Pomegranate Juice Extract Decreases Cisplatin Toxicity on Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. Chemotherapy regimens, targeted against lung cancer, are considered an effective treatment; albeit with multiple fatal side effects. An alternative strategy, nowadays, is using natural products. Medicinal plants have been used, in combination with chemotherapy, to ameliorate side effects. AIMS: This study aims to investigate the antitumor effect of pomegranate juice (Punica granatum) on human lung adenocarcinoma basal epithelial cells (A549), to check the effect, when combined with low dose cisplatin (CDDP), at different doses. We also have evaluated the potential protective effect of pomegranate on normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). METHODS: Phytochemical screening of the extract was done using standard classical tests. Total phenolic and sugar contents were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu and anthrone reagents, respectively. The antioxidant activity of pomegranate was estimated by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. The viability of A549 cells and PBMC was evaluated using the neutral red assay. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated that Punica granatum or pomegranate juice (with different concentrations: 150, 300, 600 µg/mL) contained high levels of flavonoids, alkaloids, tanins, lignins, terpenoids, and phenols. The DPPH method showed that pomegranate juice had a strong antioxidant scavenging activity. Neutral red showed that combining pomegranate juice with low dose CDDP (8 µg/mL) decreased the cell viability of A549 cells, by 64%, compared to treatment with CDDP or pomegranate alone. When added to low dose CDDP, pomegranate increased the viability of normal PBMC cells by 46%. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that pomegranate could potentiate the anticancer effect of low dose CDDP on human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549 cells) and could as well decrease its toxicity on PBMC.

Potency of Combining Eucalyptus camaldulensis subsp. camaldulensis with Low-Dose Cisplatin in A549 Human Lung Adenocarcinomas and MCF-7 Breast Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Lung and breast cancers are common in the world and represent major public health problems. Systemic chemotherapy is an effective way to prolong survival but it is associated with side effects. Plants are used as traditional treatments for many types of cancers, mostly in combination with chemotherapy. We investigated the antitumor effect of ethanolic (EE) and aqueous (AE) extracts of Eucalyptus camaldulensis on human alveolar adenocarcinoma basal epithelial cells (A549) and breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7) and checked the synergistic effect of the combination with low-dose cisplatin (CDDP). Methods: AE and EE were characterized for their secondary metabolites including content of phenol and antioxidant activity of both extracts. Cell viability was tested by the neutral red assay and MTT. Combinations of extract with low-dose CDDP on A549, MCF-7 cells, and normal cells peripheral blood mononuclear cells was used to study cell viability. Results: AE contains higher level of active constituents than EE. Higher antioxidant activity was observed in AE. Both extracts showed cytotoxic activity on A549 and MCF-7 cells. Moreover, combining E. camaldulensis with low-dose CDDP increases significantly the cell death of treated cells in comparison to those treated with CDDP alone. Conclusions: Our results highlight a new therapeutic concept that combines Eucalyptus camaldulensis with low-dose CDDP to treat lung and breast adenocarcinoma.

Synthesis, characterization and dioxygen reactivity of copper(I) complexes with glycoligands.

A new family of copper(I) complexes with "glycoligands" containing a central saccharide scaffold, with 2-picolyl ether groups or 2-picolylamine or N-imidazolylamine groups, has been prepared and characterized. For this purpose, the following tetradentate ligands have been synthesized: methyl 2,3-di-O-(2-picolyl)-alpha-D-lyxofuranoside (L1), 1,5-anhydro-2-deoxy-3,4-di-O-(2-picolyl)-d-galactitol (L2), 5-(amino-N-(2-salicyl))-5-deoxy-1,2-O-isopropylidene-3-O-(2-picolyl)-alpha-D-xylofuranose (L3), and 5-(amino-N-(2-salicyl))-5-deoxy-1,2-O-isopropylidene-3-O-(methylimidazol-2-yl)-alpha-D-xylofuranose (L4). The ligands and the complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies, ESI mass spectrometry, and cyclic voltammetry. Collaterally with the experimental work, HF-DFT(B3LYP/6-31G*) computations were performed to obtain additional structural information. The Cu(I) complexes are found to be pentacoordinated. The redox properties and the O2-reactivity of the Cu(I)Ln complexes have been studied. Reactions of Cu(I) complexes with dioxygen in ethanol yield stable Cu(II) complexes as confirmed by UV-visible spectrophotometry and EPR spectroscopy.

Thermodynamic and spectroscopic studies of Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes with a new proline-threonine dipeptide ligand.

The interactions between a new proline-threonine dipeptide ligand with two metallic cations were investigated in aqueous solution. The metallic cations studied were the copper(II) and the nickel(II), which are involved in many biological processes. The combination of potentiometry, UV-visible spectrophotometry, EPR, and mass spectrometry was used to determine the formation constants of the complexes and their structure in solution. The complexation sites were identified using electronic absorption and EPR spectroscopies. Copper complexes were obtained as square planar or square pyramidal mononuclear species, whereas nickel complexes were obtained as dinuclear species with an octahedral geometry.