Purpose: There remains an unmet medical need for radioprotective and mitigative agents. BP-C2 is a novel lignin-derived polyphenolic composition with ammonium molybdate, developed as radioprotector/radiomitigator. Objectives: The present study evaluated BP-C2 for the mitigation of acute radiation syndrome (ARS). Methods: A total-body irradiation mouse model (TBI, 4.0–8.0 Gy) was used in the study. Results: In a 30-day survival study, performed in CBA mice, BP-C2, at a dosage of 81.0 mg/kg, improved survival (dose reduction factor (DRF) = 1.1) and increased the formation of endogenous spleen colony-forming units (CFU). In C57BL/6 mice, BP-C2, when administered daily for 7 days, starting 24 hours after TBI, also improved survival. In animals irradiated with 5.0 Gy, BP-C2 increased the number of CFUs (6.7 ± 5.1) compared to the 5.0 Gy placebo group (2.3 ± 2.3, p = .0245). The number of surviving intestinal crypts was maintained in the 5.0 Gy BP-C2 group (133.7 ± 13.9), in contrast to the 5.0 Gy placebo group (124.2 ± 10.5, p < .0023). BP-C2 also increased the number of LGR5 + positive cells in intestinal crypts. Conclusion: BP-C2 mitigates radiation-induced damage in mid-lethal range of radiation doses. Effects are mediated by enhancement of extramedullar hematopoiesis in the spleen and a protective effect on the intestinal epithelium.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common pathology among aging men. Despite the broad pharmacological interventions, the available remedies to treat BPH are yet not devoid of side effects. Herbal compounds are suggested to be an alternative option for the BPH treatment. In our study, we evaluated the effect of kudzu isoflavones and astaxanthin on the BPH animal model. The animals were randomly divided into five groups: control; testosterone-induced BPH group; and three BPH-induced groups, which received intragastrically for 28 days finasteride (5 mg/kg) as a positive control, isoflavones (200 mg/kg), and astaxanthin (25 mg/kg). BPH was induced by castration of animals and subsequent subcutaneous injections of prolonged testosterone (25 mg/kg). Prostate index and histology, biochemical parameters, and antioxidant activity were evaluated. A significant decrease in prostate weight, immunohistochemical markers, and normalization of prostate Ca/Mg ratio was found in all treatment groups. Astaxanthin treatment also resulted in decreased epithelial proliferation and normalized superoxide dismutase activity. In conclusion, both isoflavones and astaxanthin inhibited BPH development at a level comparable to finasteride in terms of prostate weight, prostatic epithelium proliferation, and prostate tissue cumulative histology score. These results suggest that isoflavones and especially astaxanthin could serve as a potential alternative therapy to treat BHP.

Introduction: The effects of chemotherapy are known to depend on the time of administration. Circadian rhythms are disturbed in tumors and in tumor bearers. Agents involved in controlling the circadian rhythms (chronobiotics) potentially can modify the outcomes of chemotherapeutics administered at different times of the day. Pineal hormone melatonin (MT) is a prototypic chronobiotic. Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate if MT can affect efficacy or toxicity of chemotherapy drugs administered at the extreme time points of the working day of hospital personnel. Methods: Cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, and 5-fluorouracil (CAF) and adriamycin and docetaxel (AT) cytotoxic drug combinations were administered on day 0 at 11:00 a.m. or at 5:00 p.m. (UTC+03:00) to 6-month-old female HER2/neu transgenic FVB/N mice bearing mammary adenocarcinomas. Some mice were additionally provided with MT in drinking water (20 mg/L) at night 1 week before or 3 weeks after treatment or during both periods. Tumor node sizes, body weight, and blood cell counts were determined right before treatment and on days 2, 7, 14, and 21. Results: Significant decrease in the mean tumor node volume was found by days 14 and 21 upon all CAF and AT treatment schedules, except in animals treated with AT at 5:00 p.m. without supplementation with MT. In the latter case, mean tumor node volume on day 21 was the same as in the control. Supplementation of AT administered at 5:00 p.m. with MT improved the tumor response. CAF and AT regimens supplemented with MT also augmented the number of tumor nodes that did not increase by more than 20% by day 21 as compared to CAF or AT alone, respectively. This effect was significant in groups treated with AT at 5:00 p.m. and consistent upon other schedules. On day 7, leukopenia and anemia were registered in groups treated with CAF regimen; however, blood cell counts normalized by day 14. Both CAF and AT were associated with drop in the body weight registered on day 7. Supplementation with MT did not affect changes of the body weight and blood counts. Conclusions: MT supplementation to cytotoxic drugs can improve antitumor response, especially if it is blunted because of an inappropriate time of administration.

BP-C3 is a formulation, which comprises lignin-derived polyphenolic composition of benzenepolycarboxylic acids (BP-Cx-1) with iron complex, selenium, ascorbic acid and retinol, and possesses geroprotective activity. The present study examined the effect of BP-C3 (80 mg/kg, administered 18 times in total by gavage) on the development of haematological and intestinal manifestations of toxicity following 5-fluorouracil (5-FU; 150 mg/kg, administered once via intravenous injection) administration in outbred male Swiss-H Rappolovo (SHR) mice. The use of BP-C3 on therapeutic and preventative/therapeutic schedules demonstrated that it was protective against the toxic effect of 5-FU exerted on the lymphopoietic organs. Administering BP-C3 24 h after 5-FU (therapeutic schedule) had an effect on the recovery of leukopoiesis and prevented anaemia in the mice. In the mice that received 5-FU and 5-FU with BP-C3 prior to and following administration of the chemotherapeutic agent (preventative/therapeutic schedule), mild anaemia developed by day 7. Administration of BP-C3 without 5-FU did not affect blood cell differentiation in the mice. Thus, BP-C3, depending on the administration schedule, had different effects on the haematological parameters of haematopoietic organs and peripheral blood in mice exposed to 5-FU. BP-C3 promoted intestinal crypt survival when administered on the preventative/therapeutic and therapeutic schedules, suggesting that the formulation protects the epithelium of the small intestine against damage by 5-FU.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of lignin-derived polyphenolic composition BP-C3 on the efficacy and hematological toxicity of cyclophosphamide (CPA). Male and female Swiss-H derived mice bearing benzo[a]pyrene-induced soft tissue sarcomas were treated with CPA 300 mg/kg, BP-C3 75 mg/kg, or a combination. Tumor growth inhibition in male mice treated with CPA, BP-C3, or a combination of CPA and BP-C3 was significant and corresponded to 78%, 45%, and 82%, respectively, on day 21 after CPA administration on day 0. In female mice, tumor growth inhibition was 58%, −11%, and 35% when treated with CPA, BP-C3, or a combination of CPA and BP-C3, respectively. CPA administration resulted in significant hematological toxicity evidenced by a decreased white blood cell count on day 4 (2.43 ± 1.77 × 10⁹/L in male mice and 1.19 ± 0.71 × 10⁹/L in female mice) and anemia development on day 7 (6.55 ± 1.74 × 10¹²/L in male mice and 5.89 ± 2.24 × 10¹²/L in female mice). The red blood cell count measured on day 7 in animals treated with the combination of BP-C3 and CPA constituted 7.12 ± 1.17 × 10¹²/L and 7.36 ± 2.07 × 10¹²/L for male and female mice, respectively. The results of our study demonstrate the antitumor activity of BP-C3 in male mice bearing soft tissue sarcomas. Neither the antitumor activity nor the hematological toxicity of CPA were significantly influenced by BP-C3. A less pronounced effect of CPA on RBC count is demonstrated when this agent is given jointly with BP-C3.

Aim: Alterations in circadian rhythms caused by tumor growth are thought to be clinically relevant as they affect the prognosis and treatment response. We aimed to evaluate the chronotherapeutic approach in rats with ovarian cancer receiving cisplatin intravenously (IV) or with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC) and to assess daily variations in tumor and intestinal epithelium proliferation. Methods: In the pilot study, we used 12 intact rats and 12 rats with transplantable ovarian cancer, which were euthanized at ZT0 (08:00, lights on), ZT6, ZT12 and ZT18. In the main study, we used 45 rats with transplantable ovarian cancer. Animals were randomized into five groups: control, HIPEC with cisplatin at ZT0 (08:00), HIPEC with cisplatin at ZT12 (20:00), IV cisplatin at ZT0 and IV cisplatin at ZT12. We assessed the proliferation rate of tumor and small intestinal epithelium, apoptosis in small intestinal epithelium, and levels of γ-H2AX (DNA damage/repair marker) in kidneys and liver. Survival was calculated in each group. Results: Ascitic ovarian cancer disrupted daily variations in intestinal epithelium proliferation and DNA damage/repair in rats. Ovarian carcinoma exhibited no daily variation in mitotic activity. In animals receiving IV cisplatin, massive cell damage in the renal medulla and cystic changes within renal tubules were observed, unlike in rats receiving HIPEC. Tumor mitotic activity was lower in morning-treated groups. The median survival of rats in the control group was 8.5 days (95% CI 6.0– 22.0), in HIPEC at ZT0 40.5 days (95% CI 28.0– 47.0, p< 0.001) and in HIPEC at ZT12 32.0 days (95% CI 28.0– 37.0, p< 0.001). Conclusion: In a rat model, ovarian tumor growth disrupted daily variations in intestinal epithelium proliferation and caused genotoxic stress in tumor-free tissues. HIPEC with cisplatin at ZT0 had a better efficacy/toxicity profile than HIPEC with cisplatin at ZT12 and IV administration at both time points.