Bufothionine is a sulfur-containing compound which is present in the bufotoxins secreted by the

parotoid gland The parotoid gland (alternatively, paratoid gland) is an external skin gland on the back, neck, and shoulder of some frogs (especially toads), and salamanders. It can secrete a number of milky alkaloid substances (depending on the species) known ...

of certain

toads Toad (also known as a hoptoad) is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands. In popular culture (folk taxonomy), ...

of the

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

Bufo ''Bufo'' is a genus of true toads in the amphibian family Bufonidae. As traditionally defined, it was a wastebasket genus containing a large number of toads from much of the world but following taxonomic reviews most of these have been moved to ...

'' and '' Chaunus''. This specific compound can be found in the skin of certain species of toad such as the Asiatic Toad, '' Chaunus arunco'', '' Chaunus crucifer'', '' Chaunus spinulosus'', and '' Chaunus arenarum''.

Research

In ancient times, cinobufacini, which is extracted from the skin and the parotid venom glands of toad of the

bufo ''Bufo'' is a genus of true toads in the amphibian family Bufonidae. As traditionally defined, it was a wastebasket genus containing a large number of toads from much of the world but following taxonomic reviews most of these have been moved to ...

genus was used to treat symptoms like swelling and pain. In the present time, cinobufacinin injections are used to achieve satisfactory effect on Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in China. Bufothionine is a major active component of cinobufacini. Bufothionine has been shown to suppress growth of cancerous liver cells ''

in vitro ''In vitro'' (meaning ''in glass'', or ''in the glass'') Research, studies are performed with Cell (biology), cells or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called "test-tube experiments", these studies in ...

'' .

In vivo Studies that are ''in vivo'' (Latin for "within the living"; often not italicized in English) are those in which the effects of various biological entities are tested on whole, living organisms or cells, usually animals, including humans, an ...

, bufothionine has also been showing relieved symptoms and anti inflammatory activities in tumor bearing mice. Experiments were conducted in which cultured cancer cells were shown to have an increase in G2-M damage checkpoint, ensuring that growth of the cell will not continue until the damage to the DNA is corrected while also showing a drop in the G0 and G1 activity, which pertains to phase where there is cell growth and RNA production. Bufothionine is shown to induce

autophagy Autophagy (or autophagocytosis; from the Greek language, Greek , , meaning "self-devouring" and , , meaning "hollow") is the natural, conserved degradation of the cell that removes unnecessary or dysfunctional components through a lysosome-depe ...

in hepatocellular carcinomas by inhibiting JAK2/STAT3 pathways, which may present possibilities of anti cancer mechanism in bufothionine through cinobufacini injections. Similarly, bufothionine has also been shown to increase the chances of cell death and decrease cell growth of gastric cancer related cells by inhibiting the PIM3 gene, which, in cancerous cells, increases the resistance of chemotherapeutic treatments.

References

Amphibian toxins Heterocyclic compounds with 3 rings 5-Hydroxytryptamines Organosulfites Quaternary ammonium compounds Quinoline alkaloids N,N,N-Trialkyltryptamines Tryptamine alkaloids {{Biochem-stub

Research

See also

References