Sea buckthorn bud extract displays activity against cell-cultured Influenza virus.

INTRODUCTION: Vaccines and antiviral drugs are the most widely used methods of preventing or treating Influenza virus infection. The role of sea buckthorn (SBT) bud dry extract as a natural antiviral drug against Influenza was investigated. METHODS: Influenza virus was cultured in the MDCK cell line, with or without SBT bud extract, and virus growth was assessed by HA and TCID50 virus titration in terms of cytopathic effect on cells. Several concentrations of extract were tested, the virus titer being measured on day 4 after infection. RESULTS: After infection, the virus titer in the control sample was calculated to be 2.5 TCID50/ml; treatment with SBT bud extract reduced the virus titer to 2.0 TCID50/ml at 50 µg/ml, while the HA titer was reduced from 1431 (control) to 178. Concentrations lower than 50µg/ml displayed an inhibitory effect in the HA assay, but not in the TCID50 virus titration; however, observation of the viral cultures confirmed a slowdown of viral growth at all concentrations. DISCUSSION: Natural dietary supplements and phytotherapy are a growing market and offer new opportunities for the treatment of several diseases and disorders. These preliminary experiments are the first to show that SBT bud extract is able to reduce the growth of the Influenza A H1N1 virus in vitro at a concentration of 50 µg/ml. This discovery opens up the possibility of using SBT bud extract as a valid weapon against Influenza and, in addition, as the starting-point for the discovery of new drugs.

Mesalazine inhibits the beta-catenin signalling pathway acting through the upregulation of mu-protocadherin gene in colo-rectal cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Several reports indicate that mesalazine (5-aminosalicylic acid, 5-ASA) is a promising candidate for the chemoprevention of colo-rectal cancer because of its ability to reach the purpose avoiding the unwanted side effects usually associated with prolonged administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This activity of 5-ASA is probably the consequence of a number of effects determined on colo-rectal cancer cells, consisting of reduced proliferation, increased apoptosis and activation of cell cycle checkpoints and DNA repair processes. A recent observation has suggested that inhibition of beta-catenin signalling could induce these cellular effects. AIM: To characterize better the capacity of 5-ASA to inhibit the beta-catenin signalling pathway. METHODS: Genes belonging to the beta-catenin signalling pathway were analysed in colo-rectal cancer cell lines treated with 5-ASA using a combination of laboratory assays that are able to detect their phenotypic expression and functional activity. RESULTS: The results obtained indicated that 5-ASA induces the expression of a protein called mu-protocadherin that belongs to the cadherin superfamily and is able to sequester beta-catenin on the plasmatic membrane of treated cells hampering its function. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that mu-protocadherin might be employed as a biological marker to monitor the chemopreventive efficacy of 5-ASA.

Effect of mesalazine on mucosal immune biomarkers in irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized controlled proof-of-concept study.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal immune infiltration contributes to symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). AIM: To assesses the effect of mesalazine (mesalamine) on mucosal immune cells in patients with IBS, through a pilot study. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 20 patients with IBS in tertiary care setting. Patients were randomized to receive placebo or 800 mg mesalazine three times daily for 8 weeks. The primary endpoint was a significant reduction in total colonic immune cells on biopsies obtained at the end of treatment compared to baseline. Secondary endpoints included effects on subsets of immune cells, inflammatory mediators and symptom severity. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed. RESULTS: Mesalazine markedly reduced immune cells as compared with placebo (P = 0.0082); this effect was ascribed to a marked inhibition of mast cells (P = 0.0014). Mesalazine significantly increased general well-being (P = 0.038), but had no significant effects on abdominal pain (P = 0.084), bloating (P = 0.177) or bowel habits. No serious drug-related adverse events were reported during the study. CONCLUSIONS: Mesalazine is an effective and safe approach to reduce mast cell infiltration and may improve general well-being in patients with IBS. These results support the hypothesis that immune mechanisms represent potential therapeutic targets in IBS.