Comparative Study on the Anticancer Drug Potential of a Lectin Purified from Aloe Vera and Aloe-Emodin (original) (raw)

2020, Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention

The multiple biological effects of the "wonder plant" Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. (Xanthorraceae, formerly Aloaceae and Liliaceae) were proved and reviewed by scientific research (Akev et al., 2015). Several in vivo studies were conducted from 1980's to date with A. vera leaf extracts regarding their antitumour effects (Winters et al., 1981; Gribel and Pashinskiĭ, 1986; Akev et al., 2007a). Aloe emodin (AE) is an anthraquinone glycoside purified from A. vera. In addition to its well established laxative effect, AE have been reported to exhibit antiviral, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective and anticancer properties. Considerable attention has been given recently to the possibility of utilizing AE as a chemotherapeutic drug for the treatment of various types of cancers (Yordanova and Koprinarova, 2014). Lectins are proteins or glycoproteins that bind to specific sugar residues on cell surfaces (Sharon and Lis, 1972). Lectins play multiple roles in inter-and intra-cellular