The Genus Diospyros: A Review of Novel Insights into the Biological Activity and Species of Mozambican Flora.

Species of the Diospyros L. genus (Ebenaceae family) have been largely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of several diseases, especially infectious ones. To date, active major compounds such as naphthoquinones, triterpenoids, and tannins have been isolated and pharmacologically validated from Diospyros species. The present study summarizes the information available in the literature on the species described in the Flora of Mozambique. To do so, scientific databases (e.g., PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) were searched using various keywords and Boolean connectors to gather and summarize the information. Of the 31 native and naturalized species in the Flora of Mozambique, 17 are used in different regions of Africa and were described for their traditional uses. They were reported to treat more than 20 diseases, mostly infectious, in the gastrointestinal and oral cavity compartments. This work provides an overview of the therapeutical potential of Diospyros species and explores novel insights on the antimicrobial potential of extracts and/or isolated compounds of these Mozambican species.

MicroRNA-143 reduces viability and increases sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil in HCT116 human colorectal cancer cells.

MicroRNAs are aberrantly expressed in cancer; microRNA-143 (miR-143) is down-regulated in colon cancer. HCT116 human colorectal cancer cells were used to investigate the biological role of miR-143. Transient miR-143 overexpression resulted in an approximate 60% reduction in cell viability. In addition, stable miR-143 overexpressing cells were selected with G418 and exposed to 5-fluorouracil. Increased stable expression of miR-143 was associated with decreased viability and increased cell death after exposure to 5-fluorouracil. These changes were associated with increased nuclear fragmentation and caspase -3, -8 and -9 activities. In addition, extracellular-regulated protein kinase 5, nuclear factor-kappaB and Bcl-2 protein expression was down-regulated by miR-143, and further reduced by exposure to 5-fluorouracil. In conclusion, miR-143 modulates the expression of key proteins involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, death and chemotherapy response. In addition, miR-143 increases the sensitivity of colon cancer cells to 5-fluorouracil, probably acting through extracellular-regulated protein kinase 5/nuclear factor-kappaB regulated pathways. Collectively, the data obtained in the present study suggest anti-proliferative, chemosensitizer and putative pro-apoptotic roles for miR-143 in colon cancer.

Bile acid levels are increased in the liver of patients with steatohepatitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The pathogenesis of steatohepatitis remains largely unknown; however, bile acids may play a role as potential mediators of liver damage. The aim of this study was to characterize bile acid profiles in liver tissue of patients with steatohepatitis. METHODS: Bile acid composition was determined by gas-liquid chromatography in liver tissue from patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH; n=15), patients with alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH; n=14), and controls (n=8). Liver biopsies were graded for steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. RESULTS: Bile acids were moderately increased in liver tissue of steatohepatitis patients compared with controls (P<0.05). Deoxycholic, chenodeoxycholic, and cholic acids were elevated by 92, 64, and 43%, respectively, in patients with steatohepatitis (P<0.05). Cholic acid was the prevailing bile acid in NASH patients and in controls. More hydrophobic bile acid species were elevated in ASH patients compared with controls (P<0.05). Significant correlations were found in NASH patients between hepatic chenodeoxycholic acid and fibrosis, and between cholic acid and trihydroxy/dihydroxy bile acids and inflammation (P<0.05). In patients with ASH, cholic acid and trihydroxy/dihydroxy bile acids were correlated with steatosis (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: This study shows a distinct pattern of bile acids in the liver of patients with steatohepatitis. Further, the association between bile acids and histological liver injury suggests an association of specific bile acids and disease progression, possibly through bile acid-induced liver injury.