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Frontiers in Bioscience (Landmark... Apr 2024The review focuses on the recent knowledge on natural anthraquinones (AQs) of plant origin and their potential for application in an exclusive medicinal curative and... (Review)
Review
The review focuses on the recent knowledge on natural anthraquinones (AQs) of plant origin and their potential for application in an exclusive medicinal curative and palliative method named photodynamic therapy (PDT). Green approach to PDT is associated with photosensitizers (PS) from plants or other natural sources and excitation light in visible spectrum. The investigations of plants are of high research interests due to their unique health supportive properties as herbs and the high percentage availability to obtain compounds with medical value. Up-to-date many naturally occurring compounds with therapeutic properties are known and are still under investigations. Some natural quinones have already been evaluated and clinically approved as anti-tumor agents. Recent scientific interests are beyond their common medical applications but also in directions to their photo-properties as natural PSs. The study presents a systematic searches on the latest knowledge on AQ derivatives that are isolated from the higher plants as photosensitizers for PDT applications. The natural quinones have been recognized with functions of natural dyes since the ancient times. Lately, AQs have been explored due to their biological activity including the photosensitive properties useful for PDT especially towards medical problems with no other alternatives. The existing literature' overview suggests that natural AQs possess characteristics of valuable PSs for PDT. This method is based on an application of a photoactive compound and light arrangement in oxygen media, such that the harmful general cytotoxicity could be avoided. Moreover, the common anticancer and antimicrobial drug resistance has been evaluated with very low occurrence after PDT. Natural AQs have been focused the scientific efforts to further developments because of the high range of natural sources, desirable biocompatibility, low toxicity, minimal side effects and low accident of drug resistance, together with their good photosensitivity and therapeutic capacity. Among the known AQs, only hypericin has been studied in anticancer clinical PDT. Currently, the natural PSs are under intensive research for the future PDT applications for diseases without alternative effective treatments.
Topics: Anthraquinones; Photochemotherapy; Photosensitizing Agents; Humans; Plants
PubMed: 38812303
DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2905168 -
Journal of Nanobiotechnology May 2024Chemotherapy, as a conventional strategy for tumor therapy, often leads to unsatisfied therapeutic effect due to the multi-drug resistance and the serious side effects....
Chemotherapy, as a conventional strategy for tumor therapy, often leads to unsatisfied therapeutic effect due to the multi-drug resistance and the serious side effects. Herein, we genetically engineered a thermal-responsive murine Ferritin (mHFn) to specifically deliver mitoxantrone (MTO, a chemotherapeutic and photothermal agent) to tumor tissue for the chemotherapy and photothermal combined therapy of colorectal cancer, thanks to the high affinity of mHFn to transferrin receptor that highly expressed on tumor cells. The thermal-sensitive channels on mHFn allowed the effective encapsulation of MTO in vitro and the laser-controlled release of MTO in vivo. Upon irradiation with a 660 nm laser, the raised temperature triggered the opening of the thermal-sensitive channel in mHFn nanocage, resulting in the controlled and rapid release of MTO. Consequently, a significant amount of reactive oxygen species was generated, causing mitochondrial collapse and tumor cell death. The photothermal-sensitive controlled release, low systemic cytotoxicity, and excellent synergistic tumor eradication ability in vivo made mHFn@MTO a promising candidate for chemo-photothermal combination therapy against colorectal cancer.
Topics: Animals; Colorectal Neoplasms; Mice; Ferritins; Photothermal Therapy; Humans; Mitoxantrone; Lasers; Cell Line, Tumor; Reactive Oxygen Species; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Antineoplastic Agents; Mice, Nude; Female
PubMed: 38812019
DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02566-6 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2024In recent years, the world's attention has been drawn to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) because to the frightening prospect of growing death rates. Nanomaterials are...
INTRODUCTION
In recent years, the world's attention has been drawn to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) because to the frightening prospect of growing death rates. Nanomaterials are being investigated due to their potential in a wide range of technical and biological applications.
METHODS
The purpose of this study was to biosynthesis zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using sp. SA17 fungal extract, followed by characterization of the produced nanoparticles (NP) using electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), UV-analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The HR-TEM revealed spherical nanoparticles with an average size of 7.2 nm, and XRD validated the crystalline nature and crystal structure features of the generated ZnONPs, while the zeta potential was 18.16 mV, indicating that the particles' surfaces are positively charged. The FT-IR was also used to identify the biomolecules involved in the synthesis of ZnONPs. The antibacterial and anticancer properties of both the crude fungal extract and its nano-form against several microbial strains and cancer cell lines were also investigated. Inhibition zone diameters against pathogenic bacteria ranged from 3 to 13 mm, while IC values against cancer cell lines ranged from 17.65 to 84.55 M. Additionally, 33 compounds, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins, organic acids, anthraquinones, and lignans, were discovered through chemical profiling of the extract using UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. Some molecules, such pomiferin and glabrol, may be useful for antibacterial purposes, according to study, while daidzein 4'-sulfate showed promise as an anti-cancer metabolite.
PubMed: 38803373
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1366614 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Apr 2024: Tacrolimus is a macrolide lactone compound derived from the bacterium , widely known as an immunosuppressant. In basic research, the effects of tacrolimus on...
: Tacrolimus is a macrolide lactone compound derived from the bacterium , widely known as an immunosuppressant. In basic research, the effects of tacrolimus on osteogenic differentiation have been tested using mesenchymal stem cells. In this study, tacrolimus's effects on the cellular survival and osteogenic differentiation of stem cell spheroids were investigated. : Concave microwells were used to form stem cell spheroids in the presence of tacrolimus at final concentrations of 0 μg/mL, 0.1 μg/mL, 1 μg/mL, 10 μg/mL, and 100 μg/mL. A microscope was used to test cellular vitality qualitatively, and an assay kit based on water-soluble tetrazolium salt was used to measure cellular viability quantitatively. Alkaline phosphatase activity and an anthraquinone dye test for measuring calcium deposits were used to assess osteogenic differentiation. To assess the expression of osteogenic differentiation, a quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and RNA sequencing were performed. : Spheroids across all concentrations maintained a relatively uniform and spherical shape. Cell viability assay indicated that tacrolimus, up to a concentration of 100 μg/mL, did not significantly impair cell viability within spheroids cultured in osteogenic media. The increase in calcium deposition, particularly at lower concentrations of tacrolimus, points toward an enhancement in osteogenic differentiation. There was an increase in COL1A1 expression across all tacrolimus concentrations, as evidenced by the elevated mean and median values, which may indicate enhanced osteogenic activity. : This study showed that tacrolimus does not significantly impact the viability of stem cell spheroids in osteogenic media, even at high concentrations. It also suggests that tacrolimus may enhance osteogenic differentiation, as indicated by increased calcium deposition and COL1A1 expression. These findings advance our understanding of tacrolimus's potential roles in tissue repair, regeneration, and stem cell-based therapeutic applications.
Topics: Tacrolimus; Osteogenesis; Spheroids, Cellular; Cell Differentiation; Cell Survival; Humans; RNA, Messenger; Immunosuppressive Agents; Stem Cells; Mesenchymal Stem Cells
PubMed: 38792884
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60050702 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Yinhua Pinggan Granule (YPG) is an approved compounded traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription for the treatment of cold, cough, viral pneumonia, and related...
Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Chemical Components in Yinhua Pinggan Granule with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Q-Exactive Mass Spectrometry.
Yinhua Pinggan Granule (YPG) is an approved compounded traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription for the treatment of cold, cough, viral pneumonia, and related diseases. Due to its complicated chemical composition, the material basis of YPG has not been systematically investigated. In this study, an analytical method based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with Q-Exactive mass spectrometry was established. Together with the help of a self-built compound database and Compound Discoverer software 3.1, the chemical components in YPG were tentatively identified. Subsequently, six main components in YPG were quantitatively characterized with a high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method. As a result, 380 components were annotated, including 19 alkaloids, 8 organic acids, 36 phenolic acids, 27 other phenols, 114 flavonoids, 75 flavonoid glycoside, 72 terpenes, 11 anthraquinones, and 18 other compounds. Six main components, namely, chlorogenic acid, puerarin, 3'-methoxypuerarin, polydatin, glycyrrhizic acid, and emodin, were quantified simultaneously. The calibration curves of all six analytes showed good linearity (R > 0.9990) within the test ranges. The precision, repeatability, stability, and recovery values were all in acceptable ranges. In addition, the total phenol content and DPPH scavenging activity of YPG were also determined. The systematic elucidation of the chemical components in YPG in this study may provide clear chemical information for the quality control and pharmacological research of YPG and related TCM compounded prescriptions.
Topics: Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Mass Spectrometry; Flavonoids; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Phytochemicals
PubMed: 38792164
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29102300 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024The most common malignancy in women is breast cancer. During the development of cancer, oncogenic transcription factors facilitate the overproduction of inflammatory... (Review)
Review
The most common malignancy in women is breast cancer. During the development of cancer, oncogenic transcription factors facilitate the overproduction of inflammatory cytokines and cell adhesion molecules. Antiapoptotic proteins are markedly upregulated in cancer cells, which promotes tumor development, metastasis, and cell survival. Promising findings have been found in studies on the cell cycle-mediated apoptosis pathway for medication development and treatment. Dietary phytoconstituents have been studied in great detail for their potential to prevent cancer by triggering the body's defense mechanisms. The underlying mechanisms of action may be clarified by considering the role of polyphenols in important cancer signaling pathways. Phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, lignans, lignins, naphthoquinones, anthraquinones, xanthones, and stilbenes are examples of natural chemicals that are being studied for potential anticancer drugs. These substances are also vital for signaling pathways. This review focuses on innovations in the study of polyphenol genistein's effects on breast cancer cells and presents integrated chemical biology methods to harness mechanisms of action for important therapeutic advances.
Topics: Humans; Genistein; Breast Neoplasms; Female; Signal Transduction; Apoptosis; Animals; Polyphenols
PubMed: 38791595
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105556 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024can be a substantial concern, as it causes various diseases in aquaculture. An effective and green method for inhibiting is urgently required. Emodin, a naturally...
can be a substantial concern, as it causes various diseases in aquaculture. An effective and green method for inhibiting is urgently required. Emodin, a naturally occurring anthraquinone compound, was exploited as a photo-antimicrobial agent against . At the minimum inhibitory concentration of emodin (256 mg/L) to inactivate in 30 min, an 11.32% survival rate was observed under 45 W white compact fluorescent light irradiation. In addition, the antibacterial activity under natural sunlight (0.78%) indicated its potential for practical application. Morphological observations demonstrated that the cell walls and membranes of were susceptible to damage by emodin when exposed to light irradiation. More importantly, the photoinactivation of was predominantly attributed to the hydroxyl radicals and superoxide radicals produced by emodin, according to the trapping experiment and electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Finally, a light-dependent reactive oxygen species punching mechanism of emodin to photoinactivate was proposed. This study highlights the potential use of emodin in sunlight-mediated applications for bacterial control, thereby providing new possibilities for the use of Chinese herbal medicine in aquatic diseases prevention.
Topics: Emodin; Aeromonas hydrophila; Sunlight; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Reactive Oxygen Species
PubMed: 38791482
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105444 -
Marine Drugs Apr 2024Marine symbiotic and epiphyte microorganisms are sources of bioactive or structurally novel natural products. Metabolic blockade-based genome mining has been proven to...
Metabolic Blockade-Based Genome Mining of Sea Anemone-Associated sp. S1502 Identifies Atypical Angucyclines WS-5995 A-E: Isolation, Identification, Biosynthetic Investigation, and Bioactivities.
Marine symbiotic and epiphyte microorganisms are sources of bioactive or structurally novel natural products. Metabolic blockade-based genome mining has been proven to be an effective strategy to accelerate the discovery of natural products from both terrestrial and marine microorganisms. Here, the metabolic blockade-based genome mining strategy was applied to the discovery of other metabolites in a sea anemone-associated sp. S1502. We constructed a mutant sp. S1502/Δ that switched to producing the atypical angucyclines WS-5995 A-E, among which WS-5995 E is a new compound. A biosynthetic gene cluster () of the angucyclines was identified through gene knock-out and heterologous expression studies. The biosynthetic pathways of WS-5995 A-E were proposed, the roles of some tailoring and regulatory genes were investigated, and the biological activities of WS-5995 A-E were evaluated. WS-5995 A has significant anti- activity with an IC value of 2.21 μM. The production of antibacterial streptopyrroles and anticoccidial WS-5995 A-E may play a protective role in the mutual relationship between sp. S1502 and its host.
Topics: Streptomyces; Animals; Sea Anemones; Multigene Family; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Biosynthetic Pathways; Genome, Bacterial; Biological Products; Anthraquinones; Angucyclines and Angucyclinones
PubMed: 38786587
DOI: 10.3390/md22050195 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2024Cassia seeds, originating from the mature seeds of leguminous cassia species, possess pharmacological effects attributed to their rich composition of various active...
INTRODUCTION
Cassia seeds, originating from the mature seeds of leguminous cassia species, possess pharmacological effects attributed to their rich composition of various active ingredients, notably anthraquinones. While current research predominantly focuses on pharmaceutical extractions, there has been limited progress in fermentation studies.
METHODS
Our study aimed to enhance the content of active compounds such as anthraquinones, flavonoids, and polyphenols using microbial fermentation techniques. We specifically optimized a fermentation system through a single-factor experimental design.
RESULTS
The antioxidant properties of the fermentation solution were validated through assays involving HaCaT cells and zebrafish. We observed effective suppression of inflammatory reactions in both RAW264.7 cells and transgenic zebrafish by the fermentation solution. Moreover, significant inhibition of tyrosinase activity and melanin production was evident in B16-F10 cells and zebrafish. Positive outcomes were also obtained in antibacterial assays and chick embryo experiments.
DISCUSSION
These findings highlight the potential of cassia seed fermentation solution as a safe and eco-friendly material in food chemistry and biomedical sciences.
PubMed: 38784817
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1400505 -
PloS One 2024In the search for better anticancer drugs, computer-aided drug design (CADD) techniques play an indispensable role in facilitating the lengthy and costly drug discovery...
BACKGROUND
In the search for better anticancer drugs, computer-aided drug design (CADD) techniques play an indispensable role in facilitating the lengthy and costly drug discovery process especially when natural products are involved. Anthraquinone is one of the most widely-recognized natural products with anticancer properties. This review aimed to systematically assess and synthesize evidence on the utilization of CADD techniques centered on the anthraquinone scaffold for cancer treatment.
METHODS
The conduct and reporting of this review were done in accordance to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guideline. The protocol was registered in the "International prospective register of systematic reviews" database (PROSPERO: CRD42023432904) and also published recently. The search strategy was designed based on the combination of concept 1 "CADD or virtual screening", concept 2 "anthraquinone" and concept 3 "cancer". The search was executed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and MedRxiv on 30 June 2023.
RESULTS
Databases searching retrieved a total of 317 records. After deduplication and applying the eligibility criteria, the final review ended up with 32 articles in which 3 articles were found by citation searching. The CADD methods used in the studies were either structure-based alone (69%) or combined with ligand-based methods via parallel (9%) or sequential (22%) approaches. Molecular docking was performed in all studies, with Glide and AutoDock being the most popular commercial and public software used respectively. Protein data bank was used in most studies to retrieve the crystal structure of the targets of interest while the main ligand databases were PubChem and Zinc. The utilization of in-silico techniques has enabled a deeper dive into the structural, biological and pharmacological properties of anthraquinone derivatives, revealing their remarkable anticancer properties in an all-rounded fashion.
CONCLUSION
By harnessing the power of computational tools and leveraging the natural diversity of anthraquinone compounds, researchers can expedite the development of better drugs to address the unmet medical needs in cancer treatment by improving the treatment outcome for cancer patients.
Topics: Anthraquinones; Humans; Neoplasms; Antineoplastic Agents; Drug Design; Molecular Docking Simulation; Computer-Aided Design; Drug Discovery
PubMed: 38776291
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301396