Evaluation of the Potential In Vitro effects of Plantago major L. on Wound Healing in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC)

 The treatment of skin wounds remains a major concern in the field of medicine, particularly in the case of chronic wounds resulting from various disorders such as diabetes. The utilization of herbs or herbal preparations for the purpose of healing skin wounds presents a therapeutic challenge within the realm of traditional medicine. Plantago major L. is known to have bioactive compounds that have wound healing activity such as aucubin. This study aimed to determine the in vitro wound healing potential of Plantago major L. extract (PLE). The study involved several assays, including phytochemical examination of PLE using TLC, cell viability testing using MTT assay, and wound healing testing using scratch assay on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The results confirmed the presence of aucubin as one of the compounds in PLE. It was observed that PLE with 125 μg/mL exhibited the highest wound closure percentage at 90.66%. This study shows that PLE possesses wound healing capabilities.Keywords: Plantago major L., PLE, cytotoxic assay, wound scratch assay, HUVEC

CAR-T Cell Therapy: Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment

CAR-T cell therapy has emerged as a groundbreaking approach in cancer treatment, offering new hope for patients with refractory and relapsed malignancies. This literature review provides a comprehensive overview of the development, applications, and future directions of CAR-T cell therapy. We explore the principles behind CAR-T cell engineering, highlight the clinical successes and challenges in treating hematologic malignancies, and discuss the potential and hurdles in targeting solid tumors. The review also examines the safety profiles, including adverse effects management, and delves into the mechanisms of resistance and relapse. Furthermore, we address regulatory and ethical considerations, patient perspectives, and the innovative advancements shaping the future of CAR-T cell therapy. By synthesizing current research and clinical data, this review underscores the transformative impact of CAR-T cell therapy in oncology and its promising trajectory in the fight against cancer.Keywords: CAR-T cell therapy, cancer treatment, hematologic malignancies, solid tumors, next-generation CAR-T

Cytotoxic Effects of Cinnamon Powder and Lemongrass Oil-Enriched Roselle Tea on T47D Breast Cancer Cells

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women and is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. This underlines the importance of preventive strategies to reduce the risk. Harnessing natural products like tea could be an alternative preventive strategy. In this study, the chemopreventive potential of roselle flower tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) enriched with cinnamon oil (Cinnamomum burmannii) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) was evaluated. The tea was formulated using a stirred boiler tank and tested for its cytotoxicity against T47D cells using the MTT method. The cytotoxicity test showed that with the addition of cinnamon oil and lemongrass, roselle tea had more significant cytotoxic activity against T47D cancer cells than pristine roselle tea. Adding 5 g of cinnamon and lemongrass oil vapor for 15 seconds into the tea showed the highest cytotoxicity, with an IC50 of 730 μg/mL. This value is almost three times higher than without adding cinnamon oil and lemongrass. In conclusion, adding cinnamon oil and lemongrass to the roselle tea formulation can increase cytotoxic activity against T47D cancer cells, indicating its potential as a natural anti-cancer agent.Keywords: Chemopreventive, Cinnamon, Lemongrass, Roselle Tea, T47D Cells

In Vitro Anti-Photoaging Properties of Phylanthus urinaria L. Herb Extract

The overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight is related to photoaging of the skin and high risk of skin cancer. Sunscreen material and antioxidants are commonly used to protect skin from harmful UV. However, the application of synthetic compounds in sunscreen products is regulated to a limited amount because it can produce photosensitizers, inducing adverse reactions in the skin, and also harmful to the environment. Ethanol extract of Phyllanthus urinaria L. herb possesses a strong antioxidant activity similar to ascorbic acid, which makes it potential to substitute the synthetic compound in sunscreen products. Therefore, this research was conducted on the 70% ethanol extract of P. urinaria herb to analyze its in vitro anti-photoaging properties, i.e., antioxidant, protein antiglycation and antiinflammation, also to determine the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) and the quantitative composition of the metabolites. The extract exhibited a strong antioxidant activity IC50 of 3.01 mg/L, a higher moderate antiglycation activity IC50 of 216.67 mg/L, but low anti-inflammatory activity IC50 of 86.61mg/L. The presence of saponin, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, and methyl linoleates is suggested to contribute to the anti-photoaging properties. According to the anti-inflammatory assay, the extract may not inhibit signaling pathways that follow cytokine expression but possibly inhibit those that precede cytokine expression due to its antioxidant activity. An SPF value of 5.95 at 50 mg/L meets the recommended range for the skin phototypes of Southeast Asian, dark-skinned Asian, and African people. These results indicate that P. urinaria extract has potential as an anti-photoaging material for sunscreen products.Keywords: antiglycation, antiinflammation, antioxidation, Phyllanthus urinaria L., SPF

Rosmarinic Acid from Orthosiphon aristatus Potentially Targets Estrogen Receptor-Alpha in Breast Cancer: In-silico Study

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Tamoxifen, a widely used estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-α) inhibitor, is effective but often causes side effects, necessitating the search for alternative inhibitors from natural sources. Ortosiphon aristatus, also known as cat's whiskers, is a medicinal plant traditionally valued for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Recent studies suggest its bioactive compounds may exhibit anticancer activity by inducing apoptosis in cancer cell lines. This study explores the potential of O. aristatus metabolites as ER-α inhibitors using computational approaches. Nine metabolites were assessed for their physicochemical properties based on Lipinski’s rule of five and ADMET predictions, followed by pharmacophore-based virtual screening with LigandScout and molecular docking with AutoDock. The results showed that all tested compounds complied with Lipinski’s rule, and most met ADMET criteria. Among these, rosmarinic acid was identified as one of the hit compounds based on pharmacophore screening, exhibiting binding interactions comparable to 4-hydroxytamoxifen with the ER-α amino acid residues HIS524 and GLY521. It also demonstrated a binding energy of -8.02 kcal/mol and a low inhibition constant (Ki) of 1.31 μM. These findings highlight the potential of O. aristatus and rosmarinic acid for further evaluation as candidates against ER-α in breast cancer cells.Keywords: breast cancer, estrogen receptor-alpha, Orthosiphon aristatus, in silico

Bioinformatic Test and Pharmacokinetic Profile Prediction of Gnetin-C Compound in Melinjo (Gnetum gnemon L.) Seeds Toward Colorectal Cancer

Cancer is one of the unresolved health problems in the world, including Indonesia. One of the most common types of cancer is colorectal cancer. Melinjo (Gnetum gnemon L.) is one of Indonesian local commodities which has many benefits including its potential to be developed as an anticancer agent. Through bioinformatics and molecular docking technology, the aim of this study was to investigate the functions of gnetin-C from melinjo against colorectal cancer. PkCSM database were used to search the ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination and toxicity) properties and stitch-string database were used to identify common genes related to colon cancer. During identification of colon cancer related genes, STAT3 protein showed the highest degree score. Furthermore, molecular docking was carried out to find out the interaction between the STAT3 protein and gnetin c compound found in melinjo seeds. From the docking stage, the pose with the best affinity energy was obtained with a docking score of 1,966 kcal/mol. this shows that the compound gnetin c has the potential to be used as a new anticancer agent from natural ingredients.Keywords: Melinjo, Gnetum gnemon, colon cancer, bioinformatics, molecular docking

Prediction of Secondary Metabolite Compounds in Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) Targeting Androgen-α Receptors for Breast Cancer Treatment Using Molecular Docking

Breast cancer (BC) is a malignant tumor that grows in the breast tissue and can spread to other organs. BC is often found at an advanced stage and therefore has a poor prognosis. With 68,858 cases, BC is the most common type of cancer in Indonesia. The development of breast carcinoma is strongly influenced by steroid hormones and their receptors, such as estrogen, progesterone, and androgen. Androgen receptors (AR) are found more (70-90%) compared to estrogen receptors (60-80%) and progesterone receptors (50-70%). Therefore, research on natural compounds that inhibit cancer cell proliferation influenced by AR needs to be increased. The lotus plant (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) has been used as a traditional herbal medicine and food in Asia. Bioactive compounds in lotus have therapeutic potential against BC. In the pharmacophore screening results, five hit compounds were found: isorhamnetin, luteolin, catechin, kaempferol, and apigenin. The compound with the best pharmacophore fit score value is isorhamnetin with a value of 41.31, while the compound with the best binding affinity to AR is kaempferol with a binding affinity of -9.44 and an inhibitor constant of 121.12 nM.Keywords: breast-cancer, androgen-α receptor, lotus, molecular docking

The Study of Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Chemical Compound of Pycnarrhena cauliflora Diels. as Proapoptosis in Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers among women worldwide and in Indonesia. B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) can play a role in causing cancer by inhibiting apoptosis. The purpose of this study was to analyze the chemical compound of the sengkubak plant (Pycnarrhena cauliflora Diels.), which can act as antiapoptotic inhibitor by binding to the B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) receptor. The research was conducted in silico with molecular docking methods and molecular dynamics simulations. Molecular docking used the AutoDock 4.2.6 software and visualization used Biovia Discovery Studio. Molecular dynamics simulation used Gromacs 5.1.2 software and result visualization used Grace. Longipinocarvone was the best test ligand with the smallest ΔGbind value of -6.99 kcal/mol compared to the positive control of Doxorubicin and other compounds which indicating Longipinocarvone’s affinity for binding to the Bcl-2 receptor was better than Doxorubicin. The types of interactions involved in the molecular docking of the chemical compounds of the sengkubak plant and Doxorubicin including hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. The stability of the bond between the ligand protein complex resulting from molecular docking was analyzed based on the parameters RMSD, RMSF, Radius of Gyration (Rg) values through molecular dynamics simulations. The results of the analysis showed that Longipinocarvone and Doxorubicin had a stable bond with Bcl-2 as indicated by the RMSD and RMSF values meeting the requirements, namely <3 Å (0.3 nm). The Rg graph showed both complexes are stable during simulation and have resemblant ligand-protein movements.Keywords: Cervical cancer, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Pycnarrhena cauliflora Diels., molecular docking, molecular dynamics

Network Pharmacology and In Vitro Validation of Brazilin as a Potential Apoptosis-Inducing Agent in HBV-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presents a significant threat due to its potential to cause liver failure and mortality. Consequently, the discovery of novel treatments that offer anticancer efficacy and liver protection is urgently needed. Brazilin, a natural compound, has previously been reported to possess cytotoxic and liver-protective properties. This research aimed to investigate the potency of brazilin in suppressing the growth of HCC cells through in silico and in vitro approaches. Hep3B cells, which harbor integrated HBV DNA, were selected as the HCC model, with PGV- 1 utilized as a positive control. The in silico study used network pharmacology to predict brazilin’s potential gene targets. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using the CCK-8 assay, and apoptosis detection was carried out using Annexin V/PI staining followed by flow cytometry. The analysis predicted that brazilin targets key genes such as SRC, EGFR, AKT1, GRB2, IGF1, ESR1, STAT1, MMP9, JAK2, and PPARG involved in cancer proliferation and metastasis. Proteins such as SRC, GRB2, and MMP9 are overexpressed in TP53-mutated HCC and linked to low survival. Brazilin showed moderate cytotoxicity with an IC50 value of 17 μM at 72 h and significantly induced apoptosis in Hep3B cells. These findings suggest that brazilin is a promising apoptosis-inducing agent for HBV-related HCC.Keywords: brazilin, Hep3B cell lines, network pharmacology, cytotoxic, apoptosis

Nanotechnology in Cancer Treatment: Innovative Approaches to Overcoming Drug Resistance in Tumors

Nanotechnology has emerged as a groundbreaking approach in oncology, offering innovative solutions to one of the most significant challenges in cancer treatment: drug resistance. This literature review explores the role of nanotechnology in overcoming multidrug resistance (MDR) in tumors, focusing on the use of nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery, gene therapy, and immunotherapy. By penetrating biological barriers and modulating the tumor microenvironment, nanocarriers enhance the efficacy of anticancer agents while minimizing side effects. Additionally, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent clinical trials, offering insights into the real-world effectiveness of nanotechnology-based treatments. Ethical, regulatory challenges, and nanotoxicity are discussed to ensure the safe translation of nanomedicine to clinical practice. The review concludes with future directions in personalized nanomedicine, highlighting nanotechnology’s transformative potential in revolutionizing cancer treatment and improving patient outcomes by addressing the pervasive issue of drug resistance.Keywords: nanotechnology, drug resistance, nanoparticles, targeted drug delivery, cancer therapy