Differently substituted flavanones were isolated from Leguminosae and their antibacterial activity was comparatively studied against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of phytochemical flavanones to clinical isolates of MRSA were determined by a serial agar dilution method. The structure-activity relationship has indicated that 2',4'- or 2',6'-dihydroxylation of the B ring and 5,7-dihydroxylation of the A ring in the flavanone structure are important for significant anti-MRSA activity and that substitution with a certain aliphatic group at the 6- or 8-position also enhances the activity. Among the thirteen flavanones tested, tetrahydroxyflavanones with these structural characteristics isolated from Sophora exigua and Echinosophora koreensis showed intensive activity to inhibit the growth of all MRSA strains at 3.13-6.25 micrograms/ml. The present hydroxyflavanones would be useful in the phytotherapeutic strategy against MRSA infections.

Comparative Study on the Antibacterial Activity of Phytochemical Flavanones against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Aims : Phytosterols are a subgroup of the steroids, as an important class of bioorganic molecules,widespread in plants, animals, marines as well as fungi and have similarity to cholesterol in structure. These compounds have a long history of consumption as food or pharmaceutical products, and generally recognized as safe without undesirable side effects.

The Story of Beta-sitosterol-A Review

Importance Variation in cancer incidence and outcome has well-documented correlations with racial/ethnic identity. In the United States, the possible genetic and ancestral hereditary explanations for these associations are confounded by socioeconomic, cultural, and lifestyle patterns. Differences in the breast cancer burden of African American compared with European/white American women represent one of the most notable examples of disparities in oncology related to racial/ethnic identity. Elucidating the source of these associations is imperative in achieving the promise of the national Precision Medicine Initiative. Observations Population-based breast cancer mortality rates have been higher for African American compared with white American women since the early 1980s, largely reflecting declines in mortality that have been disproportionately experienced among white American patients and at least partly explained by the advent of endocrine therapy that is less effective in African American women because of the higher prevalence of estrogen receptor–negative disease. The increased risk of triple-negative breast cancer in African American women as well as western, sub-Saharan African women compared with white American, European, and east African women furthermore suggests that selected genetic components of geographically defined African ancestry are associated with hereditary susceptibility for specific patterns of mammary carcinogenesis. Disentangling health care access barriers, as well as reproductive, lifestyle, and dietary factors from genetic contributions to breast cancer disparities remains challenging. Epigenetics and experiences of societal inequality (allostatic load) increase the complexity of studying breast cancer risk related to racial/ethnic identity. Conclusions and Relevance Oncologic anthropology represents a transdisciplinary field of research that can combine the expertise of population geneticists, multispecialty oncologists, molecular epidemiologists, and behavioral scientists to eliminate breast cancer disparities related to racial/ethnic identity and advance knowledge related to the pathogenesis of triple-negative breast cancer.

Health Disparities and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in African American Women: A Review

A review of the medicinal potentials of plants of the genus Vernonia (Asteraceae).

Clerodane diterpenes: sources, structures, and biological activities

Breast cancers that have negative or extremely low expression of estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor and non-amplification of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)/neu are termed triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The majority of TNBC tumors belong to the biologically aggressive basal subtype, and they cannot be managed with targeted endocrine or anti-HER2/neu agents. In western, high resource environments, risk factors for TNBC include younger age at diagnosis and hereditary susceptibility. Women of African ancestry in the United States and in continental Africa have higher frequencies of TNBC, prompting speculation that this risk may have an inherited basis and may at least partially explain breast cancer survival disparities related to racial/ethnic identity. Efforts to document and confirm the breast cancer burden of continental Africa have been hampered by the limited availability of registry and immunohistochemistry resources. Our goal was to evaluate the breast cancers diagnosed in one of the largest health care facilities in western Africa, and to compare the frequencies as well as risk factors for TNBC versus non-TNBC in this large referral tertiary hospital. The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital is affiliated with the University of Ghana and is located in Accra, the capital of Ghana. We conducted an institutional, Department of Pathology-based review of the breast cancer cases seen at this facility for the 2010 calendar year, and for which histopathologic specimens were available. The overall study population of 223 breast cancer cases had a median age of 52.4 years, and most had palpable tumors larger than 5 cm in diameter. More than half were TNBC (130; 58.3%). We observed similar age-specific frequencies, distribution of stage at diagnosis and tumor grade among cases of TNBC compared to cases of non-TNBC. Ghanaian breast cancer patients tend to have an advanced stage distribution and relatively younger age at diagnosis compared to Caucasian Americans and African Americans. The triple-negative molecular marker pattern was the most common subtype of breast cancer seen among this sample of Ghanaian women, regardless of age, tumor grade, or stage of diagnosis. Research into the molecular pathogenesis of TNBC may help elucidate the reasons for its increased prevalence among women with African ancestry.

Triple-negative breast cancer in Ghanaian women: The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital experience

Clerodane diterpenes from Polyalthia longifolia (Sonn) Thw. var. pendula: Potential antimalarial agents for drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum infection.

Cancer is still responsible for many deaths worldwide. Therefore, the need for an effective management, treatment and cure of cancer is undoubtedly crucial. In Ghana, several plants or herbal products are used by traditional healers for the management and/or the treatment of various cancers. However, the efficacies of these plant products as anticancer agents are often ill defined. In this study, the methanolic extracts of ten plant species were evaluated for cytotoxicity against three human cancer cell lines, DLD-
1, MCF-7 and M14, using the MTT assay. Extracts of Adenia lobata root, Clerodendrum capitatum leaves, Garcinia kola stem bark, Plumbago zeylanica leaves and Vernonia conferta root, showed relatively low cytotoxic activities while extracts of Ficus asperifolia leaves, Paullinia pinnata root and Thonningia sanguinea root exhibited moderate activity (IC50 values 40 – 55μg/ml against at least one of the three cell lines). Croton membranaceus root extract exhibited markedly higher cytotoxic activities,
particularly against the DLD-1 and MCF-7 cells (IC50 = 16.0 and 17.4μg/ml respectively), while Zanthoxylum xanthoxyloides bark extract was 2-3 fold more active against DLD-1 cells (IC50 = 16μg/ml), than against the other cell lines. These results lend some support for the use of these species in traditional medicines for the treatment of cancer, especially for C. membranaceus and Z. xanthoxyloides. Journal of Science & Technology (Ghana) Vol. 27 (2) 2007: pp. 16-22

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The Evaluation of Selected Ghanaian Medicinal Plants for Cytotoxic Activities

Pediatric and geriatric patients experience swallowing difficulties for traditional oral dosage forms, such as tablets. Further, microbial contamination, chemical stability, unpleasant taste and swallowing large volumes of fluids have led to low therapeutic efficacy and patient noncompliance. The emergence of oral thin films has resulted in dramatic improvements in compliance and drug therapy outcomes in pediatric and geriatric patients. Oral thin films do not require water for administration, are readily hydrated upon contact with saliva, adhere to the mucosa and disintegrate ideally under 1 min. This article provides an overview of oral thin films, modern trends in their formulation and characterization, available commercial products, information to fill knowledge gaps and future potential and economic prospects of oral thin film technology, with emphasis on their use in the pediatric and geriatric patient groups.

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Oral thin films as a remedy for noncompliance in pediatric and geriatric patients

The antimicrobial activity of the methanolic root extract and compounds isolated from Croton membranaceus against the bacteria; Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fungi; Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans, using the agar diffusion and broth dilution techniques was studied in order to establish its possible usefulness in the treatment of measles. The methanolic extract showed a significant (p 200 g/ml). The activities of gomojoside H were found to be similar to the effects of gentamicin on these organisms. The results therefore indicated that this compound is a potent antibacterial and its presence appears to explain in part the antimicrobial activity exhibited by the C. membranaceus root extract and supports its usefulness in treating secondary bacterial infection in measles.

/pdf/the-antimicrobial-activity-of-croton-membranaceus-a-species-13s4pc64si.pdf

Marcel T. Bayor

Papers

Triple-negative breast cancer in Ghanaian women: The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital experience

Clerodane diterpenes from Polyalthia longifolia (Sonn) Thw. var. pendula: Potential antimalarial agents for drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum infection.

The Evaluation of Selected Ghanaian Medicinal Plants for Cytotoxic Activities

Oral thin films as a remedy for noncompliance in pediatric and geriatric patients

The antimicrobial activity of Croton membranaceus, a species used in formulations for measles in Ghana