Anticancer activity of Sargassum wightii Greville on Dalton’s ascitic lymphoma简

AIM： Sargassum wightii Greville is a marine brown alga belonging to the Sargassaceae family which has about 200 species. The ethanolic extract of the whole dry plant powder contained numerous phytoconstituents, including flavonoids. The study was fo- cused on the anticancer activity ofSargassum wightii in mice. METHOD： The ethanolic extract ofSargassum wightii （EESW） at two dose levels was used to examine the anticancer activity in mice using DAL cell lines to induce cancer. The body weight, viable and non-viable tumor cell count, mean survival time, increase in life span, and hematological parameters were observed for anticancer activity of EESW. RESULTS： The intraperitoneal inoculation of DAL cells in mice significantly increased cancer cell count. The decrease in the cancer cell number observed in the EESW-treated group cancer animals indicates that the test drug has a significant inhibitory ef- fect on the tumor cell proliferation. Treatment with EESW also showed a significant decrease in tumor weight, and hence increased the lifespan of DAL-treated mice. In addition, EESW administration significantly restored the hematological parameters in DAL-treated mice. CONCLUSION： The present study results suggest that administration of extract offers enhanced antioxidant potential. Therefore it can be concluded from this study that EESW possesses anticancer activity.     

Musculotendinous architecture of pathological supraspinatus: A pilot in vivo ultrasonography study

Architectural changes associated with tendon tears of the supraspinatus muscle (SP) have not been thoroughly investigated in vivo with the muscle in relaxed and contracted states. The purpose of this study was to quantify the geometric properties within the distinct regions of SP in subjects with full‐thickness tendon tears using an ultrasound protocol previously developed in our laboratory, and to compare findings with age/gender matched normal controls. Twelve SP from eight participants (6 male/2 female), mean age 57 ± 6.0 years, were investigated. Muscle geometric properties of the anterior region (middle and deep parts) and posterior region (deep part) were measured using image analysis software. Along with whole muscle thickness, fiber bundle length (FBL) and pennation angle (PA) were computed for architecturally distinct regions and/or parts. Pathologic SP was categorized according to the extent of the tear in the tendon (with or without retraction). In the anterior region, mean FBL of the pathologic SP was similar with normal controls; however, mean PA was significantly smaller in pathologic SP with retraction compared with normal controls, in the contracted state (P < 0.05). Mean FBL in the posterior region in both relaxed and contracted states was significantly shorter in the pathologic SP with retraction compared with normal controls (P < 0.05). Findings suggest FBL changes associated with tendon pathology vary between the distinct regions, and PA changes are related to whether there is retraction of the tendon. The ultrasound protocol may provide important information on architectural changes that may assist in decision making and surgical planning. Clin. Anat., 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Synthesis of diversely substituted bis-pyrrolizidino/ thiopyrrolizidino oxindolo/acenaphthyleno curcuminoids via sequential azomethine ylide cycloaddition

Curcumin has been transformed to several diversely substituted bis-pyrrolizidino/thiopyrrolizidino oxindolo/acenaphthyleno curcuminoids via a sequential azomethine ylide cycloaddition reaction using isatins/acenaphthoquinone and proline/thioproline as the reagents. The products were separated via extensive chromatography and characterized by 1D/2D NMR and HRMS analysis.

Curcumin has been transformed to several diversely substituted bis-pyrrolizidino/thiopyrrolizidino oxindolo/acenaphthyleno curcuminoids via a sequential azomethine ylide cycloaddition reaction.     

Right ventricular failure: a comorbidity or a clinical emergency?

Heart Failure Reviews - There has been ample data providing a convincing perception about the underlying mechanism pertaining to left ventricle (LV) hypertrophy progressing towards LV failure. In...     

Subacromial morphometric assessment of the clavicle hook plate

Background

Clavicle hook plates are an effective plate fixation alternative for distal clavicle fractures and severe acromioclavicular joint dislocations. However, post-operative complications associated with the subacromial portion of the hook include acromial osteolysis and subacromial impingement. We examine and quantify the three-dimensional position of the subacromial portion of the hook plate relative to surrounding acromial and subacromial structures in a series of cadaveric shoulders to determine if hook positioning predisposes the shoulder to these noted post-operative complications.

Materials and methods

Fifteen cadaveric shoulders (seven males, eight females) were implanted with 15- or 18-mm hook plates. Dimensions of the acromion and hook plate were digitised and reconstructed into a three-dimensional model to measure acromion dimensions and distances of the subacromial hook relative to surrounding acromial and subacromial structures.

Results

Inter-specimen dimensions of the acromion were highly variable. Mean acromion width and thickness were greater in males than in females (p = 0.01). The posterior orientation of the subacromial hook varied widely (mean posterior implantation angle = 32.5 ± 20°, range 0-67°). The hook pierced the subacromial bursa in 13/15 specimens, made contact with the belly of the supraspinatus muscle in 9/15 specimens, and had focal contact at the hook tip with the undersurface of the acromion in 9/15 specimens.

Conclusions

The wide range of acromial dimensions leads to a high degree of variability in the positioning of the subacromial hook. The observed frequency of hook contact with surrounding subacromial structures in a static shoulder confirms that the position of the hook portion of the implant can predispose anatomic structures to the post-operative complications of subacromial impingement and bony erosion.     

Lateral pterygoid muscle: a three-dimensional analysis of neuromuscular partitioning

The lateral pterygoid (LP) has been implicated in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pathology. Few studies have examined muscle architecture of the superior (SLP) and inferior (ILP) heads of LP; moreover, the pattern of intramuscular innervation is poorly defined. The purpose of this study was to determine patterns of intramuscular innervation of LP using 3D modeling. The superior and lateral aspects of LP were exposed in 10 embalmed cadaveric specimens. Nerves entering the muscle, all branches of the mandibular nerve (V₃), were followed intramuscularly in short segments and sequentially digitized. Muscle volume, surrounding bone, and the TMJ disc were also digitized. The data were reconstructed into 3D models (Maya®) that were used to determine patterns of intramuscular innervation. It was found that the SLP had independent sources of innervation to each of the quadrants in its superior part (masseteric/posterior deep temporal/middle deep temporal/buccal) and one primary source of innervation (buccal) to the quadrants of the inferior part. This difference in innervation is significant as the superior part attaches to the TMJ disc‐capsule complex, whereas the inferior part attaches to the mandibular condylar neck. Differing sites of attachment and sources of innervation for each part suggests that movement of the TMJ disc‐capsule complex, independent of the condyle, may be possible. The buccal nerve supplied both the medial and lateral quadrants of the ILP, with the medial quadrants receiving additional innervation from V₃ muscular branches. Results of this study could be used to direct EMG/ultrasound studies of LP function as related to TMJ disorders. Clin. Anat. 25:576–583, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Anti-anaphylactic and anti-inflammatory activities of a bioactive alkaloid from the root bark of Plumeria acutifolia Poir

Objective

To investigate the anti-anaphylactic, anti-inflammatory and membrane stabilizing properties of plumerianine (compound 1) isolated from the root bark of Plumeria acutifolia Poir.

Methods

The anti-anaphylactic activity of compound 1 (10, 25 and 50 mg/kg) was studied by using models such as passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, passive paw anaphylaxis and its anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenin induced paw edema and cotton pellet granuloma in albino rats was also investigated using ketotifen and indomethacin as reference drugs.

Results

A dose-dependent beneficial effect was observed on leakage of evans blue dye in skin challenged with antigen and on paw anaphylaxis induced by antiserum. The compound 1 also exhibited significant (P<0.01) inhibition of rat paw edema and granuloma tissue formation, including significant protection of RBC against the haemolytic effect of hypotonic solution, an indication of membrane-stabilizing activity.

Conclusions

Anti-anaphylactic activity of compound 1 may be possibly due to inhibition of the release of various inflammatory mediators. Anti-inflammatory activity of compound may be related to the inhibition of the early phase and late phase of inflammatory events.     

A comparative assessment of in vitro cytotoxic activity and phytochemical profiling of Andrographis nallamalayana J.L.Ellis and Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees using UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS approach

Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees and Andrographis nallamalayana J.L.Ellis have traditionally been used to treat various ailments such as mouth ulcers, intermittent fever, inflammation, snake bite. This study compares the comparative in vitro cytotoxic activity, and phytochemical profiling of methanol extract of A. nallamalayana (ANM) and A. paniculata (APM). UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS analysis has been performed. The cytotoxic activity of crude methanol extracts were evaluated against three different cancer cell lines (HCT 116, HepG2, and A549 cell line). Both plants'' extract exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against tested cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. IC₅₀ of ANM and APM in HCT 116 cell was 11.71 ± 2.48 μg ml⁻¹ and 45.32 ± 0.86 μg ml⁻¹ and in HepG2 cell line was 15.65 ± 2.25 μg ml⁻¹ and 60.32 ± 1.05 μg ml⁻¹ respectively. Cytotoxicity of these two extracts was comparatively similar in A549 cells. ANM induced cytotoxicity involved programmed cell death, externalisation of phosphatidylserine, ROS generation, up-regulation and down-regulation of major apoptotic markers. HRMS analysis of ANM and APM resulted in the identification of 59 and 42 compounds, respectively. Further, using the MS/MS fragmentation approach, 20 compounds, of which 18 compounds were identified for the first time from ANM, which belongs to phenolic acids, flavonoids, and their glycosides. Three known compounds, echioidinin, skullcapflavone I and 5,2′,6′-trihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone 2′-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, were isolated from A. nallamalayana and their crystal structures were reported for the first time. Subsequently, seven major compounds were identified in A. nallamalayana by direct comparison (retention time and UV-spectra) with authentic commercial standards and isolated compounds using HPLC-UV analysis. The cytotoxicity of phytochemicals from both the plants using in silico tools also justify their in vitro cytotoxic activity. It is the first report on the comparative characterisation of phytochemicals present in the methanolic extract of both the species of Andrographis, along with the cytotoxic activity of A. nallamalayana.

A comparative study of two Andrographis species have been done, and it was found that Andrographis nallamalayana J.L.Ellis is phytochemically and biologically different from Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees.