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The article describes synthesis, characterization (NMR, FT-IR, microanalysis, X-ray crystallography), in vitro anticancer, and antioxidant activity of para-xylyl linked bis-benzimidazolium salts and respective dinuclear Ag–NHC complexes. All the compounds were tested for their cytotoxicity against human colorectal cancer cells (HCT 116) and DPPH antioxidant evaluation. According to cell viability measurements using MTT assay, all the tested compounds showed dose-dependent cytotoxic activity against HCT 116 cells. The tested compounds demonstrated significant activity with IC50 values range 0.29–3.30 μM for HCT 116 and % age inhibition 6.37–21.00 for DPPH antioxidant study. 5-Fluorouracil was used as standard drug (IC50 19.2 μM for HCT 116) whereas for DPPH analysis, Gallic acid was used as positive control (% age inhibition 77.68). All the compounds showed potential anticancer activity against human colorectal cancer whereas antioxidant activity was not significant. We found that as the size of N-alkyl substitution on benzimidazolium salt increases its cytotoxicity against cancer decreases whereas a reverse occurs in case of respective complexes.

This paper describes synthesis, characterization (NMR, FT-IR, microanalysis, and X-ray crystallography),in vitroanticancer activity ofortho/para-xylyl linked bis-imidazolium salts (4-5) and respective dinuclear Ag(I)N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes (6-7). All the compounds were tested for their cytotoxicity against human colorectal cancer (HCT 116) and breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines. According to cell viability measurements using MTT assay, all the complexes (6-7) showed a dose-dependent cytotoxic activity against both the cell lines, whereas respective salts (4-5) proved to be inactive. The complexes (6-7) demonstrated significant activity with IC50values range 5.6–20.3 μM for HCT 116 and 1.12–6.38 μM for MCF-7. 5-Fluorouracil was used as standard drug (IC50= 5.9 μM) for HCT 116, whereas tamoxifen was used as standard drug for MCF-7 (IC50= 14 μM) cell line.

Non-symmetrically substituted benzimidazolium salts (1 and 2) having bromide counterion undergo metallation with Ag2O at stiochiometric ratio, giving mononuclear bis-carbene Ag(I) complexes (3 and 4), active as anticancer agents against Human Colorectal (HCT 116) cell lines. Both the complexes provide good activity (IC50 = 13.9 μM for 3 and 14.6 μM for 4) in the anticancer studies and so distinctly better than the ligand precursors (IC50 = 119.3 μM for 1, and 70.0 μM for 2). The molecular structure of Ag complexes 3 and 4 is elucidated by X-ray diffraction studies. The Pd(II)– and Au(I)–NHC complexes (5 and 6) were synthesized from 4 via the technique of transmetallation. However, attempts to produce transmetallated complexes using 3 were unsuccessful.

Background and Objective: Toxicity of the chemotherapeutic compounds is widely investigated. An organotin (IV) derivative was designed to modulate the toxicity and long-term anticancer efficacy of the single dose. Materials and Methods: The reaction of dimethyltin(IV) dichloride with N(4)-methylthiosemicarbazone derived by condensation of 4-methylthiosemicarbazone with 5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde was prepared in 1:1 M ratio in absolute methanol. The newly synthesized complex was characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, electronic, and 1H, 13C and 119Sn NMR spectroscopy. In vitro cytotoxicity (MTT, (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide)), anticancer (migration, clonogenic, 3D tumor aggregation, nucleus condensation and mitochondrial membrane potential) activity, and in silico QSAR and molecular docking studies were performed. Results: The title compound was observed to be potent and selective toxic against MCF-7, HCT-116, and A549 human cancer cell lines. Moreover, this derivative was found to be less-cytotoxic and higher cytostatic at the single dose than other organotin (IV) complexes due to modulation of chelation of ligand with Sn(IV) ion. The anticancer activities against A549 cancer cells, however, were only moderate. The reason for this could be due to inhibition of enzymatic reaction in the cells for glucose uptake, DNA and protein synthesis. Discussion and Conclusion: The resonance impact of aromatic rings, hydrogen bonding, and ROS reduction, NO generation, caspase induction showed potential impact to the cancer cell apoptosis, antimigration, and inhibition of tumor aggregation of this compound.

This study aims to evaluate the in vitro angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition activity of different extracts of Orthosiphon stamineus (OS) leaves and their main flavonoids, namely rosmarinic acid (RA), sinensetin (SIN), eupatorin (EUP) and 3′-hydroxy-5,6,7,4′-tetramethoxyflavone (TMF). Furthermore, to identify possible mechanisms of action based on structure–activity relationships and molecular docking. The in vitro ACE inhibition activity relied on determining hippuric acid (HA) formation from ACE-specific substrate (hippuryl-histidyl-leucine (HHL)) by the action of ACE enzyme. A High Performance Liquid Chromatography method combined with UV detection was developed and validated for measurement the concentration of produced HA. The chelation ability of OS extract and its reference compounds was evaluated by tetramethylmurexide reagent. Furthermore, molecular docking study was performed by LeadIT-FlexX: BioSolveIT’s LeadIT program. OS ethanolic extract (OS-E) exhibited highest inhibition and lowest IC50 value (45.77 ± 1.17 µg/mL) against ACE compared to the other extracts. Among the tested reference compounds, EUP with IC50 15.35 ± 4.49 µg/mL had highest inhibition against ACE and binding ability with Zn (II) (56.03% ± 1.26%) compared to RA, TMF and SIN. Molecular docking studies also confirmed that flavonoids inhibit ACE via interaction with the zinc ion and this interaction is stabilized by other interactions with amino acids in the active site. In this study, we have demonstrated that changes in flavonoids active core affect their capacity to inhibit ACE. Moreover, we showed that ACE inhibition activity of flavonoids compounds is directly related to their ability to bind with zinc ion in the active site of ACE enzyme. It was also revealed that OS extract contained high amount of flavonoids other than RA, TMF, SIN and EUP. As such, application of OS extract is useful as inhibitors of ACE.

Background Orthosiphon stamineus is used traditionally to treat gout, arthritis, and inflammatory related conditions. The in vitro anti-inflammatory effects of the plant have been scientifically investigated. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the potential of the 50% ethanol extract of O. stamineus (EOS) to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Methods Anti-arthritic activity was assessed using the in vitro heat denaturation test and the (FCA)-induced arthritis model. Efficacy was assessed by measurements of paw edema and granulation, X-ray radiography, fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT), and histological evaluation. Levels of (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and (COX-1 and COX-2) were analyzed in vitro in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human macrophage (U937). TNF-α and IL-1 levels in the serum samples of arthritic rats were also measured using an ELISA kit. Results Treatment with EOS resulted in dose-dependent inhibition of paw edema in acute and chronic models of inflammation. It also inhibited significantly the production of TNF-α, IL-1 COX-1, and COX-2 in the LPS-stimulated U937 macrophages. EOS significantly suppressed FCA-induced paw edema as well as the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1. X-rays of the synovial joint of the hind leg showed considerable improvement in joint integrity and recovery of tibia-talus bones from degeneration and osteoporotic lesions. Histology of proximal interphalangeal joints of EOS-treated animals showed obvious protection of cartilage and soft tissue. Finally, FMT analysis strongly supported the anti-arthritic effect of EOS. EOS had high phenolic and total flavonoid content as well as strong antioxidant activity. Conclusions Results illustrated that the anti-arthritic properties of O. stamineus could be beneficial for prevention and management of rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory disorders. Graphical abstract Illustration of the Anti- arthritis efficacy of Orthosiphon Stamineus standardized extract.

Background Aquilaria crassna has been used in traditional Asian medicine to treat vomiting, rheumatism, asthma, and cough. Furthermore, earlier studies from our laboratory have revealed that the essential oil extract from agarwood inhibited colorectal carcinoma cells. Despite of the wide range of ethno-pharmacological uses of agarwood, its toxicity has not been previously evaluated through systematic toxicological studies. Therefore, the potential safety of essential oil extract and its in vivo anti-tumor activity had been investigated. Methods In the acute toxicity study, Swiss female mice were given a single dose of the essential oil extract at 2000 mg/kg/day orally and screened for two weeks after administration. Meanwhile, in the sub-chronic study, two different doses of the extract were administered for 28 days. Mortality, clinical signs, body weight changes, hematological and biochemical parameters, gross findings, organ weights, and histological parameters were monitored during the study. Other than that, in vivo anti-tumor study was assessed by using subcutaneous tumors model established in nude mice. Results The acute toxicity study showed that the LD50 of the extract was greater than 2000 mg/kg. In the repeated dose for 28-day oral toxicity study, the administration of 100 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg of essential oil per body weight revealed insignificant difference in food and water intakes, bodyweight change, hematological and biochemical parameters, relative organ weights, gross findings or histopathology compared to the control group. Nevertheless, the essential oil extract, when supplemented to nude mice, caused significant growth inhibition of the subcutaneous tumor of HCT 116 colorectal carcinoma cells. Conclusion Collectively, the data obtained indicated that essential oil extract from agarwood might be a safe material, and this essential oil is suggested as a potential anti-colon cancer candidate.

Optic neuropathy is a neurodegenerative disease which involves optic nerve injury. It is caused by acute or intermittent insults leading to visual dysfunction. There are number of factors, responsible for optic neuropathy, and the optic nerve axon is affected in all type which causes the loss of retinal ganglion cells. In this review we will highlight various mechanisms involved in the cell loss cascades during axonal degeneration as well as ischemic optic neuropathy. These mechanisms include oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, angiogenesis, neuroinflammation and apoptosis following retinal ischemia. We will also discuss the effect of neuroprotective agents in attenuation of the negative effect of factors involve in the disease occurrence and progression.

We have recently reported that β-caryophyllene (BCP) can suppress metastasis of colon cancer, induce apoptosis, and inhibit a broad spectrum of microorganisms. Here, we report anti-inflammatory effect of BCP in the carrageenan-induced edema paw model, supported by molecular imaging using fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT). A significant (p

Glioblastoma multiforme is a highly malignant, heterogenic, and drug resistant tumor. The blood–brain barrier (BBB), systemic cytotoxicity, and limited specificity are the main obstacles in designing brain tumor drugs. In this study a computational approach was used to design brain tumor drugs that could downregulate VEGF and IL17A in glioblastoma multiforme type four. Computational screening tools were used to evaluate potential candidates for antiangiogenic activity, target binding, BBB permeability, and ADME physicochemical properties. Additionally, in vitro cytotoxicity, migration, invasion, tube formation, apoptosis, ROS and ELISA assays were conducted for molecule 6 that was deemed most likely to succeed. The efflux ratio of membrane permeability and calculated docking scores of permeability to glycoproteins (P-gps) were used to determine the BBB permeability of the molecules. The results showed BBB permeation for molecule 6, with the predicted efficiency of 0.55 kcal/mol and binding affinity of − 37 kj/mol corresponding to an experimental efflux ratio of 0.625 and predicted − 15 kj/mol of binding affinity for P-gps. Molecule 6 significantly affected the angiogenesis pathways by 2-fold downregulation of IL17A and VEGF through inactivation of active sites of HSP90 (predicted binding: − 37 kj/mol, predicted efficiency: 0.55 kcal/mol) and p23 (predicted binding: 12 kj/mol, predicted efficiency: 0.17 kcal/mol) chaperon proteins. Additionally, molecule 6 activated the 17.38% relative fold of ROS level at 18.3 μg/mL and upregulated the caspase which lead the potential synergistic apoptosis through the antiangiogenic activity of molecule 6 and thereby the highly efficacious anticancer upshot. The results indicate that the binding of the molecules to the therapeutic target is not essential to produce a lethal effect on cancer cells of the brain and that antiangiogenic efficiency is much more important.

Fermented Virgin Coconut Oil (FVCO) is widely used in the Southeast Asia as food and traditional medicine. The objective of the present study is the evaluation of chronic safety of the commercialized FVCO of Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries. A single dose of 5000 mg/kg of FVCO was administered orally in rats (each group, n = 5) for the acute toxicity study and 175, 550 and 2000 mg/kg for sub-chronic and chronic studies (each group, n = 10), respectively. The behavior, mortality, and body weight of the rats were assessed to determine the toxic effects of FVCO. The haematology, biochemistry and histopathology of the treated rats were evaluated. The treated rats were safe with the dose of 5000 mg/kg in acute, sub-chronic and chronic indication. Abnormal clinical signs and morphology (gross necroscopy), changes of organ weight, anomalous haematology and biochemistry indexes were not found in comparison with the control (p > 0.05). In general, food and water intake were higher in the treated rats related to control. It was concluded that the presence of the antioxidant active compounds of FVCO might be the reason of safety. The structure activity relationship (SAR) provides a comprehensive mechanism to determine the safety that is the presence of the electron donating phenolic groups, carbonyl groups, and carboxylic acid in the ortho and meta position of the aromatic rings. The SAR showed the antioxidant properties of myristic acid and lauric acid determined by GC-MS analysis. This result suggests the safety of FVCO for chronic use, nutritional activity that FVCO formulation complies the requirements of regulatory agencies.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Tephrosia apollinea (Delile) DC (Leguminosae) has been used in folk medicine in Arabian countries to treat inflammatory disorders. The plant has been described to treat swelling, bone fracture, bronchitis, cough, earache and wounds. Aim of the study the current study aims to evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of the major active phytoconstituent of T. apollinea and elucidate the mechanisms by which it inhibits inflammation in vitro and in vivo. Material and methods The compound, (-)-pseudosemiglabrin (SSG) was isolated as a major component from the aerial parts of T. apollinea using column chromatography techniques. Sub-chronic in vivo anti-inflammatory effect of SSG was assessed using cotton pellet granuloma assay in SD rats and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and nitric oxide (NO) were measured, whereas, tail flick assay was performed to assess the analgesic effect of SSG. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory effects of SSG were confirmed by measuring the levels of IL-1, TNF-α, and NO in vitro using human macrophage cell lines (U937). In addition COX inhibition assay was also conducted in cells-free system. In silico study was performed to dock SSG in cyclooxygenase enzymes and opioid receptor to predict its structure-activity and molecular mechanism. Results SSG displayed potential inhibition of granuloma tissue in rats and significantly (P in vivo as well as human macrophages. Further investigation revealed that, SSG selectively inhibited COX-2 by 60% with negligible effect on COX-1. The selectivity of SSG towards COX-2 was confirmed in silico wherein, SSG demonstrated significant binding affinity with binding energy (−9.42 kcal/mol). The binding found to be through covalent energy with Ser-530 amino acid residue of the active pocket of COX-2. SSG was found to prolong the flick tail time in mice by two folds. Further computational studies reveal that SSG binds to opioid receptor (µ-OR) through Ile-144 and Thr-218 with affinity two folds compared to the reference compounds, codeine and aspirin. Conclusion In the present study the major phytoconstituent (−)-pseudosemiglabrin (SSG) from the aerial parts of T. apollinea demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting of granuloma tissue in rats and prolonging the tail flick time in mice. Investigation of levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in SSG-treated rats and human macrophages demonstrated that SSG significantly inhibited TNF-α and IL-1. Also SSG showed selective inhibitory effect towards COX-2. In silico study exhibited pronounced binding affinity between SSG and µ-opioid receptor better than that of codeine and aspirin. The obtained results justify the use of aerial parts of T. apollinea to treat various inflammatory diseases and indicate that (−)-pseudosemiglabrin has a great potential to be further developed as a promising anti-inflammatory drug.

Background Balanite aegyptiaca (L.) Delile, is a plant with extensive medicinal properties. Its stem bark is traditionally known for its spasmolytic and antiepileptic properties and used to treat yellow fever, jaundice and syphilis. Angiogenesis (sprouting of new blood vessels) is crucial for tumor growth and metastasis. The goal of this study is investigate the antiangiogenic, cytotoxicity and antioxidant activity as well as antitumor in vivo properties of B. aegyptiaca stem bark extracts. Method The dried powder of stem bark was extracted sequentially with n-hexane, chloroform, methanol and water. Rat aorta ring assay (RARA) was used as a platform to screen for antiangiogenic affect. The most active extract was subjected to further confirmatory antiangiogenic tests i.e. cell migration, tube formation and VEGF inhibition and finally evaluated for its in vivo antitumor efficacy in nude mice. The cytotoxicity of extracts on four cancer cell lines (HCT-116, K562, U937 and MCF-7) and one normal cells line (HUVEC) was evaluated. To assess the antioxidant activity screening, four methods were used, (DPPH•) and ABTS radical scavenging activity, as well as total flavonoids and phenolic contents. Results Methanol extract of B. aegyptiaca stem bark (MBA) showed the highest antiangiogenic, antioxidant and anticancer properties. It was found selectively cytotoxic to leukemia cell lines as well as breast cancer cell line MCF-7. (MBA) thus exhibited antiangiogenic in ex-vivo rat aorta ring model; it was found to excel its antiangiogenic effect via inhibition of the key growth factor (VEGF) as well as to halt HUVEC cell migration and tube formation, furthermore animals bearing colon cancer treated with (MBA) showed significant reduction in tumor growth. Conclusion Different extracts of B. aegyptiaca stem bark showed various anticancer and antiangiogenic properties. MBA demonstrated potent antiangiogenic, antioxidant and antitumor in vivo. The outcome of this study suggests the potential of stem bark of the B. aegyptiaca for developing chemotherapeutic agent against solid tumor as well as leukemia.

Background: Cancer is characterized by uncontrolled cell division caused by dysregulation of cell proliferation. Therefore, agents that impair cancer cell proliferation could have potential therapeutic value. Higher plants are considered to be a good source of anticancer agents, and several clinically tested chemotherapeutic agents have been isolated from plants or derived from constituents of plant origin. Methods: In the present study, a prenylated flavone (isoglabratephrin) was isolated from aerial parts of Tephrosia apollinea using a bioassay-guided technique. Chemical structure of the isolated compound was elucidated using spectroscopic techniques (NMR, IR, and LC-MC), elemental analysis and confirmed by using single crystal X-ray analysis. The antiproliferative effect of isoglabratephrin was tested using three human cancer cell lines (prostate (PC3), pancreatic (PANC-1), and colon (HCT-116) and one normal cell line (human fibroblast). Results: Isoglabratephrin displayed selective inhibitory activity against proliferation of PC3 and PANC-1 cells with median inhibitory concentration values of 20.4 and 26.6 μg/ml, respectively. Isoglabratephrin demonstrated proapoptotic features, as it induced chromatin dissolution, nuclear condensation, and fragmentation. It also disrupted the mitochondrial membrane potential in the treated cancer cells. Conclusion: Isoglabratephrin could be a new lead to treat human prostate (PC3) and pancreatic (PANC-1) malignancies.

Background: Star fruit (Averrhoa carambola) is a well-known plant in Malaysia which bears a great significance in traditional medicine. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the antihyperlipidemic effect, antioxidant potential and cytotoxicity of aqueous and methanolic extracts of ripe and unripe fruits, leaves and stem of A. carambola. Methods: Antihyperlipidemic activity was assessed in poloxamer-407 (P-407) induced acute hyperlipidemic rat’s model. The antioxidant activity was assessed in vitro using 2, 2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging, 1-diphenyl-2-dipicrylhydrazyl radical scavenging (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. In addition, cytotoxicity of A. carambola extracts was assessed using MTS assay on four leukemic cell lines (human colon cancer, human promyeloid leukemia, erythroid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia) and one normal cell (human umbilical vein endothelial cells). Results: Methanolic extract of leaves had the most potent antihyperlipidemic activity in P-407 model, whereby it significantly reduced serum levels of total cholesterol (P

A series of Zn(II) ferrocenylthiosemicarbazones complexes derived from thiosemicarbazide and 4-methyl-, 4-ethyl-, and 4-phenyl-3-thiosemicarbazide were evaluated for their DNA binding propensity and chemical nuclease activity. The equilibrium binding constants, K b, of the complexes for binding with calf thymus DNA (CT DNA) were in the range of 0.68 × 103 to 2.8 × 104 M−1. The complexes do not intercalate into the nucleobases of CT DNA, as evident from viscosity measurements. They exhibit efficient nuclease activity in the absence of an activating agent and cleave supercoiled DNA into nicked and linear circular forms of DNA at very low concentrations.

The article describes synthesis, characterization (NMR, FT-IR, microanalysis, X-ray crystallography), and in vitro anticancer activity of para-xylyl linked bis-benzimidazolium salts and respective dinuclear Ag–NHC complexes. All the compounds were tested for their cytotoxicity against human colorectal cancer (HCT 116) and promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cell lines. According to cell viability measurements using MTT assay, all tested compounds showed dose-dependent cytotoxic activity against both cell lines. The tested compounds demonstrated significant activity with IC50 values range 0.01–18.7 μM for HCT 116 and 0.7–55.7 μM for HL-60 cells. 5-Fluorouracil was used as standard drug (IC50 19.2 μM for HCT 116 and 5.4 μM for HL-60). We found that as the size of N-alkyl substitution on benzimidazolium salt increases its cytotoxicity decreases whereas a reverse occurred in case of respective complexes.

The essential oil of Cymbopogan citratus (lemon grass) was isolated by steam distillation method and subjected to cytotoxicity activity using two different cell lines, human colon carcinoma (HCT-116), breast carcinoma cell lines (MCF-7) and anti-angiogenic activity. The cytotoxicity activity study was determined using the MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2,4-tetrazolium bromide] assay and anti-angiogenic activity using rat aortic ring model. The chemical composition of the essential oil was determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and GC–flame ionization detection (FID). Forty-one compounds, representing 88.5% of the lemon grass oil was identified and the main components were neral (29.8%) and geranial (44.6%). The free radical scavenging activity of the essential oil showed an IC50 value of 156.1 μg/mL. The results showed that essential oil of lemon grass possessed potential cytotoxic effect on HCT-116 and with the IC50 value of 27.41 ± 4.3 μg/mL comparing to MCF-7 with IC...

Morinda citrifolia L. has been used for the treatment of a wide variety of diseases, including cancer. This study was undertaken to evaluate the anti-angiogenic effect of M. citrifolia fruits and leaves. Anti-angiogenic activity was evaluated in vivo using the chick chorioallantoic membrane assay. Bioactivity-guided fractionation and isolation were performed to identify the active constituent, and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis was then used to quantify the amount of this active constituent in the active extracts and fraction. The methanol extracts of fruits and leaves of M. citrifolia and the subsequent chloroform fraction of the fruit methanolic extract were found to have potential anti-angiogenic activity and were more potent compared to suramin. Scopoletin was identified as one of the chemical constituents that may be partly responsible for the anti-angiogenic activity of M. citrifolia fruits. The present findings further support the use of M. citrifolia in cancer or other pathological conditions related to angiogenesis.

A series of N-allyl substituted xylyl-linked imidazolium salts (7–10) and their respective Ag(I)-N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes (11–14) have been synthesized and characterized by a number of spectral and analytical techniques. Molecular structure of complexes 13 and 14 were established by single‐crystal X-ray diffraction method. The in vitro anticancer activity of all imidazolium salts and their Ag(I)-carbene complexes were investigated using human colorectal (HCT 116) cancer cell lines. Imidazolium salts displayed no activity for HCT 116 cell lines, except for 9; yielding IC50 value of 15.9 μM. Ag(I)-carbene complexes 12–14 showed exceptionally good activity (0.9–1.3 μM) against tested cancer cell lines. Furthermore, complex 11 displayed relatively good anticancer activity with IC50 value of 5.2 μM, which is almost equal to standard used.

Molecules that target the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) minor groove are relatively sequence specific and they can be excellent carrier structures for cytotoxic chemotherapeutic compounds which can help to minimize side effects. Two novel isomeric derivatives of diaminobenzene Schiff base [ N,N '-bis (2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)-1,2-diaminobenzene (2MJ) and N,N '-bis(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)-1,3-diamino-benzene (2MH)] were analyzed for their DNA minor groove binding (MGB) ability using viscometry, UV and fluorescence spectroscopy, computational modeling and clonogenic assay. The result shows that 2MJ and 2MH are strong DNA MGBs with the latter being more potent. 2MH can form interstrand hydrogen bond linkages at its oxygens with N3 of adenines. Changing the 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene binding position to the 1,3 location on the diaminobenzene structure (2MJ) completely removed any viable hydrogen bond formation with the DNA and caused significant decrease in binding strength and minor groove binding potency. Neither compound showed any significant cytotoxicity towards human breast, colon or liver cancer cell lines.

α-Mangostin is an oxygenated heterocyclic xanthone with remarkable pharmacological properties, but poor aqueous solubility and low oral bioavailability hinder its therapeutic application. This study sought to improve the compound's solubility and study the mechanism underlying solubility enhancement. Solid dispersions of α-mangostin were prepared in polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) by solvent evaporation method and showed substantial enhancement of α-mangostin's solubility from 0.2 ± 0.2 μg/mL to 2743 ± 11 μg/mL. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry indicated interaction between α-mangostin and PVP. Transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering showed self-assembly of round anionic nanomicelles with particle size in the range 99-127 nm. Powder X-ray diffraction indicated conversion of α-mangostin from crystalline into amorphous state, and scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of highly porous powder. Studies using the fluorescent probe pyrene showed that the critical micellar concentration is about 77.4 ± 4 μg/mL. Cellular uptake of nanomicelles was found to be mediated via endocytosis and indicated intracellular delivery of α-mangostin associated with potent cytotoxicity (median inhibitory concentration of 8.9 ± 0.2 μg/mL). Improved solubility, self-assembly of nanomicelles, and intracellular delivery through endocytosis may enhance the pharmacological properties of α-mangostin, particularly antitumor efficacy.

In this study the novel caryophyllene type sesquiterpene lactone (aspfalcolide) has been isolated from the leaves of Asparagus falcatus (Linn.) and characterized by IR, 1D NMR, 2D NMR, EI–MS, HR–ESI–MS and X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis. The aspfalcolide crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P212121 with a = 6.37360(10), b = 7.6890(2), c = 27.3281(6) A, α = β = γ = 90° and Z = 4. One intermolecular O–H⋯O hydrogen bond enforces these natural molecules to form infinite chains through the crystal. Aspfalcolide was screened for its anti-angiogenic activity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the result showed the remarkable inhibitory effect of aspfalcolide on the proliferation (IC50 1.82 μM), migration and tube formation of HUVECs.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and it can metastasize very rapidly. Tumor metastasis is the primary cause of cancer deaths. In the present study, we investigated the capability of koetjapic acid, a natural triterpene, in the induction of apoptosis and the inhibition of metastasis in the breast cancer cell line (MCF 7). The effects of koetjapic acid against 4 steps of metastasis have been assessed, including cell survival, clonogenicity, migration and invasion. Koetjapic acid exhibited cytotoxic activity against MCF 7 cells with an IC(50) of 68.88±6.075 μg/mL. The mechanism of cell death was confirmed due to the induction of apoptosis machineries; early and late apoptosis-related changes were detected, including the stimulation of caspase 3/7 activities, apoptosis-related morphological changes such as membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation. A mitochondrial apoptosis pathway was found to be involved in koetjapic acid-induced cell death induction. Moreover, at a sub-toxic dose (15 μg/mL), Koetjapic acid inhibited cell migration and invasion significantly. Finally, koetjapic acid inhibited the colony formation properties of MCF 7 significantly. These results indicate that koetjapic acid possesses significant antitumor and antimetastatic effects, and warrants further investigation.

The leaves of Cinnamomum iners (Reinw. ex Blume-Lauraceae) have been refluxed successively with chloroform and alcohol to get chloroform extract and alcoholic extract. Both the extracts have been assayed for cytotoxicity against human colorectal tumour cells. The chloroform extract exhibited significant cytotoxicity with IC(50) 31 µg mL(-1) (p 0.01). However, ethanol extract was found to be much less cytotoxic with IC(50) 200 µg mL(-1). The chloroform extract has been further proceeded for chemical analysis by GC-TOFMS and 178 components were identified including acids, amines, amides, aldehydes, alcohols, esters, benzene derivatives, bicyclic compounds, terpenes, hydrocarbons, naphthalene derivatives, furan derivatives, azulenes, etc. Nine components representing 51.73% of the total chloroform extract were detected as major components. Caryophyllene (14.41%) and Eicosanoic acid ethyl ester (12.17%) are the most prominent components of the chloroform extract. β-Caryophyllene (14.41%) as most abundant compound supports potent cytotoxicity as shown by chloroform extract.

This study aimed to investigate the antitumorigenicity of xanthones-rich extract from Garcinia mangostana L., Clusiaceae, fruit rinds which was obtained by a simple recrystallization of 75% ethanolic extract. α-Mangostin content of the extract was determined qualitatively by TLC and quantitatively by HPLC, and total xanthones content was quantified by UV spectrophotometry. The extract was evaluated for cytotoxicity, apoptosis and antitumorigenicity on HCT 116 human colorectal carcinoma cells. α-Mangostin was found to be the main constituent of the extract which was 71.2±0.1%, and the total xanthones content was 95±4.8% (wt/wt). The extract showed potent dose dependent cytotoxicity with IC50 value 9.2 μg/mL. Apoptosis studies revealed activation of caspases 3 and 7, DNA fragmentation, chromatin condensation and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Studies on cell migration and colony formation indicate reduced cell migration ability and clonogenicity of treated HCT 116 cells at sub-inhibitory concentrations. Taken together, the cytotoxic effect of the xanthones extract is mediated through the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. The reduced cell migration and clonogenicity of HCT 116 cells might prevent both primary and metastatic tumor growth in vivo which will be the topic of our future work using the metastatic orthotopic colon cancer model.

BACKGROUND:Inthisstudythechemicalcomposition,antioxidantactivitiesandcytotoxiceffectoftheessentialoilsofMyristica fragrans (nutmeg) and Morindacitrifolia (mengkudu) were determined. RESULTS: Thirty-eight compounds in nutmeg oil and six compounds in mengkudu oil were identified by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. The free radical scavenging activity of nutmeg oil was superior of that mengkudu oil. The MTT assay of nutmeg oil on human colorectal carcinoma (HCT-116) and human breast carcinoma (MCF-7) cell lines showed IC50 values of 78.61 and 66.45 µ gm L −1 , respectively. The mengkudu oil exhibited IC50 values of 91.46 and 78.15 µ gm L −1 for HCT-116 and MCF-7, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results showed that nutmeg oil can be developed as potent anti-cancer and antioxidant drugs. c � 2011 Society of Chemical Industry

Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry, Myrtaceae, is an evergreen tree with anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic, aphrodisiac, antimicrobial, antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. This study aims to investigate the anti-breast cancer effect of extracts from leaves, stem and bark of S. aromaticum and to develop a method for preparation of betulinic acid fraction from the leaves. Betulinic acid, ursolic acid and oleanolic acid contents of the extracts were determined by HPLC. A betulinic acid fraction was prepared by simple crystallization of leaves extract and was characterized by HPLC and mass analysis. Anti-breast cancer effects were studied on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. The extracts were found to contain high levels of betulinic acid particularly the leaves extract which contained 17% wt/wt. The betulinic acid fraction contains 75% betulinic acid. Cytotoxicity testing reveals high and selective cytotoxic effect of the stem extract on MCF-7 cells with IC50 33±1.6 µg/mL. Cytotoxic effect of the stem extract was due to activation of apoptotic machinery of cell death. Combination studies of stem extract with tamoxifen reveals antagonistic effect at high concentration of tamoxifen and enhancement effect at low concentration. The selective cytotoxicity of the stem extract of S. aromaticum on MCF-7 is not due to betulinic acid but due to other constituents yet to be discovered.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Gynura segetum is a popular medicinal plant in Indonesia and Malaysia, known to possess various medicinal properties especially for treatment of cancer, diabetes and hypertension. Aim of the study This study was carried out to evaluate the anti-angiogenic effect of Gynura segetum leaves extracts and its fractions. The chemical compositions of the active extracts were also determined. Materials and methods The anti-angiogenic activity of Gynura segetum leaves extracts and its fractions was evaluated in vivo using the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis was carried out to identify the chemical compositions of the active extracts. Results The CAM treated with Gynura segetum leaves extracts and its fractions (100 μg/disc) showed a significantly greater anti-angiogenic effect compared to the positive control suramin (50 μg/disc). Chemical analysis of the active extracts from the leaves of Gynura segetum yielded nine known compounds: undecane (1), neophytadine (2), hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (3), 9,12-octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester (4), 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, methyl ester (5), phytol (6), tetradecanal (7), octadecanoic acid, methyl ester (8) and γ-sitosterol (9). Conclusions These results suggested that Gynura segetum has anti-angiogenic activity. The plant may be used as a potential source for protection against cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Sophorolipids (SLs) are a group of surface-active glycolipids produced by a type of nonpathogenic yeast Candida bombicola in the presence of vegetable oil through fermentation technology. SLs have shown antitumor activity; however, the mechanism of action underlying the anticancer activity of SLs is poorly understood. This work evaluated the anticancer activity of SLs fermented from palm oil by exploring its antiangiogenic activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The SLs that were fermented and further characterized for their biochemical activities. Cytotoxicity study was performed to assess cytostatic properties. A series of in vitro and ex vivo angiogenesis assay was also carried out. The relative fold change in the expression of p53 mRNA by SLs was also studied. RESULTS: Altogether, the data show that SLs derived from palm oil fermentation process inhibited neovascularization in the ex vivo tissue segments and also the endothelial cell proliferation between 50% and 65% inhibition as a whole. The palm oil derived SLs also caused downregulation of the suppression level of vascular endothelial growth factor and also upregulate the p53 mRNA level. The analytical studies revealed the presence of high amount of phenolic compounds but with relatively weak antioxidant activity. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry studies revealed abundant amount of palmitic and oleic acid, the latter an established antiangiogenic agent, and the former being proangiogenic. CONCLUSION: Therefore, it can be concluded from this study that SLs derived from fermented palm oil have potent antiangiogenic activity which may be attributed by its oleic acid component.

Most cancer chemotherapy procedure employs cytotoxic drugs that target tumor cell. Some natural product contains cytotoxic compound but in low concentration. However, fractionation method can significantly increase the concentration of the cytotoxic compound present, resulting in more effectiveness, which can easily achieve using Supercritical extraction. Therefore, this study aims to extract and fraction Aquilaria Malaccensis oil using supercritical fluid extraction, and investigate the cytotoxic properties of the extracted and fractioned oil. Aquilaria Malaccensis oil was extracted using supercritical extractor at temperature of 40-50 °C, pressure of 20.7, 27.6 and 34.5 MPa and extraction dynamic time 30 min. The extract with the highest extraction yield was then fractionated using the best obtained operating condition to extract the most active fraction. Both samples and fractions were tested for anticancer activity by employing MTT assay on human colon (HCT116) cancer cell line. The result of this study shows that the highest amount of extracted oil was obtained at 50 °C, applied pressure of 34.5 MPa within 30 min extraction time, using CO2 flow rate of 1 ml/min. The most cytotoxic fraction was obtained at the first ten minutes at operating temperature of 50 °C, pressure 34.5 MPa. The cytotoxicity result of the tested cell showed a significant cell growth inhibition of 99% for using the whole sample and 94% for using the fraction and IC50 values against the tested cell was 4 μg/ml. These finding reveals that the supercritical extraction oil of Aquilaria Malaccensis has strong anticancer activity towards human colon cancer cells and hence can be a good candidate for treating cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the anti-angiogenic activity of a methanol leaf extract of Labisia pumila (ME), and its bioactive water fraction (WF), using in vitro models.Methods: The antioxidant activity and total phenolic contents of ME and WF were assessed using DPPH and Folin–Ciocalteu reagents. Antiproliferative effects of extracts towards human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were evaluated using MTT assay. Isolated rat aortic ring and matrigel tube formation assays were performed to assess the antiangiogenic potential of Me and its WF. Levels of VEGF protein in the cell lysates were measured using ELISA kit.Results: Among all the extracts prepared, ME and its WF showed higher total phenolic contents and exhibited moderate antioxidant effects. Significant (p < 0.001) suppression of microvessels outgrowth with half-maximal concentration (IC50) values of 20 and 26 μg/mL for ME and WF, was observed in rat aortic ring assay. ME and its WF halted proliferation and tube formation capacity of HUVECs in in vitro assays. Marked reduction in VEGF levels was observed in lysates of HUVECs treated with ME and its WF.Conclusion: Labisia pumila leaf extract and its water fraction halted angiogenesis by blocking VEGF secretion leading to inhibition of endothelial cells proliferation and differentiation which is suggested to be due to its phenolic antioxidant contents.Keywords: Labisia pumila, Anti-angiogenesis, Antioxidant, Tube formation, Rat aorta

Angiogenesis plays an important role in tumor formation and proliferation. The development of anti-angiogenic agents to block new blood vessel growth will inhibit metastasis and induce apoptosis of the cancer cells. Nine medicinal plants, Strobilanthes crispus, Phyllanthus niruri, Phyllanthus pulcher, Phyllanthus urinaria, Ailanthus malabarica, Irvingia malayana, Smilax myosotiflora, Tinospora crispa and blumea balsamifera were screened for anti-angiogenic properties using the rat aortic ring assay. Of these, the methanol extracts of Phyllanthus species and Irvingia malayana exhibited the highest activity. At 100 microg/mL, P. pulcher, P. niruri, P. urinaria and I. malayana recorded an inhibition of 78.8 %, 59.5 %, 56.7 % and 46.4 %, respectively, against rat aortic vascular growth. Their activities were further investigated by the tube formation assay involving human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) on Matrigel. I. malayana, P. niruri and P. urinaria showed a significant decrease of 45.5, 37.9 and 35.6 %, respectively, whilst P. pulcher showed a much lower decrease of 15.5 % when compared with that of the rat aortic ring assay. All the plant extracts were evaluated for cytotoxicity on a panel of human cancer cell lines using the MTT assay. None of them displayed acute cytotoxicity. The HPLC of P. niruri, P. urinaria and P. pulcher indicated the extracts contained some identical chromatographic peaks of lignans. Further fractionation of I. malayana yielded betulinic acid reported in this plant for the first time and at 100 microg/mL it exhibited a 67.3 % inhibition of vessel outgrowth and 46.5 % inhibition of tube formation.

Aquilaria crassna (agarwood) has been used in traditional Asian medicine to treat vomiting, rheumatism, asthma, cough and inflammation. Despite the wide range of ethno-pharmacological use of agarwood, its anti-angiogenic effect has not previously been evaluated through systematic studies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to prepare essential oils extracts from the stem bark of A. crassna native to Malaysia, and determine their anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic activities. Stem bark samples were extracted with 80% ethanol and hydrodistillation methods. The resulting essential oils from both extraction approaches were subjected for cytotoxic activity using four cancer cell lines and one normal cell line. Hydrodistilled essential oils displayed significant cytotoxic effect against HCT 116 cells with the lowest IC50 value calculated (28.0 ± 1.5 μg/mL). Furthermore, we have investigated the effect of hydrodistilled essential oils (active extract) on angiogenesis in vitro and ex vivo, and found that essential oils directly inhibited tube formation after plating endothelial cells on matrigel. In addition, essential oils caused significant inhibition of microvessels outgrowth of rat aortic ring assay in a dose-dependent manner (P

Nitrogen mustard alkylating agents are important cancer drugs. Much interest has been focused on redirecting their covalent adducts from the N7 atoms of guanine in the major groove of DNA to the N3 atoms of adenine in the minor groove by attaching mustard groups to AT-selective minor groove binding ligands. Here we describe the use of electrospray ionization and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight mass spectrometry to study the structure of the DNA complexes of two minor groove binding polybenzamide mustards, alkamin and alkamini; the former is a bis-half-mustard in which reactive groups are disposed at each end of the ligand, and the latter is its monofunctional analog. Alkamin is potently cytotoxic and active in experimental mouse tumor models, whereas alkamini is not. We have studied their interaction with the DNA dodecamer d(CGCGAATTCGCG)(2), designated A2T2, and we provide a detailed analysis of the observed DNA-ligand adduct ions and their fragmentation products. We find that alkamini alkylates A2T2 at guanine G4 and adenines A5 and A6 in a manner consistent with covalent attack on purine N3 atoms from the minor groove of the AT tract. Alkamin also forms monofunctional adducts at G4 and both adenines in which the second mustard arm is hydrolyzed but, in addition, forms a variety of interstrand cross-links between adenines A5/A6 and A5'/A6', an interstrand cross-link between G4 and A6', and an intrastrand cross-link between G4 and A6. We conclude that the marked cytotoxicity of alkamin and its experimental antitumor activity could be the consequence of its ability to cross-link cellular DNA at AT tract sequences.

The current mechanistic study was conducted to explore the effects of increased lipophilicity of binuclear silver(I)-NHC complexes on cytotoxicity. Two new silver(I)-N-Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) complexes (3 and 4), having lypophilic terminal alkyl chains (Octyl and Decyl), were derived from meta-xylyl linked bis-benzimidazolium salts (1 and 2). Each of the synthesized compounds was characterized by microanalysis and spectroscopic techniques. The complexes were tested for their cytotoxicity against a panel of human cancer c as well normal cell lines using MTT assay. Based on MTT assay results, complex 4 was found to be selectively toxic towards human colorectal carcinoma cell line (HCT 116). Complex 4 was further studied in detail to explore the mechanism of cell death and findings of the study revealed that complex 4 has promising pro-apoptotic and anti-metastatic activities against HCT 116 cells. Furthermore, it showed pronounced cytostatic effects in HCT 116 multicellular spheroid model. Hence, binuclear silver(I)-NHC complexes with longer terminal aliphatic chains have worth to be further studied against human colon cancer for the purpose of drug development.

Desert truffles are seasonal and important edible fungi that grow wild in many countries around the world. Truffles are natural food sources that have significant compositions. In this work, the antioxidant, chemical composition, anticancer, and antiangiogenesis properties of the Terfezia claveryi truffle were investigated. Solvent extractions of the T. claveryi were evaluated for antioxidant activities using (DPPH, FRAP and ABTS methods). The extracts cytotoxicity on the cancer cell lines (HT29, MCF-7, PC3 and U-87 MG) was determined by MTT assay, while the anti-angiogenic efficacy was tested using ex-vivo assay. All extracts showed moderate anticancer activities against all cancer cells (p

Two flavanones named (2S)-7-Hydroxy-5-methoxy-6,8-dimethyl flavanone (1), (S)-5,7-dihydroxy-6,8-dimethyl-flavanone (2), along with known chalcone, namely, (E)-2ʹ,4ʹ- dihydroxy-6ʹ-methoxy-3ʹ,5ʹ-dimethylchalcone (3) and two triterpenoids, namely, betulinic and ursolic acids (4 and 5), were isolated from the leaves of Syzygium campanulatum Korth (Myrtaceae). The structures of compounds (1 and 2) were determined on the basis of UV-visible, FTIR, NMR spectroscopies and LC-EIMS analytical techniques. Furthermore, new, simple, precise, selective, accurate, highly sensitive, efficient and reproducible RP-HPLC method was developed and validated for the quantitative analysis of the compounds (1–5) from S. campanulatum plants of five different age. RP-HPLC method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity (r2 ≤ 0.999), precision (2.0% RSD), and recoveries (94.4%–105%). The LOD and LOQ of these compounds ranged from 0.13–0.38 and 0.10–2.23 μg·mL−1, OPEN ACCESS respectively. Anti-proliferative activity of isolated flavanones (1 and 2) and standardized extract of S. campanulatum was evaluated on human colon cancer (HCT 116) cell line. Compounds (1 and 2) and extract revealed potent and dose-dependent activity with IC50 67.6, 132.9 and 93.4 μg·mL−1, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on isolation, characterization, X-ray crystallographic analysis of compounds (1 and 2) and simultaneous RP-HPLC determination of five major compounds (1–5) from different age of S. campanulatum plants.

Background Studies on selected metabolites profiling of Orthosiphon stamineus extracts using chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques combined with chemometric tools have not been fully elucidated. Thus present study was performed to profile selected metabolites in O. stamineus leaves extracts using HPLC and FTIR combined with chemometric tools and correlated with biological activities. Methods Five different extracts were prepared using three methods; maceration, soxhlet and reflux. The extracts were analyzed using UV-Vis, HPLC and FTIR techniques. Analysis of selected primary and secondary metabolites was also evaluated. The antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the extracts were evaluated. Chemometric tools were employed to classify the extracts based on HPLC analysis and FTIR fingerprints. Results The ethanolic extract using maceration characterized high content of phenolics and flavonoids, (rosmarinic acid and eupatorin) with high antioxidant activity. Ethanolic (50 %) and methanolic extracts using soxhlet showed high proteins and glycosaponins. Water extracts using reflux and maceration showed high polysaccharides. Methanolic extract (50 %) using soxhlet and methanolic extract using maceration showed strong cytotoxic effect against MCF7 and HCT116 cell lines, respectively. Antioxidant and cytotoxic activities showed significant correlation with selected primary and secondary metabolites. HPLC fingerprints combined with chemometrics showed the extracts have been clustered based on selected major peaks profile. FTIR fingerprints combined with chemometrics showed that the extracts have been clustered based on protein and polysaccharide contents. Conclusion Ten different extracts of O. stamineus have showed significant differences in the content of selected primary and secondary metabolites as well as the biological activities. Chemometric tools were able to classify and discriminate the distinctive features of extracts thus can be correlated with the biological activities.

The study aims to evaluate the diuretic effect and acute toxicity of a crude aqueous extract of Nigella sativa using animal models. To evaluate the diuretic activity of the plant, Albino rats were divided into five groups. The control group received normal saline (10 mL/kg), the reference group received furosemide (10 mg/kg) and the test groups were administered different doses (i.e., 10, 30 and 50 mg/kg) of the crude extract by intra-peritoneal route, respectively. Graph Pad Prism was used for the statistical analysis and p-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. We observed significant diuretic, kaliuretic and natriuretic effects in the treated groups in a dose dependent manner. However, urinary pH remained unchanged during the course of the study. The diuretic index values showed good diuretic activity of the crude extract. The Lipschitz values demonstrated that the crude extract, at the dose of 50 mg/kg, showed 46% diuretic activity compared with furosemide. With regard to the acute toxicity study, no lethal effects were observed among Albino mice even at the higher dose of 5000 mg/kg. The extract of Nigella sativa, at the dose of 50 mg/kg, significantly increased the urinary volume and modified the concentration of urinary electrolytes, and there was observed no signs of acute toxicity associated with the crude extract. Further studies are encouraged to isolate the pure phytochemical responsible for diuresis.

Effective and specific diagnostic imaging techniques are important in early-stage breast cancer treatment. The objective of this study was to develop a specific breast cancer contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In so doing, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) were conjugated to C595 monoclonal antibody using EDC chemistry to produce nanoprobe with high relaxivity and narrow size (87.4±0.7 nm). To test the developed nanoprobe in vitro, assessments including Cell toxicity, targeting efficacy, cellular binding, and MR imaging were carried out. The results indicated that after 6 hrs incubation with MCF-7 cells at 200 to 25 µg Fe/ml doses, 76% to 16% T2 reduction was obtained. The presence of iron localised in MCF-7 cells measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was about 9.95±0.09 ppm iron/cell at higher doses of nanoprobe. Moreover, a linear relationship between iron concentration of nontoxic SPION-C595 and T2 relaxation times was observed. This study also revealed that developed nanoprobe might be used as a specific negative contrast agent for detecting breast cancer.

Six novel palladium(II) complexes of a thiosemicarbazone Schiff base with isatin moiety (PdL1 to PdL6) were synthesized by the reaction of palladium(II) with the following: (Z)-2-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)-N-phenylhydrazinecarbothioamide (L1H), (Z)-2-(5-methyl-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)-N-phenylhydrazinecarbothioamide (L2H), (Z)-2-(5-fluoro-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)-N-phenylhydrazinecarbothioamide (L3H), (Z)-N-methyl-2-(5-nitro-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazinecarbothioamide (L4H), (Z)-N-methyl-2-(5-methyl-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazinecarbothioamide (L5H) and (Z)-N-ethyl-2-(5-methyl-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazinecarbothioamide (L6H). The structures of these complexes were characterized using elemental analysis and infrared, UV–visible, 1H NMR and mass spectroscopies. The structure of PdL5 was further characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The interaction of these complexes with calf thymus DNA was characterized with a high intrinsic binding constant (Kb = 5.78 × 104 to 1.79 × 106 M−1), which reflected the intercalative activity of these complexes towards calf thymus DNA. This result was also confirmed from viscosity data. Electrophoresis studies revealed that complexes PdL1 to PdL6 could cleave DNA via an oxidative pathway in the presence of an external agent. Data obtained from an in vitro anti-proliferative study clearly established the anticancer potency of these compounds against the human colorectal carcinoma cell line HCT 116.

Syzygium campanulatum (Myrtaceae) is a species indigenous to Southeast Asia, a widely consumed medicinal herb and rich in phytochemical content and notable antiangiogenic and anti-colon cancer. Safety reports of administration of S. campanulatum are however lacking.In this study, we investigated the quality of dried leaves, chemical composition analyzed by FTIR and HPLC, phytochemicals content and repeated doses toxicity and mutagenicity effect of the hydroethanolic extract of S.campanulatum leaves (HESCL). The rats were divided into experimental and control groups and fed with 500, 1000, 2000 mg/kg/day of the hydroethanolic extract of S. campanulatum leaves for 28 and 90 days and with a single dose of 5000 mg/kg in acute study.The obtained results showed the dry leaves of S. campanulatum were devoid of any heavy metal and microbial contamination. The major components of HESCL were, respectively betulinic acid (60.43 mg/g.), total glycol saponins, total phenolics, total proteins, total tannins, and total flavonoids. No mutagenicity was detected in S. typhimurium auxotroph and no signs of clinical toxicity and mortality were observed in the experimental groups after 28 and 90-day experiment. However, significant (p < 0.05) statistical deviations were observed in hematological, and biochemical parameters but they were within the normal clinical range for rat, therefore not considered treatment-related.Based on these findings the fifty percent lethal dose was > 5000 mg/kg and the NOAEL was up to 2000 mg/kg for 90 days, as such HESCL is a relatively safe herb.