An Estimation of the Antiviral Activity and Toxicity of Biologically Active Substances Obtained from the Raw Materials of Artemisia cina Berg. In Vitro and In Vivo.

Species of the genus Artemisia are well known for their use as ingredients in ancient medicine. The advantage of using plant extracts compared to individual pharmaceutical ingredients is the rate of adaptation of the pathogenic microorganisms to the drug. Due to the rapid development of multidrug-resistance in microorganisms in the field, it is essential to search for novel, effective drugs with low toxicity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to isolate and study the biologically active substances obtained from various substances in the raw materials of Artemisia cina Berg. The identification of the main biologically active components was performed using the method of chromato-mass spectrometry. Moreover, the antiviral activity of several extracts was studied using the method of measuring limiting dilutions (the Reed-Mench method), with some modifications. For the first time, the biological activity of extracts from the raw material of Artemisia cina Berg. upon the SARS-CoV-2 virus was confirmed. All the obtained extracts exhibited nontoxic effects in animals, with an LD50 greater than 2 g/kg. Comprehensive toxicological analyses are also presented in the study, such as those of the biochemical parameters of urine after one day and one week of the extracts' administration in mice at a dose of 2 g/kg body weight. In all groups of animals that received extracts of Artemisia cina Berg., a slight increase in the presence of red blood cells in their urine was observed one day following the administration of the extracts. This increase decreased somewhat after a week; however, it remained higher than the levels observed in the control animals. In the three groups, there was also a slight increase in the amount of ketones in the urine. Two weeks following the administration of the extracts to these groups, the internal organs of the animals were examined. The examination showed that the internal organs of the animals that received the extracts were not visibly different from those of the control animals in terms of their size or appearance. The weight of the internal organs of the animals that received the extracts was also similar to the weight of the internal organs of the control animals, illustrating the absence of toxicity.

Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Subcritical CO2 Extract of Lepidium latifolium L. (Brassicaceae).

The genus Lepidium L. from Brassicaceae Burnett. family covers over 150 species with an almost cosmopolitan spread. In Kazakhstan, 21 species are described, of which four species are characterized by medicinal properties (L. crassifolium Waldst. et Kit., L. perfoliatum L., L. ruderale L., and L. latifolium L.), used in folk medicine as means of antibacterial, irritant, laxative, antitumor, analgesic, and anthelmintic action. Methods. Raw materials were collected from Almaty region (Republic of Kazakhstan). Lepidium latifolium L. herb's carbon dioxide extract (CO2 extract) was obtained by subcritical carbon dioxide extraction. A gas chromatograph with a mass spectrometric detector was used to determine the component composition of the extract. Antimicrobial activity was determined by two methods: the micromethod of serial dilution and the disc-diffusion method. Four microbial test strains were used: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538-P, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Klebsiella pneumonia ATCC 10031, and Candida albicans ATCC 10231. Results. The technology of carbon dioxide extraction has undoubted advantages over traditional methods of extraction: it has a controlled selectivity in relation to groups of biologically active substances, allows deep extraction, and maximizes the release of rich complexes of compounds contained in plants. In this study, firstly, the CO2 extract was obtained under subcritical conditions from the aerial part of L. latifolium L., and the composition was determined. Hexane was the best solvent for CO2 extract, and 40 components were identified. Screening of antimicrobial activity of the L. latifolium's CO2 extract showed the essential activity of all clinically significant strains tested: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Candida albicans. Conclusions. This research showed that the CO2 extract of the raw material of Lepidium latifolium L. contains biologically active compounds exhibiting an essential antimicrobial effect, and therefore it is possible to recommend for the development of various drugs for use in medical practice.

Neoadjuvant Therapy with Drug Arglabin for Breast Cancer with Expression of H-Ras Oncoproteins.

BACKGROUNDS: In breast cancer, blocking of Ras signaling and inhibition of H-Ras is quite promising. H-Ras may become a target for farnesyl transferase inhibitors, and in combination with other immunohistochemical factors it will contribute to the progression of a breast tumor. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer with the inclusion of farnesyl transferase inhibitor, arglabin interfering with the expression and concentration of H-Ras oncoproteins. METHODS: Depending on the presence of H-Ras oncoproteins after Western-blot hybridization, the patients were divided a negative and positive expression of H-Ras groups. RESULTS: Correlation analysis of methods used for determining the expression ability and concentration of H-Ras oncoproteins (immunohistochemistry and Western-blot analysis) demonstrated substantial statistical relationship Rs=0.71, p=0.03. The H-Ras oncoproteins were absent in patients receiving either "Arglabin" or standard AC regimen. However, in the AC + Arglabin group, there was a varying degrees of positive concentration of H-Ras oncoproteins (Kruskal-Wallis=6.92; p=0.03). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that Arglabin attenuates H-Ras oncoproteins expression which is a promising therapeutic target for breast cancer.