Ammara Saleem

Bio: Ammara Saleem is an academic researcher from Government College University, Faisalabad. The author has contributed to research in topics: Gallic acid & Ames test. The author has an hindex of 15, co-authored 63 publications receiving 577 citations.

Potential Role of Curcumin and Its Nanoformulations to Treat Various Types of Cancers

Abstract: Cancer is a major burden of disease globally. Each year, tens of millions of people are diagnosed with cancer worldwide, and more than half of the patients eventually die from it. Significant advances have been noticed in cancer treatment, but the mortality and incidence rates of cancers are still high. Thus, there is a growing research interest in developing more effective and less toxic cancer treatment approaches. Curcumin (CUR), the major active component of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), has gained great research interest as an antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory agent. This natural compound shows its anticancer effect through several pathways including interfering with multiple cellular mechanisms and inhibiting/inducing the generation of multiple cytokines, enzymes, or growth factors including IκB kinase β (IκKβ), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), signal transducer, and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), cyclooxygenase II (COX-2), protein kinase D1 (PKD1), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), epidermal growth factor, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Interestingly, the anticancer activity of CUR has been limited primarily due to its poor water solubility, which can lead to low chemical stability, low oral bioavailability, and low cellular uptake. Delivering drugs at a controlled rate, slow delivery, and targeted delivery are other very attractive methods and have been pursued vigorously. Multiple CUR nanoformulations have also been developed so far to ameliorate solubility and bioavailability of CUR and to provide protection to CUR against hydrolysis inactivation. In this review, we have summarized the anticancer activity of CUR against several cancers, for example, gastrointestinal, head and neck, brain, pancreatic, colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers. In addition, we have also focused on the findings obtained from multiple experimental and clinical studies regarding the anticancer effect of CUR in animal models, human subjects, and cancer cell lines.

Moringa rivae leaf extracts attenuate Complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced arthritis in Wistar rats via modulation of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers

Abstract: Moringa rivae is widely used as a traditional remedy against arthritis. The present research was designed to evaluate the anti-arthritic potential of Moringa rivae extracts. Treatment of rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis with methanolic and aqueous extracts of M. rivae (150, 300 or 600 mg/kg), and piroxicam (10 mg/kg) was started orally at day 8 post-administration of complete Freund’s adjuvant and continued till 28th day. The therapeutic effect of the plant extracts was assessed in arthritic rats by arthritic index, body weight, and haematological and biochemical parameters. Furthermore, the modulatory effect on gene expression (I-κB, IL-4 and IL-10, COX-2, IL-1β and IL-6, NF-κB, and TNF-α) in the blood was determined using qRT-PCR, while ELISA assay was used to find PGE2 and TNF-α concentrations in the serum. Oxidative stress parameters in the liver and ankle joint histopathology were also evaluated. Moreover, the most effective methanolic extract was further characterized by GC–MS for the presence of phytochemicals. Treatment with the plant extracts significantly restored arthritic index, change in the body weight and immune organ weight, and the histopathological indices. Both extracts significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the serum concentration of rheumatoid factor, C-reactive protein, PGE2, and TNF-α in arthritic rats. The extracts persuasively down-regulated the COX-2, PGE2, IL-1β, IL-6, NF-κB, and TNF-α, and up-regulated the mRNA expression of I-κB, IL-4, and IL-10. Both extracts increased the activities of CAT and SOD while reducing the formation of MDA in a dose- dependent manner in the liver. Histopathological evaluation showed that treatment with the plant extracts significantly (p < 0.05) reduced joint inflammation, pannus formation, and bone erosion in treatment groups in comparison to arthritic control. Phytochemicals detected by GC–MS in the methanolic extract included esters, alcohols, ketones, fatty acids, and vitamin E. These findings provide evidence of the anti-arthritic potential of M. rivae extracts in chronic polyarthritis model.

Review: Nigella sativa (Prophetic Medicine): A Review.

Abstract: The present report is a significant effort to explore detail description of N. Sativa, its pharmacognostic characteristics, morphological characteristics, and mechanism of actions, doses and medicinal uses. Nigella sativa (N. Sativa) is greatest form of healing medicine. It is also known as Prophetic Medicine as its use has been mentioned in Prophetic Hadit, as natural remedy for all the diseases except death. It is recommended on daily basis in Tibb-e-Nabwi (Prophetic Medicine). Hazrat Abu Hurairah States ''I have heard from Rasool Allah (PBUH) that there is cure for every disease in black seeds except death and black seeds are shooneeze''. Salim Bin Abdullah narrates with reference to his father Hazrat Abdullah Bin Omar that Rasool Allah (PBUH) said, 'Let all the black seed upon you, these contain cure of all diseases except death'. N. sativa claimed to have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hepato-protective, neuro-protective, gastro-protective and other useful properties. Biological and pharmacological effects are attributed to its two important constituents Thymoquinone (TQ) and Nigella sativa oil (NSO). TQ has interaction with human serum albumin. Seeds containing volatile oils mainly Melanthin showed toxicity at larger doses. This report is a reference for all pharmaceutical researchers, physicians and biologists researching on N. sativa and will open a door towards novel agent.

Practical In Pharmaceutical Chemistry

Abstract: THE fact that this text-book by Appleyard and Lyons has made its fourth appearance in ten years is sufficient evidence of its popularity. This new edition differs from its predecessors only by a slightly expanded chapter on qualitative organic analysis.Practical Pharmaceutical ChemistryBy F. N. Appleyard Dr. C. G. Lyons. Fourth edition. Pp. vii + 174. (London: Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, Ltd., 1939.) 6s. 6d. net.

Toxicity evaluation of textile effluents and role of native soil bacterium in biodegradation of a textile dye.

Abstract: Water pollution caused by the discharge of hazardous textile effluents is a serious environmental problem worldwide. In order to assess the pollution level of the textile effluents, various physico-chemical parameters were analyzed in the textile wastewater and agricultural soil irrigated with the wastewater (contaminated soil) using atomic absorption spectrophotometer and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis that demonstrated the presence of several toxic heavy metals (Ni, Cu, Cr, Pb, Cd, and Zn) and a large number of organic compounds. Further, in order to get a comprehensive idea about the toxicity exerted by the textile effluent, mung bean seed germination test was performed that indicated the reduction in percent seed germination and radicle-plumule growth. The culturable microbial populations were also enumerated and found to be significantly lower in the wastewater and contaminated soil than the ground water irrigated soil, thus indicating the biotic homogenization of indigenous microflora. Therefore, the study was aimed to develop a cost effective and ecofriendly method of textile waste treatment using native soil bacterium, identified as Arthrobacter soli BS5 by 16S rDNA sequencing that showed remarkable ability to degrade a textile dye reactive black 5 with maximum degradation of 98% at 37 °C and pH in the range of 5–9 after 120 h of incubation.

Membrane stabilization as a mechanism of the anti-inflammatory activity of methanol extract of garden egg (Solanum aethiopicum) | University of Nigeria, Nsukka Open Education Resources (OER)

Abstract: BackgroundSome observations and reports show that people with high consumption of Solanum aethiopicum (African garden egg) have relief in arthritic pains and swelling. We aimed at assessing the effect of methanol extract of Solanum aethiopicum in experimentally induced inflammation using leukocyte mobilization and vascular permeability tests in rats and human red blood cell (HRBC) membrane stabilization as studies.MethodsTwenty five (25) adult Wistar rats of either sex (120 g – 200 g) divided into five groups of five rats each were used for each of the animal models. Groups 2, 3 and 4 were administered varied doses of the extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg), while groups 1 (vehicle control) and 5 (treatment control) received normal saline and indomethacin (50 mg/kg) respectively. Vascular permeability was induced by the intra-peritoneal injection of 1 ml of acetic acid and monitored using 0.5 ml intravenous injection of 1% Evans blue solution. Leukocyte mobilization was induced by the intra-peritoneal injection of 0.5 ml of 3% agar suspension in normal saline. Heat and hypotonicity induced heamolysis of HRBC membrane was used to assess membrane stabilization.ResultsThe methanol extracts of garden egg significantly and dose dependently reduced (p≤0.05) the acetic acid induced vascular permeability and agar induced leukocyte mobilization in rats. The percentage inhibitions of induced vascular permeability were 21 ± 3.39, 25 ±1.92 and 60 ± 3.81 for the 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of the extract while the inhibitions of the agar induced leucocyte migration were 23 ± 2.17, 26 ± 1.58 and 32 ± 1.58 for the 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of the extract respectively. The extract also, at doses of 100, 200, 400, 600 and 800 μg/ml significantly inhibited heat induced lysis of the human red cell membrane with values of 66.46 ± 2.89, 65.14 ± 4.58, 46.53 ± 2.52, 61.88 ± 4.51and 86.67 ± 3.06 respectively.ConclusionsThese results show that methanol extract of Solanum aethiopicum has anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce inflammatory injury and tissue damage.