Combinatorial effect of diclofenac with piperine and D-limonene on inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of breast cancer cells

Objective:To investigate the potential synergistic activity of diclofenac with piperine and D-limonene in inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in breast cancer MCF-7 cells.Methods:Molecular docking study was conducted to evaluate the binding affinity of diclofenac with piperine and D-limonene against p53,Bax,and Bcl-2.The MTT assay was used to determine IC50,and the Chou-Talay method was used to determine the synergistic concentration of the combination treatment of diclofenac plus piperine and diclofenac plus D-limonene.Apoptosis detection,cell cycle arrest,reactive oxygen species production,and mitochondrial membrane potential were also investigated.Results:Diclofenac,piperine,and D-limonene showed potent binding affinity for p53,Bax,and Bcl-2.Diclofenac plus piperine and diclofenac plus D-limonene enhanced the formation of reactive oxygen species,which also had an effect on the mitochondrial membrane’s integrity and caused DNA fragmentation.Diclofenac plus piperine and diclofenac plus D-limonene arrested the cells in the sub-G0phase while drastically lowering the percentage of cells in the G2/M phase.Furthermore,the elevated apoptosis in the combined therapy was confirmed by annexin V/propidium iodide staining.Conclusions:The combined therapy prominently enhanced the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects on MCF-7 cells compared with treatment with diclofenac,piperine,and D-limonene alone.

Anti-leukemic and anti-angiogenic effects of D-Limonene on K562-implanted C57BL/6 mice and the chick chorioallantoic membrane model

Background: D-Limonene, a monoterpene from citrus fruit has been found to have chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activities in various types of cancers. In this study, we evaluated the in vivo effect of D-Limonene on a K562-induced model of chronic myeloid leukemia(CML) in C57 BL/6 mice.Method: The tail vein injection model of K562 cells in immunocompromised C57 BL/6 mice was developed and evaluated for characteristics of the disease. The mice were treated with D-Limonene and evaluated for haematological parameters. We also evaluated the effect of D-Limonene on angiogenesis using the chick chorioallantoic membrane(CAM) assay.Results: In a complete blood count, a significant dose-dependent reduction in white blood cell, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, but an elevation in red blood cell count and haemoglobin content was observed with D-Limonene treatment compared to the disease control or untreated group. In the CAM assay, D-Limonene produced a significant dose-dependent reduction in number of blood vessels in treatment groups compared to the vehicle-treated group.Conclusion: These studies suggest promising anti-leukemic and anti-angiogenic effects of D-Limonene in the treatment of CML.

d-limonene prevents ultraviolet irradiation:Induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in Skh1 mouse skin

AIM: To establish whether d-limonene can protect against induction of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers(CPDs) and sunburn in ultraviolet irradiation(UVR) irradiated mouse skin. METHODS: The d-limonene was given in 4 daily oral 20 μL aliquots at different concentrations as follows: 100%, 10% or 1% in liponate and 100% liponate as control. One day after the final d-limonene treatment, the mice were anesthetized with i.p. sodium pentobarbital and placed in boxes to allow a rectangular(2 cm × 4 cm) region of dorsal skin to be irradiated with a single, ultraviolet radiation dose of 1.5 kJ /m2. Skin samples from UVR irradiated area were obtained at 5 min after UVR exposure for CPD detection, at 6 d after UVR exposure, skin samples were obtained for in situ analysis for N-myc downstream regulating gene 1(NDRG1)(a stress response gene), proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA)(an S-phase marker) and filaggrin(a barrier integrity gene). Based on immunohistochemistry staining, the number of CPD, NDRG1 and PCNA positive cells, as well as unstained cells was counted in 3 different individually selected areas and percentage of positive cells was established. RESULTS: CPD reduction occurred as follows: liponate only-none; 1% d-limonene-54.3% reduction of CPDs; 10% d-limonene-73.4% reduction of CPDs; 100% d-limonene-86.1% reduction of CPDs, the latter equivalent to a UV dose of only 0.21 k J/m2. Sunburn was also dose-dependently reduced by d-limonene. The NDRG1 protein was strongly induced by UVR(70.0% ± 10.4% positive cells), but 1% d-limonene reduced the response to 64.6% ± 9.2%, 10% d-limonene reduced the response to 16.2% ± 3.4% and 100% d-limonene reduced the response to 6.3% ± 1.7%. Similarly, PCNA was 52.4% ± 9.9% positive in UVR exposed skin, and 1% d-limonene reduced it to 42.9% ± 8.1%, 10% d-limonene reduced it to 36.2% ± 6.7% and 100% d-limonene reduce it to 13.8% ± 3.4%. NDRG1 and PCNA were increased by d-limonene or UVR separately, but combined they produced less than either agent separately owing to the protective effect of pre-exposure to d-limonene. CONCLUSION: Overall d-limonene acted to protect against ultraviolet B-induced DNA photodamage and sunburn in UVR exposed skin.

Study on the Resolving Phlegm Effect of D-Limonene in Mice with Spleen Deficiency and Phlegm-Dampness Syndrome

Objective:According to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory,spleen deficiency and phlegm-dampness syndrome(SDPDS)are caused by abnormal water metabolism in the body because of spleen dysfunction.The purpose of this article was to evaluate the efficacy of D-limonene(DL)in resolving phlegm in mice with SDPDS from the perspective of regulating the level of aquaporin 3(AQP3).Methods:The model of SDPDS was induced in mice using the multifactor modeling method,which combines internal and external dampness.An artificial climate box was used to create a humid environment,whereas the irregular diet was caused by different feeding methods on odd-even days.The mice were divided into blank control,model group,DL low-dose,DL high-dose,and positive groups.The mice were modeled and treated for 7 day.Levels of gastrin and amylase(AMS)in the serum,mucus secretion in the trachea,and AQP3 in the tissue near the gastric cardia.Results:DL significantly reduced mucus secretion in the trachea(P<0.001).It also increased the level of AMS in the serum(P<0.01)and decreased the level of AQP3 in the gastric tissue(P<0.01).Conclusions:Mice with SDPDS exhibited disturbed water metabolism and significantly increased AQP3 levels.DL can restore the levels of AQP3 and plays an important role in resolving phlegm.This study may also help expand the efficacy of natural drugs containing DL and improve the utilization of natural drug resources.

Citrus oils as chain transfer agents in the cross-metathesis degradation of polybutadiene in block copolymers using Ru-alkylidene catalysts

The cross-metathesis degradation of poly(styrene-co-butadiene) (styrene, 30 wt%) (SB-1) and poly(styrene-co-butadiene) (styrene, 21 wt%) (SB- 2) in the presence of essential oils and d-limo-nene as chain transfer agents (CTAs) using Rualkylidene catalysts (PCy3)2(Cl)2Ru = CHPh (I) and (1,3-diphenyl-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene) (PCy3)Cl2Ru=CHPh (II) was studied. Terpene-terminated butadiene oligomers and polystyrene blocks were obtained as products of the degradation of SB-1 and SB-2. Catalysts I and II showed high activity in the degradation of SB copolymers to produce the low molecular weight products (Mn = 276 - 335 g·mol-1) and yields ranging from 91% - 95%. The cross-metathesis degradation of copolymers in organic solvents and in citrus oils (mandarin, orange and lemon oils) proceeded with similar efficiency and resulted in the same molecular weight butadiene oligomers. According to GS/MS (EI) analysis, the main products of the degradation of SB-1 copolymer with d-limonene were limonene-terminated oligomers of series Am (m = 1 - 4).

First Estimation of Drosophila EPS Solution for Permeabilizing Lepidoptera <i>Galleria mellonella</i>Embryos

The increased importance of the G. mellonella for wide range of scientific research and commercial sides will need to create a germplasm resource banking by cryopreservation. Impermeability is a fundamental limiting factor for the successful cryopreservation of arthropods embryos. The successful permeability of Drosophila embryo by using an embryo permeabilization solvent (EPS) solution encouraged this trial on G. mellonella embryos (stage of 24 hours Post-oviposition (h PO)). Permeability assessment with Rhodamine B and crystal violet dyes showed that G. mellonella embryos can be permeabilized by EPS of D-limonene that has 3 mol ethoxylated alcohol. The permeabilization for 30 sec exposure time was resulted 61.5% ± 5.8% survival rate, 31.7% ± 3.1% uptakes dyes and 40.5% ± 0.3% was the survival rate post loading in 12% Ethylene glycol (EG). The low viability after immersion in liquid nitrogen (LN) (0.6% ± 0.08%) is due to the dual toxicity of EPS and cryoprotectant (CPA) solutions. However, fluorescence images showed sufficient permeability that confirms the possibility to increase the permeability of G. mellonella embryos with EPS solution, and to have the opportunity to improve the viability after LN by improving procedures of loading and dehydration with various CPAs and exposure times, which decrease the toxicity effect.

Combination of microwave heating and transglutaminase cross-linking enhances the stability of limonene emulsion carried by whey protein isolate

In this study,we examined the effect of transglutaminase(TG)cross-linking time(0 h,2 h,4 h,8 h,and 12 h)on the stability of limonene emulsion loaded by microwave-heated WPI(MWPI).Size exclusion chromatography results showed that molecular weight of TG-treated MWPI and WPI was enhanced with the increase in TG cross-linking time(0–12 h).Microwave and TG cross-linking decreased particle size(7.55%)and increasedζ-potential(5.33%)and protein adsorption(4.58%)of WPI emulsion at TG cross-linking time of 12 h.CLSM results showed smaller droplet size of MWPI-TG emulsion and its uniform size.The obtained limonene emulsion loaded by MWPI-TG at 12 h showed the lowest creaming index and the strongest oxidative stability under aerobic conditions after 10th days of storage.Thus,the combination of microwave heating and TG cross-linking effectively enhanced the stability of limonene emulsion stabilized by WPI and facilitating the application of WPI in the fields of food,medicine,cosmetics,and other areas.