Methyl Jasmonate

Two decades of cell-line and xenograft work show jasmonates kill cancer cells selectively while sparing normal cells, by acting directly on mitochondria ^{1,3Reference 1Rotem R et al. · 2005Jasmonates: novel anticancer agents acting directly and selectively on human cancer-cell mitochondriaView study →Reference 3Cesari IM et al. · 2014Methyl jasmonate: putative mechanisms of action on cancer-cell cycle, metabolism and apoptosisView study →}. MeJA detaches hexokinase-2 from the mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) ^{2Reference 2Goldin N et al. · 2008Methyl jasmonate binds to and detaches mitochondria-bound hexokinaseView study →}, triggering ATP depletion, permeability-transition-pore opening and cytochrome-c release; it kills p53-mutant and wild-type lines alike (p53-independent) ^{3Reference 3Cesari IM et al. · 2014Methyl jasmonate: putative mechanisms of action on cancer-cell cycle, metabolism and apoptosisView study →} and downregulates survival factors such as HPV E6/E7 and survivin in cervical lines ^{5Reference 5Milrot E et al. · 2012Methyl jasmonate reduces the survival of cervical-cancer cells and downregulates HPV E6/E7 and survivinView study →}.

Gap: entirely in-vitro/rodent-xenograft, with no human trials, no oral human PK, poor potency (µM–mM), and rapid esterase hydrolysis; most of the more potent work is on synthetic analogues, not parent MeJA, and much of it traces to a single group ^{1,3Reference 1Rotem R et al. · 2005Jasmonates: novel anticancer agents acting directly and selectively on human cancer-cell mitochondriaView study →Reference 3Cesari IM et al. · 2014Methyl jasmonate: putative mechanisms of action on cancer-cell cycle, metabolism and apoptosisView study →}.

MeJA’s actual biological function — the honest center of the page. It is a volatile stress hormone that induces plant defense genes and boosts secondary-metabolite yields, and it is exploited routinely in plant-cell/tissue culture to raise taxane, resveratrol and phytoalexin output ^{8,9,10Reference 8Cusido et al. · 2014ReviewA rational approach to improving the biotechnological production of taxanes in plant cell cultures of Taxus spp. — reviewView study →Reference 9Vera-Urbina JC et al. · 2023Factors affecting the bioproduction of resveratrol by grapevine cell cultures under elicitationView study →Reference 10Jarocka-Karpowicz I et al. · 2021Therapeutic potential of jasmonic acid and its derivativesView study →}.

Gap: this is agronomy/biotech, not a human-health application — included so the page frames the compound honestly for what it actually does ^{8,9Reference 8Cusido et al. · 2014ReviewA rational approach to improving the biotechnological production of taxanes in plant cell cultures of Taxus spp. — reviewView study →Reference 9Vera-Urbina JC et al. · 2023Factors affecting the bioproduction of resveratrol by grapevine cell cultures under elicitationView study →}.

Methyl jasmonate is a characteristic jasmine/gardenia scent constituent and a recognized flavor-and-fragrance ingredient; its low-level use in foods and perfumery underlies the low-toxicity designation.

Gap: an organoleptic role only, with no therapeutic claim (and no specific FEMA number asserted here).

The only “systemic pharmacology” data in mammals: two mouse studies report MeJA reducing depressive-like behavior, modulating monoaminergic pathways and suppressing TNF-α/oxidative stress ^{6,7Reference 6Umukoro S et al. · 2018AnimalAntidepressant-like activity of methyl jasmonate involves modulation of monoaminergic pathways in miceView study →Reference 7Eduviere AT et al. · 2017AnimalMethyl jasmonate attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced depressive-like behaviour in miceView study →}.

Gap: rodent-only, single group, small, using injected doses — no mechanism confirmed in humans, no human dosing, and no basis for a mood-supplement use ^{6,7Reference 6Umukoro S et al. · 2018AnimalAntidepressant-like activity of methyl jasmonate involves modulation of monoaminergic pathways in miceView study →Reference 7Eduviere AT et al. · 2017AnimalMethyl jasmonate attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced depressive-like behaviour in miceView study →}.