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| Celastrol — a quinone methide pentacyclic triterpenoid natural product isolated mainly from Tripterygium wilfordii and related Celastraceae plants. It is best classified as a pleiotropic redox-reactive small molecule with proteostasis-disrupting, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activity. Standard abbreviations include Cel and CeT. In oncology, celastrol is best viewed as a preclinical multi-target stress inducer rather than a selective single-node inhibitor, with recurring emphasis on thiol-reactive proteostasis disruption, NF-κB suppression, ROS-linked mitochondrial injury, and context-dependent inhibition of STAT3 and PI3K/AKT signaling. Clinically important caveats are poor water solubility, poor oral bioavailability, rapid disposition, and a narrow therapeutic window that has driven strong interest in nanoformulations and conjugates. Primary mechanisms (ranked):
Bioavailability / PK relevance: Celastrol is practically insoluble or very poorly soluble in water, has poor oral bioavailability, and shows dose-limiting systemic toxicity; delivery systems are commonly used to improve exposure and reduce off-target injury. In-vitro vs systemic exposure relevance: Many mechanistic and cytotoxicity studies use low-micromolar concentrations that are difficult to reproduce safely with conventional systemic dosing. Some pathway effects may still occur at lower exposures, but direct tumoricidal effects are often concentration-limited without advanced formulations. Clinical evidence status: Strong preclinical oncology signal; early translational and formulation work; no approved cancer indication. Human clinical registration appears limited to non-oncology safety/other exploratory studies rather than established anticancer efficacy trials. *** Appears more useful used at lower doses in combined treatment approaches. Celastrol—a bioactive compound extracted from traditional Chinese medicinal plants such as Tripterygium wilfordii (Thunder God Vine).Pathways: -inhibit NF-κB activation -disrupt the function of chaperone proteins like HSP90 and HSP70, which are often overexpressed in cancer cells -attenuate Akt phosphorylation and downstream mTOR signaling -modulate components of the MAPK pathway, including ERK, JNK, and p38. -increase intracellular ROS levels in cancer cells -inhibiting STAT3 Celastrol mechanistic map in cancer
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| The Warburg effect (aerobic glycolysis) is a metabolic phenotype where many cancer cells use high glycolytic flux and lactate production even when oxygen is available. Tumors often contain hypoxic regions that further drive glycolysis, but Warburg metabolism can also occur under normoxic conditions (“pseudo-hypoxia”) via oncogenic signaling and metabolic rewiring. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) is one important driver in hypoxic tumor regions. HIF-1α upregulates glycolytic genes (e.g., GLUT1, HK2, LDHA) and promotes reduced mitochondrial pyruvate oxidation in part through induction of PDK (which inhibits PDH), shifting carbon toward lactate. Warburg effect (GLUT1, LDHA, HK2, and PKM2).Classic HIF-Warburg axis: PDK1 and MCT4 (SLC16A3) (pyruvate gate + lactate export). Here are some of the key pathways and potential targets: Note: use database Filter to find inhibitors: Ex pick target HIF1α, and effect direction ↓ 1.Glycolysis Inhibitors:(2-DG, 3-BP) - HK2 Inhibitors: such as 2-deoxyglucose, can reduce glycolysis -PFK1 Inhibitors: such as PFK-158, can reduce glycolysis -PFKFB Inhibitors: - PKM2 Inhibitors: (Shikonin) -Can reduce glycolysis - LDH Inhibitors: (Gossypol, FX11) -Reducing the conversion of pyruvate to lactate. -Inhibiting the production of ATP and NADH. - GLUT1 Inhibitors: (phloretin, WZB117) -A key transporter involved in glucose uptake. -GLUT3 Inhibitors: - PDK1 Inhibitors: (dichloroacetate) - A key enzyme involved in the regulation of glycolysis. PDK inhibitors (e.g., DCA) activate PDH and shift pyruvate into TCA/OXPHOS, reducing lactate pressure. 2.Pentose phosphate pathway: - G6PD Inhibitors: can reduce the pentose phosphate pathway 3.Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1α) pathway: - HIF1α inhibitors: (PX-478,Shikonin) -Reduce expression of glycolytic genes and inhibit cancer cell growth. 4.AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway: -AMPK activators: (metformin,AICAR,berberine) -Can increase AMPK activity and inhibit cancer cell growth. 5.mTOR pathway: - mTOR inhibitors:(rapamycin,everolimus) -Can reduce mTOR activity and inhibit cancer cell growth. Warburg Targeting Matrix (Cancer Metabolism)
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| 2392- | Cela, | The role of natural products targeting macrophage polarization in sepsis-induced lung injury |
| - | Review, | Sepsis, | NA |
| 2393- | Cela, | Celastrol mitigates inflammation in sepsis by inhibiting the PKM2-dependent Warburg effect |
| - | in-vivo, | Sepsis, | NA | - | in-vitro, | Nor, | RAW264.7 |
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#:317 Target#:947 State#:% Dir#:%
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