2'-Hydroxy flavanone derivatives as an inhibitors of pro-inflammatory mediators: Experimental and molecular docking studies

Efficacy of 2-Hydroxyflavanone in Rodent Models of Pain and Inflammation: Involvement of Opioidergic and GABAergic Anti-Nociceptive Mechanisms

The current work examined the pharmacological potential of a selected flavanone derivative 2-hydroxyflavanone as a promising remedy for the treatment and management of pain. The selected flavanone derivative (2-HF) was evaluated for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory potentials following standard pharmacological protocols including hot plate, acetic acid-induced writhing and tail immersion tests. Naloxone and pentylenetetrazol were used to evaluate the potential implication of GABAergic and opioidergic mechanisms. The anti-inflammatory potential of 2-HF was confirmed using carrageenan-, serotonin- and histamine-induced paw edema models as well as a xylene-induced ear edema model. Furthermore, the anti-neuropathic potential of 2-HF was tested using a cisplatin-induced neuropathic pain model. Our sample, at the tested concentrations of 15, 30 and 45 mg kg-1, showed considerable analgesic, anti-inflammatory effects, as well as efficacy against neuropathic pain. Naloxone and pentylenetetrazol at 1 and 15 mg kg-1 antagonized the anti-nociceptive activities of 2-hydroxyflavanone indicating the involvement of opioidergic and GABAergic mechanisms. In the static allodynia model, combination of gabapentin 75 mg kg-1 with 2-HF at 15, 30, 45 mg kg-1 doses exhibited considerable efficacy. In cold allodynia, 2-hydroxyflavanone, at doses of 15, 30 and 45 mg kg-1 and in combination with gabapentin (75 mg kg-1), demonstrated prominent anti-allodynic effects. The paw withdrawal latency was considerably increased in gabapentin + cisplatin treated groups. Moreover, cisplatin + 2-hydroxyflavanone 15, 30, 45 mg kg-1 showed increases in paw withdrawal latency. Likewise, considerable efficacy was observed for 2-hydroxyflavanone in thermal hyperalgesia and dynamic allodynia models. Our findings suggest that 2-hydroxyflavanone is a potential remedy for pain syndrome, possibly mediated through opioidergic and GABAergic mechanisms.

Phytochemistry and Diverse Pharmacology of Genus Mimosa: A Review

The genus Mimosa belongs to the Fabaceae family and comprises almost 400 species of herbs, shrubs and ornamental trees. The genus Mimosa is found all over the tropics and subtropics of Asia, Africa, South America, North America and Australia. Traditionally, this genus has been popular for the treatment of jaundice, diarrhea, fever, toothache, wound healing, asthma, leprosy, vaginal and urinary complaints, skin diseases, piles, gastrointestinal disorders, small pox, hepatitis, tumor, HIV, ulcers and ringworm. The review covered literature available from 1959 to 2020 collected from books, scientific journals and electronic searches, such as Science Direct, Web of Science and Google scholar. Various keywords, such as Mimosa, secondary metabolites, medicines, phytochemicals and pharmacological values, were used for the data search. The Mimosa species are acknowledged to be an essential source of secondary metabolites with a wide-ranging biological functions, and up until now, 145 compounds have been isolated from this genus. Pharmacological studies showed that isolated compounds possess significant potential, such as antiprotozoal, antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, and antiproliferative as well as cytotoxic activities. Alkaloids, chalcones, flavonoids, indoles, terpenes, terpenoids, saponins, steroids, amino acids, glycosides, flavanols, phenols, lignoids, polysaccharides, lignins, salts and fatty esters have been isolated from this genus. This review focused on the medicinal aspects of the Mimosa species and may provide a comprehensive understanding of the prospective of this genus as a foundation of medicine, supplement and nourishment. The plants of this genus could be a potential source of medicines in the near future.

A Comprehensive Review of the Ethnotraditional Uses and Biological and Pharmacological Potential of the Genus Mimosa

The Mimosa genus belongs to the Fabaceae family of legumes and consists of about 400 species distributed all over the world. The growth forms of plants belonging to the Mimosa genus range from herbs to trees. Several species of this genus play important roles in folk medicine. In this review, we aimed to present the current knowledge of the ethnogeographical distribution, ethnotraditional uses, nutritional values, pharmaceutical potential, and toxicity of the genus Mimosa to facilitate the exploitation of its therapeutic potential for the treatment of human ailments. The present paper consists of a systematic overview of the scientific literature relating to the genus Mimosa published between 1931 and 2020, which was achieved by consulting various databases (Science Direct, Francis and Taylor, Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, SciELO, Web of Science, SciFinder, Wiley, Springer, Google, The Plant Database). More than 160 research articles were included in this review regarding the Mimosa genus. Mimosa species are nutritionally very important and several species are used as feed for different varieties of chickens. Studies regarding their biological potential have shown that species of the Mimosa genus have promising pharmacological properties, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, wound-healing, hypolipidemic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antinociceptive, antiepileptic, neuropharmacological, toxicological, antiallergic, antihyperurisemic, larvicidal, antiparasitic, molluscicidal, antimutagenic, genotoxic, teratogenic, antispasmolytic, antiviral, and antivenom activities. The findings regarding the genus Mimosa suggest that this genus could be the future of the medicinal industry for the treatment of various diseases, although in the future more research should be carried out to explore its ethnopharmacological, toxicological, and nutritional attributes.

Contemporary advances of cyclic molecules proposed for inflammation

This review stretches insight about the advancement (2011-2021) of synthesized non-heterocyclic, heterocyclic and natural occurring cyclic molecules for inflammation. While inflammation is very significant in the abolition of pathogens and other causes of soreness, a protracted inflammatory procedure takes to outcomes in chronic disease that might finally affect in organ failure or damage. Thus, restraining the provocative process by the use of anti-inflammatory agents is chief in controlling this damage. It also reveals other pursuit along with their anti-inflammatory activity. Molecular docking studies represent most suitable PDB (Protein Data Bank) ID for the synthesized heterocyclic molecules with their selective inhibitor. It discusses the findings presented in recent research papers and provides understanding to researchers intended for the growth of newer combinations/molecules having littler side things.

The subgroup of 2'-hydroxy-flavonoids: Molecular diversity, mechanism of action, and anticancer properties

Flavonoids are abundant in nature, structurally very diversified and largely investigated. However, the subgroup of 2'-hydroxyflavonoids is much less known and not frequently studied. The present review identifies the major naturally-occurring and synthetic 2'-hydroxyflavonoid derivatives and discusses their structural characteristics and biological properties, with a focus on anticancer activities. The pharmacological properties of 2'-hydroxyflavone (2'-HF) and 2'-hydroxyflavanone (2'-HFa) are detailed. Upon binding to the Ral-interacting protein Rlip implicated in the transport of glutathione conjugates, 2'-HFa inhibits tumor cell proliferation and restrict tumor growth, in particular in breast cancer models. Among the synthetic derivatives, the characteristics of the anticancer product 2D08 (2',3',4'-trihydroxy flavone) are detailed to shed light on the molecular mechanism of action of this compound, as a regulator of protein SUMOylation. Inhibition of protein SUMOylation by 2D08 blocks cancer cell migration and invasion, and the compound greatly enhances the anticancer effects of conventional cytotoxic drugs like etoposide. The structural role of the 2'-hydroxyl group on the phenyl C-ring of the flavonoid is discussed, notably the capacity to engage intramolecular H-bonding interactions with the O1 atom on the B-ring of the chromone unit (or the oxygen of a 3-OH group when it is presents). The 2'-hydroxyl group of flavonoid appears as a regulator of the conformational freedom between the bicyclic A-B unit and the appended phenyl C-ring, favoring the planarity of the molecule. It is an essential group accounting for the biological properties of 2'-HF, 2'-HFa and structurally related compounds. This review shed light on 2'-hydroxyflavonoids to encourage their use and chemical development.

2'-Hydroxyflavanone prevents LPS-induced inflammatory response and cytotoxicity in murine macrophages

2'-Hydroxyflavanone (2-HF) is a natural flavonoid isolated from citrus fruits. Multiple studies have demonstrated that 2-HF with its anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects prevent the growth of various cancers. Although 2-HF is a well known anti-oxidative and chemopreventive agent, its role as an anti-inflammatory agent is not well established. In this study, we examined the effect of 2-HF on LPS-induced cytotoxicity and inflammatory response in murine RAW 264.7 macrophages. Flow cytometry analysis showed that pre-treatment of RAW 264.7 macrophages with 2-HF significantly prevented LPS-induced macrophage apoptosis. 2-HF also prevented LPS-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) production, lipid peroxidation, and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential in murine macrophages. Most importantly, the release of multiple inflammatory cytokines and chemokines such as eotaxin, IL-2, IL-10, IL-12p40, LIX, IL-15, IL-17, MCP-1, and TNF-α induced by LPS in the macrophages was inhibited by 2-HF. 2-HF also prevented LPS-induced activation of protein kinases p38MAPK and SAPK/JNK. Apart from this, LPS-induced phosphorylation, nuclear translocation, and DNA-binding of the redox transcription factor, NF-κB, was prevented by 2-HF. Our results demonstrate that 2-HF by regulating ROS/MAPK/NF-κB prevents LPS-induced inflammatory response and cytotoxicity in murine macrophages suggesting that the need of potential development of 2-HF as an anti-inflammatory agent to ameliorate various inflammatory complications.

Synthesis, antimicrobial activity and anti-biofilm activity of novel tetrazole derivatives

In the development of antimicrobial agents, we designed and synthesized novel tetrazole derivatives. The structures of compounds

Ethnomedical research and review of Q'eqchi Maya women's reproductive health in the Lake Izabal region of Guatemala: Past, present and future prospects

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

In Central America, most Maya women use ethnomedicines for all aspects of their reproductive cycle including menstruation, pregnancy and menopause. However, very few of these plants have been documented, collected and tested in appropriate pharmacological assays to determine possible safety and efficacy. The aim of this work was to provide an overview of information on the ethnomedical uses, ethnopharmacology, chemistry and pharmacological research for medicinal plants used for women's reproductive health in Guatemala, with a special emphasis on the Q'eqchi Maya of the Lake Izabal region, to demonstrate therapeutic potential and support future research in the field.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Reviews of the ethnobotanical, ethnomedical and ethnopharmacological literature were performed for 30 plants collected in the Lake Izabal region of Guatemala and used by the Q'eqchi Maya for treatment of reproductive health issues were performed up to and including July 2015 using multiple databases, library searches for abstracts, books, dissertations, and websites.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Review of the published research confirms that many of the plants used by Q'eqchi Maya women for the management of reproductive health issues have pharmacological activities, including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, estrogenic, progestagenic and/or serotonergic effects, that support the use of these plants and provide plausible mechanisms of action for their traditional uses. Furthermore, a new serotonin agonist, 9, 10-methylenedioxy-5, 6-Z-fadyenolide was isolated, thereby demonstrating an untapped potential for drug discovery. However, to date much of the pharmacological assays have been in vitro only, and few in vivo studies have been performed. Considering the large percentage of the Maya population in Guatemala that use traditional medicines, there remains a significant lack of pharmacological and toxicological data for these plants. Future research should focus on the safety and efficacy of medicinal plants using in vivo preclinical studies and clinical trials, as well as chemical analysis. Since medicinal plants from the Piperaceae are most commonly used as traditional medicines by the Q'eqchi Maya women, and new bioactive compounds have been identified from Piper species, investigations of commonly used plants from this family would be an appropriate place to start. Data generated from such studies would contribute to Guatemala's national effort to promote a complementary relationship between traditional Maya medicine and public health services.

Food Byproducts as a New and Cheap Source of Bioactive Compounds: Lignans with Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Properties from Crataegus pinnatifida Seeds

During the process of manufacturing hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida) juice and jam, a significant quantity of byproducts (leaves, seeds) is generated. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bioassay-guided fractionation of the extract of hawthorn seeds has led to the isolation of eight new lignans, hawthornnins A-H (1-8), and seven known analogues (9-15). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques, including 1D and 2D NMR and CD spectra. The radical-scavenging effects of all isolated compounds were investigated. 1-6 and 8 showed moderate activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), whereas 1-6 and 14 displayed good 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) free radical-scavenging activities that were even more potent than that of trolox. In addition, all isolates were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities by detecting the nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) production by the LPS-induced murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7, and compounds 1-7, 13, and 14 exhibited potent inhibition of NO and TNF-α production. The structure-activity relationships of isolated lignans were also examined, and the results obtained show that C. pinnatifida seeds can be regarded as a potential new and cheap source of antioxidants and inflammation inhibitors.