Anti-Cancer Agents from Natural Sources
Rohit Dutt, Anil K. Sharma, Raj K. Keservani, Vandana Garg in Promising Drug Molecules of Natural Origin, 2020
The WHO estimated 1.5 million women would be detected with breast cancer (Breast Cancer, 2018). Treatment of this cancer is planned depending on the degree of advancement (stages). For local breast cancers, surgery followed by radiation are the method of choice. For advanced breast cancers, systemic treatments such as chemo, hormone, and/or targeted therapies are appropriate choices (Treating Breast Cancer, 2018). The WHO estimates that 627,000 women would die from this cancer worldwide (Breast Cancer, 2018). Recent research has put 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid (often called as ferulic acid) on the spotlight. Ferulic acid was first isolated from the plant Ferula asafoetida, a native in eastern and central parts of Asia including Afghanistan, India (Kashmir), and Iran (Yardley, 2010). MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer)cells were treated in different concentrations of ferulic acid that inhibited cell formation and persuaded apoptosis. Ferulic acid could significantly increase caspase-3 activity to foster apoptosis. Other studies conducted on MDA-MB-231 revealed that ferulic acid could inhibit tumor metastasis (Zhang et al., 2016).
Monographs of essential oils that have caused contact allergy / allergic contact dermatitis
Anton C. de Groot in Monographs in Contact Allergy, 2021
Ferula gummosa Boiss. is a perennial, herbaceous, very resinous plant of the Apiaceae family, indigenous to Iran and possibly Turkmenistan, generally growing up to one meter tall and wide. It can be found in the wild mainly in Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan and neighboring countries, and can become three meter tall when growing naturally (1,3). The major producer of Ferula gummosa is Iran. The resin of this plant, called ‘galbanum’, has a strong scent and is used in the preparation of various types of incense. It is collected either by exposing the upper part of the root and cutting it into strips or by making incisions in the trunk (GRIN Taxonomy for Plants). The galbanum from F. gummosa is said to have many bioactive properties including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, carminative, expectorant, anti-catarrh, anti-rheumatic, anti-nociceptive, anti-hysteric, laxative, aphrodisiac, antiseptic, and analgesic, and is therefore widely used for numerous afflictions in folk medicine (1). In addition, galbanum is also used in the manufacture of glues, textiles and cosmetics, and due to its transparency and high-power bond, it is employed to glue gems to jewelry (1,2). The resin can also be utilized in food flavoring, where it contributes to the savory notes of curries and sauces (3).
Quorum Sensing and Essential Oils
K. Hüsnü Can Başer, Gerhard Buchbauer in Handbook of Essential Oils, 2020
Sepahi et al. (2015) investigated the EOs of Ferula and Dorema, both belonging to the Apiaceae family on their QSI potential. Both of the oils were active, Ferula oil even fully inhibited violacein production in CV026, although the exact diameters of the inhibitory halos weren't published. Regarding QS in P. aeruginosa, the team showed reduced production of different QS-controlled virulence factors (elastase, pyoverdine, pyocyanin), as well as inhibition of biofilm formation in PAO1 (Sepahi et al., 2015). EO: Extraction by hydro-distillation. The EO of Ferula foetida L. inhibited elastase, pyoverdine, pyocyanin, and biofilm formation, whereas Dorema aucheri Boiss EO did not inhibit pyocyanin and biofilm formation. However both EOs inhibited the QS-regulated violacein production in CV026.Sensor Strains: CV026, PAO1.Performed assays: Disc diffusion assay: CV026Virulence Factor Production: PAO1
Ferula pseudalliacea induces apoptosis in human colorectal cancer HCT-116 cells via mitochondria-dependent pathway
Published in Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry, 2019
Hadi Bamehr, Massoud Saidijam, Dara Dastan, Razieh Amini, Mona Pourjafar, Rezvan Najafi
Ferula is a genus of flowering plants (Apiaceae) which comprises of about 180 species (Dastan et al.2012). Thirty species of them are endemic in Iran (Mozaffarian 1996). Different species of Ferula such as F.asafetida, F. gummosa, and F. latisecta have been used in traditional medicine for treatment of various diseases from neurological diseases, rheumatism, headache, arthritis, dizziness, inflammations, dysentery, infant colitis, and digestive disorders (Eigner and Scholz 1999, Tamemoto et al.2001). The genus Ferula is a good source of biologically active compounds, such as sesquiterpenes, coumarins, sesquiterpene coumarins, and sesquiterpene lactones (El-Razek et al.2001). F. pseudalliacea is an endemic species found in the west of Iran. Sesquiterpene coumarins, which consist of a coumarin or 1-benzopyran-2-one group attached to a sesquiterpene chain, are almost exclusively found in the genus Ferula (Curini et al.2006).
Nephroprotective effect of ferulic acid on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in female rats
Published in Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 2022
Vasfiye Erseçkin, Handan Mert, Kıvanç İrak, Serkan Yildirim, Nihat Mert
There is an ever-increasing interest in the therapeutic use of natural antioxidant compounds. Phenolics in particular are recognized as potential therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, inflammatory diseases, and ageing (Soobrattee et al.2005). Ferulic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid) is obtained from the Ferula foetida and its name was inspired from the name of the plant (Kumar and Pruthi 2014). Ferulic acid is a phenolic acid present in the leaves and seeds of plants. It is mostly found in plants such as oats, artichokes, oranges, rice, wheat and pineapples. In recent years, high therapeutic potential of ferulic acid has attracted considerable attention in terms of research. It has been reported that ferulic acid has a wide range of potency, including anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anticarcinogenic, antiapoptotic, antiaging, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, radioprotective, pulmonary protective, antiatherogenic, hypotensive, and vasodilatation effects (Middleton et al.2000, Kumar and Pruthi 2014). Ferulic acid has been determined as a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals such as nitric oxide, superoxide and hydroxyl groups that damage the DNA (Koh 2013, Mancuso and Santangelo 2014, Sung et al.2014). There have been many studies in recent years suggesting a significant protective effect for ferulic acid in kidney diseases (Manikandan et al.2014, Hasanvand et al. 2018, Sarıkaya 2018).
Toxicity assessment of Ferula gummosa administration during pregnancy, lactation, and juvenile period in rat
Published in Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 2018
Mohammad Mahdi Vahedi, Davood Mahdian, Amir Hossein Jafarian, Mehrdad Iranshahi, Mahdi Esmaeilizadeh, Ahmad Ghorbani
Ferula gummosa Boiss is a wild medicinal plant belongs to the family of the Apiaceae, and is growing in Asia and Europe. Traditionally, many people eat its root and resin to treat diarrhea, stomach pain, epilepsy, and chorea (Aqili Khorassani 1991, Zargari 1997). Recent studies demonstrated a number of pharmacological activities including antibacterial (Eftekhar et al. 2004), anticonvulsant (Sayyah and Mandgary 2003), antioxidant (Ebrahimzadeh et al. 2011, Ghorbani et al. 2014), antinociceptive, and anti-inflammatory (Mandegary et al. 2004) effects from different parts of the plant. In spite of the extensive use of F. gummosa root in traditional medicine, there have been no studies to date investigating its safety in pregnancy, lactation, and juvenile period. In our previous work, the sub-chronic toxicity of F. gummosa extract was investigated in adult rats and except a decrease in motor coordination, no lethality, or severe toxic signs were detected during the experimental period (Ghorbani et al. 2016). The aim of this study was to evaluate possible toxicity of F. gummosa root consumption during pregnancy, lactation, and juvenile life stage in rats.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Asafoetida
- Resin
- Species
- Fennel
- Silphium
- Natural Gum
- Galbanum
- Ferula Hermonis
- Muskroot
- Sagapenum