In vitro cytotoxic activities of (+)-usnic acid and (-)-usnic acid on V79, A549, and human lymphocyte cells and their non-genotoxicity on human lymphocytes

This study investigates cytotoxic and genotoxic activities of (+)-Usnic acid and (-)-usnic acid isolated from the lichen Ramalina farinacea and the lichen Cladonia foliacea, respectively. To determine the activities of these acids, we used the MTT assay on V79 (Chinese hamster lung fibroblast like) and A549 (human lung carcinoma epithelial like) cell lines and cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus (CBMN) assay in human lymphocytes in vitro. Our results suggest that both enantiomers of usnic acid are non-genotoxic shown by the absence of micronucleus induction in human lymphocytes and have significant cytotoxic and apoptotic effects to induce cell killing in cultured human lymphocytes, V79 and A549 cell lines. Even low doses of (+)-usnic acid showed high cytotoxic activity against cancerous cells. The MTT results and cell proliferation index (CPI) values based on the CBMN test results are found in good agreement.     

New asymmetric generalizations of the Filbert and Lilbert matrices

Periodica Mathematica Hungarica - Two new asymmetric generalizations of the Filbert and Lilbert matrices constructed by the products of two Fibonacci and Lucas numbers are considered, with...     

Identification of a novel series of alkylitaconic acids in wood cultures of Ceriporiopsis subvermispora by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

A novel series of long-chain unsaturated dicarboxylic acids consisting of a long aliphatic chain attached to the C-3 position of itaconic acid has been identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry during in vitro decay of eucalypt wood by the white-rot basidiomycete Ceriporiopsis subvermispora. The major compounds were identified as tetradecyl-, 7-hexadecenyl- and hexadecylitaconic acids by their mass fragmentation patterns. Other members of the same compound series, identified as dodecanyl-, tridecanyl-, tetradecenyl-, pentadecanyl-, octadecenyl- and octadecanylitaconic acids, were present in very minor amounts or traces. Whereas hexadecenylitaconic acid has already been reported in cultures of C. subvermispora, to our knowledge this is the first report of the presence of the other alkylitaconic acids in fungal cultures. These new alkylitaconic-type metabolites may constitute a source for peroxidizable lipids involved in lignin degradation during wood decay by C. subvermispora and other white-rot basidiomycetes.     

Cytotoxic effect of eudesmanolides isolated from flowers of Tanacetum vulgare ssp. siculum

A phytochemical analysis of the dichloromethane extract from the flowers of a subspecies of Tanacetum vulgare growing in Sicily was carried out. Five known sesquiterpene lactones with the eudesmane skeleton have been isolated and the cytotoxic activity of these compounds was tested in vitro on A549 (human lung carcinoma epithelial-like) and V79379A (Chinese hamster lung fibroblast-like) cells using the tetrazolium salt reduction (MTT) assay. All of tested compounds induced high time- and concentration-dependent cytotoxic effects.     

Synthesis and Characterization of New Binaphthyl‐Linked Phenanthroline‐, Bipyridine‐, or Pyridine‐Derived Ligands,and the Study of Their Cytotoxic Activity

In the present work, we describe the synthesis and characterization of five new versatile acyclic or macrocyclic ligands containing binaphthyl‐linked pyridine, bipyridine, or phenanthroline groups in their framework (see Schemes 1–4). The structures of the ligands were elucidated on the basis of elemental analyses, IR, ¹H‐NMR, ¹³C‐NMR, and FAB mass spectra. The cytotoxicity of these compounds was tested in vitro by using the tetrazolium salt reduction (MTT) assay on A549 (human lung carcinoma epithelial like) cells. All of the tested compounds induced time‐ and concentration‐dependent cytotoxic effect.     

Quenching of giant hysteresis effects in La(1-z)Y(z)Hx switchable mirrors

Hydrogen atoms adsorbed on TiO2(110)-(1x1) surfaces have been characterized by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) combined with electron stimulated desorption (ESD) technique. Certain amounts of H atoms are unexpectedly found on the TiO2 surfaces annealed at 900 K. Two forms of adsorption were discriminated in STM images from the different sensitivity to ESD and tentatively assigned to hydroxyl-type (O-H) and hydride-type (Ti-H) species.