An alkaloid compound from the hairy root culture of Eurycoma longifolia has been isolated and characterised as 9-methoxycanthin-6-one. The aims of these studies were to investigate the in vitro anti-cancer activities of 9-methoxycanthin-6-one against ovarian cancer (A2780, SKOV-3), breast cancer (MCF-7), colorectal cancer (HT29), skin cancer (A375) and cervical cancer (HeLa) cell lines by using a Sulphorhodamine B assay, and to evaluate the mechanisms of action of 9-methoxycanthin-6-one via the Hoechst 33342 assay and proteomics approach. The results had shown that 9-methoxycanthin-6-one gave IC50 values of 4.04 ± 0.36 µM, 5.80 ± 0.40 µM, 15.09 ± 0.99 µM, 3.79 ± 0.069 µM, 5.71 ± 0.20 µM and 4.30 ± 0.27 µM when tested in A2780, SKOV-3, MCF-7, HT-29, A375 and HeLa cell lines, respectively. It was found that 9-methoxycanthin-6-one induced apoptosis in a concentration dependent manner when analysed via the Hoechst 33342 assay. 9-methoxycanthine-6-one were found to affect the expressions of apoptotic-related proteins, that were proteins pyruvate kinase (PKM), annexin A2 (ANXA2), galectin 3 (LGAL3), heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (HNRNP1A1), peroxiredoxin 3 (PRDX3), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) from the differential analysis of 2-DE profiles between treated and non-treated 9-methoxycanthine-6-one. Proteins such as acetyl-CoA acyltransferase 2 (ACAA2), aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1A1), capping protein (CAPG), eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 (EEF1A1), malate dehydrogenase 2 (MDH2), purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP), and triosephosphate isomerase 1 (TPI1) were also identified to be associated with A2780 cell death induced by 9-methoxycanthine-6-one. These findings may provide a new insight on the mechanisms of action of 9-methoxycanthin-6-one in exerting its anti-cancer effects in vitro.

Cardiac diseases, such as myocardial infarction and heart failure, have become a major clinical problem globally. The accumulating data demonstrate that bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties have favorable effects on clinical problems. Kaempferol is a flavonoid found in various plants; it has demonstrated cardioprotective properties in numerous cardiac injury models. This review aims to collate updated information regarding the effects of kaempferol on cardiac injury. Kaempferol improves cardiac function by alleviating myocardial apoptosis, fibrosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation while preserving mitochondrial function and calcium homeostasis. However, the mechanisms of action of its cardioprotective properties remain unclear; therefore, elucidating its action could provide insight into directions for future studies.

This is the first report to identify the presence of 3-O-caffeoyl quinic acid (1), 4-O-caffeoyl quinic acid (2), 5-O-caffeoyl quinic acid (3), epi-catechin (4), and procyanidin B2 (5) in the young propagules of Rhizophora mucronata. Compounds 2–5 were purified and then treated against breast, colorectal, and ovarian cancer cell lines for 72 h and the results of the Sulphorhodomine-B (SRB) assay were evaluated for percent cell viability and IC50 values. Epi-catechin, 4-O-caffeoyl quinic acid, 5-O-caffeoyl quinic acid and procyanidin B2 showed strong to moderate inhibitory effects when treated on breast (T47D), colorectal (HT29), and ovarian (A2780, SKOV3) cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 16.77 ± 0.58 to 28.28 ± 0.89 μg/mL. In silico evaluation was performed to evaluate the drug-likeness and toxicological effects of these compounds using Molinspiration calculation and OSIRIS program. It was found that compounds 2, 3, and 4 have the potential to be orally active and have a low risk in exerting the mutagenic, tumorigenic, irritant, and reproductive effects.

Background: 17βH-neriifolin, a cardiac glycoside compound had been successfully isolated from Cerbera odollam leaves based on the bioassay guided-isolation procedure. The aim of these studies were to determine the in vitro anti-cancer and binding effects of 17βH-neriifolin on Na+, K+-ATPase. Methods: The in vitro anti-cancer effects were evaluated using Sulphorhodamine B and Hoescht 33342 assays. The Na+, K+-ATPase assay was carried out using Malachite Green assay. In silico molecular docking studies and in vitro malachite green assay were used to predict the binding activities of 17βH-neriifolin on Na+, K+-ATPase and ouabain was also included as for comparison studies. Results: The compound was tested against breast (MCF-7, T47D), colorectal (HT-29), ovarian (A2780, SKOV-3) and skin (A375) cancer cell lines that gave IC50 values ranged from 0.022 ± 0.0015 to 0.030 ± 0.0018 μM. The mechanism of cell death of 17βH-neriifolin was further evaluated using Hoescht 33342 assay and it was found that the compound killed the cancer cells via apoptosis. 17βHneriifolin and ouabain both bound at α-subunit in Na+, K+-ATPase and their binding energy were - 8.16 ± 0.74 kcal/mol and -8.18 ± 0.48 kcal/mol respectively. Conclusion: The results had confirmed the anti-proliferative effects exerted by 17βH-neriifolin in the breast, colorectal, ovarian and skin cancer cell lines. 17βH-neriifolin had shown to cause apoptotic cell death in the respective cancer cell lines.17βH-neriifolin and ouabain both bound at α-subunit in Na+, K+-ATPase and their binding energy were -8.16 ± 0.74 kcal/mol and -8.18 ± 0.48 kcal/mol respectively. This is the first report to reveal that 17βH-neriifolin managed to bind to the pocket of α-subunit of Na+.K+-ATPase.

Eurycomanone and eurycomalactone are known quassinoids present in the roots and stems of Eurycoma longifolia. These compounds had been reported to have cytotoxic effects, however, their mechanism of action in a few cancer cell lines have yet to be elucidated. This study was aimed to investigate the anti-cancer effects and mechanisms of action of eurycomanone and eurycomalactone in cervical (HeLa), colorectal (HT29) and ovarian (A2780) cancer cell lines via Sulforhodamine B assay. Their mechanism of cell death was evaluated based on Hoechst 33342 assay and in silico molecular docking toward DHFR and TNF-α as putative protein targets. Eurycomanone and eurycomalactone exhibited in vitro anti-cancer effects manifesting IC50 values of 4.58 ± 0.090 µM and 1.60 ± 0.12 µM (HeLa), 1.22 ± 0.11 µM and 2.21 ± 0.049 µM (HT-29), and 1.37 ± 0.13 µM and 2.46 ± 0.081 µM (A2780) respectively. They induced apoptotic cancer cell death in dose- and time-dependent manners. Both eurycomanone and eurycomalactone were also predicted to have good inhibitory potential as demonstrated by the docking into TNF-α with binding affinity of -8.83 and -7.51 kcal/mol, respectively, as well as into DHFR with binding affinity results of -8.05 and -8.87 kcal/mol, respectively. These results support the evidence of eurycomanone and eurycomalactone as anti-cancer agents via apoptotic cell death mechanism that could be associated with TNF-α and DHFR inhibition as among possible protein targets.