Anti-cancer effect of astrakurkurol from a folklore tribal mushroom on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells via mediating cell cycle inhibition, apoptosis, and migration.

Astraeus hygrometricus extensively been utilized by tribal people for long time. A triterpene, astrakurkurol has been isolated from A. hygrometricus but anticancer effect of this novel triterpene has imperceptibly been investigated. Motive of this research was to scrutinize its underlying apoptotic mechanism in HepG2 cells. Cytotoxicity studies demonstrated a selective effect of astrakurkurol with towering influence in HepG2 than Thle2 cells. The exposure of these triterpene-induced marked apoptotic morphological changes enhanced the rate of cell apoptosis and arrest cell cycle at G0/G1. Furthermore, these results are aided by decline in the expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL with an increase in the expression of p53, Bax, Fas, FADD together with the activation of caspase cascade. Astrakurkurol also displayed a remarkable anti-migratory capacity at a lower concentration. Altogether, studies explained anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, and anti-migratory efficacy of astrakurkurol on HepG2, composing a gripping challenge in the advancement of novel treatments against hepatocellular carcinoma. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Mushrooms, the minuscule pharmaceutical factory, bear hundreds of novel elements with incredible biological attributes. Triterpenoids from mushrooms has been proven to bear potentials of curing cancer. This study highlights the cytotoxic and anti-migratory effects of novel triterpene in vitro in HepG2 cell, an HCC cell line. Astrakurkurol mediated cell death via both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic signaling. Utilization of astrakurkurol will provide a non-toxic substitute of chemotherapy and also uplift the value of forsaken taxon, Astraeus and boost the rural acceptance.