Antiproliferative and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Deprungsith Formulation and Its Bioactive Compounds Against Mild Psoriasis and Potential of Metabolic Herb-Drug Interactions.

Psoriasis is an incurable, chronic and auto-immune skin disorder with a global prevalence rate of approximately 2-3%. The study investigated the antipsoriasis activities of Deprungsith formulation and its bioactive components and their potential for inhibitory activities on human cytochrome P450 (CYP450). HaCaT and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy volunteers (n = 9) and psoriasis patients (n = 10) were exposed to Deprungsith formulation (Thai traditional medicine for psoriasis consisting of 16 plants), ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC), ligustilide and cyclosporin for 24 and 48 h.

Validation of an electrochemical sensor based on gold nanoparticles as a point-of-care test for quantitative determination of glycated hemoglobin.

Monitoring the level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) has become the gold standard measure for diabetes mellitus (DM) diagnosis and control, used in conjunction with fasting blood glucose (FBG) and oral glucose tolerance test. This study aimed to investigate the applicability of a newly developed nanoparticle-based electrochemical sensor-multiwalled nanotubes incorporated with gold nanoparticles (POCT-HbA1cMWCNTs/AuNPs)-used as a routine point-of-care test (POCT) for detection of HbA1c for the diagnosis of DM. Finger-prick and venous blood samples were collected from 108 DM and 98 non-DM subjects to determine HbA1c and total hemoglobin by POCT-HbA1cMWCNTs/AuNPs compared with the standard HPLC method.

Apoptotic and Anti-metastatic Effects of Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. in a Hamster Model of Cholangiocarcinoma.

Objectives: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly aggressive tumor with a greater risk of distant metastasis. The promising anti-CCA activity and safety profile of Atractylodes lancea (AL) have previously been reported in a series of in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies. The present study investigated the effect of AL extract on apoptosis and metastasis signaling pathways in the Opisthorchis viverrini/dimethylnitrosamine (OV/DMN)-induced CCA hamster model.

Association between ABCB1 Polymorphisms and Artesunate-Mefloquine Treatment Responses of Patients with Falciparum Malaria on the Thailand-Myanmar Border.

A decrease in the clinical efficacy of a 3-day artesunate-mefloquine combination treatment was reported in the areas of multidrug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum along the Thailand-Myanmar border. The current study investigated the possible contribution of genetic polymorphisms of the three major genes encoding drug efflux transporters, ABCB1, ABCG2, and ABCC1, to responses to the aforementioned treatment in 91 patients with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria residing along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Patients carrying homozygous mutant genotype ABCB1 c.

Pharmacogenetic relevant polymorphisms of CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP3A5 in Bhutanese population.

Background Marked differences among genotype frequencies (Caucasians, Asians, and Africans) have been observed in cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes. Data on the frequency of pharmacogenetic relevant polymorphisms in Bhutanese population is absent. This study aimed to investigate the frequencies of pharmacogenetic relevant polymorphisms of CYP2C9 (*2 and *3), CYP2C19 (*2 and *3), CYP2D6 (*10), and CYP3A5 (*3) in Bhutanese population.

A Systematic Review of Drug Metabolism Studies of Plants With Anticancer Properties: Approaches Applied and Limitations.

Background And Objectives: Hepatic drug metabolism is a key influence on the efficacy and safety of medicines from both chemical and natural product sources. Studies of the metabolism of synthetic compounds, herbal medicines/supplements, and herb-derived bioactive compounds are therefore challenging. The aim of the present review is to provide a summary of the approaches/techniques that are currently being employed to investigate different aspects of the metabolism of herbs and herb-derived compounds (reaction phenotyping, metabolite profiling, metabolic clearance prediction, metabolic/pharmacokinetic drug interactions, and metabolism-related pharmacokinetic studies), including their limitations.

Polymorphisms of genes encoding drug transporters or cytochrome P450 enzymes and association with clinical response in cancer patients: a systematic review.

Purpose: Not all patients respond well to cancer chemotherapy. One of the most important factors contributing to treatment response (efficacy and toxicity) is genetic determinant. The current systematic review aims to provide current status of the information on the genetic contribution of genes encoding drug transport proteins and drug metabolizing enzyme, cytochrome P450 (CYP), and relationship with clinical outcomes of cancer chemotherapy.

Chronic exposure to cadmium is associated with a marked reduction in glomerular filtration rate.

Background: Urinary 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) has been associated with hypertension in women with elevated urinary cadmium (Cd) excretion rates. The present study investigates the urinary Cd and 20-HETE levels in relation to the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albumin excretion in men and women.

Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional study, which included 225 women and 84 men aged 33-55 years, was conducted in a rural area known to be polluted with Cd.

Is renal tubular cadmium toxicity clinically relevant?

Background: Exposure to cadmium (Cd) has been associated with the development of hypertension, especially in women, but the mechanism of such an association is not understood. We hypothesize that Cd exposure alters renal production of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE), which plays an indispensable role in renal salt balance and blood pressure control.

Methods: We examined long-term Cd exposure in relation to urinary 20-HETE excretion levels, tubular dysfunction and blood pressure measures, using data from a population-based, cross-sectional study that included 115 normotensive and 110 hypertensive women, 33-55 years of age, who lived in Cd contamination areas in Thailand.

The stress response of human proximal tubule cells to cadmium involves up-regulation of haemoxygenase 1 and metallothionein but not cytochrome P450 enzymes.

Enzymes of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) super-family are implicated in cadmium (Cd) -induced nephrotoxicity, however, direct evidence is lacking. This study investigated the endogenous expression of various CYP proteins together with the stress-response proteins, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and metallothionein (MT) in human kidney sections and in cadmium-exposed primary cultures of human proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTC). By immunohistochemistry, the CYP members 2B6, 4A11 and 4F2 were prominently expressed in the cortical proximal tubular cells and to a lesser extent in distal tubular cells.

Expression of metallothionein isoforms in peripheral blood leukocytes from Thai population residing in cadmium-contaminated areas.

Metallothionein (MT) is a group of proteins with high cadmium (Cd) affinity and with a potential role in Cd transportation and detoxification. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between MT (MT-1A, MT-2A, and MT-3 isoforms) gene expression level in peripheral blood leukocytes and Cd-associated renal injury in non-occupational exposed Thai population. The study was conducted in adult subjects residing in Cd-contaminated areas of Mae Sot District, Thailand.

Urinary and blood cadmium levels in relation to types of food and water intake and smoking status in a Thai population residing in cadmium-contaminated areas in Mae Sot.

Human exposure to cadmium (Cd) produces a wide variety of toxic effects involving many organs and systems, but the kidney is the main organ affected among long-term Cd-exposed people. In the general population, the primary sources of Cd exposure are cigarette smoke and food (shellfish, offal and certain vegetables). The aims of the study were to investigate the association between urinary and blood Cd levels and personal habits relating to Cd intake (consumption of food stuff, water and tobacco smoking), levels of renal biomarkers in the urine or serum of 314 Thai subjects (85 males, 229 females) who resided in Cd-contaminated areas of Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand.

Study on the association between environmental cadmium exposure, cytochrome P450-mediated 20-HETE, heme-oxygenase-1 polymorphism and hypertension in Thai population residing in a malaria endemic areas with cadmium pollution.

The aims of the study were to investigate (i) the effects of environmental cadmium (Cd) on hypertension, biological markers of renal dysfunction and renal cytochrome P450-mediated arachidonate metabolism; and (ii) the association between genetic polymorphism of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and hypertension and Cd-induced renal injury in the exposed Thai population. The study was conducted in adult subjects residing in Cd-contaminated malaria endemic areas of Mae Sot District, Thailand. All subjects were randomly selected and consistently distributed for sex, age and residential areas.

In vitro antimalarial interactions between mefloquine and cytochrome P450 inhibitors.

The treatment and control of malaria is becoming increasingly difficult due to resistance of Plasmodium falciparum strains resistance to commonly used antimalarials. Combination therapy is currently the strategy for combating multi-drug resistant falciparum malaria, through exploiting phamacodynamic synergistic effect and delaying the emergence of drug resistance. The objective of the present study was to investigate antimalarial activity of inhibitors of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme including their interactions with the antimalarial mefloquine against chloroquine-resistant (K1) and chloroquine-sensitive (3D7) P.