Chaudhary, et al.: In vitro Evaluation of Brassica SproutsThe present study was conducted on sprouts (5 and 7 days) of turnip (Brassica rapa), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) and mustard (Brassica juncea) for bioactivity. Their antioxidant potential was assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, superoxide anion radical scavenging assays at 0.125-2 mg/ml concentration. The extract of turnip, cauliflower and mustard (5 and 7 days) showed a potent antioxidant effect and significant cytotoxic effect at 100 µg/ml concentration of extract. The antiproliferative potential was also evaluated by applying cell cycle and intracellular reactive oxygen species generation assay at IC 50 value. Various phytochemicals and hydrolytic products of glucosinolates were observed in a different extract of turnip, cauliflower, and mustard sprouts. Flow cytometric analysis showed that all the extracts caused an increase in a G 0 population of the PC-3 cells in cell cycle analysis and an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species generation as compared to untreated cells. Confocal imaging of the cells stained with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole and 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate showed DNA fragmentation and increase of fluorescence which supports apoptosis and intracellular generation of the reactive oxygen species as the possible cause of cell death. The reported activity was correlated with the presence of different organosulfur compounds identified by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Key words: Brassica sprout, antioxidant assay, cell cycle, ROS, confocal microscopy, MTT assayIn recent years, health protection by natural products or plant derived foods has received a considerable attention [1] . Specific groups of vegetables are particularly rich in potentially protective phytochemicals, especially Brassica contains a high concentration of constituents with antioxidant properties (e.g. carotenoids, vitamin C and folates) as well as glucosinolates precursors of isothiocyanates (ITCs) and indoles that modulate the activity of xenobiotic biotransformation [2] . A diet rich in fruits, cruciferous vegetables has been linked to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, including cancer. The importance of this family for food crops has led to its selective breeding throughout the history. Cruciferous sprouts of broccoli, alfalfa, buckwheat and bean etc. have received considerable attention due to their rich content of health-promoting phytochemical constituents such as glucosinolates phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid related to cancer prevention as well as having antioxidant properties [3][4][5][6][7] .During sprouting generally, phytonutrient content increases as compared to seeds and consumption of these sprouts is the best way to gain all the health benefits [8,9] . Naturally occurring ITCs, found abundantly in cruciferous vegetables, inhibit tumorigenesis by inducing apoptosis and arresting cell cycle progression. In addition, induction of detoxification enzymes suggested the mechanism through which cruciferous v...

There is a huge potential for dragon fruits grown in India but insufficient information may hamper its production and postharvest handling. The aim of this study was to investigate the right harvest time and maturity indices for red and white pulp dragon fruit. Growth and developmental studies were undertaken using destructive (total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity and TSS: acid ratio) and non-destructive methods (fruit weight, specific gravity, peel colour and heat units). Fruits were collected at seven intervals (7, 14, 21, 26, 31, 36 and 41 days after flowering) to assess the right maturity. All these methods were used to standardize the optimum maturity and right time for the harvest of red and white pulp dragon fruit. Harvesting dragon fruits between 31-36 days after flowering (DAF) was found ideal for optimum maturity and quality. Both red and white pulp fruits harvested at 31 DAF showed better quality in terms of physic-chemical and sensory attributes.

Despite several treatment options for blood cancer, mortality remains high due to relapse and the disease’s aggressive nature. Elevated levels of HSP90, a molecular chaperone essential for protein folding, are associated with poor prognosis in leukemia and lymphoma. HSP90 as a target for chemotherapy has been met with limited success due to toxicity and induction of heat shock. This study tested the activity of an HSP90 inhibitor, SP11, against leukemic cells, mouse lymphoma allograft, and xenograft models. SP11 induced cytotoxicity in vitro in leukemic cell lines and induced cell death via apoptosis, with minimal effect on normal cells. SP11 induced cell death by altering the status of HSP90 client proteins both in vitro and in vivo. SP11 reduced the tumor burden in allograft and xenograft mouse models without apparent toxicity. The half-life of SP11 in the plasma was approximately 2 h. SP11 binding was observed at both the N-terminal and C-terminal domains of HSP90. C-terminal binding was more potent than N-terminal binding of HSP90 in silico and in vitro using isothermal calorimetry. SP11 bioavailability and minimal toxicity in vivo make it a potential candidate to be developed as a novel anticancer agent.