Search

The aim of this study is pharmacochemistry of Iranian flora Artemisia sieberi and its antimalarial effects on Plasmodium berghei in vivo. This is the first application of A. sieberi for treatment of murine malaria. A. sieberi were collected at flowering stage from the Khorassan and Semnan provinces of Iran; the aerial parts were air-dried at room temperature and then powdered. The powder was macerated in methanol, filtered with Bokhner hopper and solvent was separated in rotary evaporator. Total herbal extract was subsequently processed for ether and chloroform extracts preparation. The toxicity of herbal extract was assessed on naive NMRI mice with high, average and low doses; then pathophysiological signs were assessed. Finally, the antimalarial efficacy was investigated on two groups of Plasmodium berghei infected mice. Percentage of parasitaemia and pathophysiology were also evaluated. The results of this assessment showed no toxicity even by high concentration of herbal extract. A significant reduction in percentage of parasitaemia was observed; no alterations of hepatosplenomegaly and body weight were indicated in study group. A. sieberi extracts showed antimalarial effects against murine malaria with some efficacies on reducing pathophysiology. However, there is requirement to find the major component of this herbal extract by further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition of the essential oils obtained from the flowers, leaves and stems of Artemisia campestris L. were analyzed by CC and CC/MS. Nineteen compounds representing 95.4% of the oil were identified in the flower oil, 22 compounds making up 90.3% of the oil were characterized in the oil obtained from leaves, and 14 compounds representing 96.7% of the stem oil of A. campestris were identified. a-Pinene (23.9%, 23.0% and 29.2%) and spathulenol (23.9%, 15.8% and 29.2%) were the main constituents in the flower, leaf and stem oils, respectively. The other main component of the flower oil was bicyclogermacrene (12.0%) and of the leaf oil β-pinene (12.6%). No significant difference was observed between compositions of flower, leaf and stem oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]