteoarthritis, and other aging-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Panossian
- EuroPharma USA Inc., Green Bay, WI 54311, USA
- Phytomed AB, 58344 Vastervick, Sweden
- Correspondence: (A.P.); (T.E.)
| | - Sara Abdelfatah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Efferth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
- Correspondence: (A.P.); (T.E.)
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Identification of Gedunin from a Phytochemical Depository as a Novel Multidrug Resistance-Bypassing Tubulin Inhibitor of Cancer Cells. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27185858. [PMID: 36144591 PMCID: PMC9501561 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27185858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The chemotherapy of tumors is frequently limited by the development of resistance and severe side effects. Phytochemicals may offer promising candidates to meet the urgent requirement for new anticancer drugs. We screened 69 phytochemicals, and focused on gedunin to analyze its molecular modes of action. Pearson test-base correlation analyses of the log10IC50 values of 55 tumor cell lines of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), USA, for gedunin with those of 91 standard anticancer agents revealed statistically significant relationships to all 10 tested microtubule inhibitors. Thus, we hypothesized that gedunin may be a novel microtubule inhibitor. Confocal microscopy, cell cycle measurements, and molecular docking in silico substantiated our assumption. Agglomerative cluster analyses and the heat map generation of proteomic data revealed a subset of 40 out of 3171 proteins, the expression of which significantly correlated with sensitivity or resistance for the NCI cell line panel to gedunin. This indicates the complexity of gedunin’s activity against cancer cells, underscoring the value of network pharmacological techniques for the investigation of the molecular modes of drug action. Finally, we correlated the transcriptome-wide mRNA expression of known drug resistance mechanism (ABC transporter, oncogenes, tumor suppressors) log10IC50 values for gedunin. We did not find significant correlations, indicating that gedunin’s anticancer activity might not be hampered by classical drug resistance mechanisms. In conclusion, gedunin is a novel microtubule-inhibiting drug candidate which is not involved in multidrug resistance mechanisms such as other clinically established mitotic spindle poisons.
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