Anticancer potential of bee venom and propolis combined treatment on human breast adenocarcinoma cell line [MCF-7]

Backgrounds: Natural remedies were used for cancer treatments, particular breast cancer. Also, the consumption of food products containing high amount of flavonoids and antioxidants had reported to lower the risk of various cancers. Bee venom [BV] and propolis were produced by honey bee. They were characterized by naturopathic formulation, affordability and containing high amount of antioxidants. Moreover, they were used safely since ancient times globally. Although that, there is no information about the synergistic or antagonistic anticancer effects of their combination. This study was designed to evaluate cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic effects of BV, propolis, and their combination on breast cancer [MCF-7] cells

Materials and Methods: As preliminary study, MCF-7 cells were treated with BV [5, 10, and 20micro g/ml] and propolis [50, 150, and 450micro g/ml] to specify the desired combination doses of each treatment with no anticancer effect individually. Consequently, doses of [5micro g/ml BV+ 50micro g/ml propolis and 5micro g/ml BV+ 150micro g/ml propolis] were chosen to evaluate the possible synergistic anticancer potential between them. All groups in this study were examined at 2, 4, and 12 hours intervals. The morphological changes were evaluated by acridine orange/ ethidium bromide dual fluorescent staining and Giemsa staining to reveal the formation of apoptotic bodies or nuclear condensation and cytoplasmic blebbing, respectively. DNA fragmentation assay was also carried out to record the reduction in DNA content and apoptosis. Bcl-2 expression, cytoplasmic anti-apoptotic marker, was used to prove the apoptotic properties, and autophagic cell death by florescent microscopy was evaluated also

Results: Morphological observation by inverted and florescent microscopy revealed apoptotic cell death under exposure to BV [10 and 20micro g/ml] and propolis [450micro g/ml]. On the other hand, the results of combined treatments revealed significant morphological alterations after fluorescent and Giemsa staining. Apoptotic DNA fragmentation was clearly observed and Bcl-2 recoded significant down regulation which proved the apoptotic properties of combined treatments. Additionally, autophagic degradation results also supported the occurrence of stress on treated cells leading finally to cell death. All results of powerful anticancer potential were obvious among all combined-treated groups in dose and time dependent manner. This clear that, the combined treatments have possible synergistic effect which, propose it as potential candidates to be used in development of chemotherapy

Effects of recovery period and stem cell enhancer on bisphenol a treated female albino rats

Background: Bisphenol A [BPA] is a worldwide used endocrine disruptor that is incorporated in many plastic industries. Exposure of humans to such substance starts early during the fetal life, postnatal life, and extends throughout the life of the individual. Many agencies raised warnings against excessive use of such substance

Aim of the work: This study aimed to investigate effects of the recovery period [RP] and stem cell enhancer [SCE] on the female albino rats which received BPA

Materials and Methods: This study was performed on forty female albino rats with an average body weight of 140-160 grams. Animals were divided into four groups [10 rats per cage]; group I [control untreated for 30 days], group II [BPA treated for 15 days, and then sacrificed], group III [BPA treated first for 15 days, then left for another 15 days without any treatment "RP"], and group IV [BPA treated first for 15 days, then treated with SCE for another 15 days]. The following biochemical analyses were done to all groups; ALT [alanine amino-transferase], AST [aspartate amino-transferase], GGT [gamma glutamyl-transferase], total proteins, albumin, globulins, A/G ratio [i.e., liver function tests], creatinine, A/C [albumin/creatinine] ratio, uric acid [i.e., renal function tests], total lipids, total cholesterol, LDL-C [low density lipoprotein cholesterol], HDL-C [high density lipoprotein cholesterol], and triglycerides [i.e., lipids profile]

Results: In the BPA treated rats [group II] the biochemical results showed highly significant increases [P<0.01] in the enzymatic activities of ALT, AST, GGT, creatinine, uric acid, total lipids, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglycerides levels, with only a significant increase [P<0.05] in globulins levels when compared to the control group. On the other hand, there was highly significant decreases [P<0.01] in total proteins, albumin, A/G ratio, A/C ratio, and HDL-C levels when compared to the control group. These results turned back to about the normal control values after stopping the use of BPA and either taking a RP [group III] or receiving the SCE [group IV]

Conclusions and Recommendations: It could be concluded that BPA has dangerous toxic effects on the liver and kidney functions as well as on the lipids profile. So, we recommend minimizing utilization of this compound [BPA] as possible to protect people from these hazardous effects. Moreover, the RP [i.e., 15 days without treatment] is better than the use of SCE which has no more benefit against the antitoxic effects of BPA

Therapeutic effects of olive leaf extract or bone marrow Mesenchymal stem cells against lung damage induced in male albino rats exposed to gamma radiation

Aim of the work- This study aimed to investigate the histological and histochemical changes in the lung tissue of male albino rats post exposure to gamma radiation and the possible therapeutic effect of both olive leaf extract and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Matrerial and methods-The current study was carried out on 40 adult male albino rats [Sprague dawely strain]; they were divided equally into 5 groups [C group: control rats; O group: rats treated with olive leaves extract[15 mg /kg body weight/daily] ; R group: rats exposed to a single dose of gamma-radiation[3 Gy]; RO group: rats of this group treated with olive extract 15 mg /kg body weight/daily one week before and one week after irradiation; RS group: rats of this group irradiated with 3Gy then treated with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells [BMSCs] 3×10[6] cells/ml suspension through caudal vein about 5h post radiation exposure. Histopathological and histochemical changes were studied

Results: Rats exposed to gamma radiation showed numerous histological and histochemical changes, these changes were ameliorated by using either olive leaf extract or bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. BMSCs showed more obvious therapeutic effect than olive leaf extract

Conclusion: The present work showed that olive leaf extract or bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells [BMSCs] have lung tissue radiotherapeutic effects against whole body gamma radiation in male albino rats