Search results for "natural product"
showing 10 items of 163 documents
Cardioprotection and natural polyphenols: An update of clinical and experimental studies
2018
Myocardial ischemia is the leading cause of death worldwide. Despite better outcomes with early coronary artery reperfusion strategies, morbidity and mortality remain significant. The principal myocardial hallmark of myocardial ischemia is cell death and the associated impairment of cardiac contractility. In this way, the use of extracts from medicinal plants versus synthetic drugs to mitigate post-ischemic damage constitutes an alternative. Despite their proven beneficial effects in cardiovascular disorders, the use of many plants is questioned. Our aim is to update the clinical and experimental studies about the actions of medicinal plants and polyphenol-enriched extracts against ischemia…
Chemopreventive Property of Sencha Tea Extracts towards Sensitive and Multidrug-Resistant Leukemia and Multiple Myeloma Cells
2020
The popular beverage green tea possesses chemopreventive activity against various types of tumors. However, the effects of its chemopreventive effect on hematological malignancies have not been defined. In the present study, we evaluated antitumor efficacies of a specific green tea, sencha tea, on sensitive and multidrug-resistant leukemia and a panel of nine multiple myelomas (MM) cell lines. We found that sencha extracts induced cytotoxicity in leukemic cells and MM cells to different extents, yet its effect on normal cells was limited. Furthermore, sencha extracts caused G2/M and G0/G1 phase arrest during cell cycle progression in CCRF/CEM and KMS-12-BM cells, respectively. Specifically,…
Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Citrus bergamia Derivatives: Where Do We Stand?
2016
Inflammatory diseases affect a large portion of the worldwide population, and chronic inflammation is a major risk factor for several dangerous pathologies. To limit the side effects of both synthetic and biological anti-inflammatory drugs, the use of herbal medicines, nutraceuticals and food supplements has increased tremendously as alternative and/or complementary medicine to treat several pathologies, including inflammation. During the last decades, the biological properties of Citrus bergamia (bergamot) derivatives have obtained important scientific achievements, and it has been suggested their use in a context of a multitarget pharmacological strategy. Here, we present an overview of t…
In silico drug discovery of major metabolites from spices as SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors
2020
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious illness caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), originally identified in Wuhan, China (December 2019) and has since expanded into a pandemic. Here, we investigate metabolites present in several common spices as possible inhibitors of COVID-19. Specifically, 32 compounds isolated from 14 cooking seasonings were examined as inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro), which is required for viral multiplication. Using a drug discovery approach to identify possible antiviral leads, in silico molecular docking studies were performed. Docking calculations revealed a high potency of salvianolic acid A and curcu…
Cancer combination therapies with artemisinin-type drugs
2017
Artemisia annua L. is a Chinese medicinal plant, which is used throughout Asia and Africa as tea or press juice to treat malaria. The bioactivity of its chemical constituent, artemisinin is, however, much broader. We and others found that artemisinin and its derivatives also exert profound activity against tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Should artemisinin-type drugs be applied routinely in clinical oncology in the future, then it should probably be as part of combination therapy regimens rather than as monotherapy. In the present review, I give a comprehensive overview on synergistic and additive effects of artemisinin-type drugs in combination with different types of cytotoxic agents an…
Small molecule inhibitors and stimulators of inducible nitric oxide synthase in cancer cells from natural origin (phytochemicals, marine compounds, a…
2019
Nitric oxide synthases (NOS) are a family of isoforms, which generate nitric oxide (NO). NO is one of the smallest molecules in nature and acts mainly as a potent vasodilator. It participates in various biological processes ranging from physiological to pathological conditions. Inducible NOS (iNOS, NOS2) is a calcium-independent and inducible isoform. Despite high iNOS expression in many tumors, the role of iNOS is still unclear and complex with both enhancing and prohibiting actions in tumorigenesis. Nature presents a broad variety of natural stimulators and inhibitors, which may either promote or inhibit iNOS response. In the present review, we give an overview of iNOS-modulating agents w…
A selective inhibitor of the Polo-box domain of Polo-like kinase 1 identified by virtual screening
2018
Graphical abstract
Retrospective study of small pet tumors treated with Artemisia annua and iron.
2019
Artemisinin from Artemisia annua L. and its derivatives are well‑known antimalarial drugs. In addition, in vitro studies, in vivo studies and clinical trials have demonstrated that these drugs exhibit anticancer activity in human patients with cancer. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether a phytotherapeutic A. annua preparation exerts anticancer activity in veterinary tumors of small pets. Dogs and cats with spontaneous cancer (n=20) were treated with standard therapy plus a commercial A. annua preparation (Luparte®) and compared with a control group treated with standard therapy alone (n=11). Immunohistochemical analyses were performed with formalin‑fixed paraf…
Antiviral Agents From Fungi : Diversity, Mechanisms and Potential Applications
2018
Viral infections are amongst the most common diseases affecting people worldwide. New viruses emerge all the time and presently we have limited number of vaccines and only few antivirals to combat viral diseases. Fungi represent a vast source of bioactive molecules, which could potentially be used as antivirals in the future. Here, we have summarized the current knowledge of fungi as producers of antiviral compounds and discuss their potential applications. In particular, we have investigated how the antiviral action has been assessed and what is known about the molecular mechanisms and actual targets. Furthermore, we highlight the importance of accurate fungal species identification on ant…
Newest Strategies in the Search for Bioactive Saponins from the Tropical Plant Biodiversity.
2016
This review will focus on newest results leading to the discovery of new bioactive saponins by using a combination of successive advanced procedures in extraction, isolation, structure elucidation and bioassays. Microwave- and ultrasonic-assisted extractions, two recent advanced methods have been increasingly used in the last decade. Then, a multistep purification procedure was achieved by flash chromatography, vacuum liquid chromatography, low, medium- and high-pressure liquid chromatography on silica gel and reversed-phase silica gel RP-18 (VLC, LPLC, MPLC, HPLC). These successive chromatographic steps have been implemented in the author's laboratory in order to avoid the time-consuming t…