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RSC Advances Apr 2023Phytochemicals have played a significant role in the discovery of many clinically anticancer medicines. being famous as an ornamental plant, widely cultivated, and...
Phytochemicals have played a significant role in the discovery of many clinically anticancer medicines. being famous as an ornamental plant, widely cultivated, and including a wide variety of secondary metabolites this motivated us to explore more about its potential medical applications. In this study, the total methanol extract of leaves (family Apocyanaceae) was sequentially fractionated into hexane, methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, and butanol fractions. The total phenolic content of the methanol extract of was determined spectrophotometrically and found to be 72.37 mg g, while the total flavonoid content was found to be 12.47 mg g. Fourteen polyphenolic compounds were detected by the HPLC analysis of the methanol extract, in addition to five phenolic compounds, which were isolated and identified for the first time from the EtOAc extract. They were identified as gallic acid (C1), chlorogenic acid (C2), -coumaric acid (C3), quercetin (C4), and rutin (C5). The structures were elucidated by NMR and EI/MS spectroscopic techniques. The cytotoxic activity of the methanol extract was evaluated by cell viability assay. The cytotoxicity results showed significant anticancer activity against human colon carcinoma HCT-116 with IC 39.3 μg mL and lesser activity against human lung carcinoma A-549 and human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cell lines with IC 93.4 and 110.3 μg mL, respectively.
PubMed: 37082370
DOI: 10.1039/d3ra00588g -
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies Apr 2023The genus Artemisia of the Asteraceae family has different species that are used in the treatment of a wide range of diseases, including cancers due to the presence of...
BACKGROUND
The genus Artemisia of the Asteraceae family has different species that are used in the treatment of a wide range of diseases, including cancers due to the presence of valuable compounds and important medicinal properties. Various studies on the anti-tumor effect of different species of Artemisia have proven the cytotoxic properties of these plants in cancer treatment, and several anti-cancer compounds of this genus have been purified.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to investigate the cytotoxicity and related mortality mechanisms of Artemisia marschalliana essential oil and extracts.
METHODS
The essential oil and various extracts of Artemisia marschalliana were elicited using a Soxhlet extractor. Anti-cancer to anti-proliferative activity as MTT assay is measuring cancerous and non-cancerous cell viability. In the next step, the strongest extract fractions were obtained by using the vacuum liquid chromatography method. Flow cytometry was applied to identify the mechanism of cell death, and a Real-time polymerase chain reaction test of apoptosis genes, which encode apoptosis-regulating proteins, was measured to confirm the flow cytometry results.
RESULTS
The strongest extract belonged to dichloromethane extract 60% fraction of the extract on breast cancer cells and 80% fraction on liposarcoma cancer cells showed the most cytotoxicity within 48 h, while, the fractions did not notable cytotoxicity of non-cancerous cells cell. Flow cytometry analysis illustrated the mentioned extract and its fractions kill cancer cell lines through the apoptosis mechanism. Our findings confirmed the flow cytometry results. In addition, the essential oil of Artemisia marschalliana showed a considerable cytotoxic property.
CONCLUSION
Dichloromethane extract of Artemisia marschalliana shoot and its 60 and 80% fraction selectively inhibited the growth of cancer cells by inducing the apoptosis mechanism. Regarding obtained results, 60 and 80% fractions of dichloromethane extract can be a good candidate for future studies in the field of identification and separation of pure cytotoxic compounds.
Topics: Artemisia; Plant Extracts; Methylene Chloride; Cell Line; Antineoplastic Agents; Oils, Volatile
PubMed: 37059982
DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-03887-z -
Frontiers in Public Health 2023Occupational hazards such as solvents and noise in the electronics industry are serious. Although various occupational health risk assessment models have been applied in...
BACKGROUND
Occupational hazards such as solvents and noise in the electronics industry are serious. Although various occupational health risk assessment models have been applied in the electronics industry, they have only been used to assess the risks of individual job positions. Few existing studies have focused on the total risk level of critical risk factors in enterprises.
METHODS
Ten electronics enterprises were selected for this study. Information, air samples and physical factor measurements were collected from the selected enterprises through on-site investigation, and then the data were collated and samples were tested according to the requirements of Chinese standards. The Occupational Health Risk Classification and Assessment Model (referred to as the Classification Model), the Occupational Health Risk Grading and Assessment Model (referred to as the Grading Model), and the Occupational Disease Hazard Evaluation Model were used to assess the risks of the enterprises. The correlations and differences between the three models were analyzed, and the results of the models were validated by the average risk level of all of the hazard factors.
RESULTS
Hazards with concentrations exceeding the Chinese occupational exposure limits (OELs) were methylene chloride, 1,2-dichloroethane, and noise. The exposure time of workers ranged from 1 to 11 h per day and the frequency of exposure ranged from 5 to 6 times per week. The risk ratios (RRs) of the Classification Model, the Grading Model and the Occupational Disease Hazard Evaluation Model were 0.70 ± 0.10, 0.34 ± 0.13, and 0.65 ± 0.21, respectively. The RRs for the three risk assessment models were statistically different ( < 0.001), and there were no correlations between them ( > 0.05). The average risk level of all of the hazard factors was 0.38 ± 0.18, which did not differ from the RRs of the Grading Model ( > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
The hazards of organic solvents and noise in the electronics industry are not negligible. The Grading Model offers a good reflection of the actual risk level of the electronics industry and has strong practicability.
Topics: Humans; Solvents; Workplace; Occupational Diseases; Risk Assessment; Electronics
PubMed: 37006568
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1063488 -
PloS One 2023The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance is of grave concern, requiring the search for newer and more effective antimicrobials to combat infections caused by...
BACKGROUND
The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance is of grave concern, requiring the search for newer and more effective antimicrobials to combat infections caused by resistant microbes. This study assessed the antimicrobial effects of Eucalyptus grandis crude extracts against selected multidrug resistant bacteria.
METHODOLOGY
Four different crude leaf extracts of E. grandis were prepared using petroleum ether, dichloromethane, methanol, and water, with the aid of the Soxhlet extraction method. These were screened against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and multidrug resistant Escherichia coli, using the agar well diffusion method. Phytochemical screening was carried out to evaluate the bioactive phytochemical constituents responsible for the antimicrobial effect.
RESULTS
Each of the extracts, except for the one prepared from water, had antimicrobial activity against the screened bacteria. The non-polar petroleum ether extract had the highest antimicrobial activity (19.33-24.33 mm), including bactericidal effects, compared to the medium polar dichloromethane and polar methanol extracts, which recorded zone diameter ranges of 14.33-16.67 mm and 16.33-17.67 mm, respectively. The Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli and P. aeruginosa) were the least susceptible in comparison with the Gram-positive bacterium (MRSA), probably owing to differences in their cell wall structures. Furthermore, phytochemical screening indicated the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, and flavonoids.
CONCLUSION
The findings suggest that E. grandis could be potentially useful in the treatment of infections caused by multidrug resistant bacteria.
Topics: Methanol; Eucalyptus; Methylene Chloride; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Plant Extracts; Petroleum; Escherichia coli; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Solvents; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; Water; Bacteria; Phytochemicals
PubMed: 36996141
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283706 -
Materials (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2023The river sand in the Santo Tomas River area of the Philippines is a kind of volcanogenic sand. The sand is fine sand with a fineness modulus of 2.2, an apparent density...
The river sand in the Santo Tomas River area of the Philippines is a kind of volcanogenic sand. The sand is fine sand with a fineness modulus of 2.2, an apparent density of 2380 kg/m, a bulk density of 1320 kg/m, a mud content of 6.7%, a methylene blue value of 1.2, a soluble chloride ion content of 0.00071%, and a light-matter content of up to 12.2%, which does not meet the requirements of the three-zone grading. Based on a series of experiments, this paper systematically studies and compares the workability, mechanical properties, and durability of two kinds of concrete with the river sand in the Santo Tomas River area and natural river sand in Beijing, China as fine aggregates, respectively. In addition, volcanogenic sand in the Philippines is technically optimized for the purpose of in-depth study. After optimization, such sand reaches the standard of Zone II-graded medium sand and is comprehensively improved in performance, which is evidenced by a fineness modulus of 2.4, an apparent density of 2570 kg/m, a bulk density of 1550 kg/m, a light-matter content of 6.0%, and a mud content of 6.7%. Study results show that in terms of mechanical properties, the concrete made of the optimized river sand in the Santo Tomas River area is superior to that made from the natural river sand in the Beijing area. In addition, separated light matter can be used as a natural light aggregate, which has a bulk density of 960 kg/m, a cylindrical compressive strength of 2.5 MPa, and a 1 h water absorption of 8.2%, respectively.
PubMed: 36984185
DOI: 10.3390/ma16062306 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2023(Blume) Spreng is a plant in the Rutaceae family and a species in the Glycosmis genus that has received little attention. Therefore, this research aimed to report the...
(Blume) Spreng is a plant in the Rutaceae family and a species in the Glycosmis genus that has received little attention. Therefore, this research aimed to report the chemical and biological analysis of (Blume) Spreng. The chemical analysis involved the isolation and characterization of secondary metabolites through an extensive chromatographic study, and the structures of these metabolites were elucidated on the basis of a detailed analysis of NMR and HRESIMS spectroscopic data and by comparison with those of related compounds reported in the literature. Different partitions of the crude ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract were evaluated for antioxidant, cytotoxic, and thrombolytic potentials. In chemical analysis, one new phenyl acetate derivative, namely 3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadec-2-en-1-yl 2-phenylacetate (1), along with four known compounds N-methyl-3-(methylthio)-N-(2-phenylacetyl) acrylamide (2), penangin (3), β-Caryophyllene oxide (4), and acyclic diterpene-phytol (5) were isolated for the first time from the stem and leaf of the plant. The ethyl acetate fraction showed significant free radical scavenging activity with an IC value of 11.536 µg/mL compared to standard ascorbic acid (4.816 µg/mL). In the thrombolytic assay, the dichloromethane fraction showed the maximum thrombolytic activity of 16.42% but was still insignificant compared to the standard streptokinase (65.98%). Finally, in a brine shrimp lethality bioassay, the LC values of dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and aqueous fractions were found to be 0.687 µg/mL, 0.805 µg/mL, and 0.982 µg/mL which are significant compared to the standard vincristine sulfate of 0.272 µg/mL.
Topics: Plant Extracts; Rutaceae; Methylene Chloride; Antioxidants; Fibrinolytic Agents
PubMed: 36903452
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28052207 -
Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice Feb 2023The leaves of Origanum are widely used in herbal medicine hence of having many beneficial ingredients, one of these important compounds is Carvacrol. The inhibitory...
BACKGROUND
The leaves of Origanum are widely used in herbal medicine hence of having many beneficial ingredients, one of these important compounds is Carvacrol. The inhibitory effect of Carvacrol was the core of this study by applying different kinds of stimulants to smooth muscles in the wall of thoracic aorta in rats.
AIM
To investigate the pharmacological effects of Carvacrol, the main active ingredient present in the medicinal plant Origanum, on the contractile activity and morphology of the smooth muscle of the rat thoracic aorta.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
After the thoracic aorta arteries were isolated and prepared for the experiments, each thoracic aorta was cut into 5-mm ring segments; different stimulants were used (Potassium Chloride, Norepinephrine, U46619, and α,β-methylene ATP) in the presence and absence of Carvacrol on four groups of rats. The isolated rings were placed and connected to a force transducer which in turn linked to a data acquisition system via an amplifier to record the effect of each stimulant. GraphPad Prism version 5.02 for Windows, one-way analysis of variance followed by Dunnett's multiple comparison test.
RESULTS
It was found out that Carvacrol obstructs the contractile responses elicited by exogenous NA, KCl, U46619, and α,β-methylene ATP in a concentration dependent manner.
CONCLUSION
The addition of Carvacrol in the experimental rats showed an increase in the thickness of tunica media as evident by the number of smooth muscle layers and laminae of elastic fibers. It was found that Carvacrol reduced the vascular smooth muscle contractility in the rat thoracic aorta. The mechanism of action is presumed to be achieved through interfering with the mobilization of both intracellular and extracellular Ca2 through different receptors. Furthermore, it might be suggested that Carvacrol in high doses stimulates smooth muscles in the wall of aorta leading to an increase in the thickness of tunica media layer.
Topics: Animals; Rats; Aorta, Thoracic; 15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid; Muscle, Smooth; Cymenes
PubMed: 36876607
DOI: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_397_22 -
ACS Omega Feb 2023In this work, silver (Ag) doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized using zinc chloride, zinc nitrate, and zinc acetate precursors with (0 to 10) wt % Ag...
In this work, silver (Ag) doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized using zinc chloride, zinc nitrate, and zinc acetate precursors with (0 to 10) wt % Ag doping by a simple reflux chemical method. The nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet visible spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The nanoparticles are studied as a photocatalyst for visible light driven annihilation of methylene blue and rose bengal dyes. The 5 wt % Ag doped ZnO displayed optimum photocatalytic activity toward methylene blue and rose bengal dye degradation at the rate of 13 × 10 min and 10 × 10 min, respectively. Here we report antifungal activity for the first time using Ag doped ZnO nanoparticles against Bipolaris sorokiniana, displaying 45% efficiency for 7 wt % Ag doped ZnO.
PubMed: 36872997
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c07499 -
Journal of Ethnopharmacology Jun 2023Osmanthus fragrans Lour. is a small ornamental tree native to the Southeastern parts of China. It is mainly cultivated because of its characteristic fragrance, and used...
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE
Osmanthus fragrans Lour. is a small ornamental tree native to the Southeastern parts of China. It is mainly cultivated because of its characteristic fragrance, and used in the food and perfume industry. Besides, its flowers are used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat a variety of diseases including those related to inflammation.
AIM OF THE STUDY
The aim of the study was to investigate in more detail the anti-inflammatory properties of O. fragrans flowers, and to characterize their active principles and mechanisms of action.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
O. fragrans flowers were successively extracted with n-hexane, dichloromethane and methanol. The extracts were further fractionated by chromatographic separation. COX-2 mRNA expression in PMA-differentiated, LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells was used as lead assay for activity-guided fractionation. The most potent fraction was chemically analyzed by LC-HRMS. The pharmacological activity was also evaluated in other inflammation-related in-vitro models, such as analysis of IL-8 secretion and E-selectin expression in HUVECtert cells and selective inhibition of COX-isoenzymes.
RESULTS
n-Hexane and dichloromethane extracts of O. fragrans flowers significantly inhibited COX-2 (PTGS2) mRNA expression. Additionally, both extracts inhibited COX-2 enzyme activity, whereas COX-1 enzyme activity was affected to a significantly lower extent. Fractionation of the extracts led to a highly active, glycolipid-containing fraction. In total, 10 glycolipids were tentatively annotated by LC-HRMS. This fraction also inhibited LPS-induced COX-2 mRNA expression, IL-8 secretion and E-selectin expression. The effects were limited to LPS-induced inflammation and not observed when inflammatory genes were induced by TNF-α, IL-1β or FSL-1. Since all these inducers of inflammation act via different receptors, it is likely that the fraction interferes with the binding of LPS to the TLR4-receptor, which mediates pro-inflammatory effects of LPS.
CONCLUSION
Taken together, the results demonstrate the anti-inflammatory potential of O. fragrans flower extracts in general, and of the glycolipid-enriched fraction in particular. The effects of glycolipid-enriched fraction are potentially mediated via the inhibition of the TLR4 receptor complex.
Topics: Humans; Interleukin-8; Cyclooxygenase 2; Plant Extracts; Lipopolysaccharides; Glycolipids; E-Selectin; Methylene Chloride; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Inflammation; RNA, Messenger
PubMed: 36870464
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116328 -
Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2023In the present study, preliminary phytochemical investigations were performed on the fruit essential oil and antioxidant-rich methanolic extracts of the fruits and roots...
In the present study, preliminary phytochemical investigations were performed on the fruit essential oil and antioxidant-rich methanolic extracts of the fruits and roots of , the putative Anatolian ecotype of the Silphion plant, to corroborate its medicinal plant potential and identify its unique characteristics amongst other species. The essential oil from the fruits of the endemic species collected from Aksaray was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The main components of the oil were determined as shyobunone (44.2%) and 6-epishyobunone (12.6%). The essential oil of the fruits and various solvent extracts of the fruits and roots of were evaluated for their antibacterial and anticandidal activity using microbroth dilution methods. The essential oil of the fruits, methanol, and methylene chloride extracts of the fruits and roots showed weak to moderate inhibitory activity against all tested microorganisms with MIC values of 78-2000 µg/mL. However, the petroleum ether extract of the roots showed remarkable inhibitory activity against and with MIC values of 19.5 and 9.75 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, all the samples were tested for their antioxidant activities using DPPH TLC spot testing, online HPLC-ABTS screening, and DPPH/ABTS radical scavenging activity assessment assays. Methanolic extracts of the fruits and roots showed strong antioxidant activity in both systems.
PubMed: 36840178
DOI: 10.3390/plants12040830