Search Results (4)

The inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) to lower angiotensin is important in the treatment of hypertension (HT). ACE inhibitory activity is rarely documented in Thai traditional and indigenous medicine. Here, we evaluated the angiotensin I–converting enzyme inhibitory (ACEi) activity through bio-screening of selected medicinal plant species traditionally used for HT treatment by ethnic communities in northern Thailand, including Blumea balsamifera (L.) DC., Clerodendrum chinense (Osbeck) Mabb., Rotheca serrata (L.) Steane & Mabb., and Zingiber purpureum Roscoe. Using an in vitro assay, ethanolic extracts were evaluated for ACE inhibitory activity. Among the four extracts tested, the ethanolic leaf extract of Blumea balsamifera was the most effective by reducing ACE activity by 29, 36, and 64% at concentrations of 0.4, 2.0, and 10.0 mg/mL, respectively. The rhizome extract of Zingiber purpureum showed the second highest activity, with inhibition rates of 34%, 39%, and 40% at the corresponding concentrations. Cytotoxicity testing in HEK293T kidney cells was conducted to underscore the detectable toxicity under the tested conditions. Interestingly, intercultural and cross-cultural comparisons revealed a degree of agreement in the use of medicinal plants for hypertension treatment. Plant species traditionally used across multiple cultures tended to show higher levels of ACE inhibitory activity, suggesting their potential as candidates for the development of novel anti-hypertensive agents. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the ACE inhibitory activity of medicinal plant species used for hypertension treatment by ethnic communities in northern Thailand. Full article

Cancer remains a significant global health challenge, necessitating novel therapeutic interventions. Clerodendrum chinense leaf extract (CCL) has gained interest for its potential anticancer properties due to its bioactive composition. This study aims to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of CCL against MCF-7 breast cancer and HeLa cervical cancer cells and elucidate its mechanisms of action. High-performance liquid chromatography identified verbascoside, isoverbascoside, and hispidulin as the major bioactive compounds. CCL exhibited time- and dose-dependent cytotoxicity, with MCF-7 cells showing greater sensitivity (IC₅₀ = 126.8 µg/mL, 72 h) than HeLa cells (216.1 µg/mL, 72 h). Flow cytometry confirmed apoptotic induction, with late apoptosis increasing at moderate concentrations (16.03–23.55%) and necrosis prevailing at higher doses (50.80–63.68%). Reactive oxygen species generation was significantly elevated in MCF-7 (70.2%) and HeLa (60.4%) cells at 250 µg/mL. CCL effectively suppressed colony formation and cell migration in a dose-dependent manner. Molecular docking studies demonstrated that apoptosis induction of CCL bioactive compounds may mediate through the pro-apoptotic BCL2 associated X, apoptosis regulator (BAX) regulator. These findings highlight the potential of CCL as a natural anticancer agent with multiple mechanisms, including reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced apoptosis, BAX activation, and inhibition of proliferation and metastasis. Full article

Breast cancer stands out as the most widespread form of cancer globally. In this study, the anticancer activities of Clerodendrum chinense (C. chinense) stem ethanolic extract were investigated. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis identified verbascoside and isoverbascoside as the major bioactive compounds in the C. chinense stem extract. Successfully developed nanoparticles exhibited favorable hydrodynamic diameter, polydispersity index, and surface charge, thus ensuring stability after four months of storage. The total phenolic content and total flavonoid contents in the nanoparticles were reported as 88.62% and 95.26%, respectively. The C. chinense stem extract demonstrated a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on MCF-7, HeLa, A549, and SKOV-3 cancer cell lines, with IC₅₀ values of 109.2, 155.6, 206.9, and 423 µg/mL, respectively. C. chinense extract and NPs exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity and the highest selectivity index values against MCF-7 cells. A dose-dependent reduction in the colony formation of MCF-7 cells was observed following treatment with the extract and nanoparticles. The extract induced cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells through apoptosis and necrosis. C. chinense stem extract and nanoparticles decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and induced G0/G1 phase arrest in MCF-7 cells. In conclusion, use of C. chinense stem extract and nanoparticles may serve as a potential therapeutic approach for breast cancer, thus warranting further exploration. Full article

This study aims to investigate the antioxidant and anti-cancer activities of Clerodendrum chinense leaf ethanolic extract. The phenylethanoid glycoside-enriched extract, namely verbascoside and isoverbascoside, was determined in the ethanolic C. chinense leaf extract using the validated HPLC method. The ethanolic extract showed DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging activities with the IC₅₀ values of 334.2 ± 45.48 μg/mL and 1012.77 ± 61.86 µg/mL, respectively, and a FRAP value of 88.73 ± 4.59 to 2480.81 ± 0.00 µM. C. chinense leaf extract exhibited anti-proliferative activity against A549 lung cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, with the IC₅₀ value of 340.63 ± 89.43, 210.60 ± 81.74, and 107.08 ± 28.90 µg/mL after treatment for 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. The IC₅₀ values of verbascoside, isoverbascoside, and hispidulin were 248.40 ± 15.82, 393.10 ± 15.27, and 3.86 ± 0.87 µg/mL, respectively, indicating that the anti-proliferative effects of the C. chinense leaf extract mainly resulted from hispidulin and verbascoside. The selectivity index (SI) of C. chinense leaf extract against A549 lung cancer cells vs. normal keratinocytes were 2.4 and 2.8 after incubation for 24 and 48 h, respectively, suggesting the cytotoxic selectivity of the extract toward the cancer cell line. Additionally, the C. chinense leaf extract at 250 µg/mL induced late apoptotic cells up to 21.67% with enhancing reactive oxygen species (ROS) induction. Furthermore, the lung cancer cell colony formation was significantly inhibited after being treated with C. chinense leaf extract in a dose-dependent manner. The C. chinense leaf extract at 250 µg/mL has also shown to significantly inhibit cancer cell migration compared with the untreated group. The obtained results provide evidence of the anti-lung cancer potentials of the C. chinense leaf ethanolic extract. Full article