Encapsulated plant extract (Gelsemium sempervirens) poly (lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles enhance cellular uptake and increase bioactivity in vitro

Encapsulated plant extract (Gelsemium sempervirens) poly (lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles enhance cellular uptake and increase bioactivity in vitro. Bhattacharyya SS, Paul S, Khuda-Bukhsh AR. Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani-741235, West Bengal, India. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2010 Jun 1;235(6):678-88.

Ethanolic extract of Gelsemium sempervirens (family: Loganiaceae), henceforth to be called EEGS, is used in various traditional systems of medicine.

In homeopathy, EEGS is known as mother tincture of G. sempervirens, which is generally used to treat pain and respiratory ailments.

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We demonstrated earlier anticancer activity of crude EEGS by in vitro studies on human HeLa cells.

To test the hypothesis if nanoparticle-encapsulated extract (now onwards to be called NEEGS) could enhance cellular uptake and thereby improve bioactivity, we formulated nanoparticle encapsulation based on poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and confirmed encapsulation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy.

EEGS was encapsulated with 81.6% efficiency in PLGA biodegradable nanoparticle formulation and F68 (polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene) was used as a stabilizer. Dynamic laser light scattering and SEM indicated a particle diameter of 122.6 nm.

The zeta potential of the drug-loaded nanoparticles was -14.8 mV. NEEGS was characterized for their biological activities in a skin cancer cell line A375 in vitro.

NEEGS exhibited relatively rapid (30 min) and more efficient cellular uptake than their un-encapsulated counterpart (45 min).

Analysis of data of apoptosis study using Annexin V-FITC, terminal transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay and DNA ladder revealed that encapsulated EEGS was more potent than their un-encapsulated counterpart in inducing apoptosis of A375 cells.

Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction data of survivin, cyclin-D1, caspase-3, PCNA and p53 also corroborated well to suggest greater potentials of NEEGS as anticancer agents.

Courtesy : Avilian

Homeopathic drugs Natrum sulphuricum and Carcinosin prevent azo dye-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in mice-a research paper presented by Nandini Bhattacharjee, Pathikrit Banerjee and Anisur Rahman Khuda-Bukhshh

Homeopathic drugs Natrum sulphuricum and Carcinosin prevent azo dye-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in mice*

Nandini Bhattacharjee, Pathikrit Banerjee and Anisur Rahman Khuda-Bukhshh"

The study was undertaken to examine whether Carcinosin-200 (Car-200) could provide additional ameliorative effect, if used intermittently with Natrum sulphuricum-30 (Nat sulph-30) against hepatocarcinogenesis induced by chronic feeding of p-dimethylaminoazobenzene (p-DAB) and phenobarbital (PB) in mice (Mus musculus). Mice were randomly divided into seven sub-groups: (i) normal untreated; (ii) normal+succussed alcohol; (iii) p-DAB (0.06%) + PB (0.05%); (iv) p-DAB + PB +succussed alcohol (v) p-DAB + PB + Nat sulph-30, (vi) p-DAB + PB + Car-200, and (vii) p-DAB + PB + Nat sulph-30+Car-200. They were sacrificed at 30, 60, 90 and 120 days for assessment of genotoxicity through cytogenetical end-points like chromosome aberrations, micronuclei, mitotic index and sperm head anomaly and cytotoxicity through assay of widely accepted biomarkers and pathophysiological parameters. Additionally, electron microscopic studies and gelatin zymography for matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were conducted in liver at 90 and 120 days. Results showed that administration of Nat sulph-30 alone and in combination with Car-200 reduced the liver tumors with positive ultra- structural changes and in MMPs expression, genotoxic parameters, lipid peroxidation, y-glutamyl transferase, lactate dehydrogenase, blood glucose, bilirubin, creatinine, urea and increased GSH, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase activities and hemoglobin, cholesterol, and albumin levels. Thus intermittent use of Car-200 along with Nat sulph-30 yielded additional benefit against genotoxicity, cytotoxicity hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress induced by the carcinogens during hepatocarcinogenesis.

Keywords : biomarkers, genotoxicity, homoeopathy, hepatocarcinogenesis, mice, carcinosin-200, natrum sulphuricum-30

" The article was originally published in the journal 'Indian Journal of Biochemistry & Biophysics', Vol-46, August 2009, PP. 307-318. Republished in Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy Vol. 3, No. 4, October-December 2009 with the consent of the author and the publisher. "Address for correspondence: Dr. Anisur Rahman Khuda-BukhshCytogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology,University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741 235, IndiaE-mail: prof_arkb@yahoo.co.in;khuda-bukhsh_48@ rediffmail.com

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Homeopathic Drugs Natrum Sulphuricum and Carcinosin Prevent Azo Dye-Induced Hepatocarcinogenesis in Mice