7 research outputs found
Cyclooxygenases: Proliferation and differentiation
Prostaglandins are formed from arachidonic acid by the action of cyclooxygenase and subsequent downstream synthetases. Mainly two cyclooxygenase isoforms have been identified which are now known as cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2. Both iso-enzymes transform arachidonic acid to prostaglandins, but differ in their distribution and their physiological roles. The two isoenzymes are similar in protein structure but are produced by divergent genes and have different biological functions. Cyclooxygenase-1 is a constitutively expressed enzyme in most mammalian tissues and maintains normal cellular physiological functions, such as platelet aggregation and gastric cytoprotection; while cyclooxygenase-2 is normally expressed at a very low level in most tissues and is highly inducible by growth factors, cytokines, and tumour promoters. In several studies, the effect of cyclooxygenases on different cell types has been investigated. This review focuses on cyclooxygenases function, cell proliferation and differentiation.Key words: Cyclooxygenases, proliferation, differentiation, prostaglandins, tumor
Iranian Medicinal Plants: From Ethnomedicine to Actual Studies
Iran has a rich and diverse cultural heritage, consisting of a complex traditional medicine deeply rooted in the history of the territory that goes back to the Assyrian and Babylonian civilizations. The ethnomedical practices that can be identifiable nowadays derive from the experience of local people who have developed remedies against a wide range of diseases handing down the knowledge from generation to generation over the millennia. Traditional medicine practices represent an important source of inspiration in the process of the development of new drugs and therapeutic strategies. In this context, it is useful to determine the state of the art of ethnomedical studies, concerning the Iranian territory, and of scientific studies on plants used in traditional Iranian medicine. Data regarding 245 plants used in Iranian ethnomedical practices and scientific studies conducted on 89 plants collected in the Iranian territory have been reported. All of the scientific studies here reported draw inspiration from traditional medicine. The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly called for an intensification of the scientific validation processes of traditional medicines intended as an important contribution to public health in various parts of the world. The process of study and validation of Iranian ethnomedical practices appears to be at an early stage