Anticancer effect and neurotoxicity of S-(+)-deoxytylophorinidine, a new phenanthroindolizidine alkaloid that interacts with nucleic acids.

Phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids are a family of plant-derived compounds with significant antineoplastic activity as well as other effects like antiamebicidal, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory activities. The specific biomolecular targets of these compounds have not yet been clearly identified. S-(+)-Deoxytylophorinidine (CAT) is a new phenanthroindolizidine alkaloid, originally extracted from the roots of Tylophora atrofolliculata and Tylophora ovata.

Immunostimulatory activities of a low molecular weight antitumoral polysaccharide isolated from Agaricus blazei Murill (LMPAB) in Sarcoma 180 ascitic tumor-bearing mice.

LMPAB is a linear beta-(1-3)-glucan we isolated from polysaccharide extract of Agaricus blazei Murill (AbM). Effects of LMPAB on splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity, splenocyte proliferation, index of spleen and thymus, IFN-gamma expression in spleen and the concentration of IL-12, IL-18 and TNF-alpha in serum of S180 ascitic tumor-bearing mice were detected. The results showed that intraperitoneal injection of LMPAB (100 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) significantly increased the thymus index.

[Effect of icogenin on and its mechanism in anti-metastasis of pancreatic cancer BxPC3 cells].

This study is to investigate the effect of Icogenin on and its mechanism in anti-metastasis of pancreatic cancer BxPC3 cells in vitro. Using transwell assay, the effects of Icogenin on the invasion of BxPC3 cells were measured. The abilities of cell motility and adhesion in BxPC3 cells were detected by MTT assay and wound healing assay, respectively.