Prostate cancer is a growing health problem around the world. Although there are different therapeutic methods, none of them possessed complete efficacy up to now. Therefore, discovery of novel anti-cancer drugs is important. Bitter melon (Momordicacharantia L.) and Goji berry (Lycium barbarum L.) as functional foods may prevent prostate cancer. In this study, we investigated the effects of ripe and unripe fruit (peel and pulp), seed and aril extracts of bitter melon and also black and red fruit extracts of L. Barbarum on cancer cell viability. In vitro cytotoxicity activities of the extracts (0–150 µg/mL) against androgen dependent (LnCAP) and independent (PC-3) prostate cancer cell lines were screened by MTT assay. Our results reveal that, all tested extracts exhibited cytotoxic activity towards the investigated tumour cells and bitter melon seed extract was the most effective extracts having an IC₅₀ value of 14.7 µg/mL for LnCAP cells. The overall findings demonstrate that specially seed extract of bitter melon, could be a potential source of a new anti-cancer compound and serve as a possible drug against prostate cancer.

Herbal medicines have been used in cancer treatment, with many exhibiting favorable side effect and toxicity profiles compared with conventional chemotherapeutic agents. The aim of this study was to verify whether Lycium barbarum fruit (red and black fruit) extracts inhibit proliferation of MDA-MB-231cells through EGFR/ERK pathway. Cytotoxicity with MTT reduction assay and phosphorylation of EGFR and ERK were analyzed by western blot. IC50 values were 87.0 and 79.4 µg/mL for goji berry black fruit extract (GBBFE) and goji berry red fruit extract (GBRFE) expectively. Pretreatment with both extract inhibited phosphorylation of EGFR/ERK in EGF-treated cells. Goji berry fruit extracts cause cellular death of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells by inhibiting EGFR/ERK signaling and this study suggests that Goji berry fruit extracts could be beneficial for treating breast cancer.

Cancer cells are refractory to most forms of chemotherapy. Conventional and alternative drugs, such as herbal extracts, have been developed to target cancer cells. This study aims to test the cytotoxic effects of Pelargonium endlicherianum root extracts on prostate cancer cells. In vitro cytotoxic activities of the methanolic and ethanolic root extracts (0–150 µg/mL) were screened against androgen dependent independent (PC-3) prostate cancer cell lines by MTT assay. Ethanolic root extract induced a significant decrease in cell viability characterized by 100 < IC50 < 150 µg/mL. The results of this study support the efficacy of P. endlicherianum as an anticancer agent for prostate cancer and a potential adjuvant treatment to current chemotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of prostate tumors. Further studies of the effects of individual flavonoids alone and in combination with each other and with currently used therapies are needed.

Tr en Amaç: Çalışmamızda normal, fazla kilolu ve obez bireylerde sperm kalite düzeyleri arasındaki farklılıkları, sperm-yumurta füzyonunda görev alan İzumo-1 sperm yüzey reseptörünün ekspresyon düzeylerini ve artmış Beden Kitle İndeksi (BKİ)’nin sperm DNA’sı üzerine olası etkilerini belirlemek amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmada, 18-35 yaş aralığında, BKİ normal(n=20), fazla kilolu(n=19) ve obez(n=18) erkek bireylerden alınan semen örnekleri kullanıldı. Sperm örnekleri Diff Quik boyama yöntemi ile boyanarak morfolojik kriterleri açısından değerlendirildi. İzumo-1 sperm yüzey reseptörünün ekspresyon düzeylerini belirlemek için western blot analizi kullanıldı. Sperm DNA hasarlarını belirlemek amacıyla alkali comet assay yöntemi kullanıldı. Bulgular: Gruplara ait olan sperm örneklerinde, ortalama sperm konsantrasyonu, sperm motilite oranı ve normal morfolojiye sahip sperm oranlarının özellikle de obez bireylerde düştüğü gözlendi. Fazla kilolu ve normal kilolulara doğru morfolojik hasarların azaldığı belirlendi. İzumo-1 sperm yüzey reseptörü ekspresyon düzeylerine bakıldığında, en yüksek İzumo-1 ekspresyonu obez grubunda bulunmaktaydı (p>0,05). Gruplardaki DNA hasarı incelendiğinde comet parametreleri, sperm morfolojik değerlendirme sonuçları ile uyumlu olarak diğer gruplara göre obez grubunda DNA hasarının anlamlı derece arttığını gösterdi (p<0.001). Sonuç: Sonuç olarak çalışmamızda, BKİ’nin erkek infertilitesi ve bununla ilişkili olan sperm sayısı ve morfolojisi ya da sperm DNA hasarı ile İzumo-1 protein ekspresyonu, ilişkili olduğu gösterilmiştir. Objective: In this study it was aimed to determine; the differences between the sperm qualities of normal, overweight and obese person, the expression levels of the Izumo-1 sperm receptor which is assigned in sperm-egg fusion and the possible effects of the increased body mass index (BMI) on the sperm DNA. Materials and Methods: Semen samples from normal(n=20), overweight(n=19) and obese(n=18) male subjects aged 18-35, were used in the study. Sperm samples were stained with Diff Quick staining method and evaluated for morphological criteria. Western blot analysis was used to determine the expression level of Izumo-1. The alkaline comet assay method was used to determine the sperm DNA damages. Results: Mean sperm concentration, sperm motility ratio and sperm rates with normal morphology fell in obese subjects in the sperm samples. It was determined that morphological damage decreased from overweight person to person with normal weight. The highest level of Izumo-1 sperm receptor expression was found in the obese group (p > 0.05). Comet parameters showed significant increase in DNA damage in obese group compared to other groups (p < 0.001). Conclusion: In conclusion, our study showed that BMI correlates with male infertility and associated sperm count and morphology or sperm DNA damage with Izumo-1 protein expression.

In this study, a new 1,2,4-triazole ring that has a 2-fluorophenyl ring was synthesized using (S)-Naproxen as the starting molecule. The target compound was characterized using spectroscopic methods such as FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and HR-MS. In molecular modeling studies, compound (4a) was used to control for the Bcl-2 apoptotic marker. The main aim was to show that the MDA-MB-231 cell line developed growth inhibition in a dose-dependent manner after compound treatment. The results showed that compound (4a) inhibited the motility of MDA-MB-231 cells. Compound (4a) at 75, 150, and 300 µM concentrations significantly reduced the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells compared to the control group. IC50 value of the compound (4a) for 48 h was 57.6 µM. In our study, for the first time, miR-133a-5p was significantly up-regulated in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells treated with compound (4a) at different concentrations compared to the control group. As such, miR-133a-5p could play an essential role in tumorigenesis by targeting Bcl-2 in MDA-MB-231 and may be a biomarker for therapeutic targets in breast cancer treatment.