Saponins as novel TNF-alpha inhibitors: isolation of saponins and a nor-pseudoguaianolide from Parthenium hysterophorus.

Two novel saponins and a 13-nor-pseudoguaianolide designated as hysterolactone were isolated from Parthenium hysterophorus. The two saponins were found to be potent inhibitors of TNF-alpha. Their mode of inhibition was studied through molecular modeling.

Structure-activity relationship (SAR) of parthenin analogues with pro-apoptotic activity: Development of novel anti-cancer leads.

Analogues of parthenin were synthesized by substitutions at different reaction centres to establish a structure-activity relationship (SAR). Some of the molecules have displayed significant cytotoxicity in human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) and human myeloid leukemia (HL-60) cells. A few of the compounds also induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells measured in terms of sub-Go/G1 DNA fraction.

Mapping the English and Chinese versions of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General to the EQ-5D utility index.

Objective: This study aims to develop a function for mapping the English and Chinese versions of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) scores to the EuroQoL Group's EQ-5D utility index and to test whether a single function is sufficient for the two language versions.

Methods: A baseline survey of 558 cancer patients in Singapore using the FACT-G and EQ-5D was conducted (308 English and 250 Chinese questionnaires). Regression models were used to predict the EQ-5D utility index values based on the FACT-G scores and thus derive a mapping equation.

The Singaporean English and Chinese versions of the EQ-5D achieved measurement equivalence in cancer patients.

Objective: To assess measurement equivalence of the Singaporean English and Chinese versions of the EuroQol Group's 5-domain questionnaire (EQ-5D) in cancer patients.

Study Design And Setting: Seven hundred and seventy-one ethnic Chinese patients in Singapore were recruited, and they answered either an English or a Chinese version of the EQ-5D. Seven days later, a similar questionnaire in the same language was mailed to the patients.

A triterpenediol from Boswellia serrata induces apoptosis through both the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways in human leukemia HL-60 cells.

A triterpenediol (TPD) comprising of isomeric mixture of 3alpha, 24-dihydroxyurs-12-ene and 3alpha, 24-dihydroxyolean-12-ene from Boswellia serrata induces apoptosis in cancer cells. An attempt was made in this study to investigate the mechanism of cell death by TPD in human leukemia HL-60 cells. It inhibited cell proliferation with IC50 approximately 12 microg/ml and produced apoptosis as measured by various biological end points e.