Cancer is a complex disease caused by a progressive accumulation of multiple genetic mutations. Consumption of fruits is associated with lower risk of several cancers, which is mainly associated to their phytochemical content. The use of functional foods and chemopreventive compounds seems to contribute in this process, acting by mechanisms of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and...

Glycosylated natural products are reliable platforms for the development of many front-line drugs, yet our understanding of the relationship between attached sugars and biological activity is limited by the availability of convenient glycosylation methods. When a universal chemical glycosylation method that employs reducing sugars and requires no protection or activation is used, the glycorando...

Cisplatin is an effective anticancer drug; however, cisplatin use often leads to nephrotoxicity, which limits its clinical effectiveness. In this study, we determined the effect of dichloroacetate, a novel anticancer agent, in a mouse model of cisplatin-induced AKI. Pretreatment with dichloroacetate significantly attenuated the cisplatin-induced increase in BUN and serum creatinine levels, rena...

BACKGROUND Propofol (2, 6-diisopropylphenol) is an intravenous sedative-hypnotic agent administered to induce and maintain anesthesia. It has been recently revealed that propofol has anticancer properties including direct and indirect suppression of the viability and proliferation of cancer cells by promoting apoptosis in some cancer cell lines. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS This study aimed...

Terpinolene (TPO) is a natural monoterpene present in essential oils of many aromatic plant species. Although various biological activities of TPO have been demonstrated, its neurotoxicity has never been explored. In this in vitro study we investigated TPO's antiproliferative and/or cytotoxic properties using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test, genotoxic...

High dietary intake of fruits and vegetables is consistently associated with a reduced risk of common human cancers. The specific mechanisms of action of most phytochemicals in cancer prevention are not yet clear but appear to be varied. One class of compounds currently under investigation is flavonoids, a large group of molecules with similar structure. Although their bioavailability is discus...

The primary function of hair and fur covering mammalian skin is to provide mechanical and thermal protection for the body. The proteins that constitute hair are extremely resistant to degradation by environmental factors. However, even durable materials can be slowly broken down by mechanical stresses, biodegradation mediated by endogenous enzymes in the skin or host microbes. We hypothesised t...

Cancer, one of the major causes of death across the world, has shown to be a largely preventable disease, highly susceptible to modulation by dietary factors. Phenolic compounds, abundant in vegetables and fruits ubiquitous in diet, were described to play an important role as chemopreventive agents. Since conventional therapeutic and surgical approaches have not been able to control the inciden...

Previous reports indicate that N-acetyl-d-glucosamine oligomers (chitin oligosaccharide; NACOS) and d-glucosamine oligomers (chitosan oligosaccharide; COS) have various biological activities, especially against cancer and inflammation. In this review, we have summarized the findings of previous investigations that have focused on anticancer or anti-inflammatory properties of NACOS and COS. More...

Accumulated evidence from experimental and epidemiological studies indicates that there is a low risk of degenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cataract, stroke and, in particular, cancers in people with a high intake of fruit and vegetables. This protective effect is assumed to be associated mainly with the antioxidant activities of either individual or interacting bioact...