Anticancer Plants Research Articles

Exploring the physicochemical profile and the binding patterns of selected novel anticancer Himalayan plant derived active compounds with macromolecular targets

Abstract Plants are vital source of compounds offering plethora of therapeutic effects against various ailments without much side effects. Due to wide spread prevalence and drug resistance in cancer; there is an urgent need for discovery of new anti-cancer drugs. In the present study, selected novel anti-cancer plants derived compounds (cmpd1 to cmpd15) from Himalayan region were docked with defined molecular targets that regulate cell proliferation and apoptosis. The binding energies of best docked compounds ranged between −8.0 kcal/mol and −11.71 kcal/mol. Further analysis revealed critical hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions between compounds and targets. The best docked compounds viz., cmpd15 against cyclin-dependent kinase-2 (CDK-2), cmpd8 against CDK-6 and cmpd9 against Topoisomerase I and II showed higher binding affinities than the native co-crystal ligands. The root mean square deviation (RMSD) and potential energy plot clearly indicates the stability of the complexes during 20 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The Molecular Mechanics/Poisson Boltzmann Surface Area (MM/PBSA) binding energy analysis revealed Van der Waals energy component which is the principal stabilizing energy for their interactions except CDK-2/cmpd15 complex. The polar solvation energy did not have favorable contribution to their stabilization. The binding energy decomposition analysis revealed per residue contribution for each docked complexes. Physicochemical profile studies showed that majority of the compounds conform to Lipinski's rule of five (ROF) having low to high blood brain barrier (BBB) penetration, human intestinal absorption, plasma binding protein inhibition and P glycoprotein inhibition.

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English

Endophytic l-asparaginase-producing fungi from plants associated with anticancer properties

Endophytes are novel sources of natural bioactive compounds. This study seeks endophytes that produce the anticancer enzyme l-asparaginase, to harness their potential for mass production. Four plants with anticancer properties; Cymbopogon citratus, Murraya koenigii, Oldenlandia diffusa and Pereskia bleo, were selected as host plants. l-Asparaginase-producing endophytes were detected by the formation of pink zones on agar, a result of hydrolyzes of asparagine into aspartic acid and ammonia that converts the phenol red dye indicator from yellow (acidic condition) to pink (alkaline condition). The anticancer enzyme asparaginase was further quantified via Nesslerization. Results revealed that a total of 89 morphotypes were isolated; mostly from P. bleo (40), followed by O. diffusa (25), C. citratus (14) and M. koenigii (10). Only 25 of these morphotypes produced l-asparaginase, mostly from P. bleo and their asparaginase activities were between 0.0069 and 0.025μMmL−1min−1. l-Asparaginase producing isolates were identified as probable species of the genus Colletotrichum, Fusarium, Phoma and Penicillium. Studies here revealed that endophytes are good alternative sources for l-asparaginase production and they can be sourced from anticancer plants, particularly P. bleo.

Ethnobotanical survey of anticancer plants in Askira/Uba local government area of Borno state, Nigeria

Ethnobotanical survey was conducted on anticancer plants in Askira/Uba Local Goverbnment Area of Borno State, Nigeria. Administration of questionnaires and oral interviews to 20 Traditional Medicine Practitioners (TMPs) and field trip were carried out in the study area. A total of 65 different plants belonging to 41 families were identified during the survey. Six plants belong to the Caesalpinioideae, 5 from Fabaceae, 4 each from Mimosoideae and Euphorbiaceae and 3 from Burseraceae. The most frequently implicated plants as anticancer among respondents were Securidaca longepedunculata (Polygalaceae), Andira inermis ssp. rooseveltii (Fabaceae), Pterocarpus erinaceus (Fabaceae), Carissa edulis (Apocynaceae), Detarium microcarpum (Caesalpinioideae) and Cassia sieberiana (Caesalpinioideae). Preliminary screening using U87 and U231 cell lines revealed 10 out of 21 crude extracts screened from these plants have antiproliferative activities. Further research still in progress to ascertain the acclaimed anticancer properties with the view to develop new drugs.

Screening of Indian medicinal plants for cytotoxic activity by Brine Shrimp Lethality (BSL) assay and evaluation of their total phenolic content

Objective: Plant-derived cytotoxic constituents and polyphenolic compounds have played an important role in the development of clinically useful anticancer agents. In this context, we have selected six Indian medicinal plants based on the literature claims and an attempt was made to evaluate the cytotoxic potential and total phenolic content (TPC) of their methanol extracts and fractions. Materials and Methods: Six plants have been selected for the study, namely, Artemisia absinthium Linn. (Asteraceae), Oroxylum indicum (Linn.) Vent. (Bignoniaceae), Heliotropium indicum Linn. (Boraginaceae), Amorphophallus sylvaticus (Roxb.) Kunth. (Araceae), Mimosa pudica Linn. (Mimosaceae), and Premna serratifolia Linn. (Verbenaceae). Authenticated plant materials were subjected to extraction with methanol by cold maceration and hot percolation methods. The extracts were fractionated into four fractions (F1, F2, F3, and F4). Preliminary phytochemical investigation was carried out for all extracts and fractions. All extracts and their fractions were subjected to cytotoxicity screening by brine shrimp lethality (BSL) bioassay. The plants with significant cytotoxicity were evaluated for TPC by using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Results: F1, F2, and F3 fractions of A. absinthium and P. serratifolia and F1 fraction of M. pudica have shown significant cytotoxicity (lethal concentration (LC 50 ) < 100 ppm) compared with other fractions. F1, F2, and F3 fractions of A. absinthium show the LC 50 values 32.52, 14.27, and 24.02, respectively; F1, F2, and F3 of P. serratifolia show LC 50 values 7.61, 4.01, and 10.91 and same for F1 fraction of M. pudica was 34.82 μg/ml, respectively. TPC was found to be significantly higher (39.11 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g) in P. serratifolia compared with other two plants. Conclusion: The cytotoxicity screening system confirmed the proposed anticancer plants used by traditional healers and literature claims.

A Rapid and Efficient Protocol of DNA Extraction from Animal Blood and Plant Parts

DNA e xtraction from plant tissues is much more complex in comparison to mammalian tissues and bacterial cells due to the presence of a rigid cell wall. Methods utilized for extraction of DNA from plant tissues can vary depending upon the materials used. It is very essential to obtain the nuclear material (without degradation) by breaking down the cell wall and membrane mechanically. We have used the single protocol for extraction of DNA from blood as well as from explants of anti-cancer plants and obtained fruitful results. Keywords: DNA, Blood, Electrophoresis, Extraction Buffer, Agarose, Transilluminator

Anticancer plant garden

Cancer is a major health concern in the world. Consequently there is considerable interest from the population in the progress of research on new therapeutic drugs. It is one of scientists' tasks to make current research understandable to everybody and to share their knowledge with the public. To this aim we have created the “Anticancer Plant Garden”, a pedagogic garden located in Saint-Pol-de-Léon, Brittany, France. Its goals are to illustrate the importance of plants as a source of potent anticancer drugs, to enhance the public awareness on the interest in protecting and studying Nature as a unique, yet fragile, source of novel medications, and to tell the emulating stories of researchers who discovered natural products based therapeutic drugs. The garden will present plants from which molecules are currently used in cancer chemotherapy, plants with antitumor properties still under investigation, plants used as adjuvants, plants which are reported to provide some prevention towards the development of cancers and plants producing carcinogenic compounds. The project is accompanied by a website, a booklet which will present plants, active principles and brief history of their discovery, and a more detailed book on potential anticancer plants. The garden will also accommodate conferences and photography exhibits on plants, cancer issues, prevention and protection of natural resources. The project communication will be carried out by a PhD student preparing a thesis on the discovery of the anticancer drugs Taxotère® and Navelbine®. The garden is supported by the “Association JPAC”. Information is validated by several scientific experts.

Culturable Endophytes of Medicinal Plants and the Genetic Basis for Their Bioactivity

The bioactive compounds of medicinal plants are products of the plant itself or of endophytes living inside the plant. Endophytes isolated from eight different anticancer plants collected in Yunnan, China, were characterized by diverse 16S and 18S rRNA gene phylogenies. A functional gene-based molecular screening strategy was used to target nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) and type I polyketide synthase (PKS) genes in endophytes. Bioinformatic analysis of these biosynthetic pathways facilitated inference of the potential bioactivity of endophyte natural products, suggesting that the isolated endophytes are capable of producing a plethora of secondary metabolites. All of the endophyte culture broth extracts demonstrated antiproliferative effects in at least one test assay, either cytotoxic, antibacterial or antifungal. From the perspective of natural product discovery, this study confirms the potential for endophytes from medicinal plants to produce anticancer, antibacterial and antifungal compounds. In addition, PKS and NRPS gene screening is a valuable method for screening isolates of biosynthetic potential.

Energy-dispersive x-ray microanalysis of elements’ content and antimicrobial properties of Pereskia bleo and Goniothalamus umbrosus

This study was designed to investigate elements’ content and anti-microbial effects of two Malaysian plants, Pereskia bleo and Goniothalamus umbrosus. Elements’ analysis was carried out using Energy Dispersive X-ray Microanalysis combined with Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope (EDX, VPSEM). Anti-microbial screening was performed using disc diffusion method using two gram-positive bacteria, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Bacillus subtilis B29, and other two gram-negative bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 60690 and Salmonella choleraesuis. The elemental distribution revealed the presence of C, O, Mg, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Al, Si and Fe, in these medicinal plants and their relative weight percentages were estimated. A variable susceptibility of microbial strains of this study towards Pereskia bleo and Goniothalamus umbrosus was noticeably observed. From this study, it is shown that the analysis of elements of anticancer plants can be considered as potential sources for providing information regarding the medicinal usages of plants.

Research on the ultraweak photon emission from anti-cancer plants

UPE (Ultraweak photon emission) is one kind of a common phenomenon in biological organisms. It contains a wealth of information of biological functions. In this paper, single photon counting system is used to measure UPE of some anticancer herbal plants. For the plants, the changes of UPE under different water condition are studied and the varying laws of ultraweak photon number with time are analysed. The results are higher fit double exponential decay law.

Anticancer agents of plant origin

Cancer, or clinically the malignant neoplasm, is a group of hundred or more related disorders characterized by the presence of a progressively growing mass of abnormal tissues. Cancer is a complex disease. Its seriousness has attracted the attention of scientists all over the world. A number of chemotherapeutic agents have been and are being synthesized to control this deadly disease. The methodology of procurement of anticancer agents of plant origin and their mechanism of action in controlling cancer are discussed in this paper. Particular emphasis is given on the taxonomic position of anticancer plants, their occurrence, active plant part(s), structure and characteristics of the anticancer compounds present, and the activity of these compounds both in vitro and in vivo in experimental systems. From the information available on the anticancer agents of plant origin, and their clinical usefulness under in vitro and in vivo experimental systems, it is concluded that the plants will have a major role to pl...