Thymoquinone (2-Isopropyl-5-methyl-1, 4-benzoquinone) as a chemopreventive/anticancer agent: Chemistry and biological effects

Cancer remains the topmost disorder of the mankind and number of cases is unceasingly growing at unprecedented rates. Although the synthetic anti-cancer compounds still hold the largest market in the modern treatment of cancer, natural agents have always been tried and tested for potential anti-cancer properties. Thymoquinone (TQ), a monoterpene and main ingredient in the essential oil of Nigella sativa L. has got very eminent rankings in the traditional systems of medicine for its anti-cancer pharmacological properties. In this review we summarized the diverse aspects of TQ including its chemistry, biosynthesis, sources and pharmacological properties with a major concern being attributed to its anti-cancer efficacies. The role of TQ in different aspects involved in the pathogenesis of cancer like inflammation, angiogenesis, apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, proliferation, invasion and migration have been described. The mechanism of action of TQ in different cancer types has been briefly accounted. Other safety and toxicological aspects and some combination therapies involving TQ have also been touched. A detailed literature search was carried out using various online search engines like google scholar and pubmed regarding the available research and review accounts on thymoquinone upto may 2019. All the articles reporting significant addition to the activities of thymoquinone were selected. Additional information was acquired from ethno botanical literature focusing on thymoquinone. The compound has been the centre of attention for a long time period and researched regularly in quite considerable numbers for its various physicochemical, medicinal, biological and pharmacological perspectives. Thymoquinone is studied for various chemical and pharmacological activities and demonstrated promising anti-cancer potential. The reviewed reports confirmed the strong anti-cancer efficacy of thymoquinone. Further in-vitro and in-vivo research is strongly warranted regarding the complete exploration of thymoquinone in ethnopharmacological context.     

Sociodemographics and the impact of a colostomy to indigent families and children with colorectal disorders in Honduras

Introduction

To describe the social impact of a colostomy on indigent families and affected children with anorectal malformations (ARM) or Hirschsprung's disease (HD) in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, we specifically targeted very low-income households that attended an international medical brigade for ARM and HD in 2016.

In vitro lessons for wound healing

To understand a process as complex as wound healing, it is helpful to compartmentalize it. This is necessary if one is to study specific aspects individually. For the present purpose, wound healing can be subdivided into four phases: wounding, inflammation, cellular proliferation, and remodeling or maturation. Wound healing may also be considered under the temporally overlapping requirements for cellular migration, division, and differentiation or production of specialized products. Each of these discrete phenomena is potentially amenable to in vitro investigation.Recent advances in tissue culture techniques have greatly expanded the opportunity for clinically relevant, scientifically rigorous studies of wound healing. The following discussion focuses on selected applications of current methodology to this complex biologic process. It is intended to be illustrative of questions that can be addressed in vitro, not as a comprehensive review of the area.     

Pre-operative CT coronary angiography in patients with mitral valve prolapse referred for surgical repair: Comparison of accuracy,radiation dose and cost versus invasive coronary angiography

Background

The aims of this study are to evaluate the accuracy of low dose multidetector computed tomography coronary angiography (MDCT) versus invasive coronary angiography (ICA) in ruling out CAD in patients with mitral valve prolapse and severe mitral regurgitation (MVP) before cardiac surgery and to compare the overall effective radiation dose (ED) and cost of a diagnostic approach in which conventional ICA should be performed only in patients with significant CAD as detected by MDCT.

Methods

Eighty patients with MVP and without history of CAD were randomized to MDCT (Group 1) or ICA (Group 2) to rule out CAD before surgery. However, ICA was also performed as gold standard reference in Group 1 to test the diagnostic accuracy of MDCT. A diagnostic work-up A in whom all patients underwent low-dose MDCT as initial diagnostic test and those with positive findings were referred for ICA was compared with work-up B in which all patients were referred for ICA according to the standard of care in terms of ED and cost.

Results

The two groups were homogeneous in terms of gender, age and body mass index. The overall feasibility and accuracy in a patient-based model were 99% and 93%, respectively. The overall ED and costs were significantly lower in diagnostic work-up A compared to diagnostic work-up B.

Conclusions

The accuracy of low dose MDCT for ruling out the presence of significant CAD in patients undergoing elective valve surgery for mitral valve prolapse is excellent with a reduction of overall radiation dose exposure and costs.     

Dietary inadequacy is associated with anemia and suboptimal growth among preschool-aged children in Yunnan Province, China

This study documented the relationships among dietary intake, growth failure, and anemia in a convenience sample of 172 children aged 1 to 5 years in rural Yunnan Province, China. We hypothesized that most children would have suboptimal intakes of key nutrients associated with child growth and anemia and that undernutrition would be more common in children with poor growth and in those who were anemic. Nutrient intakes from three 24-hour recalls were compared with the Dietary Reference Intakes. Height/length and weight were compared with World Health Organization Child Growth Standards to determine if children were malnourished (z score < −2 SD median). Blood was tested for anemia (hemoglobin <110 g/L). Stunting, underweight, wasting, and anemia were present among 44.4%, 15.7%, 1.7%, and 35.4% of children, respectively. The percentage of children not meeting the estimated average requirement for zinc, vitamin A, iron, and protein or the adequate intake for calcium was 87.2%, 80.8%, 66.3%, 7.6%, and 100.0%, respectively. Altogether, 19.2% and 78.5% of children were below the acceptable macronutrient distribution range for percentage of energy from protein and fat, respectively. More stunted than not stunted children were below the estimated average requirement for vitamin A, as were more anemic than nonanemic children. Growth faltering combined with findings of anemia and suboptimal intake of a variety of nutrients suggests a high prevalence of chronic dietary inadequacy among preschool-aged children in Yunnan Province. Consuming more protein-, fat-, zinc-, iron-, and vitamin A-rich foods may improve growth and reduce anemia.     

Fluoxetine versus sertraline in the treatment of patients with undifferentiated somatoform disorder: a randomized, open-label, 12-week, parallel-group trial

The present study was conducted to compare the effectiveness and tolerability of fluoxetine and sertraline in the treatment of undifferentiated somatoform disorder (USD), using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15), which was specifically designed for assessing the severity of somatic symptoms. A randomized, 12-week, open-label trial of fluoxetine (10-60 mg/d) and sertraline (25-350 mg/d) in patients with USD was conducted. Six visits, at baseline and weeks 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12, were scheduled. Assessments for effectiveness and tolerability were conducted at each visit. The primary effectiveness measure was the mean change in PHQ-15 total score, from baseline to the end of treatment. Secondary effectiveness measures were the mean changes in total scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), from baseline to the end of treatment. A total of 45 subjects were enrolled; of them, 28 were randomly assigned to receive fluoxetine and 17 to receive sertraline. The total score on the PHQ-15 from baseline to the end of treatment significantly decreased in the fluoxetine (-10.7, p<0.0001) and sertraline (-10.3, p<0.0001) treatment groups, with no between-group difference (F=0.0701, p=0.7924). Overall, both treatments were well tolerated and no serious adverse event was reported. This study suggests that both agents may have a potential role in the treatment of USD. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and/or head-to-head comparison study with larger samples are required to draw more definite conclusions.