Evaluation of antioxidant and antiulcerogenic activities of Opuntia ficus indica f. inermis flowers extract in rats

The Opuntia ficus indica f. inermis methanolic flowers extract (OMFE) was phytochemical studied, in vitro tested for their potential antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), reducing power, linoleic acid peroxidation assays and in vivo evaluated for its ability to prevent ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats. The OMFE was rich in polysaccharide, phenolics and flavonoids contents and exhibited a moderate in vitro antioxidant activity when compared with (+)-catechin and ascorbic acid. Pre-treatment with OMFE at oral doses 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight was found to provide a dose-dependent protection against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer by averting the deep necrotic lesions of the gastric epithelium, by preserving normal antioxidant enzymes activities, by inhibiting the lipid peroxidation, the oxidation of protein and the DNA fragmentation in gastric mucosa. The antiulcerogenic activity of OMFE might be due to a possible synergistic antioxidant and antihistaminic-like effects.     

Pharmacological inhibition of carbonic anhydrase XII interferes with cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis in T-cell lymphomas

The membrane-bound carbonic anhydrase isoforms CAIX and CAXII, underpin a pH-regulating system that enables hypoxic tumor cell survival. Here, we observed for the first time an upregulation of CAXII in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (T-ALL/LL) cells. First we showed that CAXII is overexpressed in thymocytes from tPTEN−/− mice suffering of T lymphoma and that its pharmacological inhibition decreased cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. The same results were observed with the SupT1 human T cell lymphoma line. In addition we observed an upregulation of CAXII in human T-ALL samples supporting the case that CAXII may represent a new therapeutic target for T-ALL/LL.     

Neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy: what is the best treatment of muscle invasive bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer for men and the eighth most common cancer for women. Transitional cell carcinoma is the most predominant histological type. Bladder cancer is highly chemosensitive. In metastatic setting the treatment is based on cisplatin chemotherapy regimens type MVAC, MVAC-HD or gemcitabine plus cisplatin. The standard treatment of muscle invasive operable bladder cancer (T2–T4) used widely was radical cystectomy with pelvic lymph nodes dissection; the anatomical extent of pelvic lymphadenectomy has not accurately been defined so far. However, in the last decade, the treatment of tumors was improved by the introduction of chemotherapy as part of the management of the disease. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy should be considered at first, as standard treatment of choice, before local treatment for patients with good performance status (0–1) and good renal function–glomerular filtration rate (GFR) >60 mL/min. For patients treated with primary surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy is a valuable option in the case of lymph nodes involvement. This brief review would provide the evidence of the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the management of operable muscle invasive (T2–T4) bladder cancer.     

Uncovering Professional Attitudes Toward Treatment of Rare Carcinomas of the Breast: An International Practice e‐Survey Involving 32 Countries

World Health Organization classification has identified a dozen rare subtypes accounting for less than 10% of all breast cancers (BC), generally not taken into account in treatment guidelines. We evaluated professionals’ attitudes toward decision‐making regarding rare BC and consensus guidelines needs. In this international e‐survey, 236 BC experts from all specialties were contacted through email to fill an online questionnaire about their practices. Eighty‐six experts from 32 countries participated (36%); 50% medical oncologists, 21% surgeons, 17% pathologists, and 12% radiation oncologists. General BC care decisions were based on consensus guidelines in 77% of expert, whereas routine individual treatment decisions for BC were made by multi‐disciplinary boards in 76%. Only 10% strongly considered rare BC should be treated following existing standard guidelines. Interestingly, 50–80% described individualizing treatment for rare BC according to pathologic subtype. More than 90% of experts would welcome international recommendations for rare BC. This large scale international multi‐disciplinary survey revealed overarching concerns centered on several key themes: the lack of resources and data to address these less common BC; the heterogeneous management of rare BC depending on geographical location and specialist training; the demand for international consensus guidelines regarding their diagnosis and treatment.     

Predictors of Healthcare Access and Utilization by Syrian Americans in the United States

Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health - There are currently no studies examining healthcare access and utilization by Syrian Americans. A better understanding of the determinants of healthcare...     

Ameliorative effect of Opuntia ficus indica juice on ethanol-induced oxidative stress in rat erythrocytes

The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of Opuntia ficus indica f. inermis fruit juice (OFIj) on reversing oxidative damages induced by chronic ethanol intake in rat erythrocytes. OFIj was firstly analyzed with HPLC for phenolic and flavonoids content. Secondly, 40 adult male Wistar rats were equally divided into five groups and treated for 90 days as follows: control (C), ethanol-only 3 g/kg body weight (b.w) (E), low dose of OFIj 2 ml/100 g b.w + ethanol (Ldj + E), high dose of OFIj 4 ml/100 g b.w + ethanol (Hdj + E), and only a high dose of OFIj 4 ml/100 g b.w (Hdj). HPLC analysis indicated high concentrations of phenolic acids and flavonoids in OFIj. Ethanol treatment markedly decreased the activities of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and the level of reduced glutathione (GSH). Changes in the erythrocyte's antioxidant ability were accompanied by enhanced oxidative modification of lipids (increase of malondialdeyde level) and proteins (increase in carbonyl groups). Interestingly, pre-administration of either 2 ml/100 g b.w or 4 ml/100 g b.w of OFIj to ethanol-intoxicated rats significantly reversed decreases in enzymatic as well as non enzymatic antioxidants parameters in erythrocytes. Also, the administration of OFIj significantly protected lipids and proteins against ethanol-induced oxidative modifications in rat erythrocytes. The beneficial effect of OFIj can result from the inhibition of ethanol-induced free radicals chain reactions in rat erythrocytes or from the enhancement of the endogenous antioxidants activities.     

Protective effect of Opuntia ficus indica f. inermis prickly pear juice upon ethanol-induced damages in rat erythrocytes

Juice from the fruit of the cactus Opuntia ficus indica is claimed to possess several health-beneficial properties. The present study was carried out to determine whether O. ficus indica f. inermis fruit extract might have a protective effect upon physiological and morphological damages inflicted to erythrocytes membrane by chronic ethanol poisoning, per os, in rat. Chemical analysis of the extract revealed the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and betalains. Ethanol administration (3 g/kg b.w, per day for 90 days) induced an increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) and carbonylated proteins levels and a decrease of glutathione (GSH) level in erythrocyte. Ethanol administration also reduced the scavenging activity in plasma and enhanced erythrocytes hemolysis, as compared to control rats. In addition, ethanol intake increased the erythrocyte shape index by +895.5% and decreased the erythrocyte diameter by −61.53% as compared to controls. In animals also given prickly pear juice during the same experimental period, the studied parameters were much less shifted. This protective effect was found to be dose-dependent. It is likely that the beneficial effect of the extract is due to the high content of antioxidant compounds.