assessment of cytotoxic, genotoxic and mutagenic effects of antimalarial drugs artemisinin and artemether in human lymphocytes.

Artemisinin is a substance extracted from the Chinese plant . widely used in natural medicine for the treatment of various diseases. Artemether is a substance synthesized from artemisinin, and both drugs are commonly administered in the treatment of malaria.

Effect of diterpenoid kaurenoic acid on genotoxicity and cell cycle progression in gastric cancer cell lines.

The goal of our study was to evaluate the effect of kaurenoic acid, obtained from copaiba oil resin, in gastric cancer (GC) and a normal mucosa of stomach (MNP01) cell lines. The compound was tested at concentrations of 2.5, 5, 10, 30 and 60μg/mL.

In vitro evaluation of the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of artemether, an antimalarial drug, in a gastric cancer cell line (PG100).

Artemisinin is a sesquiterpene lactone endoperoxide, obtained from Artemisia annua, and extensively used as an antimalarial drug. Many studies have reported the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of artemisinins; however, there are no studies that compare such effects between cancer cell lines and normal human cells after treatment with artemether, an artemisinin derivative. Gastric cancer is the fourth most frequent type of cancer and the second highest cause of cancer mortality worldwide.

Cytogenetic biomonitoring of inhabitants of a large uranium mineralization area: the municipalities of Monte Alegre, Prainha, and Alenquer, in the State of Pará, Brazil.

Uranium is a natural radioactive metallic element; its effect on the organism is cumulative, and chronic exposure to this element can induce carcinogenesis. Three cities of the Amazon region-Monte Alegre, Prainha, and Alenquer-in North Brazil, are located in one of the largest uranium mineralization areas of the world. Radon is a radioactive gas, part of uranium decay series and readily diffuses through rock.

Genotoxic effect of Physalis angulata L. (Solanaceae) extract on human lymphocytes treated in vitro.

Physalis angulata L (Solanaceae) is a medicinal plant from North of Brazil, whose different extracts and infusions are commonly used in the popular medicine for the treatment of malaria, asthma, hepatitis, dermatitis and rheumatism. However, the genotoxic effects of P. angulata on human cells is not well known.

Genotoxic effects of white fluorescent light on human lymphocytes in vitro.

Sources of light beams such as white fluorescent light, are present in our daily life to meet the needs of life in the modern world. This study was conducted with the objective of determining the possible genotoxic, cytotoxic and aneugenic effects caused by this agent in different stages of the cell cycle (G0/early G1, S, and late G2), using different cytogenetic parameters (sister chromatid exchanges--SCE, chromosome aberrations--CA, and detection of aneugenic effects) in lymphocytes from temporary cultures of human peripheral blood. WFL showed a genotoxic effect in vitro, expressed by an increase in the frequency of SCE's, regardless of the cell cycle stage.

Evaluation of the mutagenic activity of hydroxyurea on the G1-S-G2 phases of the cell cycle: an in vitro study.

Hydroxyurea is considered an antineoplastic drug, which also plays an important role in the treatment of sickle cell anemia patients. We evaluated and compared the clastogenic and cytotoxic effects of hydroxyurea, using chromosomal aberrations and mitotic index, respectively, as endpoints. In vitro short-term cultures of lymphocytes were exposed to several concentrations of this drug, at various cell cycle phases.