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Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a naturally derived compound from green tea with high antioxidant activity and various anti-cancer properties. EGCG has been widely investigated worldwide. However, effects of EGCG on cell cycle of K562 have not been clearly stated elsewhere. This study was conducted with the aim to investigate the antiproliferative effect of EGCG on K562 human leukemic cells and its underlying mechanism of action on the cells. MTT assay was conducted to determine cytotoxicity effect of EGCG on the K562 cells. Meanwhile, cell cycle analysis and DNA damage on the cells were determined by Flow cytometry and Comet assay respectively. K562 cells were treated with EGCG at concentrations ranging from 0 to 100μg/ml for 48 hours. The results showed that EGCG effectively decreased the percentage of cell viability in a dose dependent manner. The IC10, IC25 and IC50 of EGCG on K562 cell lines were 5 ± 2.44 μg/mL, 10 ± 5.93 μg/mL and 50 ± 1.93 μg/mL, respectively. In cell cycle assay, EGCG has shown no significant effect (p>0.05) on the cell cycle of K562 cell line as compared to negative control, whereas Imatinib mesylate as the positive control showed cell cycle arrest at S phase in this cell line. Hence, EGCG can be verified as a non-cell cycle specific compound. In addition, EGCG was found to cause a significant increase (p

Leukemia is a leukocyte cancer that is characterized by anarchic growth of immature immune cells in the bone marrow, blood and spleen. There are many forms of leukemia, and the best course of therapy and the chance of a patient’s survival depend on the type of leukemic disease. Different forms of drugs have been used to treat leukemia. Due to the adverse effects associated with such therapies and drug resistance, the search for safer and more effective drugs remains one of the most challenging areas of research. Thus, new therapeutic approaches are important to improving outcomes. Almost half of the drugs utilized nowadays in treating cancer are from natural products and their derivatives. Medicinal plants have proven to be an effective natural source of anti-leukemic drugs. The cytotoxicity and the mechanisms underlying the toxicity of these plants to leukemic cells and their isolated compounds were investigated. Effort has been made throughout this comprehensive review to highlight the recent developments and milestones achieved in leukemia therapies using plant-derived compounds and the crude extracts from various medicinal plants. Furthermore, the mechanisms of action of these plants are discussed.

Stres merupakan sebarang gangguan, cabaran atau ancaman kepada seseorang individu yang merangsang perubahan respon fizikal, mental dan emosi. Hormon stres dan katekolamin dirembeskan di dalam otak sebagai respon terhadap stres. Kajian ini mengenal pasti kesan tokotrienol tulen dan vitamin E sawit ke atas perubahan hormon stres dan katekolamin pada tikus yang diaruhkan stres imobilisasi rendaman air. Sebanyak 32 ekor tikus Wistar jantan telah dibahagikan secara rawak kepada empat kumpulan kajian. Dua kumpulan kawalan; kumpulan tanpa stres (NS) dan kumpulan tanpa stres (CS) serta dua kumpulan rawatan yang diberikan tokotrienol (TTS) atau vitamin E sawit (TFS) secara oral paksaan pada dos 60 mg/kg berat badan selama 28 hari. Setelah tamat tempoh rawatan, tikus daripada kumpulan CS, TTS dan TFS telah didedahkan kepada stres imobilisasi rendaman air selama tiga setengan jam. Kemudian, otak tikus diambil untuk pengukuran hormon pelepasan kotikotrofin (CRH), hormon adenokortikotropik (ACTH), norepinefrin, dopamin dan serotonin. Keputusan kajian mendapati peningkatan kandungan CRH, ACTH, norepinefrin dan dopamine di dalam otak tikus yang diaruh stres berbanding kumpulan kawalan tanpa stres. Kandungan serotonin pula menurun akibat stres. Walau bagaimanapun, tikus yang diberi suplementasi tokotrienol dan vitamin E sawit menunjukkan penurunan signifikan kandungan CRH, ACTH, norepinefrin dan dopamin serta peningkatan kandungan dan serotonin sehingga hampir ke aras normal. Tiada perbezaan antara pemberian tokotrienol dan vitamin E sawit. Sebagai kesimpulan, tokotrienol dan vitamin E sawit berkesan dalam mengawal perubahan hormon stres serta katekolamin pada otak tikus yang teraruh stres.

Nicotine is a major toxic and hazardous component of cigarette smoke, and it has been widely used in nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). This study was aimed to investigate the effects of chronic low-dose nicotine on sperm characteristics and reproductive organ integrity in adolescent male Sprague-Dawley rats.Twelve rats were equally divided into two groups. Group I received normal saline, and group II received 0.6 mg/kg body weight nicotine intraperitoneally for 28 consecutive days. At the end of the experimental period, sperm was collected for sperm characteristic evaluation, and the testes and prostate were isolated for biochemical and morphological analysis. The effects of nicotine on the body and reproductive organ weights of the animals were evaluated.Chronic nicotine treatment significantly (A low-dose nicotine exposure at 0.6 mg/kg caused detrimental effects on sperm characteristics and induced oxidative stress in the testes and prostate.

The preliminary study is aimed at evaluating the cytotoxic activity of crude extracts from the stem bark of Canarium odontophyllum against colorectal carcinoma cell HCT 116. Result of the extraction yield showed that distilled water produced the highest yield (10.58%) followed by methanol (6.55%) whereas acetone extracted the lowest yield (4.58%) from C. odontophyllum stem bark. Phytochemical screening test revealed the presence of terpenoid, flavonoid, tannin, saponin and phenolic compound in all the stem bark extracts of C. odontophyllum. Acetone extract of C. odontophyllum stem bark showed significantly higher (p < 0.05) cytotoxic effect with IC50 of 0.062 ± 1.04 mg/ml compared to methanol extract with IC50 0.122 ± 4.92 mg/ml. No cytotoxic effect was observed by the aqueous extract despite its high extraction yield. In conclusion, acetone and methanol extracts from C. odontophyllum stem bark exhibited promising cytotoxic activity against human colorectal cancer cell line HCT 116 and paves way for further investigation in view of its mode of cancer cell death.

Previous studies have shown that nicotine enhances oxidative DNA damage and leads to increased lipid peroxidation, which affects embryo development. The present study investigated the effect of daily supplementation of gamma-tocotrienol on oocytes of nicotine-treated mice.Immature female mice (18-25 g) were divided into three groups. For 30 days, group A (control group) received saline (0.2 ml/day s.c.), group B nicotine (5 mg/kg/day s.c. in saline), and group C nicotine with gamma-tocotrienol (60 mg/kg/day p.o.). The animals were superovulated following these schedules.Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the nicotine-treated oocytes appeared nonspherical with rough surface and the zona pellucida (zp) was torn and became irregular. Supplementation with gamma-tocotrienol in the nicotine-treated mice retained the spherical shape of the oocytes with intact zp; however, the surfaces of the oocytes remained irregular and rough. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) following chronic nicotine treatment showed loosening of the boundary and tearing of the zp. The perivitelline space was also widened. The cytoplasm of the oocytes retained abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) with numerous vesicles. Mitochondria were highly dense, with no cristae. The administration of gamma-tocotrienol partially reduced the detrimental effects of nicotine by retaining the smooth boundary of the zp with the tight perivitelline space. There was less rER with no visible vesicle and a lower amount of dense mitochondrial matrix.This study documented that chronic nicotine treatment adversely affects the ultrastructure of oocytes, while gamma-tocotrienol treatment at least minimizes the nicotine-induced damage to oocytes.