Feiji Recipe inhibits the growth of lung cancer by modulating T-cell immunity through indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase pathway in an orthotopic implantation model / 中西医结合学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Escape from the body's immune response is a basic characteristic of lung cancer, and indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) plays a key role in mediating immune escape of non-small-cell lung cancer, which leads to recurrence and metastasis. Feiji Recipe, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, has the effect of stabilizing lesions and prolonging survival in patients with lung cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms underlying the anticancer properties of Feiji Recipe.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>An orthotopic transplant model of mouse Lewis lung cancer, with stable expression of IDO gene, was established in C57BL/6 mice. Optical imaging was used to observe the effects of Feiji Recipe in the treatment of lung cancer in vivo. The effects of Feiji Recipe on the proliferation of mouse Lewis lung cancer cell line 2LL, 2LL-enhanced green fluorescent protein (2LL-EGFP) and 2LL-EGFP-IDO were investigated, and the apoptosis of T-cells was examined by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide using flow cytometry. Chemical composition of Feiji Recipe was validated by high-performance liquid chromatography.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared to the control group, the survival of animals treated with Feiji Recipe was significantly prolonged (P = 0.0074), and the IDO protein level decreased (P = 0.0072); moreover, the percentages of CD4CD25 T-cells and Foxp3 T-cells were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The molecular mechanism of Feiji Recipe against lung cancer may relate to the regulation of immune cells, such as T-cells and regulatory T-cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The molecular mechanism of Feiji Recipe in treatment of lung cancer is to restore the function of T-cells in the cancer microenvironment through interfering with the IDO pathway.</p>

Estudos estruturais e funcionais de Tsa1 de Saccharomyces cerevisiae: um modelo biológico para o estudo de inibidores de crescimento celular para leucemia linfoide aguda / Functional and structural evaluation of Tsa1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae: a biological model for study of cellular growth inhibitors for acute lymphocytic leukemia

As peroxirredoxinas (Prx) são enzimas antioxidantes que se destacam pela capacidade de decompor uma grande variedade de hidroperóxidos com elevada eficiência (106-108M-1s-1), mantendo essas moléculas em níveis adequados à homeostase celular. Entretanto, já foi demonstrado que em diversos tipos tumorais os níveis de Prx são extremamente aumentados e experimentos envolvendo sua inativação resultam na diferenciação ou apoptose de células tumorais. Recentemente, foi descoberto um diterpenóide denominado adenantina que seria o primeiro inibidor para as Prx1 e Prx2 de humanos e foi demonstrada que sua aplicação em células de leucemia mieloide aguda promoveu diferenciação ou apoptose dessas células. Nesse contexto, o presente trabalho apresenta duas vertentes: 1) A caracterização das alterações estruturais e funcionais promovidas pela ligação da adenantina ao sítio ativo das Prx utilizando Tsa1 de Saccharomyces cerevisiae como modelo biológico, em função da sua alta similaridade com Prx2 de humanos; 2) Avaliação da atividade antitumoral dose dependente de adenantina sobre as linhagens celulares REH e MOLT-4 de leucemia linfoide aguda. No que concerne à primeira linha de investigação, nossos resultados revelam que Tsa1 é suscetível à inibição por adenantina, uma vez que o tratamento reduziu em ~66 % a velocidade de decomposição de peróxido de hidrogênio. Adicionalmente, a mutação da Thr44 de Tsa1, pertencente à chamada tríade catalítica, por uma Ser resultou em uma proteína mais suscetível a alterações na estrutura secundária e à inibição da atividade peroxidásica em função da ligação com adenantina, apresentando uma diminuição de ~85% na velocidade de reação. Características semelhantes foram observadas para a proteoforma Tsa2 de S. cerevisiae, que carreia naturalmente a substituição da Thr44 pela Ser. Análises de sequências de Prx em bancos de dados revelaram que majoritariamente proteínas contendo Ser são encontradas em organismos procariotos, muitos deles patogênicos. Finalmente, demonstramos por meio de ensaios citotoxicidade que as bactérias Staphylococcus aureus e Staphylococcus epidermidis, que possuem uma Ser na tríade catalítica, têm seu crescimento inibido pelo tratamento com adenantina (IC50 de 460µM e 77µM, respectivamente), enquanto que para Escherichia coli, que possui Thr nessa posição, a toxicidade da adenantina foi bastante baixa (não foi possível determinar o IC50 nas condições utilizadas). Dessa forma, os dados apresentados neste trabalho demonstram o potencial da utilização da adenantina tanto como antibiótico quanto como antileucêmico

Peroxiredoxins (Prx) are antioxidant enzymes which stand out due the ability to decompose a wide variety of hydroperoxides with high efficiency (106-108M-1s-1) maintaining these molecules at suitable levels to cellular homeostasis and participating in several signaling events. However, it has been shown that, in many tumor types, Prx levels are extremely increased and experiments involving its inactivation have resulted in differentiation or apoptosis of tumor cells. It was recently found a diterpenoid, called adenanthin, that would be the first human Prx1 and Prx2 inhibitor and it was demonstrated that its application in acute myeloid leukemia cells was able to promote differentiation or apoptosis. In this context, this work presents two lines of research: 1) Characterization of structural and functional changes promoted by adenanthin binding to Prx active site using Tsa1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae as biological model, due to its high similarity to human Prx2. 2) Evaluation of adenanthin dose-dependent antitumor activity over the acute lymphoid leukemia cell lines REH and MOLT-4. As regards the first line of research, our result reveal that Tsa1 is susceptible to inhibition by adenanthin, since the treatment with this binder reduced the hydrogen peroxide decomposition velocity in ~ 66%. In addition, the replacement of Thr44 from Tsa1, aminoacid belonging to the so-called catalytic triad, by a Ser resulted in a protein more susceptible to alterations in secondary structure and to peroxidase activity inhibition in function of adenanthin binding, presenting ~85% of decrease in reaction velocity. Similar characteristics were observed for Tsa2 proteoform from S. cerevisiae, which naturally carries the substitution of Thr44 by Ser. Prx sequences analyzes in databases revealed that mostly Ser-containing proteins are found in prokaryotic organisms, many of them pathogenic ones. Finally, we demonstrate through cytotoxicity assays that the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, which have a Ser in catalytic triad, have their growth inhibited by adenanthin treatment (IC50 of 460µM and 77µM, respectively), whereas for Escherichia Coli, which has Thr at that position, the tocyxicity of adenanthin was quite low (it was not possible to determine the IC50 under the used conditions). Regarding the second line of investigation, we found that adenanthin is able to induce the death of leukemic cell lines REH and MOLT-4, and for the last one, there was an unexpected proliferation of cells treated by the longest incubation period (72 hours), characterizing a possible indication of differentiation process. In this sense, the data presented here demonstrate the potential of adenanthin use in both antibiotic and antileukemic treatment

Anti-Proliferative and Apoptotic Activities of Mullerian Inhibiting Substance Combined with Calcitriol in Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether Mullerian inhibiting substance (MIS) in combination with calcitriol modulates proliferation and apoptosis of human ovarian cancer (OCa) cell lines (SKOV3, OVCAR3, and OVCA433) and identify the signaling pathway by which MIS mediates apoptosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: OCa cell lines were treated with MIS in the absence or presence of calcitriol. Cell viability and proliferation were evaluated using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and apoptosis was evaluated by DNA fragmentation assay. Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to determine the signaling pathway. RESULTS: The cells showed specific staining for the MIS type II receptor. Treatment of OCa cells with MIS and calcitriol led to dose- and time-dependent inhibition of cell growth and survival. The combination treatment significantly suppressed cell growth, down-regulated the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and up-regulated the expressions of Bcl-2 associated X protein, caspase-3, and caspase-9 through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: These results, coupled with a much-needed decrease in the toxic side effects of currently employed therapeutic agents, provide a strong rationale for testing the therapeutic potential of MIS, alone or in combination with calcitriol, in the treatment of OCa.

Toxicity studies in vivo and in vitro for sheep skin acellular dermal matrix / 中南大学学报(医学版)

To detect the toxic reaction degree for sheep acellular dermal matrix (ADM) in vivo or vitro by using hemolytic, pyrogen and cell-cytotoxic reaction experiments, respectively.
 Methods: Leach liquor of cross-linked and non-cross-linked sheep ADMs were set for cross-linked group and non-cross-linked group, respectively, with a positive control group (10 mL sterile water for injection in test tube) and a negative control group (10 mL 0.9% sodium chloride solution in test tube). The supernatants were obtained from each group and were measured for the absorbance. The hemolysis degree was calculated; 16 New-Zealand rabbits were selected and then divided into 4 groups, A, B, C and D group. The leach liquor of cross-linked and non-cross-linked sheep ADMs were injected into bodies of the 6 New-Zealand rabbits in the A and B groups, and then the body temperatures were measured in every half hour after injection, 6 times in total. The value of highest temperature among 6 measurements minus the normal temperature was the fever degree for the body temperature. Based on these fever degree, the criterion of biological pyrogen reaction for sheep ADM pyrogen experiment was evaluated; the mice fibroblasts were collected during logarithmic phase and were cultured in the nutrient medium containing sheep ADM leach liquor with different density. The absorbance was measured to evaluate relative growth rate for fibroblast.
 Results: The hemolysis degree for the group A and B are less than 5%. The summary of fever degree for New-Zealand rabbits were lower than 1.8 ℃. MTT experiment showed that the toxicity of 10%-90% or 100% leach liquor nutrient medium with sheep ADM for the mice fibroblast is at level 1 or level 2. There was no significant difference between leach liquor of cross-linked and non-cross-linked sheep ADMs (P>0.05). The effects on relative growth rate for mice fibroblasts were minor. 
 Conclusion: The hemolytic and pyrogen reactions for the sheep ADMs embedded in New-Zealand rabbit were within the evaluation criterion, and the effects on vitality and growth rate for the fibroblast were not significant.

Antileishmanial activity of the essential oil from Tetradenia riparia obtained in different seasons

The herbaceous shrub Tetradenia riparia has been traditionally used to treat inflammatory and infectious diseases. Recently, a study showed that T. riparia essential oil (TrEO) obtained in summer has antileishmanial effects, although these results could be influenced by seasonal variation. This study evaluated the activity of the TrEO obtained in different seasons against Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis, in vitro and in vivo. The compounds in the TrEO were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; terpenoids were present and oxygenated sesquiterpenes were the majority compounds (55.28%). The cytotoxicity and nitric oxide (NO) production were also tested after TrEO treatment. The TrEO from all seasons showed a 50% growth inhibitory concentration for promastigotes of about 15 ng/mL; at 30 ng/mL and 3 ng/mL, the TrEO reduced intracellular amastigote infection, independently of season. The TrEO from plants harvested in summer had the highest 50% cytotoxic concentration, 1,476 ng/mL for J774.A1 macrophages, and in spring (90.94 ng/mL) for murine macrophages. NO production did not change in samples of the TrEO from different seasons. The antileishmanial effect in vivo consisted of a reduction of the parasite load in the spleen. These results suggest that the TrEO has potential effects on L. (L.) amazonensis, consonant with its traditional use to treat parasitic diseases.

Different resistance patterns of reference and field strains of Brucella abortus

The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth of the B. abortus reference strains and field isolates on media containing different inhibitor agents. Reference strains were seeded on tryptose agar containing: i-erythritol (1.0 mg/mL), fuchsin (20 μg/mL and 80 μg/mL), thionin (2.5 μg/mL and 10 μg/mL), rifampicin (200 μg/mL) and safranin O (200 μg/mL). Field isolates were tested only on media containing i-erythritol, rifampicin and thionin. Furthermore, each suspension was also inoculated on tryptose agar incubated in air, to test its ability to grow without CO2. Sensitivity to fuchsin was similar among reference strains evaluated. Growth of S19, 544 and 2308 but not RB51 were inhibited on media containing rifampicin. Medium with safranin O showed no inhibition for RB51, 544 and 2308, but it partially inhibited the S19 growth as well as medium containing i-erythritol. Treatment/control growth ratio for 2308 on tryptose agar containing thionin (2.5 μg/mL) was approximatelly 1.0, whereas S19 and RB51 showed 0.85 and 0.89 ratios, respectively. Growth of 544, S19 and RB51 but not 2308 was completely inhibited on medium with thionin (10 μg/mL). All field strains grew on medium containing i-erythritol, but were completelly inhibited by rifampicin. With exception of A1 (B. abortus biovar 3) all field isolates grew on medium with thionin, although some strains showed a treatment/control growth ratio of 0.75–0.80 (10 μg/mL). These results showed that tryptose agar with thionin, i-erythritol or rifampicin could be useful for differentiating vaccine, challenge and field strains of B. abortus.

In vitro biological screening of the anticholinesterase and antiproliferative activities of medicinal plants belonging to Annonaceae

The aim of this research was to investigate the antiproliferative and anticholinesterase activities of 11 extracts from 5 Annonaceae species in vitro. Antiproliferative activity was assessed using 10 human cancer cell lines. Thin-layer chromatography and a microplate assay were used to screen the extracts for acetylcholinesterase (AchE) inhibitors using Ellman's reagent. The chemical compositions of the active extracts were investigated using high performance liquid chromatography. Eleven extracts obtained from five Annonaceae plant species were active and were particularly effective against the UA251, NCI-470 lung, HT-29, NCI/ADR, and K-562 cell lines with growth inhibition (GI50) values of 0.04-0.06, 0.02-0.50, 0.01-0.12, 0.10-0.27, and 0.02-0.04 µg/mL, respectively. In addition, the Annona crassiflora and A. coriacea seed extracts were the most active among the tested extracts and the most effective against the tumor cell lines, with GI50 values below 8.90 µg/mL. The A. cacans extract displayed the lowest activity. Based on the microplate assay, the percent AchE inhibition of the extracts ranged from 12 to 52%, and the A. coriacea seed extract resulted in the greatest inhibition (52%). Caffeic acid, sinapic acid, and rutin were present at higher concentrations in the A. crassiflora seed samples. The A. coriacea seeds contained ferulic and sinapic acid. Overall, the results indicated that A. crassiflora and A. coriacea extracts have antiproliferative and anticholinesterase properties, which opens up new possibilities for alternative pharmacotherapy drugs.

Kinetin inhibits proliferation of hepatic stellate cells by interrupting cell cycle and induces apoptosis by down-regulating ratio of Bcl-2/Bax / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

Liver fibrosis is an important health problem that can further progress into cirrhosis or liver cancer, and result in significant morbidity and mortality. Inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) may be the key point to reverse liver fibrosis. At present, anti-fibrosis drugs are rare. Kinetin is a type of plant-derived cytokinin which has been reported to control differentiation and induce apoptosis of human cells. In this study, the HSCs were incubated with different concentrations of kinetin. The proliferation of rat HSCs was measured by MTT assay, cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry, and the apoptosis was examined by TUNEL method. The expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins was detected by immunocytochemistry staining. It was found that kinetin could markedly inhibit proliferation of HSCs. In a concentration range of 2 to 8 μg/mL, the inhibitory effects of kinetin on proliferation of HSCs were increased with the increased concentration and the extension of time (P < 0.01). Flow cytometry indicated that kinetin could inhibit the DNA synthesis from G0/G1 to S phase in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.01). The apoptosis rates of the HSCs treated with 8, 4 and 2 μg/mL kinetin (25.62% ± 2.21%, 15.31% ± 1.9% and 6.18% ± 1.23%, respectively) were increased significantly compared with the control group (3.81% ± 0.93%) (P < 0.01). All the DNA frequency histogram in kinetin-treated groups showed obvious hypodiploid peak (sub-G1 peak), and with the increase of kinetin concentrations, the apoptosis rate of HSCs also showed a trend of increase. It was also found that kinetin could down-regulate the expression of Bcl-2, and up-regulate the expression of Bax, leading to the decreased ratio of Bcl-2/Bax significantly. The kinetin-induced apoptosis of HSCs was positively correlated with the expression of Bax, and negatively with the expression of Bcl-2. It was concluded that kinetin can inhibit activation and proliferation of HSCs by interrupting the cell cycle at G1/S restriction point and inducing apoptosis of HSCs via reducing the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax.

investigation of the growth inhibitory capacity of several medicinal plants from Iran on tumor cell lines

Background: Traditional herbal medicine is a valuable resource that provides new drugs for cancer treatment

Materials and Methods: We used the MTT colorimetric assay to evaluate the cytotoxic activities of the methanol extracts of these plants on various tumor cell lines. The IC50 was calculated as a scale for this evaluation

Results: Satureja bachtiarica, Satureja hortensis, Thymus vulgaris, Thymus daenensis and Mentha lonigfolia showed the inhibitoriest effects on Jurkat cells with > 80% inhibition at 200 microg/mL. Satureja hortensis [IC50: 66.7 microg/mL] was the most effective. These plants also strongly inhibited K562 cell growth; Satureja bachtiarica [IC50: 28.3 microg/mL], Satureja hortensis [IC50: 52 microg/mL] and Thymus vulgaris [IC50: 87 microg/mL] were the most effective extracts. Cichorium intybus, Rheum ribes, Alhagi pseudalhagi and Glycyrrihza glabra also showed notable effects on the leukemia cell lines. The Raji cell line was mostly inhibited by Satureja bachtiarica and Thymus vulgaris with approximately 40% inhibition at 200microg/ml. The influence of these extracts on solid tumor cell lines was not strong. Fen cells were mostly affected by Glycyrrihza glabra [IC50: 182 microg/mL] and HeLa cells by Satureja hortensis [31.6% growth inhibitory effect at 200 microg/mL]

Conclusions: Leukemic cell lines were more sensitive to the extracts than the solid tumor cell lines; Satureja hortensis, Satureja bachtiarica, Thymus vulgaris, Thymus daenensis and Mentha lonigfolia showed remarkable inhibitory potential

Boys in white: um clássico da pesquisa qualitativa completa cinquenta anos / Boys in white: a classic of qualitative research turns 50

O artigo analisa o livro Boys in white: student culture in medical school, de Howard S. Becker, Blanche Geer, Everett C. Hughes e Anselm Strauss, considerado um dos modelos de pesquisa qualitativa em sociologia. A análise aborda as trajetórias dos autores, do livro, da pesquisa qualitativa e dos estudantes de medicina, enfatizando sua importância nas origens da sociologia médica e da sociologia da educação médica. Na trajetória dos autores são apresentados aspectos biobibliográficos; na da pesquisa qualitativa, o modo como essa metodologia de investigação atravessa a construção do trabalho de campo; e na dos estudantes, sua forma de atravessar os primeiros anos da escola médica e construir sua própria “cultura do estudante”.

This article analyzes Boys in white: student culture in medical schoolby Howard S. Becker, Blanche Geer, Everett C. Hughes and Anselm Strauss, considered a model of qualitative research in sociology. The analysis investigates the trajectories of the authors, the book, qualitative analysis, and the medical students, emphasizing their importance in the origins of medical sociology and the sociology of medical education. In the trajectory of the authors, bibliographical information is given. The trajectory of qualitative research focuses on how this methodology influences the construction of the field. The investigation of the students’ trajectory shows how they progress through their first years at medical school to build their own student culture.

Physicochemical Properties and Interfacial Adaptation of Root Canal Sealers

This study compared the physicochemical properties and interfacial adaptation to canal walls of Endo-CPM-Sealer, Sealapex and Activ GP with the well-established AH Plus sealer. The following analyses were performed: radiopacity, pH variation and solubility using samples of each material and scanning electron microscopy of root-filled bovine incisors to evaluate the interfacial adaptation. Data were analyzed by the parametric and no-parametric tests (α=0.05). All materials were in accordance with the ANSI/ADA requirements for radiopacity. Endo-CPM-Sealer presented the lowest radiopacity values and AH Plus was the most radiopaque sealer (p=0.0001). Except for ActiV GP, which was acidic, all other sealers had basic chemical nature and released hydroxyl ions. Regarding solubility, all materials met the ANSI/ADA recommendations, with no statistically significant difference between the sealers (p=0.0834). AH Plus presented the best adaptation to canal walls in the middle (p=0.0023) and apical (p=0.0012) thirds, while the sealers Activ GP and Endo-CPM-Sealer had poor adaptation to the canal walls. All sealers, except for ActiV GP, were alkaline and all of them fulfilled the ANSI/ADA requirements for radiopacity and solubility. Regarding the interfacial adaptation, AH Plus was superior to the others considering the adaptation to the bovine root canal walls.

Este estudo comparou as propriedades físico-químicas e a adaptação interfacial às paredes do canal dos cimentos Endo-CPM-Sealer, Sealapex e Activ GP com o bem estabelecido cimento AH Plus. As seguintes análises foram realizadas: radiopacidade, variação de pH e de solubilidade utilizando amostras de cada material, e microscopia eletrônica de varredura utilizando incisivos bovinos obturados para avaliar a adaptação interfacial. Os dados foram analisados utilizando testes paramétricos e não-paramétricos (α=0,05). Todos os materiais estavam de acordo com os requerimentos da ANSI/ADA para radiopacidade, sendo que o Endo-CPM-Sealer apresentou os menores valores de radiopacidade e o AH Plus foi o cimento mais radiopaco (p=0,0001). Exceto o Activ GP, que foi ácido, todos os outros cimentos apresentaram natureza química básica e liberaram íons hidroxila. Com relação à solubilidade, todos os materiais estavam de acordo com as recomendações da ANSI /ADA, sem diferença significante entre os cimentos (p=0,0834). O AH Plus apresentou a melhor adaptação às paredes do canal nos terços médio (p=0,0023) e apical (p=0,0012), enquanto que os cimentos Activ GP e Endo-CPM-Sealer apresentaram uma pobre adaptação às paredes do canal. Em conclusão, todos os cimentos, exceto o Activ GP, foram alcalinos e todos preencheram os requerimentos da ANSI/ADA para radiopacidade e solubilidade. Com relação à adaptação interfacial, o AH Plus foi superior aos demais para adaptação às paredes do canal radicular de incisivos bovinos.

CIAPIN1 gene silencing enhances chemosensitivity in a drug-resistant animal model in vivo

Overexpression of cytokine-induced apoptosis inhibitor 1 (CIAPIN1) contributes to multidrug resistance (MDR) in breast cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of CIAPIN1 gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) as a treatment for drug-resistant breast cancer and to investigate the effect of CIAPIN1 on the drug resistance of breast cancer in vivo. We used lentivirus-vector-based RNAi to knock down CIAPIN1 in nude mice bearing MDR breast cancer tumors and found that lentivirus-vector-mediated silencing of CIAPIN1 could efficiently and significantly inhibit tumor growth when combined with chemotherapy in vivo. Furthermore, Western blot analysis showed that both CIAPIN1 and P-glycoprotein expression were efficiently downregulated, and P53 was upregulated, after RNAi. Therefore, we concluded that lentivirus-vector-mediated RNAi targeting of CIAPIN1 is a potential approach to reverse MDR of breast cancer. In addition, CIAPIN1 may participate in MDR of breast cancer by regulating P-glycoprotein and P53 expression.

Silver nanoparticle production by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum: nanoparticle characterisation and analysis of antifungal activity against pathogenic yeasts

The microbial synthesis of nanoparticles is a green chemistry approach that combines nanotechnology and microbial biotechnology. The aim of this study was to obtain silver nanoparticles (SNPs) using aqueous extract from the filamentous fungus Fusarium oxysporum as an alternative to chemical procedures and to evaluate its antifungal activity. SNPs production increased in a concentration-dependent way up to 1 mM silver nitrate until 30 days of reaction. Monodispersed and spherical SNPs were predominantly produced. After 60 days, it was possible to observe degenerated SNPs with in additional needle morphology. The SNPs showed a high antifungal activity against Candida and Cryptococcus , with minimum inhibitory concentration values ≤ 1.68 µg/mL for both genera. Morphological alterations of Cryptococcus neoformans treated with SNPs were observed such as disruption of the cell wall and cytoplasmic membrane and lost of the cytoplasm content. This work revealed that SNPs can be easily produced by F. oxysporum aqueous extracts and may be a feasible, low-cost, environmentally friendly method for generating stable and uniformly sized SNPs. Finally, we have demonstrated that these SNPs are active against pathogenic fungi, such as Candida and Cryptococcus .

Methanol extract from Vietnamese Caesalpinia sappan induces apoptosis in HeLa cells

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the cytotoxic activity of extracts from Caesalpinia sappan heartwood against multiple cancer cell lines using an MTT cell viability assay. The cell death though induction of apoptosis was as indicated by DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 enzyme activation. RESULTS: A methanol extract from C. sappan (MECS) showed cytotoxic activity against several of the cancer cell lines. The most potent activity exhibited by the MECS was against HeLa cells with an IC50 value of 26.5 ± 3.2 µg/mL. Treatment of HeLa cells with various MECS concentrations resulted in growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis, as indicated by DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 enzyme activation. CONCLUSION: This study is the first report of the anticancer properties of the heartwood of C. sappan native to Vietnam. Our findings demonstrate that C. sappan heartwood may have beneficial applications in the field of anticancer drug discovery.

Screening the antifungal activity of essential oils against decay fungi from palmyrah leaf handicrafts

BACKGROUND: The whitish tender leaves of Palmyrah are used for making handicrafts. The problem with these articles is discolouration with time and become more brittle due to fungal attack. This could be prevented by some protective coating. Instead of expensive and harmful chemicals we decided to test natural plant essential oils to control fungal attack. Palmyrah leaf article decay fungi were isolated from two different sites of Jaffna peninsula. In this investigation Antifungal Activity of different plant essential oils from neem (Azadirachta indica), castor (Ricinus communis), citronella (Cymbopogon sp) and camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) obtained from local market have been evaluated against isolated fungi. For screening of Antifungal activity, tests and controls were set to determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and Percentage of Growth Inhibition. RESULTS: Morphologically three different types of Palmyrah leaf decay fungi were isolated and characterized asAspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium sp. Neem and castor oils have recorded no significant (0.05 > P) antifungal activity while citronella and camphor oils showed significantly different antifungal activity compared with control. Camphor oil and Citronella oil showed 100, 58.13% of average growth inhibition for A. niger. 96.38, 51.32% for A.flavus and 84.99, 72.76% forPenicillium sp respectively. Camphor oil showed highest percentage of growth inhibition at lowest minimum inhibitory concentration compared with citronella oil. Camphor oil was found to be highly antifungal and most effective against A niger, and A. flavus, compared with Penicillium sp and gave 100 percentage of growth inhibitions at 5, 1 and 15 ml/dl minimum inhibitory concentration respectively. CONCLUSION: Significantly higher broad-spectrum of antifungal activity was observed in camphor oil than other tested oils because it showed highest percentage of growth inhibition at lowest inhibitory concentration. Therefore it could be used for the development of new environmental friendly antifungal agent for the preservation of leafy handicrafts. Further formulation, field experiments are necessary to achieve this target.

Role of ERK/FoxO3a signal axis in inhibitory effect of vitexin 1 (VB-1) in HepG2 cell proliferation / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether the ERK/FoxO3a signal axis could induce the inhibitory effect of vitexin 1 (VB-1) in HepG2 cell proliferation.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The MTT method was adopted to observe the effect of different concentrations of VB-1 on human hepatoma carcinoma cell line HepG2 and immortalized human embryo liver cell line L-02. The cell growth was assessed by the clone formation assay. The protein phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 and FoxO3a were measured by the western blot.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>VB-1 inhibited the viability of HepG2 cell line in a concentration-dependent manner, with a weak effect on L-02 cell line. VB-1 could effectively inhibit the anchorage-dependent growth of HepG2 cells, and reduce the expression levels of pERK1/2 and pFoxO3a in a concentration-dependent manner. MEK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 could enhance VB-1' s effect in inhibiting HepG2 cell proliferation and ERK1/2, FoxO3a phosphorylation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>VB-1 inhibits the proliferative activity of hepatoma carcinoma cell line HepG2 by blocking the ERK/FoxO3a signal axis.</p>

Chemical constituents of Euphorbia tibetica and their biological activities / 中国天然药物

AIM@#To investigate the chemical constituents and their biological activities of the aerial parts of Euphorbia tibetica.@*METHOD@#Compounds were isolated and purified by various chromatographic methods, and their structures were elucidated through the use of extensive spectroscopic techniques including 2D-NMR, the structures of compounds 5 and 6 were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Bioactivities of all the isolated compounds were evaluated by the MTT method on A549 and anti-angiogenesis assay.@*RESULTS@#One new compound, methyl 4-epi-shikimate-3-O-gallate (1), together with twenty-three known constituents (2-24) were isolated from the aerial parts of E. tibetica.@*CONCLUSION@#Compound 1 is new, and the other compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. Compounds 5-7, 9, 11, 17, 18 and 20 exhibited inhibitory effects on the growth of human lung cancer cell A549 and compounds 5, 7, 12, 13, 17 and 19 showed anti-angiogenic effects in a zebrafish model.

F-01A, an antibiotic, inhibits lung cancer cells proliferation / 中国天然药物

AIM@#In an effort to identify novel, small molecules which can affect the proliferation of lung cancer cells, F-01A, a polyether antibiotic isolated from the fermentation broth of Streptomyces was tested.@*METHOD@#F-01A was tested for its antitumor properties on the lung cancer cell line SPC-A-1, at six doses (0.1, 0.5, 1, 2.5, and 5 μmol·L(-1)), using various cellular assays. Cell viability was measured by the MTT assay, Hochest 33258 was used to study nuclear morphology; DNA ladder and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential were also evaluated.@*RESULTS@#F-01A induces apoptosis against SPC-A-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The IC50 is 0.65 μmol·L(-1), and the inhibition at 5 μmol·L(-1) is 87.89%. Further, JC-1 staining indicates F-01A could induce the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and the DNA fragment is evident.@*CONCLUSION@#Mechanistic analysis showed that F-01A induced apoptosis of cancer cells probably in the mitochondrial pathway. The antitumor actions of F-01A involve activation of the apoptotic pathway against SPC-A-1 cells, and it may be valuable for further drug development.

Effect of tannic acid on growth and acid production of Candida albicans

Tannic Acid or Hydrolysable Tannins are naturally occurring complex phenol-rich polymers; prevalent in a wide variety of herbs, plants and fruits. Tannic Acid's antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens has been recognized and it is generally considered a safe food additive. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of Tannic acid [TA] on the growth and acid production of C. albicans. Various concentrations of TA prepared with Sabourand's dextrose broth were inoculated with C. albicans and incubated at 37°C. Growth was monitored by optical density [OD] at 560nm wavelength and measured at specific intervals over a period of 24 hours. C. albicans cells were used as a non-growing cell suspension in a buffer solution of 40mM Sodium bicarbonate [NaHCO3] and 6mM Dipotassium phosphate [K2HPO4] to which various concentrations of TA were added. Acid production was stimulated by the addition of 1% glucose. The data obtained showed that TA was fungistatic at concentrations of 10, 50, 300 and 500 microg/ml and fungicidal at 700 microg/ml. Acid production of C. albicans was inhibited at concentrations of 100, 300 and 500 microg/ml. The inhibitory activity of TA on growth and acid production of C. albicans suggests that TA could play an important role in prevention and treatment of Oral Candidosis and in reducing caries activity

Alternativas terapêuticas para o tratamento da degeneração macular relacionada à idade: um desafio para a saúde pública / Therapeutic alternatives for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration: a public health challenge

A degeneração macular relacionada à idade (DMRI) é uma das maiores causas de redução da capacidade laborativa, devida à perda da visão central e evolução para cegueira legal, impossibilitando inclusive atividades básicas como ler, escrever, cozinhar, dirigir e reconhecer a fisionomia de pessoas. A incidência desta doença vem aumentando significativamente nos últimos anos e são muitas as dúvidas sobre a escolha do tratamento mais adequado. O objetivo desta revisão é apresentar a fisiopatologia da DMRI e discutir as dificuldades do tratamento desta doença, relacionadas principalmente às vias de administração de fármacos e à escolha do procedimento clínico. Neste contexto, o uso da terapia antiangiogênica na DMRI parece ser, atualmente, o tratamento mais eficaz, devido a sua alta especificidade, pois atua de forma direta no desequilíbrio entre os fatores pró e antiangiogênicos. Entretanto, com base nas evidências atuais, o grande desafio para a saúde pública ainda está na prevenção desta doença e em seu diagnostico precoce.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of reduced work capacity due to the loss of central vision and progression to legal blindness, with the subsequent impedance of basic activities such as reading, writing, cooking, driving and recognizing faces. The incidence of AMD has increased significantly in recent years and many questions remain regarding the most appropriate form of treatment. The aim of the present review was to address the pathophysiology of AMD and discuss difficulties in treating the disease, primarily with regard to drug administration routes and the choice of clinical procedure. The use of anti-angiogenic therapy seems to be the most effective treatment for AMD due to its high specificity, acting directly on the imbalance between pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors. However, current evidence indicates that the major challenge for public health remains the prevention and early diagnosis of AMD.