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Bagheri SM, Shieh A, Ghalenoei JA, Yadegari M, Alborzi N. Review of potential spermatogenic and aphrodisiac effects of the Ferula genus. Clin Exp Reprod Med 2023; 50:143-153. [PMID: 37643827 PMCID: PMC10477414 DOI: 10.5653/cerm.2023.05995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Men's sexual health plays an important role in male fertility and childbearing, as it is associated with factors such as sexual desire, healthy spermatogenesis, and erectile function. In various cultures, medicinal plants have been utilized to address male sexual issues, including infertility and erectile dysfunction. Despite recent advancements in medical science for treating male impotence, some men opt for herbal supplements as an alternative, given that numerous herbs have the potential to enhance male sexual performance. The Apiaceae family is one of the oldest plant families used for medicinal purposes. Ferula, a genus within this family, comprises approximately 170 different species worldwide. Members of this genus possess numerous therapeutic properties due to the presence of various compounds. This article aims to explore the potential impacts of Ferula plants on the male reproductive system. METHODS This review article was prepared by searching for terms including Ferula and "aphrodisiac," Ferula and "spermatogenesis," and Ferula and "male reproductive system." Relevant information was gathered through electronic databases, including ISI Web of Knowledge, PubMed, and Google Scholar. RESULTS The findings indicated that relatively comprehensive studies have been conducted in this area, revealing that certain Ferula species have been employed in folk medicine to boost fertility and libido. Recent research has corroborated these effects. CONCLUSION It is hoped that new aphrodisiac compounds with fewer side effects can be isolated from Ferula plants in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyyed Majid Bagheri
- Department of Physiology, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
- Neuroendocrine Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Amir Shieh
- Department of Physiology, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | | | - Maryam Yadegari
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Nasrin Alborzi
- Neuroendocrine Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
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Abdel-Kader MS, Abdel-Rahman RF, Althurwi HN, Soliman GA, Ogaly HA, Albaqami FF. Samarcandin protects against testicular ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats via activation of Nrf2/HO-1-mediated antioxidant responses. Saudi Pharm J 2023; 31:1186-1196. [PMID: 37273262 PMCID: PMC10236372 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2023.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of samarcandin (SMR) in preventing testicular injury caused by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in rats. Rats were divided into 4 groups at random: the sham group, the T/D control group (CONT), the T/D group receiving SMR treatment at 10 mg/kg (SMR-10), and the T/D group receiving SMR treatment at 20 mg/kg (SMR-20). When compared to the CONT group, SMR improved the oxidant/antioxidant balance by reducing malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NOx), and increasing reduced glutathione (GSH), gluta-thione peroxide (GSH-Px), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Moreover, SMR increased the levels of the steroid hormones' testosterone (TST), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) in the blood as well as controlled the inflammatory mediators; interleukin-6 (IL6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). Nevertheless, SMR-treated animals showed a considerable downregulation of the apoptotic marker caspase-3. The T/D-induced histopathological changes were reduced and Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) protein expression was enhanced by SMR. These effects are associated with upregulation of testicular (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and downregulation of NF-κB mRNA expression levels. These findings suggest that SMR may be able to prevent T/D-induced testis damage by mainly regulating the expression of Nrf2 and NF-B, which seems to mediate its promising antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects seen in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maged S. Abdel-Kader
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21215, Egypt
| | | | - Hassan N. Althurwi
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gamal A. Soliman
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
| | - Hanan A. Ogaly
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
| | - Faisal F. Albaqami
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
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Eruçar FM, Kuran FK, Altıparmak Ülbegi G, Özbey S, Karavuş ŞN, Arcan GG, Yazıcı Tütüniş S, Tan N, Aksoy Sağırlı P, Miski M. Sesquiterpene Coumarin Ethers with Selective Cytotoxic Activities from the Roots of Ferula huber-morathii Peşmen (Apiaceae) and Unequivocal Determination of the Absolute Stereochemistry of Samarcandin. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:792. [PMID: 37375740 DOI: 10.3390/ph16060792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ancient physicians frequently used the resin of Ferula species to treat cancer. Today, some folkloric recipes used for cancer treatment also contain the resin of Ferula species. The dichloromethane extract of the roots of Ferula huber-morathii exhibited cytotoxic activities against COLO 205 (colon), K-562 (lymphoblast), and MCF-7 (breast) cancer cell lines (IC50 = 52 µg/mL, 72 µg/mL, and 20 µg/mL, respectively). Fifteen sesquiterpene coumarin ethers with cytotoxic activity were isolated from the dichloromethane extract of the roots of F. huber-morathii using bioactivity-directed isolation studies. Extensive spectroscopic analyses and chemical transformations have elucidated the structures of these sesquiterpene coumarin ethers as conferone (1), conferol (2), feselol (3), badrakemone (4), mogoltadone (5), farnesiferol A (6), farnesiferol A acetate (7), gummosin (8), ferukrin (9), ferukrin acetate (10), deacetylkellerin (11), kellerin (12), samarcandone (13), samarcandin (14), and samarcandin acetate (15). The absolute configuration of samarcandin (14) was unequivocally determined by the X-ray crystallographic analysis of the semi-synthetic (R)-MTPA ester of samarcandin (24). Conferol (2) and mogoltadone (5) were found to be the most potent cytotoxic compounds against all three cancer cell lines; furthermore, these compounds exhibit low cytotoxic activity against the non-cancerous human umbilical vein epithelial cells (HUVEC) cell line. Investigation of the biological activity mechanisms of mogoltadone (5) revealed that while suppressing the levels of Bcl-XL and procaspase-3 in the COLO 205 cancer cell line, it did not have a significant effect on the Bcl-XL, caspase-3, and β-catenin protein levels of the HUVEC cell line, which may explain the cytotoxic selectivity of mogoltadone (5) on cancer cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatma Memnune Eruçar
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, İstanbul University, 34116 İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Fadıl Kaan Kuran
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, İstanbul University, 34116 İstanbul, Türkiye
| | | | - Süheyla Özbey
- Department of Engineering Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Hacettepe University, 06800 Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Şule Nur Karavuş
- Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, İstanbul Medipol University, 34810 İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Gülşah Gamze Arcan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, İstanbul University, 34116 İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Seçil Yazıcı Tütüniş
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, İstanbul University, 34116 İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Nur Tan
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, İstanbul University, 34116 İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Pınar Aksoy Sağırlı
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, İstanbul University, 34116 İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Mahmut Miski
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, İstanbul University, 34116 İstanbul, Türkiye
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Ecofriendly Validated RP-HPTLC Method for Simultaneous Determination of the Bioactive Sesquiterpene Coumarins Feselol and Samarcandin in Five Ferula Species Using Green Solvents. SEPARATIONS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/separations9080206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
An environmentally friendly unreported rapid and simple reverse-phase high-performance thin-layer chromatography (RP-HPTLC) has been designed for the simultaneous determination of bioactive sesquiterpene coumarins feselol and samarcandin in the methanol extract of five Ferula species. The method was developed using glass plates coated with RP-18 silica gel 60 F254S and a green solvent system of ethanol–water mixture (8:2 v/v) as mobile phase. After development, the plates were quantified densitometrically at 254 for feselol and samarcandin. Feselol and samarcandin peaks from methanol extract of five Ferula species were identified by comparing their single band at Rf = 0.43 ± 0.02 and Rf = 0.60 ± 0.01, respectively. Valid linear relationships between the peak areas and concentrations of feselol and samarcandin in the range of 1000–7000 ng/band respectively were obtained. The method was subjected to the validation criteria of the international conference on harmonization (ICH) for precision, accuracy, and robustness. The new method provides an analytical tool to enumerate the therapeutic doses of feselol and samarcandin in herbal formulations and/or crude drugs. The obtained results indicated that F. drudeana was the richest species in the more active samarcandin, with 0.573% w/w, while F. duranii had the largest quantity of the less active feselol, 0.813% w/w. F. drudeana was superior to the other species in the sum of the two active compounds, 1.4552% w/w, and was consequently expected to be the most active aphrodisiac among the five studied species.
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Sevin G, Alan E, Demir S, Albayrak G, Demiroz T, Yetik-Anacak G, Baykan S. Comparative evaluation of relaxant effects of three prangos species on mouse corpus cavernosum: Chemical characterization and the relaxant mechanisms of action of P. pabularia and (+)-oxypeucedanin. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 284:114823. [PMID: 34775035 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the most common form of sexual dysfunction which has been the topic of great interest through the history by all cultures. It is now among the most treated health problems in men of all ages that develop under the influence of lifestyle factors and some diseases. Plants are extensively used to cure sexual dysfunction for centuries. Roots of Prangos sp. have been used to improve sexual performance in Anatolian traditional medicine and are rich of coumarin, furanocoumarin and their derivatives. Scientific research is necessary to support and validate the ethno-traditional uses of these plants. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the root extracts of P. pabularia, P. uechtritzii and P. heyniae on erectile function and to isolate and identify the chemical compounds of the most active extract and reveal possible pharmacological mechanism of the major compound of the extract with the strongest relaxant effect in mouse corpus cavernosum (MCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS The roots of plants were extracted with chloroform, n-hexane and methanol. The compounds were isolated from the extract by column chromatography and structures were identified by NMR and MS. The relaxant effects of extracts (10-7-10-4 g/mL), (+)-oxypeucedanin (10-7-10-4 M) and Na2S (10-7-3 × 10-3 M) were tested in MCC strips by DMT myograph. To investigate the mechanism, the synthesis inhibitors of aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA, 10-2 M) and nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10-4 M) were used, respectively. H2S formation was evaluated basal and L-cysteine (L-cyst)-stimulated conditions by H2S microsensor. RESULTS All extracts relaxed MCC in a concentration dependent manner. The maximum relaxing effects were achieved with chloroform extracts. Chloroform extract of P. pabularia (Pp-CE) was more potent than the others. Pp-CE-induced relaxations were significantly decreased by AOAA and L-NAME. (+)-Oxypeucedanin, the major compound of Pp-CE, induced relaxant responses and this effect was inhibited by AOAA, but not L-NAME. The relaxation of (+)-oxypeucedanin was found to be similar in view of Emax to positive control H2S donor Na2S. (+)-Oxypeucedanin increased L-cyst-stimulated H2S formation. Augmentation of H2S synthesis with (+)-oxypeucedanin was inhibited by AOAA. CONCLUSIONS Pp-CE has the strongest effect on relaxation of MCC and this result supports the traditional aphrodisiac use of P. pabularia root extract in Anatolia. The pharmacological mechanisms of Pp-CE to relax MCC involve NO and H2S formation. (+)-Oxypeucedanin could be responsible for the H2S-mediated relaxations of Pp-CE in MCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulnur Sevin
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Elif Alan
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Serdar Demir
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Gokay Albayrak
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey; Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Tugce Demiroz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Gunay Yetik-Anacak
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Sura Baykan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
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Abdel-Kader MS, Alam P, Soliman GA, Al-Shdefat R, Afzal O. Eco-friendly stability-indicating RP-HPTLC method for sildenafil analysis, characterization and biological evaluation of its oxidized stress degradation product. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15358. [PMID: 34321578 PMCID: PMC8319155 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94854-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
A feasible and cost effective reverse-phase high-performance thin layer chromatography (RP-HPTLC) based method was developed for the quantification of sildenafil (SLD) using eco-friendly EtOH:H2O (9.5:0.5 v/v) as mobile phase. SLD was subjected to stress conditions according to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. The drug undergoes significant structural changes under oxidative stress condition to the N-oxide derivative. The oxidation product Sildenafil N-oxide (SDL N-oxide) designated in the European Pharmacopeia (EP) as impurity B was characterized utilizing 1D- and 2D-NMR as well as High Resolution Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectroscopy. The aphrodisiac potency of SDL N-oxide in comparison with SLD was evaluated in vivo using rats as experimental animal model. The evaluation based on the following parameters: mount, intromission and ejaculation latencies (ML, IL and EL, respectively), mounting and intromission frequencies (MF and IF, respectively), and postejaculatory interval (PEI). SLD N-oxide expressed similar aphrodisiac effect to SLD but with less potency. Molecular docking of SDL N-oxide along with the parent drug SLD, indicated a strong binding affinity and similar binding pattern within the active site of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5). However, the docking score of SLD N-oxide was slightly lower as compared to SLD in agreement with the biological study findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maged S Abdel-Kader
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 173, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia.
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21215, Egypt.
| | - Prawez Alam
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 173, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gamal A Soliman
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 173, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ramadan Al-Shdefat
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jadara University, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Obaid Afzal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 173, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia
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Miski M. Next Chapter in the Legend of Silphion: Preliminary Morphological, Chemical, Biological and Pharmacological Evaluations, Initial Conservation Studies, and Reassessment of the Regional Extinction Event. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:plants10010102. [PMID: 33418989 PMCID: PMC7825337 DOI: 10.3390/plants10010102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Silphion was an ancient medicinal gum-resin; most likely obtained from a Ferula species growing in the Cyrene region of Libya ca. 2500 years ago. Due to its therapeutic properties and culinary value, silphion became the main economic commodity of the Cyrene region. It is generally believed that the source of silphion became extinct in the first century AD. However, there are a few references in the literature about the cultivated silphion plant and its existence up to the fifth century. Recently, a rare and endemic Ferula species that produces a pleasant-smelling gum-resin was found in three locations near formerly Greek villages in Anatolia. Morphologic features of this species closely resemble silphion, as it appears in the numismatic figures of antique Cyrenaic coins, and conform to descriptions by ancient authors. Initial chemical and pharmacological investigations of this species have confirmed the medicinal and spice-like quality of its gum-resin supporting a connection with the long-lost silphion. A preliminary conservation study has been initiated at the growth site of this rare endemic Ferula species. The results of this study and their implications on the regional extinction event, and future development of this species will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmut Miski
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34116, Turkey
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