Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 25, 2026
Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment
Published on: June 9, 2023
Aglycone solanidine and solasodine derivatives: A natural approach towards cancer
Abdul Hameed1, Shakeel Ijaz1, Imran Shair Mohammad2
1Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Alternative Medicines, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Punjab, 63100, Pakistan.
Abstract:
Over the past few years, it was suggested that a rational approach to treat cancer in clinical settings requires a multipronged approach that augments improvement in systemic efficiency along with modification in cellular phenotype leads to more efficient cell death response. Recently, the combinatory delivery of traditional chemotherapeutic drugs with natural compounds proved to be astonishing to deal with a variety of cancers, especially that are resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs. The natural compounds not only synergize the effects of chemotherapeutics but also minimize drug associated systemic toxicity. In this review, our primary focus was on antitumor effects of natural compounds. Previously, the drugs from natural sources are highly precise and safer than drugs of synthetic origins. Many natural compounds exhibit anti-cancer potentials by inducing apoptosis in different tumor models, in-vitro and in-vivo. Furthermore, natural compounds are also found equally useful in chemotherapeutic drug resistant tumors. Moreover, these Phyto-compounds also possess numerous other pharmacological properties such as antifungal, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal, and hepatoprotection. Aglycone solasodine and solanidine derivatives are the utmost important steroidal glycoalkaloids that are present in various Solanum species, are discussed here. These natural compounds are highly cytotoxic against different tumor cell lines. As the molecular weight is concerned; these are smaller molecular weight chemotherapeutic agents that induce cell death response by initiating apoptosis through both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways.
Insights
Natural compounds enhance chemotherapy efficacy and reduce toxicity for various cancers, including drug-resistant types. These compounds, like solasodine and solanidine derivatives, induce cancer cell death via apoptosis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
- Natural Products Chemistry
Background:
- Cancer treatment often requires a multifaceted approach combining systemic improvements and cellular modifications for effective cell death.
- Natural compounds are increasingly recognized for their ability to synergize with chemotherapeutics, overcoming drug resistance and minimizing systemic toxicity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the antitumor effects of natural compounds, particularly steroidal glycoalkaloids like solasodine and solanidine derivatives from Solanum species.
- To highlight the potential of natural compounds in cancer therapy, including their mechanisms of action and broader pharmacological properties.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on studies investigating the anticancer properties of natural compounds.
- Analysis of mechanisms by which natural compounds induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells.
- Examination of the cytotoxic effects of specific compounds like solasodine and solanidine derivatives against various tumor cell lines.
Main Results:
- Natural compounds demonstrate significant antitumor potential by inducing apoptosis through both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways.
- These compounds are effective against a range of cancer types, including those resistant to conventional chemotherapy.
- Specific steroidal glycoalkaloids, solasodine and solanidine derivatives, exhibit high cytotoxicity against tumor cells.
- Natural compounds possess additional pharmacological benefits, such as antifungal, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal, and hepatoprotective activities.
Conclusions:
- Natural compounds offer a promising, safer alternative or adjunct to synthetic chemotherapeutics in cancer treatment.
- The ability of natural compounds to induce apoptosis and overcome drug resistance makes them valuable in oncology.
- Solasodine and solanidine derivatives represent a class of small molecular weight agents with significant potential for cancer therapy.
More Related Videos
11:44Cellular Membrane Affinity Chromatography Columns to Identify Specialized Plant Metabolites Interacting with Immobilized Tropomyosin Kinase Receptor B
Published on: January 19, 2022
09:03Establishment of Hepatocarcinoma in BALB/c-nu Mice and Investigation of the Therapeutic Effect of the Sanleng Jiashen Formula
Published on: January 26, 2024
Related Concept Videos
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
01:27Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists
01:15Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules
02:49Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
02:30siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the...