Targeting Oral Cancer: In Silico Docking Studies of Phytochemicals on Oncogenic Molecular Markers.

OBJECTIVE: Molecular docking is a key tool in structural molecular biology and computer-assisted drug design. Oral carcinogenesis is a complex, multistep process in which genetic events within signal transduction pathways governing normal cellular physiology are quantitatively or qualitatively altered. There are various molecular targets like Cyclin D and PI3k- alpha Ras Binding Domain receptor protein involved in the pathogenesis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. The aim of the study is to demonstrate the computer aided drug design to identify a potent natural molecule for targeting cyclin D4 and PI3K RAS binding protein. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Target selection (Cyclin D1 and PI3K-alpha Ras Binding Domain receptor) was done and structures were derived from protein data bank. Ligands (Apigenin, Chrysoeriol and Luteolin) selection was done and structure derived. Final docking was performed by Autodock. RESULTS: From the docking results it can be seen that luteolin has the highest binding energy (-5.45) with the Cyclin D receptor molecule followed by Chrysoeriol (-4.99) and Apigenin (-4.96). The binding energies of the ligands against PI3K-alpha Ras Binding Domain receptors were Apigenin (-4.51), Chrysoeriol (-4.6) and Luteolin (-4.56). CONCLUSION: The study concludes that all the three selected ligands possess high binding energy with both the target proteins involved in carcinogenesis with highest binding energy possessed by Luteolin against the Cyclin D receptor and by Chrysoeriol against PI3K-RAS binding protein. Thus their activity can be utilized to derive potential Anti-cancer therapeutic drugs.

In-vitro anticancer activity of Rauvolfia tetraphylla extract on mcf-7 breast cancer cell lines.

The medicinal herb Rauwolfia tetraphylla is utilized by South Indian tribes to treat various medical ailments, although its cytotoxicity action has not been studied. As a result, the emphasis of the current investigation is on the anticancer activity of Rauvolfia tetraphylla extracts on MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines, as well as their effects on the levels of gene expression for BCl2 and TGF. The study found that the anticancer activity of R. tetraphylla extract demonstrated significant cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. Because of this, its anticancer effect may be caused by apoptosis, which is caused by DNA breaking and is helped by active phytochemicals like alkaloids, phenols, and flavonoids in the extracts. It also promotes apoptosis by altering Bcl-2 and TGF expression levels. The present study suggests using R. tetraphylla extract as an anticancer agent in traditional medicine.