Evaluation of Anticancer Activity of Extracted Flavonoids from Morus Alba Leaves and its interaction with DNA

ABSTRACT Morous Alba, known as white mulberry contains many oxidative flavonoids, widely used in the treatment of many diseases like hyperglycemia, inflammation, fever and cancer. In the present study we investigated the interaction of extracted flavonoids from Iranian Morus Alba leaves with DNA as a main target for anticancer drugs. Various spectroscopic techniques (UV/Vis, CD and Fluorescence Spectroscopy) were used to detect the interaction. In vivo studies also were done to confirm the effectiveness of the extracted flavonoids. The spectroscopic results showed that the extracted flavonoids bind to DNA especially to the sugar-phosphate backbone and making DNA conformational changes upon this binding. Experiments on the cancerous mice with solid tumors indicated that the treatment of mice with these extracted flavonoids increased significantly the life span but they did not have any effects on the tumor size reduction. These data suggest that Morus Alba flavonoids may use as an effective natural anticancer drug in the near future.

Binding of the antitumor drug adriamycin to DNA-histone complexes

Isotherms of the binding of the anthracycline antibiotic, adriamycin [adriblastin], to DNA histone complexes was studied by means of spectroscopic analysis. The results indicated that: [a] binding of adriamycin to histones reduced the interaction of histones with DNA, [b] binding of the drug to DNA did not change the binding affinity of histone to DNA and, [c] in the explored binding range of r<0.1 the binding of adriamycin to DNA-histone complex proved to be anticooperative with n values of 0.32 for the interaction of histone with DNA-drug and 0.26 for the binding of DNA to histone-drug complex. The results suggest the possible participation of histones in the DNA-drug complex formation

Chromosomal proteins in pulmonary alveolar macrophages

In this study the nature of chromosomal proteins, histones and nonhistone in resident alveolar macrophages was investigated in comparison to peritoneal neutrophils and calf thymus proteins. Cells were obtained by lavaging the lung and after purity determination they were subjected to fractional extraction procedures. Proteins were then analyzed on SDS polyacrylamide gels and densitometric scans were obtained. The results show that in macrophages, the pattern of histone and nonhistone proteins were similar to thymus proteins, two distinct and specific proteins Hi[°] and HMG14b and also a protein with a molecular weight of l2kd [Hx] were present. These data suggest a different chromatin protein pattern in pulmonary alveolar macrophages

effect of theophylline on the production of colony stimulating factor [CSF] by the lung

The effect of theophylline on colony stimulating factor production by the lung tissue was investigated. Addition of various concentrations of theophylline to the lung conditioned medium enhanced CSF production at 10 .microg/ml and at higher concentrations showed an inhibitory effect. Determination of the phosphate content of the medium showed a decrease at 1-3 hours of incubation. Addition of AMP to the cultures in the presence of theophylline had no effect on the CSF production but compensated phosphate content of the lung cultures. Exogenous cAMP or its dibutyryl derivative also stimulated CSF production. On the other hand IBMX, another inhibitor of phosphodiesterases, exerted similar effect as theophylline. The results suggest that cAMP regulates CSF production by the lung