Cytotoxic effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Cota tinctoria (L.) J.Gay on AGS and Hep-G2 cancer cell lines

Cota tinctoria is a medicinal plant which has been used for management of cancer in folk medicine of various regions. The aim of present study is to investigate cytotoxic activity of different concentrations of hydroalcoholic extract of C. tinctoria flowers on gastric (AGS) and liver (Hep-G2) cancer cell lines as well as Human Natural GUM fibroblast (HUGU) cells. Cell mortality rates were examined after 24, 48 and 72 h incubations using the MTT assay. IC50 of extract on AGS cells after 24, 48 and 72h was 1.46, 1.29 and 1.14 µg/mL respectively. The extract demonstrated IC50 of 5.15, 3.92 and 2.89 µg/mL on Hep-G2 cells after 24, 48 and 72 h respectively. No cytotoxic effect was detected on HUGU (Human Natural GUM fibroblast) cells. C. tinctoria seems to have a promising potential to be considered as a source for anticancer drug discovery. However, more experimental and clinical studies are required.

Isolation of Laurus nobilis Leaf Polyphenols: A Review on Current Techniques and Future Perspectives

In recent years, the market demand for products enhanced with ingredients derived from natural products, such as polyphenols, is rapidly increasing. Laurus nobilis L., known as bay, sweet bay, bay laurel, Roman laurel or daphne is an evergreen Mediterranean shrub whose leaves have traditionally been used in cuisines and folk medicine due to their beneficial health effects, which can nowadays be scientifically explained by various biological activities of the leaf extracts. Many of these activities can be attributed to phenolic compounds present in L. nobilis leaves which include flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins (proanthocyanidins) and lignans. In order to enable efficient industrial utilization of these valuable compounds, it is crucial to establish optimal extraction procedures resulting in the highest yields and quality of the extracts. This paper offers the first systematic review of current literature on the influence of conventional and advanced extraction techniques, including microwave-assisted, ultrasound-assisted, enzyme-assisted, supercritical-CO2 and mechanochemical-assisted extraction on the phenolic content of L. nobilis leaf extracts, allowing more efficient planning of further research and simplifying the steps towards industrial utilization of this plant.

Chemical profile of manually extracted andiroba oil (Carapa guianensis Aubl., Meliaceae) from Mamangal community, located in Igarapé-Miri, Pará, Brazil

Carapa guianensis species belongs to the Meliaceae family and, in the Brazilian Amazon, it has great importance in folk medicine, mainly because the oil extracted from its seeds presents varied biological activities. Thus, the present work aimed to analyze, by gas phase chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS), the chemical composition of manually extracted andiroba oil, from Mamangal community, located in Igarapé-Miri, Pará, Brazil. As results, 99.63% of the constituents of the oil sample were identified and quantified from which the main components were oleic, palmitic, stearic, and linoleic acids. The manual oil extraction from andiroba seeds in the Mamangal community is sustainable and economically viable. Due to the high content of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids C. guianensis oil can be considered interesting useful for pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Indeed, the unsaturated fatty acids represented 57.5% of the oil constituents, among which the essential ones stand out, as they have great applicability in healing drugs formulation.

Rock Samphire, a Candidate Crop for Saline Agriculture: Cropping Practices, Chemical Composition and Health Effects

The recent market trends for functional healthy foods have rekindled the interest in wild edible species and created a market niche for high added value products. The current supply, mainly supported by plants collected from the wild, cannot meet increasing market needs; therefore, it is of major importance to establish cropping protocols and further valorize wild plants for culinary and industrial applications. Sea fennel is a wild edible halophyte that is an important ingredient in local cuisines and is also used in folk medicine for its beneficial health effects. Its valorization has not been commercially explored on a great scale and more efforts are needed to integrate the species in farming systems. The present review compiles the most recent reports regarding the farming practices that could allow for the establishment of cultivation protocols for farmers, while the main constraints that hinder the further exploitation of the species are also presented. Moreover, this review presents the most up-to-date information regarding the chemical composition (e.g., chemical composition of the aerial parts and volatile compounds in essential oils) and the health-related effects of various plant parts (e.g., antimicrobial, insecticidal and anticholinesterase activities) aiming to reveal possible alternative uses that will increase the added value of the species and will contribute to its commercial exploitation. Finally, the future remarks and the guidelines that have to be followed are also discussed.

Bioassay-Guided Fractionation of Siparuna glycycarpa n-Butanol Extract with Inhibitory Activity against Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 Virus by Centrifugal Partition Chromatography (CPC)

Siparuna glycycarpa occurs in the Amazon region, and some species of this genus are used in Brazilian folk medicine. A recent study showed the inhibitory effect of this species against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, and in order to acquire active fractions, a polar solvent system n-butanol-methanol-water (9:1:10, v/v) was selected and used for bioassay-guided fractionation of n-butanol extract by centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC). The upper phase was used as stationary phase and the lower phase as mobile (descending mode). Among the collected fractions, the ones coded SGA, SGC, SGD, and SGO showed the highest antiviral inhibition levels (above 74%) at 100 µg·mL−1 after 24 h of infection. The bioactive fractions chemical profiles were investigated by LC-HRMS/MS data in positive and negative ionization modes exploring the Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) platform to build a molecular network. Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids were annotated in the fractions coded SGA, SGC, and SGD collected during elution step. Aporphine alkaloids, O-glycosylated flavonoids, and dihydrochalcones in SGO were acquired with the change of mobile phase from lower aqueous to upper organic. Benzylisoquinolinic and aporphine alkaloids as well as glycosylated flavonoids were annotated in the most bioactive fractions suggesting this group of compounds as responsible for antiviral activity.

Sidastrum paniculatum (L.) Fryxell (Malvaceae): A Promising Source of Bioactive Sulfated Flavonoids Against Aedes aegypti L

Aedes aegypti L. is known as the most relevant vector mosquito for viruses such as yellow fever, chikungunya, dengue, and Zika, especially in places with unplanned urbanization, and erratic water supply. Plants used in folk medicine have become a useful source of active compounds with the potential to control the dissemination of Ae. aegypti. Compounds isolated from Malvaceae sensu lato have been previously reported as larvicides, repellents, and insecticides. Recent studies have demonstrated the anti Ae. aegypti activity of sulfated flavonoids, an uncommon type of flavonoid derivatives. This research reports the phytochemical investigation of Sidastrum paniculatum (L.) Fryxell, a Malvaceae species with the potential against Ae. aegypti. Chromatographic procedures resulted in the isolation of the compounds: stearic acid (1), N-trans-feruloyltyramine (2), acacetin (3), apigenin (4), tiliroside (5), along with the sulfated flavonoids: wissadulin (6), 7,4′-di-O-methyl-8-O-sulfate flavone (7), yannin (8), beltraonin (9a), 7-O-sulfate isoscutellarein (paniculatumin) (9b), and condadin (10). This is the first report of compound 7-O-sulfate isoscutellarein (9b). The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis (NMR, LC-HRMS and FT-IR). The sulfated flavonoids identified were submitted to a ligand-based and structure-based virtual screening against two targets: 1YIY (from adult Ae. aegypti) and 1PZ4 (from Ae. aegypti larvae). The results indicated that when the O-sulfate group is bearing the position 7, the structures are potentially active in 1PZ4 protein. On the other hand, flavonoids with the O-sulfate group bearing position 8 were showed to be more likely to bind to the 1YIY protein. Our findings indicated that S. paniculatum is a promising source of sulfated flavonoids with potential against Ae. aegypti.

The Essential Oil Components of Helichrysum pallasii Flowers

The genus Helichrysum contains many species displaying therapeutical effects and use in folk medicine. Helichrysum pallasii (Spreng.) Ledeb. is one of these species, used in the region for traditional medicine and ornamental purposes. Plants have been used in the treatment in folk medicines since the earliest times of human history. Chemical composition, antimicrobial and other medicinal properties of plants are being investigated in laboratories throughout the world using the extracts and essential oils derived from medicinal plants. Essential oils are usually complex mixtures of natural compounds of both polar and apolar structure. Essential oils consist mainly of terpenoids and their oxygenated derivatives. Essential oils, which have antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, have therapeutic properties and are the raw materials of cosmetics, as well as acting as natural additives in foods and food products. In this study, the volatile components of the H. pallasii plants were investigated which collected from its natural habitat in the Armutlu district of Bayburt province (Turkey) at the time of flowering. The proportion of essential oils of the plant harvested during the full flowering period and the aromatic components in the essential oil of the plant were determined using the SPME (Solid Phase Microextraction) method in a Gas Chromatography (GC-MS) device. Almost 37 different components were found as a result of the analysis. The main components were found as α-Springene (34.89%), (-)-Isoledene (7.11%), δ-Selinene (5.79%) and Aristolene (5.09).

Updated review on venomous snakebites, therapeutic uses and future prospects of Indian traditional medicine

Herbal medicines can make therapeutic drugs and are an essential part of the worldwide healthcare system. Plants have always been an essential part of many indigenous peoples' life. Snakebite is a typical tropical condition that goes unnoticed. Snakebite is still a significant public health issue in many parts of the world, particularly in India, where the disease is particularly prevalent. Morbidity and mortality rates among rural and indigenous populations in the country are among the highest in the world. The problem is made worse by people delaying or refusing to seek medical care because they believe in traditional healers. People worldwide use plants to treat poisonous snakebites as folk medicine. Five hundred twenty-three plant species belonging to the 122 families are recognized as a source of drugs/compounds recognized as a possible cure for snakebite. However, this assessment is limited to a small number of essential plants used in snakebite poisoning in India. The most important groups from which various plants are employed include Acanthaceae, Amaranthaceae, Apocynaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Fab Lamiaceae and Moraceae. In this investigation, phytocompounds with anti-venom action were discovered in 29 plants belonging to 22 families used as a traditional medicine to treat poisonous snakebites.

Evaluation of the Anticonvulsant Activities of Gastrodia Elata Bl.- Acorus Tatarinowii Decoction on Experimentally Induced Seizures in Mice

Epilepsy is a serious public health problem in the world. At present, the effect of drug treatment of epilepsy is are not satisfactory. Medicinal plants as pharmaceuticals and for healthcare treatments in the management of epilepsy in China for many centuries. Especially, Gastrodia elata Bl.-Acorus tatarinowii, as a classic and important herb pairs in folk medicine, has been used in folk medicine to control seizures. However, the animal experiment data of its anticonvulsant effect is limited in the literature. The objective of this study was to mainly analyze the anticonvulsant activity of Gastrodia elata-Acorus tatarinowii (GEAT) decoction in maximal electroshock (MES), pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and trimercaptopropionic acid (3-MP) induced seizures in mice, providing scientific basis for the treatment of convulsive disorders in traditional medicine. In addition, the improvement effect were examined on seizure severity, anxiety, cognitive dysfunction, inflammation and oxidative stress in PTZ kindled mice. The results showed that GEAT decoction dose-dependently protected mice against MES, 3-MP and PTZ induced acute seizures. Meanwhile, GEAT decoction ameliorated seizure severity, decreased the accumulation of inflammatory mediators TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, mitigated oxidative stress, as well as alleviated anxious-like behavior and cognitive deficits in PTZ-kindled mice. Our data evidenced that the anticonvulsant properties attributed to GEAT decoction as adjunctive therapy for epileptic patients in folk medicine.

Development and validation of analytical method by spectrophotometry UV-Vis for quantification of flavonoids in leaves of Senna occidentalis Link

Senna occidentalis Link (Fabaceae), known as “fedegoso”, is used in folk medicine due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, muscle relaxant and inhibiting lipid peroxidation imputed to flavonoids contained in its composition. The species is also a constituent of processed products are commercialized in various parts of the world including Brazil, although there are few reports in the literature about the development of an analytical method for quantification of flavonoids in it. The main purpose of this research was the evaluation of an analytical methodology to determinate the content of total flavonoids in leaves of S. occidentalis, for quality control. The parameters evaluated were: drug: solvent ratio, concentration of aluminum chloride and reaction time. The quantification of total flavonoids was obtained after reaction with aluminum chloride by UV/Vis spectrophotometry. The results revealed a maximum absorption peak (λ = 392 nm) was the amount of 0.5 g of a plant raw in 100 mL of solvent and there were no significant influences between the concentrations of aluminum chloride or hydroalcoholic solutions analyzed. The evaluation of reaction time allowed to characterize the kinetics as slow, stabilizing from 60 min, choosing this as reading time. The method was specific, linear, precise, accurate and robust, according to the specifications set in RDC n. 166/2017. Finally, the results of the study showed that the measured methodology is simple and accurate and can be applied for quality assessment of the species S. occidentalis.