Cucurbitacin B

Cucurbitacin B is a oxygenated triterpenoid molecule predominantly found in different species of the Cucurbitaceae family. One of its most relevant acticity, is the cytotoxic effects towards human cancer cell lines e.g. breast, lung, prostate, and human colon. A recent study from Marostica et al investigates the synergistic antiproliferative effects of a new semisynthetic derivative of cucurbitacin B (DACE) with three chemotherapy drugs: cisplatin (CIS), irinotecan (IRI) and paclitaxel (PAC) on A549 cells. Their data show a therapeutic potential of DACE used in combination with known chemotherapy drugs. (References: Cucurbitacin B inhibits human breast cancer cell proliferation through disruption of microtubule polymerization and nucleophosmin/B23 translocation. Duangmano S, Sae-Lim P, Suksamrarn A, Domann FE, Patmasiriwat P BMC Complement Altern Med. 2012 Oct 12; 12():185. *** Cucurbitacin B potently suppresses non-small-cell lung cancer growth: identification of intracellular thiols as critical targets. Kausar H, Munagala R, Bansal SS, Aqil F, Vadhanam MV, Gupta RC Cancer Lett. 2013 May 10; 332(1):35-45. *** Anti-proliferative effect of 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin F on human prostate cancer cells through induction of actin aggregation and cofilin-actin rod formation. Ren S, Ouyang DY, Saltis M, Xu LH, Zha QB, Cai JY, He XH Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2012 Sep; 70(3):415-24. *** Cucurbitacin B induces G2 arrest and apoptosis via a reactive oxygen species-dependent mechanism in human colon adenocarcinoma SW480 cells. Yasuda S, Yogosawa S, Izutani Y, Nakamura Y, Watanabe H, Sakai T Mol Nutr Food Res. 2010 Apr; 54(4):559-65. *** Synergistic antiproliferative effects of a new cucurbitacin B derivative and chemotherapy drugs on lung cancer cell line A549. Marostica LL, Silva IT, Kratz JM, Persich L, Geller FC, Lang KL, Caro MS, Durán FJ, Schenkel EP, Simões CM. Chem Res Toxicol. 2015 Sep 15. [Epub ahead of print])