Chemoprevention of skin cancer: effect of Lawsonia inermis L. (Henna) leaf powder and its pigment artifact, lawsone in the Epstein- Barr virus early antigen activation assay and in two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis models.

In continuation of our studies with chemoprevention potential of plant-derived naphthoquinone derivatives, leaf powder of the medicinal plant Lawsonia inermis L, commonly known as 'henna', was evaluated by its inhibition of the Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in Raji cells. Lawsone (2-hydroxy- 1,4-naphthoquinone), the reddish orange pigment artifact formed during the extraction or preparation of the dye from henna leaves and believed to be the active component, was also assessed in this in vitro assay. Both showed a profound inhibition (>88%) of EBV-EA activation. In the in vivo two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis study using UV-B radiation for initiation and TPA for tumor promotion, oral feeding of henna (0.0025%) in drinking water ad libitum decreased tumor incidence by 66% and multiplicity by 40% when compared to the positive control at 10 weeks of treatment. Similarly, in the above mouse model, orally fed lawsone (0.0025%) decreased tumor incidence by 72% and multiplicity by 50%. The tumor inhibitory trend continued throughout the 20-week test period. Similar antitumor activities were observed when henna (0.5 mg/ml) was applied topically on the back skin in the UV-B initiated, TPA promoted and peroxynitrite initiated, TPA promoted mouse skin carcinogenesis models. Topically applied lawsone (0.015 mg/ml) also exhibited similar protection against tumor formation in the 7,12-dimtehylbenz(a)anthracene induced and TPA promoted skin cancer in mice. Also, there was a delay of 1 to 2 weeks in tumor appearance in both henna and lawsone treated groups compared to control in all three test models. This study ascertains the skin cancer chemopreventive activity of henna leaf powder and lawsone when administered by either oral (through drinking water) or topical (by application on the back skin) routes. Further, it emphasizes the need for the evaluation of these henna-derived green chemopreventive candidates in combination with currently used sunscreen agents for complementary anticancer potential against UV-induced skin carcinogenesis.

Cancer chemopreventive activity of the prenylated coumarin, umbelliprenin, in vivo.

Umbelliprenin is a prenylated compound, which belongs to the class of sesquiterpene coumarins. In continuation of our earlier in-vitro finding, we determined to assess the cancer chemopreventive activity of umbelliprenin in vivo by using a two-stage carcinogenesis assay of mouse skin tumors induced by peroxynitrite as an initiator and TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate) as a promoter. In this assay, treatment with umbelliprenin along with peroxynitrite/TPA delayed the formation of papillomas up to week 9, and approximately 33.3 and 86.6% of the mice bore papillomas after 11 and 20 weeks of promotion, respectively. Umbelliprenin reduced the number of tumors per mouse by 45% after 20 weeks of promotion compared with the control group. Interestingly, this is equal to the corresponding value (45%) for curcumin, used as a reference standard compound in our study. In addition, the pattern of tumor promotion was slower in mice treated with umbelliprenin compared with the curcumin. Therefore, umbelliprenin might be valuable as a cancer chemopreventive agent.

Neolignans from Piper futokadsura and their inhibition of nitric oxide production.

From a MeOH extract of the aerial part of Piper futokadsura, the tetrahydrofuran lignans, futokadsurin A [(7S,8S,7'S,8'R)-3,4,3'-trimethoxy-4'-hydroxy-7,7'-epoxylignan], futokadsurin B [(7R,8R,7'R,8'S)-3,4-dimethoxy-3',4'-methylenedioxy-7,7'-epoxylignan], and futokadsurin C [(7R,8R,7'S,8'S)-3,4-methylenedioxy-3',4'-dimethoxy-7,7'-epoxylignan] were isolated, together with nine known neolignans. In addition, L-tryptophan, pellitorine, phytol, elemicin, and 1,2,4-trimethoxyphenyl-5-aldehyde were isolated. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated using spectroscopic methods. These lignans inhibited nitric oxide production by a murine macrophage-like cell line (RAW 264.7), which was activated by lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma.

Three diterpenoids (excoecarins V1-V3) and a flavanone glycoside from the fresh stem of Excoecaria agallocha.

Three new diterpenoids, excoecarins V1-V3 (1-3) and a new flavanone glycoside (7) were isolated from the fresh stem of Excoecaria agallocha L. Their structures were elucidated as: 2alpha,3alpha,18-trihydroxy-3beta,20-epoxybeyer-15-ene (1), ent-2,3-secokaur-16-en-2,3-dioic acid (2), ent-3,4-seco-16alpha-hydroxyatis-4(19)-en-3-oic acid (3), and 3,5,7,3',5'-pentahydroxy-2R,3R-flavanonol 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (7) on the basis of spectroscopic data, chemical evidence, and/or X-ray analysis.

Absolute configuration of sesquiterpenes from Crossopetalum tonduzii and their inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen activation in Raji cells.

Two new sesquiterpenoids (1 and 2) with a dihydro-beta-agarofuran skeleton were isolated from Crossopetalum tonduzii. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis, including homonuclear and heteronuclear correlation NMR experiments (COSY, ROESY, HSQC, and HMBC). Their absolute configurations were determined by CD studies on 3, the benzoylated derivative of 1. Chemical correlations have allowed the absolute configurations of 4 and 5, two previously known dihydro-beta-agarofuran analogues, to be reported for the first time. Compounds 1, 2, and 5 showed strong antitumor-promoting effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation.

New bis-secolabdane diterpenoids from Excoecaria agallocha.

Two new bis-secolabdane diterpenoids, excoecarins R1 (1) and R2 (2), were isolated from the resinous wood of Excoecaria agallocha. The structures of 1 and 2 were established on the basis of spectroscopic data interpretation and chemical evidence.

Chemoprevention of DMBA-induced UV-B promoted, NOR-1-induced TPA promoted skin carcinogenesis, and DEN-induced phenobarbital promoted liver tumors in mice by extract of beetroot.

Our previous studies identified the extract of Beta vulgaris (beetroot), commercially also known as betanin, as a potent cancer chemopreventive agent in both in vitro Epstein-Barr early antigen activation assay and in an in vivo two-stage mouse lung and skin carcinogenesis. To explore this issue further, we have now investigated its cancer chemopreventive potentials in three different chemical carcinogen initiation-promotion experimental tumor models in mice. Following tumor initiation with 390 nmol of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) in 100 microl of acetone, the mouse skin tumor promotion with 3430 J/m(2) of ultraviolet light-B (UV-B) as well as splenomegaly was significantly inhibited by oral administration of 0.0025% betanin. At the same dose, betanin also afforded significant protection in the mouse skin cancer model following the topical application of 390 nmol of (+/-)-(E)-4-methyl-2-[(E)-hydroxyamino]-5-nitro-6-methoxy-3-hexanamide (NOR-1) in 100 microl of acetone and promoted by topical administration of 1.7 nmol of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). In the two-stage model of hepatocarcinogenesis in mice with N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN, 30 mg/kg) as the initiator and phenobarbital as the promoter, oral administration of 0.0025% betanin also showed a very significant inhibition of both the incidence and multiplicity of the liver tumors. These findings along with our initial reports suggest that betanin which is a regularly consumed natural product colorant is an effective cancer chemopreventive agent in mice. The most interesting observation is that the cancer chemopreventive effect was exhibited at a very low dose used in the study and thus indicating that beetroot warrants more attention for possible human applications in the control of malignancy.

Antiproliferative sesquiterpene lactones from the roots of Inula helenium.

The MeOH extract of the roots of Inula helenium showed a high inhibitory activity for cell growth against MK-1, HeLa and B16F10 cell lines. Significant activity was found in the hexane-soluble fraction. From the hexane-soluble fraction, seven sesquiterpenes, namely, one germacrane (4beta,5alpha-epoxy-1(10),11(13)-germacradiene-8,12-olide), one elemane (igalane), and five eudesmanes (alantolactone, isoalantolactone, 11alpha,13-dihydroalantolactone, 11alpha,13-dihydro-isoalantolactone, 5-epoxyalantolactone) were isolated. In vitro antiproliferative activities of the isolates against MK-1, HeLa and B16F10 cells are reported.

Chemopreventive effect of resveratrol, sesamol, sesame oil and sunflower oil in the Epstein-Barr virus early antigen activation assay and the mouse skin two-stage carcinogenesis.

Resveratrol, sesamol, sesame oil and sunflower oil are known natural dietary components with intrinsic cancer chemopreventive potentials. As a part of our study of dietary constituents as potential cancer chemopreventive agents, we have assessed the anti-cancer potentials of these products in the promotion stage of cancer development employing the in vitro Epstein-Barr virus early antigen activation assay induced by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). Further, we studied the activities of these compounds in the brine shrimp cytotoxicity assay as well as on the stable 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging bioassay with a view to comparing some of the mechanisms of their anti-cancer activity. Finally, we compared the observed chemoprotective capabilities of the four products in the in vivo 7,12 dimethylbenz(a)anthracene initiated and TPA-promoted mouse skin two-stage carcinogenesis protocols. All the products tested showed a profound inhibitory effect on the Epstein-Barr virus early antigen induction using Raji cells. Comparatively, sesame oil was the most potent followed by sesamol and then resveratrol. Only sesamol and resveratrol showed a remarkable cytotoxic activity in the brine shrimp lethality assays as well as profound free radical scavenging activity in the DPPH bioassay. In both test systems, sesamol exhibited a more remarkable activity than resveratrol while sesame oil and sunflower oil did not exhibit any appreciable activity even at the highest concentrations tested (4000 microg ml(-1) ). In our in vivo assay at a 50-fold molar ratio to TPA, sesamol offered 50% reduction in mouse skin papillomas at 20 weeks after promotion with TPA. Under an identical molar ratio to TPA, resveratrol offered a 60% reduction in the papillomas in mouse at 20 weeks. Thus sesamol seems to be an almost equally potent chemopreventive agent. Sesame oil and sunflower oil offered 20 and 40% protection, respectively, in the mouse skin tumor model. The anti-oxidant capabilities of these compounds could not solely explain the observed anti-cancer characteristics. Resveratrol is present in grapes. Sesamol, a constituent of sesame oil and sunflower oil are regularly consumed dietary natural products. The observed chemopreventive effect of these products particularly warrants more attention since they already exist in the population with no known adverse effects.

Cancer chemopreventive activity of Achyranthes aspera leaves on Epstein-Barr virus activation and two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis.

Achyranthes aspera leaves have been assessed for chemopreventive activity. The MeOH extract, alkaloid, non-alkaloid and saponin fractions exhibited significant inhibitory effects (concentration 100 microg) on the Epstein-Barr virus early antigen activation induced by the tumor promotor 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in Raji cells. In this in vitro assay the non-alkaloid fraction containing mainly non-polar compounds showed the most significant inhibitory activity (96.9%; 60% viability). In the in vivo two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis test the total methanolic extract possessed a pronounced anticarcinogenic effect (76%). The present study suggests that A. aspera leaf extract and the non-alkaloid fraction are valuable antitumor promotors in carcinogenesis.