An Extract of Artemisia dracunculus L. Promotes Psychological Resilience in a Mouse Model of Depression

Traditional uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology of the Genus Artemisia L. (Asteraceae): A High-value Medicinal Plant

Biologically active secondary metabolites, essential oils, and volatile compounds derived from medicinal and aromatic plants play a crucial role in promoting human health. Within the large family Asteraceae, the genus Artemisia consists of approximately 500 species. Artemisia species have a rich history in traditional medicine worldwide, offering remedies for a wide range of ailments, such as malaria, jaundice, toothache, gastrointestinal problems, wounds, inflammatory diseases, diarrhoea, menstrual pains, skin disorders, headache, and intestinal parasites. The therapeutic potential of Artemisia species is derived from a multitude of phytoconstituents, including terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, coumarins, sesquiterpene lactones, lignans, and alkaloids that serve as active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). The remarkable antimalarial, antimicrobial, anthelmintic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antispasmodic, antioxidative and insecticidal properties possessed by the species are attributed to these APIs. Interestingly, several commercially utilized pharmaceutical drugs, including arglabin, artemisinin, artemether, artesunate, santonin, and tarralin have also been derived from different Artemisia species. However, despite the vast medicinal potential, only a limited number of Artemisia species have been exploited commercially. Further, the available literature on traditional and pharmacological uses of Artemisia lacks comprehensive reviews. Therefore, there is an urgent need to bridge the existing knowledge gaps and provide a scientific foundation for future Artemisia research endeavours. It is in this context, the present review aims to provide a comprehensive account of the traditional uses, phytochemistry, documented biological properties and toxicity of all the species of Artemisia and offers useful insights for practitioners and researchers into underutilized species and their potential applications. This review aims to stimulate further exploration, experimentation and collaboration to fully realize the therapeutic potential of Artemisia in augmenting human health and well-being.

Artemisia Species with High Biological Values as a Potential Source of Medicinal and Cosmetic Raw Materials

Artemisia species play a vital role in traditional and contemporary medicine. Among them, Artemisia abrotanum, Artemisia absinthium, Artemisia annua, Artemisia dracunculus, and Artemisia vulgaris are the most popular. The chemical composition and bioactivity of these species have been extensively studied. Studies on these species have confirmed their traditional applications and documented new pharmacological directions and their valuable and potential applications in cosmetology. Artemisia ssp. primarily contain sesquiterpenoid lactones, coumarins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. Essential oils obtained from these species are of great biological importance. Extracts from Artemisia ssp. have been scientifically proven to exhibit, among others, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, antidepressant, cytotoxic, and digestion-stimulating activities. In addition, their application in cosmetic products is currently the subject of several studies. Essential oils or extracts from different parts of Artemisia ssp. have been characterized by antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities. Products with Artemisia extracts, essential oils, or individual compounds can be used on skin, hair, and nails. Artemisia products are also used as ingredients in skincare cosmetics, such as creams, shampoos, essences, serums, masks, lotions, and tonics. This review focuses especially on elucidating the importance of the most popular/important species of the Artemisia genus in the cosmetic industry.

Characterization of Ingredients Incorporated in the Traditional Mixed-Salad of the Capuchin Monks

Recipes on the composition of the “salad of the monks” (Capuchin monks) have been reported in Italy since the 17th century. Different wild edible plants were highly regarded as an important ingredient of this mixed salad. Among these, some species played a key role for both their taste and nutritional properties: Plantago coronopus L. (PC), Rumex acetosa L., Cichorium intybus L., and Artemisia dracunculus L. In the present study, the micromorphological and phytochemical features as well as the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of extracts of these fresh and blanched leaves, were investigated. The extracts obtained by blanched leaves, according to the traditionally used cooking method, showed the highest content of bioactive compounds (total phenols 1202.31–10,751.88 mg GAE/100 g DW; flavonoids 2921.38–61,141.83 mg QE/100 g DW; flavanols 17.47–685.52 mg CE/100 g DW; proanthocyanidins 2.83–16.33 mg CyE/100 g DW; total chlorophyll 0.84–1.09 mg/g FW; carbohydrates 0.14–1.92 g/100 g FW) and possess the most marked antioxidant (IC₅₀ 0.30–425.20 µg/mL) and anti-inflammatory activity (IC₅₀ 240.20–970.02 µg/mL). Considering this, our results indicate that increased consumption of the investigated plants, in particular of PC, raw or cooked briefly, could provide a healthy food source in the modern diet by the recovery and enhancement of ancient ingredients.

Shank3 Deficiency is Associated With Altered Profile of Neurotransmission Markers in Pups and Adult Mice

Alterations in the balance between excitation and inhibition, especially in the brain's critical developmental periods, are considered an integral part of the pathophysiology of autism. However, the precise mechanisms have not yet been established. SH3 and multiple Ankyrin repeat domains 3 (Shank3) deficient mice represent a well-established transgenic model of a neurodevelopmental disorder with autistic symptomatology. In this study, we characterize the consequences of Shank3 deficiency according to (1) expression of specific markers of different neuronal populations in pups and adult mice and (2) social behaviour and anxiety in adult mice. Our research found enhanced expression of serotonin transporter and choline acetyltransferase in the hippocampus and hypothalamus in Shank3-deficient pups. We demonstrated marked brain region differences in expression of excitatory glutamatergic markers in pups and adult Shank3 deficient mice. We also observed reduced expression of inhibitory GABAergic markers and GABA receptor subunits in several brain areas in both pups and adult Shank3 deficient mice. Further analysis of dopaminergic brain areas (nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area) revealed lower expression levels of GABAergic markers in adult Shank3 deficient mice. Adult Shank3^- deficient mice exhibited excessive repetitive behaviour, a higher level of anxiety, and lower locomotor activity. Our data support the theory of an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in conditions of abnormal SHANK3 protein. We therefore suggest that autism-like conditions are accompanied by reduced expression of GABAergic markers in the brain during early development as well as in the adult age, which could be associated with long-lasting behavioural abnormalities.

human monoamine oxidase (hMAO) A and hMAO B inhibitors from Artemisia dracunculus L. herniarin and skimmin: human mononamine oxidase A and B inhibitors from A. dracunculus L

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of extracts and pure Artemisia dracunculus L. (tarragon) metabolites on the antimonoamine oxidase and anticholinesterase activities. The compounds were characterized as stigmasterol (1), herniarin (2), (2E,4E)-1-(piperidin-1-yl)undeca-2,4-diene-8,10-diyn-1-one (3), (2E,4E)-N-isobutylundeca-2,4-dien-8,10-diynamide (4), 3,4-dehydroherniarin (5) and skimmin (6) by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 1D and 2D NMR methods. The compounds 5 and 6 were isolated from tarragon for the first time. The extracts and pure compounds have inhibitory effects on the human monoamine oxidase (hMAO) A and B enzymes, whereas they did not exhibit any anticholinesterase activities. Among the tarragon compounds, only 2 and 6 compounds showed the inhibitory effects against hMAO A (IC50 = 51.76 and 73.47 μM, respectively) and hMAO B (IC50 = 0.84 and 1.63 mM, respectively). In the study, herniarin content in the extracts was also analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography and it was found that there was a relationship between the inhibition effects of the extracts and their herniarin content.

Artemisia dracunculus (Tarragon): A Review of Its Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology

Artemisia dracunculus L. (tarragon), Asteraceae, is a species that has long been used in traditional Asian medicine, mainly in Iran, Pakistan, Azerbaijan and India. It is known as a spice species in Asia, Europe and the Americas. The raw materials obtained from this species are herb and leaf. The presence of essential oil with a highly variable composition, as well as flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins and alkamides, determines the medicinal and/or spice properties of the plant. In traditional Asian medicine, this species is used, for example, in the treatment of digestive system diseases, as an analgesic, hypnotic, antiepileptic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic agent, and as an effective remedy in the treatment of helminthiasis. Nowadays, A. dracunculus is the subject of professional phytochemical and pharmacological researches. Pharmacological studies have confirmed its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects known from traditional uses; they have also proved very important new findings regarding its biological activity, such as antioxidant, immunomodulating and anti-tumour activities, as well as hepatoprotective and hypoglycaemic effects. A. dracunculus has long-held an established position in the food industry as a spice. And its use is growing in the cosmetics industry. Moreover, it is the subject of biotechnological research focused mainly on the development of micro-propagation protocols.

Characterization of PMI-5011 on the Regulation of Deubiquitinating Enzyme Activity in Multiple Myeloma Cell Extracts

Deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB)-targeted therapeutics have shown promise in recent years as alternative cancer therapeutics, especially when coupled with proteasome-based inhibitors. While a majority of DUB-based therapeutics function by inhibiting DUB enzymes, studies show that positive regulation of these enzymes can stabilize levels of protein degradation. Unfortunately, there are currently no clinically available therapeutics for this purpose. The goal of this work was to understand the effect of a botanical extract from Artemisia dracunculus L called PMI-5011 on DUB activity in cancer cells. Through a series of kinetic analyses and mathematical modeling, it was found that PMI-5011 positively regulated DUB activity in two model multiple myeloma cells line (OPM2 and MM.1S). This suggests that PMI-5011 interacts with the active domains of DUBs to enhance their activity directly or indirectly, without apparently affecting cellular viability. Similar kinetic profiles of DUB activity were observed with three bioactive compounds in PMI-5011 (DMC-1, DMC-2, davidigenin). Interestingly, a differential cell line-independent trend was observed at higher concentrations which suggested variances in inherent gene expressions of UCHL1, UCHL5, USP7, USP15, USP14, and Rpn11 in OPM2 and MM.1S cell lines. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of PMI-5011 and its selected bioactive compounds in cancer.

Evaluation of the neuro-protective effect of Artemisia judaica extract in a murine diabetic model

Chronic hyperglycemia is associated with several negative outcomes including neuronal injury. Medicinal plants supplementation has been widely applied to treat or decrease diabetic complications. Here, the possible neuroprotective effect of Artemisia judaica extract (AjE. 300 mg kg^-1  day^-1 ) against neuronal deficits in diabetes model induced by high-fat diet (HFD) administration and streptozotocin (STZ, 30 mg/Kg) injection in rats was investigated. Diabetic rats showed a disturbance in the neuronal redox homeostasis as confirmed by the elevated lipoperoxidation and nitric oxide formation along with the decreased antioxidant molecules. In addition, a state of neuroinflammation and apoptosis were recorded in the brain tissue in diabetic rats. Furthermore, HFD/STZ provoked neurochemical alterations. However, AjE administration was found to abrogate significantly the neuronal impairments associated with diabetes. This neuroprotective effect comes from its strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and neuromodulatory activity; suggesting that AjE may be applied to alleviate neurological impairments in diabetic patients. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose level comes from the dysregulation of insulin production and/or its action. The persisted hyperglycemia is correlated with the progression of several physical complications including renal, hepatic, vascular, retinal, and neuronal dysfunction. Artemisia is used in the nutritional and medicinal proposes due to the enriched bioactive molecules such as essential oil, flavonoids, phenolics, sesquiterpenoids, triterpenoids, and artemisinin. And we found that Artemisia judaica extract (AjE) administration was able to abrogate significantly the neuronal impairments associated with diabetes. This neuroprotective effect comes from its strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and neuromodulatory activity; suggesting that AjE may be applied to alleviate neurological impairments in diabetic patients.

Protective Effect of Sphaerococcus coronopifolius Crude Extract in Combination with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin on Ligature-Induced Depression in Female Wistar Rats

OBJECTIVE

Immunomodulation is a therapeutic technique that modulates the balance of cytokines in the body. In this regard, our experiment was conducted to investigate the potential effect of S. coronopifolius crude extract in combination with low dose of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) on depression-like behaviors in female Wistar rats.

METHODS

Sciatic nerve injury was employed to induce depression and intradermal injection of 0.02 mL of BCG per rat was administered to lead an activation of innate immune system. Daily intra-peritoneal injections of 25 mg algae extract kg-1 body weight were performed for 14 continuous days. Forced Swimming (FS) and Open Field (OF) tests were conducted to assess despairing and spontaneous behaviors. At the end of the experiment, brain was removed to determine the activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST), whereas spleen and adrenals were used for the histopathological study.

RESULTS

The combined treatment exhibited antidepressant-like activity in FST by reducing immobility time, without inducing any significant change in ambulatory behavior in OFT. The histological analyses of spleen and adrenal structure showed a conserved architecture.

CONCLUSION

The results suggested that algae extract produce an antidepressant-like effect in combination with low dose of BCG, which is possibly trigged by its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Evaluation and comparison of the antidepressant-like activity of Artemisia dracunculus and Stachys lavandulifolia ethanolic extracts: an in vivo study

Several studies have supported the preventive and therapeutic values of phenolic compounds including chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, vanillic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, luteolin, rutin, catechin, kaempferol, and quercetin in mental disorders. Since these secondary metabolites are reported as the phenolic compounds of Artemisia dracunculus (A. dracunculus) and Stachys lavandulifolia (S. lavandulifolia), the main aim of this study was the evaluation and comparison of the phenolic contents, flavonoids, and antidepressant-like activity of Artemisia dracunculus with Stachys lavandulifolia. Antidepressant-like activity of the extracts was evaluated in the forced swimming test (FST) and the tail suspension test (TST). Moreover, the open field test was conducted to evaluate the general locomotor activity of mice following treatment with the extracts. Since phenolic compounds and flavonoids play main roles in pharmacological effects, the phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extracts were measured. Though significant difference between the phenolic contents of the extracts was not observed, but S. lavandulifolia exhibited higher flavonoid contents. Animal treatment with extracts decreased the immobility times in both FST and TST compared to the vehicle group without any significant effect on the locomotor activity of animals. Also, S. lavandulifolia at 400 mg/kg showed higher potency in both tests compared to A. dracunculus. Our results provided promising evidence on the antidepressant-like activity of both extracts which could be related to flavonoids as the main components of the extracts, but more studies need to be conducted to specify the main compounds and the mechanisms involved in the observed effects.

Polyphenols in the management of brain disorders: Modulation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis

The modulation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis with a view to preventing and treating brain disorders became recently a hot topic for the scientific community. Dietary polyphenols are multifaceted compounds that have demonstrated to be highly advantageous to counteract inflammation, oxidative stress, and neurodegeneration, among other pathological conditions, being useful in the prevention and treatment of several chronic disorders. The potential of these compounds to prevent and treat brain disorders has not been only related to their capacity to reach the brain, depending on their chemical structure, and interact directly with brain cells, but also to their ability to modulate the communication between the brain and the gut, interfering with multiple branches of this axis. Preclinical studies have demonstrated the potential of these food bioactive compounds in brain diseases, namely, neurodevelopmental, such as Down's syndrome and Autism spectrum disorder, neurodegenerative, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, and psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Until now, dietary polyphenols have been recognized as promising nutraceuticals to combat brain disorders. However, the impact of these compounds on the gut-brain interconnection remains poorly elucidated. Also, clinical assays are crucial to further support the beneficial effects of these compounds as demonstrated in preclinical research.