Anticancer effect of Andrographis paniculata by suppression of tumor altered hypoxia signaling cascade in mouse melanoma cells

A network-based pharmacological investigation to identify the mechanistic regulatory pathway of andrographolide against colorectal cancer

Traditional cancer treatments have posed numerous obstacles, including toxicity, multiple drug resistance, and financial cost. On the contrary, bioactive phytochemicals used in complementary alternative medicine have recently increased attention due to their potential to modulate a wide range of molecular mechanisms with a less toxic effect. Therefore, we investigated the potential regulatory mechanisms of andrographolide to treat colorectal cancer (CRC) using a network pharmacology approach. Target genes of andrographolide were retrieved from public databases (PharmMapper, Swiss target prediction, Targetnet, STITCH, and SuperPred), while targets related to CRC were retrieved from disease databases (Genecards and DisGeNet) and expression datasets (GSE32323 and GSE8671) were retrieved from gene expression omnibus (GEO). Protein-protein interaction networks (PPI) were generated using STRING and Cytoscape, and hub genes were identified by topology analysis and MCODE. Annotation of target proteins was performed using Gene Ontology (GO) database DAVID and signaling pathway enrichment analysis using the Kyoto Encyclopedia and Genome Database (KEGG). Survival and molecular docking analysis for the hub genes revealed three genes (PDGFRA, PTGS2, and MMP9) were involved in the overall survival of CRC patients, and the top three genes with the lowest binding energy include PDGFRA, MET, and MAPK1. MET gene upregulation and PDGFRA and PTGS2 gene downregulation are associated with the survival of CRC patients, as revealed by box plots and correlation analysis. In conclusion, this study has provided the first scientific evidence to support the use of andrographolide to inhibit cellular proliferation, migration, and growth, and induce apoptosis by targeting the hub genes (PDGFRA, PTGS2, MMP9, MAPK1, and MET) involved in CRC migration and invasion.

Mechanisms of Natural Extracts of Andrographis paniculata That Target Lipid-Dependent Cancer Pathways: A View from the Signaling Pathway

Andrographis paniculata is a local medicinal plant that is widely cultivated in Malaysia. It is comprised of numerous bioactive compounds that can be isolated using water, ethanol or methanol. Among these compounds, andrographolide has been found to be the major compound and it exhibits varieties of pharmacological activities, including anti-cancer properties, particularly in the lipid-dependent cancer pathway. Lipids act as crucial membrane-building elements, fuel for energy-demanding activities, signaling molecules, and regulators of several cellular functions. Studies have shown that alterations in lipid composition assist cancer cells in changing microenvironments. Thus, compounds that target the lipid pathway might serve as potential anti-cancer therapeutic agents. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the medicinal chemistry and pharmacology of A. paniculata and its active compounds in terms of anti-cancer activity, primary mechanism of action, and cellular targets, particularly in the lipid-dependent cancer pathway.

Molecular docking and simulation studies of phytocompounds derived from Centella asiatica and Andrographis paniculata against hexokinase II as mitocan agents

Hexokinase II (HK2), a glycolytic enzyme is commonly overexpressed in most cancer types. The overexpression of HK2 is reported to promote the survival of cancer cells by facilitating the constant ATP generation and protecting the cancer cell against apoptotic cell death. Hence, HK2 is considered as potential target of many mitochondria targeting anticancerous agents (referred to as mitocans). Most of the existing mitocans are synthetic and hence such compounds are observed to exhibit adverse effects, witnessed through many experimental outcomes. These limitations necessitates hunting for an alternative source of mitocans with minimum/no side effects. The need for an alternative therapy points towards the ethnomedicinal herbs, known for their minimal side effects and effectiveness. Henceforth recent studies have put forth the effort to utilize anticancer herbs in formulating naturally derived mitocans as an add-on to improve cancer therapeutics. So, our study aims to explore the HK2 targeting potential of phytocompounds from the selected anticancerous herbs Andrographis paniculata (AP) and Centella asiatica (CA). 60 phytocompounds collectively from CA and AP were docked against HK2 and drug-likeness prediction of the selected phytocompounds was performed to screen the best possible ligand for HK2. Furthermore, the docked complexes were subjected to molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) to analyse the molecular mechanism of protein-ligand interactions. The results of the study suggest that the natural compounds asiatic acid and bayogenin (from CA) and andrographolide (from AP) can bepotential natural mitocans by targeting HK2. Further experimental studies (in-vitro and in-vivo) are required to validate the results.

Emerging roles of NAC transcription factor in medicinal plants: progress and prospects

Transcriptional factors act as mediators in regulating stress response in plants from signal perception to processing the directed gene expression. WRKY, MYB, AP2/ERF, etc. are some of the major families of transcription factors known to mediate stress mechanisms in plants by regulating the production of secondary metabolites. NAC domain-containing proteins are among these large transcription factors families in plants. These proteins play impulsive roles in plant growth, development, and various abiotic as well as biotic stresses. They are involved in regulating the different signaling pathways of plant hormones that direct a plant's immunity against pathogens, thereby affecting their immune responses. However, their role in stress regulation or defence mechanism in plants through the secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathway is studied for very few cases. Emerging concern over the requirement of medicinal plants for the production of biocompatible drugs and antibiotics, the study of these vast, affecting proteins should be focused to improve their qualitative and quantitative production further. In medicinal plants, phytochemicals and secondary metabolites are the major biochemicals that impose antimicrobial and other medicinal properties in these plants. This review compiles the NAC transcription factors reported in selected medicinal plants and their possible roles in different mechanisms. Further, the comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanism, genetic engineering, and regulation responses of NAC TFs in medicinal plants, can lead to improvement in stress response, immunity, and production of usable secondary metabolites.

Classification of Andrographis paniculata extracts by solvent extraction using HPLC fingerprint and chemometric analysis

Objective

Andrographis paniculata, widely used as an antidiabetic in Indonesian traditional medicines (jamu), contains chemical compounds whose concentration is related to its therapeutic effects. The concentration of solvents used for extraction will also affect the number of compounds extracted. Therefore, a quality control method is needed to ensure consistency in quantifying these compounds in A. paniculata to improve its therapeutic application. High-performance liquid chromatography fingerprint analysis combined with chemometrics was used to evaluate extracts from different solvent extraction treatments. The content of andrographolide, the main bioactive compound in A. paniculata, and the level of α-glucosidase inhibition activity, an indicator of its antidiabetic activity, were also determined.

Results

Fingerprint chromatograms of A. paniculata extracts from different treatments exhibited a similar pattern with several peaks in common, only differing in area and intensity value. The A. paniculata extracts were classified using HPLC fingerprint and principal component analysis to allow grouping according to their respective solvent extraction treatments. The highest andrographolide content and α-glucosidase inhibition activity occurred in the 50% ethanol extract and the lowest in the water extract. HPLC fingerprint analysis could be used for identifying A. paniculata extracts based on solvent extraction, thus improving quality control for their therapeutic application.