RETRACTED: An Extensive Pharmacological Evaluation of New Anti-Cancer Triterpenoid (Nummularic Acid) from <i>Ipomoea batatas</i> through In Vitro, In Silico, and In Vivo Studies

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer in men, accounting for approximately 10% of all new cases in the United States. Plant-derived bioactive compounds, such as pentacyclic triterpenoids (PTs), have the ability to inhibit PCa cell proliferation. We isolated and characterized nummularic aci...

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Main Authors: Muhammad Majid, Anam Farhan, Muhammad Imran Asad, Muhammad Rashid Khan, Syed Shams ul Hassan, Ihsan-ul Haq, Simona Bungau
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-04-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/8/2474
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author Muhammad Majid
Anam Farhan
Muhammad Imran Asad
Muhammad Rashid Khan
Syed Shams ul Hassan
Ihsan-ul Haq
Simona Bungau
author_facet Muhammad Majid
Anam Farhan
Muhammad Imran Asad
Muhammad Rashid Khan
Syed Shams ul Hassan
Ihsan-ul Haq
Simona Bungau
author_sort Muhammad Majid
collection DOAJ
description Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer in men, accounting for approximately 10% of all new cases in the United States. Plant-derived bioactive compounds, such as pentacyclic triterpenoids (PTs), have the ability to inhibit PCa cell proliferation. We isolated and characterized nummularic acid (NA), a potent PT, as a major chemical constituent of <i>Ipomoea batatas</i>, a medicinal food plant used in ethnomedicine for centuries. In the current study, in vitro antiproliferative potential against PCa cells (DU145 and PC3) via 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay; Western blot protein expression analysis; absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME); pharmacokinetic prediction studies; and bisphenol A (BPA)-induced prostate inhibition in Sprague Dawley rats were conducted to gauge the anti-cancer ability of NA. Significant (<i>p</i> < 0.05 and <i>p</i> < 0.01) time- and dose-dependent reductions in proliferation of PCa cells, reduced migration, invasion, and increased apoptotic cell population were recorded after NA treatment (3–50 µM). After 72 h of treatment, NA displayed significant IC<sub>50</sub> of 21.18 ± 3.43 µM against DU145 and 24.21 ± 3.38 µM against PC3 cells in comparison to the controls cabazitaxel (9.56 ± 1.45 µM and 12.78 ± 2.67 µM) and doxorubicin (10.98 ± 2.71 µM and 15.97 ± 2.77 µM). Further deep mechanistic studies reveal that NA treatment considerably increased the cleavage of caspases and downstream PARP, upregulated BAX and P53, and downregulated BCL-2 and NF-<i>κ</i>B, inducing apoptosis in PCa cells. Pharmacokinetic and ADME characterization indicate that NA has a favorable physicochemical nature, with high gastrointestinal absorption, low blood–brain barrier permeability, no hepatotoxicity, and cytochrome inhibition. BPA-induced perturbations of prostate glands in Sprague Dawley rats show a potential increase (0.478 ± 0.28 g) in prostate weight compared to the control (0.385 ± 0.13 g). Multi-dose treatment with NA (10 mg/kg) significantly reduced the prostate size (0.409 ± 0.21 g) in comparison to the control. NA-treated groups exhibited substantial restoration of hematological and histological parameters, reinstatement of serum hormones, and suppression of inflammatory markers. This multifaceted analysis suggests that NA, as a novel small molecule with a strong pharmacokinetic and pharmacological profile, has the potential to induce apoptosis and death in PCa cells.
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spelling doaj-art-562d7aa5a96d41529cce922437805ae92025-08-20T02:30:26ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492022-04-01278247410.3390/molecules27082474RETRACTED: An Extensive Pharmacological Evaluation of New Anti-Cancer Triterpenoid (Nummularic Acid) from <i>Ipomoea batatas</i> through In Vitro, In Silico, and In Vivo StudiesMuhammad Majid0Anam Farhan1Muhammad Imran Asad2Muhammad Rashid Khan3Syed Shams ul Hassan4Ihsan-ul Haq5Simona Bungau6Faculty of Pharmacy, Capital University of Science and Technology, Islamabad 44000, PakistanDepartment of Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54810, PakistanDepartment of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 44000, PakistanDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 44000, PakistanShanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 44000, PakistanDepartment of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, 410028 Oradea, RomaniaProstate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer in men, accounting for approximately 10% of all new cases in the United States. Plant-derived bioactive compounds, such as pentacyclic triterpenoids (PTs), have the ability to inhibit PCa cell proliferation. We isolated and characterized nummularic acid (NA), a potent PT, as a major chemical constituent of <i>Ipomoea batatas</i>, a medicinal food plant used in ethnomedicine for centuries. In the current study, in vitro antiproliferative potential against PCa cells (DU145 and PC3) via 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay; Western blot protein expression analysis; absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME); pharmacokinetic prediction studies; and bisphenol A (BPA)-induced prostate inhibition in Sprague Dawley rats were conducted to gauge the anti-cancer ability of NA. Significant (<i>p</i> < 0.05 and <i>p</i> < 0.01) time- and dose-dependent reductions in proliferation of PCa cells, reduced migration, invasion, and increased apoptotic cell population were recorded after NA treatment (3–50 µM). After 72 h of treatment, NA displayed significant IC<sub>50</sub> of 21.18 ± 3.43 µM against DU145 and 24.21 ± 3.38 µM against PC3 cells in comparison to the controls cabazitaxel (9.56 ± 1.45 µM and 12.78 ± 2.67 µM) and doxorubicin (10.98 ± 2.71 µM and 15.97 ± 2.77 µM). Further deep mechanistic studies reveal that NA treatment considerably increased the cleavage of caspases and downstream PARP, upregulated BAX and P53, and downregulated BCL-2 and NF-<i>κ</i>B, inducing apoptosis in PCa cells. Pharmacokinetic and ADME characterization indicate that NA has a favorable physicochemical nature, with high gastrointestinal absorption, low blood–brain barrier permeability, no hepatotoxicity, and cytochrome inhibition. BPA-induced perturbations of prostate glands in Sprague Dawley rats show a potential increase (0.478 ± 0.28 g) in prostate weight compared to the control (0.385 ± 0.13 g). Multi-dose treatment with NA (10 mg/kg) significantly reduced the prostate size (0.409 ± 0.21 g) in comparison to the control. NA-treated groups exhibited substantial restoration of hematological and histological parameters, reinstatement of serum hormones, and suppression of inflammatory markers. This multifaceted analysis suggests that NA, as a novel small molecule with a strong pharmacokinetic and pharmacological profile, has the potential to induce apoptosis and death in PCa cells.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/8/2474prostate cancernummularic aciddockingapoptosisBAXp53
spellingShingle Muhammad Majid
Anam Farhan
Muhammad Imran Asad
Muhammad Rashid Khan
Syed Shams ul Hassan
Ihsan-ul Haq
Simona Bungau
RETRACTED: An Extensive Pharmacological Evaluation of New Anti-Cancer Triterpenoid (Nummularic Acid) from <i>Ipomoea batatas</i> through In Vitro, In Silico, and In Vivo Studies
Molecules
prostate cancer
nummularic acid
docking
apoptosis
BAX
p53
title RETRACTED: An Extensive Pharmacological Evaluation of New Anti-Cancer Triterpenoid (Nummularic Acid) from <i>Ipomoea batatas</i> through In Vitro, In Silico, and In Vivo Studies
title_full RETRACTED: An Extensive Pharmacological Evaluation of New Anti-Cancer Triterpenoid (Nummularic Acid) from <i>Ipomoea batatas</i> through In Vitro, In Silico, and In Vivo Studies
title_fullStr RETRACTED: An Extensive Pharmacological Evaluation of New Anti-Cancer Triterpenoid (Nummularic Acid) from <i>Ipomoea batatas</i> through In Vitro, In Silico, and In Vivo Studies
title_full_unstemmed RETRACTED: An Extensive Pharmacological Evaluation of New Anti-Cancer Triterpenoid (Nummularic Acid) from <i>Ipomoea batatas</i> through In Vitro, In Silico, and In Vivo Studies
title_short RETRACTED: An Extensive Pharmacological Evaluation of New Anti-Cancer Triterpenoid (Nummularic Acid) from <i>Ipomoea batatas</i> through In Vitro, In Silico, and In Vivo Studies
title_sort retracted an extensive pharmacological evaluation of new anti cancer triterpenoid nummularic acid from i ipomoea batatas i through in vitro in silico and in vivo studies
topic prostate cancer
nummularic acid
docking
apoptosis
BAX
p53
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/8/2474
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