Showing papers in "Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine in 2019"
TL;DR: Because of aqueous extract of A. saralicum leaf anti-anemic property, it can be used as a medical supplement or drug and prevented pathological changes in the liver and spleen.
Abstract: There are many medicinal plants in traditional medicine which are used to prevent, control, and treat anemia. One of these plants is Allium saralicum R.M. Fritsch. The purpose of our research was to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of A. saralicum leaf in the treatment of hemolytic anemia. In this study, 60 rats were used. Induction of hemolytic anemia was done by three injections of Phenylhydrazine in 50 animals. Then, the rats were divided into six subgroups, including negative healthy control, untreated negative control, and four groups receiving the A. saralicum at 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg concentrations. At the end of day 15 of treatment, the animals of all groups were weight and then sacrificed. The blood, liver and spleen samples were drawn immediately to analyze the hematological, biochemical and histological parameters. All groups of A. saralicum (especially AS200) significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced the raised concentrations of Fe, ferritin, erythropoietin, ALP, AST, ALT, GGT, cholesterol, LDL, triglyceride, total and conjugated bilirubin, urea, and creatinine and increased the levels of body weight, HDL, total protein, albumin, WBC, lymphocyte, monocytes, platelet, RBC, Hb, PCV, MCV, MCH, and MCHC as compared to the untreated group. Also, A. saralicum at all doses prevented pathological changes in the liver and spleen. In conclusion, because of aqueous extract of A. saralicum leaf anti-anemic property, it can be used as a medical supplement or drug.
47 citations
TL;DR: Improved fermentation techniques and different biotechnological strategies such as gene cloning, gene transformation, mutations are widely being used on endophytic fungi in order to increase the productivity of the taxol.
Abstract: Paclitaxel (taxol), a diterpene natural compound was first extracted from the bark of yew trees. However, the method cannot meet its increasing demand on the market due to unprecedented yew cutting, low amounts of taxol production, the laborious and slow process of taxol extraction. Recently, efforts have been made to develop alternative means of taxol production. Microbial fermentation would be a promising method in the production of taxol at industrial scale. Fungal endophytes have the capacity to produce bioactive compounds and can independently synthesize secondary metabolites similar to those made by the host plants. Optimization of the fermentation culture is one of the most important strategies in increasing taxol production by endophytic fungi supplemented with several substances including carbon sources, nitrogen sources, precursors, inducer and the metabolic bypass inhibitors. Improved fermentation techniques and different biotechnological strategies such as gene cloning, gene transformation, mutations are widely being used on endophytic fungi in order to increase the productivity of the taxol. In this review, the different strategies used to produce taxol from endophytic fungal biotechnology have been discussed.
37 citations
TL;DR: Amongst several isolated chemical moieties of N. sativa, thymoquinone may be one of the best targets for treatment of microbial infections, inflammations, cancer, metabolic syndromes, and many other diseases.
Abstract: An in depth review on Nigella sativa and its derived constituents has been necessitated which has been sketched in this paper from the research reports obtained from PubMed and ScienceDirect databases. Findings of this meticulous review suggest that N. sativa possesses various important phytoconstituents and derived compounds with diverse biological effects including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, anti-protozoal, antiviral, cytotoxic, anticancer, and neuro-, gastro-, cardio-, hepato- and nephro-protective activities. In addition, N. sativa implies beneficiary effects on reproductive, pulmonary and immune systems along with diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes), fertility, breast cancer, dermatological complications, dehydration, dyspepsia, osmotic balance and others. Amongst several isolated chemical moieties of N. sativa, thymoquinone may be one of the best targets for treatment of microbial infections, inflammations, cancer, metabolic syndromes, and many other diseases. The N. sativa is evident to promote health in some non-clinical and clinical studies and it may serve to be one of the best sources for modern phyto medicine.
31 citations
TL;DR: Simvastatin could be a potential candidate as an anti-bacterial agent against a wide range of bacterial infections, however, further studies are required to check its complete role before starting phase I clinical trial.
Abstract: In the current investigation, we have compared the potential of statin drugs (Simvastatin, Rosuvastatin and Fluvastatin) as potential anti-bacterial agent by conducting in silico, in vitro and ex vivo studies. In silico study was conducted to check the interaction of statin drugs towards various targets of bacteria. The percentage growth retardation, bacterial growth kinetics, MIC determination, post antibiotic effect and biofilm formation assay were conducted to check the anti-bacterial effect of statin drugs under in vitro conditions. Finally, MTT assay was used to check the percentage of immune cell viability after Simvastatin treatment. Docking studies have revealed good interaction of Simvastatin, Rosuvastatin and Fluvastatin towards various targets of bacterial strains as that of the internal ligand. Simvastatin has shown good antibacterial activity against S. aureus, B. pumilus, P. aeruginosa and S. enterica as compared to Rosuvastatin and Fluvastatin. In vitro results have shown concentration and time dependent inhibition of bacterial growth by Simvastatin in concentration range of 64–256 μg/ml. Finally, MTT assay have shown non-cytotoxic effect of Simvastatin against adaptive immune system. In conclusion, Simvastatin could be a potential candidate as an anti-bacterial agent against a wide range of bacterial infections. However, further studies are required to check its complete role before starting phase I clinical trial.
28 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the effect of different extraction solvents and determine the optimum solvent concentration (in the range of 0-100%) for the recovery of total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity of peel, pulp and seed kernel of Mangifera odorata fruit were investigated.
Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the effect of different extraction solvents and determine the optimum solvent concentration (in the range of 0–100%) for the recovery of total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity of peel, pulp and seed kernel of Mangifera odorata fruit. The total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were determined using Folin–Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride assays, respectively. The highest level of TPC was found in 60% and 80% (v/v) acetone for pulp and seed kernel while peel showed the highest TPC at the concentration of 80% (v/v) acetone. The optimum total flavonoid content was achieved at 100% (v/v) methanol for all fruit parts. Antioxidant activity was measured using ferric reducing antioxidant power assay, and the result showed the highest activity at 60% (v/v) ethanol for all parts of M. odorata fruit. The highest scavenging activity was shown at 60% (v/v) acetone for pulp and seed kernel, respectively. Peel exhibited the highest scavenging activity at 40% acetone. It can be concluded that the recovery of phenolic compounds was dependent on the polarity of the chemical constituents in the different parts of fruit as well as the polarity of the solvent systems used. Seed kernel had the highest TPC, TFC and possessed excellent antioxidant capacity compared to peel and pulp of M. odorata. Therefore, the seed kernel can be incorporated into food products as a functional ingredient for the prevention of oxidative-stress related diseases.
14 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the antioxidant, antibacterial, anthelmintic, and cytotoxic activities of the crude methanol extract of Bonamia semidigyna (Roxb) leaves and its derived fractions in different experimental models.
Abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant, antibacterial, anthelmintic, and cytotoxic activities of the crude methanol extract of Bonamia semidigyna (Roxb) leaves and its derived fractions in different experimental models Leaves of B semidigyna were extracted with methanol (MBS) and the resultant successively fractionated into n-hexane (NBS), petroleum ether (PBS), chloroform (CBS), and ethyl acetate (EBS) soluble fractions Later, the plant extractives were investigated for antioxidant, antibacterial, anthelmintic and cytotoxic properties Phytochemical study was carried out using standard methods and polyphenols content were determined by spectrophotometric techniques Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging activity, ferric reducing power, and total antioxidant capacity assays Disc diffusion technique used to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy and anthelmintic activity was determined using aquarium worm (Tubifex tubifex) whereas cytotoxicity was evaluated using brine shrimp lethality bioassay The phytochemical study revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, saponins, phenolic, steroids, sterols, quinones, oxalate, coumarins, and emodins in the plant extractives In addition, the quantitative phytochemical analysis showed the significant amount of polyphenol contents In antioxidant assays, the crude methanol extract and EBS fraction exhibited the most potent antioxidant activity among all the extractives The crude methanol extract and EBS fraction also possessed significant antibacterial and anthelmintic potentials while moderate cytotoxic activities were found for all the plant extractives The present study confirmed that the crude methanol extract of B semidigyna and its EBS fraction, possibly due to its high polyphenol contents possess significant antioxidant, antibacterial, and anthelmintic properties
14 citations
TL;DR: The microbiological quality after storage of locally sold raw medicinal plants that were supplied to different pharma units involved in the preparation of herbal and various formulations of ayurvedic drugs were investigated and found that most of the samples loaded with bacterial and fungal contents, do not comply with the FDA regulations.
Abstract: The medical focus is now on phytofoods, drugs and the consumption of medicinal plants is expanding worldwide. Safety and quality of herbal preparations is of great concern. Quality determines reproducible efficacy of herbal drugs and also safety is a concern both for public and health authorities in many countries specially developing ones. The reason attributed is that many contaminants and microbes that may cause quality deterioration and directly harm to the consumers, find entry in the crude herbal materials during collection and storage. The safety of these products is partially compromised due to the microbial presence, especially toxigenic fungi. The present study was designed to investigate the microbiological quality after storage of locally sold raw medicinal plants that were supplied to different pharma units involved in the preparation of herbal and various formulations of ayurvedic drugs. Twenty samples of raw medicinal plants were stored at room temperature for a year and subjected to microbiological evaluation and found that most of the samples loaded with bacterial and fungal contents, do not comply with the FDA regulations. The presence of aflatoxin gave signals of aflatoxin producing fungi i.e. A. flavus and A. parasiticus. So, there is an urgent need of making strategy to control the microbes during pre-harvest and post-harvest procedures. This study is an attempt to emphasize the need for consistent quality assessment of crude herbal drugs for safe therapeutic products suitable for human beings. Our findings may help in instituting public health standards towards production and safety of herbal drugs worldwide.
12 citations
TL;DR: This work constitutes a literature review on natural products contain antioxidant principles used in the treatment of neurodegenerative disease.
Abstract: Free radicals are the byproducts of physiological aerobic cellular metabolism. Intrinsic antioxidant system plays its pivotal function in prevention of any loss due to free radicals. Though, incorporation or excess production of free radicals from environment to living system or imbalanced defense mechanism of antioxidant system leads to severe consequences like neuro-degeneration. Sensory or functional loss occurs in neural cells in neurodegenerative diseases. Besides numerous other genetic or environmental factors, oxidative stress is the major cause which leads to damage of neurons and production of neurodegenative diseases. However, oxygen is vital for existence, excessive reactive oxygen species production and imbalanced metabolism leads to a variety of diseases such as aging, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and many other neurodegenative diseases. Free radicals toxicity contributes to DNA and proteins damage, tissue damage, inflammation and consequent cellular apoptosis. Neuroprotection is a broad term commonly used to refer therapeutic strategies that can prevent, delay or even reverse neuronal damage. Since thousands of years, lots of medicinal plants have been used in a group of herbal preparations of Ayurveda (Indian traditional health care system) named Rasayana because of the antioxidant principles present in it, responsible for their medicinal use in neurodegenerative diseases. This work constitutes a literature review on natural products contain antioxidant principles used in the treatment of neurodegenerative disease.
11 citations
TL;DR: The results suggest that Ocimum basilicum L. may have potential benefits in preventing pathological inflammation by exhibiting non-cytotoxicity and reduced NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells in vitro.
Abstract: Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) has been used not only as culinary herb for flavor, but traditional medicines such as antiseptic, antispasmodic, digestive regulatory, anti-oxidant and antimicrobial properties. However, the anti-inflammatory activity of plant tissue cultures developed from Ocimum basilicum L. remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effect of callus induction and the ethanol extract of in vivo leaf and in vitro (leaf, callus light and dark condition) of Ocimum basilicum L. to examine its anti-inflammatory activity on LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells in vitro. Callus induction from leaf explants of Ocimum basilicum L. was conducted by incubating leaf explants on MS medium supplemented with various concentrations of KIN in combination with 2,4-D. The constituents of leaf and leaf callus ethanol extracts of Ocimum basilicum L. were quantified using GC–MS analysis. Additionally, cell viability was determined using an MTT assay and anti-inflammatory effects were investigated by measuring NO production. The results showed that the leaf callus was induced on MS medium supplemented with various combination of KIN and 2,4-D over a short time period. Analyses confirmed that in vivo leaf contained many of the constituents than in vitro leaf and callus. Moreover, the ethanol extracts of leaf and leaf callus of Ocimum basilicum L. exhibited non-cytotoxicity and reduced NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Thus, these results suggest that Ocimum basilicum L. may have potential benefits in preventing pathological inflammation.
11 citations
TL;DR: Results from this study indicate that EOs from S. aromaticum and P. graveolens can be used as a multitarget therapy and demonstrate anti-inflammatory effect on the two phases of inflammation in the carrageenan induced edema model.
Abstract: Therapy combination is known for less side effects and higher efficacy Essential oils (EOs) and mixture from two well-known plants (Syzygium aromaticum and Pelargonium graveolens) were tested for in vivo antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities The chemical analysis of the investigated Oils has lead to the identification of Eugenol (7406%), Caryophyllene (1152%) and Carvacrol acetate (782%) as the major element in S aromaticum; while P graveolens was much higher in Citronellol (3077%), 10-epi-γ-Eudesmol (2259%), and Geraniol (1395%) In our pharmacological screening, both EOs demonstrated good antioxidant effects; especially S aromaticum activity was much higher In contrast, the in vivo investigation of the antioxidant activity using antioxidant enzymes (MDA, SOD and CAT) in the protozoa model (Tetrahemena pyriformis) demonstrated a higher protective effect of P graveolens and EOs mixture On the other hand, EOs demonstrated anti-inflammatory effect on the two phases of inflammation in the carrageenan induced edema model Results from this study indicate that EOs from S aromaticum and P Graveolens can be used as a multitarget therapy
11 citations
TL;DR: The present study was designed to investigate different phytochemical groups present in ethanolic extract of Argemone mexicana aerial parts as well as to assess the analgesic, antidiarrheal, antibacterial, anthelmintic and cytotoxic activities of EAMA.
Abstract: The present study was designed to investigate different phytochemical groups present in ethanolic extract of Argemone mexicana aerial parts (EAMA) as well as to assess the analgesic, antidiarrheal, antibacterial, anthelmintic and cytotoxic activities of EAMA. Moreover, peripheral and central analgesic activities were evaluated by acetic acid-induced writhing test, formalin-induced paw licking test, tail immersion test and hot plate test. In vivo castor oil-induced diarrheal model and magnesium sulphate induced diarrheal model in mice were utilized for the assessment of antidiarrheal activity. Again, antibacterial activity was evaluated using disc diffusion assay. Anthelmintic activity was carried out on Paramphistomum cervi (Trematoda). Cytotoxic activity was assessed through brine shrimp lethality bioassay. The extract demonstrated the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, tannins, glycosides and gums in phytochemical screening. In case of acetic acid-induced writhing and formalin induced paw licking test, both lower and higher doses of EAMA showed significant percentage inhibition of writhing as well as paw licking respectively (*P < 0.05, vs. control). EAMA at the doses of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg revealed significant latency response (*P < 0.05, vs. control) in delayed phase in both tail immersion as well as hot plate test. Moreover, significant percentage inhibition (*P < 0.05, vs. control) of diarrhea was exposed by both doses of EAMA in in vivo diarrheal models. In disc diffusion assay, EAMA showed antibacterial activities against both gram positive and gram negative bacterial strains. Again, the extract exhibited anthelmintic and cytotoxic activity in a dose dependent manner.
TL;DR: Artemisia judaica (AJ-HA) is used in traditional medicine in the Arabian Gulf to treat several ailments including diabetes as mentioned in this paper, where the authors evaluated the hydro-methanolic extract obtained from aerial parts of AJ-HA for its potential to inhibit key blood sugar modulating enzymes in vitro.
Abstract: Artemisia judaica is used in traditional medicine in the Arabian Gulf to treat several ailments including diabetes. The present study evaluated the hydro-methanolic extract obtained from aerial parts of A. judaica (AJ-HA) for its potential to inhibit key blood sugar modulating enzymes in vitro and its antioxidant activity with phytochemical composition. AJ-HA was tested for in vitro hypoglycemic effect by its potential to inhibit pancreatic α-amylase, intestinal α-glucosidase and dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV). Antioxidant activity was determined by assessing the potential of the extract through scavenging of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. Quantitative phytochemical evaluation was performed by determining the total content of phenolics, saponins, flavonoids, tannins and alkaloids. Interestingly the extract showed inhibitory potential for all the three key enzymes that are involved in modulating the blood glucose levels namely: α-amylase, α-glucosidase and DPP IV with IC50s in the range of 758.96–2447.40 µg/mL. AJ-HA also showed significant scavenging activity for DPPH radicals with IC50 of 85.89 µg/mL. Quantitative estimations confirmed the abundance of various phytochemical classes particularly saponins and tannins. As such, this is a proof of concept study wherein our results demonstrate that A. judaica which is used in traditional medicine for anti-diabetic properties contains active metabolites that have the potential to inhibit key blood sugar modulating enzymes. Our findings therefore has implication that warrants further investigation of A. judaica in animal models and further for the identification of lead compounds as new molecular entities for management of diabetes.
TL;DR: It was found that ethyl acetate extract of Curcuma zedoaria inhibits MDA-MB231 cells with the down-regulation of the expression of Bcl-2 through cascase-dependent pathways thereforeCurcumaZedoaria is a potent anti-cancer plant especially in breast cancer.
Abstract: Curcuma zedoaria is a perennial herb that belongs to Zingiberaceae family, found growing lavishly in Manipur; a north eastern part of India. The traditional usages of the plant is not limited to a particular disease but extended over a large number of diseases. Anti-breast cancer activity of ethyl acetate extract of Curcuma zedoaria was conducted on MDA-MB231 breast cancer cell line with the help of MTT assay technique and the mechanistic pathway was established with the help of western blot technique, confocal microscopy, wound healing migration assay and cell cycle analysis. Cell cytotoxicity test of ethyl acetate extracts showed remarkable result on MDA-MB231 in dose dependent manner (p < 0.05). Confocal microscopy studies on MDA-MB231 cells revealed the activation of cleaved caspase 9 in treated cells. Western blot analyses confirm the regulation of cytochrome C and suppression of Bcl-2 in treated cells which suggest ethyl acetate extract of Curcuma zedoaria inhibits the cancer cells through cascase-dependent pathways. In cell cycle analysis, after the treatments of the cells; there was an increase in the percentage of SubG0/G1 cells that decreased S and G2 phase indicating the population undergoing cell death (apoptosis or necrosis) thereby, our data suggest that ethyl acetate extracts were able to induce significant apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells in dose dependent manner. The wound healing migration assay confirms the anti-metastatic nature of the plant extract. With the help one way ANOVA test, all the experiments were executed and it was found that ethyl acetate extract of Curcuma zedoaria inhibits MDA-MB231 cells with the down-regulation of the expression of Bcl-2 through cascase-dependent pathways therefore Curcuma zedoaria is a potent anti-cancer plant especially in breast cancer.
TL;DR: The present study demonstrates the potential of parsley in reducing the elevated level of uric acid as well as improving renal and hepatic damages caused by hyperuricemia.
Abstract: Elevated level of uric acid in the blood is recognized to increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and other metabolic disorder including kidney stone. This research was aimed to investigate whether supplementation of parsley can attenuate the increases in serum uric acid, the decreases in total antioxidant status, and the structures damages of liver and kidney in oxonate-induced hyperuricemic rats. Basically, 36 male rats were randomly divided into six groups. The rats were injected with potassium oxonate intraperitoneally at day 1, 3 and 7 to induce hyperuricemic in rats. The treatment with three dosages of parsley (3.5 g/kg/day, 7.0 g/kg/day and 10.5 g/kg/day) was started at day 8 until day 14. The results showed that there was significant reduction of serum uric acid level in all hyperuricemic groups after the treatment. The highest reduction was seen at dose of 7.0 g/kg/day parsley, followed by 3.5 g/kg/day parsley and 10.5 g/kg/day parsley, respectively. There was no significant difference in total antioxidant status in all the treatment and control groups. Liver lesion scores were reduced in rats fed with the three dosages of parsley while kidney lesion was reduced only in rats fed with 7.0 g/kg/day parsley. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates the potential of parsley in reducing the elevated level of uric acid as well as improving renal and hepatic damages caused by hyperuricemia.
TL;DR: In this paper, aqueous extract of peels of apple, banana, guava, kiwi, lemon, mango, orange, papaya, pomegranate, and watermelon was used for the cell viability test.
Abstract: Fruits peels are considered one of the most waste products of food industry. In this paper we attempt to get useful of these peels with low cost methods. We prepared aqueous extract of peels of apple, banana, guava, kiwi, lemon, mango, orange, papaya, pomegranate and watermelon. The anticancer activity of the extracts against different cell lines was examined using the cell viability test using MTT assay. The aqueous extract of peels of banana, pomegranate, orange and lemon showed the highest anticancer activity against the tested cell lines [pancreatic (AsPC1), breast (MCF7) human cancer cell lines colon cancer cell line (HCT116), larynx cancer cell line (HEP2) and liver cancer cell line (HEPG2)], as they have high antioxidant capacity. Beside that these peels extract contain high content of very important pharmaceutical compounds such as alkaloid, tannin, saponin, steroid, glycosidic cyanide, phytate, phenolic and flavonoid. Kiwi and watermelon peels extract did not show any anticancer activity against the different tested cell lines. Also they have the lowest antioxidant and pharmaceutical compounds content.
TL;DR: Investigation of the anticancer activity of the aqueous extract of P. granatum fruits against ehrlich-ascites-carcinoma-bearing Swiss albino mice revealed that the PGET was efficient in inhibiting the tumor growth in ascitic models and that is comparable to 5-Fluorouracil.
Abstract: Pomegranate (Punica granatum Linn), has been widely used in India’s ancient Ayurveda system of traditional medicine which is commonly portrayed as a constituent in remedies. The present study was aimed to investigate the anticancer activity of the aqueous extract of P. granatum fruits (PGET) against ehrlich-ascites-carcinoma (EAC)-bearing Swiss albino mice. The PGET were administered to EAC bearing mice at the doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight (BW) intraperitonially for 14 successive days and 24 h of last dose and 18 h of fasting, the mice were sacrificed and the anticancer effect of PGET was appraised by evaluating tumor volume, viable, nonviable tumor cell count, tumor weight, hematological, biochemical parameters and histopathological changes of EAC mice. PGET showed momentous decrease in tumor volume, viable cell count, tumor weight and elevated the life span of EAC bearing mice. Hematological profile such as RBC, hemoglobin and lymphocyte count reverted to normal level in PGET treated mice. The extract at 400 mg/kg BW showed a noteworthy reduction in the level of lipid peroxidation and considerably increased the levels of antioxidant enzymes in the liver and observed significant restoration of histopathological changes in experimental animals. Hence, the current study revealed that the PGET was efficient in inhibiting the tumor growth in ascitic models and that is comparable to 5-Fluorouracil. The anticancer properties of P. granatum could be due to the presence of the various phytoconstituents in it.
TL;DR: The main focus of this review paper is on the porcupine bezoar which can be found in Malaysia and its chemical profile and the medicinal properties are still unknown.
Abstract: One of the traditional folk medicine in the Malaysia is using porcupine bezoar. It was reported as universal medicine in ancient time. This bezoar has been a myth to the locals. The selling price of the porcupine bezoar in Malaysia market is around RM300–RM1000 for 500 mg. The widespread use of the bezoar as an alternative medicine for treatment of deadly illnesses in Malaysia was passed down from generations of the multi-diverse ethnicity environment that existed here. Additionally, porcupine bezoar was also known as lifesaver and used by patients with terminal illness. Porcupine bezoar was found in the gastrointestinal tract of porcupine and made up of indigestible plant matters. Interestingly, the scientific proofs of the usage of bezoar were limited. The chemical profile and the medicinal properties of the bezoar is still unknown. The main focus of this review paper is on the porcupine bezoar which can be found in Malaysia.
TL;DR: According to the current findings, BB by increasing serum levels of testosterone and INHB increases the testicular endocrine capacity and protects Leydig cell against inflammatory and oxidant injury of varicocele.
Abstract: Current study was aimed to investigate the protective effect of berberine (BB) on the serum gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), inhibin B (INHB), testosterone (T) and alkaline phosphatase (Alk-p) activity in the testis of experimental varicocele-induced animals. For the current objective, 30 mature-male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control (n = 6 rats), control-sham (n = 6 rats) and experimental groups (n = 18 rats). The animals in the experimental groups were undergone experimental varicocele and simple laparotomy was conducted in control-sham group. 60 days after varicocele (VCL) induction the experimental group subdivided into: non-treated VCL-induced and 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg BB-treated groups (intra-peritoneally). Following 60 days, the animals were euthanized and serum levels of testosterone and testicular activity of alkaline phosphatase were measured. Non-treated VCL-induced animals indicated a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in serum levels of T and INHB and a remarkable (P < 0.05) increase in GnRH, FSH, LH and Alk-p activity compared to control and control-sham groups. Insignificant changes were found between control and control-sham groups. Meanwhile, each BB administered group showed a remarkable (P < 0.05) increase in serum levels of T and INHB and a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in GnRH, FSH, LH and alkaline phosphatase activity in testis tissue. According to the current findings, BB by increasing serum levels of testosterone and INHB increases the testicular endocrine capacity and protects Leydig cell against inflammatory and oxidant injury of varicocele. In addition, BB by inhibiting GnRH, FSH, LH and alkaline phosphatase activity, regulate the levels of serum sex hormones in experimental varicocele and reduces varicocele-induced inflammatory reactions.
TL;DR: Treatment of combination of TT, BD and TC exerted significant protection against renal damage induced by mercuric chloride possibly due to decrease the renal accumulation of mercury and antioxidant activity.
Abstract: Mercury generates free radicals and oxidative stress which are associated with renal injury. Tribulus terrestris (TT), Boerhavia diffusa (BD), and Terminalia chebula (TC) have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Hydroalcoholic extract of combination of TT, BD and TC were evaluated against mercuric chloride induced nephrotoxicity. Rats (n = 6) were treated with combination of TT, BD and TC in three different doses (198, 300 and 600 mg/kg) of equal ratio of each drug and Combination per se. Drugs were administered orally for period of 7 days. Nephrotoxicity was induced by single dose of mercuric chloride (5 mg/kg, i.p.) on fifth day. Combination of above drugs at all three doses significantly (p < 0.05) decrease blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, malondialdehyde and increase glutathione, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. While treatment of 300 and 600 mg/kg significantly decreases the level of liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) and kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1) and administration of combination of 300 mg/kg significantly decreases mercury accumulation in kidney tissues as compared to mercuric chloride control group. Our results indicate that treatment of combination of TT, BD and TC exerted significant protection against renal damage induced by mercuric chloride possibly due to decrease the renal accumulation of mercury and antioxidant activity.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compared the estimated glycemic index, antioxidant, and α-amylase and αglucosidase inhibitory properties of ripe Citrus paradisi fruit parts, as well as their phenolic composition by employing high performance liquid chromatography fixed with diode array detector.
Abstract: This study compared the estimated glycemic index, antioxidant, and α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory properties of ripe Citrus paradisi fruit’s parts, as well as their phenolic composition by employing high performance liquid chromatography fixed with diode array detector. The result revealed that C. paradisi fruit’s peel exhibited significantly lowest glycemic index, highest antioxidant and inhibitory effects on the activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, with concomitant highest polyphenol constituents compared to other parts of the fruit. Thus, being a waste product of the fruit, it could be a prospective source of natural products for functional food development, nutraceuticals or dietary supplement for the management of diabetes, due to the low glycemic index, antioxidant and inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities.
TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of different fractions of Salvia officinalis on the bovine lens aldose reductase activity was investigated and the results showed that all fractions showed inhibitory effect on AR activity, where in ethyl acetate fraction it was found to be maximum which may be due to its high phenolic and flavonoid content.
Abstract: Aldose reductase (AR) is the key enzyme of the polyol pathway, which plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. AR inhibitors can be used as an important strategy in the treatment of diabetic complications. The aim of the present study was to investigate effect of different fractions of Salvia officinalis on the bovine lens aldose reductase activity. For this purpose, the phenolic and flavonoid contents, IC50 values of different fractions of the S. officinalis to neutralize the DPPH free radicals were first measured. Then, attempts were made to investigate the effect of these fractions on the AR enzyme activity. Results indicated that ethyl acetate fraction had the highest of phenolic and flavonoid contents by 412.6 ± 1.55 and 372.5 ± 6.47 mg/ml, respectively. Also, the ethyl acetate fraction showed the lowest IC50 content of 1.18 μg/ml for scavenging of the free radicals and 9.25 μg/ml for the inhibition of AR activity. According to the Lineweaver–Burk plot, the ethyl acetate fraction acts as an uncompetitive enzyme inhibitor. These findings revealed that all fractions showed inhibitory effect on AR activity, where in ethyl acetate fraction it was found to be maximum which may be due to its high phenolic and flavonoid content.
TL;DR: The suppression of mATPase activity, reduced release of cytochrome c and caspase 3 activation by Delonix regia could be a mechanism at least in part for its use in folklore medicine in the treatment of kidney disease.
Abstract: The incidence and prevalence of kidney failure has been on the increase in recent times and in addressing the global burden, the present study investigated the influence of methanol extract of Delonix regia (DR) leaves on rat models intraperitoneally injected with a single dose of 5 mg/kg cisplatin to induce nephrotoxicity. Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxic rats received daily oral gavage of either DR of 20 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg for 10 days. On day 10, the levels of kidney mitochondrial ATPase (mATPase), lipid peroxidation (LPO), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and plasma creatinine (CRE) were determined by spectrophotometry. The presence of cytochrome c and caspase 3 were determined immuohistochemically. Treatment with 20, 50 and 100 mg/kg showed a statistically significant reduction in the levels of BUN and CRE (p 50 > 20 mg/kg respectively (p < 0.05). The excessive release of cytochrome c and activation of caspase 3 observed in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxic rats were reduced by all treatment groups. The histologic findings revealed that cisplatin-induced nephrotoxic rats had disseminated infiltration of the renal cortex by inflammatory cells while treatment showed regenerated tubules. The suppression of mATPase activity, reduced release of cytochrome c and caspase 3 activation by Delonix regia could be a mechanism at least in part for its use in folklore medicine in the treatment of kidney disease.
TL;DR: In this paper, the HPLC and GC-MS analysis of Sida cordifolia and Withania somnifera root were used to evaluate pharmacognostic and physico-chemical properties of all incorporated drugs.
Abstract: ‘Balarista’ is an important Ayurvedic arista formulation containing twelve crude drugs among which Sida cordifolia and Withania somnifera are the two major drugs. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India mentions various usages of Balarista, but it is mainly used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. This study deals with the evaluation of pharmacognostic and physico-chemical properties of all incorporated drugs along with the HPLC and GC–MS analysis of the two main drugs. The macroscopic, microscopic, powder microscopy and physico-chemical parameters of different drugs were assessed according to the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoea of India. The scanning electron microscopic study, fluorescence analysis and powder behavior studies of various drugs in powder form were also carried out. The quantification of vasicine and total withanolides were analyzed in chloroform extract of Sida cordifolia and Withania somnifera root by HPLC method. Further, presences of other phytoconstituents were also confirmed by GC–MS analysis. The macroscopical, organoleptic, histological, powder characteristics and scanning electron microscopic images of various drugs revealed the important diagnostic features. The physico-chemical, fluorescence analysis and powder behavior characteristics provided useful tools to differentiate them from the adulterants. The HPLC analysis detected percentage of vasicine and total withanolide (withanoside IV, withanoside V, withaferin A, 12-Deoxy withastramonolide, withanolide A and withanolide B) in Sida cordifolia and Withania somnifera root respectively. GC–MS analysis identified fifty bioactive compounds in both the drugs. The pharmacognostical, physico-chemical and chromatographic assessment of these medicinally important plant drugs could be helpful for their authentication and in ensuring the quality of Balarista formulation.
TL;DR: Findings presented in this study revealed that H. umbellata could prevent the impairment of enzymes that regulate purinergic and NO/cGMP signaling and thereby be of biological importance in the management of erectile dysfunction.
Abstract: Hunteria umbellata is used in Nigerian traditional medicine for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and other male sexual related diseases but the basis remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of H. umbellata on phosphodiesterase-5, ectonucleotidases, adenosine deaminase and acetylcholinesterase activities in experimental animals. Twenty-four male rats were divided into four groups of six animals each; control group, Viagra administered group, 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight H. umbellata treated group. After 28 days of treatment, the animals were sacrificed and the effect of H. umbellata on the activities of enzymes mentioned above was evaluated. The results revealed a significant increase in PDE-5, ATPDase, adenosine deaminase and AChE activities in control group. However, treatment with H. umbellata caused a significant decrease in PDE-5, ATPDase, adenosine deaminase and AChE activities with concomitant increase in 5′-nucleotidase activity. Findings presented in this study revealed that H. umbellata could prevent the impairment of enzymes that regulate purinergic and NO/cGMP signaling and thereby be of biological importance in the management of erectile dysfunction.
TL;DR: The situ gel system is a promising approach for the intranasal delivery of polyherbal extracts for the therapeutic effect improvement according to the statistical difference in absolute bioavailability between drop and in situ gel by nasal route.
Abstract: This study was to prepare a novel in situ gel system for nasal delivery of poly-herbal extracts and study its efficacy on the allergic rhinitis model. The main purpose is to compare the efficacy of poly-herbal nasal drops and in situ gel. A temperature depended in situ gel was developed and characterized with gellan gum as a carrier. The system was stable kept at 40 ± 2 °C for 6 months, and the micrographic results showed that in situ gel was safety without mucous irritation when given daily for 26 days to mice with allergic rhinitis that the effect of drops for the treatment. Extracts in gellan gum produced obviously effect on allergic rhinitis at the doses of 20 g/body following intranasal administration, and the efficacy was significantly superior to that of the drops (p < 0.01). This study uses Kruskal–Wallis test analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Dunn’s test for the first time to develop, optimize the formulation and assess factors affecting the critical quality attributes. Histopathological study of the nasal mucosa suggested that the formulation was safe for nasal administration. The statistical difference in absolute bioavailability between drop and in situ gel by nasal route suggested that in situ gel had almost 21% increase in bioavailability for Moringa oleifera and for Embelia Ribes in combination there was a 16% increase over drop formulations. Thus the situ gel system is a promising approach for the intranasal delivery of polyherbal extracts for the therapeutic effect improvement.
TL;DR: The results of investigations exhibited that squill had good potency in management of respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases, therefore, it can be more considerate in clinical future.
Abstract: Squill (Drimia maritima L.) as well- known medicinal plants from ancient times has been used for treatment of different ailments. This review article evaluated a comprehensive investigation on squill in modern medicine and its relation to traditional believes. The information were extracted from accessible resources (PubMed, Wiley, Springer, and Google) and Persian and English traditional books. Squill was traditionally used as good remedy for cough, asthma, indigestion, alopecia, pain and lice. Modern clinical studies confirmed the traditional believes on squill in treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver, asthma, head lice, alopecia and inflammatory pains. Also, the antioxidant, anti-parasite, anti-cancer and insecticidal effects of squill have been confirmed in experimental studies. The results of investigations exhibited that squill had good potency in management of respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases, therefore, it can be more considerate in clinical future.
TL;DR: Evidence is provided that Cordia dichotoma Forst.
Abstract: Indian cherry (Cordia dichotoma Forst.) is a medicinally important plant widely consumed as an indigenous remedy for several ailments in the India. Although it is widely used plant by the population, there are no studies on root proving these medicinal claims. The present study was designed to investigate antimicrobial, antimycobacterial and antioxidant activities of Cordia dichotoma Forst. roots and in silico biological activities prediction using PASS. Methanolic extract was prepared and further fractions were obtained by liquid–liquid partitioning. Agar well diffusion assay and disc diffusion method were selected for antimicrobial activity. Antimycobacterial activity was estimated against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. For antioxidant activity, DPPH and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) radical scavenging assay were employed. All the tested samples exhibited diverse pattern of sensitivity for tested strains. The value of MIC, MMC and MIC index showed that P. vulgaris and K. pneumonia were the most sensitive for ME and CF, whereas A. fumigates and V. myditis were sensitive to CF and AF. Microorganism susceptible index was 100 for P. vulgaris and K. pneumonia bacteria, and A. fumigates and V. myditis fungi. CF exhibited best activity against M. tuberculosis with lowest MIC of 30 mg/ml and highest activity index of 0.85. Dose dependent antioxidant activity was observed in both the assay. This data provides evidence that Cordia dichotoma Forst. roots have potent antibacterial, antimycobacterial, antioxidant, and moderate antifungal activity and a potential cure for infectious diseases like tuberculosis.
TL;DR: In this article, an analysis of methanolic extract of Hygrophila auriculata gave a new compound identified as n-octa-triacontan-3-one-19α, 31α-diol (4) and along with the four known aliphatic ester compounds n-hexacos-21-one1-1ol (1), trans-tetracont-7-en-1-ol (2), n- octacosan-8-one (3) and n-heptac
Abstract: This research is meant for the isolation of the compounds out from the methanolic extract of the Hygrophila auriculata. This herb was customarily used as a diuretic to cure the inflammation, pain, urinal infections, and the gout. To isolate the compounds from methanolic extract of Hygrophila auriculata which was taken from Bihar’s Koshi river belt, open silica gel column chromatographic methods with different solvent mixtures were applied. The elucidation of the structure of the different separated phytoconstituent was accomplished through spectral data analysis, chemical reactions and their literary comparisons. Phytochemical analysis of methanolic extract of Hygrophila auriculata gave a new compound identified as n-octa-triacontan-3-one-19α, 31α-diol (4) and along with the four known aliphatic ester compounds n-hexacos-21-one-1-ol (1), trans-tetracont-7-en-1-ol (2), n–octacosan-8-one (3) and n-heptacosan-11α-ol (5). A new compound was found with four other known compounds as aliphatic esters from H. auriculata extract.
TL;DR: Investigation of the cytotoxic and antigenotoxic effects of CS ethanolic extract showed that the treatment of CEE increased the number of micronuclei and correlated with apoptotic induction results, and in conclusion, CEE performed antigenot toxic effect in an in vivo model and cytotoxicity effect on CHO-K1 cells.
Abstract: Brazilin and brazilein, the major compounds of Caesalpinia sappan L. (CS) have been reported to possess antioxidant and cytotoxic activities and could potentially be used as an antigenotoxic as well as an anticancer. This study was conducted to investigate the cytotoxic and antigenotoxic effects of CS ethanolic extract (CEE). In vivo mammalian micronucleus test of CEE at the dose of 500 mg/kg BW and 1000 mg/kg BW decreased the number of MNPCE and increased the ratio of PCE to NCE meaning that CEE performed antigenotoxic effect in an in vivo model. In contrast, CEE and doxorubicin (DOXO) performed cytotoxic effect on CHO-K1 cells under MTT assay with IC50 values of 67 μg/mL and 6 μM, respectively. Interestingly, treatment of CEE in combination with DOXO and H2O2 as genotoxic inducer decreased intracellular ROS levels. In addition, in vitro genotoxicity study by using cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay, both of Giemsa staining and flow cytometric analysis showed that the treatment of CEE increased the number of micronuclei and correlated with apoptotic induction results. Moreover, the combination of CEE and DOXO induced cells accumulation in Sub-G1 and G2/M phase. In conclusion, CEE performed antigenotoxic effect in an in vivo model and cytotoxic effect on CHO-K1 cells.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of organic extracts from Traganum nudatum Delile using in vitro models and found that the highest amounts of polyphenols, flavonoids and flavonols were recorded in ethyl acetate fractions.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate for the first time the antioxidant and the antimicrobial activities of organic extracts from Traganum nudatum Delile using in vitro models. The extracts which exhibited the highest activities were then submitted to RP-HPLC–PDA analysis. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, saponins and quinones. The highest amounts of polyphenols, flavonoids and flavonols were recorded in ethyl acetate fractions. The strongest DPPH scavenging ability was attributed to ethyl acetate fraction of crude extract prepared by maceration EAFM with IC50 value of 20 ± 0.11 µg/mL, ethyl acetate fraction of crude extract prepared by infusion EAFI was found to possess the highest ferric reducing power with EC50 of 35 ± 0.4 µg/mL. The highest antioxidant capacity 200.21 ± 0.2 mg AAE/g was exhibited by n-butanol fraction of crude extract prepared by maceration BFM. The antimicrobial activity was proven against all the tested microorganisms except on Candida albicans strains. The extracts were more active on Gram positive than Gram negative bacteria. The strongest inhibition was provided against Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus and Listeria monocytogenes. The identification of phenolic compounds using RP-HPLC–PDA technique revealed the presence of sinapic, syringic, ferulic, p-coumaric acids, catechin, naringenin and vanillin that may be responsible for the bioactivities of the reported specie. Our results indicate that T. nudatum Delile may provide a rich and novel source of natural antioxidants for industrial utilization replacing synthetic ones.