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Maciuk A, Mazier D, Duval R. Future antimalarials from Artemisia? A rationale for natural product mining against drug-refractory Plasmodium stages. Nat Prod Rep 2023; 40:1130-1144. [PMID: 37021639 DOI: 10.1039/d3np00001j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Covering: up to 2023Infusions of the plants Artemisia annua and A. afra are gaining broad popularity to prevent or treat malaria. There is an urgent need to address this controversial public health question by providing solid scientific evidence in relation to these uses. Infusions of either species were shown to inhibit the asexual blood stages, the liver stages including the hypnozoites, but also the sexual stages, the gametocytes, of Plasmodium parasites. Elimination of hypnozoites and sterilization of mature gametocytes remain pivotal elements of the radical cure of P. vivax, and the blockage of P. vivax and P. falciparum transmission, respectively. Drugs active against these stages are restricted to the 8-aminoquinolines primaquine and tafenoquine, a paucity worsened by their double dependence on the host genetic to elicit clinical activity without severe toxicity. Besides artemisinin, these Artemisia spp. contain many natural products effective against Plasmodium asexual blood stages, but their activity against hypnozoites and gametocytes was never investigated. In the context of important therapeutic issues, we provide a review addressing (i) the role of artemisinin in the bioactivity of these Artemisia infusions against specific parasite stages, i.e., alone or in association with other phytochemicals; (ii) the mechanisms of action and biological targets in Plasmodium of ca. 60 infusion-specific Artemisia phytochemicals, with an emphasis on drug-refractory parasite stages (i.e., hypnozoites and gametocytes). Our objective is to guide the strategic prospecting of antiplasmodial natural products from these Artemisia spp., paving the way toward novel antimalarial "hit" compounds either naturally occurring or Artemisia-inspired.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dominique Mazier
- CIMI, CNRS, Inserm, Faculté de Médecine Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Romain Duval
- MERIT, IRD, Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France.
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dos Santos EC, Silva LS, Pinheiro AS, Teixeira DE, Peruchetti DB, Silva-Aguiar RP, Wendt CHC, Miranda KR, Coelho-de-Souza AN, Leal-Cardoso JH, Caruso-Neves C, Pinheiro AAS. The monoterpene 1,8-cineole prevents cerebral edema in a murine model of severe malaria. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268347. [PMID: 35550638 PMCID: PMC9098050 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
1,8-Cineole is a naturally occurring compound found in essential oils of different plants and has well-known anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. In the present work, we aimed to investigate its potential antimalarial effect, using the following experimental models: (1) the erythrocytic cycle of Plasmodium falciparum; (2) an adhesion assay using brain microvascular endothelial cells; and (3) an experimental cerebral malaria animal model induced by Plasmodium berghei ANKA infection in susceptible mice. Using the erythrocytic cycle of Plasmodium falciparum, we characterized the schizonticidal effect of 1,8-cineole. This compound decreased parasitemia in a dose-dependent manner with a half maximal inhibitory concentration of 1045.53 ± 63.30 μM. The inhibitory effect of 972 μM 1,8-cineole was irreversible and independent of parasitemia. Moreover, 1,8-cineole reduced the progression of intracellular development of the parasite over 2 cycles, inducing important morphological changes. Ultrastructure analysis revealed a massive loss of integrity of endomembranes and hemozoin crystals in infected erythrocytes treated with 1,8-cineole. The monoterpene reduced the adhesion index of infected erythrocytes to brain microvascular endothelial cells by 60%. Using the experimental cerebral malaria model, treatment of infected mice for 6 consecutive days with 100 mg/kg/day 1,8-cineole reduced cerebral edema with a 50% reduction in parasitemia. Our data suggest a potential antimalarial effect of 1,8-cineole with an impact on the parasite erythrocytic cycle and severe disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgleyson C. dos Santos
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Leandro S. Silva
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alessandro S. Pinheiro
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Douglas E. Teixeira
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Diogo B. Peruchetti
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo P. Silva-Aguiar
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Camila H. C. Wendt
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Kildare R. Miranda
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Celso Caruso-Neves
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Medicina Regenerativa, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Rio de Janeiro Innovation Network in Nanosystems for Health, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Acacia S. Pinheiro
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Rio de Janeiro Innovation Network in Nanosystems for Health, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Zareen S, Khan SN, Adnan M, Haleem S, Ali R, Alnomasy SF. Antiplasmodial potential of Eucalyptus obliqua leaf methanolic extract against Plasmodium vivax: An in vitro study. OPEN CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1515/chem-2021-0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Malaria is an intraerythrocytic parasitic disease caused by the genus Plasmodium of which Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum are the major species. The high cost and associated side effects of antimalarial drugs triggered research about medicinal plants to develop alternative and low-cost drugs with lesser side effects. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the antiplasmodial activity of the Eucalyptus obliqua L’Hér. leaf extract against P. vivax and its phytochemicals in in vitro. The methanolic extract of E. obliqua was prepared and different concentrations of the crude extract and phytochemicals were used against P. vivax. The methanolic extract of E. obliqua showed profound antiplasmodial activity (LD50 0.084 mg/mL; 80.04%) at 0.1 mg/mL concentration after 24 h. Alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, and tannins were found in the E. obliqua methanolic extract. Only alkaloids at the concentration (0.1 mg/mL) exhibited 60.93% inhibition of P. vivax. The methanolic extract of E. obliqua exhibits antiplasmodial activity in vitro. However, in vivo efficacy is an important aspect in the testing of medicinal plants against parasitic infections and should be evaluated in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shehzad Zareen
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kohat University of Science and Technology , Kohat-26000 , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , Pakistan
| | - Shahid Niaz Khan
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kohat University of Science and Technology , Kohat-26000 , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Adnan
- Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kohat University of Science and Technology , Kohat-26000 , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , Pakistan
| | - Sumbal Haleem
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kohat University of Science and Technology , Kohat-26000 , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , Pakistan
| | - Rehman Ali
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kohat University of Science and Technology , Kohat-26000 , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , Pakistan
| | - Sultan F. Alnomasy
- Department of Medical Laboratories Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences in Al-Quwayiyah, Shaqra University , Riyadh , Saudi Arabia
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Bhaskar P, Sareen D. Bioinformatics approach to understand nature's unified mechanism of stereo-divergent synthesis of isoprenoid skeletons. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 36:142. [PMID: 32851438 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-020-02918-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In isoprenoid metabolism, cyclisation is the important gateway to chemical diversity. Terpene synthase is responsible for the cyclisation of a few universal substrates forming hundreds of often stereo-chemically complex mono- and poly-cyclic terpene hydrocarbons with a broad spectrum of functions in pharmaceuticals, flavours and fragrance industry. Although they are discovered and characterised mainly from plants and fungi, yet only a small share of bacterial terpenes has been investigated so far owing to their low level of expression in wild-type microorganisms. Extensive bacterial genome mining has revealed a treasure trove of terpene synthase genes and their regulated heterologous overexpression has pitched-in to describe the biochemical function of putative genes and sequester new terpene metabolites. This review deals with the modern genome mining techniques and molecular methods, providing more experimental tools for studying the structure and functions of terpenoid metabolites and strongly supports the idea that genome mining is a utile approach in deciphering the terpenoid diversity in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranav Bhaskar
- Department of Biochemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Dipti Sareen
- Department of Biochemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.
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In Vitro Scolicidal Activity of the Sesquiterpenes Isofuranodiene, α-Bisabolol and Farnesol on Echinococcus granulosus Protoscoleces. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25163593. [PMID: 32784679 PMCID: PMC7464821 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25163593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) remains an important challenge both in humans and animals. There is no safe and suitable remedy for CE, so the discovery of new compounds with promising scolicidal effects, particularly from herbal sources, is of great importance for therapeutic uses in the treatment and prevention of CE reappearance. Sesquiterpenes are C15 organic compounds made up of three isoprene units and mostly occurring as fragrant components of essential oils. They are of economic importance for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry, and recently attracted the attention of the scientific community for their remarkable parasiticidal properties. In the present study, we have focused on three known sesquiterpenes, isofuranodiene (IFD), α-bisabolol (BSB), and farnesol (FOH), as important phytoconstituents of the essential oils of wild celery (Smyrnium olusatrum), chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), and acacia farnese (Vachellia farnesiana), respectively. Protoscoleces were recovered from fertile hydatid cysts and were exposed to different concentrations of the three tested compounds for different exposure times. The viability of protoscoleces was confirmed by 0.1% eosin staining. Results of scolicidal activity evaluations showed that IFD possessed the best effect against Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces (LC50 and LC90 values of 8.87 and 25.48 µg/mL, respectively), followed by BSB (LC50 of 103.2 µg/mL) and FOH (LC50 of 113.68 µg/mL). The overall toxicity of IFD differed significantly from those of FOH and BSB, while there was no significant difference in toxicity between the latter compounds (p > 0.05). The present study showed that IFD seems to be a promising scolicidal agent and can be further tested to become a candidate for CE treatment.
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Gruessner BM, Cornet-Vernet L, Desrosiers MR, Lutgen P, Towler MJ, Weathers PJ. It is not just artemisinin: Artemisia sp. for treating diseases including malaria and schistosomiasis. PHYTOCHEMISTRY REVIEWS : PROCEEDINGS OF THE PHYTOCHEMICAL SOCIETY OF EUROPE 2019; 18:1509-1527. [PMID: 33911989 PMCID: PMC8078015 DOI: 10.1007/s11101-019-09645-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Artemisia sp., especially A. annua and A. afra, have been used for centuries to treat many ailments. While artemisinin is the main therapeutically active component, emerging evidence demonstrates that the other phytochemicals in this genus are also therapeutically active. Those compounds include flavonoids, other terpenes, coumarins, and phenolic acids. Artemisia sp. phytochemicals also improve bioavailability of artemisinin and synergistically improve artemisinin therapeutic efficacy, especially when delivered as dried leaf Artemisia as a tea infusion or as powdered dry leaves in a capsule or compressed into a tablet. Here results from in vitro, and in vivo animal and human studies are summarized and critically discussed for mainly malaria, but also other diseases susceptible to artemisinin and Artemisia sp. including schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, and trypanosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- B M Gruessner
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
| | | | - M R Desrosiers
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
| | - P Lutgen
- IFVB-BELHERB, Niederanven, Luxembourg
| | - M J Towler
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
| | - P J Weathers
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
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Iyamah PC, Idu M. Ethnomedicinal survey of plants used in the treatment of malaria in Southern Nigeria. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2015; 173:287-302. [PMID: 26187278 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2015] [Revised: 07/04/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Malaria is one of the most severe public health problems worldwide. It is a leading cause of death and disease in many developing countries, where young children and pregnant women are the groups most affected. Spread of multidrug-resistant strains of Plasmodium and the adverse side effects of the existing anti-malarial drugs have necessitated the search for novel, well tolerated and more efficient antimalarial drugs. This ethnomedicinal study surveyed the different types of medicinal plants used for the treatment of malaria in Southern Nigeria with the intent of identifying plants that are traditionally employed in the treatment of malaria across geopolitical boundaries. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data were collected from 79 respondents composed of 50 traditional herbsellers and 29 herbal practitioners using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using frequency and percentages. RESULTS Of the 79 respondents interviewed, 24% were males while 76% were females. A total of 156 species belonging to 60 families were reported being used to treat malaria in the study area. Fabaceae was the most represented family having fourteen (14) plant species. Of the plants identified during the survey, Azadirachta indica was the species of highest relative frequency of citation (RFC - 1.0). The dominant plant parts used in the preparation of remedies were leaves (50.50%) and Decoction was the main method of preparation. Analysis of regional plant occurrence revealed that South-Western Nigeria represented the region with the highest plant occurrence (60.7%) followed by South-South (24%) and South-East (15.3%). Regional occurrence of plants used in the treatment of malaria in Southern Nigeria is reported here for the first time. CONCLUSION This study has documented a great diversity of plants used in the treatment of malaria in Southern Nigeria. Extracts prepared strictly according to the practitioners' recipes should therefore be screened for antiplasmodial activity and toxicity by in vitro and in vivo standard tests to justify their local usage. These studies might lead to the isolation and possible identification of potentially active compounds, which may be regarded as future promising phytomedicines in the treatment of malaria. Conservation of these plant species is also recommended to ensure their continuous availability for future use.
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Affiliation(s)
- P C Iyamah
- Department of Biology, College of Education, PMB 1251 Warri, Delta State, Nigeria.
| | - M Idu
- Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria
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Jalilzadeh-Amin G, Maham M. The application of 1,8-cineole, a terpenoid oxide present in medicinal plants, inhibits castor oil-induced diarrhea in rats. PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY 2015; 53:594-599. [PMID: 25327386 DOI: 10.3109/13880209.2014.935862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT 1,8-Cineole, a terpene, characterized as a major constituent occurring in the essential oils of several aromatic plants. It is widely used in pharmaceutical industry, as a food additive and for culinary purposes. OBJECTIVE This study investigates the inhibitory effect of 1,8-cineole on transit time and diarrhea in animal models. MATERIALS AND METHODS Acute toxicity and lethality of 1-8-cineole was determined by Lork's guidelines. The antidiarrheal effect of 1,8-cineole was investigated by determining the intestinal transit and enterpooling in rats. In all experiments, different doses of 1,8-cineole (20-120 mg/kg), atropine, and loperamide were administered orally. RESULTS The LD50 of 1,8-cineole for oral administration was estimated to be 1280 mg/kg. 1,8-Cineole (20-120 mg/kg) did not show a significant decrease in small intestine transit (p > 0.05); however, the highest dose displayed a significant decrease in comparison with atropine (p < 0.05). This substance decreased the peristaltic index value to 68 ± 0.36% at a dose of 120 mg/kg compared with the control group (85.22 ± 4.31%) in the castor oil transit test. 1,8-Cineole significantly delayed the onset of diarrhea to -142.33 ± 6.08 min at 120 mg/kg, while the time was 103.66 ± 20.73 min for the control and >240 min for the loperamide. Moreover, 1,8-cineole significantly decreased intestinal fluid accumulation (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated antispasmodic and antisecretory activities of 1,8-cineole and rationalized the traditional use of the plant containing various levels of this terpene in the treatment of gastrointestinal complains such as diarrhea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghader Jalilzadeh-Amin
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University , Urmia , Iran
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Dried whole-plant Artemisia annua slows evolution of malaria drug resistance and overcomes resistance to artemisinin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:821-6. [PMID: 25561559 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1413127112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmaceutical monotherapies against human malaria have proven effective, although ephemeral, owing to the inevitable evolution of resistant parasites. Resistance to two or more drugs delivered in combination will evolve more slowly; hence combination therapies have become the preferred norm in the fight against malaria. At the forefront of these efforts has been the promotion of Artemisinin Combination Therapy, but despite these efforts, resistance to artemisinin has begun to emerge. In 2012, we demonstrated the efficacy of the whole plant (WP)--not a tea, not an infusion--as a malaria therapy and found it to be more effective than a comparable dose of pure artemisinin in a rodent malaria model. Here we show that WP overcomes existing resistance to pure artemisinin in the rodent malaria Plasmodium yoelii. Moreover, in a long-term artificial selection for resistance in Plasmodium chabaudi, we tested resilience of WP against drug resistance in comparison with pure artemisinin (AN). Stable resistance to WP was achieved three times more slowly than stable resistance to AN. WP treatment proved even more resilient than the double dose of AN. The resilience of WP may be attributable to the evolutionary refinement of the plant's secondary metabolic products into a redundant, multicomponent defense system. Efficacy and resilience of WP treatment against rodent malaria provides compelling reasons to further explore the role of nonpharmaceutical forms of AN to treat human malaria.
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Weathers PJ, Towler M, Hassanali A, Lutgen P, Engeu PO. Dried-leaf Artemisia annua: A practical malaria therapeutic for developing countries? World J Pharmacol 2014; 3:39-55. [PMID: 25678989 PMCID: PMC4323188 DOI: 10.5497/wjp.v3.i4.39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2014] [Revised: 09/09/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin from the plant Artemisia annua (A. annua) L., and used as artemisinin combination therapy (ACT), is the current best therapeutic for treating malaria, a disease that hits children and adults especially in developing countries. Traditionally, A. annua was used by the Chinese as a tea to treat “fever”. More recently, investigators have shown that tea infusions and oral consumption of the dried leaves of the plant have prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy. The presence of a complex matrix of chemicals within the leaves seems to enhance both the bioavailability and efficacy of artemisinin. Although about 1000-fold less potent than artemisinin in their antiplasmodial activity, these plant chemicals are mainly small molecules that include other artemisinic compounds, terpenes (mainly mono and sesqui), flavonoids, and polyphenolic acids. In addition, polysaccharide constituents of A. annua may enhance bioavailability of artemisinin. Rodent pharmacokinetics showed longer T½ and Tmax and greater Cmax and AUC in Plasmodium chabaudi-infected mice treated with A. annua dried leaves than in healthy mice. Pharmacokinetics of deoxyartemisinin, a liver metabolite of artemisinin, was more inhibited in infected than in healthy mice. In healthy mice, artemisinin serum levels were > 40-fold greater in dried leaf fed mice than those fed with pure artemisinin. Human trial data showed that when delivered as dried leaves, 40-fold less artemisinin was required to obtain a therapeutic response compared to pure artemisinin. ACTs are still unaffordable for many malaria patients, and cost estimates for A. annua dried leaf tablet production are orders of magnitude less than for ACT, despite improvements in the production capacity. Considering that for > 2000 years this plant was used in traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of fever with no apparent appearance of artemisinin drug resistance, the evidence argues for inclusion of affordable A. annua dried leaf tablets into the arsenal of drugs to combat malaria and other artemisinin-susceptible diseases.
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Nosratabadi SJ, Sharifi I, Sharififar F, Bamorovat M, Daneshvar H, Mirzaie M. In vitro antileishmanial activity of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Eucalyptus camaldulensis against Leishmania major. J Parasit Dis 2013; 39:18-21. [PMID: 25698853 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-013-0377-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2013] [Accepted: 10/18/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Pentavalent antimony compounds are expensive, toxic and drug resistance is prevalent, whereas the plant extract derivatives are safe. In the present study, the effect of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Eucalyptus camaldulensis on the promastigotes of Leishmania major was evaluated. The methanolic and aqueous extracts of E. camaldulensis leaves were prepared. The compounds were dried and powdered. Serial dilutions of the extracts and control drugs in phosphate buffer solution were prepared. The stationary phase promastigotes of L. major were incubated to the methanolic and aqueous extractions in vitro. Tartar emetic was used as the positive control drug. After 72 h of incubation the activity of the extracts was measured, using MTT method. The IC50 values (50 % inhibitory concentration) were 586.2 ± 47.6 and 1,108.6 ± 51.9 μg/ml for methanolic and aqueous extracts, respectively, whereas it was 32.5 ± 6.8 μg/ml for tartar emetic. The results indicated that the methanolic extract was more effective than aqueous extract, although there was no significant difference. The extracts were less effective as compared to the control drug. Further investigation is required to evaluate these extracts on clinical stage in macrophage-amastigote model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Iraj Sharifi
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, 76169-14115 Kerman, Iran
| | - Fariba Sharififar
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Herbal and Traditional Medicines Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mehdi Bamorovat
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, 76169-14115 Kerman, Iran
| | - Hamid Daneshvar
- Immunology Department, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mirzaie
- Pathobiology Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
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Kiran I, Özşen Ö, Çelik T, İlhan S, Gürsu BY, Demirci F. Microbial Transformations of Isophorone by Alternaria alternata and Neurospora crassa. Nat Prod Commun 2013. [DOI: 10.1177/1934578x1300800114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Isophorone (3,5,5-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one), a monoterpene, and the structurally related 1,8-cineole and camphor, have demonstrated a protective effect against cancer, biological activity against a variety of microorganisms, and anti-oxidant properties. The derivatization of isophorone is, therefore, an important field of xenobiochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology. The aim of this study was to obtain derivatives of isophorone through microbial biotransformation and evaluate the biotransformation metabolites as potential antimicrobial agents. Incubation of isophorone with the fungi Alternaria alternata and Neurospora crassa afforded 4α-hydroxy- and 7-hydroxy-isophorone as transformation metabolites. The antimicrobial activities of isophorone and the metabolites were evaluated in vitro both by using agar dilution and microdilution methods. However, no significant antibacterial activity was observed when compared with those of standard substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismail Kiran
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26480, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Özge Özşen
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26480, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Turgay Çelik
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26480, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Semra İlhan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26480, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Bükay Yenice Gürsu
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26480, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Fatih Demirci
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Anadolu University, 26470, Eskişehir, Turkey
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Anadolu University, 26470, Eskişehir, Turkey
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Goodger JQD, Heskes AM, Mitchell MC, King DJ, Neilson EH, Woodrow IE. Isolation of intact sub-dermal secretory cavities from Eucalyptus. PLANT METHODS 2010; 6:20. [PMID: 20807444 PMCID: PMC2936884 DOI: 10.1186/1746-4811-6-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2010] [Accepted: 09/01/2010] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The biosynthesis of plant natural products in sub-dermal secretory cavities is poorly understood at the molecular level, largely due to the difficulty of physically isolating these structures for study. Our aim was to develop a protocol for isolating live and intact sub-dermal secretory cavities, and to do this, we used leaves from three species of Eucalyptus with cavities that are relatively large and rich in essential oils. RESULTS Leaves were digested using a variety of commercially available enzymes. A pectinase from Aspergillus niger was found to allow isolation of intact cavities after a relatively short incubation (12 h), with no visible artifacts from digestion and no loss of cellular integrity or cavity contents. Several measurements indicated the potential of the isolated cavities for further functional studies. First, the cavities were found to consume oxygen at a rate that is comparable to that estimated from leaf respiratory rates. Second, mRNA was extracted from cavities, and it was used to amplify a cDNA fragment with high similarity to that of a monoterpene synthase. Third, the contents of the cavity lumen were extracted, showing an unexpectedly low abundance of volatile essential oils and a sizeable amount of non-volatile material, which is contrary to the widely accepted role of secretory cavities as predominantly essential oil repositories. CONCLUSIONS The protocol described herein is likely to be adaptable to a range of Eucalyptus species with sub-dermal secretory cavities, and should find wide application in studies of the developmental and functional biology of these structures, and the biosynthesis of the plant natural products they contain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason QD Goodger
- School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Allison M Heskes
- School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Madeline C Mitchell
- School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Drew J King
- School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Elizabeth H Neilson
- School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Ian E Woodrow
- School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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Goodger JQD, Cao B, Jayadi I, Williams SJ, Woodrow IE. Non-volatile components of the essential oil secretory cavities of Eucalyptus leaves: discovery of two glucose monoterpene esters, cuniloside B and froggattiside A. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2009; 70:1187-1194. [PMID: 19604527 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2009.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2009] [Revised: 06/01/2009] [Accepted: 06/02/2009] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The essential oils extracted from the embedded foliar secretory cavities of many Eucalyptus species are of economic value as pharmaceuticals and fragrance additives. Recent studies have indicated that Eucalyptus secretory cavities may not be exclusively involved in the biosynthesis and storage of essential oils. Therefore, we selected three species upon which to perform an examination of the contents of foliar secretory cavities: Eucalyptus froggattii, E. polybractea and E. globulus. This paper describes the isolation and structural characterization of two non-volatile glucose monoterpene esters, which we have named cuniloside B and froggattiside A, from within the secretory cavities of these species, and shows the presence of these compounds in solvent extracts of the leaves from two other species of Eucalyptus. Both compounds were found in high proportions relative to the essential oils extracted from the leaves. We propose that many other carbohydrate monoterpene esters previously isolated from bulk leaf extracts of various Eucalyptus species may also be localized within the non-volatile fraction of foliar secretory cavities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Q D Goodger
- School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Benjamin Cao
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute and School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Inneke Jayadi
- School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Spencer J Williams
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute and School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Ian E Woodrow
- School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
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