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INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks third on the list of the leading cause for cancer death globally. The treatment of HCC patients is unsatisfactory. However, the traditional Chinese medicine Chebulae Fructus has potential efficacy in the treatment of HCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We mined the active ingredients of Chebulae Fructus and its main targets from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database. HCC-related datasets were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in HCC were obtained by differential expression analysis. Top10 small molecule compounds capable of reversing HCC pathology were screened by the Connectivity Map database based on DEGs. Ellipticine, an extract of Chebulae Fructus, had the potential to reverse HCC pathology. Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) networks of DEGs in HCC were constructed using STRING. Eighteen potential targets of Chebulae Fructus for the treatment of HCC were obtained by taking intersection of DEGs in HCC with targets corresponding to the active constituents of Chebulae Fructus. In addition, MTT assay was also employed to examine the effect of ellipticine on HCC cell viability. RESULTS: It has been shown that ellipticine and ellagic acid have antitumor activity. Random Walk with Restart analysis of PPI networks was performed using potential targets as seeds, and the genes with the top 50 affinity coefficients were selected to construct a drug-active constituent-gene interaction network. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses of key genes involved in the treatment of HCC with Chebulae Fructus demonstrated that these genes were mainly enriched in signaling pathways related to tumor metabolism such as cAMP signaling pathway and Ras signaling pathway. Finally, it was verified by MTT assay that proliferation of HCC cells could be remarkably hindered. CONCLUSIONS: We excavated ellipticine, a key active constituent of Chebulae Fructus, by network pharmacology, and elucidated the signaling pathways involved in Chebulae Fructus, providing a theoretical basis for the use of Chebulae Fructus for HCC clinical application.

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Cancer still remains a major public health concern around the world and the search for new potential antitumor molecules is essential for fighting the disease. This study evaluated the anticancer and immunomodulatory potential of the newly synthetized ellipticine derivate: sodium bromo-5,11-dimethyl-6H-pyrido[4,3-b]carbazole-7-sulfonate (Br-Ell-SO3Na). It was prepared by the chlorosulfonation of 9-bromoellipticine. The ellipticine-7-sulfonic acid itself is not soluble, but its saponification with sodium hydroxide afforded a water-soluble sodium salt. The cytotoxicity of Br-Ell-SO3Na was tested against cancerous (K562 cell line) and non-cancerous cells (Vero cell line and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)) using a Methylthiazoletetrazolium (MTT) assay. Cell cycle arrest was assessed by flow cytometry and the immunomodulatory activity was analyzed through an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that the Br-Ell-SO3Na molecule has specific anticancer activity (IC50 = 35 µM) against the K562 cell line, once no cytotoxicity effect was verified against non-cancerous cells. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that K562 cells treated with Br-Ell-SO3Na were arrested in the phase S. Moreover, the production of IL-6 increased and the expression of IL-8 was inhibited in the human PBMC treated with Br-Ell-SO3Na. The results demonstrated that Br-Ell-SO3Na is a promising anticancer molecule attested by its noteworthy activity against the K562 tumor cell line and immunomodulatory activity in human PBMC cells.

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The synthesis of new isomeric ellipticine quinones 3a-c and their in vitro antiproliferative activities on cancer cell lines is reported. The designed N-heterocyclic quinones 3a-c were synthesized through a three step sequence which involves: a) one-pot preparation of 4-methoxycarbonyl-3,4-dimethylisoquinoline-5,8-quinone 1 from 2,5-dihydroxyacetophenone, methyl aminocrotonate and silver (II) oxide; b) regioselective amination of 1 with arylamines to give aminoquinones 2a-c and c) palladium-catalyzed intramolecular oxidative coupling of 7-aminoisoquinoline-5,8-quinones 2a-c. The in vitro antiproliferative activity of the new angular quinones was evaluated againts one normal cell line (lung fibroblasts) and gastric, lung and bladder cancer cell lines in 72-h drug exposure assays. The new compounds displayed similar or higher antiproliferative activity with respect to their quinone precursors 2a-c. The isomeric ellipticine quinone 2b appears as the more active member on bladder cancer cell line (IC50: 2.4 uM), comparable to etoposide used as anticancer reference drug...

Se describe la síntesis de las nuevas quinonas 3a-c, isoméricas de elipticina, y sus actividades antiproliferativas in vitro en líneas de células de cáncer. Las quinonas N-heterocíclicas 3a-c se sintetizaron a través de una secuencia que involucra: a) preparación de 4- metoxicarbonil-3,4-dimetlisoquinolin-5,8-quinone 1 a partir de 2,5-dihidroxiacetofenona, aminocrotonato de metilo y óxido de plata (I); b) aminación regioselectiva de 1 con arilaminas para producir las aminoquinonas 2a-c y c) acoplamiento oxidante intramolecular de 7- aminoisoquinolin-5,8-quinonas 2a-c catalizado con paladio. La actividad antiproliferative in vitro de los nuevos compuestos fue evaluada en una línea celular normal (fibroblastos de pulmón) y líneas de células de cáncer gástrico, pulmón y vejiga en ensayos de exposición de 72 horas a la droga. Las quinonas 3a-c exhiben interesantes propiedades antiproliferativas destacando la elipticinquinona isomérica 2b en células de cáncer de vejiga (IC50: 2.4 uM) comparado con etopósido usada como droga anticancer de referencia. Los nuevos compuestos mostraron actividades antiproliferativa similar o mayor respecto de las correspondientes quinonas precursoras 2a-c. La elipticin quinona isomérica 2b corresponde al miembro más activo en células de câncer de vejiga (IC50: 2.4 uM), comparable a la del etopósido, usada como droga anticáncer de referencia...

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The bark of the Brazilian tree Aspidosperma subincanum Mart. ex A. DC., Apocynaceae, has been characterised, and its constituents concentrated to obtain an uleine-enriched extract with the aim to produce food supplements. The concentration of the contaminant alkaloid ellipticine was assessed, and its potential to elicit toxic effects on consumers evaluated. It was found that this alkaloid posited no danger.

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In the present study, a quassinoid, neosergeolide, isolated from the roots and stems of Picrolemma sprucei (Simaroubaceae), the indole alkaloids ellipticine and aspidocarpine, isolated from the bark of Aspidosperma vargasii and A. desmanthum (Apocynaceae), respectively, and 4-nerolidylcatechol, isolated from the roots of Pothomorphe peltata (Piperaceae), all presented significant in vitro inhibition (more active than quinine and chloroquine) of the multi-drug resistant K1 strain of Plasmodium falciparum. Neosergeolide presented activity in the nanomolar range. This is the first report on the antimalarial activity of these known, natural compounds. This is also the first report on the isolation of aspidocarpine from A. desmanthum. These compounds are good candidates for pre-clinical tests as novel lead structures with the aim of finding new antimalarial prototypes and lend support to the traditional use of the plants from which these compounds are derived.

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