Topic Editors

Department of Pharmacy, University “G. D’Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy
Department of Pharmacy, G. d’Annunzio University, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Department of Pharmacy, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy

Antitumor Activity of Natural Products and Related Compounds, 2nd Volume

Abstract submission deadline
30 September 2025
Manuscript submission deadline
31 December 2025
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2487

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in humans today, and the number of people affected by cancer is growing. As a result, the search for new antitumor agents that may be more effective and secure than existing treatments is an ongoing effort.

Nature provides a wide range of compounds with a great variety of chemical scaffolds and distinct bioactivity profiles. Indeed, natural products are a rich source of bioactive molecules that, over the years, have found application in the treatment of many diseases, including cancer. Natural products have played an important role in chemotherapy and chemoprevention by providing antitumor drugs, such as camptothecin, doxorubicin, paclitaxel, vinblastine, and vincristine, as well as in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying antitumor activity. Significant advances in natural source isolation and extraction techniques have enabled the identification of novel lead compounds as useful starting points for the generation of optimized molecules with enhanced therapeutic potential via semi-synthetic or synthetic processes.

The focus of this Topic is on natural substances derived from plants or animals, as well as their synthetic derivatives, which have been investigated for their ability to counteract cancer progression.

Dr. Barbara De Filippis
Dr. Alessandra Ammazzalorso
Dr. Marialuigia Fantacuzzi
Topic Editors

Keywords

  • anticancer
  • antiproliferation
  • natural compounds
  • natural derivatives
  • drug discovery
  • bioactive natural products
  • synthetic compounds
  • medicinal chemistry
  • computational chemistry
  • biological activity
  • structure–activity relationship
  • structure-based drug design
  • target identification and validation

Participating Journals

Journal Name Impact Factor CiteScore Launched Year First Decision (median) APC
Biomolecules
biomolecules
5.5 8.3 2011 16.9 Days CHF 2700 Submit
Cancers
cancers
5.2 7.4 2009 17.9 Days CHF 2900 Submit
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
ijms
5.6 7.8 2000 16.3 Days CHF 2900 Submit
Molecules
molecules
4.6 6.7 1996 14.6 Days CHF 2700 Submit
Scientia Pharmaceutica
scipharm
2.5 6.4 1930 22.7 Days CHF 1000 Submit
Pharmaceutics
pharmaceutics
5.4 6.9 2009 14.2 Days CHF 2900 Submit

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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15 pages, 5364 KiB  
Article
Synergistic Anti-Cancer Effects of ERB-041 and Genistein through Estrogen Receptor Suppression-Mediated PI3K/AKT Pathway Downregulation in Canine Mammary Gland Tumor Cells
by Min-Jae Yoo, Ye-Ji Jang, Sang-Youel Park, Ja-Wun Choi and Jae-Won Seol
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(5), 2466; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25052466 - 20 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 657
Abstract
Canine-mammary-gland tumors (CMTs) are prevalent in female dogs, with approximately 50% of them being malignant and often presenting as inoperable owing to their size or metastasis. Owing to poor outcomes, effective alternatives to conventional chemotherapy for humans are necessary. Two estrogen receptors, estrogen [...] Read more.
Canine-mammary-gland tumors (CMTs) are prevalent in female dogs, with approximately 50% of them being malignant and often presenting as inoperable owing to their size or metastasis. Owing to poor outcomes, effective alternatives to conventional chemotherapy for humans are necessary. Two estrogen receptors, estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and estrogen receptor beta (ERβ), which act in opposition to each other, are involved, and CMT growth involves ERα through the phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)/AKT pathway. In this study, we aimed to identify the synergistic anti-cancer effects of ERB-041, an ERβ agonist, and genistein, an isoflavonoid from soybeans known to have ERβ-specific pseudo-estrogenic actions, on CMT-U27 and CF41.Mg CMT cell lines. ERB-041 and genistein synergistically inhibited cell proliferation and increased the number of annexin V-positive cells in both cell lines. Furthermore, we observed a synergistic increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and cleaved caspase-3 expression. Additionally, cell-cycle arrest occurred through the synergistic regulation of cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4). We also found a synergistic decrease in the expression of ERα, and the expression of proteins involved in the PI3K/AKT pathway, including p-PI3K, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), AKT, and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). In conclusion, ERB-041 and genistein exhibited a synergistic anticancer effect on CMTs, suggesting that cotreatment with ERB-041 and genistein is a promising treatment for CMTs. Full article
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14 pages, 4297 KiB  
Article
The Use of Schisandrin B to Combat Triple-Negative Breast Cancers by Inhibiting NLRP3-Induced Interleukin-1β Production
by Chun-Ming Chang, Ting-Ruei Liang and Ho Yin Pekkle Lam
Biomolecules 2024, 14(1), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14010074 - 05 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1203
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive and fatal breast cancer subtype. Nowadays, chemotherapy remains the standard treatment of TNBC, and immunotherapy has emerged as an important alternative. However, the high rate of TNBC recurrence suggests that new treatment is desperately needed. [...] Read more.
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive and fatal breast cancer subtype. Nowadays, chemotherapy remains the standard treatment of TNBC, and immunotherapy has emerged as an important alternative. However, the high rate of TNBC recurrence suggests that new treatment is desperately needed. Schisandrin B (Sch B) has recently revealed its anti-tumor effects in cancers such as cholangiocarcinoma, hepatoma, glioma, and multi-drug-resistant breast cancer. However, there is still a need to investigate using Sch B in TNBC treatment. Interleukin (IL)-1β, an inflammatory cytokine that can be expressed and produced by the cancer cell itself, has been suggested to promote BC proliferation and progression. In the current study, we present evidence that Sch B can significantly suppress the growth, migration, and invasion of TNBC cell lines and patient-derived TNBC cells. Through inhibition of inflammasome activation, Sch B inhibits interleukin (IL)-1β production of TNBC cells, hindering its progression. This was confirmed using an NLRP3 inhibitor, OLT1177, which revealed a similar beneficial effect in combating TNBC progression. Sch B treatment also inhibits IL-1β-induced EMT expression of TNBC cells, which may contribute to the anti-tumor response. Full article
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