Psychoactive Plant Database - Neuroactive Phytochemical Collection

1. J Oleo Sci. 2024 Jun 1;73(6):911-920. doi: 10.5650/jos.ess23257. Epub 2024 May
 27.

Exploring the Anticancer Properties of Sakuranin Flavanone in Human 
Oropharyngeal Squamous Carcinoma Cells by Studying Its Effects on Caspase-driven 
Apoptosis, Mitochondrial Membrane Potential (MMP) Loss, Cell Migratory and 
Invasiveness and m-TOR/PI3K/AKT Signalling Pathway.

Kong F(1), Zhai J(1), Shi Y(2), Xu J(2), Li H(2), Zhang S(2), Han B(2), Shi 
Q(2), Li Y(2), Shen X(2), He S(2).

Author information:
(1)Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Beijing Shunyi District Hospital; Shunyi 
Teaching Hospital of Capital Medical University.
(2)Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren 
Hospital, Capital Medical University.

Sakuranin is a flavanone which is a class of flavonoids found abundantly in 
Prunus species. Flavonoids have been long known for their anticancer properties 
against a range of human cancers. However, there are no previous reports on the 
anticancer effects of sakuranin flavanone molecule. This study was designed to 
study the anticancer effects of sakuranin against human oropharyngeal carcinoma 
cells along with investigating its effects on caspase-mediated apoptosis, 
mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) loss, cell migration and invasion and 
m-TOR/PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. MTT assay was used to study effects on cell 
viability. The apoptotic studies were carried out through AO/EB staining, 
annexin V/FITC staining, comet assay and western blotting assay. Transwell 
chambers assay was used to study effects on cell migration and invasion. Flow 
cytometry was used to study effects of Sakuranin on mitochondrial membrane 
potential loss (MMP). Finally, western blotting was used to investigate 
m-TOR/PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. Results indicated that Sakuranin led to 
potent cell proliferation inhibition in a dose-dependent manner. Sakuranin also 
induced apoptotic cell death as indicated by fluorescence microscopy and annexin 
V/FITC staining assays. The apoptotic induction was mediated via activation of 
caspase-3, caspase-9, and Bax while as it led to downregulation of Bcl-2. 
Sakuranin also caused inhibition of cell migration and cell invasion along with 
causing significant decrease in MMP. Sakuranin also caused inhibition of 
expressions of proteins related with m-TOR/PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. In 
conclusion, the current findings clearly indicate anticancer effects of 
Sakuranin flavanone in human oropharyngeal cancer cells and are mediated via 
caspase activated apoptosis, inhibition of cell migration and invasion, loss of 
mitochondrial membrane potential and targeting m-TOR/PI3K/AKT signalling 
pathway.

DOI: 10.5650/jos.ess23257
PMID: 38797691 [Indexed for MEDLINE]


2. BMC Urol. 2023 Oct 24;23(1):170. doi: 10.1186/s12894-023-01334-2.

Sakuranin represses the malignant biological behaviors of human bladder cancer 
cells by triggering autophagy via activating the p53/mTOR pathway.

Hao L(1), Mu D(2), Mu H(3).

Author information:
(1)Department of Medical Oncology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin 
Medical University, No.37, Yiyuan Street, Harbin, 150000, China. 
Linghao011@163.com.
(2)Department of Medical Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin 
Medical University, Harbin, China.
(3)Department of Medical Oncology, The Fifth Hospital of Harbin, Harbin, China.

OBJECTIVE: Sakura extract is a natural flavonoid compound that may have 
potential anti-tumor effects. The paper focuses on investigating Sakuranin 
mechanism on bladder cancer (BC) cells.
METHODS: BC cells (T24) were treated with different concentrations of Sakuranin, 
with 48-h IC50 determined. T24 cells were treated with Sakuranin at IC50, 
followed by assessment of cell proliferative/apoptotic/migrative/invasive 
activities by CCK-8, EdU and plate clone formation assays/flow 
cytometry/Transwell/scratch test. MMP-2 (migration and invasion-related protein) 
protein level was assessed by Western blot. Cell autophagy was evaluated by 
measuring the protein levels of autophagy markers (LC3-I/LC3-II/p62) through 
Western blot. The autophagy inhibitor 3-MA was used to validate the role of 
autophagy in the regulatory mechanism of Sakuranin in T24 cell behaviors. 
Furthermore, the activation of the p53/mTOR pathway in cells was detected and a 
combination of Sakuranin and p53 inhibitor Pifithrin-µ was adopted to explore 
the involvement of this pathway.
RESULTS: Sakuranin decreased T24 cell proliferation/EdU positive cell 
percentage/colony formation number and area/migration/invasion/scratch 
healing/MMP-2 protein level, and accelerated apoptosis. Sakuranin elevated the 
LC3-II/I ratio and lowered p62 level in T24 cells. 3-MA partially averted 
Sakuranin-mediated repression on cell malignant behaviors. Sakuranin upregulated 
p-p53 and p53 levels, and decreased the p-mTOR/mTOR ratio in T24 cells. The 
effects of Sakuranin on cell biological behaviors were partly annulled by 
Pifithrin-µ treatment.
CONCLUSION: Sakuranin suppressed T24 cell proliferation/migration/invasion, and 
enhanced apoptosis by potentiating autophagy through activating the p53/mTOR 
pathway. This study provided a theoretical basis for Sakuranin as a potential 
drug for clinical treatment of BC.

© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.

DOI: 10.1186/s12894-023-01334-2
PMCID: PMC10594733
PMID: 37875863 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Conflict of interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to 
declare.


3. Z Naturforsch C J Biosci. 2022 Jul 13;78(1-2):27-48. doi:
10.1515/znc-2022-0024.  Print 2023 Jan 27.

Sakuranetin and its therapeutic potentials - a comprehensive review.

Junaid M(1), Basak B(2), Akter Y(1)(3), Afrose SS(1), Nahrin A(1)(4), Emran 
R(5)(6), Shahinozzaman M(7)(8), Tawata S(8).

Author information:
(1)Natural Products Research Division, Advanced Bioinformatics, Computational 
Biology and Data Science Laboratory, Bangladesh, Chattogram, 4226, Bangladesh.
(2)Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Rajshahi, 
Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh.
(3)Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, Noakhali Science & 
Technology University, Chattogram, Bangladesh.
(4)Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North South University, Dhaka, 
Bangladesh.
(5)Bioscience and Bioinformatics Research Center (BBRC), 5/2, Shehora, Dhaka 
Road, Mymensingh, 2200, Bangladesh.
(6)Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Khamarbari, Farmgate, Dhaka, 
1215, Bangladesh.
(7)The Red-Green Research Centre, Tejgaon, Dhaka, 1215, Bangladesh.
(8)PAK Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.

Sakuranetin (SKN), a naturally derived 7-O-methylated flavonoid, was first 
identified in the bark of the cherry tree (Prunus spp.) as an aglycone of 
sakuranin and then purified from the bark of Prunus puddum. It was 
later reported in many other plants including Artemisia campestris, Boesenbergia 
pandurata, Baccharis spp., Betula spp., Juglans spp., and Rhus spp. In plants, 
it functions as a phytoalexin synthesized from its precursor naringenin and is 
the only known phenolic phytoalexin in rice, which is released in response to 
different abiotic and biotic stresses such as UV-irradiation, jasmonic 
acid, cupric chloride, L-methionine, and the phytotoxin coronatine. Till date, 
SKN has been widely reported for its diverse pharmacological benefits including 
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimycobacterial, antiviral, antifungal, 
antileishmanial, antitrypanosomal, glucose uptake stimulation, neuroprotective, 
antimelanogenic, and antitumor properties. Its pharmacokinetics and 
toxicological properties have been poorly understood, thus warranting further 
evaluation together with exploring other pharmacological properties such as 
antidiabetic, neuroprotective, and antinociceptive effects. Besides, in vivo 
studies or clinical investigations can be done for proving its effects as 
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, antimelanogenic, and antitumor agent. This 
review summarizes all the reported investigations with SKN for its 
health-beneficial roles and can be used as a guideline for future studies.

© 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.

DOI: 10.1515/znc-2022-0024
PMID: 35844107 [Indexed for MEDLINE]


4. Saudi J Biol Sci. 2022 Mar;29(3):1402-1406. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.11.035. 
Epub 2021 Nov 29.

Effect of sakuranin on carbohydrate-metabolizing enzyme activity modifications 
in streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced diabetic wistar rats.

Elsadek MF(1), Ahmed BM(1).

Author information:
(1)Community Health Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, 
King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.

This study is to assess the glucose lowering activity of sakuranin in diabetes 
induced rats by streptozotocin (STZ) and nicotinamide (NA). Diabetic rats were 
treated sakuranin for 45 days (20, 40, 80 mg/kg) by orally. Sakuranin (80 mg/kg 
body weight) was normalized the changes of abnormal blood glucose plasma glucose 
and plasma insulin levels. Hence, we have continued the further research with 
this active dose of 80 mg/kg sakuranin. The plasma glucose and glycosylated 
hemoglobin (HbA1c) reduced and insulin, glycogen and hemoglobin levels increased 
by Sakuranin administration in diabetic rats. Additionally, hexokinase and 
glucose-6-phophate dehydrogenase activities increased and glucose-6-phosphatase 
and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase activities decreased in diabetic condition while 
administration of treated compound. In this observed result signified that 
sakuranin may have potential role of diabetic condition rats by evidenced with 
reducing glucose and increasing insulin and also protect the carbohydrate 
metabolic changes.

© 2021 The Author(s).

DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.11.035
PMCID: PMC8913422
PMID: 35280595

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that they have no known 
competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared 
to influence the work reported in this paper.


5. Heliyon. 2022 Jan 31;8(1):e08848. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08848. 
eCollection 2022 Jan.

Antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity of plant extracts from the Asteraceae 
and Rubiaceae families.

Chaniad P(1)(2), Phuwajaroanpong A(1)(2), Techarang T(1)(2), Viriyavejakul P(3), 
Chukaew A(4), Punsawad C(1)(2).

Author information:
(1)Department of Medical Science, School of Medicine, Walailak University, 
Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand.
(2)Research Center in Tropical Pathobiology, Walailak University, Nakhon Si 
Thammarat 80160, Thailand.
(3)Department of Tropical Pathology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol 
University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
(4)Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, Suratthani Rajabhat 
University, Surat Tani 84100, Thailand.

The increasing resistance of parasites to antimalarial drugs and the limited 
number of effective drugs are the greatest challenges in the treatment of 
malaria. It is necessary to search for an alternative medicine for use as a new, 
more effective antimalarial drug. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the in 
vitro antimalarial activity and cytotoxicity of extracts from plants belonging 
to the Asteraceae and Rubiaceae families. The phytoconstituents of one hundred 
ten ethanolic and aqueous extracts from different parts of twenty-three plant 
species were analyzed. Evaluation of their antimalarial activities against the 
chloroquine (CQ)-resistant Plasmodium falciparum (K1) strain was carried out 
using the lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) assay, and their cytotoxicity in Vero 
cells was assessed using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl 
tetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric method. A total of 40.91% of the extracts 
were active antimalarial agents. Three extracts (2.73%) exhibited high 
antiplasmodial activity (IC50 < 10 μg/ml), twenty-four extracts (21.82%) were 
moderately active with IC50 values ranging from 10-50 μg/ml, and eighteen 
extracts (16.36%) were mildly active with IC50 values ranging from 50-100 μg/ml. 
The ethanolic leaf extract of Mussaenda erythrophylla (Dona Trining; Rubiaceae) 
exhibited the highest activity against P. falciparum, with an IC50 value of 3.73 
μg/ml and a selectivity index (SI) of 30.74, followed by the ethanolic leaf 
extract of Mussaenda philippica Dona Luz x M. flava (Dona Marmalade; Rubiaceae) 
and the ethanolic leaf extract of Blumea balsamifera (Camphor Tree; Asteraceae), 
with IC50 values of 5.94 and 9.66 μg/ml and SI values of 25.36 and >20.70, 
respectively. GC-MS analysis of these three plant species revealed the presence 
of various compounds, such as squalene, oleic acid amide, β-sitosterol, quinic 
acid, phytol, oleamide, α-amyrin, sakuranin, quercetin and pillion. In 
conclusion, the ethanolic leaf extract of M. erythrophylla, the leaf extract of 
M. philippica Dona Luz x M. flava and the leaf extract of B. balsamifera had 
strong antimalarial properties with minimal toxicity, indicating that compounds 
from these plant species have the potential to be developed into new 
antiplasmodial agents.

© 2022 The Author(s).

DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08848
PMCID: PMC8814390
PMID: 35141436

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest.