Cancer is an uncontrollable cells growth and breast cancer is a type of it. Its main treatment is chemotherapy with the risk of side effects. Today, the use of natural ingredients, such as chalcones, has been used to treat cancer. The aim of this study was to induce apoptosis with trans-chalcone drugs in breast cancer cells 4T1 and on BALB/c mice. Drug toxicity was measured by MTT assay at 24, 48 h, and at concentrations of 20, 30, 40 and 50 μM (uM). Hematoxylin-azine was evaluated after treatment of tumor mice. Then, significant results were analyzed by SPSS and ANOVA with significance level of P.

Amyloid fibrils are string-like aggregates that form due to the disruption of natural structure and misfolding of various types of peptides and proteins. These amyloid aggregates are associated with some neurodegenerative and systemic diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of Trans-chalcone on insulin fibrillation (as a model protein). In this study, insulin was incubated for 24 hours in the presence and absence of Trans-chalcone under amyloid formation conditions. The formed fibrils were analyzed using various techniques including Congo red absorption spectral changes by spectroscopy, electron microscopy images by TEM, and fluorescent staining of amyloid aggregates by fluorescent microscopy. Then, possible interactions between Trans-chalcone and insulin were analyzed using molecular docking method by AutoDock software. The results showed a significant reduction in amyloid fibril formation in the additive-containing sample compared to the control sample. This study provides evidence that Trans-chalcone has an inhibitory effect on insulin fibrillation and could be a potential therapeutic agent for amyloid-related diseases.

Introduction & Alpha amylase is the most important decomposing enzyme in starch. Digestion and absorption of starch in the intestine can be prevented and also the blood sugar levels can be controlled by restrain and control of alpha amylase. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of trans-chalcone on amylase activity, blood glucose and lipid levels in diabetic and non diabetic rats. This experimental study was conducted in 1388 at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Sixty rats were randomly divided to ten equal groups: non diabetic control, diabetic control, four non diabetic experiments and four diabetic experiments. Control groups received grape seed oil and experimental groups received 2, 8,16 and 32 mg/kg of body weight in a period of 24 days with a gastric cannula. Blood sugar, every two days, serum insulin levels in days 0,12, and 24 and at the end of the experiment, lipoproteins and alpha amylase activity were measured.The data were analyzed by one way analysis of variance, ANOVA, followed by Turkey,s test with SPSS soft ware. On average Chalcone reduced 25.5% of blood sugar in normal and diabetic rats. IT also decreased the serum insulin level. On average, chalcone decreased 34.9% of alpha amylase activity in normal and diabetic rats. Following disturbances in lipids metabolism caused by diabetes, this drug improved lipoproteins metabolism and reduced water, food and urine volume. This study shows that trans-Chalcone reduces blood sugar and body weight via inhibition of alpha amylas. Moreover, improvement of lipoprotein metabolism may happen via the inhibitory effect of this drug on hydroxyl methyl glutaryl -COA reductase and phosphodiesterase.

 High-fat diet (HFD) intake is linked to ectopic fat deposition in the pancreas. It also causes pancreatic inflammatory lesions. trans-Chalcone is a simple chalcone with protective effects against HFD-induced metabolic disorders. This study, for the first time, explored the possible effects of this chalcone on high-fat emulsion-induced pancreatic abnormalities in rats.

 Twenty-one male rats were randomly assigned into three groups: control (received 10% tween 80); HFD (received high-fat emulsion + 10% tween 80); and HFD + chalcone (received high-fat emulsion + trans-chalcone). Real-time PCR was used to assess pancreatic mRNA expression levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in the pancreas of all rats.

 High-fat emulsion increased the mRNA expression levels of inflammatory biomarkers, including TNF-α and MCP-1 in the pancreas of rats, and treatment with trans-chalcone prevented these high-fat emulsion-induced changes.

 trans-Chalcone can protect the pancreas of male rats against HFD-induced abnormalities through its anti-inflammatory effects.

Practical Implications: 

It seems that consumption of HFD up-regulates the production of inflammatory mediators in the pancreas. On the other hand, trans-chalcone can ameliorate HFD-related pancreatic inflammation.

In this research, first, functionalized Fe oxide magnetic nanoparticles based on sulfonated tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane/copper (II) nitrate were synthesized as a new, effective and recyclable magnetic catalyst, and then, was used in the reaction of preparing of Various 2-pyrazolines. Finally, the  prepared 2-pyrazolines were  oxidized to  the corresponding 2-pyrazoles under in situ and one-pot conditions, in such a way that, under optimal conditions, a wide and different range of unsaturated α, β-unsaturated  ketones (trans-chalcones) that had various functional groups including electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups, were successfully transformed into the corresponding final products under easy and mild conditions. All products were obtained in good to excellent yields and no by-product was observed. The new synthesized magnetic nanocatalyst was characterized by various methods including infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDAX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), elemental analysis (CHN) and analysis Thermogravimetry (TGA). The catalyst was easily recycled by the external magnetic field and was used for several times without observing a significant and effective decrease in its catalytic activity. Also, the structure of various synthesized 2-pyrazoles were confirmed by comparing their physical characteristics including melting point with the reported samples and also by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum (1H-NMR), carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum (13C-NMR) and elemental analysis. Finally, no using of harsh reaction conditions, the no by-product formation, as well as the ability to recycle and reuse the catalyst, made this method an environmentally friendly method.

One of the most important secondary metabolism products found in plants are flavonoids. They have medicinal and biological effects such as: purify blood, strengthen immune system, monitoring cholesterol level, regulate blood pressure, suppress acid secretion, prevent thrombus, suppress cytophy, antibacterial, prevent cancer, promote metabolism. In this study, the flavonoids and one chalcone from methanolic extract of flowers of Chrysanthemum parthenium (L.) Bernh. (syn. Tanacetum parthenium L.) (Compositae Family) were separated and purified by column chromatography and TLC methods. Kaempferol and naringenin are two flavonoids and trans- 4- ethoxy- 4'- methoxy chalcone as a chalcone compound were extracted, separated and detected by spectroscopy methods (1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, Mass and IR). Investigation of antioxidant activity included free radical scavenging activity towards 2, 2-diphenyl-1-pycrylhydrazile (DPPH) radicals. Methanolic extract of flowers of Tanacetum parthenium showed free radical scavenging activity.

Chalcones and their derivatives have strong anti-cancer activity. The aim of present study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity effect of new synthetic chalcone on Hela cell line. Hela cell line were cultured in RPMI1640 liquid medium along with with 10% inactivated fetal bovine serum (FBS) and antibiotics. Cells were cultured with various concentrations of chalcone for 72 hours and were analyzed by using the MTT test. Statistical analysis was performed by using of students T-Test. Apoptosis were examined on Hela cell lines after 24 hours in concentration of 40 µg/ml chalcone by Microscopic method. The results of this study showed that new synthetic chalcone at concentrations of (10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 160 µg/ml) inhibit the growth of Hela cell line 63. 75، 56. 58،54. 46،33. 60،18. 74،14. 96 after 72 hours, respectively. The highest percentage of growth inhibition at a concentration of 10 µg/ml was 63. 753. The IC50 value for Hela cells was 40 μg/ml. Our findings showed that grow the cells have reduced at concentrations of 10 and 20 µg/ml significantly compared to control group after 72 hours. Discussion & Based on our research, synthetic chalcone has anti proliferation activity against HeLa cells lines. This activity is related to its effect on cell cycle by inducing G2 / M phase. Further studies are needed to demonstrate the molecular mechanisms of this new chalcone.

Background and Chalcones are promising lead for anticancer drug design and discovery. Chalcones with different mechanisms including tubulin polymerization inhibition induce apoptosis in cancer cells. The aim of current work was synthesis of two indole-chalcone derivatives and investigation of their cytotoxic activity against cancer and normal cell lines, as well as molecular docking study with the proposed target tubulin.
In this study, the indole-chalcone derivatives (3a and 3b) were prepared by the reaction of 4-methoxybenzaldehyde with 3-acetylindole or N-methyl-3-acetyl-indole in the presence of LiOH as catalyst. The pure compounds obtained were characterized by 1H NMR, IR, and Mass spectroscopy. The cytotoxic activity of synthesized compounds was tested using MTT assay toward four cancer cell lines (A549, MCF7, HepG2 and SKOV3) and a normal cell line (NIH3T3) in comparison with etoposide. Molecular docking was performed by using AutoDock 4.2 software to evaluate potential mechanism and interactions of chalcone compounds with the tubulin (1SA0) binding site.
The 1H NMR spectra of compounds showed two doublets related to the vinylic protons with coupling constant value of 15.6 Hz, demonstrating trans configuration of the compounds. Cytotoxicity assay showed that these compounds had a significant effect against viability of cancer cells. The compound 3b with IC50 value of 8.1 μg/ml against HepG2 had the most potent cytotoxic effect. Furthermore, this compound had no significant cytotoxic effect against normal cell line. Docking analysis showed that compound 3b is bound to the colchicine binding site of tubulin via hydrogen and hydrophobic interactions.
The indole-derived chalcones had a significant selective cytotoxic effect against cancer cells. The N-methyl-indole analog 3b showed better profile of activity against tested cell lines. This analog can be considered as a lead compound for further optimization and development of potent anticancer agents.

Cancer is a complex and life-threatening disease involving uncontrollable cell proliferation, evading apoptosis, and metastasis. Despite recent developments in cancer chemotherapy, there are no effective broad spectrum anticancer agents that could selectively target cancer cells. Thus, designing and discovering new efficient and selective anticancer agents are urgent needs. It is important that new anticancer agents could act via apoptosis induction, since it has a critical role in control of cell proliferation. Chalcones are naturally occurring compounds possessing high degree of synthetic diversity for design of new leading bioactive compounds including anticancer agents. Chalcones are considered as promising anticancer agents against most human cancers with capability of inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. Furthermore, some clinically useful anticancer drugs show genotoxicity due to interaction with DNA, but chalcones with different mechanism may be devoid of this side effect. This review highlights the recently identified anticancer chalcones from naturally or synthetically origins that induce apoptosis in cancer cells. The diversity of scaffolds described in this review along with their structure-activity relationships could help medicinal chemists in development of new selective anticancer chalcones with improved potency.

Petunia (Petunia hybrida) is one of the important plants in horticultural industry. This plant is being used as a model ornamental plant and is one of the most important plants in floriculture market. Flavonoids are the main pigment in this plant. So, genetic engineering with the goal of color alteration in petunia is focused on flavonoids. To gain a global perspective on genes differentially expressed in petunia’s flowers pigment pathway, we investigated the expression of chalcone isomerase (chi) as an essential gene in biosynthesis pathway of pigment production in different types of flower color of petunia and various stages of flowering in this plant. Also, we measured the concentration of total flavonoids, anthocyanins and naringenin to evaluate the probably relationship between the expression profile of chi gene and the concentration of mentioned pigments. The results indicated that chalcone isomerase expression had different profile in different petal color of P. hybrida. So that, the most chi expression observed in red petunia flowers. Naringenin concentrations was the most value in this color flower. In comparison of flowering stages, stage 1, had the most expression. In other words, when the flowers fully closed (bud stage), chi expression and concentration was in the highest value. Our results showed that chi is a key gene in pigment biosynthesis pathway so that in absence of this gene, pigment pathway will be stopped. Identification of effective genes in different pathways of secondary metabolite production will assist in accurate selection of genes for genetically modification of pathways and production of various metabolites.