Poppy Anjelisa Zaitun Hasibuan

Introduction: Saurauia bracteosa is a medicinal plant traditionally used by the Batak Toba and Karo ethnic groups of North Sumatra, Indonesia, to manage type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the precise molecular mechanisms responsible for its antidiabetic effect remain unclear. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of action of S. bracteosa leaf extract and assess its potential in treating type 2 diabetes. Methods: Phytochemical profiling was conducted using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS. Key active compounds, including ursolic acid and quercetin, were quantified by UPLC, and their effects on glucose uptake in L6 skeletal muscle cells were evaluated. To learn more about possible molecular pathways, network pharmacology and molecular docking were used. Results: The extract was found to contain triterpenoids and flavonoids such as ursolic acid and quercetin, which significantly enhanced glucose uptake in L6 cells with effects comparable to insulin (P>0.05). Network pharmacology identified multiple gene targets, with pathway enrichment analysis highlighting glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK3β) as a central protein. Molecular docking confirmed the strong binding affinity of quercetin to GSK3β, supporting its potential role in modulating insulin signaling. Conclusion: These results suggest that GSK3β regulation and enhanced glucose absorption in skeletal muscle cells may be involved in the antidiabetic action of S. bracteosa. This provides a scientific basis for its traditional use and highlights its potential for further development as a natural therapeutic option for diabetes.

Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora) contains several components that are good for facial skin, such as flavonoids which act as antioxidants. A peel-off gel mask is a skin care cosmetic preparation in the form of a gel and after being applied to the skin for a certain time until it dries, this preparation will form an elastic transparent film layer, so that it can be peeled off. This research aims to develop Robusta coffee into a peel-off gel mask preparation. off off which has appearance, pH, viscosity, spreadability, drying time, and its effectiveness as an anti-aging agent. The research stages carried out were the formulation of a 10% coprobusta peel-off gel mask, stability testing at room temperature for 12 weeks and the anti-aging effectiveness of the 10% corobusta peel-off gel mask. Stability test parameters include pH, viscosity, spreadability, and drying time. Test the effectiveness of anti-aging using a skin analysis tool with test parameters, namely air content, smoothness, pore size, number of blemishes and wrinkles. The results of this study show that the preparation is stable in all test parameters for 12 weeks of storage at room temperature, does not irritate the skin and has anti-aging activity on facial skin, namely increasing air content, smoother skin, smaller pores, reducing the number of blemishes and wrinkles over time. four weeks of treatment.

This study examined the efficacy and safety of Vernonia amygdalina ethanol extract (VAEE) therapy in treating azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium (AOM/DSS)-induced colon cancer in mice, aiming to uncover the underlying mechanisms. A colon cancer mice model was used to evaluate the effects of VAEE on antioxidant enzyme levels and apoptosis. VAEE treatment increased SOD and caspase-3 levels while reducing MDA and Bcl-2 levels. These results indicate the potential of VAEE as an anticancer agent, with several doses showing significant increases in SOD and caspase-3 levels while significantly reducing MDA and Bcl-2 levels compared to the negative control (p<0.05). A dose of 500 mg/kg BW appears to be a potential candidate anticancer agent. Further studies on the molecular mechanisms and long-term effects are needed to support clinical applications. Keywords: Antioxidants, AOM/DSS, Apoptosis, VAEE, Colon Cancer

Objective: Atoms that are unstable and harmful to other molecules are referred to as free radicals. Flavonoid molecules have the ability to act as antioxidants, which can help avoid oxidative stress brought on by the high levels of free radicals that are found in the body. Antioxidants are chemicals that bind to free radicals and neutralize oxidized substances by giving electrons. The main objective of this comprehensive investigation was to assess and quantify the extent of antioxidant activity manifested by fractions abundant in flavonoids extracted from Vernonia amygdalina Del. Methods: Refluxing n-hexane solvent and then continuing with methanol were the steps that taken in the process of extracting Vernonia amygdalina. The methanol extract was subjected to fractionation utilizing the liquid-liquid fractionation method, employing a series of solvents to isolate distinct fractions with varying chemical compositions. After determining the overall flavonoid content of each extract and fraction, an evaluation was conducted on the antioxidant activity of the samples containing the maximum flavonoid content. Results: The dichlormethane fraction had the highest flavonoid content with 69.56±0.22 mg/g QE. Then the DCM fraction was tested for antioxidant activity, and the results obtained for the DPPH method were 117.33±0.56 and the CUPRAC method was was 84.80±0.73. Conclusion: The results showed that DCM fraction is the highest flavonoid fraction and exhibits potent antioxidant properties.

Context: Vernonia amygdalina Delile (VAD) is known as a potential plant with a wide variety of medicinal properties, including anticancer. Aims: To evaluate the combination effect of VAD extract with cisplatin (CIS) against PANC-1 cells, focusing on cell cycle arrest and apoptosis activities. Methods: This study is an experimental study using PANC-1 cells as objects. The phytochemical compounds were analyzed with LC-MS/MS. The cytotoxic activity of extracts and their combinations was determined using the MTT assay method in the PANC-1 cell line. Apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and PI3K/mTOR profiles were analyzed with flow cytometry. Immunocytochemistry was used to determine Bcl-2, Cyclin D1, and p53 expression. Results: The phytochemicals found were five compounds with retention times of 8.96, 9.85, 10.52, 12.59, and 10.36. The results of the MTT assay showed that the IC50 values of extract and CIS were 21.83 ± 0.46 µg/mL and 3.02 ± 0.44 µg/mL, respectively. The combination index (CI) value of extract and CIS had a synergistic effect. Combination extract and CIS induced early and late apoptosis, inhibited cell cycle progression on the G1 phase, inhibited Bcl-2 and cyclin D1 expression, induced p53 expression, and inhibited PI3K and mTOR expression. Conclusions: The combination of extract and CIS showed anticancer activity against PANC-1 cells through induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest via inhibition of PI3K and mTOR expressions.

Vernonia amygdalina Delile, coming from the Asteraceae tribe, contains active compounds that can treat breast cancer. This study examines the anticancer activity of Vernonia amygdalina Delile leaves, an active fraction of MCF-7/HER-2 breast cancer cells. Thin-layer chromatography determines the phytochemical screening. Cytotoxic and proliferation analyses were determined using the MTT method for the MCF-7/HER-2 breast cancer cell line. The cell cycle and apoptosis profiles were examined using flow cytometry. The results can be summarized in this study: Vernonia amygdalina Delile fraction contains a flavonoid with great potential for pharmacological activities, for instance, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. The ethyl acetate fraction was more potent and cytotoxic on MCF-7/HER-2 cells (IC₅₀ = 66 μg/mL) than extract ethanol (IC₅₀ = 130 μg/mL). The ethylacetate fraction of Vernonia amygdalina Delile has been proven to inhibit cell proliferation by decreasing cell viability with an IC₅₀ of 66 μg/mL concentration incubated for 24, 48, and 72 hrs with cell viability values of 64.46%, 61.67%, and 53.89%, respectively, compared to the ethanol extract IC₅₀ of 130 μg/mL concentration with cell viability values of 56.0%, 50.19%, and 58.67%, respectively, which induced apoptosis and inhibited the cell cycle in the G₂-M phase. To conclude, the ethyl acetate fraction of Vernonia amygdalina Delile can be used as an anticancer against the MCF-7/HER-2 cell line with an IC₅₀ of 66 μg/mL, inhibiting cell proliferation and the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis activity in the MCF-7/HER-2 cell.

Individuals diagnosed with cancer often turn to the use of herbal remedies with the intention of treating and ameliorating the condition, impeding the progression of metastasis, enhancing immune function, mitigating stress, and inducing relaxation. Recently, medicinal plants were combined with conventional chemotherapy to decrease the side effects and increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy. This study showed the effectiveness of gemcitabine (Gem) was significantly increased after being used together with ethyl acetate extract obtained from Vernonia amygdalina (Eav) leaves. The combination doses of Eav and Gem were determined based on cytotoxic activity using the MTT assay method. The anticancer effect of this combination was identified by several parameters including the apoptosis effect, anti-migration, and anti-invasion activities of PANC-1 cells. Furthermore, this effect was explained via protein expression evaluation using immunohistochemical and flow cytometry. The Eav has a better Inhibitory Concentration 50 (IC₅₀) than Gem of 21.19 ± 0.64 µg/mL and 164.78 ± 1.40 µg/mL. The combination of Eav and Gem at IC₅₀ (1:1) has the strongest activity than Eav and Gem alone at 500.00 µg/mL. The anti-cancer effect of this combination showed significantly increased levels of apoptosis, particularly in the early phase of 17.46 ± 0.35 % (p < 0.0001) than Eav and Gem alone of 7.76 ± 0.25 % and 7.06 ± 0.20 %. A similar impact was evaluated in the migration and invasion of PANC-1 cells after the combination treatment. The % relative migration and cell invasion were significantly decreased compared to the control group and Eav or Gem alone by 21.49 ± 0.96 % and 125.25 ± 5.25 cells, respectively (p < 0.0001). This study found that signature molecules of VEGF, COX2, RAS, and MEK were down-regulated after treatment. Our study suggested that the Eav ameliorates the Gem effect against PANC-1 cells through apoptosis, migration, and invasion influence via RAS/MEK pathways.

African leaves (Vernonia amygdalina Del.) is a plant from the asteraceae family and is popular in Africa society. This plant contains various bioactive compound