Molecular evaluation of carotenes and some vitanins as anticancers

Several plant extracts are known to contain different compounds used for pharmacological purposes and used as anticancer. In the present work the mode action of extracted carotenes, standard beta carotene, vitamin A and vitamin C on two types of tumor cells Ehrlich ascites carcinoma [EACC] and Acute myeloid leukemia [AML] was studied. The crude carotene showed highest inhibitory effect for cancer cells after incubation followed by standard beta carotene and vitamin C. Vitamin A, however, gave no effect at the concentrations tested. The number of dead cells was higher for EACC than AML. The activity of lactic dehydrogenase [LDH] in cancer cell media was significantly increased after incubation with the tested materials due to the cell membrane damage of cancerous cells. Both crude carotene extract and beta carotene were found to induce DNA fragmentation in EACC but not in AML due to apoptosis. In vivo studies were carried out using tumor transplanted animals [with EACC] and the expression of P53 was measured by flow cytometer. The results showed that apopotosis was not accompanied by P[53] expression in both in vitro and in vivo studies. The mitogen response assay was used for mitogenic stimulation of T lymphocyte proliferation which was increased after incubation of EACC splenocytes with carotenes. The immunity response of tumor transplanted animals was then increased by carotenes which confirmed by the elevation on antioxidant enzyme activities, catalase, superoxide dismutase [SOD] and peroxidase [POD] of liver homogenates. The study revealed that substances under study induced apoptosis for cancer cells but not through P53 expression

action of inositol hexanicotinate as antilipaemic on normal and hypercholesterolaemic rabbits

The effect of Inositol hexanicotinate [IHN] on serum lipid fractions and body weight was examined in both normal and induced-hypercholesterolaemic rabbits. Generally, Inositol hexanicotinate [IHN] slightly reduced the serum levels of lipid constituents: total triglycerides, phospholipids and total cholesterol. However, these fractions were significantly decreased in serum of the induced hypercholesterolaemic rabbits. The body weights as well as the alpha, Beta and non-mobilized-lipoproteins were also reduced in serum of the hypercholesterolaemic animals. The role of the examined drug as anticholesterolaemic and antilipaemic agent was discussed