A new alkaloid with cytotoxic activity from Fritillaria thunbergii Miq

The role and mechanism of "eight famous herbals in Zhejiang" in cancer via network pharmacology and experimental validation

In recent years, some components and active ingredients from the herbal formula "eight famous herbals in Zhejiang" (Zhe-Ba-Wei) have been reported to possess antitumor properties. However, there is still no systemic study on the role and mechanism of Zhe-Ba-Wei in cancer. To systematically investigate the anticancer efficacy of Zhe-Ba-Wei, we first identified 17 reported active ingredients with gene targets associated with various types of tumors. Second, we screened these active ingredients and their responding multiple shared targets by analyzing the convergence of diverse and tumor-specific target sites and identified four crucial active ingredients (ferulic acid, quercetin, rutin, luteolin), which were characterized by 27 overlapping gene targets. Third, these 27 gene targets were subsequently mapped onto the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and Gene Ontology term, and among the 27 total potential targets, 12 were involved in plasma membrane function. Fourth, we investigated the binding affinities between the four crucial active ingredients and their potential targets such as EGFR and MET, both of which are well-known oncogenes in various cancers. Subsequently, an investigation of the computational ADMET properties showed that most of these four ingredients exhibited good ADMET properties. Finally, we found that three active ingredients (ferulic acid, luteolin, and quercetin) could inhibit the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cells and decrease the protein expression of EGFR in a concentration-dependent manner. All these results shed light on the bioactive components, pharmacological effects, and drug development and utilization of Zhe-Ba-Wei, aiming to provide useful support for its further research and clinical application.

Discovery of plant-derived anti-tumor natural products: Potential leads for anti-tumor drug discovery

Natural products represent a paramount source of novel drugs. Numerous plant-derived natural products have demonstrated potent anti-tumor properties, thereby garnering considerable interest in their potential as anti-tumor drugs. This review compiles an overview of 242 recently discovered natural products, spanning the period from 2018 to the present. These natural products, which include 69 terpenoids, 42 alkaloids, 39 flavonoids, 21 steroids, 14 phenylpropanoids, 5 quinolines and 52 other compounds, are characterized by their respective chemical structures, anti-tumor activities, and mechanisms of action. By providing an essential reference and fresh insights, this review aims to support and inspire researchers engaged in the fields of natural products and anti-tumor drug discovery.

Chemistry and bioactivities of natural steroidal alkaloids

Steroidal alkaloids possess the basic steroidal skeleton with a nitrogen atom in rings or side chains incorporated as an integral part of the molecule. They have demonstrated a wide range of biological activities, and some of them have even been developed as therapeutic drugs, such as abiraterone acetate (Zytiga®), a blockbuster drug, which has been used for the treatment of prostate cancer. Structurally diverse natural steroidal alkaloids present a wide spectrum of biological activities, which are attractive for natural product chemistry and medicinal chemistry communities. This review comprehensively covers the structural classification, isolation and various biological activities of 697 natural steroidal alkaloids discovered from 1926 to October 2021, with 363 references being cited.