Pharmacological properties of Hoya (Apocynaceae): a systematic review.

In tropical forests, Hoya, a plant with significant indigenous medicinal applications, has been underexplored in pharmacological studies. This systematic review meticulously investigates the diverse pharmacological effects exhibited by various Hoya species on human health. A comprehensive literature search, encompassing Scopus, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink databases, employed specific keyword combinations ('Hoya' and 'pharmacological properties' OR 'pharmacology property'). The included studies exclusively focused on Hoya's impact on human health. The findings underscore Hoya's potential as a medicinal plant, demonstrating promising attributes such as anticancer, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antinociceptive, and parasympatholytic effects. Despite these promising indications, the review underscores the necessity for further in vivo investigations to fully unlock Hoya's therapeutic potential. A comprehensive understanding of its mechanisms of action, efficacy, and safety in living systems is imperative for realising its holistic therapeutic benefits.

High-throughput metabolomics reveals dysregulation of hydrophobic metabolomes in cancer cell lines by Eleusine indica.

Eleusine indica, which is used in traditional medicine, exhibits antiproliferative activity against several cancer cell lines. However, metabolomic studies to evaluate the metabolite changes induced by E. indica in cancer cells are still lacking. The present study investigated the anticancer effects of a root fraction of E. indica (R-S5-C1-H1) on H1299, MCF-7, and SK-HEP-1 cell lines and analyzed metabolic changes in the treated cancer cells using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). Cell metabolic activity assays demonstrated that the cell viability of the three cancer cell lines was significantly reduced following treatment with R-S5-C1-H1, with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations values of 12.95 µg/mL, 15.99 µg/mL, and 13.69 µg/mL at 72 h, respectively. Microscopy analysis using Hoechst 33342 and Annexin V fluorescent dyes revealed that cells treated with R-S5-C1-H1 underwent apoptotic cell death, while chemometric analysis suggested that apoptosis was triggered 48 h after treatment with R-S5-C1-H1. Deconvoluted cellular metabolomics revealed that hydrophobic metabolites were significantly altered, including triacylglycerols, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, sphingomyelin, and ceramide, suggesting that apoptosis induction by R-S5-C1-H1 potentially occurred through modulation of phospholipid synthesis and sphingolipid metabolism. These metabolomic profiling results provide new insights into the anticancer mechanisms of E. indica and facilitate the overall understanding of molecular events following therapeutic interventions.

Anticancer activity of Momordica cochinchinensis (red gac) aril and the impact of varietal diversity.

BACKGROUND: Momordica cochinchinensis (Cucurbitaceae) is a nutritionally and medicinally important fruit restricted to South East Asia with diverse morphological and genetic variations but there is limited information on its medicinal potential. METHODS: M. cochinchinensis aril from 44 different samples in Australia, Thailand and Vietnam were extracted using different solvents and tested for its anticancer potential. Anticancer activity of M. cochinchinensis aril on breast cancer (MCF7 and BT474) and melanoma (MM418C1 and D24) cells were compared to control fibroblasts (NHDF). The cytotoxicity of the cells following treatment with the aril extract was determined using CCK-8 assay. Biochemical and morphological changes were analysed using flow cytometry, confocal and transmission electron microscopy to determine the mechanism of cell death. RESULTS: The water extract from the aril of M. cochinchinensis elicited significantly higher cytotoxicity towards breast cancer and melanoma cells than the HAE extract. The IC50 concentration for the crude water extract ranged from 0.49 to 0.73 mg/mL and induced both apoptotic and necrotic cell death in a dose- and time-dependant manner with typical biochemical and morphological characteristics. The greatest cytotoxicity was observed from Northern Vietnam samples which caused 70 and 50% melanoma and breast cancer cell death, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The water extract of M. cochinchinensis aril caused significant apoptosis and necrosis of breast cancer and melanoma cells, with varieties from Northern Vietnam possessing superior activity. This highlights the potential of this fruit in the development of novel anticancer agents against such tumours, with specific regions on where to collect the best variety and extraction solvent for optimum activity.

Comparison of cytotoxicity between extracts of Clinacanthus nutans (Burm. f.) Lindau leaves from different locations and the induction of apoptosis by the crude methanol leaf extract in D24 human melanoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Clinacanthus nutans (Burm. f.) Lindau leaves are widely used by cancer patients and the leaf extracts possess cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects on several human cancer cell lines. However, the effect of C. nutans leaf extract on human melanoma, which is the least common but most fatal form of skin cancer and one of the most common cancers diagnosed in both sexes worldwide, is unknown. There is also limited information on whether the bioactivity of extracts differs between C. nutans leaves grown in different geographical locations with varying environmental conditions. METHODS: The present study, for the first time, compared and demonstrated the cytotoxicity of the crude methanol extracts of C. nutans leaves from 11 different locations in Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, with diverse environmental conditions against D24 melanoma cells through WST-8 assay. The percentage of apoptotic cells following treatment with the most active extract was determined in a dose- and time-dependent manner by a cytofluorometric double staining technique. Biochemical and morphological changes in the treated and untreated cells were examined by fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy techniques, respectively, to further affirm the induction of apoptosis. RESULTS: The leaves of plants grown at higher elevations and lower air temperatures were more cytotoxic to the D24 melanoma cells than those grown at lower elevations and higher air temperatures, with the leaf extract from Chiang Dao, Chiang Mai, Thailand exhibited the highest cytotoxicity (24 h EC50: 0.95 mg/mL and 72 h EC50: 0.77 mg/mL). This most active crude extract induced apoptotic cell death in the D24 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Typical biochemical and morphological characteristics of apoptosis were also observed in the treated D24 cells. CONCLUSIONS: The results, showing the cytotoxicity of C. nutans and the induction of apoptosis in D24 cells, are significant and useful to facilitate the development of C. nutans as a potential novel chemotherapeutic agent for the management of skin melanoma.