Purification and characterization of a cytostatic factor with anti-viral activity from the bitter melon

Exploring the mechanism of action bitter melon in the treatment of breast cancer by network pharmacology

BACKGROUND

Bitter melon has been used to stop the growth of breast cancer (BRCA) cells. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear.

AIM

To predict the therapeutic effect of bitter melon against BRCA using network pharmacology and to explore the underlying pharmacological mechanisms.

METHODS

The active ingredients of bitter melon and the related protein targets were taken from the Indian Medicinal Plants, Phytochemistry and Therapeutics and SuperPred databases, respectively. The GeneCards database has been searched for BRCA-related targets. Through an intersection of the drug's targets and the disease's objectives, prospective bitter melon anti-BRCA targets were discovered. Gene ontology and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analyses were carried out to comprehend the biological roles of the target proteins. The binding relationship between bitter melon's active ingredients and the suggested target proteins was verified using molecular docking techniques.

RESULTS

Three key substances, momordicoside K, kaempferol, and quercetin, were identified as being important in mediating the putative anti-BRCA effects of bitter melon through the active ingredient-anti-BRCA target network study. Heat shock protein 90 AA, proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 were found to be the top three proteins in the protein-protein interaction network study. The several pathways implicated in the anti-BRCA strategy for an active component include phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling, transcriptional dysregulation, axon guidance, calcium signaling, focal adhesion, janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling, cyclic adenosine monophosphate signaling, mammalian target of rapamycin signaling, and phospholipase D signaling.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the integration of network pharmacology, molecular docking, and functional enrichment analyses shed light on potential mechanisms underlying bitter melon's ability to fight BRCA, implicating active ingredients and protein targets, as well as highlighting the major signaling pathways that may be altered by this natural product for therapeutic benefit.

Ribosome-inactivating and related proteins

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are toxins that act as N-glycosidases (EC 3.2.2.22). They are mainly produced by plants and classified as type 1 RIPs and type 2 RIPs. There are also RIPs and RIP related proteins that cannot be grouped into the classical type 1 and type 2 RIPs because of their different sizes, structures or functions. In addition, there is still not a uniform nomenclature or classification existing for RIPs. In this review, we give the current status of all known plant RIPs and we make a suggestion about how to unify those RIPs and RIP related proteins that cannot be classified as type 1 or type 2 RIPs.

In vitro plant regeneration from direct and indirect organogenesis of Memordica charantia

The study was conducted to analyze the effect of plant growth regulators on callogenesis and direct and indirect organogenesis of Memordica charantia. Callus cultures were induced from leaf, stem and cotyledonary explants of Momordica charantia, at different auxin and cytokinin concentrations either in single or in combination in MS medium. The best callogenic response was observed from all three explants (leaf, stem and cotyledon) on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 and 1.5 mg L(-1) BAP with 1.5 mg L(-1) NAA and 1.0 mg L(-1) 2,4-D, respectively. The callus produced was hard, green and compact. These totipotent cells were failed to give rise shooting response when transferred to same or different growth regulator containing medium as second subculture. Indirect organogenesis response was very low or absent due to hardening of callus and habitutation. Best shooting was observed at 1.0 mg L(-1) BAP + 0.1 TDZ and 1.5 mg L(-1) BAP + 0.2 mg L(-1) NAA from shoot tip and cotyledonary node explants. While root formation was achieved when generated shoots were transferred to MS medium both full and half strength supplemented with different auxin concentrations.