Novel antioxidants isolated from plants of the genera Ferula, Inula, Prangos and Rheum collected in Uzbekistan

Sesquiterpenes and Sesquiterpene Derivatives from Ferula: Their Chemical Structures, Biosynthetic Pathways, and Biological Properties

Ferula is a genus of flowering plants known for its edible and medicinal properties. Since ancient times, many species of Ferula have been used in traditional medicine to treat various health issues across countries, such as digestive disorders, respiratory problems, and even as a remedy for headaches and toothaches. In addition, they are also used as a flavoring agent in various cuisines. As the main active ingredients in Ferula, sesquiterpenes and their derivatives, especially sesquiterpene coumarins, sesquiterpene phenylpropanoids, and sesquiterpene chromones, have attracted the attention of scientists due to the diversity of their chemical structures, as well as their extensive and promising biological properties, such as antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial properties. However, there has not been a comprehensive review of sesquiterpenes and their derivatives from this plant. This review aims to provide an overview of the chemical structures, biosynthetic pathways, and biological properties of sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpene derivatives from Ferula, which may help guide future research directions and possible application methods for this valuable edible and medicinal plant.

Mechanisms of anti-ulcer actions of Prangos pabularia (L.) in ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats

Peptic ulcer disease is the greatest digestive disorder that has increased incidence and recurrence rates across all nations. Prangos pabularia (L.) has been well documented as a folkloric medicinal herb utilized for multiple disease conditions including gastric ulcers. Hence, the target study was investigation the gastro-protection effects of root extracts of Prangos pabularia (REPP) on ethanol-mediated stomach injury in rats. Sprague Dawley rats were clustered in 5 cages: A and B, normal and ulcer control rats pre-ingested with 1 % carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)); C, reference rats had 20 mg/kg omeprazole; D and E, rats pre-supplemented with 250 and 500 mg/kg of REPP, respectively. After one hour, group A was given orally 1 % CMC, and groups B-E were given 100 % ethanol. The ulcer area, gastric acidity, and gastric wall mucus of all stomachs were determined. The gastric tissue homogenates were examined for antioxidant and MDA contents. Moreover, the gastric tissues were analyzed by histopathological and immunohistochemically assays. Acute toxicity results showed lack of any toxic effects or histological changes in rats exposed to 2 and 5 g/kg of REPP ingestion. The ulcer controls had extensive gastric mucosal damage with lower gastric juice and a reduced gastric pH. REPP treatment caused a significant reduction of the ethanol-induced gastric lacerations represented by an upsurge in gastric mucus and gastric wall glycoproteins (increased PAS), a decrease in the gastric acidity, leukocyte infiltration, positively modulated Bax and HSP 70 proteins, consequently lowered ulcer areas. REPP supplementation positively modulated oxidative stress (increased SOD, CAT, PGE2, and reduced MDA) and inflammatory cytokines (decreased serum TNF-α, IL-6, and increased IL-10) levels. The outcomes could be scientific evidence to back-up the folkloric use of A. Judaica as a medicinal remedy for oxidative stress-related disorders (gastric ulcer).

Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil of Italian Prangos trifida (Mill.) Herrnst. & Heyn

In this work, the essential oil of the aerial parts of a not previously investigated accession of Prangos trifida (Mill.) Herrnst. & Heyn (Apiaceae), collected in Northern Italy, was analysed by GC/MS. Twenty-five compounds were identified, accounting for 91.30% of the total oil, which is characterised by a high content of monoterpene hydrocarbons (71.26%). The main constituents of the essential oil were cis-β-ocimene (18.12%), α-phellandrene (12.14%), sylvestrene (11.32%), p-mentha-1,3,8-triene (9.56%) and α-pinene (8.85%). The essential oil of P. trifida showed a good antimicrobial activity directed above all against Gram-positive bacteria, and had an interesting antioxidant activity, thus making it an excellent candidate for future cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications.

Isolation, Identification, Anti-Inflammatory, and In Silico Analysis of New Lignans from the Resin of Ferula sinkiangensis

Ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen (Apiaceae) is distributed in arid desert areas of Xinjiang, and its resin is a traditional Chinese medicine to treat gastrointestinal digestive diseases. To explore bioactive components from F. sinkiangensis, three new lignans and thirteen known components were isolated. The structural elucidation of the components was established utilizing spectroscopic analyses together with ECD calculations. Griess reaction results indicated new compounds 1 and 2 significantly decreased NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, and ELISA results indicated that they effectively attenuated LPS-induced inflammation by inhibiting TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 expressions. The in silico approach confirmed that compound 1 docked into the receptors with strong binding energies of -5.84~-10.79 kcal/mol. In addition, compound 6 inhibited the proliferation of AGS gastric cancer cells with IC50 values of 15.2 μM by suppressing the cell migration and invasion. This study disclosed that F. sinkiangensis might be a promising potential resource for bioactive components.

New coumarin glycosides from endemic Prangos heyniae H. Duman & M.F. Watson

Two new coumarin glycosides, named 7-methoxy isoarnottinin 4'-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranoside and 7-methoxy isoarnottinin 4'-O-rutinoside (1 and 2) along with six known compounds (3-8) were isolated from the roots of Prangos heyniae, an endemic plant of Turkey. 1-methylethyl 6-O-D-apio-β-ᴅ-furanosyl-β-ᴅ-glucopyranoside (7) and cnidioside A (8) have been obtained from the genus Prangos for the first time. Structures of isolated compounds were established using spectroscopic methods (1 D and 2 D NMR, HR-MS, UV and IR). Moreover, all extracts and isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against NIH/3T3, HK-2, A-549, MCF-7, PC-3 and SH-SY5Y cell lines by WST-1 method. One of the new coumarin glycosides, 7-methoxy isoarnottinin 4'-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranoside (1) exhibited selective cytotoxic activity against SH-SY5Y cells with IC₅₀ value of 31.41 ± 1.04 μM.

Mechanistic assessment of tolerance to iron deficiency mediated by Trichoderma harzianum in soybean roots

AIMS

Iron (Fe) deficiency in soil is a continuing problem for soybean (Glycine max L.) production, partly as a result of continuing climate change. This study elucidates how Trichoderma harzianum strain T22 (TH) mitigates growth retardation associated with Fe-deficiency in a highly sensitive soybean cultivar.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Soil TH supplementation led to mycelial colonization and the presence of UAOX1 gene in roots that caused substantial improvement in chlorophyll score, photosynthetic efficiency and morphological parameters, indicating a positive influence on soybean health. Although rhizosphere acidification was found to be a common feature of Fe-deficient soybean, the upregulation of Fe-reductase activity (GmFRO2) and total phenol secretion were two of the mechanisms that substantially increased the Fe availability by TH. Heat-killed TH applied to soil caused no improvement in photosynthetic attributes and Fe-reductase activity, confirming the active role of TH in mitigating Fe-deficiency. Consistent increases in tissue Fe content and increased Fe-transporter (GmIRT1, GmNRAMP2a, GmNRAMP2b and GmNRAMP7) mRNA levels in roots following TH supplementation were observed only under Fe-deprivation. Root cell death, electrolyte leakage, superoxide (O2 •- ) and hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) substantially declined due to TH in Fe-deprived plants. Further, the elevation of citrate and malate concentration along with the expression of citrate synthase (GmCs) and malate synthase (GmMs) caused by TH suggest improved chelation of Fe in Fe-deficient plants. Results also suggest that TH has a role in triggering antioxidant defence by increasing the activity of glutathione reductase (GR) along with elevated S-metabolites (glutathione and methionine) to stabilize redox status under Fe-deficiency.

CONCLUSIONS

TH increases the availability and mobilization of Fe by inducing Fe-uptake pathways, which appears to help provide resistance to oxidative stress associated with Fe-shortage in soybean.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

These findings indicate that while Fe deficiency does not affect the rate or degree of TH hyphal association in soybean roots, the beneficial effects of TH alone may be Fe deficiency-dependent.

Comparative evaluation of relaxant effects of three prangos species on mouse corpus cavernosum: Chemical characterization and the relaxant mechanisms of action of P. pabularia and (+)-oxypeucedanin

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the most common form of sexual dysfunction which has been the topic of great interest through the history by all cultures. It is now among the most treated health problems in men of all ages that develop under the influence of lifestyle factors and some diseases. Plants are extensively used to cure sexual dysfunction for centuries. Roots of Prangos sp. have been used to improve sexual performance in Anatolian traditional medicine and are rich of coumarin, furanocoumarin and their derivatives. Scientific research is necessary to support and validate the ethno-traditional uses of these plants.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the root extracts of P. pabularia, P. uechtritzii and P. heyniae on erectile function and to isolate and identify the chemical compounds of the most active extract and reveal possible pharmacological mechanism of the major compound of the extract with the strongest relaxant effect in mouse corpus cavernosum (MCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The roots of plants were extracted with chloroform, n-hexane and methanol. The compounds were isolated from the extract by column chromatography and structures were identified by NMR and MS. The relaxant effects of extracts (10^-7-10^-4 g/mL), (+)-oxypeucedanin (10^-7-10^-4 M) and Na₂S (10^-7-3 × 10^-3 M) were tested in MCC strips by DMT myograph. To investigate the mechanism, the synthesis inhibitors of aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA, 10^-2 M) and nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10^-4 M) were used, respectively. H₂S formation was evaluated basal and L-cysteine (L-cyst)-stimulated conditions by H₂S microsensor.

RESULTS

All extracts relaxed MCC in a concentration dependent manner. The maximum relaxing effects were achieved with chloroform extracts. Chloroform extract of P. pabularia (Pp-CE) was more potent than the others. Pp-CE-induced relaxations were significantly decreased by AOAA and L-NAME. (+)-Oxypeucedanin, the major compound of Pp-CE, induced relaxant responses and this effect was inhibited by AOAA, but not L-NAME. The relaxation of (+)-oxypeucedanin was found to be similar in view of E_max to positive control H₂S donor Na₂S. (+)-Oxypeucedanin increased L-cyst-stimulated H₂S formation. Augmentation of H₂S synthesis with (+)-oxypeucedanin was inhibited by AOAA.

CONCLUSIONS

Pp-CE has the strongest effect on relaxation of MCC and this result supports the traditional aphrodisiac use of P. pabularia root extract in Anatolia. The pharmacological mechanisms of Pp-CE to relax MCC involve NO and H₂S formation. (+)-Oxypeucedanin could be responsible for the H₂S-mediated relaxations of Pp-CE in MCC.

Liquid-Liquid Chromatography Separation of Guaiane-Type Sesquiterpene Lactones from Ferula penninervis Regel & Schmalh. and Evaluation of Their In Vitro Cytotoxic and Melanin Inhibitory Potential

Ferula penninervis Regel & Schmalh. is a perennial plant used in Kazakh traditional folk medicine to treat epilepsy, neurosis, rheumatism, gastroduodenal ulcers, dyspepsia, wounds, abscesses or tumors. The aim of this work was to isolate series of sesquiterpene lactones from a crude methanolic root extract and investigate their in vitro cytotoxic potential against androgen-dependent prostate cancer LNCaP and epithelial prostate PNT2 cells, as well as to evaluate their melanin production inhibitory effects in murine melanoma B16F10 cells stimulated with α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (αMSH). Two new (penninervin P and penninervin Q) and five known (olgin, laferin, olgoferin, oferin and daucoguainolactone F) guaiane-type sesquiterpene lactones were isolated with the use of a simple and fast liquid-liquid chromatography method. Olgin and laferin showed the most promising cytotoxic effects in LNCaP cells (IC50 of 31.03 and 23.26 μg/mL, respectively). Additionally, olgin, laferin, olgoferin, and oferin (10 μg/mL) potently impaired melanin release (40.67-65.48% of αMSH + cells) without influencing the viability of B16F10 cells. In summary, our findings might indicate that guaiane-type sesquiterpene lactones from F. penninervis could be regarded as promising candidates for further research in discovering new therapeutic agents with anti-prostate cancer and skin depigmentation properties.

Molecular characterization of Fe-acquisition genes causing decreased Fe uptake and photosynthetic inefficiency in Fe-deficient sunflower

Iron (Fe) deficiency in plants hinders growth and yield. Thus, this study aims to elucidate the responses and molecular characterization of genes in Fe-deficient sunflower. The study was conducted on 14 days-old sunflower plants cultivated in hydroponic culture under Fe-sufficient and Fe-deficient conditions. The Fe-starved sunflower showed substantial decrease in plant biomass, SPAD score, quantum yield efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm), photosynthetic performance index (Pi_ABS). Further, Fe shortage reduced Fe and Zn concentrations in roots and shoots, accompanied by a marked decrease of HaNramp1 and HaZIP1 expression in roots, suggesting the association of Zn status contributing to photosynthetic inefficiency in sunflower. The ferric chelate reductase (FCR) activity, along with HaFRO2 and HaIRT1 transcripts, were constitutively expressed, suggesting that sunflower plants can regulate FCR activity, although the lack of bioavailable Fe in the rhizosphere strongly corresponds to the limited Fe uptake in sunflower. The substantial increase of proton extrusion in roots and the localization of Fe-related genes in the plasma membrane are also evident in sunflower as common responses to Fe-deficiency by this Strategy I plant species. Analysis showed that three motifs of Fe-related proteins were linked to the ZIP zinc transporter. The interactome map revealed the close partnership of these Fe-related genes in addition to FRU gene encoding putative transcription factor linked to Fe uptake response. The cis-regulatory analysis of promoter suggested the involvement of auxin, salicylic acid, and methyl jasmonate-responsive elements in the regulatory process in response to Fe deficiency. These findings may be beneficial to develop Fe-efficient sunflower plants through breeding or genome editing approaches.

Genetic diversity among and within Ferula asafoetida H. Karst. populations using molecular and phytochemical markers

Ferula asafoetida is an herbaceous, perennial and monocarpic species of the Apiaceae family with medicinal properties. In this study, the genetic diversity of F. asafetida populations was assessed using SCoT and SRAP molecular markers. Nine SCoT and nine SRAP primer combinations amplified 211 and 194 bands, showing 96.07% and 92.87% of polymorphism, respectively. The dendrograms generated from Jaccard's similarity matrix and the UPGMA method revealed that genetic relationships among the F. asafoetida genotypes were not related to their geographical regions. The analysis also revealed a relatively acceptable differentiation in allele frequencies, illustrating the high genetic diversity and gene flows among the populations. The high percent of diversity among the populations indicated a rich resource of germplasm for breeding programs. Moreover, STRUCTURE analysis showed the high admixture of the studied accessions. According to AMOVA analysis, higher genetic variation occurred within the populations. Total phenolic content was also assessed using the folin-ciocalteu method, observing a relatively extent variety (0.163-0.938 mg TA/g DW) among the populations. In addition, HPLC analysis defined eleven compounds in which p-coumaric and 1,3- caffeoylquinic acids were the most abundant phenolic acids. Finally, Feragheh population possessed the highest TPC (total phenolic content) and gene diversity. Karaj population also exhibited the highest amount of flavonoids and phenolic acids such as kaempferol and p-coumaric acids.

Biological activities of essential oils from the genus Ferula (Apiaceae)

The genus Ferula (Apiaceae) comprises about 170 species occurring from central Asia westward to northern Africa. This genus is well-known in folk medicine for the treatment of various organ disorders. Most of Ferula species possess strong aromatic smell that is due to the presence of essential oil or oleoresin in their different organs. This article reviews anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and other biological activities of Ferula oils reported to date. For medicinal applications, the chemical composition of volatile oils obtained from different Ferula species is summarized in Appendix.

Lipid Peroxidation and Cyclooxygenase Enzyme Inhibitory Compounds from Prangos haussknechtii

Purification of extracts from Prangos haussknechtii Bioss afforded prenylated coumarins 1 and 2, monoterpenoid 3, amino acid derivative 4, and seven known compounds. Spectroscopic methods permitted establishment of the structures and relative configuration of these compounds. The pure isolates were tested for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities using lipid peroxidation (LPO), 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), and cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and -2) enzyme inhibitory assays. Compounds 1-4 inhibited LPO with IC₅₀ values between 43 and 114 μM and reduced MTT to formazan blue between 48 and 128 μM. In anti-inflammatory assays using cyclooxygenase enzymes, COX-1 and -2, these compounds showed inhibition, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 34 to 56 μM.

Synthesis and Fabrication of Collagen-Coated Ostholamide Electrospun Nanofiber Scaffold for Wound Healing

A novel scaffold for effective wound healing treatment was developed utilizing natural product bearing collagen-based biocompatible electrospun nanofibers. Initially, ostholamide (OSA) was synthesized from osthole (a natural coumarin), characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, DEPT-135 NMR, ESI-MS, and FT-IR spectroscopy analysis. OSA was incorporated into polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and gelatin (GEL), which serve as templates for electrospun nanofibers. The coating of OSA-PHB-GEL nanofibers with collagen resulted in PHB-GEL-OSA-COL nanofibrous scaffold which mimics extracellular matrix and serves as an effective biomaterial for tissue engineering applications, especially for wound healing. PHB-GEL-OSA-COL, along with PHB-GEL-OSA and collagen film (COLF), was characterized in vitro and in vivo to determine its efficacy. The developed PHB-GEL-OSA-COL nanofibers posed an impressive mechanical stability, an essential requirement for wound healing. The presence of OSA had contributed to antimicrobial efficacy. These scaffolds exhibited efficient antibacterial activity against common wound pathogens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The zones of inhibition were observed to be 14 ± 22 and 10 ± 2 mm, respectively. It was observed that nanofibrous scaffold had the ability to release OSA in a controlled manner, and hence, OSA would be present at the site of application and exhibit bioactivity in a sustained manner. PHB-GEL-OSA-COL nanofiber was determined to be stable against enzymatic degradation, which is the most important parameter for promoting proliferation of cells contributing to repair and remodeling of tissues during wound healing applications. As hypothesized, PHB-GEL-OSA-COL was observed to imbibe excellent cytocompatibility, which was determined using NIH 3T3 fibroblast cell proliferation studies. PHB-GEL-OSA-COL exhibited excellent wound healing efficacy which was confirmed using full thickness excision wound model in Wistar rats. The rats treated with PHB-GEL-OSA-COL nanofibrous scaffold displayed enhanced healing when compared to untreated control. Both in vitro and in vivo analysis of PHB-GEL-OSA-COL presents a strong case of therapeutic biomaterial suiting wound repair and regeneration.

Antimicrobial Activity of Medicinal Plants Correlates with the Proportion of Antagonistic Endophytes

Medicinal plants are known to harbor potential endophytic microbes, due to their bioactive compounds. In a first study of ongoing research, endophytic bacteria were isolated from two medicinal plants, Hypericum perforatum and Ziziphora capitata with contrasting antimicrobial activities from the Chatkal Biosphere Reserve of Uzbekistan, and their plant-specific traits involved in biocontrol and plant growth promotion were evaluated. Plant extracts of H. perforatum exhibited a remarkable activity against bacterial and fungal pathogens, whereas extracts of Z. capitata did not exhibit any potential antimicrobial activity. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) was used to identify plant associated culturable endophytic bacteria. The isolated culturable endophytes associated with H. perforatum belong to eight genera (Arthrobacter, Achromobacter, Bacillus, Enterobacter, Erwinia, Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Serratia, and Stenotrophomonas). The endophytic isolates from Z. capitata also contain those genera except Arthrobacter, Serratia, and Stenotrophomonas. H. perforatum with antibacterial activity supported more bacteria with antagonistic activity, as compared to Z. capitata. The antagonistic isolates were able to control tomato root rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum and stimulated plant growth under greenhouse conditions and could thus be a cost-effective source for agro-based biological control agents.

Regulation of Phytosiderophore Release and Antioxidant Defense in Roots Driven by Shoot-Based Auxin Signaling Confers Tolerance to Excess Iron in Wheat

Iron (Fe) is essential but harmful for plants at toxic level. However, how wheat plants tolerate excess Fe remains vague. This study aims at elucidating the mechanisms underlying tolerance to excess Fe in wheat. Higher Fe concentration caused morpho-physiological retardation in BR 26 (sensitive) but not in BR 27 (tolerant). Phytosiderophore and 2-deoxymugineic acid showed no changes in BR 27 but significantly increased in BR 26 due to excess Fe. Further, expression of TaSAMS. TaDMAS1, and TaYSL15 significantly downregulated in BR 27 roots, while these were upregulated in BR 26 under excess Fe. It confirms that inhibition of phytosiderophore directs less Fe accumulation in BR 27. However, phytochelatin and expression of TaPCS1 and TaMT1 showed no significant induction in response to excess Fe. Furthermore, excess Fe showed increased catalase, peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activities along with glutathione, cysteine, and proline accumulation in roots in BR 27. Interestingly, BR 27 self-grafts and plants having BR 26 rootstock attached to BR 27 scion had no Fe-toxicity induced adverse effect on morphology but showed BR 27 type expressions, confirming that shoot-derived signal triggering Fe-toxicity tolerance in roots. Finally, auxin inhibitor applied with higher Fe concentration caused a significant decline in morpho-physiological parameters along with increased TaSAMS and TaDMAS1 expression in roots of BR 27, revealing the involvement of auxin signaling in response to excess Fe. These findings propose that tolerance to excess Fe in wheat is attributed to the regulation of phytosiderophore limiting Fe acquisition along with increased antioxidant defense in roots driven by shoot-derived auxin signaling.

Antileishmanial activity of prenylated coumarins isolated from Ferulago angulata and Prangos asperula

Leishmaniasis has a wide spectrum of signs and symptoms due to infection to numbers of Leishmania species and makes enormous mortality and morbidity. There are clues of antileishmanial effects of prenylated coumarins. Apiaceae family is one of the most important sources of coumarins. Air-dried aerial parts of Ferulago angulata and fruits of Prangos asperula were extracted with n-hexane, using a soxhlet apparatus. The solvents were evaporated under reduced pressure. Column chromatography and crystallization process resulted to isolation of three prenylated coumarins. ¹H-nuclear magnetic resonance, electron ionization Mass and Infrared spectra were used for elucidation of isolated compounds. Leishmanicidal activity of isolated coumarins was assessed on Leishmania major strain (MRHO/IR/75/ER) for the first time. Suberosin epoxide and suberosin were isolated from aerial parts of F. angulata and osthol was extracted from grounded fruits of P. asperula. Osthol showed a significant antileishmanial effect on promastigotes in early hours of exposure with IC₅₀ of 14.40 µg/mL but suberosin epoxide showed only a weak antileishmanial activity. IC₅₀ of osthol and suberosin epoxide after 48 h were 10.79 and 54.0 µg/mL, respectively. Suberosin showed no remarkable effect in these concentrations. This is the first report on the pharmacological activity of suberosin epoxide. Substantial difference between efficacies of two isomers, osthol and suberosin remarks the importance of prenyl substituent location on C-8.

Isolation, cytotoxicity evaluation and HPLC-quantification of the chemical constituents from Prangos pabularia

Phytochemical analysis of the dichloromethane:methanol (1:1) extract of root parts of Prangos pabularia led to the isolation of twelve cytotoxic constituents, viz., 6-hydroxycoumarin (1), 7-hydroxycoumarin (2), heraclenol-glycoside (3), xanthotoxol (4), heraclenol (5), oxypeucedanin hydrate (6), 8-((3,3-dimethyloxiran-2-yl)methyl)-7-methoxy-2H-chromen-2-one (7), oxypeucedanin hydrate monoacetate (8), xanthotoxin (9), 4-((2-hydroxy-3-methylbut-3-en-1-yl)oxy)-7H-furo[3,2-g]chromen-7-one (10), imperatorin (11) and osthol (12). The isolates were identified using spectral techniques in the light of literature. 3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cytotoxicity screening of the isolated constituents was carried out against six human cancer cell lines including lung (A549 and NCI-H322), epidermoid carcinoma (A431), melanoma (A375), prostate (PC-3) and Colon (HCT-116) cell lines. Osthol (12) exhibited the highest cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 3.2, 6.2, 10.9, 14.5, 24.8, and 30.2 µM against epidermoid carcinoma (A431), melanoma (A375), lung (NCI-H322), lung (A549), prostate (PC-3) and colon (HCT-116) cell lines respectively. Epidermoid carcinoma cell line A431 was sensitive to most of the compounds followed by lung (A549) cancer cell line. Finally a simple and reliable HPLC method was developed (RP-HPLC-DAD) and validated for the simultaneous quantification of these cytotoxic constituents in Prangos pabularia. The extract was analyzed using a reversed-phase Agilent ZORBAX eclipse plus column C18 (4.6×250 mm, 5 µm) at 250 nm wavelength using a gradient water-methanol solvent system at a flow rate of 0.8 ml/min. The RP-HPLC method is validated in terms of recovery, linearity, accuracy and precision (intra and inter-day validation). This method, because of shorter analysis time, makes it valuable for the commercial quality control of Prangos pabularia extracts and its future pharmaceutical preparations.

Amelioration of Diabetes and Painful Diabetic Neuropathy by Punica granatum L. Extract and Its Spray Dried Biopolymeric Dispersions

Aims. To evaluate the effect of Punica granatum (Pg) rind extract and its spray dried biopolymeric dispersions with casein (F1) or chitosan (F2) against Diabetes mellitus (DM) and diabetic neuropathy (DN). Methods. We measured the acute (6 h) and subacute (8 days) effect of various doses of Pg, F1, and F2 and the active compounds on alloxan-induced DM mouse model. We evaluated DN utilizing latency tests for longer period of time (8 weeks). In addition, the in vivo antioxidant activity was assessed utilizing serum catalase level. Results. The results proved that the highest dose levels of Pg extract, F1, F2 exerted remarkable hypoglycemic activity with 48, 52, and 40% drop in the mice glucose levels after 6 hours, respectively. The tested compounds also improved peripheral nerve function as observed from the latency tests. Bioguided fractionation suggested that gallic acid (GA) was Pg main active ingredient responsible for its actions. Conclusion. Pg extract, F1, F2, and GA could be considered as a new therapeutic potential for the amelioration of diabetic neuropathic pain and the observed in vivo antioxidant potential may be involved in its antinociceptive effect. It is highly significant to pay attention to Pg and GA for amelioration and control of DM and its complications.

Evaluation of cytotoxicity and anticonvulsant activity of some Iranian medicinal Ferula species

Several Ferula (Umbelliferae) species have been used in Iranian traditional medicine as antiflatulent, antispasmodic, anticonvulsant, expectorant, etc. In the present study, cytotoxicity and anticonvulsant activity of the methanol extracts from several Ferula species were evaluated. Air-dried samples of different parts of these plants (Ferula diversivittata Regel & Schmalh. (roots), Ferula persica Willd. (aerial parts), Ferula ovina (Boiss.) Boiss. (roots), Ferula badrakema Kos.-Pol. (roots), Ferula diversivittata (flowers), Ferula latisecta Rech. F. & Aell. (roots), and Ferula badrakema (fruits)) were macerated with methanol for 3 days. The mixtures were then filtered, concentrated and dried. For determination of the cytotoxicity of the extracts and also the oleo-gum-resin of F. assafoetida L., the brine shrimp (Artemia salina) was employed as a model assay system since it provides a convenient in-house pre-screening method for evaluating general cytotoxicity. The methanol extracts of different Ferula species and the oleo-gum-resin of F. assafoetida exhibited cytotoxic effect with LC(50) values in the range of 6-321 microg/mL. For the anticonvulsant testing, seizure was induced by injection of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), 90 mg/kg intraperitoneally (i.p.). This dose was given to 10 groups, each consisting of 6 mice, which were pretreated i.p. with the extracts (300 mg/kg), Diazepam (10 mL/kg) or saline (10 mL/kg). The results showed that none of the tested Ferula species can prevent PTZ-induced seizure at the used dose. In conclusion, all of the extracts and the oleo-gum resin of F. assafoetida showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity which was highest in F. badrakema fruits and lowest in F. badrakema roots. Our findings also revealed that the methanol extracts and F. assafoetida oleo-gum resin do not possess anticonvulsant activity.

Antiproliferative effects of essential oils and their major constituents in human renal adenocarcinoma and amelanotic melanoma cells

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate cytotoxic activity of Platycladus orientalis, Prangos asperula and Cupressus sempervirens ssp. pyramidalis essential oils and to identify active components involved in inhibition of population growth of human cancer cell lines.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and were analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Antiproliferative activity was tested on amelanotic melanoma C32 cells and on renal cell adenocarcinoma cells, using the sulphorhodamine B assay.

RESULTS

Cupressus sempervirens ssp. pyramidalis leaf oil exerted the highest cytotoxic activity with an IC(50)value of 104.90 microg/mL against C32, followed by activity of P. orientalis and P. asperula on the renal adenocarcinoma cell line (IC(50) of 121.93 and 139.17 microg/mL, respectively). P. orientalis essential oil was also active against amelanotic melanoma with an IC(50) of 330.04 microg/mL. Three identified terpenes, linalool, beta-caryophyllene and alpha-cedrol, were found to be active on both cell lines tested.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide novel insights into the field of cytotoxic properties of essential oils. This study provided evidence on how cytotoxic activity of the oils is not always related to their major constituents, except for lower activity found in both cell lines for alpha-cedrol. Interestingly, beta-caryophyllene and linalool exhibited comparable IC(50) values to the commercial drug vinblastine on the ACHN cell line. This opens a new field of investigation to discover mechanisms responsible for the observed activity.

Antioxidant activity of coumarins and flavonols from the resinous exudate of Haplopappus multifolius

The antioxidant activity of eight coumarins and two flavonols isolated from Haplopappus multifolius was studied with the DPPH radical method. Results show that a high concentration of phenolic coumarins and the presence of quercetin and rhamnetin in the exudates could account for the protection of the plant against oxidative stress. Structures for the coumarins 6-hydroxy-7-[(E,E)-3',7'-dimethyl-2',4',7'-octatrienyloxy] coumarin and 7-[(E)-3'-methyl-4'-hydroxy-2'-butenyloxy] coumarin are proposed on the basis of spectroscopic evidence.