Xanthomicrol Exerts Antiangiogenic and Antitumor Effects in a Mouse Melanoma (B16F10) Allograft Model.

Xanthomicrol, a trimethoxylated hydroxyflavone, is the main active component of Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss leaf extract. Preliminary in vitro studies identified this compound as a potential antiangiogenic and anticancer agent. This study aimed to evaluate in vivo anticancer effect of xanthomicrol and investigate its molecular mechanism of action in a mouse melanoma (B16F10) model. Effect of xanthomicrol on B16F10 melanoma cell viability was determined using the MTT assay. For in vivo experiments, C57BL/6 mice were inoculated subcutaneously with B16F10 cells. After five days, once daily administration of xanthomicrol, thalidomide, or vehicle was commenced and continued for 21 consecutive days. On the 26th day, blood samples and tumor biopsies were taken for subsequent molecular analysis. Xanthomicrol showed inhibitory effect on viability of B16F10 melanoma cells (IC50 value: 3.433 µg/ml). Initial tumor growth, tumor volume and weight, and angiogenesis were significantly decreased in xanthomicrol-treated animals compared with those in vehicle group. Protein expression of phosphorylated Akt, mRNA expressions of HIF-1α and VEGF in tumor tissues, and serum VEGF were significantly decreased in xanthomicrol-treated animals compared with vehicle-treated animals. Thus, xanthomicrol inhibited cancer cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. This effect, at least in part, was exerted by interfering with PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and inhibiting VEGF secretion by tumor cells. Further studies are required to elucidate the exact molecular mechanisms of antitumor activity of xanthomicrol.

The Effect of Noscapine on Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation on Primary Murine Cortical Neurons in High Glucose Condition.

In the present work we set out to investigate the neuroprotective effects of noscapine (0.5-2 µM) in presence of D-glucose on primary murine foetal cortical neurons after oxygen-glucose deprivation/24 h. recovery. Cell viability, nitric oxide production and intracellular calcium ((ca(2+))i) levels were evaluated by MTT assay, the modified Griess method and Fura-2 respectively. 25 and 100 mM D-glucose could, in a concentration dependent manner, improve cell viability and decrease NO production and (ca(2+))i level in neuronal cells after ischemic insult. Moreover, pre-incubation of cells with noscapine, noticeably enhanced protective effects of 25 and 100 mM D-glucose compared to similar conditions without noscapine pre-treatment. In fact, noscapine attenuated NO production in a dose-dependent fashion, after 30 minutes (min) OGD, during high-glucose (HG) condition in cortical neurons. Pretreatment with 2 µM noscapine and 25 or 100 mM D-glucose, was shown to decrease the rise in (ca(2+))i induced by Sodium azide/glucose deprivation (chemical OGD) model. These effects were more pronounced than that of 25 or 100 mM D-glucose alone. The present study demonstrated that the neuroprotective effects of HG before an ischemic insult were augmented by pre-treatment with noscapine. Our results also suggested that the neuroprotection offered by both HG and noscapine involve attenuation of NO production and (ca(2+))i levels stimulated by the experimental ischemia in cortical neurons.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Stimulates Apoptosis in RH and Tehran Strains of Toxoplasma gondii, in Vitro.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on apoptosis of tachyzoites of T. gondii, RH strain (type I) and the cyst-forming Tehran strain (type II) in vitro. METHODS: Toxoplasma strains were injected into the peritoneal cavity of BALB/c mice. The Tehran strain forms cysts in the brain of mice. Bradyzoites within the cysts are reactivated to proliferative tachyzoites, by dexamethasone. Tachyzoites were aspirated from the peritoneum of infected mice, and the percentage of viable parasites was estimated with trypan blue staining. Tachyzoites were inoculated into HeLa cells cultivated in DMEM medium. Different concentrations of CLA were evaluated on T. gondii in HeLa cells by the tetrazolium (MTT) colorimetric assay. Differentiation between apoptosis and cell death was determined by flow cytometry using Annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) double staining. The statistical analysis performed by GraphPad Prism version 6.00. RESULTS: CLA induces apoptosis in virulent (RH) and avirulent (Tehran) strains of T. gondii. The results of MTT indicated that CLA could decrease the proliferation of tachyzoites of both strains in HeLa cells. CONCLUSION: Conjugated linoleic acid has anti-toxoplasmacidal activity on tachyzoites of T. gondii. Therefore, we recommended further studies on this component in order to achieve a new drug against the parasite.

The inhibitory effect of Acyclovir loaded nano-niosomes against herpes simplex virus type-1 in cell culture.

BACKGROUND: Wide distribution and low half-life of acyclovir has led to a high dose consumption of the drug. Recent studies have shown that encapsulation of acyclovir in nano-carriers can increase effectiveness and decrease its side effects. We investigated the inhibitory effect of acyclovir loaded nano-niosomes against herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) in cell culture. METHODS: In-vitro cytotoxicity study of empty niosomes (E-N), acyclovir loaded niosomes (ACV-N) and ACV as a free drug against HeLa cell line was performed by MTT assay and the viral titers was tested by TCID50 assay. RESULTS: The results indicated that a significant higher antiviral activity for acyclovir loaded nano-niosomes of about 3 times in comparison with free drug. CONCLUSION: The results of this study revealed ACV-N have a higher antiviral activity compared with free drug; it could be a suitable carrier for delivery of acyclovir in the treatment of HSV-1 infections.

Skeletal muscle post-conditioning by diazoxide, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic mechanisms.

Pretreatment with diazoxide, K(ATP) channel opener, increases tissue tolerance against ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury. In clinical settings pretreatment is rarely an option therefore we evaluated the effect of post-ischemic treatment with diazoxide on skeletal muscle IR injury. Rats were treated with either saline, diazoxide (K(ATP) opener; 40 mg/kg) or 5-hydroxydecanoate (5-HD; mitochondrial K(ATP) inhibitor; 40 mg/kg) after skeletal muscle ischemia (3 h) and reperfusion (6, 24 or 48 h). Tissue contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression and muscle histology were determined. Apoptosis was examined (24 and 48 h) after ischemia. IR induced severe histological damage, increased MDA content and Bax expression (24 and 48 h; p < 0.01) and decreased CAT and SOD activities (6 and 24 h, p < 0.01 and 48 h, p < 0.05), with no significant effect on Bcl-2 expression. Diazoxide reversed IR effects on MDA (6 and 24 h; p < 0.05), SOD (6 and 24 h; p < 0.01) and CAT (6 and 48 h, p < 0.05 and 24 h p < 0.01) and tissue damage. Diazoxide also decreased Bax (24 and 48 h; p < 0.05) and increased Bcl-2 protein expression (24 and 48 h; p < 0.01). Post-ischemic treatment with 5-HD had no significant effect on IR injury. Number of apoptotic nuclei in IR and 5-HD treated groups significantly increased (p < 0.001) while diazoxide decreased apoptosis (p < 0.01). The results suggested that post-ischemic treatment with diazoxide decrease oxidative stress in acute phase which modulates expression of apoptotic proteins in the late phase of reperfusion injury. Involvement of KATP channels in this effect require further evaluations.

In vitro selection and characterization of deoxyribonucleic acid aptamers for digoxin.

The low therapeutic index of digoxin necessitates careful monitoring of its serum levels. Most of digoxin immunoassays suffer from interferences with digoxin-like immunoreactive substances. Since aptamers have been shown to be highly specific for their targets, the aim of this study was to develop DNA aptamers for this widely used cardiac glycoside. Digoxin was coated onto the surface of streptavidin magnetic beads. DNA aptamers against digoxin were designed using Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment method (SELEX) by 11 iterative rounds of incubation of digoxin-coated streptavidin magnetic beads with synthetic DNA library, DNA elution, electrophoresis and PCR amplification. The PCR product was cloned and sequenced. Binding affinity was determined using digoxin-BSA conjugate, coated onto ELISA plate. Inhibitory effect of anti-digoxin aptamer was conducted using isolated guinea-pig atrium. Three aptamers (D1, D2 and D3) were identified. Binding studies of fluorescein-labeled truncated (without primer binding region) D1 and D2 and full length D1 anti-digoxin aptamers were performed and their corresponding dissociation constants values were 8.2×10(-9), 44.0×10(-9) and 17.8×10(-9) M, respectively. This is comparable to what other workers have obtained for interaction of monoclonal antibodies raised against digoxin. There was little difference in binding affinity between full length and truncated anti-digoxin D1 aptamer. D1 anti-digoxin aptamer also inhibited the effects of digoxin on the isolated guinea-pig atrium. D1 anti-digoxin aptamer distinguished between digoxin and ouabain in both tissue study and binding experiments. Our finding indicated that D1 anti-digoxin aptamer can selectively bind to digoxin. Further studies might show its suitability for use in digoxin assays and as a therapeutic agent in life-threatening digoxin toxicity.

Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism with elevated serum ACE activity and major depression in an Iranian population.

Genetic factors contribute substantially to the likelihood of developing major depressive disorder (MDD). The importance of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) elements in cognition and behaviour and their involvement in aetiology and treatment of depression imply that RAS gene polymorphism(s) associated with RAS overactivity might also be associated with depression. In the present study, genotype and allele frequencies of six common polymorphisms of genes encoding for RAS components were determined in DNAs extracted from venous blood of 191 depressed and 104 healthy individuals using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity was assayed using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The results showed, for the first time, that GG genotype of ACE A2350G was significantly associated with MDD among Iranian participants (P=0.001; odds ratio (OR)=6.2; 95% confidence interval (CI)=2.1-18.3). Significant higher serum ACE activity (P=0.0001) as well as higher diastolic blood pressure (P=0.036) were observed in depressed patients compared to the healthy control group. Depressed patients carrying GG genotype of the A2350G polymorphism had a significantly higher serum ACE activity (P=0.02) than individuals with either AA or AG genotype. In conclusion, this study supports the hypothesis of RAS overactivity in depression in that the genotype associated with higher serum ACE activity in an Iranian population was also associated with MDD.

Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme polymorphism with coronary artery disease in Iranian patients with unipolar depression.

OBJECTIVES: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is an increasingly recognized risk factor of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between renin-angiotensin system (RAS) genetic polymorphisms and CAD in a sample of depressed Iranian patients. DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 191 patients with a history of unipolar depression were enrolled in a case/control study. The presence of MDD was reconfirmed at study entry using DSM-IV criteria and CAD was diagnosed by coronary angiography. Genotyping of six RAS genes polymorphisms was performed by a modified PCR-RFLP method. RESULTS: DD genotype of ACE I/D was independently associated with the incidence of CAD in depressed patients (P=0.011, OR=9.41, 95% CI: 1.68-17.81). Moreover, serum creatinine (P=0.033, OR=11.91, 95%CI: 7.23-15.62) was an independent predictor of CAD among depressed individuals. CONCLUSION: ACE I/D polymorphism may play a major role in the development of CAD amongst Iranian depressed patients.

Interaction of A-240T and A2350G related genotypes of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is associated with decreased serum ACE activity and blood pressure in a healthy Iranian population.

Most of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) gene polymorphisms have not yet been studied in the Iranian population. In the present study, the frequencies of common polymorphisms in the RAS genes, including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) and three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), i.e., A-240T, T-93C and A2350G, angiotensinogen M235T, angiotensin II receptor type 1 A1166C and angiotensin II receptor type 2 C3123A variants were determined in DNAs extracted from venous blood of 104 healthy Iranian volunteers. Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP method. Serum ACE activity was also assayed using reverse phase HPLC. Combined polymorphisms of TT (A-240T) and GG (A2350G) was significantly associated with decreased serum ACE activity (P=0.042) and decreased diastolic blood pressure (P=0.040). The angiotensin II receptor type 1 A1166C polymorphism (CC genotype) showed a significant association with declined diastolic blood pressure (P=0.028). Serum ACE activity was significantly higher in men compared to women (P=0.033). ACE activity also showed a direct association with diastolic blood pressure (P<0.001). No association was obtained among each single polymorphism with body mass index (BMI), fasting blood sugar (FBS), lipid profile and ACE activity. In conclusion, combined polymorphisms of A-240T and A2350G seem to affect serum ACE level as well as diastolic blood pressure in our study population. However, it also might be hypothesized that they are in strong linkage disequilibrium with other functional mutations not studied yet. Our findings revealed that gene interactions can play an important role in various biological conditions.

In vitro and in vivo activities of Peganum harmala extract against Leishmania major.

BACKGROUND: In vitro and in vivo antileishmanial activities of crude hydroalcoholic extract of peganum harmala seeds were investigated against Leishmania major. METHODS: The extract of aerial parts of P harmala was obtained by maceration. The in vitro experiments were performed on promastigotes to assess antileishmanial activity of the extract using amphotericin B as a reference. The in vivo studies were carried out on cutaneous leishmaniasis in outbred mice to evaluate the effects of topical application of the ointment-based extract. RESULTS: The in vitro experiments showed a concentration-dependent decrease of parasites number caused by the extract with an IC50 value of 59.4 µg/ml. In vivo studies demonstrated a significant post-treatment decrease in the lesion size and parasite count in infected animals, compared to placebo and control groups. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of the crude extract demonstrated the existence of harmaline and harmine as beta-carboline alkaloids. CONCLUSIONS: P harmala seeds extract showed significant in vitro and in vivo antileishmanial activities. Most biological activity of the extract could be attributed to its beta-carboline content. However, another alkaloid of P harmala seeds extract, peganine, has also been reported to have antileishmanial activity. These beneficial effects can be attributed to the cumulative effects of various biologically active components present in it.

Effect of crocus sativus on gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity.

Crocus sativus, known as saffron, is used in folk medicine for treatment of different types of diseases, and its anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenging activities have been demonstrated. The present study evaluated gentamicin nephrotoxicity in saffron treated rats. Male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were treated with saffron (40 or 80 mg/k/d) for 10 days, or saffron (40 or 80 mg/ kg/d) for 10 days and gentamicin 80 mg/kg/d for five days, starting from day 6. At the end of treatment, blood samples were taken for measurement of serum creatinine (SCr) and BUN. The left kidney was prepared for histological evaluation and the right kidney for Malondialdehyde (MDA) measurement. Gentamicin 80 (mg/k/d) increased SCr, BUN and renal tissue levels of MDA and induced severe histological changes. Saffron at 40 mg/k/d significantly reduced gentamicin-induced increases in BUN and histological scores (p<0.05). Gentamicin-induced increases in BUN, SCr and MDA and histological injury were significantly reduced by treatment with saffron 80 mg/k/d (p<0.05, p<0.001, p<0.05, and p<0.001 respectively). In conclusion, our results suggest that saffron treatment reduces gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity and this effect seems to be dose dependent.

Nitric oxide and renal protection in morphine-dependent rats.

Morphine treatment for 5 days protects heart against ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. This study evaluated the involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in morphine-induced renal protection. Three weeks after right nephrectomy, increasing doses of morphine were administered (20-30 mg kg(-1)day(-1), 5 days) to develop dependence in rats. The left kidney underwent 45-min ischemia and 24-h reperfusion. Some rats were pretreated with naloxone (5 mg kg(-1)) or L-NAME (20 mg kg(-1)). In one group, IR was induced 24h after the last dose of morphine during the withdrawal period. Plasma nitrite/nitrate levels and serum creatinine and BUN were measured. Creatinine clearance and fractional excretion of sodium (FE(Na)) were calculated. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression were determined and histopathology was studied in the left kidney. IR increased serum creatinine and BUN, plasma NO (p<0.01), FE(Na), iNOS expression (p<0.001), MPO activity, MDA level, and tissue damage and decreased creatinine clearance. Morphine decreased plasma NO (p<0.05 vs IR), serum creatinine and BUN (p<0.01), FE(Na), MPO activity, MDA level, iNOS expression, and tissue damage (p<0.05), but increased creatinine clearance (p<0.05). Pretreatment with naloxone significantly increased NO production and iNOS expression in morphine-treated rats after IR (p<0.01 vs morphine dependence+IR). Pretreatment with L-NAME in morphine-treated rats decreased NO production (10.7+/-1.9, p<0.01 vs morphine dependence+IR) but could not change iNOS expression after IR. Both naloxone and L-NAME significantly abolished the protective effects of morphine dependence on functional and histological factors. The protective effect of morphine dependence on serum creatinine, BUN, FE(Na), and creatinine clearance persisted during the withdrawal period, whereas iNOS expression decreased. NO production was not decreased during the withdrawal period (p>0.1 vs morphine dependence+IR group). Morphine dependence provided renal protection in the acute phase and during withdrawal. Excessive increase or decrease in NO production abolished the effects of morphine, which suggested a role for balanced NO production and iNOS expression.

Effect of crocus sativus on gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity

Crocus sativus, known as saffron, is used in folk medicine for treatment of different types of diseases, and its anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenging activities have been demonstrated. The present study evaluated gentamicin nephrotoxicity in saffron treated rats. Male Wistar rats (200-250g) were treated with saffron (40 or 80 mg/k/d) for 10 days, or saffron (40 or 80 mg/ kg/d) for 10 days and gentamicin 80 mg/kg/d for five days, starting from day 6. At the end of treatment, blood samples were taken for measurement of serum creatinine (SCr) and BUN. The left kidney was prepared for histological evaluation and the right kidney for Malondialdehyde (MDA) measurement. Gentamicin 80 (mg/k/d) increased SCr, BUN and renal tissue levels of MDA and induced severe histological changes. Saffron at 40 mg/k/d significantly reduced gentamicin-induced increases in BUN and histological scores (p<0.05). Gentamicin-induced increases in BUN, SCr and MDA and histological injury were significantly reduced by treatment with saffron 80 mg/k/d (p<0.05, p<0.001, p<0.05, and p<0.001 respectively). In conclusion, our results suggest that saffron treatment reduces gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity and this effect seems to be dose dependent.

Construction, calibration, and validation of a simple patch-clamp amplifier for physiology education.

A modular patch-clamp amplifier was constructed based on the Strickholm design, which was initially published in 1995. Various parts of the amplifier such as the power supply, input circuit, headstage, feedback circuit, output and nulling circuits were redesigned to use recent software advances and fabricated using the common lithographic printed circuit board fabrication process and commercially available electronic components. The calibration, validation, and regular recording procedures along with the results of an actual recording of inward Ca(2+) currents from PC12 neuronal cells are described in detail. This work describes the construction of a low-cost patch-clamp amplifier and setting up an electrophysiology recording system in a laboratory with regular technical expertise. The constructed amplifier provides an inexpensive yet practical tool for research and teaching purposes while the experience obtained during construction and setting up of the patch-clamp amplifier provides the basic and advanced understanding required for operating an advanced cell potential recording apparatus.

An image processing technique for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) reportedly exhibit hypersensitivity to much diluted tropicamide solution (0.005%), a M4 muscarinic receptor antagonist. Therefore intraocular application of 0.005% tropicamide may be useful for screening dementia. The aim of this study was to simplify the pupil response test by using a new image analyzing system, which consists of a cheap, simple, and easy to use web-camera and a computer. METHODS: Intraocular tropicamide of 0.005% concentration was administered in 3 groups: Alzheimer's disease patients (n = 8, average age = 76 ± 5), non-Alzheimer's disease elderly (n = 6, average age = 65 ± 7), and young subjects (n = 8, average age = 28 ± 5). Every 5 minutes for 60 minutes, image of the eye's shape were taken, and the diameter of the pupils was measured. RESULTS: The results showed that differences in pupil dilation rate between Alzheimer's disease and non-Alzheimer's disease subjects were statistically significant. ROC analysis showed that after 35 minutes the sensitivity and specificity of the test were 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, we concluded that this recording system might be an appropriate and reliable tool for pupil response diagnosis test of Alzheimer's disease.

Preparation and characterization of a lamotrigine imprinted polymer and its application for drug assay in human serum.

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) against lamotrigine (LTG) was prepared, characterized, and its recognition properties were compared with a blank nonimprinted polymer (NIP). Two classes of binding sites were found in the MIP--high affinity (K(D) = 16.2 microM) and low affinity (K(D) = 161.3 microM). Selectivity of the synthesized MIP was examined using compounds with similar structures or therapeutic uses to LTG. In compounds which had structural similarity to LTG, the presence of amine groups appeared to affect binding to the MIP, however overall shape of the molecule was also important. Under the optimal conditions developed, other anticonvulsant drugs tested did not bind the MIP. A molecularly imprinted SPE (MISPE) procedure was developed which had a recovery of 84-89%, interday variation of less than 3.4% and intraday variation of less than 2.8%. The MISPE procedure was compared with a routine liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) procedure used for the HPLC determination of LTG in serum from patients. The data indicated that the MIP synthesized showed both good selectivity and high affinity for LTG and could be used for the extraction of the drug from serum samples or as the receptor layer for an LTG selective biosensor.

2-Hydroxyphenacyl azoles and related azolium derivatives as antifungal agents.

2-Hydroxyphenacyl azole and 2-hydroxyphenacyl azolium compounds have been described as a new class of azole antifungals. Most target compounds showed significant in vitro antifungal activities against tested fungi (Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus niger, and Microsporum gypseum) with low MICs values included in the range of 0.25-32 microg/mL comparable to reference drug fluconazole. The most active compounds were also assessed for their cytotoxicity using MTT colorimetric assay on normal mouse fibroblast (NIH/3T3) cells. The results of antifungal activity and toxicity tests indicated that these compounds display antifungal activity at non-cytotoxic concentrations.

A non-radioactive method for angiotensin II receptor binding studies using the rat liver.

INTRODUCTION: A new non-radioactive method based on competitive ELISA has been developed for binding studies on angiotensin II (Ang II) receptors. METHOD: Rat liver membrane was used as the source of angiotensin receptors and FITC-angiotensin II (FITC-Ang II) was used as the labeled ligand with an affinity similar to unlabeled Ang II. The effects of different concentrations of Ang II, losartan, CGP-42112A and saralasin were studied on FITC-Ang II binding. RESULTS: The Ki values for Ang II, losartan and CGP-42112A were calculated as 0.52+/-0.22 nM, 6+/-3 nM and 0.15+/-0.07 nM, respectively. Saralasin inhibited the binding of labeled ligand biphasically, revealing two different populations of Ang receptor with different affinities for saralasin. About 74% of the binding sites were more sensitive to saralasin with a Ki value of 0.32+/-0.04 nM while saralasin showed a Ki value of 2.7+/-0.8 nM for the remaining binding sites. DISCUSSION: The competitive ELISA method developed in this work yields Ki values for angiotensin antagonists similar to those obtained by others using radiolabeled ligands. The simplicity of this method makes it a suitable alternative to radioligand studies for routine analysis of interaction of drugs with angiotensin receptors.

Xanthomicrol is the main cytotoxic component of Dracocephalum kotschyii and a potential anti-cancer agent.

Spinal-Z, a methanolic mixture of dried powdered seeds of Peganum harmala Linn. and leaf of Dracocephalum kotschyii Boiss. is an Iranian ethno-medical remedy. It has been used for the treatment of various types of cancer for many years. To evaluate the use of Spinal-Z in treatment of cancer, we examined its effects against a panel of malignant cell lines and tumors induced in mice. The in vitro antiproliferative activities of Spinal-Z, the seed extract of P. harmala and the leaf extract of D. kotschyii were determined using the MTT assay. The concentration of the agent required to inhibit cell growth by 50% (IC50) was estimated. In addition, the anti-tumor activities of the remedy and its constituents were investigated. Viability of cells treated with Spinal-Z and its components decreased in a dose dependent manner. Spinal-Z and its components showed cytotoxic effects against all cell lines tested. The leaf extract of D. kotschyii showed a greater preferential cytotoxic effect than the seed extract of P. harmala and Spinal-Z, on all cell lines tested. Harmine showed cytotoxicity against HL60 and K562 cell lines. This could explain the cytotoxic effect of P. harmala on these cells. The leaf extract of D. kotschyii was able to inhibit tumor proliferation in mice. The active ingredient in the leaf extract of D. kotschyii appears to be a flavone identified as xanthomicrol. Xanthomicrol was able to inhibit proliferation of a number of malignant cells. The cytotoxic effects of xanthomicrol were more selective towards malignant cells than doxorubicin.