Recent Progress in Oleanolic Acid: Structural Modification and Biological Activity

Author(s):  
Wang Wang ◽  
Yutong Li ◽  
Yan Li ◽  
Dejuan Sun ◽  
Hua Li ◽  
...  

: Natural products have been proven as the main source of biologically active compounds, which are potentially useful for drug development. As one of the most studied pentacyclic triterpenes, oleanolic acid (OA) exhibits a broad range of biological activities and serves as a good scaffold for the development of novel derivatives that could be vital in drug discovery for various ailments. Up to now, many of its derivatives with multiple bioactivities have been prepared through chemical modification. This review summarizes the recent reports of OA derivatives (2016-present) and their biological effects and action mechanisms in vitro and in vivo models, and discusses the design of novel and potent derivatives.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
D. T. Abeysinghe ◽  
D. D. D. H. Alwis ◽  
K. A. H. Kumara ◽  
U. G. Chandrika

Murraya koenigii (M. koenigii), Micromelum minutum (M. minutum), and Clausena indica (C. indica) are three varieties of curry leaves in the family Rutaceae. They have been widely used in Ayurvedic medicine worldwide in the treatment and prevention of various diseases. Earlier findings provide strong evidence to support the three curry leaf species’ potent pharmaceutical and biological effects, including antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor activities. Various parts of these plants, such as leaves, seeds, flowers, and fruit, contain constituents responsible for the modulation of numerous biological processes. Leading constituents of curry leaves play a crucial role in diabetic and anticancer management by regulating various molecular pathways, including Bcl-2, Bax, NF-κB, and TNFα, according to in vitro and in vivo models established. Therefore, this review summarizes the current knowledge on research achievements made in terms of phytoconstituents, their structures, biological activities, and pharmacological actions with clinical studies of curry leaves up to date. The review also emphasizes the necessity for comprehensive research studies on the pharmacological actions and the mechanisms of selected phytochemicals of M. koenigii, M. minutum, and C. indica to validate their efficacy as potent herbal remedies for many ailments.


Author(s):  
Satbir Mor ◽  
Mohini Khatri ◽  
Ravinder punia ◽  
Suchita Sindhu

: The search of new anticancer agents is considered as a dynamic field of medicinal chemistry. In recent years, the synthesis of compounds with anticancer potential has increased and a large number of structurally varied compounds displaying potent anticancer activities have been published. Pyrazole is an important biologically active scaffold that possessed nearly all types of biological activities. The aim of this review is to collate literature work reported by researchers to provide an overview on in vivo and in vitro anticancer activities of pyrazole based derivatives among the diverse biological activities displayed by them and also presents recent efforts made on this heterocyclic moiety regarding anticancer activities. This review has been driven from the increasing number of publications, on this issue, which have been reported in the literature since the ending of the 20th century (from 1995-to date).


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (37) ◽  
pp. 4888-4902 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilda D'Urso ◽  
Sonia Piacente ◽  
Cosimo Pizza ◽  
Paola Montoro

The consumption of berry-type fruits has become very popular in recent years because of their positive effects on human health. Berries are in fact widely known for their health-promoting benefits, including prevention of chronic disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Berries are a rich source of bioactive metabolites, such as vitamins, minerals, and phenolic compounds, mainly anthocyanins. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies recognized the health effects of berries and their function as bioactive modulators of various cell functions associated with oxidative stress. Plants have one of the largest metabolome databases, with over 1200 papers on plant metabolomics published only in the last decade. Mass spectrometry (MS) and NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) are the most important analytical technologies on which the emerging ''omics'' approaches are based. They may provide detection and quantization of thousands of biologically active metabolites from a tissue, working in a ''global'' or ''targeted'' manner, down to ultra-trace levels. In the present review, we highlighted the use of MS and NMR-based strategies and Multivariate Data Analysis for the valorization of berries known for their biological activities, important as food and often used in the preparation of nutraceutical formulations.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 498
Author(s):  
Mariaevelina Alfieri ◽  
Antonietta Leone ◽  
Alfredo Ambrosone

Plants produce different types of nano and micro-sized vesicles. Observed for the first time in the 60s, plant nano and microvesicles (PDVs) and their biological role have been inexplicably under investigated for a long time. Proteomic and metabolomic approaches revealed that PDVs carry numerous proteins with antifungal and antimicrobial activity, as well as bioactive metabolites with high pharmaceutical interest. PDVs have also been shown to be also involved in the intercellular transfer of small non-coding RNAs such as microRNAs, suggesting fascinating mechanisms of long-distance gene regulation and horizontal transfer of regulatory RNAs and inter-kingdom communications. High loading capacity, intrinsic biological activities, biocompatibility, and easy permeabilization in cell compartments make plant-derived vesicles excellent natural or bioengineered nanotools for biomedical applications. Growing evidence indicates that PDVs may exert anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anticancer activities in different in vitro and in vivo models. In addition, clinical trials are currently in progress to test the effectiveness of plant EVs in reducing insulin resistance and in preventing side effects of chemotherapy treatments. In this review, we concisely introduce PDVs, discuss shortly their most important biological and physiological roles in plants and provide clues on the use and the bioengineering of plant nano and microvesicles to develop innovative therapeutic tools in nanomedicine, able to encompass the current drawbacks in the delivery systems in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical technology. Finally, we predict that the advent of intense research efforts on PDVs may disclose new frontiers in plant biotechnology applied to nanomedicine.


2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomson Patrick Joseph ◽  
Warren Chanda ◽  
Arshad Ahmed Padhiar ◽  
Samana Batool ◽  
Shao LiQun ◽  
...  

Cancer is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality around the globe. For certain types of cancer, chemotherapy drugs have been extensively used for treatment. However, severe side effects and the development of resistance are the drawbacks of these agents. Therefore, development of new agents with no or minimal side effects is of utmost importance. In this regard, natural compounds are well recognized as drugs in several human ailments, including cancer. One class of fungi, “mushrooms,” contains numerous compounds that exhibit interesting biological activities, including antitumor activity. Many researchers, including our own group, are focusing on the anticancer potential of different mushrooms and the underlying molecular mechanism behind their action. The aim of this review is to discuss PI3K/AKT, Wnt-CTNNB1, and NF-κB signaling pathways, the occurrence of genetic alterations in them, the association of these aberrations with different human cancers and how different nodes of these pathways are targeted by various substances of mushroom origin. We have given evidence to propose the therapeutic attributes and possible mode of molecular actions of various mushroom-originated compounds. However, anticancer effects were typically demonstrated in in vitro and in vivo models and very limited number of studies have been conducted in the human population. It is our belief that this review will help the research community in designing concrete preclinical and clinical studies to test the anticancer potential of mushroom-originated compounds on different cancers harboring particular genetic alteration(s).


Molecules ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (12) ◽  
pp. 3266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gokhan Zengin ◽  
Luigi Menghini ◽  
Antonella Di Sotto ◽  
Romina Mancinelli ◽  
Francesca Sisto ◽  
...  

Due to renewed interest in the cultivation and production of Italian Cannabis sativa L., we proposed a multi-methodological approach to explore chemically and biologically both the essential oil and the aromatic water of this plant. We reported the chemical composition in terms of cannabinoid content, volatile component, phenolic and flavonoid pattern, and color characteristics. Then, we demonstrated the ethnopharmacological relevance of this plant cultivated in Italy as a source of antioxidant compounds toward a large panel of enzymes (pancreatic lipase, α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and cholinesterases) and selected clinically relevant, multidrug-sensible, and multidrug-resistant microbial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Helicobacter pylori, Candida, and Malassezia spp.), evaluating the cytotoxic effects against normal and malignant cell lines. Preliminary in vivo cytotoxicity was also performed on Galleria mellonella larvae. The results corroborate the use of this natural product as a rich source of important biologically active molecules with particular emphasis on the role exerted by naringenin, one of the most important secondary metabolites.


2007 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian T. Johnson

Epidemiological studies showing a protective effect of diets rich in fruits and vegetables against cancer have focused attention on the possibility that biologically-active plant secondary metabolites exert anti-carcinogenic activity. This huge group of compounds, now collectively termed ‘phytochemicals’, provides much of the flavour and colour of edible plants and the beverages derived from them. Many of these compounds also exert anti-carcinogenic effects in animal models of cancer, and much progress has been made in defining their many biological activities at the molecular level. Such mechanisms include the detoxification and enhanced excretion of carcinogens, the suppression of inflammatory processes such as cyclooxygenase-2 expression, inhibition of mitosis and the induction of apoptosis at various stages in the progression and promotion of cancer. However, much of the research on phytochemicals has been conducted in vitro, with little regard to the bioavailability and metabolism of the compounds studied. Many phytochemicals present in plant foods are poorly absorbed by human subjects, and this fraction usually undergoes metabolism and rapid excretion. Some compounds that do exert anti-carcinogenic effects at realistic doses may contribute to the putative benefits of plant foods such as berries, brassica vegetables and tea, but further research with human subjects is required to fully confirm and quantify such benefits. Chemoprevention using pharmacological doses of isolated compounds, or the development of ‘customised’ vegetables, may prove valuable but such strategies require a full risk–benefit analysis based on a thorough understanding of the long-term biological effects of what are often surprisingly active compounds.


Author(s):  
Woo Nam ◽  
Seok Hyun Nam ◽  
Sung Phil Kim ◽  
Carol Levin ◽  
Mendel Friedman

Abstract Background The body responds to overnutrition by converting stem cells to adipocytes. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown polyphenols and other natural compounds to be anti-adipogenic, presumably due in part to their antioxidant properties. Purpurin is a highly antioxidative anthraquinone and previous studies on anthraquinones have reported numerous biological activities in cells and animals. Anthraquinones have also been used to stimulate osteoblast differentiation, an inversely-related process to that of adipocyte differentiation. We propose that due to its high antioxidative properties, purpurin administration might attenuate adipogenesis in cells and in mice. Methods Our study will test the effect purpurin has on adipogenesis using both in vitro and in vivo models. The in vitro model consists of tracking with various biomarkers, the differentiation of pre-adipocyte to adipocytes in cell culture. The compound will then be tested in mice fed a high-fat diet. Murine 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells were stimulated to differentiate in the presence or absence of purpurin. The following cellular parameters were measured: intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), membrane potential of the mitochondria, ATP production, activation of AMPK (adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase), insulin-induced lipid accumulation, triglyceride accumulation, and expression of PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ) and C/EBPα (CCAAT enhancer binding protein α). In vivo, mice were fed high fat diets supplemented with various levels of purpurin. Data collected from the animals included anthropometric data, glucose tolerance test results, and postmortem plasma glucose, lipid levels, and organ examinations. Results The administration of purpurin at 50 and 100 μM in 3T3-L1 cells, and at 40 and 80 mg/kg in mice proved to be a sensitive range: the lower concentrations affected several measured parameters, whereas at the higher doses purpurin consistently mitigated biomarkers associated with adipogenesis, and weight gain in mice. Purpurin appears to be an effective antiadipogenic compound. Conclusion The anthraquinone purpurin has potent in vitro anti-adipogenic effects in cells and in vivo anti-obesity effects in mice consuming a high-fat diet. Differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells was dose-dependently inhibited by purpurin, apparently by AMPK activation. Mice on a high-fat diet experienced a dose-dependent reduction in induced weight gain of up to 55%.


2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (6) ◽  
pp. 429-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyo Geun Kim ◽  
Ji-Young Kim ◽  
Wei-Wan Whang ◽  
Myung Sook Oh

Microglia-mediated inflammation is a major pathological mechanism contributing to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and has been proposed as a potential therapeutic target. Chunghyuldan (CHD; Qingxue-dan in Chinese and Daio-Orengedokuto in Japanese) possesses wide-ranging biological effects, including anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-stroke, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities that could affect neurological functions. In this study, we examined the effects of CHD in in-vitro and in-vivo models of AD induced by the oligomeric form of amyloid-beta (Aβ oligomer), which acts directly on microglia-mediated neuroinflammation to result in neuronal damage and cognitive impairment. CHD at 0.1–100 μg·mL−1 significantly protected PC12 cells and rat primary hippocampal cells from Aβ oligomer1–42 toxicity. In addition, CHD at 1–10 μg·mL−1 inhibited Aβ oligomer1–42 induced production of nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β in microglial cells. In an in-vivo AD model, administration of CHD (50 mg·(kg body mass)−1, for 5 days, per oral) inhibited the activation of astrocytes and microglia in the dentate gyrus and neuronal damage in the CA1 of the ipsilateral hippocampus. Moreover, CHD ameliorated cognitive impairment induced by Aβ oligomer1–42 toxicity. These results demonstrate the neuroprotective effects of CHD through inhibition of microglia-mediated neuroinflammation in in-vitro and in-vivo AD-like models induced by Aβ oligomer1–42 toxicity.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Paula R. Santana ◽  
Nathalia M. Pinheiro ◽  
Márcia Isabel B. Mernak ◽  
Renato F. Righetti ◽  
Mílton A. Martins ◽  
...  

Pulmonary inflammation is a hallmark of many respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and acute respiratory syndrome distress (ARDS). Most of these diseases are treated with anti-inflammatory therapy in order to prevent or to reduce the pulmonary inflammation. Herbal medicine-derived natural products have been used in folk medicine and scientific studies to evaluate the value of these compounds have grown in recent years. Many substances derived from plants have the biological effectsin vitroandin vivo, such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids. Among the biological activities of natural products derived from plants can be pointed out the anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antiplatelet, antitumor anti-allergic activities, and antioxidant. Although many reports have evaluated the effects of these compounds in experimental models, studies evaluating clinical trials are scarce in the literature. This review aims to emphasize the effects of these different natural products in pulmonary diseases in experimental models and in humans and pointing out some possible mechanisms of action.


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