Md. Irshad

Comparative Analysis of the Antioxidant Activity of Cassia fistula Extracts

Antioxidant potential of various extracts of Cassia fistula was determined by the DPPH, FRAP, Fe3+ reducing power, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay. Methanolic extracts of Cassia fistula showed the highest amount of phenolic and flavonoid content and reducing capacity, whereas hexane extracts exhibited the lowest level of reducing capacity. The order of antioxidant activity in Cassia fistula extracts displayed from higher to lower level as methanolic extracts of pulp, methanolic extracts of seed, hexane extracts of pulp, and hexane extracts of seed. The antioxidant potential of Cassia fistula extracts significantly correlated (P < 0.02) with the phenolic content of the methanolic extracts. Ascorbic acid taken as control showed highest antioxidant power in the present study.

Phytochemical Composition of Cassia fistula Fruit Extracts and its Anticancer Activity Against Human Cancer Cell Lines

Abstract Cassia fistula Linn. (Fabaceae) fruit has been used in folk medicine and reported for various pharmacological properties. We evaluated the anticancer activity of C. fistula fruit extracts [ethyl acetate extract of pulp (EEP), n-butanol extract of pulp (BEP), ethyl acetate extract of seeds (EES), n-butanol extract of seeds (BES)] against human cervical cancer (SiHa) and breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines. Phytochemicals analysis revealed that the EEP and EES contained anticancer compounds like 2(3H)-furanone, rhein, thymoland oleic acid. BES contained inositol and palmitic acid, whereas BEP contained inositol and 2-pyrrolidone. IC50 of EEP, EES, BEP and BES against SiHa cells were 415.5±0.19, 435.7±0.11, 535.3±0.32 and 580.2±0.41 µg/mL, whereas against MCF-7 cells were 422.2±0.32, 451.4±0.27, 564.5±0.21 and 575.6±0.47 µg/mL respectively (p ≤ 0.01). At IC50, EEP, EES, BEP and BES treated MCF-7 cells formed colonies of 17.5, 16.3, 22.5 and 18.8 % whereas treated SiHa cells formed colonies of 11.5, 12.8, 19.2 and 16.7 % (p≤0.03). Seeds and pulp treated both cell lines showed up-regulation of p53 and Bax genes, down-regulation of Bcl-2 gene and increased caspase-3, 7 & 10 and -9 enzymes activities. Also, the fragmented genomic DNA in pulp and seeds extracts treated SiHa and MCF-7 cells showed sign of apoptosis.We concluded that the fruit pulp and seeds extracts inhibited MCF-7 and SiHa cells growth and induced cells death by modulating the expression of apoptosis-regulatory genes and caspase enzymes.

Nutritional and Medicinal Potential of Lagenaria siceraria

Dietary prebiotics and phytomedicine have made available novel therapeutic possibilities to manage human health and diseases. Sitotherapy, the therapeutic use of diet and nutrition, strives to adapt the chemistry of food and nutrition in order to improve human health. Gastrointestinal crypt stem cells and enteric microflora are believed to be affected by diet, which can result in improved health. Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. is a vegetable food also used as a traditional medicine. It is reported to have immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, antioxidant, anti-stress and adaptogenic, antihyperlipidemic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties. A novel protein, Lagenin (20 kDa), isolated from seeds is reported to have antitumor, antiviral, antiproliferative, and anti-HIV activities. The consumption of bottle gourd can be considered to improve human health, but additional research is required.

Effect of parthenolide on growth and apoptosis regulatory genes of human cancer cell lines.

Abstract Context: Parthenolide (a sesquiterpene lactone), a bioactive compound of Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Schultz Bip. (Asteraceae) herb, has been reported for antioxidant and anticancer activities. Objective: The present study evaluated the effect of parthenolide on growth and apoptosis-regulatory genes of human cervical cancer (SiHa) and breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines. Materials and methods: The cytotoxic activity of parthenolide (3.5–21 µM) was examined by MTT and LDH assays at 24 and 48 h time intervals. Apoptotic activity was evaluated by expression analysis of multiple apoptosis-regulatory genes (i.e., p53, Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3, -6, and -9) by reverse transcriptase-PCR and DNA fragmentation assay. Results: Parthenolide inhibited the growth of SiHa and MCF-7 cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner at 24 and 48 h time intervals (p < 0.001). The IC50 value of parthenolide against SiHa and MCF-7 cells were 8.42 ± 0.76 and 9.54 ± 0.82 μM, respectively. Parthenolide-treated cells showed up-regulation of p53, Bax, caspase-3, -6, and -3 genes and down-regulation of Bcl-2 gene (p ≤ 0.008). At IC50, the p53 gene was up-regulated by 9.67- and 3.15-fold in SiHa and MCF-7 cells, respectively. The Bax to Bcl-2 ratio was 3.4 and 2.3 for SiHa and MCF-7 cells, respectively. Also, the fragmented genomic DNA in parthenolide-treated cells showed the signs of apoptosis. Conclusion: Our study endorsed the biological activity of parthenolide and demonstrated the parthenolide-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in SiHa and MCF-7 cells by modulating the expression of apoptosis-regulatory genes.

Antioxidant Capacity and Phenolic Content of the Aqueous Extract of Commonly Consumed Cucurbits

The antioxidant capacity of commonly consumed cucurbits vegetable was determined by the DPPH, FRAP, Fe3+ reducing power, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay. The aqueous extract of Luffa cylindrica showed the highest value of phenolic content and antioxidant capacity based on FRAP, Fe3+ reducing power, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay. However, Laginaria siceraria extract showed the highest flavonoid and DPPH scavenging activities among all three cucurbits used in this study. Phenolic content in aqueous extracts of Luffa cylindrica and Laginaria siceraria was almost equal. Cucurbita maxima exhibited the lowest phenolic, flavonoid content, and exhibited the lowest power of antioxidant scavenging. The antioxidant capacity of cucurbits was significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with the phenolic content of their extracts. The antioxidant capacity of Luffa cylindrica and Laginaria siceraria have also shown a significant correlation (P < 0.05).

Phytochemical Composition of Extracts Prepared from Dietary Cucurbitsand their Cytoprotective Efficacies against Hydrogen Peroxide InducedOxidative Stress in GI Cell-INT407

Compositions of phytochemicals in aqueous extracts prepared from Lagenaria siceraria (Ls), Luffa cylindrica (Lc) and Cucurbita maxima (Cm) fruits were identified by gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. GC-MS analysis showed the presence of 83, 72 and 74 number of phytochemicals in Ls, Lc and Cm respectively. Extracts were evaluated for their role in protection of INT407 cells against injurious effect of H2O2. MTT, LDH and colony survival assays (CSA) were employed for evaluating H2O2-induced cytotoxicity. Antioxidant properties of extracts were evaluated by enzymatic assays in H2O2 induced oxidative stress in INT407 cells. LD50 and LD25 of H2O2 at 24 h on INT407 cells were evaluated and found 114.25 ± 0.24 and 64.01 ± 0.11 μM respectively. Macromolecules were found to protect INT407 in dose dependent manner (p ≤ 0.05). CSA showed enhanced growth in extracts of Lagenaria siceraria and Luffa cylindrica in comparison to Cucurbita maxima treated cells (p=0.042). H2O2 treated cells showed depleted superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities by 71.60, 68.81, 45.79 and 22.95% respectively. Lagenaria siceraria and Luffa cylindrica treated cells showed modulation of SOD by 8.88 and 8.95%, CAT by 22.34 and 14.20%, GPx by 5.56 and 1.42%, and GR by 2.20 and 3.22% respectively. Cucurbita maxima modulated CAT by 1.78%, and GR by 0.70%. Synergistic effects of phytochemicals present in these extracts were found non-toxic on INT407.

Magnetotherapy: Changes in the Nature of Biomolecules under a Constant Magnetic Field

Doses of 0.0175 Weber m-2 magnetic fields were given to four series of biomolecules for up to 40 minutes in aqueous solution. During this, every 5 minutes, viscosities (?) were measured at 303.15 K and one atmospheric pressure. The source of the magnetic field of 0.0175 Weber m-2 was generated by putting two permanent magnets around the solutions. Interestingly, the viscosities of the bimolecules responded to the magnetic field dose and the length of the field exposure with time as compared to their viscosities without a magnetic dose. An initial magnetic dose of 5 minutes causes a drastic decrease in viscosities for vitamins, amino acids and carbohydrates, and a slight decrease for proteins due to the hydrogen-bonded peptides framework. The vitamins, amino acids and carbohydrates show decreased ? values due to free functional group. Further studies show the recovery of ? values moving toward normal but remaining lower except for protein. The influences of magnetic doses on the structural interactions of biomolecules with the length of time are observed and discussed to establish the relationship between the magnetic field and the structural behavior of the biomolecules. Since viscosity is a fundamental property that depends on the structural reorientation due to any external force, information is derived from the viscosity data.