Gehan A. El-Gaaly

Trigonella foenum (Fenugreek) Induced Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line, HepG2, Mediated by Upregulation of p53 and Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and most current therapies are of limited efficacy. Trigonella foenum (Fenugreek) is a traditional herbal plant with antitumor activity, although the mechanisms of its activity remain unclear. Herein, a crude methanol extract was prepared from Fenugreek seeds (FCE) and its anticancer mechanism was evaluated, using HepG2 cell line. Growth-inhibitory effect and apoptosis induction of HepG2 cells were evidenced by MTT assay, cell morphology alteration, apoptosis enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, flow cytometric analysis, caspase-3 activity, and expression of p53, proapoptotic protein, Bax, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) after (100∼500 μg/mL) FCE treatment for 48 h. Furthermore, FCE was analyzed by Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). Our results revealed that FCE treatment for 48 h showed a cytotoxic effect and apoptosis induction in a dose-dependent manner that was mediated by upregulation of p53, Bax, PCNA, and caspase-3 activation in HepG2 cells. GC-MS analysis of FCE showed the presence of fourteen bioactive compounds such as Terpenoids and Flavonoids, including two main constituents with anticancer activity, Squalene and Naringenin (27.71% and 24.05%), respectively. Our data introduced FCE as a promising nontoxic herbal with therapeutic potential to induce apoptosis in HepG2 cells through p53, Bax, and PCNA upregulation in caspase-3 dependent manner.

Assessment of antioxidant activities in roots of Miswak (Salvadora persica) plants grown at two different locations in Saudi Arabia

Traditionally, in Middle Eastern countries, many cultures use chewing sticks of arak for medicinal purposes especially, for oral cleanliness care. It was used by Muslims for treatment of teeth and highly recommended to be used by Muslims during the whole day. Therefore, the present work aimed to determine the total phenolic content and total flavonoids in two Miswak extracts obtained from arak roots collected from two different localities in Saudi Arabia. They were extracted with aqueous ethanol (80%) and used to estimate in vitro their antioxidative abilities. The new findings showed that the two tested extracts contained significantly different amounts of both total phenolic content and total flavonoids. According to the increase of total phenolic contents and total flavonoids obtained from the two extracts, Miswak collected from the southern region was found to contain more contents than those collected from the middle region. The results of antioxidant activities of Miswak root extract obtained by using different in vitro methods were varied depending on the technique used. According to the malondialdehyde (MDA) method, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging ability and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) methods, the two Miswak extracts exhibited to have high to very high antioxidant activities. Mostly, the values of antioxidant activities of Southern region have been shown to be always the highest.

Molecular application for identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons degrading bacteria (PAHD) species isolated from oil polluted soil in Dammam, Saud Arabia

Soil contamination with petroleum hydrocarbon products such as diesel and engine oil is becoming one of the major environmental problems. This study describes hydrocarbons degrading bacteria (PHAD) isolated from long-standing petrol polluted soil from the eastern region, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The isolated strains were firstly categorized by accessible shape detection, physiological and biochemistry tests. Thereafter, a technique established on the sequence analysis of a 16S rDNA gene was used. Isolation of DNA from the bacterial strains was performed, on which the PCR reaction was carried out. Strains were identified based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis, As follows amplified samples were spontaneously sequenced automatically and the attained results were matched to open databases. Among the isolated bacterial strains, S1 was identified as Staphylococcus aureus and strain S1 as Corynebacterium amycolatum.

Evaluation of radical scavenging system in two microalgae in response to interactive stresses of UV-B radiation and nitrogen starvation

The effects of UV-B radiation and/or deprivation of nitrogen stresses on growth rate, some antioxidant compounds, and activities of some antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC1.15.1.1), ascorbate peroxidase (APx; EC1.11.1.11), guaiacol peroxidase (GUPx; EC1.11.1.7) and glutathione reductase (GR, EC 1.6.4.2), as well as the levels of total glutathione pool, UV-B absorbing pigments, malondialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2 concentrations were studied in Spirulina platensis and Dunaliella salina. Less damage was observed in response to the combined UV-B and nitrogen deprivation as shown by growth rate and photosynthetic pigments especially in Dunaliella salina. A significant increase in flavonoids and phenolics under dual stress was observed. Conversely, a great reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2 concentrations were recorded under the combined stress compared to the effect of each stress. Furthermore, a significant increase in GSH/GSSG ratio toward the control was recorded in response to combined stresses, whereas a significant reduction in this ratio was observed in both microalgae in response to each stress. Increased activities of antioxidant enzymes were recorded under UV-B and nitrogen deprivation stresses.

Identification of bioactive phytochemical from two Punica species using GC–MS and estimation of antioxidant activity of seed extracts

Punica species are medicinally important plants belonging to the family Lythraceae. The pomegranate is widely reported to exhibit antiviral, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-proliferative activities. In the present study the ethanolic extract of the peel seeds of two species of Punica (Punica granatum and Punica protopunica) were subjected to GC–MS analysis. Twenty-one and 14 compounds were identified in P. granatum and P. protopunica peel seeds, respectively. The main chemical constituents in P. granatum-peel seeds were propanoic acid, benzenedicarboxylic acid, methoxypropionic acid and methyl amine. The corresponding constituents of P. protopunica peel seeds were benzenedicarboxylic acid, benzoic acid and propanoic acid. Moreover, the antioxidant effects of the aqueous ethanolic extracts were estimated in vitro. The two tested extracts contained significantly different phenolic and total flavonoid contents in P. granatum than in P. protopunica. Different in vitro methods of antioxidant activity determination produced varying results. In malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays, the two peel seed extracts exhibited very high antioxidant activities, with higher activity observed for the P. granatum extract.

Biochemical and Photosynthetic Evaluation of Responses in Zea mays L. Under Drought Stress

Antioxidant defense system(s), pigments content and photosynthetic activity as well as some biochemical changes under drought stress were analyzed in maize (Zea mays L. cv. Giza 21) leaves to determine the response of plant to drought stress and to elucidate the role of various protective mechanisms against oxidative stress. It was found that the application of drought stress led to changes in the carbohydrates and protein contents. Total soluble sugars, accumulated in the leaves of water-stressed plants, whereas, starch and protein contents were dropped to a small amounts compared to the control. Furthermore, plants have well-developed defense systems against reactive oxygen species (ROS), involving both limiting the formation of ROS as well as instituting its removal. Within a cell, the activities of a range of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) involved in scavenging ROS were investigated. During dehydration the SOD, APX and CAT increased significantly up to 4 days, then declined in their activities but still maintained higher than the control levels this indicates that the defense systems involved are efficient in the protection of plant cells against oxidation. In addition, there was consistent increase in the lipid peroxidation and accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA). The levels of hydrogen peroxide were also elevated during stressing periods. In this study we are reporting the negative response of maize plants toward drought stress especially on the antioxidant enzymatic activity for the prolonged drought effect.