ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study explored the rejuvenation mechanisms of Thai polyherbal medicines using different approaches, including in vitro methods, as well as a well-defined nematode model, Caenorhabditis elegans. METHODS: THP-R-SR012 decoction was selected from 23 polyherbal medicines, based on metal-chelating and chain-breaking antioxidant capacities. The influences of this extract on the survival and some stress biomarkers of C. elegans under paraquat-induced oxidative stress were evaluated. Furthermore, lifespan analysis and levels of lipofuscin accumulation were examined in senescent nematodes. The phytochemical profile of THP-R-SR012 was analyzed. RESULTS: Supplementation with THP-R-SR012 decoction significantly increased the mean lifespan and reduced the oxidative damage to C. elegans under oxidative stress conditions. Further, THP-R-SR012 supplementation slightly influenced the lifespan and the level of lipofuscin accumulation during adulthood. Antioxidant-related phytochemical constituents of THP-R-SR012 decoction were rutin, naringenin, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, gallic acid, glycyrrhizic acid, demethoxycurcumin and 18α-glycyrrhetinic acid. CONCLUSION: The antioxidant potential of THP-R-SR012 was due to its scavenging properties, its enhancement of antioxidant-related enzyme activities, and the presence of the antioxidant-related compound. These results support the traditional use of THP-R-SR012 decoction as a tonic for nourishing and strengthening the whole body.
Subject(s)
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins , Caenorhabditis elegans , Animals , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Caenorhabditis elegans/metabolism , Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins/metabolism , Oxidative Stress , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Reactive Oxygen Species , Rejuvenation , ThailandABSTRACT
AIM: To evaluate the prognostic value of preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen (CA)19-9, and CA50 in patients undergoing D2 resection. METHODS: We evaluated 363 patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy at our hospital from January 2006 to December 2009. Blood samples were obtained from each patient within 1 wk before surgery. The cut-off values for serum CEA, CA19-9, and CA50 were 5 ng/mL, 37 U/mL, and 20 U/mL, respectively. The correlation between preoperative tumor marker levels and prognosis was studied by means of univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The preoperative serum positive rates of CEA, CA19-9 and CA50 were 24.0%, 18.9% and 24.5%, respectively. The positivity rate of serum CEA was significantly correlated with age (P < 0.001), sex (P = 0.022), tumor size (P = 0.007) and depth of invasion (P = 0.018); CA19-9 with tumor size (P = 0.042) and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001); and CA50 only with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, tumor size, T category, N category, vascular or neural invasion, and adjuvant chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for overall survival. CA19-9 had an independent prognostic significance in patients without adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.027). CONCLUSION: Preoperative serum CEA, CA19-9 and CA50 are prognostic in patients with gastric cancer. Only CA19-9 is an independent prognostic factor after surgery without adjuvant chemotherapy.
