ABSTRACT
Ophiocoma erinaceus Muller and Troschel [Ophiocomidae] is part of the extensive group of echinoderm that contains bioactive metabolites. As the anti cancer potential of brittle star saponin has not been reported against cervical cancer, the present study was conducted to evaluate the anticancer effect of extracted crude saponin. Saponin extraction was conducted using conventional method such as froth test, TLC, FTIR and erythrolysis assay. The Hela-S3 cervical carcinoma and HNCF-PI52 normal cells were treated with different concentrations of saponin fraction for 24 and 48 h. The cytotoxicity was examined by MTT, DAPI, AO/PI, Annexin V-FITC and flow cytometry. In addition, the apoptotic induced pathway was studied using caspase assay, evaluation of ROS generation and Bcl-2 mRNA level. Crude saponin showed cytotoxic properties in Hela-S3 cells [IC[50] of 23.4 micro g/mL] without significant impact against normal cells. In addition, the crude saponin increased sub-G1 peak in flow cytometry histogram of treated cells, ROS generation and caspase-3 and -9 activity [IC[50] of 11.10, 11.27 micro g/mL]. The dose dependent down regulation of Bcl-2 in treated cells demonstrated that saponin fraction can trigger intrinsic apoptotic pathway in cancer cells. This study provides valuable information about the apoptotic inducing effect of saponin fraction, which can offer new insights into the anticancer potential of saponin as a promising candidate against human cervical carcinoma
ABSTRACT
Salvia chorassanica Bunge is one of the Iranian endemic species of Salvia. There is not any reported literature on S. chorassanica. This study was designed to examine the in-vitro anti- proliferative and proapoptotic effects of the methanol extract of S. chorassanica and its fractions on HeLa cell line. Cells were cultured in EX-CELL®, an animal free medium specially designed for HeLa cell line and incubated with different concentrations of plant extracts. Cell viability was quantified by MTS assay. Apoptotic cells were determined using propidium iodide [PI] staining of DNA fragmentation by flow cytometry [sub-G1 peak]. Activity of caspase -3, -8 and -9 was measured by the caspase colorimetric kit assay. S. chorassanica inhibited the growth of malignant cells and the CH[2]Cl[2] fraction was determined as the most cytotoxic fraction in comparison with other fractions. The calculated IC[50] values for methanol extract, n-hexane, and CH[2]Cl[2] and EtOAc fractions were 8.841, 5.45, 2.38, and 58.03 [micro]g/mL, respectively. S. chorassanica induced a sub-G1 peak in the flow cytometry histogram of treated cells compared to control cells indicating that the cytotoxic mechanism is characterized by apoptosis induction. The activity of caspase-3 and 8 proteins in treated HeLa cells was significantly higher than that of the control while caspase-9 activity did not change significantly. Based on the result obtained from our study, the apoptosis pathway involved in S. chorassanica-induced cell death may be through the extrinsic pathway and it can be a novel promising candidate in the treatment of cancer
ABSTRACT
Fragrant species of the genus Salvia have been attributed many medicinal properties, which include anticancer activity. In the present study, cytotoxic properties of total methanol extract of Salvia chloroleuca Rech. f. and Aellen and its fractions were investigated on MCF-7, a breast carcinoma cell line. Malignant and non-malignant cells were cultured in RPMI medium and incubated with different concentrations of plant extracts. Cell viability was quantitated by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl] -5[3-carboxymethoxyphenyl] -2-[4-sulphophenyl] -2H-tetrazolium [MTS] assay. Apoptotic cells were determined using propidium iodide [PI] staining of DNA fragmentation by flow cytometry [sub-Gl peak]. S. chloroleuca inhibited the growth of malignant cells in a dose-dependent manner. Among solvent fractions of S. chloroleuca, the "-hexane and methylene chloride fractions were found to be more toxic compared to other fractions. S. chloroleuca-induced a sub-Gl peak in flow cytometry histogram of treated cells compared to control and DNA fragmentation suggested the induction of apoptosis. Administration of N-acetyl cysteine and vitamin C two ROS scavengers also resulted in significant inhibition of cytotoxicity induced by S. chloroleuca. These results support a mechanism whereby S. chloroleuca induces apoptosis of MCF-7 human breast cells through a ROS-mediated pathway
ABSTRACT
Platycladus orientalis or Thuja orientalis is a native plant of Iran different parts of which are used in the treatment of various diseases such as: gout, rheumatoid arthritis, common cold, cough, bronchitis, asthma, high blood pressure and hormonal disorders like hirsutism and baldness. Also, various organs of this species have been used as appetizer. The purpose of this study was to prepare and characterize liposomal formulations that contain methanol extract of aerial parts of P. orientalis for hirsutism treatment. Plant's leaves were dried in room temperature, and powdered by grinding. Then, methanol extract was prepared by maceration method. Liposomes containing mathanol extract were produced by two methods of fusion and solvent evaporation. To evaluate mathanol extract and encapsulation efficiency of liposomes, quercetin was chosen as standard. The amount of quercetin in samples was determined by high pressure liquid chromatography [HPLC] method. Mean size of liposomes prepared by solvent evaporation and fusion methods was 373 and 320 nm, respectively. According to the quercetin concentration, encapsulation efficiency of liposomes containing menthanol extract was 69.3 +/- 3.1% for solvent evaporation and 62.2 +/- 4.9% for fusion method. In the current study, a suitable liposomal formulation was prepared. The pharmacological activity of these carriers should be evaluated in the future study
ABSTRACT
Oral infections and dental caries are still considered as serious public health problems and inflict a costly burden to health care services around the world and especially in developing countries. In the present study, we evaluated the antibacterial activity of Glycyrrhiza glabra [G. glabra] against oral pathogens by diffusion methods and determined the minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] by both broth and Agar dilution methods and minimum bactericidal concentration [MBC] by broth dilution methods. In this study, G. glabra extract showed good antibacterial activity against six bacteria. No strain in this study showed resistance against this extract. G. glabrais suggested as an appropriate candidate to help us in order to control dental caries and endodontic infections