Anticancer efficiency of cycloartane triterpenoid derivatives isolated from <em>Cimicifuga yunnanensis</em> Hsiao on triple-negative breast cancer cells

Abstract

BackgroundThe roots and rhizomes of Cimicifuga yunnanensis Hsiao are commonly used as anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and analgesic remedies and detoxification agents in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Although C. yunnanensis has been considered as supplementary medicine for several disorders, the antitumor effect of this herb and its key components has not been explored.Materials and methodsThe rhizomes of C. yunnanensis were isolated by chromatographic techniques. Structures of isolated compounds were identified based on spectroscopic methods and comparison with published data. The in vitro anticancer activities of purified components were also performed by MTT experiments. The in vivo anticancer activities were examined by subcutaneous tumor model or a breast cancer liver metastasis model.ResultsIn this study, we aimed to identify and characterize the effective antitumor components from the rhizomes of C. yunnanensis. By bioassay-guided fractionation techniques and chemical characterization, 12 cycloartane triterpenes and four chromones were isolated, among them, 11 compounds were identified in this genus at first. The identified two compounds showed dramatic inhibitory activities against breast cancer cells: compound 4 (23-epi-26-deoxyactein) and compound 13 (cimigenol). Then, we examined the antitumor effect of these two selective candidate chemicals on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells in vivo and found that they could reduce tumor growth in subcutaneous tumor model or breast cancer liver metastasis model.ConclusionThese results suggested that the selective compounds isolated from C. yunnanensis Hsiao could be the promising new agents for TNBC treatment.

Plants in Anticancer Drug Discovery: From Molecular Mechanism to Chemoprevention

“…This medicinal plant has been used a traditional Chinese herbal medicine globally since old times and commonly known as Shengma [ 88 ]. C. foetida is mostly used in the treatment/cure of headache, sore throat, aphtha, uterine, prolapse, archoptosis, spot poison, and nonerupting measles and many other related diseases [ 88 , 89 ]. C. foetida has wide-ranging biological activities comprising like as antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimenopause, analgesic, antiosteoporosis, and antipyretic [ 88 , 89 ].…”

Extraction And Characterization Of Cycloartenol Isolated From Stems And Leaves of Coix Lacryma-Jobi L. And Its Potential Cytotoxic Activity

“…The cytotoxic active of cycloartenol may be related to the spatial structure of the mother nucleus of the cycloartane, C3-OH and double bonds (Al Muqarrabun et al, 2014;Reddy et al, 2017;Xia et al, 2018). Among the 12 cycloartane triterpenes and 4 chromones, it was suggested that two compounds showed dramatic inhibitory activities against human breast cancer cells (Li et al, 2018). In addition, Chumkaew et al observed that a new cytotoxic sterol, stigmast-5-ene-3beta,17alpha-diol from the fruits of Syzygium siamense.…”

<p>Anti-Tumor Activities of Bioactive Phytochemicals in <em>Sophora flavescens</em> for Breast Cancer</p>

“…So far, it has been proved that there are many kinds of herbal extracts that have effects on the treatment of breast cancer, involving various mechanisms, such as Saikosaponin A, Emodin, Sanguisorba, Oridonin, Curcumol, Triptolide, artesunate, cycloartane triterpenoid derivative. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Breast cancer prevention is equally important for high-risk women with older age and postmenopause status. Glycyrrhiza Species (Licorice) and its three medicinally used species of licorice (G. glabra, G. uralensis, and G. inflata), Silybum marianum (Milk Thistle) and its extract silibin B or silymarin, Angelica sinensis (Dong Quai) and its dong quai's phytoconstituents ferulic acid or Z-ligustilide, Epimedium, ginger, black cohosh and flaxseed have been reported for breast cancer prevention.…”