Andrographis / ROS Cancer Research Results

And, Andrographis: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:

Andrographis — Andrographis (typically Andrographis paniculata, “King of Bitters”) is a bitter medicinal plant whose principal bioactive diterpenoid lactone is andrographolide (with related diterpenoids such as neoandrographolide). It is best classified as a botanical drug / phytochemical mixture (plant extract) with a dominant small-molecule active. Common abbreviation(s): AP (plant), AND (andrographolide). The best-supported pharmacology in humans is anti-inflammatory/immunomodulatory use (e.g., URTI symptom reduction), while oncology relevance is predominantly preclinical, with frequent reporting of NF-κB/STAT3/PI3K-AKT pathway suppression and downstream effects on proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and angiogenesis.

Primary mechanisms (ranked):

  1. NF-κB inflammatory/survival transcription inhibition (context-dependent upstream hub for cytokines, COX-2, anti-apoptotic programs)
  2. JAK/STAT3 pathway suppression (oncogenic transcription and inflammatory reinforcement loop)
  3. PI3K–AKT–mTOR axis suppression (growth/survival signaling; often downstream of inflammatory signaling changes)
  4. Stress MAPK reprogramming (JNK/p38 frequently ↑; ERK effects mixed by model/dose)
  5. Cell-cycle checkpoint enforcement (G0/G1 or G2/M arrest; cyclins/CDKs ↓; p21 ↑)
  6. Mitochondrial apoptosis execution (BAX↑, Bcl-2↓, caspases↑; MMP↓)
  7. Anti-invasive/anti-EMT effects (MMP2/9↓; migration/invasion ↓)
  8. Anti-angiogenic signaling suppression (VEGF↓; HIF-1α↓ reported in some models)
  9. Redox and ferroptosis-linked modulation (ROS ↔; NRF2↑ in some contexts; xCT↓/GPX4↓/iron↑ reported in some tumor models)

Bioavailability / PK relevance: Oral exposure of andrographolide from extracts is highly formulation-dependent and often low; even at high oral regimens used clinically (e.g., extract equivalents targeting ~180–360 mg/day andrographolide), measured plasma concentrations can remain in the low ng/mL range and may show non-linear dose proportionality. This creates a translation gap for many oncology in-vitro concentrations unless delivery is optimized (e.g., solubility enhancement, lipid/polymer carriers, prodrugs).

In-vitro vs systemic exposure relevance: Many reported anticancer effects occur at micromolar in-vitro levels that commonly exceed achievable free systemic concentrations after standard oral supplementation; therefore, “direct cytotoxic” interpretations are frequently exposure-limited, while anti-inflammatory signaling modulation may be more plausibly aligned with in-vivo exposures depending on tissue distribution and formulation.

Clinical evidence status: Human clinical evidence is strongest for infectious/inflammatory indications (URTI symptom reduction; studied in COVID-19-era settings with mixed outcomes and safety monitoring). For oncology, evidence is primarily preclinical, with limited registered/early clinical exploration and no established standard anticancer indication.


"used traditionally for the treatment of array of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, ulcer, leprosy, bronchitis, skin diseases, flatulence, colic, influenza, dysentery, dyspepsia and malaria for centuries in Asia, America and Africa continents."

Andrographolide:
– Is a specific diterpenoid lactone and the major active constituent extracted from Andrographis paniculata.
– It is responsible for many of the therapeutic effects attributed to the plant, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

A. Anti-Inflammatory Effects.
• Andrographolide has been shown to inhibit the NF-κB pathway, leading to a reduction in the transcription of inflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6).
• Andrographolide has been reported to cause cell cycle arrest at critical checkpoints (such as G0/G1 or G2/M phase) in some cancer cell models.

Andrographis, primarily through its active constituent andrographolide, offers compelling anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, pro-apoptotic, and antiproliferative properties. While not a standard anticancer agent, its capacity to modulate key pathways in cellular stress response and inflammation makes it an attractive candidate for complementary research in oncology.

Andrographis paniculata, also known as the "King of Bitters," is a plant native to India and Southeast Asia. Its aqueous extract, Andrographis paniculata aqueous extract (APAE), has been studied for its potential anti-cancer properties.
• Inhibition of cancer cell growth: APAE has been shown to inhibit the growth of various cancer cell lines, including breast, lung, colon, and prostate cancer cells.
• Induction of apoptosis: APAE has been found to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells, which may help to prevent tumor growth and progression.
• Anti-inflammatory effects: APAE has anti-inflammatory properties, which may help to reduce the risk of cancer development and progression.
• Antioxidant activity: APAE has antioxidant activity, which may help to protect against oxidative stress and DNA damage.

Key compounds:Andrographolide, Neoandrographolide
APAE may interact with certain medications, including blood thinners and diabetes medications, and may not be suitable for individuals with certain medical conditions, such as autoimmune disorders.

Andrographis (A. paniculata / andrographolide) — ranked mechanistic axes in oncology context

Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells TSF Primary Effect Notes / Interpretation
1 NF-κB inflammatory and survival transcription NF-κB ↓; COX-2 ↓; IL-6/TNF-α ↓; anti-apoptotic programs ↓ (model-dependent) Inflammatory tone ↓ R, G Anti-inflammatory and anti-survival transcription Most consistently reported hub mechanism across models; often upstream of invasion/angiogenesis phenotypes.
2 JAK/STAT3 signaling STAT3 activation ↓ (model-dependent) R, G Oncogenic transcription suppression Commonly linked to reduced proliferation, survival, and inflammatory reinforcement loops.
3 PI3K AKT mTOR axis PI3K/AKT ↓; mTOR ↓ (model-dependent) R, G Growth and survival constraint Often reported as downstream of inflammatory signaling changes; leverage depends on achievable exposure.
4 MAPK stress signaling JNK ↑ and p38 ↑ common; ERK ↔ (dose-dependent) P, R, G Stress-response reprogramming Pattern often resembles a pro-stress shift enabling checkpointing/apoptosis; ERK effects vary by context.
5 Cell-cycle checkpoints Arrest ↑ (G0/G1 or G2/M); Cyclin D1/CDKs ↓; p21 ↑ (model-dependent) G Cytostasis Frequently described alongside NF-κB/STAT3 suppression; may dominate at sub-cytotoxic exposure.
6 Mitochondria and intrinsic apoptosis MMP ↓; Bax ↑; Bcl-2 ↓; caspases ↑ (model-dependent) G Apoptotic execution Downstream of survival pathway inhibition and stress signaling; extent often concentration-limited in vivo.
7 Redox and NRF2 ROS ↑ or ↓ (context-dependent); NRF2 ↑ (some models) Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bias in non-cancer contexts P, R, G Redox modulation Bidirectional redox effects are common in phytochemicals; interpret as context- and dose-dependent rather than a single-direction mechanism.
8 Ferroptosis-linked axis xCT ↓; GPX4 ↓; iron handling ↑; lipid peroxidation ↑ (model-dependent) R, G Non-apoptotic vulnerability induction Reported in some tumor models; translation depends on whether these targets are engaged at achievable exposure.
9 Invasion EMT MMP program MMP2 ↓; MMP9 ↓; migration and invasion ↓ (model-dependent) G Anti-metastatic phenotype support Commonly framed as secondary to NF-κB/STAT3 suppression.
10 Angiogenesis and hypoxia signaling VEGF ↓; HIF-1α ↓ (model-dependent) G Anti-angiogenic support Typically downstream/secondary; strength depends on tumor model and exposure.
11 Clinical Translation Constraint Oral bioavailability low and formulation-dependent; plasma levels often far below many in-vitro oncology concentrations; non-linear PK at high-dose extracts Monitoring needed in higher-dose use Translation constraint High-dose extract PK in humans shows low ng/mL exposure and potential liver enzyme elevations at higher regimens; oncology use remains investigational.

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



ROS, Reactive Oxygen Species: Click to Expand ⟱
Source: HalifaxProj (inhibit)
Type:
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive molecules that contain oxygen and can lead to oxidative stress in cells. They play a dual role in cancer biology, acting as both promoters and suppressors of cancer.
ROS can cause oxidative damage to DNA, leading to mutations that may contribute to cancer initiation and progression. So normally you want to inhibit ROS to prevent cell mutations.
However excessive ROS can induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells, potentially limiting tumor growth. Chemotherapy typically raises ROS.
-mitochondria is the main source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (and the ETC is heavily related)

"Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are two electron reduction products of oxygen, including superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical, lipid peroxides, protein peroxides and peroxides formed in nucleic acids 1. They are maintained in a dynamic balance by a series of reduction-oxidation (redox) reactions in biological systems and act as signaling molecules to drive cellular regulatory pathways."
"During different stages of cancer formation, abnormal ROS levels play paradoxical roles in cell growth and death 8. A physiological concentration of ROS that maintained in equilibrium is necessary for normal cell survival. Ectopic ROS accumulation promotes cell proliferation and consequently induces malignant transformation of normal cells by initiating pathological conversion of physiological signaling networks. Excessive ROS levels lead to cell death by damaging cellular components, including proteins, lipid bilayers, and chromosomes. Therefore, both scavenging abnormally elevated ROS to prevent early neoplasia and facilitating ROS production to specifically kill cancer cells are promising anticancer therapeutic strategies, in spite of their contradictoriness and complexity."
"ROS are the collection of derivatives of molecular oxygen that occur in biology, which can be categorized into two types, free radicals and non-radical species. The non-radical species are hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2 ), organic hydroperoxides (ROOH), singlet molecular oxygen ( 1 O 2 ), electronically excited carbonyl, ozone (O3 ), hypochlorous acid (HOCl, and hypobromous acid HOBr). Free radical species are super-oxide anion radical (O 2•−), hydroxyl radical (•OH), peroxyl radical (ROO•) and alkoxyl radical (RO•) [130]. Any imbalance of ROS can lead to adverse effects. H2 O 2 and O 2 •− are the main redox signalling agents. The cellular concentration of H2 O 2 is about 10−8 M, which is almost a thousand times more than that of O2 •−".
"Radicals are molecules with an odd number of electrons in the outer shell [393,394]. A pair of radicals can be formed by breaking a chemical bond or electron transfer between two molecules."

Recent investigations have documented that polyphenols with good antioxidant activity may exhibit pro-oxidant activity in the presence of copper ions, which can induce apoptosis in various cancer cell lines but not in normal cells. "We have shown that such cell growth inhibition by polyphenols in cancer cells is reversed by copper-specific sequestering agent neocuproine to a significant extent whereas iron and zinc chelators are relatively ineffective, thus confirming the role of endogenous copper in the cytotoxic action of polyphenols against cancer cells. Therefore, this mechanism of mobilization of endogenous copper." > Ions could be one of the important mechanisms for the cytotoxic action of plant polyphenols against cancer cells and is possibly a common mechanism for all plant polyphenols. In fact, similar results obtained with four different polyphenolic compounds in this study, namely apigenin, luteolin, EGCG, and resveratrol, strengthen this idea.
Interestingly, the normal breast epithelial MCF10A cells have earlier been shown to possess no detectable copper as opposed to breast cancer cells [24], which may explain their resistance to polyphenols apigenin- and luteolin-induced growth inhibition as observed here (Fig. 1). We have earlier proposed [25] that this preferential cytotoxicity of plant polyphenols toward cancer cells is explained by the observation made several years earlier, which showed that copper levels in cancer cells are significantly elevated in various malignancies. Thus, because of higher intracellular copper levels in cancer cells, it may be predicted that the cytotoxic concentrations of polyphenols required would be lower in these cells as compared to normal cells."

Majority of ROS are produced as a by-product of oxidative phosphorylation, high levels of ROS are detected in almost all cancers.
-It is well established that during ER stress, cytosolic calcium released from the ER is taken up by the mitochondrion to stimulate ROS overgeneration and the release of cytochrome c, both of which lead to apoptosis.

Note: Products that may raise ROS can be found using this database, by:
Filtering on the target of ROS, and selecting the Effect Direction of ↑

Targets to raise ROS (to kill cancer cells):
• NADPH oxidases (NOX): NOX enzymes are involved in the production of ROS.
    -Targeting NOX enzymes can increase ROS levels and induce cancer cell death.
    -eNOX2 inhibition leads to a high NADH/NAD⁺ ratio which can lead to increased ROS
• Mitochondrial complex I: Inhibiting can increase ROS production
• P53: Activating p53 can increase ROS levels(by inducing the expression of pro-oxidant genes)
Nrf2 inhibition: regulates the expression of antioxidant genes. Inhibiting Nrf2 can increase ROS levels
• Glutathione (GSH): an antioxidant. Depleting GSH can increase ROS levels
• Catalase: Catalase converts H2O2 into H2O+O. Inhibiting catalase can increase ROS levels
• SOD1: converts superoxide into hydrogen peroxide. Inhibiting SOD1 can increase ROS levels
• PI3K/AKT pathway: regulates cell survival and metabolism. Inhibiting can increase ROS levels
HIF-1α inhibition: regulates genes involved in metabolism and angiogenesis. Inhibiting HIF-1α can increase ROS
• Glycolysis: Inhibiting glycolysis can increase ROS levels • Fatty acid oxidation: Cancer cells often rely on fatty acid oxidation for energy production.
-Inhibiting fatty acid oxidation can increase ROS levels
• ER stress: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress can increase ROS levels
• Autophagy: process by which cells recycle damaged organelles and proteins.
-Inhibiting autophagy can increase ROS levels and induce cancer cell death.
• KEAP1/Nrf2 pathway: regulates the expression of antioxidant genes.
    -Inhibiting KEAP1 or activating Nrf2 can increase ROS levels and induce cancer cell death.
• DJ-1: regulates the expression of antioxidant genes. Inhibiting DJ-1 can increase ROS levels
• PARK2: regulates the expression of antioxidant genes. Inhibiting PARK2 can increase ROS levels
SIRT1 inhibition:regulates the expression of antioxidant genes. Inhibiting SIRT1 can increase ROS levels
AMPK activation: regulates energy metabolism and can increase ROS levels when activated.
mTOR inhibition: regulates cell growth and metabolism. Inhibiting mTOR can increase ROS levels
HSP90 inhibition: regulates protein folding and can increase ROS levels when inhibited.
• Proteasome: degrades damaged proteins. Inhibiting the proteasome can increase ROS levels
Lipid peroxidation: a process by which lipids are oxidized, leading to the production of ROS.
    -Increasing lipid peroxidation can increase ROS levels
• Ferroptosis: form of cell death that is regulated by iron and lipid peroxidation.
    -Increasing ferroptosis can increase ROS levels
• Mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP): regulates mitochondrial permeability.
    -Opening the mPTP can increase ROS levels
• BCL-2 family proteins: regulate apoptosis and can increase ROS levels when inhibited.
• Caspase-independent cell death: a form of cell death that is regulated by ROS.
    -Increasing caspase-independent cell death can increase ROS levels
• DNA damage response: regulates the repair of DNA damage. Increasing DNA damage can increase ROS
• Epigenetic regulation: process by which gene expression is regulated.
    -Increasing epigenetic regulation can increase ROS levels

-PKM2, but not PKM1, can be inhibited by direct oxidation of cysteine 358 as an adaptive response to increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS)

ProOxidant Strategy:(inhibit the Mevalonate Pathway (likely will also inhibit GPx)
-HydroxyCitrate (HCA) found as supplement online and typically used in a dose of about 1.5g/day or more
-Atorvastatin typically 40-80mg/day, -Dipyridamole typically 200mg 2x/day Combined effect research
-Lycopene typically 100mg/day range (note debatable as it mainly lowers NRF2)

Dual Role of Reactive Oxygen Species and their Application in Cancer Therapy
ROS-Inducing Interventions in Cancer — Canonical + Mechanistic Reference
-generated from AI and Cancer database
ROS rating:  +++ strong | ++ moderate | + weak | ± mixed | 0 none
NRF2:        ↓ suppressed | ↑ activated | ± mixed | 0 none
Conditions:  [D] dose  [Fe] metal  [M] metabolic  [O₂] oxygen
             [L] light [F] formulation [T] tumor-type [C] combination

Item ROS NRF2 Condition Mechanism Class Remarks
ROS">Piperlongumine +++ [D][T] ROS-dominant
ROS">Shikonin +++↓/±[D][T]ROS-dominant
ROS">Vitamin K3 (menadione) +++[D]ROS-dominant
ROS">Copper (ionic / nano) +++[Fe][F]ROS-dominant
ROS">Sodium Selenite +++[D]ROS-dominant
ROS">Juglone +++[D]ROS-dominant
ROS">Auranofin +++[D]ROS-dominant
ROS">Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) +++0[L][O₂]ROS-dominant
ROS">Radiotherapy / Radiation +++0[O₂]ROS-dominant
ROS">Doxorubicin +++[D]ROS-dominant
ROS">Cisplatin ++[D][T]ROS-dominant
ROS">Salinomycin ++[D][T]ROS-dominant
ROS">Artemisinin / DHA ++[Fe][T]ROS-dominant
ROS">Sulfasalazine ++[C][T]ROS-dominant
ROS">FMD / fasting ++[M][C][O₂]ROS-dominant
ROS">Vitamin C (pharmacologic) ++[Fe][D]ROS-dominant
ROS">Silver nanoparticles ++±[F][D]ROS-dominant
ROS">Gambogic acid ++[D][T]ROS-dominant
ROS">Parthenolide ++[D][T]ROS-dominant
ROS">Plumbagin ++[D]ROS-dominant
ROS">Allicin ++[D]ROS-dominant
ROS">Ashwagandha (Withaferin A) ++[D][T]ROS-dominant
ROS">Berberine ++[D][M]ROS-dominant
ROS">PEITC ++[D][C]ROS-dominant
ROS">Methionine restriction +[M][C][T]ROS-secondary
ROS">DCA +±[M][T]ROS-secondary
ROS">Capsaicin +±[D][T]ROS-secondary
ROS">Galloflavin +0[D]ROS-secondary
ROS">Piperine +±[D][F]ROS-secondary
ROS">Propyl gallate +[D]ROS-secondary
ROS">Scoulerine +?[D][T]ROS-secondary
ROS">Thymoquinone ±±[D][T]Dual redox
ROS">Emodin ±±[D][T]Dual redox
ROS">Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) ±[D][M]NRF2-dominant
ROS">Curcumin ±↑/↓[D][F]NRF2-dominant
ROS">EGCG ±↑/↓[D][O₂]NRF2-dominant
ROS">Quercetin ±↑/↓[D][Fe]NRF2-dominant
ROS">Resveratrol ±[D][M]NRF2-dominant
ROS">Sulforaphane ±↑↑[D]NRF2-dominant
ROS">Lycopene 0Antioxidant
ROS">Rosmarinic acid 0Antioxidant
ROS">Citrate 00Neutral


Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
1354- And,    Andrographolide induces protective autophagy and targeting DJ-1 triggers reactive oxygen species-induced cell death in pancreatic cancer
- in-vitro, PC, NA - in-vivo, PC, NA
Apoptosis↑, DJ-1↓, ROS↑, TumAuto↑, TumCCA↑, TumCP↓, TumW↓, eff↓,
1352- And,    Andrographolide downregulates the v-Src and Bcr-Abl oncoproteins and induces Hsp90 cleavage in the ROS-dependent suppression of cancer malignancy
- in-vitro, AML, K562
Apoptosis↑, ROS↑, HSP90↓,
1351- And,  MEL,    Impact of Andrographolide and Melatonin Combinatorial Drug Therapy on Metastatic Colon Cancer Cells and Organoids
- in-vitro, CRC, T84 - in-vitro, CRC, COLO205 - in-vitro, CRC, HT-29 - in-vitro, CRC, DLD1
eff↑, Ki-67↓, Casp3↑, ER Stress↑, ROS↑, BAX↑, XBP-1↑, CHOP↑, eff↑,
1350- And,  Cisplatin,    Synergistic antitumor effect of Andrographolide and cisplatin through ROS-mediated ER stress and STAT3 inhibition in colon cancer
- in-vitro, Colon, NA
ChemoSen↑, ER Stress↑, STAT3↓, ROS↑,
1349- And,    Andrographolide promoted ferroptosis to repress the development of non-small cell lung cancer through activation of the mitochondrial dysfunction
- in-vitro, Lung, H460 - in-vitro, Lung, H1650
TumCG↓, TumMeta↓, Ferroptosis↑, ROS↑, MDA↑, Iron↑, GSH↓, GPx4↓, xCT↓, MMP↓, ATP↓,
1348- And,    Andrographolide Inhibits ER-Positive Breast Cancer Growth and Enhances Fulvestrant Efficacy via ROS-FOXM1-ER-α Axis
- in-vitro, BC, MCF-7 - in-vitro, BC, T47D - in-vivo, NA, NA
ERα/ESR1↓, TumCG↓, ROS↑, FOXM1↓, eff↑,

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:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

DJ-1↓, 1,   Ferroptosis↑, 1,   GPx4↓, 1,   GSH↓, 1,   Iron↑, 1,   MDA↑, 1,   ROS↑, 6,   xCT↓, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics

ATP↓, 1,   MMP↓, 1,  

Cell Death

Apoptosis↑, 2,   BAX↑, 1,   Casp3↑, 1,   Ferroptosis↑, 1,  

Protein Folding & ER Stress

CHOP↑, 1,   ER Stress↑, 2,   HSP90↓, 1,   XBP-1↑, 1,  

Autophagy & Lysosomes

TumAuto↑, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence

TumCCA↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

FOXM1↓, 1,   STAT3↓, 1,   TumCG↓, 2,  

Migration

Ki-67↓, 1,   TumCP↓, 1,   TumMeta↓, 1,  

Hormonal & Nuclear Receptors

ERα/ESR1↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

ChemoSen↑, 1,   eff↓, 1,   eff↑, 3,  

Clinical Biomarkers

ERα/ESR1↓, 1,   FOXM1↓, 1,   Ki-67↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes

TumW↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 34

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: ROS, Reactive Oxygen Species
6 Andrographis
1 Melatonin
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#:30  Target#:275  State#:%  Dir#:2
wNotes=0 sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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