title: The adjuvant value of Andrographis paniculata in metastatic esophageal cancer treatment - from preclinical perspectives.
abstract: Esophageal cancer (EC) is the fourth and sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in China and United States, respectively. The dismal prognosis of EC is mainly attributed to distant metastases, which may not be overcome by chemotherapy alone. Hence, the use of alternative adjuvant treatments, such as herbal medicines, for metastatic EC remains a great desire of patients. Our previous study demonstrated the in vivo anti-tumor and in vitro anti-invasion activities of Andrographis paniculata (AP) in esophageal cancer. In the present study, the chemical constituents of absorbed AP components through human intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayer were verified for the first time. The anti-migratory activities and suppressive effects on metastasis-related factors such as HER2, MMP2, MMP9, TM4SF3, CXCR4 of the absorbed AP components were revealed in esophageal cancer cells EC-109. The anti-tumor and anti-metastatic effects of AP water extract (1600 mg/kg) were further confirmed in metastatic esophageal xenograft-bearing mice. Besides, AP water extract acted synergistically with cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil on inhibiting tumor nodule growth (with combination index <0.7). Meanwhile, chemotherapeutics-induced side-effects could also be reduced by AP water extract. The present findings provide evidence on safety and advantages of the combined use of AP with chemotherapeutics in pre-clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China (CUHK), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Grace Gar-Lee
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China (CUHK), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Julia Kin-Ming
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China (CUHK), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Eric Chun-Wai
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China (CUHK), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.|School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Kwok-Pui
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics and State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China (CUHK), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong. claralau@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Clara Bik-San
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7409-1270
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong. philipchiu@surgery.cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Philip Wai-Yan
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D000277:Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D035685:Andrographis / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D059470:Tetraspanins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000277:Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases; D010936:Plant Extracts; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D059470:Tetraspanins