Evaluation of in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory effects of (-)-pseudosemiglabrin, a major phytoconstituent isolated from Tephrosia apollinea (Delile) DC

Nutritional composition, health benefits and bio-active compounds of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), an annual plant of the family Fabaceae is mainly grown in semiarid and temperate regions. Among pulses, cultivated worldwide chickpeas are considered an inexpensive and rich source of protein. Chickpea is a good source of protein and carbohydrate, fiber, and important source of essential minerals and vitamins. The quality of protein is better among other pulses. Consumption of chickpeas is related to beneficial health outcomes. Dietary peptides from the protein of chickpeas gaining more attention. Peptides can be obtained through acid, alkali, and enzymatic hydrolysis. Among all these, enzymatic hydrolysis is considered safe. Various enzymes are used for the production of peptides, i.e., flavorzyme, chymotrypsin, pepsin, alcalase, papain, and trypsin either alone or in combinations. Chickpea hydrolysate and peptides have various bioactivity including angiotensin 1-converting enzyme inhibition, digestive diseases, hypocholesterolemic, CVD, antioxidant activity, type 2 diabetes, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticarcinogenic activity. This review summarizes the nutritional composition and bioactivity of hydrolysate and peptides obtained from chickpea protein. The literature shows that chickpea peptides and hydrolysate have various functional activities. But due to the limited research and technology, the sequences of peptides are unknown, due to which it is difficult to conduct the mechanism studies that how these peptides interact. Therefore, emphasis must be given to the optimization of the production of chickpea bioactive peptides, in vivo studies of chickpea bioactivity, and conducting human study trials to check the bioactivity of these peptides and hydrolysate.

Ameliorative Potential of (-) Pseudosemiglabrin in Mice with Pilocarpine-Induced Epilepsy: Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Apoptotic, and Neurotransmission Modulation

One prevalent neurological disorder is epilepsy. Modulating GABAergic/glutamatergic neurotransmission, Nrf2/HO-1, PI3K/Akt, and TLR-4/NF-B pathways might be a therapeutic strategy for epilepsy. Eight-week-old BALB/c mice were administered 12.5, 25, or 50 mg/kg (-) pseudosemiglabrin orally one hour before inducing epilepsy with an i.p. injection of 360 mg/kg pilocarpine. (-) Pseudosemiglabrin dose-dependently alleviated pilocarpine-induced epilepsy, as revealed by the complete repression of pilocarpine-induced convulsions and 100% survival rate in mice. Furthermore, (-) pseudosemiglabrin significantly enhanced mice's locomotor activities, brain GABA, SLC1A2, GABARα1 levels, glutamate decarboxylase activity, and SLC1A2 and GABARα1mRNA expression while decreasing brain glutamate, SLC6A1, GRIN1 levels, GABA transaminase activity, and SLC6A1 and GRIN1 mRNA expression. These potentials can be due to the suppression of the TLR-4/NF-κB and the enhancement of the Nrf2/HO-1 and PI3K/Akt pathways, as demonstrated by the reduction in TLR-4, NF-κB, IL-1β, TNF-α mRNA expression, MDA, NO, caspase-3, Bax levels, and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and the enhancement of Nrf2, HO-1, PI3K, Akt mRNA expression, GSH, Bcl-2 levels, and SOD activity. Additionally, (-) pseudosemiglabrin abrogated the pilocarpine-induced histopathological changes. Interestingly, the (-) pseudosemiglabrin intervention showed a comparable effect to the standard medication, diazepam. Therefore, (-) pseudosemiglabrin can be a promising medication for the management of epilepsy.

Biological Activities of Chickpea in Human Health (Cicer arietinum L.). A Review

Chickpea is one of the most consumed legumes worldwide. Among their benefits are the high protein concentration that reflects not only at the nutritional level but also on the supply of active peptides; besides, it presents different metabolites with pharmacological activities. Some biological activities identified in the different compounds of chickpea are antioxidant, antihypertensive, hypocholesterolemic, and anticancer. Although most reports are based on the effects of the proteins and their hydrolysates, alcoholic extracts have also been proven that contain phenolic compounds, saponins, phytates, among others; therefore, their consumption has been dubbed as an alternative for the prevention of chronic degenerative diseases. In the present review, we summarize the nutritional composition of the chickpea and describe the main biological activities reported for this legume, revealing some of its beneficial effects on health, of which there is still much to be elucidated.

Tephrosia apollinea seed: a new rich source of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols, sterols, and squalene

Tephrosia apollinea is a legume species, native to southwest Asia and northeast Africa, rich in bioactive flavonoids (hydrophilic compounds). T. apollinea seeds were not considered previously as a potential source of lipophilic compounds such as: essential fatty acids, tocopherols, sterols, and squalene, hence, the present study were performed. The oil yield in T. apollinea seeds amounted to 11.8% dw. The T. apollinea seed oil was predominated by the polyunsaturated fatty acids - linoleic (26.8%) and α-linolenic (22.7%). High levels were recorded also for oleic (27.6%) and palmitic (14.9%) acids. Four tocopherols and one tocotrienol, with the domination of γ-tocopherol (98%) were identified in T. apollinea seed oil. The β-sitosterol (59%), Δ5-stigmasterol (21%) and campesterol (9%) were detected as main sterols in T. apollinea seed oil. The total content of tocochromanols, sterols, carotenoids and squalene in the T. apollinea seed oil was 256.7, 338.1, 12.5 and 1103.8 mg/100 g oil, respectively. T. apollinea seeds oil, due to the high concentration of lipophilic bioactive compounds can find a potential application in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry.

Chemotherapeutic potentials of the stem bark of Balanite aegyptiaca (L.) Delile: an antiangiogenic, antitumor and antioxidant agent

Background

Balanite aegyptiaca (L.) Delile, is a plant with extensive medicinal properties. Its stem bark is traditionally known for its spasmolytic and antiepileptic properties and used to treat yellow fever, jaundice and syphilis. Angiogenesis (sprouting of new blood vessels) is crucial for tumor growth and metastasis. The goal of this study is investigate the antiangiogenic, cytotoxicity and antioxidant activity as well as antitumor in vivo properties of B. aegyptiaca stem bark extracts.

Method

The dried powder of stem bark was extracted sequentially with n-hexane, chloroform, methanol and water. Rat aorta ring assay (RARA) was used as a platform to screen for antiangiogenic affect. The most active extract was subjected to further confirmatory antiangiogenic tests i.e. cell migration, tube formation and VEGF inhibition and finally evaluated for its in vivo antitumor efficacy in nude mice. The cytotoxicity of extracts on four cancer cell lines (HCT-116, K562, U937 and MCF-7) and one normal cells line (HUVEC) was evaluated. To assess the antioxidant activity screening, four methods were used, (DPPH•) and ABTS radical scavenging activity, as well as total flavonoids and phenolic contents.

Results

Methanol extract of B. aegyptiaca stem bark (MBA) showed the highest antiangiogenic, antioxidant and anticancer properties. It was found selectively cytotoxic to leukemia cell lines as well as breast cancer cell line MCF-7. (MBA) thus exhibited antiangiogenic in ex-vivo rat aorta ring model; it was found to excel its antiangiogenic effect via inhibition of the key growth factor (VEGF) as well as to halt HUVEC cell migration and tube formation, furthermore animals bearing colon cancer treated with (MBA) showed significant reduction in tumor growth.

Conclusion

Different extracts of B. aegyptiaca stem bark showed various anticancer and antiangiogenic properties. MBA demonstrated potent antiangiogenic, antioxidant and antitumor in vivo. The outcome of this study suggests the potential of stem bark of the B. aegyptiaca for developing chemotherapeutic agent against solid tumor as well as leukemia.