Auraptene Induces Apoptosis via Myeloid Cell Leukemia 1-Mediated Activation of Caspases in PC3 and DU145 Prostate Cancer Cells.

Although auraptene, a prenyloxy coumarin from Citrus species, was known to have anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, antiinflammatory, and anti-tumor activities, the underlying anti-tumor mechanism of auraptene in prostate cancers is not fully understood to date. Thus, in the present study, we have investigated the anti-tumor mechanism of auraptene mainly in PC3 and DU145 prostate cancer cells, because auraptene suppressed the viability of androgen-independent PC3 and DU145 prostate cancer cells better than androgen-sensitive LNCaP cells. Also, auraptene notably increased sub-G1 cell population and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling-positive cells as features of apoptosis in two prostate cancer cells compared with untreated control.

Can Small Chemical Modifications of Natural Pan-inhibitors Modulate the Biological Selectivity? The Case of Curcumin Prenylated Derivatives Acting as HDAC or mPGES-1 Inhibitors.

Curcumin, or diferuloylmethane, a polyphenolic molecule isolated from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, is reported to modulate multiple molecular targets involved in cancer and inflammatory processes. On the basis of its pan-inhibitory characteristics, here we show that simple chemical modifications of the curcumin scaffold can regulate its biological selectivity. In particular, the curcumin scaffold was modified with three types of substituents at positions C-1, C-8, and/or C-8' [C5 (isopentenyl, 5-8), C10 (geranyl, 9-12), and C15 (farnesyl, 13, 14)] in order to make these molecules more selective than the parent compound toward two specific targets: histone deacetylase (HDAC) and microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 (mPGES-1).

Apoptotic Effect of Galbanic Acid via Activation of Caspases and Inhibition of Mcl-1 in H460 Non-Small Lung Carcinoma Cells.

Galbanic acid (GBA), a major compound of Ferula assafoetida, was known to have cytotoxic, anti-angiogenic and apoptotic effects in prostate cancer and murine Lewis lung cancer cells; the underling apoptotic mechanism of GBA still remains unclear so far. Thus, in the present study, the apoptotic mechanism of GBA was investigated mainly in H460 non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells because H460 cells were most susceptible to GBA than A549, PC-9 and HCC827 NSCLC cells. Galbanic acid showed cytotoxicity in wild EGFR type H460 and A549 cells better than other mutant type PC-9 and HCC827 NSCLC cells.

Foetithiophenes C-F, thiophene derivatives from the roots of Ferula foetida.

Context: Ferula foetida Regel (Apiaceae) is an Iranian medicinal plant with various biological activities including antispasmodic and anthelmintic.

Objective: The sulfur compounds from the roots of F. foetida were isolated and characterized to test their cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities.