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Study on the effect of cardamonin on autophagy

Young-Joo Kim et al.

June 2015

Cancer rehabilitation

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)

In this study, four researchers from South Korea investigated the fact that some anti-cancer agents can induce autophagy, which can protect cells or sensitize them to further drug treatment. In traditional Chinese medicine, ginger plants (Zingiberaceae) containing cardamonin have been used to treat cancer for thousands of years. However, the autophagic and antiproliferative effect of cardamonin has not been clarified. The present study therefore investigated the effects of cardamonin and demonstrated that cardamonin inhibits cell proliferation, indexes the G2/M phase of the cell cycle and enhances autophagy in HCT116 cells.

In addition, the researchers found that the tumor protein p53 partially regulates the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and thus regulates the autophagic and antiproliferative effect induced by cardamonin. Cardamonin and other anticancer agents that increase p53 or JNK thus stimulate autophagy and can be used for therapy, especially in carcinoma patients.

The most important information on the study at a glance

Indications: Cancer
Institution: Natural Products Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, Gangwon-do, South Korea
Title: Study on the effect of cardamonin on autophagy
Brief description: Study shows cardamonin inhibits cell proliferation and promotes autophagy in cancer cells, making it useful for cancer therapy.
Original title: Cardamonin induces autophagy and an antiproliferative effect through JNK activation in human colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cells
Link to the study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25959811/