Search

In recent decades, there has been growing evidence of the significant potential of plant-derived functional foods and beverages for improving human health. Pulicaria incisa is a desert plant that has been used for many years as a tea substitute, and its extracts are used in traditional medicine in Asia and Africa. This review aims to provide an up-to-date summary of the food applications, traditional uses, biological and pharmacological properties, and chemical constituents of various P. incisa extracts. A variety of biological effects of the plant have been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo , including beneficial effects on brain cells and anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, cytotoxic, hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, anti-microbial and anti-fungal activities. This broad spectrum of beneficial activities suggests the potential uses of P. incisa as an additive to dry food products or functional beverages. [Display omitted] • Pulicaria incisa is a desert plant that has been used for years as a tea substitute. • It has also been used for many years as a medicinal infusion in Asia and Africa. • Pulicaria incisa benefits neuronal cells and brain glia (microglia and astrocytes). • Pulicaria incisa improves redox status and lowers glucose and cholesterol levels. • Different Pulicaria incisa extracts exhibit other evidence-based bioactivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activated microglial cells release various mediators, which cause neuronal cell death and have been implicated in different neurological disorders. The present study demonstrates that an infusion prepared from the plant Pulicaria incisa ( Pi ) inhibits microglial activation and down-regulates levels of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and of the toxic mediators nitric oxide and glutamate. The infusion was also shown to have antioxidant properties in cell-free assays (e.g., differential pulse voltammetry) and in a cellular assay, in which the infusion attenuated the induced accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). We found that Pi infusion is rich in polyphenols, especially chlorogenic acids and ferulic acids, which might be responsible for the observed activities. It is proposed that Pi infusion be further evaluated for use as a functional beverage for the prevention and/or treatment of chronic diseases, especially neurodegenerative disorders in which microglial activation and oxidative stress play important roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulicaria incisa sub. candolleana E. Gamal-Eldin (Asteraceae) was traditionally used by Bedouins as a refreshing tea and as hypoglycemic, in gastrointestinal ailments, sinusitis and headache. Recently a great correlation has been established between liver cirrhosis and gastrointestinal dysfunction reflected by abdominal bloating, pain, diarrhea, constipation, besides decreased food intake. So far, the hepatoprotective effect of P. incisa sub. candolleana E. Gamal-Eldin was not studied before although other Pulicaria species have previously shown hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects. In this study, we aimed to identify the phytochemical constituents of the P. incisa sub. candolleana E. Gamal-Eldin hydroethanolic extract (PICE), as well as to evaluate the hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities in methotrexate (MTX)- intoxicated rats. Besides, the molecular interaction between the isolated compounds and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and phospholipase 2 (PLA-2) were assessed by in-silico screening. The main phytoconstituents were characterized using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) aided by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were also used to isolate the major phenolics from the hydroethanolic extract. Their structures were elucidated using different spectroscopic analysis methods, including 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI/MS). The hepatoprotective activity of three doses (100, 250, 500 mg/kg) of PICE in MTX-intoxicated rats was assessed and compared to silymarin as a standard. Additionally, in silico docking study on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and phospholipase 2 (PLA-2) was performed to justify the anti-inflammatory activity of the isolated compounds. Thirteen compounds were tentatively identified, including flavonoids and phenolic acids. Four main isolated compounds were identified as, eugenol-1- O - β -glucoside, 5- O -caffeoylquinic acid, 3, 5-di- O -caffeoylquinic acid and quercetin-3- O - β -glucoside. Treatment of MTX-intoxicated rats with the 250 mg/kg extract reversed the altered levels of biochemical markers of liver damage, ameliorated the oxidant status and reduced the inflammatory mediators, similar to treatment with silymarin. Quercetin-3- O - β -glucoside showed the best docking energy score of −19.12 kcal/mol against COX-2, forming four binding interactions with residues Leu 353, Arg 121, Tyr 356 and Ala 528, followed by 3,5-di- O -caffeoylquinic acid (−18.01 kcal/mol). This study reveals P. incisa sub. candolleana as a rich source of phenolics including flavonoids, supporting its anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects and suggesting its usage as a promising candidate in inflammatory conditions. • Pulicaria incisa subspecies candolleana – a traditional medicine-showed thirteen compounds through LC/MS/MS. • Four major phenolics from the ethanolic extract were isolated and characterized. • Methotrexate intoxicated rat model confirmed the traditional uses with potential anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects and which was useful in the protection of liver. • A docking study on cyclooxygenase-2 and phospholipase 2 demonstrated the anti-inflammatory activity of its constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• UPLC/MS/MS analysis of P. crispa and P. incisa extracts identified 122 metabolites. • New sesqruiterpene dihydropulicaric acid was annotated based on MS fragments. • Both extracts showed strong antioxidant activity in DPPH and ABTS assays. • Both extracts displayed antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity in animal model. Plants of the genus Pulicaria (family: Asteraceae) are widely used in central Asia and the Middle East for treatment of different human diseases. Ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS) was utilized to establish the metabolic profiles of two Pulicaria species : P. crispa and P. incisa. 122 metabolites were identified including flavonoids (37), phenolic acids (22), sesquiterpenes (17), diterpenes (7), and fatty acids (27), with enrichment in methoxylated flavonoids (20), caffeoylquinic acid conjugates (14) xanthane sesquiterpenes (9) and hydroxylated fatty acids (20) in both Pulicaria species. The metabolite profile of P. incisa was characterized by the presence of tri- and tetra-methoxylated flavonoids while xanthane sesquiterpenes were the main chemical markers of P. crispa. Additionally, a novel sesquiterpene acid (dihydropulicaric acid) was annotated in both species based on its MS fragments. Antioxidant activity for P. crispa and P. incisa methanol extracts was assessed in vitro based on DPPH and ABTS assays and further in vivo using chlorpromazine intoxicated rat model. Results revealed that P. incisa extract was more effective in inhibiting both DPPH and ABTS free radicals (IC 50 0.36 and 0.52 mg/mL, respectively) than P. crispa (IC 50 0.51 and 0.73 mg/mL). In the animal model, antioxidant activity of P. incisa (20 mg/kg/day) was also slightly higher causing a 55 % reduction in MDA levels and 65 % increase in GSH activity compared to untreated animals. Furthermore, both extracts showed a hepatoprotective effect as revealed by improvement in levels of serum biomarkers of liver functions: total bilirubin, alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) comparable to silymarin at 25 mg/kg/day. These findings were also supported by the preserved integrity of the hepatic tissues of animals receiving either extracts at a dose of 20 mg/kg b.wt. The present study reveals for the potential antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects for Pulicaria in relation to its bioactive metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]