In vitro cytotoxicity of berberine against HeLa and L1210 cancer cell lines.

Previous studies on anti-cancer activity of protoberberine alkaloids against a variety of cancer cell lines were extended to human uterus HeLa nad murine leukemia L1210 cell lines. Cytotoxicity was measured using in vitro techniques and cell morphology changes were examined by light microscopy in both cytostatic and cytocidal concentration ranges. The IC50 was found to be less than 4 microg/ml, a limit put forward by NCI for classification of the compound as a potential anti-cancer drug. The microscopy examination indicated that at cytocidal concentrations the HeLa and L120 cells died apoptotically. The comparative analysis revealed that berberine belongs to the camptothecin family of drugs characterized by the ability to induce DNA topoisomerase poisoning and hence apoptotic cell death. Although the cytotoxic potency of berberine was found to be several orders of magnitude lower compared to camptothecin, its significance may increase in future in view of the lack of unwanted side effects characteristic for camptothecin compounds currently in clinical use for treatment of cancer.

Antimicrobial activity of berberine--a constituent of Mahonia aquifolium.

The antimicrobial activity of the protoberberine alkaloid, berberine, isolated from Mahonia aquifolium, was evaluated against 17 microorganisms including two Gram-negative bacteria--Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli (both resistant and sensitive), two Gram-positive bacteria--Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, Zoogloea ramigera, six filamentous fungi--Penicilium chrysogenum, Aspergillus niger, Aureobasidium pullulans (black and white strain), Trichoderma viride (original green strain and brown mutant), Fusarium nivale, Mycrosporum gypseum and two yeasts--Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The IC50, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum microbicidal concentration (MMC) and minimum microbistatic concentration (MMS) varied considerably depending on the microorganism tested, the sensitivity decreasing as follows: S. aureus > P. aeruginosa S (sensitive) > E. coli S > P. aeruginosa R (resistant) > E. coli R > B. subtilis > Z. ramigera > C. albicans > S. cerevisiae > A. pullulans B (black) > A. pullulans W (white) > T. viride Br (brown) > M. gypseum > A. niger > F. nivale > P. chrysogenum > T. viride G (green).

Short-run tests for determining harmful effects of PCB-containing engine oils on cells.

Our main objective was to set up reproducible methods for a rapid determination of harmful effects of PCB-containing engine oils on cells. We used a plate method and Scenedesmus quadricauda, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Rhodotorula glutinis and Pseudomonas putida as test organisms.

Biological degradation of isoproturon, chlortoluron and fenitrothion.

For the purpose of biodegradation studies several microorganisms were isolated from soil and adapted under laboratory conditions in the presence of pesticides, with the following degradation results: isoproturon after 72 h-86%, chlortoluron after 72 h-93%, after 65 h-88% and fenitrothion after 72 h-66%. The cultures can be used for the biodegradation of pesticides in the lyophilized state with or without an organic carrier.

Testing of the cytotoxic effects of sulfate pulp mill waste waters.

The effect of 22 technological waste water samples and of some standards was tested on bacteria, fungi, chlorococcal algae, flagellata, plant cells, cells of Tubifex tubifex, hamster cells V79 and the fish Lebistes reticulatus. Of these 22 samples, some inhibition of cell life processes was displayed by the black liquor formed in the production of paper pulp and viscose pulp, by the waste solution produced during the preparation of bleaching agents for paper pulp and viscose pulp, and by the residual liquor after hypochlorite treatment of paper pulp.

Effect of chlorinated phenol derivatives on various cell models.

Chlorinated phenol derivatives were found to display a cytotoxic effect on numerous cell models, such as chlorococcal algae, cyanobacteria, bacteria, micromycetes, plant and animal cells. Their cytotoxic effects will increase with chlorination and with the presence of a methoxy group.

Application of the exploratory data analysis for evaluating the toxicity of chlorinated phenol derivatives by various cell models.

Exploratory data analysis based on multivariate statistical analysis techniques was introduced as a new approach to expressing the toxicity of chemical substances at the simultaneous acceptance of various cell models. Using principal component analysis and cluster analysis methods the toxicity of chlorinated phenol derivatives on employing some of the cell models (chlorococcal algae, cyanobacteria, bacteria, micromycetes, plant and animal cells) was characterized. The previous empirical experience that the toxicity of chlorinated phenol derivatives will increase with a growing degree of chlorination and that the presence of the methoxy group will cause a lowering of the toxic effect was demonstrated. The relationship between groups of tests used was presented.

Application of the cell growth and DNA-inhibition tests for characterizing sulfate pulp mill waste waters.

The evaluation of cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of selected technological samples from sulfate pulp mill waste waters by using the growing activity method for pseudodiploid fibroblasts V79 from lungs of the Chinese hamster and from human heteroploid fibroblasts EUE has been described along with the DNA-inhibition test for studying the synthesis of DNA after it has been influenced by the above-mentioned samples. Both the waste solution produced during the preparation of bleaching agents and the liquor generated after using hypochlorite (1st stage) as a fourth filter (after the production of paper pulp) are cytotoxic waste waters. Black liquor generated during the production of viscose pulp may have mutagenic effects and black liquor obtained from the production of paper pulp is characterized by mutagenic as well as carcinogenic effects.

Effect of the herbicide Bentanex on soil microorganisms and their activity.

The effect of the herbicide Bentanex, especially of its effective component bentazone, on selected soil bacteria and fungi, on their growth and reproduction and on some important physiological activities ensuring a regular nutrient cycle in nature was investigated. Bentazone affected growth and reproduction of soil bacteria and micromycetes in dependence on the concentration and species of the microorganism. Physiological and biochemical activities of bacteria with respect to nitrogen fixation, nitrification and CO2 production were negatively influenced by high concentrations of the herbicide. These concentrations were used to observe the effect on selected activities of soil microorganisms and were much higher than those actually used in agriculture.

Use of micronucleic test for the determination of genotoxicity of waste liquor from a magnesium bisulfite pulp mill.

Since diluted magnesium bisulfite waste liquor from a pulp mill after beech wood processing exhibited an inhibitory effect on all the model organisms used in our previous work (Cernáková et al. 1991) and the results of Ames mutagenicity test were ambiguous, micronucleic test was used for characterization. The frequency of micronuclei observed suggested that the diluted magnesium bisulfite waste liquor had a mutagenic effect under in vitro conditions of the micronucleic test.

Morphological changes during the life cycle of Aureobasidium pullulans (de Bary) Arnaud.

Aureobasidium pullulans (de Bary) Arnaud was isolated from different natural materials plant blossoms in particular. Elements of vegetative multiplication, structure of colonies and cultures in liquid media were analyzed in detail, leading to construction of the life cycle of this organism. Morphological polymorphism was found to be combined with the production of melanin and the polysaccharide pullulan. Morphological analysis served for a directed selection for studies of physiological properties of this organism and its practical application.

Biochemical similarities among strains of Aureobasidium pullulans (de Bary) Arnaud.

Seventy-seven properties of Aureobasidium pullulans including utilization of various carbon sources, decomposition of the lignin-cellulose complex and the respective enzymes were checked in the present communication. According to these properties the group of 43 strains was separated in three parts, out of which two groups were found to belong to varieties A. pullulans var. pullulans and A. pullulans var. melanigenum. The third group formed a marginal part. The two varieties differed in numerous biochemical markers, particularly in the absence of monophenol monooxygenase in the variety A. pullulans var. pullulans.