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Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis is a common including endemic infectious disease in many parts of the world and Iran. Due to Arctium lappa wide therapeutic applications, the anti-leishmanial effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of its leaves (L), roots (R) and seeds (S) has been investigated in this research. The leaves, seeds and roots of the greater burdock plant were extracted. In the in vitro phase, its cytotoxic and anti-leishmanial effects on promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania major(L.major) were investigated. In the in vivo stage, the leishmaniasis mouse model was dosed with concentrations of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg and the liver and spleen parasite burden was checked. The results of this research in the in vitro phase showed that the antileishmanial effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of leaves, roots and seeds on the promastigote and amastigote forms of L. major has a significant relationship with the increase in the concentration of the extract (for all p≤0.001). Also, exposure time and interaction effect of concentration and exposure time were significant. In the in vivo phase the significant effect of the increase in concentration (L: p≤0.001, R: p=0.02, S: p=0.03), exposure time (L: p≤0.001, R: p≤0.001, S: p≤0.01) and the interaction effect of these two factors (L: p=0.002, R: p≤0.001, S: p≤0.001) on reducing the size of the wound was shown. The investigation established that hydroalcoholic extract of the leaves, roots, and seeds of the greater burdock in high concentration exhibited beneficial inhibitory effects on the leishmanial lesions.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in humans. The influence of natural plant compounds is widely acknowledged today. Artemisia sieberi has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties.

The aim of the forthcoming study is to investigate the impact of Artemisia sieberi plant extract on the expression of key genes within the apoptosis signaling pathway of the HT-29 cell line.

In this study, RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis were conducted subsequent to the culturing and treatment of HT-29 cancer cells with plains herb extract. A real-time PCR test utilizing specific primers for Bax and Bcl-2 was then performed using the Rotor-Gene Q machine. Additionally, an MTT assay was conducted to assess the toxicity of the Artemisia sieberi extract.

The test revealed that as the concentration of the studied extract increased, cell viability decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The calculated IC50 value for the plains herb extract was found to be 0.44 µg/mL. Furthermore, the levels of Bax and Bcl-2 genes in cells treated with the plains herb extract were determined to be 1.48 and 0.45, respectively, indicating an increase in the expression of these two genes.

Given the low toxicity of the Artemisia sieberi extract observed in the MTT test and its potential to increase the expression of apoptosis-inducing genes in intestinal cells, it appears that Artemisia sieberi extract could be employed as a therapeutic supplement for the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal cancers.

Glioblastoma (GBM), which is a heterogeneous and aggressive type of brain tumor, is known for its poor survival outcomes. The treatment of GBM remains challenging primarily due to the drug resistance to the current standard therapeutic option, temozolomide (TMZ). Researchers are currently focusing on developing an appropriate alternative combinatorial therapeutic to enhance treatment outcomes. D-limonene (DL) is a monoterpene derived from citrus fruit. This study aims to assess the impact of combining DL with TMZ and explore its potential mechanism of action in U87MG and LN229 GBM cells.

The effects of the combined treatment of DL and TMZ were assessed on various cellular aspects, including cell viability, anchorage-independent cell growth, and DNA damage. Furthermore, the influence of this combination on cell cycle progression, cell migration, and cell death was also investigated.

The combination of DL+TMZ demonstrated a synergistic effect, resulting in reduced cell proliferation and suppressing the colony formation ability of a single cell. Treatment with DL and TMZ arrested the cells in G0/G1 phase. Furthermore, the DL+TMZ combination induced apoptosis by upregulating the expression of Bax, and Caspase (CASP)-3, while reducing the expression of the Bcl-2 gene in GBM cells. In addition, the combined treatment of DL+TMZ significantly decreased the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, expression, indicating inhibition of cell migration in GBM cells.

In conclusion, the combination of DL and TMZ demonstrated a synergistic effect in reducing cell proliferation, suppressing colony formation, inducing apoptosis, and inhibiting cell migration in GBM cells. These findings suggest the potential of DL+TMZ combination therapy as an effective treatment for GBM.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and one of the deadliest types of malignancies worldwide. In recent years, extensive studies have been conducted on the effect of medicinal plants and their anti-cancer and anti-tumor effects, of which licorice is one of them. The root and the body of this plant are the two main parts of this plant, which therapeutic properties have been observed. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the cytotoxic effect of ethanolic extract of licorice root (GE) on HT-29 cell line. HT-29 cells were treated with different concentrations of extract (50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 and 3200 μg/ml). The MTT method was employed to evaluate the cytotoxicity of GE. The results showed that the highest rate of cell death was at the concentration of 447.2 μg/ml. Also, in the GC-MS evaluation of this extract, many effective substances with anticancer properties were observed. In conclusion, GE seemed to have the ability to exert anticancer effects on epithelial colorectal cancer cells.

The Hantzsch reaction created a new series comprising 1,4-dihydropyridine pyrazoles and oxa diazoles (DHP) by initially synthesizing DHP esters, then its carbohydrates, and subsequent treatment with hydrazine. Pyrazole derivatives (Am1 and Am2) were obtained via the reaction of hydrazines with acetylacetone or ethyl acetoacetate, whereas the oxadiazole derivative (Am3) was prepared via reaction with carbon disulfide in an alkaline medium. The prepared compounds were identified using spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, 1H and 13C NMR, and mass spectrometry). The anti-breast cancer activity of new compounds was evaluated. This cytotoxicity activity afforded that compound (AS) was the strongest in this group together with an IC50 = 100.24µg mL-1, whereas compound (AT) demonstrated the lowest potency, with an IC50 value of 300 µg mL-1. The Hantzsch reaction was used in the synthesis of a new 1,4-dihydropyridine that has pyrazole and oxadiazole moieties. The activity of in vitro cytotoxicity (MTT cell viability assay) was determined. In vitro MCF7 cells were used in the evaluation of the cytotoxicity activity (MTT cell viability assay) of new compounds. This cytotoxicity activity meant that compound (AS) was the strongest in this group, with an IC50 of 100.24 µg mL-1, while compound (AT) had the least potency, with an IC50 value of 300 µg mL-1. Based on our findings, we can infer that 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives (DHPs) are noteworthy heterocyclic compounds with pharmacological potential.  This cytotoxicity activity meant that compound (AS) was the strongest in this group, with an IC50 of 100.24 µg mL-1, while compound (AT) had the least potency, with an IC50 value of 300 µg mL-1.

 Due to the fact that colon inflammation is one of the most common diseases in the country, the interest in using herbal medicines to cure intestinal inflammation is increasing day by day.

 In the present research, we aimed to identify the target molecules in the immune system by analyzing the transcriptome of these diseases and using the virtual screening technique to search for plant compounds that have antagonistic capabilities for these receptors. Also, by using this in vitro culture, check and confirm the anti-inflammatory properties of these compounds.

 The population study includes 200 human transcriptome runs, about 60 thousand compounds related to medicinal plants, and in vitro experiments with at least three experimental replicates and three technical replicates. In this study, the anticancer and immunomodulatory effects of aqueous extracts of rosemary and nettle medicinal plants were investigated as a promising source of cancer treatment against the AGS cell line derived from gastric cancer (AGS-Cell-DGC). IC50 of the extracts was determined by MTT assay. Flow cytometry and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) were measured.

 The MTT test on the survival percentage of AGS cell line (90%) derived from gastric cancer showed that the highest amount of live cells was observed in control, and the lowest amount was observed in the simultaneous combination of rosemary and nettle extract and then nettle (100%). The highest expression of interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β) gene occurred in the control, and the lowest expression occurred in the simultaneous combination of nettle and rosemary extracts. The highest expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) gene occurred in the control, and the lowest expression occurred in the simultaneous combination of nettle and rosemary extracts.

 The results showed that the highest amount of live cells was observed in the control, and the lowest amount was observed in the simultaneous combination of rosemary and nettle extract and then nettle (100%) alone. However, further clinical trials are needed to confirm the results of this research.

The focus of many investments was pulled towards magnetic nanoparticles and their extending range of implementations in medicine and biology that particularly include drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging, and cancer treatment through hyperthermia, as well as other objectives such as pollutants degradation and compounds separation. This work attempted to arrange cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CoFe2O4 NPs) by taking advantage of starch aqueous solution combined with a calcination process at 500, 600, and 700 °C. The acquired prepared NPs, which were muti-dimensional shape, were configured by the employment of X-rày Diffraction (XRD), Vibràting Sample Màgnetometer (VSM) and Energy Dispersive X-rày (EDX), Field-emission Scànning Electron Microscope (FESEM), and Ràman spectroscopy. The outcomes of VSM analysis were indicative of a ferrimagnetic attitude, while the performance of MTT assay helped in assessing the cytotoxicity of CoFe2O4 NPs on colon càncer cell (CaCo2), oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) CAL27 and mouse embryò fibròblast cell (NIH-3T3) lines, which resulted to be non-toxic towards cancer and normal cell lines. Considering these observations, we can approve the ideal applicability of our synthesized CoFe2O4 NPs in medical implementations similar to drug delivery and non-medical utilizations.

Considering the global prevalence of cancers and the complications of common cancer treatments, there is growing interest in using medicinal herbs to complement cancer treatments and reduce treatment’s side effects. Therefore, we investigate the effect of the extract of Nasturtium on the viability of oral cancer cells.

In this experimental study, we prepared aqueous extract from Nasturtium leaves and human oral cancer cells(OCC‑24) and normal fibroblast cells (HF2FF cell line) from a cell bank. Then the toxic effect of different concentrations of the extract on cell viability after 24–48 hours of exposure was investigated with the methylthiazol tetrazolium assay. Ultimately, the optical density was measured at 570 nm by an Elisa Reader. Analysis of inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) was also performed. The data were analyzed by paired Student’s t‑test and one‑way analysis of variance.

Data showed that the extract had statistically significant anticancer effects in concentrations above 0.125 mg/ml for 24‑hour exposure and in concentrations above 0.5 mg/ml for 48‑hour exposure (p‑value <0.05). Also, this extract had an adverse effect on the viability of normal cells; however, this effect occurred in high doses of the extract (p‑value <0.05). Analysis of IC50 criteria indicates that with increasing time, a higher concentration of the extract is required to inhibit the viability of cancer cells.

Because of the results, this aqueous extract can be suggested as a potential therapeutic agent in oral cancer. The best concentration of the extract was found to be 1 mg/ml.

Clays and clay minerals have great potential for exerting positive impacts on human health and implementation in medical applications. They are industrial minerals used in various medical applications, like drug delivery. Considering the abundance of clay resources in Iran, we decided to investigate the role of natural clays in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), as effective immune system cells that provide the health of the body in disease and standard times. Investigating the cytotoxicity of these minerals on PBMCs helps to understand their performance in medicine and the treatment of patients.

The studied clays, including bentonite, zeolite, and sepiolite, were prepared from Iran mines, and their characterizations were scanned by x-ray fluorescence (XRF), x-ray diffraction, and cation-exchange capacity (CEC) determination. PBMCs were isolated by Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation, and 200000 PBMC cells were exposed to different concentrations of clays (1-1000 µg/mL) for 48 h in 96-well cell culture plates. Cell cytotoxicity response was determined using 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.

Bentonite inhibited cell proliferation after 48 h of incubation at a concentration above 0.05 mg/mL, whereas zeolite inhibited cell proliferation at 10 and 5 mg/mL. Sepiolite does not have any cytotoxic effect at all of the concentrations. CEC for bentonite, zeolite, and sepiolite were 86 cmol(+)/kg, 15.5 cmol(+)/kg, and 3.54 cmol(+)/kg, respectively, and showed a direct relationship with cell growth. 

The cytotoxicity of the investigated clays is less than those reported in the literature review. This suggests that the studied clays with beneficial properties have great potential to be used in medicine, taking into account the size, type, and concentration of clays. In vivo and long-term studies on bio-culture and biodistribution are essential to understand better the role of the studied clays. Furthermore, our results could provide a new perspective on the safety of using cheap and naturally available clays in medical and industrial applications.

Capparis spinosa L. due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties plays a key role in preventing and treatment of cancer, also reduces the growth rate of cancer cells. This plant can be used in various ways in medicinal compounds, food, etc. as an extract, oil, or essential oil.

In the current study, the rate of antioxidant activity extracts and oils (cold press and n-hexane oils) of Capparis seeds and also the effect of the seeds on the SH-SY5Y cell line have been investigated.

First, extract, cold press, and n-hexane oils were prepared; then all reached concentrations of 50, 100, and 200 mg/ml, and their antioxidant capacity was evaluated by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. After that, the number of antioxidant compounds in the extract was measured, and finally, the toxicity of the extracts was evaluated by the (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method on SH-SY5Y cancer cells.

The IC50 data showed that the antioxidant activity of the Capparis seeds extracts was significantly (P < 0.001) increased compared to cold press and n-hexane. Antioxidant compounds analysis of Capparis seeds extract indicated high rate of total phenolic, flavonoid as rutin, and quercetin. MTT assay demonstrates that Capparis seeds extracts in a concentration of 1000 μg/ml decreased the viability of the SH-SY5Y cancer cell lines in comparison with hacked cells (P < 0.001).

The seed extract of Capparis seeds at high concentrations, probably due to its high antioxidant content, inhibits the growth of SH-SY5Y cancer cells.

The fungal pathogen Candida albicans is a cause of biofilm formation in patients with oropharyngeal candidiasis. Saccharomyces boulardii is a nonpathogenic fungal probiotic that plays an important role in preventing or treating intestinal diseases. This research aimed to determine the inhibitory effect of S. boulardii probiotic yeast on biofilm formation capacity of C. albicans, which is one of the main virulence factors.

In this study, 33 oropharyngeal samples were collected from patients with suspected oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC). The inhibitory activity of S. boulardii against biofilm formation capacity of C. albicans was investigated by crystal violet-based staining (CVS) and MTT reduction reaction. The collected data were analyzed using student's t-test in SPSS statistical software.

In this study, the probiotic yeast S. boulardii reduced the pathogenicity and virulence of C. albicans in vitro. According to the results of CVS and MTT assays, a considerable reduction (p< .001) in the biomass and viability of C. albicans biofilms was observed after 48 hours of incubation in the presence of S. boulardii extract.

There was a significant association between S. boulardii extract concentration and biofilm formation in both CVS and MTT assays. Biofilm formation decreased with increasing S. boulardii extract concentration and incubation time in both methods compared to the control group.

Auraptene is a coumarin derivative extracted from citrus species, such as lemon, grapefruit, and orange. To date, auraptene has shown antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antiapoptotic, and antitumor activities. Among these, antitumor activity has become more important over the recent years, while its underlying mechanism is not fully understood. The current study was conducted to evaluate the antiproliferative effect of auraptene and its mechanisms on MCF7 cell line.

This experimental study investigated whether hesperidin affected the proliferation of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. MCF7 cells were cultured in DMEM medium with 10% fetal bovine serum, 100 μg/ml streptomycin, and 100 units/ml penicillin. The cells were incubated in order to be treated with different concentrations of auraptene and time points. Subsequently, the amount of cytotoxicity and apoptosis was measured utilizing MTT and PI staining.

The MTT assay revealed that auraptene had a significant effect on cell viability and induced apoptosis in MCF7 cells at concentrations of 75, 100, 130, 170, and 200 μM.

In this study, through the induction of apoptosis, auraptene prevented the growth and inhibited the proliferation of MCF7 cells at high concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. However, further investigation is needed to reveal the mechanisms of auraptene concerning apoptosis induction.

In recent years, resistance to conventional antimicrobial drugs has become a serious concern in the clinic. Hence, the discovery of novel and effective antimicrobial agents with improved properties is of great value. In this study, the antibacterial and anticandidal activities of some imidazole, benzimidazole and benztriazole derivatives (C1-C8) against several species of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi as well as one species of fungi including Candida albicans, were evaluated using Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) method. Antimicrobial evaluation revealed that among the tested compounds, imidazole derivative (C5) indicated the highest activity against bacterial strains and Candida albicans. It was found that compound C5 is more potent than ampicillin against S. aureus strain (MIC =2-16 µg/mL) and possessed excellent anticandidal activity (MIC =1 µg/mL) which was comparable to Amphotericin B as the positive control. In addition, cytotoxic activity of the tested compounds was investigated using MTT assay. The results of MTT assay demonstrated that the toxicity of the tested compounds was less than 35%.

Cancers in terms of morbidity and mortality are one of the major universal issues. New compounds of anticancer agents based on β-aryl-β-mercapto ketones scaffold possessing piperidinyl ethoxy or morpholinyl ethoxy groups were synthesized and evaluated as cytotoxic agents. Cytotoxic effects of synthesized compounds were measured against MCF-7, human ER-positive breast cancer cell lines, using MTT assay. The results indicated that all compounds had high cytotoxic activity on MCF-7 cancerous cells, even more than the reference drug Tamoxifen. Among them, compounds 3-(4-(2-morpholinoethoxy)phenyl)-1-phenyl-3-(phenylthio)propan-1-one (4a) and 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-(3-(2-morpholinoethoxy)phenyl)-3-(phenylthio)propan-1-one (4h) had no significant cytotoxic effects on normal cells compared to Tamoxifen. Our results also indicated that adding tertiary amine basic side chain, found in Tamoxifen drug, to 1,3-diphenyl-3-(phenylthio)propan-1-ones improves the cytotoxic effects of these compounds on breast cancer cells.

Recently, fungal drug resistance has significantly increased especially in opportunistic fungus like Candida albicans. Accordingly, it is necessary to use more effective drugs with less toxicity and high influences. Among a large of investigations, ionic liquids showed biological influence and antimicrobial activities. The aim of this study was in vitro investigation of antifungal activity of pyridine –based ionic liquid on a standard strain of Candida albicans and evaluate its toxicity on host cells. A standard strain of Candida albicans was re- cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) containing chloramphenicol, incubated at 37℃ for 24 h. Antifungal effect of a novel ionic liquid ([Met-Hcl] [Pys] ), was evaluated using inhibitory zone diameter. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungal concentration (MFC) were performed using micro dilution method. In continue MTT test were done to evaluate the toxicity of the liquid on host cells. The ionic liquid showed a good effect to prevent of Candida albicans growth. Inhibitory zone diameter was between 34±1 mm. The MIC evaluation was 708.4 ppm. Also the results of MTT test showed the viability of host cells at the 16 dilution. In conclusion, the results of this study manifested that the novel ionic liquid has a good antifungal activity against Candida albicans standard strain with low toxicity to human cells and probably can use as a good novel drug in treatment of candidiasis. Although the need for more studies is crystal clear.