Phytochemical Composition and Biological Activities of Scorzonera Species

The genus Scorzonera comprises nearly 200 species, naturally occurring in Europe, Asia, and northern parts of Africa. Plants belonging to the Scorzonera genus have been a significant part of folk medicine in Asia, especially China, Mongolia, and Turkey for centuries. Therefore, they have become the subject of research regarding their phytochemical composition and biological activity. The aim of this review is to present and assess the phytochemical composition, and bioactive potential of species within the genus Scorzonera. Studies have shown the presence of many bioactive compounds like triterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, flavonoids, or caffeic acid and quinic acid derivatives in extracts obtained from aerial and subaerial parts of the plants. The antioxidant and cytotoxic properties have been evaluated, together with the mechanism of anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and hepatoprotective activity. Scorzonera species have also been investigated for their activity against several bacteria and fungi strains. Despite mild cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines in vitro, the bioactive properties in wound healing therapy and the treatment of microbial infections might, in perspective, be the starting point for the research on Scorzonera species as active agents in medical products designed for miscellaneous skin conditions.

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Associated microflora of medicinal ferns: biotechnological potentials and possible applications

International Journal of Bioassays ◽

10.21746/ijbio.2016.03.0017 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 5 (03) ◽

pp. 4927 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Shubhi Srivastava ◽

Paul A. K.

Keyword(s):

Secondary Metabolites ◽

Growth Promotion ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Hydrolytic Enzymes ◽

In Vitro Production ◽

Wide Range ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Bacteria And Fungi

Plant associated microorganisms that colonize the upper and internal tissues of roots, stems, leaves and flowers of healthy plants without causing any visible harmful or negative effect on their host. Diversity of microbes have been extensively studied in a wide variety of vascular plants and shown to promote plant establishment, growth and development and impart resistance against pathogenic infections. Ferns and their associated microbes have also attracted the attention of the scientific communities as sources of novel bioactive secondary metabolites. The ferns and fern alleles, which are well adapted to diverse environmental conditions, produce various secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, steroids, alkaloids, phenols, triterpenoid compounds, variety of amino acids and fatty acids along with some unique metabolites as adaptive features and are traditionally used for human health and medicine. In this review attention has been focused to prepare a comprehensive account of ethnomedicinal properties of some common ferns and fern alleles. Association of bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere, phyllosphere and endosphere of these medicinally important ferns and their interaction with the host plant has been emphasized keeping in view their possible biotechnological potentials and applications. The processes of host-microbe interaction leading to establishment and colonization of endophytes are less-well characterized in comparison to rhizospheric and phyllospheric microflora. However, the endophytes are possessing same characteristics as rhizospheric and phyllospheric to stimulate the in vivo synthesis as well as in vitro production of secondary metabolites with a wide range of biological activities such as plant growth promotion by production of phytohormones, siderophores, fixation of nitrogen, and phosphate solubilization. Synthesis of pharmaceutically important products such as anticancer compounds, antioxidants, antimicrobials, antiviral substances and hydrolytic enzymes could be some of the promising areas of research and commercial exploitation.

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The protective effects of carvacrol and thymol against paracetamol–induced toxicity on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (HepG2)

Human & Experimental Toxicology ◽

10.1177/0960327115627688 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 35 (12) ◽

pp. 1252-1263 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

SS Palabiyik ◽

E Karakus ◽

Z Halici ◽

E Cadirci ◽

Y Bayir ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Inflammatory Cytokines ◽

Hepg2 Cells ◽

Folk Medicine ◽

Hepatoprotective Activity ◽

High Dose ◽

Protective Effects ◽

And Oxidative Stress ◽

Pro Inflammatory Cytokines

Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose could induce liver damage and lead to acute liver failure. The treatment of APAP overdoses could be improved by new therapeutic strategies. Thymus spp., which has many beneficial effects and has been used in folk medicine, is one such potential strategy. In the present study, the hepatoprotective activity of the main constituents of Thymus spp., carvacrol and thymol, were evaluated in light of APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. We hoped to understand the hepatoprotective mechanism of these agents on the antioxidant system and pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro. Dose-dependent effects of thymol and carvacrol (25, 50, and 100 µM) were tested on cultured HepG2 cells. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) was tested as positive control. We showed that APAP inhibited HepG2 cell growth by inducing inflammation and oxidative stress. Incubating APAP-exposed HepG2 cells with carvacrol and thymol for 24 h ameliorated this inflammation and oxidative stress. We also evaluated alanine transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase levels of HepG2 cells. We found that thymol and carvacrol protected against APAP-induced toxicity in HepG2 cells by increasing antioxidant activity and reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 1β. Taking together high-dose thymol and carvacrol treatment has an effect close to NAC treatment in APAP toxicity, but thymol has better treatment effect than carvacrol.

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Ethnopharmacology, pharmacological activities, and chemistry of the Hypericum genus

The Journal of Phytopharmacology ◽

10.31254/phyto.2021.10206 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 105-113

Author(s):

Omambia Mokoro Vincent ◽

◽

Joseph Mwanzia Nguta ◽

Eric Simon Mitema ◽

Fredrick Mutie Musila ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Mild Depression ◽

Pharmacological Activities ◽

Medicinal Uses ◽

Phytochemical Composition ◽

Depth Analysis ◽

Microbial Infections ◽

Safety Studies ◽

Hypericum Species

There are over 500 species in the Hypericum genus worldwide. Crude extracts from Hypericum species have been reported in folkloric medicine as analgesics, anthelmintics, astringents, antidepressants, diuretics, and anti-inflammatories. The current review aims to provide an in-depth analysis of local uses, pharmacological activities, and phytochemical composition of different extracts generated from Hypericum species. The review data was collected via literature search from Google, Google Scholar, Medline, Pubmed, Mendeley, Science Direct, Chemical Abstracts, Web of Science, and Scopus. The most studied of the entire Hypericum genus is H. perforatum, approved to manage mild depression. Other species that have been reported to have ethnomedicinal value are H. erectum, H. monogynum, H. attenuatum, H. japonicum, H. beanii, H. monantheum, H. wightianum, H. scabrum, H. monogynum, H. monogynum, H. geminiflorum, H. ascyron, H. seniawinii, H. elodeoides, H. petiolulatum, H. wightianum, H. hengshanense, H. japonicum, and H. revolutum. Over 900 phytochemicals have been isolated from the Hypericum genus plant species, mostly phenolics, and terpenoids. Studies have been carried out to validate the ethnopharmacological use of extracts from Hypericum species against depression, cancer, inflammation, and microbial infections. There are limited safety studies involving medicinal plants from the Hypericum genus; however,further investigations on toxic effects, phytochemical composition, and biological activities are necessary to validate the medicinal uses of plant species of the Hypericum genus empirically. The present article reviews ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and toxicology of the Hypericum genus, which several communities have used to treat various conditions.

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Potential Antimicrobial and Anticancer Activities of an Ethanol Extract from Bouea macrophylla

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules25081996 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (8) ◽

pp. 1996 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ngoc Hong Nguyen ◽

Thuy Trang Nguyen ◽

Phu Cuong Ma ◽

Qui Thanh Hoai Ta ◽

Thuc-Huy Duong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Activities ◽

Chemical Constituents ◽

Shigella Flexneri ◽

Folk Medicine ◽

Antibacterial Properties ◽

Ethanol Extract ◽

Anticancer Activities ◽

Ic50 Values ◽

Bacteria And Fungi ◽

Hct116 Cells

Bouea macrophylla is a tree widely grown throughout South East Asia. It is used in folk medicine for the treatment of various illnesses. The present study aimed to identify the chemical constituents and to test the antimicrobial and anticancer activities of an ethanol extract from B. macrophylla leaves. The extract exhibited excellent antibacterial properties against 9 out of 10 target microorganisms. including four Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, Vibrio cholera, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and four Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis, and Bacillus cereus), as well as a fungus (Candida albicans). In addition, the extract was also tested on HeLa and human colorectal carcinoma (HCT116) cells to evaluate its cytostatic effects. The ethanol extract was able to inhibit the proliferation of HeLa and HCT116 cells, showing IC50 = 24 ± 0.8 and 28 ± 0.9 µg/mL, respectively, whereas the IC50 values of doxorubicin (standard) were 13.6 ± 1.3 and 15.8 ± 1.1 µg/mL respectively. Also, we identified various bioactive compounds in the extract such as polyphenols, flavonoids, caryophyllene, phytol, and trans-geranylgeraniol by GC-MS, which could contribute to the extract’s biological activities. Therefore, our findings strongly indicate that the constituents of the B. macrophylla ethanol extract could be active against the tested bacteria and fungi as well as cancer cells. Further investigation is needed to understand the mechanisms mediating the antimicrobial and anticancer effects and identify signaling pathways that could be targeted for therapeutic application.

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Veronicastrum axillare Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury via Suppression of Proinflammatory Mediators and Downregulation of the NF-κB Signaling Pathway

Mediators of Inflammation ◽

10.1155/2016/7934049 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Quanxin Ma ◽

Kai Wang ◽

Qinqin Yang ◽

Shun Ping ◽

Weichun Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Lung Injury ◽

Lung Injury ◽

Signaling Pathway ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Interleukin 1 ◽

Folk Medicine ◽

Protective Effects ◽

Proinflammatory Mediators ◽

Anti Inflammatory

Veronicastrum axillare is a traditional medical plant in China which is widely used in folk medicine due to its versatile biological activities, especially for its anti-inflammatory effects. However, the detailed mechanism underlying this action is not clear. Here, we studied the protective effects of V. axillare against acute lung injury (ALI), and we further explored the pharmacological mechanisms of this action. We found that pretreatment with V. axillare suppressed the release of proinflammatory cytokines in the serum of ALI mice. Histological analysis of lung tissue demonstrated that V. axillare inhibited LPS-induced lung injury, improved lung morphology, and reduced the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in the lungs. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory actions of V. axillare were investigated in vitro. We observed that V. axillare suppressed the mRNA expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in RAW264.7 cells challenged with LPS. Furthermore, pretreatment of V. axillare in vitro reduced the phosphorylation of p65 and IκB-α which is activated by LPS. In conclusion, our data firstly demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory effects of V. axillare against ALI were achieved through downregulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby reducing the production of inflammatory mediators.

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Phytochemical composition and in vitro biological activities of Morinda citrifolia fruit juice

Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences ◽

10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.11.059 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Haziz Sina ◽

Gado Dramane ◽

Philippe Tchekounou ◽

Mahoudo Fidèle Assogba ◽

Kamirou Chabi-Sika ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruit Juice ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Morinda Citrifolia ◽

Phytochemical Composition

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Salvia ceratophylla L. from South of Jordan: new insights on chemical composition and biological activities

Natural Products and Bioprospecting ◽

10.1007/s13659-020-00259-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 307-316

Author(s):

Mohammad Sanad Abu-Darwish ◽

Célia Cabral ◽

Zulfigar Ali ◽

Mei Wang ◽

Shabana I. Khan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Gas Chromatography ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Vero Cells ◽

Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽

No Production ◽

Main Constituent ◽

Microbial Infections

Abstract In Jordan, Salvia ceratophylla L. is traditionally used in the treatment of cancer, microbial infections, and urinary disorders. This study aimed: (1) to chemically characterize S. ceratophylla essential oil (EO) from South Jordan, by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS); and (2) to evaluate in vitro the cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and antiprotozoal activities of the EO, it’s predominant components, and the hexane (A), ethyl acetate (B), methanol (C) and crude-methanol extracts (D). The analysis revealed that the EO has 71 compounds, with linalool (54.8%) as main constituent. Only the hexane extract (A) showed some cytotoxic activity against SK-MEL, KB, BT-549, SK-OV-3, LLC-PK1 and VERO cells lines with IC50 between 60 and > 100 µg/mL. The EO inhibited NO production (IC50 90 µg/mL) and NF-κB activity (IC50 38 µg/mL). The extracts A, B, and D inhibited NO production and NF- κB activity with IC50 between 32 and 150 µg/mL. Linalool considerably inhibited NO production (IC50 18 µg/mL). The extracts tested did not exhibit antileishmanial activity. Regarding antitrypanosomal activity, the EO exhibited significant results with IC50 2.65 µg/mL. In conclusion, Jordan S. ceratophylla EO represents a rich source of linalool and bears a promising therapeutic potential for further antitrypanosomal drug development.

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Antibacterial, Antioxidant Activity of Ethanolic Plant Extracts of Some Convolvulus Species and Their DART-ToF-MS Profiling

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2017/5694305 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Asma’a Al-Rifai ◽

Ahmad Aqel ◽

Tarfah Al-Warhi ◽

Saikh M. Wabaidur ◽

Zeid A. Al-Othman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skin Diseases ◽

Antioxidant Activities ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Folk Medicine ◽

Colorimetric Method ◽

Radical Scavenging ◽

Direct Analysis ◽

Analytical Technique ◽

Flight Mass Spectrometry

Convolvulus austroaegyptiacus Abdallah & Sa’ad (CA) and Convolvulus pilosellifolius Desr. (CP) are commonly used in the Saudi Arabia folk medicine. They are potent in treating the ulcers and skin diseases. The lack of information about their biological activities led us to investigate the possible biological activities by determination of antibacterial and antioxidant activities of total ethanolic extracts and various fractions. Total flavonoid contents of the plants were determined by colorimetric method while total phenols were determined by using Folin-Ciocalteu method. In vitro antibacterial activity was studied against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and B. subtilis, and the total antioxidant capacity was evaluated by radical scavenging method. IC50 were found to be 21.81, 17.62, and 3.31 μg/mL for CA, CP, and vitamin C, respectively, while the lowest MIC value of 0.25 mg/mL was recorded with CP extract against B. subtilis. Around 21 compounds are tentatively elucidated from both plants using rapid, simple, and high-resolution analytical technique for chemical profiling of natural compounds by direct analysis in real-time of flight-mass spectrometry, of which 17 were not isolated or reported previously.

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Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng (Gac fruit): An abundant source of nutrient, phytochemicals and its pharmacological activities

Australian Journal of Crop Science ◽

10.21475/ajcs.20.14.12.p2515 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1844-1854

Author(s):

Priscilla Jayanthi Thavamany ◽

Hong Lim Chew ◽

Sreeramanan S. ◽

Bee Lynn Chew ◽

Ming-Thong Ong

Keyword(s):

Nutritive Value ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Folk Medicine ◽

Asian Countries ◽

Anticancer Activities ◽

Nutritional Properties ◽

Pharmacological Activities ◽

Phytochemical Composition ◽

Momordica Cochinchinensis ◽

Β Carotene

Gac fruit (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng) is an exploitable perennial dioecious fruit found commonly in Southeast Asian countries (SA). Gac fruit has been traditionally used in folk medicine due to its high medicinal and nutritive value. Generally, the aril of the fruit is used as a red colourant for cuisines and supplement for healthier vision. Gac fruit is highly rich in lycopene and β- carotene, fatty acids, vitamin E, polyphenols like phenolic acids, flavonoids and trypsin inhibitors. These compounds are linked with many important bioactivities such as provitamin A, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiulcer and anticancer activities. This paper reviews the findings on nutritional properties, phytochemical composition and the biological activities of Gac fruit. The review has also briefly discussed the suitable conditions for the storage and utilisation of the fruit in food, beverage, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries

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