Rocaglamide

Rocaglamide (Roc-A) is isolated from the genus Aglaia and can be used for coughs, injuries, asthma and inflammatory skin diseases. Rocaglamide is a potent inhibitor of NF-κB activation in T-cells. Rocaglamide is a potent and selective heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) activation inhibitor with an IC₅₀ of ~50 nM. Rocaglamide inhibits the function of the translation initiation factor eIF4A. Rocaglamide also has anticancer properties in leukemia^[1][2][3]. IC50 & Target:IC50: 50 nM (heat shock reporter)^[1] In Vitro:Rocaglamide enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis in resistant HCC cells. Treatment with Rocaglamide alone leads to apoptosis in 9% HepG2 and 11% Huh-7 cells and treatment with TRAIL induces apoptosis in 16% HepG2 and 17% Huh-7 cells. However, the combination of Rocaglamide and TRAIL induces apoptosis in 55% HepG2 and 57% Huh-7 cells, which is evidently more than an additive effect. A similar result is obtained by measurement of cell viability using crystal violet staining. Rocaglamide has the potential to sensitize highly chemoresistant HepG2 and Huh-7 cells to TRAIL-based therapy^[2]. In Vivo:Tumor volumes in the Rocaglamide-treated group are 45±12% compared with the control group. Rocaglamide significantly suppresses tumor growth compared with that in the control group. Treatment with Rocaglamide does not lead to any reduction in body weight and no apparent signs of toxicity are observed in the mice during the treatment, suggesting that Rocaglamide is generally tolerated well^[2].