Actinobacteria from Termite Mounds Show Antiviral Activity against Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus, a Surrogate Model for Hepatitis C Virus.

Extracts from termite-associated bacteria were evaluated for in vitro antiviral activity against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). Two bacterial strains were identified as active, with percentages of inhibition (IP) equal to 98%. Both strains were subjected to functional analysis via the addition of virus and extract at different time points in cell culture; the results showed that they were effective as posttreatments.

Antiviral activity of Bacillus sp. isolated from the marine sponge Petromica citrina against bovine viral diarrhea virus, a surrogate model of the hepatitis C virus.

The Hepatitis C virus causes chronic infections in humans, which can develop to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The Bovine viral diarrhea virus is used as a surrogate model for antiviral assays for the HCV. From marine invertebrates and microorganisms isolated from them, extracts were prepared for assessment of their possible antiviral activity.

Antiproliferative properties of polyketides isolated from Virola sebifera leaves.

An activity-guided fractionation of Virola sebifera Aubl. methylene chloride-soluble fraction provided novel 3,5-dihydro-2-(1'-oxo-3'-hexadecenyl)-2-cyclohexen-1-one (3), two known lignans (1, 2) and dehydro hexadecanoyl resorcinol (4). Isolation and purification were conducted with the application of column chromatography and structures were assigned by spetral analysis (1D and 2D NMR, HREIMS).

(R)-Goniothalamin: total syntheses and cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines.

The total syntheses of (R)-goniothalamin (1), a styryl lactone isolated from several Goniothalamus species, via catalytic asymmetric allylation of alpha-benzyloxyacetaldehyde (2), followed by ring-closing metathesis and Wittig olefination and via catalytic asymmetric allylation of trans-cinnamaldehyde (12), followed by ring-closing metathesis are reported. The antiproliferative activities of (R)-1 and its Z-isomer 10 as well as of the synthetic dihydropyranone intermediates 7 and 8 against eight different cancer cell lines are also described.

Enantioselective syntheses of (R)- and (S)-argentilactone and their cytotoxic activities against cancer cell lines.

Concise total syntheses of (R)- and (S)-argentilactone have been developed via enantioselective catalytic allylation (ECA) and ring-closing metathesis pathways (four steps, 39% overall yield and 82-84% ee) from 2-octynal and their in vitro activity against cancer cells is described.

Cytotoxicity of tamoxifen in normal and tumoral cell lines and its ability to induce cellular transformation in vitro.

Tamoxifen (TAM) is a non-steroidal anti-estrogen used to treat patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer and as a chemopreventive agent against breast cancer in high risk pre- and post-menopausal women. However, recent studies have shown that tamoxifen causes endometrial and hepatic cancer. In this study, we examined the effects of tamoxifen (5, 10, 25 and 50 microM) on the growth and proliferation of nine tumoral cell lines (UACC62, MCF-7, NCI-460, K-562, OVCAR-03, PC-03, HT-29, 786-0, NCI-ADR) and non-tumoral cell lines (3T3, V79, MDCK, VERO).