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Objective: Renal cancers are highly resistant to standard hormonal therapy, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, and the survival rates are extremely low. Betulinic acid is a pentasilic triterpenoid saponin of lupine type obtained from various natural plants, especially from the shell of Betula plant. Betulinic acid was shown both in in vivo, and in vitro to have the ability to induce apoptotic pathways causing no toxicity for normal cells, and also has immunomodulatory effects. The aim of the present project is to investigate the anticancer effects of betulinic acid on CAKI-2 (ATCC® HTB-47™; clear cell renal carcinoma), ACHN (ATCC® CRL-1611™; renal cell adenocarcinoma) and MRC-5 (ATCC® CCL-171™: normal lung fibroblast) cell lines. Materials and Methods: The dose, and time-dependent cell viability was determined using the WST-1 test first in cell lines, and then apoptotic activity was determined with Annexin-V, apoptosis related nucleosomal enrichment factor levels, and Caspase 3 / BCA activity. Results: Betulinic acid reduced the CAKI-2, and ACHN cell viability in dose, and time-dependent manner inducing the apoptotic pathway. Conclusion: Researchers in the present study concluded in accordance with the results of Annexin-V, apoptosis-associated nucleosomal enrichment factor levels and Caspase 3 / BCA activity that betulinic acid triggered the apoptosis in both renal cancer cell lines, especially by the Caspase 3 activity.

In recent years, substance-related disorders have become an important public health problem due to the effects of substance use on the nervous system later in life periods. Substance-related disorders are basically divided into two categories; substance use disorders and substance-induced disorders. Substance-related disorders consist of substance intoxication, substance withdrawal and other substance-induced disorders such as substance-induced psychotic disorders. The possibility of conversion of substance use disorders to chronic psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disease reveals the importance of its diagnosis and treatment. In related cases, it is important to make distinction between the primer psychotic disorder and substance related disorder for correct diagnosis and effective treatment. Current treatment options for psychotic disorders caused by the substance include the use of typical (classic) and atypical antipsychotics. Nowadays, atypical antipsychotics are the primary drug of choice in the treatment of substance-induced psychotic disorders, not only because of their positive impacts on psychotic symptoms but also because of their reducing effect on substance craving and seeking and fewer extrapyramidal side effects compared to typical antipsychotics. This review aims to explain the pathogenesis of substance-related psychotic disorders and to discuss the atypical antipsychotics used in the treatment within the framework of current literature.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common type of cancer that genetic and environmental factors also lifestyle habits, infections play important roles in the pathogenesis of disease. Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) is the inducible isoform of enzyme which convert arachidonic acid to prostaglandins. It was known that alterations in COX2 gene functions contribute to the inflammation process thus induce cancer progression, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, adhesion, invasion and metastasis. A total of 114 cases 165 healthy individuals were included in present study. We aimed to evaluate possible association between the COX2; -765, -1195 polymorphisms and the risk of OSCC. The genotypes were determined by using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques. In our study group the carriers of COX2 -765 C allele were statistically higher in patients compared with controls and individuals who had CC genotype had a 3,4 fold high risk for OSCC (p <0,05). We also observed the COX2 -1195 AA genotype frequency was higher in cases that of healthy group and individuals who had AA genotype showed a 1,7 fold increased risk for OSCC (p < 0,05). Haplotype analysis confirmed our result and revealed that the frequencies of COX2 -765C, -1195A haplotype frequencies were significantly higher in patients as compared with those of controls. In conclusion we suggest that COX2, -765, -1195 polymorphisms appear to be an important predictive factor and may be a prognostic biomarker for risk of OSCC. Further investigations with larger study groups are needed to fully elucidate the role of COX2 -765, -1195 variations in the development of OSCC.

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