Galloflavin / LDH Cancer Research Results

Gallo, Galloflavin: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Galloflavin is a flavonoid compound found in certain plants, such as the Galphimia gracilis. Studies have demonstrated that galloflavin can inhibit the growth of cancer cells and induce apoptosis (cell death) in various types of cancer, including breast, lung, and colon cancer. Galloflavin's anti-cancer effects are thought to be due to its ability to modulate various cellular signaling pathways, including the PI3K/Akt and NF-κB pathways, which are involved in cell survival and proliferation. Additionally, galloflavin has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may also contribute to its anti-cancer effects.

Galloflavin has been reported to be a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) inhibitor. LDH is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the metabolism of cancer cells, particularly in the process of glycolysis, which is the breakdown of glucose to produce energy.
Galloflavin's LDH inhibitory activity has been demonstrated in various studies, which have shown that it can inhibit LDH activity in cancer cells, leading to a decrease in lactate production and an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The increase in ROS can lead to cell death, making galloflavin a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of cancer.
Galloflavin is unusually clean mechanistically:
-LDH-A inhibition is the primary molecular target
-Everything else (↓ lactate, NAD⁺ stress, ROS, mitochondrial dependence) is downstream
-Apoptosis and tumor suppression are consequences, not drivers
This makes galloflavin one of the best-defined Warburg-effect inhibitors.

Not use if antitumor effect extends to in vivo?
Rank Pathway / Target Axis Direction Primary Effect Notes / Cancer Relevance Ref
1 Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH-A and LDH-B) ↓ LDH activity Warburg glycolysis inhibition Galloflavin directly inhibits both isoforms of LDH, blocking the conversion of pyruvate to lactate and impairing glycolytic flux in tumor cells. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} (ref)
2 Glycolysis output / ATP synthesis ↓ lactate production & ATP Reduced cancer cell energy Galloflavin blocks aerobic glycolysis in multiple tumor cell lines, reducing lactate and ATP, and thus limiting energy available for proliferation. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2} (ref)
3 Cell proliferation ↓ proliferation / growth Growth suppression Galloflavin inhibits proliferation across several cancer cell models (breast cancer MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and tamoxifen-resistant cells), independent of glycolytic phenotype. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3} (ref)
4 Apoptosis induction ↑ apoptosis (caspase activation) Programmed cell death Breast cancer work shows galloflavin induces apoptosis as the main mode of cell death, with signaling differences depending on glycolytic status. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4} (ref)
5 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↑ ROS Oxidative stress Endometrial cancer cells treated with galloflavin show increased ROS production, potentially contributing to cytotoxicity and DNA damage. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5} (ref)
6 Mitochondrial apoptosis axis (Bcl-2/MCL-1 changes) ↑ mitochondrial apoptosis Execution-phase cell death In endometrial cancer cells, galloflavin increases markers of mitochondrial apoptosis (e.g., cleaved caspase-3) while lowering anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Mcl-1. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6} (ref)
7 Cell cycle regulation ↑ cell-cycle arrest Proliferation blockade GF induces cell-cycle changes in endometrial cancer models (e.g., G2 arrest in some lines), indicating impacts on proliferation checkpoints. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7} (ref)
8 Metastasis-related markers (E-cadherin / Slug) ↑ E-cadherin / ↓ Slug Reduced invasive phenotype Galloflavin treatment increases E-cadherin and decreases Slug in endometrial cancer cells, consistent with reduced migratory/invasive capacity. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8} (ref)
9 LDH-A binding to ssDNA & RNA synthesis ↓ LDH-A-ssDNA binding & ↓ RNA synthesis Transcription/stress axis Galloflavin prevents LDHA binding to single-stranded DNA and inhibits RNA synthesis independently of glycolysis. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9} (ref)
10 Combinatorial metabolic inhibition (in vitro) ↑ metabolic stress when combined Enhanced anti-proliferative effect In vitro work shows galloflavin enhances antiproliferative and apoptotic effects in combination with other metabolic inhibitors (e.g., CPI-613) in pancreatic cancer cells. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10} (ref)


LDH, Lactate Dehydrogenase: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:
LDH is a general term that refers to the enzyme that catalyzes the interconversion of lactate and pyruvate. LDH is a tetrameric enzyme, meaning it is composed of four subunits.
LDH refers to the enzyme as a whole, while LDHA specifically refers to the M subunit. Elevated LDHA levels are often associated with poor prognosis and aggressive tumor behavior, similar to elevated LDH levels.
leakage of LDH is a well-known indicator of cell membrane integrity and cell viability [35]. LDH leakage results from the breakdown of the plasma membrane and alterations in membrane permeability, and is widely used as a cytotoxicity endpoint.

However, it's worth noting that some studies have shown that LDHA is a more specific and sensitive biomarker for cancer than total LDH, as it is more closely associated with the Warburg effect and cancer metabolism.

Dysregulated LDH activity contributes significantly to cancer development, promoting the Warburg effect (Chen et al., 2007), which involves increased glucose uptake and lactate production, even in the presence of oxygen, to meet the energy demands of rapidly proliferating cancer cells (Warburg and Minami, 1923; Dai et al., 2016b). LDHA overexpression favors pyruvate to lactate conversion, leading to tumor microenvironment acidification and aiding cancer progression and metastasis.

Inhibitors:
Flavonoids, a group of polyphenols abundant in fruit, vegetables, and medicinal plants, function as LDH inhibitors.
LDH is used as a clinical biomarker for Synthetic liver function, nutrition

Tier A — Direct LDH Enzyme Inhibitors (Validated Catalytic Inhibition)

Rank Compound Type LDH Target Potency Level Primary Effect Notes
1 NCI-006 Research drug LDHA / LDHB High (in vivo active) Potent glycolysis suppression Modern benchmark LDH inhibitor used in metabolic oncology models.
2 (R)-GNE-140 Research drug LDHA (±LDHB) High (nM range reported) Lactate production ↓ Widely used experimental LDH inhibitor.
3 FX11 Research drug LDHA High (μM range) Metabolic crisis in LDHA-dependent tumors Classic LDHA inhibitor; often increases ROS secondary to metabolic stress.
4 Oxamate Tool compound LDH (pyruvate-competitive) Moderate (mM cellular use) Reduces lactate flux Classical LDH inhibitor; requires high concentrations in cells.
5 Gossypol Natural product derivative LDHA Moderate–High Glycolysis inhibition Also has other targets; safety considerations apply.
6 Galloflavin Natural compound LDH isoforms Moderate Lactate production ↓ One of the better-supported “natural-like” LDH inhibitors.

Tier B — Indirect LDH-Axis Modulators (Glycolysis / Lactate Reduction Without Confirmed Direct Catalytic Inhibition)

Rank Compound Mechanism Type LDH Claim Type Primary Axis Notes / Caution
1 Lonidamine MCT/MPC modulation Lactate axis inhibition Metabolic transport blockade Better classified as lactate/pyruvate transport modulator.
2 Stiripentol Repurposed drug LDH pathway modulation Metabolic axis modulation Emerging oncology interest; primarily neurological drug.
3 Quercetin Flavonoid Reported LDH inhibition (mixed evidence) NF-κB / PI3K modulation Often LDH-release confusion; direct enzymatic proof limited.
4 Ursolic acid Triterpenoid Reported LDH interaction Warburg modulation More credible as metabolic signaling modulator.
5 Fisetin Flavonoid Docking / indirect reports Apoptosis / survival signaling Enzyme inhibition not well validated.
6 Resveratrol Polyphenol Indirect glycolysis suppression AMPK / HIF-1α modulation Reduces lactate via upstream signaling.
7 Curcumin Polyphenol Indirect LDH expression modulation Inflammation + metabolic signaling Bioavailability limits translational strength.
8 Berberine Alkaloid Indirect metabolic modulation AMPK activation Closer to metformin-like metabolic pressure.
9 Honokiol Lignan Indirect glycolysis effects Survival pathway suppression Not validated as catalytic LDH inhibitor.
10 Silibinin Flavonolignan Mixed / indirect reports Inflammation + metabolic axis Often misclassified as LDH inhibitor.
11 Kaempferol Flavonoid Often LDH-release marker confusion Glucose transport / signaling Do not list as direct LDH inhibitor without enzyme data.
12 Oleanolic acid / Limonin / Allicin / Taurine Natural compounds Weak / indirect evidence General metabolic modulation Should not be categorized as true LDH inhibitors.

Tier A = Direct catalytic LDH inhibition (enzyme-level validation).
Tier B = Indirect lactate reduction or glycolytic modulation without strong catalytic inhibition evidence.
Important: LDH release assays (cell damage marker) are not proof of LDH enzymatic inhibition.



Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
934- Gallo,    Galloflavin (CAS 568-80-9): a novel inhibitor of lactate dehydrogenase
- Analysis, NA, NA
LDH↓, Glycolysis↓, Apoptosis↑,
935- Gallo,    Galloflavin, a new lactate dehydrogenase inhibitor, induces the death of human breast cancer cells with different glycolytic attitude by affecting distinct signaling pathways
- in-vitro, BC, MCF-7 - in-vitro, BC, MDA-MB-231
LDH↓, ROS↑, TumCP↓, Glycolysis↓, ATP↓, ER-α36↓, Apoptosis?,
5205- Gallo,    Evaluation of the anti-tumor effects of lactate dehydrogenase inhibitor galloflavin in endometrial cancer cells
- in-vitro, Endo, ISH
LDH↓, TumCG↓, LDHA↓, Apoptosis↑, cl‑Casp3↑, Mcl-1↓, Bcl-2↓, TumCCA↑, ROS↑, mt-DNAdam↑, GlucoseCon↓, ATP↓, PDH↑, Pyruv↑, Glycolysis↓, TCA↑, cMyc↓, E-cadherin↑, Slug↓,
5207- Gallo,    Targeting pancreatic cancer with combinatorial treatment of CPI-613 and inhibitors of lactate metabolism
LDH↓, TumCP↓, TumCG∅,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 4 of 4

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 4

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

ROS↑, 2,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

ATP↓, 2,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

cMyc↓, 1,   GlucoseCon↓, 1,   Glycolysis↓, 3,   LDH↓, 4,   LDHA↓, 1,   PDH↑, 1,   Pyruv↑, 1,   TCA↑, 1,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Apoptosis?, 1,   Apoptosis↑, 2,   Bcl-2↓, 1,   cl‑Casp3↑, 1,   Mcl-1↓, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair ⓘ

mt-DNAdam↑, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence ⓘ

TumCCA↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

TumCG↓, 1,   TumCG∅, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

E-cadherin↑, 1,   ER-α36↓, 1,   Slug↓, 1,   TumCP↓, 2,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

LDH↓, 4,  
Total Targets: 24

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: LDH, Lactate Dehydrogenase
4 Galloflavin
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#:177  Target#:906  State#:%  Dir#:1
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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