Garcinol / PI3K Cancer Research Results

GAR, Garcinol: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Found in dried fruit rind of Garcinia Indica with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial properties
Garcinia Cambogia Extract.
"We conclude that patients who are T-cadherin-positive could especially benefit from a therapy with garcinol."

🔬1) NF-κB & AP-1 Suppression
Garcinol inhibits NF-κB and AP-1 transcriptional activity in multiple cancer cell systems, reducing pro-inflammatory and pro-survival gene expression.
📚 2) Epigenetic Regulation
Garcinol is one of the few natural products shown to inhibit p300/CBP histone acetyltransferases, shifting chromatin acetylation and influencing gene expression (differentiation, apoptosis, EMT). This is more specific than general “HDAC modulation.”
💀 3) Apoptosis
Studies report modulation of the Bcl-2 family and increased caspase activity, but this is often downstream of transcription/epigenetic changes, not a direct redox trigger.
🧬 4) Cell Cycle & Proliferation
Lower Cyclin D1, higher p21/p27, and G1/S arrest are common phenotypes.
🧭 5) Invasion & Angiogenesis
Garcinol reduces MMP-2/9 and angiogenic markers in multiple tumor cell assays.

Garcinol — a naturally occurring polyisoprenylated benzophenone and polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol isolated principally from the dried fruit rind of Garcinia indica, commonly called kokum. It is an experimental phytochemical and pleiotropic epigenetic/signalling modulator, abbreviated GAR and also known as camboginol. Garcinol is best characterized as an inhibitor of lysine and histone acetyltransferases, particularly p300/CBP and PCAF/KAT2B, while also modulating NF-κB, STAT3, PI3K/AKT, inflammatory lipid mediators, apoptosis, and epithelial–mesenchymal plasticity. It is not an approved anticancer drug and should not be equated with whole Garcinia cambogia or hydroxycitric-acid supplements.

Primary mechanisms (ranked):

  1. Inhibition of p300/CBP and PCAF histone acetyltransferase activity, producing broad changes in histone and non-histone protein acetylation, chromatin transcription, DNA-damage responses, and oncogenic gene expression.
  2. Suppression of NF-κB and JAK/Src/STAT3 survival and inflammatory transcription, with reductions in Bcl-2-family proteins, survivin, cyclin D1, VEGF, cytokines, and invasion-associated genes.
  3. Induction of intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis through mitochondrial membrane-potential loss, cytochrome-c release, Bax/Bcl-2 displacement, caspase activation, DR5 upregulation, and c-FLIP/XIAP suppression.
  4. Suppression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR, FAK/Src/ERK, Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, and cancer-stem-cell signalling in model-dependent settings.
  5. Reversal of epithelial–mesenchymal transition and inhibition of invasion, migration, angiogenesis, and stem-like phenotypes through modulation of E-cadherin, vimentin, ZEB factors, Twist1, MMP-2/9, miR-200-family members, let-7, and related pathways.
  6. Inhibition of inflammatory lipid-mediator enzymes, including 5-lipoxygenase and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1, reducing leukotriene and PGE2-associated signalling.
  7. ROS elevation and oxidative-stress-mediated apoptosis in selected cancer models; this is secondary and context-dependent because garcinol can also act as a direct antioxidant or radical scavenger in cell-free and non-cancer systems.
  8. Chemosensitization and radiosensitization through suppression of survival and EMT pathways and, for radiation, inhibition of p300/CBP-dependent non-homologous end joining.

Bioavailability / PK relevance: Garcinol is highly lipophilic and poorly water-soluble, making oral absorption and formulation important translational variables. Rat studies reported approximately 27–36% absolute oral bioavailability at oral doses of 22.5–45 mg/kg, with dose-dependent exposure and substantial tissue distribution. Human liver-microsome data suggest intermediate metabolic clearance, but no validated human cancer PK, therapeutic plasma range, or clinically established dose is available. Nanoparticles, phospholipid complexes, cyclodextrins, and other delivery systems may improve exposure, but remain preclinical.

In-vitro vs systemic exposure relevance: Most anticancer experiments use approximately 5–50 µM garcinol, frequently around 10–25 µM. Whether these free concentrations are safely achievable in human tumors is unknown. Rat PK indicates systemic absorption, but it does not establish sustained human exposure comparable with common cell-culture concentrations. Results obtained at 25–100 µM should therefore be treated as high-concentration or mechanistic findings rather than directly clinically achievable effects.

Clinical evidence status: Preclinical. Evidence consists primarily of biochemical assays, cancer-cell studies, organoid or stem-like-cell models, and rodent xenograft or genetically engineered tumor models. Combination activity has been reported with cisplatin, paclitaxel, gemcitabine, TRAIL, curcumin, and ionizing radiation, but no convincing randomized human oncology trial or established adjunctive anticancer use was identified. Garcinol is not approved by FDA, Health Canada, or EMA as a cancer therapy.

Safety / deployment status: A standardized 40% garcinol preparation showed low acute and repeated-dose toxicity in rodent studies, including a reported 90-day no-observed-adverse-effect level of 100 mg/kg/day. These data do not establish long-term human safety, reproductive safety, drug-interaction risk, or safety during chemotherapy. Garcinol can inhibit platelet activation experimentally and modulates acetyltransferases and multiple drug-relevant signalling pathways, creating plausible interaction concerns. Hepatotoxicity reports involving multi-ingredient Garcinia cambogia supplements cannot be attributed specifically to purified garcinol.

Garcinol Mechanistic Profile

Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells TSF Primary Effect Notes / Interpretation
1 HAT and HDAC11 epigenetic regulation p300/CBP HAT ↓; PCAF HAT ↓; HDAC11 ↓; histone and non-histone acetylation altered Acetylation-dependent transcription and differentiation may also be altered P, R, G Epigenetic and transcriptional reprogramming HAT inhibition is the dominant and most established direct mechanism. HDAC11 inhibition is supported by biochemical and cellular evidence but is less broadly characterized. Because HAT and HDAC inhibition can have opposing effects on specific lysine residues, net acetylation changes are substrate-dependent rather than uniformly increased or decreased.
2 NF-κB inflammatory survival signalling NF-κB activation ↓; nuclear p65 signalling ↓; COX-2 ↓; IL-6 ↓; anti-apoptotic genes ↓ Inflammatory activation ↓ (context-dependent) R, G Survival and inflammatory transcription suppression Consistent across several cancer models, although the precise acetylation state of p65 can vary by experimental context.
3 JAK Src STAT3 axis JAK1/2 ↓; Src ↓; STAT3 phosphorylation ↓; STAT3 acetylation and dimerization ↓ Not adequately characterized R, G Oncogenic transcription and survival suppression Reduces cyclin D1, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Mcl-1, survivin, and VEGF in responsive models.
4 Mitochondrial apoptosis Bax and Bak ↑; Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL ↓; mitochondrial membrane potential ↓; cytochrome c ↑; caspase-9/3 ↑ Generally weaker effects in tested non-tumorigenic cells (model-dependent) R, G Intrinsic apoptotic cell death Usually downstream of survival-pathway, epigenetic, ER-stress, or oxidative-stress modulation.
5 Death receptor and TRAIL signalling DR5 ↑; c-FLIP ↓; XIAP ↓; survivin ↓; caspase-8 ↑; TRAIL sensitivity ↑ Limited sensitization in tested normal-cell models R, G Extrinsic apoptosis and TRAIL sensitization Combination mechanism; clinical efficacy and selectivity have not been established.
6 PI3K AKT mTOR signalling PI3K phosphorylation ↓; AKT phosphorylation ↓; mTOR phosphorylation ↓ Not adequately characterized R, G Growth and survival inhibition Prominent in gastric, ovarian, colorectal, and other selected models but not necessarily a direct universal target.
7 Cell-cycle checkpoints Cyclin D1 ↓; CDK2/4 ↓; p21 ↑; p27 ↑; G1 or G2 arrest ↑ (model-dependent) Possible cytostatic effects at sufficient exposure G Proliferation arrest Checkpoint outcome varies with tumor genotype, p53 status, dose, and exposure duration.
8 EMT invasion and metastasis E-cadherin ↑; vimentin ↓; Twist1 ↓; ZEB1/2 ↓; MMP-2/9 ↓; migration and invasion ↓ Limited data G Anti-invasive and anti-metastatic phenotype Linked to NF-κB, STAT3, p300, TGF-β, Wnt, and miRNA modulation.
9 Cancer stem-cell signalling ALDH1A1 ↓; OCT4 ↓; SOX2 ↓; Notch1 ↓; Wnt/β-catenin ↓; miR-200c and let-7 ↑ Normal stem-cell effects insufficiently characterized G Stem-like phenotype suppression Supported by cell and xenograft models; potential normal progenitor-cell effects require clarification.
10 Inflammatory lipid mediators 5-lipoxygenase ↓; microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 ↓; PGE2 ↓ Inflammatory lipid production ↓ P, R Anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor-promoting activity Direct enzyme inhibition is reported at submicromolar to low-micromolar concentrations and may be relevant independently of HAT inhibition.
11 Mitochondrial ROS and ER stress ROS ↑; GSH ↓; CHOP ↑; mitochondrial stress ↑ (context-dependent) ROS scavenging or antioxidant activity may occur (context-dependent) P, R, G Secondary oxidative-stress-mediated apoptosis Bidirectional redox behaviour is likely determined by concentration, cellular redox state, assay system, and tissue context.
12 Angiogenesis and hypoxic signalling VEGF ↓; HIF-1α ↓; CD31 ↓; angiogenesis ↓ Normal vascular effects insufficiently characterized G Reduced tumor vascular support Often downstream of NF-κB, STAT3, PI3K/AKT, PGE2, and invasion-pathway suppression.
13 Chemosensitization Response to cisplatin, paclitaxel, gemcitabine, and TRAIL ↑ (model-dependent) Combination toxicity inadequately defined G Enhanced treatment response Evidence is preclinical; interaction direction may depend on cancer type, schedule, and chemotherapy mechanism.
14 Radiosensitization and DNA repair p300/CBP-dependent non-homologous end joining ↓; radiation response ↑ Normal-tissue radiosensitization insufficiently characterized R, G Impaired DNA double-strand-break repair Potentially therapeutically relevant but currently supported mainly by cell-based evidence.
15 Clinical Translation Constraint Active concentrations commonly 5–50 µM; tumor exposure unknown Human therapeutic window and interaction profile unknown G Limits clinical interpretation Moderate rat oral bioavailability does not establish achievable human tumor concentrations; formulation, purity, metabolism, and long-term safety remain unresolved.

P: 0–30 min    R: 30 min–3 hr    G: >3 hr
PI3K, Phosphatidylinositide-3-Kinases: Click to Expand ⟱
Source: HalifaxProj(inhibit) CGL-CS
Type:
Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PtdIns3K or PI3K) is a family of enzymes that play a crucial role in cell signaling pathways, particularly in the regulation of cell growth, survival, and metabolism. The PI3K pathway is one of the most frequently altered pathways in human cancer. Inhibition of the PI3K pathway has been explored as a therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. Several PI3K inhibitors have been developed and are currently being tested in clinical trials. These inhibitors can target specific components of the pathway, such as PI3K, AKT, or mTOR.

Class I phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)
Class III PtdIns3K
In contrast to the class III PtdIns3K as a positive regulator of autophagy, class I PI3K-AKT signaling has an opposing effect on the initiation of autophagy.

PI3K inhibitors include:
-Idelalisib , Copanlisib, Alpelisib
-LY294002?
-Wortmannin: potent PI3K inhibitor, has some associated toxicity.
-Quercetin:
-Curcumin
-Resveratrol
-Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG)
Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
828- GAR,  Cisplatin,    Garcinol Alone and in Combination With Cisplatin Affect Cellular Behavior and PI3K/AKT Protein Phosphorylation in Human Ovarian Cancer Cells
- in-vitro, Ovarian, OVCAR-3
tumCV↓, cl‑PARP↑, cl‑Casp3↑, BAX↑, p‑PI3K↓, p‑Akt↓, NF-kB↓,
7084- GAR,    A unique in vivo pharmacokinetic profile, in vitro metabolic stability and hepatic first-pass metabolism of garcinol, a promising novel anticancer phytoconstituent, by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry
- in-vivo, Nor, NA
*BioAv↝, *Dose↝, *Inflam↓, *antiOx↑, *chemoPv↑, Wnt↓, β-catenin/ZEB1↓, ERK↓, PI3K↓, Akt↓, NF-kB↓, STAT3↓, TumCP↓, antiNeop↑, ChemoSen↑, chemoP↑,
7086- GAR,    Garcinol: An emerging epigenetic modifier with versatile anticancer properties
- Review, Var, NA
AntiCan↑, TumCG↓, TumMeta↓, toxicity↓, Apoptosis↑, angioG↓, *BioAv↝, HATs↓, p300↓, CBP↓, PI3K↓, Akt↓, NF-kB↓, STAT↓, mTOR↓, DFF45↓, survivin↓, N-cadherin↓, Twist↓, MMP2↓, MMP3↓, MMP9↓, Mcl-1↓, EZH2↓, NOTCH↓, CXCR4↓, PGE2↓, VEGF↓, mPGES-1↓, CycB/CCNB1↓, CDK2↓, CDK4/6↓, iNOS↓, COX2↓, IL1↓, TNF-α↓, PARP↑, Bcl-2↓,
7087- GAR,    Garcinol as an Epigenetic Modulator: Mechanisms of Anti-Cancer Activity and Therapeutic Potential
- Review, Var, NA
HATs↓, p300↓, CBP↓, NF-kB↓, STAT3↓, PI3K↓, Akt↓, MAPK↓, Wnt↓, β-catenin/ZEB1↓, Inflam↓, angioG↓, TumCP↓, TumMeta↓, TumCCA↑, EMT↓, CSCs↓, P53↑, TrxR↓, ROS↑, JNK↑, DNAdam↑, mt-Apoptosis↑, ER Stress↑, CHOP/DDIT3↑, DDIT4↑, TRIB3↑, SESN2↑, miR-218↑, eff↑, ChemoSen↑, BioAv↓, Half-Life↓, BioAv↑,
7091- GAR,    Garcinol-A Natural Histone Acetyltransferase Inhibitor and New Anti-Cancer Epigenetic Drug
- Review, Var, NA
antiOx↑, Inflam↓, HATs↓, p300↓, CBP↓, PCAF↓, cycD1/CCND1↓, STAT↓, PI3K↓, Akt↓, TumCP↓, TumCI↓, TumMeta↓, TumCCA↑, CDK2↓, CDK4↓,
7092- GAR,    Garcinol and Its Role in Chronic Diseases
- Review, Var, NA
antiOx↑, Inflam↓, AntiCan↑, NF-kB↓, STAT3↓, antiNeop↑, 5LO↓, eff↑, HATs↓, p300↓, PCAF↓, miR-200c↑, NOTCH1↓, CSCs↓, COX2↓, cycD1/CCND1↓, VEGF↓, PI3K↓, Akt↓, Wnt↑, β-catenin/ZEB1↓, ROS↑, CHOP/DDIT3↑, Bax:Bcl2↑, Casp8↑, FAK↓, *neuroP↑, PCNA↓, *GSTs↑,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 6 of 6

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 6

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


NA, unassigned(tgid=0) ⓘ

DDIT4↑, 1,  

Redox & Oxidative Stress(tgid=1) ⓘ

antiOx↑, 2,   ROS↑, 2,   TrxR↓, 1,  

Cell Death(tgid=5) ⓘ

Akt↓, 5,   p‑Akt↓, 1,   Apoptosis↑, 1,   mt-Apoptosis↑, 1,   BAX↑, 1,   Bax:Bcl2↑, 1,   Bcl-2↓, 1,   cl‑Casp3↑, 1,   Casp8↑, 1,   CBP↓, 3,   iNOS↓, 1,   JNK↑, 1,   MAPK↓, 1,   Mcl-1↓, 1,   survivin↓, 1,  

Transcription & Epigenetics(tgid=7) ⓘ

EZH2↓, 1,   HATs↓, 4,   miR-218↑, 1,   PCAF↓, 2,   tumCV↓, 1,  

Protein Folding & ER Stress(tgid=8) ⓘ

CHOP/DDIT3↑, 2,   ER Stress↑, 1,  

Autophagy & Lysosomes(tgid=9) ⓘ

SESN2↑, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair(tgid=10) ⓘ

DFF45↓, 1,   DNAdam↑, 1,   P53↑, 1,   PARP↑, 1,   cl‑PARP↑, 1,   PCNA↓, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence(tgid=11) ⓘ

CDK2↓, 2,   CDK4↓, 1,   CycB/CCNB1↓, 1,   cycD1/CCND1↓, 2,   TumCCA↑, 2,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State(tgid=12) ⓘ

CSCs↓, 2,   EMT↓, 1,   ERK↓, 1,   mTOR↓, 1,   NOTCH↓, 1,   NOTCH1↓, 1,   p300↓, 4,   PI3K↓, 5,   p‑PI3K↓, 1,   STAT↓, 2,   STAT3↓, 3,   TumCG↓, 1,   Wnt↓, 2,   Wnt↑, 1,  

Migration(tgid=13) ⓘ

5LO↓, 1,   CDK4/6↓, 1,   FAK↓, 1,   miR-200c↑, 1,   MMP2↓, 1,   MMP3↓, 1,   MMP9↓, 1,   N-cadherin↓, 1,   TRIB3↑, 1,   TumCI↓, 1,   TumCP↓, 3,   TumMeta↓, 3,   Twist↓, 1,   β-catenin/ZEB1↓, 3,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature(tgid=14) ⓘ

angioG↓, 2,   VEGF↓, 2,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling(tgid=16) ⓘ

COX2↓, 2,   CXCR4↓, 1,   IL1↓, 1,   Inflam↓, 3,   mPGES-1↓, 1,   NF-kB↓, 5,   PGE2↓, 1,   TNF-α↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance(tgid=21) ⓘ

BioAv↓, 1,   BioAv↑, 1,   ChemoSen↑, 2,   eff↑, 2,   Half-Life↓, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers(tgid=22) ⓘ

EZH2↓, 1,   TRIB3↑, 1,  

Functional Outcomes(tgid=23) ⓘ

AntiCan↑, 2,   antiNeop↑, 2,   chemoP↑, 1,   toxicity↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 87

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress(tgid=1) ⓘ

antiOx↑, 1,   GSTs↑, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling(tgid=16) ⓘ

Inflam↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance(tgid=21) ⓘ

BioAv↝, 2,   Dose↝, 1,  

Functional Outcomes(tgid=23) ⓘ

chemoPv↑, 1,   neuroP↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 7

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: PI3K, Phosphatidylinositide-3-Kinases
6 Garcinol
1 Cisplatin
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells

Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:83  Target#:252  State#:%  Dir#:1
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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