Natthida Weerapreeyakul

Cytotoxic activity screening of some indigenous Thai plants

The 50% ethanolic extracts from 14 plant species used in Thai traditional folklore were screened for cytotoxic activity against a malignant human hepatoma (HepG2) cell line and a normal African green monkey kidney (Vero) cell line. The extracts of Polyalthia evecta and Erythroxylum cuneatum showed potent anticancer activity in the HepG2 cell line with IC(50) of 70+/-3 microg/ml and 64+/-4 microg/ml, respectively. P. evecta demonstrated more selectivity to the HepG2 than the Vero cell (selectivity index>14.3) indicating its potential for biopharmaceutical use.

Changes in phenolic acids and antioxidant activity in Thai rice husk at five growth stages during grain development.

Soluble and bound phenolic acids were isolated from Thai rice husk samples at five growth stages during grain development, and their antioxidant activities were evaluated. The results showed that ferulic acid was the major soluble phenolic acid in husk at all stages, and its concentration decreased steadily during grain development. The ratio of ferulic to p-coumaric acid was approximately 2:1 at all stages. The most abundant bound phenolic acid in all extracts was p-coumaric acid, followed by ferulic acid along with traces of syringic, vanilic, and p-hydroxybenzoic acids. Most of the antioxidant activities of soluble and bound phenolic acids in husk extracts were found at flowering stage, and there were high correlations of antioxidant activity to levels of soluble ferulic, gallic, and p-coumaric acids.

Antihypertensive and antioxidant effects of dietary black sesame meal in pre-hypertensive humans

BackgroundIt has been known that hypertension is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in developed and developing countries. Elevation of blood pressure (BP) increases the adverse effect for cardiovascular outcomes. Prevention of increased BP plays a crucial role in a reduction of those outcomes, leading to a decrease in mortality. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary black sesame meal on BP and oxidative stress in individuals with prehypertension.MethodsTwenty-two women and eight men (aged 49.8 ± 6.6 years) with prehypertension were randomly divided into two groups, 15 subjects per group. They ingested 2.52 g black sesame meal capsules or placebo capsules each day for 4 weeks. Blood samples were obtained after overnight fasting for measurement of plasma lipid, malondialdehyde (MDA) and vitamin E levels. Anthropometry, body composition and BP were measured before and after 4-week administration of black sesame meal or a placebo.ResultsThe results showed that 4-week administration of black sesame meal significantly decreased systolic BP (129.3 ± 6.8 vs. 121.0 ± 9.0 mmHg, P < 0.05) and MDA level (1.8 ± 0.6 vs. 1.2 ± 0.6 μmol/L, P < 0.05), and increased vitamin E level (29.4 ± 6.0 vs. 38.2 ± 7.8 μmol/L, P < 0.01). In the black sesame meal group, the change in SBP tended to be positively related to the change in MDA (R = 0.50, P = 0.05), while the change in DBP was negatively related to the change in vitamin E (R = -0.55, P < 0.05). There were no correlations between changes in BP and oxidative stress in the control group.ConclusionsThese results suggest the possible antihypertensive effects of black sesame meal on improving antioxidant status and decreasing oxidant stress. These data may imply a beneficial effect of black sesame meal on prevention of CVD.

Melatonin potentiates cisplatin-induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human lung adenocarcinoma cells.

Melatonin produces anti‐cancer effects via several mechanisms, including by induction of apoptosis. In this way, it has been shown to be of use, in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs, for cancer treatment. The study described here has evaluated effects of melatonin on cytotoxicity, apoptosis and cell cycle arrest induced with the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin, in human lung adenocarcinoma cisplatin‐sensitive cell line (SK‐LU‐1), which previously had only limit data.

FTIR microspectroscopy discriminates anticancer action on human leukemic cells by extracts of Pinus kesiya; Cratoxylum formosum ssp. pruniflorum and melphalan

Apoptosis is the principal molecular goal of chemotherapeutics for effective anticancer action. We studied the effect of 50% ethanolic-water extracts of Pinus kesiya, Cratoxylum formosum ssp. pruniflorum and melphalan on cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction for human leukemic U937 cells, and explored the mode of action using FTIR microspectroscopy. The number of viable U937 cells in vitro was decreased in a concentration-dependent manner by all tested compounds, although potency differed between the U937 and Vero cells. Melphalan and the extract of C. formosum exhibited relatively lower IC(50) values (15.0 ± 1.0 and 82.7 ± 3.2 μg/mL respectively) and higher selectivity (selective index>3) than the extract of P. kesiya (299.0 ± 5.2 μg/mL; selective index<3) on the U937 cells. All three compounds significantly induced apoptosis through the late stage - seen by the indicative DNA ladder - with the most effective being melphalan, then the P. kesiya and C. formosum extracts. FTIR microspectroscopy revealed that all three compounds raised the intensity of the β-pleated sheet - higher than that of the untreated U937 cells - corresponding to a shift in the α-helix band associated with an alteration in the secondary structure of the protein band, confirming induction of apoptosis via pro-apoptotic proteins. The differences in intensity of the FTIR bands associated with lipids, proteins and nucleic acids were responsible for discrimination of the anticancer mode of action of each of the three compounds. The FTIR data suggest that the two plant extracts possessed anticancer activity with a different mode of action than melphalan.

Synergistic anticancer effect of the extracts from Polyalthia evecta caused apoptosis in human hepatoma(HepG2)cells

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the anticancer activity of the extract fraction of Polyalthia evecta (P. evecta) (Pierre) Finet & Gagnep and the synergistic anticancer effect of the extracts from P. evecta by using the ATR/FT-IR spectroscopy. METHODS The 50% ethanol-water crude leaf extract of P. evecta (EW-L) was prepared and was further fractionated to isolate various fractions. The anticancer activity was investigated from cytotoxicity against HepG2 using a neutral red assay and apoptosis induction by evaluation of nuclei morphological changes after DAPI staining. Synergistic anticancer effects of the extracts from P. evecta were performed using the ATR/FT-IR spectroscopy. RESULTS The result showed that the EW-L showed higher cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction in HepG2 cells than its fractionated extracts. The hexane extract exhibited higher cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction than the water extracts, but less than the EW-L. The combined water and hexane extracts apparently increased cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction. The %apoptotic cells induced by the extract mixture were increased about 2-fold compared to the single hexane extract. CONCLUSIONS The polar extract fraction is necessary for the anticancer activity of the non-polar extract fraction. The ATR/FT-IR spectra illustrates the physical interaction among the constituents in the extract mixture and reveals the presence of polyphenolic constituents in the EW-L, which might play a role for the synergistic anticancer effect.

Anticancer effect of the extracts from Polyalthia evecta against human hepatoma cell line (HepG2)

OBJECTIVE To investigate the anticancer activity of Polyalthia evecta (P. evecta) (Pierre) Finet & Gagnep against human hepatoma cell line (HepG2). METHODS The anticancer activity was based on (a) the cytotoxicity against human hepatoma cells (HepG2) assessed using a neutral red assay and (b) apoptosis induction determined by evaluation of nuclei morphological changes after DAPI staining. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of the crude extract was assessed by HPLC analysis. RESULTS The 50% ethanol-water crude leaf extract of P. evecta (EW-L) showed greater potential anticancer activity with high cytotoxicity [IC50 = (62.8 ± 7.3)µg/mL] and higher selectivity in HepG2 cells than normal Vero cells [selective index (SI) = 7.9]. The SI of EW-L was higher than the positive control, melphalan (SI = 1.6) and the apoptotic cells (46.4 ± 2.6) % induced by EW-L was higher than the melphalan (41.6 ± 2.1)% (P<0.05). The HPLC chromatogram of the EW-L revealed the presence of various kinds of polyphenolics and flavonoids in it. CONCLUSIONS P. evecta is a potential plant with anticancer activity. The isolation of pure compounds and determination of the bioactivity of individual compounds will be further performed.

Melatonin induces apoptosis through biomolecular changes, in SK‐LU‐1 human lung adenocarcinoma cells

Anti‐cancer effects of melatonin (N‐acetyl‐5‐methoxytryptamine, an indole‐amine), have been widely reported, however, little has been known, regarding its mechanism(s) of action in lung cancer. Thus, we investigated its induction of apoptosis through biomolecular changes (lipid, protein and nucleic acid/DNA) in the SK‐LU‐1 human lung cancer cell line.

Sesamol induces mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in HCT116 human colon cancer cells via pro-oxidant effect

AIMS Sesamol lignan is a phenolic compound found in sesame seeds. We investigated the effect of different concentrations of sesamol on oxidative stress in colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT116). MAIN METHODS Antioxidation in vitro was determined from elimination of the DPPH radical, ferric reducing-antioxidant power (FRAP), O2(-), and peroxyl radical scavenging activity. Intracellular O2(-), H2O2 and GSH levels were determined by DHE, DCFH-DA, and CMF-DA assay, respectively. Cell viability was detected by neutral red assay. Cell cycle proportion and mode of apoptotic HCT116 cells death was analyzed by flow cytometry. Apoptosis in sesamol-treated HCT116 cells was confirmed by morphological changes in the nuclei using DAPI staining and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential using the DiOC6(3) assay. KEY FINDINGS Sesamol at both low (0.05 and 0.25mM) and high (0.5, 2, 5, and 10mM) concentrations concurrently reduced FRAP reagent and scavenged DPPH, and O2(-). Sesamol at low concentrations scavenged ROO, but ROO-scavenging was decreased at higher concentrations. Sesamol suppressed cell viability via disruption of cell cycle progression at high concentrations (0.5, 1, 2, and 5mM), thereby causing S-phase arrest and inducing apoptosis-through the production of intracellular O2(-), mitochondrial dysfunction, and DNA fragmentation. SIGNIFICANCE High concentrations of sesamol induced the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in human colon cancer HCT116 cells via a pro-oxidant effect.

Application of FTIR microspectroscopy for characterization of biomolecular changes in human melanoma cells treated by sesamol and kojic acid

BACKGROUND Hyperpigmentation is aesthetic undesirable. Sesamol and the standard antimelanogenic agent (kojic acid) were shown to hinder melanogenesis by blocking tyrosinase and reducing melanin content. OBJECTIVE The FTIR microspectroscopy was used in an attempt to find a novel method to define biological alternation in a melanogenesis inhibition of sesamol and kojic acid. METHODS Tyrosinase inhibition and melanin content of sesamol and kojic acid were evaluated. The FTIR microspectroscopy was adopted to define the vibrational characteristic involved with the melanogenesis in the untreated SK-MEL2 cells vs. the sesamol- and kojic-treated SK-MEL2 cells. RESULTS Sesamol and kojic acid inhibited mushroom tyrosinase at IC₅₀ of 0.33 μg/ml and 6.1±0.4 μg/ml, respectively. Moreover, 30 μg/ml sesamol inhibited 23.55±8.25% cellular tyrosinase activity in human SK-MEL2 cells, while 600 μg/ml kojic acid inhibited 33.9±1.4% cellular tyrosinase activity in the same cells. In the SK-MEL2-treated with two inhibitors, the FTIR spectra assigned to the lipid and nucleic acid bands were significantly depleted with the secondary protein structure shifted to a more β-pleated secondary protein one. CONCLUSION Both sesamol and kojic acid display a similar pattern of antimelanogenesis activity albeit to a different degree. The mechanism of their whitening effect may be via the alteration of (a) the enzyme conformation disallowing the ordinary enzyme-substrate interaction and maybe (b) the integrity of the lipid-containing melanosome. Our results support the alternative use of FTIR microspectroscopy as a simple and reagent-free method for characterization of biomolecular changes in human melanoma cells.