Withanolide sulfoxide from Aswagandha roots inhibits nuclear transcription factor‐kappa‐B, cyclooxygenase and tumor cell proliferation

Abstract

Investigation of the methanol extract of Aswagandha (Withania somnifera) roots for bioactive constituents yielded a novel withanolide sulfoxide compound (1) along with a known withanolide dimer ashwagandhanolide (2) with an S-linkage. The structure of compound 1 was established by extensive NMR and MS experiments. Compound 1 was highly selective in inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme by 60% at 100 microm with no activity against COX-1 enzyme. The IC(50) values of compound 1 against human gastric (AGS), breast (MCF-7), central nervous system (SF-268) and colon (HCT-116) cancer cell lines were in the range 0.74-3.63 microm. Both S-containing dimeric withanolides, 1 and 2, completely suppressed TNF-induced NF-kappaB activation when tested at 100 microm. The isolation of a withanolide sulfoxide from W. somnifera roots and its ability to inhibit COX-2 enzyme and to suppress human tumor cell proliferation are reported here for the first time. In addition, this is the first report on the abrogation of TNF-induced NF-kappaB activation for compounds 1 and 2.

Assessment of the Consciousness Energy Healing Treated <i>Withania Somnifera</i> (Ashwagandha) Root Extract Using LC-MS, GC-MS, and NMR Spectroscopy

“…The peak area% of ixocarpalactone A (16) or withanolide S (17) was increased significantly by 13.79% in the Biofield Energy Treated sample as compared to the control sample (Table 1). Ixocarpalactone A reported to be promising anti-tumor agent [43,46,47]. Similarly, the withanolide proposed at R t of 9 Figure 2f).…”

Evaluation of the Energy of Consciousness Healing Treated <i>Withania Somnifera</i> (Ashwagandha) Root Extract Using LC-MS, GC-MS, and NMR Spectroscopy

“…At R t of 6.4 minutes, withanoside IV (1) By following approach in the recent literature [43], withanolide A (12) or withaferin A (13) or withanone (14) or withanolide D (15) (Figure 2 (17), respectively in the control and Biofield Energy Treated samples. The GC-MS data ( Figure 3) and NMR data ( Figure 4) also revealed the presence of ixocarpalactone A (16) and withanolide sulfoxide (17) in the control and Biofield Energy Treated ashwagandha root extract [45]. Consequently, the ESI-MS spectra of the control and Biofield Energy Treated samples at R t of 10.1 ( Figure 3) and NMR data ( Figure 4) indicated the presence of in both the control and Biofield Energy Treated samples which was found in the ashwagandha root extract.…”

Chromatographic and Spectroscopic Characterization of the Consciousness Energy Healing Treated <i>Withania somnifera</i> (Ashwagandha) Root Extract

“…The peak area% and the peak intensity at m/z 505 of this compound 14 or 15 were significantly decreased by 11.67% and 61.24%, respectively in the Biofield Energy Treated sample compared with the control sample (Tables 1 & 2). Ixocarpalactone A (14) was reported to be promising anti-tumor agent [43,45]. The withanolide proposed for the chromatographic peak at R t of 9.…”