(±)-Jasmonic Acid methyl ester can suppress proliferation and induce apoptosis.

Jasmonates, a group of plant stress hormones that naturally occur in plants following exposure to certain types of stresses, includ pathogen and herbivore attacks.

In vitro: It was found that (±)-Jasmonic Acid methyl ester, when applied to surfaces of tomato plants, could induce the synthesis of defensive proteinase inhibitor proteins. The presence of (±)-Jasmonic Acid methyl ester in the chamber atmosphere containing plants resulted in the accumulation of proteinase inhibitors in leaves of all studied three species [1]. Another study found that (±)-Jasmonic Acid methyl ester could induce death in each of the studied cell lines, while other plant stress hormones could not affect normal human lymphocytes. In addition, (±)-Jasmonic Acid methyl ester caused apoptotic death, as measured by flow cytometric DNA profile, characteristic nuclear morphology, and caspase-3 activity elevation [2].

In vivo: Animal study showed that mice bearing EL-4 lymphoma and treated with (±)-Jasmonic Acid methyl ester survived for significantly longer periods of time than untreated mice, suggesting that plant stress hormones might potentially be a new class of anti-cancer drugs [2].

Clinical trial: So far, no clinical study has been conducted.

References:
1. Farmer, E.E. and Ryan, C.A. Interplant communication: Airborne methyl jasmonate induces synthesis of proteinase inhibitors in plant leaves. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 87, 7713-7716 (1990).
2. Fingrut, O. and Flescher, E. Plant stress hormones suppress the proliferation and induce apoptosis in human cancer cells. Leukemia 16, 608-616 (2002).