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BACKGROUND/AIMS Humic acid (HA) formed by the decomposition of organic matter is a high-molecular-weight polymer. Humic-derived substances are potential drugs for human health, and their role in the prevention and treatment of diseases, like diabetes, antiviral, UV-B protective effect, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, is emphasized in various studies. It has antiulcerogenic, antitumor. Yang et al. demonstrated that HA exerts an antiproliferative effect and growth inhibition on HL-60 cells through the induction of apoptosis. A study showed that the antiulcer effect of Shilajit (HAs extracted from Shilajit) samples may be due to antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antianxiety, antioxidant, healing, and regenerative effects. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of HA on cultures of the chronic myeloid leukemia cell line in vitro. MATERIAL and METHODS We determined the apoptotic effect of HA in K562 cells by using various molecular methods. For cell viability, HA was tested in vitro against K562 cell lines using the MTT colorimetric process. Bax, bcl-2, casp-3, and casp-9 expressions were quantified by Western blot. Apoptosis analysis has been made with the Annexin-V/PI method. RESULTS The IC50 values of HA were determined 100 mg mL(-1) for the K562 cell line. HA has been shown to inhibit cell proliferation. As the bcl-2/bax ratio decreased and increasing the levels of caspase-3 and caspase-9, the cells underwent apoptosis. CONCLUSION As a result, HA showed the anticancer effect on leukemia cells. In the future, HA can be used as a chemopreventive agent in leukemia treatments.

OBJECTIVES: Many clinical reports describe the beneficial effects of low-dose atypical antipsychotic added to the antidepressants in the management of anxiety disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of low-dose atypical antipsychotic when added to antidepressant treatment on cholinergic M1 receptor expression in the hippocampus and amygdale region in learning and cognitive disorders caused by anxiety. METHODS: The treatments were administered by using different test models on memory, learning, and anxiety, as well as the effect on muscarinic M1 receptor expression levels were assessed. Citalopram (10 mg/kg/sc) and combination [citalopram and risperidone (1 mg/kg/sc)] treatments were applied after stress induction using the immobilization model in rats. Animals groups were randomly divided as: control, stress, stress + citalopram, and stress + combination treatment group. Rats in stress groups were immobilized in cages for 4 h a day for 15 days. On days 1–5, groups were subjected to Morris water maze (MWM), open field, and elevated plus maze (EPM) tests. RESULTS: MWM test results have shown that citalopram induces an anxiolytic effect. Low-dose risperidone treatment has increased the antidepressant-like activity of citalopram in all tests. In OFT the number of squares that rats were circulating on the plane was increased and the time spent by the rats on the maze platform was also increased in MWM. In addition to this, the time spent by the rats on the open arms of the EPM test were also increased. Since the combined treatment increased the discovery of the environment and the active behaviour in tests; all those reflected the increase in general activity. Findings also suggest that treatments may play an effective role in altering the expression level of M1 receptors which are effective in learning and recalling information in the amygdale and the hippocampus. Combination treatment has been shown to provide a meaningful correction of stress-induced memory and learning functions. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that combination treatment may help reduce the stress-induced impairments in cognitive functions.