Crocin synergistically enhances the anti-proliferative activity of 5-FU through Wnt/PI3K pathway in a mouse model of colitis-associated colorectal cancer

Colorectal-cancer (CRC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related-death, and hence there is a need for the identification of novel-agents to improve the efficacy of existing-therapies. There is growing evidence for the anti-tumor-activity of crocin, although its activity and molecular-mechanisms in CRC remains to be elucidated. Here we explored the therapeutic-application of crocin or its combination with 5-Flurouracil in a mouse-model of colitis-associated colon-cancer. The anti-proliferative-activity of crocin was assessed in 2- and 3-dimensional cell-culture-models. The migratory-behaviors were determined, while the expression-levels of several-genes were assessed by qRT-PCR/Western-blotting. We examined the anti-inflammatory properties of crocin by pathological-evaluation and disease-activity-index as well as oxidative/ antioxidant markers: malondialdehyde (MDA) and total-thiols (T-SH) levels and superoxide-dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity. Crocin suppressed cell-growth and the invasive-behavior of CRC-cells through modulation of the Wnt-pathway and E-cadherin. Moreover, administration of crocin alone, or in combination with 5-FU dramatically reduced the tumor-number and tumor-size in both distal/mid-colon followed by reduction in disease-activity-index. Crocin also suppressed the colonic-inflammation induced by Dextran-sulfate-sodium and notably recovered the increased-levels of MDA, decreased Thiol-levels and activity of CAT-levels. Crocin was able to ameliorate the severe-inflammation with mucosal-ulcers and high grade-dysplastic-crypts as detected by inflammation-score, Crypt-loss, pathological-changes and histology-scores. We demonstrated an antitumor-activity of crocin in CRC and its potential role in improvement of inflammation with mucosal ulcers and high grade dysplastic crypts, supporting the desireability of further investigations on the therapeutic potential of this approach in CRC

The effect of Ramadan fasting on endocrine system.

In the religion of Islam, fasting is obligatory for healthy adults during Ramadan. Millions of Muslims around the world practice fasting in this holy month which may cause different metabolic and hormonal changes due to the restrictions in regular caloric intake. This article was aimed to review some possible effects of Ramadan fasting on the endocrine system which has a great impact on physiological and cellular processes through a wide variety of hormones. Despite various studies regarding the impact of Islamic fasting on a number of hormonal values, yet there is not any obvious consensus on its impact on human health. In conclusion, this article recommended normal people to continue fasting during this holy month because despite the modifications that occur in the secretion pattern of some hormones, it causes no major alteration in the health of normal subjects; it is also effective for maintenance of remission in some diseases

Immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects of curcumin

Turmeric is a widely used spice derived from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa. Having been used as a dietary spice, it has drawn scientists’ attention to the possible medicinal benefits of its active compounds called curcuminoids which consist of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcmin. Considering wide range of pharmacological properties that curcumin offers, numerous studies have investigated its potency as a therapeutic agent in various diseases such as autoimmune, cardiovascular, neoplastic, pulmonary, neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases. With regard to its wide array of health benefits and published data on the underlying mechanisms of its action, a complex interaction between three main events including inflammation, oxidative stress, and immunity, seems to contribute to different therapeutic roles of this compound. Hence, this review discusses the current knowledge on the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory roles of curcumin with the hope of recruiting curcumin as a therapeutic agent in future therapeutic regimen in order to enhance the efficacy of the treatment, as well as decreasing the adverse effects of synthetic chemical drugs