There is increasing interest in the use of non-toxic natural products for the treatment of various pathologies, including cancer. In particular, biologically active constituents of the ginger oleoresin (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) have been shown to mediate anti-tumour activity and to contribute to the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiemetic properties of ginger. Here we report on the inhibitory properties of [10]-gingerol against metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) in vitro and in vivo. We show that [10]-gingerol concentration-dependently induces apoptotic death in mouse and human TNBC cell lines in vitro. In addition, [10]-gingerol is well tolerated in vivo, induces a marked increase in caspase-3 activation and inhibits orthotopic tumour growth in a syngeneic mouse model of spontaneous breast cancer metastasis. Importantly, using both spontaneous and experimental metastasis assays, we show for the first time that [10]-gingerol significantly inhibits metastasis to multiple organs including lung, bone and brain. Remarkably, inhibition of brain metastasis was observed even when treatment was initiated after surgical removal of the primary tumour. Taken together, these results indicate that [10]-gingerol may be a safe and useful complementary therapy for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer and warrant further investigation of its efficacy, either alone or in combination with standard systemic therapies, in pre-clinical models of metastatic breast cancer and in patients.

No abstract

No abstract

A series of chalcone derivatives, 1-15, were prepared by Claisen-Schmidt condensation and evaluated for their cytotoxicities on tumor cell lines and also against proteolytic enzymes such as cathepsins B and K. Of the compounds synthesized, (E)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (12), (E)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (13), (E)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (14), and (E)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (15) showed significant cytotoxicities. The most effective compound was 15, which showed high cytotoxic activity with an IC50 value lower than 1 μg/ml, and no selectivity on the tumor cells evaluated. Substituents at C(4) of ring B were found to be essential for cytotoxicity. In addition, it was also demonstrated that some of these chalcones are moderate inhibitors of cathepsin K and have no activity against cathepsin B.

No abstract