Synthesis and Structure-Activity Analysis of Icaritin Derivatives as Potential Tumor Growth Inhibitors of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Recent developments on the synthesis of biologically active glycohybrids

The exploration of hybridization emerges as a potent tool in advancing drug discovery research, with a significant emphasis on carbohydrate-containing hybrid scaffolds. Evidence indicates that linking carbohydrate molecules to privileged bioactive scaffolds enhances the bioactivity of drug molecules. This synergy results in a diverse range of activities, making carbohydrate scaffolds pivotal for synthesizing compound libraries with significant functional and structural diversity. Beyond their synthesis utility, these scaffolds offer applications in screening bioactive molecules, presenting alternative avenues for drug development. This comprehensive review spanning 2015 to 2023 focuses on synthesized glycohybrid molecules, revealing their bioactivity in areas such as anti-microbial, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory activities, enzyme inhibition and pesticides. Numerous novel glycohybrids surpass positive control drugs in biological activity. This focused study not only highlights the diverse bioactivities of glycohybrids but also underscores their promising role in innovative drug development strategies.

New insights into the anticancer therapeutic potential of icaritin and its synthetic derivatives

Icaritin is a natural prenylated flavonoid derived from the Chinese herb Epimedium. The compound has shown antitumor effects in various cancers, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Icaritin exerts its anticancer activity by modulating multiple signaling pathways, such as IL-6/JAK/STAT3, ER-α36, and NF-κB, affecting the tumor microenvironment and immune system. Several clinical trials have evaluated the safety and efficacy of icaritin in advanced HCC patients with poor prognoses, who are unsuitable for conventional therapies. The results have demonstrated that icaritin can improve survival, delay progression, and produce clinical benefits in these patients, with a favorable safety profile and minimal adverse events. Moreover, icaritin can enhance the antitumor immune response by regulating the function and phenotype of various immune cells, such as CD8+ T cells, MDSCs, neutrophils, and macrophages. These findings suggest that icaritin is a promising candidate for immunotherapy in HCC and other cancers. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms and optimal dosing regimens of icaritin and its potential synergistic effects with other agents. Therefore, this comprehensive review of the scientific literature aims to summarize advances in the knowledge of icaritin in preclinical and clinical studies as well as the pharmacokinetic, metabolism, toxicity, and mechanisms action to recognize the main challenge, gaps, and opportunities to develop a medication that cancer patients can use. Thus, our main objective was to clarify the current state of icaritin for use as an anticancer drug.

Synthesis and cytotoxic evaluation of glycosyl derivatives of icaritin

A series of glycosyl alkyl/triazol-linked icaritin derivatives have been designed and synthesised. The target glycosyl derivatives were evaluated for their anticancer activity against three human cancer cell lines. The results of preliminary anticancer tests in vitro revealed that mannose derivatives 10a-10c (100 μM) with different aliphatic chain lengths exhibited increased cytotoxicity against HepG2 and SK-OV-3 cells compared with the parent compound icaritin. The data indicated that the kind of glycosyl groups and linkers affected the anticancer potency significantly. The ADME analysis of derivatives 10a-10c was also performed.

Establishment and optimization of a high-throughput UPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous quantitation of cycloicaritin and its valine carbamate prodrug in rat plasma

An ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed to assay the concentration for the quantification of cycloicaritin and its carbamate prodrug (3-O-L-valyl carbamate prodrug of cycloicaritin) in the plasma of Sprague-Dawley rats. Analytes were separated on an Acquity UPLC BEH C18 (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.7 μm) after liquid-liquid extraction with methyl tert-butyl ether. Acetonitrile and water containing 0.1 % formic acid were the mobile phases of the method. Using electrospray ionization in the positive ion mode, the method was performed with a total run time of 2.60 min. The response of the experiments was linear over the concentration ranges from 1 to 250 ng/mL for cycloicaritin and 1-250 ng/mL for prodrug. The intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy were within the recommended limits of the FDA. The matrix effect that we observed met the criteria. The method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetics of cycloicaritin and its carbamate prodrug in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Icariin as a potential anticancer agent: a review of its biological effects on various cancers

Numerous chemical compounds used in cancer treatment have been isolated from natural herbs to address the ever-increasing cancer incidence worldwide. Therein is icariin, which has been extensively studied for its therapeutic potential due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidepressant, and aphrodisiac properties. However, there is a lack of comprehensive and detailed review of studies on icariin in cancer treatment. Given this, this study reviews and examines the relevant literature on the chemopreventive and therapeutic potentials of icariin in cancer treatment and describes its mechanism of action. The review shows that icariin has the property of inhibiting cancer progression and reversing drug resistance. Therefore, icariin may be a valuable potential agent for the prevention and treatment of various cancers due to its natural origin, safety, and low cost compared to conventional anticancer drugs, while further research on this natural agent is needed.