Potent drug delivery enhancement of betulinic acid and NVX-207 into equine skin in vitro - a comparison between a novel oxygen flow-assisted transdermal application device and microemulsion gels.

Background: Gray horses are predisposed to equine malignant melanoma (EMM) with advancing age. Depending on the tumor's location and size, they can cause severe problems (e.g.

Effects of Topically Applied Betulinic Acid and NVX-207 on Melanocytic Tumors in 18 Horses.

The naturally occurring betulinic acid (BA) and its derivative NVX-207 induce apoptosis in equine melanoma cells in vitro. After topical application, high concentrations of the substances can be reached in healthy equine skin. With the aim to investigate the effect and safety of topically applied BA and NVX-207 in horses with melanocytic tumors, the longitudinal, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study protocol included eighteen Lipizzaner mares with early-stage cutaneous melanoma assigned to three groups.

In vitro assessment of triterpenoids NVX-207 and betulinyl-bis-sulfamate as a topical treatment for equine skin cancer.

Equine sarcoid (ES) is the most prevalent skin tumor in equids worldwide. Additionally, aging grey horses frequently suffer from equine malignant melanoma (EMM). Current local therapies targeting these skin tumors remain challenging.

Concentration profiles and safety of topically applied betulinic acid and NVX-207 in eight healthy horses-A randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover pilot study.

The naturally occurring betulinic acid (BA) and its derivative NVX-207 show anticancer effects against equine malignant melanoma (EMM) cells and a potent permeation in isolated equine skin in vitro. The aim of the study was to determine the in vivo concentration profiles of BA and NVX-207 in equine skin and assess the compounds' local and systemic tolerability with the intent of developing a topical therapy against EMM. Eight horses were treated percutaneously in a crossover design with 1% BA, 1% NVX-207 or a placebo in a respective vehicle twice a day for seven consecutive days with a seven-day washout period between each formulation.

Betulinic acid shows anticancer activity against equine melanoma cells and permeates isolated equine skin in vitro.

Background: Equine malignant melanoma (EMM) is a frequently occurring dermoepidermal tumor in grey horses. Currently available therapies are either challenging or inefficient. Betulinic acid (BA), a naturally occurring triterpenoid, is a promising compound for cancer treatment.

Agrimonia procera exerts antimicrobial effects, modulates the expression of defensins and cytokines in colonocytes and increases the immune response in lipopolysaccharide-challenged piglets.

Background: Because antibiotic use in livestock is assumed to contribute to the emerging public health crisis of antibiotic resistance, alternatives are required. Phytogenic additives are extensively studied due to their antibiotic properties. Components of Agrimonia species have been reported as candidate antimicrobials that possess antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties.

Synthesis and anticancer activity of novel betulinic acid and betulin derivatives.

A series of novel betulinic acid derivatives 3-11 and betulin derivatives 12-17 were synthesized. The compounds were characterized by the means of (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectroscopy as well as mass spectrometry. The compounds have been tested on ten tumor cell lines of different histogenic origin.

Small structural changes of pentacyclic lupane type triterpenoid derivatives lead to significant differences in their anticancer properties.

In the present investigations five new derivatives of betulinic and betulonic acid were synthesized and the effect of this structural variations on anticancer activity was studied and discussed. The antiproliferative activity of betulinic and betulonic acid derivatives was studied against eight tumor cell lines of different histogenic origin. The derivatives exerted a dose dependent antiproliferative action at micromolar concentrations toward target tumor cell lines.

Carbamate derivatives of betulinic acid and betulin with selective cytotoxic activity.

Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of eight new derivatives of betulinic acid (1) and betulin (2) are described. The compounds were tested against fifteen tumor cell lines. The toxicity against normal human fibroblasts and the mode of cell death on lung cancer cell line induced by the most active compounds 9 (bis(ethylcarbamate)betulin) and 11 (3-O-ethylcarbamate of 28-O-acetylbetulin) was investigated.

In vitro anticancer studies of alpha- and beta-D-glucopyranose betulin anomers.

Four derivatives of betulin containing a D-glucopyranosyl moiety at C3 position were synthesized and characterized by (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy as well as mass spectrometry. The crystal structure of 28-O-acetylbetulin-3-yl-beta-D-(2',3',4',6'-tetra-O-acetyl)glucopyranoside was determined. The compounds were tested against fifteen tumor cell lines of different histogenic origins.

Lupane triterpenoids--betulin and betulinic acid derivatives induce apoptosis in tumor cells.

In the present investigation the antiproliferative activity of thirteen derivatives of betulinic acid and betulin was tested against five different tumor cell lines. The toxicity against normal human fibroblasts (WWO70327) and the mode of cell death on HT-29 (colon cancer) as well as caspase activity induced by the most active compounds, 9 (3-O-chloroacetylbetulinic acid) and 15 (28-O-chloroacetylbetulin) were determined. Investigated derivatives exerted a dose dependent antiproliferative action at micromolar concentrations toward target tumor cell lines.

Transport of pharmacologically active proline derivatives by the human proton-coupled amino acid transporter hPAT1.

Several proline derivatives such as L-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid, cis-4-hydroxy-L-proline, and 3,4-dehydro-DL-proline prevent procollagen from folding into a stable triple-helical conformation, thereby reducing excessive deposition of collagen in fibrotic processes and the growth of tumors. This study was performed to investigate whether the recently discovered human proton-coupled amino acid transporter 1 (hPAT1) is capable of transporting such pharmacologically relevant proline derivatives and also GABA analogs. Uptake of L-[3H]proline and [3H]glycine in Caco-2 cells was Na+-independent but strongly H+-dependent.

Cholic acid-carboplatin compounds (CarboChAPt) as models for specific drug delivery: synthesis of novel carboplatin analogous derivatives and comparison of the cytotoxic properties with corresponding cisplatin compounds.

This report continues our work on new compounds which consist of three functional parts--a transport fragment, a spacer and a biologically active 'drug' component. Here cholic acid functions as the transport fragment, linked via an alkyl spacer to a carboplatin analog, representing the drug (carbo-ChAPt-Fig. 1).