Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant and apoptotic activities of Cyperus rotundus

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate in vitro antioxidant and apoptotic activities of Cyperus rotundus (C. rotundus).MethodsThe phytochemical study and the antioxidant activities of both methanol and aqueous extracts from C. rotundus aerial part were determined. In addition, these extracts were also investigated for their cytotoxic and apoptotic activities. The major compound of the methanol extract was isolated. Both methanol and aqueous extracts (300, 150, and 50 μg/mL) were evaluated for their antioxidant activity by the xanthine/xanthine oxidase assay system. However, 16, 8, and 4 mg/mL of each extract were tested to investigate their OH. formation scavenging potential. Aqueous extract (800, 400, and 200 μg/mL) and methanol extract (350, 175, and 88 μg/mL) were tested against lipid peroxidation, induced by 75 μM H2O2. The cytotoxicity (by MTT assay) and cell DNA fragmentation of both extracts were evaluated towards K562 and L1210 cell lines. The major compound was obtained from the butanol fraction of methanol extract and its structure was determined by RMN spectroscopic analysis.ResultsThe methanol and aqueous extracts showed respectively, 88% and 19% inhibition of xanthine oxidase activity. Yet, the same extracts inhibited lipid peroxidation by 61.5% and 42.0%, respectively. Both extracts inhibited OH. formation by 27.1% and 25.3%, respectively. Only methanol extract induced DNA degradation. Orientin was determined as the major compound isolated from the butanol fraction of methanol extract.ConclusionsIt appears that C. rotundus extracts exhibit a potential use as a natural antioxidant and an apoptosis inducer

Étude de l’effet du cadmium et du benzo[a]pyrène sur des enzymes de phase I et phase II de biotransformation chez le polychète Nereisdiversicolor

Le présent travail reporte l’effet du cadmium (Cd), du benzo[a]pyrène (B[a]P) ainsi que leur mélange (Cd/B[a]P), à 1 µM, sur les activités d’enzymes impliqués dans la phase I et la phase II de biotransformation chez le polychète Nereis diversicolor en fonction du temps (après 12, 24, 36 et 48 h).L’effet d’une contamination aiguë par du cadmium à une dose de 1 µM après 12, 24 et 36 h montre une inhibition de l’activité NADPH cytochrome C réductase chez les individus contaminés comparés à leurs témoins relatifs, alors que le seul effet du cadmium sur l’activité glutathion-S-transférase n’est enregistré qu’après 36 h d’exposition. Quant au benzo[a]pyrène, les résultats montrent une augmentation significative de l’activité NADPH cytochrome C réductase après 12, 24 et 36 h d’exposition, alors que pour l’activité glutathion-S‑transférase, la variation significative entre les animaux témoins et traités n’est enregistrée qu’à 36 h d’exposition. Le mélange (Cd/B[a]P) inhibe l’activité NADPH cytochrome C réductase chez les individus traités par comparaison aux témoins relatifs et montre un effet inducteur sur l’activité GST sauf après 36 h d’exposition. Ces résultats montrent ainsi les interactions entre les polluants ainsi que leurs effets sur les organismes.The acute effects of cadmium and benzo[a]pyrene, individually and as a mixture, were evaluated on the phase I and phase II biotransformation enzymes of Nereis diversicolor (Polychaeta) collected from unpolluted sites. In the acute assay (1 µM) after 12, 24, 36 and 48 h, the comparison between worms exposed to cadmium and their controls showed an inhibited activity of NADPH cytochrome C reductase after 12, 24 and 36 h. For the activity of glutathione-S-transferase (GST), however, inhibition in the presence of Cd was only noted after 36 h of exposure. Although exposure to benzo[a]pyrene resulted in a significant increase in NADPH cytochrome C reductase activity after 12, 24 and 36 h, a significant difference in glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity between treated and control animals was only observed after 36 h. The mixture (Cd/B[a]P) seemed to inhibit the activity of NADPH cytochrome C reductase and to induce the activity of GST in individuals but only up until 36 h of exposure. These findings illustrate the interactions between pollutants and their effects on organisms

Case Report: Mepolizumab in the treatment of idiopathic chronic eosinophilic pneumonia [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]

Idiopathic chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (ICEP) is a rare interstitial lung disease of unknown cause. It usually responds well to systemic corticosteroid therapy, but relapses are frequent. We describe two cases of 21- and 27-year-old patients, presenting with dyspnea. The diagnosis of steroid-relapsing and steroid-dependent ICEP was made respectively. Mepolizumab was prescribed to both patients. This treatment resulted in successful long-term disease management with much fewer side effects than a traditional corticosteroid therapy

Case Report: Tracheal infiltration with wheezing revealing Hodgkin's disease [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]

Hodgkin's disease with an initial tracheobronchial involvement is not common. The symptoms might be misleading, resulting in a diagnosis delay. We report the case of a 38-year-old woman with a one-month history of wheezing associated with a dry cough. The physical examination revealed a good general state of health, bilateral wheezing and supra-clavicular lymphadenopathy. The adenopathy biopsy's histopathology revealed Hodgkin lymphoma. The whole body FDG-PET scan was an important tool to assess the diagnosis as well as for the staging. The patient was treated with chemotherapy. Another unusual aspect is the tracheobronchial metastasis confirmed by a bronchial biopsy. Thus, our patient was put on a second-line chemotherapy. She died one year after the initial diagnosis. To conclude, it is an atypical clinical presentation of an Hodgkin lymphoma with a tracheobronchial relapse. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of asthma or a tracheal tumor

Case Report: A very rare case of a Pleural Effusion revealing Multiple Myeloma [version 3; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]

Multiple myeloma is a common malignant bone-based disease. Pleural effusions reported in these patients remain rare. It is commonly due to congestive heart disease, pulmonary embolism, nephrotic syndrome or a second neoplasia. The true myelomatous pleural effusion resulting from a direct tumoral invasion of the pleural are extremely rare. We report here the case of a massive pleural effusion revealing multiple myeloma in a 71-year-old patient. The chest ultrasound showed a massive pleural effusion in the left side with a multinodular thickening of the pleura. The medical thoracoscopy showed a grape-cluster appearance. The diagnosis was made by pleural guided biopsy revealing abnormal plasma cells with an intense positive CD 138 (plasma cell marker) and MUM1 (multiple myeloma oncogene1) staining with a light kappa chain in the protein electrophoresis associated with a myeloma. Unfortunately, our patient died one month after the initial diagnosis. We present also a review of the recent literature in order to highlight the clinical presentations of the myelomatous pleural effusion, the diagnostic tools, the therapeutic strategies as well as the outcomes

Limoniastrum guyonianum methanol extract induces immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects by activating cellular anti-oxidant activity

International audienceEvaluation of the immunomodulatory activity of plant extracts is an interesting and growing area of research. In this study, effects of a methanolic extract of Limoniastrum guyonianum stems (M extract) on mice immune cell function in vitro were investigated. These studies showed that mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation was dose-dependently inhibited by the extract. Further, the lectin-induced response appeared to be more sensitive to the suppressive effects of the extract than were LPS-stimulated responses. In studies to assess any potential effects of extract on innate immunity, the results showed that the extract significantly enhanced the killing activity of isolated NK cells. In addition, studies here demonstrated that the extract could enhance lysosomal enzyme activity and inhibit nitrite oxide (NO) production by murine peritoneal macrophages ex vivo, suggesting a potential anti-inflammatory effect in situ. The anti-inflammatory activity was concomitant with the cellular anti-oxidant effect in macrophages and splenocytes

An aqueous extract of Limoniastrum guyonianum gall induces anti-tumor effects in melanoma-injected mice via modulation of the immune response

International audienceThe objectives of this study were to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor potential of the aqueous gall extract (G extract) from Limoniastrum guyonianum and to elucidate its immunological mechanisms, in part, by assessing its effects on the growth of transplanted tumors and the immune response in these tumor-bearing mice. Here, mice were inoculated with B16F10 mouse tumor cells and then treated intra-peritoneally with G extract at 25 or 50 mg extract/kg BW for 7, 14, or 21 days. At each timepoint, effects of the extract on the tumor growth, splenocytes proliferation, NX cell activity, and CTL activity among splenocytes isolated from the mice were measured. G extract-induced tumor growth inhibition was associated with characteristic apoptotic changes in the tumor cells, like nuclear condensation. In addition, the extract inhibited melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity among melanoma cells in a concentration-related manner. G extract did not only significantly inhibit the growth of the transplantable tumor, but also remarkably increased splenocytes proliferation and both NK and CTL activities in tumor-bearing mice. The extract was also seen to have promoted lysosomal activity of host macrophages and gave rise to enhanced cellular anti-oxidant activity in several cell types in mice