Effect of different organic substrates on reproductive biology, growth and offtake of the African night crawler earthworm (Eudrilus eugeniae)

Rapid growth and high fecundity of E. eugeniae makes it a commercial vermicomposting agent. The worm is also a rich protein source (50-70%CP) in livestock diets. The major question, however, is how do we promote earthworm production as a strategy for ecological livestock intensification and integration with crops through earthworm domestication as a source of protein and vermicompost. Reproduction characteristics, growth and offtake of E. eugeniae were studied using four organic substrates including abattoir waste (AW), cattle manure (CM), soya bean crop residue (SBCR) and a mixture of cattle manure and soya bean crop residue (CM+SBCR) aged for 15 days. Irrespective of the substrate, length and biomass of earthworms increased at a decreasing rate between the 1st and 8th weeks. Clitellum appearance was initiated at 31.5±2.4, 32.8±3.2, 33.7±3.3 and 35.5±2.4 days for AW, CM, CM+SBCR and SBCR, respectively, while cocoon initiation was at 69.0±1.4 (AW), 54.9±2.3 (CM), 51.7±1.7 (CM+SBCR) and 60.0±2.4 (SBCR) days. Organic substrate used affected reproductive biology, growth and offtake of E. eugeniae. Higher survivability, total earthworm biomass accumulation and offtake when cultured on CM and a binary combination of CM + SBCR is an indication that a strategy for sustainable crops-livestock integration can be sparked off by earthworm domestication. Earthworm domestication can be promoted using CM or a combination of (CM+SBCR) as substrate

The effect of Ephedra foeminea on human bone osteosarcoma U2OS cell viability and migration

Although advancement has been made in the development of cancer treatments, contemporary treatments still present significant challenges such as low effectiveness and adverse side effects. There is thus a critical need to continuously develop new and more effective drugs against cancer. Herbal plants serve as a potential source for a wide variety of complex compounds with probable anticancer activity. E. foeminea is an herb whose use in the Middle East recently gained popularity as a remedy for cancer. There is however minimal empirical evidence regarding the anticancer effects of E. foeminea. In this study, the effect of E.foeminea ethyl acetate, ethanol and water extracts on morphology, viability, migratory ability and gene expression of U2OS osteosarcoma cells was examined. U2OS viability, migratory ability and the steady-state mRNA levels of genes involved in these processes were respectively studied using MTT assay, wound healing assay and reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). Results showed that all tested extracts significantly reduced U2OS percentage viability in a manner dependent on both dose and time with varying potencies; the least half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) recorded was that of the water extract after 48h incubation (30.761±1.4 μg/ml) followed by the ethyl acetate extract after 72h incubation (80.35±1.233 μg/ml) and finally the ethanol extract after 48h incubation (97.499±1.188 μg/ml). Ethanol extract significantly reduced U2OS percentage wound closure while both ethanol and water extracts significantly reduced the steady-state mRNA expression of Beta-catenin and its downstream targets, Twist1 and RUNX2, which are critical in promoting both proliferation and cell migration in osteosarcoma. These results suggest that E. foeminea decreases U2OS cell viability and migration by modulating the expression of key genes involved in regulating these processes

Evaluating the Potential Anticancer Properties of Salvia triloba in Human-Osteosarcoma U2OS Cell Line and Ovarian Adenocarcinoma SKOV3 Cell Line

Salvia triloba (S. triloba) is an herb inherently linked to traditional medicine systems in the Eastern Mediterranean region. There is minimal experimental evidence however, regarding the anticancer effects of S. triloba in both osteosarcoma and ovarian cancer. In this study, we investigated the effects of crude (macerated) S. triloba ethanol and acetone leaf extracts on viability, migratory ability, and the expression of genes regulating these activities in U2OS and SKOV3 cells using MTT assay, scratch-wound healing/trans-well migration assay, and RT-qPCR respectively. MTT assay results indicated that the acetone extract significantly reduced both U2OS and SKOV3 cell viability with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 54.51 ± 1.10 µg/mL and 75.96 ± 1.0237 µg/mL respectively; these concentrations further displayed negligible hemolytic activity. The combination of acetone extract (19 µg/mL) and paclitaxel (0.787 µg/mL) displayed synergy and reduced SKOV3 cell viability by over 90%. Additionally, the trans-well migration assay illustrated that the acetone extract (IC50) inhibited both U2OS and SKOV3 cell migration by more than 50%. Moreover, S. triloba acetone extract significantly downregulated the steady-state mRNA expression of key genes involved in driving select cancer hallmarks. Four fractions were generated from the acetone extract by thin layer chromatography (TLC), and the obtained retention factors (Rf) (ranging from 0.2 to 0.8) suggested a mixture of high and moderately polar compounds whose bioactivities require further investigation. In addition, FTIR measurements of the extract revealed peaks corresponding to OH, aliphatic CH, and ester groups suggesting the presence of phenolic compounds, terpenes, and polysaccharides. Altogether, these results suggest that S. triloba possesses potential therapeutic compounds that inhibit cell proliferation and migration, and modulate several genes involved in osteosarcoma and ovarian carcinoma progression

Production of bioactive compounds from the sulfated polysaccharides extracts of Ulva lactuca: Post-extraction enzymatic hydrolysis followed by ion-exchange chromatographic fractionation

This paper describes a novel combined post‐extraction process for obtaining bioactive compounds from the aqueous high molecular weight sulfated polysaccharides (SPs) extracts of the green algae, Ulva lactuca. After extracting the SPs, they were enzymatically hydrolyzed then the hydrolysate (V45) was fractionated into eight different molecular weight fractions (F1–F8) using ion exchange chromatography. Crude SPs together with V45 and (F1–F8) were examined for their carbohydrate, protein, and sulfate contents. In addition, their degree of polymerization (DP) was estimated and they were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Fractions S1, F4, F5, and F8 showed promising antioxidant and antitumor activities in vitro. In particular, the remarkable antitumor activity of F5 on three types of cancer cell lines could be attributed to its comparable contents of protein, carbohydrate, and sulfate, in addition to its comparable contents of rhamnose and glucuronic acid, and the same for glucose and arabinose. F5 also possessed the highest Hill coefficient among the four promising fractions indicating a higher degree of cooperativity in ligand binding. Other influencing factors including DP, composition, and type of characteristic functional groups were also discussed. The implications of this work could potentially benefit the industries of food supplements and pharmaceuticals

Potential Anticancer Activity of Crude Ethanol, Ethyl Acetate, and Water Extracts of Ephedra foeminea on Human Osteosarcoma U2OS Cell Viability and Migration

Medicinal plants are potential sources for a wide range of complex compounds with probable anticancer activity. Ephedra foeminea Forssk. (E. foeminea), a medicinal plant found in the Eastern Mediterranean, has recently been gaining popularity as a cancer remedy; there is, however, a paucity of empirical evidence supporting this claim. In this study, the effect of E. foeminea ethyl acetate, ethanol, and water crude extracts on viability, migratory ability, and the steady-state mRNA levels of genes involved in these processes was, respectively, examined using MTT assay, wound healing assay, and reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). The study concludes that all extracts significantly reduce human osteosarcoma U2OS percentage viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner, with varying potencies. The least half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was observed in the water extract after 48 h incubation (30.761±1.4 μg/mL) followed by the ethyl acetate extract after 72 h incubation (80.35±1.233 μg/mL) and finally the ethanol extract after 48 h incubation (97.499±1.188 μg/mL). Ethanol extract significantly reduced U2OS percentage wound closure. On the other hand, both ethanol and water extracts considerably reduced the steady-state mRNA expression of beta-catenin, promoting both cell proliferation and migration in osteosarcoma by regulating target genes. Additionally, E. foeminea showed no hemolytic activity. These effects suggest that E. foeminea decreases U2OS cell viability and migratory ability by modulating the expression of critical genes involved in regulating these processes and is likely cytocompatible with human erythrocytes

Evaluating the Potential Anticancer Properties of <i>Salvia triloba</i> in Human-Osteosarcoma U2OS Cell Line and Ovarian Adenocarcinoma SKOV3 Cell Line

Salvia triloba (S. triloba) is an herb inherently linked to traditional medicine systems in the Eastern Mediterranean region. There is minimal experimental evidence however, regarding the anticancer effects of S. triloba in both osteosarcoma and ovarian cancer. In this study, we investigated the effects of crude (macerated) S. triloba ethanol and acetone leaf extracts on viability, migratory ability, and the expression of genes regulating these activities in U2OS and SKOV3 cells using MTT assay, scratch-wound healing/trans-well migration assay, and RT-qPCR respectively. MTT assay results indicated that the acetone extract significantly reduced both U2OS and SKOV3 cell viability with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 54.51 ± 1.10 µg/mL and 75.96 ± 1.0237 µg/mL respectively; these concentrations further displayed negligible hemolytic activity. The combination of acetone extract (19 µg/mL) and paclitaxel (0.787 µg/mL) displayed synergy and reduced SKOV3 cell viability by over 90%. Additionally, the trans-well migration assay illustrated that the acetone extract (IC50) inhibited both U2OS and SKOV3 cell migration by more than 50%. Moreover, S. triloba acetone extract significantly downregulated the steady-state mRNA expression of key genes involved in driving select cancer hallmarks. Four fractions were generated from the acetone extract by thin layer chromatography (TLC), and the obtained retention factors (Rf) (ranging from 0.2 to 0.8) suggested a mixture of high and moderately polar compounds whose bioactivities require further investigation. In addition, FTIR measurements of the extract revealed peaks corresponding to OH, aliphatic CH, and ester groups suggesting the presence of phenolic compounds, terpenes, and polysaccharides. Altogether, these results suggest that S. triloba possesses potential therapeutic compounds that inhibit cell proliferation and migration, and modulate several genes involved in osteosarcoma and ovarian carcinoma progression