scholarly journals The Bioactivity and Phytochemicals of Pachyrhizus erosus (L.) Urb.: A Multifunctional Underutilized Crop Plant

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Varun Jaiswal ◽  
Shweta Chauhan ◽  
Hae-Jeung Lee

Pachyrhizus erosus (L.) Urb. is an underutilized crop plant belonging to the Fabaceae family. In recent years, the plant received huge attention and was introduced in different countries owing to properties such as a high nutritional content, its nitrogen-fixing abilities, and different biological activities such as its antioxidant, immune modulation, anticancer, anti-diabetes, anti-osteoporosis, antiviral, and antiaging affects, among others. In this review, an attempt has been made to comprehensively compile the biological activities of the plant to provide a panoramic view of the current efforts and further directions, which may lead to the development of pharmacological applications. This information will be helpful in creating interest towards P. erosus and it may be useful in developing the plant for medical applications and/or as a functional food. More than 50 phytochemicals have been reported from the plant, which belong to different chemical classes such as triterpenoids, organic acid, flavonoids, and fatty acids. Numerous biological activities were reported from the plant through in vivo, in vitro, ex vivo, and human studies. However, well-defined clinical studies are still lacking for the establishment of any biological properties that could be further developed. Suggestions for the further development of P. erosus, according to current knowledge about the different biological properties, has also been provided.

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Hasan Salahuddin Mirfat ◽  
Ismail Amin ◽  
Kassim Nur Kartinee ◽  
Hamid Muhajir ◽  
Mat Ali Mohd Shukri

Underutilised fruits are not only important sources of food and nutrition, but also secure household income especially for rural and farm communities. However, some of the underutilised fruits have not received much attention as compared to commercial fruits. This could be due to their lack of knowledge of their potential values. Hence, information about their health promoting properties is critical to increase the value of underutilised fruit species to enhance their preservation and sustainable use in strengthening food, nutrition, health and livelihood security. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review on the phytochemical properties and biological activities of underutilised fruit species grown in Malaysia focussing on health promoting aspects. With regard to phytochemistry, only 21 species of underutilised fruits have been identified and quantified. Phytochemical investigations of various parts of the fruits have revealed the presence of over 100 phytochemicals which are phenolics, terpenoids, carotenoids and other miscellaneous compounds. About 51 underutilised fruit species have been explored for interesting biological activities (antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticholinesterase, cytotoxicity, antiatherosclerotic, antihyperlipidemia, antidiabetic, cytoprotective, cardioprotective and antiplatelet activities) supporting their diverse traditional uses. Different parts of the fruits have been analysed mainly in vitro and barely in vivo, with pulp being the most dominant. Of all the underutilised fruits studied, Mangifera species and Canarium odontophyllum have been the major focus for researchers. The gaps obtained from this review create further research opportunities to add to the current knowledge of health promoting properties of underutilised fruits in Malaysia. More studies are needed to confirm the health significance and explain their mechanisms of action in order to fully understand the real potential of this underutilised fruit species.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 285-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah M. Alnuqaydan ◽  
Bilal Rah

Background:Tamarix Articulata (T. articulata), commonly known as Tamarisk or Athal in Arabic region, belongs to the Tamaricaece species. It is an important halophytic medicinal plant and a good source of polyphenolic phytochemical(s). In traditional medicines, T. articulata extract is commonly used, either singly or in combination with other plant extracts against different ailments since ancient times.Methods:Electronic database survey via Pubmed, Google Scholar, Researchgate, Scopus and Science Direct were used to review the scientific inputs until October 2018, by searching appropriate keywords. Literature related to pharmacological activities of T. articulata, Tamarix species, phytochemical analysis of T. articulata, biological activities of T. articulata extracts. All of these terms were used to search the scientific literature associated with T. articulata; the dosage of extract, route of administration, extract type, and in-vitro and in-vivo model.Results:Numerous reports revealed that T. articulata contains a wide spectrum of phytochemical(s), which enables it to have a wide window of biological properties. Owing to the presence of high content of phytochemical compounds like polyphenolics and flavonoids, T. articulata is a potential source of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties. In view of these pharmacological properties, T. articulata could be a potential drug candidate to treat various clinical conditions including cancer in the near future.Conclusion:In this review, the spectrum of phytochemical(s) has been summarized for their pharmacological properties and the mechanisms of action, and the possible potential therapeutic applications of this plant against various diseases discussed.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (9) ◽  
pp. 2506
Author(s):  
Wamidh H. Talib ◽  
Ahmad Riyad Alsayed ◽  
Alaa Abuawad ◽  
Safa Daoud ◽  
Asma Ismail Mahmod

Melatonin is a pleotropic molecule with numerous biological activities. Epidemiological and experimental studies have documented that melatonin could inhibit different types of cancer in vitro and in vivo. Results showed the involvement of melatonin in different anticancer mechanisms including apoptosis induction, cell proliferation inhibition, reduction in tumor growth and metastases, reduction in the side effects associated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, decreasing drug resistance in cancer therapy, and augmentation of the therapeutic effects of conventional anticancer therapies. Clinical trials revealed that melatonin is an effective adjuvant drug to all conventional therapies. This review summarized melatonin biosynthesis, availability from natural sources, metabolism, bioavailability, anticancer mechanisms of melatonin, its use in clinical trials, and pharmaceutical formulation. Studies discussed in this review will provide a solid foundation for researchers and physicians to design and develop new therapies to treat and prevent cancer using melatonin.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziyu Ge ◽  
Luming Yang ◽  
Fang Xiao ◽  
Yani Wu ◽  
Tingting Yu ◽  
...  

Graphene family nanomaterials, with superior mechanical, chemical, and biological properties, have grabbed appreciable attention on the path of researches seeking new materials for future biomedical applications. Although potential applications of graphene had been highly reviewed in other fields of medicine, especially for their antibacterial properties and tissue regenerative capacities, in vivo and in vitro studies related to dentistry are very limited. Therefore, based on current knowledge and latest progress, this article aimed to present the recent achievements and provide a comprehensive literature review on potential applications of graphene that could be translated into clinical reality in dentistry.


2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcin Ożarowski ◽  
Radosław Kujawski ◽  
Przemysław Ł. Mikołajczak ◽  
Karolina Wielgus ◽  
Andrzej Klejewski ◽  
...  

Summary Flavonoids and their conjugates are the most important group of natural chemical compounds in drug discovery and development. The search for pharmacological activity and new mechanisms of activity of these chemical compounds, which may inhibit mediators of inflammation and influence the structure and function of endothelial cells, can be an interesting pharmacological strategy for the prevention and adjunctive treatments of hypertension, especially induced by pregnancy. Because cardiovascular diseases have multi-factorial pathogenesis these natural chemical compounds with wide spectrum of biological activities are the most interesting source of new drugs. Extracts from one of the most popular plant used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi could be a very interesting source of flavonoids because of its exact content in quercetin, apigenin, chrysin and scutellarin as well as in baicalin. These flavonoids exert vasoprotective properties and many activities such as: anti-oxidative via several pathways, anti-in-flammatory, anti-ischaemic, cardioprotective and anti-hypertensive. However, there is lack of summaries of results of studies in context of potential and future application of flavonoids with determined composition and activity. Our review aims to provide a literature survey of in vitro, in vivo and ex vivo pharmacological studies of selected flavonoids (apigenin, chrysin and scutellarin, baicalin) in various models of hypertension carried out in 2008–2018.


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 1934578X1400900 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaopeng Wang ◽  
Caihua Zhang ◽  
Guang Yang ◽  
Yanzong Yang

Numerous studies have revealed that regular consumption of certain fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of many diseases. The rhizome of Zingiber officinale (ginger) is consumed worldwide as a spice and herbal medicine. It contains pungent phenolic substances collectively known as gingerols. 6-Gingerol is the major pharmacologically-active component of ginger. It is known to exhibit a variety of biological activities including anticancer, anti-inflammation, and anti-oxidation. 6-Gingerol has been found to possess anticancer activities via its effect on a variety of biological pathways involved in apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, cytotoxic activity, and inhibition of angiogenesis. Thus, due to its efficacy and regulation of multiple targets, as well as its safety for human use, 6-gingerol has received considerable interest as a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention and/or treatment of various diseases. Taken together, this review summarizes the various in vitro and in vivo pharmacological aspects of 6-gingerol and the underlying mechanisms.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Silva-Carvalho ◽  
Fátima Baltazar ◽  
Cristina Almeida-Aguiar

The health industry has always used natural products as a rich, promising, and alternative source of drugs that are used in the health system. Propolis, a natural resinous product known for centuries, is a complex product obtained by honey bees from substances collected from parts of different plants, buds, and exudates in different geographic areas. Propolis has been attracting scientific attention since it has many biological and pharmacological properties, which are related to its chemical composition. Severalin vitroandin vivostudies have been performed to characterize and understand the diverse bioactivities of propolis and its isolated compounds, as well as to evaluate and validate its potential. Yet, there is a lack of information concerning clinical effectiveness. The goal of this review is to discuss the potential of propolis for the development of new drugs by presenting published data concerning the chemical composition and the biological properties of this natural compound from different geographic origins.


Author(s):  
Nieves Baenas ◽  
Jenny Ruales ◽  
Diego A. Moreno ◽  
Daniel Alejandro Barrio ◽  
Carla M. Stinco ◽  
...  

Andean blueberries are wild berries grown and consumed in Ecuador which contain high values of bioactive compounds, mainly anthocyanins, with powerful antioxidant activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the profile and contents of (poly)phenols and carotenoids in Andean blueberry by HPLC-DAD-MSn and determine a wide range of its biological activities. The antioxidant capacity of this fruit was evaluated in vitro by three different methods and in vivo using the zebrafish animal model, also the toxicity effect was determined by the zebrafish embryogenesis test. Besides, the antimicrobial activity and the capacity of Andean blueberry to produce hemagglutination in blood cells were evaluated. Finally, the bioaccessibility of (poly)phenols and related antioxidant capacity were determined in the different phases of an in vitro digestion. The global results indicated no toxicity of Andean blueberry, weakly bacteriostatic activity, and high contents of anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity, which were partially bioaccesible in vitro (~ 50 % at the final intestinal step), contributing to the knowledge of its health benefits for consumers and its potential use in the food and pharmaceutical industry as functional ingredient.


1997 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 498-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miroslav Kuchař ◽  
Marie Poppová ◽  
Antonín Jandera ◽  
Vladimíra Panajotovová ◽  
Hana Zůnová ◽  
...  

4-(2',4'-Difluorobiphenyl-4-yl)-2-methyl-4-oxobutanoic acid (1, flobufen) is subjected to clinical testing in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Owing to the occurrence of a centre of chirality, the compound exists in two enantiomers, and its major human metabolite, viz. 4-(2',4'-difluorobiphenyl-4-yl)-4-hydroxy-2-methylbutanoic acid isolated in the lactone form (2), possesses two chiral centres, making possible the existence of four stereoisomers. All of the optical isomers of the substances 1 and 2 were prepared. For flobufen (1), the racemate was separated into the stereoisomers by using the salts 3 with R-(+)- or S-(-)-1-phenylethylamine. The pairs of stereoisomers of 2, obtained by reduction of R-(+)-flobufen or the S-(-)-enantiomer, were separated by column chromatography. The physico-chemical parameters of the optical isomers were determined and some biological activities were evaluated in both in vitro and in vivo models.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Sureda ◽  
M. Monserrat-Mesquida ◽  
S. Pinya ◽  
P. Ferriol ◽  
S. Tejada

Background:: Hypertension is a high prevalent chronic disease worldwide and a major cardiovascular risk factor. Oleanolic acid (3β-hydroxy-olea-12-en-28-oic acid) is a wide distributed bioactive pentacyclic triterpenoid with diverse biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, hepaprotective anti-diabetic or anti-hypertensive. Objective:: The aim of this study was to review and highlight the available data about antihypertensive activity of oleanolic acid and the described mechanisms of action. Method:: Extensive searches were made in the available literature on oleanolic acid and the data investigating its antihypertensive effects were analysed. Results:: Most of research has been performed on animal models of hypertension, ex vivo studies with aortic ring and some in vitro tests with cell cultures, whereas clinical trials are still lacking. Treatment of hypertensive animals with oleanolic acid significantly ameliorated the rise in the systolic blood pressure. In addition, the hypotensive effects of oleanolic acid are also related to a potent diuretic-natriuretic activity and nephroprotection. In vitro studies have characterized the participation of various signalling pathways that modulate the release of vasodilation mediators. Conclusion:: In vitro and in vivo studies suggest that oleanolic acid effectively reduce blood pressure and could be an interesting co-adjuvant to conventional treatment of hypertension.


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