Anticancer Potential of Myricanone, a Major Bioactive Component of Myrica cerifera: Novel Signaling Cascade for Accomplishing Apoptosis

Avijit Paul,Anisur Rahman Khuda-Bukhsh,Jayeeta Das,Asmita Samadder 사단법인약침학회 2013 Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies Vol.6 No.4

Extract of Myrica cerifera bark has long been fruitfully used as a hepato-protective and anticancerdrug in various complementary and alternative systems of medicine. Myricanone, itsprincipal bioactive compound, had also been reported to have apoptosis-promoting ability. We evaluated its anti-cancer potential in vitro in HepG2 liver cancer cells and tried to understandthe signal cascades involved in accomplishing apoptosis. Further, we ascertainedby using a (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay (MTT)assay if it had cytotoxic effects on normal noncancerous liver cells (WRL-68). We deployedvarious tools and protocols, like phase contrast, scanning electron and fluorescence microscopies,performed an annexinV-FITC/PI assay and cell cycle analysis, and estimated thereactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and mitochondrial membrane depolarizationthrough flow cytometry. Further, analyses of cytochrome-c translocation and of HSP70and caspase expressions were also done by using immunoblota and Enzyme linked immunosorbentassay (ELISA). Results revealed that myricanone induced apoptosis in HepG2 cellsthrough generation of ROS, depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, early releaseof cytochrome-c, down-regulation of HSP70 and activation of a caspase cascade; it hadno, or insignificant, cytotoxic effects in WRL-68 cells in vitro and in mice in vivo. Thus, myricanonehas great potential for use in formulating an effective drug against both hepatotoxicityand hepatocellular cancer.

Influence of an Anaerobic Fungal Culture (Orpinomyces sp.) Administration on Growth Rate, Ruminal Fermentation and Nutrient Digestion in Calves

Dey, Avijit,Sehgal, Jatinder Paul,Puniya, Anil Kumar,Singh, Kishan Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2004 Animal Bioscience Vol.17 No.6

The study was to see the effect of administration of ruminal fungi on feed intake, growth rate, rumen fermentation and nutrient digestion of calves (Tharparkar$\times$Holstein-Friesian, average age: 10 months, average body weight: 130 kg). The 6 calves in first group were fed a mixture consisted of 50% wheat straw and 50% concentrate (Maize 62%, Groundnut cake 35%, Mineral mix. 2% and Common salt 1%) along with 1 kg green oats $animal^{-1}$ $day^{-1}$ while second group calves were fed the above-mentioned diet in addition to a dose of 160 ml ($10^{6}$ CFU/ml) fungal culture $calf^{-1}$ $week^{-1}$. The average dry matter intake per day was slightly lowered in fungal fed calves yet feed conversion ratio was higher. The average daily weight gain was significantly higher (15.37%) in fungal administered group as compared to control. The nutrient digestibility was increased for crude fibre, NDF and ADF with fungal administration. Digestible energy value of straw-based diet in terms of percent TDN also increased. The pH and $NH_{3}$-N were lower whereas TVFA, total-N, TCA-N and number of zoospores were higher in rumen liquor in fungal administered group.

Strong Anticancer Potential of Nano-triterpenoid from Phytolacca decandra against A549 Adenocarcinoma via a Ca 2+ -dependent Mitochondrial Apoptotic Pathway

Jayeeta Das,Sreemanti Das,Avijit Paul,Asmita Samadder,Anisur Rahman Khuda-Bukhsh 사단법인약침학회 2014 Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies Vol.7 No.3

We isolated a triterpenoid from an ethanolic extract of Phytolacca decandra and na- noencapsulated it with biodegradable nontoxic polymers of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) to examine if the nanoform of this hitherto unexplored betulinic-acid derivative (NdBA) could produce a stronger anticancer effect by rendering better drug bioavailability and targeted delivery than the nonencapsulated betulinic-acid derivative (dBA). The nano- particles were characterized with the help of physicochemical and morphological studies involving dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy. A549 cancer cells were exposed to NdBA and dBA at the IC 50 doses of 50 mg/mL and 100 mg/mL, respectively. Mitochondrial dysfunction-mediated apoptosis was determined by exam- ining the changes in the intracellular calcium content, the reactive oxygen species accumulation, the cytochrome c release, the upregulation of Bcl-2-associated-X protein (Bax) and caspase 3, the downregulation of B cell lymphoma 2, and the mitochondrial membrane potential (DJ m ) depolarization. Apoptosis was also verified by acridine or- ange staining observed under fluorescence microscopy and annexin V-fluorescein iso- thiocyanate/propidium iodide staining through flow cytometric studies. The levels of intracellular adenosine triphosphate/adenosine diphosphate ratio decreased, and the ATPase activity increased more strikingly in A549 cells exposed to NdBA than in A549 cells exposed to dBA. Overall results showed that both drugs directly target the mito- chondrial oxidative phosphorylation system, with NdBA having a stronger effect, indi- cating NdBA to be a better candidate for the development of an anticancer drug for use against lung adenocarcinomas.

Post-cancer Treatment with Condurango 30C Shows Amelioration of Benzo[a]pyrene-induced Lung Cancer in Rats Through the Molecular Pathway of Caspase-3-mediated Apoptosis Induction -Anti-lung cancer potential of Condurango 30C in rats-

Sikdar, Sourav,Mukherjee, Avinaba,Bishayee, Kausik,Paul, Avijit,Saha, Santu Kumar,Ghosh, Samrat,Khuda-Bukhsh, Anisur Rahman KOREAN PHARMACOPUNCTURE INSTITUTE 2013 Journal of pharmacopuncture Vol.16 No.3

Objectives: The present investigation aimed at examining if post-cancer treatment with a potentized homeopathic drug, Condurango 30C, which is generally used to treat oesophageal cancer, could also show an ameliorating effect through apoptosis induction on lung cancer induced by benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in white rats (Rattus norvegicus). Methods: Lung cancer was induced after four months by chronic feeding of BaP to rats through gavage at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight for one month. After four months, the lung-cancer-bearing rats were treated with Condurango 30C for the next one ($5^{th}$), two ($5^{th}-6^{th}$) and three ($5^{th}-7^{th}$) months, respectively, and were sacrificed at the corresponding time-points. The ameliorating effect, if any, after Condurango 30C treatment for the various periods was evaluated by using protocols such as histology, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), annexinV-FITC/PI assay, flow cytometry of the apoptosis marker, DNA fragmentation, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry, and western blot analyses of lung tissue samples. Results: Striking recovery of lung tissue to a near normal status was noticed after post-cancerous drug treatment, as evidenced by SEM and histology, especially after one and two months of drug treatment. Data from the annexinV-FITC/PI and DNA fragmentation assays revealed that Condurango 30C could induce apoptosis in cancer cells after post-cancer treatment. A critical analysis of signalling cascade, evidenced through a RT-PCR study, demonstrated up-regulation and down-regulation of different pro- and anti-apoptotic genes, respectively, related to a caspase-3-mediated apoptotic pathway, which was especially discernible after one-month and two-month drug treatments. Correspondingly, Western blot and immunohistochemistry studies confirmed the ameliorative potential of Condurango 30C by its ability to down-regulate the elevated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression, a hallmark of lung cancer. Conclusion: The overall result validated a positive effect of Condurango 30C in ameliorating lung cancer through caspase-3-mediated apoptosis induction and EGFR down-regulation.

Nanopharmaceutical Approach for Enhanced Anti-cancer Activity of Betulinic Acid in Lung-cancer Treatment via Activation of PARP: Interaction with DNA as a Target -Anti-cancer Potential of Nano-betulinic Acid in Lung Cancer-

Jayeeta Das,Asmita Samadder,Sreemanti Das,Avijit Paul,Anisur Rahman Khuda-Bukhsh 대한약침학회 2016 Journal of pharmacopuncture Vol.19 No.1

Objectives: This study examined the relative efficacies of a derivative of betulinic acid (dBA) and its poly (lactide- co-glycolide) (PLGA) nano-encapsulated form in A549 lung cancer cells in vivo and in co-mutagen [sodium arsenite (SA) + benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)]-induced lung cancer in mice in vivo. Methods: dBA was loaded with PLGA nanoparticles by using the standard solvent displacement method. The sizes and morphologies of nano-dBA (NdBA) were determined by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and their intracellular localization was verified by using confocal microscopy. The binding and interaction of NdBA with calf thymus deoxyribonucleic acid (CT-DNA) as a target were analyzed by using conventional circular dichroism (CD) and melting temperature (Tm) profile data. Apoptotic signalling cascades in vitro and in vivo were studied by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the ability of NdBA to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was also examined. The stage of cell cycle arrest was confirmed by using a fluorescence- activated cell-sorting (FACS) data analysis. Results: The average size of the nanoparticles was ~ 110 nm. Confocal microscopy images confirmed the presence of NdBA in the cellular cytoplasm. The bio-physical properties of dBA and NdBA ascertained from the CD and the Tm profiles revealed that NdBA had greater interaction with the target DNA than dBA did. Both dBA and NdBA arrested cell proliferation at G0/G1, NdBA showing the greater effect. NdBA also induced a greater degree of cytotoxicity in A549 cells, but it had an insignificant cytotoxic effect in normal L6 cells. The results of flow cytometric, cytogenetial and histopathological studies in mice revealed that NdBA caused less nuclear condensation and DNA damage than dBA did. TEM images showed the presence of NdBA in brain samples of NdBA fed mice, indicating its ability to cross the BBB. Conclusion: Thus, compared to dBA, NdBA appears to have greater chemoprotective potential against lung cancer.

Nanopharmaceutical Approach for Enhanced Anti-cancer Activity of Betulinic Acid in Lung-cancer Treatment via Activation of PARP: Interaction with DNA as a Target -Anti-cancer Potential of Nano-betulinic Acid in Lung Cancer-

Das, Jayeeta,Samadder, Asmita,Das, Sreemanti,Paul, Avijit,Khuda-Bukhsh, Anisur Rahman KOREAN PHARMACOPUNCTURE INSTITUTE 2016 Journal of pharmacopuncture Vol.19 No.1

Objectives: This study examined the relative efficacies of a derivative of betulinic acid (dBA) and its poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nano-encapsulated form in A549 lung cancer cells in vivo and in co-mutagen [sodium arsenite (SA) + benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)]-induced lung cancer in mice in vivo. Methods: dBA was loaded with PLGA nanoparticles by using the standard solvent displacement method. The sizes and morphologies of nano-dBA (NdBA) were determined by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and their intracellular localization was verified by using confocal microscopy. The binding and interaction of NdBA with calf thymus deoxyribonucleic acid (CT-DNA) as a target were analyzed by using conventional circular dichroism (CD) and melting temperature (Tm) profile data. Apoptotic signalling cascades in vitro and in vivo were studied by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the ability of NdBA to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was also examined. The stage of cell cycle arrest was confirmed by using a fluorescence-activated cell-sorting (FACS) data analysis. Results: The average size of the nanoparticles was ~ 110 nm. Confocal microscopy images confirmed the presence of NdBA in the cellular cytoplasm. The bio-physical properties of dBA and NdBA ascertained from the CD and the Tm profiles revealed that NdBA had greater interaction with the target DNA than dBA did. Both dBA and NdBA arrested cell proliferation at G0/G1, NdBA showing the greater effect. NdBA also induced a greater degree of cytotoxicity in A549 cells, but it had an insignificant cytotoxic effect in normal L6 cells. The results of flow cytometric, cytogenetial and histopathological studies in mice revealed that NdBA caused less nuclear condensation and DNA damage than dBA did. TEM images showed the presence of NdBA in brain samples of NdBA fed mice, indicating its ability to cross the BBB. Conclusion: Thus, compared to dBA, NdBA appears to have greater chemoprotective potential against lung cancer.

Post-cancer Treatment with Condurango 30C Shows Amelioration of Benzo[a]pyrene-induced Lung Cancer in Rats Through the Molecular Pathway of Caspa- se-3-mediated Apoptosis Induction -Anti-lung cancer potential of Condurango 30C in rats-

Sourav Sikdar,Anisur Rahman Khuda-Bukhsh,Avinaba Mukherjee,Kausik Bishayee,Avijit Paul,Santu Kumar Saha,Samrat Ghosh 대한약침학회 2013 Journal of pharmacopuncture Vol.16 No.3

Objectives: The present investigation aimed at examining if post-cancer treatment with a potentized homeopathic drug, Condurango 30C, which is generally used to treat oesophageal cancer, could also show an ameliorating effect through apoptosis induction on lung cancer induced by benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in white rats (Rattus norvegicus). Methods: Lung cancer was induced after four months by chronic feeding of BaP to rats through gavage at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight for one month. After four months, the lung-cancer-bearing rats were treated with Condurango 30C for the next one (5th), two (5th -6th) and three (5th-7th) months, respectively, and were sacrificed at the corresponding time- points. The ameliorating effect, if any, after Condurango 30C treatment for the various periods was evaluated by using protocols such as histology, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), annexinV-FITC/PI assay, flow cytometry of the apoptosis marker, DNA fragmentation, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry, and western blot analyses of lung tissue samples. Results: Striking recovery of lung tissue to a near normal status was noticed after post-cancerous drug treatment, as evidenced by SEM and histology, especially after one and two months of drug treatment. Data from the annexinV-FITC/PI and DNA fragmentation assays revealed that Condurango 30C could induce apoptosis in cancer cells after post-cancer treatment. A critical analysis of signalling cascade, evidenced through a RT-PCR study, demonstrated up-regulation and down-regulation of different pro- and anti-apoptotic genes, respectively, related to a caspase-3-mediated apoptotic pathway, which was especially discernible after one-month and two- month drug treatments. Correspondingly, Western blot and immunohistochemistry studies confirmed the ameliorative potential of Condurango 30C by its ability to down-regulate the elevated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression,a hallmark of lung cancer. Conclusion: The overall result validated a positive effect of Condurango 30C in ameliorating lung cancer through caspase-3-mediated apoptosis induction and EGFR down-regulation.

The Potentized Homeopathic Drug, Lycopodium clavatum (5C and 15C) Has Anti-cancer Effect on HeLa Cells In Vitro.

Asmita Samadder,Anisur Rahman Khuda-Bukhsh,Sreemanti Das,Jayeeta Das,Avijit Paul,Naoual Boujedaini 사단법인약침학회 2013 Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies Vol.6 No.4

Cancer is a disease that needs a multi-faceted approach from different systems of medicine. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether homeopathically-potentized ultra-high dilutions of Lycopodium Clavatum (LC-5C and LC-15C, respectively) have any anti-cancer effects on HeLa cells. Cells were exposed to either LC-5C (diluted below Avogadro's limit, i.e., 10−10) or LC-15C (diluted beyond Avogadro's limit, i.e., 10−30) (drug-treated) or to 30% succussed ethanol (“vehicle” of the drug). The drug-induced modulation in the percent cell viability, the onset of apoptosis, and changes in the expressions of Bax, Bcl2, caspase 3, and Apaf proteins in inter-nucleosomal DNA, in mitochondrial membrane potentials and in the release of cytochrome-c were analyzed by utilizing different experimental protocols. Results revealed that administration of LC-5C and LC-15C had little or no cytotoxic effect in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells, but caused considerable cell death through apoptosis in cancer (HeLa) cells, which was evident from the induction of DNA fragmentation, the increases in the expressions of protein and mRNA of caspase 3 and Bax, and the decreases in the expressions of Bcl2 and Apaf and in the release of cytochrome-c. Thus, the highly-diluted, dynamized homeopathic remedies LC-5C and LC-15C demonstrated their capabilities to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, signifying their possible use as supportive medicines in cancer therapy.

Ameliorative Effects of Syzygium jambolanum Extract and its Poly (lactic-co-glycolic) Acid Nano-encapsulated Form on Arsenic-induced Hyperglycemic Stress: A Multi-parametric Evaluation

Asmita Samadder,Anisur Rahman Khuda-Bukhsh,Sreemanti Das,Jayeeta Das,Avijit Paul 사단법인약침학회 2012 Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies Vol.5 No.6

In South East Asia, groundwater arsenic contamination has become a great menace. Chronic arsenic intoxication leads to a hyperglycemic condition in animals and man. Because of undesirable side-effects and affordability, orthodox medicine, like insulin, is not preferred by many who like natural products instead. Unfortunately, such natural products mostly lack scientific validation. Therefore, we became interested in assessing the efficacy of the ethanolic seed extract of Syzygium jambolanum (SJ), traditionally used against diabetic conditions. We also formulated poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA)-encapsulated nano-SJ (NSJ) and tested whether the ameliorative potentials of SJ could be enhanced by nano-encapsulation. In this study, we conducted both in vitro (in L6 cells) and in vivo (in mice) experiments to assess the relative efficacy of SJ and NSJ. We characterized the physico-chemical features of NSJ by atomic force microscopy and critically analyzed several bio-markers and signal proteins associated with arsenicinduced stress and hyperglycemia. We also determined the relative ameliorative potentials of SJ and NSJ by using standard protocols. NSJ could cross the blood brain barrier in mice. Overall results suggested that NSJ had a greater potential than that of SJ, indicating the possibility of using NSJ in the future drug design and management of arsenicinduced hyperglycemia and stress.

Homeopathic mother tincture of Conium initiates reactive oxygen species mediated DNA damage and makes HeLa cells prone to apoptosis

Anisur Rahman Khuda-Bukhsh,Kausik Bishayee,Avinaba Mukherjee,Avijit Paul 셀메드 세포교정의약학회 2012 TANG Vol.2 No.3

Adverse side-effects and lack of scientific validation of some chemotherapeutic agents prevent the use of many traditional medicines claimed to have anti-cancer effects. Ethanolic extract of Conium maculatum has long been used in traditional and alternative systems of medicine including homeopathy for the treatment of glandular enlargements, cancerous tumours or hard lumps of testicles, prostate, ovaries, breasts and/ or uterus, particularly in the breast. However, if and how it acts still remains scientifically unknown. This study aims to test if Conium extract (CE), used as mother tincture of Conium in homeopathy, has demonstrable anti-cancer potentials without having much cytotoxicity in normal cells. Cytotoxicity of the drug was tested by conducting MTT assay on both normal (peripheral blood mononuclear cells) and HeLa cells. We also evaluated DNA fragmentation and DNA damage by DAPI and diphenylamine assay. The LDH activity assay was done to evaluate the percentages of apoptosis and necrosis. ROS accumulation also was evaluated to pin-point the actual events of apoptosis. Administration of drug clearly demonstrated its anti-cancer potentials as evidenced by the DNA damage analysis. The ROS activity also increased in case of the CE treated cells. LDH data revealed that the mode of cell death was mainly apoptotic and not necrotic. CE appears to induce apoptosis of cancer cells through ROS mediated pathway, and has negligible cytotoxicity against normal cells.