Paramasivan Poornima

Protective effect of gallic acid against lindane induced toxicity in experimental rats

Lindane is an organochlorine pesticide that persists in the environment, bioaccumulate through food chain and has a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment. It induces cell damage by producing free radicals and reactive oxygen species. The aim of the present study is to investigate the protective effect of gallic acid (a plant derived polyphenol) against lindane induced hepatic and renal toxicity in rats. Liver damage was assessed by hepatic serum marker enzymes like SGOT, SGPT and ALP and histopathological observation. Renal damage was observed by histopathological examination and serum markers like creatinine and urea. Treatment with lindane increased the levels of lipid peroxidation, serum marker enzyme activity with a concomitant decrease in GSH, CAT, SOD, GPx and GST. Histological alterations were also observed in kidney and liver tissue with lindane treatment. Co-treatment of gallic acid significantly prevented the lindane induced alterations in kidney and liver tissues with a decrease in LPO, serum marker enzyme activity and a significant increase in antioxidant levels. These results suggest that gallic acid has protective effect over lindane induced oxidative damage in rat liver and kidney.

Neferine induces reactive oxygen species mediated intrinsic pathway of apoptosis in HepG2 cells

Evidence has accumulated concerning the medicinal application of Nelumbo nucifera in the treatment of various diseases. Neferine, an alkaloid from N. nucifera was found to exert cytotoxicity on liver cancer cells HepG2 in a dose-dependent manner. We evaluated its anticancer potential by studying its effect on mitochondrial membrane potential, intracellular calcium levels [Ca(2+)](i), cell membrane integrity, apoptotic body formation and DNA fragmentation in cultured HepG2 cells. The reactive oxygen species level has been increased upon neferine treatment with concomitant decrease in reduced glutathione. Our data further indicate reduction of ΔψM and increased [Ca(2+)](i) during apoptosis induction by neferine with increased expression of apoptotic proteins such as Bax, Bad, cleaved forms of caspase 3, caspase 9 and PARP, with the downregulation of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl2 in HepG2 cells. Moreover, the expressions of tumour suppressor proteins p53 and PTEN were upregulated along with the downregulation of P-Akt. In addition, expression levels of TNF-α, p38 and ERK1/2 MAP kinases were increased upon neferine treatment. These results imply that mitochondrial-mediated ROS generation induced by neferine leads to caspase-dependent apoptosis in HepG2 cells.

Neferine, an alkaloid from lotus seed embryo, inhibits human lung cancer cell growth by MAPK activation and cell cycle arrest

Neferine is the major bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid isolated from the seed embryo of a traditional medicinal plant Nelumbo nucifera (Lotus). Epidemiological studies have revealed the therapeutic potential of lotus seed embryo. Although several mechanisms have been proposed, a clear anticancer action mechanism of neferine on lung cancer cells is still not known. Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in the world, and the patients with advanced stage of nonsmall lung cancer require adjunct chemotherapy after surgical resection for the eradication of cancer cells. In this study, the effects of neferine were evaluated and characterized in A549 cells. Neferine induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner with the hypergeneration of reactive oxygen species, activation of MAPKs, lipid peroxidation, depletion of cellular antioxidant pool, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and intracellular calcium accumulation. Furthermore, neferine treatment leads to the inhibition of nuclear factor kappaB and Bcl2, upregulation of Bax and Bad, release of cytochrome C, activation of caspase cascade, and DNA fragmentation. In addition, neferine could induce p53 and its effector protein p21 and downregulation of cell cycle regulatory protein cyclin D1 thereby inducing G1 cell cycle arrest. These results suggest a novel function of neferine as an apoptosis inducer in lung cancer cells.

Biological evaluation of new nickel(II) metallates: Synthesis, DNA/protein binding and mitochondrial mediated apoptosis in human lung cancer cells (A549) via ROS hypergeneration and depletion of cellular antioxidant pool

A series of novel nickel(II) thiosemicarbazone complexes(1-4) have been prepared and characterized by various spectral, analytical techniques and X-ray crystallography. Further, their efficacy to interact with CT-DNA/BSA has been explored. From the binding studies, it is inferred that complex 4 found to be more active than other complexes. The complexes bound with CT-DNA by intercalation mode. Moreover, static quenching was observed for their interaction with BSA. The new complexes were tested for their in vitro cytotoxicity against human lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cell line. The results showed that the new complexes exhibited significant degree of cytotoxicity at given experimental condition. Further, the results of LDH and NO release supported the cytotoxic nature of the complexes. The observed cytotoxicity of the complexes may be routed through ROS-hypergeneration and lipid-peroxidation with subsequent depletion of cellular antioxidant pool (GSH, SOD, CAT, GPx and GST) resulted in the reduction of mitochondrial-membrane potential, caspase-3 activation and DNA fragmentation. Thus, the data from the present study disclose that the complexes could induce apoptosis in A549 cells through mitochondrial mediated fashion and inhibited the migration of lung cancer cells and by metastasis.

Neferine from Nelumbo nucifera induces autophagy through the inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and ROS hyper generation in A549 cells.

Previously we have reported that neferine from the medicinal plant Nelumbo nucifera, inhibited cancer cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis. The present study was focused on the action mechanism of neferine in inducing autophagy in lung cancer cells. Neferine markedly inhibited A549 cell proliferation in a dose dependent manner. Acidic vesicular accumulation was observed in neferine treated cells as an indication of autophagy. Neferine could induce the conversion of LC3B-I to LC3B-II without affecting the expression levels of PI3KCIII and Beclin1. It has been observed that neferine mediated autophagy is dependent on inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling by neferine. Neferine treatment could also lead to the ROS hypergeneration and depletion of cellular antioxidant, GSH. The results demonstrate that neferine-induced autophagy is mediated through ROS hypergeneration and mTOR inhibition. Taken together, the present study unveils a novel mechanism of action of neferine on lung cancer cells in the induction of autophagy.

Synthesis, structure, DNA/protein binding and in vitro cytotoxicity of new ruthenium metallates

The reaction of [RuHCl(CO)(PPh3)3] with an equimolar amount of salicylaldehyde-4(N)-methylthiosemicarbazone [H2-(Sal-mtsc)] resulted in two entities, namely [Ru(H-Sal-mtsc)Cl(CO) (PPh3)2] (1) and [Ru(Sal-mtsc)(CO)(PPh3)2] (2) from a single tub. The new complexes were characterized by various spectro (IR, absorption and NMR), analytical and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. From the crystallographic studies, it is confirmed that in complex 1, the ligand coordinated through the thiolate sulfur and the deprotonated hydrazinic nitrogen N(2), resulting in the formation of an unusual strained four membered chelate ring. The third potential donor, phenolic oxygen, remained uncoordinated. In complex 2, the ligand coordinated as an ONS chelate with the formation of more common five and six membered chelate rings. Complexes 1 and 2 have been tested for their DNA/protein binding properties by taking CT-DNA/lysozyme as models. From the protein binding studies, the alterations in the secondary structure of lysozyme by the ruthenium(II) complexes (1 and 2) were confirmed with synchronous and three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopic studies. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the newly-synthesized complexes was carried out in two different human tumour cell lines, A549 and HepG2. The cytotoxicity studies showed that complex 2 exhibited higher activity than 1.

Quercetin attenuates lindane induced oxidative stress in wistar rats

A wide number of pesticides, including highly persistent organochlorine compounds, such as lindane (γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane), have deteriorative effect on fauna and flora by inducing oxidative stress. Lindane induces cell damage by producing free radicals and reactive oxygen species. Quercetin, a dietary flavonoid, is ubiquitous in fruits and vegetables and plays an important role in human health by virtue of its antioxidant function. In this study the flavonoid quercetin was used to investigate its antioxidative effect against lindane induced oxidative stress in rats. The level of lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione (GSH) were analysed in addition to the antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) activities in the liver and kidney tissue. Levels of hepatic marker enzymes in serum like Aspartate transaminase (AST), Alanine transaminase (ALT), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and renal markers like serum creatinine and serum urea were estimated. Administration of Lindane induced histopathological alterations and increased levels of serum hepatic and renal markers and malondialdehyde (MDA) with a significant decrease in GSH content and CAT, SOD, GPx and GST activities. Cotreatment of quercetin along with lindane significantly decreased the lindane induced alteration in histology, serum hepatic and renal markers and MDA and also improved the cellular antioxidant status. The results show that Quercetin ameliorates Lindane induced oxidative stress in liver and kidney. The quercetin exhibited chemopreventive effect when administered along with lindane.

Synthesis, DNA/protein binding and in vitro cytotoxic studies of new palladium metallothiosemicarbazones

A series of four new thiosemicarbazone complexes of palladium have been synthesized, characterized and evaluated for their DNA/protein binding with CT-DNA and BSA, respectively. The new complexes bound to CT-DNA by intercalation mode and in protein binding studies, the complexes bound to BSA binding mechanism was found as static quenching. Among them the complex 4 had a strong binding affinity with BSA. In addition, in vitro cytotoxic studies were carried out on lung cancer (A549) and liver cancer (HepG2) cell lines and found that the complexes exhibited better activity than their parent thiosemicarbazone analogues. The complex 3 exhibited better activity than other complexes and this fact supported by the increased accumulation of the complexes in to the cancer cells which are evident from inter cellular uptake studies.

Doxorubicin induced apoptosis was potentiated by neferine in human lung adenocarcima, A549 cells

Doxorubicin (DOX) is the best anticancer agent that has ever been used, but acquired tumor resistance and dose limiting toxicity are major road blocks. Concomitant use of natural compounds is a promising strategy to overcome this problem. Neferine, a proven anticancer agent is found in green embryos of lotus seed. The study demonstrates that neferine acts as an effective enhancer of DOX-induced cell death in A549 cells through ROS mediated apoptosis with MAPK activation and inhibition of NF-κB nuclear translocation. Cotreatment of cells with neferine significantly enhanced intracellular DOX-accumulation. Neferine and DOX in combination also triggered oxidative stress through intracellular Ca(2+) accumulation and dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential in addition to significant loss of cellular antioxidant pool. The MAPK inhibitor effectively decreased the cell-death induced by neferine and DOX. Pretreatment of cells with glutathione reversed the apoptosis induced by combined regimen and recovered the Bcl2/Bax ratio. Moreover, neferine treatment significantly increased the cell viability of DOX-treated cardiomyocytes indicating a possible protective role of neferine towards DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Taken together, our results suggest that a strategy of using neferine and DOX in combination could be helpful to increase the efficacy of DOX and to achieve anticancer synergism by curbing the toxicity.

New organometallic ruthenium(II) complexes containing chelidonic acid (4-oxo-4H-pyran-2,6-dicarboxylic acid): synthesis, structure and in vitro biological activity

Two new bivalent organometallic ruthenium complexes [Ru(HL)(CH3CN)(CO)(PPh3)2] (3) and [Ru(HL)(CH3CN)(CO)(AsPh3)2] (4), (HL = 4-oxo-4H-pyran-2,6-dicarboxylic acid) were synthesized, structurally characterized and their biological activities (anti-microbial, DNA–protein interactions, antioxidant and cytotoxic activity studies (MTT, LDH release and NO release)) have been investigated and compared with that of appropriate precursor complexes [RuHCl(CO)(PPh3)3] (1), [RuHCl(CO)(AsPh3)3] (2) and the ligand H2L. The crystal structure of the complex 3 was solved by a single crystal X-ray diffraction technique, which revealed that it is a distorted octahedral with HL as a dibasic bidentate donor and the chelator was observed to undergo C–H activation at one of the ortho positions, leading to the formation of a five membered metallacycle. The in vitro antimicrobial activity was carried out using the well diffusion method against different species of pathogenic bacteria and fungi and complex 4 exhibited a better activity in inhibiting the growth of the tested organisms. DNA–protein interactions of the complexes have been examined by photophysical studies, which revealed that the complexes can bind with DNA through non-intercalation and the complexes strongly quench the intrinsic fluorescence of bovine serum albumin, through a static quenching process. The free radical scavenging ability, assessed by a series of in vitro antioxidant assays involving the DPPH radical, hydroxyl radical, nitric oxide radical, superoxide anion radical, hydrogen peroxide and a metal chelating assay showed that the new complexes 3 and 4 possess excellent radical scavenging properties over 1, 2, H2L, and the standard drugs, vitamin C and BHT. The in vitro cytotoxic activities of the compounds have been validated against A549 cells via an MTT assay, LDH release, NO release and the values were compared with that of the standard drug cisplatin. The results indicated that the new complexes, specifically the complex 3, displayed a higher cytotoxic activity in inhibiting the growth of A549 cells, outperforming by five fold, the standard drug cisplatin.