Laila Jafri

Bio: Laila Jafri is an academic researcher from Quaid-i-Azam University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Hedera nepalensis & Lupeol. The author has an hindex of 9, co-authored 15 publications receiving 259 citations. Previous affiliations of Laila Jafri include Abasyn University & Bahauddin Zakariya University.

Plants as Antileishmanial Agents: Current Scenario

Abstract: Leishmaniasis is a clinical manifestation caused by the parasites of the genus Leishmania. Plants are reservoirs of bioactive compounds, which are known to be chemically balanced, effective and least injurious as compared with synthetic medicines. The current resistance and the toxic effects of the available drugs have brought the trend to assess the antileishmanial effect of various plant extracts and their purified compound/s, which are summarized in this review. Moreover, it also highlights various traditional remedies used by local healers against leishmaniasis. A systematic cross-sectional study for antileishmanial activity of natural products was carried out using multiple literature databases. The records retrieved since 2000 till year 2016 were analysed and summarized in the form of comprehensive tables and graphs. Natural products are potential source of new and selective agents that can significantly contribute to primary healthcare and probably are promising substitutes of chemicals for the treatment of protozoan diseases like leishmaniasis. Where the researchers prefer to use alcoholic solvents for the extraction of antileishmanial agents from plants, most of the studies are limited to in vitro conditions majorly on using promastigote forms of Leishmania. Thus, there is a need to carry out such activities in vivo and in host macrophages. Further, there is a need of mechanistic studies that can help taking few of the promising pure compounds to clinical level. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Microwave-assisted Synthesis and Bioevaluation of Some Semicarbazones

Abstract: In continuation to our efforts in finding potential therapeutic agents, a variety of biologically significant semicarbazones were synthesized by the reaction of different carbonyl compounds with phenyl semicarbazides through microwave irradiation. Initially, 18 semicarbazones were studied for their antimicrobial, antitumor, and antioxidant potential. None of the tested compounds showed any antibacterial activity; however, some compounds showed significant antifungal activity. Interestingly, all compounds showed antitumor activity when tested against tumors grown on potato discs. These compounds were also tested for their effect on OH radical-induced oxidative DNA damage. All the compounds showed DNA protection to varying extent. Based on the promising results of antitumor and antioxidant activities, another set of 24 semicarbazones was synthesized, and all of these semicarbazones were evaluated for their antioxidant potential. The results showed that the semicarbazones derived from 2-nitrobenzaldehyde and acetophenone were the most active 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl 9 (DPPH) free radical scavengers. The overall results have led to the identification of some interesting compounds which seem to have great potential to be developed into effective anticancer drugs.

Hedera nepalensis K. Koch: A Novel Source of Natural Cancer Chemopreventive and Anticancerous Compounds.

Abstract: Traditional medicinal plants are often used for both the prevention and the treatment of local diseases. Taking into consideration the medicinal importance of Hedera nepalensis within local Pakistani traditions, the present study was undertaken to analyze the in vitro cancer chemopreventive and cytotoxic properties of the plant. The in vitro cancer chemopreventive testing was performed using nitrite assay, NFκB assay, aromatase assay, and quinone reductase 1 (QR1) assay. The cytotoxic potential was evaluated on three cancer-cell lines: MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and HeLa using sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. The results of cancer chemopreventive assays show that n-hexane and ethyl acetate fractions of tested plant have promising cancer chemopreventive potential. Lupeol isolated from n-hexane as well as ethyl acetate fraction showed lowest IC50 (0.20 ± 1.9 μM) in NFκB assay. Crude extract and its fractions inhibited the growth of three cancer cell lines by more than 60%, IC50 value of lupeol varied from 2.32 to 10.2 μM. HPLC-DAD-based quantification of lupeol in different plant tissues demonstrated that leaves of H. nepalensis are a rich source of lupeol (0.196 mg/100 mg dry weight). Our data have shown that H. nepalensis harbors cancer chemopreventive and cytotoxic agents.

Cation exchange capacity.

Abstract: Positive ions that are available in soils absorb on grain surfaces. The total sum of cations that can be absorbed bij a soil/sediment at a certain PH is defined by the cation-exchange capacity (CEC, in meq g-1: mol equivalents per gram). The uptake of cations is an important parameter in agriculture and the larger the CEC, the more cations can be absorbed to the soil. The CEC depends highly on the pH of soil and sediments, where the CEC decreases with decreasing PH (increasing acidity). The exchange of ions on sediments occurs commonly fast on geological time scales, but the kinetics of adsorption in natural environments is still poorly understood. The strength of the bonding between the cations and the sediments varies from weak Van der Waals bondings (physical adsorption) to strong chemical bonds. The CEC is widely used for agricultural assessment because it is a measure of general soil fertility as well as an indicator of structural stability because CED is capabel of enhancing development of shrinkage cracks. The list below shows the CEC for different types of minerals. The data indicate that the CEC can vary over 2 orders of magnitude for various types of , minerals and can vary one order of magnitude within one soil type. Cation exchange capacity for different types of sediment (Eisma, 1992; Locher and de Bakker, 1990):

In vitro antioxidant properties of rutin

Abstract: Much work has been carried out in recent years on the beneficial effect of phenolic compounds which act as natural antioxidants and help to neutralize free radicals. We analysed the antioxidant activity of the rutin (quercetin-3-rhamnosyl glucoside) using different assays including: total antioxidant activity and reducing power, hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, superoxide radical scavenging assay, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and lipid peroxidation assay which uses egg yolk as the lipid-rich source. Total antioxidant capacity was determined by the assay based on the decrease in absorbance of β-carotene by the sample. Rutin exhibited strong DPPH radical scavenging activity. At the concentration of 0.05 mg/ml, ascorbic acid (Vc), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and rutin showed 92.8%, 58.8%, and 90.4% inhibition, respectively. In addition, rutin had effective inhibition of lipid peroxidation. Those various antioxidant activities were compared to standard antioxidants such as BHT and Vc.

Natural Products for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by persistent hyperglycemia. High blood sugar can produce long-term complications such as cardiovascular and renal disorders, retinopathy, and poor blood flow. Its development can be prevented or delayed in people with impaired glucose tolerance by implementing lifestyle changes or the use of therapeutic agents. Some of these drugs have been obtained from plants or have a microbial origin, such as galegine isolated from Galega officinalis, which has a great similarity to the antidiabetic drug metformin. Picnogenol, acarbose, miglitol, and voglibose are other antidiabetic products of natural origin. This review compiles the principal articles on medicinal plants used for treating diabetes and its comorbidities, as well as mechanisms of natural products as antidiabetic agents. Inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase, effects on glucose uptake and glucose transporters, modification of mechanisms mediated by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B activity, modification of gene expression, and activities of hormones involved in glucose homeostasis such as adiponectin, resistin, and incretin, and reduction of oxidative stress are some of the mechanisms in which natural products are involved. We also review the most relevant clinical trials performed with medicinal plants and natural products such as aloe, banaba, bitter melon, caper, cinnamon, cocoa, coffee, fenugreek, garlic, guava, gymnema, nettle, sage, soybean, green and black tea, turmeric, walnut, and yerba mate. Compounds of high interest as potential antidiabetics are: fukugetin, palmatine, berberine, honokiol, amorfrutins, trigonelline, gymnemic acids, gurmarin, and phlorizin.

Antidiabetic Potential of Medicinal Plants and Their Active Components.

Abstract: Diabetes mellitus is one of the major health problems in the world, the incidence and associated mortality are increasing. Inadequate regulation of the blood sugar imposes serious consequences for health. Conventional antidiabetic drugs are effective, however, also with unavoidable side effects. On the other hand, medicinal plants may act as an alternative source of antidiabetic agents. Examples of medicinal plants with antidiabetic potential are described, with focuses on preclinical and clinical studies. The beneficial potential of each plant matrix is given by the combined and concerted action of their profile of biologically active compounds.

Reduction of surgical-site infections in cardiothoracic surgery by elimination of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus [see comments]

Abstract: OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that perioperative elimination of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus using mupirocin nasal ointment reduces the surgical-site infection (SSI) rate in cardiothoracic surgery. DESIGN Unblinded intervention trial with historical controls. SETTING A university hospital, tertiary referral center for cardiothoracic surgery. PATIENTS Consecutive patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery between August 1, 1989, and February 1, 1991 (historical control group), and between March 1, 1991, and August 1, 1992 (intervention group). RESULTS The historical control group consisted of 928 patients and the intervention group of 868, of whom 752 actually were treated. The 116 patients who were unintentionally not treated were considered as a concurrent control group. In the intention-to-treat analysis, a significant reduction in SSI rate was observed after the intervention (historical-control group 7.3% and intervention group 2.8%; P < .0001). The SSI rate in the concurrent control group was significantly higher than in the treated group (7.8% and 2.0%, respectively; P = .0023). Resistance of S aureus to mupirocin was not observed. CONCLUSION The results of this study indicate that perioperative elimination of nasal carriage using mupirocin nasal ointment significantly reduces the SSI rate in cardiothoracic surgery patients and warrants a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled efficacy trial. This preventive measure may be beneficial in other categories of surgical patients as well.