International Journal of Phytomedicine
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Comparative screening of in-vitro free radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory and anti-haemolytic activities from non-polar solvent extracts of Pterocarpus marsupium
No full textPterocarpus marsupium is widely used as ‘Rasayana’ in ayurvedic system for curing several medical ailments. In view of this, petroleum ether and chloroform extracts of Pterocarpus marsupium bark was scrutinized to unfold free radical scavenging by measuring their capability for scavenging DPPH radical, ABTS, phosphomolybdenum assay as well as reducing power capacity assessment and anti- inflammatory activity by inhibition of protein denaturation. Additionally, RBC’S were also used to explore the potentiality of Pterocarpus marsupium different extracts to shield RBC in oxidative stress condition. Chloroform extract showed an effective pharmacological activity in all assays when compared with petroleum ether extract and their respective standards. This reveals the use of Pterocarpus marsupium as a potent source of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-haemolytic agent and would provide an ample opportunity for further investigation. Isolation of active compounds from this plant responsible for producing such bioactivities is under process
Investigation of antioxidant properties of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal and influence of physico-chemical properties of soil along the topographic gradients in sub-tropical region of the Indian Himalaya
No full textA high value medicinal plant W. somnifera L. Indian Ginseng; Ashwagandha investigated for the antioxidant and influence of physico-chemical properties of soil on antioxidant along the topographical gradients in Kullu Valley, North Western Indian Himalaya. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents in methanol extracts of fruits, leaves, stems and roots were quantified and their antioxidant activities were evaluated using the in-vitro assays such as DPPH, ABTS and FRAP. The study revealed that fruits, leaves, stems and roots of W. somnifera were potent source of natural phenolics and flavonoids and possesses antioxidant activities, which were significantly affected by the changes in altitude (p ≤0.05). Total phenolic and flavonoid contents in different parts of W. somnifera showed significant correlations with soil properties. The study conclude that changes in topographical gradients particularly altitude influenced antioxidant activities of W. somnifera and suggest that antioxidant rich population of a desired medicinal plant should be identified for their conservation management and sustainable utilization in pharmaceutical and food industries
Aloe-emodin triggers ROS and Ca 2+ production and decreases the levels of mitochondrial membrane potential of human brain capillary endothelial cells
No full textThe aim of this work was to investigate the mechanisms of cytotoxicity of phyto-hydroxyanthraquinone aloe-emodin (AE) on human brain microvascular endothelial cell line hCMEC/D3 and to assess the cellular response in the early stage of treatment in order to extend the knowledge of AE’s anti-angiogenic properties. The immortalized human brain capillary endothelial cells hCMEC/D3 were treated with a series of AE concentrations (5 - 200 μM) for a period of 24 hours. The cell viability was determined by MTS assay. The cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels were evaluated by CellTiter-Glo® luminescent assay. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined by 2’,7’-dichlorofluorescein (CM- H2DCFDA) fluorescence assay. The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was assessed using tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester (TMRM) staining, while Fluo-4 was used to measure 2 the intracellular free Ca 2+ concentrations inside living cells analysed by High Content Analysis using the Arrayscan VTI 740. Twenty-four- hour treatment of hCMEC/D3 cells with AE, in concentrations between 50 and 200 µM, decreased the cell viability as well as the intracellular ATP levels in a dose- dependent manner. Increased ROS production and disruption of the mitochondrial membrane potential have also been detected. Notably, AE at a concentration greater than 5 µM dramatically increased intracellular calcium levels. Our results collectively indicate that AE inhibits proliferation of human brain microvascular cells via a mechanism involving ROS generation, disruption of Ca 2+ homeostasis and mitochondrial damage
Glinus oppositifolius (L.) Aug. DC.: A Repository of Medicinal Potentiality
No full textPlants have been used in the treatment of human diseases since centuries. Due to their medicinal values, more than 80% of the modern world population still rely on plants as their primary source of medicines. Traditional plant-based medicines are widespread in Asian countries like the Indian subcontinent, Bangladesh, China, Japan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Myanmar, and in the continent of Africa. Nowadays, plant-derived medicines are gaining wider acceptance even in developed countries of the Western world. More than 50% of all drugs currently in clinical use are of natural origin. Plants are therefore emerging as a novel source for drugs and opening up new vistas in drug therapy research. A bird’s eye view of the therapeutic potential of the angiospermic plant Glinus oppositifolius (L.) Aug. DC. (Family: Molluginaceae) has been presented in this review, along with the ethnobotanical uses and scientific evidences presented in support of the traditional claims. Several pharmacologically active chemical compounds have been reported from the plant in recent years and the biological roles of those chemical compounds have been summarized. The anti-cancer effects shown by some of those phyto-constituents have also been elucidated. The novel chemical constituents reported from this plant may evoke further research on the plausible medicinal effects and the bio-safety standards of Glinus oppositifolius
Antioxidant and antibacterial activity of extract and phases from stems of Spartium junceum L. growing in Algeria
Get PDFThis work aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the hydroalcoholic (80% methanol) extract and n-hexane (n-Hex), chloroform (Chl), ethyl acetate (EtAc), and n-butanol (n-But) phases from Spartium junceum L. stems collected inAlgeria. Preliminary phytochemical investigations on phenolic compounds have been carried out. The total phenolic content, spectrophotometrically determined, ranged from 71.8095 ± 3.7136 mg GAE/g (extract) to 0.0582 ± 0.0106 mg GAE/g (n-Hex). By HPLC-PDA analysis flavonoids (flavone derivatives), p-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-hydroxycinnamic acid, and cinnamic acid derivatives were identified both in the extract and phases. S. junceum extract showed a noticeable free radical scavenging effect in the DPPH test (IC50 = 0.6833 ± 0.0240 mg/mL), mild reducing power, and strong chelating activity (IC50 = 0.2292 ± 0.0138 mg/mL). Among the phases, n-But displayed the best effect both in the DPPH test and reducing power assay, whereas n-Hex resulted the most active in the ferrous ions chelating activity assay. A positive relationship between DPPH radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content was found. Both the extract and phases exhibited antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria only. Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 was the most susceptible strain (MIC range: 15.60-250.00 µg/mL), and the Chl phase showed the greatest efficacy. S. junceum extract resulted non-toxic against Artemia salina. The obtained results demonstrate the potential of S. junceum stems as safe sources of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds
Study of Phytochemical screening,Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Content and Antioxidant Activity of Pulicaria glutinosa growing in Saudi Arabia
Get PDFPhytochemical screening of P. glutinosa extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, terpenes, sponins, flavonids, anthraquinone and glycosides. Quantitative determination of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and various in vitro antioxidant activities (DPPH, ABTS metal chelation effect in the Fe2+-ferrozin test system) of the various extracts from the P. glutinosa was carried out. Phenol and flavonoid content of the extract were measured by folin ciocalteu and AlCl3 assays. The Phenol and flavonoid content of the extracts varied between 18.33 – 199.44 mg/g and 14.64 – 164.73 mg/g, respectively. The results showed that the butanol extract of P. glutinosa, which contain highest amount of phenol and flavonoid compounds, exhibited the greatest antioxidant activity in scavenging of DPPH free radical and ABTS radical cation assays. In other hands, results showed that aq. Methanol, butanol and water extracts studied are in metal-chelating assay lower active than EDTA and higher than ascorbic acid as a synthetic antioxidant
Effect of an herbal extract of Sideritis scardica and B-vitamins on cognitive performance under stress: a pilot study
Get PDFChronic stress can impair cognitive functions including learning and memory. The current study investigated the reduction of (mental) stress and improvement of stress tolerance in 64 healthy men and women after six weeks intake of a dietary supplement containing an extract of Sideritis scardica and selected B-vitamins. Mental performance and visual attention were measured by Trail-Making Test (TMT) and Colour-Word-Test (CWT) before/after an acute stress stimulus (noise, CW-Interference). TMT improved upon product intake. The CWT reaction time accelerated upon product intake in situations of CW-Congruence (overall) (p=0.014), CW-conflict (overall) (p=0.024), CW-conflict (with noise) (p=0.001), CW-Congruence (without noise) (p=0.004) and CW-conflict (without noise) (p=0.017). CWT-changes upon product intake, differentiated for noise and CW-interference, showed (i) a bisection of CW-interference-related impairment of the reaction time in the presence of noise from 27 ms to 13.5 ms, (ii) a bisection of noise-related impairment of the reaction time in the presence of CW-conflict from 34 ms to 17 ms, (iii) an improvement of the impairment of the reaction time due to combined stress (noise plus CW-conflict) by 14.5 ms from 66 ms to 51.5 ms, (iv) despite of the improvement of the reaction time, no increase of the error rate. Safety blood parameters and the reporting of no adverse events argue for the product’s safety. These results may be relevant for persons solving cognitive tasks under conflict and/or noise (e.g. open-plan offices or car-driving) and support that the tested product alleviates stress-induced impairment of executive functioning (working memory, cognitive flexibility, controlled behavioural inhibition)
Healing effects of quercetin on full thickness epidermal thermal injury in Wistar rats
No full textThere are many difficulties in treatment and management of a thermal injury, especially after topical application of the therapeutic agents. Quercetin is a well known agent, which exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and angiogenic functions. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of quercetin on thermal injury healing in a rat model. Ninety female Wistar rats were used. Animals were inflicted with a reproducible full-thickness burn and randomized into three groups to receive no treatment (control group, CG), local application of a quercetin solution (quercetin group, QG) as well as application of the glyceryl trioctanoate, the solvent used to prepare the solutions (solvent group, SG). The size and healing progress of each wound was recorded and evaluated by means of clinical evaluation, planimetry and histological examination on days 0, 3, 6, 12, 21, and 31. Even though a significantly accelerated wound healing and faster re-epithelialization was recorded in QG compared to other groups, quercetin application failed to lead to a rapid healing of full-thickness burns. The use of quercetin could to be an alternative treatment of burn wounds but further research is needed to evaluate the effective doses for speeding up healing time
Effects of lycium and lycium-composed formula on the peripheral coldness induced by local cooling in mice
No full textRecently people appealing for peripheral coldness increase. Lycium fruits have a long tradition of use in nutrition and traditional medicine in East Asia, while its effect on peripheral coldness is not yet investigated. We study the effects of lycium and lycium-rich formula (Ligustrum lucidum ait, LLA) on the peripheral coldness induced by local cooling in mice. 7-week old male ddY mice were administered either water (control) or lycium or LLA for 2 weeks. After an aesthesia, the mouse body except for head was immersed into 10 ℃ water for 10 min. Then the skin surface and rectal temperature of mouse were measured with a thermocamera and a thermocouple thermometer, respectively. And two laser Doppler flow probes were set to measure the skin blood flow of plantar and tail, respectively. In the case of 1-week administration on mice, 10% lycium- and 10% LLA-treatments showed good recovery of whole body surface temperature measured by a thermocamera. After 2-week administration on mice, there were not significant differences in the recovery rates of rectal temperature compared with those of the control group. And the 30 min- and 50 min-recovery rates of dorsal skin surface temperature by 1% and 10% lycium-treatment were significantly higher than those of the respective control. Further, the 30 min- and 50 min-plantar skin blood flow by 10% LLA-treatment were significantly higher than those of the respective control. The 50 min-tail skin blood flow by 10% LLA-treatment and 60 min-tail skin blood flow by 1% LLA-treatment were significantly higher than those of the control, respectively. It can be concluded that the administration of lycium or LLA on mouse led to an increase of peripheral blood blow, and thus a recovery of skin surface temperature
The relevance of Asteraceae family plants in most of the neuropsychiatric disorders treatment
No full textMany of the traditional medicinal plants belong to one of the largest plant families: the Asteraceae family. These plants are widely used in alternative medicine due to their effects on the nervous system, being studied both on cellular and animal models. In this way, medicinal plants are preferred in drug therapy research due to the wide population interest. The Asteraceae plants phytochemical composition is mainly consisted in cholinergic, dopaminergic or serotonergic molecules which are involved in the pathophysiology of the neuropsychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, autism, anxiety or depression. Therefore, this review aims to comprise all the available information regarding the neurological activity of Asteraceae family plants in order to find further correlations between different components in order to explain their neuropsychiatric potential use