Gastric cancer (GC) is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality because of cancer. Medicinal plants containing polyphenolic compounds have gained importance in anticancer treatment. In this context, carvacrol is a main component of many plants in the family Lamiaceae that are frequently used in folk medicine and a good candidate to investigate for GC treatment. The present study aimed to explore the cytotoxic, genotoxic, apoptotic, and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating effects of carvacrol on gastric adenocarcinoma in vitro. For these purposes, human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cells were used and analyzed after 24 h of exposure to carvacrol with different concentrations. The cytotoxicity, ROS generation, glutathione (GSH) level, and genotoxicity were investigated by the ATP cell viability assay, 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein-diacetate assay, GSH/GSSG-Glo assay, and comet assay, respectively. Apoptosis induction was detected by acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining and western blotting at below the half-maximal growth inhibitory concentration value. Carvacrol showed cytotoxic, genotoxic, apoptotic, ROS generating, and GSH-reducing effects on AGS cells in a dose-dependent manner. There was a close negative relationship between cell viability and ROS level. Carvacrol inhibited the proliferation of AGS cells, suggesting that it could be a novel and strong anticancer agent against the human gastric adenocarcinoma. These results support the interest of natural diet components in the development of therapeutic products for diseases.

The relationships of demodex density with systemic oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and clinical severity in rosacea are not clear. This study aimed to (a) analyze the levels of systemic oxidative stress, antioxidant capacity, inflammatory parameters, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in systemic circulation in patients with rosacea, (b) identify the relationship between mite density and both oxidative stress and inflammation, and (c) investigate the role of photoaging and sebum secretion in etiopathogenesis. Forty patients with rosacea and 40 age-, sex-, and skin phenotype-matched healthy volunteers were included in the study. Clinical disease severity of the patients was determined. Sebum levels were measured in both the groups, and photoaging was evaluated. Reflectance confocal microscopy was used to calculate demodex density. Serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant capacity (TOC), myeloperoxidase (MPO), MMP-1, MMP-9, arylesterase (ARES), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were also analyzed. The patients with rosacea had significantly higher serum TOC and lower TAC levels (p < 0.001). The serum ARES and PON-1 levels were significantly lower (p = 0.045 and p < 0.001, respectively); however, the serum levels of MMP-1, MMP-9, IL-1β and MPO were higher in the patient group. Demodex parameters were higher in the patient group compared to the control group. There was no significant correlation between the number of mites and disease severity. In addition, the number of mites was not correlated with the serum levels of TAC, TOC, OSI, MPO, MMP-1, MMP-9, ARES, PON-1, TNF-α, and IL-1β. However, sebum levels were directly proportional to the number of mites. Photoaging severity was similar between the patients and control subjects. The changing sebaceous microenvironment in rosacea leads to an increase in the number of demodex mites. However, increased demodex density does not alter disease severity, level of oxidative stress, or inflammation. Although none of the patients with rosacea had any underlying systemic disease, patients' systemic oxidative stress and inflammation parameters were found high in systemic circulation. It is assumed that the patients with rosacea are more prone to systemic diseases.

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