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

Chemical similarities between Microcybe multiflora turcz, and the rutaceous genus Phebalium

Two new diterpenes have been isolated from the twigs of Ryparosa acuminata ( Flacourtiaceae ), and identified as 16α,19-dihydroxykauran-20-oic acid δ- lactone and 16α-hydroxykaurane-19,20-dial. Friedelin and eudesmin were also isolated. The structure of the lactone was confirmed by X-ray crystallography.

Structural studies of kaurane diterpenes from Ryparosa acuminata (Flacourtiaceae)

Alkaloids are group of chemical entity with proven medicinal properties. This work consolidates the procedure in isolation and structural determination of a bisbenzyl isoquinoline alkaloid from Cyclea peltata with related NMR values and data. Dried routes of Cyclea peltata was extracted using chromatographic techniques monitored using TLC and proton NMR studies. The pure compound isolated was subjected for proton NMR, carbon NMR, HSQC, HMBC, NOESY and COSY spectral experiments. Goal is to document the methods of isolation and NMR experiments involved in structural determination. The compound isolated were bisbenzyl isoquinoline alkaloid with head to head ether bond connection and identified as “Tetrandrine”. Eventhough tetrandrine is a known compound and is reported from many other plants, this time it is isolated and reported from Cyclea peltata (H.f & T). Keywords:- Cyclea peltata; bisbenzyl isoquinoline; NMR; HSQC

http://www.arjournals.org/index.php/ijpm/article/download/136/128

Targeted isolation of alkaloid from Cyclea Peltata and determination of structural formula of Tetrandrine alkaloid based on NMR studies

Discovered in the remnants of waste at Soutra Aisle, Scotland's largest medieval hospital, the tubers of Lathyrus linifolius are thought to have hunger suppressing capabilities dating back to the 1700 s. Sir Robert Sibbald, founding member of the Royal College of Physicians, spoke about these tubers in his book “Provision for the Poor in time of Dearth and Scarcity” [1]. It is also thought that these tubers provided a boost of energy, and were used when soldiers were at war. The active component is suspected to be trans-anethole, although this has still to be confirmed. The aim of this study was to determine if the traditional usage of these tubers could help in the development of therapeutics for the future. Following initial in vitro cytotoxicity screening on various cell lines (HS27, PNT2, ZR75, U937, SHSY5Y, 3T3-L1, Hek293), and a preliminary feeding trial on Sprague Dawley rats (n = 2), it was found that both the solvent extracts and the full tuber (powdered) showed no toxicity at the concentrations tested (100 µg/ml-3.125 µg/ml in vitro; 42 mg/kg body weight, based on traditional dosage, in vivo). Subsequently, a larger in vivo feeding trial (n = 8 per group) was carried out to assess the appetite suppressing capabilities. This study showed no effect on body weight, food intake or water intake following treatment with the tuber in comparison to the control group (0.9% saline), and a second test group (treated with trans-anethole at 42 mg/kg BW). Appetite and hunger are complex processes controlled primarily in the hypothalamus [2]. To determine if the tuber has any effect on gene expression in the hypothalamus, the subjects were sacrificed and the hypothalamus dissected. RNA was extracted from the hypothalamus and RNA sequencing was carried out in a preliminary study (n = 1). The results evidently show that this tuber has an effect at RNA level, with 565 genes being upregulated (> 2-fold), and 642 genes being downregulated (> 2-fold) in comparison to the control group.

Alexander I. Gray

Papers

Chemical similarities between Microcybe multiflora turcz, and the rutaceous genus Phebalium

Structural studies of kaurane diterpenes from Ryparosa acuminata (Flacourtiaceae)

Targeted isolation of alkaloid from Cyclea Peltata and determination of structural formula of Tetrandrine alkaloid based on NMR studies

Brain changing tubers: Gene expression changes following mediaeval tuber consumption

Isomurralonginol isovalerate from Phebalium filifolium