Anti-Uterine Fibroid Effect of Standardized Labisia Pumila Var. Alata Extracts In Vitro and in Human Uterine Fibroid Cancer Xenograft Model

BACKGROUND

Uterine fibroids are a common type of solid tumor presenting in women of reproductive age. There are very few alternative treatment available from conventional treatment involving surgeries. Labisia pumila var. alata or locally known as 'Kacip Fatimah' was widely used as traditional medicine in Malaysia. This plant has been used to maintain a healthy female reproductive system. The present study aimed to evaluate anti fibroid potential of L. pumila extracts through in vitro apoptosis activity against uterine leiomyoma cells (SK-UT-1) and in uterine leiomyoma xenograft model. Evaluation of bioactive markers content were also carried out.

METHODS

Apoptotic induction of the extracts was determined by morphological examination of AO/PI dual staining assay by flourescent microscopy and flow cytometry analysis on Annexin V-FITC/PI stained cells. In vivo study was done in immune-compromised mouse xenograft model. HPLC analysis was employed to quantify marker compounds.

RESULTS

Morphological analysis showed L. pumila induced apoptosis in a dose dependent manner against SK-UT-1 cells. In vivo study indicated that L. pumila significantly suppressed the growth of uterine fibroid tumor. All tested extracts contain bioactive marker of gallic acid and cafeic acid.

CONCLUSION

This work provide significant data of the potential of L. pumila in management of uterine fibroids.<br />.

Evaluation of in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory effects of (-)-pseudosemiglabrin, a major phytoconstituent isolated from Tephrosia apollinea (Delile) DC

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Tephrosia apollinea (Delile) DC (Leguminosae) has been used in folk medicine in Arabian countries to treat inflammatory disorders. The plant has been described to treat swelling, bone fracture, bronchitis, cough, earache and wounds.

AIM OF THE STUDY

the current study aims to evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of the major active phytoconstituent of T. apollinea and elucidate the mechanisms by which it inhibits inflammation in vitro and in vivo.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The compound, (-)-pseudosemiglabrin (SSG) was isolated as a major component from the aerial parts of T. apollinea using column chromatography techniques. Sub-chronic in vivo anti-inflammatory effect of SSG was assessed using cotton pellet granuloma assay in SD rats and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and nitric oxide (NO) were measured, whereas, tail flick assay was performed to assess the analgesic effect of SSG. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory effects of SSG were confirmed by measuring the levels of IL-1, TNF-α, and NO in vitro using human macrophage cell lines (U937). In addition COX inhibition assay was also conducted in cells-free system. In silico study was performed to dock SSG in cyclooxygenase enzymes and opioid receptor to predict its structure-activity and molecular mechanism.

RESULTS

SSG displayed potential inhibition of granuloma tissue in rats and significantly (P<0.05) lowered the production of cytokines (TNF- α and IL-1) in vivo as well as human macrophages. Further investigation revealed that, SSG selectively inhibited COX-2 by 60% with negligible effect on COX-1. The selectivity of SSG towards COX-2 was confirmed in silico wherein, SSG demonstrated significant binding affinity with binding energy (-9.42kcal/mol). The binding found to be through covalent energy with Ser-530 amino acid residue of the active pocket of COX-2. SSG was found to prolong the flick tail time in mice by two folds. Further computational studies reveal that SSG binds to opioid receptor (µ-OR) through Ile-144 and Thr-218 with affinity two folds compared to the reference compounds, codeine and aspirin.

CONCLUSION

In the present study the major phytoconstituent (-)-pseudosemiglabrin (SSG) from the aerial parts of T. apollinea demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting of granuloma tissue in rats and prolonging the tail flick time in mice. Investigation of levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in SSG-treated rats and human macrophages demonstrated that SSG significantly inhibited TNF-α and IL-1. Also SSG showed selective inhibitory effect towards COX-2. In silico study exhibited pronounced binding affinity between SSG and µ-opioid receptor better than that of codeine and aspirin. The obtained results justify the use of aerial parts of T. apollinea to treat various inflammatory diseases and indicate that (-)-pseudosemiglabrin has a great potential to be further developed as a promising anti-inflammatory drug.

Crystal structure elucidation and anticancer studies of (-)-pseudosemiglabrin: a flavanone isolated from the aerial parts of Tephrosia apollinea

Tephrosia apollinea is a perennial shrublet widely distributed in Africa and is known to have medicinal properties. The current study describes the bio-assay (cytotoxicity) guided isolation of (-)-pseudosemiglabrin from the aerial parts of T. apollinea. The structural and stereochemical features have been described using spectral and x-ray crystallographic techniques. The cytotoxicity of isolated compound was evaluated against nine cancer cell lines. In addition, human fibroblast was used as a model cell line for normal cells. The results showed that (-)-pseudosemiglabrin exhibited dose-dependent antiproliferative effect on most of the tested cancer cell lines. Selectively, the compound showed significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of leukemia, prostate and breast cancer cell lines. Further studies revealed that, the compound exhibited proapoptotic phenomenon of cytotoxicity. Interestingly, the compound did not display toxicity against the normal human fibroblast. It can be concluded that (-)-pseudosemiglabrin is worthy for further investigation as a potential chemotherapeutic agent.

Ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate isolated from Kaempferia galanga inhibits inflammation by suppressing interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor-α, and angiogenesis by blocking endothelial functions

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic effects of ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate isolated from Kaempferia galanga.

METHODS

The anti-inflammatory effects of ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate were assessed using the cotton pellet granuloma assay in rats, whereby the levels of interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-α were measured in the animals' blood. In addition, the levels of interleukin, tumor necrosis factor, and nitric oxide were measured in vitro using the human macrophage cell line (U937). The analgesic effects of ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate were assessed by the tail flick assay in rats. The anti-angiogenic effects were evaluated first by the rat aortic ring assay and, subsequently, by assessing the inhibitory effects of ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate on vascular endothelial growth factor, proliferation, migration, and tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

RESULTS

Ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate strongly inhibited granuloma tissue formation in rats. It prolonged the tail flick time in rats by more than two-fold compared with the control animals. The inhibition of interleukin and tumor necrosis factor by ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate was significant in both in vivo and in vitro models; however, only a moderate inhibition of nitric oxide was observed in macrophages. Furthermore, ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate considerably inhibited microvessel sprouting from the rat aorta. These mechanistic studies showed that ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate strongly inhibited the differentiation and migration of endothelial cells, which was further confirmed by the reduced level of vascular endothelial growth factor.

CONCLUSION

Ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate exhibits significant anti-inflammatory potential by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines and angiogenesis, thus inhibiting the main functions of endothelial cells. Thus, ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate could be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of inflammatory and angiogenesis-related diseases.