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Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2016This article presents highlights of the published literature regarding the anti-inflammatory activities of natural products. Many review articles were published in this... (Review)
Review
This article presents highlights of the published literature regarding the anti-inflammatory activities of natural products. Many review articles were published in this regard, however, most of them have presented this important issue from a regional, limited perspective. This paper summarizes the vast range of review and research articles that have reported on the anti-inflammatory effects of extracts and/or pure compounds derived from natural products. Moreover, this review pinpoints some interesting traditionally used medicinal plants that were not investigated yet.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Biological Products; Humans; Plant Extracts; Plants, Medicinal
PubMed: 27706084
DOI: 10.3390/molecules21101321 -
Frontiers in Bioscience (Scholar... Jun 2022L. is a plant of the Lamiaceae family known in numerous countries for its medicinal activities. This plant has been used since ancient times to treat different... (Review)
Review
L. is a plant of the Lamiaceae family known in numerous countries for its medicinal activities. This plant has been used since ancient times to treat different disorders, including gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neurological, psychological conditions. contains several phytochemicals such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and many others at the basis of its pharmacological activities. Indeed, the plant can have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, nephroprotective, antinociceptive effects. Given its consolidated use, has also been experimented with clinical settings, demonstrating interesting properties against different human diseases, such as anxiety, sleeping difficulties, palpitation, hypertension, depression, dementia, infantile colic, bruxism, metabolic problems, Alzheimer's disease, and sexual disorders. As for any natural compound, drug, or plant extract, also can have adverse effects, even though the reported events are very rare and the plant can be considered substantially safe. This review has been prepared with a specific research strategy, interrogating different databases with the keyword . Moreover, this work analyzes the properties of this plant updating currently available literature, with a special emphasis on human studies.
Topics: Antioxidants; Anxiety; Flavonoids; Humans; Melissa; Plant Extracts
PubMed: 35730441
DOI: 10.31083/j.fbs1402016 -
Journal of Infection in Developing... Nov 2021Development of bacterial resistance and antimicrobial side-effect has shifted the focus of research toward Ethnopharmacology. A biologically active compound derived from...
INTRODUCTION
Development of bacterial resistance and antimicrobial side-effect has shifted the focus of research toward Ethnopharmacology. A biologically active compound derived from the plants may increase the effectiveness of antibiotic when used in combination. The present study aims to determine the synergistic antibacterial effect of ethanolic extracts of Punica granatum (pericarp), Commiphora molmol, Azadirachta indica (bark) in combination with amoxicillin, metronidazole, tetracycline, and azithromycin on periodontopathic bacteria: Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans.
METHODOLOGY
Periodontopathic bacterial strains were isolated from the plaque sample that was collected from periodontitis patients and grown under favorable conditions. Susceptibility of bacteria to the antibiotics and extracts was determined by disc diffusion method by measuring the diameter of the inhibition zones. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of plant extracts were evaluated against each bacterium. Synergistic effect of plant extract in combination with antibiotics was tested against each bacterium by measuring the diameter of zone of inhibition (ZOI).
RESULTS
Findings revealed that all plant extracts exhibited an inhibitory effects on the proliferation and growth of periodontopathic bacteria. The maximum antibacterial effect was exhibited by C. molmol on P. gingivalis (ZOI = 20 ± 0.55 mm, MIC = 0.53 ± 0.24 mg/mL and MBC = 5.21 ± 1.81 mg/mL) (p < 0.05), meanwhile, no antibacterial activity was exhibited by P. granatum on T. forsythia. Synergistic antibacterial effect was recorded when plant extracts were used in combination with antibiotics. The best synergism was exhibited by P. granatum with amoxicillin against A. actinomycetemcomitans (24 ± 1.00 mm) (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
The synergistic test showed significant antibacterial activity when plant extracts were combined with antibiotics against all the experimented bacteria.
Topics: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Therapy, Combination; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Periodontitis; Plant Extracts; Porphyromonas gingivalis; Tannerella forsythia
PubMed: 34898497
DOI: 10.3855/jidc.14904 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2022Cerrado has many compounds that have been used as biopesticides, herbicides, medicines, and others due to their highly toxic potential. Thus, this review aims to present... (Review)
Review
Cerrado has many compounds that have been used as biopesticides, herbicides, medicines, and others due to their highly toxic potential. Thus, this review aims to present information about the toxicity of Cerrado plants. For this purpose, a review was performed using PubMed, Science Direct, and Web Of Science databases. After applying exclusion criteria, 187 articles published in the last 20 years were selected and analyzed. Detailed information about the extract preparation, part of the plant used, dose/concentration tested, model system, and employed assay was provided for different toxic activities described in the literature, namely cytotoxic, genotoxic, mutagenic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, insecticidal, antiparasitic, and molluscicidal activities. In addition, the steps to execute research on plant toxicity and the more common methods employed were discussed. This review synthesized and organized the available research on the toxic effects of Cerrado plants, which could contribute to the future design of new environmentally safe products.
Topics: Anti-Infective Agents; Antifungal Agents; Brazil; Medicine, Traditional; Plant Extracts; Plants, Medicinal
PubMed: 35408775
DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073413 -
Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin 2020Endotoxin is an unintentional contaminant that has numerous activities and can affect various biological experiments using cells. In this study, we measured the...
Endotoxin is an unintentional contaminant that has numerous activities and can affect various biological experiments using cells. In this study, we measured the endotoxin activity of samples from a plant extract library (PEL) and determined their degrees of contamination. Endotoxin was detected in approx. 48% (n = 139) and approx. 4% (n = 5) of field-collected and crude drug samples, respectively, and in concentrations >5.0 EU/mL in some samples. The concentrations of endotoxin that affect cells in vitro vary depending on the target cell type. Although the degree of contamination varied in the present study, it was considered to have little effect on the cell experiments. More than 150 PEL samples had problems with reaction courses or recovery rates of Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) tests. In the LAL tests, using three plant extracts [Sanguisorba officinalis L. (Rosaceae), Oenothera biennis L. (Onagraceae), and Lythrum salicaria L. (Lythraceae)], the polyphenolic compounds in the plant extracts affected LAL test and their effects differed depending on the plant species. When the 16 single polyphenol compounds were added to the LAL tests, the compounds with caffeoyl and pyrogallol moieties were found to affect the LAL reaction course and recovery rate. Furthermore, none of the compounds had any effects at concentrations of 1 µM. Because the plant extracts contained analogs of various polyphenolic compounds, they were presumed to actually act synergistically. Our findings demonstrated that attention must be paid to the recovery rate and reaction process of LAL tests with samples containing polyphenolic compounds.
Topics: Animals; Drug Contamination; Endotoxins; Limulus Test; Lythrum; Oenothera biennis; Plant Extracts; Polyphenols; Sanguisorba
PubMed: 33132322
DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b20-00489 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Dec 2020Aeginetia indica, a perennial herb from the Orobanchaceae family, generally grows as a root parasite and is widely distributed in the forests of South and South-Asian...
BACKGROUND
Aeginetia indica, a perennial herb from the Orobanchaceae family, generally grows as a root parasite and is widely distributed in the forests of South and South-Asian countries. The plant has valuable uses in herbal medicine against various diseases, such as diabetes, liver diseases, and arthritis.
AIM OF THE STUDY
The present study was designed to investigate the antidiabetic and hepatoprotective effects of the methanol extract of the whole plant of A. indica in a mouse model followed by the isolation of bioactive compounds and their in-silico studies.
METHODS
The hepatoprotective effects were evaluated in a paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity mouse model. The antidiabetic effects were examined by an oral glucose tolerance test and in an alloxan-induced diabetes mouse model.
RESULTS
The plant extract, at a dose of 400 mg/kg, caused a significant reduction (p < 0.001) in liver enzyme concentrations, including alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase, similar to the effects of standard drug silymarin. The plant extract, at 400 mg/kg, also significantly reduced (p < 0.001) the fasting blood glucose concentration by 27.33 % after 3 h, compared with a reduction of 45.31 % in response to glibenclamide. In the alloxan-induced diabetes model mice, significant reductions (p < 0.05) in elevated glucose concentrations were observed on days 10 and 20 in mice treated with plant extract and glibenclamide. Chromatographic analyses and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies identified the presence of β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and oleic acid in the extract. The possible mechanism underlying the antidiabetic effects was revealed by molecular docking analyses examining the binding of β-sitosterol and stigmasterol with sirtuin 4, an NAD-dependent deacylase enzyme that downregulates leucine-induced and glutamate dehydrogenase-induced insulin secretion. The binding affinities between sirtuin 4 and β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and NAD were found to be -8.6 kcal/mol, -7.2 kcal/mol and -9.5 kcal/mol, respectively, indicating the probable competition between NAD and the isolated components for sirtuin 4.
CONCLUSION
The present study revealed that A. indica exerted protective effects against alloxan-induced diabetes and paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in mice, which supports the findings regarding the use of A. indica during traditional medical practice.
Topics: Acetaminophen; Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; Animals; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Hypoglycemic Agents; Male; Mice; Molecular Docking Simulation; Orobanchaceae; Plant Extracts
PubMed: 33254438
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110942 -
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines Feb 2016Nature is a rich source of medicinal plants and their products that are useful for treatment of various diseases and disorders. Momordica charantia, commonly known as... (Review)
Review
Nature is a rich source of medicinal plants and their products that are useful for treatment of various diseases and disorders. Momordica charantia, commonly known as bitter melon or bitter gourd, is one of such plants known for its biological activities used in traditional system of medicines. This plant is cultivated in all over the world, including tropical areas of Asia, Amazon, east Africa, and the Caribbean and used as a vegetable as well as folk medicine. All parts of the plant, including the fruit, are commonly consumed and cooked with different vegetables, stir-fried, stuffed or used in small quantities in soups or beans to give a slightly bitter flavor and taste. The plant is reported to possess anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, anti-obesity, and immunomodulatory activities. The plant extract inhibits cancer cell growth by inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, autophagy and inhibiting cancer stem cells. The plant is rich in bioactive chemical constituents like cucurbitane type triterpenoids, triterpene glycosides, phenolic acids, flavonoids, essential oils, saponins, fatty acids, and proteins. Some of the isolated compounds (Kuguacin J, Karaviloside XI, Kuguaglycoside C, Momordicoside Q-U, Charantin, α-eleostearic acid) and proteins (α-Momorcharin, RNase MC2, MAP30) possess potent biological activity. In the present review, we are summarizing the anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities of Momordica charantia along with a short account of important chemical constituents, providing a basis for establishing detail biological activities of the plant and developing novel drug molecules based on the active chemical constituents.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Humans; Momordica charantia; Neoplasms; Plant Extracts
PubMed: 26968675
DOI: 10.1016/S1875-5364(16)60002-X -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2021Natural products or organic compounds isolated from natural sources as primary or secondary metabolites have inspired numerous drugs [...].
Natural products or organic compounds isolated from natural sources as primary or secondary metabolites have inspired numerous drugs [...].
Topics: Biological Products; Crocus; Plant Extracts
PubMed: 34299500
DOI: 10.3390/molecules26144226 -
Nutrients Jun 2021Human skin acts as a physical barrier; however, sometimes the skin gets infected by fungi, which becomes more severe if the infection occurs on the third layer of the... (Review)
Review
Human skin acts as a physical barrier; however, sometimes the skin gets infected by fungi, which becomes more severe if the infection occurs on the third layer of the skin. Azole derivative-based antifungal creams, liquids, or sprays are available to treat fungal infections; however, these formulations show various side effects on the application site. Over the past few years, herbal extracts and various essential oils have shown effective antifungal activity. Additionally, autoxidation and epimerization are significant problems with the direct use of herbal extracts. Hence, to overcome these obstacles, polysaccharide-based nanohydrogels embedded with natural plant extracts and oils have become the primary choice of pharmaceutical scientists. These gels protect plant-based bioactive compounds and are effective delivery agents because they release multiple bioactive compounds in the targeted area. Nanohydrogels can be applied to infected areas, and due to their contagious nature and penetration power, they get directly absorbed through the skin, quickly reaching the skin's third layer and effectively reducing the fungal infection. In this review, we explain various skin fungal infections, possible treatments, and the effective utilization of plant extract and oil-embedded polysaccharide-based nanohydrogels.
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Azoles; Fungi; Gels; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Nanostructures; Oils, Volatile; Onychomycosis; Plant Extracts; Plant Oils; Polysaccharides
PubMed: 34203999
DOI: 10.3390/nu13062055 -
Brazilian Journal of Biology = Revista... 2022Sodium lauryl sulfate is the main cleaning ingredient in shampoos, even though it may be potentially damaging to hair. The demand for antioxidant-rich cosmetics, on the...
Sodium lauryl sulfate is the main cleaning ingredient in shampoos, even though it may be potentially damaging to hair. The demand for antioxidant-rich cosmetics, on the other hand, has encouraged green cosmetics research. Brazil has vast biodiversity that can be exploited for the production of these cosmetics. This work aimed to develop a minimalist antioxidant lauryl-free shampoo formulation with leaf extracts from the Brazilian plant Hancornia speciosa Gomes. Two hydroethanolic extracts were prepared using different extraction methods, Soxhlet, and ultrasound. The extracts were characterized by the presence of saponins, polyphenol quantification, and HLPC chemical identification of the compounds. Antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH method. The antioxidant lauryl-free shampoo was developed using hydroxyethyl cellulose with two concentrations of leaf extract obtained by Soxhlet, 0.125 mg/g (XP1) and 0.250 mg/g (XP2). Along with the antioxidant activity, the physical and chemical properties, cleaning potential, and foam quality were evaluated. The Soxhlet leaf extract revealed a more favorable chemical profile, including a positive result for saponins, as well as a larger quantity of polyphenols and increased antioxidant activity. The XP2 formulation showed better foam height, dirt dispersion, and antioxidant activity. Thus, the use of mangabeira leaf extract appears to be promising for the development of shampoos with antioxidant activity.
Topics: Antioxidants; Plant Extracts; Polyphenols; Brazil; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate; Saponins; Cellulose; Plant Leaves
PubMed: 36287404
DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.264677