Janet Piloto

• Researcher at Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo de Medicamentos (CIDEM)

ContextPhytocompounds xanthatin and 8-epi-xanthatin, obtained from Xanthium chinese Mill, showed antitumoral activity in vitro related to the microtubules destabilizing properties of these phytocompounds. Five binding sites for microtubule destabilizing agents have been characterized on tubulin by high-resolution X-ray crystallography: vinca domain...

Phytocompounds xanthatin and 8-epi-xanthatin, obtained from Xanthium chinese Mill, showed antitumoral activity in vitro, related to the microtubules destabilizing properties of these phytocompounds. However, the exact binding pocket on tubulin of these isomers remains unknown. The aim of this work is, to develop a comprehensive computational strate...

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. If detected on time, surgery can expand life expectations of patients up to five more years. However, if metastasis has grown deliberately, the use of chemotherapy can play a crucial role in CRC control. Moreover, the lack of selectivity of current anticancer drugs, plus mutations...

In the past decades, microtubules have emerged as a highly successful target for anticancer therapy. They are polymers of αβ-tubulin heterodimers essential in numerous cellular processes such as mitosis. Microtubules targeting drugs can be classified based on their mechanism of action into two groups: microtubule-stabilizing and -destabilizing agen...

Resumen Context: Momordica charantia (Cucurbitaceae) is extensively distributed in tropical areas, and it is traditionally used as antidiabetic. Nevertheless, few studies supporting the metabolic effects of its foliage extracts have been reported elsewhere. Aims: To evaluate the effects of M. charantia foliage extract (MCh) on blood glucose and lip...

The antiproliferative activity of Xanthium strumarium L. extract (XFC), a traditional herbal medicine, is believed to alter the cell mitotic machinery, but the molecular mechanisms underlying its anticancer actions remain poorly characterized. We found that XFC exerted significant in vitro cell proliferation inhibitory effect against the ovarian, b...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Jarilla is the common name of an appreciated group of native plants from the semi-arid region in Argentina (Larrea cuneifolia Cav., Larrea divaricata Cav. and Zuccagnia punctata Cav.) that have been historically consumed to heal respiratory, musculoskeletal and skin ailments, as well as recommended for weakness/tiredn...

Artemisia annua has been used for malaria therapy and contributes to the treatment of various diseases such as: diabetes, heart diseases, arthritis and eczema and possesses antibacterial, antioxidant, anticoccidial, and antiviral effects. Due to its beneficial properties, the plant was introduced and successfully cultivated in our conditions. Aim:...

RESUMEN Compuestos farmacéuticos han sido detectados en efluentes de plantas de tratamiento, en cuerpos de agua y ecosistemas. Debido a esta situación y al riesgo potencial, por sus efectos negativos al medio ambiente, ellos han sido considerados contaminantes emergentes. Los antibióticos reciben una atención destacada por la ocurrencia de la resis...

Emerging drugs aim at targeting the genomic integrity and replication machinery in ovarian cancer. While the antiproliferative activity of Xanthium strumarium L. extract (XFC), a traditional herbal medicine, is believed to alter the mitotic apparatus of Chinese hamster ovary epithelial cells, its capacity to target and overcome the chemoresistance...

Rhizophora mangle L. is a vegetal species with high disponibility in Cuba for guarantying economical factibility by drug development. Preview studies showed promissory pharmacological results by the use of this plant in the treatment of gastroduodenal ulcers. The present work involved another evaluation of the active extract important by the develo...

Context: BM-21 is a hydro-ethanolic extract obtained from the leaves of Thalassia testudinum marine plant, which is rich in polyphenols, and it has demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytoprotective and neuroprotective properties. Aims: To investigate the genotoxicity potential of BM-21. Methods: Salmonella typhimurium Hist. - strains were...

The objective of this investigation was the preclinical evaluation and the stability study of the Momordica charantia Linn hydroalcoholic and aqueous leaf extracts. The hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts were obtained and the quality specifications were determined by evaluating three lots. The stability of the extracts was evaluated for 12 months....

Morinda citrifolia L (noni) is an evergreen or small tree that grows in many tropical regions of the world. The use of the noni leaves has not been so studied however; there are reports of its pharmacological benefits. Aims: The objective of this investigation was to assess the genotoxicity, short-term, and subchronic oral toxicity of Morinda citri...

Nineteen scorers from seven Cuban laboratories participated in this slide exercise designed to test the influence of the scorer on the accuracy, sensitivity and variability of the comet assay when a visual method of DNA damage evaluation is used. The assay was performed using human lymphocytes from a single donor exposed in vitro for 5 min at 0 deg...

The reducing activity on the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, z.rad;OH radical scavenging potential, in vitro inhibition of lipid peroxidation and modulation of mutagenicity induced by ter-butyl hydroperoxide (TBH) in Escherichia coli were sequentially screened in 45 species of plants used with medicinal purposes in Cuba, in a search f...

The in vitro and in vivo genotoxicity of parthenin, a sesquiterpene lactone from Parthenium hysterophorus L. with allergenic and irritant action, was assessed in three short-term tests: bacterial reversion in Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli, in vitro chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes and micronuclei in mouse periph...

The mutagenic potential of a crude extract of Parthenium hysterophorus L. was assessed in the Salmonella/microsome (Ames) assay and the mouse bone marrow micronucleus test. Results in the bacterial mutagenicity assay were negative for the five strains employed, e.g. TA 1535, TA1537, TA 98, TA 100 and TA 102, while cytotoxicity was evident in all ca...

Stachitarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl. is a member of the Verbenaceae commonly used in Cuba, mainly as vermifugue and against diarrhoea. The mutagenic potential of a hydroalcohol extract of its aerial parts was assessed in vitro using the Salmonella/microsome assay and in vivo in the mouse bone marrow micronucleus test. No positive response was obse...

The results obtained on evaluating the toxicogenetic potential of a fluid extract with an ethanol menstruum 70 % of Ocimun basilicum L. in 3 systems of short-term tests are presented. 2 in vitro models were used: the Salmonella/microsome system (Ames) and that of mitotic segregation with the Aspergillus nidulans D-30 fungus. Another in vivo model t...

Results obtained are based on sifting through of possible mutagenic effect of and extract from anthraquinone derivatives of Aloe vera L. In three short-term trial systems, two of them were in vitro using Ames' trial and mitotic segregation test in D-30 Aspergillus nidulans fungus, and another in vitro too, using micronuclei induction trial in bone...