Evaluation of cytotoxic and anticancer effect of Orobanche crenata methanolic extract on cancer cell lines.

We aimed to assess the antitumor activity of Orobanche crenata methanolic extract and evaluate its cytotoxic effect on different cancer cell lines to develop an effective natural anticancer drug. Components of O. crenata methanolic extract were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The extract's antioxidant activity was assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ferric reducing antioxidant power procedures and cytotoxicity of the extract was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase assays. Caspase-3 activity was also estimated. O. crenata methanolic extract shows powerful antioxidant activity. The extract inhibited the propagation of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), human prostate cancer (PC3), human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), and human colon carcinoma (HCT-116) in a dose-dependent manner. O. crenata-treated cells displayed obvious morphological structures distinctive of apoptosis. MTT assay exposed that the extract presented prevention of cell persistence in a dose-dependent means and revealed extremely cytotoxic activity against HepG2, PC3, MCF-7, and HCT-116 with 50% inhibitory concentration values 30.3, 111, 89.6, and 28.6 µg/mL, respectively, after 24 h of incubation. In addition, treatment of HCT-116 with various concentrations of the extract caused the release of lactate dehydrogenase and induction of caspase-3 activity in a dose-dependent way. In conclusion, our findings suggested that the O. crenata extract possesses potent antioxidant, cytotoxic activity, and anticancer properties which are possibly due to the principal bioactive phytochemical composites existing in this plant. These results can be used to develop new drugs for cancer treatment.

Biochemical Analysis of C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 10 (CXCL10) as a Biomarker in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by chronic inflammation and synovial hyperplasia that eventually leads to the destruction of the joints. CXCL10 has been originally identified as a pro-inflammatory chemokine that mediate leukocyte trafficking and modulate innate and adaptive immune responses. It plays a critical role in the inflammatory response and is involved in several biological processes. The aim of the study was to assess the diagnostic efficacy of serum CXCL10 levels in early RA patients. Patients and methods: The study included 60 RA patients; 30 of them were early diagnosed, and 30 longstanding RA and 30 healthy controls. Clinical examination was done for all patients. Measurement of serum CXCL10 level was done by ELISA, while assessment of disease activity in patients was done using disease activity score (DAS-28). Serum levels of CXCL10 were significantly higher in RA patients than controls (P < 0.001), and was more elevated in early diagnosed than longstanding RA patients, with a a significant positive correlation with DAS-28 ESR (r=0.361, P=0.005), number of tender joint (r=0.319, P=0.013), and number of swollen joint (r=0.280, P=0.030). A cutoff at 470.0 pg/ml was able to recognize longstanding RA with a sensitivity of 88.3% and a specificity of 90% , while a cutoff of 793 pg/ml was able to diagnose early RA with 65% sensitivity and 77% specificity (P=0.009). in conclusion, serum CXCL10 may be a useful biomarker for diagnosis of early RA and determination of disease activity.

25-hydroxyvitamin D Deficiency and Predictive Factors in Patients with Diabetic Nephropathy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease that is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. Type 2 diabetes is a global health problem and leading to many dangerous complications. Diabetic nephropathy is a significant microvascular complication resulting from diabetes mellitus that is affecting up to 50% of patients with end stage renal disease. Vitamin D deficiency may occur due to many different factors and is associated with many serious diseases as diabetic nephropathy. To investigate the 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency and predictive factors in patients with diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus. One hundred type 2diabetic patients were divided into two groups according to Alb/creat ratio to diabetic patients with and without nephropathy and 50 non-diabetic controls. We measured the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in all the study populations. The mean serum level of 25 (OH) D was significantly decreased in patients with diabetic nephropathy (13.41±4.99 ng/ml, P=0.002). There was a significant correlation with vitamin D deficiency and the patients residency and also a significant positive correlation with eGFR (r = 0.317, P = 0.025) and a significant negative correlation with Alb/creat Ratio(r = -0.323, P = 0.022). The significant best-fitting predictors of vitamin D deficiency were living in rural area (OR=4.030, P < 0.021) and eGFR < 60 (OR=5.412, P < 0.034). In conclusion, vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in patients with diabetic nephropathy living in rural areas. Low eGFR < 60, Alb/creat ratio more than 30 mg/24h and HbA1c > 9 could be considered as predictive factors of vitamin D deficiency in these patients.