Anticancer action of lactucopicrin in SKMEL-5 human skin cancer cells is mediated via apoptosis induction, G2/M cell cycle arrest and downregulation of m=TOR/PI3K/AKT signalling pathway.

PURPOSE: Skin cancer is one of the cancers responsible for significant morbidity and mortality across the globe. The treatment options for skin cancer are limited and associated with significant toxicity. Therefore, researches have been directed towards exploring molecules that could prove beneficial in the treatment of this disease. Lactucopicrin is an important sesquiterpene lactone with important pharmacological potential. METHODS: In the present study the anticancer effects of lactucopicrin against human skin SKMEL-5 cancer cell line were investigated. Antiproliferative effects were examined by CCK-8 assay. Apoptosis was detected by DAPI and annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining. Cell cycle analysis was carried out by flow cytometry. Protein expression was determined by western blotting. RESULTS: The results indicated that lactucopicrin exerts significant anticancer effects on the SKMEL-5 cells with an IC50 of 7.5 µM. Its anticancer effects were due to induction of apoptosis. Lactucopicrin could upregulate the expression of Bax which was associated with concomitant downregulation of Bcl-2 expression. Additionally, lactucopicrin induced G2/M cell cycle arrest in SKMEL-5 cells in a dose-dependent manner and also inhibited the m-TOR/PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that lactucopicrin shows potent anticancer action in the tested skin cancer cells and may prove a prospective lead molecule for the treatment of skin cancer.

Effects of Indoor Plants on Human Functions: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analyses.

The influences of indoor plants on people have been examined by only three systematic reviews and no meta-analyses. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate the effects of indoor plants on individuals' physiological, cognitive, health-related, and behavioral functions by conducting a systematic review with meta-analyses to fill the research gap. The eligibility criteria of this study were (1) any type of participants, (2) any type of indoor plants, (3) comparators without any plants or with other elements, (4) any type of objective human function outcomes, (5) any type of study design, and (6) publications in either English or Chinese. Records were extracted from the Web of Science (1990-), Scopus (1970-), WANFANG DATA (1980-), and Taiwan Periodical Literature (1970-). Therefore, at least two databases were searched in English and in Chinese-two of the most common languages in the world. The last search date of all four databases was on 18 February 2021. We used a quality appraisal system to evaluate the included records. A total of 42 records was included for the systematic review, which concluded that indoor plants affect participants' functions positively, particularly those of relaxed physiology and enhanced cognition. Separate meta-analyses were then conducted for the effects of the absence or presence of indoor plants on human functions. The meta-analyses comprised only 16 records. The evidence synthesis showed that indoor plants can significantly benefit participants' diastolic blood pressure (-2.526, 95% CI -4.142, -0.909) and academic achievement (0.534, 95% CI 0.167, 0.901), whereas indoor plants also affected participants' electroencephalography (EEG) α and ß waves, attention, and response time, though not significantly. The major limitations of this study were that we did not include the grey literature and used only two or three records for the meta-analysis of each function. In brief, to achieve the healthy city for people's health and effective functioning, not only are green spaces needed in cities, but also plants are needed in buildings.

Effects of indoor plants on air quality: a systematic review.

No study has comprehensively reviewed the effects of indoor plants on air quality; therefore, this study systematically reviewed quantitative empirical research on these effects in both English and Chinese. The information sources were the Web of Science and WanFang Data Knowledge Service Platform electronic databases. Only journal articles reporting quantitative empirical research were selected. The eligibility criteria included studies with (1) interventions of any indoor plant, excluding biofilters that combine power facilities and vegetation, (2) comparators included within the same experimental treatment or between different experimental treatments, (3) air quality effects objectively measured using any instrument, and (4) any study design. Both authors screened 95 journal articles and compiled information according to (1) intervention (plant species, foliage, or medium), (2) scientific family name of each plant, (3) study design (experiment, field experiment, or survey), (4) air quality (e.g., temperature, humidity, negative ions, radiation, and dust), (5) pollutants, (6) research environment, (7) ventilation (types and rates), (8) climate (lighting, temperature, and humidity), (9) exposure duration, (10) sampling frequency or period, and (11) number of replications. The primary effects of the potential of the indoor plants on air quality were reduced pollutant levels (particularly formaldehyde, benzene, and toluene removal), followed by increase in humidity and decrease in temperature. In addition, including various plant species could improve the effects of indoor vegetation on ameliorating air quality and microclimate conditions.