Phosphorylation of STAT3 on serine 727 regulates gene expression and is found to be elevated in many B-leukemia cells including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). It is, however, unclear whether targeting STAT3 will be an effective antileukemia therapy. In this study, we assessed in vitro antileukemia activity of the STAT3 inhibitor JSI-124 (cucurbitacin I). JSI-124 potently induces apoptosis ...

HER2, an oncogenic receptor is overexpressed in about 25-30% of breast cancer patients. HER2 has been shown to play role in tumor promotion by having cross-talk with multiple oncogenic pathways in cancer cells. Our results show that Cucurbitacin B (CuB), a triterpenoid steroidal compound inhibited the growth of various breast cancer cells with an IC50 ranging from 18-50nM after 48 and 72 h of t...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of cucurbitacin B (CuB) on sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS An ALI model was made by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in SD rats. Rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=15 per group): animals undergoing a sham CLP (sham group); animals undergoing CLP (CLP control group); animals ...

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) selectively kills various types of cancer cells without harming normal cells, but TRAIL resistance has been frequently observed in cancer cells. Propolis (bee glue) is a material collected from various plants by honeybees and is a rich source of bioactive compounds, including the natural flavonoid chrysin, which possesses multiple ...

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common form of malignant cancer, for which radiotherapy or chemotherapy are the main treatment methods. Cucurbitacin E (CuE) is a natural compound-based drug which from the climbing stem of Cucumic melo L (Guadi). Previously shown to be an antifeedant as well as a potent chemopreventive agent against several types of cancer. The present study, investigated an...

Natural molecules are under intensive study for their potential as preventive and/or adjuvant therapies for neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD). We evaluated the neuroprotective potential of cucurbitacin E (CuE), a tetracyclic triterpenoid phytosterol extracted from the Ecballium elaterium (Cucurbitaceae), using a known cellular model of PD, NGF-differentiated PC12. In ...

Luffa acutangula L. (Common name: Ridge gourd, Family: Cucurbitaceae) is a popular vegetable in India and other Asian countries. It is a healthy food and contains good amount of fiber, vitamins and minerals including Vitamin B2, Vitamin C, carotene, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, iron and small quantities of iodine and fluorine. It is reported to contain many phytochemicals such as flavonoids, sa...

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a lethal solid tumor with poor prognosis because of its invasiveness and its resistance to current therapies. Recently, ATC-CD133+ cells were found to have cancer stem cell (CSC) properties and were suggested to be important contributors to tumorigenicity and cancer metastasis. However, the molecular pathways and therapeutic targets in thyroid cancer-related C...

BACKGROUND Currently, there are no consistently effective chemotherapies for recurrent and inoperable meningiomas. Recently, cucurbitacin I (JSI-124), a naturally occurring tetracyclic triterpenoid compound used as folk medicines has been found to have cytoxic and anti-proliferative properties in several malignancies thru inhibition of activator of transcription (STAT3) activation. Previously, ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cucurbitacin R, a natural anti-inflammatory product, has been shown to exhibit activity against both adjuvant-induced arthritis and delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions induced by various agents. Previous studies have demonstrated that the effects of cucurbitacin R stem from its inhibition of both cytokine production and lymphocyte proliferation. EXPERIMENTAL APPROAC...