Assessment of estrogenic, mutagenic and antimutagenic activity of nemorosone

Currently, a wide range of research involving natural products is focused on the discovery of new drugs in many different therapeutic areas. A great number of the synthetic compounds on the market were derived from natural products, especially plants. Nemorosone is the major constituent of the floral resin of Clusia rosea Jacq., Clusiaceae, and in Cuban propolis. In vitro studies have shown cytotoxic activity in this substance against various tumor cell lines, including those resistant to various cytotoxic drugs, whereas it has low cytotoxicity to non-tumoral cells. Therefore, in order to characterize the biological activity of nemorosone, a substance with potential antitumor activity, and in view of preclinical testing of the toxicity of drug candidate compounds, the main aim of this study was to determine the mutagenic and antimutagenic activity of nemorosone by the Ames test, using the strains TA97a, TA98, TA100 and TA102 of Salmonella typhimurium. Secondly, to characterize the estrogenic activity in an experimental recombinant yeast model (Recombinant Yeast Assay) mutagenic activity was observed at in any of the concentrations in any of the test strains. To evaluate the antimutagenic potential, direct and indirect mutagenic agents were used: 4 nitro-o-phenylenediamine (NPD), mitomycin C (MMC) and aflatoxin B1 (AFL). Nemorosone showed moderate antimutagenic activity (inhibition level 31%), in strain TA100 in the presence of AFL, and strong antimutagenic activity in TA102 against MMC (inhibition level 53%). Estrogenic activity was observed, with an EEq of 0.41±0.16 nM at various tested concentrations.

Comparative Studies of the (Anti) Mutagenicity of Baccharis dracunculifolia and Artepillin C by the Bacterial Reverse Mutation Test

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Mutagenicity and antimutagenicity of (-)-hinokinin a trypanosomicidal compound measured by Salmonella microsome and comet assays

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Steatosis and hepatic markers before and shortly after bariatric surgery

Background We present new findings on liver steatosis detected in a group of 20 morbidly obese patients who were reassessed shortly after bariatric surgery (BS) by assaying hepatic markers in their serum.Methods We assayed aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT), cholinesterase, cholesterol, total protein, and albumin, and measured the weight and the body mass index (BMI) of patients, before and one and three months after surgery.Results There were significant reductions in BMI following surgery and also falls in transaminases and gamma-GT activities three months after BS. No changes occurred in other parameters between periods, except that cholesterol was above reference values before BS and fell to normal levels three months after BS.Conclusions We suggest that before undergoing surgery, the patients suffered from slight steatosis, while after BS the reduction in AST and gamma-GT indicated that this condition was corrected within three months. Moreover, these enzymes may be useful markers for excess fat in the liver.

Investigation of genotoxic and antigenotoxic activities of Melampodium divaricatum in Salmonella typhimurium

Melcanpodium divaricatian is a member of the Asteraccae and in Brazil is known as false-calendula, its flowers being used in anti-inflammatory preparations, substituting the true calendula or marigold (Calendula officinalis L.). The flower extract was investigated for mutagenic and antimutagenic effect in the Sahnonella/microsome assay. The tested extract was not mutagenic in the strains TA100, TA98, TA97a and TA102 and decreased the mutagenicity of aflatoxin B1, benzo(a)pyrene and daunomycin. Chlorophyll and triterpenes were detected in the extract, and they might have contributed to the observed effect. Our data suggest that these medicinal plants possess cancer chemopreventive properties. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.