Current results on the biological and pharmacological activities of Indole-3-carbinol

3,3'-Diindolylmethane and indole-3-carbinol: potential therapeutic molecules for cancer chemoprevention and treatment via regulating cellular signaling pathways

Dietary compounds in cancer prevention have gained significant consideration as a viable method. Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM) are heterocyclic and bioactive chemicals found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and brussels sprouts. They are synthesized after glycolysis from the glucosinolate structure. Clinical and preclinical trials have evaluated the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic, effectiveness, antioxidant, cancer-preventing (cervical dysplasia, prostate cancer, breast cancer), and anti-tumor activities of I3C and DIM involved with polyphenolic derivatives created in the digestion showing promising results. However, the exact mechanism by which they exert anti-cancer and apoptosis-inducing properties has yet to be entirely understood. Via this study, we update the existing knowledge of the state of anti-cancer investigation concerning I3C and DIM chemicals. We have also summarized; (i) the recent advancements in the use of I3C/DIM as therapeutic molecules since they represent potentially appealing anti-cancer agents, (ii) the available literature on the I3C and DIM characterization, and the challenges related to pharmacologic properties such as low solubility, and poor bioavailability, (iii) the synthesis and semi-synthetic derivatives, (iv) the mechanism of anti-tumor action in vitro/in vivo, (v) the action in cellular signaling pathways related to the regulation of apoptosis and anoikis as well as the cell cycle progression and cell proliferation such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor and PPARγ agonists; SR13668, Akt inhibitor, cyclins regulation, ER-dependent-independent pathways, and their current medical applications, to recognize research opportunities to potentially use these compounds instead chemotherapeutic synthetic drugs.

Metabolic diversity in a collection of wild and cultivated Brassica rapa subspecies

Brassica rapa (B. rapa) and its subspecies contain many bioactive metabolites that are important for plant defense and human health. This study aimed at investigating the metabolite composition and variation among a large collection of B. rapa genotypes, including subspecies and their accessions. Metabolite profiling of leaves of 102 B. rapa genotypes was performed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-PDA-QTOF-MS/MS). In total, 346 metabolites belonging to different chemical classes were tentatively identified; 36 out of them were assigned with high confidence using authentic standards and 184 were those reported in B. rapa leaves for the first time. The accumulation and variation of metabolites among genotypes were characterized and compared to their phylogenetic distance. We found 47 metabolites, mostly representing anthocyanins, flavonols, and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives that displayed a significant correlation to the phylogenetic relatedness and determined four major phylometabolic branches; 1) Chinese cabbage, 2) yellow sarson and rapid cycling, 3) the mizuna-komatsuna-turnip-caitai; and 4) a mixed cluster. These metabolites denote the selective pressure on the metabolic network during B. rapa breeding. We present a unique study that combines metabolite profiling data with phylogenetic analysis in a large collection of B. rapa subspecies. We showed how selective breeding utilizes the biochemical potential of wild B. rapa leading to highly diverse metabolic phenotypes. Our work provides the basis for further studies on B. rapa metabolism and nutritional traits improvement.

Indoles Derived From Glucobrassicin: Cancer Chemoprevention by Indole-3-Carbinol and 3,3'-Diindolylmethane

Hydrolysis of glucobrassicin by plant or bacterial myrosinase produces multiple indoles predominantly indole-3-carbinol (I3C). I3C and its major in vivo product, 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM), are effective cancer chemopreventive agents in pre-clinical models and show promise in clinical trials. The pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of DIM have been studied in both rodents and humans and urinary DIM is a proposed biomarker of dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables. Recent clinical studies at Oregon State University show surprisingly robust metabolism of DIM in vivo with mono- and di-hydroxylation followed by conjugation with sulfate or glucuronic acid. DIM has multiple mechanisms of action, the most well-characterized is modulation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) signaling. In rainbow trout dose-dependent cancer chemoprevention by dietary I3C is achieved when given prior to or concurrent with aflatoxin B1, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrosamines or direct acting carcinogens such as N-methyl-N'-nitro-nitrosoguanidine. Feeding pregnant mice I3C inhibits transplacental carcinogenesis. In humans much of the focus has been on chemoprevention of breast and prostate cancer. Alteration of cytochrome P450-dependent estrogen metabolism is hypothesized to be an important driver of DIM-dependent breast cancer prevention. The few studies done to date comparing glucobrassicin-rich crucifers such as Brussels sprouts with I3C/DIM supplements have shown the greater impact of the latter is due to dose. Daily ingestion of kg quantities of Brussels sprouts is required to produce in vivo levels of DIM achievable by supplementation. In clinical trials these supplement doses have elicited few if any adverse effects. Sulforaphane from glucoraphanin can act synergistically with glucobrassicin-derived DIM and this may lead to opportunities for combinatorial approaches (supplement and food-based) in the clinic.

Red algae natural products for prevention of lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced liver and kidney inflammation and injuries

BACKGROUND

The liver and kidney inflammation due to bacterial infection is one of the most common pathological problems leading to tissue damage or disease. In many liver and kidney disorders, which represent serious global health burden with a high economic cost, oxidative stress-related inflammation and apoptosis are important pathogenic components, finally resulting in acute liver and/or kidney failure. Erythropoietin and its analogues are well known to influence the interaction between apoptosis and inflammation in liver and kidney.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study is to investigate and clarify the effect of Gromphadorhina oblongata red algae on lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced acute liver and kidney injury of mice with endotoxemia and associated molecular mechanism from inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress levels.

RESULTS

The current study cleared out that treatment of rats with the G. oblongata extract prior to LPS injection significantly lowered serum cytokines, including NF-κB, MPO and LPO, and improved liver apoptosis through suppressing protein tyrosine kinase signaling pathway, and that may be due to antibacterial activity as well antioxidant capacity of G. oblongata extract.

CONCLUSION

The present study was cleared out the possibility of administration of G.oblongata red algae as a multi products source for biotechnological, medical, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications due to highly antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities even although more investigations are required for separating, purifying and characterizing these bioactive compounds.