Anti-cancer effects of Vernonia amygdalina: A systematic review

Purpose: To systematically review all the studies that have addressed the anti-cancer activities of the VA leaf extract in vitro to determine the strength of evidence of its anti-cancer effects and whether it can be used as an effective cancer therapy.Methods: The databases of Scopus, Science Direct, PubMed, Springer, and Directory of Open Access Journals were searched for relevant articles. Only articles published in the English language from January 2000 to November 2018 were selected for full-text retrieval and review, before being included in the final review.Results: From a total of 28 articles identified for full-text retrieval, only 17 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The papers reviewed showed that VA decreases cell viability, inhibits DNA synthesis and causes DNA damage in cancer cells. VA also induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in cancer cells via gene regulation. All in all, there is evidence showing that VA possesses time- and concentration-dependent anti-cancer activity.Conclusion: The VA leaf extract has the potential to be developed into cancer therapeutics. However, more research is needed on its effect on normal cells before VA is developed into a cancer therapeutic. Keywords: Vernonia amygdalina, Anti-cancer effect, DNA damage, Apoptosi

The Role of Natural Dietary Products in Nanomedicine

It has long been established that a diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, grains and legumes and antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds may help prevent various human diseases. However, diet is not a cure for treatment of severe diseases, but it may help prevent some ailments, and it can help the body overcome the effects of conventional treatments. Natural compounds not only serve as a drug or template for drugs but also, in many instances, had been a source of discovery of novel biology that provided better understanding of target and pathway involved in the disease processes. In addition, drugs derived from natural compounds work better for patients than do drugs manufactured synthetically. Approximately, 40% of drugs in the pipeline and 70% of synthetic therapeutic molecules are plagued with poor solubility, oral bioavailability, and delivery. Drugs with poor solubility encounter limited transport during oral administration because of low concentration gradient between the gut and the blood vessels. To increase body fluid saturation solubility of poorly soluble drug, new delivery methods need to be developed using natural dietary plant metabolites

Effects of gold nanoparticles synthesized using water extract of brown seaweed; Sargassum glaucescens

Based on data published in April 2011 by WHO about Deaths in worldwide, cancer is the third leading cause of death (after heart disease and stroke) in most of developed countries and the second leading cause of death (after heart disease) in Malaysia . Therefore, one of the challenges for Malaysia and the whole world is carrying out research on cancer in order to find its causes and method for therapy and prevention of this disease. Metal nanoparticle synthesis using seaweed extract shows rapid and non-toxic process which resulted to nano sizes having the greatest potential for biomedical applications. The current study was aimed to investigate the anticancer properties of gold nanoparticles synthesized using water extract of brown seaweed; Sargassum glaucescens(Au/S.G-NPs). The effect of 3.65±1.69 nm Au/S.G-NPs were studied on HeLa (cervical cancer) and 3T3 (mouse fibroblast) using tetrazolium dye MTT assay. Later on, in vitro apoptosis effect was evaluated using fluorescent microscopy, flow cytometry, and protease caspase activities. After 72 h treatment , MTT assay revealed highest and significant cytotoxic effect of Au/S.G-NPs dose and time-dependently against cervical cancer cells with IC50 of 4.75 ± 1.23 μg/mL. On the other hand, Au/S.G-NPs showed no cytotoxic effect toward mouse fibroblast cells. Moreover, Au/S.G-NPs significantly (P < 0.05) arrests HeLa cells at G2/M phase and significantly (P < 0.05) activated caspases-3 and -9. The results revealed that Au/S.G-NPs can be further developed as chemotherapeutic compound for the treatment of cancers especially cervical cancer

Cytotoxic effects of bio-synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles on murine cell lines

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are among the most appropriate metal oxide nanoparticles to exhibit significant potential for treatment properties in a broad spectrum of applications in biomedicine, such as in the treatment of various cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic activity and cellular effects of previously prepared ZnO-NPs using brown seaweed (Sargassum muticum) aqueous extract. Consequently, In vitro anticancer activity was demonstrated in murine cancer cell lines of breast cancer (4T1), lung adenocarcinoma (CRL-1451), colon cancer (CT-26), and acute myelocytic leukemia (WEHI-3). Treated cancer cells with ZnO-NPs for 72 hours demonstrated various levels of cytotoxicity based on calculated IC50 values using MTT assay as follows: 21.7 ± 1.3 μg /mL (4T1), 17.45 ± 1.1 μg /mL (CRL-1451), 11.75 ± 0.8 μg /mL (CT-26) and 5.6 ± 0.55 μg /mL (WEHI-3), respectively. On the other hand, ZnO-NPs treatments for 72 hours showed no toxicity against normal mouse fibroblast (3T3) cell lines. Furthermore, distinct morphological changes were found by utilizing flourescent dyes, as apoptotic population were increased via flowcytometry, while cell cycle block and stimulation of apoptotic proteins were also observed. Additionally, the present study showed that the caspase activations contributed to ZnO-NPs triggered apoptotic death in WEHI-3 cells. Thus, the nature of biosynthesis and the therapeutic potential of ZnO-NPs could prepare the way for further research on the design of green synthesis therapeutic agents, particularly in nanomedicine, for the treatment of cancer

Antihypercholesterolemic and antioxidant efficacies of zerumbone on the formation, development, and establishment of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits

Owing to the high incidence of cholesterol-induced cardiovascular disease, particularly atherosclerosis, the current study was designed to investigate the preventive and therapeutic efficacies of dietary zerumbone (ZER) supplementation on the formation and development of atherosclerosis in rabbits fed with a high cholesterol diet. A total of 72 New Zealand white rabbits were divided randomly on two experimental studies carried out 8 weeks apart. The first experiment was designed to investigate the prophylactic efficacy of ZER in preventing early developed atheromatous lesion. The second experimental trial was aimed at investigating the therapeutic effect of ZER in reducing the atherosclerotic lesion progression and establishment. Sudanophilia, histopathological, and ultrastructural changes showed pronounced reduction in the plaque size in ZER-medicated aortas. On the other hand, dietary supplementation of ZER for almost 10 weeks as a prophylactic measure indicated substantially decreasing lipid profile values, and similarly, plaque size in comparison with high-cholesterol non-supplemented rabbits. Furthermore, the results of oxidative stress and antioxidant biomarker evaluation indicated that ZER is a potent antioxidant in suppressing the generation of free radicals in terms of atherosclerosis prevention and treatment. ZER significantly reduced the value of malondialdehyde and augmented the value of superoxide dismutase. In conclusion, our data indicated that dietary supplementation of ZER at doses of 8, 16, and 20 mg/kg alone as a prophylactic measure, and as a supplementary treatment with simvastatin, significantly reduced early plague formation, development, and establishment via significant reduction in serum lipid profile, together with suppression of oxidative damage, and therefore alleviated atherosclerosis lesions

Cytotoxic effect of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized via seaweed aqueous extract

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 MNPs) are among the most useful metal nanoparticles for multiple applications across a broad spectrum in the biomedical field, including the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In previous work, we synthesized and characterized Fe3O4 MNPs using a simple, rapid, safe, efficient, one-step green method involving reduction of ferric chloride solution using brown seaweed (Sargassum muticum) aqueous extract containing hydroxyl, carboxyl, and amino functional groups mainly relevant to polysaccharides, which acts as a potential stabilizer and metal reductant agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic activity and cellular effects of these Fe3O4 MNPs. Their in vitro anticancer activity was demonstrated in human cell lines for leukemia (Jurkat cells), breast cancer (MCF-7 cells), cervical cancer (HeLa cells), and liver cancer (HepG2 cells). The cancer cells were treated with different concentrations of Fe3O4 MNPs, and an MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay was used to test for cytotoxicity, resulting in an inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) value of 23.83±1.1 µg/mL (HepG2), 18.75±2.1 µg/mL (MCF-7), 12.5±1.7 µg/mL (HeLa), and 6.4±2.3 µg/mL (Jurkat) 72 hours after treatment. Therefore, Jurkat cells were selected for further investigation. The representative dot plots from flow cytometric analysis of apoptosis showed that the percentages of cells in early apoptosis and late apoptosis were increased. Cell cycle analysis showed a significant increase in accumulation of Fe3O4 MNP-treated cells at sub-G1 phase, confirming induction of apoptosis by Fe3O4 MNPs. The Fe3O4 MNPs also activated caspase-3 and caspase-9 in a time-response fashion. The nature of the biosynthesis and therapeutic potential of Fe3O4 MNPs could pave the way for further research on the green synthesis of therapeutic agents, particularly in nanomedicine, to assist in the treatment of cancer

In vivo assessment of nanostructured lipid carrier for oral delivery of zerumbone in leukemic mice model

Cancer nanotherapeutics are progressing rapidly with innovative drug delivery systems to replace conventional delivery systems. Although, antitumor activity of zerumbone (ZER) has been reported, there has been no available information of ZER-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) affects murine leukemia cells in vivo. In a previous study, ZER was incorporated into NLC by high pressure homogenization (HPH) technique. Physicochemical characterization included particle size, polydipersity index, zeta potential, pH, entrapment efficiency, loading capacity, stability study, and in vitro drug release, as well as physicochemical stability after being autoclaved and stored at 4˚C, 25˚C and 40˚C for 1 month, were examined. In this study, in vivo effects of ZER-NLC on murine leukemia WEHI-3B cells were investigated. The outcomes of histopathology, TEM and TUNEL assays of BALB/c leukemia mice revealed that the number of leukemia cells were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in spleen tissue after four weeks of oral administration of ZER-NLC. In conclusion, NLC is suggested as a promising carrier for ZER oral delivery

Apoptosis induction in human leukemia cell lines by gold nanoparticles synthesized using the green biosynthetic approach

Gold nanoparticles were grown on Sargassum muticum water extract (S-GNPs) using the green biosynthetic approach. The nanoparticles were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, zeta potential, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The resulting S-GNPs were spherical and crystalline with a size of <10 nm. The in vitro anticancer activity was demonstrated in human leukemia cell lines. The cancer cells were treated with different concentrations of S-GNPs, and calorimetric (MTT) assay used for the cytotoxicity test, which resulted in an IC50 value of 4.22 ± 1.12, 5.71 ± 1.4, 6.55 ± 0.9, and 7.29 ± 1.7 μg/mL for each of the K562, HL-60, Jurkat, and CEM-ss cells, respectively. Thus, the K562 was selected for the next experiments. Furthermore, apoptosis induction was confirmed by Hoechst 33342, annexin V staining, and caspase-3/-9 activity tests. The cell cycle analysis exhibited a significant increase in the accumulation of S-GNPs treated cells at the sub-G1 phase, demonstrating the induction of apoptosis by S-GNPs. The nature of the inhibition of cancer cell growth by S-GNPs could open the way for further research in the design of green synthesis therapeutic agents, particularly in nanomedicine, for the treatment of cancer

Phytochemical analysis and hepatoprotective activity of Raphanus sativus var. sativus in Sprague-Dawley rats

Purpose: To determine the phenolic and flavonoid contents of R. sativus rhizome ethanol extract and the hepatoprotective effect of the extract in rats. Methods: Folin–Ciocalteau and aluminum chloride colorimetric tests were used to determine the contents of phenols and flavonoids in the R. sativus extract. Male Sprague-Dawley rats induced with CCl4 to develop hepatotoxicity were treated orally with R. sativus extract for 4 weeks. The&nbsp; antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the extract on the liver were determined by evaluating the concentration of oxidative analytes, serum liver enzymes and lipids, and hepatic histopathology and cytochrome P450 2E1 expression. Results: R. sativus extract significantly (p &lt; 0.05) reduced the hepatotoxic effect of CCl4 via its antioxidant activities and protection of liver tissues from oxidative damage. Conclusion: The hepatoprotective effects of R. sativus rhizome ethanol extract are attributed to its highphenolic and flavonoid contents. Keywords: R. savitus rhizome, Phenols, Flavonoid contents, antioxidant, Hepatoprotectiv