[Anticancer activity of oxovanadium compounds].

Cytotoxic and antitumor activity of the biligand vanadyl derivative of L-malic acid (bis(L-malato)oxovanadium(IV) (VO(mal)2) was investigated in comparison with inorganic vanadium(IV) compound--vanadyl sulfate (VOSO4) and also with oxovanadium monocomplex with L-malic acid (VO(mal)) and vanadyl biscomplex with acetylacetonate. In this purpose the effect of vanadyl compounds on growth of normal human skin fibroblasts and tumor cells of different lines: mouse fibrosarcoma (L929), rat pheochromocytome (PC12), human liver carcinoma (HepG2), virus transformated mouse fibroblast (NIN 3T3), virus transformated cells of human kidney (293) were investigated. The results showed that VO(mal)2 was not toxic for normal human skin fibroblasts but considerably inhibited growth of cancer cells in culture. Cytotoxic antitumor effect of vanadium complexes was found to be dependent on incubation time and concentration and on type of cells and nature of ligands of the central group of the complex (VO2+). These studies provide evidence that VO(mal)2 may be considered as a potential antitumor agent due to its low toxicity in non-tumor cells and significant anticancer activity.

[Synthesis and hypoglycemic activity of bis(L-malato)oxovanadium(IV)].

In order to create new oral vanadyl organic complexes-based drugs for the treatment of diabetes mellitus biligand vanadyl derivative of L-malic acid (bis(L-malato)oxovanadium(IV) was prepared and its potential as a novel hypoglycemic agent was studied in the streptozotocin-diabetic rats. We show that the oral administration of bis(L-malato)oxovanadium(IV) with drink water significantly reduced glucose concentration in blood and urine, as well as the level of glycated proteins in the streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

[Modern approaches to pharmacotherapy of diabetes mellitus type II]. / Sovremennye podkhody k farmakoterapii sakharnogo diabeta II tipa.

The pharmacological approaches to the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus were reviewed. Special attention was paid to the new therapeutic agents that are able to decrease plasma glucose levels. The possible mechanisms of the hypoglycemic effects are discussed. Briefly, repaginide, nateglinede and alpha-glucosidase inhibitors prevent postprandial hypoclycemia while thiazaolidinediones improve the sensitivity to insulin and vanadium compounds act as an insulin action enhancer.

[Vanadium compounds--a new class of therapeutic agents for the treatment of diabetes mellitus]. / Vanadiisoderzhashchie soedineniia--novyi klass terapevticheskikh sredstv dlia lecheniia sakharnogo diabeta.

Vanadium compounds as insulin mimics with promising therapeutic properties are reviewed. The biological effects of both inorganic forms of vanadium and vanadyl organic complexes are decried for various animal models. These effects include hypoglycemic and insulin reserve actions, insulin sensitivity enhance, cholesterol lowering and other manifestations. The effectiveness of vanadium compounds in diabetes treatment is confirmed with clinical trials. The possible mechanisms of insulin-like effects of vanadium are discussed. The various nutritional supplements for patients with diabetes mellitus including vanadium-contained used in Russia and abroad are also considered.

[Comparative characteristics of vanadium-containing compounds, possessing insulin-like effects]. / Sravnitel'naia kharakteristika vanadii-soderzhashchikh soedinenii, obladaiushchikh insulino-podobnym deistviem.

The serum glucose concentration, HbAc1, fructoseamine, the activity of AST, ALT, amylase, glycogen content and glucokinase activity in rat hepatocytes were examined in streptozotocin-diabetic rats during long-term orthovanadate and vanadyl sulphate treatment. The improvement of this parameters were demonstrated after oral orthovanadate and vanadyl sulphate administration. However, insulin-mimetic properties of vanadyl sulphate were more marked in comparison with orthovanadate. LD-50 and cytotoxicity analysis in isolated hepatocytes showed that vanadyl sulphate was less toxic than orthovanadate.

[A fluorometric method of determining cholesterol esterase activity]. / Fluorometricheskii metod opredeleniia aktivnosti kholesterolesterzy.

A simple and highly specific method for estimating the cholesterol esterase activity is suggested. Cholesterol esterase (EC 3.1.1.13) is incubated with the emulsified substrate, cholesteryl-o-coumarate, at pH 6.6 to yield o-coumaric (trans-2-hydroxycinnamic) acid detected fluorimetrically (lambda exc 363 nm, lambda em 494 nm) at pH 10.4. The fluorescence associated with the unhydrolyzed substrate is negligible. Cholesteryl-o-coumarate is not hydrolyzed by pancreatic lipase, trypsin, or chymotrypsin under the above conditions. About 1 microgram of pancreatic cholesterol esterase can be determined upon 15 min incubation. The substrate was synthesized by condensation of o-acetoxy-trans-cinnamic acid with cholesterol using the di-tert-butyl pyrocarbonate--pyridine--4-dimethylaminopyridine system.