Folic acid consumption among Missouri women in the periconceptional period.

Periconceptional folic acid consumption significantly reduces the risk for neural tube defects. The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors for poor periconceptional folic acid supplementation among Missouri women. Sixty-five percent of Missouri women reported not taking periconceptional multivitamins regularly.

Preclinical toxicological examination of a putative prostate cancer-specific 4-methyl-1-nitroacridine derivative in rodents.

Nitroacridines are potent DNA-binding and cytotoxic agents in cancer cells, but could not be developed clinically due to high systemic toxicities. We are developing a 1-nitroacridine derivative, 9-(2'-hydroxyethylamino)-4-methyl-1-nitroacridine (C-1748), as an effective chemotherapeutic agent for prostate cancer. C-1748 demonstrates high antitumor efficacy against human prostate cancer xenografts with markedly low mutagenicity and toxicity in dogs compared with its parent 9-(2'-hydroxyethylamino)-1-nitroacridine (C-857).

3,3'-Diindolylmethane downregulates pro-survival pathway in hormone independent prostate cancer.

Epidemiological evidences suggest that the progression and promotion of prostate cancer (CaP) can be modulated by diet. Since all men die with prostate cancer rather than of the disease, it is of particular interest to prevent or delay the progression of the disease by chemopreventive strategies. We have been studying the anticancer properties of compounds present in cruciferous vegetables such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C).

Synthetic dimer of indole-3-carbinol: second generation diet derived anti-cancer agent in hormone sensitive prostate cancer.

Background: Cruciferous vegetables have been found to have anti-prostate cancer effects. The active compounds mediating these effects include indoles such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and isothiocyanates. I3C is unstable having tissue tropic effects and clinical utility has been partly addressed by the synthesis of a more stable dimer diindolylmethane (DIM).