Slovak Jews in Majdanek camp

Celem artykułu „Żydzi słowaccy w obozie na Majdanku” jest przedstawienie faktów dotyczących transportów i charakterystyki tych więźniów. Transporty Żydów ze Słowacji były kierowane na Majdanek od końca maja do połowy czerwca 1942 roku. W tym okresie do obozu trafiali wyłącznie mężczyźni. Kobiety, dzieci i osoby niezdolne do pracy umieszczano w gettach na terenie dystryktu lubelskiego. Do KL Lublin przywieziono ich latem i jesienią 1943 r. po likwidacji gett. Żydzi słowaccy nie stanowili w obozie grupy jednorodnej społecznie. Ci, którzy byli wykształceni i znali język niemiecki, pełnili różne funkcje. Ich uprzywilejowana pozycja w obozie oraz fakt, że nie dopuszczali do swojej grupy nikogo innego, wzbudzały zazdrość innych więźniów i były powodem konfliktów z innymi grupami. Kary, szykany, zabijanie w komorze gazowej, a przede wszystkim prymitywne warunki bytowe były przyczyną wysokiej śmiertelności w obozie. Ci, którzy pozostali przy życiu, zostali zamordowani 3 listopada 1943 r. podczas akcji „Erntefest”. Tego dnia rozstrzelano około 18 000 Żydów z wielu krajów. Przeżyli tylko ci, którzy zostali deportowani do KL Auschwitz w maju i czerwcu 1942 r. oraz ci, którzy uciekli.The aim of an article „Slovak Jews in Majdanek camp” is to present the facts about transports and characteristics of those prisoners. Transports of Jews from Slovakia were headed to Majdanek from the end of May till the middle of June 1942. In this period, only men were sent to the camp. Women, children and people who were unable to work were placed in ghettos in the area of Lublin district. They were brought to KL Lublin in the summer and autumn 1943 after liquidation of the ghettos. Slovak Jews did not present a socially homogeneous group in the camp. Those who were educated and knew German took various functions. Their privileged position in the camp and the fact that they did not allow anyone else to enter their group made other prisoners jealous and was a reason of conflicts with other groups. Pentalties, chicanes, killing in gas chamber and above all primitive living conditions were a reason of high mortality in the camp. Those who stayed alive were murdered on the 3th of November 1943 during the “Erntefest” action. This day about 18 000 Jews from many countries were shot. Only those who were deported to KL Auschwitz in May and June 1942 and those who ran away survived

Usnic acid content and cytotoxic activity of Cladonia mitis extracts

Porosty to organizmy, powstałe w wyniku symbiozy pomiędzy grzybem i algą, zdolne do wytwarzania charakterystycznych tylko dla nich kwasów porostowych. Do tej grupy należy między innymi kwas usninowy, cechujący się aktywnością cytotoksyczną in vitro. Jest on obecny w wielu gatunkach porostów, w tym z rodzaju Cladonia, w znacznych ilościach, a jego izolacja z materiału porostowego jest łatwa do przeprowadzenia. Mimo interesującego potencjału biologicznego, kwas usninowy posiada właściwości hepatotoksyczne i kardiotoksyczne, co wyklucza jego stosowanie w terapii w podaniu doustnym. Wiele badań wskazuje jednak, że może on znaleźć zastosowanie w schorzeniach skóry, między innymi jako środek chroniący przed promieniowaniem UV. W kontekście powyższych informacji, w pracy podjęto próbę analizy aktywności cytotoksycznej kwasu usninowego oraz wyciągów z Cladonia mitis, wobec ludzkich komórek czerniaka A375, HTB140, WM793. Zbadano również wpływ na zdrowe keratynocyty HaCaT w celu oceny selektywności działania. Wyciągi z 19 próbek Cladonia mitis (zebranych w Skandynawii i Polsce) zostały zdefiniowane pod kątem zawartości kwasu usninowego metodą HPLC.Zawartość kwasu usninowego w Cladonia mitis wynosiła od 3.98±0.3 do 23.09±1.0 mg/g surowca, a średnia zawartość była równa 13.38±4.2 oraz 7.32±2.2 mg/g, odpowiednio w próbkach skandynawskich i polskich. Wykazano, że zawartość kwasu usninowego w C. mitis jest zależna od warunków środowiskowych i położenia geograficznego siedliska tego porostu. Wyciągi wykazały umiarkowanie selektywną i zależną od dawki aktywność cytotoksyczną wobec wszystkich użytych linii czerniaka, jednak aktywność ta nie była skorelowana z zawartością kwasu usninowego. Podsumowując, potrzebne są dalsze badania dotyczące aktywności i składu Cladonia mitis w celu weryfikacji potencjalnego stosowania tego porostu w terapii czerniaka skóry.Lichens are symbiotic organisms that are capable of producing characteristic only for them lichen acids, including usnic acid, characterized by cytotoxic activity in vitro. It is present in many lichens, including the genus Cladonia, and is easy to isolate. Despite the interesting biological potentail, usnic acid has hepatotoxic and cardiotoxic properties, which excludes its use in oral administration. However, many studies show that it can be used in skin diseases, also as a protective agent against UV radiation.In this study an attempt to analyze the cytotoxic activity of usnic acid and Cladonia mitis extracts against human melanoma cells A375, HTB140, WM793 was made. The effect on healthy HaCaT keratinocytes was investigated to assess selectivity of action. Extracts from 19 Cladonia mitis samples (collected in Scandinavia and Poland) were defined in terms of usnic acid content by HPLC method. The content of usnic acid in Cladonia mitis ranged from 3.98±0.3 to 23.09±1.0 mg/g of raw material, with the average content of 13.38±4.2 and 7.32±2.2 mg/g in Scandinavian and Polish samples. It has been shown that the content of usnic acid in C. mitis depends on the environmental conditions and the geographic location of the lichen habitat. The extracts showed a moderate, selective and dose-dependent cytotoxic activity against all used melanoma cell lines, but this activity was not correlated with the content of usnic acid.In conclusion, further studies on the activity and the composition of Cladonia mitis are needed to verify their potential use in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma

Erucic Acid—Both Sides of the Story: A Concise Review on Its Beneficial and Toxic Properties

Erucic acid (EA) is monounsaturated fatty acid (22:1 n-9), synthesized in the seeds of many plants from the Brassicaceae family, with Brassica napus, B. rapa, or B. carinata considered as its richest source. As the compound has been blamed for the poisoning effect in Toxic Oil Syndrome, and some data indicated its cardiotoxicity to rats, EA has been for decades classified as toxic substance, the use of which should be avoided. However, the cardiac adverse effects of EA have not been confirmed in humans, and the experiments in animal models had many limitations. Thus, the aim of this review was to present the results of the so far published studies on both toxic, and pharmacological properties of EA, trying to answer the question on its future medicinal use. Despite the ambiguous and relatively small data on toxic and beneficial effects of EA it seems that the compound is worth investigating. Further research should be particularly directed at the verification EA toxicity, more in-depth studies on its neuroprotective and cytotoxic properties, but also its use in combination with other drugs, as well as its role as a drug carrier

Chickpea Sprouts as a Potential Dietary Support in Different Prostate Disorders—A Preliminary In Vitro Study

Background: Prostate cancer (PC) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are common health problems in the aging male population. Due to the unexplored and unconfirmed impact of food containing isoflavones, like sprouts, on the development of the management of BPH and prostate cancer, we decided to extend the knowledge in this area. Results: We have demonstrated for the first time that chickpea sprouts may play an important role in the chemoprevention of prostate disorders. However, attention should be paid to the isoflavone content in the sprouts, as in our study, chickpea sprouts with a moderate concentration of the compounds, harvested in natural light conditions (CA10L) and blue LED light (CA7B), showed the best scores in terms of their potential towards prostate disorders. Methods: Chickpea seeds were grown in LED chambers. The methanol extracts from sprouts were quantitatively defined using the HPLC system. Experiments such as the determination of PSA, 5-α-reductase, and dihydrotestosterone were performed on PNT2 and LNCaP cells. For anti-inflammatory assays (determination of NO, IL-6, and TNF-alpha release), murine RAW264.7 macrophages were used. Conclusions: The role of legume products as a diet element should be deeply evaluated for the development of future dietary recommendations for prostate cancer and BPH prevention

Can Simulated Microgravity and Darkness Conditions Influence the Phytochemical Content and Bioactivity of the Sprouts?—A Preliminary Study on Selected Fabaceae Species

Sprouts’ consumption has become popular due to their wide availability, easy cultivation process, and proven biological activity. Moreover, stress factors, such as limited access to light or disturbed gravity during growth, may contribute to the increased activity and the synthesis of bioactive compounds. In this study, for the first time, the examination of the impact of darkness and simulated microgravity conditions on the white clover sprouts from the Fabaceae family was conducted. Among several species, used in the preliminary attempts, only white clover was satisfactory sprouting in the disturbed gravity conditions, and thus was chosen for further examination. A random positioning machine setup was used during the cultivation process to simulate microgravity conditions. Additionally, the sprouts were cultivated in total darkness. Simulated microgravity and/or darkness during the first few days of the sprouts’ growth caused biomass reduction, the increased synthesis of bioactive compounds (isoflavones and phenolics), and changes in the level of abscisic acid and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase. Moreover, it increased the antioxidant properties of the sprouts, while the enhancement of their cytotoxic impact was observed only for androgen-dependent prostate cancer LNCaP cells. To conclude, the presented results are promising in searching for novel functional food candidates and further studies are necessary, directed at other plant families

Do Brassica Vegetables Affect Thyroid Function?—A Comprehensive Systematic Review

Brassica vegetables are widely consumed all over the world, especially in North America, Asia, and Europe. They are a rich source of sulfur compounds, such as glucosinolates (GLSs) and isothiocyanates (ITCs), which provide health benefits but are also suspected of having a goitrogenic effect. Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review to assess the impact of dietary interventions on thyroid function, in terms of the potential risk for people with thyroid dysfunctions. We analyzed the results of 123 articles of in vitro, animal, and human studies, describing the impact of brassica plants and extracts on thyroid mass and histology, blood levels of TSH, T3, T4, iodine uptake, and the effect on thyroid cancer cells. We also presented the mechanisms of the goitrogenic potential of GLSs and ITCs, the limitations of the studies included, as well as further research directions. The vast majority of the results cast doubt on previous assumptions claiming that brassica plants have antithyroid effects in humans. Instead, they indicate that including brassica vegetables in the daily diet, particularly when accompanied by adequate iodine intake, poses no adverse effects on thyroid function

Progress in Antimelanoma Research of Natural Triterpenoids and Their Derivatives: Mechanisms of Action, Bioavailability Enhancement and Structure Modifications

Melanoma is one of the most dangerous forms of skin cancer, characterized by early metastasis and rapid development. In search for effective treatment options, much attention is given to triterpenoids of plant origin, which are considered promising drug candidates due to their well described anticancer properties and relatively low toxicity. This paper comprehensively summarizes the antimelanoma potential of natural triterpenoids, that are also used as scaffolds for the development of more effective derivatives. These include betulin, betulinic acid, ursolic acid, maslinic acid, oleanolic acid, celastrol and lupeol. Some lesser-known triterpenoids that deserve attention in this context are 22β-hydroxytingenone, cucurbitacins, geoditin A and ganoderic acids. Recently described mechanisms of action are presented, together with the results of preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies, as well as the use of drug delivery systems and pharmaceutical technologies to improve the bioavailability of triterpenoids. This paper also reviews the most promising structural modifications, based on structure–activity observations. In conclusion, triterpenoids of plant origin and some of their semi-synthetic derivatives exert significant cytotoxic, antiproliferative and chemopreventive effects that can be beneficial for melanoma treatment. Recent data indicate that their poor solubility in water, and thus low bioavailability, can be overcome by complexing with cyclodextrins, or the use of nanoparticles and ethosomes, thus making these compounds promising antimelanoma drug candidates for further development

In the search for novel, Isoflavone-rich functional foods-comparative studies of four clover species sprouts and their chemopreventive potential for breast and prostate cancer

Despite a significant amount of research, the relationship between a diet rich in isoflavones and breast and prostate cancer risk is still ambiguous. The purpose of the current study was to pre-select the potential candidate for functional foods among red, white, crimson, and Persian clover sprouts, cultured for different periods of time (up to 10 days), with respect to the isoflavone content (determined by HPLC-UV-VIS), and to verify their impact on hormone-dependent cancers in vitro. The red clover sprouts were the richest in isoflavones (up to 426.2 mg/100 g dw), whereas the lowest content was observed for the crimson clover. Each species produced isoflavones in different patterns, which refer to the germination time. Hormone-insensitive MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were more resistant to the tested extracts than estrogen-dependent MCF7 breast cancer cells. Regarding prostate cancer, androgen-dependent LNCap cells were most susceptible to the tested sprouts, followed by androgen-insensitive, high metastatic PC3, and low metastatic DU145 cells. The observed cytotoxic impact of the tested sprouts is not associated with isoflavone content, as confirmed by chemometric analysis. Furthermore, the sprouts tested revealed a high antioxidant potential, and were characterized by high safety for normal breast and prostate cells