Inhibitory effect of diarylheptanoids from Alpinia oxyphylla on angiogenesis

This study investigated the anti-angiogenic activities of two diarylheptanoids, together with a structure analogue, curcumin. The activity and toxicity of these three compounds were compared using transgenic zebrafish as in vivo model and human umbilical vein endothelial cell(HUVEC)as in vitro model. Anti-angiogenic index(AI)was used as the ratio between LC₅₀ and EC₅₀. The results suggested that in both in vitro and in vivo assay, curcumin exerted the most potent anti-angiogenic effect but with lowest toxicity among these compounds; Yakuchinone A was the second potent; Yakuchinone B has the lowest activity but with the highest toxicity in all three compounds. Taken together, curcumin was the best angiogenic inhibitor in these three diarylheptanoids.