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Caserta S, Genovese C, Cicero N, Gangemi S, Allegra A. The Anti-Cancer Effect of Cinnamon Aqueous Extract: A Focus on Hematological Malignancies. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13051176. [PMID: 37240821 DOI: 10.3390/life13051176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Cinnamon is an evergreen and tropical plant of the family Lauraceae, growing particularly in Sri Lanka, whose aqueous extract has been tested in different studies to evaluate its possible use as an anti-cancer compound. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments seem to confirm that it acts on various cellular pathways, contributing to down-regulating the activity of molecules that stimulate the proliferation and survival of cells such as the transcription factors NF-KB and AP-1, COX-2, dihydrofolate reductase and pro-angiogenic substances such as VEGF, while up-regulating the function of immune cells against tumors, such as cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. In hematological malignancies, aqueous cinnamon extract has been studied in order to understand if it is possible to count on its help, alone or in combination with traditional drugs such as doxorubicin, to treat patients. The aim of our work is to investigate results from in vitro and in vivo studies about the possible anti-cancer effect of aqueous cinnamon extract in hematological malignancies and the different pathways involved in its action. The possibility of using cinnamon extract in clinical practice is discussed; even if its use could appear very interesting, more studies are necessary to clear the real potentiality of this substance in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santino Caserta
- Division of Hematology, Department of Human Pathology in Adulthood and Childhood "Gaetano Barresi", University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Claudia Genovese
- National Research Council, Institute for Agricultural and Forest Systems in the Mediterranean, Via Empedocle 58, 95128 Catania, Italy
| | - Nicola Cicero
- Department of Biomedical, Dental, Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Gangemi
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Alessandro Allegra
- Division of Hematology, Department of Human Pathology in Adulthood and Childhood "Gaetano Barresi", University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy
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Kammath AJ, Nair B, P S, Nath LR. Curry versus cancer: Potential of some selected culinary spices against cancer with in vitro, in vivo, and human trials evidences. J Food Biochem 2021; 45:e13285. [PMID: 32524639 DOI: 10.1111/jfbc.13285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Spices are dietary agents with immense potential for cancer chemo-prevention. A wide variety of spices are extensively used as food flavoring agents which possess potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties due to the presence of certain bio-active compounds in them. In vitro, in vivo studies and clinical trials of selected spices against various types of cancer are being specified in this review. Effect of certain putative dietary spices namely turmeric, clove, garlic, ginger, fennel, black cumin, cinnamon, pepper, saffron, rosemary, and chilli along with its role in cancer are being discussed. Literature search was conducted through PubMed, Google scholar, Science direct, and Scopus using the keywords "spice," "cancer," "natural medicine," "herbal compound," "bioactive compounds." About 4,000 published articles and 127 research papers were considered to grab the brief knowledge on spices and their anticancer potential on a predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Historically, spices and herbs are known for its traditional flavor, odor, and medicinal properties. Intensified risk of chronic and pervasive clinical conditions and increased cost of advanced drug treatments have developed a keen interest among researchers to explore the miscellaneous properties of herbal spices. Cancer is one of the deleterious causes of mortality affecting a huge number of populations worldwide. Arrays of cancer treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy are used to compromise the disease but effective only when the size of the tumor is small. So, an effective treatment need to be developed that produces less side effects and herbal spices are found to be the promising agents. In this review, we illustrate about different in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies of wide range of culinary spices having antineoplastic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adithya J Kammath
- Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi, India
| | - Bhagyalakshmi Nair
- Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi, India
| | - Sreelekshmi P
- Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi, India
| | - Lekshmi R Nath
- Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi, India
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Wang Y, Tan J, Hu P, Pei Q, Wen Y, Ma W, Shi K, Li Z, Li H, Cheng F, Gu X, Yao X, Man Y, Zhao R, Feng S, Ding X, Yang T. Traditional Chinese medicine compound, Bu Sheng Hui Yang Fang, promotes the proliferation of lymphocytes in the immunosuppressed mice potentially by upregulating IL-4 signaling. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 134:111107. [PMID: 33341059 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.111107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The immune system plays a pivotal role in defending against infection and cancer immunosurveillance during the onset and procession of malignant disease. Cancer patients are frequently immunocompromised and subject to refractory infection and relapse of leukemia, due to the cytotoxic agents and immunosuppressive glucocorticoids in the chemotherapy regimens. Bu Shen Hui Yang Fang (BSHY), a traditional Chinese compound, was widely used in China to enhance the immune system of leukemia patients combined with chemotherapy and effectively lowered their risk of infection, with specific mechanism unknown yet. Thus, we investigated the effects of BSHY on the immune system using immunosuppressive mouse models. By analyzing the immune system of immunosuppressed BALB/C mice induced by hydrocortisone, we found an increase of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in the spleens of mice after BSHY treatment. Furthermore, we found the enhanced immune system in BSHY treated group was due to increased proliferation and decreased apoptosis of lymphocytes. Cytokine array analysis revealed that interleukin 4 (IL-4) was reduced in the plasma of immunosuppressed mice but returned to a normal level after BSHY treatment. Moreover, we found IL-4 was an adverse prognostic factor in acute myeloid leukemia patients and part of them could be elevated by BSHY. Mechanistically, we found BSHY enhances the proliferation of lymphocytes in a Stat6-dependent manner. In summary, our current study demonstrates that BSHY enhances the proliferation of lymphocytes in the immunosuppressed mice via upregulating IL-4 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajie Wang
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Jiabin Tan
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Peng Hu
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Qiang Pei
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Yan Wen
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Wenqing Ma
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Keqian Shi
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Zengzheng Li
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Huiyuan Li
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Fengyu Cheng
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Xuezhong Gu
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Xiangmei Yao
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Yan Man
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Renbin Zhao
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Shuai Feng
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Xiao Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
| | - Tonghua Yang
- Yunnan Blood Disease Clinical Medical Center, Yunnan Blood Disease Hospital, National Key Clinical Specialty of Hematology, Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China; Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China.
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