Jasmonic Acid methyl ester

The jasmonates are a group of plant stress hormones that naturally occur in plants following exposure to certain types of stresses, including pathogen and herbivore attacks. Jasmonic acid methyl ester induces the synthesis of proteinase inhibitors in plant leaves.¹ In cancer cells, it suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis.² More specifically, methyl jasmonate inhibits hexokinase that is bound to mitochondria.³ As hexokinase is overexpressed in cancer cells and contributes to cancer cell growth and survival, methyl jasmonate’s disruption of mitochondrial hexokinase activity selectively targets, and kills, cancer cells. Jasmonic acid methyl ester derivatives also have potential as anti-inflammatory agents.⁴

WARNING This product is not for human or veterinary use.

1. Farmer, E.E., and Ryan, C.A. Interplant communication: Airborne methyl jasmonate induces synthesis of proteinase inhibitors in plant leaves. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87(19), 7713-7716 (1990).

2. Fingrut, O., and Flescher, E. Plant stress hormones suppress the proliferation and induce apoptosis in human cancer cells. Leukemia 16(4), 608-616 (2002).

3. Goldin, N., Arzoine, L., Heyfets, A., et al. Methyl jasmonate binds to and detaches mitochondria-bound hexokinase. Oncogene 27(34), 4636-4643 (2008).

4. Dang, H.T., Lee, H.J., Yoo, E.S., et al. New jasmonate analogues as potential anti-inflammatory agents. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 16(24), 10228-10235 (2008).