Analyses of bile from gallbladders of fish [Arius platystomus, Arius tenuispinis, Pomadasys commersonni and Kishinoella tonggol]

Bile from gallbladders of Arius platystomus [Singhara], Arius tenuispinis [Khagga], Pomadasys commersonni [Holoola] and Kishinoella tonggol [Dawan] were derivatised and analysed by GC-MS for identification of bile acids and bile alcohols. Cholic acid and Chenodeoxycholic acid were found as major bile acids in Arius platystomus, Arius tenuispinis and Pomadasys commersonni. Other bile acids identified in Arius platystomus were allochenodeoxycholic acid, allodeoxycholic acid, 3 alpha,7 alpha,12 alpha -trihydroxy-24-methyl-5beta-cholestane-26-oic acid, and 3alpha,7alpha,12alpha, 24-tetrahydroxy-5alpha-cholestane-26-oic acid. Cholesterol was found as major bile alcohol in Arius platystomus, Arius tenuispinis and Pomadasys commersonni. Cholic acid was the major bile acid identified in the bile of Kishinoella tonggol while other bile acids included 3 alpha,7 alpha,12 alpha -tridydroxy-5alpha-cholestanoic acid and 3 alpha,7 alpha,12 alpha -tridydroxy-5beta-cholestanoic acid. Bile alcohol 5beta-cyprinol was present in significant amounts with 5beta-cholestane-3 alpha,7 alpha,12 alpha,24-tetrol being the other contributors in the bile of Kishinoella tonggol

Antineoplastic activity of Holoptelea integrifolia [Roxb.] Planch bark extracts [in vitro]

Cancer remains the major public health concern with a number of cancer patients relying on chemotherapy as a treatment option. Although, advances in biomedical research have led to increased anticancer agents in recent years, the treatment is not always effective due to resistance, toxicity or other factors. Phytochemicals and their active components isolated from plants have provided diversified effective drugs many of them are currently used against cancer and other diseases. Holoptelea integrifolia [Roxb] Planch [Ulmaceae] is a widely distributed plant in many parts of the world, also grown in gardens of Pakistan. It is an ornamental plant with certain medicinal characteristics due to many valuable and active phyto constituents in various parts of the plant. We looked at in vitro antineoplastic effects of four different extracts, in butanol [BMBU], hexane [BMHx], ethyl acetate [BMET] and chloroform [BMCHF], from bark of Holoptelea integrifolia on small cell lung cancer, breast, prostate, coloretal and hepatocellular cancer cell lines. Plant extracts BMHx and BMET showed significant cytotoxic effects on breast and prostate cancer cells. These preliminary studies are encouraging to proceed further this research in future, regarding the isolation of active phytoconstituents in these extracts as well as its mechanism in chemoprevention and combination anticancer therapy