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To investigate the anticancer activities of alkaloids from the Ba lotus seed (BLSA) in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) CNE-1 cells, an MTT assay, flow cytometry, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were performed. BLSA was found to significantly reduce CNE-1 cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner at all concentrations compared with the control (P<0.05). In addition, flow cytometry analysis identified that BLSA treatment significantly increased the sub-G1 content in CNE-1 cells (P<0.05). Following BLSA treatment, the mRNA and protein levels of a number of apoptosis-related factors, such as caspase family members (caspase-3, -8 and -9), B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2-associated X protein, Fas and Fas ligand were significantly increased compared with the control (P<0.05). This was accompanied by a significant decrease in anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-extra large protein expression compared with the control (P<0.05). Furthermore, BLSA treatment was determined to modulate CNE-1 cell expression of nuclear factor (NF)-κB and NF-κB inhibitor α. The results of the present study indicate that BLSA has anticancer activity through inducing cellular apoptosis. In addition, these results suggest that BLSA can be used as a therapeutic agent in NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the preventive effects of banana peel polyphenols (BPPs) against hepatic injury. Mice were divide into normal, control, 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg banana peel polyphenol and silymarin groups. All the mice except normal mice were induced with hepatic damage using CCl4. The serum and tissue levels of mice were determined by a kit and the tissues were further examined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot analysis. BPPs reduced the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase in a CCl4-induced mouse model of hepatic injury. Furthermore, BPPs reduced the levels of malondialdehyde and triglyceride, while increasing glutathione levels in the serum and liver tissues of mice. In addition, the effects of 200 mg/kg treatment were more evident, and these effects were comparable to those of the drug silymarin. Serum levels of the cytokines, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon-γ, were reduced in the mice treated with BPPs compared with injury control group mice, and these levels were comparable to those of the normal and silymarin-treated groups. Histopathological examination indicated that BPPs were able to reduce the extent of CCl4-induced liver tissue injury and protect the liver cells. Furthermore, the mRNA and protein expression levels of the inflammation-associated factors cyclooxygenase-2, nitric oxide synthase, TNF-α and IL-1β were reduced in mice treated with BPPs compared with the control group mice. Mice that received 200 mg/kg BPP exhibited reduced expression levels of these factors compared with mice that received 100 mg/kg BPP. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that BPPs exert a good preventive effect against hepatic injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to determine the preventive effect of insect tea against reserpine-induced gastric ulcers in ICR mice. A high (800 mg/kg) dose of insect tea reduced the serum levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-&#947 compared with those in mice treated with a low (400 mg/kg) dose and the control mice. The serum levels of somatostatin (SS) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in mice treated with insect tea were higher compared with those in the control mice; however, the serum levels of motilin (MOT) and substance P (SP) were lower in mice treated with insect tea than in the control mice. Gastric ulcer inhibitory rate of the insect tea treatment group of mice were much lower compared to the control mice, and the high concentration treated mice were similar to the ranitidine treated mice. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in mice treated with insect tea were higher compared with those in control mice, and similar to those in normal mice and ranitidine-treated mice. The nitric oxide (NO) and maleic dialdehyde (MDA) levels of mice treated with a high concentration of insect tea compared with the normal group were close. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays, the present study revealed that insect tea significantly induced inflammation in the tissues of mice by downregulating the expression of nuclear factor -light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and upregulating the expression of nuclear factor of κ light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor α (IκB-α). These results suggest that insect tea is as effective at preventing gastric ulcers as the gastric ulcer drug, ranitidine and it can be used as medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]