Can the essential oil of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis Linn.) protect rats infected with itraconazole-resistant Sporothrix brasiliensis from fungal spread?

Rosemary officinalis extract mitigates potassium dichromate-induced testicular degeneration in male rats: Insights from the Nrf2 and its target genes signaling pathway

This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of Rosemary ethanol extract (ROEE) on testicular damage induced by potassium Dichromate (PDC) in male rats regarding the signaling pathway of Nrf2 and its target genes and proteins. A total of 28 male rats were divided into four groups: control, PDC only (15 mg/kg b.w. orally), PDC + low dose ROEE (220 mg/kg b.w.), and PDC + high dose ROEE (440 mg/kg b.w.). After 28 days of consecutive treatment, the rats were sacrificed for histological, immunohistochemistry, and biochemical analyses. The results revealed that the ROEE treatment up-regulated the Nrf2 and its target genes (NQO1, HO-1) mRNA expressions compared to the PDC group. correspondingly, the protein levels of GCLM, GSH, SOD, and catalase were significantly increased in the ROEE-treated animals compared to the PDC-treated animals. Furthermore, ROEE administration led to increased serum levels of testosterone (T4) and decreased levels of estrogen (E2) compared to the PDC group. Semen analysis and histopathology demonstrated that ROEE administration significantly improved spermatological impairment caused by PDC. The immunoexpression of cytoplasmic HSP-90 was reduced in the ROEE-treated groups, while the expression of androgen receptor (AR) was markedly improved. ROEE exhibited protective effects against PDC-induced testicular damage, likely due to its antioxidant properties. However, further investigation is required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action.

Screening of alkaloids and withanolides isolated from Solanaceae plants for antifungal properties against non-wild type Sporothrix brasiliensis

Antifungal resistance has often been found in animal sporotrichosis in Southern Brazil. The biological potential of compounds from plants of the Solanaceae family against infectious diseases is known, however, it is still unknown against Sporothrix brasiliensis. This study evaluated the anti-Sporothrix brasiliensis activity, synergism, cytotoxicity, and action mechanism of steroidal lactones (withanolides) and alkaloids isolated from these plants. Pure compounds of withanolide D (WNOD), physalin F (PHYF), withanicandin (WNIC), nicandin B (NICB), solasonine (SSON), and solamargine (SMAR) were tested against 12 Sporothrix brasiliensis isolated from cats (n = 11) and dogs (n = 2) through M38-A2 CLSI. For the compounds with the best activity, a checkerboard assay for synergism, sorbitol protection, and ergosterol effect for action mechanism; and MTT test for cytotoxicity were performed. The withanolides WNOD, PHYF, WNIC, and NICB were not antifungal, but SSON (MIC 0.125-1 mg/mL) and SMAR (MIC 0.5-1 mg/mL) were both fungistatic and fungicidal (MFC 0.5-1 mg/mL for both) against wild-type (WT) and non-WT isolates. The activity of SSON and SMAR was indifferent when combined with itraconazole. In the mechanism of action, cell wall and plasma membrane by complexation with ergosterol seemed to be two target structures of SSON and SMAR. SSON was selected for cytotoxicity, whose cell viability in MDBK cells ranged from 28.85 % to 101.75 %, and was higher than 87.49 % at concentrations ≤0.0015 mg/ml. Only the steroidal alkaloids SSON and SMAR were active against non-WT isolates, being promising antifungal candidates for the treatment of feline and canine sporotrichosis with low susceptibility to itraconazole.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oil alleviates testis failure induced by Etoposide in male rats

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) is a shrub used to treat hepatic, intestinal, renal, respiratory, and reproductive failures. Etoposide a plant-based compound derived from Podophyllum pelltatum, has been used for human malignancies treatment. However, it induces testis, and hepatic failures. In the present study, impact of rosemary essential oil against testis failure, lipid parameters, and hepatic enzymes in male rats has been studied. Forty male Wistar albino rats were grouped in a completely randomized design with Etoposide injection (ETO), rosemary supplementation (ROS), with Etoposide injection and rosemary supplement (ETO+ROS), and control rats with no Etoposide injection and no rosemary (CON). The experiment lasted for seven consecutive weeks including one week as acclimatization time. At the end of the experiment, rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation, and blood samples were analyzed for serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein-Cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), total Protein (TP), glucose (GLU) and testosterone. The left testis was harvested for histological examination. Results showed that rats with Etoposide injection had higher ALT, AST, and ALP the control rats. No significant difference was found among treatments in terms of glucose concentration in blood. Rosemary supplemntaion decreased cholesterol and TG concentration and increased HDL concentration in male rats. Furthermore, administration of rosemary essential oil increased blood testosterone but decreased ALT and AST. The epithelial height of seminiferous tubules was decreased significantly in ET as compared with CON. Rosemary essential oil lessened the adverse effect of Etopside on epithelial height in rat testis as it is shown in ET+ROS. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of rosemary essential oil alleviated liver toxicity and functional testis damage induced by Etopside.

Rosmarinus officinalis and Skin: Antioxidant Activity and Possible Therapeutical Role in Cutaneous Diseases

The rosemary plant, Rosmarinus officinalis L., one of the main members of the Lamiaceae family, is currently one of the most promising herbal medicines due to its pharmaceutical properties. This research aimed to evaluate the antioxidant role of Rosmarinus officinalis and its bioactive compounds on the skin, with a focus on the newly emerging molecular mechanisms involved, providing extensive scientific evidence of its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, wound-healing and anticancer activity in dermatological practice. The search was conducted on articles concerning in vitro and in vivo studies in both animals and humans. The results obtained confirm the antioxidant role of R. officinalis. This assumption derives the possibility of using R. officinalis or its bioactive elements for the treatment of inflammatory and infectious skin pathologies. However, although the use of rosemary in the treatment of skin diseases represents a fascinating line of research, future perspectives still require large and controlled clinical trials in order to definitively elucidate the real impact of this plant and its components in clinical practice.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) Glycolic Extract Protects Liver Mitochondria from Oxidative Damage and Prevents Acetaminophen-Induced Hepatotoxicity

Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary) is an aromatic culinary herb. Native to the Mediterranean region, it is currently cultivated worldwide. In addition to its use as a condiment in food preparation and in teas, rosemary has been widely employed in folk medicine and cosmetics. Several beneficial effects have been described for rosemary, including antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Here, we investigated the mechanisms accounting for the antioxidant activity of the glycolic extract of R. officinalis (Ro) in isolated rat liver mitochondria (RLM) under oxidative stress conditions. We also investigated its protective effect against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in vivo. A crude extract was obtained by fractionated percolation, using propylene glycol as a solvent due to its polarity and cosmeceutical compatibility. The quantification of substances with recognized antioxidant action revealed the presence of phenols and flavonoids. Dereplication studies carried out through LC-MS/MS and GC-MS, supported by The Global Natural Product Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) platform, annotated several phenolic compounds, confirming the previous observation. In accordance, Ro decreased the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) elicited by Fe2+ or t-BOOH and inhibited the lipid peroxidation of mitochondrial membranes in a concentration-dependent manner in RLM. Such an effect was also observed in liposomes as membrane models. Ro also prevented the oxidation of mitochondrial protein thiol groups and reduced glutathione (GSH). In model systems, Ro exhibited a potent scavenger activity toward 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and superoxide anions. It also demonstrated an Fe2+ chelating activity. Moreover, Ro did not exhibit cytotoxicity or dissipate the mitochondrial membrane potential (∆Ψ) in rat liver fibroblasts (BRL3A cells). To evaluate whether such antioxidant protective activity observed in vitro could also be achieved in vivo, a well-established model of hepatotoxicity induced by acute exposure to acetaminophen (AAP) was used. This model depletes GSH and promotes oxidative-stress-mediated tissue damage. The treatment of rats with 0.05% Ro, administered intraperitoneally for four days, resulted in inhibition of AAP-induced lipid peroxidation of the liver and the prevention of hepatotoxicity, maintaining alanine and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT/AST) levels equal to those of the normal, non-treated rats. Together, these findings highlight the potent antioxidant activity of rosemary, which is able to protect mitochondria from oxidative damage in vitro, and effects such as the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects observed in vivo.

Are γ-terpinene, 1,8-cineole, p-coumaric acid, and quercetin active against wild-type and non-wild-type Sporothrix brasiliensis to itraconazole?

The emergence of itraconazole (ITZ)-resistant Sporothrix brasiliensis in feline and canine cases in southern Brazil has hampered the clinical cure of animal sporotrichosis, encouraging the search for therapeutic alternatives. The promising use of plants extracts from Lamiaceae family is known; however, there are no studies with its major compounds, as γ-terpinene (γTER), 1,8-cineole (1,8CIN), p-coumaric acid (pCOU), and quercetin (QUER). For the first time, we evaluated the antifungal, synergistic, cytotoxic activities and action mechanism of these compounds against S. brasiliensis. For this, 28 S. brasiliensis from cats (n = 24) and dogs (n = 4) and standard strains of S. brasiliensis and S. schenckii (n = 4) were tested by M38-A2 (CLSI), revealing non-wild-type (WT) isolates to ITZ on 54.2% (13/24) and 75% (03/04) of feline and canine isolates, respectively. Of the compounds, γTER stood out against all isolates (MIC/MFC 0.75 to > 3 mg/ml; MIC50 3 mg/ml). However, 1,8CIN, pCOU, and QUER showed little or no activity (MIC50 > 3 mg/ml). Thus, γTER was selected for checkerboard assay, whose combination with ITZ showed synergistic (WT isolates) and indifferent (non-WT isolates) interaction. For action mechanism (sorbitol protection and ergosterol effect), γTER acted in membrane by complexing with fungal ergosterol and at the cell wall level, showing two possible pathways as antifungal target. Finally, cytotoxicity (MTT assay) showed that γTER was the safest compound on MDBK cells, even at a concentration of 3 mg/ml (90.16%). Our findings support that γTER is a potent antifungal candidate for the control of sporotrichosis, including against non-WT S. brasiliensis.

Old and New Insights into Sporothrix schenckii Complex Biology and Identification

Sporothrix schenckii is a worldwide-distributed thermally dimorphic fungus, which usually causes a subacute to chronic infection through traumatic implantation or inoculation of its infectious propagules. The fungus encompasses a group of phylogenetically closely related species, thus named the S. schenckii complex, of which S. schenckii sensu stricto and S. brasiliensis are main causative species of sporotrichosis. Owing to a multifaceted molecular dynamic, the S. schenckii complex can switch between the mycelium and the yeast form. This characteristic along with a varying cell wall composition account for significant species-specific differences in the host range, virulence, and susceptibility to antifungal drugs. While culture remains the gold standard to diagnose sporotrichosis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry-based methods have become an essential for accurate species identification in many clinical laboratories. If directly applied on tissue samples, molecular methods are helpful to improve both sensitivity of and time to the etiological diagnosis of sporotrichosis. This mini-review aims to put together the old and new knowledge on the S. schenckii complex biology and identification, with particular emphasis on the laboratory diagnosis-related aspects of disease.