Molecular docking analysis of compounds from Andrographis paniculata with EGFR

Molecular docking and dynamics simulations revealed the potential inhibitory activity of honey-iQfood ingredients against GSK-3β and CDK5 protein targets for brain health

Honey-iQfood is an herbal supplement made of a mixture of polyherbal extracts and wild honey. The mixture is traditionally claimed to improve various conditions related to brain cells and functions including dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β) and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) have been identified as being involved in the pathological hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins, which leads to the formation of neurofibrillary tangles and causes Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, this study was conducted to confirm the traditional claims by detection of active compounds, namely curcumin, gallic acid, catechin, rosmarinic acid, and andrographolide in the raw materials of Honey-iQfood through HPLC analysis, molecular docking, and dynamic simulations. Two potential compounds, andrographolide, and rosmarinic acid, produced the best binding affinities following the molecular docking of the active compounds against the GSK-3β and CDK5 targets. Andrographolide binds with GSK-3β at -8.2 kcal/mol, whereas rosmarinic acid binds to CDK5 targets at -8.6 kcal/mol. Molecular dynamics was further carried out to confirm the docking results and clarify their dynamic properties such as RMSD, RMSF, rGyr, SASA, PSA, and binding free energy. CDK5-andrographolide complexes had the best MM-GBSA score (-83.63 kcal/mol) compared to other complexes, indicating the better interaction profile and stability of the complex. These findings warrant further research into andrographolide and rosmarinic acid as efficient inhibitors of tau protein hyperphosphorylation to verify their therapeutic potential in brain-related illnesses.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Andrographolide, diterpenoid constituent of Andrographis paniculata: Review on botany, phytochemistry, molecular docking analysis, and pharmacology

Andrographispaniculata (kalmegh) is also known as "king of bitters", is an herbaceous plant belongs to family Acanthaceae. The therapeutic effect is due to presence of diterpenoid lactone derivatives of A. paniculata mainly andrographolide. The main purpose of this review includes detailed (past and present) study of A. paniculata and its most important component andrographolide a diterpenoid lactone with respect to its botany, phytochemistry, molecular docking analysis and pharmacological effects i.e., therapeutic benefits. In reference to the search, we also compiled variety of dosage forms available, which are made up of A. paniculata extract and Andrographolide such as tablets and capsules. This review also discusses reported methods of extraction of phytoconstituents, pharmacokinetics of main components, their molecular docking analysis data and main therapeutic applications with their proposed mechanism of actions in various diseases. According to data collected, A. paniculata is becoming more and more valuable as a therapeutic herb.

Identification of active components in Andrographis paniculata targeting on CD81 in esophageal cancer in vitro and in vivo

BACKGROUND

Esophageal cancer (EC) is highly prevalent in Eastern Asia (including China) with high rates of mortality. The metastatic tendency in EC is associated with a poor prognosis. Our previous studies have demonstrated the suppressive effects of Andrographis paniculata water extract (APW) on metastatic esophageal cancer in vitro and in tumor-bearing mice models, as well as illustrated the potential underlying mechanism by transcriptome analysis.

HYPOTHESIS

High expressions of several membrane protein tetraspanins were reported to lead to a high risk of metastasis in esophageal cancer in patients. We hypothesized that APW could downregulate the expression of tetraspanin CD81 in esophageal cancer cells and xenografts.

METHODS

Human esophageal cancer cells EC109 and KYSE520 were incubated with APW for 24 hours in cell culture, while mice bearing EC109 xenograft tumors were treated with APW for 21 days. The expressions of CD81 in cancer cells and in tumors from mice were evaluated. Molecular docking and microscale thermophoresis analyses were applied to identify the components in APW interacting with CD81. The influence of the identified components on CD81 expression was further evaluated in EC109 cells.

RESULTS

APW could significantly suppress the expressions of CD81 in both EC109 and KYSE520 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Treatment of APW in xenograft-bearing mice reduces the metastasis in lungs, livers, and lymph nodes. The expression of CD81 in xenograft tumors of APW-treated mice was significantly lower than those of untreated control mice. The binding of andrographolide, bisandrographolide A, and bisandrographolide C with CD81 were elucidated by microscale thermophoresis. The suppressive effects of these compounds on the motility of EC109 cells, as well as CD81 protein and mRNA expressions, were further confirmed.

CONCLUSION

This is the first time to demonstrate that andrographolide, bisandrographolide A, and bisandrographolide C, which are present in APW, bind to CD81 and suppress its function. These compounds are likely to be responsible for the anti-metastatic activities of APW in esophageal cancer.

Molecular docking analysis of syringic acid with proteins in inflammatory cascade

Syringic Acid (SA) is a dimethoxybenzene derived from plants. Dietary SA possesses anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory and anti-steatotic effects and is of interest as a potential therapeutic medication in the treatment of obesity, diabetes, diabetic cataracts and asthma. It has anti-tumorigenic effect against hepatocellular carcinoma, lung carcinoma and oral mucosal carcinoma. It is also believed to have a protective effect on Acetaminophen induced damage in Wistar rats. Therefore, it is of interest to document the molecular docking analysis of syringic acid with proteins in inflammatory cascade such as TNF α, NFκB, P50, P65 and IKB for further consideration in drug discovery.