Ophthalmic wearable devices for color blindness management

Color vision deficiency (CVD) or color blindness is an ocular disorder that hinders the patients from distinguishing shades of certain colors. Color blind patients are often not considered for critical occupations (e.g., military, police) and cannot differentiate colors in public places or media (i.e., watching TV). The most common form of color blindness is red-green, which is a result of either a missing or defective red or green photoreceptor cone. Since no cure for this disorder exists, sufferers opt for methods to enhance their color perception. The products and methods that have been developed to aid CVD patients are discussed. These technologies include contemporary work on gene therapy, tinted glasses, lenses, optoelectronic glasses, and advanced features developed on smartphones and computers. Among these wearables, tinted glasses, developed by companies such as Enchroma, are the most widely used by CVD patients

Antiproliferative Effects of Ocimum basilicum Methanolic Extract and Fractions, Oleanolic Acid and 3-epi-Ursolic Acid

Aims: The aim of the current study was to identify active compound(s) responsible for the antiproliferative effects of O. basilicum and explore their underlying mechanism/s. Background: Plants have been the source of medicines for the treatment of various diseases since ancient times. Ocimum basilicum (Sweet Basil, Bobai Tulsi) has been used in the folk medicine for the treatment of human liver, spleen and stomach cancers. Background: Plants have been the source of medicines for the treatment of various diseases since ancient times. Ocimum basilicum (Sweet Basil, Bobai Tulsi) has been used in the folk medicine for the treatment of human liver, spleen and stomach cancers. Objective: To emphasize the importance of O. basilicum as a potential novel non-toxic alternative to the conventional anticancer therapy. Method: O. basilicum (aerial parts) methanolic extract and fractions were screened against HT-144, MCF-7, NCI-H460 and SF-268 human cancer cell lines using sulforhodamine B assay. The more active Petroleum Ether Insoluble (PEI) fraction was fractionated into six sub-fractions (OB-1 to OB-6). Four pure compounds (3-O-methyl ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, 3-epi-ursolic acid and ursolic acid) were isolated from the more potent sub-fraction OB- 6. Triple channel immunofluorescence microscopy was employed to observe the effects of methanolic extract, PEI fraction, sub-fractions OB-5 and OB-6, 3-epi-ursolic acid and oleanolic acid on the cytoskeleton and nuclei of MCF-7 cells. Result: The methanolic extract and the PEI fraction exhibited selectively greater growth inhibition against MCF-7 cell line (TGI: 56 and 36.2 µg/ml, respectively). By using triple channel immunofluorescence microscopy, it was observed that the methanolic extract, PEI fraction, sub-fraction OB-5 and 3-epi-ursolic acid induced irregular mitotic spindle formation and slowing of mitotic progression in MCF-7 cells while sub-fraction OB-6 induced mitotic arrest in the prophase stage. F-actin aggregation was also visible in PEI fraction, subfraction OB-5 and 3-epi-ursolic acid treated MCF-7 cells. Conclusion: These results emphasize the importance of O. basilicum as a potential novel non-toxic alternative to the conventional anticancer therapy and suggest that it inhibits the growth of MCF-7 cancer cells via multiple mechanisms such as interaction with the microtubules and mitotic spindle apparatus, and F-actin aggregation. </jats:sec

Antiproliferative Effects of Nerium oleander Stem and Mitotic Ar rest Induced by Cardenolide Odoroside B on NCI-H460 Cancer Cells

Background: Nerium oleander extract preparations have been used in the Arab folkmedicine for the treatment of solid tumors. Objective: In the current investigation, bioassay-guided fractionation of N. oleander stem methanolic extract was performed to identify the active compound(s) responsible for its antiproliferative activity and the mechanism of action of the active compounds was explored. Methods: The methanolic extract, fractions and sub-fractions were screened against four human cancer cell lines: HT-144, MCF-7, NCI-H460 and SF-268 using sulforhodamine B assay. The effects of the active compounds on the cytoskeleton and nuclei of NCI-H460 cells were studied using immunofluorescence microscopy. Results: The more active petroleum ether insoluble sub-fraction led to the isolation of five pure compounds viz adynergenin, adynerin, hemidesmin-2, odoroside A and odoroside B. Odoroside A was the most potent compound with GI50: 0.04 and LC50: 0.74 µM against NCI-H460 cell line, while odoroside B demonstrated moderate growth inhibition and cytotoxicity (GI50: 6.7; LC50: 54 µM). After 24 hours' treatment with odoroside B (50 µM) abnormal mitotic spindles were observed, while &gt; 90% mitotic cells were arrested in the prophase stage. Conclusion: N. oleander stem possesses significant antiproliferative effects against the aforementioned cell lines and the cardenolide odoroside B induces mitotic arrest of NCI-H460 cells in the prophase stage.</jats:sec