Alpha Solanine: A Novel Natural Bioactive Molecule with Anticancer Effects in Multiple Human Malignancies

The Therapeutic Value of Solanum Steroidal (Glyco)Alkaloids: A 10-Year Comprehensive Review

Steroidal (glycol)alkaloids S(G)As are secondary metabolites made of a nitrogen-containing steroidal skeleton linked to a (poly)saccharide, naturally occurring in the members of the Solanaceae and Liliaceae plant families. The genus Solanum is familiar to all of us as a food source (tomato, potato, eggplant), but a few populations have also made it part of their ethnobotany for their medicinal properties. The recent development of the isolation, purification and analysis techniques have shed light on the structural diversity among the SGAs family, thus attracting scientists to investigate their various pharmacological properties. This review aims to overview the recent literature (2012-2022) on the pharmacological benefits displayed by the SGAs family. Over 17 different potential therapeutic applications (antibiotic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, etc.) were reported over the past ten years, and this unique review analyzes each pharmacological effect independently without discrimination of either the SGA's chemical identity or their sources. A strong emphasis is placed on the discovery of their biological targets and the subsequent cellular mechanisms, discussing in vitro to in vivo biological data. The therapeutic value and the challenges of the solanum steroidal glycoalkaloid family is debated to provide new insights for future research towards clinical development.

Potential of Alpha-(α)-Solanine as a Natural Inhibitor of Fungus Causing Leaf Spot Disease in Strawberry

Curvularia trifolii is an important pathogenic fungus that causes leaf spot disease in strawberry and other crops. Increased resistance in pathogenic fungi against chemical fungicides necessitates the search for biological alternatives to control plant fungal diseases. The present study aimed to perform transcriptome and metabolome analysis of C. trifolii fungi. We evaluated the potential of an alkaloid, namely alpha (α)-solanine, to inhibit the growth of Curvularia under in vitro conditions. Furthermore, transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of treated C. trifolii was performed to identify the differential genes and metabolites. Results revealed that treatment with α-solanine resulted in the poor growth and development of fungal spores. The transcriptome analysis revealed that 1413 genes were differentially expressed (DEGs), among which 340 unigenes were up-regulated, 100 unigenes were down-regulated, and the rest were unaffected in treated samples. Gene ontology analysis revealed that the majority of the genes were related to oxidative stress in the fungus. Additionally, using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we identified 455 metabolites, among which the majority of metabolites were related to lipid biosynthesis. The high number of genes related to lipid biosynthesis and reactive oxygen species revealed that α-solanine causes oxidative stress in Curvularia, leading to growth inhibition, and can be potentially used as an alternative to chemical fungicides.

Bioactive Substances of Potato Juice Reveal Synergy in Cytotoxic Activity against Cancer Cells of Digestive System Studied In Vitro

More and more literature data indicate the health-promoting effect of potato juice (PJ). However, to date, it has not been precisely explained which of the many compounds present in PJ exhibit biological activity. The work aimed to establish the antiproliferative effect of gastrointestinal digested PJ and the products of its processing. Fresh PJs derived from three edible potato varieties, industrial side stream resulting from starch production, partially deproteinized PJ derived from feed protein production line, and three different potato protein preparations subjected to digestion in the artificial gastrointestinal tract were used in this study. The cytotoxic potential of glycoalkaloids (GAs), phenolic acids, digested PJ, and products of PJ processing was determined in human normal and cancer cells derived from the digestive system. The results showed that GAs exhibit concentration-dependent cytotoxicity against all analyzed cell lines. In contrast, phenolic acids (caffeic, ferulic, and chlorogenic acid) do not show cytotoxicity in the applied cell lines. A correlation between cytotoxic potency and GAs content was found in all PJ products studied. The most potent effects were observed under treatment with deproteinized PJ, a product of industrial processing of PJ, distinguished by the highest effective activity among the fresh juice products studied. Moreover, this preparation revealed a favorable cytotoxicity ratio towards cancer cells compared to normal cells. Statistical analysis of the obtained results showed the synergistic effect of other bioactive substances contained in PJ and its products, which may be crucial in further research on the possibility of using PJ as a source of compounds of therapeutic importance.

Alpinetin: a Dietary Flavonoid with Diverse Anticancer Effects

Cancer is  a global burden and mechanistically complex disease with a plethora of genetic, physiological, metabolic, and environmental alterations. The development of dietary nutraceuticals into cancer chemotherapeutics has emerged as a new paradigm in cancer treatment. Alpinetin (ALPI) is a novel flavonoid component of multiple edible and medicinal plants and possesses a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities including antibacterial, anti-hemostatic, anti-oxidative, anti-hepatotoxic, stomachic, immunosuppressive, and anti-inflammatory. Recently, ALPI has been reported as a bioactive dietary nutraceutical with promising anticancer activity in various human cancers through multiple mechanisms. The purpose of this review is to compile the data on natural sources of ALPI, and its anticancer activity including cellular targets and anticancer mechanism in various human cancers. Moreover, this review will set the stage for further design and conduct pre-clinical and clinical trials to develop ALPI into a lead structure for oncological therapy.

Glycoalkaloids of Plants in the Family Solanaceae (Nightshade) as Potential Drugs

Worldwide interest in medicinal plants and related drugs is growing because of the increased spectrum of new synthetic drugs. In this context, secondary plant metabolites are most significant. This review analyzes data on the structures and biosyntheses of metabolites such as glycoalkaloids; methods for their extraction from plants of the family Solanaceae, particularly potato S. tuberosum; their qualitative and quantitative analysis; biological activity; and toxicity. This information could be useful in the selection of methods for sample preparation and extraction of glycoalkaloids during the search for new plant sources with prospects of creating effective and safe pharmacological agents.

A comprehensive review on anticancer mechanism of bazedoxifene

Cancer is counted as a second leading cause of death among nontransmissible diseases. Identification of novel anticancer drugs is therefore necessary for the effective treatment of cancer. Conventional drug discovery is time consuming and expensive process. Unlike conventional drug discovery, drug repositioning offers a novel strategy for urgent drug discovery since it is a cost-effective and faster process. Bazedoxifene (BZA) is a synthetic selective estrogen receptor modulator, approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. BZA is now being studied for its anticancer activity in various cancers including breast cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, head and neck cancer, medulloblastoma, brain cancer, and gastrointestinal cancer. Studies have reported that BZA is effective in reducing cancer progression through multiple mechanisms. BZA could effectively inhibit STAT3, PI3K/AKT, and MAPK signaling pathways and induce apoptosis. In addition to its anticancer activity as monotherapy, BZA has been shown to enhance the chemotherapeutic efficacy of clinical drugs such as paclitaxel, cisplatin, palbociclib, and oxaliplatin in multiple neoplasms. This review mainly focused on the anticancer activity, cellular targets, and anticancer mechanism of BZA, which may help the further design and conduct of research and repositioning it for oncological clinic trials.

α-Solanine Inhibits Proliferation, Invasion, and Migration, and Induces Apoptosis in Human Choriocarcinoma JEG-3 Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

α-Solanine, a bioactive compound mainly found in potato, exhibits anti-cancer activity towards multiple cancer cells. However, its effects on human choriocarcinoma have not been evaluated. In the present study, we investigated the effect of α-solanine on cell proliferation and apoptosis in human choriocarcinoma in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that α-solanine, at concentrations of 30 μM or below, did not affect the cell viability of the choriocarcinoma cell line JEG-3. However, colony formation was significantly decreased and cell apoptosis was increased in response to 30 μM α-solanine. In addition, α-solanine (30 μM) reduced the migration and invasion abilities of JEG-3 cells, which was associated with a downregulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2/9. The in vivo findings provided further evidence of the inhibition of α-solanine on choriocarcinoma tumor growth. α-Solanine suppressed the xenograft tumor growth of JEG-3 cells, resulting in smaller tumor volumes and lower tumor weights. Apoptosis was promoted in xenograft tumors of α-solanine-treated mice. Moreover, α-solanine downregulated proliferative cellular nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Bcl-2 levels and promoted the expression of Bax. Collectively, α-solanine inhibits the growth, migration, and invasion of human JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells, which may be associated with the induction of apoptosis.