Alantolactone: A Natural Plant Extract as a Potential Therapeutic Agent for Cancer

Alantolactone (ALT) is a natural compound extracted from Chinese traditional medicine Inula helenium L. with therapeutic potential in the treatment of various diseases. Recently, in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated cytotoxic effects of ALT on various cancers, including liver cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, etc. The inhibitory effects of ALT depend on several cancer-associated signaling pathways and abnormal regulatory factors in cancer cells. Moreover, emerging studies have reported several promising strategies to enhance the oral bioavailability of ALT, such as combining ALT with other herbs and using ALT-entrapped nanostructured carriers. In this review, studies on the anti-tumor roles of ALT are mainly summarized, and the underlying molecular mechanisms of ALT exerting anticancer effects on cells investigated in animal-based studies are also discussed.

Synergistic Regulation of Microglia Gene Expression by Natural Molecules in Herbal Medicine

The activated microglia contribute to stroke-induced neuroinflammation by upregulating the expression of a pleura of genes that are characterized as either proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory. The natural products alantolactone (Ala) and dehydrodiisoeugenol (Deh) found in Inula helenium L. and Myristica fragrans Houtt., respectively, are regularly used in traditional herb medicine, which play anti-inflammatory and antioxidant roles via regulation of canonical pathways such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in microglia and microphages. To illustrate the full spectra of gene expression alteration in microglia treated with Ala, Deh, and the mixture of Ala and Deh (denoted as Mix), we performed RNA-seq analysis of total RNA extracted from lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) treated microglia subsequently exposed to Ala, Deh, and Mix. While both chemicals regulated the gene expression that facilitates an anti-inflammatory polarization, the mixture exerted some distinctive synergic regulatory effect, which differed from either of the chemicals alone. Our data provide important evidence for further research on the therapeutic mechanism of traditional medicine including Eerdun Wurile (EW).

INNOVATIVE FOOD PRODUCT – DIETARY ADDITIVE-APIFITOCOMPOSITION «HONEY WITH INULA HELENIUM L.»

Розроблено інноваційний харчовий продукт – дієтичну добавку-апіфітокомпозицію «Мед з оманом» на основі меду та лікарських рослин – кореневищ з коренями оману високого (дев’ясилу) (Inula helenium L.) та коренів солодки голої (Glycyrriza glabra L.). Встановлено особливості впливу апіфітокомпозиції на стан здоров’я дітей з латентною туберкульозною інфекцією (ЛТІ) та дорослих з інфекційним загостренням хронічного обструктивного захворювання легень (ХОЗЛ). Ключові слова: дієтичні добавки-апіфітокомпозиції, продукти бджільництва, лікарські рослини.

Some biological features and green mass quality of Inula helenium L.

We have studied some biological features, the particle size distribution in chopped mass, and the biochemical composition and have estimated the biomethane potential of aerial biomass of the ‘Ileana’ cultivar of Inula helenium in the second growing season.

The Possibility of obtaining inulin from the tubers of Helianthus tuberosus L and Inula helenium L

Inulin is a natural polysaccharide abundant in plants. In the latest decades, in Mongolia, have been cultivated some plants which used in traditional medicine. Inulin polysaccharides were isolated from the roots of the Helianthus tuberosus L. and Inula helenium L. by ultrasound-assisted, microwave extraction, and conventional extraction methods. This polysaccharide is light yellow, tasteless, powder. The polysaccharide structure was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The poly fructose content of the Helianthus tuberosus L. ranged from 69 to 84%; in comparison, Inula helenium L ranged from 13 to 51%. The IR-FT spectra revealed typical inulin structure - 820, 876, and 937 cm-1 with terminated α-D-glucose residue. Булцуут цэцэг (Helianthus tuberosus l.) Өндөр зоосон цэцэг (Inula helenium l.) -ийн үндэснээс инулин гарган авах боломж Инулин нь ургамалд элбэг байдаг байгалийн полисахарид бөгөөд манай оронд инулинаар баялаг зарим төрлийн ургамлыг амжилттай нутагшуулан тарималжуулж байгаа билээ. Манай оронд нутагшсан Булцуут цэцэг (Helianthus tuberosus L.) болон Өндөр зоосон цэцэг (Inula helenium L.) ургамлын үндэснээс инулин полисахаридыг хэт авиа (ХА), богино долгион (БД) болон уламжлалт хандлах аргын тусламжтайгаар ялган авлаа. Энэ полисахарид нь ямар нэгэн амтгүй, цайвар шаргал өнгөтэй, нунтаг хэлбэртэй. Уг полисахаридын бүтцийг нил улаан туяаны спектроскопийн (FT-IR) аргаар баталгаажуулсан ба инулины агууламжийг нийт фруктозод шилжүүлэн тооцов. Булцуут цэцгийн полифруктаны агууламж 69-84%, Өндөр зоосон цэцгийнх 13-51% хооронд хэлбэлзэж байсан бөгөөд богино долгионы тусламжтай ялган авсан инулины полифруктаны агууламж хамгийн өндөр байв. НУТ-ны спектрийн шингээлтээр инулины бүтцийн гол зурвасууд нь 820, 876 саяны хэсэгт болон фураноз хэлбэртэй b-D-фруктоз, харин 937 см-1 саяны хэсэгт пираноз хэлбэртэй a-D-глюкозын үлдэгдэл байгааг харуулж байна. Түлхүүр үг: булцуут цэцэг, инулин, НУТ спектроскоп, өндөр зоосон цэцэг, полифруктан

Biotical cycle in single-crop sowing and mixed agrophytocenosis of forage crops

The biotic cycle is based on the assessment of chemical elements in the production, degradation processes, during the deposition and resynthesis of organic compounds. The biotic cycle of agrophytocenoses, in contrast to natural ecosystems, is characterized by a significant imbalance of macro- and microelements. One way of solving this problem is to approximate the composition and structure of agrophytocenoses to natural plant communities. The objective of the research was to investigate the biotic cycle of elements in single- and mixed-seeded crops of Galega orientalis Lam., Inula helenium L., Symphytum asperum Lepech., urtica dioica L. The research was conducted in the mountainous zone of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic in 2015-2019 on grey forest soil. In mixed agrophytocenoses, the biotic balance becomes less negative compared to monoculture crops. The excess of consumption over the return of N, Ca, K, P to the soil averaged 3.96; 40.94; 334.02; 9.46 kg/ha, respectively, over 5 years. The inclusion of Galega orientalis in a mixture with nonlegurninous forage grasses increased the soil cultivation index from 0.87 to 0.90. The results show the high potential of a polyculture system based on the combined cultivation of legumes and non-legumes in increasing the sustainability of farming.

RESEARCH ON SOME PLANT SPECIES CONTAINING ESSENTIAL OILS PERFORMED AT UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY „IULIU HAŢIEGANU” CLUJ-NAPOCA

The present article offers a synthesis of original research performed at the department of Pharmaceutical botany of „Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca on 17 species and varieties of essential oil-containing plants that belong to 11 genera, all Romanian traditional medicinal, endemic or ornamental species. The essential oils were qualitatively analized and quantified by TLC and GC-MS from: Tanacetum balsamita (2 varieties), Artemisia abrotanum, Rhododendron myrtifolium, Origanum vulgare, Artemisia annua, Inula helenium, Salvia officinalis, Thuja occidentalis, Acorus calamus, Achillea (4 species) and Solidago (3 species). The chemical composition of these species belonging to the Romanian flora was established, two chemical infraspecific taxa were identified within Tanacetum balsamita and Achillea distans, and toxic compounds from essential oils (βasarone, thujone) were quantified.

PLANTS OF THE BOTSAD OF I.M. SECHENOV MOSCOW STATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, CAPABLE OF SUPPRESSING DENSITY-DEPENDENT COMMUNICATION OF MICROORGANISMS.

Purpose of research - specify plants in the Botanic garden with antiquorum activity. In the collection of the botanical garden there are plants with confirmed antiquorum activity: Quercus robur, Betula verrucosa, Ledum tomentosum, Salvia officinalis, Inula helenium, Calendula officinalis, Comarum palustre, Rosa majalis. The presence of anti-Quorum Sensing activity supposed in: Chelidonium majus, Maсleaya cordata, Ruta graveolens, Plantago major, Equisetum arvense, Thymus serpyllum, Thymus marschallianus, Thymus vulgaris. The use of drugs from these plants led to the elimination of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in the patient.