Background: Nowadays one of the most common causes of death is cancer worldwide, which its incidence and mortality rate dramatically increasing in Iran. Saffron herb is locally grown in South Khorasan. The present study reviewed the anticancer properties of saffron stigma on various macromolecule, cell, and animal models. In traditional medicine saffron herb treated many diseases including diabetes, blood pressure and cancer. The modern medical findings indicate that this herb and its active metabolites can be used to produce alternative antitumor drugs. Saffron selectively suppressed growth and proliferation of cancer cells while did not show any inhibitory effect on growth of normal cells. In addition, it reduced the side effects of common therapies. The main components of saffron stigma are monoterpene aldehydes and carotenoides. Its carotenoids, for instance crocin and crocetin, illustrated antioxidant, anticancer and antimutagenic properties more than other metabolites.This review suggested that anti-tumor drugs from saffron stigma can be applied as alternative, safe and promising agents.

BACKGROUND: To achieve delivery of a drug to tumors, folic acid (FA) was used as a targeting ligand to change nanocarriers. Since the folate receptor has more expression in several tumor types such as breast cancer. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Doxorubicine-G2-FA (Dox-G2-FA) with in VITRO assays. The abbreviation of G2 represents the second generation of dendrimer synthesis. METHODS: For this purpose, Dox-G2-FA was synthesized and mass spectroscopy was used to confirm the synthesized component. Also, MTT assay, flow cytometry, and gene expression assay by real-time PCR were used to evaluate cell viability, apoptosis, and necrosis. RESULTS: In this study, the effect of Dox and Dox-G2-FA on the expression of Bax, Bcl2 genes showed that there was a significant decrease in the expression of the Bcl2 gene in the Dox-G2-FA group compared to Dox and control groups(P<0. 05). Also, the results of flow-cytometry showed that apoptosis in the presence of Dox-G2-FA was greater than in the Dox group (P<0. 05). CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, it seems that the effect of Dox-G2-FA on apoptosis is better than the effect of Dox usage alone.

In spite of over 40 years of 6-mercaptopurine application, many aspects of complex pharmacology and metabolism of this drug remain unclear. It is thought that 6- mercaptopurine is oxidized to the inactive metabolite, 6-thiouric acid through 6-thioxanthine or 8-oxo-6-mercaptopurine in its catabolic metabolic pathways. Although this oxidative deactivation of 6-mercaptopurine has been attributed to the action of one of two molybdenum hydroxylases, xanthine oxidase, the role of other molybdenum hydroxylase, aldehyde oxidase, in the oxidation of 6-mercaptopurine has not been investigated in more details. In the present study, the role of aldehyde oxi'dase and xanthine oxidase in the oxidation of 6-mercaptopurine has been investigated. 6-Mercaptopurine was incubated with bovine milk xanthine oxidase or partially purified guinea pig liver molybdenum hydroxylase fractions and the reactions were monitored by spectrophotometric and HPLC methods in the absence and presence of xanthine oxidase inhibitor, allopurinol, and some aldehyde oxidase inhibitors. Xanthine oxidase-catalyzed oxidation of 6-mercaptopurine was completely inhibited by allopurinol with aldehyde oxidase inhibitors having no significant inhibitory effects. With guinea pig liver fractions, however, the initial oxidation rate of 6-mercaptopurine was inhibited by 39-66% in the presence of allopurinol and aldehyde oxidase inhibitor. The HPLC analysis of the reaction was indicative of oxidative conversion of 6-mercaptopurine to 6-thiouric acid through 6-thioxanthine. The oxidation of 6- mercaptopurine was inhibited by >90% and 45-49% in the presence of allopurinol and aldehyde oxidase inhibitors, respectively. Based on the results obtained, it may be suggested that 6-mercaptopurine is oxidized by both molybdenum hydroxylases to 6-thiouric acid through 6-thioxanthine. The first reaction which is the rate limiting step is catalyzed by xanthine oxidase, whereas the second reaction is catalyzed by both molybdenum hydroxylases.

Giardiasis is an intestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite called Giardia lamblia. It is fairly a common human intestinal flagellate called Giardia intestinally. Patient harboring these protozoa can be a symptomatic carrier or exhibit all or some of the following symptoms: diarrhea, dehydration, abdominal pain and weight loss and fatty stool in high infection. In some parts of the world and in Iran, Giardiasis is an endemic disease. In this study, effects of some plant essential oil extracted from Thymus vulgarize, Zataria multiflora, Myrtus communis and Ferula-asa-feotida and resin of the latter was investigated on Giardia cyst for 30 and 60 min, inVITRO. The cysts were isolated from stool by Bingham method and washed and counted with hemocytometer. The cysts were contacted with essential oils and dead cysts were distinguished by eosin solution. The Thymus vulgarize essential oil was the most effective than others comparison with metronidazol as standard. The average cyst cidal effects of Thymus vulgarize and metronidazol were corresponding to 94.06 7.5 and 85.9 7.3. The effect of other plant essential oils such as Zataria multiflara, and Myrtus communis on cyst was good but essential oil and resin of Ferula-asa-feotida had the least effect. This study determined some plant essential oils have benefit effect on Giardia cyst and are suitable for further study to make herbal remedy from them.  

Introduction: The importance of extra cellular matrix (ECM) in development and function of different cells has been reported but little is known about its role in human endometrial epithelial cells. We have examined effects of artificial ECM (Matrigel) on the function of human endometrial epithelial cells using molecular techniques.Materials and methods: Endometrial samples were removed, with informed patient consent and Ethics Committee approval, from 17 previously fertile women undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy. The tissue was dissociated and centrifuged to provide an epithelial rich suspension which was cultured either on plastic or seeded into Matrigel to produce polarized cells and then supplemented with or without progesterone (10-6 M). The amount of nucleic acid content of the cells in both in VITRO model systems was examined by DNA, RNA extraction methods. The DNA and RNA content were later measured by spectrophotometer.Results: The amount of total RNA in cells grown on Matrigel (23±1.5 pg/cell) was more than double that in cells grown on plastic (9.1±1.4 pg/cell). Cells cultured on both in VITRO model systems had RNA induced by steroid hormones, but the extent of induction was greater in cells grown on ECM than those on plastic. Cells cultured on ECM were differentiated and became polarized but cells grown on plastic proliferated until full Confluency.Conclusion: These results suggest that ECM plays an important role in gene expression, polarization and differentiation of human endometrial epithelial cells in VITRO.