OBJECTIVE: To explore the potential apoptotic mechanisms of 3 Morchella extracts (Morchella conica, Morchella esculenta and Morchella delicosa) on breast and colon cancer cell lines using apoptotic biomarkers. METHODS: Human breast cell line (MCF-7) and colon cancer cell line (SW-480) were treated with methanol and ethanol extracts of 3 Morchella species with concentration ranging from 0.0625 to 2 mg/mL. After that their effects on gene expression of apoptosis related markers (pro-apoptotic markers including Bax, caspase-3, caspase-7, and caspase-9, and the antiapoptotic marker including Bcl-2) were determined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: All Morchella extracts reduced breast and colon cancer cells proliferation at half inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 0.02 ±0.01 to 0.68 ±0.30 mg/mL. As expected, all Morchella extracts significantly increased gene expressions of Bax, caspase-3, caspase-7, and caspase-9 and downregulated the gene expression of Bcl-2 in MCF-7 and SW-480 cell lines (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Morchella extracts demonstrated significant anti-proliferative activity against breast and colon cancer cell lines via an apoptosis induction mechanism. Anticancer activity of Morchella extracts and activation of apoptosis in breast and colon cancer cells suggest that it may be used to develop chemotherapeutic agents against cancer in future.
Humans ; Apoptosis/genetics* ; Colonic Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects* ; MCF-7 Cells ; Ascomycota/chemistry*

Objective: To synthesize and isolate silver and gold nanoparticles from Litchi chinensis leaf methanolic extract, and to evaluate its comparative biological activities including muscles relaxant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal. Methods: The gold and silver nanoparticles were synthesized by dissolving methanolic extract in gold chloride and silver nitrate solution separately which were confirmed by colour change and UV-Vis spectroscopy, and pellets were collected through centrifugation. Biological activities of the extract were conducted on BALB/c mice through various standard methods and the data were subjected to One-way ANOVA. Results: The colorless gold chloride solution changed to purple soon after the addition of plant extract, demonstrating that the reaction took place and gold ions were reduced to gold nanoparticles, while colorless silver nitrate solution changed to light and dark brown that was indicative of silver nanoparticles. The muscles relaxant activity showed that silver nanoparticles were more effective than gold nanoparticles and methanolic extract in traction test. The analgesic activity showed that silver and gold nanoparticles showed highest percentage decrease in acetic acid induced writhing at the doses of 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg b.w. The highest anti-inflammatory activity was produced by gold nanoparticles followed by silver nanoparticles, while low activity was observed in methanolic leaf extract. Only the crude methanolic extract showed significant antidiarrheal activity as compared to the standard drug atropine sulphate, while antidiarrheal activities of gold and silver nanoparticles were non-significant. Conclusions: The present work concludes that isolated silver and gold nanoparticles from leaf methanolic extract shows strong muscles relaxant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities while crude methanolic extract possesses good antidiarrheal activity.