The investigation of bioactive secondary metabolites of the methanol extract of eryngium amethystinum

Eryngium amethystinum L. belonging to the Apiaceae family, is a perennial plant distributed in Southeast Europe. Even though this plant is used in traditional medicine, its phytochemical characterization is still incomplete. In this study composition of bioactive constituents of the methanol extract are reported for the first time. By means of the UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MSn method, altogether sixty-three constituents were characterized: eight hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives (7-13, 32), fifteen cinnamic acid derivatives (14, 17-19, 21, 24-26, 28, 30, 39-42 and 44), four flavonoid aglycones (45, 51, 52, 54), twenty-four flavonoid derivatives (23, 27, 29, 31, 33-38, 43, 46-50, 53, 55-59, 61 and 62), three coumarin derivatives (15, 16 and 22) and nine other compounds (1-6, 20, 60 and 63)

Enhanced sister-chromatid exchange rate in human lymphocytes exposed to 17 beta estradiol in vitro

Background. Epidemiologic data and animal experiments strongly implicate that steroid hormones are involved in the process of malignant transformation due to their capability to stimulate mitotic division and/or elevate the level of Mutations in susceptible cells. Methods. The objectives of this investigation were to evaluate the effects of 17beta estradiol in sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) test on cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes. The lowest concentration of 17beta estradiol used in this experiment (10(-10) M) was calculated as comparable with the physiologic blood level of 17beta estradiol in women. Three experimental concentrations corresponded to minimal (7 X 10(-8) M), average (3.5 X 10(-6) M), and maximal (7 X 10(-6) M) therapeutic doses in human medicine. In addition, the highest concentrations exceed maximal therapeutic dose 10-fold (7 X 10(-5) M) and 30-fold (2.1 X 10 (4) M), respectively. Results. The obtained results indicate that estradiol significantly elevates SCE per cell frequency tit all concentrations applied except at the lowest one. However. estradiol has not influenced mitotic activity of cultured human lymphocytes significantly. Conclusions. It can be concluded that 17beta estradiol expressed genotoxic effects and therefore fright represent a human health risk

Influence of estradiol on neurons of nucleus basomedialis in the amygdaloid complex of female rats

The amygdaloid complex (AC) of rat brain is sensitive to sex steroids, especially during neonatal development. The aim of this investigation was to determine possible changes in neuron morphology of the basomedial nucleus (BMN) of the AC in female rats treated with estradiol. Two straining techniques were used: (1) standard histological staining with hematoxylin-eosin and (2) the Golgi method. Three types of neurons: pyramidal, fusiform and stellate were subjected to stereologic analaysis. Estradiol significantly increased the volume of neuronal soma of all three neuronal types at 16 and 90 days of age, whereas at day 38 changes were observed only in fusiform and stellate neurons. In addition, the volume of cell nuclei was increased but the number of neurons per unit area decreased at all experimental intervals examined. Therefore, estradiol causes stereologically detectable changes in the size and number of neurons in BMN AC

Mutagenic activity of estradiol evaluated by an in vitro micronucleus assay - Short communication

The objective of the present study was to evaluate possible genetic changes in cultured human lymphocytes treated with estradiol, using the cytokinesis block micronucleus assay. Eight experimental concentrations of estradiol were used (range from 10(-10) M to 0.7 x 10(-4) M). The obtained results indicate that estradiol exhibits aneugenic and/or clastogenic effects, expressed as increased frequency of micronucleated lymphocytes at two highest experimental concentrations used in this investigation. In addition to genotoxic effects, these concentrations decreased the cytokinesis block proliferation index (CBPI) and percentage of binucleated cells, indicating the cell cycle delay and possible cytotoxic effects. In conclusion, estradiol treatment might represent a human health risk, especially if overdosed or used for a prolonged period of time

Sister chromatid exchange and micronuclei in human peripheral blood lymphocytes treated with thyroxine in vitro

Thyroid hormones enhance the metabolic rate and the aerobic metabolism favoring oxidative stress, which is accompanied by induction of damage to cellular macromolecules including the DNA. The aim of the present study was to investigate the ability of thyroxine to induce sister chromatid exchange and micronuclei, and to modulate cell-cycle kinetics in cultured human lymphocytes. Eight experimental concentrations of thyroxine were used, ranging from 2 x 10(-9) to 0.5 x 10(-4) M. Treatment with thyroxine increased the frequency of SCE per cell at the higher concentrations (1.5 x 10(-6), 0.5 10(-5), 1.5 x 10(-5) and 0.5 x 10(-4) M). On the other hand, there were no significant aneugenic and/or clastogenic effects observed in the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay. The results show that thyroxine acted as a relatively weak clastogen compared with the positive control N-methyl-N '-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). In addition to the genotoxic effects, two high concentrations of thyroxine decreased the mitotic index and caused cell-cycle delay. In conclusion, thyroxine exhibited weak clastogenic effects only at high concentrations. Therefore, effects in humans might appear in cases of acute thyroxine overdose

The effect of the antioxidant catalase on oestrogens, triiodothyronine, and noradrenaline in the Comet assay.

Metabolic changes in the phenolic groups of steroidal oestrogens accompanied by the generation of quinones and reactive oxygen species underlie their mutagenic effects. Although nonsteroidal hormones and related compounds have not been thoroughly investigated for genotoxicity, some of them also contain phenolic groups that could be involved in redox cycling. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible DNA damaging effects of the thyroid hormone, triiodothyronine (T3), and the neurotransmitter, noradrenaline (NA), in human lymphocytes using the Comet assay. After dose-response investigations, doses of 100 microM T3 and 550 microM of NA, producing clear DNA damaging effects and good cell viability, were chosen for further experiments with the antioxidant, catalase. Since the scavenging enzyme catalase reduced the DNA damaging effects of T3 and NA, it can be concluded that T3 and NA induced DNA damage mainly via the production of reactive oxygen species. Therefore, the mechanism of mutagenic action of both steroidal hormones and nonsteroidal compounds, T3 and NA, imply the creation of oxidative stress and subsequent DNA damage with reactive oxygen species and, possibly, with reactive hormone derivatives created during their redox cycling

In vitro cytogenetic analysis of the effects of oxytocin on human peripheral blood lymphocytes

The purpose of this study was to determine possible genotoxic and cytotoxic (or mitogenic) effects of high concentrations of oxytocin, active component of Syntocinon(R) in cultures of human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Two test systems were used: (1) analysis of numerical and structural chromosome aberrations, and (2) the in vitro sister chromatid exchange (SCE) test. On the basis of the results obtained it can be concluded that oxytocin does not express any genotoxical properties. Furthermore, the mitotic index did not change significantly

The influence of deposits from copper mining and smelting combine Bor on the vegetation of riverside of the river Timok (Eastern Serbia)

The quantity of tail and other harmful products of RTB-Bor (Copper mining and smelting combine Bor) have significantly increased since the mid twentieth century, and were carried into the lower stream of the river Timok, mainly through the Borska River. Flooding the surrounding areas and producing thick deposits of substratum with the extreme characteristics caused the devastation and degradation of the autochthonous plant communities and large areas of arable land. This caused the appearance of new, atypical species such as Betula pendula Roth, Robinia pseudoacacia, Amorpha fruticosa, Calamagrostis epigeios, Erigeron Canadensis and other species in the devastated and degraded community of Salici-Populetum albae in the areas of Tamnic, Brusnik and Bracevac villages, and they have significantly changed typical floristic composition of the community.nul

The influence of deposits from copper mining and smelting combine Bor on the vegetation of riverside of the river Timok (Eastern Serbia)

The quantity of tail and other harmful products of RTB-Bor (Copper mining and smelting combine Bor) have significantly increased since the mid twentieth century, and were carried into the lower stream of the river Timok, mainly through the Borska River. Flooding the surrounding areas and producing thick deposits of substratum with the extreme characteristics caused the devastation and degradation of the autochthonous plant communities and large areas of arable land. This caused the appearance of new, atypical species such as Betula pendula Roth, Robinia pseudoacacia, Amorpha fruticosa, Calamagrostis epigeios, Erigeron Canadensis and other species in the devastated and degraded community of Salici-Populetum albae in the areas of Tamnic, Brusnik and Bracevac villages, and they have significantly changed typical floristic composition of the community.nul