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Nagini S, Palrasu M, Bishayee A. Limonoids from neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) are potential anticancer drug candidates. Med Res Rev 2024; 44:457-496. [PMID: 37589457 DOI: 10.1002/med.21988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.), a versatile evergreen tree recognized for its ethnopharmacological value, is a rich source of limonoids of the triterpenoid class, endowed with potent medicinal properties. Extracts of neem have been documented to display anticancer effects in diverse malignant cell lines as well as in preclinical animal models that has largely been attributed to the constituent limonoids. Of late, neem limonoids have become the cynosure of research attention as potential candidate agents for cancer prevention and therapy. Among the various limonoids found in neem, azadirachtin, epoxyazadiradione, gedunin, and nimbolide, have been extensively investigated for anticancer activity. Azadirachtin, a potent biodegradable pesticide, exhibits profound antiproliferative effects by preventing mitotic spindle formation and cell division. The antiproliferative activity of gedunin has been demonstrated to be mediated primarily via inhibition of heat shock protein90 and its client proteins. Epoxyazadiradione inhibits pro-inflammatory and kinase-driven signaling pathways to block tumorigenesis. Nimbolide, the most potent cytotoxic neem limonoid, inhibits the growth of cancer cells by regulating the phosphorylation of keystone kinases that drive oncogenic signaling besides modulating the epigenome. There is overwhelming evidence to indicate that neem limonoids exert anticancer effects by preventing the acquisition of hallmark traits of cancer, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis evasion, inflammation, invasion, angiogenesis, and drug resistance. Neem limonoids are value additions to the armamentarium of natural compounds that target aberrant oncogenic signaling to inhibit cancer development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddavaram Nagini
- Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Manikandan Palrasu
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Anupam Bishayee
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, Florida, USA
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Li X, Yi Y, Wu T, Chen N, Gu X, Xiang L, Jiang Z, Li J, Jin H. Integrated microbiome and metabolome analysis reveals the interaction between intestinal flora and serum metabolites as potential biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1170748. [PMID: 37260707 PMCID: PMC10227431 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1170748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Globally, liver cancer poses a serious threat to human health and quality of life. Despite numerous studies on the microbial composition of the gut in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), little is known about the interactions of the gut microbiota and metabolites and their role in HCC. This study examined the composition of the gut microbiota and serum metabolic profiles in 68 patients with HCC, 33 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), and 34 healthy individuals (NC) using a combination of metagenome sequencing and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The composition of the serum metabolites and the structure of the intestinal microbiota were found to be significantly altered in HCC patients compared to non-HCC patients. LEfSe and metabolic pathway enrichment analysis were used to identify two key species (Odoribacter splanchnicus and Ruminococcus bicirculans) and five key metabolites (ouabain, taurochenodeoxycholic acid, glycochenodeoxycholate, theophylline, and xanthine) associated with HCC, which then were combined to create panels for HCC diagnosis. The study discovered that the diagnostic performance of the metabolome was superior to that of the microbiome, and a panel comprised of key species and key metabolites outperformed alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in terms of diagnostic value. Spearman's rank correlation test was used to determine the relationship between the intestinal flora and serum metabolites and their impact on hepatocarcinogenesis and progression. A random forest model was used to assess the diagnostic performance of the different histologies alone and in combination. In summary, this study describes the characteristics of HCC patients' intestinal flora and serum metabolism, demonstrates that HCC is caused by the interaction of intestinal flora and serum metabolites, and suggests that two key species and five key metabolites may be potential markers for the diagnosis of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyue Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongxiang Yi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Tongxin Wu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Nan Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinyu Gu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Liangliang Xiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhaodi Jiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Junwei Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Heiying Jin
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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