scholarly journals Anticancer Effects and Mechanisms of OSW-1 Isolated From Ornithogalum saundersiae: A Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhixin Zhan ◽  
Ziqiang Liu ◽  
Jiacheng Lai ◽  
Chaochao Zhang ◽  
Yong Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Premature Death ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Rapid Population Growth ◽  
Anticancer Activities ◽  
Dark Cloud ◽  
Anticancer Effects ◽  
Incidence And Mortality ◽  
Growth And Aging

For centuries, cancer has been a lingering dark cloud floating on people’s heads. With rapid population growth and aging worldwide, cancer incidence and mortality are growing rapidly. Despite major advances in oncotherapy including surgery, radiation and chemical therapy, as well as immunotherapy and targeted therapy, cancer is expected be the leading cause of premature death in this century. Nowadays, natural compounds with potential anticancer effects have become an indispensable natural treasure for discovering clinically useful agents and made remarkable achievements in cancer chemotherapy. In this regards, OSW-1, which was isolated from the bulbs of Ornithogalum saundersiae in 1992, has exhibited powerful anticancer activities in various cancers. However, after almost three decades, OSW-1 is still far from becoming a real anticancer agent for its anticancer mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, in this review we summarize the available evidence on the anticancer effects and mechanisms of OSW-1 in vitro and in vivo, and some insights for researchers who are interested in OSW-1 as a potential anticancer drug. We conclude that OSW-1 is a potential candidate for anticancer drugs and deserves further study.

Nanocurcumin: A Double-Edged Sword for Microcancers

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (45) ◽  
pp. 5783-5792
Author(s):  
Kholood Abid Janjua ◽  
Adeeb Shehzad ◽  
Raheem Shahzad ◽  
Salman Ul Islam ◽  
Mazhar Ul Islam
Keyword(s):  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Dosage Forms ◽  
The Body ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Anticancer Activities ◽  
Road Map ◽  
Anticancer Effects

There is compelling evidence that drug molecules isolated from natural sources are hindered by low systemic bioavailability, poor absorption, and rapid elimination from the human body. Novel approaches are urgently needed that could enhance the retention time as well as the efficacy of natural products in the body. Among the various adopted approaches to meet this ever-increasing demand, nanoformulations show the most fascinating way of improving the bioavailability of dietary phytochemicals through modifying their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Curcumin, a yellowish pigment isolated from dried ground rhizomes of turmeric, exhibits tremendous pharmacological effects, including anticancer activities. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that curcumin mediates anticancer effects through the modulation (upregulation and/or downregulations) of several intracellular signaling pathways both at protein and mRNA levels. Scientists have introduced multiple modern techniques and novel dosage forms for enhancing the delivery, bioavailability, and efficacy of curcumin in the treatment of various malignancies. These novel dosage forms include nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, phospholipids, and curcumin-encapsulated polymer nanoparticles. Nanocurcumin has shown improved anticancer effects compared to conventional curcumin formulations. This review discusses the underlying molecular mechanism of various nanoformulations of curcumin for the treatment of different cancers. We hope that this study will make a road map for preclinical and clinical investigations of cancer and recommend nano curcumin as a drug of choice for cancer therapy.

scholarly journals Anticancer Targets and Signaling Pathways Activated by Britannin and Related Pseudoguaianolide Sesquiterpene Lactones

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1325
Author(s):  
Christian Bailly
Keyword(s):  
Sesquiterpene Lactones ◽  
Covalent Binding ◽  
Cysteine Residue ◽  
Antitumor Action ◽  
Anticancer Activities ◽  
Anticancer Effects ◽  
Signaling Axis ◽  
Specific Reactivity

Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are abundant in plants and display a large spectrum of bioactivities. The compound britannin (BRT), found in different Inula species, is a pseudoguaianolide-type SL equipped with a typical and highly reactive α-methylene-γ-lactone moiety. The bioproperties of BRT and related pseudoguaianolide SLs, including helenalin, gaillardin, bigelovin and others, have been reviewed. Marked anticancer activities of BRT have been evidenced in vitro and in vivo with different tumor models. Three main mechanisms are implicated: (i) interference with the NFκB/ROS pathway, a mechanism common to many other SL monomers and dimers; (ii) blockade of the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway, with a covalent binding to a cysteine residue of Keap1 via the reactive α-methylene unit of BRT; (iii) a modulation of the c-Myc/HIF-1α signaling axis leading to a downregulation of the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint and activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The non-specific reactivity of the α-methylene-γ-lactone moiety with the sulfhydryl groups of proteins is discussed. Options to reduce or abolish this reactivity have been proposed. Emphasis is placed on the capacity of BRT to modulate the tumor microenvironment and the immune-modulatory action of the natural product. The present review recapitulates the anticancer effects of BRT, some central concerns with SLs and discusses the implication of the PD1/PD-L1 checkpoint in its antitumor action.

scholarly journals Anticancer Potential of Lichens’ Secondary Metabolites

Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuzana Solárová ◽  
Alena Liskova ◽  
Marek Samec ◽  
Peter Kubatka ◽  
Dietrich Büsselberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Clinical Use ◽  
Anticancer Activities ◽  
Cancer Management ◽  
Anticancer Effects ◽  
Lichen Metabolites

Lichens produce different classes of phenolic compounds, including anthraquinones, xanthones, dibenzofuranes, depsides and depsidones. Many of them have revealed effective biological activities such as antioxidant, antiviral, antibiotics, antifungal, and anticancer. Although no clinical study has been conducted yet, there are number of in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrating anticancer effects of lichen metabolites. The main goal of our work was to review most recent published papers dealing with anticancer activities of secondary metabolites of lichens and point out to their perspective clinical use in cancer management.

scholarly journals Repurposing Artemisinin and its Derivatives as Anticancer Drugs: A Chance or Challenge?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaowu Ma ◽  
Clariis Yi-Ning Woon ◽  
Chen-Guang Liu ◽  
Jun-Ting Cheng ◽  
Mingliang You ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anticancer Drugs ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Anticancer Activities ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Lead Compounds ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Properties ◽  
Proliferation And Metastasis

Cancer has become a global health problem, accounting for one out of six deaths. Despite the recent advances in cancer therapy, there is still an ever-growing need for readily accessible new therapies. The process of drug discovery and development is arduous and takes many years, and while it is ongoing, the time for the current lead compounds to reach clinical trial phase is very long. Drug repurposing has recently gained significant attention as it expedites the process of discovering new entities for anticancer therapy. One such potential candidate is the antimalarial drug, artemisinin that has shown anticancer activities in vitro and in vivo. In this review, major molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the anticancer effect of artemisinin and its derivatives are summarised. Furthermore, major mechanisms of action and some key signaling pathways of this group of compounds have been reviewed to explore potential targets that contribute to the proliferation and metastasis of tumor cells. Despite its established profile in malaria treatment, pharmacokinetic properties, anticancer potency, and current formulations that hinder the clinical translation of artemisinin as an anticancer agent, have been discussed. Finally, potential solutions or new strategies are identified to overcome the bottlenecks in repurposing artemisinin-type compounds as anticancer drugs.

scholarly journals Curcumin Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Regulating miR-21/TIMP3 Axis

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingtao Li ◽  
Hailiang Wei ◽  
Yonggang Liu ◽  
Qian Li ◽  
Hui Guo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Signaling Pathway ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Anticancer Activities ◽  
Anticancer Effects ◽  
Cell Proliferation Inhibition

Background/Aim. Curcumin exhibits anticancer effects against various types of cancer including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). miR-21 has been reported to be involved in the malignant biological properties of HCC. However, whether miR-21 plays a role in curcumin-mediated treatment of HCC is unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify the potential functions and mechanisms of miR-21 in curcumin-mediated treatment of HCC. Methods. The anticancer effects of curcumin were assessed in vivo and in vitro. The underlying mechanism of miR-21 in curcumin-mediated treatment of HCC was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), western blot, and Dual-Luciferase Reporter assays. Results. The present study revealed that curcumin suppressed HCC growth in vivo and inhibited HCC cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. Meanwhile, the curcumin treatment can downregulate miR-21 expression, upregulate TIMP3 expression, and inhibit the TGF-β1/smad3 signaling pathway. miR-21 inhibition enhanced the effect of curcumin on cell proliferation inhibition, apoptosis, and TGF-β1/smad3 signaling pathway inhibition in HepG2 and HCCLM3 cells. It demonstrated that TIMP3 was a direct target gene of miR-21. Interestingly, the effect of miR-21 inhibition on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and TGF-β1/smad3 signaling pathway in HepG2 and HCCLM3 cells exposed to curcumin was attenuated by TIMP3 silencing. Conclusion. Taken together, the present study suggests that miR-21 is involved in the anticancer activities of curcumin through targeting TIMP3, and the mechanism possibly refers to the inhibition of TGF-β1/smad3 signaling pathway.

Phytosomal Curcumin Elicits Anti-tumor Properties Through Suppression of Angiogenesis, Cell Proliferation and Induction of Oxidative Stress in Colorectal Cancer

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (39) ◽  
pp. 4626-4638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reyhaneh Moradi-Marjaneh ◽  
Seyed M. Hassanian ◽  
Farzad Rahmani ◽  
Seyed H. Aghaee-Bakhtiari ◽  
Amir Avan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Vegf Signaling ◽  
Anticancer Effects ◽  
Inhibition Of Angiogenesis ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Apoptotic Activity

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-associated mortality in the world. Anti-tumor effect of curcumin has been shown in different cancers; however, the therapeutic potential of novel phytosomal curcumin, as well as the underlying molecular mechanism in CRC, has not yet been explored. Methods: The anti-proliferative, anti-migratory and apoptotic activity of phytosomal curcumin in CT26 cells was assessed by MTT assay, wound healing assay and Flow cytometry, respectively. Phytosomal curcumin was also tested for its in-vivo activity in a xenograft mouse model of CRC. In addition, oxidant/antioxidant activity was examined by DCFH-DA assay in vitro, measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA), Thiol and superoxidedismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity and also evaluation of expression levels of Nrf2 and GCLM by qRT-PCR in tumor tissues. In addition, the effect of phytosomal curcumin on angiogenesis was assessed by the measurement of VEGF-A and VEGFR-1 and VEGF signaling regulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) in tumor tissue. Results: Phytosomal curcumin exerts anti-proliferative, anti-migratory and apoptotic activity in-vitro. It also decreases tumor growth and augmented 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) anti-tumor effect in-vivo. In addition, our data showed that induction of oxidative stress and inhibition of angiogenesis through modulation of VEGF signaling regulatory miRNAs might be underlying mechanisms by which phytosomal curcumin exerted its antitumor effect. Conclusion: Our data confirmed this notion that phytosomal curcumin administrates anticancer effects and can be used as a complementary treatment in clinical settings.

scholarly journals Plant-Derived Nano and Microvesicles for Human Health and Therapeutic Potential in Nanomedicine

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 498
Author(s):  
Mariaevelina Alfieri ◽  
Antonietta Leone ◽  
Alfredo Ambrosone
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Plant Biotechnology ◽  
Bioactive Metabolites ◽  
Anticancer Activities ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
In Vivo Models ◽  
Therapeutic Tools

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.

scholarly journals Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Metformin in Cervical Cancer

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2545
Author(s):  
Ya-Hui Chen ◽  
Po-Hui Wang ◽  
Pei-Ni Chen ◽  
Shun-Fa Yang ◽  
Yi-Hsuan Hsiao
Keyword(s):  
Cervical Cancer ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Anticancer Effects ◽  
Clinical Benefits ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Cervical cancer is one of the major gynecologic malignancies worldwide. Treatment options include chemotherapy, surgical resection, radiotherapy, or a combination of these treatments; however, relapse and recurrence may occur, and the outcome may not be favorable. Metformin is an established, safe, well-tolerated drug used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes; it can be safely combined with other antidiabetic agents. Diabetes, possibly associated with an increased site-specific cancer risk, may relate to the progression or initiation of specific types of cancer. The potential effects of metformin in terms of cancer prevention and therapy have been widely studied, and a number of studies have indicated its potential role in cancer treatment. The most frequently proposed mechanism underlying the diabetes–cancer association is insulin resistance, which leads to secondary hyperinsulinemia; furthermore, insulin may exert mitogenic effects through the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) receptor, and hyperglycemia may worsen carcinogenesis through the induction of oxidative stress. Evidence has suggested clinical benefits of metformin in the treatment of gynecologic cancers. Combining current anticancer drugs with metformin may increase their efficacy and diminish adverse drug reactions. Accumulating evidence is indicating that metformin exerts anticancer effects alone or in combination with other agents in cervical cancer in vitro and in vivo. Metformin might thus serve as an adjunct therapeutic agent for cervical cancer. Here, we reviewed the potential anticancer effects of metformin against cervical cancer and discussed possible underlying mechanisms.

scholarly journals Recent Developments in Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushroom) Polysaccharides: Isolation, Structural Characteristics, Biological Activities and Application

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1441
Author(s):  
Yangpeng Lu ◽  
Yanan Jia ◽  
Zihan Xue ◽  
Nannan Li ◽  
Junyu Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Activities ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Health Food ◽  
Inonotus Obliquus ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Inonotus Obliquus Polysaccharide ◽  
Future Work

Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushroom) is a kind of medicine and health food widely used by folk in China, Russia, Korea, and some occidental countries. Among the extracts from Inonotus obliquus, Inonotus obliquus polysaccharide (IOPS) is supposed to be one of the major bioactive components in Inonotus obliquus, which possesses antitumor, antioxidant, anti-virus, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic activities. In this review, the current advancements on extraction, purification, structural characteristics, and biological activities of IOPS were summarized. This review can provide significant insight into the IOPS bioactivities as their in vitro and in vivo data were summarized, and some possible mechanisms were listed. Furthermore, applications of IOPS were reviewed and discussed; IOPS might be a potential candidate for the treatment of cancers and type 2 diabetes. Besides, new perspectives for the future work of IOPS were also proposed.

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