Catechin, rutin and quercetin in Quercus mongolica Fisch leaves exert inhibitory effects on multiple cancer cells

Progress of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, ranking among the highest in both incidence and mortality rates. Traditional Chinese medicine, with a history spanning thousands of years, has demonstrated unique efficacy and advantages in the prevention and treatment of CRC, playing a pivotal role at all levels of China’s healthcare system. This article provides a comprehensive analysis and summary of traditional Chinese medicine’s contributions to CRC prevention, antitumor therapy, palliative care for advanced tumors, perioperative rehabilitation, and postoperative functional recovery.

Regulatory Effects of Betonica macrantha Extract, Known as Mountain Tea, on miRNA Expression and Its Pharmacokinetic Properties

The aim of this study is to investigate the anticancer potential of Betonica macrantha extract on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, its regulatory effects on miRNA expression, the content analysis of its phytochemical components, and the roles of these compounds in the regulation of miRNA expression through pathways, as well as to examine its pharmacokinetic profiles. The B. macrantha plant was extracted with methanol. The obtained extracts were analyzed for phytochemical components using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD) techniques. Biological activity was assessed using the MTT assay on the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line, while miRNA expression was measured by RT-PCR. Pharmacokinetic properties were calculated using ADMETSAR3 software, and molecular interactions were investigated through AutoDock Vina simulations. GC-MS analysis of B. macrantha extract identified 42 volatile compounds, with 1S-α-pinene, humulene, and caryophyllene being the most abundant. HPLC-DAD analysis detected 18 bioactive compounds, including catechin, oleuropein, and rutin. The extract inhibited the viability of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 0.8 mg/mL. Furthermore, upregulation of miR-19, miR-20a, miR-126, and miR-200c miRNAs was observed in MDA-MB-231 cells, while these miRNAs were downregulated in healthy cells. ADMET analysis revealed that α-pinene, caryophyllene, and catechin exhibited high bioavailability, absorption, and distribution properties, while oleuropein and rutin showed limited absorption and bioavailability. Molecular docking studies demonstrated the potential binding interactions of these compounds with key target proteins involved in cancer progression. Consequently, B. macrantha presents significant potential as a valuable natural source for cancer therapy through its anticancer activity, modulation of miRNA expression, and interaction with cancer-associated proteins.

Synergistic strength: unleashing exercise and polyphenols against breast cancer

Breast cancer remains a major global health challenge, necessitating innovative preventive and therapeutic strategies. Emerging evidence such as clinical trials suggests that the combination of exercise and polyphenol intake exerts synergistic effects in mitigating breast cancer progression by modulating key molecular pathways. Exercise enhances immune function, reduces inflammation, and regulates cellular metabolism, while polyphenols, natural compounds found in various plant-based foods, exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties. Together, these interventions influence apoptosis, oxidative stress, and ferroptosis which play crucial roles in breast cancer pathophysiology. This review explores the molecular mechanisms underlying the combined impact of exercise and polyphenols on breast cancer prevention and treatment. Understanding the interplay between exercise and polyphenols at the molecular level could pave the way for novel, non-invasive therapeutic strategies. Future research should focus on optimizing exercise regimens and dietary interventions to maximize their anti-cancer benefits. By bridging molecular insights with clinical applications, this review aims to provide a foundation for incorporating lifestyle-based interventions into breast cancer management. Our findings collectively highlight the promising potential of combining curcumin supplementation with exercise as a multifaceted approach to breast cancer treatment. The synergistic effects observed in various studies suggest that integrating lifestyle modifications with dietary interventions may enhance therapeutic efficacy and mitigate cancer progression. Further clinical investigations are warranted to validate these results and explore their applicability in human subjects. The evidence supports a holistic strategy for breast cancer management that could improve patient outcomes and quality of life during treatment.

Methanolic Leaves Extract of Ziziphus spina-christi Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Migration of HER2-Positive Breast Cancer via p38 MAPK Signaling Pathway

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a subtype of breast cancer that is associated with poor prognosis and low survival rates. The discovery of novel anti-cancer agents to manage this subtype of cancer is still needed. Ziziphus spina-christi (ZSC) is a plant species that is native to Qatar. It exerts various biological activities, including cytotoxicity as it contains different essential bioactive constituents, mainly rutin and quercetin. To examine the outcome of ZSC on HER2-positive breast cancer, we standardized the ZSC methanolic leaves extracted by Reverse Phase High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis using the flavonoids rutin and quercetin as marker compounds. Here we used two HER2-positive breast cancer cell lines, ZR-75-1 and SK-BR-3, and the chorioallantoic membrane as an angiogenesis model. We found that ZSC extract significantly reduces viability, alters the normal morphological phenotype of HER2-positive breast cancer cells, and inhibits cell migration as well as colony formation; this is accompanied by deregulating different apoptotic markers such as Bax/Bcl-2 and NF-κB in both cell lines. Additionally, ZSC methanolic extract significantly represses the angiogenesis of the chorioallantoic membrane model. Moreover, the molecular pathway investigations pointed out that ZSC extract represses the activity of HER2 and p38 MAPK which could be the main pathways behind the effect of ZSC in HER2-positive cells. Collectively, our results support the potential role of ZSC in the management of HER2-positive breast cancer and form the basis for future investigations.

Diversity of flavonoids in five Torreya grandis cultivars: Integrating metabolome and transcriptome to elucidate potential applications for health and metabolic engineering

Torreya grandis is a medicinally and nutritionally rich tree nut with high flavonoid content. However, a thorough evaluation of the variation in flavonoids among T. grandis cultivars remains to explore. In this study, we conducted a widely-targeted metabolomic analysis of five T. grandis cultivars, identifying 64 distinct flavonoids. Key subclasses of flavonoids, including flavan-3-ols, anthocyanidins, procyanidins, and flavonols, were characterized for their abundance and related to their potential health benefits. Our analysis revealed that T. grandis 'Shishengfei' exhibited the highest flavonoid diversity and content, while other cultivars showed relatively lower levels. By integrating transcriptome data, we identified genes and metabolic pathways associated with flavonoid biosynthesis, which could offer potential targets for metabolic engineering to enhance the flavonoid content in T. grandis. This research not only establishes a database of flavonoid components in T. grandis but also offers insights for selecting and breeding cultivars with enhanced health-promoting properties, contributing to the fields of food chemistry and nutrition.

Therapeutic Efficacy of Quercetin and Its Nanoformulation Both the Mono- or Combination Therapies in the Management of Cancer: An Update with Molecular Mechanisms

Quercetin, a major representative of the flavonol subclass found abundantly in almost all edible vegetables and fruits, showed remarkable therapeutic properties and was beneficial in numerous degenerative diseases by preventing lipid peroxidation. Quercetin is beneficial in different diseases, such as atherosclerosis and chronic inflammation. This study aims to find out the anticancer activities of quercetin and to determine different mechanisms and pathways which are responsible for the anticancer effect. It also revealed the biopharmaceutical, toxicological characteristics, and clinical utilization of quercetin to evaluate its suitability for further investigations as a reliable anticancer drug. All of the relevant data concerning this compound with cancer was collected using different scientific search engines, including PubMed, Springer Link, Wiley Online, Web of Science, SciFinder, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. This review demonstrated that quercetin showed strong anticancer properties, including apoptosis, inhibition of cell proliferation, autophagy, cell cycle arrest, inhibition of angiogenesis, and inhibition of invasion and migration against various types of cancer. Findings also revealed that quercetin could significantly moderate and regulate different pathways, including PI3K/AKT-mTORC1 pathway, JAK/STAT signaling system, MAPK signaling pathway, MMP signaling pathway, NF-κB pathway, and p-Camk2/p-DRP1 pathway. However, this study found that quercetin showed poor oral bioavailability due to reduced absorption; this limitation is overcome by applying nanotechnology (nanoformulation of quercetin). Moreover, different investigations revealed that quercetin expressed no toxic effect in the investigated subjects. Based on the view of these findings, it is demonstrated that quercetin might be considered a reliable chemotherapeutic drug candidate in the treatment of different cancers. However, more clinical studies are suggested to establish the proper therapeutic efficacy, safety, and human dose.

Positive effects of rutin on female reproduction

This article reviews the source and properties of rutin (vitamin P), its general physiological and medicinal effects and their mechanisms, but the main subject of it is the currently available knowledge concerning the character and mechanisms of action of rutin on female reproductive processes. The available data demonstrate the stimulatory action of rutin on female reproductive processes: it can promote ovarian follicles development and ovulation, ovarian cyclicity, and viability of ovarian cells. On the other hand, it can suppress ovarian cancer cell and tumour development by inhibition of cell proliferation and growth and activation of their apoptosis and death. Furthermore, it could be able to prevent other reproductive disorders (ischaemia, polycystic ovarian syndrome, toxic effects of chemotherapy, nanoparticles and toluene). Rutin could exert its effects via changes in the release and reception of gonadotropin, ovarian steroid hormones, prostaglandins, cytokines, VEGF, as well as in intracellular regulators and markers of oxidative and inflammatory processes, proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis.

Investigation of Epilobium hirsutum L. Optimized Extract's Anti-Inflammatory and Antitumor Potential

Epilobium hirsutum L., commonly known as hairy willowherb, is a perennial herbaceous plant native to Europe and Asia. In Romania, the Epilobium genus includes 17 species that are used in folk medicine for various purposes. This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory and antitumor potential of the optimized extract of Epilobium hirsutum (EH) in animal models. The first study investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of EH optimized extract and the model used was carrageenan-induced paw inflammation. Wistar rats were divided into three groups: negative control, positive control treated with indomethacin, and a group treated with the extract. Oxidative stress markers, cytokine levels, and protein expressions were assessed. The extract demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties comparable to those of the control group. In the second study, the antitumor effects of the extract were assessed using the tumor model of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma. Swiss albino mice with Ehrlich ascites were divided into four groups: negative, positive treated with cyclophosphamide (Cph), Group 3 treated with Cph and EH optimized extract, and Group 4 treated with extract alone. Samples from the ascites fluid, liver, and heart were analyzed to evaluate oxidative stress, inflammation, and cancer markers. The extract showed a reduction in tumor-associated inflammation and oxidative stress. Overall, the EH optimized extract exhibited promising anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects in the animal models studied. These findings suggest its potential as a natural adjuvant therapeutic agent for addressing inflammation and oxidative stress induced by different pathologies.

Selected Flavonols in Breast and Gynecological Cancer: A Systematic Review

The consumption of foods that are rich in phenolic compounds has chemopreventive effects on many cancers, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer. A wide spectrum of their health-promoting properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities, has been demonstrated. This paper analyzes the mechanisms of the anticancer action of selected common flavonols, including kemferol, myricetin, quercetin, fisetin, galangin, isorhamnetin, and morin, in preclinical studies, with particular emphasis on in vitro studies in gynecological cancers and breast cancer. In the future, these compounds may find applications in the prevention and treatment of gynecological cancers and breast cancer, but this requires further, more advanced research.