Pharmacological perspectives from Brazilian Salvia officinalis (Lamiaceae): antioxidant, and antitumor in mammalian cells

Mitigation of cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity by Salvia officinalis: Attenuation of oxidative damage and inflammation in rats

Salvia officinalis L., commonly known as sage and belonging to the Lamiaceae family, is a medicinal herb indigenous to the Mediterranean region. It is celebrated for its diverse pharmacological properties and traditional uses in folk medicine, particularly in addressing hepatotoxicity. Cisplatin (Cis), a potent chemotherapeutic agent widely employed in cancer treatment, is recognized for its efficacy but often accompanied by adverse effects, including hepatotoxicity. The aim of this study was to assess whether an ethanolic S. officinalis extract (ESOE) could provide protection against Cis-induced hepatotoxicity in an experimental rat model. The ESOE was prepared using standard extraction techniques, and its chemical constituents were elucidated through UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis, revealing the presence of bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids, which are associated with various therapeutic effects, including hepatoprotection. Adult male albino rats were allocated into four groups: control, ESOE (250 mg/kg), Cis (7.5 mg/kg), and ESOE (250 mg/kg) + Cis (7.5 mg/kg). The treatment duration lasted 21 days, with Cis administration on the 22nd day. Twenty-four hours post-Cis administration, blood and liver samples were collected for analysis. Cis-induced hepatotoxicity was evidenced by alterations in hematological parameters, including erythrocyte, thrombocyte, leukocyte, and lymphocyte counts, alongside elevated serum levels of liver enzymes (ALT, LDH, AST, ALP, and GGT), indicative of liver damage. Furthermore, Cis exposure resulted in increased hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) and Nitric oxide (NO) levels, oxidative stress markers, coupled with decreased levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), a non-enzymatic antioxidant, and histopathological changes in liver tissue, characterized by necrosis and inflammation. Additionally, Cis treatment led to elevated levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), TNF-α, and IL-6, indicating oxidative stress and inflammation. Remarkably, pretreatment with ESOE ameliorated these Cis-induced hepatotoxic effects, as evidenced by improved hematological parameters, reduced liver enzyme activities, alleviated oxidative stress, and ameliorated histopathological alterations. The observed hepatoprotective effects of ESOE against Cis-induced liver injury may be attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, highlighting its potential as a natural therapeutic agent in mitigating chemotherapy-associated hepatotoxicity.

Aqueous sage leave extract attenuates inflammation and oxidant-induced genotoxicity in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Traditional medicine has used sage (Salvia officinalis L.) preparations for centuries to prevent and treat various inflammatory and oxidative stress-induced conditions. The aim of this in vitro study was to determine the bioactive properties of a sage leave extract obtained with environmentally friendly aqueous extraction and lyophilisation in primary human peripheral blood cells. To that end we measured the total phenolic and flavonoid content (TPC and TFC, respectively) with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Non-cytotoxic concentrations determined with the trypan blue assay were used to assess the antioxidant (DPPH, ABTS, and PAB assay), antigenotoxic (CBMN assay), immunomodulatory (IL-1β and TNF-α), and neuroprotective effects (AChE inhibition). The extract contained high TPC (162 mg GAE/g of dry extract) and TFC (39.47 mg QE/g of dry extract) concentrations, while β-thujone content was unexpectedly low (below 0.9 %). Strong radical-scavenging activity combined with glutathione reductase activation led to a decrease in basal and H2O2-induced oxidative stress and DNA damage. A decrease in TNF-α and increase in IL-1β levels suggest complex immunomodulatory response that could contribute to antioxidant and, together with mild AChE inhibition, neuroprotective effects. Overall, this study has demonstrated that aqueous sage leave extract reduces the levels of thujone, 1,8-cineole, pinene, and terpene ketones that could be toxic in high concentrations, while maintaining high concentrations of biologically active protective compounds which have a potential to prevent and/or treat inflammatory and oxidative stress-related conditions.

Exogenous Putrescine Changes Biochemical (Antioxidant Activity, Polyphenol, Flavonoid, and Total Phenol Compounds) and Essential Oil Constituents of Salvia officinalis L

Polyamines are small polycationic molecules containing amines that are present in almost all cells of living organisms and act in a wide range of physiological processes, growth, and development, biological and protection of cells against free radicals. This research is based on principal component analysis (PCA) and calculation of selection criteria (SC) to investigate the effect of foliar spraying of polyamine putrescine on essential oil yield, essential oil compounds, antioxidant activity, and biochemical compounds (polyphenol, flavonoid, and total phenol compounds) of Salvia officinalis. The treatments used included four levels of putrescine, Put (Control: 0, Put1: 500, Put2: 1000, and Put3: 1500 mg L-1 ) with five replications. Based on our results, four factors had eigenvalues≥1 and showed a cumulative variance percentage of 92.57 % by applying different concentrations of putrescine. According to the results of this research, putrescine had significant effects on the amount of total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity. The best attention to improving the essential oil yield of sage was 1000 mg L-1 . The crucial essential oil compounds of different Put treated sage were: cis-thujone (35.34 %), camphor (15.60 %), trans-thujone (9.90 %), 1,8-cineole (9.46 %), α-humulene (3.85 %), viridiflorol (3.62 %), camphene (3.58 %), α-pinene (3.50 %), β-pinene (2.78 %), and limonene (1.23 %). The results showed that the amount of total phenol, the phenolic composition of catechin, and the antioxidant activity of sage plant extract increased significantly when putrescine was used at 1000 mg/liter. Results can use the current research to optimize the production management of medicinal plants and improve the quality of their products. In addition, the advantage of using putrescine is that it increases antioxidants and reduces oxidative damage, and can replace medicinal plants as suitable natural preservatives, thus improving food quality and safety.

GC-MS Analysis, Antibacterial, and Anticancer Activities of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Methanolic Extract: In Vitro and In Silico Studies

The emergence of bacteria that are resistant to several antibiotics has represented a serious hazard to human health globally. Bioactive metabolites from medicinal plants have a wide spectrum of therapeutic possibilities against resistant bacteria. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate the antibacterial efficacy of various extracts of three medicinal plants as Salvia officinalis L., Ziziphus spina-christi L., and Hibiscus sabdariffa L. against pathogenic Gram-negative Enterobacter cloacae (ATCC13047), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (RCMB008001), Escherichia coli (RCMB004001), and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), bacteria using the agar-well diffusion method. Results revealed that, out of the three examined plant extracts, the methanol extract of H. sabdariffa L. was the most effective against all tested bacteria. The highest growth inhibition (39.6 ± 0.20 mm) was recorded against E. coli. Additionally, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the methanol extract of H. sabdariffa were detected in the case of all tested bacteria. Moreover, an antibiotic susceptibility test revealed that all tested bacteria showed multidrug resistance (MDR). While 50% of tested bacteria were sensitive and 50% were intermediately sensitive to piperacillin/tazobactam (TZP) based on the inhibition zone but still less than the extract. Synergistic assay demonstrated the promising role of using a combination of H. sabdariffa L. and (TZP) against tested bacteria. A surface investigation using a scanning electron microscope of the E. coli treated with TZP, extract, or a combination of the two revealed extremely considerable bacterial cell death. In addition, H. sabdariffa L. has a promising anticancer role versus Caco-2 cells with IC₅₀ of 17.51 ± 0.07 µg/mL and minimal cytotoxicity upon testing versus Vero cells with CC₅₀ of 165.24 ± 0.89 µg/mL. Flow cytometric analysis confirmed that H. sabdariffa extract significantly increased the apoptotic rate of Caco-2-treated cells compared to the untreated group. Furthermore, GC-MS analysis confirmed the existence of various bioactive components in the methanol hibiscus extract. Utilizing molecular docking with the MOE-Dock tool, binding interactions between n-Hexadecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid-methyl ester, and oleic acid, 3-hydroxypropyl ester were evaluated against the target crystal structures of E. coli (MenB) (PDB ID:3T88) and the structure of cyclophilin of a colon cancer cell line (PDB ID: 2HQ6). The observed results provide insight into how molecular modeling methods might inhibit the tested substances, which may have applications in the treatment of E. coli and colon cancer. Thus, H. sabdariffa methanol extract is a promising candidate to be further investigated for developing alternative natural therapies for infection treatment.

Forecasting of potential anti-inflammatory targets of some immunomodulatory plants and their constituents using in vitro, molecular docking and network pharmacology-based analysis

Most synthetic immunomodulatory medications are extremely expensive, have many disadvantages and suffer from a lot of side effects. So that, introducing immunomodulatory reagents from natural sources will have great impact on drug discovery. Therefore, this study aimed to comprehend the mechanism of the immunomodulatory activity of some natural plants via network pharmacology together with molecular docking and in vitro testing. Apigenin, luteolin, diallyl trisulfide, silibinin and allicin had the highest percentage of C-T interactions while, AKT1, CASP3, PTGS2, NOS3, TP53 and MMP9 were found to be the most enriched genes. Moreover, the most enriched pathways were pathways in cancer, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, relaxin signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway and FoxO signaling pathway. Additionally, Curcuma longa, Allium sativum, Oleu europea, Salvia officinalis, Glycyrrhiza glabra and Silybum marianum had the highest number of P-C-T-P interactions. Furthermore, molecular docking analysis of the top hit compounds against the most enriched genes revealed that silibinin had the most stabilized interactions with AKT1, CASP3 and TP53, whereas luteolin and apigenin exhibited the most stabilized interactions with AKT1, PTGS2 and TP53. In vitro anti-inflammatory and cytotoxicity testing of the highest scoring plants exhibited equivalent outcomes to those of piroxicam.

Phytochemical Composition and Bioactive Potential of Melissa officinalis L., Salvia officinalis L. and Mentha spicata L. Extracts

Plants are rich in bioactive phytochemicals that often display medicinal properties. These can play an important role in the production of health-promoting food additives and the replacement of artificial ones. In this sense, this study aimed to characterise the polyphenolic profile and bioactive properties of the decoctions, infusions and hydroethanolic extracts of three plants: lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.), sage (Salvia officinalis L.) and spearmint (Mentha spicata L.). Total phenolic content ranged from 38.79 mg/g extract to 84.51 mg/g extract, depending on the extract. The main phenolic compound detected in all cases was rosmarinic acid. The results highlighted that some of these extracts may have the ability to prevent food spoilage (due to antibacterial and antifungal effects) and promote health benefits (due to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacities) while not displaying toxicity against healthy cells. Furthermore, although no anti-inflammatory capacity was observed from sage extracts, these stood out for often displaying the best outcomes in terms of other bioactivities. Overall, the results of our research provide insight into the potential of plant extracts as a source of active phytochemicals and as natural food additives. They also support the current trends in the food industry of replacing synthetic additives and developing foods with added beneficial health effects beyond basic nutrition.

Novel Collagen-Polyphenols-Loaded Silica Composites for Topical Application

Lesions can affect skin functions and cause a simple issue, such as dehydration, or more challenging complications, such as bacterial infections. The purpose of this study was to design composites for topical application that can prevent and/or assist in bacterial infections and support cell regeneration using natural components. A polyphenolic extract obtained from Salvia officinalis was embedded in functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles for better stability, followed by their distribution into a collagen porous scaffold. The resulting polyphenols-loaded MSN exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity and good cytocompatibility. Improved thermal stability of the collagen porous scaffold was obtained due to the presence of the functionalized MSN. For the first time, collagen-polyphenols-loaded silica composites were reported in the literature as potential wound dressings. The newly developed composites showed excellent sterility.

Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), Biosynthesis, Characterization and Evaluation of Their Impact to Improve Shoot Growth and to Reduce Salt Toxicity on Salvia officinalis In Vitro Cultivated

Green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using plant extracts have recently attracted considerable attention due to their environmental protection benefits and their easy and low cost of fabrication. In the current study, ZnO NPS were synthesized using the aqueous extract of Ochradenus arabicus as a capping and reducing agent. The obtained ZnO NPs were firstly characterized using ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray absorption (EDX), zeta potential, and zeta size. All these techniques confirmed the characteristic features of the biogenic synthesized ZnO NPs. Then, ZnO NPs were evaluated for their effects on morphological, biochemical, and physiological parameters of Salvia officinalis cultured in Murashige and Skoog medium containing 0, 75, 100, and 150 mM of NaCl. The results showed that ZnO NPs at a dose of 10 mg/L significantly increased the shoot number, shoot fresh weight, and shoot dry weight of Salvia officinalis subjected or not to the salt stress. For the shoot length, a slight increase of 4.3% was recorded in the plant treated by 150 mM NaCl+10 mg/L ZnO NPs compared to the plant treated only with 150 mM of NaCl. On the other hand, without NaCl, the application of both concentrations 10 mg/L and 30 mg/L of ZnO NPs significantly improved the total chlorophyll content by 30.3% and 21.8%, respectively. Under 150 mM of NaCl, the addition of 10 mg/L of ZnO NPs enhanced the total chlorophyll by 1.5 times, whilst a slight decrease of total chlorophyll was recorded in the plants treated by 150 mM NaCl + 30 mg/L ZnO NPs. Additionally, ZnO NPs significantly enhance the proline accumulation and the antioxidative enzyme activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione reductase (GR) in plants under salinity. Our findings revealed that green synthesized ZnO NPs, especially at a dose of 10 mg/L, play a crucial role in growth enhancement and salt stress mitigation. Hence, this biosynthesized ZnO NPs at a concentration of 10 mg/L can be considered as effective nanofertilizers for the plants grown in salty areas.

Phenolic acids and flavonoids from Salvia plebeia and HPLC-UV profiling of four Salvia species

We isolated and purified phenolic acids and flavonoids from the ethanolic extract of Salvia plebeia using silica gel and a Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. Spectroscopy revealed the isolated compounds were caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, hispidulin, luteolin, jaceosidin, nepitrin, homoplantaginin, 6-hydroxyluteolin 7-O-glucoside, 6-methoxynaringenin 7-O-glucoside, naasanone, and cosmosiin. Quantitative analyses, using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with UV (HPLC-UV), revealed that the major flavonoid from S. plebeia was 6-hydroxyluteolin 7-O-glucoside (100.63 mg/g) and the most abundant phenolic acid was rosmarinic acid (47.73 mg/g). Furthermore, among four other Salvia species, S. officinalis contained the highest overall phenolic acid and flavonoid level but these were still lower than S. plebeia. These results can help assess the potential of phenolic acids and flavonoids as potent sources of pharmacological ingredients from different Salvia species extracts.

Application of zeolite improves water and nitrogen use efficiency while increasing essential oil yield and quality of Salvia officinalis under water-deficit stress

Soil moisture and nitrogen (N) are two of the most important factors affecting the production of medicinal plants. So, the management strategy of these factors is critical and to be identified. In order to study the application of zeolite (Z) (0 and 10 ton ha⁻¹) in S. officinalis culture medium under different irrigation regimes (30 % depletion of available soil water (ASW)) and 60 % depletion of ASW) and N (0, 75 and 150 kg N ha⁻¹) a split-factorial experiment was carried out with three replicates in 2018. The highest fresh and dry weight were achieved at irrigation after 30 % depletion of ASW while using 150 kg N ha⁻¹ and 10 ton Z ha⁻¹. Maximum water use efficiency (WUE) (22.10 g.L^-1) was obtained after 60 % depletion of ASW and 150 kg N ha⁻¹ and 10 ton Z ha⁻¹. Besides, the maximum nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was obtained after 60 % depletion of ASW and 75 kg N ha⁻¹ and 10 ton Z ha⁻¹ (14.25 kg.kg^-1N). Maximum essential oil (EO) content (1.06%) and cis-Thujone were obtained from plants subjected to 60 % depletion of ASW and, application of 75 kg N ha⁻¹ and 10 ton Z ha⁻¹. Applying Z with N, in different irrigation regimes did improve soil conditions for achieving higher, WUE and NUE, increased the EO content and yield while decreasing the negative effects from water-deficit stress and has provided a direction towards a stable system.

Therapeutic benefits of Salvia species: A focus on cancer and viral infection

Man is increasingly being faced with many health conditions, including viral infection, some of which increases the risk to cancer. These infectious agents contribute to the large number of persons with cancer and the worrisome number that die from the diseases. A good range of drugs are currently in place for treating patients infected with viruses, however, some of the drugs' effectiveness are limited by the emergence of drug-resistant strains of the viruses, as well as adverse effects of the drugs. Similarly, the inability of many anticancer drugs to selectively kill cancer cells while sparing hosts' normal cells limit their use. This warrants more research for newer drugs, especially from chemicals naturally encrypted in plants with anticancer and antiviral activities. In response to infection with cancer-inducing viruses, plants such as Salvia species synthesize and store secondary metabolites to protect themselves and kill these viruses as well as inhibit their ability to induce carcinogenesis. Hence, this review presented a discussion on the potential application of Salvia species in the prevention and management of cancer and viral infection. The study also discusses the cellular mechanisms of action of these herbal products against cancer cells and viruses, where available and provided suggestions on future research directions. The study is believed to spur more research on how to exploit Salvia phytochemicals as candidates for the development of nutraceuticals and drugs for managing cancers and viral infection.

Comparative analysis of five Salvia species using LC-DAD-QToF

Several Salvia species, commonly known as sage plants, are an integral part of various culinary and folklore preparations for the perceived wide range of effects from organoleptic to psychological. As a result, many of these species are an integral part of botanical drug applications, highlighting the need for accurate identification and quality control for consumer's safety. Five closely related Salvia species (S. officinalis, S. miltiorrhiza, S. divinorum, S. mellifera, and S. apiana) within a same botanical family were analyzed and differentiated using LC-QToF. Accurate mass measurement (<5 ppm) of protonated and deprotonated molecules together with resulting fragments and product ions allowed unequivocal or tentative identification of more than 180 compounds either by comparison with reference standards or literature data. The leaf part were identified based on various phenolic acids, flavonoids as well as di- and tri-terpenoids. Polyphenolics, viz., salvianolic A/B and rosmarinic acids in S. officinalis, lipophilic diterpenoids, viz., tanshinones in S. miltiorrhiza, abietatriene diterpenes and triterpenoids (ursane-/olean-type) in S. mellifera, and S. apiana were identified as characteristic, significant components. In comparison, salvinorins and divinorins representing a class of neoclerodane diterpenoids were detected only in S. divinorum. The presented methodology can successfully be applied to qualitatively assess sage-based ingredients in various finished products and formulations.

A Study of Phytochemistry, Genoprotective Activity, and Antitumor Effects of Extracts of the Selected Lamiaceae Species

This study was designed to evaluate the genoprotective, antigenotoxic, as well as antitumor potential of methanolic, ethanolic, and aqueous extracts of Melissa officinalis, Mentha × piperita, Ocimum basilicum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Satureja montana (Lamiaceae), in different model systems. The polyphenols in these extracts were quantified both spectrophotometrically and using HPLC-DAD technique, while DPPH assay was used to assess the antioxidant activity. The genoprotective potential was tested on pUC19 Escherichia coli XL1-blue, and the antigenotoxicity on Salmonella typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002 and human lung fibroblasts, while the antitumor activity was assessed on colorectal cancer cells. Rosmarinic acid, quercetin, rutin, and luteolin-7-O-glucoside were among the identified compounds. Methanolic extracts had the best DPPH-scavenging and SOS-inducing activities, while ethanolic extracts exhibited the highest antigenotoxicity. Additionally, all extracts exhibited genoprotective potential on plasmid DNA. The antitumor effect was mediated by modulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO) production, and exhibition of genotoxic effects on tumor cells, especially with O. basilicum ethanolic extract. Generally, the investigated extracts were able to provide antioxidant protection for the acellular, prokaryotic, and normal human DNA, while also modulating the production of ROS and NO in tumor cells, leading to genotoxicity toward these cells and their decrease in proliferation.

Alleviation of Lead Stress on Sage Plant by 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (ALA)

Oxidative stress is imparted by a varying range of environmental factors involving heavy metal stress. Thus, the mechanisms of antioxidant resistance may advance a policy to improve metal tolerance. Lead as a toxic heavy metal negatively affects the metabolic activities and growth of medicinal and aromatic plants. This investigation aimed to assess the function of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in the alleviation of Pb stress in sage plants (Salvia officinalis L.) grown either hydroponically or in pots. Various concentrations of Pb (0, 100, 200, and 400 µM) and different concentrations of ALA (0, 10, and 20 mg L^-1) were tested. This investigation showed that Pb altered the physiological parameters. Pb stress differentially reduced germination percentage and protein content compared to control plants. However, lead stress promoted malondialdehyde (MDA) and H₂O₂ contents in the treated plants. Also, lead stress enhanced the anti-oxidative enzyme activities; ascorbate peroxidase superoxide, dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase in Salvia plants. ALA application enhanced the germination percentage and protein content compared to their corresponding controls. Whereas, under ALA application MDA and H₂O₂ contents, as well as the activities of SOD, APX, GPX, and GR, were lowered. These findings suggest that ALA at the 20 mgL^-1 level protects the Salvia plant from Pb stress. Therefore, the results recommend ALA application to alleviate Pb stress.

Effects of Salvia officinalis L. and Chamaemelum nobile (L.) extracts on inflammatory responses in two models of human cells: Primary subcutaneous adipocytes and neuroblastoma cell line (SK-N-SH)

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Salvia officinalis L. (sage), and Chamaemelum nobile (L.) (chamomile) have been used traditionally to treat various inflammatory conditions.

AIMS

Our study aims to investigate the anti-inflammatory properties of both plant extracts in IL-1β-stimulated neuroblastoma cells (SK-N-SH) and human subcutaneous mature adipocytes, as well as their potential protective effects against mature adipocytes conditioned media (ACM)-induced neuro-inflammation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Human subcutaneous mature adipocytes and neuroblastoma cells were treated with 5 μg/ml (low dose: LD) and 50 μg/ml (high dose: HD) of each extract, with or without 0.5 ng/ml of human recombinant IL-1β. To understand the cross talk between fat tissue and neuronal cells, SK-N-SH cell line was incubated with ACM 10%, in presence or absence of both extracts LD and HD. Following 4, and 24 h incubation, the released MCP-1, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and SAA levels were measured using MSD Cytokines and Chemokines assay kits, and the cells were used for gene expression. RNA was quantified using Qubit™ RNA HS Assay. RNA aliquots were shipped to Eurofins Genomics (Aarhus, Denmark) for expression analysis on the human Clariom™ GO Screen Assay (952,361; ThermoFisher).

RESULTS

Chamomile showed stronger effects compared to sage in both cell lines, at 4 and 24 h. Adipocytes acute treatment with sage decreased MCP-1, IL-6, IL-8 (p < 0.001), and TNF-α (p < 0.05) basal levels. This was mirrored at MCP-1 transcriptional level. Chronic treatment with both extracts resulted in a significant reduction in ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and SAA (p < 0.001) levels, in IL-1β-stimulated adipocytes. However, in SK-N-SH cells, sage increased the basal levels of many cytokines and chemokines on both protein and transcriptional levels. This was also observed in IL-1β-stimulated cells. In chamomile treated SK-N-SH cells, acute and chronic treatments decreased MCP-1 (p < 0.001), IL-6 (p < 0.01), TNF-α (p < 0.01), and IL-8 (p < 0.001) basal levels. In IL1-β-stimulated SK-N-SH cells, chamomile HD induced a significant reduction in TNF-α after both acute and chronic treatments respectively, by 52% and 81%. At transcriptional level, this effect was only reflected at 4 h. ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and SAA levels were reduced in most of the studied conditions. In IL-1β treated adipocytes, chamomile showed stronger reduction in MCP-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression, however no significant reduction in TNF-α and IL-8 was observed, despite the decrease in basal levels. In SK-N-SH cells, ACM increased MCP-1, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, VCAM-1 and SAA levels. Sage HD acute treatment resulted in a reduction of ACM effect on IL-6, IL-8 and VCAM-1, with greater effect of chamomile on MCP-1 (p < 0.05); IL-6 (p < 0.001); TNF-α (p < 0.001); VCAM-1 (p < 0.001); and SAA (p < 0.001). This protective effect was also observed after chronic treatment. However, both extracts potentiated significantly the ACM-pro-inflammatory effect on IL-8 (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Sage decreased the pro-inflammatory markers mostly in human adipocytes, whereas chamomile showed a strong reduction in both cell populations. Both extracts reduced the ACM-induced inflammation effect and might be used as a preventive treatment for late-life cognitive impairment related to low-grade chronic inflammation associated with obesity. Further studies are needed to investigate their combination on other chronic inflammation-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis.

Correlation of Total Polyphenolic Content with Antioxidant Activity of Hydromethanolic Extract and Their Fractions of the Salvia officinalis Leaves from Different Regions of Morocco

The purpose of this study is to determine the total content of phenols, flavonoids, and condensed tannins, as well as on the antioxidant activity of the extract, and their fractions were measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), phosphomolybdate reduction (or total antioxidant capacity), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The hydromethanolic extract of Salvia officinalis showed the highest values of total phenolic (176 mgGAE/g of extract) and condensed tannins (162.53 mgEC/g of extract) from the Boulemane and Khenifra regions, respectively. The results showed that the best DPPH assay was found in the ethyl acetate fraction of Salvia officinalis leaves of the Boulemane region (IC50 = 0.002 mg/ml). For the ethyl acetate and butanolic fractions of Salvia officinalis leaves, those collected from different regions have a better reducing capacity (EC50 = 0.021 mg/ml, respectively). For the total antioxidant capacity, the best activity was found in the aqueous fraction of Salvia officinalis leaves of the Boulemane region (108 mgGAE/g of extract). By the cyclic voltammetry method, hydromethanolic extract of Salvia officinalis leaves from the Boulemane region showed an important result (288.8 mgGAE/g). There was a positive correlation between total phenol content (TPC), condensed tannin content (TCT), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (r = 0.932, r = 0.896, respectively). The main compounds that have been identified in the hydromethanolic extract of Salvia officinalis are ascorbic acid, gallic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, tannic acid, and rutin. Due to their antioxidant property, the leaf extracts from Salvia officinalis are used as natural preservative ingredients in food and/or pharmaceutical industries.

Identification of Phenolic Compounds and Determination of Antioxidant Activity in Extracts and Infusions of Salvia Leaves

The influence of harvest period and drying method of Salvia officinalis L. leaves on the content of essential oils, polyphenols and antioxidant properties was investigated. Sage leaves were collected twice during plant blossoming (in June and July) and dried traditionally in natural conditions and at 35 °C. Antioxidant activity was assayed in methanol-acetone extracts and infusions of dried leaves with the use of free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) technique. Total phenolic content in extracts as well as in infusions was determined by the means of Folin-Ciocalteu method. Based on the LC/MS analysis, the polyphenol compounds present in both extracts and in infusions were identified. The extracts contained more polyphenols and were characterized by higher antioxidant activity than infusions. In the extracts significant amount of ferulic acid was found, which was influenced both by the harvest period and drying method. The amount of ferulic acid found in extracts obtained from the June leaves dried traditionally was three times lower (6.185 μg/g DW) than in extracts from July leaves dried in the same conditions. Harvest period had a significant effect on the essential oils' content, leaves collected in July contained 15% more oils than those collected in June.

An In Vitro Evaluation of the Molecular Mechanisms of Action of Medical Plants from the Lamiaceae Family as Effective Sources of Active Compounds against Human Cancer Cell Lines

It is predicted that 1.8 million new cancer cases will be diagnosed worldwide in 2020; of these, the incidence of lung, colon, breast, and prostate cancers will be 22%, 9%, 7%, and 5%, respectively according to the National Cancer Institute. As the global medical cost of cancer in 2020 will exceed about $150 billion, new approaches and novel alternative chemoprevention molecules are needed. Research indicates that the plants of the Lamiaceae family may offer such potential. The present study reviews selected species from the Lamiaceae and their active compounds that may have the potential to inhibit the growth of lung, breast, prostate, and colon cancer cells; it examines the effects of whole extracts, individual compounds, and essential oils, and it discusses their underlying molecular mechanisms of action. The studied members of the Lamiaceae are sources of crucial phytochemicals that may be important modulators of cancer-related molecular targets and can be used as effective factors to support anti-tumor treatment.

Possible applications of salvianolic acid B against different cancers

Cancer is the second death causing disease worldwide after cardiovascular abnormalities. The difficulty in treating tumor cells with more precise targeted interventions and recurrence of cancer after treatment may pose great difficulty in developing sustainable therapeutic regimens. These limitations have prompted the need to explore several compounds with ability to cease tumor growth while at the same time induce apoptosis of tumor cells. Several studies have emphasized the use of natural compounds as antitumor agents due to their high efficacy against cancer cells and low toxicity in normal cells. Salvianolic acid B (SAB), a naturally occurring phenolic compound extracted from the radix of Chinese herb Salvia miltiorrhiza can induce apoptosis in different types of tumor cells. It can be used to treat cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders, hepatic fibrosis, and cancers. Several studies have shown that SAB can mitigate tumorigenesis by modulating MAPK, PI3K/AKT, and NF-ĸB signaling pathways. It also sensitizes the tumor cells to different anti-cancer agents by reversing the multi-drug resistance mechanisms found in tumor cells. This review summarizes the studies showing antitumor potential of SAB in different types of cancer cell lines, animal models and highlights the possible mechanisms through which SAB can induce apoptosis, inhibit growth and metastasis in tumor cells. Moreover, the possible role of nano-technological approaches to induce targeted delivery of SAB to eradicate tumor cells has been also discussed.

Purified compounds from marine organism sea pen induce apoptosis in human breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231 and cervical cancer cell Hela

Marine organisms are an important source of chemical compounds which are appropriate for use as therapeutic agents. Among them, Sea pens produce valuable chemical compounds being used as anti-cancer drugs. The aim of this study was to investigate anti-cancer property of extracted and purified compounds from marine organism Sea pen and evaluate their effects on inducing of apoptosis. The extracts were prepared from dried colony of Virgularia gustaviana. The compounds (3β)-Cholest,5en,3ol (cholesterol) (15 mg), Hexadecanoic acid (2.5 mg) and 2-Hexadecanol (10.7 mg) were identified by GC-MS and NMR. The cytotoxic effects of the compounds were evaluated on Hela and MDA-Mb-231 human cancer cell lines with MTT assay. Immunocytochemistry and Western Blot analyses were used to evaluate the expression of apoptosis related markers Caspase 3, Caspase 8, Bax and BCL2 in cancer cells after treating with three compounds. The purified compounds reduced viability of human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and human cervical cancer cell line Hela concentration-dependently. 2-Hexadecanol reduced significantly the viability of both cancer cell lines in comparison to the other purified compounds. Treatment of cancer cells with the three purified compounds increased the expression of caspase-3, caspase-8 and Bax proteins and decreased the relative Bcl-2/Bax ratio, demonstrating induction of apoptosis as possible mechanism of action. According to the results, three purified compounds inhibit the growth of cancer cells by inducing of apoptosis pathway; an effect which needs to be further investigated in the future studies.

Current Advances on the Extraction and Identification of Bioactive Components of Sage (Salvia spp.)

Common sage (Salvia spp., with the most common species Salvia officinalis L., Lamiaceae) is an important medicinal and aromatic plant, with antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. The polyphenolic compounds are mainly responsible for its diverse biological activity. Many different methods for extraction and identification of sage bioactive compounds, using various solvents, have been developed in recent years. The total phenolic content is usually measured and identified by various technical methodologies with different sensitivity and specificity. In this aspect, the present review is aimed to critically summarize and discuss various technical approaches for the extraction and identification of sage bioactive components in order to point out the more appropriate approaches of them.

Incorporating ifosfamide into salvia oil-based nanoemulsion diminishes its nephrotoxicity in mice inoculated with tumor

Introduction: Nephrotoxicity is one of the major side effects of the chemotherapeutic drug, ifosfamide (IFO). In this study, IFO was solubilized in nanoemulsion (NE) containing salvia (SAL) essential oil to investigate its adverse side effects in mice.

Methods: One hundred female Swiss albino mice (n = 20/group) were split into five groups. Group I (Normal) received saline solution (0.9% (w/v) NaCl) while groups II-V were intraperitoneally (I.P.) injected with 2.5 × 10⁶ Ehrlich ascetic carcinoma (EAC) cells/mouse. Group II (EAC) represented the untreated EAC-bearing mice. Group III (IFO) was treated with IFO at a dose of 60 mg/kg/d (I.P. 0.3 mL/mouse). Group IV (SAL) was treated with 0.3 mL blank NE-based SAL oil/mouse. Group V (SAL-IFO) was treated with IFO, loaded in 0.3 mL of blank SAL-NE, at a dose of 60 mg/kg/d (I.P. 0.3 mL/mouse). Groups III-V were treated for three consecutive days.

Results: There was a double increase in the survival percentage of the SAL-IFO group (60%) relative to the IFO group (30%). Renal damage with the presence of Fanconi syndrome was indicated in the IFO group through a significant elevation in the levels of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, urine bicarbonate, and phosphate in addition to a reduced level of glucose compared to the normal group. On the other hand, the administration of SAL-IFO into the mice reversed this effect. Additionally, the oxidative stress in the kidney tissues of the SAL-IFO group was ameliorated when compared to the IFO group.

Conclusion: Incorporating IFO into SAL-NE has protected the kidneys from the damage induced by IFO.

Biosynthesis, Chemistry, and Pharmacology of Polyphenols from Chinese Salvia Species: A Review

Salvia species find widespread application in food and pharmaceutical products owing to their large polyphenol content. The main polyphenols in Chinese Salvia species are phenolic acids and flavonoids, which exhibit anti-oxygenation, anti-ischemia-reperfusion injury, anti-thrombosis, anti-tumour, and other therapeutic effects. However, there are few peer-reviewed studies on polyphenols in Chinese Salvia species, especially flavonoids. This review is a systematic, comprehensive collation of available information on the biosynthesis, chemistry, and pharmacology of Chinese Salvia species. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to the literature because this review provides a detailed literary resource on the currently available information on various polyphenolic components of Chinese Salvia species, including their bioactivities and structures. In addition, the study provides information that would encourage further investigation of this plant material as a natural resource with potential for a broad range of applications in various industries, such as the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Actividad antiproliferativa de aceites esenciales de plantas cultivadas en Colombia

Colombia posee gran diversidad de plantas medicinales, pero pocas han sido objeto de investigación. En este trabajo se evaluó la actividad antiproliferativa de aceites esenciales obtenidos por hidrodestilación asistida por microondas. Se analizaron 15 muestras de 11 especies en ensayos del MTT en células cancerosas MCF-7, HeLa y HepG-2 y se incluyeron células normales humanas (HEK293) y de animales (Vero y BF16F10) para evaluar selectividad. La composición química de muestras activas se determinó por cromatografía de gases acoplada a espectrometría de masas (GC-MS). Aceites esenciales de cuatro especies mostraron actividad antiproliferativa (CI50: 50 μg/mL) en células HeLa y/o MCF-7, en el siguiente rango (índice de selectividad en paréntesis): Piper cumanense H.B.K. (4,7) > Piper subflavum var. espejuelanum C.DC (3,9) > Salvia officinalis L. (3,6) > Piper eriopodom (Miq.) C. DC. (3,1). Ninguna muestra fue activa en células HepG-2. El análisis por CG-MS identificó β-cariofileno, α-copaeno, β-pineno, α-pineno y linalol como componentes mayoritarios. Los aceites esenciales activos pueden ser punto de partida para desarrollo de medicamentos herbales para cuidado paliativo del cáncer.

Pharmacological properties of Salvia officinalis and its components

Salvia officinalis (Sage) is a plant in the family of Labiatae/Lamiaceae. It is native to Middle East and Mediterranean areas, but today has been naturalized throughout the world. In folk medicine, S. officinalis has been used for the treatment of different kinds of disorders including seizure, ulcers, gout, rheumatism, inflammation, dizziness, tremor, paralysis, diarrhea, and hyperglycemia. In recent years, this plant has been a subject of intensive studies to document its traditional use and to find new biological effects. These studies have revealed a wide range of pharmacological activities for S. officinalis. Present review highlights the up-to-date information on the pharmacological findings that have been frequently reported for S. officinalis. These findings include anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antimutagenic, antidementia, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic effects. Also, chemical constituents responsible for pharmacological effects of S. officinalis and the clinical studies on this plant are presented and discussed.

RP-HPLC/MS/MS Analysis of the Phenolic Compounds, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Salvia L. Species

The identification and quantification of the phenolic contents of methanolic extracts of three Salvia L. species namely S. brachyantha (Bordz.) Pobed, S. aethiopis L., and S. microstegia Boiss. and Bal. were evaluated using reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography, UV adsorption, and mass spectrometry (RP-HPLC/MS). In order to determine the antioxidant capacity of these species, cupric ions (Cu²⁺) reducing assay (CUPRAC) and ferric ions (Fe³⁺) reducing assay (FRAP) were performed to screen the reducing capacity and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay was employed for evaluation of the radical scavenging activity for both solvents. In further investigation, the antimicrobial activities of Salvia species were tested using the disc diffusion method against three Gram-positive and four Gram-negative microbial species, as well as three fungi species. The results showed that there is a total of 18 detectable phenols, the most abundant of which was kaempferol in S. microstegia and rosmarinic acids in S. brachyantha and S aethiopis. The other major phenols were found to be apigenin, luteolin, p-coumaric acid, and chlorogenic acid. All species tested showed moderate and lower antioxidant activity than standard antioxidants such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and ascorbic acid. The ethanolic extracts of Salvia species revealed a wide range of antimicrobial activity. S. brachyantha and S. microstegia showed the highest antimicrobial activities against B. subtilis, whereas S. aethiopis was more effective on Y. lipolytica. None of the extracts showed anti-fungal activity against S. cerevisiae. Thus these species could be valuable due to their bioactive compounds.