@article {902, title = {Antioxidant, cytotoxic, antitumor, and protective DNA damage metabolites from the red sea brown alga Sargassum sp}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {3}, year = {2011}, month = {September 2011}, pages = {160-165}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {160}, abstract = {

Background: Macroalgae can be viewed as a potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory sources owing to their capability of producing compounds for its protection from environmental factors such as heat, pollution, stress, oxygen concentration, and UV radiations. Objective: To isolate major compounds which are mainly responsible for the pharmacological activity of brown alga under investigation, Sargassum sp. Materials and Methods: Algal material was air dried, extracted with a mixture of organic solvents, and fractionated with different adsorbents. The structures of obtained pure compounds were elucidated with different spectroscopic techniques, and two pure materials were tested for protection of DNA from damage, antioxidant, antitumor, and cytotoxicity. Results: Four pure compounds were obtained, of which fucosterol (1) and fucoxanthin (4) were tested; it was found that fucoxanthin has strong antioxidant and cytotoxicity against breast cancer (MCF-7) with IC 50 = 11.5 ΅g/ml. Conclusion: The naturally highly conjugated safe compound fucoxanthin could be used as antioxidant and as an antitumor compound.

}, keywords = {Antioxidant, cytotoxicity, Fucoxanthin, Sargassum sp}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.85000}, author = {Seif-Eldin N Ayyad and Saleh T Ezmirly and Salim A Basaif and Walied M Alarif and Adel F Badria and Farid A Badria} } @article {928, title = {Cucurbitacins-type triterpene with potent activity on mouse embryonic fi broblast from Cucumis prophetarum, cucurbitaceae}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {3}, year = {2011}, month = {September 2011}, pages = {189-193}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {189}, abstract = {

Background: Higher plants are considered as a well-known source of the potent anticancer metabolites with diversity of chemical structures. For instance, taxol is an amazing diterpene alkaloid had been lunched since 1990. Objective: To isolate the major compounds from the fruit extract of Cucumis prophetarum, Cucurbitaceae, which are mainly responsible for the bioactivities as anticancer. Materials and Methods: Plant material was shady air dried, extracted with equal volume of chloroform/methanol, and fractionated with different adsorbents. The structures of obtained pure compounds were elucidated with different spectroscopic techniques employing 1D ( 1 H and 13 C) and 2D (COSY, HMQC and HMBC) NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometry) and ESI-MS (Eelectrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry) spectroscopy. The pure isolates were tested towards human cancer cell lines, mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH3T3) and virally transformed form (KA3IT). Results: Two cucurbitacins derivatives, dihydocucurbitacin B (1) and cucurbitacin B (2), had been obtained. Compounds 1 and 2 showed potent inhibitory activities toward NIH3T3 and KA31T with IC50 0.2, 0.15, 2.5 and 2.0 μg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: The naturally cucurbitacin derivatives (dihydocucurbitacin B and cucurbitacin B) showed potent activities towards NIH3T3 and KA31T, could be considered as a lead of discovering a new anticancer natural drug.

}, keywords = {Cucumis prophetarum, cucurbitacin B, dihydrocucurbitacin B, mouse embryonic fibroblast and virally transformed form}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.85006}, author = {Seif-Eldin N Ayyad and Ahmed Abdel-Lateff and Salim A Basaif and Thomas Shier} }