Pharmacological Screening of Trachyspermum ammi for Antihyperlipidemic Activity in Triton X-100 Induced Hyperlipidemia Rat Model

Plants used against liver disorders by autochthonous practitioners of Multan, Pakistan

The research work was commenced with an aim to document plant based drug recipes used by autochthonous practitioners against liver diseases in Multan region. The data was collected by interviews and semi-structured questionnaire from 43 traditional herbal practitioners. Recorded data was evaluated using the use value, relative frequency of citation (RFC), family importance value (FIV) and family use value (FUV). Total of 69 plant species belonging to 38 families were reported to be utilized to treat various liver disorders. The most important species regarding their use value were 3.0 for Polygonum bistorta, Citrus limon. It means that highly cited plants are more important in traditional medicines but this does not mean the plants low-citation plants by respondents are less medicinal important. It may be due to unavailability of plants in the area or lack of knowledge. Most of plant parts used were leaves due to ease of collection as compared to underground parts. One the basis family use value Asteraceae as the dominating or prominent family. These plants can be further investigated for allied pharmacological studies that will affect the socio-economical condition of the local community.

TNF-α and IL-1β in Diabetes-Induced Liver Damage: The Relationship between Trachyspermum ammi Seeds Methanol Extract and Inflammatory Cytokine Inhibition

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Trachyspermum ammi (T. ammi) on the liver of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. This study began by identifying the methanolic composition of T. ammi. The presence of three compounds was determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), with Thymol (60.705%), ϒ-Terpinene (22.216%), and P-cymene (17.078%) being the most prevalent. Afterwards, diabetic rats were treated with T. ammi (200–500 mg/kg) or losartan (20 mg/kg) daily for 60 days. In the diabetic rats treated with T. ammi, levels of hepatic indicators, lipid peroxidation markers, and proinflammatory mediators decreased significantly. In the liver of T. ammi-treated diabetic rats, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) increased significantly. Despite the fact that proinflammatory cytokine levels were significantly increased, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels decreased in the groups administered the extract. From these results, it can be concluded that T. ammi significantly restored the liver’s antioxidant balance and inflammation caused by hyperglycemia.

Green synthesis of nano-liposomes containing Bunium persicum and Trachyspermum ammi essential oils against Trichomonasvaginalis

BACKGROUND

Trichomonas vaginalis, a parasitic flagellated protozoan, is one of the main non-viral sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. Treatment options for trichomoniasis are limited to nitroimidazole compounds. However, resistance to these drugs has been reported, which requires the development of new anti-Trichomonas agents that confer suitable efficacy and less toxicity.

METHODS

In the present work, we assessed the effectiveness of the liposomal system containing essential oils of Bunium persicum and Trachyspermum ammi against T. vaginalis in vitro. The chemical composition of B. persicum and T. ammi were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Liposomal vesicles were prepared with phosphatidylcholine) 70%) and cholesterol)30%) using the thin-film method. The essential oils of B. persicum and T. ammi were loaded into the liposomes using the inactive loading method. Liposomal vesicles were made for two plants separately. Their physicochemical features were tested using Zeta-Sizer, AFM and SEM. The anti-Trichomonas activity was determined after 12 and 24 h of parasite cultures in TYI-S-33 medium.

RESULTS

After 12 and 24 h of administration, the IC₅₀ of the B. persicum essential oil nano-liposomes induced 14.41 μg/mL and 45.19 μg/mL, respectively. The IC₅₀ of T. ammi essential oil nano-liposomes induced 8.08 μg/mL and 25.81 μg/mL, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggested that nano-liposomes of the essential oils of B. persicum and T. ammi may be a promising alternative to current treatments for Trichomonas infection.

Effects of Komouni Formulation (Herbal Product of Persian Medicine) With a Low-Calorie Diet on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Women: A Triple-Blinded Randomized Clinical Trial

Background

The prevalence of obesity has almost tripled since 1975, and obesity places a heavy economic burden on healthcare systems. There is a high tendency to use a variety of complementary medicine modalities for weight management among obese patients. Persian Medicine is an ancient medical school practiced for thousands of years in Iran. Found in reliable Iranian traditional resources, Komouni formulation (KF) is a compound medicine that can be effective in the treatment of obesity. It comprises black caraway (Bunium persicum Boiss.), anise (Pimpinella anisum L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Miller), and ajwain (Trachyspemum ammi L.).

Objectives

This study aimed to determine the effects of KF on anthropometric indices and metabolic parameters in overweight and obese women.

Methods

This triple-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial was performed on 70 overweight or obese women aged 20 - 40 years, with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 - 34.9 kg/m2. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups (each group n = 35) to receive a calorie-restricted diet with 2 g/day (500 mg 30 minutes before breakfast, 1000 mg 30 minutes before lunch, and 500 mg 30 minutes before dinner) KF or placebo for 8 weeks. Anthropometric indices, food intake, and biochemical parameters were measured at baseline and after the intervention.

Results

A total of 60 women (intervention = 30; placebo = 30) completed the trial. After the intervention, the KF group experienced a significant reduction in weight (-4.8 vs. -3.2 kg; P = 0.0001), BMI (-1.8 vs. -0.79 kg/m2; P = 0.0001), waist circumference (-5.28 vs. -3.20 cm; P = 0.004), hip circumference (-0.018 vs. -0.008 cm; P = 0.047), fasting blood sugar (-5.6 vs. 0.33; P = 0.025), and low-density lipoprotein (-11.7 vs. 6.7; P = 0.0001), compared to the placebo group. None of the patients in the intervention and placebo groups reported any side effects.

Conclusions

Using KF, along with a calorie-restricted diet, can reduce cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese women. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the efficacy of KF as a complementary therapy in obesity.

In silico study on spice-derived antiviral phytochemicals against SARS-CoV-2 TMPRSS2 target

Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a pandemic that has claimed so far over half a million human life across the globe. Researchers all over the world are exploring various molecules including phytochemicals to get a potential anti-COVID-19 drug. Certain phytochemicals present in some spices are claimed to possess antiviral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. Hence, an in-silico study was done by selecting eighteen well reported antiviral phytochemicals from some spices commonly used in Indian kitchen viz. Curcuma longa (Turmeric), Nigella sativa (Black cumin), Piper nigrum (Black pepper), Trachyspermum ammi (Carom) and Zingiber officinale (Ginger) to find out whether they can prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Firstly, we predicted the structure of TMPRSS2 (transmembrane protease serine 2), a host protein that truncates spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 thereby facilitating its endocytosis, and then docked against its catalytic domain the selected phytochemicals and camostat (a well-known synthetic inhibitor of TMPRSS2). Thereafter, stability of seven best docked phytochemicals and camostat were scrutinized by Molecular Dynamic Simulation (MDS). MDS analysis indicated bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC), carvacrol and thymol as better inhibitors than the camostat due to their stable binding with TMPRSS2 in its oxyanion hole and inducing subtle modification in the spatial arrangement of the catalytic triad residues. Among these three phytochemicals, carvacrol appeared to be the best inhibitor, followed by BDMC, whereas thymol was least effective.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Carum Copticum Seeds on the Treatment of Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Multi-Center, Randomized, Triple–Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial Study

Background: The increased prevalence of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) has caused several concerns. Besides, there are concerns about the side effects of the drugs used to treat this condition. Since the current treatments are not effective in treating NAFLD, developing a novel therapeutic option based on some medicinal plants is necessary. Few studies have investigated the natural drugs and their effects (e.g., extracts of Carum Copticum Seeds (CCS)) on these patients. Objectives: The current study intended to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CCS extracts on liver enzymes, serum lipids, as well as the grade of fatty liver, and anthropometric measurements in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Methods: In this multi-center, randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial study, 90 patients with grades of 1 to 3 of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease referred to two medical centers located in Tehran (Iran) in 2019 are examined. Diet and exercise were recommended for patients three times a day in eight weeks, in addition to taking 500 mg capsules (aqueous extracts of Ajwain seeds and placebo for treatment and placebo groups). Results: Medical records of 68 patients were reviewed, 48 (71%) male and 20 (29%) female. Both groups were similar concerning demographic and baseline characteristics. The total score of the Leeds questionnaire [-14.03 vs. -7.49, P = 0.048], Triglyceride (TG) [-4.45 vs. 10.03, P = 0.017], and Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) [-14.71 vs. -4.79, P = 0.012] were significantly changed in the treatment group compared to the control group. Nevertheless, a different situation was observed for Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) [-7.08 vs. -4.84, P = 0.314], Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) [-2.88 vs. -2.81, P = 0.207], and Body Mass Index (BMI) [-0.59 vs. -0.39, P = 0.095]. Although a significant change was found in both groups, the amount of decline was similar for both groups. In both groups, the cholesterol, High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL), and Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) did not change significantly. The sonographic findings indicated significantly higher improvements in the intervention group than the placebo group (RR = 2.43, 95% CI (1.15-5.65), and P value = 0.034). Conclusions: The result of this study supports the efficacy of Carum copticum seeds in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients. It was found that CCS with a significant reduction in ALT, TG, and relative reduction of BMI can help physicians to manage other metabolic disorders associated with NAFLD, such as obesity and hyperlipidemia.

Toxicological and Anti-Rheumatic Potential of Trachyspermum ammi Derived Biogenic Selenium Nanoparticles in Arthritic Balb/c Mice

Purpose

The existing treatment modalities for rheumatoid arthritis are less effective and safe, therefore it is essential to develop new treatments that particularly target the inflamed joints with decreased off-target side-effects. The current study proposes a nanoparticle-based therapeutic approach to target the anti-oxidant defense system of arthritic Balb/c mice.

Methods

Biogenic selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were synthesized by using Trachyspermum ammi seed extract and were evaluated for their toxicological, as well as their therapeutic potential in collagen-induced arthritic mice.

Results

The tested doses of SeNPs had no significant toxic effects on liver, kidney, spleen, and serum biochemical parameters in comparison to healthy mice. The SeNPs treatment reduced the disease severity, as demonstrated by decreased paw edema along with reduced lymphocytic cellular infiltration in the histopathological findings. SeNPs also revealed dose-independent improvement in the redox state of inflamed synovium by significantly improving the activity of antioxidant enzymes in comparison to the arthritic controls.

Conclusion

It is therefore concluded that nano-selenium in combination with TAE extract showed enhanced therapeutic efficacy as compared to their individual effects.