Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37047624›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of molecular sciences2023

Curcumin and Plumbagin Synergistically Target the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway: A Prospective Role in Cancer Treatment.

Iftikhar Ahmad, Mehboob Hoque, Syed Sahajada Mahafujul Alam, Torki A Zughaibi, Shams Tabrez

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of molecular sciences, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 51 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
51citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

51 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  8. Natural Molecules for Brain Health and Resilience.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026
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  17. Flavonoids extract fromWorld journal of experimental medicine · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Iftikhar AhmadDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.
Mehboob HoqueApplied Bio-Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Aliah University, Kolkata 700160, India.ORCID 0000-0001-8450-7738
Syed Sahajada Mahafujul AlamApplied Bio-Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Aliah University, Kolkata 700160, India.
Torki A ZughaibiKing Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0002-2855-5134
Shams TabrezKing Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0003-4550-415X

Funding

King Abdulaziz University IFPIP: 446-141-1443
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cancer development is associated with the deregulation of various cell signaling pathways brought on by certain genetic and epigenetic alterations. Therefore, novel therapeutic strategies have been developed to target those pathways. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) pathway is one major deregulated pathway in various types of cancer. Several anticancer drug candidates are currently being investigated in preclinical and/or clinical studies to target this pathway. Natural bioactive compounds provide an excellent source for anticancer drug development. Curcumin and plumbagin are two potential anticancer compounds that have been shown to target the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway individually. However, their combinatorial effect on cancer cells is still unknown. This study aims to investigate the synergistic effect of these two compounds on the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway by employing a sequential molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) analysis. An increase in binding affinity and a decrease in inhibition constant have been observed when curcumin and plumbagin were subjected to sequential docking against the key proteins PI3K, Akt, and mTOR. The MD simulations and molecular mechanics combined with generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) analyses validated the target proteins' more stable conformation when interacting with the curcumin and plumbagin combination. This indicates the synergistic role of curcumin and plumbagin against cancer cells and the possible dose advantage when used in combination. The findings of this study pave the way for further investigation of their combinatorial effect on cancer cells in vitro and in vivo models.

Indexed as

CurcuminNeoplasmsHumansMolecular Docking SimulationNaphthoquinonesPhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasePhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktTOR Serine-Threonine KinasesCurcuminMTOR protein, humanNaphthoquinonesPhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasePhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesplumbaginProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktTOR Serine-Threonine Kinasescancer therapycurcuminMD simulationmolecular dockingplumbaginsynergism

Identifiers

PMID37047624
PMCPMC10095292

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.