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Therapeutic potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells on experimental liver fibrosis.

Pistacia, a genus of flowering plants from the family Anacardiaceae, contains about twenty species, among them five are more popular including P. vera, P. atlantica, P. terebinthus, P. khinjuk, and P. lentiscus. Different parts of these species have been used in traditional medicine for various purposes like tonic, aphrodisiac, antiseptic, antihypertensive and management of dental, gastrointestinal, liver, urinary tract, and respiratory tract disorders. Scientific findings also revealed the wide pharmacological activities from various parts of these species, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, anticholinesterase, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, antidiabetic, antitumor, antihyperlipidemic, antiatherosclerotic, and hepatoprotective activities and also their beneficial effects in gastrointestinal disorders. Various types of phytochemical constituents like terpenoids, phenolic compounds, fatty acids, and sterols have also been isolated and identified from different parts of Pistacia species. The present review summarizes comprehensive information concerning ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of the five mentioned Pistacia species.

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Five Pistacia species (P. vera, P. atlantica, P. terebinthus, P. khinjuk, and P. lentiscus): A Review of Their Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology

Liver diseases are a major worldwide health problem, with high endemicity in developing countries. They are mainly caused by chemicals and some drugs when taken in very high doses. Despite advances in modern medicine, there is no effective drug available that stimulates liver function, offer protection to the liver from damage or help to regenerate hepatic cells. There is urgent need, therefore, for effective drugs to replace/supplement those in current use. The plant kingdom is undoubtedly valuable as a source of new medicinal agents. The present work constitutes a review of the literature on plant extracts and chemically defined molecules of natural origin with hepatoprotective activity. The review shows 107 plants, their families, geographical distribution, plant parts utilized, type of assay and inducer of liver damage. It also includes 58 compounds isolated from higher plants, classified into appropriate chemical groups. This work intends to aid researchers in the study of natural products useful in the treatment of liver diseases.

	 

	Key words: Liver, liver disease, hepatoprotective activity, natural products.

A review of natural products with hepatoprotective activity

Artemisia, one of the larger genera in the family Asteraceae and the largest genus in the tribe Anthemideae, comprises from 200 to more than 500 taxa at the specific or subspecific level. Many Artemisia species have a high economic value in several fields, as food plants and as antihelminthic and antimalaria in medicine. Artemisia herba-alba was known for its therapeutic and medicinal properties, it was used in both traditional and modern medicine. Several papers have been published on the chemical composition of specimens of A. herba-alba. The aim of this work is to review all available scientific literature published on A. herba-alba. The focus will be on the chemical constitutions which have been identified from this species, in addition to all of the reported biological activites of this species have been included as well as the pharmacology and toxicology. KeywordsArtemisia herba-alba; sesquiterpenes; flavonoids; essential oil; biological activities.

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Chemical constituents and biological activities of Artemisia herba-alba.

Evaluation of hepatoprotective effect of Pistacia lentiscus, Phillyrea latifolia and Nicotiana glauca

The antimicrobial activity of aqueous and methanolic extracts, as well as partially purified proteins extracted from Terfezia claveryi aqueous extract were investigated against Staphylococcus aureus in vitro. A 5% aqueous extract inhibited the growth of S. aureus by 66.4%, while a methanolic extract was ineffective. Partial protein purification of the aqueous extract using ammonium sulphate precipitation revealed that antimicrobial activity was within the third fraction. This fraction was then subjected to gel filtration using Sephadex G-100. Two peaks were obtained. Peak one possessed higher antimicrobial activity. This peak was then subjected to ion exchange chromatography using DEAE Sephadex. Only peak 4 from the six peaks obtained showed a slight antimicrobial activity. Antimicrobial activities of the aqueous extract and the fractions that showed antimicrobial activity were compared with reference antibiotics.

A promising peptide antibiotic from Terfezia claveryi aqueous extract against Staphylococcus aureus in vitro.

Optimization of the dose and route of injection, and characterisation of the time course of carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in the rat.

OBJECTIVES 
To investigate the antibacterial activities of aqueous and methanolic extracts, as well as, partially purified proteins extracted from Terfezia claveryi aqueous, against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa).
 METHODS 
Five percent of the aqueous and methanolic extracts were added to growth medium of P. aeruginosa. The extract that caused growth inhibition (aqueous) was then partially purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel chromatography and ion exchange chromatography. Antibacterial activities of the obtained fractions were assessed using agar-well diffusion test, and then all the results were compared with reference antibiotics. Excremental procedures were performed at the Department of Nutrition and Food Technology and the animal house of Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan during the year 2000.
 RESULTS 
Five percent aqueous extract inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa by 40.9%, while methanolic extract was ineffective. Partial purification of the aqueous extract using ammonium sulfate precipitation revealed that antimicrobial activity was within the second pellet (25-45%). This fraction was then subjected to gel permeation chromatography using Sephadex G-25. Peak one, of the 2 peaks obtained, possessed higher antimicrobial activity. Peak one was then subjected to ion exchange chromatography using DEAE Sephadex. Only peak one, of the 3 peaks obtained, showed a slight antimicrobial activity. Relative antimicrobial activities of these fractions were found to be superior to most of reference antibiotics used for comparison.
 CONCLUSIONS 
Aqueous extract of the truffle Terfezia claveryi contains a potent antimicrobial agent that is protein in nature and may be used in the treatment of eye infections caused by P. aeruginosa.

Evaluation of antibacterial activity of aqueous and methanolic extracts of the truffle Terfezia claveryi against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Hepatoprotective activity of Terfezia claveryi aqueous, methanolic and petroleum ether extracts was evaluated in the rat using a potent hepatotoxin carbon tetrachloride (CCl ) in comparison with the 4 hepatoprotective activity of a reference plant Nigella sativa. The extracts were administrated via gavage three days prior to CCl intoxication followed by two additional doses one hour and four hours after CCl injection. 4 4 Twenty four hours after intoxication, blood samples were collected and serum bilirubin concentration, Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) activities were measured. Body weight was measured then livers were excises and livers were weighed. The aqueous, methanolic and petroleum ether extracts of T. claveryi and N. sativa lowered all liver function tests significantly. However, the aqueous extract of T. claveryi almost normalized the effect of CCl and was as 4 effective as the petroleum ether extract of the reference plant N. sativa. Moreover, the aqueous extract of T. claveryi normalized CCl induced hepatomegaly, which was comparable to the effect of petroleum ether 4 extract of N. sativa. These results demonstrate that aqueous extract of T. claveryi possesses a very powerful hepatoprotective activity against CCl and it is as effective as petroleum ether extract of the reference plant 4

Sana Janakat

Papers

Evaluation of hepatoprotective effect of Pistacia lentiscus, Phillyrea latifolia and Nicotiana glauca

A promising peptide antibiotic from Terfezia claveryi aqueous extract against Staphylococcus aureus in vitro.

Optimization of the dose and route of injection, and characterisation of the time course of carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in the rat.

Evaluation of antibacterial activity of aqueous and methanolic extracts of the truffle Terfezia claveryi against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Hepatoprotective activity of desert truffle (Terfezia claveryi) in comparison with the effect of Nigella sativa in the rat.