24-Hydroxycholesterol is a natural sterol, which serves as a positive allosteric modulator of N-Methyl-d-Aspartate (NMDA) receptorsR, and a potent activator of the transcription factors LXR.
Gamabufotalin (Gamabufagin), a major bufadienolide of Chansu, has been used for cancer therapy due to its desirable metabolic stability and less adverse effect.IC50 value:Target: in vitro: Gamabufotalin (CS-6) strongly suppressed COX-2 expression by inhibiting the phosphorylation of IKKβ via targeting the ATP-binding site, thereby abrogating NF-κB binding and p300 recruitment to COX-2 promoter. In addition, CS-6 induced apoptosis by activating the cytochrome c and caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway [1]. Gamabufotalin significantly potentiated human breast cancer cells with different status of ER-alpha to apoptosis induction of TRAIL, as evidenced by enhanced Annexin V/FITC positive cells (apoptotic cells), cytoplasmic histone-associated-DNA-fragments, membrane permeability transition (MPT), caspases activation and PARP cleavage [2].in vivo: CS-6 markedly down-regulated the protein levels of COX-2 and phosphorylated p65 NF-κB in tumor tissues of the xenograft mice, and inhibited tumor weight and size [1].
Protodioscin, a major steroidal saponin in dioscoreae rhizome, has been shown to exhibit multiple biological actions, such as anti-hyperlipidemia, anti-cancer, sexual effects and cardiovascular properties.
Gypenoside XVII, a novel phytoestrogen belonging to the gypenosides, can activate estrogen receptors.
Digoxin is a potent inhibitor of Na+/K+-ATPase, clinically used to treat arrhythmia and heart failure.
Alisol A 24-acetate is a natural product.
Sarsasapogenin is a sapogenin from the Chinese medical herb Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, with antidiabetic, anti-oxidative, anticancer and anti-inflamatory activities.
Bufalin a major digoxin-like immunoreactive component of the Chinese medicine Chan Su; has been shown to exert a potential for anticancer activity against various human cancer cell lines in vitro.IC50 value:Target: Anticaner natural compoundin vitro: bufalin remarkably inhibited growth in human gallbladder cancer cells by decreasing cell proliferation, inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Bufalin also disrupted the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and regulated the expression of cell cycle and apoptosis regulatory molecules. Activation of caspase-9 and the subsequent activation of caspase-3 indicated that bufalin may be inducing mitochondria apoptosis pathways [1]. bufalin suppressed the protein levels associated with DNA damage and repair, such as a DNA dependent serine/threonine protein kinase (DNA-PK), DNA repair proteins breast cancer 1, early onset (BRCA1), 14-3-3 σ (an important checkpoint keeper of DDR), mediator of DNA damage checkpoint 1 (MDC1), O6-ethylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) and p53 (tumor suppressor protein) [2]. TNF-α significantly increased p65 translocation into nucleus (P < 0.01) and enhanced NF-κB DNA-binding activity, which were dose-dependently inhibited by bufalin. Furthermore, bufalin attenuated the TNF-α-induced interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), IL-6, and IL-8 production in RAFLSs in a concentration-dependent manner [3]. bufalin enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells by activating the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. Bufalin also promoted the clustering of death receptor 4 (DR4) and DR5 in aggregated lipid rafts [4].in vivo: bufalin (0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg, i.p.) potently decreased carrageenan-induced paw edema. Bufalin down regulated the expression levels of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) during these treatments [5].
Cholesterol myristate is a natural steroid present in traditional Chinese medicine.
5α-Cholestan-3β-ol is a derivitized steroid compound, which is isolated from the testes of White Carneau pigeons.
Campesterol is a plant sterol with cholesterol lowering and anticarcinogenic effects.
Ethynyl estradiol is an orally bio-active estrogen used in almost all modern formulations of combined oral contraceptive pills.Target: Estrogen ReceptorEthinyl estradiol (EE), also sometimes written as ethinylestradiol, ethynyl estradiol, or ethinyl estradiol, is a derivative of 17β-estradiol (E2), the major endogenous estrogen in humans. EE is an orally bioactive estrogen used in many formulations of combined oral contraceptive pills. It is one of the most commonly used medications for this purpose. Transdermal ethinyl estradiol carries a greater risk of clot formation and venous thromboembolism than 17 beta estradiol, which some have theorized to be related to different amounts of hepatic metabolism after absorption. The same contraindications and precautions apply for EE as with other estrogen medications.Estinyl was a preparation of EE alone that was used for the management of menopausal symptoms and female hypogonadism. EE is released into the environment as a xenoestrogen from the urine and feces of people who take it as a medication. The major concern with unopposed estrogen is of endometrial cancer. As such, the medication is generally prescribed with progesterone in the setting of birth control. The first orally active semisynthetic steroidal estrogen, EE (17α-ethynylestradiol), the 17α-ethynyl analog of E2, was synthesized in 1938 by Hans Herloff Inhoffen and Walter Hohlweg at Schering AG in Berlin.
Arenobufagin is a natural bufadienolide from toad venom; has potent antineoplastic activity against HCC HepG2 cells as well as corresponding multidrug-resistant HepG2/ADM cells.IC50 value: Target: in vitro: arenobufagin induced mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in HCC cells, with decreasing mitochondrial potential, as well as increasing Bax/Bcl-2 expression ratio, Bax translocation from cytosol to mitochondria. Arenobufagin also induced autophagy in HepG2/ADM cells. Autophagy-specific inhibitors (3-methyladenine, chloroquine and bafilomycin A1) or Beclin1 and Atg 5 small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) enhanced arenobufagin-induced apoptosis, indicating that arenobufagin-mediated autophagy may protect HepG2/ADM cells from undergoing apoptotic cell death [1]. arenobufagin inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced viability, migration, invasion and tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro [2]. Arenobufagin blocked the Na+/K+ pump current in a dose-dependent manner with a half-maximal concentration of 0.29 microM and a Hill coefficient of 1.1 [3].in vivo: arenobufagin inhibited the growth of HepG2/ADM xenograft tumors, which were associated with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, light chain 3-II activation and mTOR inhibition [1]. Arenobufagin also suppressed sprouting formation from VEGF-treated aortic rings in an ex vivo model [2].
Pseudobufarenogin is a natural compound extracted from toad species with unknown details.
Ercalcidiol is a metabolite of vitamin D2, is regarded as an indicator of vitamin D nutritional status.
Digitoxin is an effective Na+/K+-ATPase inhibitor, the EC50 value of Digitoxin is 0.78 μM.IC50 value: 0.78 μM (EC50)Target: Na+/K+-ATPasein vitro: Digitoxin shows a significantly cytotoxic effect in H1975 cells by causing G2 phase arrest, also remarkably activates 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Moreover, Digitoxin suppresses microtubule formation through decreasing α-tubulin. Digitoxin effectively depresses the growth of TKI-resistance NSCLC H1975 cells by inhibiting microtubule polymerization and inducing cell cycle arrest. Digitoxin has the highest cytotoxicity in H1975 cells, whose CC50 value was 0.19 ± 0.06 μM. Digitoxin-induced inhibition mechanism is likely due to causing G2/M cell cycle arrest in H1975 cells in dose dependent manners.
11beta-Hydroxyprogesterone is a potent inhibitors of 11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase; also activates human mineralocorticoid receptor in COS-7 cells with an ED50 of 10 nM.
Nestoron(ST1435; Elcometrine) is a 19-norprogesterone derivative and steroidal progestin which is used as a hormonal contraceptive; a high-affinity agonist of the progesterone receptor. IC50 value:Tareget: progesterone receptorNestorone acts primarily as a high-affinity agonist of the progesterone receptor. It lacks significant affinity for the androgen receptor, and accordingly, does not produce any androgenic or anabolic effects. It does not bind to the estrogen receptor either. Nestorone does however have some affinity for the glucocorticoid receptor, where it appears to act as an agonist, but it does not appear to produce any glucocorticoid side effects unless used at high doses. Nestorone does not bind to sex hormone-binding globulin, and is instead bound to serum albumin.
Lathosterol is a cholesterol-like molecule. Serum Lathosterol concentration is an indicator of whole-body cholesterol synthesis.
Telocinobufagin is one of anti-hepatoma constituent in Venenum Bufonis.
Ursodiol reduces cholesterol absorption and is used to dissolve gallstones.Target: OthersUrsodiol, also known as ursodeoxycholic acid and the abbreviation UDCA, is one of the secondary bile acids, which are metabolic byproducts of intestinal bacteria. The drug reduces cholesterol absorption and is used to dissolve (cholesterol) gallstones in patients who want an alternative to surgery. The drug is very expensive, however, and if the patient stops taking it, the gallstones tend to recur if the condition that gave rise to their formation does not change. For these reasons, it has not supplanted surgical treatment by cholecystectomy.Ursodeoxycholic acid is currently the only established drug for the treatment of chronic cholestatic liver diseases. It has cytoprotective, anti-apoptotic, membrane stabilizing, anti-oxidative and immunomodulatory effects. Prolonged administration of ursodeoxycholic acid in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is associated with survival benefit and a delaying of liver transplantation.
Lanatoside C is a cardiac glycoside, can be used in the treatment of congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmia.Lanatoside C has an IC50 of 0.19 μM for dengue virus infection in HuH-7 cells. Target:in vitro: Dose-dependent reduction in dengue viral RNA and viral proteins synthesis were also observed upon treatment with increasing concentrations of Lanatoside C. Time of addition study indicated that Lanatoside C inhibits the early processes of the dengue virus replication cycle. Furthermore, Lanatoside C can effectively inhibit all four serotypes of dengue virus, flavivirus Kunjin, alphavirus Chikungunya and Sindbis virus as well as the human enterovirus 71. Lanatoside C possesses broad spectrum antiviral activity against several groups of positive-sense RNA viruses. [2]
Androsterone is a metabolic product of testosterone and can activate Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR).
5α-Pregnane-3β,6α-diol-20-one is a mitogenic metabolite of progesterone, and it can be produced in starved androgen-responsive prostate cancer cells.
Lanosterol is a key triterpenoid intermediate in the biosynthesis of Cholesterol.
Desacetylcinobufotalin is a natural compound; apoptosis inducer and shows the marked inhibition effect to HepG2 cells and the IC50 value is 0.0279μmol/ml.
2-Methoxyestradiol is an angiogenesis inhibitor and apoptosis inducer with potent antineoplastic activity. 2-Methoxyestradiol also destablize microtubules.
Epibrassinolide is a natural brassinosteroid (BR) derivative, is a plant regulator with a similar structure to mammalian steroids. Epibrassinolide is a potential apoptotic inducer in various cancer cells without affecting the non-tumor cell growth.
Corticosterone is an adrenocortical steroid that has modest but significant activities as a mineralocorticoid and a glucocorticoid.
2-Methoxyestrone is a methoxylated catechol estrogen and metabolite of estrone, with a pKa of 10.81.