Abstract
BackgroundTriphala is an Ayurvedic rasayana formulation reputed for its antitumour activities, and chebulinic acid and chebulagic acid, along with other phenolic acids, have been proposed to be responsible for its effects.MethodsIn this study, the anti-proliferative activities of these agents were evaluated in colorectal carcinoma cell lines with three phenotypes exposed to several batches of triphala samples with different quantities of chebulinic acid and chebulagic acid. The pro-apoptotic and anti-migratory activities and the probable antitumour mechanisms of the more potent anti-proliferative phytochemical were also investigated.ResultsThe results demonstrated that chebulinic acid, which exerts potent anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic and anti-migratory effects, is a key molecule for maintaining the antitumour efficacy of triphala. The antitumour mechanism of chebulinic acid is probably related to the PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK pathways.ConclusionsChebulinic acid is not only a critical component of the anticancer activities of triphala but also a promising natural multi-target antitumour agent with therapeutic potential.
Highlights
Triphala is an Ayurvedic rasayana formulation reputed for its antitumour activities, and chebulinic acid and chebulagic acid, along with other phenolic acids, have been proposed to be responsible for its effects
The superior triphala preparation exhibits more potent anti-proliferative activities than the inferior triphala preparation against colorectal carcinoma cells The cell viability effects of the superior and inferior triphala preparations on the human colorectal cancer cell lines HR8348, LoVo, and LS174T were investigated by a cell counting kit (CCK)-8 assay
The results showed that the superior triphala preparation had outstanding growth inhibition activities against all three tumour cells, which were significantly and positively correlated with the concentration (Fig. 2a)
Summary
Triphala is an Ayurvedic rasayana formulation reputed for its antitumour activities, and chebulinic acid and chebulagic acid, along with other phenolic acids, have been proposed to be responsible for its effects. Colorectal cancer refers to malignant tumours that begin in cells of the large intestine, colon and rectum. It has been reported that colorectal cancer is the third most common and fourth most deadly human malignancy globally [2]. Triphala is an Ayurvedic herbal formula consisting of three myrobalan fruits, namely, Phyllanthus emblica Linn., Terminalia chebula Retz., and Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb., in equal proportions [3]. Triphala was first recorded in the Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita and has been used for various diseases for thousands of years [4]. Triphala has been used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine and in many other traditional
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