Boswellic acid fractions induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line [HEP-G2] through p53 accumulation

There has been growing interest in naturally occurring compounds with anti-cancer potential. Boswellic acid fractions [BA] are the bioactive constituent of the oleogum resin of Boswellia carterii Birdwood [Bursearceae]. It has been shown to exert anti-neoplastic and anti-inflammatory effects. The antitumor activity molecular pathways of BA action are not clear. Nevertheless, BA is known to induce apoptosis by p53-dependent and p53-independent pathways in cancer cell lines. Growth inhibition is associated with induction of cell cycle arrest. In this study, the anticancer effect of BA in human HepG-2 cancer cells line was investigated. BA has exhibited effective cell growth inhibition by inducing cancer cells to undergo G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis. Blockade of cell cycle was associated with increased levels of p21. BA treatment triggered the apoptotic pathway indicated by a change in caspase-8 and caspase-3 activation. We also found that, BA-induced cell growth inhibition as a result of increase in the expression level of p53. These results confirm a critical role of p53 in BA-induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis of human hepatoma cancer cells

Synthesis and in-vitro cytotoxic activity of novel benzo[b]phenazine-6,ll-Dione and 1,4-Naphthoquinone derivatives

5, 12 - Dihydrobenzophenazine-6, 11-diones, 2-Arylamino-3-chloro-l, 4-naphthoquinones and 6, ll-dihydrobenzo[b]phenazine-6, 11-diones, were synthesized from 2, 3-dichloro-l, 4-naphthoquinone and arylamines/ phenylenediamines. Studying the cytotoxicity using EAC and human cell lines revealed that 5, 12-dihydrobemo[b]phenazine-6, ll-dione [3] and 3-chloro-2-[2- pyridylamino]-l, 4-naphthoquinone [10] showed selective cytotoxicity against the human lung carcinoma cell line [H460] superior to doxorubicin. Compound 3 [16.25 uM] was 1.3 times higher than that of doxoruhicin. However, 1C50 value of compound 10 was 9.90 uM which was 2 times higher than that [20.10 uM] of doxorubicin. These compounds were inactive against liver carcinoma [HEPG2], brain tumor [U251], cervix carcinoma [HELA] and breast carcinoma [MCF7] cell lines

Freshly crushed black seeds showed good protective effect during tumour induction and radiotherapy in rats

The present study was conducted to evaluate the potency of Nigella sativa freshly crushed seeds [0.42 g/kg body weight] or oil [2.5 ml/kg body weight] for preventing tumor induction through exposure of rats to a common pollutant [1, 4- Dioxane] as a tumor promoter under condition of the presence of an initiator [N-nitrosodiethylamine]. The antitumor effect was evaluated alone or in combination with low doses of irradiation as a route of cancer treatment. Female Swiss albino rats were administered orally twice weekly with Nigella sativa before and during exposure of rats to the carcinogenic compounds. Animals were exposed to 3 doses of radiation [3 Gy/dose] day after day 2 weeks before the end of the experiment. The animals were sacrificed after one week of radiation. Homocysteine, glutathione, lipid peroxide, GammaGT activity, and albumin levels were estimated in blood after 7 and 12 months from the start of the experiment. Rats injected with the carcinogenic compounds showed marked elevation in homocysteine, GammaGT activity, and lipid peroxide levels accompanied by a significant decrease in glutathione, and albumin levels. Pretreatment with Nigella sativa alone or combined with Gamma-irradiation potentially reversed the investigated parameters. Freshly crushed seeds gave more pronounced protection than the oil extract. it is advisable to use freshly crushed seeds of Nigella sativa during irradiation treatment in cancer patients