Polyphenolic Composition and Anti-Melanoma Activity of White Forsythia (Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai) Organ Extracts

Abstract

Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai, commonly called white forsythia, is a monotypic genus endemic to Korea. Although A. distichum is mainly used as an ornamental plant because of its horticultural value, recent studies have demonstrated its bioactivities, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, prompting us to investigate the potential anticancer effect of A. distichum organ extracts (leaves, fruit, and branches) against human melanoma SK-MEL-2 cells. The methanol extract of A. distichum leaves (AL) exhibited dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicities against SK-MEL-2 cells but not against HDFa human dermal fibroblasts. Based on high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, we identified 18 polyphenolic compounds from A. distichum organ extracts and suggest that differences in anticancer activity between organ extracts should be caused by different compositions of polyphenolic compounds. Additionally, the Annexin V/propidium iodide staining assay and analysis of caspase activity and expression indicated that AL induced cell death, including early and late apoptosis, as well as necrosis, by inducing the extrinsic pathway. Furthermore, we analyzed the differentially expressed genes between mock- and AL-treated cells using RNA-seq technology, suggesting that the anti-melanoma action of AL is mediated by down-regulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway. Taken together, these results shed light on the potential use of A. distichum as a green resource with potent anti-melanoma activity.

UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS-Based Metabolite Profiling, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Different Organ Extracts of Abeliophyllum distichum

“…This plant belongs to a monotypic genus (i.e., a genus with only a single species), which highlights the importance of this plant as a unique genetic resource [ 11 ]. Although this plant has been cultivated as an ornamental plant in Korea, because of its horticultural value, recent studies have reported that A. distichum possesses several therapeutic properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-melanogenic, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic effects [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. Recently, it has been shown that A .…”

“…distichum [ 15 ]. Among phytochemicals in A. distichum , phenolic and phenylethanoid glycosides have been reported as multiple active compounds with therapeutic value [ 11 , 14 ]. For example, acteoside (phenylethanoid glycoside) and isoacteoside (dihydroxypheynylethyl glycoside) identified in leaves of A. distichum , exhibited antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, respectively [ 15 , 16 ], indicating that A. distichum could have functional applications in the cosmetic, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and other industries.…”

Antioxidant and Biological Activities of Acacia saligna and Lawsonia inermis Natural Populations

“…These polyphenols may reduce certain age-associated diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease by mitigating increased cellular damage through the reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by the down-regulation of antioxidant enzymes [ 2 , 3 ] and the modulation of the inflammatory status, autophagy function and gut microbiota [ 4 ]. The antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of polyphenols on cancer cells are attributed to cell cycle arrest and the molecular regulation of specific genes [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Polyphenols may control microbes such as bacteria and fungi [ 10 , 11 ] and might be used as natural food preservatives [ 12 ].…”

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals That Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai Extract Inhibits RANKL-Mediated Osteoclastogenensis Mainly through Suppressing Nfatc1 Expression

“…An unsolved question in this study is which compound(s) of LE exhibited anti-osteoclastogenic activity. Recent studies demonstrated that A. distichum methanol extract possesses more than 20 polyphenolic compounds [ 14 , 15 , 37 ]. Considered that seven compounds (acteoside, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, naringenin, taxifolin, and quercetin) among the polyphenolic compounds are known to inhibit RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis [ 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ], we assume that these bioactive compounds might play a role in anti-osteoclstogenesis.…”