摘要
The root bark of Morus alba L. or white mulberry is widely used as traditional medicine in China, Japan and Korea. Major classes and types of phenolic compounds isolated from the root bark are flavonoids(kuwanons, morusin, cyclomorusin and sanggenons), benzofurans(moracins and mulberrofurans), and stilbenoids(mulberrosides). Some of the flavonoids and benzofurans are products of Diel-Alder type adducts. Other classes of compounds include triterpenes, phenolic acids and coumarins. Morusin, a prenylated flavonoid, was first isolated from the root bark of M. alba, and later from the leaf, stem bark and twig of the plant. The potent anti-cancer properties of morusin have attracted much attention with research on-going and new findings being published. The compound inhibits angiogenesis, tumour progression and tumour migration, and triggers apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and autophagy in colorectal, cervical, prostate, breast, hepatoma, pancreatic, glioblastoma, gastric, ovarian and lung cancer cell lines. The anti-cancer activities of morusin are executed via various molecular targets and signalling pathways. It is anticipated that on-going in vitro studies will progress gradually to in vivo studies using animal models before efforts towards drug development can be initiated for clinical trials.
The root bark of Morus alba L. or white mulberry is widely used as traditional medicine in China, Japan and Korea. Major classes and types of phenolic compounds isolated from the root bark are flavonoids(kuwanons, morusin, cyclomorusin and sanggenons), benzofurans(moracins and mulberrofurans), and stilbenoids(mulberrosides). Some of the flavonoids and benzofurans are products of Diel-Alder type adducts. Other classes of compounds include triterpenes, phenolic acids and coumarins. Morusin, a prenylated flavonoid, was first isolated from the root bark of M. alba, and later from the leaf, stem bark and twig of the plant. The potent anti-cancer properties of morusin have attracted much attention with research on-going and new findings being published. The compound inhibits angiogenesis, tumour progression and tumour migration, and triggers apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and autophagy in colorectal, cervical, prostate, breast, hepatoma, pancreatic, glioblastoma, gastric, ovarian and lung cancer cell lines. The anti-cancer activities of morusin are executed via various molecular targets and signalling pathways. It is anticipated that on-going in vitro studies will progress gradually to in vivo studies using animal models before efforts towards drug development can be initiated for clinical trials.
作者简介
Corresponding author:Eric Wei Chiang Chan,Tel.:+60-3-9101-8880 E-mail:chanwc@ucsiuniversity.edu.my,erchan@yahoo.com,Dr Eric Chan,Associate Professor of the Faculty of Applied Sciences,UCSI University,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia,obtained his PhD(Natural Product Chemistry)from Monash University in 2009.His professional affiliations include Associate Editor of Journal of Complementary Medicine Research,and Member of the Editorial Board of Journal of Phytology,Asian Council of Science Editors,and American Chemical Society.He is life member of the Pharmacognosy Network Worldwide,International Society of Mangrove Ecosystems,and Monash University Chapter of the Golden Key International Honour Society.Dr Eric Chan has 80 publications in international refereed journals with 56 as the lead author.His publications have received more than 2173 citations in Google Scholar.He was one of the Top 5 Competitors of the Elsevier Green and Sustainable Chemistry Challenge 2015,out of 500 proposals submitted globally.In April 2016,he presented his proposal at the Green and Sustainable Chemistry Conference in Berlin,Germany.In the same month,he was awarded the Promising Researcher Award by UCSI University.
