Quassinoids from Eurycoma longifolia Jack roots and their potential inhibitory activity against human benign prostatic hyperplasia cells (BPH-1) and testosterone-induced BPH rat model.

Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is an enlargement of the prostate gland, because of hormonal changes in aging males which contribute significantly to excessive proliferation over apoptosis of prostatic cells. The anti-proliferative and induced apoptotic activities of Eurycoma longifolia quassinoids on cancer cell lines could be promising therapeutic targets on BPH. Hitherto, no report of the quassinoids against BPH problem was available. In this study, a systematic phytochemical fractionation of the root extract, TAF2 was performed, which led to the discovery of nine previously described C20 quassinoids (1-9). Two undescribed C20 (10 and 12) and one undescribed (11) C19 quassinoids were identified by detailed NMR and HR-ESI-MS data analysis. Their absolute configurations were assigned by ECD spectral analysis. The quassinoids (1-12) were tested for inhibitory activity against the proliferation of human BPH-1 and human skin Hs27 fibroblast cells cultured in vitro. 1, 2 and 3 at 10 µM significantly reduced BPH-1 cell viability and were cytotoxic to Hs27 fibroblast cells. 2 was selected for further study of anti-BPH activity against testosterone induced BPH rats. At 5 mg/kg, 2 reduced the rat prostatic weight and prostatic index, consistent with the decrease in papillary acini number and epithelial thickness of the prostate tissues. These quassinoids may be potential anti-BPH compounds that require further studies.

Integrated comparative metabolite profiling via NMR and GC-MS analyses for tongkat ali (Eurycoma longifolia) fingerprinting and quality control analysis.

Tongkat ali commonly known as Malaysian Ginseng (Eurycoma longifolia) is a herbal root worldwide available in nutraceuticals, either as a crude powder or capsules blended with other herbal products. Herein, a multiplexed metabolomics approach based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) was applied for authentic tongkat ali extract vs some commercial products quality control analysis. NMR metabolite fingerprinting identified 15 major metabolites mostly ascribed to sugars, organic and fatty acids in addition to quassinoids and cinnamates. Following that, multivariate analysis as the non-supervised principal component analysis (PCA) and supervised orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were applied revealing that differences were related to fatty acids and 13,21-dihydroeurycomanone being more enriched in authentic root. SPME-GC-MS aroma profiling led to the identification of 59 volatiles belonging mainly to alcohols, aldehydes/furans and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Results revealed that aroma of commercial products showed relatively different profiles being rich in vanillin, maltol, and methyl octanoate. Whereas E-cinnamaldehyde, endo-borneol, terpinen-4-ol, and benzaldehyde were more associated to the authentic product. The present study shed the light for the potential of metabolomics in authentication and standardization of tongkat ali and identification of its true flavor composition.

Quassinoids from Eurycoma longifolia with antiviral activities by inhibiting dengue virus replication.

BACKGROUND: Dengue caused by dengue virus (DENV) spreads rapidly around the world. However, there are no worldwide licensed vaccines or specific antivirals to combat DENV infection. Quassinoids are the most characteristic components of Eurycoma longifolia, which have been reported to display a variety of biological activities. However, whether quassinoids exert anti-DENV activities remains unknown. PURPOSE: To test the quassinoids of E. longifolia for their activity against DENV and to clarify the potential mechanisms. METHODS: The quassinoids from E. longifolia were isolated by chromatography techniques, and their chemical structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. The anti-DENV activities of quassinoids on baby hamster kidney cells BHK-21 were determined by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. The synthesis of progeny virus was measured by plaque assay. The expression levels of envelope protein (E) and non-structural protein 1 (NS1) were evaluated by qRT-PCR, Western blot and immunofluorescence assays. Molecular docking was used to screen the potential targets of the most active quassinoid against DENV-2, and surface plasmon resonance analysis was employed to confirm the direct binding between the most active quassinoid and potential target. RESULTS: Twenty-four quassinoids, including three new quassinoids (1 - 3), were isolated from the ethanol extract of E. longifolia. Quassinoids 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19 and 20 significantly reduced the LDH release at the stages of viral binding and entry or intracellular replication. Among them, 19 (6α-hydroxyeurycomalactone, 6α-HEL) exhibited the best anti-DENV-2 activities with an EC50 value of 0.39 ± 0.02 µM. Further experiments suggested that 6α-HEL remarkably inhibited progeny virus synthesis and mRNA and protein expression levels of E and NS1 of DENV-2. Time-of-drug-addition assay suggested that 6α-HEL inhibited intracellular replication of DENV-2 at an early stage. Moreover, 6α-HEL was shown to interact with NS5-RdRp domain at a binding affinity of -8.15 kcal/mol. SPR assay further verified 6α-HEL bound to RdRp protein with an equilibrium dissociation constant of 1.49 × 10-7 M. CONCLUSION: Ten quassinoids from E. longifolia showed anti-DENV activities at processes of virus binding and entry or intracellular replication. The most active quassinoid 6α-HEL exerts the anti-DENV-2 activities at intracellular replication stage by directly targeting the NS5-RdRp protein. These results suggest that 6α-HEL could be a promising candidate for the treatment of DENV-2 infection.

Quassinoids from Eurycoma longifolia and their bone formation evaluation in zebrafish, C3H10 cells and silico.

Phytochemicals with bone formation potential in traditional medicines captured more and more attentions due to their advantages to bone loss and fewer side effects. As a famous aphrodisiac phytomedicine, Eurycoma longifolia (EL) has acquired general recognition in improving male sexual health, and thus been considered as traditional medicine for the treatment of androgen-deficient osteoporosis. Although the aqueous extract of EL had been proved to be beneficial to bone loss, the active constituents and the mechanisms underlying the effects are still obscure. The current study performed a chemical investigation on the roots of EL, which resulted in the isolation and identification of ten quassinoids (EL-1-EL-10), and then conducted their osteogenic activity evaluations in vivo zebrafish model with or without dexamethasone (Dex) and in vitro C3H10 cell model. The result displayed that most tested concentrations of EL-1-EL-5 could significantly increase the mineralization areas and integrated optical densities (IODs) of skull in both zebrafish model. The majority tested concentrations of EL-1-EL-5 could also improve the mRNA expression of early osteogenic associated genes ALPL, Runx2a, Sp7 in zebrafish model without Dex, but only a few could accelerate the mRNA expression of late osteogenic associated genes OCN. These results suggested the ability of EL-1-EL-5 to increase bone formation mainly by accelerating osteogenic differentiation at the early stage. The structure-based virtual screening based on the pharmacophores in ePharmaLib, as well as the molecular docking study, implied that the effects of the quassinoids (EL-1-EL-5) on the enhancement of bone formation might be related with improving the content and the activity of androgen through binding with CYP19A, SHBG and AKR1C2, and activating bone metabolism-related ANDR target genes and signal pathways by combining with ANDR directly. Although the assumptions are in silico model-based and further in vitro and in vivo validations are still necessary, we provided a new perspective to explore the potential of EL to be used as an alternative treatment for not only androgen-deficient osteoporosis, but also estrogen-deficient bone loss, by combining with SHBG.

The In Vitro Anti-Cancer Activities and Mechanisms of Action of 9-Methoxycanthin-6-one from Eurycoma longifolia in Selected Cancer Cell Lines.

An alkaloid compound from the hairy root culture of Eurycoma longifolia has been isolated and characterised as 9-methoxycanthin-6-one. The aims of these studies were to investigate the in vitro anti-cancer activities of 9-methoxycanthin-6-one against ovarian cancer (A2780, SKOV-3), breast cancer (MCF-7), colorectal cancer (HT29), skin cancer (A375) and cervical cancer (HeLa) cell lines by using a Sulphorhodamine B assay, and to evaluate the mechanisms of action of 9-methoxycanthin-6-one via the Hoechst 33342 assay and proteomics approach. The results had shown that 9-methoxycanthin-6-one gave IC50 values of 4.04 ± 0.36 µM, 5.80 ± 0.40 µM, 15.09 ± 0.99 µM, 3.79 ± 0.069 µM, 5.71 ± 0.20 µM and 4.30 ± 0.27 µM when tested in A2780, SKOV-3, MCF-7, HT-29, A375 and HeLa cell lines, respectively. It was found that 9-methoxycanthin-6-one induced apoptosis in a concentration dependent manner when analysed via the Hoechst 33342 assay. 9-methoxycanthine-6-one were found to affect the expressions of apoptotic-related proteins, that were proteins pyruvate kinase (PKM), annexin A2 (ANXA2), galectin 3 (LGAL3), heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (HNRNP1A1), peroxiredoxin 3 (PRDX3), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) from the differential analysis of 2-DE profiles between treated and non-treated 9-methoxycanthine-6-one. Proteins such as acetyl-CoA acyltransferase 2 (ACAA2), aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1A1), capping protein (CAPG), eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 (EEF1A1), malate dehydrogenase 2 (MDH2), purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP), and triosephosphate isomerase 1 (TPI1) were also identified to be associated with A2780 cell death induced by 9-methoxycanthine-6-one. These findings may provide a new insight on the mechanisms of action of 9-methoxycanthin-6-one in exerting its anti-cancer effects in vitro.

Identification of Phytochemicals from the Water Extract of Eurycoma longifolia Roots using Solid-Liquid and Liquid-Liquid Extraction Based Fractionation Techniques.

Phytochemicals in the water extract of Eurycoma longofolia roots were identified using both solid-liquid and liquid-liquid extraction based fractionation techniques. A reversed phase C18 solid phase extraction (SPE) was used as solid-liquid extraction, whereas solvent partition was applied as liquid-liquid extraction. Total saponin was increased after fractionation. A few known quassinoids; eurycomanone, 13a(21)-epoxyeurycomanone, pasakbumin D, 13ß,18-dihydroeurycomanol and 13ß,21-dihydroxyeurycomanol were identified from the 40% and 60% methanol fractions of SPE. Solvent partition extract using ethyl acetate was found to have the highest saponin content compared to butanol and chloroform fractions. Subsequent acetone precipitation of the organic fractions recovered a formylated hexose trimer and other saccharide-containing compounds. Ethyl acetate effectively recovered saponins from E. longofolia water extract using liquid-liquid extraction followed by acetone precipitation.

Quassinoids from the Roots of Eurycoma longifolia and Their Anti-Proliferation Activities.

A phytochemical investigation on the roots of medicinal plant Eurycoma longifolia resulted in the isolation of 10 new highly oxygenated C20 quassinoids longifolactones G‒P (1-10), along with four known ones (11-14). Their chemical structures and absolute configurations were unambiguously elucidated on the basis of comprehensive spectroscopic analysis and X-ray crystallographic data. Notably, compound 1 is a rare pentacyclic C20 quassinoid featuring a densely functionalized 2,5-dioxatricyclo[5.2.2.04,8]undecane core. Compound 4 represents the first example of quassinoids containing a 14,15-epoxy functionality, and 7 features an unusual α-oriented hydroxyl group at C-14. All isolated compounds were evaluated for their anti-proliferation activities on human leukemia cells. Among the isolates, compounds 5, 12, 13, and 14 potently inhibited the in vitro proliferation of K562 and HL-60 cells with IC50 values ranging from 2.90 to 8.20 µM.

Combined Effects of Exercise and Phytoanabolic Extracts in Castrated Male and Female Mice.

Dry extracts from the Eurasian plants, Ajuga turkestanica, Eurycoma longifolia, and Urtica dioica have been used as anabolic supplements, despite the limited scientific data on these effects. To assess their actions on early sarcopenia signs, male and female castrated mice were supplemented with lyophilized extracts of the three plants, isolated or in association (named TLU), and submitted to resistance exercise. Ovariectomy (OVX) led to body weight increase and non-high-density cholesterol (HDL) cholesterol elevation, which had been restored by exercise plus U. dioica extract, or by exercise and TLU, respectively. Orchiectomy (ORX) caused skeletal muscle weight loss, accompanied by increased adiposity, being the latter parameter reduced by exercise plus E. longifolia or U. dioica extracts. General physical activity was improved by exercise plus herbal extracts in either OVX or ORX animals. Exercise combined with TLU improved resistance to fatigue in OVX animals, though A. turkestanica enhanced the grip strength in ORX mice. E. longifolia or TLU also reduced the ladder climbing time in ORX mice. Resistance exercise plus herbal extracts partly altered gastrocnemius fiber size frequencies in OVX or ORX mice. We provide novel data that tested ergogenic extracts, when combined with resistance exercise, improved early sarcopenia alterations in castrated male and female mice.

LC-PDA-MS/MS-Based Characterization of Key Phytochemicals in Eurycoma Longifolia Roots.

The objective of the study was to fractionate the crude extract of Eurycoma longifolia (E. longifolia) roots and identify the intense peaks using HPLC-PDA-MS/MS, UPLC-MS/MS and H-NMR. Column chromatography was used to fractionate the crude extract into individual fractions using six solvent systems ranged from ethyl acetate, methanol and water in increasing polarity. Two fractions with nearly pure and intense peaks were selected for compound identification. Chromenone (coumarin) and chromone derivatives were putatively identified, besides several previously reported quassinoid glycosides (eurycomanone derived glycoside, 2,3-dehydro-4α-hydroxylongilactone glucoside, eurycomanol glycoside and eurycomanol trimer) in the fraction 11 of 100% methanol. A newly reported compound, namely hydroxyl glyyunanprosapogenin D (838 g/mol) was proposed to be the compound detected in the fraction 11 of 50% ethyl acetate and 50% methanol. This is also the first study to report the identification of chromenones and chromones in E. longifolia extract.

Comparison of apoptotic responses in Blastocystis sp. upon treatment with Tongkat Ali and Metronidazole.

Blastocystis sp. infection, although many remain asymptomatic, there is growing data in recent studies that suggests it is a frequent cause of gastrointestinal symptoms in children and adults. This proposes that treatment against this infection is necessary however metronidazole (MTZ), which is the current choice of treatment, has expressed non-uniformity in its efficacy in combating this infection which has led to the study of alternative treatment. In our previous study, it was established that Tongkat Ali fractions exhibited promising anti-protozoal properties which leads to the current aim of the study, to further narrow down the purification process in order to identify the specific active compound promoting the anti-protozoal effect through HPLC analysis. Based on the data analysis and in-vitro susceptibility assay, the collected Tongkat Ali fraction that demonstrated anti-blastocystis property was shown to contain eurycomanone. Previous studies have suggested that there is a mechanism in Blastocystis sp. that regulates the apoptotic process to produce higher number of viable cells when treated. In reference to this, our current study also aims to investigate the apoptotic response of Tongkat Ali extract and eurycomanone across different subtype groups with comparison to MTZ. Based on our investigation, both Tongkat Ali extract and eurycomanone induced the high apoptotic rate however exhibited a reduction in viable cell count (p < 0.05) when compared to MTZ. This study suggests that there is potential in developing a standardized treatment regardless of subtype variations which makes Tongkat Ali extract a promising anti-protozoal treatment against all Blastocystis sp. subtype groups.

Comparing the pharmacokinetics of 13α,21-dihydroeurycomanone and eurycomanone exclusively enriched in Eurycoma longifolia extracts and their spermatogenesis enhancement in andrographolide-induced oligospermia in rats.

OBJECTIVES: The quassinoids eurycomanone (EN) and 13α,21-dihydroeurycomanone (DHY) of Eurycoma longifolia Jack are reported to enhance spermatogenesis. This study aims to profile the pharmacokinetics of DHY, a minor and hitherto unstudied constituent, evaluate its spermatogenesis enhancement property and compare these attributes with that of the predominant EN. METHODS: Crude Eurycoma longifolia extract was chromatographed into a DHY-enriched extract (DHY-F) and an EN-enriched extract (EN-F). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered intravenously and orally with both extracts and their plasma levels of both quassinoids were determined. The extracts were then tested for their spermatogenesis augmentation ability in normal rats and an andrographolide-induced oligospermia model. KEY FINDINGS: Chromatographic enrichment resulted in a 28-fold increase of DHY in DHY-F and a 5-fold increase of EN in EN-F compared with non-chromatographed crude extracts. DHY showed better oral bioavailability (1.04 ± 0.58%) than EN (0.31 ± 0.19%). At 5 mg/kg, EN exhibited higher efficacy in spermatogenesis enhancement in normal rats and restoration of oligospermia to normal sperm profile versus DHY. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the better pharmacokinetic profile of DHY, EN remains the main chemical contributor to plant bioactivity. DHY-F and EN-F represent improvements in developing Eurycoma longifolia as a potential phytomedicine for male infertility particularly oligospermia.

Eurycoma longifolia-Infused Coffee-An Oral Toxicity Study.

Coffee infused with the additive Eurycoma longifolia, also known as Tongkat ali (TA), has become widely available in the Malaysian market. Safety evaluations for consumption of the products have been called for due to the herbal addition. This study investigates the acute, subacute and chronic effects of a commercial TA coffee in Sprague Dawley rats when given in a single, repeated and prolonged dosage. The dosages of 0.005, 0.05, 0.30 and 2 g/kg body weight (BW) were used in the acute study and 0.14, 0.29 and 1 g/kg BW were used in the repeated dose studies. The in-life parameters measured were food and water intake, body weight and clinical observations. Blood were collected for hematology and clinical biochemistry analyses. All animals were subjected to full necropsies. Non-toxicity-related changes were observed in the food and water consumption parameters. Body weight showed normal increments and none of the animals had any clinical signs of toxicity. Microscopically assessed organ tissues did not reveal any abnormalities. There was significant decrease of platelet count in all the chronic study male treated groups. Significant elevation of renal profile parameters in both gender groups given 0.29 g/kg BW, along with liver and lipid profile elevation in some female groups of the chronic study were noted. No dose-dependent relationship was apparent in the dosage range tested, though these changes may suggest an initial safety indication to the TA coffee. The study concludes that the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for this commercial TA coffee was 1 g/kg BW.

Inactivation of AKT/NF­κB signaling by eurycomalactone decreases human NSCLC cell viability and improves the chemosensitivity to cisplatin.

The high activation of protein kinase B (AKT)/nuclear factor­κB (NF­κB) signaling has often been associated with the induction of non­small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell survival and resistance to cisplatin, which is one of the most widely used chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of NSCLC. The inhibition of AKT/NF­κB can potentially be used as a molecular target for cancer therapy. Eurycomalactone (ECL), a quassinoid from Eurycoma longifolia Jack, has previously been revealed to exhibit strong cytotoxic activity against the human NSCLC A549 cell line, and can inhibit NF­κB activity in TNF­α­activated 293 cells stably transfected with an NF­κB luciferase reporter. The present study was the first to investigate whether ECL inhibits the activation of AKT/NF­κB signaling, induces apoptosis and enhances chemosensitivity to cisplatin in human NSCLC cells. The anticancer activity of ECL was evaluated in two NSCLC cell lines, A549 and Calu­1. ECL decreased the viability and colony formation ability of both cell lines by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through the activation of pro­apoptotic caspase­3 and poly (ADP­ribose) polymerase, as well as the reduction of anti­apoptotic proteins Bcl­xL and survivin. In addition, ECL treatment suppressed the levels of AKT (phospho Ser473) and NF­κB (phospho Ser536). Notably, ECL significantly enhanced cisplatin sensitivity in both assessed NSCLC cell lines. The combination treatment of cisplatin and ECL promoted cell apoptosis more effectively than cisplatin alone, as revealed by the increased cleaved caspase­3, but decreased Bcl­xL and survivin levels. Exposure to cisplatin alone induced the levels of phosphorylated­AKT and phosphorylated­NF­κB, whereas co­treatment with ECL inhibited the cisplatin­induced phosphorylation of AKT and NF­κB, leading to an increased sensitization effect on cisplatin­induced apoptosis. In conclusion, ECL exhibited an anticancer effect and sensitized NSCLC cells to cisplatin through the inactivation of AKT/NF­κB signaling. This finding provides a rationale for the combined use of chemotherapy drugs with ECL to improve their efficacy in NSCLC treatment.

Differentially expressed genes on the growth of mouse Leydig cells treated with standardised Eurycoma longifolia extract.

Eurycoma (E.) longifolia Jack (Tongkat Ali) is a widely applied medicine that has been reported to boost serum testosterone and increase muscle mass. However, its actual biological targets and effects on an in vitro level remain poorly understood. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of a standardised E. longifolia extract (F2) on the growth and its associated gene expression profile in mouse Leydig cells. F2, even at lower doses, was found to induce a high level of testosterone by ELISA. The level was as high as the levels induced by eurycomanone and formestane in Leydig cells. However, Leydig cells treated with F2 demonstrated reduced viability, which was likely due to the diminished cell population at the G0/G1 phase and increased cell population arrested at the S phase in the cell cycle, as assessed by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Cell viability was revived when the treatment time­point was prolonged to 96 h. Genome­wide gene analysis by reverse transcription­quantitative PCR of F2­treated Leydig cells at 72 h, when the cell growth was not revived, and 96 h, when the cell growth had started to revive, revealed cyclin­dependent kinase­like 2 (CDKL2) to be a potential target in regulating the viability of F2­treated Leydig cells. Functional analysis, as analysed using GeneMANIA Cytoscape program v.3.6.0 (https://genemania.org/), further suggested that CDKL2 could act in concert with Casitas B­lineage lymphoma and sphingosine kinase 1 interactor­A­kinase anchoring protein domain­containing genes to regulate the viability of F2­treated Leydig cells. The findings of the present study provide new insights regarding the potential molecular targets associated with the biological effect of E. longifolia extract on cell growth, particularly on the cell cycle, which could aid in enhancing the bioefficacy and reducing the toxicity of this natural product in the future.

Anti-inflammatory canthin-6-one alkaloids from the roots of Thailand Eurycoma longifolia Jack.

Two new canthin-6-one alkaloids, 4,9-dimethoxy-5-hydroxycanthin-6-one (1) and 9-methoxy-(R/S)-5-(1-hydroxyethyl)-canthin-6-one (2), together with fifteen known ones were isolated from the roots of Thailand Eurycoma longifolia Jack. Among the known canthin-6-one alkaloids, compounds 9 and 16 were isolated from the Eurycoma genus for the first time. Meanwhile, the nitric oxide (NO) inhibitory activities of all isolates were examined in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells at 50 µM. Moreover, a dose-dependent experiment was conducted for active compounds 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 12-17 at the concentration of 10, 25, and 50 µM, respectively. Consequently, compounds 1, 4, 6, 7, 12, 14, 15, as well as 17 were found to inhibit NO release from RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Two new canthin-6-one alkaloids, 4,9-dimethoxy-5-hydroxycanthin-6-one (1) and 9-methoxy-(R/S)-5-(1-hydroxyethyl)-canthin-6-one (2), together with fifteen known ones were isolated from the roots of Thailand Eurycoma longifolia Jack. Among them, 1, 4, 6, 7, 12, 14, 15, as well as 17 were found to inhibit NO release from RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner at the concentration of 10, 25, and 50 µM.

The Powdered Root of Eurycoma longifolia Jack Improves Beta-Cell Number and Pancreatic Islet Performance through PDX1 Induction and Shows Antihyperglycemic Activity in db/db Mice.

Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is a common metabolic disorder worldwide. In addition to the chief feature of long-standing hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, and a number of complications develop in parallel. It is believed that an adequate control of blood glucose levels can cause these complications to go into remission. This study was performed to evaluate the antidiabetic activity of Eurycoma longifolia Jack (EL) in vivo. The blood-glucose-lowering activity of EL was studied in db/db mice administered crude powdered EL root (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) orally for eight weeks. At the end of the study, HbA1c, insulin, plasma lipid levels, and histopathology were performed. Powdered EL root showed significant antihyperglycemic activity along with the control of body weight. After eight weeks of treatment, both the blood cholesterol level and the glycogen deposit in hepatocytes were remarkably lower, whereas the secreting insulin level was elevated. An improvement in islet performance was manifested as an increase in beta-cell number and pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (PDX1) expression. Neogenesis or formation of new islets from pancreatic duct epithelial cells seen in the EL-treated group was encouraging. This study confirms the antihyperglycemic activity of EL through PDX1-associated beta-cell expansion resulting in an enhancement of islet performance.

14,15ß-dihydroxyklaineanone inhibits HepG2 cell proliferation and migration through p38MAPK pathway.

OBJECTIVES: Eurycoma longifolia Jack (Simaroubaceae) is commonly distributed in the Southeast Asia and Indo China, which has been shown to possess antianxiety, antibacterial, anticancer, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial and antioxidant biological activities. 14,15ß-dihydroxyklaineanone is a diterpene isolated from E. longifolia Jack, which is cytotoxic against human lung cancer and human breast cancer cell lines. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of 14,15ß-dihydroxyklaineanone on hepatocellular carcinoma remain unknown. METHODS: Cell viability assay and colony formation assay were used to measure HepG2 cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was used to analyse cell cycle and apoptosis. Wound-healing assay and transwell assay were used to observe cells migration. RNA sequencing and the enrichment of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were used to find and determine underlying pathways. KEY FINDINGS: We found that 14,15ß-dihydroxyklaineanone inhibited the growth and migration of HepG2 cells but did not induce cell apoptosis. 14,15ß-dihydroxyklaineanone induced S cell cycle arrest by downregulating the expression levels of cyclin A, p-CDK2, cyclin B1, p21, E2F-1 and PCNA. In addition, RNA sequencing showed that 14,15ß-dihydroxyklaineanone regulated MAPK pathway by increasing the expression levels of phosphor-p38. Downregulating of p38 via both p38 inhibitor (SB203580) and p38-siRNA could antagonize the inhibition of cell proliferation and migration and reverse the changes in p-p38, E-cadherin, N-cadherin and PCNA expression induced by 14,15ß-dihydroxyklaineanone treatment. CONCLUSIONS: 14,15ß-dihydroxyklaineanone inhibited cell proliferation and migration through regulating p38 MAPK pathway in HCC cells.

Unprecedented Quassinoids from Eurycoma longifolia: Biogenetic Evidence and Antifeedant Effects.

Six new quassinoids (1-6) were isolated from the roots of Eurycoma longifolia, and their structures with absolute configurations were determined unambiguously by spectroscopic analyses and single-crystal X-ray crystallographic experiments. Compounds 1 and 2 are the first members of a new class of quassinoids with an unusual C26 carbon skeleton. Compound 6 features a C20 cage-like scaffold with an unprecedented densely functionalized 2,5-dioxatricyclo[5.2.2.04,8]undecane core. The discovery of the two C26 quassinoids 1 and 2 has provided firm evidence for the better understanding the biogenetic process from C30 triterpenoid precursors to quassinoids. Compound 5 exhibited significant antifeedant activity on the diamondback moth (DBM) larvae and excellent systemic absorption and accumulated properties in Brassica chinensis.

Effect of herbal extract Eurycoma longifolia (Physta®) on female reproductive hormones and bone biochemical markers: an ovariectomised rat model study.

BACKGROUND: Each year 1.5 million women experience menopause when menstrual cycles cease resulting from the loss of ovarian function and oestrogen deprivation, a hormone that helps prevent bone loss. This study investigated the effects of Physta®, a standardized herbal extract of Eurycoma longifolia Jack (PEL), on hormonal balance and parameters associated with hormonal imbalance, namely body and uterus weight and bone biochemical markers relevant in menopausal symptoms. METHODS: Forty-eight Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups of eight rats each: (A) Sham operated; control (B) Untreated (ovariectomised (OVX) with vehicle), (C) PEL 100 (OVX + 100 mg/kg body weight (bw)), (D) PEL 300 (OVX + 300 mg/kg bw), (E) PEL 500 (OVX + 500 mg/kg bw) and (F) Positive control, testosterone undecanoate (TU) (OVX+ 10 mg/kg bw). Group A and B received daily oral administrations of the vehicle, Group C-E received daily oral administration of PEL and Group F received testosterone undecanoate intramuscularly weekly. At the end of 8 weeks, serum calcium, phosphate, bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), osteocalcin, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH), oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone were measured, then the animals were sacrificed and uterus was isolated, while weight was recorded in all experimental groups. RESULTS: Treatment of OVX rats with PEL at a dose of 500 mg/kg showed decreased serum FSH (P < 0.001, 4.25 ± 0.22 mIU/ml) and LH (NS, 4.07 ± 0.12 mIU/ml), while there was a significant increase in progesterone (P < 0.05, 2.48 ± 0.08 ng/ml) and oestrogen (P < 0.05, 11.02 ± 0.13 pg/ml) levels when compared to untreated group. PEL treatment at doses of 100 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg showed a non-significant but increasing trend in serum calcium, phosphate, bone alkaline phosphate and testosterone levels. Ovariectomy resulted in a significant reduction (P < 0.001, 238.81 ± 5.39 mg) in uterus weight in the ovariectomised rats, which was alleviated in all PEL treated ovariectomised rats with an increasing trend of uterine weight. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that PEL could be protective and beneficial for the management of reproductive hormone and bone markers. Therefore, it could be used to address hormonal imbalances and symptoms associated with menopause.

Enhancement of Radiosensitivity by Eurycomalactone in Human NSCLC Cells Through G2/M Cell Cycle Arrest and Delayed DNA Double-Strand Break Repair.

Radiotherapy (RT) is an important treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the major obstacles to successful RT include the low radiosensitivity of cancer cells and the restricted radiation dose, which is given without damaging normal tissues. Therefore, the sensitizer that increases RT efficacy without dose escalation will be beneficial for NSCLC treatment. Eurycomalactone (ECL), an active quassinoid isolated from Eurycoma longifolia Jack, has been demonstrated to possess anticancer activity. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of ECL on sensitizing NSCLC cells to X-radiation (X-ray) as well as the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that ECL exhibited selective cytotoxicity against the NSCLC cells A549 and COR-L23 compared to the normal lung fibroblast. Clonogenic survival results indicated that ECL treatment prior to irradiation synergistically decreased the A549 and COR-L23 colony number. ECL treatment reduced the expression of cyclin B1 and CDK1/2 leading to induce cell cycle arrest at the radiosensitive G2/M phase. Moreover, ECL markedly delayed the repair of radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). In A549 cells, pretreatment with ECL not only delayed the resolving of radiation-induced γ-H2AX foci but also blocked the formation of 53BP1 foci at the DSB sites. In addition, ECL pretreatment attenuated the expression of DNA repair proteins Ku-80 and KDM4D in both NSCLC cells. Consequently, these effects led to an increase in apoptosis in irradiated cells. Thus, ECL radiosensitized the NSCLC cells to X-ray via G2/M arrest induction and delayed the repair of X-ray-induced DSBs. This study offers a great potential for ECL as an alternative safer radiosensitizer for increasing the RT efficiency against NSCLC.