Some Medicinal Plants with Anti-breast Cancer Activity and the Input of Phytotherapy in the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Aim: Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer leading to death among women worldwide. Despite the advances in the diagnosis skills and in the treatment of breast cancer, it has been observed that the recurrence rate experienced by breast cancer patients is quite high. Many plants have been reported to have anti-breast cancer properties. This paper focuses on determining the role of phytotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer. Methods: The following key search terms were used on Pubmed, Google scholar, and Researchgate: breast cancer, breast cancer cell lines, phytotherapy, medicinal plants in the treatment of breast cancer, treatment of breast cancer, cytotoxics effects of plant extracts on breast cancer in vitro/ in vivo, integrative oncology, and natural products as sources of drugs. Pertinent reviews in English language were examined. Results: It has been observed that many studies were conducted in vitro and in vivo to demonstrate the anti-breast cancer activities of a myriad of plants. While investigations are being made to prove the anti-breast cancer effects of many plants, the use of phytomedicine is not generating enough attention by mainstream practitioners. Some significant results were observed by patients with breast cancer history through the combination of phytotherapy and conventional medicines. Discussion: The conventional treatment of breast cancer is often accompanied with side effects. Many patients in low-income countries are faced off with the enormous cost of conventional treatment. Hence, there is a need to search for new bioactive substances in the treatments of breast cancer. Phytotherapy is a promising approach and herbal preparations are to be used in the same way as conventional medicine in the treatment of breast cancer. Conclusion: Phytotherapeutics products are used more often in the treatment of breast cancer as adjuvant therapy. In Africa, the use of herbal products in the treatment of breast cancer still remains in the hands of traditional-practitioners, without any control of quality and efficacy. Standard methods for the preparation of herbal products are to be determined in order to adopt phytotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer as much as conventional treatment

Electrolyte disturbances in diabetic patients in Cotonou, Benin

Background: As globally observed in low income countries, the incidence of diabetes rise rapidly in Benin. Electrolytes imbalance contribute to complications observed in diabetes. The aim of this study was to estimate electrolytes disturbances in diabetic patients in Cotonou, Benin.Methods: A total of 260 participants were included in the study: 150 diabetic patients and for the control group110 age and sex matched non diabetic subjects. Glucose, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+ and Cl- were determined in fasting blood samples. The proportions of subjects with abnormal values in the diabetic population and in the control group were compared using Chi-square test. The diabetic population was divided in three groups in regard of the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level. For each group, the mean values of the parameters were compared to those of the control group using the Student’t-test.The significance level was set to 5%.Results: Near half of the diabetic patients suffered from hyperkalemia (48%). Hypocalcemia was observed in 41.3% of the diabetic patients and hypercalcemia was found in 23.3%. Hypomagnesemia and hyponatremia affected more than 40% of the diabetic subjects.  The mean values of serum potassium were significantly elevated in all three groups of diabetic patients compared to the control group.Conclusions: This study showed that electrolyte imbalances affect the diabetic patients in Cotonou

Current Perspectives in the Use of Phytotherapy for the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is  the most commonly diagnosed cancer leading to death among women worldwide. However, there is a significant improvement in the treatment of breast cancer. Today, the conventional treatment of breast cancer combines surgery , chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapy, hormone therapy and immunotherapy.  Despite the advances in the diagnosis skills and in the treatment of breast cancer it has been observed that the recurrence rate experienced by breast cancer patients  is quite high. Moreover, the conventional treatment is often accompained with side effects. Thus, there is a need to search for new bioactive molecules.  Plant derived natural compounds can play a major role as sources of new bioactive substances for the treatment of breast cancer. Many plants have been reported to have anti-breast cancer properties. While investigations are being made to demonstrate the cytotoxic activities of many plants, the use of phytomedicine is not generating fully attention by mainstream practitioners. Some significant results were observed by patients with breast cancer history by combining phytotherapy and the conventional medicines.  Hence, plant extracts are more being used   in the treatment of breast cancer as adjuvant therapy. In this review we will present a summary of the advances of the researches on the efficacity of phytotherapeutic products when discussing their use in the treatment of breast cancer

Electrolyte disturbances in diabetic patients in Cotonou, Benin

Background: As globally observed in low income countries, the incidence of diabetes rise rapidly in Benin. Electrolytes imbalance contribute to complications observed in diabetes. The aim of this study was to estimate electrolytes disturbances in diabetic patients in Cotonou, Benin.Methods: A total of 260 participants were included in the study: 150 diabetic patients and for the control group110 age and sex matched non diabetic subjects. Glucose, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+ and Cl- were determined in fasting blood samples. The proportions of subjects with abnormal values in the diabetic population and in the control group were compared using Chi-square test. The diabetic population was divided in three groups in regard of the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level. For each group, the mean values of the parameters were compared to those of the control group using the Student’t-test.The significance level was set to 5%.Results: Near half of the diabetic patients suffered from hyperkalemia (48%). Hypocalcemia was observed in 41.3% of the diabetic patients and hypercalcemia was found in 23.3%. Hypomagnesemia and hyponatremia affected more than 40% of the diabetic subjects.  The mean values of serum potassium were significantly elevated in all three groups of diabetic patients compared to the control group.Conclusions: This study showed that electrolyte imbalances affect the diabetic patients in Cotonou

Distinctive actions of connexin 46 and connexin 50 in anterior pituitary folliculostellate cells

<div><p>Folliculostellate cell gap junctions establish a network for the transmission of information within the anterior pituitary. Connexins make up gap junction channels. Changes in connexin (Cx) turnover modify gap junction-mediated intercellular communication. We have reported that cytokines and hormones influence Cx43 turnover and coupling in folliculostellate cells and in the folliculostellate cell line TtT/GF. In addition, the expression of different connexins alters intercellular communication and connexins may have functions besides cell coupling. Here we assessed the expression, turnover and subcellular localization of Cx46 and Cx50 in the anterior pituitary and TtT/GF cells. Then, we assessed the impact of various natural (lactation, annual reproductive cycle, bFGF) and pathological (autoimmune orchitis, diabetes/obesity) conditions associated with altered anterior pituitary hormone secretion on Cx46 and Cx50. Anterior pituitary Cx46 and Cx50 expression and subcellular distribution were cell-dependent. Cx46 was expressed by folliculostellate, TtT/GF and endocrine cells. In the cytoplasm, Cx46 was chiefly associated with lysosomes. Variously sized Cx46 molecules were recovered exclusively in the TtT/GF cell nuclear fraction. In the nucleus, Cx46 co-localized with Nopp-140, a nucleolar factor involved in rRNA processing. Neither cytoplasmic nor nuclear Cx46 and Cx43 co-localized. Cx50 localized to folliculostellate and TtT/GF cells, and to the walls of blood capillaries, not to endocrine cells. Cx50 was cytoplasmic and associated with the cell membrane, not nuclear. Cx50 did not co-localize with Cx46 but it co-localized in the cytoplasm and co-immunoprecipitated with Cx43. Cx46 and Cx50 responses to various physiological and pathological challenges were different, often opposite. Cx46 and Cx43 expression and phosphorylation profiles differed in the anterior pituitary, whereas Cx50 and Cx43 were similar. The data suggest that Cx46 participates to cellular growth and proliferation and that Cx50, together with Cx43, contributes to folliculostellate cell coupling.</p></div

Effects of bFGF on Cx46 and Cx50 in TtT/GF FS cells.

<p>Serum starved TtT/GF cells were incubated with 15 ng/ml bFGF for increasing periods of time. Whole cell lysates (15 μg) were subjected to SDS-PAGE followed by electrotransfer. Membranes were incubated with Cx46 or Cx50 antibodies. The membranes were stripped and reprobed with mouse monoclonal anti-actin and polyclonal anti-actin respectively. (A) Representative Western blots are shown. The bands were scanned and their intensity values were normalized first, to the corresponding actin band intensity value, next to the respective control value (time = 0). Values shown are the mean ± SEM of three independent experiments. Statistics (ANOVA followed by THSDT). Forty eight-49 kDa Cx46 was transiently and significantly increased by 30 min in the presence of bFGF († P<0.03). Cx50 increased after a 2 h incubation period with bFGF (# P<0.02 2 h vs 0 h), then slowly receded to control values by 24h in the presence of bFGF. (B) Following short-term incubation with bFGF, the 14, 25 and 48–49 kDa Cx46 immunoreactive band intensities were quantified. Values shown are the mean ± SEM of three independent experiments. Statistics (ANOVA followed by THSDT): Short-term incubation with bFGF decreased the intensity of the14 kDa immunoreactive band (black bars) by 10 min (* P<0.05 10 min vs 0 min) and by 30 min (*** P<0.0005 30 min vs 10 min). Short-term treatment with bFGF decreased the intensity of the 25 kDa immunoractive band (grey bars) by 30 min (++ P<0.001 30 min vs 0 min). Forty eight-49 kDa Cx46 immunoreactive band intensity (open bars) was increased at 30 min (+ P<0.01, 30 min vs 10 min).</p

Confocal microscopy on the co-localization of Cx46 and cellular organelles in TtT/GF FS cells.

<p>TtT/GF cells were double-stained with antibodies against Cx46 and an organelle marker (antibody or probe, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0182495#pone.0182495.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>). Confocal microscopy images shown correspond to a focal plane of 0.7 μm thickness. Double labelling for Cx46 and either Concanavalin A (RER), TGN-38 (<i>trans</i>-Golgi network) or flotillin-1 (lipid rafts) revealed no co-localization. Cx46 co-localization with WGA (Golgi apparatus) or with EEA-1 (early endosomes) was observed in some perinuclear vesicles. A very strong Cx46 and LAMP-1 (lysosomes) co-localization was apparent.</p

Characterization of nuclear Cx46 in TtT/GF FS cells.

<p>(A) and (B). Post-nuclear (PN) and nuclear (N) fractions were obtained from TtT/GF cell whole cell lysates (L). The fractions were subjected to SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. (A) Characterization of the fractions: Membranes were probed with antibodies to nuclear structures (the nucleolus and Cajal bodies (Nopp-140), promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML) and Cajal bodies (p80/coilin)), membrane domains: RER (calnexin), <i>cis</i>-Golgi (GM130), lipid rafts (flotillin-1)) and the cytosol (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, GAPDH). (B) Membranes were incubated with an antibody against Cx46 (Alpha-Diagnostic). The 68, 56 and 48 kDa immunoreactive bands were recovered in the post-nuclear fraction whereas the 56, 49, 25 and 14 kDa bands were recovered in the nuclear faction. Western blots shown are representative of three independent experiments. (C) Confocal microscopy studies: TtT/GF cells were probed with Cx46 antibody and markers of nuclear structures: Nopp-140, PML and p80/coilin. Cells were visualized using confocal microscopy. Images shown correspond to a unique focal plane of 0.7 μm thickness. Micrographs are representative of three independent immunolabelling experiments. Cx46 and Nopp-140 partially co-localized in the nucleus. Nuclear Cx46 co-localized with neither PML nor p80/coilin.</p