An investigation of 6-Shogaol effects on MCF7 cell lines through a systems biology approach

Synthesis and in-vitro anti-proliferative with antimicrobial activity of new coumarin containing heterocycles hybrids

A series of new coumarin-N-heterocyclic hybrids, coumarin-quinolines 7a-e, coumarin-acridines 10b,c and coumarin-neocryptolepines 13b,c were synthesized and evaluated for their anticancer and antimicrobial activities. The structures of all synthesized hybrids were confirmed by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and MS spectrometry. The anti-proliferative activity of hybrids 7a-e, 10c and 13c were bio-evaluated using MTT-assay against colon (CaCo-2), lung (A549), breast (MDA-MB-231), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG-2) human cancer cell lines using doxorubicin as a reference drug. The results demonstrated that, all hybrids displayed moderate to good anti-proliferative activity against the cell lines. The most active hybrids were 7a-d and 10c against CaCo-2 cancer cell line with IC50: 57.1, 52.78, 57.29, 51.95 and 56.74 µM, and selectivity index 1.38, 1.76, 2.6, 1.96 and 0.77; respectively. While, 7a,d were potent against A549 cancer cell line with IC50: 51.72, 54.8 µM and selectivity index 1.5, 0.67; respectively. Moreover, 7c showed the most potency against MDA-MB-231 cancer cell line with IC50: 50.96 µM and selectivity index 2.20. Interestingly, docking results revealed that binding energy of the current compounds showed marked affinity values ranging from -6.54 to -5.56 kcal with interactions with the reported key amino acid SER 79. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of the synthesized hybrids 7a-e, 10b,c, 13b and 13c were evaluated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial and fungal strains. The hybrids 10b, 13b, 10c, and 13c exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against E.coli, S. mutans, and S. aureus with MIC from 3.2 to 66 µM, this hybrids also displayed antifungal activity against C. albicans with MIC values ranging from 0.0011 to 29.5 µM. In-silico investigation of the pharmacokinetic properties indicated that tested hybrids had high GI absorption, low Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) permeability in addition to cell membrane penetrability.

Synergistic effects of flavonoids and paclitaxel in cancer treatment: a systematic review

Paclitaxel is a natural anticancer compound with minimal toxicity, the capacity to stabilize microtubules, and high efficiency that has remained the standard of treatment alongside platinum-based therapy as a remedy for a variety of different malignancies. In contrast, polyphenols such as flavonoids are also efficient antioxidant and anti-inflammatory and have now been shown to possess potent anticancer properties. Therefore, the synergistic effects of paclitaxel and flavonoids against cancer will be of interest. In this review, we use a Boolean query to comprehensively search the well-known Scopus database for literature research taking the advantage of paclitaxel and flavonoids simultaneously while treating various types of cancer. After retrieving and reviewing the intended investigations based on the input keywords, the anticancer mechanisms of flavonoids and paclitaxel and their synergistic effects on different targets raging from cell lines to animal models are discussed in terms of the corresponding involved signaling transduction. Most studies demonstrated that these signaling pathways will induce apoptotic / pro-apoptotic proteins, which in turn may activate several caspases leading to apoptosis. Finally, it can be concluded that the results of this review may be beneficial in serving as a theoretical foundation and reference for future studies of paclitaxel synthesis, anticancer processes, and clinical applications involving different clinical trials.

A systematic review of anti-cancer roles and mechanisms of kaempferol as a natural compound

It has been shown in multiple experimental and biological investigations that kaempferol, an edible flavonoid generated from plants, may be used as an anti-cancer drug and has been shown to have anti-cancer properties. Many signaling pathways are altered in cancer cells, resulting in cell growth inhibition and death in various tumor types. Cancer is a multifaceted illness coordinated by multiple external and internal mechanisms. Natural extracts with the fewest side effects have piqued the attention of researchers in recent years, attempting to create cancer medicines based on them. An extensive array of natural product-derived anti-cancer agents have been examined to find a successful method. Numerous fruits and vegetables have high levels of naturally occurring flavonoid kaempferol, and its pharmacological and biological effects have been studied extensively. Certain forms of cancer are sensitive to kaempferol-mediated anti-cancer activity, although complete research is needed. We have endeavored to concentrate our review on controlling carcinogenic pathways by kaempferol in different malignancies. Aside from its extraordinary ability to modify cell processes, we have also discussed how kaempferol has the potential to be an effective therapy for numerous tumors.