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Introduction: Ginsenoside Rh2, purified from the Panax ginseng root, has been demon-strated to possess anticancer properties against various cancerous cells including colorectal, breast, skin, ovarian, prostate, and liver cancerous cells. However, the poor bioavailability, low stability on gastrointestinal systems, and fast plasma elimination limit further clinical applications of Ginsenoside Rh2 for cancer treatments. In this study, a novel formulation of niosomal Ginsenoside Rh2 was prepared using the thin film hydration technique. Methods: The niosomal formulation contained Span 60 and cholesterol, and cationic lipid DOTAP was evaluated by determining particle size distribution, encapsulation efficiency, the polydispersity index (PDI), and surface morphology. The cytotoxic effects of free Ginsenoside Rh2 and Ginsenoside Rh2-loaded niosomes were determined using the MTT method in the PC3 prostate cancer cell line. For the investigation of the in vitro cellular uptake of Ginsenoside Rh2-loaded niosome, two formulations were prepared: the Ginsenoside Rh2-loaded niosomal formula containing 5 DOTAP and the Ginsenoside Rh2-loaded niosomal formula without DOTAP. Results: The mean size, DPI, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency of the Ginsenoside Rh2-loaded nanoniosomal formulation containing DOTAP were 93.5 +/- 2.1 nm, 0.203 +/- 0.01, +4.65 +/- 0.65, and 98.32 +/- 2.4, respectively. The niosomal vesicles were found to be round and have a smooth surface. The release profile of Ginsenoside Rh2 from niosome was biphasic. Furthermore, a two-fold reduction in the Ginsenoside Rh2 concentration was measured when Ginsenoside Rh2 was administered in a nanoniosomal form compared to free Ginsenoside Rh2 solutions in the PC3 prostate cancer cell line. After storage for 90 days, the encapsulation efficiency, vesicle size, PDI, and zeta potential of the optimized formulation did not significantly change compared to the freshly prepared samples. The cellular uptake experiments of the niosomal formulation demonstrated that by adding DOTAP to the niosomal formulation, the cellular uptake was enhanced. Discussion: The enhanced cellular uptake and cytotoxic activity of the Ginsenoside Rh2 nanoniosomal formulation on the PC3 cell make it an attractive candidate for application as a nano-sized delivery vehicle to transfer Ginsenoside Rh2 to cancer cells.

The combination therapy of cytotoxic drugs and chemosensitizing agents encapsulated in nanoparticles has been highlighted as an effective treatment for various cancers. Combination therapy is promising to produce synergistic anticancer effects, to magnify the treatment effect and overcome multidrug resistance. In this investigation, we have studied augmentation of therapeutic efficacy upon c combinational treatment of paclitaxel (PCL) and curcumin (Cur), an inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), in OVCAR-3 cell. PCL and Cur were encapsulated in nanoniosome formulations. Then, the effects of nanoniosome formulations on cytotoxicity, expression profile of AKT-1 gene and NF-κB activity were evaluated. The findings showed that nanoniosomes were highly efficient in delivering the PCL and Cur drugs to OVCAR-3 cell. A 3-fold and 3.6-fold reduction in Cur and PCL concentration were measured, respectively, when the Cur and PCL were administered in nanoniosomes compared to free Cur and free PCL solutions in OVCAR-3 cell. Moreover, curcumin could significantly increase cell growth inhibition of paclitaxel so that, in presence of NioCur, the IC50 of NioPCL was diminished to ∼2.4 –fold. AKT-1 gene expression studies showed that co-administration of curcumin/paclitaxel nanoniosome formulations caused 91.2% reduction in AKT-1 gene expression compared to control group. On the other hand, this co-administration caused 79.42% reduction in the amount of NF-κB activity and a 4-fold reduction in the activity of the MDR protein pumps in cancer cells compared to the control group. Our findings demonstrate that the combination therapy of PCL with Cur using the nanoniosomes delivery is a promising strategy for breast cancer more effective therapy

Methotrexate (MTX) is used as an effective chemotherapeutic agent against autoimmune diseases and tumors. Oxidative stress and inflammation are involved in the pathogenesis of MTX-induced damage. This study aimed at examining the ameliorating effects of apigenin (API) as a natural antioxidant on MTX-induced hepatotoxicity. The rats were classified into four groups: group I: normal saline-treated, group II: MTX-treated (20 mg/kg, ip, single dose at day 7), group III: MTX + API-treated (20 mg/kg, po), and group IV: API-treated. API was administrated for 9 days. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were used as biochemical factors of MTX-induced hepatic injury. In hepatic tissues, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), glutathione (GSH), and activities of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) as oxidative stress markers along with inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) were assessed. Our results showed that MTX administration significantly increased ALP, ASP, ALT, MDA, NO, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels and significantly decreased antioxidant factors such as GSH, CAT, GPx, and SOD. The API pretreatment group showed a significant rise in hepatic antioxidant markers, besides significant reductions in the serum levels of AST, ALT, and ALP and hepatic content of MDA, TNF-α, NO, and IL-1β. In addition, the hepatoprotective effect of API was confirmed by histological evaluation of the liver. API can prevent MTX-induced hepatotoxicity through mitigation of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Background The systemic administration of cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents for cancer treatment often has toxic side effects, limiting the usage dose. To increase chemotherapeutic efficacy while reducing toxic effects, a rational design for synergy-based drug regimens is essential. This study investigated the augmentation of therapeutic effectiveness with the co-administration of paclitaxel (PTX; an effective chemotherapeutic drug for breast cancer) and curcumin (CUR; a chemosensitizer) in an MCF-7 cell line. Results We optimized niosome formulations in terms of surfactant and cholesterol content. Afterward, the novel cationic PEGylated niosomal formulations containing Tween-60: cholesterol:DOTAP:DSPE-mPEG (at 59.5:25.5:10:5) were designed and developed to serve as a model for better transfection efficiency and improved stability. The optimum formulations represented potential advantages, including extremely high entrapment efficiency (~ 100% for both therapeutic drug), spherical shape, smooth-surface morphology, suitable positive charge (zeta potential ~ + 15 mV for both CUR and PTX), sustained release, small diameter (~ 90 nm for both agents), desired stability, and augmented cellular uptake. Furthermore, the CUR and PTX kinetic release could be adequately fitted to the Higuchi model. A threefold and 3.6-fold reduction in CUR and PTX concentration was measured, respectively, when the CUR and PTX was administered in nano-niosome compared to free CUR and free PTX solutions in MCF-7 cells. When administered in nano-niosome formulations, the combination treatment of CUR and PTX was particularly effective in enhancing the cytotoxicity activity against MCF-7 cells. Conclusions Most importantly, CUR and PTX, in both free form and niosomal forms, were determined to be less toxic on MCF-10A human normal cells in comparison to MCF-7 cells. The findings indicate that the combination therapy of PTX with CUR using the novel cationic PEGylated niosome delivery is a promising strategy for more effective breast cancer treatment.

High aerobic glycolysis, as one of the hallmarks of cancer cells, requires nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) as a vital co-factor, to guarantee the flow of glycolysis. Malate dehydrogenase (MDH), as an important enzyme in cancer metabolism, is a source of NAD+ additional to lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The current study aimed to elucidate the kinetic parameters of MDH in human breast cancer and evaluate its supportive role in the glycolysis pathway. The Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) and maximum velocity (Vmax) of MDH were determined in the crude extracts of human breast tumors and healthy tissue samples, which were obtained directly from the operating theatre. To assess the potential role of MDH in supporting glycolysis, the MDH activity was measured when the LDH activity was inhibited by different concentrations of oxamate, an inhibitor of LDH in breast cancer cell lines. The Km of cancerous MDH (C-MDH) was the same as the healthy MDH, although the Vmax of C-MDH was higher relative to the healthy MDH. Notably, the MDH activity was increased in the MDA-MB-231 cell line, which was treated with the LDH inhibitor (oxamate), but not in the MCF-7 cell line (P

Phthalates are synthetic chemicals, widely used as plasticizers due to their flexibility in plastics. Human populations may be exposed to phthalates through direct contact or environmental contamination. Most studies have focused on the effects of phthalates on the reproductive tract and have classified these compounds as endocrine disruptors. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possible oxidative damage induced by di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in the mouse testis and to evaluate the regulatory effects of alpha-lipoic acid (LA). For this purpose, forty male mice were divided into four experimental groups. Group I received normal saline (2 mL/kg; p.o.) and corn oil (5 mL/kg; p.o.) as the control group, group II received DEHP (2 g/kg; p.o.), group III received DEHP and LA (20 mg/kg; p.o.), and group IV was treated with LA alone; treatments continued for 2 weeks. The glutathione level (GSH), as well as glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities, was determined in mice. In addition, serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were measured. Nitric oxide (NO) level, malondialdehyde (MDA) level, sperm characteristics, and histological changes of the testes were also evaluated. The results showed that 2 g/kg of DEHP could significantly decrease the sperm motility. Based on our findings, DEHP significantly reduced the production and count of sperms; these toxic effects were associated with alterations in the serum hormone levels. In the DEHP group, a significant reduction was reported in the serum testosterone, FSH, and LH levels. LA improved DEHP-induced changes in hormonal levels and sperm index. According to our findings, treatment with DEHP triggered histopathological changes and oxidative stress, which were normalized by LA pretreatment. In conclusion, DEHP disrupts the testicular function in rats, at least partly through induction of oxidative stress. On the other hand, LA exhibits potential protective effects on testicular toxicity induced by DEHP.