Antidiarrheal effects of water-soluble proteins from Plumeria pudica latex in mice

Exploring phytochemical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of Plumeria pudica Jacq. leaves

Since the emergence of the coronavirus disease, there has been a notable surge in demand for herbal remedies with minimal or no adverse effects. Notably, existing vaccines and medications employed in its treatment have exhibited significant side effects, some of which have proven fatal. Consequently, there is an increasing focus on pharmacological research aimed at identifying optimal solutions to this challenge. This shift entails exploring organic alternatives to traditional medicines, involving the extraction of superior phytochemicals from plants for enhanced biomedical applications in treating various diseases and conditions. To evaluate the qualitative phytochemicals and the quantity of these phytochemicals present in the leaf extracts of the medicinally important plant Plumeria pudica Jacq. Also, the antioxidant property estimation and the study of the antimicrobial properties of the plant have been done in this research. The qualitative phytochemical analysis was done to evaluate the presence of various phytochemicals and to quantify these phytochemicals total content estimation of them was done. Also, phytochemical analysis was further enriched by LCMS-QTOF analysis for the presence of compounds. The determination of the antioxidant potential of the leaves was done by two assays, the reducing power assay and the DPPH(2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay. With that the antimicrobial properties of the leaves were also put to test against four bacterial strains namely, Kocuria rhizophila, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, and E. coli. The results of the phytochemical evaluation indicated that both IPA and hydroalcoholic extracts exhibited a superior phytochemical composition, emphasizing the higher extractive potential of IPA compared to the non-polar petroleum ether extract. The quantitative analysis revealed the predominance of IPA extract as the quantity of phenols (101 mg GAE/g dry-weight of plant extract), flavonoids (402.2 mg QE/g dry-weight of plant extract), carbohydrates (336 mg GLU/g dry-weight of plant extract), and proteins (164 mg BSAE/g dry-weight of plant extract) were highest in the IPA extract. LC-MS QTOF analysis demonstrated the presence of significant phytocompounds in all leaf extracts that have pharmacological applications. Moreover, in antioxidant assays, the IPA extract showed the highest DPPH scavenging activity (66.85% of inhibition), with an IC50 value of 33.54 µg/mL, and the IPA extract exhibited the highest reducing power (1.5 absorbance), signifying robust antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the antimicrobial evaluation revealed that the aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts displayed larger zones of inhibition compared to the other leaf extracts. And, during the antimicrobial activity interestingly most susceptibility was shown by Klebsiella pneumonia. This study concludes that the diverse extracts of P. pudica leaves possess remarkable phytoconstituent properties both qualitatively and quantitatively, suggesting their rich bioactive compound content and potential as novel sources for therapeutic applications.

Latex proteins from Plumeria pudica reduce ligature-induced periodontitis in rats

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that latex proteins from Plumeria pudica (LPPp) have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects in rats of LPPp on ligature-induced periodontitis, an inflammatory disease.

METHODS

The animals were divided into groups: saline (animals without induction of periodontitis), periodontitis (induced periodontitis and untreated) and LPPp (induced periodontitis and treated with 40 mg/kg). The following parameters were evaluated after 20 consecutive days of treatment: gingival bleeding index (GBI), probing pocket depth (PPD), alveolar bone height (ABH) and gingival myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. In the hepatic tissue, malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and histopathological alterations were evaluated. Blood levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured.

RESULTS

Significant reduction in GBI, PPD and gingival MPO activity and ABH was seen in animals treated with LPPp compared with periodontitis. Values of GSH, MDA, ALT and histopathological evaluation were preserved in animals treated with LPPp.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with LPPp improved clinical aspects of periodontitis, reduced the blood and hepatic alterations and prevented alveolar bone loss. Data suggest that LPPp have potential for treatment of periodontitis.

A comprehensive review of therapeutic approaches available for the treatment of cholera

Objectives

The oral rehydration solution is the most efficient method to treat cholera; however, it does not interfere in the action mechanism of the main virulence factor produced by Vibrio cholerae, the cholera toxin (CT), and this disease still stands out as a problem for human health worldwide. This review aimed to describe therapeutic alternatives available in the literature, especially those related to the search for molecules acting upon the physiopathology of cholera.

Key findings

New molecules have offered a protection effect against diarrhoea induced by CT or even by infection from V. cholerae. The receptor regulator cystic fibrosis channel transmembrane (CFTR), monosialoganglioside (GM1), enkephalinase, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), inhibitors of expression of virulence factors and activators of ADP-ribosylarginine hydrolase are the main therapeutic targets studied. Many of these molecules or extracts still present unclear action mechanisms.

Conclusions

Knowing therapeutic alternatives and their molecular mechanisms for the treatment of cholera could guide us to develop a new drug that could be used in combination with the rehydration solution.

Antidiarrheal activity of farnesol in rodents: Pharmacological actions and molecular docking

Diarrhea is a condition in which the individual has about three or more daily bowel movements, followed by changes in stool consistency. It is currently considered as one of the worst public health problems due to the number of cases and deaths involved and difficulty of treatment. Thus, the use of natural products is an alternative for new treatments. Among these possibilities is Farnesol (C₁₅H₂₆O), a sesquiterpene found in different herbal species that has known biological activities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antidiarrheal activity of Farnesol (FOH). Initially, FOH activity was evaluated in models of diarrhea and enteropooling induced by castor oil and PGE₂. To evaluate motility, the opioid and cholinergic pathways were studied. In addition, the effect of FOH was investigated in the secretion model in intestinal loops treated with cholera toxin. FOH was evaluated for the ability to absorb fluids in intestinal loops and interact with GM1 receptors using the ELISA method and molecular docking. The dose of 50 mg/kg of FOH showed the best results in all antidiarrheal activity tests with castor oil and PGE₂, being considered as the standard dose, reducing motility by anticholinergic mechanisms. There was a reduction in fluid secretion when FOH interacted directly with GM1 receptors; cholera toxin and molecular docking showed strong interaction between farnesol and these targets. In view of the results presented, the antidiarrheal activity occurs through anticholinergic, anti-inflammatory and anti-secretory action, making farnesol a potential candidate for the development of a new drug to treat diarrheal diseases.

Biopolymer Extracted from Anadenanthera colubrina (Red Angico Gum) Exerts Therapeutic Potential in Mice: Antidiarrheal Activity and Safety Assessment

Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil (Griseb.) Altschul (Fabaceae family), commonly known as the red angico tree, is a medicinal plant found throughout Brazil’s semi-arid area. In this study, a chemical analysis was performed to investigate the antidiarrheal activity and safety profile of red angico gum (RAG), a biopolymer extracted from the trunk exudate of A. colubrina. Upon FT-IR spectroscopy, RAG showed bands in the regions of 1608 cm⁻¹, 1368 cm⁻¹, and 1029 cm⁻¹, which relate to the vibration of O–H water molecules, deformation vibration of C-O bands, and vibration of the polysaccharide C-O band, respectively, all of which are relevant to glycosidic bonds. The peak molar mass of RAG was 1.89 × 10⁵ g/mol, with the zeta potential indicating electronegativity. RAG demonstrated high yield and solubility with a low degree of impurity. Pre-treatment with RAG reduced the total diarrheal stool and enteropooling. RAG also enhanced Na+/K+-ATPase activity and reduced gastrointestinal transit, and thereby inhibited intestinal smooth muscle contractions. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) demonstrated that RAG can interact with GM1 receptors and can also reduce E. coli-induced diarrhea in vivo. Moreover, RAG did not induce any signs of toxicity in mice. These results suggest that RAG is a possible candidate for the treatment of diarrheal diseases.

Antifungal Proteins from Plant Latex

Latex, a milky fluid found in several plants, is widely used for many purposes, and its proteins have been investigated by researchers. Many studies have shown that latex produced by some plant species is a natural source of biologically active compounds, and many of the hydrolytic enzymes are related to health benefits. Research on the characterization and industrial and pharmaceutical utility of latex has progressed in recent years. Latex proteins are associated with plants' defense mechanisms, against attacks by fungi. In this respect, there are several biotechnological applications of antifungal proteins. Some findings reveal that antifungal proteins inhibit fungi by interrupting the synthesis of fungal cell walls or rupturing the membrane. Moreover, both phytopathogenic and clinical fungal strains are susceptible to latex proteins. The present review describes some important features of proteins isolated from plant latex which presented in vitro antifungal activities: protein classification, function, molecular weight, isoelectric point, as well as the fungal species that are inhibited by them. We also discuss their mechanisms of action.

Antidiarrheal activity of α-terpineol in mice

Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of infant death in the world accounting for high child mortality rate. It is also present in different pathophysiologies related to several etiological agents. The aim of this study is to investigate the antidiarrheal effect of α -Terpineol (α-TPN) in different diarrhea models in rodents. The antidiarrheal effect of α-TPN in the treatment of acute diarrhea and enteropooling induced by castor oil or PGE₂ in Swiss mice pretreated orally with saline (NaCl 0.9%), Loperamide (5 mg/kg) and α-TPN (6.25, 12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg) was analyzed. Additionally, parameters of severity, total weight of faeces and post-treatment for 4 h were evaluated. Modulation of the opioid and cholinergic pathways was performed and intestinal transit model using activated charcoal as marker was also used. The effect of α-TPN on secretory diarrhea was investigated using the model of fluid secretion in intestinal loops isolated from cholera toxin-treated mice. α-TPN showed antidiarrheal effect (*p < 0.05), reducing the total stool amount (*55%, *48%, *44%, *24%) and diarrheal (*47%, *66%; *56%, 10%) respectively for the doses tested. All doses investigated in the enteropooling test presented significant changes (*46%, *78%, *66%, *41% respectively) in relation to the control. α-TPN through the muscarinic pathway reduced the gastrointestinal transit (*31%), besides inhibiting PGE₂-induced diarrhea (*39%). α-TPN also reduced fluid formation and loss of Cl^- ions, by interacting directly with GM1 receptors and cholera toxin, thus increasing the uptake of intestinal fluids. The results suggest an anti-diarrheal activity of α-TPN due to its anticholinergic action, ability to block PGE₂ and GM1 receptors and interaction with cholera toxin in secretory diarrhea, making it a promising candidate drug for the treatment of diarrheal diseases.