Pharmacological Study of Cuscuta campestris Yuncker

The dried ethanol extract of the whole plant of Cuscuta campestris Yuncker was studied for its analgesic, antipyretic, antiinflammatory as well as CNS-depressant activities. The extract was given orally at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg. A significant protection against the p -benzoquinone-induced writhing response in mice was observed. A marked lowering of the body temperature of both hyperthermic as well as normothermic mice was produced. Therefore, the extract possesses a hypothermic rather than an antipyretic effect. A marked inhibition of the carrageenan-induced rat hind paw oedema was also obtained. Regarding its CNS action, the extract produced a decrease in the motor activity of mice placed on a rotarod. In the conditioned avoidance reaction test the percentage of failure to avoid electric shock was shown to be increased after administration of the extract without any effect on the escape behaviour of the trained rats. Therefore, the CNS-depressant activity of the extract seems to be due to a tranquillizing effect. It could be concluded that the extract possesses analgesic, hypothermic, antiinflammatory as well as CNS-depressant activities.     

Emergence of Rickettsia africae, Oceania

We detected Rickettsia africae, the agent of African tick-bite fever (ATBF), by amplification of fragments of gltA, ompA, and ompB genes from 3 specimens of Amblyomma loculosum ticks collected from humans and birds in New Caledonia. Clinicians who treat persons in this region should be on alert for ATBF.     

Part I: Synthesis, cancer chemopreventive activity and molecular docking study of novel quinoxaline derivatives

The reaction of o-phenylene diamine and ethyl oxamate is reinvestigated and led to 3-aminoquinoxalin-2(1H)-one rather than benzimidazole-2-carboxamide as was previously reported. The structure of the obtained quinoxaline has been confirmed by X-ray. The anti-tumor activity of synthesized quinoxalines 1-21 has been evaluated by studying their possible inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Among the studied compounds 1-21, compounds 12, 8, 13, 18, 17 and 19, respectively, demonstrated strong inhibitory effects on the EBV-EA activation without showing any cytotoxicity and their effects being stronger than that of a representative control, oleanolic acid. Furthermore, compound 12 exhibited a remarkable inhibitory effect on skin tumor promotion in an in vivo two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis test using 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) as an initiator and TPA as a promoter. The result of the present investigation indicated that compound 12 might be valuable as a potent cancer chemopreventive agent. Moreover, the molecular docking into PTK (PDB: 1t46) has been done for lead optimization of the aforementioned compounds as potential PTK inhibitors.     

Evaluating polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using a yeast bioassay

Sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were evaluated for the ability to activate aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor signaling in a yeast-based bioassay. Individual PAHs were classified as inactive or as weakly, moderately, or strongly active based on induction of human Ah receptor signaling. Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, chrysene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[j]fluoranthene, and benzo[k]fluoranthene were the most potent activators of human Ah receptor signaling. Various mixtures of PAHs had additive or synergistic effects in the bioassay. Environmental samples from the New Orleans (Louisiana, USA) and Detroit (Michigan, USA) areas that were previously analyzed for PAH composition and quantity were tested in this bioassay. Weak but statistically significant relationships were found when the analytically measured levels of PAHs were correlated with sample dilutions that gave 25% effective concentration signaling levels in the Ah receptor assay. We conclude that this Ah receptor signaling assay may be useful for preliminary biomonitoring of samples for PAHs and other Ah receptor ligands.     

Detection of Human Cytomegalovirus in Malignant and Benign Breast Tumors in Egyptian Women

Introduction

Previous studies have reported a role for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in breast carcinogenesis. We sought to assess the role of HCMV infection in the development and/or progression of breast cancer (BC) among Egyptian patients.

Saudi Arabia experience trial of fluvastatin (Lescol) in the treatment of hyperlipidemia

This study was carried out to assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of fluvastatin as monotherapy in the treatment of primary hypercholesterolemia. This multicenter study started with 467 patients but only 315 subjects completed 12 weeks treatment. Patients followed a standard lipid-lowering diet for 3 weeks before entering and throughout the study. Every patient received fluvastatin 20 mg once daily with the evening meal for the first 6 weeks, from week 7 to week 12 the daily dose was changed to one capsule 40 mg daily in the evening. Results showed that the mean percent changes in lipid parameters between baseline and endpoint was as follows: LDL-C (-32.7%); total cholesterol (-29.42%), triglycerides (-19.7%) and HDL-C (16.6%). Meanwhile, the mean percent increase in liver enzymes between baseline and endpoint was 17.2% for ASAT and 20.3% for ALAT, respectively, but the mean values of both enzymes at the endpoint were within normal range. The most frequent side effects being gastrointestinal (4.3%) including dyspepsia, nausea, flatulence and diarrhea. In conclusion, fluvastatin as monotherapy in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia among Saudis was found to be safe, well tolerated and produced a significant improvement in the overall lipid parameters.