Ovatodiolide from Anisomeles indica for HIV and Cancer Treatment

Anisomeles indica was used in Ayurvedic traditional system of medicine for the treatment of urinary affections in Nepal, among other places [8], however recent discoveries on the properties of one of the active constituents found in this plant, the ovatodiloides, led scientists think about possible new lines of investigation for the use of this plant in other type of treatments.

Ovatodiolide, a newly found diterpenoid from the Chinese medicinal herb Anisomeles indica, popularly known in the traditional Chinese medicine as 'yu-chen-tsao', has proven to be effective for the treatment of several affections and illnesses, some of them as important as Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) [1] and HIV, being Anisomeles indica also known to have certain anti-inflammatory properties [5].

But how does what is this newly found diterpenoid and how exactly does it work? Image: Galfred, under (CC BY 2.0) license.

ANISOMELES INDICA

Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Anisomeles
Common name: Malabar catmint

ANISOMELES INDICA ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS

Apart from the already mentioned ovatodiolide, we can also find other active constituents in Anisomeles indica, as for example Terpenoids, a kind of biologically active constituents found in herbs and plants, mostly used for their aromatic qualities, but also known to have anti-bacterial and anti-neoplastic properties [3]. Diterpenoids are another type of terpenoids with also many known beneficial properties, as an example of this diterpenoids we can cite the Ginkgolides found in the well known Ginkgo biloba, one of the top one herbs in millions of sales in Europe and America and proven to be very effective for the treatment of certain affections as dementia (it is a very good memory enhancer) and also for the treatment of vascular function and blood pressure [4], being Egb761 the most documented extract used in scientific essays and clinical trials.

Another active constituent found in Anisomeles indica, the 4,5-epoxovatodiolide, also exhibited cytotoxicity against a small panel of human cancer cell lines [9].

OVATODIOLIDES FROM ANISOMELES INDICA

Coming back to the newly discovered medicinal properties of the diterpenoid ovatodiolide from anisomeles indica we have to mention its exhibited cytotoxicity against several human cancer cell lines, among which we can mention the the treatment of Ca9-22 cells with ovatodiolide led to cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase [1], inducing also apoptosis, being ovatodiolide a potential compound for development of new anti-cancer drugs.

Additionally ovatodiolide also exhibited certain antiplatelet aggregation activities [9], inhibiting thrombus formation.

ANTI-HIV PROPERTIES OF OVATODIOLIDE

And last but not least, other studies on the ovatodiolide found in Anisomeles indica induced to believe that it may also exert certain anti-HIV properties, with which we may be in front of another natural wonder.

REFERENCES:

[1] The natural diterpenoid ovatodiolide induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human oral squamous cell carcinoma Ca9-22 cells. Hou YY, Wu ML, Hwang YC, Chang FR, Wu YC, Wu CC. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

[2] HIV-inhibitory diterpenoid from Anisomeles indica. Shahidul Alam M, Quader MA, Rashid MA. Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh.

[3] Wikipedia

[4] Acute Effects of Ginkgo Biloba Extract on Vascular Function and Blood Pressure. Keheyan G, Dunn LA, Hall WL. Diabetes & Nutritional Sciences Division, School of Medicine, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stanford Street, London, SE1 9NH, UK.

[5] The constituents of Anisomeles indica and their anti-inflammatory activities. Rao YK, Fang SH, Hsieh SC, Yeh TH, Tzeng YM. Institute of Biochemical Sciences and Technology, Chaoyang University of Technology, Wufeng, Taiwan, ROC.

[6] Bioactive cembrane diterpenoids of Anisomeles indica. Chen YL, Lan YH, Hsieh PW, Wu CC, Chen SL, Yen CT, Chang FR, Hung WC, Wu YC. Graduate Institute of Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.

[7] Pharmacodynamic properties of ovatodiolide, the active principle of Anisomeles ovata (Labiaceae). Ho-Dac-An, Buu-Hoi NP.

[8] Traditional herbal medicine in far-west Nepal: a pharmacological appraisal.
Kunwar RM, Shrestha KP, Bussmann RW.
Ethnobotanical Society of Nepal, GPO Box 5220, Kathmandu, Nepal.

[9] Bioactive cembrane diterpenoids of Anisomeles indica.
Chen YL, Lan YH, Hsieh PW, Wu CC, Chen SL, Yen CT, Chang FR, Hung WC, Wu YC.
Graduate Institute of Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.