Coumarins are the most important class of natural compounds found widely in various plants. Many coumarin derivatives with different biological and pharmacological activities have been synthesized. In this study, the antiapoptotic and cytotoxic effects and DNA-binding properties of some synthetic coumarin derivatives (4b, 4d, 4f, 4 g (DBP-g), 4 h and 4j) against K562 cell lines were investigated using different techniques. MTT assay indicated that the DBP-g compound was more active than other derivatives, with a IC 50 value of 55 μM, and therefore this compound was chosen for further investigation. Apoptosis induction was assessed using acridine orange/ethidium bromide double-staining and cell-cycle analysis. In addition, in vitro DNA-binding studies were carried out using ultraviolet-visible light absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, as well as viscosity measurement and molecular modelling studies. In vitro results indicated that DBP-g interacted with DNA through a groovebinding mode with a binding constant (K b ) of 1.17 × 10 4 M −1 . In agreement with other experimental data, molecular docking studies showed that DBP-g is a minor groove binder. Overall, it can be concluded that DBP-g could be used as an effective and novel chemotherapeutic agent.

The relationship between ABO blood group distribution and Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD) has been widely evaluated in the past. But data concerning the same evaluation are very limited in Iran. This study sought to determine the distribution of ABO blood group in patients with PUD in Iranian subjects. Eighty-one patients with PUD (51 male and 30 female; mean age: 49 +/- 18 years) who attended our endoscopy section were enrolled. Blood samples were used for ABO/Rhesus (Rh) blood group antigen typing. The ABO blood group phenotype distribution in subjects was as follows: 37.1% (30/81) for group A, 23.4% (19/81) for group B, 35.6% (28/81) for group O and 4.9% (4/81) for group AB. Rh positivity was found in 63% (51/81) of patients. In local healthy population, ABO/Rh blood group distribution was 33.8, 20.7, 34.7, 8.4 and 89.6% for A, B, O, AB and Rh, respectively. AB blood group distribution in healthy population was higher than PUD (8.4 vs 4.9%). In contrast, Rh positivity of PUD in Iran is lower than healthy subjects (63 vs 89.6%). Variation in the results of studies is related to different study communities. According to these results, probably ABO/Rh blood group has an important role in patients with peptic ulceration. The functional significance of ABO blood group distribution might be associated with biological behavior of PUD. The impact of blood group on PUD may be a focus for further studies.

Cardiac syndrome X (CSX) is characterized by chest pain, typical angina pectoris, abnormal exercise test result and normal coronary arteries. Microvascular dysfunction and enhanced oxidative stress are the mechanisms suspected to play an important role in the pathogenesis of CSX. Thus we aimed to evaluate the oxidative stress status of 28 patients with CSX (14 male/14 female, mean age 49.5 ± 9.3 years) and 24 age-and gender-matched healthy controls (10 male/14 female, mean age 45.6 ± 5.7 years). Blood samples were drawn for measurement of malodialdehyde (MDA), as a marker of lipid peroxidation, glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, as antioxidant markers and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), as a marker of total antioxidant capacity. There was significant increase in the levels of MDA in CSX patients comparing to controls (3.8 ± 0.12 vs 3.3 ± 0.14 mM, respectively; p = 0.006). But the levels of FRAP in CSX patients were significantly lower than those controls (504 ± 19 vs 568 ± 26 µM, respectively; p = 0.046). Also, GSH levels and SOD activity in patients were significantly lower than those of the controls (GSH: 133.6 ± 5.4 vs 152.5 ± 7.8 mmol/g Hb, p = 0.048; SOD: 386 ± 34 vs 578 ± 38 U/g Hb, p = 0.0001). It may be concluded that there is systemic oxidative stress in CSX patients. Considerable changes of antioxidant concentrations, indicating a compensatory mechanism to cope with increased oxidative stress in CSX patients and the body's antioxidant defence mechanisms try to minimize oxidative stress damage.

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