摘要

发现天然产品抗癌剂的多学科现代科学方法:从神话到科学

作者(年代):Sreenivasan Sasidharan

自古以来，以草药为基础的传统药用植物为人类的福祉做出了无数的贡献。目前，越来越多的证据显示药用植物的功效和潜力，通过多学科的现代方法为发现天然产物抗癌剂。多学科的现代科学方法将有助于向现代科学界揭示和揭开传统药用植物特性的“奥秘”。因此，本研究采用多学科的现代科学方法，探讨热茶科植物热茶树果提取物对MCF-7细胞的抗癌作用及其机制。结果表明，金白莲果提取物对MCF-7细胞有明显的细胞毒作用，且IC50为23.59 μg/mL，且呈剂量依赖性。流式细胞仪分析显示，金楸果提取物介导的细胞周期为G0/G1期和G2/M期，MCF-7细胞进入凋亡早期。草药已经成为一种非常安全、无毒、容易获得的治疗癌症化合物的来源。草药被认为可以中和身体疾病的影响，因为它们具有各种各样的特性。例如，在许多抗癌药用植物中，Phaleria macrocarpa(当地名称:Mahkota dewa)和Fagonia indica(当地名称:Dhamasa)传统上因其活性成分的抗癌特性而被使用。从植物材料中提取的代谢物用于诱导癌细胞凋亡。 Gallic acid as the active component was purified from the fruit extract of P. macrocarpa and has demonstrated a role in the induction of apoptosis in lung cancer, leukemia, and colon adenocarcinoma cell liness. It is a polyhydroxy phenolic compound and a natural antioxidant that can be obtained from a variety of natural products i.e., grapes, strawberries, bananas, green tea, and vegetables. It also plays a critical role in preventing malignancy transformation and the development of cancer [10]. Similarly, other compounds such as vinca alkaloids, podophyllotoxin, and camptothecin obtained from various plants are used for the treatment of cancer.The expression of anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 was decreased whereas, the expression of the proapoptotic protein Bax, cytochrome C and p53 were increased after treatment. C. inophyllum fruit extract led to apoptosis in MCF-7 cells via the mitochondrial pathway in a dose dependent manner. This is evidenced by the elevation of intracellular ROS, the loss of mitochondria membrane potential (Δψm) and activation of caspase-3. Meanwhile, dose-dependent genomic DNA fragmentation was observed after C. inophyllum fruits extract treatment by comet assay. These studies show that C. inophyllum fruits extract-induced apoptosis are primarily p53 dependent and mediated through the activation of caspase-3. C. inophyllum fruit extract could be an excellent source of the chemopreventive agent in the treatment of breast cancer and has potential to be explored as a green anticancer agent. Consequently, scientist hopes that more evidence-based multidisciplinary modern scientific approaches to studying traditional medicinal plants will be provided to lifting the mysterious veil.