Methods: This study investigated the cytotoxic effect of the venom from Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus, the mangrove pit viper (also known as shore pit viper) which is native in Malaysia, across a panel of human cancer cell lines from breast, lung, colon and prostate as well as the corresponding normal cell lines of each tissue.
Results: The venom exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxic activities on all cell lines tested, with median inhibition concentrations (IC50) ranging from 0.42 to 6.98 µg/mL. The venom has a high selectivity index (SI = 14.54) on breast cancer cell line (MCF7), indicating that it is significantly more cytotoxic toward the cancer than to normal cell lines. Furthermore, the venom was fractionated using C18 reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and the anticancer effect of each protein fraction was examined. Fraction 1 that contains a hydrophilic low molecular weight (approximately 7.5 kDa) protein was found to be the most cytotoxic and selective toward the breast cancer cell line (MCF7). The protein was identified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry as a venom disintegrin, termed purpureomaculin in this study.
Conclusion: Taken together, the findings revealed the potent and selective cytotoxicity of a disintegrin protein isolated from the Malaysian T. purpureomaculatus venom and suggested its anticancer potential in drug discovery.
Methods: Anti-cholinesterase, anti-oxidant, and total phenolic and flavonoid contents were established using standard procedures.
Results: The three polyherbal extracts exhibited significant concentration dependent acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity (P = 0.001). The highest AChE inhibition was observed with the Neocare Herbal Tea (NHT) with 99.7% (IC50 = 324 μg/mL); whereas the Herbalin Complex Tea (HCT) and Phytoblis Herbal Tea (PHT) exhibited 73.8% (IC50 = 0.2 μg/mL) and 60.6% (IC50 = 0.7 μg/mL) inhibition, respectively, relative to eserine at 100% inhibition (IC50 = 0.9 μg/mL) at 200 μg/mL. The order of percentage increase in inhibition of AChE was NHT > HCT > PHT; while the order of decrease in potency was HCT > PHT > NHT.Radical scavenging activities of HCT, NHT and PHT were 82.13% (IC50 = 0.08 μg/mL), 77.43% (IC50 = 0.01 μg/mL) and 76.28% (IC50 = 0.3 μg/mL), respectively, at 1 mg/mL concentrations. The reducing power revealed a dose-dependent effect, with NHT > PHT > HCT. The order of total phenolics content in the extracts were PHT > HCT > NHT, and for total flavonoids content: PHT > NHT > HCT.
Conclusion: The three polyherbal standardised products possess significant acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity and secondary metabolites that could collectively contribute to their memory-enhancing effects.
Methods: Proliferation and apoptosis studies of U-87 MG cells following stingless bee honey treatment were carried out using MTS assay and acridine orange/propidium iodide dual staining, respectively.
Results: Results demonstrated time and dose-dependent cytotoxicity using 0.625%, 1.25% and 10% stingless bee honey (P < 0.05). IC50 values were calculated using cells treated with 10% stingless bee honey. It was also observed that 10% stingless bee honey induced nuclear shrinkage, chromatin condensation and nucleus fragmentation, indicating that cellular changes were consistent with the apoptotic characteristics of the cells.
Conclusion: These data provide a good basis for further evaluation of the medicinal properties of stingless bee honey from Heterotrigona itama sp. This source of honey may serve as a potential therapy for malignant glioma.
Objective: This study aimed to determine the effects of selected phytoestrogens on annexin A1 (ANXA1) expression, mode of cell death and cell cycle arrest in different human leukemic cell lines.
Methods: Cells viability were examined by MTT assay and ANXA1 quantification via Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were examined by flow cytometer and phagocytosis effect was evaluated using haematoxylin-eosin staining.
Results: Coumestrol significantly (p