The insecticidal activities of essential oil extracts from leaves, flowers and roots of aromatic plants against fourth-instar larvae of the mosquito Culex pipiens molestus Forskal were determined. Extracts of Foeniculum vulgare Mill were the most toxic, followed by those of Ferula hermonis Boiss, Citrus sinensis Osbeck, Pinus pinea L, Laurus nobilis L and Eucalyptus spp with LC50 values of 24.5, 44.0, 60.0, 75.0, 117.0 and 120.0 mg litre(-1), respectively. Combination tests between the LC50 and the maximum sub-lethal concentration (MSLC) were determined. Over 20 major components were identified in extracts from each plant species tested. Five essential oils and nine pure components were studied for their repellency against mosquito bites. Terpineol and 1,8-cineole were the most effective against Culex pipiens molestus bites offering complete protection for 1.6 and 2 h, respectively.

The synthesis and structure-activity relationships associated with a series of 1,1-diarylethylene tubulin polymerization inhibitors 3 and 4 are described. The key step for their preparation involves a palladium-catalyzed coupling of N-arylsulfonylhydrazones with aryl halides, thus providing flexible and convergent access to tri- and tetrasubstituted 1,1-diarylolefins 3 and 4 related to isocombretastatin A-4 (isoCA-4). These compounds have been evaluated for tubulin polymerization inhibitory activity as well as for cytotoxic activity. The most potent compounds are 1,1-diaryl-2-methoxyethylenes 4b, 4d and 4e having a trisubstituted double bond. They exhibited good antiproliferative activity against various human cancer cell lines (GI(50) = 8-80 nM). Compounds 4b and 4e strongly inhibited tubulin polymerization with IC(50) values of 2 and 3 μM, respectively, and induced cell cycle arrest in the G(2)/M phase in the K562 cell line. Docking studies in the colchicine binding site of tubulin allowed identification of residues most likely to interact with these inhibitors and explain their potent anti-tubulin activity.

Context: The genus Cyclamen L. (Primulaceae) is rich in saponins known to have interesting biological activities. Objective: To isolate saxifragifolin B and cyclamin, two triterpene saponins, from Cyclamen libanoticum Hildebr and Cyclamen persicum Mill, and to assess their cytotoxic, clastogenic/ aneugenic, and anticlastogenic effects, as well as antioxidant potential. Materials and methods: Saxifragifolin B and cyclamin were tested for their cytotoxicity against SK-BR-3, HT-29, HepG2/3A, NCI-H1299, BXPC-3, 22RV1, and normal DMEM cell lines using WST-1 assay. Their clastogenic/aneugenic activities and anticlastogenic effects against the anticancer drug mitomycin C were assessed by the in vitro micronucleus assay in CHO cells. Their antioxidant capacities were determined using Fe 2+ -chelating and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assays. Results: Both saponins were described for the first time in Cyclamen libanoticum. They showed strong cytotoxic activities against the tested cancer cell lines. Saxifragifolin B was found to be 56-and 37-times more active than mitomycin C against breast adenocarcinoma (SK-BR-3) and lung carcinoma (NCI-H1299), respectively. Also, saxifragifolin B did not induce micronuclei formation and prevented cells from mitomycin C clastogenic effect. Cyclamin induced a significant increase of micronucleated cells after metabolic activation with S9 mix, and did not possess any anticlastogenic activity. Both molecules exhibited low antioxidant activities as compared to reference compounds. Discussion and conclusions: This study showed the remarkable cytotoxic activity of saxifragifolin B, especially against breast adenocarcinoma and lung carcinoma and its chemoprotective activity against mitomycin C. Thus, saxifragifolin B could be suggested as a potential cytotoxic drug with a preventive effect against possible exposures to genotoxic agents.

Aqueous, methanolic, and dichloromethane extracts from 27 Lebanese plants were investigated for their in vitro immunomodulatory and antileishmanial activities as compared to their toxicity against human cells. Extracts from yellow chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria), white larkspur (Consolida rigida), Syrian broom (Cytisus syriacus), coast spurge (Euphorbia paralias), shield fibigia (Fibigia clypeata), Auchers golden-drop (Onosma aucheriana), shell-flower sage (Salvia multicaulis), snowy woundwort (Stachys nivea), Palestine woundwort (Stachys palaestina), and polium-leaved speedwell (Veronica polifolia) exhibited interesting antileishmanial activities on the intracellular amastigote form of the parasite, while several extracts from A. tinctoria, F. clypeata, and O. aucheriana were shown to induce nitrous oxide (NO) production by human macrophages. Further experiments should be performed in order to purify and characterize the chemical compounds responsible for these activities.