Malabaricone B

Malabaricone B, a naturally occurring plant phenolic, is an orally active α-glucosidase inhibitor with an IC50 of 63.7 µM. Malabaricone B has anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-oxidation and antidiabetic activities[1][2][3].

Signaling Pathways >> Apoptosis >> Apoptosis

Research Areas >> Cancer

Research Areas >> Infection

Research Areas >> Metabolic Disease

Malabaricone B shows selective toxicity to human lung cancer (A549), malignant melanoma (A375) and T cell leukemia (Jurkat) cell lines, without showing toxicity to human normal intestinal (INT407), human kidney (HEK293) and lung fibroblast (WI-38) cells. Among the chosen cancer cell lines, Malabaricone B shows maximum cytotoxicity to the A549 cells (IC50 = 8.1 μM), which is significantly better than that of curcumin (IC50 = 26.7 μM)[1]. The Malabaricone B-induced apoptosis is mediated by an increase in the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Malabaricone B (2.5, 5, 10 and 20 µM) increases the BAX level while simultaneously decreasing the BCL-2 and BCL-XL levels in the A549 cells, triggering the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway as revealed from the release of cytochrome c, and the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3[1]. Malabaricone B exhibits a good level of antimicrobial activity when tested against avariety of microorganisms, including Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans[2].

Malabaricone B (100 mg/kg; p.o; alternate day, 23 days) inhibits lung tumor (xenograft) growth in SCID mice[1].

[1]. Mrityunjay Tyagi, et al. Spice-derived phenolic, malabaricone B induces mitochondrial damage in lung cancer cells via a p53-independent pathway. Food Funct. 2018 Nov 14;9(11):5715-5727.

[2]. K Y Orabi, et al. Isolation and characterization of two antimicrobial agents from mace (Myristica fragrans). J Nat Prod. May-Jun 1991;54(3):856-9.

[3]. B Prabha, et al. Antidiabetic potential of phytochemicals isolated from the stem bark of Myristica fatua Houtt. var. magnifica (Bedd.) Sinclair. Bioorg Med Chem. 2018 Jul 23;26(12):3461-3467.