Effects of Galium aparine extract on the cell viability, cell cycle and cell death in breast cancer cell lines

The n-Butanol Extract Obtained from the Inner Bark of Tabebuia rosea (Bertol.) DC, Specioside, and Catalposide Induce Leukemia Cell Apoptosis in the Presence of Apicidin

The cell signaling pathways involved in the antiproliferative activities of T. rosea inner bark remain unexplored. This study evaluated the apoptotic effects of two iridoids from the inner bark of T. rosea and apicidin on THP-1 cells. The cytotoxic effects of the extract and the pure compounds on THP-1 and Jurkat cells were also evaluated using the MTT assay. The apoptotic effect was determined by measuring the mitochondrial membrane potential. The expression of mRNA and MAPK kinase, Bax, and Bcl-2 proteins was detected by Western blotting and RT-qPCR, respectively. The extract and the compounds evaluated increased the percentage of apoptotic cells. Depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane was observed, and the number of cells in the G0/G1 phase increased. Catalposide and specioside significantly increased p38 protein expression, mostly in cells pretreated with apicidin. The p38 MAPK signaling pathway is at least one of the pathways by which the n-butanol extract obtained from Tabebuia rosea, catalposide, and specioside exerts its apoptotic effect on THP-1 cells, and this effect generates a response in the G0/G1 phase and subsequent cell death. In addition, there was depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, an effect that was related to the participation of the proapoptotic protein Bax.

Bringing back Galium aparine L. from forgotten corners of traditional wound treatment procedures: an antimicrobial, antioxidant, and in-vitro wound healing assay along with HPTLC fingerprinting study

BACKGROUND

The wound healing process, restoring the functionality of the damaged tissue, can be accelerated by various compounds. The recent experimental analysis highlights the beneficial effects of phytochemicals in improving skin regeneration and wound healing. In traditional medicine, one of the widespread plants used for treating different injuries or skin afflictions is Galium aparine L. (GA). Besides, previously reported chemical compounds of GA suggested its therapeutic effects for the wound healing process, yet its regulatory effects on the cellular and molecular stages of the wound healing process have not been investigated.

METHODS

In the present study, the phytochemical profile of the GA extract was analyzed using HPTLC fingerprinting, and further scientific evaluation of its phytochemicals was done. The wound-healing effects of GA extract were explored at the cellular and molecular levels while accounting for cell toxicity. The wound closure enhancing effect, antibacterial activity, and antioxidant activity were assessed.

RESULTS

The HPTLC fingerprinting of the GA extract proved its previously reported phytochemical profile including phenols, flavonoids, tannins, plant acids, ergot alkaloids, flavonoids, anthraquinones, terpenoids, sterols, salicin, lipophilic compounds, saponins, iridoids, and heterocyclic nitrogen compounds. Antimicrobial assessment, of the extract, indicated the more susceptibility of S. aureus to the inhibitory effects of GA rather than E. coli and S. epidermidis. DPPH test results revealed the antioxidant property of GA extract, which was comparable to ascorbic acid. The results of the viability assay showed no cytotoxicity effects on human umbilical endothelial cell (HUVEC) and normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF) cell lines treated with different concentrations of whole plant extract and cell viability increased in a dose-dependent manner. The results of the scratch assay showed improved cell migration and wound closure.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows the anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, and in vitro wound healing wound-healing effects of GA hydroalcoholic extract, which aligns with its use in traditional medicine. No cytotoxicity effects were shown. The results from this study can be the basis for further investigations such as animal models and phytochemical studies. Further evaluation of its effects on mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in the wound healing processes such as angiogenesis and cell proliferation can provide novel insights into the potential therapeutic effects of the GA extract.

Correlation between cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics in HeLa cells: A size-dependent matter

The cytotoxicity of micro/nanoplastics (MNPs) is known to be strongly influenced by particle size, but the mechanism is not clear so far. We reported the ability of polystyrene MNPs to be internalized by HeLa cells could be a reason for the size dependent cytotoxicity of MNPs. We found that small MNPs (10 nm and 15 nm in radius) could be efficiently internalized by HeLa cells, MNPs of 25 nm in radius could be slightly internalized by the cells, and larger MNPs could not enter the cells at all. We showed that only MNPs, which could be internalized by cells, had a toxic effect on cell activity in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, MNPs, which could not be internalized by cells, showed no cytotoxicity even if at extremely high concentrations. We attributed the correlation between the size-dependent uptake of MNPs and the size-dependent cytotoxicity of MNPs to the enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and abnormal gene expression. Our study pointed out that cellular uptake is one of the most fundamental mechanisms for the cytotoxicity of MNPs.

A new strategy to achieve high antimicrobial activity: green synthesised silver nanoparticle formulations with Galium aparine and Helichrysum arenarium

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which have recently gained attention due to their antimicrobial activity, can also be produced by green synthesis. The aims of this study were to (i) characterise green synthesized AgNPs using microwave-assisted aqueous extracts of Galium aparine (G-AgNPs) and Helichrysum arenarium (H-AgNPs) and (ii) investigate the combined antimicrobial effects of the G- and H-AgNPs in different ratios. Nanoparticle formation and reactions were determined with UV-Vis spectroscopy. The G-AgNPs were 52.0±10.9 nm in size, with a 0.285±0.034 polydispersity index (PDI), and a -17.9±0.9 mV zeta potential. For H-AgNPs these characteristics were 23.9±1.0 nm, 0.280±0.032, and -21.3±2.7 mV, respectively. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed that the particles were monodisperse and spherical. The Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) results showed the presence of reducing agents that stabilised the AgNPs. Three different nanoformulations (NF-1, NF-2, and NF-3) were prepared by combining these two synthesised nanoparticles in different ratios and their antimicrobial activity was tested against E. coli, S. aureus, C. albicans, and A. flavus. Our study is the first to show that combining AgNPs from two different biological sources can produce effective nanoformulations with improved antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. These nanoformulations showed lower minimum inhibitory concentrations (31.25 µg/mL against E. coli with all NFs; 62.5 µg/mL for NF-1 and 125 µg/mL for NF-2/3 against S. aureus) than G-AgNPs (62.5 µg/mL for E. coli) or H-AgNPs (125 µg/mL for S. aureus) alone. Their high combined inhibitory effect against E. coli (NF-1-3) was synergistic and against S. aureus (NF-2 and NF-3) potentially additive. Considering such promising results, we believe our study provides some direction for new research and strategies in antimicrobial therapeutics.

Ethnobotanical study of traditionally used plants in the municipality of Zavidovići, BiH

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is a country with a highly diverse ecosystem, containing over 5000 confirmed taxa of vascular plants. The traditional medicinal use of plants has always played a crucial role and gained in importance in the time of war in the 1990s due to a lack of medical facilities. Still nowadays, the health care system is poorly developed, which altogether makes the region interesting for ethnopharmacological researches.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Focusing on the area of Zavidovići Municipality in the central part of the country, we aimed to document the diversity of the used medicinal plants and the knowledge of their therapeutic usages.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data was collected in individual open and semi-structured interviews. Therapeutic uses were classified into 14 disease categories following the International Classification of Primary Care-2 (ICPC-2), a classification system recognized by the World Health Organization's Family of International Classifications (WHO-FIC). Use reports have been used to evaluate the acquired knowledge.

RESULTS

The findings revealed a total of 113 species belonging to 46 families. 14 informants well respected for their knowledge in the area listed 77 therapeutic uses for the indicated plants. Based on a comparison with other ethnobotanical surveys of BiH and to other important relating literature, three taxa have not been previously reported in BiH and for 19 species, new medicinal uses were stated. Based on use reports, oral application of remedies is far more common (76,7%) than external application (23,3%), the dominant mode of preparation thereby is an infusion. Usages of most concern were digestive, urological and respiratory diseases, their consensus factor ranging between 0,63 and 0,71.

CONCLUSION

These results summarize the usage of traditional plants among people who are highly valued in their community of Zavidovići Municipality for their knowledge and thereby aim to preserve the indigenous knowledge associated with the medicinal plants of the area.

Galium aparine L. protects against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

The toxicity of acetaminophen (N-acetyl-para-aminophenol (APAP)) is the most frequent cause of drug-induced liver damage. Galium aparine L. (GA) is traditionally used to treat jaundice. We aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective potential of GA in the APAP-induced hepatic encephalopathy (HE) rat model. Qualitative phytochemical characterization of GA was performed by LC/Q-TOF/MS analysis. Wistar rats were pretreated with GA (250 and 500 mg/kg b.wt. per oral) for five days. On the 6th day, the rats were exposed to APAP (1500 mg/kg b.wt. oral gavage) and behavioral tests (open field and passive avoidance tests) were applied on the 7th and 8th days. The animals were killed, and biochemical and histopathological parameters were assessed in blood and hepatic specimens. GA pretreated rats exhibited a significant reduction in APAP-induced liver damage, evidenced by the reduction in liver necrosis and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and bilirubin (BIL). GA demonstrated an anxiolytic effect, as seen in the acquisition trial and grooming behavior. The short-term memory performances of animals were not changed in all groups, suggesting that APAP intoxication did not affect hippocampal function. These results show that GA extract markedly exerts hepatoprotective activity, while its effect on hepatic encephalopathy was limited.

Anticancer potential of Phoenix dactylifera L. seed extract in human cancer cells and pro-apoptotic effects mediated through caspase-3 dependent pathway in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells: an in vitro and in silico investigation

Background

Phoenix dactylifera L. has a diverse set of pharmacological properties due to its distinct phytochemical profile. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anticancer potential of Phoenix dactylifera seed extract (PDSE) in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells, as well as liver cancer HepG2 cells, and to investigate the anticancer efficacy in triple-negative MDA-MB-231 cells, followed by in silico validation of the molecular interaction between active components of PDSE and caspase-3, an apoptosis executioner protein .

Methods

In this study, human cancer cell lines were cultured and subsequently treated with 10 to 100 μg/mL of PDSE. MTT test was performed to determine the cell viability, MMP was measured using fluorescent probe JC-1, nuclear condensation was determined by Hoechst 33258 dye, Annexin V-FITC & PI staining and cell cycle analysis were evaluated through flow cytometer, and apoptotic markers were detected using western blotting. The bioactive agents in PDSE were identified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The binding affinity was validated using molecular docking tools AutoDock Vina and iGEMDOCK v2.1.

Results

Cell viability data indicated that PDSE inhibited cell proliferation in both breast cancer cells and liver cancer cells. MDA-MB-231 cells showed maximum growth inhibition with an IC₅₀ value of 85.86 μg/mL for PDSE. However, PDSE did not show any significant toxicity against the normal Vero cell line. PDSE induced MMP loss and formation of apoptotic bodies, enhanced late apoptosis at high doses and arrested cells in the S phase of cell cycle. PDSE activated the enzymatic activity of cleaved caspase-3 and caused the cleavage of poly-ADB ribose polymerase (PARP) protein. PDSE upregulated pro-apoptotic Bax protein markedly but  no significant effect on tumor suppressor protein p53, while it downregulated the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein expression. HPLC analysis showed the presence of rutin and quercetin bioactive flavonols in ethanolic extract of PDS. Interestingly, both active components revealed a strong binding interaction with amino acid residues of caspase-3 (PDB ID: 2XYP; Hetero 4-mer - A2B2) protein.

Conclusion

PDS could serve as a potential medicinal source for apoptotic cell death in human breast cancer cells and, thus, could be used as a promising and crucial candidate in anticancer drug development. This study warrants further in vivo research, followed by clinical investigation.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12906-022-03533-0.

Do recent research studies validate the medicinal plants used in British Columbia, Canada for pet diseases and wild animals taken into temporary care?

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

There are insufficient safe and effective treatments for chronic pain in pets. In cases such as osteoarthritis there is no commercially available cure and veterinarians use NSAIDs to manage pain. Pet owners may have to plan for a lifetime of plant-based treatment for the conditions that lead to chronic pain in pets. Phytopharmacotherapies have the advantage of being less toxic, cheap or free, readily available, are more likely to be safe for long-term use and have the potential to reset the immune system to normal functioning.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To examine the recently published medicinal plant research that matches unpublished data on ethnoveterinary medicines (EVM) used for pets in Canada (British Columbia) to see if the EVM data can provide a lead to the development of necessary drugs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In 2003 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 60 participants who were organic farmers or holisitic medicinal/veterinary practitioners obtained using a purposive sample. A draft manual prepared from the data was then evaluated by participants at a participatory workshop that discussed the plant-based treatments. A copy of the final version of the manual was given to all research participants. In 2018, the recently published research matching the EVM data was reviewed to see if the EVM practices could serve as a lead for further research.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Medicinal plants are used to treat a range of conditions. The injuries treated in pets in British Columbia included abscesses (resulting from an initial injury), sprains and abrasions. Dogs were also treated with medicinal plants for rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain and articular cartilage injuries. More than 40 plants were used. Anal gland problems were treated with Allium sativum L., Aloe vera L., Calendula officinalis L., Plantago major L., Ulmus fulva Michx., Urtica dioica L. and Usnea longissima Ach. Arctium lappa, Hydrangea arborescens and Lactuca muralis were used for rheumatoid arthritis and joint pain in pets. Asthma was treated with: Linum usitatissimum L., Borago officinalis L., Verbascum thapsus L., Cucurbita pepo L., Lobelia inflata L., and Zingiber officinale Roscoe. Pets with heart problems were treated with Crataegus oxyacantha L., Cedronella canariensis (L.) Willd. ex Webb & Berth, Equisetum palustre L., Cypripedium calceolus L., Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex Lawson, Humulus lupulus L., Valeriana officinalis L., Lobelia inflata L., Stachys officinalis (L.) Trev., and Viscum album L. The following plants were used for epilepsy, motion sickness and anxiety- Avena sativa L., Valeriana officinalis, Lactuca muralis (L.) Fresen., Scutellaria lateriflora L., Satureja hortensis L., and Passiflora incarnata L. Plants used for cancer treatment included Phytolacca decandra, Ganoderma lucidum, Lentinula edodes, Rumex acetosella, Arctium lappa, Ulmus fulva, Rheum palmatum, Frangula purshiana, Zingiber officinale, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Ulmus fulva, Althea officinalis, Rheum palmatum, Rumex crispus and Plantago psyllium. Trifolium pratense was used for tumours in the prostate gland. Also used were Artemisia annua, Taraxacum officinale and Rumex crispus. This review of plants used in EVM was possible because phytotherapy research of the plants described in this paper has continued because few new pharmaceutical drugs have been developed for chronic pain and because treatments like glucocorticoid therapy do not heal. Phytotherapuetic products are also being investigated to address the overuse of antibiotics. There have also been recent studies conducted on plant-based functional foods and health supplements for pets, however there are still gaps in the knowledge base for the plants Stillingia sylvatica, Verbascum thapsus, Yucca schidigera and Iris versicolor and these need further investigation.