Effects of Berberine on Leukemia with a Focus on Its Molecular Targets.

Leukemia is common among both women and men worldwide. Besides the fact that finding new treatment methods may enhance the life quality of patients, there are several problems that we face today in treating leukemia patients, such as drugs' side effects and acquired resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Berberine is a bioactive alkaloid found in herbal plants (e.g., Rhizoma coptidis and Cortex phellodendri) and exerts several beneficial functions, including anti-tumor activities. Furthermore, berberine exerts antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects. Up to now, some studies have investigated the roles of berberine in different types of leukemia, including acute myeloid leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In this review, a detailed description of the roles of berberine in leukemia is provided. We discuss how berberine involves different molecular targets (e.g., interleukins and cyclins) and signaling pathways (e.g., mTOR and PI3K) to exert its anti-tumor functions and how berberine is effective in leukemia treatment when combined with other therapeutic drugs.

Coumarins and Gastrointestinal Cancer: A New Therapeutic Option?

Cancers of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are often life-threatening malignancies, which can be a severe burden to the health care system. Globally, the mortality rate from gastrointestinal tumors has been increasing due to the lack of adequate diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic measures to combat these tumors. Coumarin is a natural product with remarkable antitumor activity, and it is widely found in various natural plant sources. Researchers have explored coumarin and its related derivatives to investigate their antitumor activity, and the potential molecular mechanisms involved. These mechanisms include hormone antagonists, alkylating agents, inhibitors of angiogenesis, inhibitors of topoisomerase, inducers of apoptosis, agents with antimitotic activity, telomerase inhibitors, inhibitors of human carbonic anhydrase, as well as other potential mechanisms. Consequently, drug design and discovery scientists and medicinal chemists have collaborated to identify new coumarin-related agents in order to produce more effective antitumor drugs against GI cancers. Herein, we summarize the therapeutic effects of coumarin and its derivatives against GI cancer.

Dietary Nutrient Patterns and Prostate Cancer Risk: A Case-Control Study from Iran

Background: Prostate cancer is the second common cancer in the world. Although some associations between dietary intakes and prostate cancer have been found, the effects of dietary nutrients interactions have not yet evaluated. The aim of this study is to assess the association between nutrient patterns and risk of prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: Ninety-seven patients with prostate cancer and 205 controls were asked about their demographic and dietary intakes using validated questionnaires. To extract nutrient patterns, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) based on the 35 nutrient items were applied. Varimax rotation was used for improving interpretation and minimizing correlation between the factors. Logistic regression was used to determine the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) of prostate cancer by higher scores on the nutrient patterns. Results: High adherence to the "plant source" pattern was negatively associated with prostate cancer risk (OR 0.29 for the highest vs. the lowest score tertile; 95% CI= 0.13 ­ 0.65; P value for trend:<0.003). Similarly, the "antioxidant and fiber" pattern was associated with decreasing risk of prostate cancer (OR 0.06 for the highest vs. the lowest score tertile;95% CI=0.02 ­ 0.19; P value for trend:<0.001). There was no significant association for the "mixed" and "vitamin and minerals" pattern with risk of prostate cancer. Conclusion: This study confirms the potential and important role of nutrients on prostate cancer risk. Our finding revealed that "antioxidant and fiber" and "plant source" pattern is inversely associated with prostate cancer risk; however, further longitudinal and trial studies are needed to make a firm conclusion.

The effects of vitamin D and evening primrose oil co-supplementation on lipid profiles and biomarkers of oxidative stress in vitamin D-deficient women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: There was inconsistent evidence about the benefit of vitamin D plus evening primrose oil (EPO) supplement intake on lipid profiles and reduced oxidative stress among women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The current study was performed to evaluate the effects of vitamin D plus EPO supplementation on lipid profiles and biomarkers of oxidative stress in vitamin D-deficient women with PCOS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed among 60 vitamin D-deficient women with PCOS. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups to receive either 1000 IU vitamin D3 plus 1000 mg EPO (n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) for 12 weeks. Metabolic profiles were quantified at baseline and after the 12-week intervention. RESULTS: Compared with the placebo group, women in vitamin D and EPO co-supplementation group had significant increases in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) (+10.7 ± 8.4 vs. -0.5 ± 1.6 ng/mL, p < 0.001) and plasma total glutathione (GSH) (+62.7 ± 58.0 vs. -0.7 ± 122.7 µmol/L, p = 0.01), while there were significant decreases in triglycerides (-7.3 ± 23.8 vs. +6.9 ± 26.3 mg/dL, p = 0.03), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol levels (-1.5 ± 4.7 vs. +1.4 ± 5.3 mg/dL, p = 0.03), total/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (-0.3 ± 0.4 vs. -0.02 ± 0.4, p = 0.02), and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration (-0.4 ± 0.4 vs. +0.5 ± 1.8 µmol/L, p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Overall, vitamin D and EPO co-supplementation for 12 weeks among vitamin D-deficient women with PCOS significantly improved triglycerides, VLDL cholesterol, GSH, and MDA levels.