Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 26, 2026

Investigating the Protective Effects of Platycodin D on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in a Palmitic Acid-Induced In Vitro Model
08:20

Investigating the Protective Effects of Platycodin D on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in a Palmitic Acid-Induced In Vitro Model

Published on: December 2, 2022

1.9K

Inhibitory effects of four plants flavonoids extracts on fatty acid synthase

Jun Chen1, Donghong Zhuang2, Weijia Cai3

  • 1Department of Biology, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Shantou University, Shantou 515041, China.

Journal of Environmental Sciences (China)
|August 2, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is overactive in many cancers, making it a drug target. Citrus reticulata Blanco and Canavium album Raeuseh leaf flavonoids show potent FAS inhibition, offering natural cancer therapy potential.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is frequently overexpressed and hyperactive in various cancers.
  • FAS hyperactivity drives cancer cell proliferation and survival, making it a promising therapeutic target.
  • Inhibiting FAS preferentially affects cancer cells over normal cells, highlighting its specificity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare FAS activity across 11 human cancer cell lines.
  • To establish a cell model with high FAS activity for evaluating natural inhibitors.
  • To investigate the inhibitory effects of flavonoid extracts from selected plants on FAS activity.

Main Methods:

  • Spectrophotometric assays were used to quantify FAS activity in esophageal, gastric, lung, hepatoma, cervical, and leukemia cancer cell lines.
  • The A549 lung cancer cell line, exhibiting the highest FAS activity, was selected as the experimental model.
  • Flavonoid extracts from Canavium album Raeuseh leaves, Bombax ceiba Linn, Brassica albograbra Bailey, and Citrus reticulata Blanco were prepared and tested for FAS inhibition.

Main Results:

  • Significant variations in FAS activity were observed among the tested cancer cell lines, with A549 showing the highest activity (127.36 ± 10.14 U/mg protein).
  • Flavonoid extracts from Citrus reticulata Blanco and Canavium album Raeuseh leaves demonstrated superior FAS inhibitory effects compared to the standard inhibitor C75.
  • Both effective flavonoid extracts inhibited the proliferation of cultured cancer cells.

Conclusions:

  • The A549 cell line serves as an effective model for studying FAS inhibitors.
  • Citrus reticulata Blanco rind and Canavium album Raeuseh leaves are valuable sources for natural FAS inhibitors.
  • These findings support the development of natural flavonoids as potential therapeutic agents for cancer treatment.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Establishing MASLD Cell Models for Investigating Disease Mechanisms and the Lipid-Lowering Effects of Koumiss07:03

Author Spotlight: Establishing MASLD Cell Models for Investigating Disease Mechanisms and the Lipid-Lowering Effects of Koumiss

Published on: July 19, 2024

1.9K
Network Pharmacology Prediction and Metabolomics Validation of the Mechanism of Fructus Phyllanthi against Hyperlipidemia11:06

Network Pharmacology Prediction and Metabolomics Validation of the Mechanism of Fructus Phyllanthi against Hyperlipidemia

Published on: April 7, 2023

2.9K

Related Concept Videos

Feedback Inhibition00:46

Feedback Inhibition

Biochemical reactions are occurring constantly in cells, converting starting substances to different products, usually with the help of enzymes that speed the reactions. Without enzymes, it would take far too long for most reactions to occur to be useful to the cell!
44.0K
Inhibitors of Bacterial DNA Synthesis01:28

Inhibitors of Bacterial DNA Synthesis

Bacterial pathogens depend on precise and efficient DNA replication to sustain infection. Two type II topoisomerases—DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV—are critical to this process, as they resolve DNA supercoiling and unlink chromosomes during replication. Fluoroquinolones, synthetic derivatives of quinolones, exploit this mechanism by stabilizing the transient DNA–enzyme cleavage complex, preventing strand religation, and causing lethal double-strand breaks. These...
125
Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism01:28

Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism

Lipids also are sources of energy that power cellular processes. Like carbohydrates, lipids are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but these atoms are arranged differently. Most lipids are nonpolar and hydrophobic. Major types include fats and oils, waxes, phospholipids, and steroids.
Fatty acids are catabolized in a process called beta-oxidation, which takes place in the matrix of the mitochondria and converts their fatty acid chains into two-carbon units of acetyl groups. The acetyl...
25.3K
Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Mechanism of Action01:18

Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Mechanism of Action

Indirect-acting cholinergic agonists work by interacting with an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the synaptic cleft. They can be reversible or irreversible inhibitors and have different effects on the enzyme.
Reversible inhibitors like edrophonium bind to a specific part of the enzyme called the anionic catalytic site. They form noncovalent bonds, which means they are not strongly attached to the enzyme. This creates a temporary and less stable enzyme–inhibitor complex,...
2.8K