Two new lanostane-type triterpenes, 1 and 2, were isolated from Astraeus hygrometricus. The structures were established by IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR, MS, and X-ray crystallographic experiments. The triterpenes exhibited excellent in vitro toxicities against Candida albicans, comparable to standard antifungal antibiotics. The triterpene 2 significantly inhibited the growth of Leishmania donovani promastigotes in vitro. The triterpene skeleton may be considered a template structure in search for new compounds with anticandidal and leishmanicidal activity. Copyright © 2012 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

KRISHNENDU ACHARYA

Botany

T K LAI

G BISWAS

S CHATTERJEE

A DUTTA

C PAL

J BANERJI

University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University or CU) is a collegiate public state university located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.&nbsp;Within India it is recognized as a &quot;Five-Star University&quot; and accredited &quot;A&quot; Grade by National Assessment and Accreditation Council.

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The University of Calcutta has secured the Fifth position among the Universities of India in the prestigious &quot;Indian University Ranking 2019&quot; list, released by the NIRF of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.

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It was established on 24 January 1857, and was one of the first institutions in Asia to be established as a multidisciplinary and Western-style university. Its alumni and faculty include several heads of state, heads of government, social reformers, prominent artists, only academy award winner and Dirac medal winner in India, many Fellows of the Royal Society and five Nobel laureates as of 2019 which is highest in South Asia.

University Of Calcutta

Chemistry and Biodiversity

Mushrooms are customary influential sources of pharmaceutically active metabolites. Usually lanostane-type triterpenoids from mushrooms had prospective for cancer disease treatments. Recently, a triterpenoid, astrakurkurol obtained from the fresh basidiocarps of the edible mushroom Astraeus hygrometricus, drew attention as a new cytotoxic therapeutic. The structural stability of this triterpenoid had been established with the amalgamation of density functional theory (DFT) calculations and study of single-crystal X-ray diffraction. To successfully manifest astrakurkurol as a potent cytotoxic therapeutics, a wide apprehension on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying their action is prerequisite. On this account, our study was directed to scrutinize the influence of this triterpenoid on human hepatocellular cancer cell model Hep3B. Encapsulating all experimental facts revealed that astrakurkurol had significantly decreased cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. This effect was unveiled to be apoptosis, documented by DNA fragmentation, chromatin condensation, nuclear shrinkage, membrane blebing, and imbalance of cell cycle distribution. Astrakurkurol persuaded the expression of death receptor associated proteins (Fas), which triggered caspase-8 activation following tBid cleavage. Moreover, tBid mediated ROS generation, which triggered mitochondrial dysfunction and activated the mitochondrial apoptotic events. Astrakurkurol cytotoxicity was based on caspase-8-mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathway and was associated with inhibition at Akt and NF-κB pathway. Astrakurkurol had also inhibited the migration of Hep3B cells, indicating its antimigratory potential. These findings led us to introduce astrakurkurol as a feasible and natural source for a safer cytotoxic drug against hepatocellular carcinoma. © 2019 American Chemical Society.

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

Characterization and Inception of a Triterpenoid Astrakurkurol, as a Cytotoxic Molecule on Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells, Hep3B

Induction of apoptosis is the target of choice for modern chemotherapeutic treatment of cancer, where lack of potent “target-specific” drugs has led to extensive research on anticancer compounds from natural sources. In our study, we have used astrakurkurone, a triterpene isolated from wild edible mushroom, Astraeus hygrometricus. We have discussed the structure and stability of astrakurkurone employing single-crystal X-ray crystallography and studied its potential apoptogenicity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Our experiments reveal that it is cytotoxic against the HCC cell lines (Hep 3B and Hep G2) at significantly low doses. Further investigations indicated that astrakurkurone acts by inducing apoptosis in the cells, disrupting mitochondrial membrane potential and inducing the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins, for example, Bax, and the downstream effector caspases 3 and 9. A molecular docking study also predicted direct interactions of the drug with antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. Thus, astrakurkurone could become a valuable addition to the conventional repertoire of future anticancer drugs. © 2019 IUBMB Life, 1–11, 2019. © 2019 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Fulltext

IUBMB Life

Astrakurkurone, a sesquiterpenoid from wild edible mushroom, targets liver cancer cells by modulating Bcl-2 family proteins

The current study was designed to assess the anti-leishmanial effect of a semi-purified fraction of wild mushroom Grifola frondosa against Leishmania donovani, in vitro. A total of five extracts from three wild mushrooms [Grifola frondosa (family, Meripilaceae) Laetiporus sulphurous (family, Polyporaceae) and Meripilus giganteus (family, Meripilaceae) were explored for novel anti-leishmanial leads against promastigotes. The ethanol extract of G. frondosa was selected as the most efficient against L. donovani promastigotes (IC50: 93.9 μg/mL). A semi-purified fraction was obtained from an active ethanol extract of G. frondosa and found to inhibit the survival of promastigotes of L. donovani (MHOM/IN/83/AG83) significantly (IC50: 20.37 μg/mL) and it also had some effect against L. major LV39 (MRHO/Sv/59/P strain) and L. tropica WR683 (MHOM/SU/58/OD) strains at higher concentrations (IC50: 46.08 μg/mL and 53.79 μg/mL respectively). The semi-purified fraction also interfered in lipid biosynthesis, altered parasite morphology and induced apoptosis in L. donovani promastigotes. The semi-purified fraction was also effective against intracellular amastigotes in infected macrophages and enhanced the release of nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines, in vitro. Interestingly, the 50% inhibitory concentration of the semi-purified fraction against the intracellular amastigotes (IC50: 2.48 μg/mL) was much lower in comparison to promastigotes (IC50: 20.37 μg/mL). The semi-purified fraction was found to inhibit the intracellular amastigotes slightly more efficiently in comparison to conventional anti-leishmanial drugs; sodium antimony gluconate, amphotericin B, miltefosine and paromomycin and noticeably non-toxic towards host splenocytes. The findings of the present study established that G. frondosa might be a natural resource for development of a new anti-leishmanial lead. © 2018 Elsevier Inc.

Experimental Parasitology

Selective in vitro inhibition of Leishmania donovani by a semi-purified fraction of wild mushroom Grifola frondosa

Liver, the most important metabolic organ of the body, is also the major organ for the detoxification of the blood stream. If the accumulation of toxins is faster than their removal by liver, hepatic damage occurs. Although synthetic drugs are available in the market, long-term use of such drugs has consequential side effects. Therefore, the growing need to find safe, cost-effective drugs devoid of adverse effects is spawning extensive research. Mushrooms are rising as a major medicinal food and pharmaceuticals. This review summarizes the medicinal value of different edible mushrooms on free radical–, xenobiotic-, and drug-induced hepatotoxicity. © 2016 Taylor & Francis.

Food Reviews International

Include mushroom in daily dietâ€”A strategy for better hepatic health

Free radical scavenging activity of Ramaria aurea, an edible mushroom, naturally grown in Shilong, India, was evaluated. A heat-stable, polyphenol-rich extract (RauPre) was prepared from the dried basidiocarps and analyzed. The major chemical constituent of RauPre was phenols (26.86 g gallic acid equivalents [GAE] mg-1 of dry extract); flavonoids, β-carotene, lycopene, and ascorbic acid were present in minor amounts. Main phenolic acids identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were caffeic acid &gt; cinnamic acid &gt; gallic acid. Results from antioxidant assays demonstrated potential for superoxide and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity (EC50 0.283 mg mL-1 and 0.384 mg mL-1, respectively). RauPre chelated ferrous ion (EC50 0.95 mg mL-1) and had Fe3+ to Fe2+ reducing power (EC50 1.025 mg mL-1). The activity of 1 mg of RauPre was equivalent to 86.7 g ascorbic acid for total antioxidant capacity. © 2015 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Journal of Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants

In vitro protective ability of ramaria aurea against free radical and identification of main phenolic acids by HPLC

Islam, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism Encyclopedia of Indian Religions

Naqshabandiyya

Indian Journal of Medical Research

Iron chelators or therapeutic modulators of iron overload: Are we anywhere near ideal one?

Ethnomedicinal Plants

Traditional Knowledge about Indian Antimicrobial Herbs

América Latina Hoy

10.14201/alh.2001290

ChemInform

ChemInform Abstract: Synthesis of a Novel Quinoline Derivative, 2-(2-Methylquinolin-4-ylamino)-N-phenylacetamide - A Potential Antileishmanial Agent.

Leishmanicidal and anticandidal activity of constituents of Indian edible mushroom astraeus hygrometricus

Journal	Data powered by TypesetChemistry and Biodiversity
Publisher	Data powered by TypesetWILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH
ISSN	1612-1872
Open Access	No