Umbelliferone

Umbelliferone exhibits anticancer activity via the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells.[Pubmed: 25997538]

Mol Med Rep. 2015 May 18.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly malignant tumor, associated with poor patient prognoses, and high rates of morbidity and mortality. To date, the therapeutic strategies available for the treatment of HCC remain limited. The present study aimed to elucidate the anticancer activity of Umbelliferone, a naturally occurring coumarin derivative isolated from Ferula communis, against the HepG2 HCC cell line.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
A 3‑(4,5‑dimthylthaizol‑2‑yl)‑2,5, diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was used to evaluate cell viability following Umbelliferone treatment, and the effects of Umbelliferone on cell cycle progression and apoptosis were evaluated using flow cytometry. The presence of morphological features characteristic of apoptosis, including cell shrinkage, membrane blebbing, nuclear condensation and apoptotic body formation, were evaluated in HepG2 cells following Umbelliferone treatment. Cell cycle analysis conducted via propidium iodide (PI) staining indicated that Umbelliferone treatment induced cell cycle arrest at S phase in HepG2 cells. Analysis with Annexin V and PI staining revealed that Umbelliferone induced apoptotic events in HepG2 cells in a concentration‑dependant manner (0‑50 μM). Umbelliferone also induced dose‑dependant DNA fragmentation.
CONCLUSIONS:
In conclusion, Umbelliferone was found to exhibit significant anticancer effects via the induction of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and DNA fragmentation in HepG2 cancer cells.

Umbelliferone - An antioxidant isolated from Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. Ex. Del.[Reference: WebLink]

Food Chem., 2010, 120(3):825-30.

The bark and leaves of Acacia nilotica are consumed for their promising medicinal properties in several parts of the world. The aerial portion, including flowers, is used as fodder for animals. This study aimed to isolate the functional components of A. nilotica and to check their antioxidant activities in vitro.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
In the fractionation of methanol extract, a fraction, AN-2, was isolated, which was identified by spectroscopic techniques, namely NMR and mass spectroscopy to be a coumarin derivative, i.e. Umbelliferone. The antioxidative activities, including the DPPH, deoxyribose (site and non-site specific), chelating power, reducing power and lipid peroxidation assays, were studied in vitro and performed in the Dept. of Botanical and Env. Sciences, GNDU, Amritsar. It was found that the antioxidative effect of Umbelliferone was dose-dependent up to 100 μg/ml and then levelled off with no further increase in activity.
CONCLUSIONS:
This is the first report of the isolation and antioxidant potential of Umbelliferone from A. nilotica.

In vivo antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of umbelliferone isolated from Potentilla evestita.[Pubmed: 24673335]

Nat Prod Res. 2014;28(17):1371-4.

This study was designed to evaluate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of a compound, Umbelliferone, isolated from the chloroform fraction of Potentilla evestita in animal models.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
When tested against acetic acid-induced noxious stimulus, it significantly prolonged pain threshold and provided 38.38% and 60.95% reduction in abdominal constriction at 5 and 10 mg/kg i.p., respectively. Post-Umbelliferone injection evoked significant dose-dependent reduction in noxious stimulation with 33.65% and 58.89% pain attenuation at 5 and 10 mg/kg i.p., respectively, in the initial phase. In the late phase, it illustrated more dominant effect with 37.65% and 63.79% blockade of painful sensation. Similarly, it exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity during various assessment times (1-5 h) with 46.28% and 66.13% amelioration after 4th of administration against induced oedema.
CONCLUSIONS:
In conclusion, Umbelliferone possessed strong antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities by inhibiting both peripheral and centrally acting pain mediators.

Long-term supplementation of umbelliferone and 4-methylumbelliferone alleviates high-fat diet induced hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia in mice.[Pubmed: 24661945]

Chem Biol Interact. 2014 Jun 5;216:9-16.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Umbelliferone (UF) and 4-methylUmbelliferone (mUF) on high-fat diet-induced hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia in mice.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
The mice were assigned to normal control, high-fat control, and high-fat with UF or mUF groups. For UF or mUF groups, the high-fat diet was supplemented with UF or mUF at 0.02% (wt/wt) for 12weeks. Both UF and mUF significantly decreased plasma triglyceride, free fatty acid and glucose levels, adipocyte size, white adipose tissue weights, and hepatic phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activity and significantly increased plasma adiponectin levels and hepatic fatty acid β-oxidation activity compared with the high-fat control group. UF and mUF improved glucose intolerance and hepatic steatosis in the high-fat fed mice. Long-term high-fat diet intake induced an increase in hepatic CYP2E1 activity and lipid peroxide and cytosolic hydrogen peroxide contents and suppressed superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities, which were reversed by UF and mUF supplementation.
CONCLUSIONS:
These results indicate that UF and mUF similarly ameliorate hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia partly by modulating hepatic lipid metabolism and the antioxidant defense system along with increasing adiponectin levels.

A novel class of inhibitors for steroid 5alpha-reductase: synthesis and evaluation of umbelliferone derivatives.[Pubmed: 11527731]

Kinetics of enzyme inhibition by active molluscicidal agents ferulic acid, umbelliferone, eugenol and limonene in the nervous tissue of snail Lymnaea acuminata.[Pubmed: 18814203]

Phytother Res. 2009 Feb;23(2):172-7.

METHODS AND RESULTS:
Ferulic acid, Umbelliferone (Ferula asafoetida), eugenol (Syzygium aromaticum) and limonene (Carum carvi) are active molluscicidal components that inhibited the activity of alkaline phosphatase and acetylcholinesterase in in vivo and in vitro exposure of Lymnaea acuminata. It was observed that ferulic acid, Umbelliferone and eugenol are competitive and limonene is a competitive-non-competitive inhibitor of alkaline phosphatase.
CONCLUSIONS:
Ferulic acid and Umbelliferone are competitive, whereas eugenol and limonene are competitive-non-competitive and uncompetitive inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, respectively.

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2001 Sep 3;11(17):2361-3.

A series of Umbelliferone derivatives was prepared and their 5alpha-reductase type 1 inhibitory activities were evaluated in cell culture systems.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
Our studies have identified a new series of potent 5alpha-reductase type 1 inhibitors and provided the basis for further development for the treatment of human endocrine disorders associated with overproduction of DHT by 5alpha-reductase type 1.
CONCLUSIONS:
The preliminary structure-activity relationship was described to elucidate the essential structural requirements.

Umbelliferone increases the expression of adipocyte-specific genes in 3T3-L1 adipocyte.[Pubmed: 24853372]

Phytother Res. 2014 Nov;28(11):1671-5.

Umbelliferone (UMB), a natural product of coumarin family, has been shown to reduce blood glucose and to improve lipid profiles in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Our objective was to examine the effect of UMB on adipogenesis by investigating its stimulatory effect on lipid accumulation and mRNA expression of adipogenic transcription factors and adipocyte-specific genes in 3 T3-L1 preadipocyte culture.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
An Oil Red O staining was used to monitor lipid accumulation, and we found that UMB treatment at concentration range of 10-100 μM significantly increased lipid accumulation of differentiating 3 T3-L1 cells. At the molecular level of adipogenesis, we examined the mRNA expression of adipogenic transcription factors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α, and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c. Those transcription factors were increased by UMB at 10-100 μM. Interestingly, UMB also stimulated the mRNA expression of adipocyte-specific genes, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein, lipoprotein lipase, fatty acid synthase, fatty acid translocase, and adiponectin.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our findings indicate that the stimulatory effect of UMB on adipocyte differentiation likely occurs through up-regulation of adipogenic transcription factors and downstream adipocyte-specific gene expression.

Effects of umbelliferone in a murine model of allergic airway inflammation.[Pubmed: 19289114 ]

Eur J Pharmacol. 2009 May 1;609(1-3):126-31.

METHODS AND RESULTS:
The therapeutic effects of Umbelliferone (30, 60 and 90 mg/kg), a coumarin isolated from Typha domingensis (Typhaceae) were investigated in a mouse model of bronchial asthma. BALB/c mice were immunized and challenged by nasal administration of ovalbumin. Treatment with Umbelliferone (60 and 90 mg/kg) caused a marked reduction of cellularity and eosinophil numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids from asthmatic mice. In addition, a decrease in mucus production and lung inflammation were observed in mice treated with Umbelliferone. A reduction of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, but not of IFN-gamma, was found in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids of mice treated with Umbelliferone, similar to that observed with dexamethasone. The levels of ovalbumin-specific IgE were not significantly altered after treatment with Umbelliferone.
CONCLUSIONS:
In conclusion, our results demonstrate that Umbelliferone attenuates the alteration characteristics of allergic airway inflammation. The investigation of the mechanisms of action of this molecule may contribute for the development of new drugs for the treatment of asthma.