The American journal of Chinese medicine
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HIV mutations occur frequently despite the substantial success of combination antiretroviral therapy, which significantly impairs HIV progression. Failure to develop specific vaccines, the occurrence of drug-resistant strains, and the high incidence of adverse effects due to combination antiviral therapy regimens call for novel and safer antivirals. Natural products are an important source of new anti-infective agents. ⋯ These findings provide mechanistic evidence encouraging further assessment of curcumin as a dietary agent used to reduce the virulence of CCR5-tropic HIV-1. Curcumin-mediated FOXP3 degradation was also reflected in its functions, namely, CCR5 promoter transactivation and HIV-1 virion production. Furthermore, curcumin inhibition of CCR5 and HIV-1 might constitute a potential therapeutic strategy for reducing HIV progression.
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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. The main obstacle in treating advanced CRC is tumor recurrence and metastasis due to chemoresistance. S-phase kinase associated protein 2 (Skp2), an E3 ligase, is highly associated with tumor resistance and a poor prognosis. ⋯ Curcumol exhibited significant antitumor effects against CRC, such as increased intrinsic apoptosis and decreased tumorigenic properties, both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, curcumol overcame 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) resistance in CRC and induced apoptosis in 5-Fu-resistant CRC cells. The present data revealed a novel antitumor mechanism of glycolytic regulation by curcumol, suggesting that curcumol may be a potential chemical candidate for treating 5-Fu-resistant CRC.
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Cinobufagin, a cardiotonic steroid derived from toad venom extracts, exhibits significant anticancer properties by inhibiting Na[Formula: see text]/K[Formula: see text]-ATPase in cancer cells. It is frequently used in clinical settings to treat advanced-stage cancer patients, improving their quality of life and survival time. However, its long-term use can result in multidrug resistance to other chemotherapy drugs, and the exact mechanism underlying this effect remains unknown. ⋯ Cinobufagin-inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and generated cell autophagy by upregulating the expression of MAP1 light chain 3 protein II, Beclin1, and autophagy-related protein 12-5. In addition, the autophagy inhibitor MRT68921 improved the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects of cinobufagin in the studied cell lines. Overall, this study suggests that combining cinobufagin with an autophagy inhibitor can effectively treat HCC, providing a potential strategy for cancer therapy.
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The oncoprotein survivin plays a pivotal role in controlling cell division and preventing apoptosis by inhibiting caspase activation. Its significant contribution to tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance has been well established. Isoliquiritigenin (ISL), a natural compound, has been recognized for its powerful inhibitory effects against various tumors. ⋯ Meanwhile, survivin overexpression caused cisplatin resistance of OSCC cells. ISL alone or combined with cisplatin overcame chemoresistance in OSCC cells. Overall, our results revealed that ISL exerted potent inhibitory effects via inducing Akt-dependent survivin ubiquitination in OSCC cells.
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Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, called Danshen in Chinese, is the dried root and rhizome of S. miltiorrhiza, which is part of the mint family, Lamiaceae; it has chiefly been used to treat blood stasis and improve blood flow in cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases for over 2000 years. Recent preclinical studies have indicated that S. miltiorrhiza has a wide range of pharmacological properties making it useful for the treatment of diverse liver diseases. S. miltiorrhiza protects the liver from harmful hepatotoxins, reduces hepatic oxidative stress, ameliorates steatosis, and alleviates hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, and cancer. ⋯ In particular, salvianolic acid B and cryptotanshinone, both compounds derived from S. miltiorrhiza, possess therapeutic activities similar to those of S. miltiorrhiza, and thus may play a crucial role in the therapeutic activity of S. miltiorrhiza in liver diseases. Because reports on the pharmacological effects of this herb are scattered, this review aimed to consolidate the available literature to allow the re-evaluation and identification of gaps to guide future research. This review focuses on the role of S. miltiorrhiza in improving the molecular pathology of liver diseases, as reported in in vitro and in vivo studies.