Exploration of Drug Science

Special Issue Topic

Exploring Potential Drugs from Natural Products

Submission Deadline: March 31, 2023

Guest Editor

Prof. Juergen Reichardt E-Mail

Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM), James Cook University, Smithfield QLD, Australia

Research Keywords: human genetics; human genomics; biochemistry; pharmacogenetics; molecular biology

About the Special Issue

Biodiversity is under threat worldwide which may well rob humankind if not all life forms of a valuable asset. This applies universally from subsistence farming to recreation but also specifically to the potential drugs residing unexplored in natural products on land, in the seas and in the air. This special issue will address such undiscovered compounds, strategies to identify them and to uncover potential targets, mechanisms of action and therapeutic uses.
Particular areas of interest include organic chemistry, biochemistry, mechanisms of action and more of potential drugs from natural products. Other foci of interest include strategies for the identification of relevant compounds, drug targets and mechanisms of action of potential drugs derived from natural products as well as the structures, biosynthesis, metabolism etc. of these chemicals.

Call for Papers

Published Articles

Open Access

Original Article

Levistolide A and periplogenin inhibit the growth of gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo
Aim: In the present study, the natural products levistolide A (LA) and periplogenin (PPG) were studied for their growth inhibitory effects on the development of gastric cancer cells in vitro and, [...] Read more.

Aim:

In the present study, the natural products levistolide A (LA) and periplogenin (PPG) were studied for their growth inhibitory effects on the development of gastric cancer cells in vitro and, more critically, in vivo, alone or in combination with the therapeutic medication 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).

Methods:

Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT), also known as 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assays were used for the cell viability study. Apoptosis was detected by western blot to detect the cleavage of caspase substrate poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assays. The nude mice bearing gastric cancer cells were used for the anti-cancer activity detection of LA and its combinational treatment effect with 5-FU.

Results:

The results in the present study shown that the two compounds were able to inhibit the viability of the cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner by MTT method. They could trigger apoptosis when used alone, and more potently, in combination with 5-FU detected by TUNEL positivity and the cleavage of caspase substrate PARP. In nude mice bearing gastric cancer cells, injection (i.p.) of LA or PPG alone inhibited the growth of the cancer cells. The treatment using one of the compounds in combination with 5-FU inhibited the cancer cell growth at a higher level than the treatment by a compound alone.

Conclusions:

LA and PPG could inhibit the growth of the cancer cells, alone or in combination with 5-FU, in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that they are promising investigational drugs for therapeutic development.

Jia Li Guo ... Ji Zhong Zhao

Published: March 30, 2023 Explor Drug Sci. 2023;1:64–76
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/eds.2023.00006

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Aim:

In the present study, the natural products levistolide A (LA) and periplogenin (PPG) were studied for their growth inhibitory effects on the development of gastric cancer cells in vitro and, more critically, in vivo, alone or in combination with the therapeutic medication 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).

Methods:

Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT), also known as 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assays were used for the cell viability study. Apoptosis was detected by western blot to detect the cleavage of caspase substrate poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assays. The nude mice bearing gastric cancer cells were used for the anti-cancer activity detection of LA and its combinational treatment effect with 5-FU.

Results:

The results in the present study shown that the two compounds were able to inhibit the viability of the cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner by MTT method. They could trigger apoptosis when used alone, and more potently, in combination with 5-FU detected by TUNEL positivity and the cleavage of caspase substrate PARP. In nude mice bearing gastric cancer cells, injection (i.p.) of LA or PPG alone inhibited the growth of the cancer cells. The treatment using one of the compounds in combination with 5-FU inhibited the cancer cell growth at a higher level than the treatment by a compound alone.

Conclusions:

LA and PPG could inhibit the growth of the cancer cells, alone or in combination with 5-FU, in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that they are promising investigational drugs for therapeutic development.

Guest Editor

About the Special Issue

Call for Papers

Published Articles

Aim:

Methods:

Results:

Conclusions:

Aim:

Methods:

Results:

Conclusions: