Antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Toddalia asiatica (Linn) Lam root extracts

Background: Toddalia asiatica (Linn) Lam is a woody vine that is used medicinally in China, India, and East Africa. The aim of the present study was to examine the antioxidant and antibacterial activity of the roots of Toddalia asiatica (Linn) Lam (TA).Materials and Methods: The antioxidant capacity of TA roots was determined using 1,1 iphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2´-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonicacid) (ABTS), and the ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) assay. The antimicrobial activity of TA against Staphylococcus aureus (SA), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and extended spectrum β-lactamase positive S. aureus (ESBLs-SA) was screened.Results: Methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of TA exhibited strong antioxidant activity. The methanol extract had the highest antioxidant activity (DPPH, IC50=41.45 μg/mL; ABTS, IC50=8.34 μg/mL; FRAP=1304.8 ± 60.38 μmol Trolox equivalent (TE)/g), which was close to that of the positive control, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The petroleum ether extract of TA showed the highest antimicrobial activity (SA, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 250 μg/disc; MRSA, MIC=125 μg/disc) when compared with that of ethyl acetate extract (SA, MIC=250 μg/disc) and methanol extract.Conclusions: Investigation of methanol, petroleum ether, and ethyl acetate extracts of TA root revealed robust antioxidant activity in methanol extracts and strong antimicrobial activity against SA and MRSA in petroleum ether extracts.Keywords: Toddalia asiatica (Linn) Lam; antioxidant; antibacteria

Antitumor activity of mixed heat shock protein/peptide vaccine and cyclophosphamide plus interleukin-12 in mice sarcoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The immune factors heat shock protein (HSP)/peptides (HSP/Ps) can induce both adaptive and innate immune responses. Treatment with HSP/Ps in cancer cell-bearing mice and cancer patients revealed antitumor immune activity. We aimed to develop immunotherapy strategies by vaccination with a mixture of HSP/Ps (mHSP/Ps, HSP60, HSP70, Gp96 and HSP110) enhanced with cyclophosphamide (CY) and interleukin-12 (IL-12).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We extracted mHSP/Ps from the mouse sarcoma cell line S180 using chromatography. The identity of proteins in this mHSP/Ps was assayed using SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis with antibodies specific to various HSPs. BALB/C mice bearing S180 cells were vaccinated with mHSP/Ps ×3, then were injected intraperitoneally with low-dose CY and subcutaneously with IL-12, 100 μg/day, ×5. After vaccination, T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood were analyzed using FACScan and Cytotoxicity (CTL) was analyzed using lactate dehydrogenase assay. ELISPOT assay was used to evaluate interferon γ (IFN-γ), and immune cell infiltration in tumors was examined in the sections of tumor specimen.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In mice vaccinated with enhanced vaccine (mHSP/Ps and CY plus IL-12), 80% showed tumor regression and long-term survival, and tumor growth inhibition rate was 82.3% (30 days), all controls died within 40 days. After vaccination, lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes infiltrated into the tumors of treated animals, but no leukocytes infiltrated into the tumors of control mice. The proportions of natural killer cells, CD8+, and interferon-γ-secreting cells were all increased in the immune group, and tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity was increased.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this mice tumor model, vaccination with mHSP/Ps combined with low-dose CY plus IL-12 induced an immunologic response and a marked antitumor response to autologous tumors. The regimen may be a promising therapeutic agent against tumors.</p