Purpose: In this study, we have investigated the cytotoxic effects of the B. javanica hexane, ethanolic extracts against colon cancer cells. HT29 colon cells were selected as an in vitro cancer model to evaluate the anticancer activity of B. javanica ethanolic extract (BJEE) and the possible mechanisms of action that induced apoptosis.
Methods: 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5,-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), lactate dehydrogenase, acridine orange/propidium iodide, and annexin-V-fluorescein isothiocyanate assays were performed to determine the antiproliferative and apoptosis validation of BJEE on cancer cells. Measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, caspase activities, nucleus factor-κB activity, and gene expression experiments was done to investigate the potential mechanisms of action in the apoptotic process.
Results: The results obtained from this study illustrated the significant antiproliferative effect of BJEE on colorectal cancer cells, with a concentration value that inhibits 50% of the cell growth of 25±3.1 µg/mL after 72 h of treatment. MTT assay demonstrated that the BJEE is selectively toxic to cancer cells, and BJEE induced cell apoptosis via activation of caspase-8 along with modulation of apoptosis-related proteins such as Fas, CD40, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligands, and tumor necrosis factor receptors, which confirmed the contribution of extrinsic pathway. Meanwhile, increased ROS production in treated cells subsequently activated caspase-9 production, which triggered the intrinsic pathways. In addition, overexpression of cytochrome-c, Bax, and Bad proteins along with suppression of Bcl-2 illustrated that mitochondrial-dependent pathway also contributed to BJEE-induced cell death. Consistent with the findings from this study, BJEE-induced cancer cell death proceeds via extrinsic and intrinsic mitochondrial-dependent and -independent events.
Conclusion: From the evidence obtained from this study, it is concluded that the BJEE is a promising natural extract to combat colorectal cancer cells (HT29 cells) via induction of apoptosis through activation of extrinsic and intrinsic pathways.
Materials and methods: In the present study, we evaluated the in vitro cytotoxicity of double and triple combinations consisting of 1'S-1'-acetoxychavicol acetate (ACA), Mycobacterium indicus pranii (MIP) and cisplatin (CDDP) against 14 various human cancer cell lines to address the need for more effective therapy. Our data show synergistic effects in MCF-7 cells treated with MIP:ACA, MIP:CDDP and MIP:ACA:CDDP combinations. The type of interaction between MIP, ACA and CDDP was evaluated based on combination index being <0.8 for synergistic effect. Identifying the mechanism of cell death based on previous studies involved intrinsic apoptosis and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and tested in Western blot analysis. Inactivation of NF-κB was confirmed by p65 and IκBα, while intrinsic apoptosis pathway activation was confirmed by caspase-9 and Apaf-1 expression.
Results: All combinations confirmed intrinsic apoptosis activation and NF-κB inactivation.
Conclusion: Double and triple combination regimens that target induction of the same death mechanism with reduced dosage of each drug could potentially be clinically beneficial in reducing dose-related toxicities.
OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed to synthesize and evaluate antimicrobial and anticancer activities of Schiff bases of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole.
METHODS: The Schiff bases of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole were synthesized from 4-(2-(1H-benzo[d]- imidazol-2-ylthio)acetamido)benzohydrazide. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for antimicrobial and anticancer activities by tube dilution method and Sulforhodamine-B (SRB) assay, respectively.
RESULTS: Compounds 8 (MICpa, an = 2.41, 1.20 µM/ml), 10 (MICse, sa = 2.50 µM/ml), 20 (MICec = 2.34 µM/ml) and 25 (MICca = 1.46 µM/ml) showed significant antimicrobial activity against tested bacterial and fungal strains and compounds 20 (IC50 = 8 µg/ml) and 23 (IC50 = 7 µg/ml) exhibited significant anticancer activity.
CONCLUSION: In general, the synthesized derivatives exhibited moderate antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Compounds 8 and 25 having high antifungal potential among the synthesized compounds may be taken as lead molecules for the development of novel antifungal agents.
OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the relationship between the chemical composition of C. nutans and its anti-inflammatory properties using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics approach.
METHODOLOGY: The anti-inflammatory effect of C. nutans air-dried leaves extracted using five different binary extraction solvent ratio and two extraction methods was determined based on their nitric oxide (NO) inhibition effect in lipopolysaccharide-interferon-gamma (LPS-IFN-γ) activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The relationship between extract bioactivity and metabolite profiles and quantifications were established using 1 H-NMR metabolomics and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The possible metabolite biosynthesis pathway was constructed to further strengthen the findings.
RESULTS: Water and sonication prepared air-dried leaves possessed the highest NO inhibition activity (IC50 = 190.43 ± 12.26 μg/mL, P