Tag: natural products
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Exploring Marine-Derived Compounds as Potential Anti-Cancer Agents: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications
Introduction Marine ecosystems are a vast reservoir of chemically diverse compounds with potent biological activities. From sponges and algae to tunicates and microorganisms, the oceans host molecules that can interact with cancer-related pathways in unique ways. As researchers uncover how these marine-derived compounds work, they open new avenues for targeted therapies, combination strategies, and personalized…
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Scientists Reconstruct Extinct Cannabis Enzymes to Map the Plant’s Origins
Unveiling the Ancient Biochemistry of Cannabis Cannabis has long fascinated scientists and policymakers alike for its diverse chemistry, especially the cannabinoids that give the plant its distinctive effects. A new study takes a bold, long view of cannabis biochemistry by reconstructing extinct enzymes—the proteins that once guided the plant’s chemical factories. By resurrecting these ancient…
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Plant-Derived Phenolic Acids Revive the Power of Tetracycline Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria
New Findings Spotlight a Plant-Based Boost for an Old Antibiotic Researchers have uncovered a promising approach to reinvigorate tetracycline, one of the world’s enduring antibiotics, against drug-resistant bacteria. By harnessing plant-derived phenolic acids, scientists found these natural compounds can amplify the antibiotic’s effectiveness. The results point to a viable strategy for widening the clinical utility…
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Decoding Neoschaftoside: Systems Biology Insights into Ailanthus altissima’s Targeting of Lung Cancer
Overview: Ailanthus altissima, neoschaftoside, and the fight against lung cancer Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, with rising incidence projected through 2050. Recent research bridges traditional plant knowledge with modern systems biology to investigate neoschaftoside, a bioactive compound derived from Ailanthus altissima, as a potential therapeutic agent against lung cancer. By…
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Sea Sponge Molecule Shows Promise in Anti-Cancer Research
Introduction: A natural source, a scientific leap Scientists have long turned to the ocean for medicinal clues, and a recent development adds a significant entry to that archive. Chemists have synthesized a complex molecule found in sea sponges off the coast of South Korea, a compound that researchers believe could play a role in fighting…
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Sea Sponge Molecule Shows Promise Against Cancer: A Breakthrough in Marine-Derived Drugs
Groundbreaking Marine Molecule Emerges from South Korea’s Coastal Waters In a study published in Science, chemists report the synthesis of a complex molecule derived from sea sponges collected off the coast of South Korea. The compound, referred to as a promising cancer-fighting candidate, represents a significant step forward in the exploration of marine natural products…
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Exploring the Power Of Plants To Make Drugs From Sunlight
The plant chemist’s superpower Plants are nature’s most versatile chemists. Fueled by sunlight and carbon dioxide, they synthesize a dazzling array of natural products that remain challenging to replicate in the lab. In recent work led by Professor Anne Osbourn FRS at the John Innes Centre, researchers harness genomic data, AI, and biotechnology to glimpse…
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Chlorinated Dictyostelium compounds as strong antibacterials
New chlorinated compounds from slime mold mirror powerful antibacterial activity Dictyostelium discoideum, a soil-dwelling cellular slime mold, continues to surprise scientists with its chemical arsenal. Researchers have identified a family of chlorinated natural products produced by this organism, expanding our understanding of how microbes in the soil defend themselves against rivals and predators. In recent…
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Chlorinated compounds from slime mold show antibiotic potential
Slime mold produces potent chlorinated antibiotics Soil-dwelling cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum is emerging as a source of novel antibiotics. In recent work published by FEBS Open Bio, researchers report that this single-celled organism not only makes previously known chlorinated compounds but can also be coaxed to produce additional ones that demonstrate notable antimicrobial activity.…
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Mitraphylline Production in Plants Reveals Cancer-Fighting Potential
Breakthrough maps how plants assemble mitraphylline In a collaborative effort spanning Canada and the United States, researchers have uncovered the molecular steps plants use to produce mitraphylline, a rare spirooxindole alkaloid with potential anti-cancer properties. The discovery, led by doctoral student Tuan-Anh Nguyen under the guidance of Dr. Thu-Thuy Dang at UBC Okanagan, builds on…