Cancer therapy continues to face critical challenges, including drug resistance, recurrence, and severe side effects, which often compromise patient outcomes and quality of life. Exploring novel, cost-effective approaches, this review highlights the potential of Piper nigrum (black pepper) extract (PNE) as a complementary anticancer agent. Piper nigrum, a widely available spice with a rich history in traditional medicine, contains bioactive compounds such as piperine, which have demonstrated significant anticancer activities including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, and inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis. The review evaluates the recent findings from in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies, emphasizing PNE's capacity to enhance the efficacy of conventional chemotherapeutic agents while mitigating their side effects. Key mechanisms underlying these effects include oxidative stress modulation, suppression of pro-metastatic factors, and synergistic interactions with established drugs like doxorubicin and paclitaxel. These interactions suggest that PNE could play a pivotal role in overcoming chemoresistance and improving therapeutic outcomes. Furthermore, this review highlights the potential benefits of PNE in resource-limited settings, where the cost of cancer treatments often restricts access. However, challenges such as compositional variability, limited bioavailability, and the need for standardization and clinical validation need to be addressed to advance the integration of PNE into basic oncology. By providing a comprehensive analysis of the anticancer mechanisms of PNE and its potential as a cost-effective adjuvant therapy, this review provides new insight into the exploitation of Piper nigrum to improve cancer treatment efficacy while reducing side effects. Future research directions are discussed to address current limitations and facilitate clinical translation.

Purpose: The high mortality rate of breast cancer motivates researchers to search for effective treatments. Due to their ability to simulate human conditions, xenograft models such as CDX (Cell line-Derived Xenografts) and PDX (Patient-Derived Xenografts) have gained popularity in pre-clinical research. The choice of xenograft technique is influenced by the type of tumor employed, particularly in more aggressive tumor models like TNBC with metastases. Subcutaneous or orthotopic implantation may influence tumor engraftment rates and the applicability of the models for drug testing. To optimize xenograft models and support the development of breast cancer drugs, selecting a suitable transplantation technique is essential to attaining the best results. Methods: This scoping review used PRISMA-Scr methodology to summarize findings from eleven articles published between 2012 and 2024 on pre-clinical trials related to xenograft models for breast cancer considering PDX began traction after 2010. Using specific criteria, the review included studies from electronic platforms. The inclusion criteria ensured relevant English sources were available in full text, while the exclusion criteria eliminated certain types of articles and inadequately comprehensive studies. Results: Subcutaneous and orthotopic implantation are critical methods for xenograft models in cancer research. Subcutaneous implantation is less invasive and more manageable but does not fully mimic the tumor’s natural environment. Orthotopic implantation accurately mimic the migration, invasion, and molecular characteristics of the original tumor, although the procedure is more complex and requires specialized techniques. The specific research objectives determine their choice, the need for accurate tumor replication, and the testing convenience. Conclusion: Orthotopic implantation is the preferable method for developing PDX and CDX models of breast cancer because it closely mimics the tumor microenvironment and metastatic behavior, yielding clinically relevant results for drug testing. Subcutaneous implantation may result in higher engraftment rates, but it cannot accurately represent the complexity of tumors.

Background: Adherence to medication is an important aspect in type 2 diabetes mellitus management. One of the factors that determine medication adherence is family support. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between family support and adherence to oral anti-diabetic medications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods: This study was a quantitative, non-experimental correlational study with a cross-sectional method conducted in December 2022–January 2023 on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus at the Pasirkaliki Public Health Center, Bandung City, Indonesia. The study used a minimal sampling method. Data collection analysis was performed using the SPSS program with the Chi-square test.Results: In total, 50 respondents were included, of whom the majority (n30; 60%) had good family support, whereas 17 (34%) had sufficient family support, and only 3 (6%) had poor family support. A good level of medication adherence was indicated by 39 (78%). There was a significant relationship between family support and adherence to oral anti-diabetic medications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (p=0.003).Conclusions: A good relationship between family support and adherence to oral anti-diabetic medications is crucial in enhancing quality of life and wellness among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Research related to other factors that affect adherence to oral anti-diabetic medications warrant further studies.

Purpose: Cymbopogon nardus (L). Rendle has traditionally been recognized for its medicinal properties. Recent studies have suggested that its bioactive constituents possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, there is limited scientific evidence of its cellular effects. Given that the pathogenesis of many diseases involves oxidative stress and inflammation, this study aimed to evaluate the potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the plant extracts in 3T3-L1 cells. Methods: Phytochemical screening of C. nardus extracts was performed to identify bioactive compounds. Antioxidant activity of the extract was assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) assays. Toxicity was evaluated using the MTT assay. Additionally, the effects of the extract on the gene expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) in menadione-induced 3T3-L1 cells, as well as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced 3T3-L1 cells, were investigated. Results: Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of phenolics, tannins, alkaloids, and flavonoids in the ethanolic extracts. The extract demonstrated antioxidant activity, with IC₅₀ values of 178.06 ppm for DPPH and 220 ppm for SOD. It did not affect the viability of 3T3-L1 cells at concentrations of up to 500 ppm. At 100 ppm, the extract increased cell viability (p< 0.05) and reduced HIF-1α expression in the menadione-treated cells (p< 0.05). Additionally, it decreased the expression of IL-6 and COX-2 in LPS-induced cells (p< 0.05). Conclusion: The ethanol extract of C. nardus demonstrated promising potential as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent in 3T3-L1 cells. Further analysis is recommended to confirm the potential.

Context: Searching for novel anticancer-leading drugs is a current major concern for providing better treatment outcomes. Piper nigrum is one of the spice plants used as an anticancer in traditional medicine. Many studies reported the secondary metabolite content of P. nigrum. Some have been evaluated as anticancer agents, but many still need to be studied. Aims: To evaluate the in silico anticancer activity of P. nigrum secondary metabolites. Methods: Cheminformatics and bioinformatics analysis were used to investigate drug-likeness, toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and drug interaction against enzymes involved in reactive oxygen species production and cell growth. Results: Ten out of twenty-five compounds qualify as drugs according to the rules of Lipinski, Veber, Egan, Ghose, and Muegge, and they met the pharmacokinetic parameters. A molecular docking study showed that seven compounds showed a good affinity for enzymes involved in triggering cellular oxidative stress and cell death. Furthermore, piperine, piperidine derivatives, and piperettin may inhibit the cancer cell's growth due to their affinity with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) compared to erlotinib. Of all these compounds, (2E,4E,8E)-9-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-1-(piperidine-1-yl)nona-2,4,8-trien- 1-one showed the best affinity with EGFR, monoamine oxidase B, apoptosis-inducing factor, and cytochrome P450. Conclusions: Besides piperine and piperidine derivatives, other compounds in P. nigrum, such as piperamide; piperamine; sarmentine; trichosta; piperettine; and pyrrolidine, 1-[5-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)- 1 - oxo -2,4-pentadienyl]-,(E,E)-, also have promising potential as an anticancer.

Objectives: This research aimed to investigate the potential of Pogostemon cablin Benth's ethanolic extract (PCEE) as an antiaging agent.Methods: We treated 3T3‐L1 cells induced by doxorubicin with PCEE and assessed them with antiaging markers such as GLB‐1 gene and telomere length with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation with 2,7‐dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFHDA).Results: This study demonstrates that PCEE can inhibit ROS accumulation, decrease the expression level of the senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase (SA‐β‐gal) gene, GLB‐1, and maintain telomere length in doxorubicin‐induced 3T3‐L1 cells.Conclusion: These studies reveal that PCEE is a promising antiaging agent. An in vivo approach should be conducted for further research.