LC-ESI-MS/MS profiling of alkaloids and antiproliferative activity of Pachypoduim lamerei drake leaves.

In the present study, evaluation of the antiproliferative activity of Pachypodium lamerei Drake leaves (family Apocyaceae) against human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 was done for the total methanolic extract, crude alkaloidal mixture and ursolic acid using the MTT colorimetric assay. The methanolic extract showed the strongest antiproliferative activity followed by ursolic acid and crude alkaloidal fraction with an IC50 equal to 6.2, 14.55 and 56.3 µg/ml respectively compared to oleocanthal. It is the first record for the LC/ESI-MS/MS alkaloidal profiling of the leaves of P. lamerei. Seven alkaloids were tentatively identified according to their fragmentation patterns. Four alkaloids were related to the parent indole class and two alkaloids belong to the quinoline class in addition to one steroidal alkaloid with a pregnan nucleus. Phytochemical investigation of the methanolic extract led to the isolation of three triterpenoidal compounds including ursolic acid, 11,12-didehydroursolic acid lactone and ursolic acid lactone.

Clinical significance of thymidine kinase in Egyptian children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood malignancy, representing one-third of pediatric cancers. Thymidine kinase-1 (TK-1) is expressed in proliferating cells so elevated TK-1 indicates active tumor growth. OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical significance of TK-1 in children with ALL. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was carried out on 40 children with newly diagnosed ALL who were admitted to Oncology Unit, Pediatric department, Tanta University (26 males and 14 females) with their ages ranged from 4 to 10 years and 30 healthy children of matched age and sex as a control group. For all patients the following were done: Complete blood picture, bone marrow examination, immunophenotyping and TK-1 serum levels. RESULTS: Mean TK-1 level was significantly higher in patients at diagnosis than controls and significantly higher in patients with unfavorable outcome than patients with favorable outcome. Mean TK-1 level was significantly higher in patients in relapse than patients in remission and controls. No significant differences in mean TK-1 level between patients in remission and controls. There were statistically significant differences in disease free survival and overall survival between patients with favorable and unfavorable outcome. CONCLUSION: From this study we concluded that TK is a helpful marker in diagnosis and follow-up of patients with ALL. RECOMMENDATIONS: Thymidine kinase-1 should be routinely assessed at diagnosis and during follow-up in ALL patients for better diagnostic and prognostic assessment and should be taken in consideration in designing future therapeutic strategies based on patients-specific risk factors.