Cell Division

Immunoregulatory properties of a novel antimalarial drug dihydroartemisinin (DHA) were investigated in vitro. DHA 0.5-5 mumol.L-1 enhanced the lymphocyte proliferation induced by Con A. Interleukin 2 (IL-2) production and its mRNA expression by both Con A-stimulated mouse splenocytes and a T cell line LBRM-33-1A5 were also augmented by DHA. In contrast, DHA 0.5-5 mumol.L-1 did not show any effect on the lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced lymphocyte proliferation and the spontaneous and mitogen-induced proliferation of transformed T cells.

Our previous studies have shown that riboflavin has activity against Plasmodium falciparum asexual-stage parasites in vitro. In the present study we examine the gametocytocidal activity of riboflavin and the interaction of riboflavin with some commonly used antimalarial drugs against the asexual forms of P. falciparum in vitro. The addition of riboflavin to P. falciparum cultures killed gametocytes at all stages, even those at late stages (III to V), which are not affected by many of the commonly used antimalarials.

A profound cytotoxic action of the antimalarial, artesunate (ART), was identified against 55 cancer cell lines of the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI). The 50% inhibition concentrations (IC50 values) for ART correlated significantly to the cell doubling times (P = 0.00132) and the portion of cells in the G0/G1 (P = 0.02244) or S cell cycle phases (P = 0.03567). We selected mRNA expression data of 465 genes obtained by microarray hybridization from the NCI data base.

The inhibition effects of tea theaflavins complex (TFs), theaflavin-3-3'-digallate (TFDG), theaflavin-3'-gallate (TF2B), and an unidentified compound (UC) on the growth of human liver cancer BEL-7402 cells, gastric cancer MKN-28 cells and acute promyelocytic leukemia LH-60 cells were investigated. TFs was obtained through the catalysis of catechins with immobilized polyphenols oxidase. TFDG, TF2B and UC were isolated from TFs with high speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC).

OBJECTIVE: To construct recombinant expression vectors of small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting survivin and investigate apoptosis of glioma cell line U251 mediated by the survivin-targeting siRNA. METHODS: According to the sequence of the coding region of survivin gene, two strings of 19 nucleotides of inverted sequence flanking the loop sequence of two complementary 9-base oligonucleotides were designed and synthesized to form hairpin construct as the DNA templates for the target siRNA.

Withaferin A (WA) is derived from the medicinal plant Withania somnifera that has been safely used for centuries in the Indian Ayurvedic medicine for treatment of various ailments. We now demonstrate that WA treatment causes G2 and mitotic arrest in human breast cancer cells.

Ayurveda is considered to be the traditional science of health in India and is based on the principle of subjectivity. All matter is composed of five basic elements, which can be perceived by the five sense organs. All food and drugs are classified according to their pharmacological properties, which are derived from these five elements. To investigate which Ayurvedic plants might have cytostatic activity, an Ayurvedic model for the pathogenesis of cancer was made. Based on this, selection criteria were formed, that were used to select plants from a list of Ayurvedic herbal drugs.

Ayurveda is considered to be the traditional science of health in India and is based on the principle of subjectivity. All matter is composed of five basic elements, which can be perceived by the five sense organs. All food and drugs are classified according to their pharmacological properties, which are derived from these five elements. To investigate which Ayurvedic plants might have cytostatic activity, an Ayurvedic model for the pathogenesis of cancer was made. Based on this, selection criteria were formed, that were used to select plants from a list of Ayurvedic herbal drugs.

Bacopa monniera Wettst. (BM, syn. Herpestis monniera L; Scrophulariaceae), is an Ayurvedic drug used as a rasayana. Its fresh juice was earlier reported to have significant antiulcerogenic activity. In continuation, methanolic extract of BM (BME) standardized to bacoside-A content (percentage-38.0 +/- 0.9), when given in the dose of 10-50 mg/kg, twice daily for 5 days, showed dose-dependent anti-ulcerogenic on various gastric ulcer models induced by ethanol, aspirin, 2 h cold restraint stress and 4 h pylorus ligation.

Rasayanas are non-toxic Ayurvedic complex herbal preparations or individual herbs used to rejuvenate or attain the complete potential of an individual in order to prevent diseases and degenerative changes that leads to disease. The present paper reviews various activities of rasayanas to support the above concept, its role as a prophylactic medication and significance in the prevention of diseases in both healthy as well as diseased individuals.