AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the anti-proliferative activity of local medicinal plant species Clausena lansium Skeels, Clinacanthus nutans (Burm. f.) Lindau, Leea indica (Burm. f.) Merr., Pereskia bleo (Kunth) DC., Strobilanthes crispus (L.) Blume, Vernonia amygdalina Delile and Vitex trifolia L.
MATERIALS AND METHOD: Fresh, healthy and mature leaves of the seven medicinal plants were harvested from various locations in Singapore and Malaysia for Soxhlet, ultrasonication and maceration extractions in three different solvents (water, ethanol and methanol). Cell proliferation assay using water soluble tetrazolium salt (WST-1) assay was performed on twelve human cancer cell lines derived from breast (MDA-MB-231, T47D), cervical (C33A), colon (HCT116), leukemia (U937), liver (HepG2, SNU-182, SNU-449), ovarian (OVCAR-5, PA-1, SK-OV-3) and uterine (MES-SA/DX5) cancer.
RESULTS: A total of 37 fresh leaf extracts from seven medicinal plants were evaluated for their anti-tumour activities in twelve human cancer cell lines. Of these, the extracts of C. lansium, L. indica, P. bleo, S. crispus, V. amygdalina and V. trifolia exhibited promising anti-proliferative activity against multiple cancer cell lines. Further investigation of selected promising leaf extracts indicated that maceration methanolic extract of L. indica was most effective overall against majority of the cancer cell lines, with best IC50 values of 31.5 ± 11.4 µg/mL, 37.5 ± 0.7 µg/mL and 43.0 ± 6.2 µg/mL in cervical C33A, liver SNU-449, and ovarian PA-1 cancer cell lines, respectively.
CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide new scientific evidence for the traditional use of local medicinal plant species C. lansium, L . indica, P. bleo, S. crispus, V. amygdalina and V. trifolia in cancer treatment. These results highlight the importance of the upkeep of these indigenous plants in modern society and their relevance as resources for drug discovery.
AIMS OF THE REVIEW: To critically anayze the literature for the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicity, and clinical trials of P. sarmentosum in order to provide a scientific consensus for further research and discovery of potential candidate drugs.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The contents of this review were sourced from electronic databases including PubMed, SciFinder, Web of Science, Science Direct, Elsevier, Google Scholar, Chinese Knowledge On frastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, Chinese Scientific and Technological Periodical Database (VIP), Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM), Cochrane Controlled register of Clinical Trials, Clinical Trials. gov, and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. Chinese medicine books published over the years were used to elucidate the traditional uses of P. sarmentosum and additional information was also collected from Yao Zhi website (https://db.yaozh.com/).
RESULTS: Phytochemical analyses of the chemical constituents of P. sarmentosum include essential oil, alkaloids, flavonoids, lignans, and steroids. The literature supports the ethnomedicinal uses of P. sarmentosum for the treatment of cold, gastritis, and rheumatoid joint pain, and further confirms its relatively new pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic, and antipyretic activities. Other biological roles such as anti-osteoporosis, antibacterial, antidepressant, anti-atherosclerotic, and hypoglycemic activities have also been reported. However, the methodologies employed in individual studies are limited.
CONCLUSIONS: There is convincing evidence from both in vitro and in vivo studies supporting the traditional use of P. sarmentosum and it is imperative that natural bioactive compounds are examined further. More efforts should be focused on the pharmacodynamic constituents of P. sarmentosum to provide practical basis for quality control, and additional studies are needed to understand the mechanism of their action. Further studies on the comprehensive evaluation of medicinal quality and understandings of serum chemistry, multi-target network pharmacology, and molecular docking technology of P. sarmentosum are of great importance and should be considered.
AIM OF THE STUDY: The primary aim of this review is to document the plants and natural products that are used as foods and medicines in Egypt, in general, and in Sinai, in particular, with a focus on those with demonstrated anticancer activities. The documented traditional uses of these plants are described, together with their chemical and pharmacological activities and the reported outcomes of clinical trials against cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature search was performed to identify texts describing the medicinal plants that are cultivated and grown in Egypt, including information found in textbooks, published articles, the plant list website (http://www.theplantlist.org/), the medicinal plant names services website (http://mpns.kew.org/mpns-portal/), and web databases (PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: We collected data for most of the plants cultivated or grown in Egypt that have been previously investigated for anticancer effects and reported their identified bioactive elements. Several plant species, belonging to different families and associated with 67 bioactive compounds, were investigated as potential anticancer agents (in vitro studies). The most potent cytotoxic activities were identified for the families Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Apocynaceae, Asclepiadaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Gramineae, and Liliaceae. The anticancer activities of some species, such as Punica granatum L., Nerium oleander L., Olea europea L., Matricaria chamomilla L., Cassia acutifolia L., Nigella sativa L., Capsicum frutescens L., Withania somnifera L., and Zingiber officinale Roscoe, have been examined in clinical trials. Among the various Egyptian plant habitats, we found that most of these plants are grown in the North Sinai, New-Delta, and Giza Governorates.
CONCLUSION: In this review, we highlight the role played by Egyptian flora in current medicinal therapies and the possibility that these plants may be examined in further studies for the development of anticancer drugs. These bioactive plant extracts form the basis for the isolation of phytochemicals with demonstrated anticancer activities. Some active components derived from these plants have been applied to preclinical and clinical settings, including resveratrol, quercetin, isoquercetin, and rutin.
AIM OF STUDY: Although anticancer activity has been reported for the plant, the goal of the study was designed to isolate and characterize the active metabolites from G. mangostana and measure their cytotoxic properties. In this research, the mechanism of antiproliferative/cytotoxic effects of the tested compounds was investigated.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The CHCl3 fraction of the air-dried fruit hulls was repeatedly chromatographed on SiO2, RP18, Diaion HP-20, and polyamide columns to furnish fourteen compounds. The structures of these metabolites were proven by UV, IR, 1D, and 2D NMR measurements and HRESIMS. Additionally, the cytotoxic potential of all compounds was assessed against MCF-7, HCT-116, and HepG2 cell lines using SRB-U assay. Antiproliferative and cell cycle interference effects of potentially potent compounds were tested using DNA content flow cytometry. The mechanism of cell death induction was also studied using annexin-V/PI differential staining coupled with flow cytometry.
RESULTS: The CHCl3 soluble fraction afforded two new xanthones: mangostanaxanthones V (1) and VI (2), along with twelve known compounds: mangostanaxanthone IV (3), β-mangostin (4), garcinone E (5), α-mangostin (6), nor-mangostin (7), garcimangosone D (8), aromadendrin-8-C-β-D-glucopyranoside (9), 1,2,4,5-tetrahydroxybenzene (10), 2,4,3`-trihydroxybenzophenone-6-O-β-glucopyranoside (11), maclurin-6-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (rhodanthenone) (12), epicatechin (13), and 2,4,6,3`,5`-pentahydroxybenzophenone (14). Only compound 5 showed considerable antiproliferative/cytotoxic effects with IC50's ranging from 15.8 to 16.7µM. Compounds 3, 4, and 6 showed moderate to weak cytotoxic effects (IC50's ranged from 45.7 to 116.4µM). Using DNA content flow cytometry, it was found that only 5 induced significant cell cycle arrest at G0/G1-phase which is indicative of its antiproliferative properties. Additionally, by using annexin V-FITC/PI differential staining, 5 induced cells killing effect via the induction of apoptosis and necrosis in both HepG2 and HCT116 cells. Compound 3 produce necrosis and apoptosis only in HCT116 cells. On contrary, 6 induced apoptosis and necrosis in HepG2 cells and moderate necrosis in HCT116 cells.
CONCLUSION: Fourteen compounds were isolated from chloroform fraction of G. mangostana fruit hulls. Cytotoxic properties exhibited by the isolated xanthones from G. mangostana reinforce the avail of it as a natural cytotoxic agent against various cancers. These evidences could provide relevant bases for the scientific rationale of using G. mangostana in anti-cancer treatment.
AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, the effects of F3, lutein and β-sitosterol on tumor development and metastasis were investigated in 4T1-induced mouse mammary carcinoma model.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tumor-bearing mice were fed with F3 (100 mg/kg/day), lutein (50 mg/kg/day) and β-sitosterol (50 mg/kg/day) for 30 days (n = 5 each group). Tumor physical growth parameters, animal body weight and development of secondary tumors were investigated. The safety profile of F3 was assessed using hematological and histomorphological changes on the major organs in normal control mice (NM).
RESULTS: Our findings revealed significant reduction of physical tumor growth parameters in all tumor-bearing mice treated with F3 (TM-F3), lutein (TM-L) or β-sitosterol (TM-β) as compared with the untreated group (TM). Statistically significant reduction in body weight was observed in TM compared to the NM or treated (TM-F3, TM-L and TM-β) groups. Histomorphological examination of tissue sections from the F3-treated group showed normal features of the vital organs (i.e., liver, kidneys, lungs and spleen) which were similar to those of NM. Administration of F3 to NM mice (NM-F3) did not cause significant changes in full blood count values.
CONCLUSION: F3 significantly reduced the total tumor burden and prevented secondary tumor development in metastatic breast cancer without significant toxicities in 4T1-induced mouse mammary carcinoma model. The current study provides further support for therapeutic development of F3 with further pharmacokinetics studies.