Antiproliferative Activity of Cinnamomum cassia Constituents and Effects of Pifithrin-Alpha on Their Apoptotic Signaling Pathways in Hep G2 Cells

Cinnamaldehyde (Cin), cinnamic acid (Ca) and cinnamyl alcohol (Cal), major constituents of Cinnamomum cassia, have been shown to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and other activities. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the antiproliferative activity of these compounds in human hepatoma Hep G2 cells and examine the effects of pifithrin-alpha (PFTα; a specific p53 inhibitor) on their apoptotic signaling transduction mechanism. The antiproliferative activity was measured by XTT assay. Expression of apoptosis-related proteins was detected by western blotting. Results showed that at a concentration of 30 μM, the order of antiproliferative activity in Hep G2 cells was Cin > Ca > Cal. Cin (IC50 9.76 ± 0.67 μM) demonstrated an antiproliferative potency as good as 5-fluorouracil (an anti-cancer drug; IC50 9.57 ± 0.61 μM). Further studies on apoptotic mechanisms of Cin showed that it downregulated the expression of Bcl-XL, upregulated CD95 (APO-1), p53 and Bax proteins, as well as cleaving the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in a time-dependent pattern. PFTα pre-incubation significantly diminished the effect of Cin-induced apoptosis. It markedly upregulated the anti-apoptotic (Bcl-XL) expression and downregulated the pro-apoptotic (Bax) expression, as well as effectively blocking the CD95 (APO-1) and p53 expression, and PARP cleavage in Cin-treated cells. This study indicates that Cin was the most potent antiproliferative constituent of C. cassia, and its apoptotic mechanism in Hep G2 cells could be mediated through the p53 induction and CD95 (APO-1) signaling pathways

Antioxidant and Antiradical Activities of Wu Ling Shen in a Cell Free System

Abstract: The present study aimed to investigate the antioxidant and antiradical activities of Wu Ling Shen, a popular medicinal fungus (Xylaria nigripes) used in traditional Chinese medicine preparations. Two different X. nigripes materials, the cultivated X. nigripes mycelia (XN) and a commercial X. nigripes product (XNP), were used to prepare the aqueous (XN-H vs. XNP-H) and ethanol (XN-E vs. XNP-E) extracts for this study. Polyphenol and total polysaccharide contents of these extracts were also examined. Results showed that extracts of XN possessed stronger antioxidant and antiradical activities than XNP in all tested model systems. However, all extracts exhibited a weak activity in metal chelation and reducing power. Total antioxidant activity of XN extracts (IC 50 6.20 µg/ml for XN-H and 5.41 µg/ml for XN-E), but not XNP extracts (IC 50 128.13 µg/ml for XNP-H and 96.16 µg/ml for XNP-E), was more potent than Trolox (IC 50 19.64 µg/ml) and vitamin C (IC 50 26.39 µg/ml). XN-E (IC 50 5.12 µg/ml) and XNP-E (IC 50 8.89 µg/ml) possessed a relatively similar potency as that of positive controls (IC 50 6.94 µg/ml for Trolox and 4.25 µg/ml for vitamin C) in the superoxide radical scavenging activity. Although the DPPH radical scavenging of XN extracts was weaker than that of Trolox and vitamin C, it was about eight times more potent than that of XNP extracts. In ABTS assay, both XN and XNP extracts exhibited a moderate ABTS radical scavenging activity. Among the different extracts, XN-E showed the highest total flavonoid (32.69 mg/g) and phenol (59.75 mg/g) contents, while XNP-H (7.50% w/w) had the highest level in total polysaccharide content. These results conclude that XN-E possesses the most potent antioxidant and antiradical activities, and that these activities could be derived from its high polyphenol content, but not the level of polysaccharides

Utilisation metabolique des acides aminees par le poussin en croissance

SIGLECNRS T Bordereau / INIST-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et TechniqueFRFranc

Impacts of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization on Biomass, Polyphenol Contents, and Essential Oil Yield and Composition of <i>Vitex negundo</i> Linn

Nutrient management has increasingly become important in producing quality medicinal plant materials. Vitex negundo is an important perennial medicinal plant widely distributed in tropical Asia and Africa. This study aimed to examine the effects of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilization on the biomass, polyphenol contents, and essential oil yield and composition in field cultivated V. negundo. Two field experiments were conducted; one was performed on three different rates of N fertilizer (50, 100, and 200 kg-N ha−1), and the other was on different P fertilizer rates (50, 100, and 200 kg-P ha−1), with their respective control groups receiving no fertilization under field conditions. The results showed that at 200 kg-P ha−1, V. negundo had the highest biomass and essential oil yield, the highest number of volatile components (45 compounds), and the content of bioactive ingredients (β-caryophyllene and eremophilene). Polyphenol contents were not significantly different between treatments. This study indicates that 200 kg-P ha−1 (NPK ratio of 1:2:1) treatment positively affects the yield of biomass, essential oils, and bioactive compounds in field cultivated V. negundo

Impacts of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization on Biomass, Polyphenol Contents, and Essential Oil Yield and Composition of Vitex negundo Linn

Nutrient management has increasingly become important in producing quality medicinal plant materials. Vitex negundo is an important perennial medicinal plant widely distributed in tropical Asia and Africa. This study aimed to examine the effects of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilization on the biomass, polyphenol contents, and essential oil yield and composition in field cultivated V. negundo. Two field experiments were conducted; one was performed on three different rates of N fertilizer (50, 100, and 200 kg-N ha&minus;1), and the other was on different P fertilizer rates (50, 100, and 200 kg-P ha&minus;1), with their respective control groups receiving no fertilization under field conditions. The results showed that at 200 kg-P ha&minus;1, V. negundo had the highest biomass and essential oil yield, the highest number of volatile components (45 compounds), and the content of bioactive ingredients (&beta;-caryophyllene and eremophilene). Polyphenol contents were not significantly different between treatments. This study indicates that 200 kg-P ha&minus;1 (NPK ratio of 1:2:1) treatment positively affects the yield of biomass, essential oils, and bioactive compounds in field cultivated V. negundo

SJ: Antiproliferative activity of Cinnamomum cassia constituents and effects of pifithrin-alpha on their apoptotic signaling pathways

Cinnamaldehyde (Cin), cinnamic acid (Ca) and cinnamyl alcohol (Cal), major constituents of Cinnamomum cassia, have been shown to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and other activities. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the antiproliferative activity of these compounds in human hepatoma Hep G2 cells and examine the effects of pifithrin-alpha (PFTα; a specific p53 inhibitor) on their apoptotic signaling transduction mechanism. The antiproliferative activity was measured by XTT assay. Expression of apoptosis-related proteins was detected by western blotting. Results showed that at a concentration of 30 μM, the order of antiproliferative activity in Hep G2 cells was Cin &gt; Ca &gt; Cal. Cin (IC 50 9.76 ± 0.67 μM) demonstrated an antiproliferative potency as good as 5-fluorouracil (an anti-cancer drug; IC 50 9.57 ± 0.61 μM). Further studies on apoptotic mechanisms of Cin showed that it downregulated the expression of Bcl-XL , upregulated CD95 (APO-1), p53 and Bax proteins, as well as cleaving the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in a time-dependent pattern. PFTα pre-incubation significantly diminished the effect of Cin-induced apoptosis. It markedly upregulated the anti-apoptotic (Bcl-XL ) expression and downregulated the pro-apoptotic (Bax) expression, as well as effectively blocking the CD95 (APO-1) and p53 expression, and PARP cleavage in Cin-treated cells. This study indicates that Cin was the most potent antiproliferative constituent of C. cassia, and its apoptotic mechanism in Hep G2 cells could be mediated through the p53 induction and CD95 (APO-1) signaling pathways

Responses of Cynanchum taiwanianum and Its Bioactive Compound Biosynthesis to Levels of Nitrogen and Potassium Fertilization

Cynanchum taiwanianum is an important plant used in traditional medicine. The increasing demand and lack of information regarding its cultivation have become concerns for sustainability. This study examined the effects of nitrogen and potassium fertilization rates on the growth and biosynthesis of main bioactive compounds, including cynandione A and polyphenolic compounds, in field-cultivated C. taiwanianum. Two field experiments were conducted using three levels of nitrogen (N100, N150 and N200) and three levels of potassium (K100, K150 and K200) treatments. The experimental variables were either N or K fertilizer. The results showed that, aside from N200, N and K fertilization significantly increased C. taiwanianum shoot and tuber biomass. High N fertilization resulted in low total phenolic and total flavonoid contents in shoots and tubers, but the effects of K fertilization were minimal. Cynandione A, an important bioactive compound, was only detected in tubers; its content were enhanced with the increasing K fertilization, but reduced with excess N fertilization (N200). Although N and K fertilizers are important for C. taiwanianum tuber production, the yield of cynandione A was associated with K but not N fertilization rates. These results provide some essential information for the optimal production of C. taiwanianum tubers and functional compounds. Further studies are required to examine the mechanism(s) of cynandione A biosynthesis and its compartmentation in plant tissues