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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that still has no permanent cure. The drugs prescribed in the present days are only for symptomatic relief for the patients. Many studies correlating the reduction in the incidence of AD with the diet consumed have been published. These studies showed that a diet rich in polyphenols is associated with a decrease in the incidence of AD. The present review is focused on the ability of pomegranate and its bioactive components to ameliorate the progression of AD and their ability to exert a neuroprotective effect. Various studies showing the ability of pomegranate in inhibiting enzymes, reducing reactive oxygen species, inhibition of microglial activation, inhibition of tau protein hyperphosphorylation, maintenance of synaptic plasticity, anti-inflammatory activity and its ability to inhibit Beta secretase-1 (BACE-1) has been reviewed in this article. In spite of the lack of studies on humans, there are compelling evidence indicating that pomegranate can reduce various risk factors involved in the causation of AD and thus can be used as a persistent nutraceutical to slow ageing and for providing neuroprotection for the treatment of AD. Highlights An overview of traditional and pharmacological uses of pomegranate (POM). Potential of POM in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases especially in AD. Insight into the molecular mechanisms of neuroprotective effects of POM in AD. Clinical evaluation studies involving POM and its bioactive components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Olive oil isolated from the fruits of the Olea europaea L. is an important part of Mediterranean diet. It is known for its diverse biological actions. Furthermore, a little amount of fixed oil and other bioactive components can also be extracted from the olive seeds which are considered as byproduct of olive oil extraction. Therefore, this study was designed to analyze the fatty acid composition and to perform in vitro biological studies on fixed oil isolated from olive seeds. The fixed oil was isolated from the olive seeds of Syrian and Greek black olive fruits by using Soxhlet apparatus. The purity was checked by measuring its refractive index. Composition of two isolated oils and a commercially available virgin olive oil was determined by preparing their Methyl esters (FAME) followed by GC-MS analysis. Various in vitro assay methods were used to investigate activities such as antioxidant activity by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), cytotoxic activity by using Brine shrimps lethality bioassay and antimicrobial activity against two bacterial strains; Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by agar well diffusion method. GC-MS analysis revealed that the two isolated oils differ quantitatively in chemical composition with oleic acid identified as the major chemical constituent (62.6% and 73.56%). Both the fixed seed oils showed a concentration dependent DPPH radical scavenging activity ranging from 8 to 76% inhibition. The oils also exhibited excellent cytotoxic activity but no antimicrobial activity was observed. The chemical composition of the isolated fixed olive seed oil is found to be almost similar to the commercially available fruit olive oil. The fixed oil from the seeds of olive fruits possesses useful biological actions. Further studies are needed to isolate and quantify their bioactive constituents.

Thymoquinone (TQ) is the bioactive phytochemical constituent of the seeds oil of Nigella sativa. In vitro and in vivo research has thoroughly investigated the anticancer effects of TQ against several cancer cell lines and animal models. As a result, a considerable amount of information has been generated from research thus providing a better understanding of the anti-proliferating activity of this compound. Therefore, it is appropriate that TQ should move from testing on the bench to clinical experiments. The purpose of this review is to highlight the potential of TQ as an anticancer agent and the chances of this compound in the clinical treatment of cancer, with special attention on breast cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the major causes of clinical trial termination is the liver toxicity induced by chemotherapeutic agents. Treatment with anticancer drugs like CB 1954 (5-(Aziridin-1-yl)-2,4-dinitrobenzamide) is associated with significant hepatotoxicity. Thymoquinone (TQ), extracted from Nigella sativa, is reported to possess anticancer and hepatoprotective effects. The aims of the present study were to use TQ to reduce hepatotoxicity associated with CB 1954 and to augment its anticancer activity against the resistant mouse mammary gland cell line (66 cl-4-GFP). Method: Balb/C mice were transplanted with the 66cl-4-GFP cell line and in vivo antitumor activity was assessed for CB 1954 (141 mg/kg), TQ (10 mg/kg), and a combination of CB 1954 and TQ. Changes in tumor size and body weight were measured for each treatment. Histological examination of tumors and liver tissue samples was performed using the standard hematoxylin/eosin staining protocol, and serum levels of the liver enzymes AST and ALT were used as biomarkers of hepatotoxicity. Results: Severe liver damage and elevated plasma levels of AST and ALT were observed in the group treated with CB 1954. Treatment of tumor-bearing mice with a combination of CB 1954 and TQ caused a significant regression in tumor size and induced extensive necrosis in these tumors. The combination also protected the liver from drug-induced damage and reduced the plasma levels of AST and ALT to their normal ranges. Conclusion: These results suggest that the use of TQ with CB 1954 can reduce CB 1954-induced hepatotoxicity and enhance its anticancer activity, indicating the potential use of this combination in clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of thymoquinone (TQ) on the pregnant rat and embryo-fetal development was investigated. Pregnant female Wistar rats received 15, 35, and 50 mg/kg body weight of TQ i.p. on day 11 or 14 of gestation, and on day 18 of gestation they were sacrificed and laparotomized. Results showed that TQ induces maternal and embryonic toxicities in a dose- and time-dependent manner. With a dose of 50 mg/kg, treated rats experienced a significant decrease in maternal body weight and complete fetal resorption when the dose was given on day 11 of gestation. On the other hand, 46.2% of implants were resorbed and the viable fetuses showed no TQ-related malformations when the dose was given on day 14 of gestation. At a lower TQ dose of 35 mg/kg, maternal and embryonic toxicities were observed only when it was given on day 11 of gestation. The dose of 15 mg/kg was considered to be a dose with no observed adverse effect level for maternal and embryo-fetal toxicities when it was given day 11 or 14 of gestation. Based on the results of this study, TQ, at doses of 50 and 35 mg/kg, has a potentially disruptive effect on embryonic development during the second trimester of rat pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CB1954 is an anticancer prodrug that is currently in clinical trials coupled with the Escherichia coli flavoenzyme nitroreductase (NTR) for use in directed-enzyme prodrug therapy (DEPT). The NTR enzyme is responsible for the conversion of the prodrug into a cytotoxic agent. The bifunctional alkylating agent produced by this bioactivation process leads to DNA damage and death of cancer cells. Recently, a novel flavoenzyme from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, YwrO (Bam YwrO), was reported to be able to reduce CB1954 from its noncytotoxic form into its active form. The crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of two crystal forms of Bam YwrO are reported. The first crystal form is orthorhombic, with space group P22121, and diffracts X-rays to 2.18 Å resolution. The second crystal form is tetragonal, with space group P41, and diffracts X-rays to 3.4 Å. Determination of the Bam YwrO crystal structure will provide an understanding of the molecular recognition between this enzyme and the anticancer prodrug CB1954. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]