BACKGROUND Cucurbitacins are plant natural products that inhibit activation of the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway by an unknown mechanism. They are also known to cause changes in the organization of the actin cytoskeleton. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We show that cucurbitacin I potently inhibits the migration of Madin-Darby canine k...

Pharmacognosy Research,2023,15,1,26-41.DOI:10.5530/097484900254Published:December 2022Type:Review ArticleAuthors:Sumanta Mondal, Kausik Bhar, Renu Kumari, Prasenjit Subhadip Chakraborty, and Nooka Yaswanth Teja Author(s) affiliations:Sumanta Mondal1,*, Bhar1, Kumari1, Mondal2, Chakraborty1, Teja1 1Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, GITAM School Pharmacy, (Deemed to be University), Visakhap...

Background: Cucurbitaceae family is one of the best genetically assorted accumulations of restorative plants in the plant kingdom. Previous studies have suggested that Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. plant parts (root, stem, leaf, fruits, and seeds) have been utilized in the traditional system of medicine. Pharmacological activities reported for this plant include antioxidant activity, antim...

Our aim is to explore the role of CXCR4/STAT3 in mesenchymalstromal cell (MSC)-mediated drug resistance of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) from the version of tumor mieroenvironment. AML cell lines U937 and KG1a and primary AML cells were co-cultured with MSC. The AML celllines cultured alone was used as controls. Apoptosis induced by mitoxantrone was measured by flow cytometry and Annexin V/PI do...

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an Asian-prevalent head and neck cancer with high invasiveness. Although several important risk factors for NPC development have been identified, there is currently no preventive strategy for NPC, even in endemic regions. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) has been implicated in NPC carcinogenesis, which may serve as a potential target f...

Cucurbitacin B (CuB), a triterpenoid compound isolated from Cucurbitaceae plants, has been reported as a promising anti-cancer agent, yet its action mechanism is still controversial. In this study, we explored the potential mechanism of CuB in murine B16F10 melanoma cells. Anti-proliferation and anti-invasion effects were assessed in cultured cells, and in vivo anti-tumor activity was evaluated...

Estradiol is protective in experimental cerebral ischemia, but the precise mechanisms remain unknown. Signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) is a transcription factor that is activated by estrogen, translocates to the nucleus, and induces the transcription of neuroprotective genes, such as bcl-2. We determined whether estradiol increases STAT3 activation in female rat brain ...

In this study, we for the first time, investigated the potential anti-cancer effects of a novel analogue of cucurbitacin (Cucurbitacin D) against cervical cancer in vitro and in vivo. Cucurbitacin D inhibited viability and growth of cervical cancer cells (CaSki and SiHa) in a dose-dependent manner. IC50 of Cucurbitacin D was recorded at 400 nM and 250 nM in CaSki and SiHa cells, respectively. I...

Lung cancer is the most deadly type of cancer in humans, with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) being the most frequent and aggressive type of lung cancer showing high resistance to radiation and chemotherapy. Despite the outstanding progress made in anti-tumor therapy, discovering effective anti-tumor drugs is still a challenging task. Here we describe a new semisynthetic derivative of cucurb...