Evaluation of the Antiproliferative Potential of yellow Jaboticaba (Myrciaria glazioviana) extracts against Human Cervical Cancer (HeLa cells line) and the Analysis of their Chemical Composition by HPLC-HRESIMS

Cervical cancer is a specific type of cancer that affects women around the world, with an incidence of 604 thousand new cases per year and 341 thousand deaths. There is a high demand for new effective antineoplastic drugs with few side effects. In this sense, recent research highlights the potential of compounds of natural origin in treating and preventing different types of cancer. Myrciaria glazioviana is a Brazilian native species belonging to the Myrtaceae family, which has previously described biological activities such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. This study aims to evaluate the anticancer activity of the dichloromethane extract (MGD) and ethyl acetate extract (MGA) of M. glazioviana leaves against human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa), as well as to identify their bioactive compounds. Using HPLC-HRESIMS technique, ten compounds were characterized in both samples: quinic acid, ellagic acid, Tri-O-methyl ellagic acid, two derivatives of Tetra-O-methyl flavellagic acid, quercetrin, Di-O-methyl ellagic acid, and three derivatives of pentamethyl coruleoellagic acid. Through MTT assays using HeLa cells and NIH/3T3 cells, it was observed that MGD and MGA were selective against tumor cells, with IC50 values of 24.31 and 12.62 μg/mL, respectively. The samples induced the tumor cell death by apoptosis, as evidenced by the activation of caspases 3/7, cell shrinkage, and pyknotic nuclei. Both samples were also able to inhibit the migration of HeLa cells after 24 hours of treatment, indicating a potential antimetastatic effect. Therefore, the present research highlights the antiproliferative and antimigratory potential of this species against HeLa cells.

A Novel MDM2-Binding Chalcone Induces Apoptosis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) represents ~90% of all oral cancers, being the eighth most common cancer in men. The overall 5-year survival rate is only 39% for metastatic cancers, and currently used chemotherapeutics can cause important side effects. Thus, there is an urgency in developing new and effective anti-cancer agents. As both chalcones and 1,2,3-triazoles are valuable pharmacophores/privileged structures in the search for anticancer compounds, in this work, new 1,2,3-triazole-chalcone hybrids were synthesized and evaluated against oral squamous cell carcinoma. By using different in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches, we demonstrated that compound 1f has great cytotoxicity and selectivity against OSCC (higher than carboplatin and doxorubicin) and other cancer cells in addition to showing minimal toxicity in mice. Furthermore, we demonstrate that induced cell death occurs by apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. Moreover, we found that 1f has a potential affinity for MDM2 protein, similar to the known ligand nutlin-3, and presents a better selectivity, pharmacological profile, and potential to be orally absorbed and is not a substrate of Pg-P when compared to nutlin-3. Therefore, we conclude that 1f is a good lead for a new chemotherapeutic drug against OSCC and possibly other types of cancers.

New substances of Equisetum hyemale L. extracts and their in vivo antitumoral effect against oral squamous cell carcinoma

ETHNOBOTANICAL RELEVANCE

Equisetum hyemale is used in traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, diuretic and anticancer agent. Recent studies have observed antiproliferative activity of this species in some tumor cell lines.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiproliferative activity of the ethanol extract of E. hyemale and its partitions in oral squamous carcinoma cell lines, the death pathways induced by the most active partition, the acute toxicity and therapeutic activity, and the identification of the main compounds.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The ethanol crude extract was prepared from the stems of E. hyemale and partitions were obtained from this extract with n-hexane, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate. Cytotoxicity assays were performed using MTT on human oral tumor lines SCC-9, SCC4 and SCC-25, and normal primary fibroblasts. The main pathways of programmed cell death were analyzed. Acute toxicity in mice was performed using the most active partition, ethyl acetate. Antitumor activity was accessed in xenotransplants grafts of SCC-9 cells in Balb/nude mice. Phytochemical analysis was performed using UHPLC-MS/MS and dereplication was done using Global Natural Product Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) analysis.

RESULTS

Ethanol extract, n-hexane and ethyl acetate partitions showed dose-dependent activity and selectivity towards oral tumor cells, with the ethyl acetate being the most bioactive. This medium polarity partition was shown to induce tumor cell death through apoptosis due to the presence of activated caspase 3/7, DNA fragmentation, chromatin condensation and phosphatidylserine exposure. The ethyl acetate partition also produced low toxicity in mice, provoking mild hepatic changes, but without causing necrosis and significantly reduced tumors volume and weight in xenotransplants of SCC-9 cells. Phytochemical analysis allowed identification of kaempferol glycosides and cinnamic acid derivatives previously described for E. hyemale. In addition it was possible to identify 6 new non-glycolyzed flavonoids 5-Hydroxy-3',4',7,8-tetramethoxyflavone (14), 5,4'-Dihydroxy-7,8,3'-trimethoxyflavone (15), 5,7-Dihydroxy-3',4'-dimethoxyflavone (16), 3',4,5,7-Tretramethoxyflavone (17), 5-Hydroxy-3'4',7-trimethoxyflavone (18), and 5,4'-Dihydroxy-3'-7'-dimethoxyflavone (19); besides 5 compounds already determined to be cytotoxic in other species, Isoferulic acid (1), Ferulic acid (2), Atractylenolide III (6), Dihydroxy-3',4'-dimethoxyflavone (16), and 5-Hydroxy-3'4 ',7-trimethoxyflavone (18).

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that the E. hyemale extract and partitions inhibited 3 different cell lines of OSCC in a highly selective nontoxic way by inducing apoptosis of the cells. We identified 6 new non-glycosylated flavonoids and 5 other substances in this species.

Evaluation of the antiproliferative potential of Eugenia pyriformis leaves in cervical cancer cells

Eugenia pyriformis , typically known as uvaia, ubaia, uvaieira, uvalha or uvalha-do-campo, is a plant representative of the Myrtaceae family. E. pyriformis decreased HeLa cells proliferation, can induce cell death and reduce cell migration that may be related to metastasis and induction of cell death by apoptosis in vitro assays. Its leaves are used in folk medicine for hypertension control, decreased cholesterol and uric acid, slimming, astringent, and digestive. In this work, the evaluation of the in vitro anticancer potential Cervical Cancer (HeLa cells) and phytochemical analysis in E. pyriformes was performed. It was possible to quantify phenolic compounds and total flavonoids and identify Chlorogenic acid, Quercetrin, and Myricitrin in this species. The crude extract and ethyl acetate fraction inhibited cell viability by 50% in the dose of 44.42 μg/mL and 40.39 μg/mL, respectively. The induced effector caspase 3/7 activation, which results in apoptosis and the ethyl acetate fraction , decreases cell migration of cancer cell line; it is responsible for the cleavage of several cellular proteins that will result in the classic phenotype of the apoptotic cell.

Cytotoxic effect of pure compounds from Piper rivinoides Kunth against oral squamous cell carcinoma

The oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the eighth more common cancer in men. The development of new and more efficient drugs is needed. Plants of the genus Piper are popularly used in the treatment of many diseases. This study evaluated the antitumor effect of extract, fraction and isolated compounds from leaves of P. rivinoides in oral cancer. The isolated compounds (conocarpan, eupomatenoid-5 and eupomatenoid-6) were effective in inducing cell death in OSCC cell lines (SCC4, SCC9 and SCC25) compared to the standard chemotherapeutic agent carboplatin, and this effect was time-dependent. Conocarpan was more selective and stable than eupomatenoid-5 and eupomatenoid-6, resembling the stability of carboplatin. There was a significant presence of pyknotic nuclei and active caspase-3 expression under conocarpan treatment, suggesting cell death through apoptosis. In conclusion, conocarpan was the most effective compound against OSCC cells and might be considered for future cancer studies.