To the Editor,
I read with great interest the recent article by Minhas et al. (2012). Withania may exert a number of anti-proliferative effects besides its protective role in SLE.
Withaferin A and withanolide are both extracted from Withinia. Of these, withaferin A is the most potent though withanolide also exhibits growth inhibiting activity (Choudhary et al. 2010). These anti-proliferative effects are clearly seen in NCI-H460 lung cancer cell lines (Yadav et al. 2010). Similarly, when applied to lung cancer cell lines, Withania augments the anti-neoplastic effects of chemotherapeutic agents such as paclitaxel (Senthilnathan et al. 2006). Withania extracts appear to have an immunomodulatory effect and enhance paclitaxel-induced inhibition of cell proliferation. Witharin also appears to be a radio sensitizer as it increases radio sensitivity of tumors and thereby enhances the apoptotic effects of radiotherapy (Muralikrishnan et al. 2010).
Withania extracts appear to inhibit proliferation in HCT-15 colon cancer cell lines. For instance, it attenuates azoxymethane-induced colon cancer by modulating the levels of immunoglobulins G, A, and M and by exerting direct anti-proliferative effects (Mathur et al. 2004).
1-oxo-5beta, 6beta-epoxy-witha-2-enolide derived from Withania root has shown efficacy in the management of ultraviolet-B-induced dermatological carcinomas (Devi et al. 1996). Withania also appears to play a role in chemoprevention of skin malignancies. For instance, extracts from Withania roots have been shown to prevent the development of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced skin cancers (Prakash et al. 2002).
The above examples clearly illustrate the anti-proliferative effects of Withania and the need for further studies in this regard.
References
Choudhary MI, Hussain S, Yousuf S, Dar A, Mudassar, Atta-ur-Rahman (2010) Chlorinated and diepoxy withanolides from Withania somnifera and their cytotoxic effects against human lung cancer cell line. Phytochemistry 71:2205–2209
Devi PU, Akagi K, Ostapenko V, Tanaka Y, Sugahara T (1996) Withaferin A: a new radiosensitizer from the Indian medicinal plant Withania somnifera. Int J Radiat Biol 69:193–197
Mathur S, Kaur P, Sharma M et al (2004) The treatment of skin carcinoma, induced by UV B radiation, using 1-oxo-5beta, 6beta-epoxy-witha-2-enolide, isolated from the roots of Withania somnifera, in a rat model. Phytomedicine 11:452–460
Minhas U, Minz R, Das P, Bhatnagar A (2012) Therapeutic effect of Withania somnifera on pristane-induced model of SLE. Inflammopharmacology 20:195–205
Muralikrishnan G, Dinda AK, Shakeel F (2010) Immunomodulatory effects of Withania somnifera on azoxymethane induced experimental colon cancer in mice. Immunol Invest 39:688–698
Prakash J, Gupta SK, Dinda AK (2002) Withania somnifera root extract prevents DMBA-induced squamous cell carcinoma of skin in Swiss albino mice. Nutr Cancer 42:91–97
Senthilnathan P, Padmavathi R, Banu SM, Sakthisekaran D (2006) Enhancement of antitumor effect of paclitaxel in combination with immunomodulatory Withania somnifera on benzo(a)pyrene induced experimental lung cancer. Chem Biol Interact 159:180–185
Yadav B, Bajaj A, Saxena M, Saxena AK (2010) In vitro anticancer activity of the root, stem and leaves of Withania somnifera against various human cancer cell lines. Indian J Pharm Sci 72:659–663
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Kapoor, S. Withania somnifera and its emerging anti-neoplastic effects. Inflammopharmacol 22, 67 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-012-0162-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-012-0162-4