In-vivo and in-silico studies of Eucalyptus kino polyphenolics: outstanding activity in quenching solid liver tumors through inhibition of MMP-9 and TGF-β gene expression

Nat Prod Res. 2023 Jan;37(2):343-347. doi: 10.1080/14786419.2021.1961254. Epub 2021 Sep 8.

Abstract

As a result of our continuous research efforts to investigate the molecular mechanisms of Eucalyptus kino polyphenolics for healing liver solid tumors, in-vivo histopathological studies of the solid tumor tissues and in-silico molecular docking were carried out. Histopathology of female mice treated with a dose of 200 mg/kg Eucalyptus kino methanolic extract in combination with low level ionising γ-radiation (0.25 Gy) recovered a near-to-normal histological structure revealing a substantial number of cells with hyper-chromachia in nuclei, fibroblast lobules and necrotic cells. Analysis for matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) by Western blot and also molecular docking study were conducted to evaluate and rank the potential of the individual components dominated in the extract to inhibit MMP-9 and TGF-β. The current study presents new lead compounds for the design of novel MMP-9 and TGF-β strong inhibitors of natural origin.

Keywords: Eucalyptus kino; TGF-β; in-silico, carcinoma; metalloproteinase-9; polyphenols.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Eucalyptus*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Liver Neoplasms*
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism

Substances

  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 9
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Mmp9 protein, mouse