No abstract

Wounds represent a medical problem that contributes importantly to patient morbidity and to healthcare costs in several pathologies. In Hidalgo, Mexico, the Bacopa procumbens plant has been traditionally used for wound-healing care for several generations; in vitro and in vivo experiments were designed to evaluate the effects of bioactive compounds obtained from a B. procumbens aqueous fraction and to determine the key pathways involved in wound regeneration. Bioactive compounds were characterized by HPLC/QTOF-MS, and proliferation, migration, adhesion, and differentiation studies were conducted on NIH/3T3 fibroblasts. Polyphenolic compounds from Bacopa procumbens (PB) regulated proliferation and cell adhesion; enhanced migration, reducing the artificial scratch area; and modulated cell differentiation. PB compounds were included in a hydrogel for topical administration in a rat excision wound model. Histological, histochemical, and mechanical analyses showed that PB treatment accelerates wound closure in at least 48 h and reduces inflammation, increasing cell proliferation and deposition and organization of collagen at earlier times. These changes resulted in the formation of a scar with better tensile properties. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR molecular analyses demonstrated that treatment induces (i) overexpression of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and (ii) the phosphorylation of Smad2/3 and ERK1/2, suggesting the central role of some PB compounds to enhance wound healing, modulating TGF-β activation.

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is a tree nut native to North America with high oil content. Pecan oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and other lipid soluble phytochemicals. Many geographical and environmental factors are responsible for the phytochemical content of the oil, and little current information exists on the properties of pecans grown in northern México. We formulated the hypothesis that pecans grown in multiple locations are exposed to different environmental conditions which alter the concentration of the phytochemicals in the oil. We characterized oil from pecans harvested in 2009 and 2010, in three different regions in northern Mexico. The content of individual fatty acids varied significantly within growing location (mainly oleic and linoleic, which were inversely related) and from year to year (mainly linolenic). Phytosterols and tocopherols also showed significant variation among locations; polyphenols were statistically similar in all samples. Oxidative stability of pecan oil, evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry, was similar to other oils with a similar content of unsaturated fatty acids. It may be concluded that the chemical composition of pecan oil is sensitive to the environment in which it is produced, but on average, the studied pecan oils were good sources of phytochemicals.

Breast cancer (BrC) is a major health problem in women all around the world. A growing knowledge about these alterations and their associated molecular signaling pathways offers opportunities for therapeutic strategies; chemotherapy is one of the most utilized treatments; however, because of the adverse side effects and multidrug resistance that patients may present, there has been great advancement in search of new alternatives as the use of plant-derived natural compounds. This review describes information on the progress and development of cytotoxic compounds against BrC belonging to the families of flavonoids, terpenes, and alkaloids that through in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated to induce cellular death mainly through apoptosis, activating the intrinsic pathway. The in vitro IC 50 and the in vivo EC 50 dose-response relationship can vary depending on various factors, including the choice of cell line and/or the model used. Also, the association of some of these compounds with nanoparticles or paclitaxel with antibodies has clearly shown a potential improvement in its effect. The clinical studies that are being conducted with some of them show promising results; however, it is necessary to continue with the effort to develop new and more effective drugs against different types of BrC.Cytotoxic Effect and Mechanisms from Some In vivo models for studying plant-derived compounds in breast cancerWide varieties of animal model systems are now available to investigate plantderived compounds in different stages, such as cancer initiation, promotion progression, invasion, and metastasis. These models are also used to comprehend therapeutic response, which represents an essential step between in vitro systems and clinical studies [8,13]. The in vivo models are also used to investigate the capability of plant formulation to induce an anti-BrC effect where it is sought to optimize dose, bioavailability, administration routes, and selective delivery and reduce toxic effects, among others [8,14]. The two animal species that will be mentioned in this review are those involving mice and rats [14]; however, BrC mouse models are used in a variety of preclinical studies [13].There are different types of in vivo models of BrC, such as cell line-derived xenografts (MDA-MB-231 line) that are implanted into immunocompromised animals (cell-derived xenografts, CDX). CDX models represent a relatively homogenous mass of transformed breast epithelial cells, and depending on where the cells are inoculated, they are classified as ectopic CDX (models advanced disease only, subcutaneous injection of human tumor cells), orthotopic CDX (in mammary gland/fat pad), metastatic CDX (following tail vein or intra-cardiac injection in specific sites, i.e., bone or lung), syngeneic (mouse tissue implanted to strainmatched host) or metastasis with syngeneic model (usually fast-growing tumors and microenvironment derive from the same species, i.e., 4T1 cells), and genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) to address early events of tu...

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential effects of a formulation derived from the bioactive fraction of nanostructured Bacopa procumbens (BFNB) on the promotion of hair growth in C57BL/6 mice. The characterization of the follicular phases and histomorphological analysis showed that the topical application of the formulation for 15 days significantly increased pigmentation and hair growth on the dorsum and head of the mice. Additionally, an acceleration of the follicular cycle phases was observed, along with an increase in the number of follicles, hair length, and diameter, compared to mice treated with minoxidil. In silico analysis and molecular characterization demonstrated that BFNB enhances the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and fibroblast growth factor 7 (FGF7), activating the PI3K-AKT-β-catenin signaling pathway, as well as the expression of PCNA, KI-67, Cyclin D1, and Cyclin E, regulating the cell cycle and cell proliferation, crucial events for hair regeneration. Our results strongly suggest the utility of BFNB as a therapeutic alternative to stimulate hair growth and promote hair health.