Antitumor effect of thymoquinone combined with resveratrol on mice transplanted with breast cancer

OBJECTIVE@#To test the anticancer potential activity of the combination of thymoquinone (TQ) and resveratrol (RES) against breast cancer in mice.@*METHODS@#The antiproliferative activity of TQ, RES and their combination was assessed against three breast cancer cell lines and one normal cells using MTT assay. The combination index was calculated using isobolographic method. Balb/C mice were inoculated with EMT6/P cells and in vivo antitumor activity was evaluated.@*RESULTS@#The combination therapy also caused significant decrease in tumor size with a percentage cure of 60%. The combination therapy induced geographic necrosis, enhanced apoptosis, and decreased VEGF expression. Serum levels of IFN-γ were elevated in mice treated with combination therapy with no liver or kidney toxicity.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The combination of TQ and RES against breast cancer in mice can work synergistically. The anticancer effect of this combination is mediated by apoptosis induction, angiogenesis inhibition and immune modulation.

Antitumor effect of thymoquinone combined with resveratrol on mice transplanted with breast cancer

Objective To test the anticancer potential activity of the combination of thymoquinone (TQ) and resveratrol (RES) against breast cancer in mice. Methods The antiproliferative activity of TQ, RES and their combination was assessed against three breast cancer cell lines and one normal cells using MTT assay. The combination index was calculated using isobolographic method. Balb/C mice were inoculated with EMT6/P cells and in vivo antitumor activity was evaluated. Results The combination therapy also caused significant decrease in tumor size with a percentage cure of 60%. The combination therapy induced geographic necrosis, enhanced apoptosis, and decreased VEGF expression. Serum levels of IFN-γ were elevated in mice treated with combination therapy with no liver or kidney toxicity. Conclusions The combination of TQ and RES against breast cancer in mice can work synergistically. The anticancer effect of this combination is mediated by apoptosis induction, angiogenesis inhibition and immune modulation.

Clinical pharmacist-led diabetes management and education program effect onthe Arabic-speaking people in Australia: a pilot study

The aim of the study was to examine the feasibility of pharmacist-led diabetes educational programme on diseasecontrol and health-related quality of life in Arabic-speaking Type 2 diabetes patients in Australia. Participants' HbA1cvalues improved over the three months period, decreasing from 8.86% to 8.34%, weight decreased from 84.78 kg to83.88 kg and diastolic blood pressure decreased from 75.40 mm Hg to 72.40 mm Hg. Mean waist circumference of theparticipants improved from average mean 107.40 cm to 105.88 cm. Goals included the following: quitting or reducingthe number of cigarettes per day, choosing healthy food, exercise, reducing weight, and monitoring glucose levels. Atthe end of the three months period, participants demonstrated clear achievements of goals set. For a feasibility study,the information gathered was valuable for developing future studies in this area. Results from this study indicate that apharmacist-led diabetes education addressing the spiritual, cultural, lifestyle and educational needs of Arabic speakingpeople with diabetes when successfully implemented has the potential to improve health related outcomes. Insummary, participants in this research did have clear improvements in clinical measures following the intervention

Diabetes mellitus revisited: a narrative review

To explore the management of diabetes from a pharmacy perspective and engaging patients in self-management

Methods: A search was made of international peer-reviewed literature in PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library and thegrey literature. This document provides a review of a relevant literature including a general overview of diabetesmellitus, therapeutic goals, pharmacologic and lifestyle treatment. The epidemiology of diabetes was explored, and anoverview of new approaches for treatment and management of diabetes mellitus collated

Results: The search yieldedstudies and information that met the inclusion criteria. Pharmacological and lifestyle management, diabetes educationand knowledge, and the prevalence of diabetes were also documented

Conclusion: Research examining the role ofhealthcare providers as diabetes educators and exploring the needs of patients with diabetes is of importance tooptimize health outcomes and minimize costs related to treatment and complications

Subjective assessment to an educational tool used for the Arabic population with diabetes in Australia

Despite a rapid growth of Type 2 diabetes in Arab Australians, the management of diabetes in this population is yet understudied. The first aim of this study is to participants' views about: taking medicines regularly, knowledge and feelings about diabetes, sources of medicines information, and special needs of being from an Arabic speaking background. The second aim is to explore participants' feedback about the use of the Diabetes Conversation Map as an educational tool in Arabic. Focus groups were conducted in Arabic-speaking Australians with Type 2 diabetes who were asked about their knowledge and self-care skills of diabetes as well as experience of living with the disease. Common themes emerged from the focus groups included knowledge, state of mind, and needs of the Arabic speaking population. The findings provide valuable information for research in this area by designing interventions that would be translated to clinical practice