Biological activities for 'Ficus carica' latex for potential therapeutics in Human Papillomavirus (HPV) related cervical cancers

Abstract Infection caused by high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are implicated in the aetiology of cervical cancer. Although current methods of treatment for cervical cancer can ablate lesions, preventing metastatic disseminations and excessive tissue injuries still remains a major concern. Hence, development of a safer and more efficient treatment modality is of vital importance. Natural products from plants are one of the principal sources of precursors to lead compounds with direct pharmaceutical application across all disease classes. One of these plants is Ficus carica, whose fruit latex, when applied on HPV-induced skin warts, has shown potential as a possible cure for this virus related lesions. This study explores the in vitro biological activities of fig latex and elucidates its possible mechanisms of action on cervical cancer cell lines CaSki and HeLa positive for HPV type 16 and 18, respectively. Our data shows that fig latex inhibits properties that are associated with HPV-positive cervical cancer transformed cells such as rapid growth and invasion and substantially downregulated the expression of p16 and HPV onco-proteins E6, E7. These findings suggest Ficus carica latex has the potential to be used in the development of therapeutic modalities for the possible treatment, cure and prevention of HPV related cervical cancer

The effect of bubble surface charge on phonophoresis: Implication in transdermal piroxicam delivery

It is over several decades that ultrasound is used to enhance the transdermal drug delivery (phonphoresis). The mechanism of the enhancement is not fully understood and the ability of ultrasound on the enhancement for some drugs is unclear. The effect of continuous wave 870 KHz ultrasound at intensity of 1 W/cm2 for 15 minutes on transdermal absorption of piroxicam from solution and gel formulations in hairless rat skin was studied. Exposure to ultrasound increased the rate of diffusion from gel and solution of piroxicam to 10 and 3 times higher than that in skins not exposed to ultrasound. We strongly believe that the lower diffusion of piroxicam from the solution is caused by extra-bubbles generated by ultrasound. It can be suggested that cavitation activity and its negative surface charges play a dominant rule in phonophoresis. Copyright © 2006 by Razi Institute for Drug Research (RIDR)

Role of screening for COVID-19 in hemodialysis wards, results of a single center study

Introduction. Seven months after the emergence of SARS-COV-2 virus, there is paucity of data regarding the epidemiology of the virus in hemodialysis patients. We aim to present the results of the screening program implied after outbreak of COVID-19 in a referral hemodialysis ward. Methods. We started clinical screening and obligatory mask wearing for dialysis patients and personnel on 20-Feb-2020. However 11 symptomatic COVID-19 patients emerged till day +36. On days +39 and +40 a screening program was implied including measurement of SARS-COV-2 PCR and immunoglobulin G and M (IgG/IgM) and chest computerized tomography (CT) scan. The results of chest CT scan, classified according to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Reporting and Data System (CO-RADS) classification; as with very low (grade 1-normal), low, indeterminate, high, and very high likelihood of COVID-19 (grades 2, 3, 4, and 5; respectively), were used for compartmentalization of patients. Results. Among 178 patients (68.2 male, mean age = 58.7 ± 16.6 years), 11 got COVID-19 before screening, two of whom died. Chest CT scans were normal in 71.3 and grade 2, 3, 4, and 5 in 7.9, 4.5, 5.6, and 10.7; respectively. PCR and IgG and/or IgM were positive in 27 and 32 patients. Eighty-three patients had evidence of COVID-19 infection, who were significantly older (62.2 ± 16.6 vs. 56.1 ± 16.02, P <.05). There was no difference in the rate of infection considering gender, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and different blood groups. Conclusion. Asymptomatic SARS-COV 2 infection may affect a large number of dialysis patients. We highly recommend a screening strategy whenever the number of patients is increasing. © 2020, Iranian Society of Nephrology. All rights reserved

Differential activation of scapular muscles, during arm elevation, with and without trigger points

Background: Latent Myofascial Trigger Points (LMTrPs) are defined as certain pain-free hyperirritable spots in a muscle taut band which lead to muscle activation pattern alternation in both loaded and unloaded conditions during scaption. The current study aimed to investigate the onset of upward scapular rotator muscle activations during rapid arm elevation in three planes of movement in patients with upper trapezius LMTrPs compared to healthy control participants. Method: Three planes of scapular movement were evaluated. The onset of Deltoid (DEL) was considered as the starting point in marking the onset of Upper Trapezius (UT) and Serratus Anterior (SA) muscle activations. Results: There were significant differences in the relative muscle latencies between the LMTrPs and the control group. Those with LMTrPs showed a delayed and inconsistent activity of UT during all three planes of elevation (< 0.05) and the same pattern happened for SA during flexion (< 0.05). Conclusions: Both hosted and synergistic muscles experience delay in muscle activation and alterations in their recruitment pattern during rapid arm elevation in all planes of movement. These changes may serve as adaptive motor control strategies due to the presence of LMTrPs in UT muscles. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd

Metabolism of the novel dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers mebudipine and dibudipine by isolated rat hepatocytes

The prototype 1,4-dihydropyridine (1,4-DHP) nifedipine, indicated for the management of hypertension and angina pectoris, has drawbacks of rapid onset of vasodilating action and a short half-life. Several newer analogues have been designed to offset these problems and these include mebudipine and dibudipine. These analogues contain t-butyl substituents that have been selected to alter the fast metabolism without altering pharmacological activity. In this study, the metabolism of mebudipine and dibudipine by isolated rat hepatocytes has been investigated. These compounds were extensively metabolized in 2 h by oxidative pathways, analogous to those known for nifedipine, and by O-glucuronidation after hydroxylation of the t-butyl substituents. The in-vitro half-lives of mebudipine (22¯ 7.1 min) and dibudipine (40¯ 9.8 min) were significantly longer than that of nifedipine (5.5¯ 1.1 min), which was investigated in parallel in this study. These newer 1,4-DHPs address the problem of the short half-life of nifedipine and have potential for further development in view of their comparable potency to nifedipine

Micropropagation of Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum cv. White) at In Vitro Conditions

Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum cv. White) is an ornamental plant which has suitable marketing due to a variety of flower colours. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of plant growth regulators on propagation and rooting of this plant. Axillary bud (node) was used as explants and MS medium supplemented with 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 2 mg/L of NAA and BA was applied. The results showed that the greatest shoot length (2.07 cm/plant) was obtained on a medium supplemented with 0.1 mg/L BA (without NAA). Maximum shoot number (5.80/plant) was produced in a medium containing 0.1 mg/L BA along with 0.2 mg/L NAA. Bud explants in culture media containing 0.2 mg/L NAA (without BA) and 0.1 mg/L NAA along with 2 mg/L BA produced the maximum node number (3.20/plant). The largest number of root (14.53/plant) and root length (3.87 cm/plant) were produced in media containing 0.2 mg/L NAA (without BA), also 0.2 mg/L BA plus 0.2 mg/L NAA and 0.2 mg/L BA without NAA, respectively. Explants produced flower on medium containing 0.1 mg/L BA along with 0.1 mg/L NAA at callus formation stage. Also, flower was produced from callus in medium containing 0.1 mg/L BA along with 2 mg/L NAA. Nearly 48% of the plantlets were able to survive on a medium containing a 1:1 ratio of peat and perlite