Pharmaceutical Biology

The extracts of methanol-water, hexane and chloroform eucalyptus leaves (Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh.) were screened in vitro for their antimicrobial activity against some pathogenic gram negative, gram positive bacteria and one yeast. Disk diffusion method was used for antimicrobial activity of extracts and the microwell dilution assay was used for the determination of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each extract. In addition, the composition of chloroform extratc was determined by means of GC/MS analysis. The methanol/water, hexane and chloroform exracts of E.camaldulensis leaf showed various antimicrobial activity 7-9mm, 8-11mm and 11-27 mm inhibition zone, respectively. The chloroform extracts was found to be the most effective antimnicrobial agent as compared to the other extracts. While the most sensitive bacteria was Bacillus cereus CCM 99 (27mm inhibition zone), the most resistant bacteria was Esherichia coli ATCC 35218. The methanol/water, hexane and chloroform extracts of E. camaldulensis leaf showed 1.25-5.0<µg/ml, 0.625-5.0<µg/ml and 0.039-0.625µg/ml MIC value, respectively. While the chloroform extract displayed the best activity (MIC 0.039 µg/ml) against B.subtilis ATCC 6633 and B.cereus CCM 99 and C.albicans ATCC 10239, it showed the least activity ( MIC 0.625 µg/ml) against E.coli ATCC 35218. The GC/ MS analyses allowed 11 compounds to be determined; the main constituents of the Eucalyptus leaves extract were chloroform (68.5%), hexane(10.85%), ethylacetate (9.12%), ethanol (8.25%), γ γ γ γ γ terpiene (0.78%), bromochloromethane (0.59%), 1,8 cineole (0.52 %). The data of this work indicate that extracts of eucalyptus leave from West Anatolia, especially the chloroform extracts, could be formed the basis of many applications including raw and processed food preservation, pharmaceuticals, alternative medicine, and natural therapies.

Capparis decidua (Forsk.) is belonging to family Capparidaceae, yet important medicinal plant of Indian Medicinal Plants. In the traditional system of medicine, the bark has been shown to be useful in the treatment of coughs, asthma and inflammation; roots used in fever and buds in the treatment of boils. In Unani, leaves act as appetizer, helps in cardiac troubles, fruits used in biliousness. The plant is reported to contain Phytochemicals including alkaloids, terpenoids, glycosides and some fatty acids. In Unani, leaves act as appetizer, helps in cardiac troubles, used in biliousness; alveolaris and pyorrhea; Root bark is used as anthelmintic and purgative. The plant have significant pharmacological activities like hypercholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, antidiabeti, antimicrobial, antiplaque, antihypertensive, antihelmintic & purgativ activities. The review analyses phytochemical and pharmacological potential of medicinal plant (kair).

SJ-200 (Himcospaz), an herbal preparation, was investigated for antispasmodic activity on gastrointestinal smooth muscles of guinea pig, rats, rabbits, and mice. SJ-200 dosedependently inhibited acetylcholine, histamine and barium chloride-induced contraction of guinea pig ileum. It inhibited spontaneous contraction of rabbit and rat colon. Oxytocininduced contraction of rat uterus was also inhibited. Oral administration of SJ-200 dosedependently reduced gastric emptying in rats and intestinal transit in mice. All these findings suggest the non-specific antispasmodic activity of SJ-200 in experimental models.

Withania somnifera and its correlationship with molybdenum content Article no: NPHB_A_931439 Enclosures: 1) Query sheet 2) Article proofs Dear Author, Please check these proofs carefully. It is the responsibility of the corresponding author to check against the original manuscript and approve or amend these proofs. A second proof is not normally provided. Informa Healthcare cannot be held responsible for uncorrected errors, even if introduced during the composition process. The journal reserves the right to charge for excessive author alterations, or for changes requested after the proofing stage has concluded. The following queries have arisen during the editing of your manuscript and are marked in the margins of the proofs. Unless advised otherwise, submit all corrections using the CATS online correction form. Once you have added all your corrections, please ensure you press the ''Submit All Corrections'' button. Please review the table of contributors below and confirm that the first and last names are structured correctly and that the authors are listed in the correct order of contribution. Contrib. No.

CITATIONS 4 READS 152 5 authors, including: Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Multidisciplinary approach in the search of new molecules of natural origin with antiparasitic and antitumoral activity, mainly sesquiterpene lactones View project Natural Product Isolation View project Oladipupo A Lawal

Glutathione S-transferase (GST) is a family of enzymes involved in the detoxification of electrophilic compounds. Different classes of GST are expressed in various organs, such as liver, lungs, stomach and others. Expression of GST can be modulated by diet components and plant-derived compounds. The importance of controlling GST expression is twofold: increasing levels of GST are beneficial to prevent deleterious effects of toxic and carcinogenic compounds, while inhibition of GST in tumor cells may help overcoming tumor resistance to chemotherapy. A screening of 16 plants used in the Brazilian pharmacopoeia tested their effects on GST expression in hepatocytes and Jurkat (leukemia) T-cells. The methanol extracts of five plants inhibited GST expression in hepatocytes. Three plants significantly inhibited and four others induced GST expression in Jurkat cells. Among these, the extracts of Bauhinia forficata Link. (Leguminosae) and Cecropia pachystachya Tréc. (Urticaceae) inhibited GST expression at relatively low concentrations. With the exception of B. forficata, all plants were cytotoxic when administered to Jurkat cells at high doses (1 mg/mL) and some extracts were considerably cytotoxic even at lower concentrations.

Celastrus paniculatus Wild. (Celasteraceae) (CP) is a well-known Ayurvedic &#39;Medhya Rasayana&#39; (nervine tonic), used extensively as a neuro-protective and memory enhancer, and in different central nervous system disorders. To evaluate the effect of CP against 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) induced Huntington&#39;s disease (HD) like symptoms in Wistar male rats. The ethanol extract of CP seeds (CPEE), prepared by maceration, was standardized on the basis of linoleic acid content (6.42%) using thin layer chromatography densitometric analysis. Protective effect of CPEE (100 and 200 mg/kg) and its various fractions, viz., petroleum ether (40 mg/kg), ethyl acetate (2.5 mg/kg), n-butanol (7 mg/kg) and aqueous (18 mg/kg), administered orally for 20 days, against 3-NP (10 mg/kg, i.p. for 14 days) was assessed by their effect on body weight, locomotor activity, grip strength, gait pattern and cognitive dysfunction and biochemical parameters for oxidative damage in the striatum and cortex...

Urtica dioica or stinging nettle is traditionally used as an herbal medicine in Western Asia. The current study represents the investigation of antimicrobial activity of U. dioica from nine crude extracts that were prepared using different organic solvents, obtained from two extraction methods: the Soxhlet extractor (Method I), which included the use of four solvents with ethyl acetate and hexane, or the sequential partitions (Method II) with a five solvent system (butanol). The antibacterial and antifungal activities of crude extracts were tested against 28 bacteria, three yeast strains and seven fungal isolates by the disc diffusion and broth dilution methods. Amoxicillin was used as positive control for bacteria strains, vancomycin for Streptococcus sp., miconazole nitrate (30µg/mL) as positive control for fungi and yeast, and pure methanol (v/v) as negative control. The disc diffusion assay was used to determine the sensitivity of the samples, whilst the broth dilution method was used for the determination of the minimal inhibition concentration (MIC). The ethyl acetate and hexane extract from extraction method I (EA I and HE I) exhibited highest inhibition against some pathogenic bacteria such as Bacillus cereus, MRSA and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. A selection of extracts that showed some activity was further tested for the MIC and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC). MIC values of Bacillus subtilis and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) using butanol extract of extraction method II (BE II) were 8.33 and 16.33mg/mL, respectively; while the MIC value using ethyl acetate extract of extraction method II (EAE II) for Vibrio parahaemolyticus was 0.13mg/mL. Our study showed that 47.06% of extracts inhibited Gram-negative (8 out of 17), and 63.63% of extracts also inhibited Gram-positive bacteria (7 out of 11); besides, statistically the frequency of antimicrobial activity was 13.45% (35 out of 342) which in this among 21.71% belongs to antimicrobial activity extracts from extraction method I (33 out of 152 of crude extracts) and 6.82% from extraction method II (13 out of 190 of crude extracts). However, crude extracts from method I exhibited better antimicrobial activity against the Gram-positive bacteria than the Gram-negative bacteria. The positive results on medicinal plants screening for antibacterial activity constitutes primary information for further phytochemical and pharmacological studies. Therefore, the extracts could be suitable as antimicrobial agents in pharmaceutical and food industry.

The chemical composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of aqueous butanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Pleurotus sajor-caju were investigated in this study. Twenty-two compounds comprising methyl esters, hydrocarbon fatty acids, ethyl esters, and sterols were identified in ethyl acetate extracts, while cinnamic acid, nicotinamide, benzeneacetamide, and 4-hydroxybenzaldyhde were identified in butanol extracts by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and NMR analysis. The antioxidant activity was determined by a β-carotene bleaching method, ferric reducing antioxidant power, trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, and lipid peroxidation assays, while the total phenolic content in P. sajor-caju was assessed by Folin-Ciocalteau's method. The aqueous and butanol extracts exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, corresponding to the total phenolic content. The subfractions from the ethyl acetate extract (EP1, EP2, EP3, and EP4), however, showed moderate antioxidant activity. The regular consumption of P. sajor-caju as a part of our diet may render nutritional and nutraceuticals benefits for good health.

Ligaria cuneifolia (R. et P.) Tiegh. (Loranthaceae) (Argentine mistletoe) is usually used in local folk medicine "to produce an increase of blood fluidity and a decrease of plasma cholesterol level". The present work was carried out to evaluate the effect of L. cuneifolia treatment on blood fluidity and biliary secretion. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into five groups (n = 5): control animals were injected intraperitoneally with water and treated rats received 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 5.5 mg/100 g body weight of aqueous extract of L. cuneifolia each 24 h during 3 days. The relative viscosity of blood [(h r) 45/Hct ] was measured and the rigidity index (RI) in the diluted red cell suspensions was determined. L. cuneifolia treatment produces a significant increase in (h r) 45/Hct and in RI at doses of 2.5, 3.5 and 5.5 mg/100 g body weight. Also, a decrease of plasma cholesterol level was observed, which showed a negative association with RI increase (rs:-0.65; p < 0.05). Increases in bile flow and biliary output of bile acids and cholesterol were observed in treated rats (2.5, 3.5 and 5.5 mg/100 g body weight). Ligaria cuneifolia-treatment produces a decrease in the plasma cholesterol level increasing red blood rigidity index and producing an increase in blood viscosity. The observed increase of bile acid and cholesterol biliary output causes a decrease of plasma cholesterol level.

Context: Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (Saururaceae) is used traditionally in Asian countries to treat various disease symptoms. Objective: To study the effect of H. cordata ethyl acetate (HC-EA) extract on high-fat diet (HFD)induced hepatic steatosis. Materials and methods: HFD fed rats were orally dosed with HC-EA (100, 200, or 300 mg/kg) once daily for 8 weeks and the lipid profiles and protein expressions in hepatocytes were evaluated. Results: HFD rats showed an increase (p50.05) in the plasma lipid levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), free fatty acids (FFAs), and reduced the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. Treatment with HC-EA extract (300 mg/kg) restored the changes in plasma lipid levels of TC, TG, LDL, FFA, and HDL in HFD-fed rats by 34.8, 31.1, 51.4, 32.4, and 56.3%, respectively, compared with control rats (p50.01). HC-EA treatment also decreased the hepatic lipid accumulation (p50.001 at 300 mg/kg) and improved hepatic histological lesions. HC-EA extract enhanced AMPK phosphorylation and its primary downstream targeting enzyme, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), up-regulated the gene expression of carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1 (CPT-1), and down-regulated sterol regulatory element binding protein 1, fatty acid synthase, and glutamate pyruvate transaminase protein levels in the livers of HFD-fed rats. Further, the increased expression of hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) composition such as CYP2E1 and CYP4A was also suppressed. Discussion and conclusion: Data suggest that HC-EA extract might act by regulating the AMPK-dependent pathway and related mediators and might be used in treating obesity-related liver diseases.

Context: Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) is a rich source of essential minerals and antioxidants; it has been used in human and animal nutrition. The leaves and flowers are being used by the population with great dietary importance. Objective: The present study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of the hydroethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera (MO) leaves and flowers against hepatotoxicity induced by acetaminophen (APAP) in rats. Materials and methods: In the hepatoprotective study, either flowers or leaves of hydroethanolic extract (200 or 400 mg/kg bw through IP injection) were administered an hour after APAP administration. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) was used as the positive control for this study. Liver and kidney function tests including lipid peroxidation levels were analyzed and histopathological changes of liver and kidney were also observed. Results: Acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity increased the activities of liver marker enzymes. Histologically, the liver was observed to have inflammation and bridging necrosis. Liver marker enzymes were significantly reduced when treated with flower and leaf extracts of MO in animals with APAP induced toxicity. In addition, there were no significant changes observed in clinical markers of kidney function. Histological observation on liver tissue from the rats treated with MO flower and leaf extract showed reduction in the severity of the liver damage. Discussion and conclusion: These results indicated the possible therapeutic action of flower and leaf extract from MO in protecting liver damage in rats given an over dosage of APAP.

Infectious diseases are one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide . During the past several years, there has been an increasing incidence of fungal infections due to an increase in immune-compromised population such as organ transplant recipients, cancer, and HIV/AIDS patients. Fungal infections though not as frequent as bacterial or viral infections, have nonetheless been increasing in incidence in the human population over the last 20 years. This fact coupled with the resistance to antibiotics and with the toxicity during prolonged treatment with several Abstract Context: Andrographis paniculata Nees. (Acanthaceae) is an annual herbaceous plant widely cultivated in southern Asia, China, and Europe. It is used in the treatment of skin infections in India, China, and Malaysia by folk medicine practitioners.

The study of ethno botanical was carried out along with the ethnic groups (Villupuram district) in the South Western Ghats of India. In the present study, 46 plant species belonging to 31 families were included. In this assertion, the information collected from the traditional healers was used to compare with the already accessible literature on the ethnobotany of India. The conventional ethno medicinal plants were mostly used for fever, dysentery, skin diseases, poison bites, wounds, piles and rheumatism. The medicinal plants used by traditional users of Villupuram district are arranged alphabetically followed by botanical name, family name, local name and major chemical constituents, parts used, mode of preparation and medicinal uses.

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Madhupur forest area, Tangail is one of early human settlements in Bangladesh. Having abode in the vicinity of the forest, a strong ethnobotanical practice has prevailed in this area since ancient time. Due to the rapid deforestation during the last few decades, many plants have already disappeared or are facing extinction. Thus we attempted to document the medicinal plant use of Madhupur forest area with a view to preserve the ethnobotanical knowledge and in order to protect the biodiversity of this area. Materials and methods: The fieldwork was conducted during a period of 1 year. Data was collected by interview, questionnaire, and group discussion with randomly selected informants including indigenous, tribal people, and Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) living in the study area. Recorded plants are listed along with their indication, part used, form of preparation and use value (UV). Results were also analysed to determine informant consensus factor (ICF) and fidelity level (FL) of the plants on the basis of their use under various ailment categories. Results: The present study has documented 78 medicinal plant species from 45 families used for the treatment of at least 77 different major and minor ailments and conditions. Medicinal plant species were categorised as tree, shrub, tuber, herb, and climber. Leaves were found to be the most frequently used plant part while decoction is the major form of preparation. In most cases preparations are either administered orally or applied topically. Conclusion: The present study revealed that some of the well-known medicinal plants are used extensively demonstrating an effective ethnobotanical practice in the study area. Plants with high ICF and FL values can be subjected to bioassay guided investigation while plants which scored low UVs require bioactivity screening to justify their use for the reported ailment.

The neutralizing effects of methanol extracts of Indigofera pulchra Willd (Papilionaceae), Aristolochia albida Duch (Aristolochiaceae), Guiera senegalense J.F.Gmel (Combretaceae), and Sterculia setigera K. Schum (Sterculiaceae) were investigated to validate traditional claims of usefulness of the plants in management of poisonous snakebites. Extracts of Indigofera pulchra and Aristolochia albida gave 33.3% and 44.4% protection to mice treated with minimum lethal dose of venom; some gross pathologic symptoms of envenomation were alleviated. However, minimal activities were shown by Guiera senegalense and Sterculia setigera. Both Indigofera pulchra and Aristolochia albida were found to neutralize the anticoagulant, hemolytic, and phospholipase activity of crude venom. This study showed that Indigofera pulchra and Aristolochia albida are useful in some pathologic effects of Naja nigricollis Broadley (Elapidae) venom, and this provides some scientific basis for the use of the plants in management of poisonous snakebites.

A quantitative method for the simultaneous determination of docetaxel (Taxotere), paclitaxel (Taxol), 6r-hydroxypaclitaxel, and p-3′-hydroxypaclitaxel in human plasma and oral fluid is developed and validated. Oral fluid (this term is now preferred to saliva) was sampled with a Salivette collection device. The procedure used a simple liquid/liquid extraction with methyl tert-butyl ether followed by LC-ESI-MS/MS. Gradient elution was applied and provided increased robustness to ion suppression by the drug formulation vehicle (polysorbate 80 and Cremophor EL). Adduct ion formation with sodium and potassium was noticed and controlled by mobile-phase optimization. The protonated analytes generated in the positive ion mode were monitored through multiple reaction monitoring. Calibration was performed by internal standardization with cephalomannine, and regression curves were constructed ranging between 2 and 1000 ng/mL in plasma and 0.125 and 62.5 ng/mL in oral fluid, using a weighing factor of 1/x 2 . The regression curves were quadratic for paclitaxel and docetaxel and linear for the paclitaxel metabolites. Accuracy varied from 91.3 to 103.6%, and imprecision did not exceed 12.7% for all analytes in plasma and oral fluid. In conclusion, a sensitive and robust method was obtained, which fulfilled all validation criteria.

Asystasia gangetica (Linn) T. Anderson [family Acanthaceae] is used commonly in the sub-tropics and tropics for the management of inflammatory and algesic conditions. The study was done to evaluate the analgesic and inflammatory activity of the aqueous stem and leaf extract of Asystasia gangetica. The analgesic effect of the aqueous stem and leaf extract of Asystasia gangetica (25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) was evaluated in rats and mice using the acetic acid induced writhing, cold water tail flick and hot plate models. Its anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated using carrageenan induced rat paw oedema and xylene induced mouse ear oedema models. The aqueous stem and leaf extract of Asystasia gangetica (25-200 mg/kg) significantly (p &lt; 0.05) reduced the number of writhes in the acetic acid induced writhing test. At 100 mg/kg, it produced an increase in pain threshold comparable to that produced by morphine (10 mg/kg) in the tail flick test and peak analgesia at 200 mg/kg in the hot p...

Context: We focused on certain plant active constituents considered to be the most promising/ studied for liver disease and that were critically investigated from the basic science point of view and, to some extent, the clinical one. Due to insufficient pharmacological data, most of the herbal formulations containing these molecules cannot be recommended for the treatment of liver disease. Objective: To present the most promising compounds tested experimentally and/or clinically and describe in brief popular models in experimental testing of potential hepatoprotective compounds. Methods: A literature search using Web of Science (WOS), PubMed, and Google search was performed.

Context: In the Indian traditional system of medicine, Streblus asper Lour (Moraceae) is prescribed for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Objective: In the present study, α-amyrin acetate isolated from S. asper, and the petroleum ether extract of S. asper stem bark (PESA) was screened for their antidiabetic properties in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Materials and methods: Successive Soxhlet extraction of the dried stem bark with petroleum ether and then with ethanol (95%) yielded petroleum ether and ethanol extracts, respectively, which were concentrated under reduced pressure. Hyperglycemia was induced in rats by STZ (50 mg/kg, b.w.). Twenty-four hours after STZ induction, respective groups of diabetic rats received PESA (100, 250 and 500 mg/kg, b.w.) and α-amyrin acetate (25, 50 and 75 mg/kg, b.w.) respectively, orally daily for 15 days. Glibenclamide (0.5 mg/kg, orally) served as a reference. Blood glucose levels were measured on every 5th day during the 15 days of treatment. The serum lipid profiles and biochemical parameters, viz., serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), insulin and glycosylated hemoglobin level, were measured. Results: PESA significantly (p < 0.01) normalized blood-glucose levels and serum biochemical parameters as compared with those of STZ controls. α-Amyrin acetate (75 mg/kg, b.w.) exhibited maximum glucose lowering effect (71.10%) in diabetic rats compared to the other dose (25, 50 mg/kg) at the end of the study. The protective effect was further confirmed by histopathological examination of the liver. Conclusion: PESA and α-amyrin acetate demonstrated remarkable antidiabetic activity in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

Context Chagas' disease and leishmaniasis produce significant disability and mortality with great social and economic impact. The genus Stevia (Asteraceae) is a potential source of antiprotozoal compounds. Objective Aerial parts of four Stevia species were screened on Trypanosoma cruzi. Stevia satureiifolia (Lam.) Sch. Bip. var. satureiifolia (Asteraceae) dichloromethane extract was selected for a bioassay-guided fractionation in order to isolate its active compounds. Additionally, the antileishmanial activity and the cytotoxicity of these compounds on mammalian cells were assessed. Materials and methods The dichloromethane extract was fractionated by column chromatography. The isolated compounds were evaluated using concentrations of 0-100 mg/mL on T. cruzi epimastigotes and on Leishmania braziliensis promastigotes for 72 h, on trypomastigotes and amastigotes of T. cruzi for 24 h and 120 h, respectively. The compounds' cytotoxicity (12.5-500 mg/mL) was assessed on Vero cells by the MTT assay. The structure elucidation of each compound was performed by spectroscopic methods and HPLC analysis. Results The dichloromethane extracts of Stevia species showed significant activity on T. cruzi epimastigotes. The flavonoids eupatorin (1.3%), cirsimaritin (1.9%) and 5-desmethylsinensetin (1.5%) were isolated from S. satureiifolia var. satureiifolia extract. Eupatorin and 5-desmethylsinensetin showed IC 50 values of 0.2 and 0.4 mg/mL on T. cruzi epimastigotes and 61.8 and 75.1 mg/mL on trypomastigotes, respectively. The flavonoid 5-desmethylsinensetin showed moderate activity against T. cruzi amastigotes (IC 50 value ¼ 78.7 mg/mL) and was the most active compound on L. braziliensis promastigotes (IC 50 value ¼ 37.0 mg/mL). Neither of the flavonoids showed cytotoxicity on Vero cells, up to a concentration of 500 mg/mL.

This study proposed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the crude ethanol extract of Hyptidendron canum (Pohl ex Benth.) Harley (Lamiaceae) leaves. The crude ethanol extract was obtained from the dried, pulverized leaves. The H. canum leaf powder was submitted to phytochemical screening. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria and Candida albicans using the well diffusion test and the agar dilution method for determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Phytochemical screening showed the presence of flavonoid and saponinic heterosides. The extract demonstrated antimicrobial activity against all microorganisms tested. The MIC for non-sporulated Gram-positive bacteria varied from 4.37 to 17. 5 mg/mL. The sporulated Gram-positive bacteria tested had their growth inhibited by H. canum (MIC from 4.37 to 35 mg/mL). The MIC of H. canum for most of the Gram-negative bacteria was 70 mg/mL, except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC = 17. 5 mg/mL), at which concentration C. albicans was also inhibited. This is the first report of phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of H. canum.

The present study describes the volatile profile and antimicrobial activity of Thymus vulgaris (thymol chemotype), Thymus zygis subsp. gracilis (thymol and two linalool chemotypes) and Thymus hyemalis Lange (thymol, thymol/linalool and carvacrol chemotypes) essential oils extracted from seven plants cultivated in Murcia (Spain). Antimicrobial activities of the oils were evaluated for control of growth and survival of 10 pathogenic microorganisms.Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis allowed for the identification of between 42 and 51 compounds as main volatile constituents of each essential oil analyzed. Results presented here may suggest that the essential oils from T. hyemalis (thymol) followed by T. hyemalis (carvacrol), T. zygis (thymol) and T. vulgaris possesses antimicrobial properties, and are a potential source of antimicrobial ingredients for the food industry.

Context: In Iran, conventional production methods of herbal oils are widely used by local practitioners. Administration of oils is rooted in traditional knowledge with a history of more than 3000 years. Scientific evaluation of these historical documents can be valuable for finding new potential use in current medicine. Objective: The current study (i) compiled an inventory of herbal oils used in ancient and medieval Persia and (ii) compared the preparation methods and therapeutic applications of ancient times to current findings of medicinal properties in the same plant species. Materials and methods: Information on oils, preparation methods and related clinical administration was obtained from ancient Persian documents and selected manuscripts describing traditional Persian medicine. Moreover, we investigated the efficacy of medicinal plant species used for herbal oils through a search of the PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases. Results: In Iran, the application of medicinal oils date back to ancient times. In medieval Persian documents, 51 medicinal oils produced from 31 plant species, along with specific preparation methods, were identified. Flowers, fruits and leaves were most often used. Herbal oils have been traditionally administered via oral, topical and nasal routes for gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and neural diseases, respectively. According to current investigations, most of the cited medicinal plant species were used for their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Conclusions: Medicinal oils are currently available in Iranian medicinal plant markets and are prepared using traditional procedures for desirable clinical outcomes. Other than historical clarification, the present study provides data on clinical applications of the oils that should lead to future opportunities to investigate their potential medicinal use.

The present study evaluates the antioxidative and radical scavenging potential of the tuber extract of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicolson, (Araceae). The ethanol extract of A. paeoniifolius (APE) was studied for the inhibition of lipid peroxidation estimated in terms of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and the levels were reduced by 4.3% to 67.2% in a dose-dependent manner. Further, APE was analyzed for scavenging capacities based on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl-2-radical (DPPH) assay and percentage inhibition activity based on 2,2-azinobis-(-3-ethyl) benzo-thiozoline-6-sulfonate (ABTS + ) and H 2 O 2 . The A. paeoniifolius extract showed a maximum of 68.6% of DPPH scavenging activity and the maximum inhibition of 74% and 67.2% in the case of ABTS and H 2 O 2 , respectively. The antioxidant efficiency and inhibition of oxidation of the extract was found to be dose-dependent at the tested concentrations of 1-50 µg/mL. High-performance thin layer liquid chromatography (HPTLC) profile of the extract suggests the presence of polyphenols such as gallic acid, resveratrol, quercetin and two unidentified compounds. The results suggest that the ethanol extract of A. paeoniifolius has a potent antioxidant activity in vitro and can be utilized as an effective and safe source of antioxidants.

The present study assessed the different biological activities of the methanol extract of Thymus serpyllum L. (Labiateae) using bench top bioassays including brine shrimp cytotoxic, antitumor, antimicrobial, and phytotoxicity bioassays. Plant extract showed highly significant (ED 50 466 ppm < 1000 ppm) impact on percentage death of brine shrimp. Agrobacterium tumefaciens (At-10)-induced tumors in potato disc tissue were inhibited (P < 0.05) significantly by methanol extract with no activity in antibacterial assay against Agrobacterium tumefaciens. EC 50 value remained as 28.7 and 261.1 ppm for 12 days and 21 days of incubation respectively. Moderate antifungal activity (41-51%) was seen against five strains of fungus and no activity against any of the bacterial strain tested. Phytotoxicity to Lemna minor L. (P < 0.05) and radish seed germination and growth (P < 0.05) was observed at higher concentrations of the plant extract.

Trifolium repens L. is an herbal plant that is used in the folk medicine of the Naga tribes of India as a deworming remedy. This study deals with evaluating its anticestodal activity using experimental Hymenolepis diminuta Rudolphi infections in albino rats. Doses of T. repens aerial shoots extract 200 and 500 mg=kg reduced the mean fecal egg counts of H. diminuta by 47.72% and 54.59% and worm recovery rate by 60.00% and 40.00%, respectively. Praziquantel, the standard cestocidal drug, reduced the mean fecal egg count by 65.90% and worm recovery rate by 26.67%. The study suggests that the aerial shoots of T. repens bear anticestodal properties and supports its use in the traditional medicine system.

An ethnobotanical study was conducted from October 2005 to June 2006 to investigate the uses of medicinal plants by people in Zegie Peninsula, northwestern Ethiopia. Information was gathered from 200 people: 70 female and 130 males, using semistructured questionnaire. Of which, six were male local healers. The informants, except the healers, were selected randomly and no appointment was made prior to the visits. Informant consensus factor (ICF) for category of aliments and the fidelity level (FL) of the medicinal plants were determined. Sixty-seven medicinal plants used as a cure for 52 aliments were documented. They are distributed across 42 families and 64 genera. The most frequently utilized plant part was the underground part (root/rhizome/bulb) (42%). The largest number of remedies was used to treat gastrointestinal disorder and parasites infections (22.8%) followed by external injuries and parasites infections (22.1%). The administration routes are oral (51.4%), external (38.6%), nasal (7.9%), and ear (2.1%). The medicinal plants that were presumed to be effective in treating a certain category of disease, such as 'mich' and febrile diseases (0.80) had higher ICF values. This probably indicates a high incidence of these types of diseases in the region, possibly due to the poor socio-economic and sanitary conditions of this people. The medicinal plants that are widely used by the local people or used as a remedy for a specific aliment have higher FL values (Carissa spinarum, Clausena anisata, Acokanthera schimperi, Calpurnia aurea, Ficus thonningii, and Cyphostemma junceum) than those that are less popular or used to treat more than one type of aliments (Plumbago zeylanicum, Dorstenia barnimiana).

The present paper describes the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of Gentiana asclepiadea L., collected in Serbia. The essential oils were obtained from the underground part (root and rhizome) and aerial part (stem, leaves and flowers) of the plant by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The major compounds in the oil from the underground

1,2-bis-(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-hydroxypropan-1-one (evafolin B, 1), 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-hydroxypropan-1-one (2), were isolated for the first time from the genus Schisandra, along with abscisic acid (3), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (4), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid , methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (6), methyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate (7), and vanillic acid (8). All the compounds were evaluated for their antitumor, antiproliferative, and antioxidant activities. Only compound 7 exhibited moderate activity against three human cancer cell lines and human lymphocytic proliferation, as well as strong inhibitory activity for DPPH free radicals, only slightly less than ascorbic acid.

Terminalia is used in folk medicine for the treatment of various diseases. The objective of this study is to investigate the hepatonephro protective activity of a polyphenol-rich fraction (TMEF) obtained from Terminalia muelleri Benth. (Combretaceae) against CCl4-induced toxicity in mice. TMEF was administered (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/d) for 5 d. CCl4 was administered at the end of the experiment. Hepatic and renal biomarkers were measured in the serum. Glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were estimated in the liver and kidney tissues. The active constituents of TMEF were identified by HPLC-PDA-ESI/MS/MS. TMEF is rich in ellagitannins, galloyl esters, phenolic acids, and flavone-C-glucosides. TMEF pretreatment significantly (p &lt; 0.001) inhibited the CCl4-induced increase in ALT (17, 43, and 53%), AST (20, 46, and 58%), ALP (20, 48, and 56%), LDH (21, 47, and 58%), hepatic MDA (23, 49, and 54%), renal MDA (22, 35, and 52%), creatinine (48, 66, ...

Context: Liverworts (Marchantiophyta) are the second largest group of bryophytes exhibiting promising pharmacological and biological activities. They have been used as remedies for cuts, fractures, burns, bruises, open wounds, inflammation and pneumonia. Objective: In the present study, eight liverwort species [Corsinia coriandrina (Spreng.) Lindb. (Corsiniaceae), Mannia androgyna (L.) A. Evans (Aytoniaceae), Plagiochasma rupestre (J.R. Forst et G. Forst) Steph. (Aytoniaceae), Porella cordaeana (Huebener) Moore (Porellaceae), Porella platyphylla (L.) Pfeiff. (Porellaceae), Reboulia hemisphaerica (L.) Raddi (Aytoniaceae), Riccia fluitans L. (Ricciaceae), and Targionia hypophylla L. (Targioniaceae)] have been investigated for their phytochemical composition and pharmacological effects as a function of antiinflammatory and antinociceptive potentials, in connection with the major volatile components of the extracts.

Ostericum koreanum (Maxim.) Kitagawa (Apiaceae) roots are traditionally used as an analgesic and antiulcer agent. However, the antiulcer potential of isoimperatorin isolated from O. koreanum has not yet been explored. To evaluate the antiulcer activity of isoimperatorin isolated from the roots of O. koreanum. Isoimperatorin was isolated as cubic crystals by repeated column chromatography of the ethyl acetate fraction and structure was verified with (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS-FAB). The crystals obtained were analyzed with the single crystal X-ray method. The MTT assay was used to determine its cytotoxicity against chondrocytes at different concentrations (0.0-737.74 μM, 24 h). The in vivo antiulcer activity of isoimperatorin (40 mg/kg) was determined against ethanol-, indomethacin- and pyloric ligation-induced ulcers in Sprague-Dawley rats. Furthermore, the effect of isoimperatorin (0.0-737.74 μM, 24 h) on the expression of type II collagen in cho...

10 The SRB cytotoxicity assay was used to screen plant extracts, in a collaborative multinational OAS project involving Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama, against breast (MCF-7), lung (H-460), and central nervous system (SF-268) human 15 cancer cell lines. Out of 310 species tested, 23 (7.4%) plants showed cytotoxic activity at GI 50 values 10 mg=ml. The most active plants were Thevetia ahouai, Physalis viscosa, Piper jacquemontianum, Piper barbatum, Senna occidentalis, Tovomita longifolia, and Lippia cardi-20 ostegia. Blepharocalyx salicifolius and Senna occidentalis