Amino acids in sandal (Santalum album L) with special reference to cis-4-hydroxy-l-proline and sym. homospermidine.

Sandal (Santalum album L) contains several interesting amino acids and amines which are not seen in other plants. This includes cis-4-hydroxy-l-proline in free form in leaves, flowers and seeds while trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline in bound form. Traces of 3, 4 dehydroproline is also detected in sandal leaves. Biosynthesis of cis-4-hydroxy proline indicates that hydroxylation taken place at proline present in peptidyl form especially bound to glutamic acid and aspartic acid. Pyrrolizidine-2-carboxylic acid an interesting isatin positive heterocyclic compound is also present in sandal leaves. Sandal also contains sym. homospermidine which is not present in any other plants till today. Biosynthesis of sym. homospermidine goes by a unique pathway of putrescine oxidation, Schiff base formation, condensation and reduction. Moreover sandal leaves contain γ-glutamyl derivative of the lachrymatory precursor of onion, γ-glutamyl-S-propenyl cysteine superoxide. This review summarizes the studies on the amino acids in sandal.

Antitumour property and toxicity of Barringtonia racemosa Roxb seed extract in mice.

Ethnomedical survey has shown that the seeds of Barringtonia racemosa Roxb are traditionally used in certain remote villages of Kerala (India) to treat cancer like diseases. So the seed extracts were tested for their antitumour activity and toxicity. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) daily administration of 50% methanol extract of this seed to mice challenged with 1 million Dalton's Lymphoma Ascitic (DLA) cells resulted in remarkable dose dependent anti-DLA activity in mice. The optimum dose was found to be 6 mg/kg. This dose protected all the animals challenged with the tumour cells. The efficacy of the drug was found to be better than that of a standard drug, vincristine in this tumour model. However, the oral administration showed only marginal activity compared to i.p. administration. The extract was found to be devoid of conspicuous acute and short-term toxicity to mice, when administered daily, (i.p.) for 14 days up to a dose of 12 mg/kg (which was double the concentration of optimum therapeutic dose). The treated mice showed conspicuous toxic symptoms only at 24 mg/kg. The LD(50) to male mice for a single i.p. dose was found to be 36 mg/kg. The seed extract is an attractive material for further studies leading to drug development.

Expression of nm23-H1 protein in relation to myometrial invasion in complete hydatidiform moles.

OBJECTIVE: Although nm23-H1 protein expression has been related to invasion in many cancers, its expression and prognostic significance in complete hydatidiform moles has not yet been investigated. The search for biologic parameters in molar placentas, which are useful for identifying patients who show myometrial invasion of the tumor, is crucial. We examined the clinical significance of nm23-H1 expression in complete hydatidiform mole. METHODS: Sections of 105 cases of complete hydatidiform moles (including 25 cases of invasive mole) and 95 cases of gestational age--matched normal placentas were immunohistochemically stained with anti-nm23-H1 antibody, which recognizes the nm23-H1/NDP kinase A gene product. RESULTS: Expression of nm23-H1 was detected in the cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts of molar placentas and normal placentas, whereas it was not detected in stromal tissue. Expression of nm23-H1 showed a negative relation to invasion, suggesting its use as a potential marker of myometrial invasion in complete hydatidiform moles. CONCLUSION: nm23-H1 expression could be used as a marker for accurate evaluation of myometrial invasion in complete hydatidiform mole.