Dietary foods and fruits possess an array of flavonoids with unique chemical structure and diverse bioactivities relevant to cancer. Numerous epidemiological studies have validated the inverse relation between the consumption of flavonoids and the risk of cancer. Flavonoids possess cancer blocking and suppressing effects. Flavonoids modulate various CYPs involved in carcinogen activation and scavenging reactive species formed from carcinogens by CYP-mediated reactions. They induce biosynthesis of several CYPs. They are involved in the regulation of enzymes of phase-II responsible for xenobiotic biotransformation and colon microflora. Since cytochromes P450, P-gp and phase-II enzymes are involved in the metabolism of drugs and in the processes of chemical carcinogenesis, interactions of flavonoids with these systems hold great promise for their therapeutic potential. The role of flavonoids also includes the inhibition of activation of pro-carcinogens, inhibition of proliferation of cancer cells, selective death of cancer cells by apoptosis, inhibition of metastasis and angiogenesis, activation of immune response against cancer cells, modulation of the inflammatory cascade and the modulation of drug resistance. This has greatly extended the goal of cancer therapy from eradicating the affected cells to control of the cancer phenotype. Phytotherapy is being used in combination with other therapies as phytonutrients have been shown to work by nutrient synergy.

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) has been immobilized on surfactant-modified silylated chitosan (SMSC) for the carbonation reaction. CA immobilized on SMSC was characterized using a scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared analysis. The effect of various parameters, such as pH, temperature, and storage stability, on immobilized CA was investigated using a p-nitrophenyl acetate (p-NPA) assay. The optimum pH and temperature were determined to be 7 and 35 °C, respectively. Kinetic parameters of immobilized and free CA (K m and V max values) were also evaluated. For immobilized CA, the K m value was 4.547 mM and the V max value was 1.018 mmol min -1 mg -1 , whereas for the free CA, the K m value was 1.211 mM and the V max value was 1.125 mmol min -1 mg -1 . It was observed that immobilized CA had longer storage stability and retained 50% of its initial activity up to 30 days. Proof of concept has been established for the biomimetic carbonation reaction. The CO 2 sequestration capacity in terms of conversion of CO 2 to carbonate was quantified by gas chromatography (GC). It was 10.73 and 14.92 mg of CaCO 3 /mg of CA for immobilized and free CA, respectively, under a limiting concentration of CO 2 (14.5 mg of CO 2 /10 mL).

No abstract

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a main anticancer component in green tea, has a poor bioavailability in rats and humans due to oxidation, metabolism and its efflux. It was hypothesized that nutrients that address these problems might result in increased bioavailability. Plasma concentrations of EGCG at various time intervals were determined to calculate and compare the pharmacokinetic parameters after oral administration of green tea extract (GTE) or GTE as a nutrient mixture (E) or E + quercetin (Q)/red onions. In rat studies, supplementation of GTE with other nutrients (E) or E + Q raised the plasma C(max) from 55.29 +/- 1.70 to 61.94 +/- 1.70 ng/mL and 94.44 +/- 1.59 ng/mL, respectively. The corresponding t((1/2)) elimination was 2.04 +/- 0.2 h, 3.63 +/- 0.66 h and 2.28 +/- 0.049 h. The AUC(0-24h) were 510.16 +/- 9.88 for GTE, 601.72 +/- 19.10 ng.h/mL for E and 794.08 +/- 15.27 ng x h/mL (p < or = 0.05) for E + Q. In human studies when GTE was fed as GTE or E or E + red onions, the C(max) values were 348.4 +/- 76.6, 384.0 +/- 78.5 ng/mL and 468.4 +/- 131.4. AUC(0-8h) was 1784.1 +/- 56.06 (GTE), 1971.5 +/- 566.5 ng x h/mL (E) and 2490 +/- 878.1 (E + Q), but the change in t((1/2)) elimination was not significant.In conclusion, it is possible to increase the bioavailability of EGCG by supplementing it with nutrients and quercetin.

No abstract