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Anticancer Drug Discovery Based on Natural Products
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Anticancer Drug Discovery Based on Natural Products

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pharmacology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2025 | Viewed by 8399

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Su-Yun Lyu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacy, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Republic of Korea
Interests: anticancer drug discovery; natural products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide, and the development of new and effective anticancer drugs is urgently needed. Natural products have a long history of use in traditional medicine, and they have been the inspiration for many modern drugs, including anticancer agents. The vast chemical diversity found in nature provides a rich source of novel structures that can be exploited for the development of new drugs with improved efficacy and safety profiles.

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the discovery of anticancer drugs based on natural products. This is due to several factors, including the increasing prevalence of cancer, the limited efficacy of current treatments, and the need for new drugs that are less toxic and have fewer side effects.

Natural products offer several advantages for the discovery of anticancer drugs. They are typically well tolerated by the body, they often have multiple mechanisms of action, and they can be used in combination with other drugs to improve efficacy and reduce toxicity.

We are inviting submissions to this Special Issue of IJMS, titled "Anticancer Drug Discovery Based on Natural Products".

Suggested topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Discovery of novel anticancer agents from natural sources;
  • Preclinical and clinical studies of natural products for cancer treatment;
  • Mechanisms of action of natural products in cancer cells;
  • Development of natural product-based combination therapies for cancer;
  • Natural products for cancer prevention and chemoprevention.

Prof. Dr. Su-Yun Lyu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • anticancer drug discovery
  • natural products
  • phytochemicals
  • traditional medicine
  • drug development
  • preclinical studies
  • clinical trials

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3391 KiB  
Article
Mechanism of Action and Interaction of Garlic Extract and Established Therapeutics in Prostate Cancer
by Marco Hoffmann, Jana Sauer, Marie Book, Thomas Frank Ermler, Petra Fischer, Sven Gerlach, Kareem Beltagi, Agnieszka Morgenroth, Radu Alexa, Jennifer Kranz and Matthias Saar
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(4), 1777; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26041777 - 19 Feb 2025
Viewed by 2415
Abstract
A detailed characterization of the mechanism of action of garlic extract (GE) on prostate cancer (PCa) cells is essential to ensure its safe use as a complementary therapy, particularly when combined with established treatments. A case report highlighted the potential benefits of GE [...] Read more.
A detailed characterization of the mechanism of action of garlic extract (GE) on prostate cancer (PCa) cells is essential to ensure its safe use as a complementary therapy, particularly when combined with established treatments. A case report highlighted the potential benefits of GE in PCa management. A patient diagnosed with PCa, presenting an initial prostate-specific antigen (PSA) of 11.8 ng/mL, maintained PSA levels between 3.5 and 6 ng/mL for over 14 years with daily GE intake. To study GE’s anti-proliferative effects and interactions with established therapeutics, healthy prostate epithelial cells (PNT2) and PCa cells (LNCaP, PC3, VCaP) were treated with GE. Proliferation, Integrin β1 pattern, DNA-damage, as well as androgen receptor (AR) and Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) expression were investigated. GE reduced the proliferation of LNCaP and PC3 cells compared to healthy PNT2 cells but had contrary effects on VCaP cells. The combination of GE with standard therapies, including chemotherapy, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), and Poly-(ADP-ribose)-Polymerase inhibitors (PARPi), reduced the efficacy of these treatments in tumor cells, potentially due to the GE-induced upregulation of the metabolic enzyme CYP2C9 in PCa cell lines. These findings indicate that while GE has anti-proliferative effects, the use of highly concentrated natural extracts must be carefully assessed by expert physicians on a case-by-case basis, especially when combined with established therapies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anticancer Drug Discovery Based on Natural Products)
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18 pages, 5161 KiB  
Article
Therapeutic Potential of Adina rubella Hance Stem and Picroside III as a Differentiation Inducer in AML Cells via Mitochondrial ROS Accumulation
by Chan-Seong Kwon, Byeol-Eun Jeon, Ji-Eun Lee, Hyeon-Young Kim, Ryun-Young Kang, Keun-Hu Kim, Eun-Ju Lee, Ju-Yeon Jang, Tae-Jin Kim, Ho-Jin Shin and Sang-Woo Kim
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(3), 1350; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031350 - 5 Feb 2025
Viewed by 2820
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by the accumulation of immature myeloid cells and a differentiation block, highlighting the urgent need for novel differentiation-inducing therapies. This study evaluated Adina rubella Hance (ARH) stem as a potent differentiation inducer by systematically screening 200 plant [...] Read more.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by the accumulation of immature myeloid cells and a differentiation block, highlighting the urgent need for novel differentiation-inducing therapies. This study evaluated Adina rubella Hance (ARH) stem as a potent differentiation inducer by systematically screening 200 plant extracts. ARH stem promoted phenotypic differentiation in AML cells. In addition to its differentiation-inducing effects, ARH stem exhibited strong antileukemic activities, such as inhibiting cell proliferation, inducing cell death, and enhancing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) levels, the latter of which is critical for its differentiation-promoting activity. Comparative analysis with the extracts from other parts of the plant confirmed the superior efficacy of the stem extract because of its unique chemical composition. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography combined with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis identified Picroside III as a major active compound within the stem extract, capable of recapitulating ARH stem-induced differentiation and demonstrating significant antileukemic properties. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of ARH stem and its active component, Picroside III, as promising agents for differentiation-based treatment strategies in AML. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anticancer Drug Discovery Based on Natural Products)
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16 pages, 2597 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy Efficacy through Solid Lipid Nanoparticle of Purpurin-18-N-Propylimide Methyl Ester for Cancer Treatment
by Sooho Yeo, Huiqiang Wu, Il Yoon, Hye-Soo Kim, Young Kyu Song and Woo Kyoung Lee
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(19), 10382; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251910382 - 26 Sep 2024
Viewed by 993
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an innovative cancer treatment that utilizes light. When light irradiates, purpurin-18-N-propylimide methyl ester (P18 N PI ME) generates reactive oxygen species that destroy cancer cells. The hydrophobic nature of P18 N PI ME presents challenges regarding its aggregation in [...] Read more.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an innovative cancer treatment that utilizes light. When light irradiates, purpurin-18-N-propylimide methyl ester (P18 N PI ME) generates reactive oxygen species that destroy cancer cells. The hydrophobic nature of P18 N PI ME presents challenges regarding its aggregation in the body, which can affect its effectiveness. This study aimed to enhance the bioavailability and effectiveness of cancer treatment by synthesizing P18 N PI ME and formulating P18 N PI ME-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs). The efficacy of PDT was estimated using the 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) assay and photocytotoxicity tests on the HeLa (human cervical carcinoma) and A549 (human lung carcinoma) cell lines. The P18 N PI ME-loaded SLNs demonstrated particle sizes in the range of 158.59 nm to 248.43 nm and zeta potentials in the range of –15.97 mV to –28.73 mV. These SLNs exhibited sustained release of P18 N PI ME. DPBF analysis revealed enhanced PDT effects with SLNs containing P18 N PI ME compared with standalone P18 N PI MEs. Photocytotoxicity assays indicated toxicity under light irradiation but no toxicity in the dark. Furthermore, the smallest-sized formulation exhibited the most effective photodynamic activity. These findings indicate the potential of P18 N PI ME-loaded SLNs as promising strategies for PDT in cancer therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anticancer Drug Discovery Based on Natural Products)
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21 pages, 4910 KiB  
Article
Modulation of Breast Cancer Cell Apoptosis and Macrophage Polarization by Mistletoe Lectin in 2D and 3D Models
by Chang-Eui Hong and Su-Yun Lyu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(15), 8459; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25158459 - 2 Aug 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1327
Abstract
Korean mistletoe (Viscum album L. var. coloratum) is renowned for its medicinal properties, including anti-cancer and immunoadjuvant effects. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms by which Korean mistletoe lectin (V. album L. var. coloratum agglutinin; VCA) modulates breast cancer [...] Read more.
Korean mistletoe (Viscum album L. var. coloratum) is renowned for its medicinal properties, including anti-cancer and immunoadjuvant effects. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms by which Korean mistletoe lectin (V. album L. var. coloratum agglutinin; VCA) modulates breast cancer cell apoptosis and macrophage polarization. The specific objectives were to (1) investigate the direct effects of VCA on MCF-7 breast cancer cells and THP-1-derived M1/M2 macrophages; (2) analyze the impact of VCA on the paracrine interactions between these cell types; and (3) compare the efficacy of VCA in 2D vs. 3D co-culture models to bridge the gap between in vitro and in vivo studies. We employed both 2D and 3D models, co-culturing human M1/M2 macrophages with human MCF-7 breast cancer cells in a Transwell system. Our research demonstrated that M1 and M2 macrophages significantly influenced the immune and apoptotic responses of breast cancer cells when exposed to VCA. M1 macrophages exhibited cytotoxic characteristics and enhanced VCA-induced apoptosis in both 2D and 3D co-culture models. Conversely, M2 macrophages initially displayed a protective effect by reducing apoptosis in breast cancer cells, but this protective effect was reversed upon exposure to VCA. Furthermore, our findings illustrate VCA’s ability to modulate M1 and M2 polarization in breast cancer cells. Finally, the use of magnetic 3D cell cultures suggests their potential to yield results comparable to conventional 2D cultures, bridging the gap between in vitro and in vivo studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anticancer Drug Discovery Based on Natural Products)
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