Lack of p53 augments thymoquinone-induced apoptosis and caspase activation in human osteosarcoma cells.

We have recently shown that thymoquinone (TQ) is an antineoplastic drug that induces p53-dependent apoptosis in human colon cancer cells. This study evaluated the antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of TQ in two human osteosarcoma cell lines with different p53 mutation status. TQ decreased cell survival dose-dependently and, more significantly, in p53-null MG63 cells (IC(50) = 17 muM) than in p53-mutant MNNG/HOS cells (IC(50) = 38 muM).

A randomized trial comparing a pentavalent antimonial drug and recombinant interferon-gamma in the local treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

In a randomized prospective trial N-methyl-glucamine antimoniate (Glucantime) and human recombinant interferon-gamma were infiltrated around lesions of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania tropica in Syria. A previous trial had shown that intradermal application of interferon-gamma promoted the healing of similar lesions in the study area. Twenty patients with 38 lesions received 1-3 ml Glucantime and 20 patients with 37 lesions received 25 micrograms of interferon-gamma intradermally once weekly for 5 consecutive weeks.