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Background: The digit span test (DST) is one of the most widely used neuropsychological tools to measure two neurocognitive functions of working memory and attention. Objectives: This study aimed to collect Iranian normative data on DST and examine the association between three demographic variables and performance in DST. Materials & Methods: As part of the Iranian brain imaging database (IBID) project, the present study was conducted in 2017-2018 on three hundred normal people aged 20 to 70. They were recruited using convenience sampling in Tehran City, Iran. Each decade consisted of 60 participants, and the gender proportion was equal. Five decades of age, gender and education were the independent variables. The dependent variables were DST scores (the longest digit sequence and total digit span). Results: Age and education had a significant negative and positive correlation with both subtests (P=0.01), respectively; however, no significant correlation was observed between gender and DST scores (P>0.05). According to multivariate analysis of variance, the interaction of age, gender and education did not lead to a significant difference in the DST scores (P=0.309). In addition, The Tukey post hoc test showed that participants under 40 had significantly higher DST scores than older participants (P<0.05). Conclusion: The demographic variables have a significant association with the working memory and attention performance of the normal Iranian population, and it is necessary to interpret DST scores using regional normative data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Alliums are rich sources of steroidal saponins, flavonoids, and sulphoric compounds of which steroidal saponins have recently received more attention due to their important pharmacological activities. Allium giganteum (giant onion) which is named locally “Couria” in the Northeast of Iran, is grown widely in “Kouh-Sorkh” mountains in Khorasan province. Experimental approach: Phytochemical investigation of chloroform-methanol and aqueous extract of the plant resulted in the isolation and identification of two steroidal saponins, using comprehensive spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D NMR and MS. Findings/Results: The chemical structures of the isolated saponins were determined as (22S)-cholesta1b,3b,16b,22b-tetraol 5-en, and 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl 26-O-β-D-glucopyranos-side and (25R)-26-O-β-Dglucopyranosyl-5α-furostan-1α,3β,22α,26-tetraol3-O-{β-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)]-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-galactopyranoside}. Investigation of in vitro antileishmanial activity of the isolated compounds at 10, 50, and 100 μg/mL exhibited significant leishmanicidal against the promastigotes of Leishmania major. Conclusion and implications: The results established a valuable basis for further studies about A. giganteum and the anti-parasitic activity of steroidal saponins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Data mining methods are effective and well‐known tools for developing predictive models and extracting useful information from various data of patients. The present study aimed to predict the severity of patients with COVID‐19 by applying the rule mining method using characteristics of medical images. Methods: This retrospective study has analyzed the radiological data from 104 COVID‐19 hospitalized patients diagnosed with COVID‐19 in a hospital in Iran. A data set containing 75 binary features was generated. Apriori method is utilized for association rule mining on this data set. Only rules with confidence equal to one were generated. The performance of rules is calculated by support, coverage, and lift indexes. Results: Ten rules were extracted with only X‐ray‐related features on cases referred to ICU. The Support and Coverage index of all of these rules was 0.087, and the Lift index of them was 1.58. Thirteen rules were extracted from only CT scan‐related features on cases referred to ICU. The CXR_Pleural effusion feature has appeared in all the rules. The CXR_Left upper zone feature appears in 9 rules out of 10. The Support and Coverage index of all rules was 0.15, and the Lift index of all rules was 1.63. the CT_Adjacent pleura thickening feature has appeared in all rules, and the CT_Right middle lobe appeared in 9 rules out of 13. Conclusion: This study could reveal the application and efficacy of CXR and CT scan imaging modalities in predicting ICU admission to a major COVID‐19 infection via data mining methods. The findings of this study could help data scientists, radiologists, and clinicians in the future development and implementation of these methods in similar conditions and timely and appropriately save patients from adverse disease outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knowledge of normal facial vascular variations could prevent catastrophic complications of cosmetic procedures as well as providing a guide for surgical planning. Color Doppler ultrasound is a safe and noninvasive method for real time vascular evaluation. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the normal variations of the facial, angular, transverse facial, supratrochlear and supraorbital arteries in a sample of normal individuals. Methods: Normal individuals referred for dermal filler injection to the tertiary dermatologic center, were selected. Patients who were smoker or had a history of facial filler injection, facial surgery, or trauma were excluded from the study. Facial artery at three levels as well as angular, supratrochlear, supraorbital, and transverse facial arteries were evaluated by an 18 MHz ultrasound linear probe regarding their distance from facial reference lines and landmarks, and also their depths in various regions of face. Results: A total number of 43 individuals were evaluated in this study. Thirty‐one (72.1%) were women. The number of absent facial artery was zero in level one, three (3.48%) in level two, and nine (10.46%) in level three. The angular artery was absent in 10 (11.62%) participants. The transverse facial artery was absent in 27 (31.39%) assessed individuals. Distance from reference lines at level 2 and 3 of facial artery and its depth at level 2 were significantly different between left and right side (p‐values: <0.001, 0.01, and 0.03, respectively). No significant difference was seen between depth and distance of two sides for angular and transverse facial arteries. The comparison of the depths and distances from the reference lines of the assessed arteries between two sexes revealed only a significantly greater value of facial artery distance in level 1 in males (p‐value: 0.001). BMI was also significantly correlated with the depth of facial artery in level 2 (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.471, p‐value = 0.002) and level 3 (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.357, p‐value = 0.03) and the distance of the facial artery in level 1 (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.333, p‐value = 0.029). Conclusions: Color Doppler ultrasound could be used to map the arteries of face to prevent vascular complications and safely guide cosmetic procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Radiologic Society of North America (RSNA) divides patients into four sections: negative, atypical, indeterminate, and typical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia based on their computed tomography (CT) scan findings. Herein, we evaluate the frequency of the chest CT-scan appearances of COVID-19 according to each RSNA categorical group. Methods: A total of 90 patients with real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled in this study and differences in age, sex, cardiac characteristics, and imaging features of lung parenchyma were evaluated in different categories of RSNA classification. Results: According to the RSNA classification 87.8, 5.56, 4.44, and 2.22% of the patients were assigned as typical, indeterminate, atypical, and negative, respectively. The proportion of "atypical" patients was higher in the patients who had mediastinal lymphadenopathy and pleural effusion. Moreover, ground-glass opacity (GGO) and consolidation were more pronounced in the lower lobes and left lung compared to the upper lobes and right lung, respectively. While small nodules were mostly seen in the atypical group, small GGO was associated with the typical group, especially when it is present in the right lung and indeterminate group. Conclusion: Regardless of its location, non-round GGO is the most prevalent finding in the typical group of the RSNA classification systems. Mediastinal lymphadenopathy, pleural effusion, and small nodules are mostly observed in the atypical group and small GGO in the right lung is mostly seen in the typical group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ectopic intrathyroidal thymic tissue is a rare diagnosis, specifically in adults. Such ectopic tissue is usually misdiagnosed as benign or malignant thyroid lesions and is mainly investigated by ultrasonography and pathologic examination. Case presentation: We present the case of an adult 31-year-old Persian female patient with a cervical mass and no other significant medical history. The lesion had hypo- to isoechoic features on sonographic imaging, and needle aspiration examination revealed lymphoid cells suspicious of lymphoid malignancies. However, pathologic examination after resection of the lesion showed normal thymic tissue. Conclusions: The rare entity of ectopic thymic tissue within the thyroid gland in adult patients requires meticulous examination by clinicians, radiologists, and pathologists to diagnose the condition with high accuracy and plan appropriate management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ectopic intrathyroidal thymic tissue is a rare diagnosis, specifically in adults. Such ectopic tissue is usually misdiagnosed as benign or malignant thyroid lesions and is mainly investigated by ultrasonography and pathologic examination.Case Presentation: We present the case of an adult 31-year-old Persian female patient with a cervical mass and no other significant medical history. The lesion had hypo- to isoechoic features on sonographic imaging, and needle aspiration examination revealed lymphoid cells suspicious of lymphoid malignancies. However, pathologic examination after resection of the lesion showed normal thymic tissue.Conclusions: The rare entity of ectopic thymic tissue within the thyroid gland in adult patients requires meticulous examination by clinicians, radiologists, and pathologists to diagnose the condition with high accuracy and plan appropriate management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast microcalcifications are a category of lesions that can lead to malignancies. They remain a major concern in imaging of suspected cases. Vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) has been proposed as a safe and effective measure to evaluate microcalcifications. Objectives: The present study aimed to assess the results of VAB for breast microcalcifications. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on patients with microcalcifications detected on mammograms. Patients were recruited through simple random sampling during 2019 - 2020, based on the inclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria were microcalcifications on mammography, classified as the breast imaging-reporting and data system (BI-RADS) categories 3, 4B, 4C, and 5, and undergoing mammography-guided VAB for the microcalcifications. Patients with missing data and those who could not be followed-up for at least six months were excluded from the study. They were assessed regarding different imaging characteristics of lesions, including the breast density, BI-RADS classification, microcalcification distribution and morphology, and other demographic and clinical features before biopsy. Additionally, the results of stereotactic-guided VAB were assessed for various benign and malignant pathologies of microcalcifications. The results of descriptive and analytical tests for various radiological and pathological features of lesions were reported. Results: A total of 257 patients, with a mean age of 50.3 ± 8.3 yars, were included in this study. Almost half of the patients (n = 125, 48.6%) had a C-grade breast composition. Regarding the BI-RADS classification, 206 (80.2%) patients were diagnosed with 4B lesions, followed by 44 (17.1%) patients with 4C lesions. The assessment of the pattern of microcalcification distribution in imaging showed that more than half of the patients (n = 148, 57.6%) had lesions in multiple groups. The most prevalent morphology of microcalcifications was punctate amorphous (n = 109, 42.4%). The majority of patients (n = 180, 70%) had benign findings in the pathological assessment, and only 69 (26.8%) had malignant features in pathology. The distribution of malignancies differedamong various BI-RADS categories. In the 4B category of lesions, there were 166 benign lesions versus 32 malignant lesions, while in the 4C category, there were 10 benign lesions versus 34 malignant lesions (P < 0.001). Conclusion: This study described the findings of successful stereotactic-guided VAB for breast microcalcifications. VAB can be implemented as a promising assessment tool to evaluate suspected breast microcalcifications effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Plants are reservoirs of bioactive compounds, which are known to be chemically balanced, effective and least injurious as compared to synthetic medicines. The current resistance and the toxic effects of the available drugs have brought the trend to assess the antileishmanial effect of various plant extracts and their purified compound/s. Alliums are rich sources of steroidal saponins, flavonoids, and sulphuric compounds of which steroidal saponins have recently received more attention due to their important pharmacological activities. Allium austroiranicum is a common edible vegetable in western regions of Iran, especially in “Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari” province, where it is named “Lopo” and is considerably used as a raw vegetable, flavoring agent, and as a medicinal plant. Materials & Methods: The chloroform-methanolic extract was fractionated using MPLC, and the appropriate fractions were then subjected to isolation and purification of the constituents by HPLC. Structure elucidation was done using comprehensive spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D NMR. Antileishmanial effects of the isolated compound against the promastigotes of Leishmania major were evaluated using MTT method. Results: Phytochemical investigation of chloroform-methanol extract of the plant resulted in the isolation and identification of a Nicotianoside C related steroidal saponin and its chemical structure was determined as (25S)-5α-Spirostan-1β,3β- diol-3-O-{α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-{α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)}-[β-D-glucopyranoside}. Investigation of in vitro antileishmanial activity of the isolated compound, in 10 and 50 and 100 μg/mL concentrations, exhibited significant leishmanicidal effects against the promastigotes of Leishmania major. Conclusion: The results established a valuable basis for further studies about A. austroiranicum and anti-parasitic activity of steroidal saponins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Falcaria vulgaris Bernh among the most important member of Apiaceae family has been used for medical investigation in Iran and some regions in the world. This plant possesses a range of coumarin and flavonoids compounds that have many therapeutic properties such as gastrointestinal and liver diseases, skin ulcers, gastric ulcers, and intestinal inflammation. It has also been found that these compounds lead to cytotoxic effects. Objective: This study contains concentrates on the cytotoxic effect and induction of apoptosis on cancerous cells (SW-872) through various extracts and essential oil of Falcaria vulgaris Bernh. It considers the volatile compounds of effective samples. Methods: The shoot of the plant was extracted by the Soxhlet apparatus and its essential oil was taken by the Clevenger apparatus. The cytotoxicity of the samples was evaluated by the MTT method and the mechanism of cancer cell death by flow cytometry and finally, the volatile compounds of essential oils and effective extracts were identified by GC-MS. Results: The results demonstrated that n-Hexane extract and 40% VLC fraction had the greatest cytotoxic effect on SW-872 cells. While, the most abundant volatile compounds in essential oil and 40% VLC fraction of n-Hexane extract were terpenoid compounds like (+) spathulenol and caryophyllene oxide, in n-Hexane extract tetradecan, and spathulenol were the most, respectively. Conclusion: The fraction of 40% n-Hexane was in a concentration-dependent manner and significantly with controlling cells inhibited the growth of cancer cells. A plausible explanation could be made to account for this effect. This inhibition was made through induction of apoptosis and due to the presence of effective volatile compounds such as terpenoids and non-terpenoids which could be considered as valuable natural sources for the isolation of anti-cancer compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a universal heterogeneous disease that is characterized by genetic and epigenetic alterations. Immunotherapy using monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and cancer vaccines are substitute strategies for CRC treatment. When cancer immunotherapy is combined with chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy, the CRC treatment would become excessively efficient. One of the compelling immunotherapy approaches to increase the efficiency of CRC therapy is the deployment of therapeutic mAbs, nanobodies, bi-specific antibodies and cancer vaccines, which improve clinical outcomes in patients. Also, among the possible therapeutic approaches for CRC patients, gene vaccines in combination with antibodies are recently introduced as a new perspective. Here, we aimed to present the current progress in CRC immunotherapy, especially using Bi-specific antibodies and dendritic cells mRNA vaccines. For this aim, all data were extracted from Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Elsevier, using keywords cancer vaccines; CRC immunotherapy and CRC mRNA vaccines. About 97 articles were selected and investigated completely based on the latest developments and novelties on bi-specific antibodies, mRNA vaccines, nanobodies, and MGD007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Although effective clinical drugs for treating advanced stages are available, interest in alternative herbal medicines has gained momentum. Herbal extracts are potent antioxidants that reportedly inhibit the growth of various cancer cell lines. In the present study, we investigated the effects of essential oils and hexane, methanolic, and aqueous extracts, obtained from various parts (bark, needles, and pollen) of Pinus eldarica against human lung cancer (A549) cells. First, the DPPH radical scavenging activities of P. eldarica extracts and essential oils were examined, which revealed that methanolic extracts presented higher antioxidant activity than the other extracts and essential oils. Next, A549 cells were exposed to various concentrations of the extracts and essential oils for 48 h. P. eldarica extracts/essential oil-treated lung cancer cells demonstrated a significant decrease in cell proliferation, along with an induction of apoptotic cell death, particularly, the pollen hexane extract, bark essential oil, and methanolic needle extract showed superior results, with IC50 values of 31.7, 17.9, and 0.3 μg/mL, respectively. In the cell cycle analysis, treatment of A549 cells with the methanolic needle and pollen hexane extracts led to apoptosis and accumulation of cells in the sub-G1 phase. Further, exposure to the bark essential oil and methanolic needle extract decreased the cell population in the G2/M phase. Notably, treatment with the pollen hexane extract, bark essential oil, and methanolic needle extract resulted in caspase-3 activation, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, Bcl-2 downregulation, and Bax and p53 regulation in A549 cells. Furthermore, these extracts and essential oils decreased the migration, and colony formation of A549 cells. These findings provide experimental evidence for a new therapeutic effect of P. eldarica against human lung cancer and suggest P. eldarica as a potential chemopreventive natural resource for developing novel cancer therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Artemisia splendens from the Asteraceae family is a new source of biologically active compounds. The current study investigated to evaluate antimicrobial and cytotoxicity activity of methanolic extracts and their fractions obtained from aerial parts by agar disk diffusion and MTT methods, respectively. The active fractions were subjected to preparative HPLC for isolating the pure compounds, which were structurally elucidated, by 1H and 13C NMR. Results: The results showed that the methanolic extract and its 60% SPE fraction have the anti-proliferative activity on A549 cell line in comparison with the control group. Meanwhile, the methanolic extract and its 40% SPE fraction can inhibit the growth of Gram-positive strains as anti-microbial activity. The 60% SPE fraction also illustrated anti-proliferative activity on the HT-29 cell line compared to the control group. Chromatographic separations via preparative HPLC yielded 5 flavonoids and three flavonoid glycosides. Conclusion: Based on the results it can be concluded that A. splendens as a potential source of cytotoxic and antimicrobial compounds can be used in pharmaceutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pain and distress are two common complications of cesarean section. Among complementary therapies, Eremostachys was introduced as a pain mitigator. This study aimed at investigating the effect of Eremostachys laciniata on cesarean section pain and distress. Materials and methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 86 women who gave childbirth by cesarean section. The control group received 50 mg rectal diclofenac suppository every 8 h for 3 days, and the intervention group received 35 mg E. laciniata total extract suppository every 8 h up to three doses. Pain was measured with the Visual Analogue Scale at 8, 16, and 24 h after cesarean section. The Symptom Distress Scale was completed at 8 and 24 h after cesarean section. The Redness, Edema, Ecchymosis, Discharge, Approximation scale was completed 5 days after cesarean section. Findings: Pain score at 8, 16, and 24 h after surgery (15 min after intervention) was not significantly different between the intervention and control groups. The distress score 24 h after cesarean section showed a significant difference in favor of the control group according to Friedman's test. There was a significant difference between the two groups in wound healing score, which indicated better efficacy of rectal diclofenac suppository than E. laciniata suppository. We assessed nausea, vomiting, headache, massive hemorrhage, and any type of anaphylactic reaction. No side events were observed in two groups. Conclusion: Rectal E. laciniata suppository could be introduced as a low-complication, appropriate, and effective medication in controlling pain and distress after cesarean section; more studies should be conducted on this matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Research on new drugs with a natural source and low side effects is a priority in pharmacology studies. The present study was conducted to investigate the anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenesis effects of bee pollen extract in the air pouch model of inflammation. Experimental approach: To achieve this goal, male rats were moderately anesthetized and then 20 and 10 mL of sterile air were subcutaneously injected into the intrascapular area of the back of the rat on first and third days, respectively. On day 6, inflammation was induced by intrapouch injection of carrageenan. Normal saline in the control group and bee pollen methanolic extract (50, 100, and 200 mg/pouch) were administered at day 6, simultaneously with carrageenan, and then for 2 consecutive days only normal saline and the extracts were injected. Following sacrificing the rats the pouch was opened and the exudate volume, leukocyte accumulation, granulation tissue weight, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin 1beta, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) concentrations were determined 3 days after induction of inflammation. In order to investigate the angiogenesis, the granulation tissue was removed, homogenized in the Drabkin's reagent, and then centrifuged. The supernatant was filtered and the hemoglobin concentration was determined using a spectrophotometer. Results: Bee pollen extract significantly decreased the exudate volume, leukocyte accumulation, granulation tissue weight, angiogenesis, VEGF, and TNF-α concentration. Conclusion and implications: The findings of the current study revealed that bee pollen methanolic extract has an anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenesis effect, which could be attributed to the inhibition of VEGF and TNF-α production in the inflammatory exudates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scrophularia amplexicaulis is an Iranian endemic plant belonging to the Scrophulariaceae family, which is used in traditional medicine to treat many diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro anticancer activity of S. amplexicaulis extracts against human breast carcinoma (MCF-7) and mouse fibrosarcoma (WEHI-164) cell lines. The ground aerial parts of S. amplexicaulis were soxhlet-extracted with n-hexane, dichloromethane and methanol. MTT assay exhibited that dichloromethane and methanol extracts remarkably inhibited the growth of MCF-7 and WEHI-164 cancer cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner with little cytotoxicity on normal cell line HUVEC. Cell death ELISA, TUNEL assay, and the cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) uncovered that the cytotoxic effects of dichloromethane and methanol extracts were attributed to apoptosis in cancerous cells. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR revealed significant increases in the mRNA expression levels of p-53, caspase-3, caspase-9, Bax, and also a decrease in Bcl-2 expression. These results suggested that the extracts mainly induced apoptosis via a mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway. Notably, dichloromethane extract had higher cytotoxic and apoptotic activities than that of methanol extract, against both cancer cell lines, particularly MCF-7 cells. Our results indicate that S. amplexicaulis may serve as a promising source of potent agents for the treatment of human cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Natural biomaterials are a key base in tissue engineering, and collagen, as the main content of the extracellular matrix (ECM), is frequently used in tissue engineering. Aloe vera has some therapeutic effects on ulcers, therefore, the use of this natural resource has always been considered for improving collagen function. We aimed to evaluate the effect of Aloe vera/ Collagen blended on cell viability, cell attachment, and angiogenic potential by determining of integrin α1β1 and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM-1) genes expression in human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs). Methods: In this study, hASCs after harvesting of adipose tissues from abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue and isolation, were cultured in four groups of control, collagen gel, Aloe vera gel, and Aloe vera/collagen blended in vitro environment at 24h and then cell viability was assessed by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol 2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium) assay. Integrin α1β1 and PECAM-1 genes expression were evaluated by real-time RT-PCR. Results: The results of MTT showed that the combination of Aloe vera/collagen was retained the cell viability at the normal range and improved it. In real-time RT-PCR results, integrin α1β1 and PECAM-1 gene expression were increased in the Aloe vera/collagen blended group compared to the control group. Conclusion: For tissue engineering purposes, Aloe vera improves collagen properties in the culture of hASCs by increasing the expression of the integrin α1β1 and PECAM-1 genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scrophularia atropatana (S. atropatana), an Iranian plant belonging to the family of Scrophulariaceae, was assigned for its chemical compositions and biological activities of essential oil (EO) and extracts of the aerial parts of the plant during the flowering stage. Combination of GC-MS and GC-FID was assessed for analyzing the chemical compositions of the EO from the aerial parts of S. atropatana. Furthermore, Brine shrimp lethality test and DPPH assay were performed to evaluate general toxicity and free-radical-scavenging properties, respectively. Furthermore, anti-proliferative and antimicrobial activities were assessed by MTT assay and disc diffusion methods correspondingly. Additionally, all the potent samples (extracts) and its fractions in the MTT assay were further studied for the presence of various compounds by GC-MS apparatus. MeOH extract and 40% sep-pak fraction indicated high amounts of total phenolic (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant properties. In the case of general toxicity, among the extracts, dichloromethane (DCM) extract showed noticeable effect. Furthermore, DCM extract was indicated potent ability to eliminate breast tumor cells and minimum efficacy on normal cells. Anti-microbial activity of all samples was ignorable. The potent extracts and fractions which had more anti-proliferative activity were further elucidated by GC-MS and showed high amounts of Alkanes and fatty acids. In the case of EO constituents, non-terpenoids were the major compounds. To sum up, it seems BSLT could be a good preliminary approach for evaluating the cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cell line. Additionally, antioxidant activity, TPC, and TFC contents of all samples were in consistent with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scrophularia subaphylla (S. subaphylla) L., a medicinal plant from the Scrophulariaceae family, has been reported to possess potential profits in the treatment and prophylaxis of different diseases. Some phenolic compounds in this genus have been displayed decent effects on different types of cancer via multiple mechanisms. The current study aimed to bioassay guided isolation of cytotoxic constituents from the aerial parts of S. subaphylla against breast (MCF-7) and colon (HT-29) cancer cell lines as well as normal cells (L929). Different extracts of S. subaphylla were acquired by Soxhlet apparatus and then subjected to brine shrimp lethality test and MTT assay for assessing their cytotoxic characteristics. Cytotoxic extract subjected to further phytochemical fractionation using solid phase extraction, reversed-phase high pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), and one dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (1D-NMR) spectroscopy. The biological activity of the isolated pure components, verbascoside and 3´ O rhamnosyl -4´ O para coumaryl 7- hydroxyl salidroside, was assessed using MTT assay against MCF-7 and HT-29 carcinoma cells. Two known phenylpropanoid compounds were isolated from this species. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data (using 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR) and compared with the previous literature. Both pure compounds in comparison with control group demonstrated significant antiproliferative activity against cancerous cells (P < 0.001). In our study, verbascoside and its derivative could inhibit proliferation of cancerous cells without any side effects on normal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper presents findings of an investigation about antibacterial effect of methanol/water fractions as well as cytotoxic activity of the extracts obtained from Pedicularis wilhelmsiana (Scrophulariaceae) which grows in Azarbaijan/Iran by agar well diffusion method and brine shrimp lethality test successively. Phytochemical study of this plant was determined as well. A combination of solid-phase extraction (SPE), preparative reversed-phase HPLC analysis and spectroscopic means were applied for fractionation, purification, and identification of ingredients respectively. Antimicrobial test demonstrated that 40% and 60% methanol/water fractions were more active than methanolic extract and other SPE fractions. No cytotoxic effect was detected from the extracts of this plant by brine shrimp lethality assay. Phytochemical study of aerial parts of Pedicularis wilhelmsiana (P. wilhelmsiana) afforded two phenylethanoids (verbascoside and martynoside), three iridoids (Aucubin, ipolamiid, 5-hydroxy-8-epi-loganin) and two flavonoids (luteolin, luteolin-7-glucoside) along with mannitol on the basis of spectral evidences (UV, ¹H and 13CNMR) as well as comparison with literature data. The findings of this research supported further studies related to antibiotic potential of methanolic extract of P. wilhelmsiana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scrophularia genus belonging to the family of Scrophulariaceae, is a medicinal plant widely distributed in Iran. In the present study, the anti-malarial activity of different extracts of three Iranian endemic species of Scrophularia including S. frigida, S. subaphylla and S. atropatana, was screened by an in-vitro preliminary assay. The plant materials were extracted successively with n-hexane, dichloromethane (DCM), and methanol (MeOH) at room temperature by soxhlet extractor. In order to assess anti-malarial activity of obtained extracts, cell free β-hematin formation assay was applied. Amongst the extracts, DCM extract of S. frigida exhibited remarkable anti-malarial activity with IC50 value of 0.67 ± 0.11 mg/mL. In contrast, MeOH and n-hexane extracts of all plants illustrated insignificant or moderate activity in this assay. Furthermore, preliminary phytochemical analysis along with TLC and GC-MS analysis of potent extract (DCM extract of S. frigida) were performed for more clarification. These methods revealed that the notable anti-malarial activity might be due to the presence of active constituents like methoxylated flavonoids, methylated coumarins, and diterpenoids. From the nine extracts of different species of Scrophularia, DCM extract of S. frigida showed potent inhibitory activity on β-hematin formation assay. Hence, it seems that it is noteworthy to concentrate on purifying the active chemical constituents of DCM extract and determining the pure anti-malarial components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scrophularia umbrosa is a medicinal plant used as a traditional herb. This study was designed to investigate the phytochemical analysis of methanol (MeOH), DCM, and n-Hexane extracts of rhizome as well as total phenol and total flavonoid contents (TPC and TFC). Invitro β-hematin formation assay and DPPH method were applied for analyzing antimalarial and free-radical scavenging activities of the extracts, respectively. The formation of hemozoin has been proposed as an ideal drug target for antimalarial screening programs. The results showed that n-hexane and MeOH extracts of rhizome had no significant inhibitory effect on heme biocrystallization whereas the DCM extract of rhizome showed moderate antimalarial activity in comparison with chloroquine. GC-MS data showed that volatile portions of DCM and n-Hexane extracts from Scrophularia umbrosa (S. umbrosa) contained a few identifiable compounds. Moreover, fractions 20% and 40% MeOH-Water of MeOH extract of S. umbrosa displayed moderate to strong free radical scavenging activity which showed a positive relation between phenolic and flavonoid contents and free radical scavenging activity. Based on the results, the fractions of MeOH extract were evaluated by 1HNMR for predicting the groups of natural compounds and interfacing of chemical and biological assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition of the volatile oils from the seeds, shoots and roots ofEchinophora orientalisHedge & Lamond, a perennial aromatic herb of the family Apiaceae growing in Iran, was analyzed by GC-MS and GC-FID. Essential oil of this plant has been used as a natural preservative in dairy products industries. There were at least six compounds, α-pinene, myrcene, p-cymene,l-limonene, p-cymen-8-ol and 1,7- octadiene 3,6-dimethylene, common in seeds, shoots and roots volatile oils. While,m-tolualdehyde, cuminal, perillene and germacrene D were present both in seeds and shoots volatile oils, spathulenol was found in both seeds and roots volatile oils. Myristicin, terpenolene, α-phellandrene and 1,5,5-trimethyl-6-(3-methyl-buta-1,3- dienyl)-cyclohexene were identified in the volatile oils of shoots and roots ofE. orientalis. The volatile oils of the seeds, unlike roots and shoots, had high percentage of sesquiterpenes. The roots and shoots volatile oils were found to be rich in monoterpenes. Oxygenated compounds were abundant in the volatile oils of the seeds and roots, but non-oxygenated hydrocarbons were the major of volatile components in the volatile oil of the shoots. The free-radical-scavenging activity of the oils was assessed by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. These volatile oils exhibited weak to moderate levels of free-radical-scavenging properties with 50values of 3.87, 2.06 and 0.35 µg/mL for the seeds, shoots and roots, respectively. While the volatile oils displayed no insecticidal activity againstTribolium castaneum, noticeable general toxicity was displayed by all oils towards brine shrimp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a multicomponent condition with a complex etiology involving genetic and environmental factors. Artichoke leaf extract (ALE) has shown favorable effects on lipid and glucose metabolism. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of ALE supplementation on metabolic parameters in women with MetS, using a nutrigenetics approach. In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 50 women (aged 20-50 years) with MetS were randomly allocated into the two groups: "ALE group" (received 1,800 mg hydroalcoholic extract of artichoke as four tablets per day) and "placebo group" (received placebo consisted of corn starch, lactose, and avicel as four tablets per day) for 12 weeks. The biochemical and anthropometric parameters were determined before and after the intervention. The FTO-rs9939609 and the TCF7L2-rs7903146 polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. In carriers of A allele of the FTO-rs9939609, ALE supplementation resulted in a statistically significant decrease in serum triglyceride level compared with placebo (-19.11% vs. 10.83%; p < .05), with no other significant differences between the two groups. The TCF7L2-rs7903146 polymorphism showed no interaction with response to ALE (p > .05). These findings suggest that ALE supplementation may improve serum triglyceride level in A allele genotype of FTO-rs9939609 polymorphism in women with MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy diagnosed in women both in developed and developing countries. Natural products especially those from herbal origin have high potential in producing drug components with a source of novel structures. The present study was designed to explore the cytotoxic effects and the cell death mechanism of Scrophularia atropatana extracts. Methods: MTT assay was employed to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of the extracts of S. atropatana on the MCF-7 as well as non-malignant cells. Furthermore, induction of apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL assay, cell death detection ELISA, DNA fragmentation test, western blotting and Real Time PCR. Results: In vitro exposures of the MCF-7 cells with different concentration of S. atropatana extract significantly inhibited their growth and viability and induced apoptosis in the MCF-7 cells. Cleavage PARP protein, decrease in the mRNA expression levels of bcl-2 and increase expression of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 mRNA, highlights that the induction of apoptosis was the main mechanism of cell death. Moreover the expression study of Caspase-9 mRNA showed that, the extracts have induced apoptosis via intrinsic mitochondrial pathway. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that dichloromethane extract of Scrophularia atropatana has an apoptotic effects and it can be developed as anticancer agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical analysis of the methanolic and dichloromethane extracts of the aerial parts of Scutellaria pinnatifida led to the isolation of a phenylpropanoid, 1-o-feruloyl-ß-D-glucose (1), two known flavonoids including luteolin-7-o-glucoside (2) and apigenin-7-o-glucoside (3), three known phenylethanoid glycosides composed of phlomisethanoside (4), syringalide A (5), and verbascoside (6), and oleic acid (7). Isolation and structural elucidation of compounds were accomplished by HPLC and spectroscopic methods (UV, 1HNMR, 13C-NMR). The extracts were also evaluated for their radical scavenging activity and insecticidal property by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay and contact toxicity method, respectively. Among the extracts, the methanol extract showed the most potent free radical scavenging activity with a RC50 value of 0.044 ± 0.350 mg/mL which could be attributed to the presence of the isolated phenolic compounds. In the case of insecticidal activity, the n-hexane extract displayed the most potent activity and caused 10%, 15%, and 40% mortality to Oryzaephilus mercator at the concentration of 5, 10, and 15 mg/mL after 4 h of exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basal cell carcinoma, a noninvasive and rarely metastatic tumor, correlates with clinical and histological involvement of basal epithelial cells. It occurs due to dysregulation of hedgehog-patched1 signaling pathway. The current study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic effects of Cupressus sempervirens methanolic extract against primary basal cell carcinoma cells, over a period of 48 h. We measured protein level of Annexin-V and the leakage rate of lactate dehydrogenase in cells being exposed to 420 μM extract. In addition to transcript levels of PTCH-1, a receptor of of hedgehog signaling pathway, angiogenic activity of tumor cells were determined in terms of the amount of vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin-2, and metastatic levels of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9. The cytotoxicity test results showed that BCC cells survival decreased dose-dependently over 48 h after exposure to plant extract. The expression of Annexin-V was induced ( p < 0.05) in treated cells which coincided with raised levels of lactate dehydrogenase in supernatant media ( p < 0.05). Noticeably, the expression of PTCH-1, vascular endothelial growth factor, angiopoietin-2, and matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 were robustly decreased. Interestingly, 6-month clinical trial follow-up of C. sempervirens extract 5% ointment showed antitumor activity against cutaneous basal cell carcinoma by the reduction of tumor and inflammatory cells replaced with fibrotic stroma. The data of present experiment may suggest that the methanolic extracts of C. sempervirens possess oncostatic and cytotoxic properties, and therefore, can be prescribed as natural protective and therapeutic ingredients for basal cell associate cutaneous tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial infarction is a common presentation of coronary artery disease and the leading cause of death worldwide. The present study investigated potential resistance to ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injuries following administration of methanolic (MeOH) extract of Scrophularia frigida (S. frigida) in isolated rat heart. Male Wistar rat hearts (n= 8-10) were isolated and allowed to equilibrate for 20 min, and then subjected to 30 min regional ischemia followed by 120 min reperfusion. In the control group, Krebs-Henseleit (K/H) solution was perfused. However, in the treatment groups K/H solution containing 1, 5, and 10 µg/cc of extract was infused. In addition, total phenol, total flavonoid content and antioxidant property were evaluated and extract was subjected to phytochemical analysis. Administration of extract improved the flow rate, developed pressure as well as max and min left ventricular dp/dt. Number and duration of VT were significantly reduced by all extract concentrations in ischemic phase. In reperfusion phase, significant decreases in single and total arrhythmias were seen. Furthermore, concentrations of 5 and 10 µg/cc of extract remarkably decreased the infarct size. Generally, the methanolic extract of S. frigida exhibited a protective effect against I/R-induced injures, which might be due to the antioxidant activiies of iridoids and phenolics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isolated five known iridoids glycosides (Scrophuloside A, Harpagoside B, 5-hydroxyloganin, 8-O-acetylharpagide and 6-O-methyl,1-glucopyranosyl catalpol), one phenyl ethanoid glycoside (Verbascoside) and a phenyl ethanol amine (2-(4-Chlorobenzyl amino) ethanol) compound from the methanolic extract of aerial parts of Scrophularia oxysepala using by high performance liquid chromatographyare based on isocratic and liner gradients by C18 column. The structure elucidations of the isolated compounds were performed by spectroscopic methods including1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 2 D NMR technique such as HMBC( in deuterated methanol as solvent), GC-MS and UV, also methanolic extract and fractions( fractionated on solid phase extraction on C18 cartridge(Spack-C18)) of this plant was tested for free radical scavenging properties toward the 1, 1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), general toxicity (Brine shrimp toxicity assay), insecticidal ( Contact toxicity insecticidal assay) and antimalarial activities (hemebiocrystallization inhibition assay). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study evaluated the general toxicity, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activity of extracts obtained from the rhizomes of Eremostachys azerbaijanica (Labiatae) as well as analyzed the potent extracts using GC-MS. Extracts of E. azerbaijanica in n-hexane, dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH) were prepared using a Soxhlet apparatus. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated for free radical scavenging activity by DPPH assay. The antimicrobial activity of samples was determined by disc diffusion and brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLA) was used to assess general toxicity. The cytotoxicity of each extract was determined by MTT assay against human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT29), human lung carcinoma (A549) and a normal cell line (human umbilical vein endothelial cells, HUVEC). The MeOH extract showed significant antioxidant activity and the n-hexane and DCM extracts showed promising activity against gram-positive species when compared with amikacin as a standard. Moreover, the n-hexane extract displayed the most potent activity in general toxicity assay. The results showed that all three extracts have cytotoxic effects against the A549 cell line. In the case of HT29 cell lines, only the DCM extract exhibited cytotoxicity. Interestingly, none of the extracts showed significant cytotoxic activity against the HUVEC cell line. The bioassay-guided identification of constituents showed the presence of fatty acids and steroids as the compounds responsible for bioactivity in the non-polar extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was assigned to evaluate the total phenol, total flavonoid content (TPC, TFC) and antioxidant properties of extracts from the aerial parts of Scrophularia frigida (S. frigida). Extracts were also tested by preliminary phytochemical screening as well as cytotoxic activity against Artemia salina, MCF-7 (human breast carcinoma) and SW-480 (colon carcinoma) and L-929 (normal) cell lines along with antimicrobial characteristic. DPPH, MTT and Brine shrimp lethality tests and disc diffusion method were carried out to determine the biological activities of the different extracts of S. frigida. In addition, the extracts which had more potent antioxidant and antiproliferative activity were further analyzed by NMR and GC-MS. 40% methanol-water (from MeOH extract) fraction showed higher amounts of TPC, TFC and antioxidant property. Findings of the study for general toxicity effect showed that dichloromethane (DCM) and MeOH extracts had weak to moderate effects. Furthermore, DCM extract indicated the most potent anti-proliferative activity against cancer cell lines. No evidence of antibacterial activity was determined. On the other hand, analysis of the potent extract DCM in cytotoxic assay showed the presence of trans-phytol and cis-oleic acid in GC-MS. Furthermore, NMR analysis of potent methanolic fractions in antioxidant tests revealed the presence of iridoids and phenolics. Generally, the results of TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity of extracts and fractions were in agreement with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering multiple reports on cytotoxic activity of the Artemisia genus and its phytochemicals, in the current study A. armeniaca Lam. and the three components isolated from the plant were subjected to cytotoxic studies. Analytical fractionation of A. armeniaca aerial parts for the first time was directed to the isolation of 7-hydroxy-8-(4-hydroxy-3-methylbutoxy) comarin (armenin), 8-hydroxy-7-(4-hydroxy-3-methylbutoxy) comarin (isoarmenin) and deoxylacarol. Cytotoxicity assessed with alamalBlue® assay and apoptosis was detected by PI staining and western blot analysis of Bax and PARP proteins. Extracts and all compounds exhibited cytotoxic activity against apoptosis-proficient HL-60 and apoptosis-resistant K562 cells, with the lowest cytotoxic activity on J774 cell line as non-malignant cell. Armenin as the most potent component decreased the viability of cell with IC50 of 22.5 and 71.1 μM for K562 and HL-60 cells respectively and selected for further mechanistic study. Armenin increased the sub-G1 peak in flow cytometry histogram of HL-60 and K562 treated cells and increase in the amount of Bax protein and the cleavage of PARP in comparison with the control after treatment for 48 h in K562 treated cells verified the apoptotic activity of the armenin. Taken together, according to the finding of this study armenin was introduced as a novel cytotoxic compound with apoptotic activity, which is encouraging for further mechanistic and clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six extracts with different polarity from aerial parts and rhizomes of Eremostachys azerbaijanica Rech.f., were screened for their antimalarial properties by cell free 𝛽-hematin formation assay. Dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of both parts of plant showed significant antimalarial activities with IC50 values of 0.949 ± 0.061 mg/mL in aerial parts and 0.382 ± 0.011 mg/mL in rhizomes. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the most potent part (DCM extract of rhizomes) by vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) afforded seven fractions. Two fractions [100% Ethyl acetate (EtOAC) and 100% Methatol (MeOH)] showed considerable antimalarial activity with IC50 values of 0.335 ± 0.033 mg/mL and 0.403 ± 0.037 mg/mL, respectively. According to GC-MS analysis, the sesquiterpene, steroid and coumarin derivatives are the main constituents of the most potent fractions; therefore, it seems that the anti malarial activity of these fractions may be related to the presence of these types of compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essence of the present study is to focus on the chemical composition, antioxidant activities of essential oils ofNepeta ScrophularioidesRech.f. during different developmental (vegetative, flowering, post-flowering) stages. Gas chromatography-Mas spectrometry (GC-MS) analyse of the essential oils showed that the major components were β-caryophyllene (20–27%), germacrene D (16–19%) and caryophyllene oxide (18–39%). The samples were subjected to screening for their possible antioxidant activities by using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The oils extracted from the flowering and the post- flowering stages showed higher antioxidant activity than those from the vegetative stage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oil and methanol (MeOH) extract of aerials of E. azerbaijanica were identified. Furthermore, the free radical scavenging properties of the volatile oil as well as the MeOH extract of the plant were assessed. The essential oil of the airdried aerial parts was obtained by hydro-distillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus. The oil was then analyzed by gas chromatography--mass spectrometry and gas chromatography with flame ionization detector. Soxhlet extraction was performed on the aerial parts using n-hexane, dichloromethane and MeOH. The MeOH extract was then subjected to solid-phase extraction using a C18 Sep-Pak cartridge. Isolation and structural elucidation of the pure components was accomplished by high-performance liquid chromatography and spectroscopic methods (UV, ¹H-NMR). The free radical scavenging properties were determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. A total of 59 components representing 95.9% of the oil constituents were identified which were primarily characterized as terpenoids or aliphatic skeletons. The major components of the oil were hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (27.1%), 2-methyl-6-propyl-dodecane (16.4%) and tricosane (9.3%). One flavonoid (luteolin-7-O-rutinoside) and one phenylethanoid (verbascoside) were also isolated and identified from the MeOH extract. The results of DPPH assays showed that the essential oil of E. azerbaijanica possessed weak free radical scavenging activity whereas the MeOH extract and its pure constituents showed significant scavenging activities in comparison with positive controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition of the volatile oils from the aerial parts ofArtemisia spicigeraandA. splendens, growing in Iran, was analyzed by GC-MS and GC-FID. A total of 47 constituents from each of the oils (87.6 % and 58.3 % of the total oil ofA. spicigeraandA. splendens, respectively) were separated and identified. The major components of theA. spicigeraoil werecis-chrysanthenyl acetate (24.0 %), camphor (21.0 %), 1,8-cineol (13.9 %) andcis-chrysanthenol (8.5 %), while 1,8-cineol (4.7 %), caryophyllene oxide (3.8 %), valencene (3.5 %) and α-terpenyl acetate (3.4 %) were detected as the major constituents of the oils ofA. splendens. The free-radical-scavenging activity of the oils was assessed by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Both oils showed weak antiradical effect with RC50values of 55.6 and 106.4 µg/mL, respectively, forA. spicigeraandA. splendens. The oils displayed broad and potent insecticidal activity againstOryzaephilus mercator, but no noticeable toxicity towards brine shrimp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this work was to investigate the volatiles released from aerial parts of Scrophularia subaphylla (Scrophulariaceae) which is a perennial herb growing in Azarbaijan province in Iran. Methods: A combination of GC-MS and GC-FID were applied for analyzing the chemical compositions of the essential oil extracted by hydro-distillation from the aerial parts of Scrophularia subaphylla (S. subaphylla). Results: Thirty six compounds, representing 97.32% of total oil were identified. High content of terpenoids (60.02%) were identified in the essential oil with Linalool (22.35%), phytol (15.74%) and geraniol (7.27%) as the most dominant compounds, while other main components were representatives of fatty acids (24.31%), indicated mainly by palmitinic acid (17.29%). DPPH assay was used for assessing the antioxidant properties of compounds. However, no remarkable free radical scavenging activity was observed. Furthermore, Disc diffusion method was applied for evaluating the antimicrobial activity of essential oil vs. gram positive and gram negative bacteria strains. The examined oil showed weak antibacterial effect. Conclusion: Main constituents of S. subaphylla were terpenoids. In comparison with other genesis of Scrophularia, antioxidant and anti bacterial properties of S. subaphylla essential oil were not noticeable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine phenolic compounds of Artemisia spicigera (family Asteraceae) growing in East-Azarbaijan province of Iran. 20%, 40% and 60% SPE fractions of methanolic extract of A. spicigera, were subjected to reversed phase preparative HPLC, with the mobile phase consisted of methanol and water. Structural identification of phytochemicals by spectroscopic methods including UV and NMR spectroscopy, yielded 4, 6-di methoxy acetophenone-2-O-β-D-glucopyranoside from 20%, 5-methoxyluteolin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, luteolin and chrysoeriol 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside from 40% and 5-methoxy luteolin from 60% SPE fractions. Although within identified pure compounds, luteolin was the only phenolic reported from some other species of Artemisia, but occurrence of remained identified phenolics in this study, was firstly reported from Artemisia genus. Further phytochemical investigations were proposed in order to isolate some other active fractions and pure compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The risk of drug resistance and the use of medicinal plants in malaria prevention and treatment have led to the search for new antimalarial compounds with natural origin. Methods: In the current study, six extracts with different polarity from aerial parts and rhizomes of Eremostachys macrophylla Montbr. & Auch., were screened for their antimalarial properties by cell-free β-hematin formation assay. Results: Dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of both parts of plant showed significant antimalarial activities with IC50 values of 0.797 ± 0.016 mg/mL in aerial parts and 0.324 ± 0.039 mg/mL in rhizomes compared to positive control (Chloroquine, IC50 = 0.014 ± 0.003 mg/mL, IC90 = 0.163 ± 0.004 mg/mL). Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the most potent part (DCM extract of rhizomes) by vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) afforded seven fractions. Sixty percent ethyl acetate/n-hexane fraction showed considerable antimalarial activity with IC50 value of 0.047 ± 0.0003 mg/mL. Conclusion: From 6 extracts with different polarity of E. macrophylla,s aerial parts and rhizomes, the DCM extract of both parts were the most active extract in this assay. The preliminary phytochemical study on the VLC fractions of the most potent part persuades us to focus on purifying the active components of these extracts and to conduct further investigation towards in vivo evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dorema glabrum Fisch. & C.A. Mey. (Apiaceae) is a monocarpic perennial plant distributed in southern Caucasus. In Azerbaijan Republic folk medicine, the gum-resin of this species is used as a diuretic and anti-diarrheal agent. It is also traditionally used for the treatment of bronchitis and catarrh. In the present study, chemical constituents of the essential oil and extract of D. glabrum aerial parts were investigated and their free radical scavenging potentials were assessed. GC-MS and GC-FID analyses of the plant essential oil resulted in identifying twenty compounds, out of which elemicin (38.6%) and myristicin (14.3%) were main compounds. Seven compounds including daucosterol (1), chlorogenic acid (2), a mixture of cynarin (3) and 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (4), isorhamnetin-3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (5), isoquercetin (6) and astragalin (7) were also isolated from the ethyl acetate and methanol fractions of D. glabrum aerial parts using different chromatographic methods on silica gel (normal and reversed-phase) and sephadex LH20. Structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated using UV and ¹H, 13C-NMR spectra in comparison with those reported in respective published data. Antioxidant activities of the crude extract, fractions and isolated compounds were evaluated using DPPH free radical scavenging assay method. Among the fractions, methanol fraction (IC50=53.3 ±4.7µg mL-1) and among the isolated compounds, caffeoylquinic acid derivatives exhibited the highest free radical scavenging activity (IC50= 2.2-2.6 µg mL-1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dorema glabrum (Apiaceae) is a monocarpic plant distributed in southern Caucasus. The gum-resin of this species is traditionally used as diuretic and anti-diarrheal and for the treatment of bronchitis and catarrh. In the present study, free radical-scavenging activity and total phenolic content of the essential oil together with n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts of D. glabrum roots were evaluated in DPPH and Folin-Ciocalteu assays, respectively. Methanol extract with the highest free radical-scavenging activity (IC = 74.2 ± 6.6 μg ml) and total phenolic content (186.7 ± 8.6 mg GAE/g) was subjected to phytochemical investigation using different chromatographic methods on the Si gel (normal and reversed-phase) and Sephadex LH-20 columns. Chemical constituents of the roots oil were also analyzed using GC and GC-MS. Two new phloroacetophenone glycosides, azerosides A ( 1) and azerosides B ( 7), along with nine known phenolic compounds, echisoside ( 2), pleoside ( 3), hyrcanoside ( 4), 7,8-dihydroferulic acid-4- O-β- d-glucopyranoside ( 5), Lavandoside ( 6), 6,7,8-trihydroxycoumarin ( 8), chlorogenic acid ( 9), 4,5-Di- O-caffeoylquinic acid ( 10), and cynarin ( 11), were isolated and identified from D. glabrum roots. Among the isolated compounds, 8-11 exhibited potent free radical-scavenging activity (IC values of 1.8-2.7 μg ml) in comparison with BHT (IC = 19.5 ± 0.8 μg ml). Twenty-six compounds were also identified in the roots oil, among them myristicin (14.1 %) and elemicin (11.7 %), two bioactive phenylpropanoid derivatives, were main compounds. This study introduces D. glabrum as a source of phloroacetophenone glycosides and caffeoylquinic acid derivatives and suggests it as an appropriate candidate for further pharmacological and toxicological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine biological activity and phytochemical study of Scutellaria platystegia (family Labiatae). Methanolic (MeOH) extract of aerial parts of S. platystegia and SPE fractions of methanolic extract (specially 20% and 40% methanolic fractions), growing in East-Azarbaijan province of Iran were found to have radical scavenging activity by DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl -1- pycryl hydrazyl) assay. Dichloromethane (DCM) extract of this plant exhibited animalarial activity by cell free method providing IC50 at 1.1876 mg/mL. Crude extracts did not exhibit any toxicity assessed by brine shrimp lethality assay. Phytochemical study of methanolic extract by using reverse phase HPLC method and NMR instrument for isolation and identification of pure compounds respectively, yielded 2-(4- hydroxy phenyl) ethyl-O-β-D- glucopyranoside from 10% and apigenin 7-O-glucoside, verbascoside and martynoside from 40% SPE fraction. Occurance of verbascoside and martynoside as biochemical markers appeared to be widespread in this genus. Antioxidant and antimalarial activity of MeOH and DCM extracts, respectively, as well as no general toxicity of them could provide a basis for further in-vitro and in-vivo studies and clinical trials to develop new therapeutical alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was aimed to evaluate general toxicity, anti-oxidant activity and effects of Ficus carica leaves extract on ischemia/reperfusion injuries. Methods: Antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoid compounds of 70% methanolic extract of Ficus carica leaves were measured. The general toxicity test was carried out by brine shrimp lethality assay. Isolated hearts of male rats were mounted on a Langendorff apparatus and perfused with modified Krebs-Henseleit solution. In control group, the hearts were perfused with normal Krebs solution, however, treatment groups received enriched solution with the extract (0.04, 0.2 and 1 mg/ml) during stabilization and reperfusion (after 30 min global ischemia), respectively. Cardiac arrhythmias were analyzed and TTC method was used for infarct size determination. Results: The extract displayed antioxidant activity in the DPPH assay (RC50=0.06666 mg/ml). Total phenolic content was 12.29 mg GAE/100 g dry sample and the amount of flavonoids was calculated 40.729 mg/g. LD50 value by brine shrimp test was 0.158 mg/ml. The extract decreased number of VEBs, incidence and duration of Rev VF with clear reduction in infarct size and infarct volume (P<0.001). Conclusion: Ficus carica decreased ischemia/reperfusion-induced injuries. These protections are probably due to antioxidant capacity and the existence of flavonoid and phenolic compounds in the extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study, was aimed to assess the cytotoxic effects of Ornithogalum cuspidatum methanolic fractions on PC-3, prostate cancer cells and WEHI-164, Fibrosarcoma cells. Methods: Methanolic fractions of O. cuspidatum were prepared using solid phase extraction and the cells were treated with different concentrations for 12 and 24 hours. Cytotoxicity and cell viability were measured by MTT assay. ELISA was also employed to assess the histone-associated DNA fragments and the involvement of apoptotic mechanisms. Results: 10 and 20% fractions had not significant cytotoxic effects (p>0.05) but other fractions exerted growth inhibition on both cancer cell lines (p<0.05). After 24h of incubation with 40, 60, 80 and 100% fractions, the IC50 values were: 165, 85, 65 and 45μg/ml on PC-3 cells and 200, 96, 76 and 73μg/ml against WEHI-164 cell line, respectively. ELISA results also revealed that, both cell lines had undergone apoptosis. Conclusion: It is deduced that, 80% and 100% methanolic fractions had significant antiproliferative and apoptotic impacts on PC-3 and WEHI-164 cells in vitro and could be considered for developing chemo-preventive substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Plant-derivate therapeutic agents can perform cancer chemotherapeutic activity through triggering apoptotic cell death. Our aim was to investigate the cytotoxic effects, induction of apoptosis, and the mechanism of cell death of Iranian orthodox black tea extracts (BTEs) and hydro methanolic purified fractions (40, 60, 80 and 100%) in KB cells (oral squamous cell carcinoma). Methods: In order to analyze the cytotoxic activity of the BTEs, MTT (3-(4, 5- dimetylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and Trypan-blue assays were performed in oral squamous cell carcinoma (KB). Furthermore, the apoptosis inducing action of the extracts was determined by TUNEL, DNA fragmentation and cell death detection analysis. Results: Dichloromethane BTE and hydro methanol fractions (40 and 60%) extract showed no cytotoxic effects; however, hydro methanol crude and hydro methanol fractions of BTE (80 and 100%) significantly inhibited cell growth and viability in a dose and time dependent manner. In addition, Cell death assay, TUNEL, and DNA fragmentation indicated induction of apoptosis by hydro methanol 80 and 100% fractions of BTE in KB cells. Statistical significance was determined by analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Duncan test and p value =0.05 was considered significant. Conclusion: The results from the present study suggests that the hydro methanol crude and hydro methanol fractions of BTE (80 and 100%) are significant source of compounds with the anti proliferative and cytotoxic activities, and this may be useful for developing potential chemo preventive substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims. Promoting remineralization is the ultimate goal of clinical prevention of caries lesion. The present in vitro study aimed to investigate the effect of grape seed extract (GSE) on artificial enamel caries in primary human teeth. Materials and methods. Seventeen human sound primary incisors were sectioned mesiodistally. The tooth slices were placed in a demineralizing solution for 96 hours at 37°C and 50% relative humidity to create lesions. The demineralized fragments of each tooth were randomly divided into two case (immersed in GSE solution in phosphate buffer for 8 days) and control (immersed in distilled water) groups. The samples were subsequently evaluated using a scanning electron microscope and a micro-hardness tester. Data were analyzed using independent t-test. Results. The mean ± SD micro-hardness values for the case and control groups were 358.6±83.42 and 296.51± 69.41, respectively. Grape seed extract significantly increased the micro-hardness of the lesions (P=0.03). The morphology of GSE treated enamel was clearly different from that in the control group, and there were deposits of scaffolding insoluble complexes on the enamel surface. Conclusion. GSE enhanced the remineralization process of artificial enamel lesions of primary teeth, and thus, might be considered an effective natural agent in non-invasive dentistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]