In vitro antibacterial effect of Pimpinella anisum essential oil on Enterococcus faecalis, Lactobacillus casei, Actinomyces naeslundii, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans

Exploring the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants and their active principles in dental care: A comprehensive review

Since the human population realized how important it was to maintain overall health and the weight of disease, they have been looking for therapeutic qualities in natural environments. The use of plants having medicinal qualities for the treatment and prevention of illnesses that may have an impact on general health is known as herbal medicine. There has been a noticeable increase in interest lately in the combination of synthetic contemporary medications and traditional herbal remedies. About 80 % of people rely on it for healthcare, particularly in developing nations. One important aspect of overall health is said to be oral healthcare. The World Health Organization views oral health as a crucial component of overall health and well-being. Because they are more readily available, less expensive, and have fewer adverse effects than pharmaceutical treatments, using natural medicines to treat pathologic oro-dental disorders can make sense. The current evaluation of the literature sought to investigate the range and scope of the use of herbal products and their secondary metabolites in maintaining oral health, encompassing several oral healthcare domains such as halitosis, gingivitis, periodontitis, and other oral disorders. Therefore, there are many herbs discussed in this work and their mechanism in the treatment and improvement of many oral ailments. Besides, compounds that are useful in oral treatment with their natural sources and the cases where they can be used. To prevent any possible side effects or drug interactions, a doctor's consultation is necessary before using dental medicine. Although herbal therapy is safe and with minimum side effects, it is also strongly advised to do a more thorough preclinical and clinical evaluation before using herbal medicines officially.

Therapeutic Effects of Pimpinella anisum Fruit Extract on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in a Rat Model: Emerging Role of Inflammatory Responses and Oxidative Stress

Background

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common gynecological endocrine disorder.

Objectives

This study evaluated the therapeutic effects of Pimpinella anisum L. (P. anisum) fruit on pro-inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress markers, and ovarian tissue structure in a rat model of PCOS.

Methods

After inducing PCOS, female Wistar rats were randomly divided into control and PCOS groups. They orally received daily doses of normal saline or hydro-alcoholic extract of P. anisum at two doses (200 and 400 mg/kg) for 21 days. At the end of the treatment period, ovarian and liver tissues were collected to measure lipid peroxidation, antioxidant status, TNF-α, IL-6 mRNA expression, and its content. Additionally, histopathological examinations of the ovarian tissue were conducted.

Results

Our findings revealed a dose-dependent change in the biochemical and histopathological parameters. Treatment with P. anisum resulted in a significant decrease in TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA expression levels and their content in the ovarian and liver tissues. It also reduced MDA levels while increasing SOD and GPx activity in both ovarian and liver tissues of PCOS rats. Furthermore, the number of follicular cysts in the PCOS rat model was significantly reduced.

Conclusions

The beneficial effects of P. anisum in PCOS rats are partly attributed to the inhibition of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in ovarian tissue. These findings suggest that P. anisum could be a potential candidate for the treatment of PCOS disorders.

Biomolecular Screening of Pimpinella anisum L. for Antioxidant and Anticholinesterase Activity in Mice Brain

Hundreds of the plants have been explored and evaluated for antioxidant and anti-amnesic activities, so far. This study was designed to report the biomolecules of Pimpinella anisum L. for the said activities. The aqueous extract of dried P. anisum seeds was fractionated via column chromatography and the fractions so obtained were assessed for the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) via in vitro analysis. The fraction which best inhibited AChE was so named as the P. anisum active fraction (P.aAF). The P.aAF was then chemically analyzed via GCMS, which indicated that oxadiazole compounds were present in it. The P.aAF was then administered to albino mice to conduct the in vivo (behavioral and biochemical) studies. The results of the behavioral studies indicated the significant (p < 0.001) increase in inflexion ratio, by the number of hole-pokings through holes and time spent in a dark area by P.aAF treated mice. Biochemical studies demonstrated that the oxadiazole present in P.aAF on one hand presented a noteworthy reduction in MDA and the AChE level and on the other hand promoted the levels of CAT, SOD and GSH in mice brain. The LD₅₀ for P.aAF was calculated as 95 mg/Kg/p.o. The findings thus supported that the antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities of P. anisum are due to its oxadiazole compounds.