unlocking-the-potential-of-astraeus-asiaticus-a-natural-anticancer-and-antioxidant-agent

Cancer continues to be among the most lethal diseases globally, with millions of new cases annually. Traditional anticancer agents such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy tend to have adverse effects and are not specific. As a result, there is increased interest in natural products of anticancer compounds. Recent studies identify the medicinal value of Astraeus asiaticus, a wild edible mushroom, with potential anticancer and antioxidant activity.

Astraeus asiaticus belongs to the Basidiomycota phylum and is highly consumed in some areas because of its nutritional value. Its medicinal properties have been less studied, though. Current research indicates that extracts from the mushroom possess bioactive compounds with strong antioxidant and anticancer activity.

The ethyl acetate extract of Astraeus asiaticus (AAEAE) was rich in total phenols, flavonoids, and ascorbic acids. These are free radical scavengers that assist in the reduction of oxidative stress—a key promoter of cancer development.

Chemical analysis of the AAEAE extract identified 61 compounds, with a fraction (F12) showing the highest radical scavenging activity (EC50 = 25.65 ± 4.82 µg/mL). The fractionation process led to the isolation of six bioactive compounds, namely:

• Hexadecanoic acid
• 3,4,5,6-Tetramethyloctane
• 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid
• 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester
• 1-Cyclododecyne
• Cis-9,10-Epoxyoctadecan-1-ol

Among these, Hexadecanoic acid, 3,4,5,6-Tetramethyloctane, and 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid demonstrated strong anticancer activity. The presence of these compounds suggests that Astraeus asiaticus could be an excellent source of natural antioxidants and potential therapeutic agents.

The anticancer potential of the F12 fraction was tested against three different cancer cell lines:

• HeLa (Cervical Cancer): 92.03% inhibition at 1500 µg/mL

• MCF-7 (Breast Cancer): 90.38% inhibition at 1500 µg/mL

• A549 (Lung Cancer): 87.51% inhibition at 1500 µg/mL

Interestingly, the F12 fraction had minimal effects on normal HEK 293T cells, indicating its selectivity towards cancer cells.

The anticancer mechanism was attributed to apoptosis induction, as evidenced by increased expression of apoptotic markers like Caspase 3, Caspase 9, and P53, and downregulation of anti-apoptotic protein BcL2.

Molecular Docking: Understanding the Mechanism

To further validate the anticancer properties of F12, molecular docking studies were conducted to analyze the binding affinity of key compounds with apoptotic (Caspase 3) and anti-apoptotic (BcL2) proteins. The results showed that:

• Hexadecanoic acid exhibited strong interactions with BcL2 (-7.60 kcal/mol) and Caspase 3 (-6.76 kcal/mol)

• 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid demonstrated the highest binding affinity with BcL2 (-8.20 kcal/mol)

• 3,4,5,6-Tetramethyloctane also showed significant interactions

These findings suggest that these bioactive compounds can effectively target cancer cell survival pathways and trigger apoptosis.

This innovative research was led by Swapan Kumar Ghosh, Koushik Pandey, Madhuparna Ghosh, and Pradip Kumar Sur. The work was performed at the Molecular Mycopathology Lab, Cancer Research Unit, PG Department of Botany, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College (Autonomous), Rahara, Kolkata, jointly with Midnapore City College, Shri Ramkrishna Institute of Medical Sciences and Sanaka Hospital, and Kanchrapara College in West Bengal, India. Their combined knowledge of botany, paramedical sciences, and zoology was instrumental in unraveling the medicinal value of Astraeus asiaticus.

Potential for Drug Development

SwissADME and pkCSM tools-based drug-likeness prediction indicated that the most important compounds from F12 have favorable pharmacokinetic profiles, such as high gastrointestinal absorption, non-toxicity, and good solubility. None of the compounds broke Lipinski's Rule of Five, indicating that they are good leads for drug development.

The Astraeus asiaticus study is significant for its natural anticancer potential. The F12 fraction of the ethyl acetate extract shows strong cytotoxicity against cervical, breast, and lung cancer cells but is non-toxic to normal cells. Its mechanism of action, which includes inducing apoptosis and molecular interactions with important cancer-related proteins, provides opportunities for further studies in drug development.

Due to its dual uses as a source of food and medication, conservation and sustainable Astraeus asiaticus harvesting is to be encouraged. Additional in vivo and clinical studies are necessary to prove its therapeutic use and establish it as an anticancer drug.