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MECHANISMS OF ACTION OF TRADITIONAL HERBAL MEDICINES USED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES MELLITUS: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
Get PDFBackground: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increasing rapidly in both developed and developing countries. There
are various conventional medicines used for the management of the disease, but there is also increased interest in the use of
traditional herbal medicines. Although the concepts of illness and diseases in traditional medicine may differ from
conventional medicine the outcomes are similar. The antihyperglycemic effects of various herbal medicines prescribed by
traditional healers in the management of diabetes mellitus have been proven scientifically using several in-vitro and in-vivo
models as well as clinical studies in humans.
Materials and methods: Literature search was done in several databases. Firstly, the search was conducted using the key
terms: diabetes mellitus and traditional medicine, diabetes mellitus and herbs, diabetes mellitus and plants, traditional
concepts of health and sickness and diabetes mellitus. After identifying the herbs or plants used in diabetes a search was
then conducted by name of herb and efficacy in management of diabetes mellitus.
Results: This review highlights the similarities and differences in mechanisms of action of various traditional herbal
medicines and conventional medicines. The major observation is that, herbal medicines often have multiple mechanisms of
action ideally making them combination therapies. The review further highlights the need to develop an algorithm of a
minimum battery of in-vitro and animal studies that can provide solid evidence of the potential of traditional medicines as
anti-diabetic treatments.
Conclusion: Traditional herbal medicines often have multiple phytoconstituents and hence multiple mechanisms of action
ideally making them combination therapies
NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF TERMINALIA CHEBULA EXTRACTS AND ELLAGIC ACID IN PC12 CELLS
Get PDFAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent severe neurological disorders afflicting our aged population. The study was to determine neuroprotective effects of the Terminalia chebula extracts and ellagic acid by using beta-amyloid25-35 (Ab25-35)-induced cell cytotoxicity in undifferentiated rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cellular model. The methanolic and water extracts of T. chebula and ellagic acid exhibited the strongest neuroprotective activity against Ab25-35-induced undifferentiated PC12 cell deaths at 0.5–5.0 ug/ml. The ellagic acid also exhibited the partial neuroprotective activity against H2O2-induced undifferentiated PC12 cell deaths at 0.5–5.0 ug/ml. The methanolic and water extracts of T. chebula and ellagic acid protected undifferentiated PC12 cells from the damaging effects of Ab25-35 in several ways: (1) by securing cell viability; (2) by suppressing reactive oxygen species production; and (3) by eliminating calcium ion influx. The T. chebula extracts maybe represent a promising plant-source for medicine in the application of the treatment of AD. Further investigation of the ellagic acid is necessary to verify the neuroprotective efficacy and mechanisms in vivo
ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF STEM BARK EXTRACT OF BOMBAX CEIBA COLLECTED LOCALLY FROM SOUTH PUNJAB AREA OF PAKISTAN
Get PDFBackground: Ethnic medication systems have been used extensively by humans since their origin. Now a day, in the
developing countries these systems are being used due to their effectiveness and affordability. Especially inhabitants of
rural areas still rely on these systems as first line of treatment against diseased conditions. Till now, majority of medicines
is derived from the natural origin particularly plants owing to their little side effects and cost effectiveness.
Materials and Methods: In the present work, we evaluated antibacterial and antioxidant activity of methanolic extract of
Bombax ceiba stem bark. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also assessed in the extract. The antioxidant capacity
was determined by DPPH, Nitric Oxide scavenging and reducing power activity. For antibacterial activity, Gram-negative
(Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi) and Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis,
Staphylococcus aureus) were used.
Results: Phenolic content was 133.21±1.56 μg GAE/mg of extract while Flavonoid content was 997.93±2.14 μg QE/mg.
Plant extract demonstrated strong antiradical activity with EC50 18.78 ± 0.69 and 23.62 ± 1.99μg/ml for Nitric Oxide and
DPPH assay respectively while EC50 in case of reducing power activity was 139.4 ± 0.98μg/ml. Plant extract displayed
inhibitory effect against microbial growth with S. typhi as the most resistant strain and Staphylococcus aureus the most
sensitive one.
Conclusion: This study revealed that Bombax ceiba of local origin has broad spectrum antibacterial activity and it can also
provide defense against oxidative stress
ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF SOME SAUDI ARABIAN HERBAL PLANTS
Get PDFBackground: Several edible plants are used in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since early time to control microbial
infections. In the present study, twenty-four Saudi Arabian medicinal plants d according to traditionally used were
select and investigated for the antimicrobial activities
Materials and Methods: This study was designed at evaluating the antimicrobial activities of the methanol extracts of
twenty-four species of sixteen plant families used in the traditional medicine by Saudi Arabian people for the treatment
of numerous ailments of the microbial and non-microbial origin against four Gram-positive, four Gram-negative
bacteria and four fungi and yeast using the agar well diffusion method.
Results: Of most of the plants tested were found to be active against two to eight organisms. Five plants were active
against eight organisms. The data appeared that extracts of Echium arabicum (SY-176), Rhantarium epapposum (SY-
180), Rumex vesicarus (SY-181), Ziziphus nummularia (SY-188), Caylusea hexagyna (SY-197) and Artemisia
monosperma (SY-198) have anti-microbial activity against the most of tested bacteria, fungi and yeast. Whereas (SY-
181), the extracts of Teucrium oliverianum (SY-175), Zilla spinosa (SY-187), and Rhazya stricta (SY-195) have poor
action against the tested bacteria, fungi and yeast.
Conclusion: The antimicrobial activity of plant extracts against bacteria was more effective than against fung
EFFECTS OF GLYCYRRHIZIN PRE-TREATMENT ON TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC BRAIN INJURY IN MICE
Get PDFBackground: Ischemia-induced brain damage is the leading cause of adult disability and the fifth leading
cause of death, and thus, the development of anti-apoptotic neuro-protective therapeutic agents is viewed as
an attractive developmental strategy. Glycyrrhizin is the main sweet component in licorice and has a number
of pharmacological activities, which include neuro-protective, anti-fungal, and anti-cariogenic activities.
This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of glycyrrhizin on ischemia-induced brain damage.
Materials and Methods: In infarct volumes and the levels of several apoptosis-related proteins, caspase-3, -
8, 9, Bcl-xL, Bcl-2,and their activities in the brains of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) treated mice
were measured using western blotting methods.
Results: Single pre-treatment with glycyrrhizin (10-100 mg/kg)at 2 hours before MCAO significantly
reduced infarct volumes at 24h after MCAO. In addition, glycyrrhizin effectively inhibited the activations of
caspase-3 and -9 and the down-regulation of Bcl-xLprotein caused by MCAO.
Conclusion: The neuro-protective effect of glycyrrhizin was found to be due to its regulation of apoptosisrelated
proteins signals.The authors suggest glycyrrhizin be considered a potential candidate for the
treatment of ischemia induced brain damage
BIOACTIVITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS FROM MEDICINAL PLANTS OF CAMEROON AND THEIR COMBINATION AGAINST INFANT DIARRHEA INDUCED BY BACTERIA
Get PDFBackground: In Cameroon, one of the most common childhood illnesses after malaria is diarrhea, which generally has
a bacterial origin. In rural areas, plant utilization is often one of the first ways of treatment though, with no scientific
bases. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the antibacterial activities of nine essential oils (EOs) of
Cameroonian plants and their combinations against some strains responsible for diarrhea.
Material and Methods: To determine the bacterial species generally involved in childhood diarrheal infections, a
retrospective study was done. The EOs of Eucalyptus globulus, Cymbopogon citratus, Xylopia aethiopica, Thymus
vulgaris, Ocimum canum, Cananga odorata, Citrus medica, Citrus paradisi and Citrus reticulata were screened against
the most incriminated bacterial species using the spot-on-agar test and microdilution methods. Some of the EOs with
good antibacterial activity were analyzed by Gas Chromatography and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry.
According to their composition, Thymus vulgaris and Eucalyptus globulus EOs were combined with that of
Cymbopogon citratus using the ratios 2/1; 1/1; 1/2 (w/w) and tested against on bacterial growth.
Results: The retrospective study showed that 10.8% of infant diarrhea was caused by Escherichia coli, Salmonella
typhimurium and Salmonella paratyphimurium. The Minimum inhibition Concentrations (MIC) of single EOs was
between 0.78 and 25 mg/mL which were observed to be greater than those of their combinations which ranged between
0.195 and 6.52 mg/mL. The active essential oils contained mainly hydrocarbonated and oxygenated monoterpens.
Conclusion: The good antibacterial effects of two Thymus combinations Th1 and Th2 observed on Salmonella
typhimurium and Salmonella paratyphimurium suggest their used in aromatherapy to cure bacterial diarrhea
EFFECTS OF SALVIA MILTIORRHIZAE ON THE KIDNEY OF RATS WITH SEVERE ACUTE PANCREATITIS AND OBSTRUTIVE JAUNDICE
Get PDFBackground: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and obstructive jaundice (OJ) are frequent recurring diseases that bring
about huge threat to human health. Some reports have demonstrated that Salviae miltiorrhizae can protect multiple
organs of SAP and OJ model animals or patients, but their related mechanisms were not clear. In this study, we
observed the effects of Salvia miltiorrhizae injection on apoptosis and NF-κB expression in kidney and explored the
protective effect and mechanism of Salvia miltiorrhizae on the kidney of SAP or OJ rats. The results obtained will
provide a theoretical basis for clinical application of Salvia miltiorrhizae.
Material and Methods: A total of 288 rats were used for SAP - and OJ-associated experiments. The mortality rates of
rats, the contents of serum BUN and CREA, the expression levels of Bax, NF-κB proteins and the apoptosis index were
observed, respectively.
Results: The pathological changes in the kidney of SAP or OJ rats in treated group were mitigated to varying degrees.
At 6 and 12 hours after operation in SAP rats or on 21 and 28 days after operation in OJ rats, the contents of serum
CREA in treated group were significantly lower than those in model control group; At 3 and 6 hours after operation,
the staining intensity of Bax protein of kidney in treated group was significantly lower than that in model control group;
on 14 days after operation, the apoptosis index in the kidney of OJ rats in treated group was significantly lower than
that in model control group.
Conclusion: Salvia miltiorrhizae can exert protective effects on the kidney of SAP and OJ rats
MOXIBUSTION HAS A POSITIVE EFFECT ON PULMONARY FIBROSIS: AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH
Get PDFBackground: An increasing number of people suffered idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and the current treatment was far from
clinical satisfaction. Moxibustion, another effective and safe unconventional therapy, had been introduced to treat this refractory
disease. The study aimed to investigate the effect of moxibustion on a bleomycin A5-induced pulmonary fibrosis model”. Please add
a” before bleomycin A5. Please capital Eosin in Hematoxylin and Eosin (H.E.) staining.
Materials and Methods: Sprague-dawley (SD) rats were randomly allocated to the blank group, model group, moxibustion group,
and prednisone group, for which they received no treatment, modeling, moxibustion treatment and prednisone treatment. After
four-week treatment, the rats were euthanized for Hematoxylin and Eosin (H.E.) staining, and TGF-β1 and IFN-γ protein and
mRNA detection in lungs.
Results: In the model group, TGF-β1 was significantly increased and IFN-γ was significantly decreased at both protein and mRNA
levels in comparison to the blank group. In the moxibustion and prednisone groups, however, TGF-β1 was decreased and IFN-γ was
increased at both protein and mRNA levels in comparison to the model group. Compared with prednisone, moxibustion showed
comparable effect in lowing TGF-β1 (P>0.05) and better effect in up-regulating IFN-γ (
ANTIPROLIFERATIVE EFFECT ON BREAST CANCER (MCF7) OF Moringa oleifera SEED EXTRACTS
Get PDFBackground: Moringa oleifera belongs to plant family, Moringaceae and popularly called ―wonderful tree‖, for it is
used traditionally to cure many diseases including cancer in Africa and Asia, however, there is limited knowledge on
cytotoxic activity of Moringa oleifera seeds on MCF7 breast cancer cell. The present study evaluated antiproliferative
effect on MCF7 of the seed.
Materials and Methods: Seeds of Moringa oleifera were grinded to powder and its phytochemicals were extracted
using water and 80% ethanol solvents, part of the ethanolic extract were sequentially partitioned to fractions with four
solvents (hexane, dichloromethane, chloroform, and n-butanol). Antiproliferative effects on MCF7 of the samples were
determined. Finally, potent samples that significantly inhibited MCF7 growth were tested on MCF 10A.
Results: Crude water extract, hexane and dichloromethane fractions of the seeds inhibited the proliferation of MCF7
with the following IC50 values 280 μg/ml, 130 μg/ml and 26 μg/ml respectively, however, of the 3 samples, only
hexane fraction had minimal cytotoxic effect on MCF 10A (IC50 > 400μg/ml).
Conclusion: Moringa oleifera seed has antiproliferative effect on MCF7