Phytol (PYT) is a diterpene member of the long-chain unsaturated acyclic alcohols. PYT and some of its derivatives, including phytanic acid (PA), exert a wide range of biological effects. PYT is a valuable essential oil (EO) used as a fragrance and a potential candidate for a broad range of applications in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industry. There is ample evidence that PA may play a crucial role in the development of pathophysiological states. Focusing on PYT and some of its most relevant derivatives, here we present a systematic review of reported biological activities, along with their underlying mechanism of action. Recent investigations with PYT demonstrated anxiolytic, metabolism-modulating, cytotoxic, antioxidant, autophagy- and apoptosis-inducing, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulating, and antimicrobial effects. PPARs- and NF-κB-mediated activities are also discussed as mechanisms responsible for some of the bioactivities of PYT. The overall goal of this review is to discuss recent findings pertaining to PYT biological activities and its possible applications.
The ethanolic extract of the dried fruit of Solanum nigrum Linn. (Family: Solanaceae) was assessed for its possible analgesic, antidiarrhoeal, antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activity. Phytochemical screening of the ethanolic extract revealed the presence of carbohydrate, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, steroids, glycosides, and gums. In acetic acid induced writhing in mice, the ethanolic extract (250 and 500mg/kg) exhibited significant (p<0.05 & p<0.01) inhibition of writhing reflex 51.39% and 66.67% respectively compared to standard diclofenac sodium. The fruit extract showed a significant (P<0.01 and P<0.001) antidiarrhoeal activity against castor oil induce diarrhoea in mice in which it decreased the frequency of defecation and increased the mean latent period at the dose of 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg body weight. The ethanolic extract showed moderate antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. In the qualitative antioxidant assay using DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) the extract showed free radical scavenging properties. In the brine shrimp lethality test, the extract showed cytotoxicity significantly with LC50= 63.10µg/ml and LC90= 160µg/ml. All the results tend to justify the traditional uses of the plant and require further investigation to identify the chemicals responsible for these effects.
TRAIL is a potent and selective inducer of apoptosis in most cancer cells while sparing normal cells, which makes it an attractive target for the development of new cancer therapies. In a screening program on natural resources with the ability to abrogate TRAIL resistance, the bioassay-guided fractionation of Boesenbergia pandurata rhizomes resulted in the isolation of 17 pimarane diterpenes and a monoterpene. Among these, compounds 1-8, named boesenberols A-H, are new pimarane diterpenes. All compounds exhibited TRAIL-resistance-overcoming activity in TRAIL-resistant AGS cells. Subtoxic doses of the major compound 9 sensitized AGS cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis by up-regulating apoptosis-inducing proteins, such as DR4, DR5, p53, Fas, CHOP, Bak, and cleaved caspases-3, -8, and -9, and down-regulating the levels of cell survival proteins, such as Bcl-2, c-FLIP, and GSK-3β, in TRAIL-resistant AGS cells. Furthermore, compound 9 did not decrease the viability of noncancerous (HEK293) cells at concentrations up to 30 μM.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.