Evaluation of In Vitro Cytotoxic Potential of Avarol towards Human Cancer Cell Lines and In Vivo Antitumor Activity in Solid Tumor Models.

The goal of this study was to determine the activity in vitro and in vivo of avarol, a sesquiterpene hydroquinone originating from the Dysidea avara sponge from the south Adriatic Sea, against different cancer cell lines and two types of mouse carcinoma. To investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity, a human cervix adenocarcinoma cell line (HeLa), human colon adenocarcinoma (LS174), human non-small-cell lung carcinoma (A549), and a normal human fetal lung fibroblast cell line (MRC-5) were used. The in vivo antitumor activity was investigated against two transplantable mouse tumors, the Ehrlich carcinoma (EC) and cervical cancer (CC-5). The effect of avarol on cancer cell survival, which was determined by the microculture tetrazolium test, confirmed a significant in vitro potency of avarol against the investigated cell lines, without selectivity towards MRC-5. The highest cytotoxicity was exhibited against HeLa cancer cells (10.22 ± 0.28 µg/mL). Moreover, potent antitumor activity against two tumor models was determined, as the intraperitoneal administration of avarol at a dose of 50 mg/kg resulted in a significant inhibition of tumor growth in mice. After three administrations of avarol, a 29% inhibition of the EC growth was achieved, while in the case of CC-5, a 36% inhibition of the tumor growth was achieved after the second administration of avarol. Therefore, the results indicate that this marine sesquiterpenoid hydroquinone could be a promising bioactive compound in the development of new anticancer medicine.

Circulating levels of IL-6 and TGF-ß1 in patients with prostate cancer undergoing radiotherapy: associations with acute radiotoxicity and fatigue symptoms.

BACKGROUND: The goal of research was to investigate the possible relations between serum concentrations of IL-6 and TGF-ß1, individual and clinical characteristics, and adverse effects of radiotherapy in patients with prostate cancer: acute and late genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity, and fatigue. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with localized or locally advanced prostate cancer who were treated with radiotherapy were enrolled in this study. The acute radiotoxicity grades and fatigue levels were assessed during the radiotherapy and 1 month after the radiotherapy. Estimation of the late radiotoxicity was performed every three months in the first year, every four months in the second year, and then every six months. Serum levels of IL-6 and TGF-ß1 were determined before radiotherapy and after the 25th radiotherapy fraction by ELISA. RESULTS: The significant positive association between diabetes mellitus and changes in acute genitourinary toxicity grades during the radiotherapy was observed in prostate cancer patients. In addition, patients who were smokers had significantly higher maximum fatigue levels in comparison with patients who were non-smokers. The circulating IL-6 levels were significantly higher after the 25th radiotherapy fraction in comparison with levels determined before radiotherapy. The significant positive correlations between pretreatment TGF-ß1 levels and maximum genitourinary toxicity grades and between TGF-ß1 levels after the 25th fraction and genitourinary toxicity grades after the 25th fraction, were found. The pretreatment IL-6 concentrations and TGF-ß1 concentrations after the 25th fraction were positively correlated with maximum genitourinary toxicity grades. The IL-6 levels after the 25th fraction were positively associated with genitourinary toxicity grades after this fraction. The pretreatment IL-6 concentrations were significantly positively correlated with maximum fatigue scores. The significant positive correlation between IL-6 concentrations and fatigue scores after the 25th fraction was determined. The positive correlations between IL-6 and TGF-ß1 concentrations measured after the 25th fraction and maximum fatigue scores were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that serum levels of IL-6 and TGF-ß1 might influence the severity of acute genitourinary radiotoxicity and fatigue in patients with prostate cancer. Combining clinical parameters and circulating cytokine levels might be useful for the prediction of adverse reactions to radiotherapy.

Association between microRNAs 10b/21/34a and acute toxicity in glioblastoma patients treated with radiotherapy and temozolomide.

A personalized approach to chemoradiation is important in reducing its potential side effects and identifying a group of patients prone to toxicity. MicroRNAs have been shown to have a predictive potential for radiotoxicity. The goal of the study was to test if levels of miRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of glioblastoma patients are associated with toxicity and to identify the peak time point for toxicity. MicroRNA-10b/21/34a levels were measured in 43 patients with and without toxicity, at baseline, at the 15th, and at the 30th fraction by Real-Time quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction. MicroRNA-10b/21 levels increased with toxicity grade (p = 0.014; p = 0.013); miR-21/34a levels were significantly different between patients with and without toxicity at the 15th fraction (p = 0.030; p = 0.045), while miR-34a levels significantly changed during treatment (p < 0.001). All three miRNAs showed a significantly high positive correlation with one another. MiR-34a might be considered as a predictive factor for toxicity due to its changes during treatment, and differences between the groups with and without toxicity; miR-10b might be used to predict toxicity; miR-10b/21 might be used for predicting the grade of toxicity in GB patients.

Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activities of Selected Hieracium L. s. str. (Asteraceae) Extracts and Isolated Sesquiterpene Lactones.

Antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities were tested for dried MeOH extracts of Hieracium calophyllum (CAL), H. coloriscapum (COL), H. pseudoschenkii (PSE), H. valdepilosum (VAL) and H. glabratum (GLA) herbs (flowering aerial parts), their 2 sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) 8-epiixerisamine A and crepiside E, and dried CH2 Cl2 extract of H. scheppigianum (SCH) herb. In microdilution test, extracts showed activity on all tested microorganisms (8 bacteria, 10 fungi). The best effect was exhibited by SCH and CAL on Salmonella Typhimurium (MIC=1.7-2.5 mg/mL MBC=3.4-5.0 mg/mL), and SCH and VAL on Candida albicans (MIC=2.5 mg/mL MFC=5.0 mg/mL). SLs showed notable effect on all tested fungi Aspergillus ochraceus, Penicillium funiculosum, C. albicans and C. krusei (MIC=0.15-0.4 mg/mL MFC=0.3-0.8 mg/mL). In MTT test, extracts inhibited growth of all tested cancer cells (HeLa, LS174 and A549), with the best effect on HeLa (IC50 =148.1 µg/mL for SCH, and 152.3-303.2 µg/mL for MeOH extracts); both SLs were active against HeLa cells (IC50 =46.2 µg/mL for crepiside E and 103.8 µg/mL for 8-epiixerisamine A). Extracts and SLs showed good safety profile on normal MRC-5 cells.

Soft 3D hybrid network for delivery and controlled release of poorly soluble dihydropyrimidinone compound: An insight into the novel system for potential application in leukemia treatment.

Researchers are faced with everyday demands for safer and more efficient therapy for many diseases, especially serious one such as various types of cancer. Numerous anticancer drugs are poorly-water soluble and therefore their encapsulation and controlled release remain quite challenge. In present study, we deepened our research of hydrophilic carrier based on poly(methacrylic acid) and casein (PMAC) by investigating its potential for encapsulation and controlled release of novel poorly water-soluble dihydropyrimidion-azo-pyridon compound (DHPMP). DHPMP is a dye that has been proven to show cytotoxic activity against chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells. By encapsulating DHPMP into the carrier and delivering it into the intestines, DHPMP absorption could be the fastest and the number of therapeutic doses and side effects can be reduced. Carriers based on PMAC and DHPMP (PMAC-DHPMP) were synthetized and characterized by FTIR, SEM and single compression tests. The swelling behavior of PMAC-DHPMP carriers and cumulative DHPMP release were investigated depending on the amount of crosslinker and encapsulated DHPMP in two media which were simulating pH environments in human stomach and intestines. The prolonged and controlled release of DHPMP was achieved. In vitro cytotoxic activity of PMAC-DHPMP carriers against K562 cells and the cell cycle analysis showed great potential of the carriers for application in leukemia treatment.

MicroRNAs in Prostate Cancer Following Radiotherapy: Towards Predicting Response to Radiation Treatment.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most frequently diagnosed male cancer worldwide. Early diagnosis of PCa, response to therapy, and prognosis still represent a challenge. Nearly 60% of PCa patients undergo radiation therapy (RT) which might cause side effects. Despite numerous researches in this field, predictive biomarkers for radiation toxicity are still not elucidated. MicroRNAs as posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression are shown to be changed during and after irradiation. MicroRNA level changes might be utilized to predict response to RT in the near future, which might help clinicians to make the decision on treatment regimens if needed. Individual radiation response results from the interactions among radiation treatment parameters and the biological background of each patient. In this review, we have listed and described miRNAs involved in response to RT in PCa and highlighted potential candidates for future biological tests predicting radiation response to RT, with the special focus on side effects of RT. According to described literature, we concluded that let-7, miR-21, miR-34a, miR-146a, miR-155, and members of miR-17/92 cluster might be promising candidates for biological tests predicting radiosensitivity of PCa patients undergoing radiation treatment. Predictive miRNA panels, especially for acute and late side effects of RT, can serve as a starting point for decisions for individualized RT planning. We believe that this review might be one step closer to understanding molecular mechanisms underlying individual radiation response of patients with PCa.

Barks of Three Wild Pyrus Taxa: Phenolic Constituents, Antioxidant Activity, and in Vitro and in Silico Investigations of α-Amylase and α-Glucosidase Inhibition.

Dry MeOH extracts of the twig barks of Pyrus communis subsp. pyraster, P. spinosa and their hybrid P.×jordanovii nothosubsp. velenovskyi, collected in wild in Serbia, were analyzed. By LC/MS, the contents of arbutin (99.9-131.0 mg/g), chlorogenic acid (2.2-6.3 mg/g), catechin (1.0-5.3 mg/g) and total dimeric and trimeric procyanidins (42.2-61.3 mg/g), including procyanidin B2 (8.9-17.2 mg/g), were determined. Colorimetrically, high contents of total phenolics (436.2-533.4 mg GAE/g) and tannins (339.4-425.7 mg GAE/g), as well as strong total antioxidant activities (FRAP values 4.5-5.9 mmol Fe2+ /g), and DPPH (SC50 =6.6-7.1 µg/ml) and hydroxyl radical (SC50 =447.1-727.7 µg/ml) scavenging abilities were revealed. In vitro, all extracts exhibited notable inhibition of α-amylase (IC50 =310.8-617.7 µg/ml) and particularly strong inhibition of α-glucosidase (IC50 =2.1-3.7 µg/ml). Molecular docking predicted that among identified compounds procyanidin B2 is the best inhibitor of these carbohydrate-digesting enzymes. Obtained results showed that the barks of investigated Pyrus hybrid and its parent taxa have similar composition and bioactivity.

Evaluation of cytokine expression and circulating immune cell subsets as potential parameters of acute radiation toxicity in prostate cancer patients.

One of the challenges of radiation oncology in the era of personalized medicine is identification of biomarkers associated with individual radiosensitivity. The aim of research was to evaluate the possible clinical value of the associations between clinical, physical, and biological factors, and risk for development of acute radiotoxicity in patients with prostate cancer. The study involved forty four patients treated with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy. The concentrations of IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ and TGF-ß1 were assessed before radiotherapy, after 5th, 15th and 25th radiotherapy fractions, at the end, and 1 month after the end of radiotherapy. Cytokine gene expression was determined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The univariate analysis of circulating cytokine levels during radiotherapy showed that increased serum concentrations of IL-6 were significantly associated with higher grade of acute genitourinary toxicity. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that increased level of IL-6 during the radiotherapy was significantly associated with higher grade of acute genitourinary toxicity across treatment. TGF-ß expression levels significantly decreased during course of radiotherapy. Research indicates that changes in circulating cytokine levels might be important parameter of radiotoxicity in patients with prostate cancer. These findings suggest that future studies based on multi-parameter examination are necessary for prediction of individual radiosensitivity.

Mahonia aquifolium Extracts Promote Doxorubicin Effects against Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells In Vitro.

Mahonia aquifolium and its secondary metabolites have been shown to have anticancer potential. We performed MTT, scratch, and colony formation assays; analyzed cell cycle phase distribution and doxorubicin uptake and retention with flow cytometry; and detected alterations in the expression of genes involved in the formation of cell-cell interactions and migration using quantitative real-time PCR following treatment of lung adenocarcinoma cells with doxorubicin, M. aquifolium extracts, or their combination. MTT assay results suggested strong synergistic effects of the combined treatments, and their application led to an increase in cell numbers in the subG1 phase of the cell cycle. Both extracts were shown to prolong doxorubicin retention time in cancer cells, while the application of doxorubicin/extract combination led to a decrease in MMP9 expression. Furthermore, cells treated with doxorubicin/extract combinations were shown to have lower migratory and colony formation potentials than untreated cells or cells treated with doxorubicin alone. The obtained results suggest that nontoxic M. aquifolium extracts can enhance the activity of doxorubicin, thus potentially allowing the application of lower doxorubicin doses in vivo, which may decrease its toxic effects in normal tissues.

The Health Promoting Effects of the Fruiting Bodies Extract of the Peppery Milk Cap Mushroom Lactarius piperatus (Agaricomycetes) from Serbia.

Antioxidant, antimicrobial, genoprotective, anticancer, and neuroprotective potential of acetone extract of the fruiting bodies of the edible mushroom Lactarius piperatus was studied. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using different methods (DPPH radical scavenging, superoxide anion radicals scavenging, reducing power assay, and determination of total phenolic compounds). The microdilution method was used to reveal the antimicrobial potential. The genoprotective potential was determined by Comet assay. Cytotoxic activity was tested using MTT. The capacity of the extract to inhibit acetylcholinesterase was used for determining its neuroprotective potential. The received results show that L. piperatus extract possessed potent health enhancing effects. In the antioxidant activity, IC50 was 33.97 µg/mL for DPPH radicals scavenging and 22.52 µg/mL for superoxide anion radicals scavenging, whereas the absorbance for the reducing power was from 0.0510 to 0.1451. The total content of phenolic compounds in the extract was 5.08 µg PE/mg. The testing of the antimicrobial activity showed that MIC values were from 0.039 to 10 mg/mL. For Comet assay, all concentrations of extract increased the GDI values from 0.46 ± 0.05 to 0.99 ± 0.31. L. piperatus extract expressed relatively strong cytotoxic activity with IC50 values ranging from 37.83 to 65.94 µg/mL. Finally, the percentage of inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity of tested extract was within the range 16.75-44.35%. Our results imply that the acetone extract of L. piperatus has rather strong antioxidant, antimicrobial, genoprotective, anticancer, and neuroprotective effects; thus this mushroom represents healthy food that could be used in the pharmaceutical industry and to prevent various diseases.

Integration of dry-column flash chromatography with NMR and FTIR metabolomics to reveal cytotoxic metabolites from Amphoricarpos autariatus.

Metabolomics generate a profile of small molecules from plant extracts, which could be directly responsible for bioactivity effects. Using dry-column flash chromatography enabled a rapid and inexpensive method for the very efficient separation of plant extract with a high resolution. This separation method coupled to NMR and FTIR-based metabolomics is applied to identify bioactive natural products. OPLS multivariate analysis method, was used for correlation the chemical composition of the plant extracts, Amphoricarpos autariatus, with the results of cytotoxic activity against Human cervical adenocarcinoma cell line (HeLa) and epithelial lung cancer cell line (A549). In this way, the highest contribution to the cytotoxic activity was recorded for the guaianolide sesquiterpene lactones named amphoricarpolides. The compounds indicated as bioactive after metabolomics analysis were tested, and their cytotoxic activity were confirmed.

Association between miR-21/146a/155 level changes and acute genitourinary radiotoxicity in prostate cancer patients: A pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Nearly sixty percent of patients with prostate cancer (PCa) undergo radiation therapy (RT). During the course of treatment patients may experience normal tissue reactions. It is a well established fact that genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, such as microRNA (miRNA) level changes might be associated with radiotoxicity, as a response to irradiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is the first study that has investigated levels of radiosensory miRNAs in association with acute genitourinary radiotoxicity extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBCs), in three points; before RT (BRT), after RT (ART) and on the first control examination (FCONT). We measured levels of miR-21/146a/155 expression by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), comparative ΔΔCt method, in fifteen patients with localized prostate cancer, treated with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT). Nine subjects have experienced acute genitourinary (GU) radiotoxicity whereas six where without GU radiotoxicity. RESULTS: Firstly, we detected the highest levels of miR-21 in ART group (p = 0.043) in the patients with acute GU radiotoxicity. Secondly, we found trend towards higher miR-21 levels and significantly higher levels of miR-146a/155 within the patients with acute GU toxicity than in patients without (p = 0.068, p = 0.016, and p = 0.010, respectively). Thirdly, we detected significant change in miR-146a/155 levels within the patients without acute GU radiotoxicity during RT p = 0.042, and p = 0.041, respectively). CONCLUSION: miR-21/146a/155 might be useful potential factors of radiosensitivity and acute genitourinary radiotoxicity in prostate cancer patients. miRNA might have great potential as predictors of various pathological conditions extracted from PBMCs.

Synthesis, characterization and biological evaluation of Pd(ii), Cu(ii), Re(i) and 99mTc(i) thiazole-based complexes.

A new thiazole-containing multidentate ligand 2-((2-phenylthiazol-4-yl)methylthio)ethanamine, L, was synthesized and used to prepare new complexes of the formula PdIILCl2 (Pd-L), CuIIL2Cl2 (Cu-L) and fac-[Re/99mTcI(CO)3(L)]+ (Re/99mTc-L). The ligand L and the metal complexes were characterized spectroscopically. Furthermore, the structures of Re-L and Cu-L were elucidated by X-ray crystallography. Ligand L acts as a bidentate (Nth, S) chelator in Pd-L, as a bidentate (N, S) chelator in Cu-L and as a tridentate (Nth, S, N) chelator in Re-L. The radiotracer 99mTc-L was synthesized in high yield and characterised by HPLC comparison with the Re-L analog. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic properties. The compounds exhibited low anti-inflammatory activity with Pd-L showing the highest activity among them. The cytotoxic activity of the ligand and the complexes against several human cancer cell lines (cervical adenocarcinoma HeLa, colorectal adenocarcinoma LS-174T, lung adenocarcinoma A549, breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-231 and normal human lung fibroblast cell line MRC-5) was examined using the MTT assay. The complex Cu-L exhibited the highest cytotoxicity and the complex Pd-L showed the best tumor selectivity. The changes in the cell cycle phase distribution were determined by flow cytometry and it was found that ligand L shows the highest apoptotic activity. The biodistribution studies of 99mTc-L in mice showed fast tissue clearance. Of all the thiazole-containing compounds, the palladium complex appears to be more promising for future efforts.

Biological evaluation of selected 3,4-dihydro-2(1H)-quinoxalinones and 3,4-dihydro-1,4-benzoxazin-2-ones: Molecular docking study.

In order to investigate new potential therapeutically active agents, we investigated the biological properties of two small libraries of quinoxalinones and 1,4-benzoxazin-2-ones. The results obtained showed that compounds 5, 9-11 have good cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells where the lowest IC50 value (10.46 ± 0.82 µM/mL) was measured for compound 10. Additionally, the most active compounds (5, 9-11) showed much better selectivity for MRC-5 cells (up to 17.4) compared to cisplatin. In vitro evaluation of the inhibition of the enzyme α-glucosidase showed that compounds 10 and 11 exert significant inhibition of the enzyme at 52.54 ± 0.09 and 40.09 ± 0.49 µM, respectively. Competitive experiments with ethidium bromide (EB) indicated that all tested compounds have affinity to displace EB from the EB-DNA complex through intercalation, suggesting good competition with EB (Ksv = (3.1 ± 0.2), (5.1 ± 0.1), (5.6 ± 0.2), and (6.3 ± 0.2) × 103 M-1 ). A molecular docking study was also performed to better understand the binding modes and to conclude the structure-activity relationships of the synthesized compounds.

Identification of cytotoxic metabolites from Mahonia aquifolium using 1H NMR-based metabolomics approach.

Herein, we propose a 1H NMR-based metabolomics method to reveal cytotoxic metabolites from Mahonia aquifolium stem-bark. Primary and secondary metabolites in the Mahonia aquifolium extracts were identified by thorough analysis of 1H and 2D NMR spectra, without prior isolation. An OPLS multivariate analysis method was used to correlate the chemical composition of the plant extracts with the results of cytotoxic activity against Human cervical adenocarcinoma cell line. Protoberberine alkaloids berberinе and palmatine, along with bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid berbamine were identified as the most influential in the OPLS model, with the highest cytotoxic activity.

Antidiabetics: Structural Diversity of Molecules with a Common Aim.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMT2) is an endocrine disease of global proportions which is currently affecting 1 in 12 adults in the world, with still increasing prevalence. World Health Organization (WHO) declared this worldwide health problem, as an epidemic disease, to be the only non-infectious disease with such categorization. People with DMT2 are at increased risk of various complications and have shorter life expectancy. The main classes of oral antidiabetic drugs accessible today for DMT2 vary in their chemical composition, modes of action, safety profiles and tolerability. METHODS: A systematic search of peer-reviewed scientific literature and public databases has been conducted. We included the most recent relevant research papers and data in respect to the focus of the present review. The quality of retrieved papers was assessed using standard tools. RESULTS: The review highlights the chemical structural diversity of the molecules that have the common target-DMT2. So-called traditional antidiabetics as well as the newest and the least explored drugs include polypeptides and amino acid derivatives (insulin, glucagon-like peptide 1, dipeptidyl peptidase-IV inhibitors, amylin), sulfonylurea derivatives, benzylthiazolidine- 2,4-diones (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ agonists/glitazones), condensed guanido core (metformin) and sugar-like molecules (α-glucosidase and sodium/ glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors). CONCLUSION: As diabetes becomes a more common disease, interest in new pharmacological targets is on the rise.

Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Activity of Dehydrozingerone based Cyclopropyl Derivatives.

A small series of 1-acetyl-2-(4-alkoxy-3-methoxyphenyl)cyclopropanes was prepared, starting from dehydrozingerone (4-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-buten-2-one) and its O-alkyl derivatives. Their microbiological activities toward some strains of bacteria and fungi were tested, as well as their in vitro cytotoxic activity against some cancer cell lines (HeLa, LS174 and A549). All synthesized compounds showed significant antimicrobial activity and expressed cytotoxic activity against tested carcinoma cell lines, but they showed no significant influence on normal cell line (MRC5). Butyl derivative is the most active on HeLa cells (IC50 = 8.63 µm), while benzyl one is active against LS174 and A549 cell lines (IC50 = 10.17 and 12.15 µm, respectively).

In vitro antitumor activity, metal uptake and reactivity with ascorbic acid and BSA of some gold(III) complexes with N,N'-ethylenediamine bidentate ester ligands.

Four novel gold(III) complexes of general formulae [AuCl2{(S,S)-R2eddl}]PF6 (R2eddl=O,O'-dialkyl-(S,S)-ethylenediamine-N,N'-di-2-(4-methyl)pentanoate, R=n-Pr, n-Bu, n-Pe, i-Bu; 1-4, respectively), were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, UV/Vis, IR, and NMR spectroscopy, as well as high resolution mass spectrometry. Density functional theory calculations pointed out that (R,R)-N,N'-configuration diastereoisomers were energetically the most favorable. Duo to high cytotoxic activity complex 3 was chosen for stability study in DMSO, no decomposition occurs within 24h, and for the reaction with ascorbic acid in which was reduced immediately. Additionally, 3 interacts with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as proven by UV/Vis spectroscopy. In vitro antitumor activity was determined against human cervix adenocarcinoma (HeLa), human myelogenous leukemia (K562), and human melanoma (Fem-x) cancer cell lines, as well as against non-cancerous human embryonic lung fibroblast cells MRC-5. The highest activity was observed against K562 cells (IC50: 5.04-6.51µM). Selectivity indices showed that these complexes are less toxic than cisplatin. 3 had a similar viability kinetics on HeLa cells as cisplatin. Drug accumulation studies in HeLa cells showed that the total gold uptake increased much faster than that of cisplatin pointing out that 3 more efficiently enters the cells than cisplatin. Furthermore, morphological and cell cycle analysis reveal that gold(III) complexes induced apoptosis in time- and dose-dependent manner.

α-Glucosidase inhibitory activity and cytotoxic effects of some cyclic urea and carbamate derivatives.

The inhibitory activities of selected cyclic urea and carbamate derivatives (1-13) toward α-glucosidase (α-Gls) in in vitro assay were examined in this study. All examined compounds showed higher inhibitory activity (IC50) against α-Gls compared to standard antidiabetic drug acarbose. The most potent was benzyl (3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)carbamate (12) with IC50 = 49.85 ± 0.10 µM. In vitro cytotoxicity of the investigated compounds was tested on three human cancer cell lines HeLa, A549 and MDA-MB-453 using MTT assay. The best antitumour activity was achieved with compound 2 (trans-5-phenethyl-1-phenylhexahydro-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridin-2(3H)-one) against MDA-MB-453 human breast cancer cell line (IC50 = 83.41 ± 1.60 µM). Cyclic ureas and carbamates showed promising anti-α-glucosidase activity and should be further tested as potential antidiabetic drugs. The PLS model of preliminary QSAR study indicated that, in planing the future synthesis of more potent compounds, the newly designed should have the substituents capable of polar interactions with receptor sites in various positions, while avoiding the increase of their lipophilicity.

Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activity of Heracleum verticillatum Pancic and H. ternatum Velen. (Apiaceae) Essential Oils.

In this work, the chemical composition, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of Heracleum verticillatum Pancic and H. ternatum Velen. root, leaf, and fruit essential oils were investigated. The composition was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Heracleum verticillatum and H. ternatum root oils were dominated by monoterpenes, mostly ß-pinene (23.5% and 47.3%, respectively). Heracleum verticillatum leaf oil was characterized by monoterpenes, mainly limonene (20.3%), and sesquiterpenes, mostly (E)-caryophyllene (19.1%), while H. ternatum leaf oil by the high percentage of phenylpropanoids, with (Z)-isoelemicin (35.1%) being dominant constituent. Both fruit oils contained the majority of aliphatic esters, mostly octyl acetate (42.3% in H. verticillatum oil and 49.0% in H. ternatum oil). The antimicrobial activity of the oils was determined by microdilution method against eight bacterial and eight fungal strains. The strongest effect was exhibited by H. verticillatum root oil, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium (MICs = 0.14 mg/ml, MBCs = 0.28 mg/ml), and Trichoderma viride (MIC = 0.05 mg/ml, MFC = 0.11 mg/ml). Cytotoxic effect was determined by MTT test against malignant HeLa, LS174, and A549 cells (IC50 = 5.9 - 146.0 µg/ml), and against normal MRC-5 cells (IC50 > 120.1 µg/ml). The best effect was exhibited by H. verticillatum root oil on A549 cells (IC50 = 5.9 µg/ml), and H. ternatum root oil against LS174 cells (IC50 = 6.7 µg/ml).