Usnic acid / RAS Cancer Research Results

UsA, Usnic acid: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:

Usnic Acid

Recommended Abbreviation: UA

Type: Natural product / lichen secondary metabolite / dibenzofuran derivative

Source: Usnic acid is a secondary metabolite produced by several lichen genera, including Usnea, Cladonia, Lecanora, and related species. It occurs naturally as (+)- and (-)-usnic acid enantiomers.

Function: Usnic acid exhibits antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, antiparasitic, photoprotective, and experimental anticancer activities. Its biological effects involve mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammatory signaling, and cellular metabolism.

Cancer: Usnic acid has demonstrated preclinical anticancer activity in multiple cancer models, including proliferation ↓, tumor-cell viability ↓, apoptosis ↑, mitochondrial dysfunction ↑, and modulation of oxidative-stress and survival pathways. Its anticancer activity remains predominantly experimental, and toxicity may limit systemic therapeutic use.

Neuroprotection: Experimental studies indicate antioxidant and neuroprotective activity, including Nrf2-associated cytoprotective responses and protection against oxidative and ischemic neuronal injury. Direct evidence for Alzheimer's disease is not sufficiently established to assign a specific Alzheimer's disease direction.

Safety: Usnic acid has a significant hepatotoxicity concern, particularly with systemic or oral exposure at higher doses. Human cases of severe liver injury, including acute liver failure requiring transplantation, have been reported with usnic-acid-containing weight-loss supplements. Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are important mechanisms implicated in its hepatotoxicity.
RAS, RAS: Click to Expand ⟱
Source: CGL-CS
Type: oncogene
Family of RAS proteins (KRAS, NRAS, and HRAS) have been well described to cause oncogenic transformation.

- The expression and mutational status of RAS isoforms are critical in several cancers and are generally linked with a poorer prognosis when mutated.
RAS is one of the most frequently activated oncogenic drivers in human cancer. Mutations lock RAS in its GTP-bound active state, making signaling:
-Constitutive
-Growth-factor independent
-Resistant to normal feedback control

Key framing: RAS is a true driver oncogene, not just an amplifier.

Core Oncogenic Pathways Downstream of RAS
RAS sits at the apex of multiple essential signaling cascades:
a. MAPK Pathway (RAF–MEK–ERK)
-Drives proliferation
-Induces cell-cycle genes (Cyclin D, MYC, FOS/AP-1)
-Supports invasion and differentiation blockade

b. PI3K–AKT–mTOR
-Promotes survival and metabolic reprogramming
-Enhances resistance to apoptosis
-Supports protein synthesis and growth

c. RAL-GDS and Others
-Cytoskeletal remodeling
-Vesicle trafficking
-Metastatic behavior

Together, these create a multi-axis growth and survival program.


Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
8159- UsA,    Usnic acid suppresses cervical cancer cell proliferation by inhibiting PD-L1 expression and enhancing T-lymphocyte tumor-killing activity
- in-vitro, Cerv, HeLa
STAT3↓, RAS↓, mTOR↓, PD-L1↓, TumCP↓, angioG↓, TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, TumCG↓,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 1 of 1

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 1

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


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

mTOR↓, 1,   RAS↓, 1,   STAT3↓, 1,   TumCG↓, 1,  

Migration(tgid=13) ⓘ

TumCI↓, 1,   TumCMig↓, 1,   TumCP↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature(tgid=14) ⓘ

angioG↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling(tgid=16) ⓘ

PD-L1↓, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers(tgid=22) ⓘ

PD-L1↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 10

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: RAS, RAS
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#:481  Target#:269  State#:%  Dir#:1
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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