Molecularly Characterized Solvent Extracts and Saponins from Polygonum hydropiper L. Show High Anti-Angiogenic, Anti-Tumor, Brine Shrimp, and Fibroblast NIH/3T3 Cell Line Cytotoxicity

Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles in an animal model of chronic wound induced with Resiquimod

Cost-effective strategies for the treatment of chronic wounds must be developed. The green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) it is possible to guarantee a lower toxicity in biological tissues and greater safety of applicability, in addition to adding the effects of nanoparticles (NPs) to those of extracts. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of treatment with biosynthesized GNPs in a chronic wound model. Wistar rats were distributed into 7 groups: Acute Wound (AW); Chronic wound (CW); CW + GNPs-Açaí; CW + GNPs-DB; CW + AV-GNPs; CW + SafGel®; CW + 660 nm laser. The chronic injury model was induced with topically applied Resiquimod for 6 days. Treatments were then initated on the fourteenth day after the last application of Resiquimod and carried out daily for ten days. The proposed therapies with GNPs were able to significantly reduce the inflammatory score and increase the rate of wound contraction. In histology, there was a reduction in the inflammatory infiltrate and increased gene expression of fibronectin and type III collagen, mainly in the CW + AV-GNPs group. The therapies were able to reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines, increase anti-inflammatory cytokines, and reduce oxidative stress. The results demonstrated that the effects of GNPs appear to complement those of the extracts, thereby enhancing the tissue repair process.

Phytochemical analysis, radical scavenging and glioblastoma U87 cells toxicity studies of stem bark of buckthorn (Rhamnus pentapomica R. Parker)

BACKGROUND

During the past two decades, the correlation between oxidative stress and a variety of serious illnesses such as atherosclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Alzheimer disease (AD) and cancer has been established. Medicinal plants and their derived phytochemicals have proven efficacy against free radicals and their associated diseases. The current work was aimed to evaluate the phytochemical constituents of Rhamnus pentapomica R. Parker via Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and its antioxidant and anti-glioblastoma potentials.

METHODS

The bioactive compounds were analysed in Rhamnus pentapomica R. Parker stem bark extracts by GC-MS analysis, and to evaluate their antioxidant and anti-glioblastoma effects following standard procedures. The stem bark was extracted with 80% methanol for 14 days to get crude methanolic extract (Rp.Cme) followed by polarity directed fractionation using solvents including ethyl acetate, chloroform, butanol to get ethyl acetate fraction (Rp.EtAc), chloroform fraction (Rp.Chf) and butanol fraction (Rp.Bt) respectively. Antioxidant assay was performed using DPPH free radicals and cell viability assay against U87 glioblastoma cancer cell lines was performed via MTT assay.

RESULTS

In GC-MS analysis, thirty-one compounds were detected in Rp.Cme, 22 in Rp.Chf, 24 in Rp.EtAc and 18 compounds were detected in Rp.Bt. Among the identified compounds in Rp.Cme, 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)-methyl ester (7.73%), Octasiloxane (5.13%) and Heptasiloxane (5.13%), Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (3.76%) and Pentadecanoic acid, 14-methyl-, methyl Ester (3.76%) were highly abundant.. In Rp.Chf, Benzene, 1,3-dimethyl- (3.24%) and in Rp.EtAc Benzene, 1,3-dimethyl-(11.29%) were highly abundant compounds. Antioxidant studies revealed that Rp.Cme and Rp.EtAc exhibit considerable antioxidant potentials with IC50 values of 153.53 μg/ml and 169.62 μg/ml respectively. Both fractions were also highly effective against glioblastoma cells with IC50 of 147.64 μg/ml and 76.41ug/ml respectively.

CONCLUSION

Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of important metabolites which might be active against free radicals and glioblastoma cells. Various samples of the plant exhibited considerable antioxidant and anti-glioblastoma potentials warranting further detailed studies.

New lead compounds identification against KRas mediated cancers through pharmacophore-based virtual screening and in vitro assays

Cancer remains the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the world, with 19.3 million new diagnoses and 10.1 million deaths in 2020. Cancer is caused due to mutations in proto-oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes. Genetic analyses found that Ras (Rat sarcoma) is one of the most deregulated oncogenes in human cancers. The Ras oncogene family members including NRas (Neuroblastoma ras viral oncogene homolog), HRas (Harvey rat sarcoma) and KRas are involved in different types of human cancers. The mutant KRas is considered as the most frequent oncogene implicated in the development of lung, pancreatic and colon cancers. However, there is no efficient clinical drug even though it has been identified as an oncogene for 30 years. Therefore there is an emerging need to develop potent, new anticancer drugs. In this study, computer-aided drug designing approaches as well as experimental methods were employed to find new and potential anti-cancer drugs. The pharmacophore model was developed from an already known FDA approved anti-cancer drug Bortezomib using the software MOE. The validated pharmacophore model was then used to screen the in-house and commercially available databases. The pharmacophore-based virtual screening resulted in 26 and 86 hits from in-house and commercial databases respectively. Finally, 6/13 (in-house database) and 24/64 hits (commercial databases) were selected with different scaffolds having good interactions with the significant active residues of KRasG12D protein that were predicted as potent lead compounds. Finally, the results of pharmacophore-based virtual screening were further validated by molecular dynamics simulation analysis. The 6 hits of the in-house database were further evaluated experimentally. The experimental results showed that these compounds have good anti-cancer activity which validate the protocol of our in silico studies. KRasG12D protein is a very important anti-cancer target and potent inhibitors for this target are still not available, so small lead compound inhibitors were identified to inhibit the activity of this protein by blocking the GTP-binding pocket.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Mechanistic insights into the role of plant polyphenols and their nano-formulations in the management of depression

Depression is a condition characterized by low mood and an aversion to activity, that causes behavioral problems, poor quality of life and limits daily life activities. It is considered as the fourth leading cause of disability worldwide. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs), and atypical antidepressants are some of the conventional medications used to treat depression. However, only about half of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) respond effectively to first-line antidepressant therapy. Additionally, there are a number of drawbacks to standard antidepressants, such as anti-cholinergic side effects, drug-drug interactions, and food-drug interactions, which prompts researchers to look at alternative approaches to the treatment of depression. Medicinal plants and their metabolites are extensively tested for their efficacy against depression. Electronic databases such as Google scholar, Science Direct, SciFinder and PubMed were used to search relevant literature on the role of polyphenols in depression. Plants-derived Polyphenols represent a major class of compounds extensively distributed in plants. Number of polyphenols have demonstrated antidepressant activity, among which berberine, piperine, curcumin, naringenin, ascorbic acid and ginsenosides are extensively evaluated. The medicinal plants and their derived compounds mediated synthesized green nanoparticles have also exhibited considerable efficacy in the management of depression. The therapeutic effects of these phytochemicals is mediated via differentiation and inhibition of neuronal cell apoptosis, promotion of neuronal cell survival and modulation of key neurotransmitters. The aim of this study is to review compressively the chemical, pharmacological and neurological evidence showing the potential of polyphenols in depression.

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants of Pashat Valley, Bajaur, along Pakistan–Afghanistan border: a mountainous region of the Hindu Kush Range

Medicinal plants are the primary and effective source to cure various human ailments throughout the globe. The remote area of the Pashat valley at the Pakistan–Afghanistan border is still unexplored to document ethnomedicinal knowledge and practices. In the current study, the contemporary investigation recorded the native acquaintance of remedial plants. A total of 73 plant species belonging to 68 genera and 46 families were used by traditional communities for the treatment of 40 different kinds of human diseases including digestive, respiratory, urinary, skeletal, muscular systems, etc. The family Lamiaceae was found dominant with 9 species followed by Leguminosae and Solanaceae with 4 species each, Euphorbiaceae, Moraceae, Rhamnaceae and Rosaceae with three species each. The most frequently used parts of plants were leaves (35.7%) followed by fruits (22.4%), seeds (12.2%), roots (7.14%) and plants as a whole (6.12%). Whereas the remedy preparation approaches were in powder form (28.46%), decoction (26.15%), extract (20%) and a paste (11.54%). The quantitative ethnobotanical indices i.e. used value (UV), relative frequency citation (RFC), family importance value (FIV) and Jaccard index (JI) were calculated for all plant species. The used value (UV = 0.04) was found highest for Berberis lyceum, Myrtus communis, Punica granatum and Dodonea viscosa. Similarly, the maximum RFC value of 0.25 was investigated for Foeniculum vulgare and Olea ferruginea each. Besides, the highest FIV of 96.08% and 58.17% values were calculated for the family Lamiaceae and Solanaceae. This study shows that the corresponding area is rich in medicinal plants and could contribute to ethnomedicinal knowledge. The collected data will establish a baseline for the comprehensive investigation of active molecular constituents of the medicinal flora of the area. Soon, the exploration of these medicinal plants could discover new herbal drugs in the field of pharmacology.

Understanding the Antilymphoma Activity of Annona macroprophyllata Donn and Its Acyclic Terpenoids: In Vivo, In Vitro, and In Silico Studies

Annona macroprophyllata Donn (A. macroprophyllata) is used in traditional Mexican medicine for the treatment of cancer, diabetes, inflammation, and pain. In this work, we evaluated the antitumor activity of three acyclic terpenoids obtained from A. macroprophyllata to assess their potential as antilymphoma agents. We identified the terpenoids farnesyl acetate (FA), phytol (PT) and geranylgeraniol (Gg) using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) and spectroscopic (¹H, and ¹³C NMR) methods applied to petroleum ether extract of leaves from A. macroprophyllata (PEAm). We investigated antitumor potential in Balb/c mice inoculated with U-937 cells by assessing brine shrimp lethality (BSL), and cytotoxic activity in these cells. In addition, to assess the potential toxicity of PEAm, FA, PT and Gg in humans, we tested their acute oral toxicity in mice. Our results showed that the three terpenoids exhibited considerable antilymphoma and cytotoxic activity. In terms of lethality, we determined a median lethal dose (LD₅₀) for thirteen isolated products of PEAm. Gg, PT and AF all exhibited a higher lethality with values of 1.41 ± 0.42, 3.03 ± 0.33 and 5.82 ± 0.58 µg mL^-1, respectively. To assess cytotoxic activity against U-937 cells, we calculated the mean cytotoxic concentration (CC₅₀) and found that FA and PT were closer in respect to the control drug methotrexate (MTX, 0.243 ± 0.007 µM). In terms of antilymphoma activity, we found that FA, PT and Gg considerably inhibited lymph node growth, with median effective doses (ED₅₀) of 5.89 ± 0.39, 6.71 ± 0.31 and 7.22 ± 0.51 mg kg^-1 in females and 5.09 ± 0.66, 5.83 ± 0.50 and 6.98 ± 0.57mg kg ^-1 in males, respectively. Regarding acute oral toxicity, we classified all three terpenoids as category IV, indicating a high safety margin for human administration. Finally, in a molecular docking study of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, we found binding of terpenoids to some amino acids of the catalytic site, suggesting an effect upon activity with a resulting decrease in the synthesis of intermediates involved in the prenylation of proteins involved in cancer progression. Our findings suggest that the acyclic terpenoids FA, PT, and Gg may serve as scaffolds for the development of new treatments for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Phytochemical Analysis, Total Phenolic, Flavonoid Contents, and Anticancer Evaluations of Solvent Extracts and Saponins of H. digitata

Cancer is one of the most challenging diseases in the modern era for the researchers and investigators. Extensive research worldwide is underway to find novel therapeutics for prevention and treatment of diseases. The extracted natural sources have shown to be one of the best and effective treatments for cell proliferation and angiogenesis. Different approaches including disc potato model, brine shrimp, and chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay were adopted to analyze the anticancer effects. Habenaria digitata was also evaluated for MTT activity against NIH/3T3 cell line. The dexamethasone, etoposide, and vincristine sulfate were used as a positive control in these assays. All of the extracts including crude extracts (Hd.Cr), saponin (Hd.Sp), n-hexane (Hd.Hx), chloroform (Hd.Chf), ethyl acetate (Hd.EA), and aqueous fraction (Hd.Aq) were shown excellent results by using various assays. For example, saponin and chloroform have displayed decent antitumor and angiogenic activity by using potato tumor assay. The saponin fraction and chloroform were shown to be the most efficient in potato tumor experiment, demonstrating 87.5 and 93.7% tumor suppression at concentration of 1000 μg/ml, respectively, with IC50 values of 25.5 and 18.3 μg/ml. Additionally, the two samples, chloroform and saponins, outperformed the rest of the test samples in terms of antiangiogenic activity, with IC50 28.63 μg/ml and 16.20 μg/ml, respectively. In characterizing all solvent fractions, the chloroform (Hd.Chf) and saponin (Hd.Sp) appeared to display good effectiveness against tumor and angiogenesis but very minimal activity against A. tumefaciens. The Hd.Chf and Hd.Sp have been prospective candidates in the isolation of natural products with antineoplastic properties.

Phytochemical Profiling, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Cholinesterase Inhibitory Effects of Essential Oils Isolated from the Leaves of Artemisia scoparia and Artemisia absinthium

The current studies were focused on the phytochemical profiling of two local wild Artemisia species, Artemisia scoparia and Artemisia absinthium leaves’ essential oils, extracted via the hydro distillation method along with evaluation of their antioxidant as well as antimicrobial effects. The constituents of EOs were identified using a combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) technique. A total of 25 compounds in A. scoparia essential oil (EOAS) were identified, and 14 compounds with percentage abundance of >1% were tabulated, the major being tocopherol derivatives (47.55%). A total of nine compounds in Artemisia absinthium essential oil (EOAA) were enlisted (% age > 1%), the majority being oleic acid derivatives (41.45%). Strong antioxidant effects were pronounced by the EOAS in DPPH (IC50 = 285 ± 0.82 µg/mL) and in ABTS (IC50 = 295 ± 0.32 µg/mL) free radical scavenging assays. Both the EOs remained potent in inhibiting the growth of bacterial species; Escherichia coli (55−70%) and Shigella flexneri (60−75%) however remained moderately effective against Bacillus subtilis as well as Staphylococcus aureus. Both EOAS and EOAA strongly inhibited the growth of the tested fungal species, especially Aspergillus species (up to 70%). The oils showed anti-cholinesterase potential by inhibiting both Acetylcholinesterase (AChE; IC50 = 30 ± 0.04 µg/mL (EOAS), 32 ± 0.05 µg/mL (EOAA) and Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE; IC50 = 34 ± 0.07 µg/mL (EOAS), 36 ± 0.03 µg/mL (EOAA). In conclusion, the essential oils of A. scoparia and A. absinthium are promising antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticholinergic agents with a different phytochemical composition herein reported for the first time.

Optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction of bioactive compounds from coffee pulp using propylene glycol as a solvent and their antioxidant activities

In the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, it has been increasingly popular to use alternative solvents in the extraction of bioactive compounds from plants. Coffee pulp, a by-product of coffee production, contains different phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties. The effects of polyols, amplitude, extraction time, solvent concentration, and liquid-solid ratio on total phenolic content (TPC) using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) were examined by single-factor studies. Three main factors that impact TPC were selected to optimize the extraction conditions for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total tannin content (TTC), and their antioxidant activities using the Box-Behnken design. Different extraction methods were compared, the bioactive compounds were identified and quantified by liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (LC-QQQ), and the cytotoxicity and cellular antioxidant activities of the extract were studied. According to the response model, the optimal conditions for the extraction of antioxidants from coffee pulp were as follows: extraction time of 7.65 min, liquid-solid ratio of 22.22 mL/g, and solvent concentration of 46.71 %. Under optimized conditions, the values of TPC, TFC, TTC, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging assay, and Ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) were 9.29 ± 0.02 mg GAE/g sample, 58.82 ± 1.38 mg QE/g sample, 8.69 ± 0.25 mg TAE/g sample, 7.56 ± 0.27 mg TEAC/g sample, 13.59 ± 0.25 mg TEAC/g sample, and 10.90 ± 0.24 mg FeSO₄/g sample, respectively. Compared with other extraction conditions, UAE with propylene glycol extract (PG-UAE) was significantlyhigher in TPC, TFC, TTC, DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP response values than UAE with ethanol (EtOH-UAE), maceration with propylene glycol (PG-maceration), and maceration with ethanol (EtOH -maceration) (p < 0.05). Major bioactive compounds detected by LC-QQQ included chlorogenic acid, caffeine, and trigonelline. At higher concentrations starting from 5 mg/ml, PG-UAE extract showed higher cell viability than EtOH-UAE in both cytotoxicity and cellular antioxidant assays. The researcher expects that this new extraction technique developed in this work could produce a higher yield of bioactive compounds with higher biological activity. Therefore, they can be used as active ingredients in cosmetics (anti-aging products) and pharmaceutical applications (food supplements, treatment for oxidative stress-related diseases) with minimal use of chemicals and energy.

Underlying Anticancer Mechanisms and Synergistic Combinations of Phytochemicals with Cancer Chemotherapeutics: Potential Benefits and Risks

Cancer therapies are associated with various challenges including the emergence of multidrug resistant tumors, toxicological issues, severe side effects, and economic burden. To counteract these effects, natural products as substitutes and adjuvant therapies have received considerable attention owing to their safety, efficacy, and economic aspects. Various preclinical and clinical studies revealed that natural products and their combinations with chemotherapeutics mediate their anticancer effects via modulation of various signaling pathways implicated in promoting apoptosis, inhibiting excessive cellular proliferation, and mobilizing the immune system. Several lead phytochemicals including curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, and cannabinoids synergistically act with cancer chemotherapeutics reducing cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. However, clinical studies on the subject matter are limited and need further extensive studies. It has been observed that patients undergoing chemotherapy use alternative therapies to ameliorate the symptoms associated with the use of chemotherapeutic agents. Nevertheless, some of the patients inform their physicians regarding herbal medicine during chemotherapy while others do not, and even most of the patients do not know the composition of herbal medicine they consume during chemotherapy. Herbal interactions with chemotherapeutics are associated with both beneficial and harmful aspects, but the beneficial aspect overweighs the harmful ones in terms of controlling the symptoms associated with the chemotherapy. Nonetheless, a large number of herbal medicines have been demonstrated to have synergistic effect with chemotherapy and alleviate the side effects of chemotherapeutic agents. The concomitant use of the majority of herbal medicines with chemotherapy has been demonstrated to be beneficial in multiple malignant tumors like cancer of blood, lungs, kidneys, liver, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. However, herbal medicines which possess positive interaction and improve the quality of life of patients should be sorted out and integrated with the chemotherapy. There should be a quality control system for the appraisal of herbal medicine, and there should also be an appropriate system of patient-doctor communication to counsel the patients regarding the beneficial and deleterious effects of the herbal medicine in combination with chemotherapy.

Antioxidant, Enzyme Inhibitory, and Molecular Docking Approaches to the Antidiabetic Potentials of Bioactive Compounds from Persicaria hydropiper L

Introduction

Natural products are among the most useful sources for the discovery of new drugs against various diseases. Keeping in view the ethnobotanical relevance ethnopharmacological significance of Polygonaceae family in diabetes, the current study was designed to isolate pure compounds from Persicaria hydropiper L. leaves and evaluate their in vitro and in silico antidiabetic potentials.

Methods

Six compounds were isolated from the chloroform-ethyl acetate fractions using gravity column chromatography and were subjected to structure elucidation process. Structures were confirmed using ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, and mass spectrometry techniques. Isolated phytochemicals were subjected to in vitro antidiabetic studies, including α-glucosidase, α-amylase inhibition, and DPPH, and ABTS antioxidant studies. Furthermore, the in silico binding mode of these compounds in the target enzymes was elucidated via MOE-Dock software.

Results

The isolated compounds revealed concentration-dependent inhibitions against α-glucosidase enzyme. Ph-1 and Ph-2 were most potent with 81.84 and 78.79% enzyme inhibitions at 1000 µg·mL⁻¹, respectively. Ph-1 and Ph-2 exhibited IC₅₀s of 85 and 170 µg·mL⁻¹ correspondingly. Likewise, test compounds showed considerable α-amylase inhibitions with Ph-1 and Ph-2 being the most potent. Tested compounds exhibited considerable antioxidant potentials in both DPPH and ABTS assays. Molecular simulation studies also revealed top-ranked confirmations for the majority of the compounds in the target enzymes. Highest observed potent compound was Ph-1 with docking score of −12.4286 and formed eight hydrogen bonds and three H-pi linkages with the Asp 68, Phe 157, Phe 177, Asn 241, Glu 276, His 279, Phe 300, Glu 304, Ser 308, Pro 309, Phe 310, Asp 349, and Arg 439 residues of α-glucosidase binding packets. Asp 68, Glu 276, Asp 349, and Arg 439 formed polar bonds with the 3-ethyl-2-methylpentane moiety of the ligand.

Conclusions

The isolated compounds exhibited considerable antioxidant and inhibitory potentials against vital enzymes implicated in T2DM. The docking scores of the compounds revealed that they exhibit affinity for binding with target ligands. The enzyme inhibition and antioxidant potential of the compounds might contribute to the hypoglycemic effects of the plant and need further studies.

Toxicity, Antioxidant Activity, and Phytochemicals of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Leaves Cultivated in Southern Punjab, Pakistan

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is one of the most common aromatic herbs, a rich source of bioactive compounds, and is used extensively to add aroma and flavor to food. The leaves, both in fresh and dried form, are used as a culinary ingredient in different cultures. O. basilicum is also famous for its therapeutic potential and preservation effects. The present study investigated the cytotoxicity of basil at three different growth stages (GS), i.e., GS-1 (58 days of growth), GS-2 (69 days of growth), and GS-3 (93 days of growth) using the brine shrimp lethality assay. The results revealed that cytotoxicity was influenced by GS and the concentration of extracts. Aqueous extracts of basil at a concentration of 10 to 1000 µg/mL did not show notable toxicity. The lowest mortality rate, i.e., 8.9%, was recorded for GS-2 at the highest tested dose of basil extracts. The mortality rate at GS-1, GS-2, and GS-3 was found to be 26.7 ± 3.34%, 8.91 ± 0.10%, and 16.7 ± 0.34%, respectively, at 1000 µg/mL. GS-2 basil powder with the lowest toxicological risk was extracted with different solvents, viz., n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethanol, and water. The highest concentration of plant secondary metabolites including total phenolic acid, flavonoids, and tannin content was observed in ethanol extracts. Ethanol extracts also exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in DPPH, FRAP and H₂O₂ assays. LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis presented ethanol extracts of basil as a promising source of known health-promoting and therapeutic compounds such as rosmarinic acid, ellagic acid, catechin, liquiritigenin, and umbelliferone. The results suggest basil, a culinary ingredient, as a potential source of bioactive compounds which may offer an array of health promoting and therapeutic properties.

GC-MS Analysis and Various In Vitro and In Vivo Pharmacological Potential of Habenaria plantaginea Lindl

Background. The current study aims to give a scientific origin for employing Habenaria plantaginea Lindl. as a potential candidate against nociception, inflammation, and pyrexia. The pharmacological studies were performed on crude extract and subfractions. In the gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis, a total of 21 compounds were identified. The plant samples were displayed for in vitro anti-inflammatory potentials. The observed IC₅₀ for chloroform against cyclooxygenase-2 and 5-lipoxygenase enzymes was 33.81 and 26.74 μg/mL, respectively. The in vivo activities were prerequisites with the acute toxicity studies. In carrageenan-induced inflammation, the chloroform fraction exhibited 46.15% inhibition similar to that of standard drug diclofenac sodium 47.15%. Likewise, in the acetic acid-induced writhing test, the ethyl acetate fraction displayed 71.42% activity, which was dose-dependent as that of standard drug. In Brewer's yeast-induced antipyretic activity, a significant decrease in rectal volume was observed after 30, 60, and 90 minutes. Moreover, the results of this study indicated that the chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions inhibited nociception, inflammation, and pyrexia dose dependently. Likewise, mechanistic insights indicated that naloxone antagonized the antinociceptive effect of chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions, thereby signifying the involvement of opioidergic mechanisms respectively. These results suggest that these molecules present in this plant have synergistically beneficial potential for the cure and management of analgesia, inflammation, and pyrexia.

Phytochemical Analysis, α-Glucosidase and Amylase Inhibitory, and Molecular Docking Studies on Persicaria hydropiper L. Leaves Essential Oils

Objective

Medicinal plants and essentials oils are well known for diverse biological activities including antidiabetic potential. This study was designed to isolate essential oils from the leaves of Persicaria hydropiper L. (P. hydropiper), perform its phytochemical analysis, and explore its in vitro antidiabetic effects.

Materials and Methods

P. hydropiper leaves essential oils (Ph.Los) were extracted using a hydrodistillation apparatus and were subjected to phytochemical analysis using the gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. Ph.Lo was tested against two vital enzymes including α-glucosidase and α-amylase which are important targets in type-2 diabetes. The identified compounds were tested using in silico approaches for their binding affinities against the enzyme targets using MOE-Dock software.

Results

GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 141 compounds among which dihydro-alpha-ionone, cis-geranylacetone, α-bulnesene, nerolidol, β-caryophyllene epoxide, and decahydronaphthalene were the most abundant compounds. Ph.Lo exhibited considerable inhibitory potential against α-glucosidase enzyme with 70% inhibition at 1000 μg mL⁻¹ which was the highest tested concentration. The inhibitory activity of positive control acarbose was 77.30 ± 0.61% at the same tested concentration. Ph.Lo and acarbose exhibited IC₅₀ of 170 and 18 µg mL⁻¹ correspondingly. Furthermore, dose-dependent inhibitions were observed for Ph.Lo against α-amylase enzyme with an IC₅₀ of 890 μg mL⁻¹. The top-ranked docking conformation was observed for β-caryophyllene epoxide with a docking score of -8.3182 against α-glucosidase, and it has established seven hydrogen bonds and one H-pi interaction at the active site residues (Phe 177, Glu 276, Arg 312, Asp 349, Gln 350, Asp 408, and Arg 439). Majority of the identified compounds fit well in the binding pocket of Tyr 62, Asp 197, Glu 233, Asp 300, His 305, and Ala 307 active residues of α-amylase. β-Caryophyllene epoxide was found to be the most active inhibitor with a docking score of -8.3050 and formed five hydrogen bonds at the active site residues of α-amylase. Asp 197, Glu 233, and Asp 300 active residues were observed to be making polar interactions with the ligand.

Conclusions

The current study revealed that Ph.Lo is rich in bioactive metabolites which might contribute to its enzyme inhibitory potential. Inhibition of these enzymes is the key target in reducing postprandial hyperglycemia. However, further detailed in vivo studies are required for their biological and therapeutic activities.

HPLC-DAD phenolics analysis, α-glucosidase, α-amylase inhibitory, molecular docking and nutritional profiles of Persicaria hydropiper L

BACKGROUND

Natural phenolic compounds and Phenolics-rich medicinal plants are also of great interest in the management of diabetes. The current study was aimed to analyze phenolics in P. hydropiepr L extracts via HPLC-DAD analysis and assess their anti-diabetic potentials using in-vitro and in-silico approaches.

METHODS

Plant crude methanolic extract (Ph.Cme) was evaluated for the presence of phenolic compounds using HPLC-DAD analysis. Subsequently, samples including crude (Ph.Cr), hexane (Ph.Hex), chloroform (Ph.Chf), ethyl acetate (Ph.EtAc), butanol (Ph.Bt), aqueous (Ph.Aq) and saponins (Ph.Sp) were tested for α-glucsidase and α-amylase inhibitory potentials and identified compounds were docked against these target enzymes using Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) software. Fractions were also analyzed for the nutritional contents and acute toxicity was performed in animals.

RESULTS

In HPLC-DAD analysis of Ph.Cme, 24 compounds were indentfied and quantified. Among these, Kaemferol-3-(p-coumaroyl-diglucoside)-7-glucoside (275.4 mg g- 1), p-Coumaroylhexose-4-hexoside (96.5 mg g- 1), Quercetin-3-glucoronide (76.0 mg g- 1), 4-Caffeoylquinic acid (58.1 mg g- 1), Quercetin (57.9 mg g- 1), 5,7,3'-Trihydroxy-3,6,4',5'-tetramethoxyflavone (55.5 mg g- 1), 5-Feruloylquinic acid (45.8 mg g- 1), Cyanidin-3-glucoside (26.8 mg g- 1), Delphinidin-3-glucoside (24 mg g- 1), Quercetin-3-hexoside (20.7 mg g- 1) were highly abundant compounds. In α-glucosidase inhibition assay, Ph.Sp were most effective with IC50 value of 100 μg mL-1. Likewise in α-amylase inhibition assay, Ph.Chf, Ph.Sp and Ph.Cme were most potent fractions displayed IC50 values of 90, 100 and 200 μg mL-1 respectively. Docking with the α-glucosidase enzyme revealed top ranked conformations for majority of the compounds with Kaemferol-3-(p-coumaroyl-diglucoside)-7-glucoside as the most active compound with docking score of - 19.80899, forming 14 hydrogen bonds, two pi-H and two pi-pi linkages with the Tyr 71, Phe 158, Phe 177, Gln 181, Arg 212, Asp 214, Glu 276, Phe 300, Val 303, Tyr 344, Asp 349, Gln 350, Arg 439, and Asp 408 residues of the enzyme. Likewise, docking with α-amylase revealed that most of the compounds are well accommodated in the active site residues (Trp 59, Tyr 62, Thr 163, Leu 165, Arg 195, Asp 197, Glu 240, Asp 300, His 305, Asp 356) of the enzyme and Cyanidin-3-rutinoside displayed most active compound with docking score of - 15.03757.

CONCLUSIONS

Phytochemical studies revealed the presence of highly valuable phenolic compounds, which might be responsible for the anti-diabetic potentials of the plant samples.

Chemical diversity analysis and biological activities evaluation of different polyphenolic extracts of Marrubium deserti De Noé from Algeria

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Marrubium deserti De Noé (Lamiaceae) commonly known as desert horehound, is a small perennial herb distributed in arid climates. This plant has been used in Algeria for the treatment of cold, cough, fever and inflammation.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to perform a phytochemical analysis and to evaluate the effect of diethyl ether (ExDiEth), n-butanol (ExBut) and hydroalcoholic (ExHyD) extracts of the aerial parts of M. deserti De Noé on inflammation, nociceptive response and fever in animal models.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The total phenolic content and the different phenolic fraction (flavones-flavonols, free aglycones, anthocyanidins, C-glycosides and flavonic heterosides) were quantified in order to study the chemical diversity. The anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated using carrageenan-induced paw oedema test and the nociceptive response was determined by the chemical method using acetic acid-induced writhing response and formalin-induced paw licking tests and by the thermal method using the hot plate in mice. In addition, anti-fever was investigated using yeast-induced pyrexia in rats.

RESULTS

Quantitative analysis revealed that among all extracts, ExBut had a higher phenolic content and the aerial parts of M. deserti De Noé collected from two different sites (Biskra and Tamanresset) had a significant difference in the contents of flavonic heterosids and flavones-flavonols. PCA and CA showed a strong intra-specific variability of M. deserti De Noé individuals. Our results showed that the ExDiEth, ExBut and ExHyD treatments prevented the increase of paw oedema by 56.25%, 66.65% and 45.56% inhibition percent, respectively. Moreover, treatments with these extracts significantly (p<0.05) decreased the number of writhing and increased the reaction time to thermal stimulation as well as demonstrated reduction in paw licking time both at early and late phases. Likewise, they also showed a significant reduction of yeast-induced pyrexia till 4 h of treatment.

CONCLUSION

Results from this study show that M. deserti De Noé aerial parts exhibited anti-inflammatory, analgesic with central and peripheral actions and antipyretic activities which could be associated with the presence of some phytochemicals as flavones, flavonols, flavonic heterosids and phenolic acids.

Neuroprotective potentials of selected natural edible oils using enzyme inhibitory, kinetic and simulation approaches

BACKGROUND

Edible oils have proven health benefits in the prevention and treatment of various disorders since the establishment of human era. This study was aimed to appraise neuropharmacological studies on the commonly used edible oils including Cinnamomum verum (CV), Zingiber officinale (ZO) and Cuminum cyminum (CC).

METHODS

The oils were analyzed via GC-MS for identifications of bioactive compounds. Anti-radicals capacity of the oils were evaluated via 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radicals scavenging assays. The samples were also tested against two important acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) which are among the important drug targets in Alzheimer's disease. Lineweaver-Burk plots were constructed for enzyme inhibition studies which correspond to velocity of enzymes (Vmax) against the reciprocal of substrate concentration (Km) in the presence of test samples and control drugs following Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Docking studies on AChE target were also carried out using Molecular Operating Environment (MOE 2016.0802) software.

RESULTS

(Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry GC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of thirty-four compounds in Cinnamon oil (Cv.Eo), fourteen in ginger oil (Zo.Eo) and fifty-six in cumin oil (Cc.Eo). In the antioxidant assays, Cv.Eo, Zo.Eo and Cc.Eo exhibited IC50 values of 85, 121, 280 μg/ml sequentially against DPPH radicals. Whereas, in ABTS assay, Cv.Eo, Zo.Eo and Cc.Eo showed considerable anti-radicals potentials with IC50 values of 93, 77 and 271 μg/ml respectively. Furthermore, Cv.Eo was highly active against AChE enzyme with IC50 of 21 μg/ml. Zo.Eo and Cc.Eo exhibited considerable inhibitory activities against AChE with IC50 values of 88 and 198 μg/ml respectively. In BChE assay, Cv.Eo, Zo.Eo and Cc.Eo exhibited IC50 values of 106, 101 and 37 μg/ml respectively. Our results revealed that these oils possess considerable antioxidant and cholinesterase inhibitory potentials. As functional foods these oils can be effective remedy for the prevention and management of neurological disorders including AD. Synergistic effect of all the identified compounds was determined via binding energy values computed through docking simulations. Binding orientations showed that all the compounds interact with amino acid residues present in the peripheral anionic site (PAS) and catalytic anionic site (CAS) amino acid residues, oxyanion hole and acyl pocket via π-π stacking interactions and hydrogen bond interactions.

An Update on Phytochemicals and Pharmacological Activities of the Genus Persicaria and Polygonum

The discovery of new pharmaceutical identities, particularly anti-infective agents, represents an urgent need due to the increase in immunocompromised patients and the ineffectiveness/toxicity of the drugs currently used. The scientific community has recognized in the last decades the importance of the plant kingdom as a huge source of novel molecules which could act against different type of infections or illness. However, the great diversity of plant species makes it difficult to select them with probabilities of success, adding to the fact that existing information is difficult to find, it is atomized or disordered. Persicaria and Polygonum constitute two of the main representatives of the Polygonaceae family, which have been extensively used in traditional medicine worldwide. Important and structurally diverse bioactive compounds have been isolated from these genera of wild plants; among them, sesquiterpenes and flavonoids should be remarked. In this article, we firstly mention all the species reported with pharmacological use and their geographical distribution. Moreover, a number of tables which summarize an update detailing the type of natural product (extract or isolated compound), applied doses, displayed bioassays and the results obtained for the main bioactivities of these genera cited in the literature during the past 40 years. Antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, anticancer, antiviral, antiparasitic, anti-diabetic, antipyretic, hepatoprotective, diuretic, gastroprotective and neuropharmacological activities were explored and reviewed in this work, concluding that both genera could be the source for upcoming molecules to treat different human diseases.

Cytotoxicity, anti-angiogenic, anti-tumor and molecular docking studies on phytochemicals isolated from Polygonum hydropiper L

BACKGROUND

According to the recent global cancer statistics, breast cancer is the leading cause of deaths among women with 2.3 million new cases globally. Likewise, cervical cancer is also among the leading causes of mortality among women. Polygonum hydropiper is traditionally known for its cytotoxic effects and several bioactive cytotoxic compounds were isolated from it. This study was aimed to isolate potential anticancer compounds from its most potent fractions and evaluate their anticancer potentials.

METHODS

Based on our earlier studies, active fractions including chloroform and ethyl acetate were subjected to column chromatography for isolation of compounds. Chemical structures of isolated compounds were confirmed via 1H NMR, 13C NMR, mass spectrometry. Purified compounds were tested for cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells (MCF-7), cervical cancer cells (HeLA) and NIH/3T3 fibroblasts cells cultures using MTT assy. Anti-angiogenic potentials of isolated compounds were evaluated via chorioallantoic membrane assay. Anti-tumor studies were done using Agrobacterium tumefaciens induced potato tumor assay. Furthermore, to understand the binding modes of Isolated compounds, molecular docking was performed against EGFR, HER2 and VEGFR using MOE as docking software.

RESULTS

Two bioactive compounds PH-1 (4-methyl-5-oxo-tetrahydrofuran-3-yl acetate) and PH-2 (methyl 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoate) were purified from the active fractions. In cytotoxicity studies, PH-1 exhibited highest cytotoxicity against HeLA cells with 87.50% lethality at 1 mgmL-1 concentration and LD50 of 60 µgmL-1. Likewise, PH-2 showed 82.33% cytotoxicity against HeLA cells with LD50 of 160 µgmL-1. Similarly, PH-1 and PH-2 exhibited LD50 of 170 and 380 µgmL-1 respectively. Moreover, PH-1 and PH-2 were also very potent cytotoxic compounds against NIH/3T3 cells with 81.45 and 85.55% cytotoxicity at 1 mgL-1 concentration and LD50 of 140 and 58 µgL-1 respectively. Isolated compounds exhibited considerable anti-angiogenic potentials with IC50 of 340 and 500 µgL-1 respectively for PH-1 and PH-2. In anti-tumor assay, PH-1 and PH-2 exhibited 81.15 and 76.09% inhibitions with LD50 of 340 and 550 µgL-1 respectively. Both compounds selectively binds with EGFR and HER2 receptors with low binding energies. Both compounds exhibited stronger interactions with VEGFR through binding pocket residues Lys868, Val916 and Asp1046.

CONCLUSIONS

Both compounds cause considerable cytotoxicity against cancer cells. The anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor results suggests additional tumor suppressive properties. Docking analysis suggests that these compound not only has the ability to bind to EGFR and HER2 but also equally binds to VEGFR and may act as potential anti-angiogenic agents.

Wild mushrooms showed analgesic and cytotoxic properties along with phytoconstituent's binding affinity to COX-1, COX-2 and cytochrome P450 2C9

This study was designed to evaluate the cytotoxic and analgesic potential of methanol extracts of five wild mushrooms available in the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. The acetic acid-induced writhing method was used for the analgesic activity, while cytotoxicity was tested using brine shrimp lethality bioassay. In silico molecular docking and ADME/T study have been employed by using Schrodinger v11.1, BIOVIA Discovery Studio 2020 and online tool (AdmeSAR) respectively. The methanol extracts of Daldinia concentrica, Trametes lactinea, Fomitopsis cajanderi and Daedaleopsis confragosa exhibited a significant (p < 0.001) decrease in the number of writhing when compared to the control group. Except for Lentinus squarrosulus at 200 mg/kg body weight, the remaining mushroom extracts showed equal to or above 50 % inhibition of writhing. Daldinia concentrica showed the lowest LC50 values with 0.63 μg/mL, while Daedaleopsis confragosa showed the highest LC50 values of 2.33 μg/mL, indicating decisive cytotoxic action all mushrooms extracts. Considering the secondary metabolites, daldinan A and fomlactone A were found the most promising myco-compounds in analgesic and cytotoxic molecular docking studies. Besides, all the selected metabolites meet the rule of Lipinski's drug-likeliness. These results concluded that each mushroom extracts except Lentinus squarrosulus possess a potential analgesic. All the mushroom extracts embrace a promising cytotoxic activity that may guide the progress of a new drug.

Investigation of Photoprotective, Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant Capacities and LC-ESI-MS Phenolic Profile of Astragalus gombiformis Pomel

Plant-derived compounds have recently been gaining popularity as skincare factors due to their ability to absorb ultraviolet radiations and their anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. In this light, this work aimed to evaluate in vitro the pharmacological activities of the butanolic extract prepared from the aerial parts of Astragalus gombiformis Pomel, an endemic species to southern Algeria. The sun protection factor was used to assess the photoprotective effect (SPF), the protein denaturation method to determine the anti-inflammatory activity, and brine shrimp nauplii and OxHLIA assay, respectively, to assess the cytotoxicity and antioxidant capacity of A. gombiformis. In addition, LC–ESI–MS analysis was employed for the characterization of the phenolic constituents of A. gombiformis. The results showed that A. gombiformis had high capacity for absorbing UV radiations with an SPF of 37.78 ± 0.85 and significant anti-inflammatory activity with a percentage inhibition of 75.38% which is close to that of diclofenac and ketoprofen. In addition, A. gombiformis was found to have effective cytotoxicity against Artemia nauplii with a DC50 value of about 44.7 µg/mL, but a weak hemolytic effect against human erythrocytes. LC–ESI–MS results detected the presence of 17 phenolic compounds with a predominance of cirsiliol, silymarin, quercitrin (quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside), and kaempferol. Taken together, these results suggest that A. gombiformis extract could be used as a skincare agent in cosmetic formulations, providing excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection, allowing the treatment of skin conditions, as well as a pharmaceutical agent with multidimensional applications.

Effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles on antioxidants, chlorophyll contents, and proline in Persicaria hydropiper L. and its potential for Pb phytoremediation

Applications of nanoparticles and plants for efficient restoration of heavy metal-polluted water and soil are an emerging approach and need to be explored. Hydroponic study was performed to find the role of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in plant growth, antioxidative response, and lead (Pb) accumulation in Persicaria hydropiper. Seedlings were grown in Pb-polluted media amended with 5, 10, 15, and 20 mg L^-1 ZnO NPs. Inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP) was used for Pb analysis in plant tissues. Pb significantly inhibited seedling growth, and ZnO NPs alleviated Pb-induced stress by promoting plant growth, and improved chlorophyll and carotenoid contents. Oxidative stress ameliorated in ZnO NPs exposed seedlings through enhanced production of free proline, phenolics, flavonoids, and activation of antioxidative enzymes. Pb accumulation boosted in ZnO NP treatments, and highly significant increase in Pb accumulation in roots (255.60±4.80 mg kg^-1), stem (124.07±2.84 mg kg^-1), and leaves (92.00±3.22 mg kg^-1) was observed in T3 (15 mg L^-1 ZnO NPs) for P. hydropiper. Contrarily, ZnO NPs at 20 mg L^-1 dose suppressed plant growth, Pb accumulation, secondary metabolites, and antioxidative enzyme activities. Moreover, positive correlation was found in Pb accumulation with free proline and secondary metabolite contents in plant tissues. These results suggest that ZnO NPs at optimum concentration may augment efficacy of plants to remove heavy metal from polluted water through nanophytoremediation.

Analysis of Peganum harmala, Melia azedarach and Morus alba extracts against six lethal human cancer cells and oxidative stress along with chemical characterization through advance Fourier Transform and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopic methods towards green chemotherapeutic agents

Traditional medicines implicate consumption of plant crude extracts, which may consist of extensive phytochemical diversity. Overall, the most biologically active extract of Peganum harmala (seeds) exhibited significant cytotoxic activity on Artemia salina with LC50 value of 61.547 µg/mL, while P. harmala (roots) [LC50 = 124.229 µg/mL] and M. azedarach (fruits) [LC50 = 147.813 µg/mL] showed moderate cytotoxic potential. P. harmala (seeds) extract also showed the maximum antitumor potential with 52.278 µg/mL LC50. Branches of P. harmala and Morus alba were not active in both bioassays. These outcomes were further reinforced by the levels of phenolics and flavonoids checked against gallic acid and quercetin equivalents, respectively, by standard curves. Current study aims to isolate, structurally characterize and analyze the bioactive compound from plant extracts by using chromatographic and spectrophotometric techniques. Bioactivity guided isolation of extracts led to the isolation of PH-HM-16 from ethyl acetate fraction P. harmala seeds. Chemical structure of PH-HM-16 was elucidated by ESI-MS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, HSQC and IR spectrum. The results demonstrated significant positive anticancer activities against six human cancer cell lines assessed through MTT cancer cell growth inhibition assay. PH-HM-16 was most effective against prostate cancer cell lines [IC50 = 17.63 µg/mL] followed by breast cancer cell line MCF7 [IC50 value of 41.81 µg/mL]. IC50 value of PH-HM-16 against human myeloid leukemia cell line HL-60 and human colorectal tumor cells HCT-116 was observed as 68.77 µg/mL and 71.54 µg/mL respectively. The IC 50 value of PH-HM-16 compound was not significant against human gastric cancer SGC-7901 (111.89 µg/mL) and human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line A549 (176.04 µg/mL). Isolated bioactive metabolite PH-HM-16 possesses significant antitumor potential so this could be the first step to develop an effective anticancer agent. Hence, this compound represents a promising potential to be chemically standardized or developed into pharmaceuticals for the chemoprevention and/or the treatment of certain types of cancer, especially as adjuvant phytotherapeutics in conventional chemotherapy.

Heavy metals analysis, GCMS-QP quantification of flavonoids, amino acids and saponins, analysis of tannins and organoleptic properties of powder and tincture of Echinacea purpurea (L.) and Rhapónticum carthamoídes

Medicinal plants are one of the main sources of vitamins, minerals salts, macro-and microelements, and other biologically active substances that have a health and protective effect on the human body. The current study was aimed to appraise the heavy metals contents in the powder materials of two medicinally important plants Echinacea purpurea (L.)  and Rhapónticum carthamoídes collected from the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Flavonoids, saponins, amino acid contents quantification were done both in raw materials as well as tincture prepared from both plants via GCMS-QP 2010 Ultra chromatomass spectrometer. Further, tannins concentrations and organoleptic properties of the tincture were elucidated using previously reported standard procedures. In the current study, the concentrations of heavy metals were within the permitted range i.e. lead (0.0027 mg.100g-1), cadmium (0.00012 mg.100g-1), arsenic (ND), mercury (ND). In the crude powder, flavonoids were observed to be in the highest concentration in E. purpurea (L.) (5.5 ±0.20 mg.100g-1), whereas, its concentration was 3.1 ±0.346 mg.100g-1 in R. carthamoídes powder. Tannin concentration was higher in R. carthamoídes (5.5 ±0.115 mg.100g-1) and 3.1 ±0.46 mg.100g-1 in E. purpurea. Likewise, saponins concentrations were 4.1 ±0.40 mg.100g-1 and 5.6 ±0.17 mg.100g-1 in E. purpurea and R. carthamoídes powder respectively. Concentrations of these active metabolites in the resultant tincture were flavonoids (7.6 ±0.23), tannins (7.5  ±0.28), and saponins (8.5 ±0.16) mg.100g-1. In the current study, we observed highest concentrations of these essential amino acids in the tincture including leucine/isoleucine (78.00 ±1.15 mg.100g-1), histidine (14.00 ±1.44 mg.100g-1), lysine (49.33 ±2.02 mg.100g-1), methionine (18.66 ±2.90 mg.100g-1), cystine (29.00 ±0.57 mg.100g-1), phenylalanine (24.16 ±1.87 mg.100g-1) and threonine (32.50 ±1.22 mg.100g-1) respectively. The resultant tincture has a pleasant agreeable taste coupled with acceptable herbal flavor which are important organoleptic properties for any product.

Chemical composition, in vitro antioxidant, anticholinesterase, and antidiabetic potential of essential oil of Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb

Background

Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb. (autumn olive) is a high valued medicinal plant. It belongs to Elaeagnaceae family and is widely distributed in Himalayan regions of Pakistan. In the present study essential oil were extracted from the fruit of this plant and their antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antidiabetic potentials were also evaluated.

Methods

Essential oils were extracted from the fruit of E. umbellata using hydro-distillation method and were characterized by GC-MS. The extracted oil were tested for its antioxidant, anticholinesterase, and antidiabetic potentials using standard protocols.

Results

About 68 compounds were identified by GC-MS. The extracted oil exhibited a fairly high free radical scavenging activities against DPPH and ABTS radicals with IC₅₀ values of 70 and 105 μg/mL respectively (for ascorbic acid, used as standard, the IC₅₀ values were 32 and 29 μg/mL, respectively against the mentioned radicals). The essential oil also exhibited anticholinesterase activities with IC₅₀ values of 48 and 90 μg/mL respectively against AChE and BChE (for galantamine used as standard, the IC₅₀ values were 25 and 30 μg/mL respectively). The essential oil also exhibited antidiabetic potential with IC₅₀ values of 120 and 110 μg/mL respectively against α-glucosidase and α-amylase (IC₅₀ values for standard acarbose = 28 and 30 μg/mL respectively).

Conclusion

Essential oil extracted from the fruits of E. umbellata exhibited reasonable antioxidant, anticholinesterase, and antidiabetic potentials that could be used as alternative medicine in treating diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders. However, further studies are needed to isolate responsible compounds and evaluate the observed potential in animal models.

Graphical abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12906-021-03228-y.

Synthesis, crystal structure and Hirshfeld Surface analysis of benzamide derivatives of thiourea as potent inhibitors of α-glucosidase in-vitro

Benzamide based structural analogues 1-15 were synthesized, and evaluated for α-glucosidase inhibition activity in vitro for the first time. Compounds 1-9 were found to be known, while compounds 10-15 were found to be new. However, to the best of our knowledge we are reporting α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of these bezamide derivatives of thiourea for the first time. Compounds 1, 3, 6-8, 10-14 were found to be potent inhibitors of α-glucosidase within IC₅₀ range of 20.44-333.41 µM, in comparison to the standard inhibitor, acarbose (IC₅₀ = 875.75 ± 2.08 µM). Mode of the enzyme inhibition was determined on the basis of kinetic studies which demonstrated that compounds 8, and 10 were non-competitive and competitive inhibitors of α-glucosidase enzyme, respectively. These compounds were also evaluated for their DPPH radical scavenging activity, and cytotoxicity against 3T3 mouse fibroblast cell lines. All synthesized compounds showed a significant to moderate DPPH radical scavenging activity and appeared to be non-cytotoxic except compound 9 which showed cytotoxicity against 3T3 normal mouse fibroblast cell lines. A single crystal X-ray and Hirshfeld Surface analysis of a representative compound is also presented.

Bioactivity-Oriented Purification of Polyphenols from Cinnamomum cassia Presl. with Anti-Proliferation Effects on Colorectal Cancer Cells

Cinnamomum cassia Presl. (CCP) is a popular natural spice possessing various pharmacological properties. We obtained polyphenol-rich fraction (CCP-P) from CCP by bioactivity-oriented purification method and evaluated its Wnt signaling inhibition activity. Firstly, the phenolic components were identified as the main bioactive compounds with anti-colorectal cancer activity. Then, we compared the anti-colorectal cancer activity of CCP extract obtained from different solvent by cell morphology alteration and EdU assay. Ethanol extract showed higher antiproliferative activity compared to water extract on HCT116 cells, with proliferating cells reducing to 41.12 and 21.83% at 156.00 μg GAE/mL, respectively. Next, separation and enrichment of polyphenols from ethanol extract was performed on AB-8 macroporous resins under optimal conditions. Further evaluation of the CCP-P bioactivity revealed that it exerted more potent antiproliferative activity on RKO and HCT116 cells, showing higher selectivity for Wnt-dependent colorectal cancer cells (CRCs). Ten major polyphenols were identified in the CCP-P by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. In summary, this study presents evidence that CCP-derived polyphenols are promising potential candidates as functional food ingredients against CRC.

Methyl Palmitate-A suitable adjuvant for Sorafenib therapy to reduce in vivo toxicity and to enhance anti-cancer effects on hepatocellular carcinoma cells

This study focused on evaluating the potency of Methyl Palmitate in reducing in vivo toxicity with enhancement of anti-cancer effects of Sorafenib. In vitro anti-cancer effects on human Hep-G2 cell line were analysed by MTT, Trypan blue, clonogenic, wound scratch migration and TUNEL assays. An in vivo study for anti-angiogenesis effect, toxicity and teratogenicity was analysed in Zebrafish embryos. The combination of Sorafenib (4.5 µmol/L) with Methyl Palmitate (3 mmol/L) significantly enhanced anti-cancer effects on Hep-G2 cell line by increasing cytotoxicity (P ≤ .05 in MTT assay; P ≤ .01 in Trypan blue assay), apoptosis (P ≤ .05) and decreasing the metastatic migration (P ≤ .01) than Sorafenib alone treatment. A prominent inhibition of angiogenesis in vivo was observed for combination treatment. At 5 dpf, only <20% toxicity was observed for 3 mmol/L Methyl palmitate while it was 65.75% for Sorafenib treatment which implies that it is a safer dose for in vivo treatments. A highly significant (P ≤ .001) reduction (43.20%) in toxicity was observed in combination treatment. Thus, the Sorafenib-Methyl Palmitate combination showed a promising treatment effect with significantly reduced in vivo toxicity when compared with Sorafenib alone treatment, and hence the Methyl Palmitate may serve as a good adjuvant for Sorafenib therapy.

Evaluation of Alpha-Amylase Inhibitory, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Potential and Phytochemical Contents of Polygonum hydropiper L

Polygonum hydropiper L. is a traditionally used medicinal plant. The present study was designed to explore the α-amylase inhibitory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of Polygonum hydropiper L. Polarity-based solvent extracts (n-hexane, acetone, chloroform, methanol, ethanol, and water) of Polygonum hydropiper leaves and stem were used. Antioxidant activity was assessed by free radical scavenging assay (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity methods. Quantitative phytochemical analyses suggested that the stem of Polygonum hydropiper L. contains higher levels of bioactive compounds than its leaves (p < 0.05). The results suggested that stem-derived extracts of Polygonum hydropiper L. are more active against bacterial species, including two Gram-positive and three Gram-negative strains. Moreover, our results showed that the bioactive compounds of Polygonum hydropiper L. significantly inhibit α-amylase activity. Finally, we reported the polarity-based solvent extracts of Polygonum hydropiper L. and revealed that the stem, rather than leaves, has a high antioxidant potential as measured by FRAP and DPPH assay with IC₅₀ values of 1.38 and 1.59 mg/mL, respectively. It may also be deducted from the data that the Polygonum hydropiper L. could be a significant candidate, which should be subjected to further isolation and characterization, to be used as an antidiabetic, antimicrobial and antioxidant resource in many industries, like food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

Potential Role of Plant Extracts and Phytochemicals Against Foodborne Pathogens

Foodborne diseases are one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality, especially in low-income countries with poor sanitation and inadequate healthcare facilities. The foremost bacterial pathogens responsible for global outbreaks include Salmonella species, Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Shigella sp., Vibrio, Listeria monocytogenes and Clostridium botulinum. Among the viral and parasitic pathogens, norovirus, hepatitis A virus, Giardia lamblia, Trichinella spiralis, Toxoplasma and Entamoeba histolytica are commonly associated with foodborne diseases. The toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens also cause these infections. The currently available therapies for these infections are associated with various limited efficacy, high cost and side-effects. There is an urgent need for effective alternative therapies for the prevention and treatment of foodborne diseases. Several plant extracts and phytochemicals were found to be highly effective to control the growth of these pathogens causing foodborne infections in in vitro systems. The present review attempts to provide comprehensive scientific information on major foodborne pathogens and the potential role of phytochemicals in the prevention and treatment of these infections. Further detailed studies are necessary to evaluate the activities of these extracts and phytochemicals along with their mechanism of action using in vivo models.

Pharmacological Evaluation of Aldehydic-Pyrrolidinedione Against HCT-116, MDA-MB231, NIH/3T3, MCF-7 Cancer Cell Lines, Antioxidant and Enzyme Inhibition Studies

Purpose

The current work was designed to synthesize a bioactive derivative of succinimide and evaluate it for anti-Alzheimer, anticancer and anti-diabetic potentials.

Methods

The compound was synthesized by Michael addition of butyraldehyde with N-phenylmaleimide. The synthesized compound was screened for biological potentials including anti-cholinesterase, in-vitro anti-diabetic, antioxidant and anthelmintic potentials. The anti-cholinesterase potential was evaluated against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), anti-diabetic potential against α-glucosidase, antioxidant potential against ABTS, DPPH and H₂O₂ and anthelmintic potential against Perethima posthuma and Ascaridia galli respectively.

Results

The compound demonstrated significant AChE and BChE inhibition i.e., 71.34±1.92 and 73.42 ±1.92 at the concentration of 1000 µg/mL respectively. Other dilutions exhibited concentration-dependent inhibitory activity against both enzymes. In the MTT assay, the newly synthesized compound was found active against all of the cell lines viz, HCT-116, MDA-MB231, NIH/3T3 and MCF-7 and the highest cytotoxicity potential was observed against the colon cancer cell line (HCT-116) with an IC₅₀ value of 78 µg/mL exhibiting its highest potential. Moreover, the compound exhibited prominent α-glucosidase inhibitory potentials (79.86±2.54% at 1000 µg/mL) with IC₅₀ value of 156.23 µg/mL. Further, our test compound exhibited considerable scavenging activity against DPPH, ABTS and H₂O₂ free radicals with percent inhibitions of 75.84±1.58, 72.85±1.17 and 54.82±1.82 and IC₅₀ values of 84.36, 139.74 and 752.21 µg/mL respectively. Our test sample exhibited significant anthelmintic potentials. It demonstrated significant paralysis and death of the test worms in an unbelievably short time in comparison with albendazole.

Conclusion

Going into the detail of all observations, it may be deduced that the newly synthesized succinimide derivative could be an important drug candidate against neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus and worms. Further detailed studies in animal models are required for in-vivo analysis of the compound.

Alkaloid extract of Corydalis yanhusuo inhibits angiogenesis via targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor signaling

Background

Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang (YHS) is a well-known Chinese flowering herbal plant commonly used for centuries in functional food and traditional Chinese medicine. In the present study, we have identified and characterized a novel inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) with low toxicity, alkaloid extract of YHS, which suppressed angiogenesis that plays a fundamental role in a wide spectrum of physiological functions and pathological processes.

Methods

Proliferative ability of human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) was assessed using MTT assay and Ki67 immunofluorescence staining. Migration ability of HUVECs was evaluated by wound healing and transwell assays. In vitro angiogenesis was tested by spheroid sprouting and tube formation assays. In vivo vascularization was examined using Matrigel plug and chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) models. Protein expression and phosphorylation levels of VEGFR2, AKT, ERK and STAT3 were determined by Western blot assay.

Results

We demonstrated that alkaloid extract of YHS significantly inhibited a variety of VEGF-induced angiogenesis processes including proliferation, migration, sprouting, and tube formation of HUVECs. Moreover, alkaloid extract of YHS contributed to reduced in vivo neo-vessel formation in Matrigel plugs of mice and CAM models. Further mechanistic studies revealed that alkaloid extract of YHS suppressed VEGF-induced signaling pathway as evaluated by diminished phosphorylation of VEGFR2 and subsequently attenuated its downstream regulators including phospho-ERK1/2, phospho-AKT and phospho-STAT3 levels in HUVECs.

Conclusion

Collectively, these preclinical findings indicate that alkaloid extract of YHS remarkably limits angiogenesis and may serve as a promising anti-angiogenic drug candidate.

Phytochemical Analysis, Ephedra Procera C. A. Mey. Mediated Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles, Their Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Potentials

Background and Objectives: The current study focuses on an eco-friendly and cost-effective method of Ephedra procera C. A. Mey. mediated green synthesis of silver nanoparticles as potential cytotoxic, antimicrobial and anti-oxidant agents. Materials and Methods: Plant aqueous extracts were screened for Total Phenolic (TPC), Total Flavonoid contents (TFC), Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging potentials. Total reducing power estimated by potassium ferricyanide colorimetric assay. The biosynthesized E. procera nanoparticles (EpNPs) were characterized by UV-spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction and Scanning electron microscopy. EpNPs were evaluated for their antimicrobial, bio-compatibility and cytotoxic potentials. Results: Initial phytocheimcal analysis of plant aqueous extract revealed TFC of 20.7 ± 0.21 µg/mg extract and TPC of 117.01 ± 0.78 µg/mg extract. TAC, DPPH free radical scavenging and reducing power were 73.8 ± 0.32 µg/mg extract, 71.8 ± 0.73% and 105.4 ± 0.65 µg/mg extract respectively. The synthesized EpNPs were observed to possess high cytotoxicity against HepG2 cancer cell lines with IC₅₀ (61.3 µg/mL) as compared aqueous extract with IC₅₀ of (247 µg/mL). EpNPs were found to be biocompatible and have less effect on human erythrocytes. EpNPs exhibited significant antioxidant potentials and exhibited considerable activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MICs) of 11.12 μg/mL and 11.33 μg/mL respectively. Fungal species Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus were found susceptible to EpNPs. Conclusions: Results of the current study revealed that EpNPs exhibited considerable antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic potentials. Aqueous extract possesses significant anti-radical properties and thus can be useful in free radicals induced degenerative disorders.

Benzoic Acid Derivatives of Ifloga spicata (Forssk.) Sch.Bip. as Potential Anti-Leishmanial against Leishmania tropica

This study aimed to appraise the anti-leishmanial potentials of benzoic acid derivatives, including methyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate (compound 1) and octadecyl benzoate (compound 2), isolated from the ethnomedicinally important plant Ifloga spicata (I. spicata). Chemical structures were elucidated via FT-IR, mass spectrometry, and multinuclear (1H and 13C) NMR spectroscopy. Anti-leishmanial potentials of the compounds were assessed using Leishmania tropica promastigotes. Moreover, acridine orange fluorescent staining was performed to visualize the apoptosis-associated changes in promastigotes under a fluorescent microscope. A SYTOX assay was used to check rupturing of Leishmania promastigote cell membranes using 0.1% Triton X-100 as positive control. A DNA interaction assay was carried out to assess DNA attachment potential. AutoDock software was used to check the binding affinity of compounds with surface enzyme leishmanolysin gp63 (1LML). Both compounds exhibited considerable anti-leishmanial potential, with LD50 values of 10.40 ± 0.09 and 14.11 ± 0.11 μg/mL for compound 1 and compound 2, respectively. Both compounds showed higher binding affinity with the leishmanolysin (gp63) receptor/protease of Leishmania, as assessed using computational analysis. The binding scores of compounds 1 and 2 with target gp63 were −5.3 and −5.6, respectively. The attachment of compounds with this receptor resulted in their entry into the cell where they bound with Leishmania DNA, causing apoptosis. The results confirmed that the investigated compounds have anti-leishmanial potential and are potential substitutes as natural anti-leishmanial agents against L. tropica.

Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt ameliorates high glucose-induced renal fibrosis and inflammation via the TGF-β1/SMADS/AMPK/NF-κB pathways

BACKGROUND

Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt is an ethnomedicine widely used in Xinjiang, China. It is consumed as a herbal tea by local Uyghur people to treat high blood pressure and diarrhea. Our previous study confirmed that the ethyl acetate extract of Coreopsis tinctoria (AC) had a protective effect on diabetic nephropathy (DN) in an in vivo experiment. Here we aim to elucidate the protective mechanism of AC and marein, the main ingredient in Coreopsis tinctoria on renal fibrosis and inflammation in vitro under high glucose (HG) conditions.

METHODS

A HG-induced barrier dysfunction model in rat mesangial cells (HBZY-1) was established. The cells were exposed to AC and marein and/or HG for 24 h. Then, the renal protective effects of AC and marein via transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smads, AMP-activated kinase protein (AMPK), and nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB) signaling were assessed.

RESULTS

Both AC and marein suppressed rat mesangial cell hyperplasia and significantly attenuated the expression of HG-disrupted fibrotic and inflammatory proteins in HBZY-1 cells. It was also confirmed that AC and marein remarkably attenuated HG-induced renal inflammation and fibrosis by regulating the AMPK, TGF-β1/Smads, and NF-κB signaling pathways.

CONCLUSION

These results indicated that AC and marein may delay the progression of DN, at least in part, by suppressing HG-induced renal inflammation and fibrosis. Marein may be one of the bioactive compounds in AC.

Isolation of dihydrobenzofuran derivatives from ethnomedicinal species Polygonum barbatum as anticancer compounds

Background

Ethnomedicinally, the family Polygonaceae is famous for the management of cancer. Various species of this family have been reported with anticancer potentials. This study was designed to isolate anticancer compounds from ethnomedicinally important species Polygonum barbatum.

Methods

The column chromatography was used for the isolation of compounds from the solvent fraction of P. barbatum. The characterization of isolated compounds was performed by various spectroscopic techniques like UV, IR, mass spectrometry and 1D-2D NMR spectroscopy. Keeping in view the ethnomedicinal importance of the family, genus and species of P. barbatum, the isolated compounds (1–3) were screened for anticancer potentials against oral cancer (CAL-27) and lungs cancer (NCI H460) cell lines using MTT assay. Active compound was further investigated for apoptosis by using morphological changes and flow cytometry analysis. In vivo anti-angiogenic study of the isolated compounds was also carried using chorioallantoic membrane assay. Docking studies were carried out to explore the mechanism of anticancer activity.

Results

Three dihydrobenzofuran derivatives (1–3) have been isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of P. barbatum. The structures of isolated compounds were elucidated as methyl (2S,3S)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-4-((E)-3-ethoxy-3-oxoprop-1-en-1-yl)-7-methoxy-2,3-dihydrobenzo-furan-3-carboxylate (1), (E)-3-((2S,3S)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-7-methoxy-3-(methoxy carbonyl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-4-yl)acrylic acid (2) and (2S,3S)-4-((E)-2-carboxyvinyl)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-7-hydroxy-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-3-carboxylic acid (3). The compound 1 was found to be more potent with IC₅₀ of 48.52 ± 0.95 and 53.24 ± 1.49 against oral cancer cells as compared to standard drug (IC₅₀ = 97.76 ± 3.44 μM). Both compound also inhibited lung cancer cells but at higher concentrations. Morphological and flow cytometry analysis further confirms that compound 1 induces apoptosis after 24 to 48 h treatment. In antiangiogenesis assay, compounds 1, 2 and 3 exhibited IC₅₀ values of 8.2 ± 1.1, 13.4 ± 1.1 and 57.7 ± 0.3 μM respectively. The docking studies revealed that the compounds under study have the potential to target the DNA and thymidylate synthase (TS).

Conclusion

Based on its overwhelming potency against the tested cell lines and in angiogenesis assay, compound 1 can be further evaluated mechanistically and can be developed as anticancer drug candidate.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s40659-018-0209-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Bio-guided profiling and HPLC-DAD finger printing of Atriplex lasiantha Boiss

BACKGROUND

Plants represent an intricate and innovative source for the discovery of novel therapeutic remedies for the management of various ailments. The current study has been aimed to validate the therapeutic potential of ethnomedicinally significant plant Atriplex lasiantha Boiss.

METHODS

The polarity based extraction process was carried out using fourteen solvents to figure out best extraction solvent and bioactive fractions. Total phenolic-flavonoids contents were quantified colorimetrically and polyphenolics were measured using HPLC-DAD analysis. Moreover, the test samples were tested against several diseases targets following various assays including free radicals scavenging, antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxic and antileishmanial assay.

RESULTS

Among the solvent fractions, maximum yield was obtained with methanol-water extract i.e., 11 ± 0.49%. Maximum quantity of gallic acid equivalent phenolic content and quercetin equivalent flavonoid content were quantified in methanol-ethyl acetate extract of A. lasiantha. Significant quantity of rutin i.e., 0.3 μg/mg was quantified by HPLC analysis. The methanol-ethyl acetate extract of A. lasiantha exhibited maximum total antioxidant and total reducing power with 64.8 ± 1.16 AAE/mg extract respectively, while showing 59.8 ± 1.07% free radical scavenging potential. A significant antibacterial potential was exhibited by acetone-distilled water extract of A. lasiantha with 11 ± 0.65 mm zone of inhibition against B. subtilis. Considerable antifungal activity was exhibited by ethyl acetate-n-hexane extract of aerial part of A. lasiantha with 14 ± 1.94 mm zone of inhibition against A. fumigatus. Highest percentage of α-amylase inhibition (41.8 ± 1.09%) was observed in ethyl acetate-n-hexane extract. Methanol-acetone extract of A. lasiantha demonstrated significant inhibition of hyphae formation with 11 ± 0.49 mm bald zone of inhibition. Significant in-vitro cytotoxicity against Hep G2 cell line has been exhibited by methanol-chloroforms extract of A. lasiantha.

CONCLUSION

The current study reveals the prospective potential of Atriplex lasiantha Boiss. for the discovery of biologically active compounds through bioassay guided isolation against various diseases.

Cytotoxicity and molecular docking studies on phytosterols isolated from Polygonum hydropiper L

Based on our previous studies on cytotoxic potentials of Polygonum hydropiper L, two steroidal compounds beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol were isolated from the most active fraction and were subjected to cell lines cytotoxicity. Isolated compounds were tested against HeLa, MCF-7 and NIH/3T3 cell lines following MTT assay. Furthermore, the compounds were also docked against tyrosine kinase enzyme to predict the binding mode of phytosterols in the active sites of the enzyme. Beta-sitosterol exhibited considerable cytotoxicity against NIH/3T3, HeLa and MCF-7 cell with 67.05 ± 2.08, 79.63 ± 2.34 and 71.50 ± 1.57% lethality respectively at 1 mg/ml concentration. Median inhibitory concentrations calculated from dose response curve against NIH/3T3, HeLa and MCF-7 cells were 440, 170 and 200 µg/ml respectively. Stigmasterol was more effective against MCF-7 and NIH/3T3 cells by killing 87.50 and 81.45% cancerous cells respectively at 1 mg/ml concentration. Stigmasterol showed 77.25% cyctotoxicity against HeLA cells at 1 mg/ml concentration in MTT assay. The IC₅₀ values for HeLA, MCF-7 and NIH/3T3 cells were 170, 60 and 140 µg/ml respectively. In docking studies, the docking score for beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol were -7.266 and -4.89 respectively. The binding energies for beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol were -41.21 and -41.04 respectively. Such lower binding energies indicate that the compounds fit into the active site more strongly. Binding affinities for both compounds were -7.76 and -7.68 respectively. Both phytosterols possess significant anticancer potentials and can be effective in the prevention and treatment of several malignancies.

Medicinal Plants of the Family Lamiaceae in Pain Therapy: A Review

Recently, numerous side effects of synthetic drugs have lead to using medicinal plants as a reliable source of new therapy. Pain is a global public health problem with a high impact on life quality and a huge economic implication, becoming one of the most important enemies in modern medicine. The medicinal use of plants as analgesic or antinociceptive drugs in traditional therapy is estimated to be about 80% of the world population. The Lamiaceae family, one of the most important herbal families, incorporates a wide variety of plants with biological and medical applications. In this study, the analgesic activity, possible active compounds of Lamiaceae genus, and also the possible mechanism of actions of these plants are presented. The data highlighted in this review paper provide valuable scientific information for the specific implications of Lamiaceae plants in pain modulation that might be used for isolation of potentially active compounds from some of these medicinal plants in future and formulation of commercial therapeutic agents.

Purification of Tea Saponins and Evaluation of its Effect on Alcohol Dehydrogenase Activity

Tea saponins, extracted from a Camellia oleifera cake, were found to have a potent effect on de-alcoholic activity. To obtain highly pure tea saponins, which can better maintain the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), this paper presents an extraction method for tea saponins using deionized water as the extraction agent and a two-stage precipitation method, including ethanol precipitation and CaO precipitation. The optimum conditions for ethanol precipitation were 95% alcohol, a duration of 1.5h and a solid/liquid ratio of 1:4; while the optimum conditions for CaO precipitation were a duration of 2h and an NH₄HCO₃/CaO ratio of 2:1. Under the optimum conditions, the content of saponins was 87.58%. The results showed that the greater the amount of tea saponins and the higher its purity, the more significant its activating effect on ADH. When the purity of tea saponins was above 75%, it activated ADH. It indicated that the de-alcoholic mechanism of tea saponins is associated with the activity of ADH. Furthermore, the study characterized the structure of tea saponins by UV absorption and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and LC-MS.

HPLC-DAD finger printing, antioxidant, cholinesterase, and α-glucosidase inhibitory potentials of a novel plant Olax nana

BACKGROUND

The medicinal importance of a novel plant Olax nana Wall. ex Benth. (family: Olacaceae) was revealed for the first time via HPLC-DAD finger printing, qualitative phytochemical analysis, antioxidant, cholinesterase, and α-glucosidase inhibitory assays.

METHODS

The crude methanolic extract of O. nana (ON-Cr) was subjected to qualitative phytochemical analysis and HPLC-DAD finger printing. The antioxidant potential of ON-Cr was assessed via 1,1-diphenyl,2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azinobis[3-ethylbenzthiazoline]-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) free radical scavenging assays. Furthermore, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) & butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activities were performed using Ellman's assay, while α- glucosidase inhibitory assay was carried out using a standard protocol.

RESULTS

The qualitative phytochemical analysis of ON-Cr revealed the presence of secondary metabolites like alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, sterols, saponins and terpenoids. The HPLC-DAD finger printing revealed the presence of 40 potential compounds in ON-Cr. Considerable anti-radical activities was revealed by ON-Cr in the DPPH, ABTS and H2O2 free radical scavenging assays with IC50 values of 71.46, 72.55 and 92.33 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, ON-Cr showed potent AChE and BChE inhibitory potentials as indicated by their IC50 values of 33.2 and 55.36 μg/mL, respectively. In the α-glucosidase inhibition assay, ON-Cr exhibited moderate inhibitory propensity with an IC50 value of 639.89 μg/mL.

CONCLUSIONS

This study investigated Olax nana for the first time for detailed qualitative phytochemical tests, HPLC-DAD finger printing analysis, antioxidant, anticholinesterase and α-glucosidase inhibition assays. The antioxidant and cholinesterase inhibitory results were considerable and can provide scientific basis for further studies on the neuroprotective and anti-Alzheimer's potentials of this plant. ON-Cr may further be subjected to fractionation and polarity guided fractionation to narrow down the search for isolation of bioactive compounds.

Ethyl 3-oxo-2-(2,5-dioxopyrrolidin-3-yl)butanoate Derivatives: Anthelmintic and Cytotoxic Potentials, Antimicrobial, and Docking Studies

Development of multidrug resistance (MDR) to antimicrobial, antiparasitic and chemotherapeutic agents is a global challenge for the scientific community. Despite of the emergence of MDR pathogens, the development of novel and more effective drugs is slow and scientist even speculate that we are going back the pre-antibiotic era. This work aims to study and evaluate the preliminary antibacterial, anthelmintic and cytotoxic potentials of ethyl 3-oxo-2-(2,5-dioxopyrrolidin-3-yl)butanoates. Among all of the four compounds, compound 2 has displayed remarkable potency with MIC values of 0.125, 0.083, 0.073, and 0.109 mg/ml against E. sakazakii, E. coli. S. aureus, and K. pneumonia, respectively. Compared to etoposide (LC50 9.8 μg/ml), the compounds demonstrated LC50 values from 280 to 765 μg/ml. For anthelmintic assay, three concentrations of each compound and standard drug were studied in determination of time of death of the two species. Excellent anthelmintic activity was observed by all four compounds against P. posthuma and A. galli better than standard albendazole. High GOLD fitness score data from docking analysis toward the targets represent better protein-ligand binding affinity and thus indicate a high propensity for all the active compounds to bind to the active site. The promising in-vitro antimicrobial, anthelmintic activity, and cytotoxicity data conclusively revealed that these compounds may serve as viable lead compounds for the treatment of bacterial and parasitic infections, and therefore, could help the medicinal chemists to design future chemotherapeutic agents to avoid rapid drug resistance.

Anticholinesterase and antioxidant potentials of Nonea micrantha Bioss. & Reut along with GC-MS analysis

BACKGROUND

Nonea micrantha Boiss. & Reut . being an unexplored member of Boraginaceae was investigated for GC/MS analysis, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory and antioxidant activities in an attempt to find its effectiveness in neurological disorders.

METHODS

The AChE and BChE inhibitory activities of crude methanolic extract (Nm.Cr), subsequent fractions; n-hexane (Nm.Hex), chloroform (Nm.Cf), ethyl acetate (Nm.EtAc), aqueous (Nm.Aq) and crude saponins (Nm.Sp) from N. micrantha were conducted using Ellman's assay. The antioxidant activity of the plant samples using DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging potential following quantitative spectrophotometric and qualitative TLC method were also studied. Moreover the total reducing power (TRP) of all the samples was also figured out.

RESULTS

The GC/Ms analysis confirmed that the plant is rich in bioactive molecules. Among different fractions, Nm.Hex, Nm.EtAc and Nm.Cf exhibited highest AChE inhibitory activities causing 75.51 ± 0.73, 68.54 ± 0.59 and 63.48 ± 0.59% enzyme inhibition respectively and IC50 of 44, 100 and 144 μg/mL respectively. In BChE inhibiton assay, Nm.Aq, Nm.Sp and Nm.Cr showed highest activity causing 83.49 ± 0.27, 81.49 ± 0.89 and 75.31 ± 0.56% enzyme inhibition with IC50 of 90, 110 and 44 μg/mL respectively. In DPPH assay, Nm.Aq, Nm.Cf, Nm.Hex and Nm.Cr were most potent exhibiting IC50 values of 3, 5, 93 and 120 μg/ml respectively. In ABTS assay Nm.EtAc, Nm.Aq, Nm.Sp and Nm.Cr showed IC50 values of 60, 95, 100 and 150 μg/mL respectively. Likewise ABTS inhibition was most prominent for Nm.Sp, Nm.EtAc and Nm.Aq causing 78.26 ± 0.49, 67.67 ± 0.73 and 63.58 ± 0.45% inhibition respectively at 1 mg/mL. These results were further confirmed by qualitative screening using DPPH and ABTS staining.

CONCLUSIONS

Our anticholinesterase and antioxidant results signify the N. micrantha as a potential source of natural bioactive compounds. Moreover isolation of natural bioactive compounds from this plant may lead to novel drug candidates against neurodegenerative disorders.

Anti-Alzheimer's Studies on β-Sitosterol Isolated from Polygonum hydropiper L

The family Polygonaceae is known for its traditional use in the management of various neurological disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD). In search of new anti-AD drugs, β-sitosterol isolated from Polygonum hydropiper was subjected to in vitro, in vivo, behavioral and molecular docking studies to confirm its possibility as a potential anti-Alzheimer's agent. The in vitro AChE, BChE inhibitory potentials of β-sitosterol were investigated following Ellman's assay. The antioxidant activity was tested using DPPH, ABTS and H2O2 assays. Behavioral studies were performed on a sub-strain of transgenic mice using shallow water maze (SWM), Y-maze and balance beam tests. β-sitosterol was tested for in vivo inhibitory potentials against cholinesterase's and free radicals in the frontal cortex (FC) and hippocampus (HC). The molecular docking study was performed to predict the binding mode of β-sitosterol in the active sites of AChE and BChE as inhibitor. Considerable in vitro and in vivo cholinesterase inhibitory effects were observed in the β-sitosterol treated groups. β-sitosterol exhibited an IC50 value of 55 and 50 μg/ml against AChE and BChE respectively. Whereas, the activity of these enzymes were significantly low in FC and HC homogenates of transgenic animals. Molecular docking studies also support the binding of β-sitosterol with the target enzyme and further support the in vitro and in vivo results. In the antioxidant assays, the IC50 values were observed as 140, 120, and 280 μg/ml in the DPPH, ABTS and H2O2 assays respectively. The free radicals load in the brain tissues was significantly declined in the β-sitosterol treated animals as compared to the transgenic-saline treated groups. In the memory assessment and coordination tasks including SWM, Y-maze and balance beam tests, β-sitosterol treated transgenic animals showed gradual improvement in working memory, spontaneous alternation behavior and motor coordination. These results conclude that β-sitosterol is a potential compound for the management of memory deficit disorders like AD.