NOTCH signaling: Journey of an evolutionarily conserved pathway in driving tumor progression and its modulation as a therapeutic target.

Notch signaling, an evolutionarily conserved signaling cascade, is critical for normal biological processes of cell differentiation, development, and homeostasis. Deregulation of the Notch signaling pathway has been associated with tumor progression. Thus, Notch presents as an interesting target for a variety of cancer subtypes and its signaling mechanisms have been actively explored from the therapeutic viewpoint.

Emodin: A metabolite that exhibits anti-neoplastic activities by modulating multiple oncogenic targets.

Oncogenic transformation has been the major cause of global mortality since decades. Despite established therapeutic regimes, majority of cancer patients either present with tumor relapse, refractory disease or therapeutic resistance. Numerous drug candidates are being explored to tap the key reason being poor tumor remission rates, from novel chemotherapy agents to immunotherapy to exploring natural compound derivatives with effective anti-cancer potential.

Xanthohumol: A Metabolite with Promising Anti-Neoplastic Potential.

The overwhelming global burden of cancer has posed numerous challenges and opportunities for developing anti-cancer therapies. Phytochemicals have emerged as promising synergistic compounds with potential anti-cancer effects to supplement chemo- and immune-therapeutic regimens. Anti cancer synergistic effects have been investigated in the interaction between phytocompounds derived from flavonoids such as quercetin, apigenin, kaempferol, hesperidin, emodin, etc.

Baicalein: A metabolite with promising antineoplastic activity.

Cancer, being a multifactorial disease has diverse presentation in different subgroups which is mainly attributed to heterogenous presentation of tumor cells. This cancer cell heterogeneity is the major reason for variable response to standard chemotherapeutic regimes owing to which high relapse rate and multi-drug resistance has increasingly been reported over the past decade. Interestingly, the research on natural compounds in combination with standard therapies have reported with interesting and promising results from the pre-clinical trials and few of which have also been tested in other phases of clinical trials.

Molecular Mechanisms of Action of Genistein in Cancer: Recent Advances.

Genistein is one among the several other known isoflavones that is found in different soybeans and soy products. The chemical name of genistein is 4',5,7-trihydroxyisoflavone. Genistein has drawn attention of scientific community because of its potential beneficial effects on human grave diseases, such as cancer.

Kidney remote ischemic preconditioning as a novel strategy to explore the accurate protective mechanisms underlying remote ischemic preconditioning.

Introduction: This study reports a novel strategy for investigating the key factors responsible for the protective effect of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) against renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury, which remains the leading cause of the acute kidney injury that increase the morbidity and mortality in patients with renal impairment.

Methods: The renal blood flow of the right kidneys in kidney remote ischemic preconditioning (KRIPC) group was occluded for 20 min. After 48 h, the renal blood flow of the left kidneys of both KRIPC and IPC groups was occluded for 30 min, and mice were dissected after 7 days of the last surgery.

Therapeutic Potential of Nigella sativa Oil Against Cyclophosphamide-Induced DNA Damage and Hepatotoxicity.

Cyclophosphamide (Cy), a chemotherapeutic agent, is of great interest in the clinic due to its relatively high oncotoxic specificity. However, its usage is restricted due to its severe side effects, particularly hepatotoxicity. This study investigates the potential cytoprotective effect of Nigella sativa oil against the high toxic dose of Cy.

Effects of aqueous leaf extract in alloxan induced diabetic mice.

Objective: There is a lack of knowledge regarding the underlying mechanisms of the antidiabetic activity of . This study investigates the antidiabetic effect of and its impact on the immune tolerance.

Methods: Alloxan-induced diabetes model for mice was used.

F2 Gel Matrix a Novel Delivery System for Immune and Gene Vaccinations.

Exploiting the immune system to abolish cancer growth via vaccination is a promising strategy but that is limited by many clinical issues. For DNA vaccines, viral vectors as a delivery system mediate a strong immune response due to their protein structure, which could afflect the cellular uptake of the genetic vector or even induce cytotoxic immune responses against transfected cells. Recently, synthetic DNA delivery systems have been developed and recommended as much easier and simple approaches for DNA delivery compared with viral vectors.

Cancer Therapy with Phytochemicals: Present and Future Perspectives.

Recently, a wide range of food-derived phytochemical compounds and their synthetic derivatives have been proposed for cancer treatment. Unfortunately, data available in related literature focus on the anti-cancer properties of compounds derived from edible plants, while very little is known about those derived from non-edible plants. And thus, the underlying mechanisms of their anti-cancer effects are yet to be elucidated.

Solar ultraviolet radiation from cancer induction to cancer prevention: solar ultraviolet radiation and cell biology.

Although decades have elapsed, researchers still debate the benefits and hazards of solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure. On the one hand, humans derive most of their serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol [25(OH)D3], which has potent anticancer activity, from solar UVB radiation. On the other hand, people are more aware of the risk of cancer incidence associated with harmful levels of solar UVR from daily sunlight exposure.

Molecular targets of luteolin in cancer.

Many food-derived phytochemical compounds and their derivatives represent a cornucopia of new anticancer compounds. Despite extensive study of luteolin, the literature has no information on the exact mechanisms or molecular targets through which it deters cancer progression. This review discusses existing data on luteolin's anticancer activities and then offers possible explanations for and molecular targets of its cancer-preventive action.

Curcumin a potent cancer preventive agent: Mechanisms of cancer cell killing.

There is no doubt that diet could effectively improve health and halt cancers. Dietary phytochemical compounds and their derivatives represent a cornucopia of effectively anticancer compounds. This review discusses existing data on the anticancer activities of curcumin, and then offers possible explanations for and mechanisms of its cancer-preventive action.

Cytoprotective effect of silymarin against diabetes-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis in diabetic rats.

Objective: The beneficial effects of silymarin have been extensively studied in the context of inflammation and cancer treatment, yet much less is known about its therapeutic effect on diabetes. The present study was aimed to investigate the cytoprotective activity of silymarin against diabetes-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

Methods: Rats were randomly divided into: control group, untreated diabetes group and diabetes group treated with silymarin (120 mg/kg•d) for 10 d.

Active immunization against tumor necrosis factor-alpha decreases proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress mediators and adhesion molecules risk factors in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Unlabelled: Diabetes is now one of the most common un-communicable diseases worldwide. Few studies have dealt specifically with the potential therapeutic effect of TNF-α suppressor to decrease oxidative stress markers in patients with diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential therapeutic and toxic effect of the direct injection of the anti-TNF-α on oxidative stress mediators, proinflammatory cytokines and vascular risk factors associated with diabetes on diabetic rats.

Targeting tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in diabetic rats could approve avenues for an efficient strategy for diabetic therapy.

Background: Several studies held belief that downregulation of TNF-α may be effective for preventing diabetes and it's complications. However, it is not known whether TNF-α downregulation in long-term can generate any biological adverse.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to clarify what the impact is for such treatment with specific antibody for TNF-α on the other biological activities after 4weeks.

Anti-ulcer activity of curcumin on experimental gastric ulcer in rats and its effect on oxidative stress/antioxidant, IL-6 and enzyme activities.

Objective: To investigate the possible mechanism by which curcumin protects stomach during the acute chronic phase of gastric ulcer disease.

Methods: The rats were divided into four groups and fasted for 2 days with free access to water. On the third day, the animals were fasted for a further 24 h with no access to water followed by surgery.

Argon laser phototherapy could eliminate the damage effects induced by the ionizing radiation "gamma radiation" in irradiated rabbits.

The ionizing radiations could be taken in considerate as an integral part in our life, since, living organisms are actually exposed to a constant shower of ionizing radiations whether from the natural or artificial resources. The radio-protective efficiency of several chemicals has been confirmed in animal trails, whereas, due to their accumulative toxicity, their clinical utility is limited. Therefore, we aimed in the present work to investigate the possibility of using argon laser to recuperate the damaged tissues due to exposing to the ionizing radiation.

Calcitriol treatment improves methyl aminolaevulinate-based photodynamic therapy in human squamous cell carcinoma A431 cells.

Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) using methyl aminolaevulinate (MAL) provides a new, approved method for treatment of skin cancer and its precursors. However, MAL-based PDT is not very efficient for poorly differentiated skin carcinoma. Thus, novel strategies to enhance the PDT effect are needed.

A pioneer study on the anti-ulcer activities of copper nicotinate complex [CuCl (HNA)2] in experimental gastric ulcer induced by aspirin-pylorus [corrected] ligation model (Shay model).

This study was planned to look for a more rational mechanism(s) that could explain the anti-ulcer activity of copper nicotinate complex, since the mechanism whereby it prevents ulceration still to be investigated. Ulcer and the preventive indexes were scored, mucin, juice volume, total acidity, luminal haemoglobin, total peroxide and total antioxidant as an oxidative stress index (OSI), as well as total DNA fragmentation (as an apoptotic marker) and its percentage ratio in the juice were evaluated. Results confirmed the antisecretory ability of copper nicotinate, as reflected from the significant reduction of gastric juice volume and acid output.