• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.266-275
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• 2024

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a rare subpopulation of cancer cells that exhibit stem cell-like characteristics, including self-renewal and differentiation in a multi-stage lineage state via symmetric or asymmetric division, causing tumor initiation, heterogeneity, progression, and recurrence and posing a major challenge to current anticancer therapy. Despite the importance of CSCs in carcinogenesis and cancer progression, currently available anticancer therapeutics have limitations for eradicating CSCs. Moreover, the efficacy and therapeutic windows of currently available anti-CSC agents are limited, suggesting the necessity to optimize and develop a novel anticancer agent targeting CSCs. Ginseng has been traditionally used for enhancing immunity and relieving fatigue. As ginseng's long history of use has demonstrated its safety, it has gained attention for its potential pharmacological properties, including anticancer effects. Several studies have identified the bioactive principles of ginseng, such as ginseng saponin (ginsenosides) and non-saponin compounds (e.g., polysaccharides, polyacetylenes, and phenolic compounds), and their pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antifatigue, and neuroprotective effects. Notably, recent reports have shown the potential of ginseng-derived compounds as anti-CSC agents. This review investigates the biology of CSCs and efforts to utilize ginseng-derived components for cancer treatment targeting CSCs, highlighting their role in overcoming current therapeutic limitations.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 2009

To develop new anticancer agents, 3-allylthio-6-aminopyridazine derivatives were synthesized from maleic anhydrides or phthalic anhydrides by formation of a pyridazine nucleus, dichlorination, allylthiolation and amination. The pyridazine nuclei were obtained by condensing a hydrazine monohydrate with maleic anhydride. An allylthio group as a pharmacologically active group was introduced into one side of a pyridazine ring. Arylalkylamines with benzene or pyridine moieties or heterocycloalkylamines with heterocycle moieties such as morpholine, piperidine, or pyrrolidine were also introduced into the para-position of allylthio pyridazine. These new compounds showed antiproliferative activities against SK-Hep-1 human liver cancer cells in MTT assays. These compounds are thus promising candidates for chemotherapy of hepatocellular carcinomas. Two compounds, 20c and 22a, showed higher potencies for inhibiting growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells than did K6 ($ID_50$=1.08 mM). This suggests the potential anticancer activity of these two compounds.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.732-738
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• 2001

This study was attempted to isolate and identify the anticancer compounds from Eucommia ulmoides leaves using a human colon cancer cell line HCT-116. The petroleum ether extracts with anticancer activity was chromatographed on silica gel TLC and finally anticancer compounds was purified by HPLC. Their chemical structures were roughly elucidate by UV-VIS absorption spectral data HPLC elution pattern and FAM/MS spectroscopy. From this study these compounds were suspected to be pheophytin a formed by the removal of $Mg^{2+}$ from chlorophyll a and pyropheophytina formed by the removal of acetate group from pheophytin a respectively. To confirm the anticancer effects against HCT-116 cancer cell petroleum ether extract fractions of column chromatography and fractions separated on TLC were tested. All samples tested including the extract of petroleum ether fractions of column chromatograph and three bands (0.13,0.19,0.25) of TLC appeared to inhibit the growth of HCT-116 cancer cell however especially 0.19 and 0.25 fractions separated on TLC plate revealed the strongest effect. These results suggest that chlorophyll derivatives in Eucommia ulmoides may be potential anticancer agents against a human colon cancer cell HCT-116.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.401-409
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• 2017

The primary cilium is a non-motile microtubule-based organelle that protrudes from the surface of most human cells and works as a cellular antenna to accept extracellular signals. Primary cilia assemble from the basal body during the resting stage ($G_0$ phase) and simultaneously disassemble with cell cycle re-entry. Defective control of assembly or disassembly causes diverse human diseases including ciliopathy and cancer. To identify the effective compounds for studying primary cilium disassembly, we have screened 297 natural compounds and identified 18 and 17 primary cilium assembly and disassembly inhibitors, respectively. Among them, the application of KY-0120, identified as Brefeldin A, disturbed Dvl2-Plk1-mediated cilium disassembly via repression of the interaction of $CK1{\varepsilon}-Dvl2$ and the expression of Plk1 mRNA. Therefore, our study may suggest useful compounds for studying the cellular mechanism of primary cilium disassembly to prevent ciliopathy and cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1571-1578
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• 2013

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Recently, the demand for more effective and safer therapeutic agents for the chemoprevention of human cancer has increased. As a white rot fungus, Inonotus obliquus is valued as an edible and medicinal resource. Chemical investigations have shown that I. obliquus produces a diverse range of secondary metabolites, including phenolic compounds, melanins, and lanostane-type triterpenoids. Among these are active components for antioxidant, antitumoral, and antiviral activities and for improving human immunity against infection of pathogenic microbes. Importantly, their anticancer activities have become a hot recently, but with relatively little knowledge of their modes of action. Some compounds extracted from I. obliquus arrest cancer cells in the G0/G1 phase and then induce cell apoptosis or differentiation, whereas some examples directly participate in the cell apoptosis pathway. In other cases, polysaccharides from I. obliquus can indirectly be involved in anticancer processes mainly via stimulating the immune system. Furthermore, the antioxidative ability of I. obliquus extracts can prevent generation of cancer cells. In this review, we highlight recent findings regarding mechanisms underlying the anticancer influence of I. obliquus, to provide a comprehensive landscape view of the actions of this mushroom in preventing cancer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1667-1671
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• 2021

A new homocysteine thiolactone derivative, thiolactomide (1), was isolated along with a known compound, N-acetyl homocysteine thiolactone (2), from a culture extract of soil-derived Streptomyces sp. RK88-1441. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by detailed NMR and MS spectroscopic analyses with literature study. In addition, biological evaluation studies revealed that compounds 1 and 2 both exert neuroprotective activity against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-mediated neurotoxicity by blocking the generation of hydrogen peroxide in neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.16-25
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• 2006

A novel series of 1-(1-benzofuran-2-yl-ethylidene)-4-substituted thiosemicarbazides (2a-d) along with some derived ring systems: substituted-2,3-dihydro-thiazoles(3a-c, 4a-f) and thiazolidin-4-ones(5a-d and 6a-d), were synthesized. In addition, cyanoacetic acid-(1-benzofuran-2-yl-ethylidene) hydrazide(7) was used to prepare another new series of compounds consisting of substituted pyridin-2(1H)-ones(8a-c); 2-thioxo-2,3-dihydro-thiazoles(9a-d) and 2-thioxo-2,3-dihydro-6H-thiazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidin-7-ones (10a-c, 11a-c). The absolute configuration of compound 5c was determined by X-ray crystallography. The compounds prepared were evaluated for their in vitro anti-HIV, anticancer, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. Among the tested compounds, compounds 5c and 9a produced a significant reduction ㅐ ㄹ the viral cytopathic effect (93.19% and 59.55%) at concentrations $>2.0{\times}10^{-4}\;M\;and\;2.5{\times}10^{-5}\;M$respectively. Compound 9a was confirmed to have moderate anti-HIV activity. Compounds 2a, 2d, and 5c showed mild antifungal activity. However, none of the tested compounds showed any significant anticancer activity.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.436-441
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• 2004

SJ compounds (SJ8002 and related compounds) are a group of novel anticancer agents (Cho, Chung, Lee, Kwon, Kang, Joo, and Oh. PCT/KR02/00392). To explore the anticancer mechanism of these compounds, we examined the effect of SJ8002 on microtubules of six human cell lines. At a high concentration ($2\;{\mu}g/mL$), SJ8002 effectively disrupted microtubules of the six cell lines within 1 h. At lower concentrations ($0.05\~1.0\;{\mu}g/mL$), the antimicrotubule activity of SJ8002 varied defending on cell lines. The inhibition of in vitro polymerization of pure tubulin by SJ8002 suggested that SJ8002 acts on free tubulin, inhibits the polymerization of tubulin dimer into microtubules, and hence induces the depolymerization of microtubules.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.146-151
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• 2014

The purification of the MeOH extracts from the aerial parts of Aceriphyllum rossii Engler (Saxifragaceae) using column chromatography furnished fourteen compounds (1 - 14). The chemical structures of the isolated compounds were determined using mainly nuclear magnetic resonance spectra and mass spectrometry. All the isolated compounds were tested for their cytotoxic activity against LH-60, MCF-7 and HeLa cancer cells in vitro using a MTT assay method. Compounds possessing an olean-triterpenoid skeleton entirely exhibit dose dependent cytotoxic activity. These findings partially confirmed the anticancer effect of this medicinal plant, suggesting a further study on the anticancer potential of the triterpenoid structure in compounds from this plant.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.743-752
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• 1999

The purpose of the paper is to explore the current knowledge on the nutritional evaluation, cholesterol-lowering effect and antitumor activity of kimchi and its ingredients(Korean cabbage, garlic, red pepper powder, ginger and onion). Kimchi contains high contents of nutrients such as vitamins(ascorbic acid, $\beta$-carotene and vitamin B complex), minerals(calcium, potassium, iron and phosphorous), essential amino acids and dietary fiber. Kimch also contains high levels of lactic acid bacteria, allicin, capsaicin, organic acid, phenol compounds, flavonoid and sulfur compounds. The dietary fiber and lactic acid bacteria isolated from kimchi are effective in improving intestinal microflora of human. Isoluble dietary fiber shows anticancer activity, but soluble dietary fiber shows hypocholesterolemic effect. Lactic acid bacteria isolated from kimchi acts as a hypocholesterolemic or anticancer agent. A major ingredient of kimchi is mainly cruciferous and allium family vegetables, which were also reported to prevent cancer and atherosclerosis. It is suggested that kimchi is important not only as one of the traditional fermented Korean food but also as therapeutic agent for carcinogenesis and hypercholesterolemic state.