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Anticancer Activity and Mechanism of Action of Couroupita guianensis Bark Decoction in Gastric Adenocarcinoma Cancer Cell Line

Authors

Keywords:

Couroupita guianensis, apoptosis, cell cycle, cytotoxicity, autophagy, AGS cells, gastric cancer, traditional medicine

Abstract

Couroupita guianensis, a medicinal plant autochthonal to South America and South India, is widely used in the ethnomedicine of the indigenous peoples of these regions thanks to its alleged antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and wound-healing properties. The majority of studies have mainly analyzed organic extracts of the Indian plant’s flowers and leaves, with limited research on its bark decoction, traditionally used in Amazonian shamanic medicine. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effects of the bark decoction and its main fractions obtained through chromatographic separation, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms in AGS gastric cancer cells. Viability, cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis and protein expression related to these processes were evaluated. Both the bark decoction and fraction III significantly inhibited cell viability, and the cytotoxic effect was linked to cell cycle blockade and the induction of apoptosis also through an engulfment of the autophagic flux. Increased expression or activation of the key proteins (p53, p21, cdk2, Bak, caspases, pAMPK, pAkt, beclin, p62 and LC3BII) involved in these processes was observed. The results obtained confirmed an important anticancer effect of C. guianensis bark decoction, providing scientific validation for its use in traditional medicine and highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent against gastric cancer. Keywords: Couroupita guianensis, apoptosis, cell cycle, cytotoxicity, autophagy, AGS cells, gastric cancer, traditional medicine

Author Biographies

Simona Pisanti, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy; [email protected] (S.P.); [email protected] (S.P.); [email protected] (S.S.)

Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Serena Penna, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy; [email protected] (S.P.); [email protected] (S.P.); [email protected] (S.S.)

Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Silvia Sposito, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy; [email protected] (S.P.); [email protected] (S.P.); [email protected] (S.S.)

Investigation, Data curation, Writing – review & editing

Tiziana Esposito, Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy; [email protected] (T.E.); [email protected] (T.M.); [email protected] (R.C.); [email protected] (R.P.A.)

Investigation

Teresa Mencherini, Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy; [email protected] (T.E.); [email protected] (T.M.); [email protected] (R.C.); [email protected] (R.P.A.)

Investigation, Data curation, Writing – review & editing

Rita Celano, Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy; [email protected] (T.E.); [email protected] (T.M.); [email protected] (R.C.); [email protected] (R.P.A.)

Investigation

Tania Re, UNESCO Chair Salerno Plantae Medicinales Mediterraneae, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy; [email protected]

Resources

Rita Aquino, Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy; [email protected] (T.E.); [email protected] (T.M.); [email protected] (R.C.); [email protected] (R.P.A.)

Resources, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition

Rosanna Martinelli, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy; [email protected] (S.P.); [email protected] (S.P.); [email protected] (S.S.)

Conceptualization, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition

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