Database Query Results : Ashwagandha(Withaferin A), , CSCs

Ash, Ashwagandha(Withaferin A): Click to Expand ⟱

Features:

Ashwagandha (Withaferin A) — Withaferin A (WA; WFA) is a bioactive steroidal lactone (a “withanolide”) found in Withania somnifera (ashwagandha/Indian ginseng), with most translational oncology discussion centered on WA as a small-molecule electrophile rather than the whole-herb supplement. It is best classified as a natural-product small molecule (steroidal lactone/withanolide) with pleiotropic proteostasis, cytoskeletal, redox-stress, and inflammatory signaling effects; in supplements, WA exposure depends strongly on extract standardization (root vs leaf, % withanolides) and formulation.

Primary mechanisms (ranked):

Hsp90-axis disruption (incl. client protein destabilization) leading to proteostasis stress and multi-client oncoprotein depletion
Covalent targeting of intermediate filaments (notably vimentin) with downstream effects on adhesion/migration, EMT programs, and angiogenic endothelium
Pro-oxidative stress signaling in cancer cells with mitochondrial dysfunction, ER stress/UPR engagement, and apoptosis execution
Inflammation and survival signaling suppression (notably NF-κB-centric programs; context-dependent immune modulation)
Contextual transcriptional/epigenetic modulation (e.g., HDAC/DNMT-related signals) contributing to anti-proliferative phenotypes
Metabolic stress signaling (glycolysis/HIF-1α/ATP depletion) as a secondary vulnerability in susceptible models

Bioavailability / PK relevance: WA shows measurable systemic exposure in animals (reported oral bioavailability in rats), but PK is variable across species, doses, and extract matrices; human exposure data exist from a phase I osteosarcoma study and from healthy-volunteer PK work on standardized Withania extracts measuring circulating withanolides (including WA). WA is lipophilic and subject to first-pass metabolism; typical pharmacodynamic in-vitro micromolar concentrations may exceed achievable unbound plasma levels depending on formulation and dosing.

In-vitro vs systemic exposure relevance: Many mechanistic cancer studies use ~1–10 µM WA; translation requires caution because free (unbound) systemic concentrations and tumor penetration are not well-constrained in humans, and whole-extract products can have low/variable WA content (model- and formulation-dependent).

Clinical evidence status: Limited human oncology evidence: a phase I study in advanced high-grade osteosarcoma reported feasibility/safety and proposed a daily dose level; an active clinical trial evaluates an ashwagandha/withaferin-A strategy with liposomal doxorubicin in recurrent ovarian cancer. Most anticancer support remains preclinical, while non-oncology human data for ashwagandha primarily address stress/sleep and are not evidence of anticancer efficacy.

The main active constituents of Ashwagandha leaves are alkaloids and steroidal lactones (commonly known as Withanolides).
-The main constituents of ashwagandha are withanolides such as withaferin A, alkaloids, steroidal lactones, tropine, and cuscohygrine.
Ashwagandha is an herb that may reduce stress, anxiety, and insomnia.
*-Ashwagandha is often characterized as an antioxidant.
-Some studies suggest that while ashwagandha may protect normal cells from oxidative damage, it can simultaneously stress cancer cells by tipping their redox balance toward cytotoxicity.
Pathways:
-Induction of Apoptosis and ROS Generation
-Hsp90 Inhibition and Proteasomal Degradation

Cell culture studies vary widely, typically ranging from low micromolar (e.g., 1–10 µM).
In animal models (commonly mice), Withaferin A has been administered in doses ranging from approximately 2 to 10 mg/kg body weight.
- General wellness, Ashwagandha supplements are sometimes taken in doses ranging from 300 mg to 600 mg of an extract (often standardized to contain a certain percentage of withanolides) once or twice daily.
- 400mg of WS extract was given 3X/day to schizophrenia patients. report#2001.
- Ashwagandha Pure 400mg/capsule is available from mcsformulas.com.

-Note half-life 4-6 hrs?.
BioAv
Pathways:
- well-recognized for promoting ROS in cancer cells, while no effect(or reduction) on normal cells.
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, UPR↑, GRP78↑, Cyt‑c↑, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑, cl-PARP↑, HSP↓, Prx,
- Confusing results about Lowering AntiOxidant defense in Cancer Cells: NRF2↓, TrxR↓**, SOD↓, GSH↓ Catalase↓ HO1↓ GPx↓
- Raises AntiOxidant defense in Normal Cells: ROS↓, NRF2↑, SOD↑, GSH↑, Catalase↑,
- lowers Inflammation : NF-kB↓, COX2↓, p38↓, Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines : NLRP3↓, IL-1β↓, TNF-α↓, IL-6↓, IL-8↓
- inhibit Growth/Metastases : TumMeta↓, TumCG↓, EMT↓, MMPs↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, TIMP2, uPA↓, VEGF↓, ROCK1↓, NF-κB↓, CXCR4↓, SDF1↓, TGF-β↓, α-SMA↓, ERK↓
- reactivate genes thereby inhibiting cancer cell growth : HDAC↓(combined with sulfor), DNMT1↓, DNMT3A↓, P53↑, HSP↓, Sp proteins↓, TET↑
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin E↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, TNF-α↓, ERK↓, EMT↓, TOP1↓,
- inhibits glycolysis /Warburg Effect and ATP depletion : HIF-1α↓, PKM2↓, cMyc↓, GLUT1↓, LDH↓, LDHA↓, HK2↓, OXPHOS↓, GRP78↑, GlucoseCon↓
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, Notch↓, PDGF↓, EGFR↓, Integrins↓,
- inhibits Cancer Stem Cells : CSC↓, β-catenin↓, sox2↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, Wnt↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK, α↓, ERK↓, JNK,
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, chemoProtective, RadioSensitizer, RadioProtective, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Renoprotection, Hepatoprotective, CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells

Mechanistic pathway map for Ashwagandha (Withaferin A) in cancer biology

Rank	Pathway / Axis	Cancer Cells	Normal Cells	TSF	Primary Effect	Notes / Interpretation
1	Hsp90 proteostasis axis	Hsp90 functional inhibition → client proteins ↓ (Akt/EGFR/HER2/Raf/Cdk etc.) → growth/survival signaling ↓	Stress-response engagement possible; tolerability is dose/formulation dependent	R	Multi-node oncogenic network destabilization	Often presented as ATP-independent Hsp90 inhibition with downstream proteasomal degradation of clients; mechanistically central because it collapses multiple driver pathways at once.
2	Vimentin and intermediate filament remodeling	Vimentin function/organization ↓ → migration/invasion ↓, EMT programs ↓ (context-dependent)	Endothelial and stromal cytoskeleton can be affected; may underlie anti-angiogenic activity	P	Anti-motility / anti-metastatic leverage	WA behaves as a reactive small molecule with reported covalent interaction with vimentin; cytoskeletal perturbation can be rapid and not strictly transcription-driven.
3	Mitochondrial ROS increase	ROS ↑ → ΔΨm ↓, cyt-c ↑, caspase cascade ↑ → apoptosis ↑	Often ROS ↔ or ↓ with antioxidant response ↑ (model-dependent)	P/R	Selective redox toxicity in susceptible tumors	Frequently paired with ER stress/UPR activation; selectivity is commonly framed as “push cancer over its redox limit,” but this is highly dose- and context-dependent.
4	ER stress and UPR axis	ER stress ↑, UPR ↑ → proteotoxic stress → apoptosis/autophagy shifts (model-dependent)	Adaptive UPR may occur; excessive dosing can stress normal tissues	R	Proteotoxic stress amplification	Mechanistically synergistic with Hsp90 disruption and ROS signaling; can manifest as GRP78/BiP and related markers ↑ in some systems.
5	NF-κB inflammatory survival signaling	NF-κB ↓ → cytokine/pro-survival programs ↓, invasion-associated signaling ↓	Anti-inflammatory signaling ↓ may be beneficial in some contexts; immune effects can be mixed	G	Survival/inflammation program suppression	Often aligned with COX-2 and inflammasome-related readouts in inflammatory models; oncology relevance is strongest where NF-κB is a core survival node.
6	EMT and metastasis signaling	EMT ↓, MMPs ↓, uPA ↓, CXCR4/SDF1 axis ↓ (model-dependent)	Wound-healing programs can be affected (context-dependent)	G	Anti-invasive phenotype	Partly downstream of cytoskeletal (vimentin) effects and NF-κB/TGF-β-linked programs; directionality can vary by tumor lineage and assay.
7	Glycolysis and HIF-1α	HIF-1α ↓, glycolysis flux ↓, ATP ↓ (susceptible models)	Usually ↔ at low exposure; metabolic stress possible at higher exposure	G	Metabolic vulnerability unmasking	Often secondary to upstream stress (ROS/proteostasis) rather than a primary enzymatic inhibitor; interpret as (context-dependent).
8	Cell cycle checkpoint control	Cell-cycle arrest ↑ (often G2/M reported), CDK/cyclin signaling ↓	Proliferating normal cells may also be sensitive at higher exposure	G	Anti-proliferative enforcement	Common phenotype readout across WA studies; mechanistic “why” may differ by model (proteostasis vs ROS vs mitotic machinery/cytoskeleton).
9	NRF2 and antioxidant defense	NRF2 ↓ and antioxidant enzymes ↓ reported in some cancer models; sometimes mixed ↔	NRF2 ↑ and antioxidant enzymes ↑ reported in some normal-tissue protection contexts	G	Redox buffering divergence	Highly model-dependent; WA can behave as a stressor that either suppresses or activates NRF2-linked programs depending on timing, dose, and baseline redox state.
10	Clinical Translation Constraint	Micromolar in-vitro dosing common; human oncology exposure/target engagement remains sparsely defined	Supplement heterogeneity (WA content), drug-interaction risk, and organ-specific toxicity signals (notably liver; thyroid) constrain use	—	Formulation + PK + safety gating	Human data exist (phase I osteosarcoma; ongoing ovarian combo), but WA is not an approved anticancer drug and standardized products/target engagement biomarkers are not yet mature.

TSF legend: P: 0–30 min R: 30 min–3 hr G: >3 hr

CSCs, Cancer Stem Cells: Click to Expand ⟱

Source:

Type:

Cancer Stem Cells

Phytochemicals (natural plant-derived compounds) that may affect CSCs:
Curcumin
— suppresses self-renewal and pathways (Wnt/Notch/Hedgehog).
Resveratrol
— shown to reduce CSC populations and sphere formation in multiple models.
Sulforaphane (from broccoli sprouts)
— reported to inhibit CSC properties and pathways; active in vitro and in vivo.
EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate, green tea)
— reduces CSC markers and sphere formation in several cancer types.
Quercetin
— reported to inhibit CSC proliferation, self-renewal and invasiveness (breast, endometrial, others).
Berberine
— shown to suppress CSC “stemness” and reduce tumorigenic properties in multiple models.
Genistein (soy isoflavone)
— decreases CSC markers, sphere formation and stemness signaling in prostate/breast/other models.
Honokiol (Magnolia bark)
— shown to eliminate or suppress CSC-like populations in oral, colon, glioma models.
Luteolin
— inhibits stemness/EMT and reduces CSC markers and self-renewal in breast, prostate and other models.
Withaferin A (from Withania somnifera / ashwagandha)
— multiple preclinical reports show WA targets CSCs and reduces tumor growth/metastasis in models.

Circadian disruption in cancer and regulation of cancer stem cells by circadian clock genes: An updated review
Potential Role of the Circadian Clock in the Regulation of Cancer Stem Cells and Cancer Therapy
Can we utilise the circadian clock to target cancer stem cells?

Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱

3168-

Ash,

Withaferin A targeting both cancer stem cells and metastatic cancer stem cells in the UP-LN1 carcinoma cell model

in-vitro,

Var,

CXCR4↓, WA preferentially reduced F-cell proliferation, tumor sphere formation, and SP cells in vitro in greater efficiencies by apoptosis. This action was mechanistically mediated via the down-regulation of CXCR4/CXCL12 and STAT3
STAT3↓,
CSCs↓, WA could efficiently block the formation of both CSCs and mCSCs in the UP-LN1 cell line

5396-

Ash,

Withania Somnifera (Ashwagandha) and Withaferin A: Potential in Integrative Oncology

Review,

Var,

selectivity↑, WS was shown to impede the growth of new cancer cells, but not normal cells,
ROS↑, help induce programmed death of cells by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), and sensistize cancer cells to apoptosis
Apoptosis↑,
ChemoSen↑, Pre-clinical studies in several cancer types have shown up to 80% inhibition using combination chemotherapy [19].
RadioS↑, It was not until 1996, that WFA’s radiosensitizer activity was reported that caused V79 cell survival reduction where 1-h pre-treatment at 2.1 µM dose before radiation significantly killed cells
NF-kB↓, inhibiting NF-κB activation
ER-α36↓, WFA, it was found the phytochemical downregulated the estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) protein in MCF-7 cells.
P53↑, WFA selectively activated p53 in tumor cells treated with the leaf extract of Ashwagandha [71] leading to growth arrest and apoptosis.
*ROS∅, opposed to the normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) [72] which did not increase ROS production.
γH2AX↑, The group found an increase in γ-H2AX and number of cells expressing the phosphorylated form which is a marker for DNA damage in WFA treated MCF-7 cells.
DNAdam↑,
MMP↓, As ROS is well known to affect mithochondrial membrane potential, they found a change in mitochondrial membrane potential and altered mitochondrial morphology in WFA treated cells.
XIAP↓, XIAP (X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein), cIAP-2 (cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein-2) and Survivin proteins were found to be reduced in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells when treated with WFA
IAP1↓,
survivin↓,
SOD↓, figure 2
Dose↝, doses of 3 and 4 mg/kg and the authors found 59% reduction of tumor and polyp initiation and progression in the WFA treated mice compared to the controls [80].
IL6↓, WFA downregulated expression of inflammatory markers in these tumors such as IL-6, TNF-α, COX-2 along with pro-survival markers such as pAkt, Notch1 and NF-κβ [80].
TNF-α↓,
COX2↓,
p‑Akt↓,
NOTCH1↓,
FOXO↑, figure 3 prostrate cancer
Casp↑,
MMP2↓,
CSCs↓, WFA treatment significantly reduced ALDH+ CSC population, whereas Cisplatin treatment increased CSC population.
*ROS↓, WFA was found to increase cellular survival in simulated injury and in H2O2-induced cell apoptosis along with inhibition of oxidative stress.
*SOD2↑, Thus, via upregulation of SOD2, SOD3, Prdx-1 by H2O2, WFA treatment leads to inhibition of the antioxidants and Akt-dependent improvement of cardiomyocyte caspase-3 [103].
chemoP↑, First, given the safety record of WS, it can be used as an adjunct therapy that can aid in reducing the adverse effects associated with radio and chemotherapy due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
ChemoSen↑, Second, WS can also be combined with other conventional therapies such as chemotherapies to synergize and potentiate the effects due to radiotherapy and chemotherapy due to its ability to aid in radio- and chemosensitization, respectively.
RadioS↑,

3166-

Ash,

Exploring the Multifaceted Therapeutic Potential of Withaferin A and Its Derivatives

Review,

Var,

*p‑PPARγ↓, preventing the phosphorylation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARγ)
*cardioP↑, cardioprotective activity by AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation and suppressing mitochondrial apoptosis.
*AMPK↑,
*BioAv↝, The oral bioavailability was found to be 32.4 ± 4.8% after 5 mg/kg intravenous and 10 mg/kg oral WA administration.
*Half-Life↝, The stability studies of WA in gastric fluid, liver microsomes, and intestinal microflora solution showed similar results in male rats and humans with a half-life of 5.6 min.
*Half-Life↝, WA reduced quickly, and 27.1% left within 1 h
*Dose↑, WA showed that formulation at dose 4800 mg having equivalent to 216 mg of WA, was tolerated well without showing any dose-limiting toxicity.
*chemoPv↑, Here, we discuss the chemo-preventive effects of WA on multiple organs.
IL6↓, attenuates IL-6 in inducible (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231)
STAT3↓, WA displayed downregulation of STAT3 transcriptional activity
ROS↓, associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, resulted in apoptosis of cells. The WA treatment decreases the oxidative phosphorylation
OXPHOS↓,
PCNA↓, uppresses human breast cells’ proliferation by decreasing the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression
LDH↓, WA treatment decreases the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) expression, increases AMP protein kinase activation, and reduces adenosine triphosphate
AMPK↑,
TumCCA↑, (SKOV3 andCaOV3), WA arrest the G2/M phase cell cycle
NOTCH3↓, It downregulated the Notch-3/Akt/Bcl-2 signaling mediated cell survival, thereby causing caspase-3 stimulation, which induces apoptosis.
Akt↓,
Bcl-2↓,
Casp3↑,
Apoptosis↑,
eff↑, Withaferin-A, combined with doxorubicin, and cisplatin at suboptimal dose generates ROS and causes cell death
NF-kB↓, reduces the cytosolic and nuclear levels of NF-κB-related phospho-p65 cytokines in xenografted tumors
CSCs↓, WA can be used as a pharmaceutical agent that effectively kills cancer stem cells (CSCs).
HSP90↓, WA inhibit Hsp90 chaperone activity, disrupting Hsp90 client proteins, thus showing antiproliferative effects
PI3K↓, WA inhibited PI3K/AKT pathway.
FOXO3↑, Par-4 and FOXO3A proapoptotic proteins were increased in Pten-KO mice supplemented with WA.
β-catenin/ZEB1↓, decreased pAKT expression and the β-catenin and N-cadherin epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers in WA-treated tumors control
N-cadherin↓,
EMT↓,
FASN↓, WA intraperitoneal administration (0.1 mg) resulted in significant suppression of circulatory free fatty acid and fatty acid synthase expression, ATP citrate lyase,
ACLY↓,
ROS↑, WA generates ROS followed by the activation of Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1 pathways, and upregulating the expression of the c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK)
NRF2↑,
HO-1↑,
NQO1↑,
JNK↑,
mTOR↓, suppressing the mTOR/STAT3 pathway
neuroP↑, neuroprotective ability of WA (50 mg/kg b.w)
*TNF-α↓, WA attenuate the levels of neuroinflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6)
*IL1β↓,
*IL6↓,
*IL8↓, WA decreases the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNFα, IL-8, IL-18)
*IL18↓,
RadioS↑, radiosensitizing combination effect of WA and hyperthermia (HT) or radiotherapy (RT)
eff↑, WA and cisplatin at suboptimal dose generates ROS and causes cell death [41]. The actions of this combination is attributed by eradicating cells, revealing markers of cancer stem cells like CD34, CD44, Oct4, CD24, and CD117

4679-

Ash,

Induced cancer stem-like cells as a model for biological screening and discovery of agents targeting phenotypic traits of cancer stem cell

in-vitro,

NA,

CSCs↓, we found that withaferin A (WA), an Ayurvedic medicine constituent, was a potent inhibitor of CSC stemness leading to cellular senescence primarily via the induction of p21Cip1 expression.

4678-

Ash,

Identification of Withaferin A as a Potential Candidate for Anti-Cancer Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

vitro+vivo,

NSCLC,

H1975

ROS↑, WA concurrently induced autophagy and apoptosis and the activation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which plays an upstream role in mediating WA-elicited effects.
AntiTum↑, In vivo research also demonstrated the anti-tumor effect of WA treatment
CSCs↓, We subsequently demonstrated that WA could inhibit the growth of lung CSCs, decrease side population cells, and inhibit lung cancer spheroid-forming capacity
mTOR↓, at least through downregulation of mTOR/STAT3 signaling
STAT3↓,
ChemoSen↑, combination of WA and chemotherapeutic drugs, including cisplatin and pemetrexed, exerted synergistic effects on the inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) wild-type lung cancer cell viability.
Keap1↑, Interestingly, we found WA treatment gradually increased KEAP1, while it decreased NRF2 in H1975 cells
NRF2↓,

4677-

Ash,

Withaferin A (WFA) inhibits tumor growth and metastasis by targeting ovarian cancer stem cells

vitro+vivo,

Ovarian,

CSCs↓, Withaferin A (WFA) alone or in combination with cisplatin (CIS) significantly inhibited the spheroid formation (tumorigenic potential) of isolated ALDH1 CSCs in vitro
Securin↓, WFA and CIS combination suppresses the expression of securin an “oncogene”
ALDH1A1↓, WFA and CIS combination regulates the expression of ALDH1 marker

4660-

Ash,

Withaferin A Alone and in Combination with Cisplatin Suppresses Growth and Metastasis of Ovarian Cancer by Targeting Putative Cancer Stem Cells

in-vitro,

Ovarian,

CSCs↓, Herein we show for the first time that withaferin A (WFA), a bioactive compound isolated from the plant Withania somnifera, when used alone or in combination with cisplatin (CIS) targets putative CSCs.
TumCG↓, 70 to 80% reduction in tumor growth and complete inhibition of metastasis to other organs compared to untreated controls.
TumMeta↓,
CD44↓, highly significant elimination of cells expressing CSC markers - CD44, CD24, CD34, CD117 and Oct4 and downregulation of Notch1, Hes1 and Hey1 genes.
CD34↓,
OCT4↓,
NOTCH1↓,
HEY1↓,

1358-

Ash,

Withaferin A: A Dietary Supplement with Promising Potential as an Anti-Tumor Therapeutic for Cancer Treatment - Pharmacology and Mechanisms

Review,

Var,

TumCCA↑,
Apoptosis↑,
TumAuto↑,
Ferroptosis↑,
TumCP↓,
CSCs↓,
TumMeta↓,
EMT↓,
angioG↓,
Vim↓,
HSP90↓,
annexin II↓, annexin II proteins directly bind to WA
m-FAM72A↓,
BCR-ABL↓,
Mortalin↓,
NRF2↓,
cMYB↓,
ROS↑, WA inhibits proliferation through ROS-mediated intrinsic apoptosis
ChemoSen↑, WA and cisplatin, WA produced ROS, while cisplatin caused DNA damage, suggesting that lower doses of cisplatin combined with suboptimal doses of WA could achieve the same effect
eff↑, sulforaphane and WA showed synergistic effects on epigenetic modifiers and cell proliferation in breast cancer cells
ChemoSen↑, WA and sorafenib caused G2/M arrest in anaplastic and papillary thyroid cancer cells
ChemoSen↑, combination of WA and 5-FU executed PERK axis-mediated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced autophagy and apoptosis
eff↑, WA and carnosol also exhibit a synergistic effect on pancreatic cancer
*BioAv↓, Saurabh by Saurabh et al and Tianming et al reported oral bioavailability values 1.8% and 32.4 ± 4.8%, respectively, in male rats.
ROCK1↓, In another study, WA reduces macrophage infiltration and inhibits the expression of protein tyrosine kinase-2 (Pyk2), rho-associated kinase 1 (ROCK1), and VEGF in a hepatocellular carcinoma xenograft model, thereby suppressing tumor invasion and angi
TumCI↓,
Sp1/3/4↓, Furthermore, WA exerts potent anti-angiogenic activity in vivo.174 In the Ehrlich ascites tumor model, WA exerts its anti-angiogenic activity by reducing the binding of the transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1) to VEGF
VEGF↓, n another study, WA reduces macrophage infiltration and inhibits the expression of protein tyrosine kinase-2 (Pyk2), rho-associated kinase 1 (ROCK1), and VEGF in a hepatocellular carcinoma xenograft model, thereby suppressing tumor invasion and angio
Hif1a↓, Furthermore, WA suppresses the AK4-HIF-1α signaling axis and acts as a potent antimetastatic agent in lung cancer.Citation79
EGFR↓, WA synergistically inhibited wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) lung cancer cell viability

3160-

Ash,

Withaferin A: A Pleiotropic Anticancer Agent from the Indian Medicinal Plant Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal

Review,

Var,

TumCCA↑, withaferin A suppressed cell proliferation in prostate, ovarian, breast, gastric, leukemic, and melanoma cancer cells and osteosarcomas by stimulating the inhibition of the cell cycle at several stages, including G0/G1 [86], G2, and M phase
H3↑, via the upregulation of phosphorylated Aurora B, H3, p21, and Wee-1, and the downregulation of A2, B1, and E2 cyclins, Cdc2 (Tyr15), phosphorylated Chk1, and Chk2 in DU-145 and PC-3 prostate cancer cells.
P21↑,
cycA1/CCNA1↓,
CycB/CCNB1↓,
cycE/CCNE↓,
CDC2↓,
CHK1↓,
Chk2↓,
p38↑, nitiated cell death in the leukemia cells by increasing the expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK)
MAPK↑,
E6↓, educed the expression of human papillomavirus E6/E7 oncogenes in cervical cancer cells
E7↓,
P53↑, restored the p53 pathway causing the apoptosis of cervical cancer cells.
Akt↓, oral dose of 3–5 mg/kg withaferin A attenuated the activation of Akt and stimulated Forkhead Box-O3a (FOXO3a)-mediated prostate apoptotic response-4 (Par-4) activation,
FOXO3↑,
ROS↑, the generation of reactive oxygen species, histone H2AX phosphorylation, and mitochondrial membrane depolarization, indicating that withaferin A can cause the oxidative stress-mediated killing of oral cancer cells [
γH2AX↑,
MMP↓,
mitResp↓, withaferin A inhibited the expansion of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells by ROS production, owing to mitochondrial respiration inhibition
eff↑, combination treatment of withaferin A and hyperthermia induced the death of HeLa cells via a decrease in the mitochondrial transmembrane potential and the downregulation of the antiapoptotic protein myeloid-cell leukemia 1 (MCL-1)
TumCD↑,
Mcl-1↓,
ER Stress↑, . Withaferin A also attenuated the development of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), both in vitro and in vivo, by inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress via activating the transcription factor 4-ATF3-C/EBP homologous protein (ATF4-ATF3-CHOP)
ATF4↑,
ATF3↑,
CHOP↑,
NOTCH↓, modulating the Notch-1 signaling pathway and the downregulation of Akt/NF-κB/Bcl-2 . withaferin A inhibited the Notch signaling pathway
NF-kB↓,
Bcl-2↓,
STAT3↓, Withaferin A also constitutively inhibited interleukin-6-induced phosphorylation of STAT3,
CDK1↓, lowering the levels of cyclin-dependent Cdk1, Cdc25C, and Cdc25B proteins,
β-catenin/ZEB1↓, downregulation of p-Akt expression, β-catenin, N-cadherin and epithelial to the mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers
N-cadherin↓,
EMT↓,
Cyt‑c↑, depolarization and production of ROS, which led to the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol,
eff↑, combinatorial effect of withaferin A and sulforaphane was also observed in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells, with a dramatic reduction of the expression of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and an increase in the pro-apoptotic Bax level, thus p
CDK4↓, downregulates the levels of cyclin D1, CDK4, and pRB, and upregulates the levels of E2F mRNA and tumor suppressor p21, independently of p53
p‑RB1↓,
PARP↑, upregulation of Bax and cytochrome c, downregulation of Bcl-2, and activation of PARP, caspase-3, and caspase-9 cleavage
cl‑Casp3↑,
cl‑Casp9↑,
NRF2↑, withaferin A binding with Keap1 causes an increase in the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) protein levels, which in turn, regulates the expression of antioxidant proteins that can protect the cells from oxidative stress.
ER-α36↓, Decreased ER-α
LDHA↓, inhibited growth, LDHA activity, and apoptotic induction
lipid-P↑, induction of oxidative stress, increased lipid peroxidation,
AP-1↓, anti-inflammatory qualities of withaferin A are specifically attributed to its inhibition of pro-inflammatory molecules, α-2 macroglobulin, NF-κB, activator protein 1 (AP-1), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition,
COX2↓,
RenoP↑, showing strong evidence of the renoprotective potential of withaferin A due to its anti-inflammatory activity
PDGFR-BB↓, attenuating the BB-(PDGF-BB) platelet growth factor
SIRT3↑, by increasing the sirtuin3 (SIRT3) expression
MMP2↓, withaferin A inhibits matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9,
MMP9↓,
NADPH↑, but also provokes mRNA stimulation for a set of antioxidant genes, such as NADPH quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), glutathione-disulfide reductase (GSR), Nrf2, heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1),
NQO1↑,
GSR↑,
HO-1↑,
*SOD2↑, cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury model. Withaferin A triggered the upregulation of superoxide dismutase SOD2, SOD3, and peroxiredoxin 1(Prdx-1).
*Prx↑,
*Casp3?, and ameliorated cardiomyocyte caspase-3 activity
eff↑, combination with doxorubicin (DOX), is also responsible for the excessive generation of ROS
Snail↓, inhibition of EMT markers, such as Snail, Slug, β-catenin, and vimentin.
Slug↓,
Vim↓,
CSCs↓, highly effective in eliminating cancer stem cells (CSC) that expressed cell surface markers, such as CD24, CD34, CD44, CD117, and Oct4 while downregulating Notch1, Hes1, and Hey1 genes;
HEY1↓,
MMPs↓, downregulate the expression of MMPs and VEGF, as well as reduce vimentin, N-cadherin cytoskeleton proteins,
VEGF↓,
uPA↓, and protease u-PA involved in the cancer cell metastasis
*toxicity↓, A was orally administered to Wistar rats at a dose of 2000 mg/kg/day and had no adverse effects on the animals
CDK2↓, downregulated the activation of Bcl-2, CDK2, and cyclin D1
CDK4↓, Another study also demonstrated the inhibition of Hsp90 by withaferin A in a pancreatic cancer cell line through the degradation of Akt, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 Cdk4,
HSP90↓,

3156-

Ash,

Withaferin A: From ayurvedic folk medicine to preclinical anti-cancer drug

Review,

Var,

MAPK↑, Figure 3
p38↑,
BAX↑,
BIM↑,
CHOP↑,
ROS↑,
DR5↑,
Apoptosis↑,
Ferroptosis↑,
GPx4↓,
BioAv↝, WA has a rapid oral absorption and reaches to peak plasma concentration of around 16.69 Â± 4.02 ng/ml within 10 min after oral administration of Withania somnifera aqueous extract at dose of 1000 mg/kg, which is equivalent to 0.458 mg/kg of WA
HSP90↓, table 1 10uM) were found to inhibit the chaperone activity of HSP90
RET↓,
E6↓,
E7↓,
Akt↓,
cMET↓,
Glycolysis↓, by suppressing the glycolysis and tricarboxylic (TCA) cycle
TCA↓,
NOTCH1↓,
STAT3↓,
AP-1↓,
PI3K↓,
eIF2α↓,
HO-1↑,
TumCCA↑, WA (1--3 uM) have been reported to inhibit cell proliferation by inducing G2 and M phase cycle arrest inovarian, breast, prostate, gastric and myelodysplastic/leukemic cancer cells and osteosarcoma
CDK1↓, WA is able to decrease the cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) activity and prevent Cdk1/cyclin B1 complex formation, which are key steps in cell cycle progression
*hepatoP↑, A treatment (40 mg/kg) reduces acetaminophen-induced liver injury (AILI) in mouse models and decreases H 2O 2-induced glutathione (GSH) depletion and necrosis in hepatocyte
*GSH↑,
*NRF2↑, WA triggers an anti-oxidant response after acetaminophen overdose by enhancing hepatic transcription of the nuclear factor erythroid 2ârelated factor 2 (NRF2)-responsive gene
Wnt↓, indirectly inhibit Wnt
EMT↓, WA can also block tumor metastasis through reduced expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers.
uPA↓, WA (700 nM) exert anti-meta-static activities in breast cancer cells through inhibition of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) protease
CSCs↓, s WA (125-500 nM) suppress tumor sphere formation indicating that the self-renewal of CSC is abolished
Nanog↓, loss of these CSC-specific characteristics is reflected in the loss of typical stem cell markers such as ALDH1A, Nanog, Sox2, CD44 and CD24
SOX2↓,
CD44↓,
lactateProd↓, drop in lactate levels compared to control mice.
Iron↑, Furthermore, we found that WA elevates the levels of intracellular labile ferrous iron (Fe +2 ) through excessive activation of heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1), which independently causes accumulation of toxic lipid radicals and ensuing ferroptosis
NF-kB↓, nhibition of NF-kB kinase signaling pathway

5397-

CUR,

SFN,

RES,

EGCG,

Ash

Targeting Cancer Stem Cells with Phytochemicals: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential

Review,

Var,

CSCs↓, curcumin, sulforaphane, resveratrol, EGCG, genistein, quercetin, parthenolide, berberine, and withaferin A. Collectively, these compounds suppress CSC self-renewal,

4665-

QC,

Ash,

Api,

Targeting cancer stem cells by nutraceuticals for cancer therapy

Review,

Var,

CSCs↓, we will describe the some natural chemopreventive agents that target CSCs in a variety of human malignancies, including soy isoflavone, curcumin, resveratrol, tea polyphenols, sulforaphane, quercetin, indole-3-carbinol, 3,3′-diindolylmethane, withafe

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 12

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:

Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

GSH↑, 1, NRF2↑, 1, Prx↑, 1, ROS↓, 1, ROS∅, 1, SOD2↑, 2,

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

AMPK↑, 1, p‑PPARγ↓, 1,

Cell Death ⓘ

Casp3?, 1,

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

IL18↓, 1, IL1β↓, 1, IL6↓, 1, IL8↓, 1, TNF-α↓, 1,

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

BioAv↓, 1, BioAv↝, 1, Dose↑, 1, Half-Life↝, 2,

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

IL6↓, 1,

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

cardioP↑, 1, chemoPv↑, 1, hepatoP↑, 1, toxicity↓, 1,
Total Targets: 23

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: CSCs, Cancer Stem Cells

12 Ashwagandha(Withaferin A)
1 Curcumin
1 Sulforaphane (mainly Broccoli)
1 Resveratrol
1 EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate)
1 Quercetin
1 Apigenin (mainly Parsley)

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#:36  Target#:795  State#:%  Dir#:%
  wNotes=on  sortOrder:rid,rpid

Database Query Results : Ashwagandha(Withaferin A), , CSCs

Mechanistic pathway map for Ashwagandha (Withaferin A) in cancer biology

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:

Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

Cell Death ⓘ

Kinase & Signal Transduction ⓘ

Transcription & Epigenetics ⓘ

Protein Folding & ER Stress ⓘ

Autophagy & Lysosomes ⓘ

DNA Damage & Repair ⓘ

Cell Cycle & Senescence ⓘ

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

Migration ⓘ

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:

Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

Cell Death ⓘ

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

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