The use of and search for drugs and dietary supplements derived from plants have accelerated in recent years. Ethnopharmacologists, botanists, microbiologists, and natural-products chemists are combing the Earth for phytochemicals and “leads” which could be developed for treatment of infectious diseases. While 25 to 50% of current pharmaceuticals are derived from plants, none are used as antimicrobials. Traditional healers have long used plants to prevent or cure infectious conditions; Western medicine is trying to duplicate their successes. Plants are rich in a wide variety of secondary metabolites, such as tannins, terpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids, which have been found in vitro to have antimicrobial properties. This review attempts to summarize the current status of botanical screening efforts, as well as in vivo studies of their effectiveness and toxicity. The structure and antimicrobial properties of phytochemicals are also addressed. Since many of these compounds are currently available as unregulated botanical preparations and their use by the public is increasing rapidly, clinicians need to consider the consequences of patients self-medicating with these preparations.

Plant Products as Antimicrobial Agents

Thermo- and pH-responsive polymers in drug delivery.

Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector 67, S. A. S. Nagar,Mohali, Punjab-160 062, India, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Polytechnic University, Via Ranieri 67, IT-60100 Ancona, Italy,Green Biotechnology Research Group, The Special Division for Human Life Technology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science andTechnology, 1-8-31 Midorigaoka, Ikeda, Osaka-563-8577, Japan, and Department of Medicinal Chemistry & Natural Products,The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, School of Pharmacy-Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, IsraelReceived March 2, 2004

Chitosan chemistry and pharmaceutical perspectives.

https://cmapspublic3.ihmc.us/rid=1266358861321_2027852911_13457/Wound%20Healing%20Dressings%20and%20Drug%20Delivery%20Systems.pdf

Wound healing dressings and drug delivery systems: a review.

The development of nonviral vectors for safe and efficient gene delivery has been gaining considerable attention recently. An ideal nonviral vector must protect the gene against degradation by nuclease in the extracellular matrix, internalize the plasma membrane, escape from the endosomal compartment, unpackage the gene at some point and have no detrimental effects. In comparison to viruses, nonviral vectors are relatively easy to synthesize, less immunogenic, low in cost, and have no limitation in the size of a gene that can be delivered. Significant progress has been made in the basic science and applications of various nonviral gene delivery vectors; however, the majority of nonviral approaches are still inefficient and often toxic. To this end, two nonviral gene delivery systems using either biodegradable poly(D,Llactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) nanoparticles or cell penetrating peptide (CPP) complexes have been designed and studied using A549 human lung epithelial cells. PLG nanoparticles were optimized for gene delivery by varying particle surface chemistry using different coating materials that adsorb to the particle surface during formation. A variety of cationic coating materials were studied and compared to more conventional surfactants used for PLG nanoparticle fabrication. Nanoparticles (~200 nm) efficiently encapsulated plasmids encoding for luciferase (80-90%) and slowly released the same for two weeks. After a delay, moderate levels of gene expression appeared at day 5 for certain positively charged PLG particles and gene expression was maintained for at least two weeks. In contrast, gene expression mediated by polyethyleneimine (PEI) ended at day 5. PLG particles were also significantly less

Nonviral Vectors for Gene Delivery

A total of 14 coumarins have been isolated from the aerial parts of Phebalium tuberculosum ssp. megaphyllum and 9 from Phebalium filifolium (Rutaceae). Three of the coumarins obtained from P. tuberculosum ssp. megaphyllum are novel and have been characterized, on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, as (E)-7-(6-hydroperoxy-3,7-dimethylocta-2,7- dienyloxy)coumarin [3], (E)-8-(6-hydroperoxy-3,7-dimethylocta-2,7-dienyloxy)psoralen [16] and (E,E)-8-(7-hydroxy-3,7-dimethylocta-2,5-dienyloxy)psoralen [15] In addition, both species yielded the simple acetophenone xanthoxylin, and P. tuberculosum ssp. megaphyllum gave (E)-betulin-3-p-coumarate [20] and (Z)-betulin-3-p-coumarate [21], both of which appear to be novel. The chemotaxonomic implications of coumarin distribution in the two species are discussed.

Coumarins from Phebalium tuberculosum ssp. megaphyllum and Phebalium filifolium.

Coumarins from the seeds of Angelica sylvestris (Apiaceae) and their distribution within the genus Angelica

Tetra− and pentacyclic 6-c-monoterpenyl-5,7-dioxycoumarins from Eriostemon brucei and e. Brucei subspecies cinereus

In vitro anti-diabetic effect of flavonoids and pheophytins from Allophylus cominia Sw. on the glucose uptake assays by HepG2, L6, 3T3-L1 and fat accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

In vitro anti-diabetic activity of flavonoids and pheophytins from Allophylus cominia Sw . on PTP1B, DPPIV, alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase enzymes

Alexander I. Gray

Papers

Coumarins from Phebalium tuberculosum ssp. megaphyllum and Phebalium filifolium.

Coumarins from the seeds of Angelica sylvestris (Apiaceae) and their distribution within the genus Angelica

Tetra− and pentacyclic 6-c-monoterpenyl-5,7-dioxycoumarins from Eriostemon brucei and e. Brucei subspecies cinereus

In vitro anti-diabetic effect of flavonoids and pheophytins from Allophylus cominia Sw. on the glucose uptake assays by HepG2, L6, 3T3-L1 and fat accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

In vitro anti-diabetic activity of flavonoids and pheophytins from Allophylus cominia Sw . on PTP1B, DPPIV, alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase enzymes