Antihyperglycemic effect of Ocimum plants: A short review

GC-MS analysis of an ethanolic extract of Ocimum species: a network pharmacology analysis insight towards obesity

Aim: In this study, we have selected two different Ocimum tenuiflorum plants, Ocimum tenuiflorum (Rama tulsi) (OTRT) and Ocimum tenuiflorum (Krishna tulsi) (OTKT). Materials & methods: In the present investigation, ethanol was used as a solvent to estimate the bioactive compounds present in it through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results: Based on the GC-MS data benzenepropanoic acid, 3-methoxy-alpha,4-bis[(trimethylsilyl)oxy was found to be the potent compound in OTRT (MW: 428.74 g/mol) and methyl 3-(4-benzyloxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanoate in OTKT (MW: 342.39 g/mol). To estimate its pharmacological application, an integrated Network Pharmacology approach is performed toward the disease target obesity. Conclusion: From the protein-protein interaction from the string database, SRC, BCL2, EGFR, MTOR, CDK1, ERBB2, MAPK1, FYN, AR and MAPK14 are the top-ranked targets.

Safety and antidiabetic activity of Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. juice in streptozotocin -induced diabetic rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Diabetes and its complications have overwhelmed India's healthcare system. Current therapies are expensive and have adverse side effects, thus dietary changes and alternative treatments are needed. Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. Juice is used mainly for its nutritional and medicinal values, however toxicity of the juice and antidiabetic effects have been poorly characterized.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To investigate the toxicity, anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory efficacy of Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. (LS) juice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In vitro antidiabetic (α-glucosidase, α-amylase and DPP-4 inhibitory) activities were screened using standard procedures. The glucose uptake test was carried out by using L6 rat skeletal muscle cell line. In vivo sub-acute toxicity of LS juice was assessed on Wistar rats. Wistar rats were induced with diabetes by a single intraperitoneal (I.P) injection of freshly prepared streptozotocin (55 mg/kg body weight). The animals were randomly divided into 6 groups: normal control, untreated diabetic control, diabetic rats. Different dose of 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg body weight of LS juice were administered, one group of diabetic rats were administered with 2 IU/mL insulin. The rats were sacrificed on the 31st day of the experiment and various in vivo biochemical parameters were evaluated in the serum and tissue homogenates of diabetic rats.

RESULTS

Significant dose-dependent inhibition of α-amylase (22.6%), α-glucosidase (50.13%), and DPP-4 (61.50%) activity was observed by LS juice. LS juice (10 μg/mL) increased insulin-mediated 2NBDG (2-(N-(7-Nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl) Amino)-2-Deoxyglucose) absorption in L6 cells. Animals treated with LS juice showed no toxicity or unfavorable pharmacological effects. Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. Juice improved glucose tolerance in diabetic rats with reduced fasting blood glucose. Lipopolysaccharide induced NF-κB, TNF-α and IL-1β production was also decreased in rats fed with LS juice.

CONCLUSION

Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. Juice has demonstrated promising anti-inflammatory properties as well as the capacity to inhibit the digestion enzymes glucosidase and amylase. Our findings thus open new avenues for further research into the antidiabetic potential of LS juice.

Analyzing the Antihyperglycemic Effect of Cissus quadrangularis and Bacopa monnieri on 3T3-L1 Cell Lines

Background Cissus quadrangularis is a perennial shrub of the grape family. Other names for it include devil's backbone, veld grape, and pirandai (Tamil). Bacopa monnieri, a perennial plant, is native to wetlands in eastern and southern India. The 3T3-L1 cell line, which was created from 3T3 cells, was used in the scientific study. The current study's purpose is to evaluate the antihyperglycemic benefits of B. monnieri and C. quadrangularis, which will be added to the current arsenal of efficient herbal hypoglycemic medications. Aim To analyze and compare the anti-hyperglycaemic effects of the two plant extracts, C. quadrangularis and B. monnieri using a 3T3-L1 cell line. Materials and methods C. quadrangularis seeds were gathered, and extraction was conducted. The B. monnieri plant was harvested, and a rotary evaporator was used to extract the flower. Adipocyte cells were obtained from NCCS, Pune. A CO2 incubator was used to incubate the cells. The MTT assay and gene expression analysis were done on the cell line samples. Results The antihyperglycemic effects of C. quadrangularis IRS mRNA levels of 0.7 and AKT mRNA levels of 0.7 are compared to B. monnieri IRS1 mRNA levels of 0.6 and AKT mRNA levels of 0.6 to build better diabetic treatments. The antihyperglycemic benefits of C. quadrangularis levels of IRS mRNA and AKT mRNA are compared to the influence of B. monnieri IRS1 mRNA and AKT mRNA on the development of better diabetic drugs. Conclusion Comparing the effects of C. quadrangularis and B. monnieri on the 3T3 cell line by gene expression of IRS mRNA and AKT mRNA suggests that the particular AKT downregulation shows that insulin suppresses gluconeogenesis and C. quadrangularis inhibits hyperglycemia in 3T3-L1 cells, while research on in vitro rats suggests that B. monnieri may minimize the signs and symptoms of diabetes via enhancing IRS1/AKT signaling.

Network pharmacology based anti-diabetic attributes of bioactive compounds from Ocimum gratissimum L. through computational approach

The present research was framed to determine the key compounds present in the plant Ocimum gratissimum L. targeting protein molecules of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) by employing In-silico approaches. Phytochemicals previously reported to be present in this herb were collated through literature survey and public phytochemical databases, and their probable targets were anticipated using BindingDB (p ≥ 0.7). STRING and KEGG pathway databases were employed for pathway enrichment analysis. Homology modelling was executed to elucidate the structures of therapeutic targets. Further, Phytocompounds from O. gratissimum were subjected for docking with four therapeutic targets of DM by using AutoDock vina through POAP pipeline implementation. 30 compounds were predicted to target 136 protein molecules including aldose reductase, DPP4, alpha-amylase, and alpha-glucosidase. Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, MAPK, PI3K-Akt, starch and insulin resistance were predicted to have potentially modulation by phytocompounds. Based on the phytocompound's binding score with the four targets of DM, Rutin scored the lowest binding energy (-11 kcal/mol) with Aldose reductase by forming 17 intermolecular interactions. In conclusion, based on the network and binding score, phytocompounds from O. gratissimum have a synergistic and considerable effect in the management of DM via multi-compound, multi-target, and multi-pathway mechanisms.

Assessment of anticancer, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-obesity and antioxidant activity of Ocimum Basilicum seeds essential oil from Palestine

BACKGROUND

Many modern pharmaceutical researchers continue to focus on the discovery and evaluation of natural compounds for possible therapies for obesity, diabetes, infections, cancer, and oxidative stress. Extraction of Ocimum basilicum seed essential oil and evaluation of its antioxidant, anti-obesity, antidiabetic, antibacterial, and cytotoxic activities were the goals of the current study.

METHOD

O. basilicum seed essential oil was extracted and evaluated for its anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-obesity, and anti-diabetic properties utilizing standard biomedical assays.

RESULTS

O. basilicum seed essential oil showed good anticancer activity against Hep3B (IC₅₀ 56.23 ± 1.32 µg/ml) and MCF-7 (80.35 ± 1.17 µg/ml) when compared with the positive control, Doxorubicin. In addition, the essential oil showed potent antibacterial (against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and antifungal (against Candida albicans) activities. Moreover, as for the anti-amylase test, IC₅₀ was 74.13 ± 1.1 µg/ml, a potent effect compared with the IC₅₀ of acarbose, which was 28.10 ± 0.7 µg/ml. On the other hand, for the anti-lipase test, the IC₅₀ was 112.20 ± 0.7 µg/ml a moderate effect compared with the IC₅₀ of orlistat, which was 12.30 ± 0.8 µg/ml. Finally, the oil had a potent antioxidant effect with an IC₅₀ of 23.44 ± 0.9 µg/ml compared with trolox (IC₅₀ was 2.7 ± 0.5 µg/ml).

CONCLUSION

This study has provided initial data that supports the importance of O. basilcum essential oil in traditional medicine. The extracted oil not only exhibited significant anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties but also antidiabetic and anti-obesity effects, which provided a foundation for future research.

Green-synthesized nanoparticles of the polyherbal extract attenuate the necrosis of pancreatic β-cell in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic model

Plant-based nanoformulation is one of the novel approaches for therapeutic benefits. This research synthesized a silver nanoparticle from the polyherbal combination of four plants/seeds (Momordica charantia, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Nigella sativa, and Ocimum sanctum) and investigated its antidiabetic effects in streptozotocin-induced Wistar albino rat model. The polyherbal extract (PH) was extracted by the Soxhlet-solvent extraction method and the resulting crude extract was undergone for silver nanoparticle synthesis. The PH extract was subjected to a four-week intervention in fructose-fed streptozotocin-induced Wistar Albino rats' models and in vitro antioxidative tests. Experimental animals (age: 6-7 weeks, male, body weight: 200-220 g), were divided into five groups including normal control (NC), reference control (RC), diabetic control (DC), and treatment groups PH200, PH100, and PHAgNP20. After three weeks of intervention, body weight, weekly blood glucose level, oral glucose tolerance test, AST, ALT, alkaline phosphatase, total cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, urea, and creatinine level of PH200 were found to be significantly (P < 0.05) improved compared to the diabetic control. The same dose demonstrated better regeneration of damaged pancreatic and kidney tissues. In vitro antioxidant assay manifested promising IC50 values of 86.17 μg/mL for DPPH, 711.04 μg/mL for superoxide free radical, and 0.48 mg/mL for Iron chelating activity of the polyherbal extract. GC-MS analysis impacted the major volatile compounds of the PH. The data demonstrate that the PH and its nanoparticles could be a novel source of antidiabetic therapeutics through an advanced dose-response study in the type 2 diabetic model.

Potential use of Indonesian basil (Ocimum basilicum) maceration to increase estradiol and progesterone synthesis and secretion to improve prenatal growth of offspring using female albino rats as an animal model

Background and Aim:

Basil is well known as a medicinal plant that contains high essential oils and antioxidant compounds that have the potential to improve ovarian development. Thus, basil may have the potential to improve the growth and development of the uterus and placenta for optimal prenatal growth of offspring. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Indonesian basil maceration on gonad development of mature female albino rats.

Materials and Methods:

Fifteen 8-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats, at the diestrus stage of the estrus cycle, were divided into three different treatment groups: Control group (mineral water), bas-low group (1% of basil maceration), and bas-high group (5% of basil maceration). Basil maceration was dissolved and administered in mineral drinking water, and the treatments were given for 20 days (4 estrus cycles). At the end of the treatment period, serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, and progesterone (Pg) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The relative weight of the ovary and uterus; diameter and length of uterine cornual; vascularization of uterus; the diameter of uterine glands; the number of primary, secondary, and tertiary de Graaf follicles; the number of corpora luteum; as well as the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the ovary were determined.

Results:

There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the serum FSH level of rats treated with basil maceration drinking water doses of 1% and 5% compared to the control group. However, serum estradiol and Pg concentrations in the 1% and 5% basil maceration groups were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those of the control group. Furthermore, 1% and 5% basil maceration significantly increased the uterus’s relative weight, diameter, and vascularization. Serum estradiol concentrations contributed to the elevated expression of VEGF compared to Pg.

Conclusion:

Administration of basil maceration for 20 days before mating could improve follicle growth and development, eventually increasing estradiol synthesis and secretion, thus improving the uterus’s preparation for implantation. This makes basil maceration an attractive candidate in clinical research to enhance the growth and development of the uterus and placenta, which will better support the optimum prenatal growth and development of embryos and fetuses, resulting in superior offspring.

Ameliorative Effect of Ocimum forskolei Benth on Diabetic, Apoptotic, and Adipogenic Biomarkers of Diabetic Rats and 3T3-L1 Fibroblasts Assisted by In Silico Approach

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complicated condition that is accompanied by a plethora of metabolic symptoms, including disturbed serum glucose and lipid profiles. Several herbs are reputed as traditional medicine to improve DM. The current study was designed to explore the chemical composition and possible ameliorative effects of Ocimum forskolei on blood glucose and lipid profile in high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and in 3T3-L1 cell lines as a first report of its bioactivity. Histopathological study of pancreatic and adipose tissues was performed in control and treatment groups, along with quantification of glucose and lipid profiles and the assessment of NF-κB, cleaved caspase-3, BAX, and BCL2 markers in rat pancreatic tissue. Glucose uptake, adipogenic markers, DGAT1, CEBP/α, and PPARγ levels were evaluated in the 3T3-L1 cell line. Hesperidin was isolated from total methanol extract (TME). TME and hesperidin significantly controlled the glucose and lipid profile in DM rats. Glibenclamide was used as a positive control. Histopathological assessment showed that TME and hesperidin averted necrosis and infiltration in pancreatic tissues, and led to a substantial improvement in the cellular structure of adipose tissue. TME and hesperidin distinctly diminished the mRNA and protein expression of NF-κB, cleaved caspase-3, and BAX, and increased BCL2 expression (reflecting its protective and antiapoptotic actions). Interestingly, TME and hesperidin reduced glucose uptake and oxidative lipid accumulation in the 3T3-L1 cell line. TME and hesperidin reduced DGAT1, CEBP/α, and PPARγ mRNA and protein expression in 3T3-L1 cells. Moreover, docking studies supported the results via deep interaction of hesperidin with the tested biomarkers. Taken together, the current study demonstrates Ocimum forskolei and hesperidin as possible candidates for treating diabetes mellitus.

Possibility of Pulsed Electric Field and Essential Oil Pre-treatment, Microwave-air Dehydration to the Quality of the Dehydrated Sesban (Sesbania sesban) Flower

Non-heat ahead-treatment in advance of the main dehydration is essential to preserve the quality and ensure food safety. Pulsed electric field (PEF) utilizes a high-voltage electric field in a very short duration to inhibit microbes and enzymes while maintaining the most sensory and nutritional characteristics. For thermal sensitive components, the dehydration process should be performed at low temperatures. Freeze dehydration, vacuum dehydration required high cost for equipment, energy consumption, low quantity in long dehydration time. Microwave-air dehydration is considered as a promising alternative technical approach. Sesban (Sesbania sesban) flower contains numerous phytochemical components promoting health-benefit. However, it’s highly perishable after harvesting. Consumers enjoy the dried sesban flower as a healthy drink. This study examined the possibility of PEF ahead-treatment in microbial inhibition and enzymatic inactivation; essential oil and Microwave-air dehydration on retention of total phenolic content (TPC), vitamin C, 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl of free radical scavenging (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of the dehydrated sesban flower. Research also monitored the microbial stability of the dehydrated sesban flower during 12 months of preservation. Results showed that PEF at pulse strength 1000 kV/cm, pulse duration 90 µs, pulse number 45 was remarkably inactivated polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase in raw material. Rosemary essential oil soaked for sesban flower before dehydration positively preserved the ascorbic acid, phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. These PEF and essential oil ahead-treatments strongly facilitated for the main Microwave-air dehydration. Among different air temperatures from 20°C to 40°C in microwave-air dehydration, the highest Vitamin C, TPC, DPPH and FRAP of the dried flower were recorded at air temperature from 20°C to 30°C with no significant difference. Meanwhile, airspeed 1.2 m/s showed the highest Vitamin C, TPC, DPPH and FRAP of the dried flower with no significant difference with airspeed 1.4 m/s and 1.6 m/s. There was no significant difference in Vitamin C, TPC, DPPH and FRAP of the dried flower by microwave power from 1.15 to 1.45W/g. Therefore, a combination of microwave and air dehydration at air temperature 25°C, airspeed 1.2 m/s, the microwave energy density of 1.45 W/g was recommended to better preserve vitamin C, TPC, DPPH, FRAP. Microbial stability of the dehydrated flower was also observed during 12 months of storage by 3 month-interval sampling. Coliform, yeast and mold criteria in dried product were stable within acceptable limits.

Potential Biological Activities of Clausena Essential Oils for the Treatment of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus constitutes one of the most important public health problems. It is defined as a metabolic disorder characterized by a chronic hyperglycemic condition. The inhibition of α-glucosidase and inflammation effects is still considered a strategy for the treatment of diabetes. The aim of this study was to search for new and effective natural functional foods agents for the complementary treatment of diabetes and other related complications. The essential oils from the leaves of three Clausena plants collected in Thailand: C. harmandiana, C. guillauminii and C. excavata were obtained by hydrodistillation. The chemical compositions, antioxidant, anti-α-glucosidase and anti-inflammatory activities of these essential oils were evaluated. The C. excavata and C. harmandiana essential oils contained seselin and terpinen-4-ol, respectively, as the major components and showed strong inhibition of DPPH free radical, α-glucosidase, lipoxygenase and nitric oxide activities with the IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.031±0.005 to 0.702±0.003 mg/mL. From these results, it may be concluded that seselin and terpinen-4-ol are important for high antioxidant, anti-α-glucosidase, and anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, these Clausena essential oils may be useful in industrial applications for the treatment of diabetes and other related complications.

A review on the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.)

In traditional medicine, Ocimum gratissimum (clove basil) is used in the treatment of various diseases such as diabetes, cancer, inflammation, anaemia, diarrhoea, pains, and fungal and bacterial infections. The present study reviewed the phytochemicals, essential oils, and pharmacological activities of O. gratissimum. The bioactive compounds extracted from O. gratissimum include phytochemicals (oleanolic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, epicatechin, sinapic acid, rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid, luteolin, apigenin, nepetoidin, xanthomicrol, nevadensin, salvigenin, gallic acid, catechin, quercetin, rutin, and kaempfero) and essential oils (camphene, β-caryophyllene, α- and β-pinene, α-humulene, sabinene, β-myrcene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, trans-β-ocimene, linalool, α- and δ-terpineol, eugenol, α-copaene, β-elemene, p-cymene, thymol, and carvacrol). Various in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that O. gratissimum and its bioactive constituents possess pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, antidiarrhoeal, and antimicrobial properties. This review demonstrated that O. gratissimum has a strong preventive and therapeutic effect against several diseases. The effectiveness of O. gratissimum to ameliorate various diseases may be attributed to its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties as well as its capacity to improve the antioxidant systems. However, despite the widespread pharmacological activities of O. gratissimum, further experiments in human clinical trial studies are needed to establish effective and safe doses for the treatment of various diseases.

Antihyperglycemic, Endothelial protection and Toxicity study of Basil Leaves Extract on Diabetic Rats

BACKGROUND: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) remains a serious debilitating global health problem in low- and middle-income countries with rising incidence of DM-related complications due to ineffective Diabetic control. Herbs of the Ocimum family, especially Ocimum basilicum or basil leaves, have been investigated for their antihyperglycemic properties. AIM: This study aimed to demonstrate the antihyperglycemic effect, endothelial protection, and toxicity of basil leaves on Diabetes-induced Wistar rats in vivo. METHODS: Streptozosin injections were used to induced diabetes in male Wistar rats. Basil leaves extracts 100, 300, and 1000 mg/kg BW were introduced to diabetic rats. Blood glucose levels (BGL), soluble Advanced Glycation End, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-2 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Kidney and liver functions together with the histopathology reports were reported for acute, subacute, and chronic toxicity studies. RESULTS: Basil leaves exposure significantly lowers BGL (p < 0.00), but yielded no statistically significant difference between extract doses. Hemostatic parametersshowed significantly reduced endothelial dysfunction markers for all doses compared to control. Toxicity study yielded no differences between control and any doses of basil leaves in all acute, subacute, and chronic toxicity studies. Histopathological findings exhibited no evidence of tissue damage on the liver, kidney, heart, pancreas, lung, and lymph tissues in either control or experiment rats. CONCLUSIONS: Basil leaves exposure were positively associated with lower glucose level, lower endothelial activation markers on Diabetic rats. The toxicity and histopathological results of the extract are on par with control.

Novel Phytochemical Constituents and their Potential to Manage Diabetes

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is a chronic disease affecting a large population worldwide and stands as one of the major global health challenges to be tackled. According to World Health Organization, about 400 million are having diabetes worldwide and it is the seventh leading cause of deaths in 2016. Plant-based natural products have been in use from ancient times as ethnomedicine for the treatment of several diseases, including diabetes. As a result of that, there are several reports on plant-based natural products displaying antidiabetic activity. In the current review, such antidiabetic potential compounds reported from all plant sources along with their chemical structures are collected, presented and discussed. These kinds of reports are essential to pool the available information to one source, followed by statistical analysis and screening to check the efficacy of all known compounds in a comparative sense. This kind of analysis can give rise to a few potential compounds from hundreds, which can further be screened through in vitro and in vivo studies, and human trails leading to the drug development.

METHODS

Phytochemicals, along with their potential antidiabetic property, were classified according to their basic chemical skeleton. The chemical structures of all the compounds with antidiabetic activities were elucidated in the present review. In addition to this, the distribution and their other remarkable pharmacological activities of each species are also included.

RESULTS

The scrutiny of literature led to the identification of 44 plants with antidiabetic compounds (70) and other pharmacological activities. For the sake of information, the distribution of each species in the world is given. Many plant derivatives may exert anti-diabetic properties by improving or mimicking insulin production or action. Different classes of compounds including sulfur compounds (1-4), alkaloids (5-11), phenolic compounds (12-17), tannins (18-23), phenylpropanoids (24-27), xanthanoids (28-31), amino acid (32), stilbenoid (33), benzofuran (34), coumarin (35), flavonoids (36-49) and terpenoids (50-70) were found to be potential active compounds for antidiabetic activity. Of the 70 listed compounds, majorly 17 compounds are obtained from triterpenoids, 13 from flavonoids and 7 from alkaloids. Among all the 44 plant species, the maximum number (7) of compounds were isolated from Lagerstroemia speciosa followed by Momordica charantia (6) and S. oblonga with 5 compounds.

CONCLUSION

This is the first paper to summarize the established chemical structures of phytochemicals that have been successfully screened for antidiabetic potential and their mechanisms of inhibition. The reported compounds could be considered as potential lead molecules for the treatment of type-2 diabetes. Further, molecular and clinical trials are required to select and establish therapeutic drug candidates.

Potential Application of Some Lamiaceae Species in the Management of Diabetes

Diabetes is one of the most dangerous metabolic disorders, with high rates of mortality worldwide. Since ancient times, medicinal plants have been used in traditional medicine to treat many diseases, including diabetes and its related complications. Plants are widely accepted, affordable, and perceived to have minimal adverse side effects. The Lamiaceae family is a potential source of therapeutic agents for the management of metabolic disorders, including diabetes. Hence, this review paper summarizes the antidiabetic use of Lamiaceae species in folk medicine globally. Furthermore, we present the antidiabetic activities and phytochemical constituents of twenty-three (23) Lamiaceae species and the antidiabetic activity of some notable chemical constituents isolated from some of these Lamiaceae species.

Bioactive Natural Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oils from Spice Plants: New Findings and Potential Applications

Spice plants have a great influence on world history. For centuries, different civilizations have used them to condiment the foods of kings and nobles and applied them as embalming preservatives, perfumes, cosmetics, and medicines in different regions of the world. In general, these plants have formed the basis of traditional medicine and some of their derived substances have been utilized to treat different human diseases. Essential oils (EOs) obtained from these plants have been also used as therapeutic agents and have shown supportive uses in remedial practices. The discovery and development of bioactive compounds from these natural products, based on their traditional uses, play an important role in developing the scientific evidence of their potential pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food applications. In the present review, using recent studies, we exhibit a general overview of the main aspects related to the importance of spice plants widely used in traditional medicine: Cinnamomum zeylanicum (true cinnamon), Mentha piperita (peppermint), Ocimum basilicum (basil), Origanum vulgare (oregano), Piper nigrum (black pepper), Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), and Thymus vulgaris (thyme); and we discuss new findings of the bioactive compounds obtained from their EOs, their potential applications, as well as their molecular mechanisms of action, focusing on their antioxidant activity. We also exhibit the main in vitro methods applied to determine the antioxidant activities of these natural products.

Basil polysaccharides: A review on extraction, bioactivities and pharmacological applications

Traditional Chinese Medicine has been widely used in China and is regarded as the most commonly used treatment. As a natural plant used in traditional Chinese Medicine, Basil has various functions associated with a number of its components. There are many compositions in basil including polysaccharides, naphtha, steroids, flavone, coumarins, vitamins, and so on. Among these, polysaccharides play a significant role in based therapeutics. The article summarizes that basil polysaccharides have a lot of biological activities and pharmacological applications, such as their antitumor activity, antioxidant activity, anti-aging activity, immunity enhancement effect, hypolipidemic and anti-atherosclerotic effects, antibacterial effect, treatment of diabetes mellitus, and so on. This review summarized the extraction method, purification method, compositions, pharmacological applications, molecular weight, biological activities, and prospects of basil polysaccharides, providing a basis for further study of basil and basil polysaccharides.

The potential effects of Ocimum basilicum on health: a review of pharmacological and toxicological studies

INTRODUCTION

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L., OB) is a plant world widely used as a spice and a typical ingredient of the healthy Mediterranean diet. In traditional medicine, OB is indicated for many maladies and conditions; OB-containing nutritional supplements are increasingly sold. Conversely, safety concerns have been raised about the promutagens and procarcinogens alkenylbenzenes contained in OB. Areas covered: A critical review of the current status of OB as a nutraceutical, the pharmacology of its bioactive components, the rationale for its indications, and its safety. Expert opinion: Due to the polyphenolic and flavonoidic content, OB can be considered as an important ingredient in healthy diets; OB preparations may be effective as chemopreventive agents or adjunctive therapy in the treatment of different clinical conditions. From a toxicological perspective, since the tumorigenic potential of alkenylbenzenes is counteracted by other OB constituents such as nevadensin, it can be concluded that OB consumption in food and preparations is safe. The only concern relates to OB essential oils: in this case, a concentration limit for alkenylbenzenes should be precautionary defined, and the use of plant chemotypes with no or low levels of these alkylbenzenes for the preparation of essential oils should be made compulsory.