Thykamine Extracts from Spinach Reduce Acute Inflammation In Vivo and Downregulate Phlogogenic Functions of Human Blood Neutrophils In Vitro

Spinacia Oleracea: Exploring the Therapeutic Potential in Persian Medicine and Modern Pharmacology

BACKGROUND

Spinach is a widely cultivated dark leafy vegetable highly regarded for its medicinal properties in traditional Persian medicine. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, carotenoids, and other bioactive compounds, and this review aims to explore the historical applications of spinach in Persian medicine and juxtapose them with current scientific evidence. Despite its historical significance, there remains a need to comprehensively evaluate and integrate traditional knowledge with modern research on the therapeutic benefits of spinach.

METHODS

To achieve this, a comprehensive search was conducted in Persian medicine references and scientific databases to gather information on the traditional uses, chemical composition, and pharmacological effects of spinach. Studies that met the inclusion criteria were meticulously categorized, and relevant data were analyzed to draw insightful comparisons.

RESULTS

Persian medicine describes spinach as a nutrient-rich, laxative, and fast-digesting agent with therapeutic effects on inflammation, lung diseases, back pain, sore throats, jaundice, urinary disorders, joint pain, eye inflammation, insomnia, dementia, and more. Modern studies have substantially corroborated these traditional uses, revealing that spinach possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, blood sugar-lowering, lipid-lowering, anti-obesity, neurological, ocular, and musculoskeletal effects.

CONCLUSION

Spinach exhibits a wide range of beneficial effects on various health conditions. Its widespread availability, low cost, and exceptional nutritional richness position it as a promising candidate for further investigation. Future studies should explore the clinical effectiveness of spinach in various diseases, while taking into consideration the principles emphasized in Persian medicine to guide research and inform therapeutic strategies.

An Extract of Artemisia argyi Leaves Rich in Organic Acids and Flavonoids Promotes Growth in BALB/c Mice by Regulating Intestinal Flora

Simple Summary

With the development of the economy, people are paying more attention to their health. Regular eating habits and quality ingredients are becoming increasingly popular. As an important human food source, the safety of animal products has received more attention. In China, there is a long history of research on Chinese herbal medicine. Many Chinese herbal medicines have been used in animal husbandry because of their naturally low toxicity and various active functions. Artemisia argyi (A. argyi) is a Chinese herbal medicine with a long history of use. It has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and blood activating functions. In this study, A. argyi leaves extract was investigated to determine if it has positive regulatory effects on animal growth in order to develop its potential as a plant-derived feed additive.

Abstract

In the context of global restrictions on the use of antibiotics, there has been increased research on natural plant-based ingredients as additives. It has been proved that many natural active ingredients contained in plants have positive effects on animal growth regulation. Artemisia argyi (A. argyi) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and its extracts have been reported to have a variety of biological activities. Therefore, in order to explore the potential of the active extract of Artemisia argyi leaves (ALE) as a plant source additive, mice were fed with ALE at different concentrations for 60 days. Finally, the effects of ALE were evaluated by the growth indexes, blood indexes, and intestinal microflora changes of the mice. It was found that a medium concentration of ALE (150 mg/kg) could promote growth, and especially improved the feed efficiency of the mice. However, high concentrations of ALE (300 mg/kg) had some negative effects on the growth of mice, especially liver damage, which significantly increased AST and ALT levels in the blood. Therefore, the 150 mg/kg ALE treatment group was selected for 16S rDNA analysis. It was found that ALE could play a positive role by regulating the proportion of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes in the intestinal tract. In particular, it can significantly up-regulate the quantities of Akkermansia and Bifidobacterium. These results suggest that ALE at appropriate concentrations can positively regulate animal growth.