Chitin from the mollusc chiton: extraction, characterization and chitosan preparation

This study presents the first ever data of extracting chitin from the Chiton shell, which was then converted to the soluble chitosan by soaking in the 45% NaOH solution. The obtained chitin and chitosan were characterized by the seven different methods. Antioxidant activity of the extracted chitosan was also evaluated using the two methods. The shell content was divided into calcium carbonate [90.5 %], protein [5.2%], and chitin [4.3 %]. Due to the results of element analysis and 1H NMR, the final degree of deacetylation of chitosan was 90%. Surprisingly, a significant amount of Fe was accidentally found in the shell after demineralization, and removed from the solution through the filtering. Nonetheless, remained Fe in the extracted chitin and chitosan was 20 times higher than those previously reported from the shell of shrimps and crabs. Presence of this amount of Fe could describe why the produced chitosan was darker compared to the commercial chitosan. Antioxidant activity tests showed that the IC[50] of the extracted chitosan was higher than one estimated for the commercial chitosan. Antioxidant activity of the extracted chitosan is even better than the commercial version and may be used in pharmaceutical industry as a source of antioxidant

An investigation of the effects of curcumin on anxiety and depression in obese individuals: A randomized controlled trial / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effectiveness of curcumin, a natural polyphenolic compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, on the frequency of symptoms of anxiety and depression in obese individuals.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In this double blind, cross-over trial, 30 obese subjects were randomized to receive either curcumin (1 g/day) or placebo for a period of 30 days. Following a wash-out interval of 2 weeks, each subject was crossed over to the alternative regimen for a further 30 days. Severity of anxiety and depression was assessed at baseline and at weeks 4, 6 and 10 of the trial using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scales, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Mean BAI score was found to be significantly reduced following curcumin therapy (P=0.03). However, curcumin supplementation did not exert any significant impact on BDI scores (P=0.7).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Curcumin has a potential anti-anxiety effect in individuals with obesity.</p>

Cytotoxicity evaluation of extracts and fractions of ifve marine sponges from the Persian Gulf and HPLC ifngerprint analysis of cytotoxic extracts

Objective:To screen the cytotoxic effects of some marine sponges extracts on HeLa and PC12 cells. Methods: Five marine sponges including Ircinia echinata (I. echinata), Dysidea avara, Axinella sinoxea, Haliclona tubifera and Haliclona violacea were collected from the Persian Gulf (Hengam Island). The cytotoxic effect of these sponges was evaluated by using MTT assay. The metabolic high performance liquid chromatography fingerprint of I. echinata was also carried out at two wavelengths (254 and 280 nm). Results:Among the sponges tested in this study, the extracts of I. echinata and Dysidea avara possessed the cytotoxic effect on HeLa and PC12 cells. The obtained fractions from high performance liquid chromatography were evaluated for their cytotoxic properties against the cell lines. The isolated fractions did not show significant cytotoxic properties. Conclusions:I. echinata could be considered as a potential extract for chemotherapy. Further investigation is needed to determine the accuracy of mechanism.

Cytotoxicity evaluation of extracts and fractions of five marine sponges from the Persian Gulf and HPLC fingerprint analysis of cytotoxic extracts

Objective: To screen the cytotoxic effects of some marine sponges extracts on HeLa and PC12 cells. Methods: Five marine sponges including Ircinia echinata ( I. echinata), Dysidea avara, Axinella sinoxea, Haliclona tubifera and Haliclona violacea were collected from the Persian Gulf (Hengam Island). The cytotoxic effect of these sponges was evaluated by using MTT assay. The metabolic high performance liquid chromatography fingerprint of I. echinata was also carried out at two wavelengths (254 and 280 nm). Results: Among the sponges tested in this study, the extracts of I. echinata and Dysidea avara possessed the cytotoxic effect on HeLa and PC12 cells. The obtained fractions from high performance liquid chromatography were evaluated for their cytotoxic properties against the cell lines. The isolated fractions did not show significant cytotoxic properties. Conclusions: I. echinata could be considered as a potential extract for chemotherapy. Further investigation is needed to determine the accuracy of mechanism.

McL[-1] is ip regulated by prenylated coumarin, umbelliprenin in jurkat cells

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia [CLL] is the most common B-cell malignancy in the western world and exists as subtypes with very different clinical courses. Myeloid cell leukemia 1 [McL[-1]] is one member of Bcl-2 family proteins that has been shown to be expressed in various tissues and malignant cells, including CLL, where its expression is significantly associated with a failure to achieve complete remission following cytotoxic therapy. Induction of apoptosis by prenylated coumarin, umbelliprenin, in Jurkat cells was previously shown. We examined whether umbelliprenin can down-regulate McL[-1] gene and protein in Jurkat cells. In this regard cells were incubated by umbelliprenin, and then down- regulation of McL[-1] gene was studied by Real Time PCR method. Moreover, down-regulation of McL[-1] protein was studied by western blot analysis. We showed that, expression of McL[-1] mRNA was increased from 1 hour to 3 hours incubation, but this increase has a scale down pattern. Moreover umbelliprenin could inhibit McL[-1] protein. In conclusion umbelliprenin treatment modulates McL[-1] expression at both the transcriptional and posttranslational levels

Umbelliprenin from Ferula szowitsiana activates both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis in jurkat T-CLL cell line

Umbelliprenin is a prenylated compound, which belongs to the class of sesquiterpene coumarins. It is extracted from dried roots of Ferula szwitsiana collected from the mountains of Golestan forest [Golestan Province, north of Iran]. Induction of apoptosis in Jurkat T-CLL cells has been previously shown. In this study, effect of umbelliprenin on proapoptotic caspases [caspase-8 and -9] and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family protein was studied. Jurkat cells were incubated with umbelliprenin. Cells were then lysed and activation of proteins was studied by Western blot analysis. In this study, we showed that umbelliprenin activates intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis by the activation of caspase-8 and -9 respectively. Inhibition of Bcl-2 was also shown. In conclusion, umbelliprenin induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells through caspase-dependent apoptosis pathway

Cytotoxic and apoptotic potential of rheum turkestanicum janisch root extract on human cancer and normal cells

Rheum turkestanicum Janischew. [Polygonaceae] is a plant that grows in central Asia and in north-east of Iran. Traditionally, people use roots of/?, turkestanicum as an anti-diabetic and anti-hypertensive as well as anticancer agent. In this study the cytotoxicity and apoptogenic properties of ethyl acetate [EtOAc], [-hexane and H[2]O extracts from Rheum turkestanicum Janischew. [Polygonaceae] root were determined against HeLa and MCF-7 cell lines and human blood lymphocytes. Malignant and non-malignant cells were cultured in RPMI1640 medium and incubated with different concentrations of plant extracts. Cell viability was measured by MTS assay. Apoptotic cells were evaluated using PI staining of DNA fragmentation by flow cytometry [sub-G 1 peak]. The degree of DNA fragmentation was analyzed using agarose gel electrophoresis based on the formation of inter-nucleosomal units. The expression of apoptosis-related protein Bax and PARP cleavage were detected by Western blotting. EtOAc and w-hexane extracts decreased cell viability in malignant but not in non-malignant cells, as a concentration and time dependent manner. EtOAc extract induced a sub-G 1 peak in flow cytometry histogram of treated cells compared to the control. DNA fragmentation indicating apoptotic cell death was involved in R. turkestanicum induced toxicity and cleaved PARP fragment was also detected. In conclusion, this is the first report on the cytotoxic effects of R. turkestanicum in which apoptosis played an important role. However, further evaluations are needed to fully understand the possible anti-tumor properties

Possible mechanism[s] of the relaxant effect of asafoetida [Ferula assa-foetida] oleo-gum-resin extract on guinea-pig tracheal smooth muscle

Asafoetida [Ferula assa-foetida] is known as a valuable remedy for whooping cough, pneumonia, bronchitis in children and asthma treatment in folk medicine. In the present study the relaxant effects of the asafoetida on tracheal smooth muscle of guinea pigs and its probable mechanism[s] were examined. The relaxant effects of three cumulative concentrations of the aqueous extract [2, 5 and 10 mg/ml], theophylline [0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 mM] and saline were examined on non-incubated tracheal smooth muscle of guinea pig precontracted by 10 microM methacholine [group 1]; preincubated tissues by propranolol and chlorpheniramine, contracted by methacholine [group 2] and preincubated tissues by propranolol, contracted by methacholine [group 3], [n=6 for each group]. All concentrations of theophylline in group 1 and all concentrations of the extract in the other three groups showed significant relaxant effects compared to that of saline [p<0.001 for all cases]. There was not significant difference in the relaxant effect of the extract between three groups. The relaxant effects of two last concentrations of the extract [5 and 10 mg/ml] only in group 2 were significantly lower than that of theophylline [p<0.05 for both case]. There was no significant difference between relaxant effects of the extract and theophylline in group 2. There were significant positive correlations between the relaxant effects of the extract with their concentrations in all three groups [p<0.001 for all cases]. These results showed a potent relaxant effect for the asafoetida extract on tracheal smooth muscle which is perhaps due to muscarinic receptor blockade

New sesquiterpene coumarin from the roots of Ferula latisecta

The genus of Ferula belongs to the tribe Peucedaneae, subfamily of Apioideae and family of Umbelliferae with 133 species distributed throughout the Mediterranean area and central Asia, especially in the former USSR and neighboring countries such as Iran. The popular Persian name of the most of these species is "Koma". In this research we tried to isolate and elucidate the structure of new sesquiterpene in the root of Ferula latisecta [F. latisecta]. Dried and powdered roots of F. latisecta were extracted with CH[2]Cl[2] using a Soxhlet apparatus. The extract was concentrated in vacuo to give a red extract. The extract was subjected to column chromatography on silica gel. [1]H NMR, [13]C NMR, DEPT, [1]H-[1]H COSY, HMBC, HSQC, and NOESY spectra were the methods we used to elucidate the structure of new sesquiterpene in this plant. One new sesquieterpene coumarin, namely Latisectin and IUPAC name [1-[2-Hydroxy-4- methoxy-phenyl]-3,4,8,12-tetramethyl-trideca-4,7,11-trien-1-one], together with one known compound, Kopetdaghin C, were isolated from the root of F. latisecta. In this research the structure of one new and one known sesquiterpene in the root of F. latisecta was elucidated

Umbelliprenin induces apoptosis in CLL cell lines

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia [CLL] remains an incurable disease that requires innovative new approaches to improve therapeutic outcome. Many Ferula species, including F. asa-foetida, synthesize terpenyloxy coumarins. One of these coumarins is umbelliprenin, which has been implicated with induction of apoptosis in some cancer cell lines. In this study induction of apoptosis by umbelliprenin on Jurkat T-CLL and Raji B-CLL cell lines was studied. In this regard, cells were incubated with various concentrations of umbelliprenin in-vitro for different times and assayed for apoptosis with annexin V-FITC/PI double staining flowcytometry method. Results showed that umbelliprenin induced apoptosis in leukemic cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner and that CLL cells were more susceptible to umbelliprenin induced cell death than normal peripheral blood mononuclear cell [PBMCs]. Moreover, we study the induction of apoptosis in Jurkat cells by umbelliprenin in the presence of interleukin 4 [IL-4] as an agent that causes resistance to apoptosis in CLL cells, was also student. We showed that IL-4 can not reduce apoptotic effect of umbelliprenin. The preferential toxicity of umbelliprenin for CLL cells, supports the hypothesis that oral administration of umbelliprenin in the form of foods or folk medicines containing this coumarin, might enhance protection against the development of CLL in man with little side effects. In conclusion, umbelliprenin may be an effective therapeutic agent in the treatment of CLL, and thus clinical studies with umbelliprenin may be appropriate

Synthesis and purification of 7-prenyloxycoumarins and herniarin as bioactive natural coumarins

7-prenyloxycoumarins including 7-isopentenyloxycoumarin, auraptene and umbelliprenin, and herniarin have been widely recognized as bioactive coumarins. This paper presents the ways to synthesis these compounds. 7-prenyloxycoumarins were synthesized by reaction between 7-hydroxycoumarin [1 M] and relevant prenyl bromides [1.5 M] in acetone at room temperature. The reaction was carried out in the presence of DBU [1, 8-diazabicyclo [5.4.0] undec-7-ene] [2 M]. After 24 hr. the mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure. The compounds were purified by column chromatography. Three bioactive 7-prenyloxycoumarins, namely, umbelliprenin, auraptene and 7-isopentenyloxycoumarin, together with herniarin were synthesized from 7-hydroxycoumarin under alkaline conditions [DBU] and then purified by column chromatography. The structures of the products were characterized by NMR spectroscopic method including [1]H- and [13]C-NMR experiments. The method of synthesis for 7-prenyloxycoumarins and herniarin which is presented here has not been reported yet. Moreover, for the first time, umbelliprenin was chemically prepared in this work