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Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. With the help of current scientific developments and traditional knowledge about medicinal plants, great progress could be made in the fight against cancer. The present study attempts to scientifically validate the ethnomedicinal and anticancer effects of Mesua ferrea Linn from the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India. Using preparative HPLC, two main fractions (C1 and C2) were isolated from the methanolic extract of Mesua ferrea and their bioactivity was investigated. Gas chromatography/Mass spectrometry analysis of Mesua ferrea methanol extract revealed the presence of 7 phytocomponents. Fraction C2 shows maximum potency against liver HepG2 cancer cell lines. Fraction C2 was further purified and subjected to spectroscopic analysis by 13C NMR, 1H NMR, FTIR and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques. The structure is predicted and identified as 6-ethyl-3- hydroxy-4-methyl-8aH-xanthen-9(10aH)-one. This compound was found to have antiproliferative activity with an IC50 value of 352.007 µg/ml compared to the standard drug (camptothecin) with an IC50 value of 52.253 µg/ml and a crude drug of 177.006 µg/ml. Anticancer efficacy of the purified compound assessed by Annexin V apoptosis Study Using HepG2 cell lines. The compound exhibits significant early and late apoptosis of 13.6 % and 15.5 %, respectively, compared to the standard drug camptothecin with 28.7 % and 18.7 % early and late apoptosis and 7.02 % and 11.8 %. Caspase-3 expression analysis using HepG2 cell lines revealed that the purified compound inhibited early apoptosis in HepG2 cells at a concentration of 352 µg/ml, activating the caspase-3 cascade by 15.3 % compared with 17 % of the standard drug CTP. The result of the DNA fragmentation test supported the results of Annexin V and caspase 3 expression and showed significant protection. Our results indicate that 6-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-8aH-xanthen-9(10aH)-one isolated from Mesua ferrea may be a new lead molecule for the development of an antiproliferative, DNA-protective and effective anticancer drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inter simple sequence repeat markers were used to assess the genetic diversity and population genetic structure in 12 populations of Nothapodytes nimmoniana from Western Ghats of India. A total of 16 selected primers produced 103 discernible bands, with 76 (73.7%) being polymorphic. The Nei's gene diversity (h) ranged from 0.1166 to 0.2124, with an average of 0.1518 at the population level and 0.2965 at the species level indicating high genetic diversity. The Shannon's index (I) was estimated to be 0.2189 within populations (range 0.1703–0.2947) and 0.4352 at the species level. The analysis of molecular variance showed that the genetic variation was found mainly within populations (73%), but variance among populations was only 27% and its value, ΦPT = 0.271, P < 0.001, implied that high genetic differentiation among populations. In addition, Nei's differentiation coefficient (GST) was found to be high (0.4882) and the gene flow (Nm) was low (0.5242), confirming the high population genetic differentiation. The unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic average clustering elicited similar results. Based on this, we propose conservation strategy for this plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Camptothecin, topoisomerase I-DNA inhibitor, has been evaluated in methanolic extract of various parts of Nothapodytes nimmoniana (J. Graham) Mabberly (Family Icacinaceae) collected in the month of February from different regions (Mahabaleshwar and Patan regions of Maharashtra state and Sirsi region of Karnataka state) of Western Ghats, India, using high performance liquid chromatography. Quantification was performed with the regression analysis and the method was validated as per International Conference of Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. In regard to various plant parts, maximum concentration of camptothecin was found in root (2.62%) collected from Mahabaleshwar, Patan (1.21%) and Sirsi (0.88%) regions followed by stem collected from Patan (1.45%), Sirsi (0.70%) and Mahabaleshwar (0.43%) regions. The lowest concentration of camptothecin was found in leaves collected from Sirsi (0.29) region, followed by Patan (0.37) and Mahabaleshwar (0.70%) region. Fruits collected from Mahabaleshwar region contain maximum concentration of camptothecin (0.63%) whereas fruits from Patan region contain minimum concentration of camptothecin (0.36%). There was a 2-fold higher concentration of camptothecin observed in roots from Mahabaleshwar region than roots from Sirsi and Patan region. So it is evident that geographical and climatic conditions have remarkable influence in the content of camptothecin in N. nimmoniana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endophytic wild fungal strain Phyllosticta elongata MH458897 isolated from medicinal plant Cipadessa baccifera from the Western Ghats region of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve Forest. This endophytic fungus has potential of effective anticancer drug Camptothecin (CPT). Endophytic fungi act as key symbionts in-between plants and ecosystem in the biosphere. This recently identified microbial population inside the plants produces many defence metabolites against plant pathogens. Among these defense metabolites, CPT gained much attention because of its effective anticancer activity. The maximum yield of CPT produced by optimizing the various factors like DEKM07 medium, pH 5.6, incubation time using Response Surface Methodology based on Central Composite Design. Extracted CPT is characterized using High Performance Liquid Chromatography and Electrospray ionization-Mass spectrometry. The highest yield of CPT was 0.747 mg/L was produced at optimized factors of dextrose – 50 g L−1, peptone – 5.708 g L−1, magnesium sulphate – 0.593 g L−1, and incubation time – 14 days. In-vitro MTT assay revealed the CPT derivatives were cytotoxic to A-549 cancer cell line (IC 50 58.28 μg/ml) as nearly compared to the (IC 50 51.08 μg/ml) standard CPT. CPT producing strain P. elongata from C. baccifera has the potential of CPT biosynthesis, and could be an effective anticancer bio metabolite. This compound has been described in the literature to be an effective anticancer metabolite. Our findings support the novel lifesaving anticancer drug from endophytic fungus in forest ecosystem concludes effective utilization of key symbionts will safeguard the humans and forest ecosystem. [Display omitted] • First report of Camptothecin (CPT) from an endophytic fungus Phyllosticta elongata. • CPT derivatives showed promising in-vitro cytotoxicity against A549 cancer cells. • DEKM07 medium was optimal designed media for P. elongata to produce CPT. • Maximum yield of CPT from wild strain of P. elongata is 0.747 mg/L using RSM. • CPT was first isolated from Cipadessa baccifera in STRF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]