NATPRO Journal

Therapeutic Efficacy of Luteolin Against Phorbol 12-Myristate 13-Acetate-Induced Cytotoxicity, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in HaCaT Cells 

Received: October 13, 2025; Revised: December 4, 2025; Accepted: January 14, 2026; Published: January 24, 2026

NATPRO J (2026) 3: 1-8 Article

Authors: Himanshi Gahlot1 and Sun Chul Kang1,2*

1Department of Biotechnology, Daegu University, Gyeongsan, 38453, Republic of Korea. 2Dr. Kang Bio Co. Ltd., Gyeongsan, 38428, Republic of Korea

https://doi.org/10.23177/NJ025.1003

Abstract: Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a potent protein kinase C activator, is a well-established agent that triggers cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammation. This study investigated the cytoprotective potential of the natural flavonoid luteolin against PMA-induced toxicity in human HaCaT keratinocytes. We demonstrate for the first time that pre-treatment with luteolin significantly alleviates PMA-induced cytotoxicity in HaCaT cells, evidenced by increased cell viability, reduced LDH release, and enhanced clonogenic survival. Mechanistically, luteolin attenuated oxidative stress by scavenging ROS/NO generation, reducing lipid peroxidation (MDA), and restoring antioxidants (GSH, TRX). Luteolin further prevented the PMA-induced elevation of inflammatory mediators (NF-κB, COX-2, IL-6, and IL-1β) and associated DNA damage indicators (γ-H2AX, ERCC1). These findings reveal that luteolin possesses significant cytoprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties against PMA-induced damage, underscoring its potential as a therapeutic agent for inflammatory skin disorders. Future validation in more complex physiological models is warranted to bridge these promising in vitro results to potential clinical applications addressing PMA-related pathologies. 

Keywords: luteolin, PMA, HaCaT, inflammation, ROS, NF-κB

HPLC Quantification and In Silico Analysis of Polyphenols from Moringa oleifera Targeting FPR2 in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Received: April 6, 2026; Revised: April 30, 2026; Accepted: May 6, 2026; Published: May 7, 2026; E-mail: slee@cau.ac.kr

NATPRO J (2026) 3: 9-16 Article

Authors: Chang-Dae Lee1 and Sanghyun Lee1,2*

1 Department of Plant Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong 17546, Republic of Korea. 2 Natural Product Institute of Science and Technology, Anseong 17546, Republic of Korea.

https://doi.org/10.23177/NJ026.0404

Abstract: This study investigated the polyphenolic composition of Moringa oleifera and evaluated its potential biological relevance for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) using an integrated analytical and computational approach. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed that (+)-catechin and quercetin 3-glucuronide were the major compounds, with concentrations of 32.12 mg/g and 19.14 mg/g, respectively. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were employed to predict the molecular targets and elucidate the pharmacological mechanisms of these compounds in the context of EOC. The results suggested that these compounds may interact with formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2), a key receptor highly implicated in EOC pathogenesis and inflammation-related signaling pathways. Both (+)-catechin and quercetin 3-glucuronide exhibited strong binding affinities to FPR2 in docking simulations, with scores of –8.7 and –10.7 kcal/mol, respectively, indicating possible involvement in modulating FPR2-related biological processes in EOC. These findings provide basic information on the polyphenolic profile of M. oleifera and suggest its potential as a source of bioactive compounds with potential applications to EOC-related biological processes. However, further experimental studies are required to validate these observations.

Keywords: epithelial ovarian cancer, high-performance liquid chromatography, molecular docking, quercetin 3-glucuronide