Potential of Kalanchoe pinnata as a Cancer Treatment Adjuvant and an Epigenetic Regulator

Abstract

Cancer is a global public health problem that is related to different environmental and lifestyle factors. Although the combination of screening, prevention, and treatment of cancer has resulted in increased patient survival, conventional treatments sometimes have therapeutic limitations such as resistance to drugs or severe side effects. Oriental culture includes herbal medicine as a complementary therapy in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This study aimed to identify the bioactive ingredients in Kalanchoe pinnata, a succulent herb with ethnomedical applications for several diseases, including cancer, and reveal its anticancer mechanisms through a molecular approach. The herb contains gallic acid, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, quercetin, quercitrin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, bersaldegenin, bryophyllin a, bryophyllin c, bryophynol, bryophyllol and bryophollone, stigmasterol, campesterol, and other elements. Its phytochemicals participate in the regulation of proliferation, apoptosis, cell migration, angiogenesis, metastasis, oxidative stress, and autophagy. They have the potential to act as epigenetic drugs by reverting the acquired epigenetic changes associated with tumor resistance to therapy—such as the promoter methylation of suppressor genes, inhibition of DNMT1 and DNMT3b activity, and HDAC regulation—through methylation, thereby regulating the expression of genes involved in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR, Nrf2/Keap1, MEK/ERK, and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. All of the data support the use of K. pinnata as an adjuvant in cancer treatment.

A Review of the Popular Uses, Anatomical, Chemical, and Biological Aspects of Kalanchoe (Crassulaceae): A Genus of Plants Known as “Miracle Leaf”

“…The EE of K. pinnata showed the highest cytotoxicity against a lymphoma cell line, in a dose-dependent manner [ 135 ]. The anticancer mechanisms were revealed through a molecular approach [ 167 ] to support the use of K. pinnata as an adjuvant in cancer treatment. Gallic acid, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, quercetin, quercitrin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, bersaldegenin, bryophyllin A, bryophyllin C, bryophynol, bryophyllol, bryophollone, stigmasterol, and campesterol were identified as bioactive compounds which participate.…”

Exploring the Comprehensive Neuroprotective and Anticancer Potential of Afzelin

“…Others include quercitrin, quercetin, kaempferol, and rutin. The hepatoprotective benefits of afzelin, derived from Kalanchoe pinnata , have been demonstrated, indicating its potential to mitigate liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride [ 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 ].…”

Targeting key RNA methylation enzymes to improve the outcome of colorectal cancer chemotherapy (Review)

“…An increasing number of studies support the anti-tumor effects of herbal medicines as epigenetic modification modulators, including turmeric, tannin, yam and Kalanchoe pinnata ( 107 ), which can target DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase 1 to inhibit P65 gene methylation and interfere with CRC cell infiltration and migration ( 108 ). Although the relationship between Chinese medicine and m6A methylation has not yet been fully elucidated, some studies have found that herbal extracts can regulate DNA methylation, including chaihu saponin ( 109 ), quercetin ( 110 ) and catechins ( 111 ).…”