RESUMEN
AIMS: To produce and characterize bioactive metabolites from piezotolerant marine fungus Nigrospora sp. in submerged fermentation. METHODS AND RESULTS: A distinct marine strain, Nigrospora sp. NIOT has been isolated from a depth of 800 m at the Arabian Sea. The 18S rRNA and internal transcribed spacers (ITS) analysis demonstrates its close association with the genus Nigrospora. Effect of pH, temperature, salinity, carbon source and amino acids was studied to optimize the fermentation conditions. Optimal mycelia growth and secondary metabolites production were observed at 6·0-8·0 pH, 20-30°C temperature, 7·5% salinity, sucrose as carbon source and tryptophan as amino acid source. The extracellular secondary metabolites exhibited high antimicrobial activities against both gram-positive and gram-negative pathogenic bacteria with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values higher than 30 µg ml(-1). Strongest cytotoxicity was observed in all cell lines tested, GI50 (growth inhibition by 50%) was calculated to be 1·35, 3·2, 0·13 and 0·35 µg ml(-1) against U937, MCF-7, A673 and Jurkat, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses of secondary metabolites confirmed the production of antimicrobial and anticancer substances. CONCLUSIONS: A piezotolerant fungus Nigrospora sp. NIOT isolated from deep sea environment was successfully cultured under submerged fermentation. The secondary metabolites produced from this organism showed potent antimicrobial and anticancer activities with immediate application to cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first study exploring Nigrospora sp. from 800 m in marine environment. This deep sea fungus under optimized culture conditions effectively produced bioactive secondary metabolites such as griseofulvin, spirobenzofuran and pyrone derivatives at higher concentrations.
Asunto(s)
Ascomicetos/metabolismo , Fermentación , Agua de Mar/microbiología , Antibacterianos/metabolismo , Antibacterianos/farmacología , Antineoplásicos/metabolismo , Antineoplásicos/toxicidad , Ascomicetos/clasificación , Ascomicetos/citología , Ascomicetos/genética , Línea Celular Tumoral , Humanos , Células Jurkat , Células MCF-7 , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Presión , Metabolismo SecundarioRESUMEN
AIM: To study the effect of gallium nitrate in the treatment of flare hypercalcemia in rats, bearing mammary tumor with bone metastasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley albino rats were used in the study. Animals were divided into 5 groups: normal control; hypercalcemic rats bearing DMBA-induced mammary tumors; flare hypercalcemic animals bearing DMBA-induced mammary tumors (hypercalcemic rats, treated with tamoxifen at the dose of 10 mg/kg); flare hypercalcemic rat bearing DMBA-induced mammary tumors, treated with gallium nitrate at the dose of 2.5 mg/kg; control rats, treated with gallium nitrate at the dose of 2.5 mg/kg. Eligibility criteria - serum calcium levels were 11.0 mg% or above. Biochemical parameters were measured, using standard methods. Urinary excretion of calcium, creatinine ratio, urinary bone marker were also evaluated by using standard method. RESULTS: All flare hypercalcemic rats were treated with gallium nitrate and developed normocalcemia. Biochemical parameters were measured in hypercalcemic and flare hypercalcemic animals. Calcium level in blood serum, alkaline phosphatase were significantly higher in flare hypercalcemia than in hypercalcemic rats. Urinary pyridinoline, deoxypyridinoline and hydroxyproline were also elevated in flare hypercalcemic rats. In contrast, intact parathyroid hormone and albumin levels were lowered in flare as well as hypercalcemic groups when compared with normal control groups. After gallium nitrate treatment all the above parameters returned to normal level. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of gallium nitrate in vivo is highly effective in treatment of flare hypercalcemia.
Asunto(s)
Antineoplásicos Hormonales/toxicidad , Antineoplásicos/uso terapéutico , Galio/uso terapéutico , Hipercalcemia/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Mamarias Animales/complicaciones , Tamoxifeno/toxicidad , Animales , Neoplasias Óseas/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Óseas/secundario , Calcio/sangre , Calcio/orina , Femenino , Hipercalcemia/inducido químicamente , Neoplasias Mamarias Animales/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Mamarias Animales/patología , Ratas , Ratas Sprague-DawleyRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: A national eye survey was conducted in 1996 to determine the prevalence of blindness and low vision and their major causes among the Malaysian population of all ages. METHODS: A stratified two stage cluster sampling design was used to randomly select primary and secondary sampling units. Interviews, visual acuity tests, and eye examinations on all individuals in the sampled households were performed. Estimates were weighted by factors adjusting for selection probability, non-response, and sampling coverage. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 69% (that is, living quarters response rate was 72.8% and household response rate was 95.1%). The age adjusted prevalence of bilateral blindness and low vision was 0.29% (95% CI 0.19 to 0.39%), and 2.44% (95% CI 2.18 to 2.69%) respectively. Females had a higher age adjusted prevalence of low vision compared to males. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of bilateral low vision and blindness among the four ethnic groups, and urban and rural residents. Cataract was the leading cause of blindness (39%) followed by retinal diseases (24%). Uncorrected refractive errors (48%) and cataract (36%) were the major causes of low vision. CONCLUSION: Malaysia has blindness and visual impairment rates that are comparable with other countries in the South East Asia region. However, cataract and uncorrected refractive errors, though readily treatable, are still the leading causes of blindness, suggesting the need for an evaluation on accessibility and availability of eye care services and barriers to eye care utilisation in the country.
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Ceguera/epidemiología , Baja Visión/epidemiología , Adolescente , Adulto , Distribución por Edad , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Ceguera/etiología , Catarata/complicaciones , Niño , Preescolar , Análisis por Conglomerados , Femenino , Encuestas Epidemiológicas , Humanos , Lactante , Recién Nacido , Malasia/epidemiología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Prevalencia , Errores de Refracción/complicaciones , Distribución por Sexo , Baja Visión/etiologíaRESUMEN
Tamoxifen, a non-steroidal antiestrogen, has been used in the hormonal treatment for breast cancer. The hepatic estrogenic effect of tamoxifen causes severe triglyceridemia. The combined effect of tamoxifen, vitamin C and vitamin E on plasma lipid and lipoprotein is important, since, vitamin C and vitamin E encumbered the lipid abnormalities instigated by tamoxifen. Therefore supplementation of vitamin C (Celin 500 mg) and vitamin E (Evion 400 mg) for 90 days along with tamoxifen (10 mg twice a day) to postmenopausal breast cancer patients was ventured. In tamoxifen-treated patients, total cholesterol (TC), free cholesterol (FC), phospholipids (PL), free fatty acids (FFA), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) levels were decreased and the triglycerides (TG), ester cholesterol (EC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL) levels were increased. Combination therapy reduce all the cholesterol level and VLDL, LDL. TG levels were significantly decreased and HDL, EC levels were significantly increased. These results suggested that tamoxifen treatment is the most effective during co-administration of vitamin C and vitamin E in that they reduce the tamoxifen-induced hypertriglyceridemia.
Asunto(s)
Antineoplásicos Hormonales/uso terapéutico , Ácido Ascórbico/uso terapéutico , Neoplasias de la Mama/sangre , Neoplasias de la Mama/tratamiento farmacológico , Lípidos/sangre , Lipoproteínas/sangre , Tamoxifeno/uso terapéutico , Vitamina E/uso terapéutico , Antineoplásicos Hormonales/efectos adversos , Neoplasias de la Mama/cirugía , Colesterol/sangre , Ésteres del Colesterol/sangre , HDL-Colesterol/sangre , LDL-Colesterol/sangre , VLDL-Colesterol/sangre , Ácidos Grasos no Esterificados/sangre , Femenino , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Fosfolípidos/sangre , Tamoxifeno/efectos adversos , Triglicéridos/sangreRESUMEN
There are a number of differential diagnoses for crystal deposits in the cornea. With the presence of a corneal epithelial defect, the differential diagnosis can be narrowed down to either infective causes or deposits from topical medications. This report describes a case of crystal deposits in the cornea from the use of Vitamin C eye drops.