Improvement of the Selectivity Index (SI) and Cytotoxicity Activity of Doxorubicin Drug by Panax ginseng Plant Extract.

In China, Japan, and Korea, Panax ginseng has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. Panax is a plant used as a general tonic or adaptogen for chronically ill patients. The current study evaluated the cytotoxicity of Panax ginseng extract (PGE). Different cell lines (HCT-116, LNCaP, and normal cell line VERO) were treated with different inhibitory agentsat different concentrations (1000, 500, 250, 125, 62.5, and 31.25 µg/ml) as follows: G1 (Methanol Panax ginseng extract, PGE), G2 (Doxorubicin, DOX), and G3 (Methanol Panax ginseng extract +DOX, PDD). Each inhibitory agent group was used to treat the cancerous cell lines HCT-116, LNCaP, and normal cell line (VERO) to obtain IC50% by MTT assay. The inhibitory ability of the 1000 µg/ml PGE was significantly increased in all the three-cell lines compared with other concentrations. The recorded data revealed that the inhibition ability of PGE and Doxorubicin towards the HCT-116 cell line significantly increased compared with the other cell lines. The interaction between different PGE concentrations and cell lines showed that the 1000 µg/ml PEG had the highest inhibitory effects on HCT-116 compared with other combinations. The interaction between different DOX concentrations and different types of cell lines showed that the 1000 µg/ml DOX had the highest inhibitory effects on LNCap compared with other combinations. The PGD inhibition ability reflected a significantly higher difference toward the HCT-116 cell line as compared with other cell lines. IC50% is the concentrations (µg/ml) to kill 50% of cell line. It was calculated by MTT assay for three cell lines: HCT-116, LNCaP, and VERO. The rate of effectiveness of the inhibitory factors (PGE, DOX, and PGD) showed highly significant differences toward the cell line HCT-116 compared to the other cell lines. This indicates the safety of the PGE compound and its low toxicity toward normal cells, quite the opposite of cancer cells as compared to the common drug DOX and combined PGD (PGE+DOX). PGD combined with DOX (PGE + DOX) showed antagonistic results toward the HCT116, LNCaP, and VERO cell lines, while UDE combined with DOX (UDE+DOX) showed synergistic activity.

Diagnostic and therapeutic value of apomorphine in Parkinsonian patients.

Apomorphine is a dopamine agonist administered subcutaneously for the management of motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Patients with Parkinsonian syndrome underwent an apomorphine challenge for therapeutic efficacy, a positive response being a reduction of > 15% score on motor unified PD rating scale. Of the 42 patients, aged 37-81, disease duration 12 months to 20 years, 36 had a positive response. Six non-responders were later diagnosed as non-PD as compared with only two of the 36 responders. Tremor-predominant patients obtained higher motor response. Few patients demonstrated a delayed positive response. Seven (three idiopathic PD (iPD), four non-PD) suffered adverse reactions of nausea, vomiting or ill-sustained symptomatic fall in BP. Majority of the patients who continued with apomorphine therapy were able to reduce levodopa and achieved an improvement in dyskinesia and motor symptoms. Thirteen responding patients were managed by increasing dopamine agonists. Five patients, intolerant of oral dopamine agonists, were able to beneficially tolerate apomorphine. Age and disease duration did not influence tolerability or efficacy. The patients treated with apomorphine were able to significantly reduce the dose of levodopa, and there was a reduction in dyskinesia, hallucinations and fluctuations (all p < 0.05). In some patients, apomorphine prevented admission to institutions. We also describe the use of apomorphine in acutely ill patients unable to ingest oral medication. Apomorphine seems to have a diagnostic element for iPD. Its use leads to a reduction in dyskinesia, improvement in motor symptoms and prevention of institutional care. Apomorphine test also identifies patients likely to benefit with an increase in oral medication. Age and disease duration should not prevent the use of this valuable drug. Apomorphine also has a role in acutely ill PD patients.

Radionuclide contamination of foods imported into Iraq following the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident.

Since early 1986, a monitoring program for radionuclides in imported foods has been carried out by the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission. After the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident in the Soviet Union, the program was expanded; our laboratory was officially designated by the Iraqi Government to measure radionuclide activity concentrations in foodstuff imported from countries known to be severely contaminated by Chernobyl radioactive fallout. Gamma-spectrometric analysis was used. Food items such as powdered milk, lamb meat, poultry, cereals and grains imported into Iraq before the Chernobyl accident did not contain any detectable fission products. However, all lamb meat, 81% of the lentil, 44% of the powdered milk and chick-pea, and 17% of the roast beef samples were contaminated with 137Cs or 134Cs and 137Cs. The highest 137Cs contamination levels found were 82, 147, 420, 6 and 4 Bq kg-1, respectively. Contamination by 134Cs was approximately 50% of the values given above.