ANTIPROLIFERATION EFFECTS OF SELECTED TANZANIA PLANTS

Background: Plants still remain a prime source of drugs for the treatment of cancer and can provide leads for the development of novel anticancer agents. Our screening of indigenous medicinal plants from Tanzania has led to the identification of the number of anticancer activity. Material and methods: The current study investigates the cytotoxic activity of methanol extracts of one hundred and thirty seven Tanzania plants used locally for the traditional medicine herb using the MTS assay on the HepG2 cell lines. Result 16% of the tested plant extracts showed moderate to strong inhibitory activity with IC50 values ranging from 17.1 ± 1.1 μg/ml to 79.2 ± 0.7 μg/ml ; meanwhile, ten extracts (7.3%) could demonstrate cytotoxic activity with IC50 values less than 27.6 ± 2.0 μg/ml; twelve extracts (8.8%) could demonstrate cytotoxic activity with IC50 values ranging from 30.4 ± 1.6 μg/ml to 79.2 ± 0.7μg/ml. Conclusion : Especially, a methanol extract from the bark extract of Erythrophleum zimmermannii (Fabaceae) was found to be the most cytotoxicity against HepG2 cell lines (IC50 = 17.1 ± 1.1 μg/ml)

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Sterol Fatty Acid Esters from the Mushroom <i>Hericium erinaceum</i> and Their PPAR Transactivational Effects

Six new (erinarols A–F, <b>1</b>–<b>6</b>) and five known (<b>7</b>–<b>11</b>) ergostane-type sterol fatty acid esters were isolated from the methanol extract of the dried fruiting bodies of <i>Hericium erinaceum.</i> Their chemical structures were elucidated using chemical and physical methods as well as through comparison of NMR and mass spectral data with those reported previously. This is the first comprehensive investigation on ergostane-type sterol fatty acid esters from <i>H. erinaceum</i>. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their PPAR transactivational effects using a luciferase reporter system. Compounds <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> significantly activated the transcriptional activity of PPARs in a dose-dependent manner, with EC₅₀ values of 8.2 and 6.4 μM, respectively. Moreover, compounds <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> also activated PPARα and PPARγ transcriptional activity, with stimulation from 1.3- to 3.9-fold at 20 μM concentrations

Tannic Acid and Quercetin Display a Therapeutic Effect in Atopic Dermatitis via Suppression of Angiogenesis and TARC Expression in Nc/Nga Mice

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NF-κB Inhibitory Activity of Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters and Related Constituents from Astragalus membranaceus

Twelve compounds, including six sucrose fatty acid esters (<b>1</b>–<b>6</b>), four galactosyl acylglycerols (<b>7</b>–<b>10</b>), and two sphingolipids (<b>11</b> and <b>12</b>), were isolated from the roots of Astragalus membranaceus. Their structures were identified on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Among the isolated sucrose fatty acid esters, 6′-<i>O</i>-linoleyl sucrose (<b>1</b>) was identified as a new compound, and 6′-<i>O</i>-palmitoyl sucrose (<b>2</b>) and 6-<i>O</i>-palmitoyl sucrose (<b>3</b>) were isolated from nature for the first time. This is the first report on sucrose fatty acid ester components from <i>A. membranaceus</i>. The nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) inhibitory activity of isolated compounds was measured in HepG2 cells stimulated with TNF-α using a luciferase reporter system. Among them, compounds <b>1</b>–<b>6</b> exhibited significant inhibition of NF-κB activation in a dose-dependent manner, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 4.4 to 24.7 μM. Compounds <b>1</b>–<b>6</b> also exhibited inhibition of TNF-α-induced expression of iNOS and ICAM-1 mRNA and dose-dependent inhibition of iNOS promoter activity, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 3.3 to 5.0 μM. These data demonstrate the potential of sucrose fatty acid esters from <i>A. membranaceus</i> to prevent and treat inflammatory diseases