Antiproliferative activity of sesquiterpene lactones from Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter: In vitro and in silico studies
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Date
2026-03-05
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Abstract
Plant-derived metabolites have provided promising leads in the search for safer anticancer chemotherapies. Among these, sesquiterpene lactones, predominantly present in the genus of the Asteraceae family, exhibit great structural diversity and a broad range of biological activities. Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter, a plant species widespread in the Mediterranean region, represents a valuable source of natural bioactive compounds with potential applications in different fields [1]. In particular, five previously undescribed bi- and tricyclic sesquiterpene lactones, inuloxins A-E ([Fig. 1]), and the known α-costic acid were isolated together from the aerial parts of D. viscosa [2] [3] . The structures of these compounds were established by spectroscopic and chemical methods, while their absolute configuration was assigned by chiroptical and computational methods. Inuloxins A-E already showed interesting biological properties such as phytotoxic, acaricidal, and antileishmanial activities, suggesting their potential use in diverse applications [4]. This study aimed to evaluate their antiproliferative potential in vitro and identify their potential molecular targets in silico through network pharmacology and molecular dynamic simulation approaches, uncovering insights into their mechanisms of action and therapeutic potential. Furthermore, a new protocol for the efficient purification of bioactive compounds from D. viscosa has been introduced. Specifically, a solid-phase extraction (SPE) technique has been employed, reducing both the number of purification steps and the reliance on organic solvents.