Evaluation of Therapeutic Potential of Traditionally Consumed Cucumis melo Seeds

Underutilized plants increase biodiversity, improve food and nutrition security, reduce malnutrition, and enhance human health and well-being. Let's put them back on the plate!

The global food system depends on a limited number of plant species. Plants with unsatisfactory nutritional value are overproduced, whereas the wide variety of nutrient-rich plant species used in earlier times remains neglected. Basing our diet on a few crops has wide-ranging negative consequences on nutrition and food security. Although still under-researched, underutilized plants are slowly starting to receive increased recognition. These plants have superior nutritional content and immense potential to contribute to food and nutrition security and increased sustainability. This narrative review provides evidence to encourage the promotion, domestication, and commercialization of underutilized plants. The anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anticancer effects of some of underutilized plants are presented in this review. The outstanding ability of forgotten plants to increase food and nutrition security, boost dietary diversity, reduce malnutrition, and enhance human health and well-being is demonstrated. The main barriers and obstacles to reintroducing underutilized foods are reviewed and recommendations for overcoming nutrition and dietary-related challenges for re-establishing underutilized plants into the global food system are presented. The expansion of underutilized plants for human use is of paramount importance. The exceptional nutritional properties, bioactive potential, and proven health benefits of underutilized plants indicate that increased promotion, domestication, and commercialization of these plants should be strongly supported. Besides health benefits, marginalized plants have the potential to enhance human well-being and improve people's lives in many ways, retain biodiversity, and develop local economies. Therefore, underutilized plants should be used in the broader context of well-balanced and healthy diets.

A Review of Functional Values of Melon Seeds

Abstract:

Wastage of food is a big concern for the world. In summers, so many fruits are available like watermelon, muskmelon, etc.; musk melons are one of them that are consumed all over the world. Around 32 % of musk melon is wasted; it includes 5% seeds and 27% peel of the total weight. Seeds of musk melons have great nutritional benefits. They have a very large number of bioactive compounds like tocopherols, phospholipids, and sterols. Musk melon seeds have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-Alzheimer and diuretic properties and can be used to treat or prevent many diseases. Therefore, musk melon seeds can be used as a functional food.

Cucumis melo pectin as potential candidate to control herpes simplex virus infection

The herpes simplex virus, also known as HSV, is an important human pathogen. Acyclovir (ACV) is the first-line antiviral for the treatment of HSV infections; nevertheless HSV resistance to ACV has been increasingly reported and, therefore, search for alternative drugs have been encouraged. Herein, the effect of Cucumis melo sulfated pectin (SPCm) was evaluated in the HSV-1 infection. Pectin cytotoxicity and its antiherpetic action were determined by assays of MTT and plaque reduction, respectively. The SPCm concentration that reduced the cell viability by 50% (CC50) was 1440 μg/mL, while the concentration that reduced PFU in 50% (IC50) was 6 μg/mL against ACV-sensitive (KOS) strain and 12 μg/mL for ACV-resistant (AR-29) strain. The pectin showed high selectivity index (SI) for both viral strains. Therefore, we suggest that SPCm has been effective for HSV-1, strenghten by viral protein and DNA syntheses inhibition. In conclusion, we have found that SPCm is a promising alternative compound to control HSV infection.

Antidiarrhoael and antimicrobial effects of ethanol root bark extract from Salacia lehmbachii

Introduction: The roots of Salacia lehmbachii are used in Nigerian folklore medicine without scientific basis. The present study was aimed to investigate the antidiarrheal and antimicrobial activities of the ethanol extract of S. lehmbachii root bark. Methods: The antidiarrheal activity was examined using castor oil induced diarrhoea method. The ethanol root bark extract effects on intestinal transit time and enteropooling were also evaluated in rats, while antimicrobial activity was conducted on selected microorganisms. The acute toxicity test and phytochemical screening of the extract were also carried out. Results: The extract produced significant (P < 0.05) dose dependent protection on rats against castor oil induced diarrhoea. The extract inhibited intestinal transit time and caused significant dose related inhibition of castor oil induced enteropooling in rats, comparable to the standard drug, atropine (P < 0.05). The root bark extract significantly and dose dependently delayed the onset of castor oil induced diarrhoea, reduced the frequency of defecation and decreased the severity of diarrhoea in rats. S. lehmbachii ethanol root bark extract significantly and dose dependently decreased the volume of intestinal fluid accumulation in the castor oil induced enteropooling. The extract also significantly inhibited the growth of test organisms. The acute toxicity test produced no lethality in rats, whereas the phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, cardiac glycosides, resins and balsam. Conclusion: The results of this study confirm the ethnomedicinal use of S. lehmbachii root bark as a valuable natural agent for the treatment of diarrhoea and microbial infections.

HPLC Analysis and In Vivo Renoprotective Evaluation of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Cucumis melo Seeds in Gentamicin-Induced Renal Damage

Background and objectives: Cucumis melo, of family Cucurbitaceae, has traditionally been used to treat variety of kidney disorders. However to best of our knowledge there is no scientific study available that validates its renaoprotective uses. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate nephroprotective effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Cucumis melo seeds (CMHE) and to identify its phytoconstituents. Materials and Methods: HPLC was performed to identify key phytochemicals of CMHE. Gentamicin (100 mg/kg/day, i.p) was administered to induce nephrotoxicity in Swiss albino mice for 8 days. Gentamicin (100 mg/kg/day, i.p) and oral CMHE were co-administered to mice at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg to evaluate protective effects of CMHE. Normal control group mice were administered normal saline. Changes in body weights, biochemical and histopathological studies were conducted to establish nephroprotective effects of CMHE. Results: HPLC analysis indicated presence of quercetin, m-coumaric acid, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, and trans-4-hydroxy-3-methoxy cinnamic acid in CMHE. Mice treated with CMHE showed significant increase in body weight and decrease in kidney weight as compared with toxic control group. Dose-dependent significant decrease in total blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, serum urea, and uric acid levels were observed in CMHE-treated groups as compared with toxic control group. Histopathological analysis of CMHE-treated groups showed improvement in kidney structures as compared with toxic control group. Conclusions: Biochemical, histopathological, and phytochemical screening of hydroalcoholic extract of Cucumis melo seeds suggest that it has nephroprotective potential. Furthermore, standardization of extract against identified phytochemicals, as well as long-term toxicological studies are suggested before commencement of clinical trials.

Acute and Subchronic Toxicity Study of the Median Septum of Juglans regia in Wistar Rats

Purpose: Median septum of Juglans regia L. (Juglandaceae) with anti-diabetic effects has been used in Iranian traditional medicine. The present study estimates both oral acute and subchronic toxicities. Methods: In the oral acute toxicity study, female Wistar rats were treated with doses of 10, 100, 1000, 1600, 2900 and 5000 mg/ kg of the Juglans regia septum of methanol extract (JRSME), and were monitored for 14 days. In subchronic study, JRSME was administered by gavage at dose of 1000 mg/kg daily in Wistar rats for 28 days. Antioxidant status and biochemical examinations were fulfilled, and the vital organs were subjected to pathological analyses. Results: The extract did not produce any toxic signs or deaths; the medium lethal dose must be higher than 5000 mg/kg. In subchronic study, No significant morphological and histopathological changes were observed in the studied tissues. There was a significant increase in serum malondialdehyde (MDA) level in treated group compared to control after 4 weeks of JRSME intake. The treatment of rats resulted in a significant reduction of serum urea level (p<0.05), kidney's xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) activity (p<0.001) and elevation of aldehyde oxidase (AO) activity (p<0.05) in kidney. In the treated group, the mean diameter of glomerulus and proximal urine tube epithelium stature was slightly greater than control group. A significant increase in serum MDA level is subject for further studies. Conclusion: This study showed that the extract has no acute or subacute adverse effects with dose of 1000 mg/kg. The administration of JRSME may improve kidney structure and function and help in treatment of some chronic diseases.

New Chromone and Triglyceride from Cucumis melo Seeds

Re-investigation of the MeOH extract of the seeds of Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus (Cucurbitaceae) led to the isolation of a new chromone derivative (5,7-dihydroxy-2-[2-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]chromone (5) and a triglyceride (1,3-di-(6 Z,9 Z)-docosa-6,9-dienoyl-2-(6 Z) hexacos-6-enoylglycerol (1), together with three known compounds; α-spinasterol (2), stigmasta-7,22,25-trien-3-ol (3), and D:B-friedoolean-5-ene-3-β-ol (4), are reported from this species for the first time. Their structures were determined by extensive 1D (1H, 13C, and DEPT) and 2D (1H-1H COSY, HMQC, and HMBC) NMR and mass spectral measurements. Compound 5 displayed significant cytotoxic activity against L5178Y cells, with an ED50 of 5 μM. The MeOH extract and 5 showed antioxidant activity using the DPPH assay.

Evaluation of antioxidant and DNA damage protection activity of the hydroalcoholic extract of Desmostachya bipinnata L. Stapf

Desmostachya bipinnata Stapf (Poaceae/Gramineae) is an official drug of ayurvedic pharmacopoeia. Various parts of this plant were used extensively in traditional and folklore medicine to cure various human ailments. The present study was aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and DNA damage protection activity of hydroalcoholic extract of Desmostachya bipinnata both in vitro and in vivo, to provide scientific basis for traditional usage of this plant. The extract showed significant antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 264.18±3.47  μg/mL in H2O2 scavenging assay and prevented the oxidative damage to DNA in presence of DNA damaging agent (Fenton's reagent) at a concentration of 50  μg/mL. Also, the presence of extract protected yeast cells in a dose-dependent manner against DNA damaging agent (Hydroxyurea) in spot assay. Moreover, the presence of extract exhibited significant antioxidant activity in vivo by protecting yeast cells against oxidative stressing agent (H2O2). Altogether, the results of current study revealed that Desmostachya bipinnata is a potential source of antioxidants and lends pharmacological credence to the ethnomedical use of this plant in traditional system of medicine, justifying its therapeutic application for free-radical-induced diseases.