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Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a global health challenge, demanding innovative approaches for effective treatments. Clerodendrum infortunatum Linn. (Lamiaceae) is a shrub traditionally used as a medicinal plant to treat inflammation, skin diseases, and bronchitis. This study aims to identify the main bioactive metabolites in C. infortunatum using LC-QTOF-MS/MS and investigate its potential in protecting against cognitive decline in rats with scopolamine-induced AD disease. Metabolite profiling was performed on the methanol extract of the plant's aerial parts using LC-QTOF-MS/MS. The inhibitory activity of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme was measured in vitro. To evaluate the cognitive effects, the methanol extract was orally administered at three doses (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) to scopolamine-induced AD rats, and their cognitive functions were assessed using the novel object recognition test. Additionally, acetylcholinesterase enzyme activity, as well as the levels of acetylcholine, dopamine, noradrenaline, glutathione, malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and amyloid-β in the rat hippocampus, were measured using ELISA, followed by histopathological evaluation. A total of 79 metabolites, spanning various chemical classes, such as organic acids, phenolic acids, phenylpropanoids and phenylethanoids, flavonoids, coumarins, other phenolics, and fatty acids and their derivatives, were identified. The results showed that the extract promoted enhanced cognitive functions in the novel object recognition test. Scopolamine administration significantly altered the acetylcholinesterase enzyme activity and biomarker levels in the rat's hippocampus. However, treatment with C. infortunatum at 200 and 400 mg/kg almost restored these neurotransmitter levels to normal, which was further confirmed by histopathological analysis. This study demonstrates the therapeutic potential of C. infortunatum in mitigating cognitive decline in AD, with its first metabolite profiling revealing a range of bioactive compounds. The extract improved cognitive function in scopolamine-induced AD rats, restored acetylcholinesterase activity, normalized neurotransmitter levels, and reduced oxidative stress and inflammation. These findings suggest that C. infortunatum is a promising candidate for the development of natural therapies targeting AD., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The experiments adhered to the “Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals” published by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH Publication No 85–23, 2011). Approval was granted by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Cairo University (approval code: MP (3118)). ARRIVE guidelines: The study is reported in accordance with ARRIVE guidelines. A statement naming the person who identified the plant: The aerial parts of C. infortunatum were authenticated by Agriculture Engineer Therese Labib, a plant taxonomy consultant of the Ministry of Agriculture (Giza, Egypt). Voucher specimen statement: The plant material was collected with permission in compliance with national guidelines from the Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Egypt at “9 Cairo University Road, Giza District, Giza Governorate”. Samples of the plant material were deposited at the herbarium of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt (sample No.10.3.2021)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The present study aimed to unveil the gastroprotective potential of Vaccinium macrocarpon (VM) extract and its mechanism of action against indomethacin (INDO)-induced gastric ulcers in rats. To achieve this goal, rats were pretreated with either omeprazole (20 mg/kg) or VM (100 mg/kg) orally for 14 consecutive days. Gastric tissue samples were collected and various parameters were evaluated to understand the mechanism of VM's action, including the levels of superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, glutathione, CAT and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), as well as the mRNA expression levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1 beta, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and inhibitor kappa B (IκB). Additionally, the immunopositivity of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1, COX-2, PGE2, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and caspase-3 was assessed. The total amount of phenolic compounds present in the VM extract was high (58.08 µg/mL gallic acid equivalent/mg extract). The healing effect of VM was demonstrated by an increase in the expression of PCNA. Furthermore, the level of TGF-β was found to increase upon treatment with VM. Analyses of COX-1, COX-2 and PGE2 expression in gastric tissue confirmed the gastroprotective effect of VM. Notably, the expression of NF-κB was markedly reduced, whereas that of IκB was substantially increased. Overall, the findings of this study demonstrate that VM extract has gastroprotective and curative effects against INDO-induced ulcers through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, mucosal regenerative and anti-apoptotic activities. Therefore, VM may serve as a useful adjuvant treatment for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs-induced gastric ulcer disease., (© 2025 The Author(s). Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aging is a worldwide socioeconomic burden. Cerebellar aging is an enigma contributing to many behavioral aging disorders, hence is its hindering by prophylactic measurements is a crucial geriatric research target. Red dragon fruit (RDF) is a tropical fruit with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. This study aimed to determine the protective effect of RDF extract against cerebellar aging. Thirty-two male albino rats were randomly allocated into 4 groups: Control, RDF, aged and RDF-aged groups. Aged group revealed structural distortion affecting cerebellar layers including a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in Purkinje cells number and decrease in granular cell layer thickness by comparison to the control and RDF groups. Additionally, distorted capillary endothelium, and defective myelination were noticed. Interestingly, cerebellar active caspase-3, iNOS, MDA and 3-NT and serum TNF-α levels significantly increased with aging by comparison to the control and RDF groups (all P < 0.05). Biochemical analysis revealed a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in cerebellar SOD and serum GSH levels in aged rats. RDF extract remarkably ameliorated most of the neuronal degenerative changes with a significant (P < 0.05) increase in Purkinje cells numbers, and granular cell layer thickness by comparison to the aged group. Furthermore, it resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in cerebellum expression of active caspase-3, iNOS, MDA, 3-NT, and serum TNF-α levels associated with a significant (P < 0.05) increase in cerebellar SOD and serum GSH levels by comparison to the aged group. To the best of our knowledge this is the first study showing a neuroprotective effect for RDF against cerebellar aging. RDF might be effective in attenuation of age-induced cerebellar degenerative changes through its anti-apoptotic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interest: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; Carob tree (&lt;i&gt;Ceratonia siliqua&lt;/i&gt; L.) is a perennial leguminous species and is known as a medicinal importance tree. This species exhibits a myriad of biological effects including antibacterial, antidiarrheal and antidiabetic. To this end, current study evaluates the difference between the phytochemical composition of the leaves of two accessions of "wild" and "domesticated" hermaphroditic carob trees. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; The comparison between two carob accessions "wild" and "domesticated" was done according to methanolic extraction by the Soxhlet and aqueous extraction by maceration. The polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins and their antioxidant activity were measured. The ANOVA test was used for the analysis of results. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; The total polyphenols in aqueous extract are 6.19±0.25 mg equivalent gallic acid/g dry weight (EGA/g DW) and 4.23±0.2 mg EGA/g DW) in carob fresh leaves for wild and domesticated trees, respectively. The flavonoid content was higher in methanolic extract (3.17±0.64 mg quercetin equivalent/g DW) than in aqueous extract (1.06±0.19 mg EQ/g DW) for wild trees. Wild accession recorded the highest concentration of condensed tannins in the methanolic extract (6.4±0.3 mg catechin equivalents/g DW) while low levels were recorded in aqueous extract (0.51±0.27 mg EC/g DW). &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; Such knowledge is expected to be the key to understanding the biochemical composition of two different leaves of &lt;i&gt;C. siliqua&lt;/i&gt; accessions and its various commercial food products.

The current study aimed to assess the antioxidant and antiproliferative effects of teucrium polium extract: computational and in vivo study in rats. Three groups of animals: Group (i) constitute the control group; Group (ii) HeLa group received an intrafemoral inoculation of HeLa cells and Group (iii) constitue the combination between HeLa + T. polium . The plant was administered by gavage. Our results revealed that HeLa cell injection showed an elevation in aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TB), creatinine, urea, calcium and phosphorus. The pretreatment with the plant extract reduced the level of these parameters. Injection of HeLa cells showed a significant decrease in phosphorus and calcium respectively. However, the pretreatment by T. polium modulated the level of these two minerals. Rats treated with HeLa cells line showed an increase in the level of lipid peroxidation as evaluated by the TBARS substances, at the same time, a significant decreases in SOD, CAT and GPx activities were noted in the HeLa group compared to the control. On the other hand, pretreatment with the plant improved the level of these enzymes. Our results revealed that T.polium has a therapeutic effect on some health problems. HeLa cell line induced a small infiltration in liver and kidney. T. polium reduced the damage in both liver and kidney, but did not reveal any proliferation of tumor cells from trabecular bone tissue. The computational study revealed that T. polium compound bound with high free binding energies and established promising network of molecular interactions with COX-2 and TNF-α macromolecules.

Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) corresponds to an evergreen leguminous tree (Fabaceae family). The high phenolic content of numerous parts of carob has been deeply associated with several nutritional and functional benefits. The aim of this study was to investigate the physicochemical properties of ground carob pods and seeds, the effect of different extraction procedures as well a comprehensive phytochemical characterization of hydro-methanolic extracts (80/20 v/v) of pods and seeds by HPLC-DAD ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Additionally, their antioxidant activity was evaluated using in vitro assays. The results showed thatthe dry matter (DM) values were 88.09% for pods and 89.10% for seeds, protein contents were 0.41 g/100 g DM for pods and 0.88 g/100 g DM for seedsand total sugars contents were 0.35 g/100 DM for pods and 26.70 g/100 g DM for seeds. Furthermore, the oil holding capacities (OHC) were 10.43 g/g for pods and 7.53 g/g for seeds, while the water holding capacities were 8.46 g/g for pods and 2.59 g/g for seeds.The hydro-methanolic extracts of both pods and seeds showed the presence of 53 secondary bioactive metabolites belonging to various classes(flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins and non-phenolic compounds). The antioxidant activities were evidenced in DPPH (22.24 mg/ml for pods and 26.37 mg/ml for seeds), ABTS (198.50 mmol Eq Trolox/100 g for pods and 201.04 mmol Eq Trolox/100 g for seeds) and FRAP (0.39 mmol Eq Trolox/100 g for pods and 0.53 mmol Eq Trolox/100 g for seeds).Moreover,high significant (p ≤ 0.01) correlation coefficients were found between the antioxidant activity estimated by the DPPH method and total phenols (r = 0.943), orthodiphenols (r = 0.996), flavonoids (r = 0.880) and flavonols (r = 0.982). Nevertheless, lower correlations were detected with ABTS and FRAP methods.These results demonstrated that carob parts displayed an interesting potential that can be of interest for further valorizations as a natural antioxidant with multiple applications, namely functional food ingredients or prevention of many health problems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This study investigated the antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial properties of Dioon rzedowskii extract, which had not been previously explored. We aimed to determine the extract's effect on liver and breast cancer cell lines and on solid Ehrlich carcinoma (SEC) mouse model to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Three female albino mice groups were established: a tumor control group, a group treated with 100 mg/kg of the extract (D100), and a group treated with 200 mg/kg of the extract (D200) for 16 days after tumor development. Results showed that the D. rzedowskii extract inhibited cell growth in both MCF-7 and HepG2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. This was achieved by suppressing the cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. The extract also improved liver, heart, and kidney functions compared to the tumor control. Furthermore, oral administration of the extract reduced tumor volume and alleviated oxidative stress in tumor tissue. The anticancer effects were associated with overexpression of p53 and Bax and downregulation of cyclin D1 expression, which was attributed to decreased phosphorylated MAPK kinases. Additionally, D. rzedowskii exhibited antibacterial activity against K. pneumoniae isolated from cancer patients. The extract inhibited bacterial growth and reduced the membrane integrity. The study suggests that D. rzedowskii has promising potential as an adjunctive therapy for cancer treatment. Further investigations are needed to explore its combined anticancer efficacy. These results emphasize the value of natural products in developing compounds with potential anticancer activity and support a paradigm shift in cancer management to improve patients' quality of life., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Myoglobinuric acute renal failure (MARF) is a structural and functional disorder that occurs in the kidney following the release of muscle cell contents into the circulation. In this present study, possible protective and curative effects of Ferula elaeochytris extract against kidney and liver damage in experimentally induced MARF in a rat model were investigated. 3-4 Month-old, 200-250 g Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 8 equal groups with 7 rats per group. Group I was a no-intervention Control group. All groups except for the Group I were dehydrated for 16 hours. Following this dehydration, 50% v/v aqueous glycerol solution was injected into both hind leg muscles of the animals, at a dose of 8 ml/kg. The rats were given physiological saline (SF) once orally before the model was administered (Group II) and after the model was administered (Group V). Similarly, two different doses of Ferula elaeochytris root extract (40 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg) were dissolved in 2 ml of SF and administered orally before (Groups III and IV) and after (Group VI, VII) the model was created. Following the experimental period, kidney and liver tissues were removed from all groups, and fixed in 10% neutral formaldehyde solution for light microscopic examinations. Intracellular vacuolization, enlargement in the Bowman's space, widespread atrophy in the tubular structures, luminal enlargement, and desquamation were detected in the kidney tissue sections of all the experimental model groups. In the liver tissue sections, was detected hepatocyte degeneration, intracellular vacuolization, irregularity in cell membrane borders, and apoptotic bodies. These histopathological consequences of MARF were evaluated for all groups, and whereas a curative effect of Ferula elaeochytris could be seen, its protective effect was higher than its curative effect.

This work was performed as a comparative study using nine different aqueous pollen grain extracts from eight different genera (Juniperus, Biota, Cupressus, Abies, Pinus, Cedrus, Populus and Corylus) to synthesize gold nanostructures (AuNSs) to understand if there is any possible marker that helps to predict the final morphology and size of the AuNSs. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that Apigenin and Pinoresinol compounds are the marker molecules in determination of the AuNSs physical characteristics while total protein, reducing carbohydrate, flavonoid and phenol contents did not show any statistically meaningful outcome. The "dominancy hypothesis" was tested by paying attention to the most concentrated phenolic acids and flavonoids in the control of AuNSs morphology and size, for which correlation analysis were performed. The statistical findings were tested using two new more pollen extracts to validate the models. Three main findings of the study were (i) determination of Apigenin and Pinoresinol levels in pollen extract can give an insight into the AuNSs physical characters, (ii) the most concentrated phenolic acids and flavonoids don't need to be same to pose same dictative effect on AuNSs morphology and size, rather relatively abundant ones in the extract play the key role and (iii) differences in the polymeric structures (e. g. lignin, cellulosic compounds etc.) have minor effect on the final morphology and size of the AuNSs., (© 2023 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Achillea (Asteraceae) species have been traditionally used for their different therapeutical properties. In this study, phytochemical composition of aerial parts of A. sintenisii which is endemic in Turkey was determined with Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). To evaluate the wound healing potential, the cream formulation prepared from A. sintenisii was tested on the linear incision wound model in mice. In vitro enzyme inhibitory activity tests were performed on elastase, hyaluronidase, and collagenase. In the histopathological examination, angiogenesis and granulation tissue formation were significantly increased in A. sintenisii treatment groups compared to the negative control group. As a result of this study, it is thought that the enzyme inhibition and antioxidant activity of the plant may contribute to the wound healing process. According to LC/MS/MS analysis result, quinic acid (24.261 μg/mg extract) and chlorogenic acid (14.97 μg/mg extract) were identified as main constituents of the extract., (© 2023 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

In this study phytochemical compounds and antioxidant capacity, cytotoxic, antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activities of hydroethanolic extracts of five Cistus species (C. creticus L., C. laurifolius L., C. monspeliensis L., C. parviflorus Lam. and C. salviifolius L.) distributed in Turkey were investigated. (+)-catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, kaempferol-3-O-glucoside, luteolin were detected in different amounts. Strongest antioxidant capacities were observed with C. creticus, and C. parvifolius (0.476 and 0.452, respectively). Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the extracts were determined between 32 and 128 μg/mL against different bacteria and Candida strains. C. monspeliensis and C. laurifolius extracts were inhibited the biofilm production levels of three Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli, S. enterica, P. aeruginosa), two Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus, B. subtilis) and three Candida strains (C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei). C. creticus extract showed strongest cytotoxic activity against human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) and prostate cell lines (PC-3) (IC 50 : 14.04±2.78 μg/mL and 34.04±2.74 μg/mL, respectively) among all plants tested., (© 2022 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Nanomaterial is a rapidly growing area that is used to create a variety of new materials and nanotechnology applications from medical, pharmaceuticals, chemical, mechanical, electronics and several environmental industries including physical, chemical and biological nanoparticles are very important in our daily life. Nanoparticles with leaf extract from the healthy plant are important in the area of research using biosynthesis methods. Because of it's used as an environmentally ecofriendly, other than traditional physical and chemical strategies. In particular, biologically synthesized nanoparticles have become a key branch of nanotechnology. The present work presents a synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using an extract from the Argemone leaf Mexicana. Biosynthetic nanoparticles are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Ultraviolet visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy analysis, a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analysis (FTIR) and a scanning electron microcopy (SEM), X-ray analysis with dispersive energy (EDAX). XRD is used to examine the crystalline size of zinc oxide nanoparticles. The FTIR test consists in providing evidence of the presence of targeted teams. UV is used for optical properties and calculates the energy of the bandwidth slot. The scanning microscope emission reveals the morphology of the surface and the energy dispersive X-ray analysis confirms the basic composition of zinc oxide nanoparticles. It is found that zinc nanoparticles are capable of achieving high anti-fungal efficacy and therefore have a high potential antimicrobial activity of ZnO NPs, like antibacterial and high antioxidant. Zinc Oxide nanoparticles from the Argemone Mexicana leaf extract have several antimicrobial applications, such as medical specialty, cosmetics, food, biotechnology, nano medicine and drug delivery system. ZnO nanoparticles are important because they provide many practical applications in industry. The most important use of nanoparticles of ZnO would be strong antibacterial and antioxidant activity with a simple and efficient biosynthesis method may be used for future work applications.

Teucrium polium has been used in traditional medicine as antifungal, antipyretic, antispasmodic, and antibacterial. It is consumed by many jordanians for the treatment of many diseases. The effects of this plant have been investigated in kidney, liver, and brain. Its antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer effects have been introduced. Polyphenolic compound, flavonoids, monoterpenes, alkanoides, and essential oils were identified. Several studies revealed that this plant has a hypoglycemic effect and can help to control blood sugar. It was reported that plants containing flavonoids and phenolics compounds exhibit a large array of biological activities like genotoxicity (chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchange) and oxidative stress damage. These phytochemicals are found in herbal and vegetables plants, as well as being reliably protective against oxidative stress damage and lipid peroxidation. In addition, T. polium has secondary effects on different organs, namely liver, kidney and at high doses this plant becomes toxic. In conclusion, this review investigates many pharmacologicals properties and side effects of T. polium., (© 2021 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.)

It is aimed to investigate the cytotoxic effects of the various extracts from the leaf and seed of Centaurea derderiifolia on the growth human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cells by xCELLigence method and to isolate the cytotoxic constituents. The results showed that subfractions 2 and 3 exhibited remarkable inhibitory effect against HeLa (IC 50  < 10 µg/mL). The chloroform extract of leaf displayed the highest cytotoxic effect on HeLa cells (IC 50  < 50 µg/mL) and was therefore subjected to a bioassay-guided multistep separation procedure. The pure compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic and mass-spectrometric analyses, including 1 D-, 2 D-NMR. In addition to cytotoxic effects of the isolated constituents, their antioxidant activities were also studied. On the other hand, subfraction 4 exhibited the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC 50  = 0.76 ± 0.03 mg/mL). β-sitosterol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside was isolated for the first time from this plant and three compounds from the bioactive subfractions were identified.

We investigated the effects of Medicago sativa supplementation on the lipid profiles and antioxidant capacities of ovariectomized mice.The study was performed on white Swiss female mice that were divided into five groups: control, treated with Medicago sativa (0.75 g/kg/day), ovariectomized, ovariectomized treated with β-estradiol (1 μg/day) or with Medicago sativa . The mice were sacrificed after 3 and 8 weeks of treatment.Ovariectomy induced a decrease in overall growth, uterine atrophy, and hyperlipidemia demonstrated by increased cholesterol, triglycerides, and decreased HDL. We have shown the involvement of oxidative stress in this hepatic lesion proven by increased levels of TBARS, GPX, and GSH, and decreased levels of SOD and catalase.Treatment with Medicago sativa restores lipid balance, the activity of antioxidant enzymes and improves lipid peroxidation. This is probably due to the richness of this plant in polyphenols and flavonoids considered as an antioxidant and phytoestrogenic elements.

COVID-19 due to the SARS-CoV-2 infection is a multi-systemic immune syndrome affecting mainly the lungs, oropharyngeal region, and other vascular endothelial beds. There are tremendous ongoing efforts for the aim of developing drugs against the COVID-19 syndrome-associated inflammation. However, currently no specific medicine is present for the absolute pharmacological cure of COVID-19 mucositis. The re-purposing/re-positioning of already existing drugs is a very important strategy for the management of ongoing pandemy since the development of a new drug needs decades. Apart from altering angiotensin signaling pathways, novel drug candidates for re-purposing comprise medications shall target COVID-19 pathobiology, including pharmaceutical formulations that antagonize proteinase-activated receptors (PARs), mainly PAR-1. Activation of the PAR-1, mediators and hormones impact on the hemostasis, endothelial activation, alveolar epithelial cells and mucosal inflammatory responses which are the essentials of the COVID-19 pathophysiology. In this context, Ankaferd hemostat (Ankaferd Blood Stopper, ABS) which is an already approved hemostatic agent affecting via vital erythroid aggregation and fibrinogen gamma could be a potential topical remedy for the mucosal management of COVID-19. ABS is a clinically safe and effective topical hemostatic agent of plant origin capable of exerting pleiotropic effects on the endothelial cells, angiogenesis, cell proliferation and vascular dynamics. ABS had been approved as a topically applied hemostatic agent for the management of post-surgical/dental bleedings and healing of infected inflammatory mucosal wounds. The anti-inflammatory and proteinase-activated receptor axis properties of ABS with a considerable amount of oestrogenic hormone presence highlight this unique topical hemostatic drug regarding the clinical re-positioning for COVID-19-associated mucositis. Topical ABS as a biological response modifier may lessen SARS-CoV-2 associated microthrombosis, endothelial dysfunction, oropharyngeal inflammation and mucosal lung damage. Moreover, PAR-1 inhibition ability of ABS might be helpful for reducing the initial virus propagation and mocasal spread of COVID-19., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Melanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer and originates from pigment-containing cells called melanocytes. The incidence of melanoma has been increasing worldwide. In the current study, the cytotoxic and photo-cytotoxic activities of different medicinal plants from Lamiaceae (Salvia cedronella, Salvia chionantha, and Salvia adenophylla), Asteraceae (Klasea kurdica, Klasea bornmuelleri, and Achillea millefolium), Apiaceae (Cuminum cyminum, and Anethum graveolens), and Polygonaceae (Rumex crispus) families were studied against HT 144 (Human malignant melanoma) cancer cell lines. The activities were performed by employing the MTT assay. Moreover, the apoptotic effects of the plant extracts were investigated by flow cytometry with annexin V/PI dual staining technique. The production of intracellular ROS by DCFH-DA technique and the effects of TNF-α secretion on apoptosis were also investigated. All plant extracts exhibited cytotoxic, and photo-cytotoxic effects against HT 144 cancer cells. Salvia species and Klasea species induced apoptosis via intracellular ROS generation secreted by TNF-α. On the other hand, A. millefolium, C. cyminum, A. graveolens, and R. crispus extracts induced apoptosis due to the intracellular generation of ROS, but, via the different pathway. In conclusion, this study indicates that the tested medicinal plant extracts have the potential in the treatment of melanoma.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of dietary Ziziphus mauritiana leaf powder (ZLP) to control Aeromonas hydrophila infection in Nile tilapia and reduce damage to vital immune organs. Four experimental groups were fed a diet supplemented with ZLP at concentrations of 0, 5, 10, and 20 g/kg (w/w) for 6 weeks. At the end of the feeding trial, all groups were intraperitoneally injected with pathogenic A. hydrophila. It was found that Z. mauritiana significantly (P < 0.05) upregulated (lysozyme, interleukin 1 beta) and superoxide dismutase gene expressions as well as improved the activity of serum lysozyme and liver antioxidant enzymes. The fish that were fed a ZLP-supplemented diet also exhibited significantly higher survival rates after A. hydrophila challenge than those that were fed a ZLP-free diet (P < 0.05). Supplementation of 10 g/kg ZLP most effectively reduced the histopathological alterations caused by A. hydrophila challenge in the liver, spleen, kidney, and muscle of the fish. In conclusion, ZLP can be effective in controlling A. hydrophila infection in Nile tilapia (particularly at a concentration of 10 g/kg) through enhancement of its immune and antioxidant status.

Several simple and prenylated coumarin derivatives were isolated from the dichloromethane extract of the root of Neocryptodiscus papillaris based on moderate cytotoxic activity of the extract in COLO205, KM12 and MCF7 cancer cells. While the major prenylated furanocoumarin derivatives and osthol isolated from the dichloromethane extract were responsible for the activity in the colon and breast cancer cell lines, the 4'-acylated osthol derivatives including a novel coumarino-alkaloid; neopapillarine) demonstrated selective cytotoxic activity in A498 and UO31 renal cancer cell lines., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rhaponticum acaule (L.) DC. is a medicinal plant commonly used for the treatment of some illnesses such as gastrointestinal infections. In this work, we report the composition of different parts of this plant on phenolic compounds, their quantification, and antioxidant activity. The obtained results reported that methanolic extracts of the three parts studied revealed high phenolic contents. For flavonoid contents, the highest contents were reported in organic extracts of leaf part. In addition, results obtained from the study of the antioxidant activity showed that methanolic extract of root presented the highest activity, in DPPH • scavenging ability test with an IC 50 of 0.31 ± 0.04 mg/mL and in FRAP test with an EC 50 of 1.06 ± 0.02 mg/mL. The RP-HPLC-PDA analysis revealed the presence of five phenolic acids (sinapic, caffeic, chlorogenic, ferulic and syringic acids), one flavanone (naringenin), one flavonol (rutin) and vanillin.

In order to harness local resources to improve well-being and human health, we aim in this study to investigate if the microalgae Dunaliella sp. isolated from the Tunisian coastal zone possesses any anticancer activity. Dunaliella sp. was cultured under normal (DSC) or stressed (DSS) conditions and extracted using different procedures. The biological activity assessment was performed on the Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) using 4T1 murine cells as a model. Results indicate that: (i) aqueous extract was the most cytotoxic compared to ethanolic and hydroalcoholic extracts; (ii) DSS activity was superior to that of DSC. DSS extracts induced apoptosis rather than necrosis, as evidenced by DNA fragmentation, PARP-1 cleavage and caspase-3 activation. Evaluation in an orthotopic TNBC model validated the anticancer activity in vivo. Intratumoral injection of DSS extract resulted in reduced tumor growth and an enhanced immune system activation. On the transcriptional side, the expression level of the immunosuppressive enzyme Arg-1 was decreased, as well as those of NOS-2 and COX-2 genes. These results suggest a potential anticancer activity of Tunisian Dunaliella sp. deserving further attention.

Hypericum scabrum L. has been widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of many diseases just as the other Hypericum species. In the present study, the antiradical, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of water and ethanol extracts of H. scabrum flowers were investigated. Their phytochemical contents and composition were also determined. The water and ethanol extracts are better scavenged ABTS (97.89 and 98.99%) and OH radicals (96.36 and 97.33%); the water extract is better scavenged DPPH radicals (91.66%) than the standard antioxidant BHA (94.33, 85.19, 90.16%, respectively). Flowers of H. scabrum contain flavonoids, phenolic acids, vitamins and phytosterols, dominated by catechin, vanillic acid, vitamin K and ergosterol. The extracts exhibit a strong cytotoxic activity against MCF-7, HCT-116, and LNCaP cancer cell lines. It is found that their antimicrobial activities are higher than the standard antibiotics. These results indicate that H. scabrum flowers have potent antiradical, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities.

Avocado and soybean unsaponifiables (ASU) constitute vegetable extracts made from fruits and seeds of avocado and soybean oil. Characterized by its potent anti-inflammatory effects, this ASU mixture is recommended to act as an adjuvant treatment for osteoarthritic pain and slow-acting symptomatic treatment of hip and knee osteoarthritis; autoimmune diseases; diffuse scleroderma and scleroderma-like states (e.g., morphea, sclerodactyly, scleroderma in bands). Besides, it was reported that it can improve the mood and quality of life of postmenopausal women in reducing menopause-related symptoms. This article aims to summarize the studies on biological effects of the avocado-soybean unsaponifiable, its chemical composition, pharmacotherapy as well as applications in auto-immune, osteoarticular and menopausal disorders. Finally, we will also discuss on its safety, toxicological and regulatory practices.

Background: The role of Fe+2, Cu+2 and Zn+2 in facilitating aggregation of Amyloid β (Aβ) and consequently, the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is well established., Objective: Development of non-toxic metal chelators is an emerging era in the treatment of AD, in which complete success has not been fully achieved. The purpose of this study was to determine plant extracts with high metal chelator and to encapsulate them in nano-micellar systems with the ability to pass through the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB)., Methods: Extracts of 36 different Anatolian plants were prepared, total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined, and the extracts with high content were examined for their Fe+2, Cu+2 and Zn+2 chelating activities. Apolipoprotein E4 (Apo E) decorated nano-formulations of active extracts were prepared using Poly (Lactide-co-Glycolide) (PLGA) (final product ApoEPLGA) to provide BBB penetrating property., Results: Verbascum flavidum aqueous extract was found as the most active sample, incubation of which, with Aβ before and after metal-induced aggregation, resulted in successful inhibition of aggregate formation, while re-solubilization of pre-formed aggregates was not effectively achieved. The same results were obtained using ApoEPLGA., Conclusion: An optimized metal chelator nano-formulation with BBB penetrating ability was prepared and presented for further in-vivo studies., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background and Objective: TLR is known to regulate the immune system in cancer. TLR-7 and TLR-9 can enhance the antitumor immune system in many types of solid tumors. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a biomarker of inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of papaya leaves extract on immune response (TLR 7, TLR 9) and inflammation (COX-2) in rats induced DMBA., Materials and Methods: This experimental study used Sprague dawley female rats of age more less 50 days. Rats were divided into 4 groups: Negative Control (NC), Positive Control (PC), Cancer Drug Doxorubicin (DOXO) and Papaya Leaves Extract (PLE). The study was conducted for 13 weeks. DMBA induction performed for 5 weeks with administration of 2 times per week., Results: the expression of TLR-7 of PLE and DOXO was higher than PC groups significantly different (p<0.05). The expression of TLR-9 of PLE was higher than NC, PC and DOXO groups but not significantly different (p>0.05) while the expression of COX-2 of PLE and DOXO groups was lower than NC and PC groups but not significantly different (p>0.05)., Conclusion: It can be concluded that papaya leaves extract can improve the immune system and reduce inflammation. It shows that papaya leaves extract has potent as anti-cancer.

Context: Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & Perry (Myrtaceae), commonly known as clove, originally found in the Muluku Islands in East Indonesia, is widely used as a spice and has numerous medicinal properties., Objective: This study investigated the antioxidant potential of S. aromaticum aqueous extract (SAAE) in vitro and its protective effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lung inflammation in mice., Material and Methods: Neutrophils were isolated from healthy donors and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was measured by luminol-amplified chemiluminescence. Superoxide anion generation was detected by cytochrome c reduction assay. H 2 O 2 was detected by DCFH fluorescence assay. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was mesured by tetramethyl benzidine oxidation method. To study the anti-inflammatory activity of SAAE, lung inflammation was induced in mice (BALB/c) by intra-tracheal instillation of lypopolysaccharide (5 µg/mouse), and SAAE (200 mg/kg body weight) was injected intraperitoneally prior to LPS administration. Bronchoalveolar lavage and lung tissue were collected to assess inflammatory cells count and total protein content. Metalloproteinases activity was detected by zymography technique., Results: SAAE inhibited luminol-amplified chemiluminescence of resting neutrophils and N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine- or phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated neutrophils, with an inhibitory effect starting at a concentration as low as 0.5 µg/mL. Moreover, SAAE reduced significantly MPO activity and it exhibits a dose-dependent action (IC 50 = 0.5 µg/mL). In vivo results showed that SAAE decreased markedly neutrophil count (From 61% to 15%) and proteins leakage into bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Gelatin zymography assay showed that S. aromaticum inhibited MMP-2 (15%) and MMP-9 (18%) activity in lung homogenates., Discussion and Conclusion: Our results suggest that the anti-inflammatory activity of SAAE, in vivo, is due to the inhibition of ROS production and metalloproteinases activity via its action on MPO. According to these findings, SAAE could be a potential source of new compounds with anti-inflammatory activity.

In the current study, the ethanol extracts of flower, stem, and root parts of two endemic Turkish species, e. g., Haplophyllum sahinii O. Tugay & D. Ulukuş and H. vulcanicum Boiss. & Heldr., were screened against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) associated with Alzheimer's disease as well as tyrosinase (TYR) linked to Parkinson's disease using ELISA microplate assay at 200 μg/mL. Among the extracts, the highest inhibition was caused by the stem extract of H. sahinii against BChE (IC 50 =64.93±1.38 μg/mL). Consistently, all of the extracts were found to exert a selective inhibition towards BChE to some extent. It was only the root extract of H. vulcanicum that could inhibit AChE at low level (IC 50 =203.18±5.33 μg/mL). None of the extracts displayed an inhibition over 50 % against TYR. Metabolite profiling of the extracts was achieved by a highly hyphenated liquid chromatographic mass spectrometric technique (HPLC-DAD-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS), which revealed the presence of furoquinoline (β-fagarine, γ-fagarine) and amide (tubasenicine, tubacetine) alkaloids; furano- (rutamarin), pyrano- (xanthyletine), and geranyloxy coumarins; phenylpropanoid (secoisolariciresinol), arylnaphthalene (mono-O-acetyldiphyllin apioside), and dibenzylbutyrolactone (kusunokinin, haplomyrfolin) lignans. Several important differences were observed between the extracts analyzed. β-Fagarine was the major alkaloid in H. vulcanicum, whereas γ-fagarine was present only in the roots of both Haplophyllum species; moreover, secoisolariciresinol and secoisolariciresinol dimethyl ether were the main lignans in the stems and flowers. This is the first study identifying ChE and TYR inhibitory effect and metabolic profiles of H. vulcanicum and H. sahinii., (© 2019 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

This study was designed to examine the effect of provenance on the phytochemical and antioxidant properties of essential oil and methanolic extract from Tunisian and French fennel seeds (FFS). Analysis of the essential oil showed that although the same main compounds were found in Tunisian and FFS cultivars, some differences were present in their proportions allowing to classify them in two chemotypes. The first class was composed by trans-anethole (63.41%-78.26%) for Tunisian cultivars and the second one by estragole (44.72%-88.92%) for French cultivars. The phenolic composition of all fennel seed extracts was characterized by its richness in quinic acid, 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid, p-coumaric acid, and 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid. All fennel seed extracts showed a better antioxidant potential than their essential oils depending on the origin. Principal component analysis showed a dispersion of the cultivars on three groups depending on the chemotype diversity. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Recently, much attention has been focused on fennel due to the nutritional and health-protective value of their seeds. Several studies have highlighted the importance of fennel seed extracts and essential oils as key ingredients rich in bioactive compounds serving in formulation of new functional food products. This investigation designed to examine the effect of provenance on phytochemical and antioxidant potentials of Tunisian and French fennel seed extracts and essential oils., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

This work investigated the protective effects of Teucrium polium (T. polium) and vitamin C (Vit C) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in rats. T. polium reduced the Fer reduced antioxidant power (FRAP) (IC 50  = 0.89 mg/ml) and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (IC 50  = 0.049 µg/ml) than Vit C, FRAP (IC 50  = 0.71 mg/ml) and DPPH (IC 50  = 0.029 µg/ml). Male albino Wistar rats were divided into six groups: Group I was used as controls, Group II received CCl 4 in olive oil (0.5 ml/kg) by gavage, Group III received CCl 4 in olive oil (0.5 ml/kg) by gavage after 3 d of receiving T. polium (5 g/l), orally, Group IV received T. polium (5 g/l) alone, by gavage, for 7 d, Group V received CCl 4 in olive oil (0.5 ml/kg) by gavage after 3 d of receiving Vit C (250 mg/kg) by gavage and Group VI received Vit C (250 mg/kg) alone by gavage. CCl 4 showed an increase of serum hepatic and renal markers aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), urea, and creatinine. Moreover, we noted an increase of lipid peroxidations and a decrease in antioxidants enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) of CCl 4 rats compared to controls. The pretreatment with (200 mg/kg) of T. polium and with Vit C (250 mg/kg) by gavage, for 7 d, displayed their ability to protect against oxidative damage and biochemical changes induced by CCl 4 . Our results were in accordance with histopathological observations.

Cynara scolymus L. (Artichoke) has been used for the treatment of metabolic disorders. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of Cynara scolymus leaves extract against a high fat diet (HFD) induced rats. This study investigated the most abundant phenolic compounds rich Cynara scolymus leaves extract and it is antihypercholesterolemic and antioxidative effects in vivo . The hypercaloric high fat diet (HFD) was treated with 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of ethanol extract (EEA) from leaves of Cynara and atorvastatin (ATOR) (10 mg/kg/day) during an 8-week period. Lipid profile was measured and oxidative stress systematic in hepatic tissue was determined. Our data revealed that HFD-induced hepatic dysfunction manifested by significant abnormal levels of AST, ALT, ALP, LDH, and OCT was accompanied by increasing levels of oxidative stress biomarker (ROS, MDA, and AOPP) while decreasing in antioxidant status. Coadministration of EEA significantly reduced serum lipid profile and hepatic disorders which was confirmed to be histological by reducing the fatty liver deposition in hepatic lobule. These findings suggest that Cynara leaves exert antiobesity and antioxidant liver effects in HFD-induced obese rats.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Emex spinosa (L.) Campd. (E. spinosa) locally known as "hillaioua" has always been used in folk medicine for the treatment of inflammation and pain. It is still being exploited by pharmaceutical companies for its potential remedial effects., Aim of the Study: In this study, the effects of E. spinosa (L.) Campd. against acute inflammation, pain and oxidative damage were evaluated., Materials and Methods: Total phenols and flavonoids were evaluated. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities the E. spinosa ethyl acetate fractions of the aerial (Es EtOAc-AP) and underground (Es EtOAc-R) parts were assessed on carrageenan-induced paw oedema (100 mg/kg BW) and acetic acid-induced writhing response (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg BW), respectively. The E. spinosa fractions effects on oxidative stress markers and inflammatory parameters were determined. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was performed to identify various chemical components., Results: The ethyl acetate fractions were shown to be the most active thanks to their phenolic and flavonoid contents richness. Intraperitoneal administration of E. spinosa ethyl acetate fractions at 100 mg/kg BW, one hour before carrageenan injection, significantly inhibited the oedema formation by 89.31% and 97.7% for the aerial and underground parts respectively when compared to the reference drug "dexamethasone" (51.9%). Besides, a significant increase (p ≤ 0.001) of the dermal antioxidant enzymes (the superoxide dismutase (SOD)), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was observed five hours after carrageenan administration. The best restoration was obtained with Es EtOAc-R (82.04%, 93.55% and 93.55% respectively for SOD, CAT and GPx activities). Moreover, EtOAc-fractions treated mice proved their ability to restore both of CRP and fibrinogen (p < 0.001). In addition, E. spinosa EtOAc-fractions attenuated abdominal contractions (p < 0.05) by 71.69% and 82.41% for the aerial part and roots respectively at 150 mg/kg BW against 100% for dichlofenac sodium used as standard drug. The phytochemical analysis of Es EtOAc-AP and Es EtOAc-R by GC-MS may explain the obtained results. The analysis of the fractions demonstrated the presence of palmitic and linoleic acids known for their anti-inflammatory and analgesic capacities., Conclusions: These findings explain the traditional use of E. spinosa in folk medicine and suggest that E. spinosa fractions could be a promising herbal drug., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Seven known sesquiterpene coumarins and a new sesquiterpene coumarin, anatolicin ( 8 ), were isolated from the dichloromethane extract of the roots of Heptaptera anatolica . Structures of these compounds were elucidated based on their spectral properties. While some of these sesquiterpene coumarins showed modest cytotoxic activity against COLO205, KM12, A498, UO31, and TC32 cancer cell lines, selective cytotoxicity of anatolicin ( 8 ) and 14'-acetoxybadrakemin ( 7 ) were observed at nanomolar level against the UO31 kidney cancer cell line.

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of Teucrium polium (T. polium) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )-induced male reproductive system damage. The effects of T. polium and vitamin C (Vit C) on sperm parameters, gonadotrophin and testosterone levels, oxidative status and testis tissue structure were assessed in CCl 4 -treated male rats. CCl 4 caused significant alteration of sperm parameters in epididymal and testicular tissues, a decrease in hormone levels, and a decrease in antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in testicular tissues. A noteworthy increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) level was induced in CCl 4 -treated rats with some histopathological damages on the testes compared with control group. Remarkable ameliorations were observed with respect to all the previous parameters, following the administration of CCl 4 with T. polium, and with vitamin C used as a positive control, when compared with CCl 4 alone. Teucrium polium extracts showed good antioxidant performance, suggesting its protective effect against chemically induced reprotoxicity., (© 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

Objective: Ankaferd Blood Stopper (ABS) is a medicinal plant extract used topically as a hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant agent. Its cytoprotective effect mainly depends on its pleiotropic properties by modulating inflammatory mediators such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. This study aims to test the possible therapeutic effect of ABS in the treatment of erosive and inflammatory conditions occurring in the uterine cervix., Methods: Twenty-four female Wistar Albino rats were used in the present study. Trichloracetic acid was applied intravaginally to establish an experimental rat model of cervicitis. The rats were randomly divided into three groups: group I (injury), group II (injury+isotoinc saline), and group III (injury+ABS). After 3 estrous cycles of ABS and isotonic saline treatment, the amount of inflammation, vascular congestion and erosion were evaluated in the cervical tissues by using a modified semi-quantitative scale of 0-3. Immunohistochemical staining with monoclonal antibodies against IL-1β was also performed., Results: Compared with group I and II, the ABS group showed the least inflammatory cell infiltration, vascular congestion and cervical erosion, compared with the ABS group prominent IL-1β staining observed in group I and group II., Conclusion: Our data suggest that ABS is a highly effective alternative to induce normal cervical epithelium and can be used safely in the treatment of cervical inflammation with or without cervical erosion.

Aims: This study was designed to investigate the phytochemical profile and the cytotoxic activities of the eco-friendly extracts of olive leaves from Chemlali cultivar., Materials and Methods: The Phenolic composition of olive leaves extracts, the antioxidant activity and the cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 and HepG2 cells were determined., Results: Olive leaves extracts showed relevant total polyphenols contents. Oleuropein was the major detected phenolic compound reaching a concentration of 16.9 mg/ml. The antioxidant potential of the studied extracts varied from 23.7 to 46.5mM Trolox equivalents as revealed by DPPH and ABTS assays. Cytotoxicity experiments showed similar trends for both HepG2 and MCF-7 cells with the infusion extract being the most active., Conclusion: This study denotes that olive leaves may have great potential as endless bioresource of valuable bioactive compounds which may have a wide application., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

This work focused on characterizing hydrophilic fractions of Clematis flammula (CFl). The data here clearly demonstrated that hydrolate fractions act as a free radical scavengers and inhibited proliferation of different cell lines in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, transwell, and with a significant cytotoxic effect. Treating cells with CFl had the effect of suppressing cell growth attenuated by ROS generation in colonic carcinoma. Moreover, CFl in HCT116 cells suppressed survival, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis in vitro by inhibiting gene expression. Following CFl treatment, caspases and PARP cleavage were detected. The up- and down-regulated genes obtained from the WBA of the effect of CFl showed that several biological processes were associated with apoptosis and induction of G1 cell cycle arrest. CFl synergizes the effect of TRAIL by down-regulating the expression of cell survival proteins involved in apoptosis compared to cells treated with CFl or TRAIL alone. Our findings showed that CFl sensitizes apoptosis in TRAIL-resistant cells by activating MAPKs, SP1, and CHOP, that induced DR5 expression. Overall, our data showed that CFl is a promising antitumor agent through kinases and transcription factor induction, both of which are required to activate TRAIL receptors. Colon inflammation induced by LPS was inhibited by CFl hydrolate., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This research aimed to evaluate the protective effects of bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and tannins present in four species extracted with methanol., Methods: The total phenolic content of the methanolic extracts was measured spectrophotometrically. The effect of the extracts on cell viability in U266 cells was measured. The effects of extracts on free radical scavenging were assessed by the DPPH test and FRAP assay. Antibacterial effects of the natural products in this report were investigated by using the disc diffusion method., Results: Our results clearly demonstrated that the methanolic extracts were characterized by a high amount of phenolic compounds. It has been speculated that ME-TA and ME-TAl exhibit a significant (P < 0.05) and dose-dependent antiradical potential. The exposure of cells to high doses of extracts almost completely suppressed cell growth in vitro. ME-TA and ME-TAl showed significant cytotoxic effects at a concentration of 100 μg/mL in the U266 cell line. ME-TAl and ME-CF inhibited the growth of B. subtilis and S. aureus, respectively, to the same extent as 10 μg/μL of chloramphenicol at a concentration of 1 mg/mL., Conclusion: Overall, these results suggest that plants used in traditional medicine have a novel application as free radical scavengers, bacterial inhibitors and tumor suppressors., (Copyright © 2019 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Evidence suggests that hypoxia and high-intensity exercise training can increase apoptosis of lung cells and Adiantum capillus-veneris (Ac-v) extract can have anti-apoptotic effects. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of chronic hypoxia and the (Ac-v) extraction as a supplement on TNF-a and P53 protein expression as well as the respiratory surface., Material and Methods: 24 healthy Wistar rats (age = 4 weeks, weight = 72 = 9 gr) were trained using interval training for 6 weeks followed by a 3-week stay in hypoxia conditions. Half of the hypoxia samples received 500 ml/gr/per body weight daily (Ac-v) within 3 weeks of hypoxia. At the end, the lung tissue was removed for histological and immunohistological analysis., Results: After 3 weeks of hypoxia exposure following 6 weeks of exercise, expression of P53 and TNF-a increased and the respiratory surface decreased (p ≤ 0.05). After 3 weeks of taking the Ac-v extract during hypoxia exposure, reduced P53 and TNF-a expression and the increased respiratory surface were observed (p ≤ 0.05)., Conclusions: Chronic hypoxia may be considered as a strong stimulus leading to the expression of proteins involved in apoptosis and tissue disruption. However, our findings suggest that the antioxidative properties of Ac-v extract could decrease the destructive structural and molecular events that happen along with hypoxia exposure or intense exercise training.

The aim of the current study was to evaluate acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, antioxidant enzyme activities, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels induced by hydrophobic fractions of Thymus algeriensis (HFTS) growing in Tunisia. The results showed that hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), an oxidative stress inducer, acts by decreasing the body mass and brain mass of rats. Moreover, we found higher MDA levels in the group treated with H 2 O 2 (P < 0.05) and a significantly lower activity of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, and superoxide dismutase, as well as a reduction in reduced glutathione activity in the brain tissues of H 2 O 2 -treated rats when compared with those of the control group (P < 0.05); however, rats that received HFTS with H 2 O 2 experienced a decrease in MDA levels in the brain. In contrast, HFTS demonstrated neuroprotective effects in rat brain. Overall, exposure to HFTS prior to H 2 O 2 induced a marked dose-dependent increase in reactive oxygen species scavenger levels (P < 0.05) accompanied by a statistically significant decrease in MDA levels (P < 0.05) when compared with no exposure. Notably, the activity of AChE was affected by exposure to natural compounds; levels were significantly lower in HFTS-treated rats and in those treated with the combination of HFTS and a low or high dose of H 2 O 2 . Furthermore, histopathological analysis showed that brain injuries occurred with high doses of H 2 O 2 administered alone or with a low dose of HFTS, whereas a high dose of essential oil markedly alleviated neurone degeneration. The results suggest that HFTS alleviates neuroinflammation by acting as an AChE inhibitor and attenuates H 2 O 2 -induced brain toxicity.

Sideritis leptoclada O. Schwarz et P.H. Davis extracts were evaluated for its singlet oxygen production capacity using spectrophotometric method. The extracts producing singlet oxygen were then evaluated for cytotoxicity against malignant melanoma cancer (HT-144) and fibroblast (3T3) cell lines using the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The photocytotoxicity against the HT-144 human melanoma cell line in the presence of illumination (∼≥400 nm) was also evaluated. In the standard MTT assay, the ethanol extract of S. leptoclada (100 µg/ml) showed 83.49±3.33% inhibition of HT-144 cancer cells, whereas in the illuminated MTT assay, it showed 77.46±1.97% inhibition of HT-144 cancer cells. The effects of ethanol extract on reactive oxygen species production, apoptosis, and tumor necrosis factor-α secretion were also evaluated on HT-144 cell lines. The extract triggered an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species production and tumor necrosis factor-α secretion compared with the respective controls. Thus, the ethanol extract may cause apoptosis. The LC-MS/MS analyses of S. leptoclada ethanolic extract showed that it has quinic acid (137213±11.25 µg/g extract), malic acid (1468±0.16 µg/g extract), chlorogenic acid (881.7±0.06 µg/g extract), and apigetrin (223.2±0.13 µg/g extract) as major constituents. The ethanolic extract of S. leptoclada should be further investigated as a potential treatment for malignant melanoma cancer.

The present study aimed at analyzing the chemical composition and evaluating the in vitro and in vivo anthelmintic activity of Artemisia campestris essential oil aerial parts. The chemical composition was analysed by gaz chromatography/mass chromatography (GC/MS). Fifty compounds were identified representing 99.98% of the total oil. A. campestris essential oil was dominated by beta-pinene (36.40%) and 2-undecanone (14.7%). The in vitro anthelmintic activity tests of A. campestris essential oil were performed on Haemonchus contortus using egg hatch assay (EHA) and adult worm's motility assay (AWMA) compared with a reference drug albendazole. In the EHA 100% inhibition was observed at 2 mg/ml after 48 h incubation (IC50 = 0.93 mg/ml). In the AWMA, essential oil induced 66.6% inhibition at 0.5 mg/ml after 8 h post exposure. The nematicidal effect of essential oil was evaluated on Heligmosomoides polygyrus. It was monitored through faecal egg count reduction (FECR) and total worm count reduction (TWCR). Three doses (2000, 4000 and 5000 mg/kg) were studied using a bioassay. The dose of 5000 mg/kg showed a high nematicidal activity (72.1% FECR and 72% TWCR), 7 days post-treatment. The results of the present study suggest that A. campestris essential oil has a potential anthelmintic activity and further studies are required in order to establish its mechanisms of action., (Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The effect of ultrafiltration process and temperature concentration on MRPs content and antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of date palm sap syrups were investigated. MRPs were analyzed by HPLC. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by reducing power and DPPH free radical and H 2 O 2 scavenging activities. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the agar disk diffusion method. In vitro cytotoxic activity was examined by cell proliferation assay. Date sap syrups displayed strong antioxidant activities which are correlated 5HMF and 2F contents. In addition, concentration at 100 °C, unlike ultrafiltration process, enhanced significantly the antioxidant activities sap syrups and total phenolic contents. The antimicrobial activities showed marked activity against S. enterica, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, L. monocytogenes with an inhibition zone of 21, 34, 27 and 34 mm respectively. Cytotoxicity assays showed that sap syrups can inhibit the proliferation of HeLa cell lines at high concentration., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The present study investigated the in vitro and the in vivo antioxidant capacities of Allium sativum (garlic) extract against deltamethrin-induced oxidative damage in rat's brain and kidney. The in vitro result showed that highest extraction yield was achieved with methanol (20.08%). Among the tested extracts, the methanol extract exhibited the highest total phenolic, flavonoids contents and antioxidant activity. The in vivo results showed that deltamethrin treatment caused an increase of the acetylcholinesterase level (AChE) in brain and plasma, the brain and kidney conjugated dienes and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels as compared to control group. The antioxidant enzymes results showed that deltamethrin treatment induced a significantly decrease (p < 0.01) in brain and kidney antioxidant enzymes as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) to control group. The co-administration of garlic extract reduced the toxic effects in brain and kidney tissues induced by deltamethrin.

In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of oleuropein- and hydroxytyrosol-rich extracts obtained from olive leaves against bisphenol A (BPA)-induced hyperlipidemia and liver injury in male rats. For this purpose, four groups of male rats (8 per group) were used: control group (Control), rats treated with BPA, rats treated with both BPA and oleuropein (OLE-BPA), and rats treated with both BPA and hydroxytyrosol (HYT-BPA). After 60 days of treatment, the results obtained using the DXA technique showed that treatment with BPA (10 mg per kg b.w.) increased the body weight and adipose tissue mass in male rats. Moreover, plasma levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, AST, ALT, LDH, and TNF-α increased. The immunohistochemical analysis revealed a significant increase in the expression of COX-2 and p53 and a decrease in the expression of Bcl-2 related to liver inflammation. Oral administration of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol-rich extracts obtained from olive leaves at 16 mg kg-1 reduced both the body weight and adipose tissue mass. These extracts were able to ameliorate liver damage and improve the elevated levels of TG and liver enzymes of BPA-treated rats possibly through enhancing CAT and SOD activities. Western blot results revealed that administration of the abovementioned extracts decreased the protein expression of NF-κB and TNF-α through the p38 signaling pathway. Overall, the findings suggest that the olive leaf extracts possess hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects against BPA-induced metabolic disorders through enhancing the antioxidative defense system and regulating the important signaling pathway activities.

This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of Teucrium polium (TP) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) induced spleen, erythrocyte's oxidative stress, and genotoxicity in rats. TP was found to contain large amounts of polyphenols (150 mg GAE/G of dry plant) and flavonoids (60 mg QE/g of quercetin dry plant). The CCl 4 (0.5 ml/kg) treated rats exhibited significant reductions in serum vitamin A (VA), vitamin E (VE) and total antioxidant status (TAS). Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and conjugated dienes (CD) were significantly high in the CCl 4 group compared to controls. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were significantly decreased in CCl 4 rats. Cytogenetic trials revealed remarkable increases in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) following CCl 4 administration. Pretreatment with TP prevented damages caused by CCl 4 . Spleen characterised by necrosis was detected in CCl 4 as compared to controls. Pretreatment with TP considerably decreased the perturbation.

Imidacloprid (IMI) is a widely used in Tunisia and abroad, and high doses of IMI have been known to cause endocrine disruption. Some reports claim that Urtica urens L. (UU) can reduce toxicity thanks to it anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, but there is no scientific evidence justifying its use, which lets us think to its direct effect on the metabolism of the ovarian tissue. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the protective effect of UU against the toxicity of Confidor ® , whose active substance is imidacloprid (IMI), in female rat, as well as the chemical compositions of UU ethanol (EtOH) extract by GC-MS. Female rats were divided into control group, 3 groups treated with IMI at 50, 200 or 300mg/kg/day and three groups co-treated with IMI (50, 200 or 300mg/kg/day)+100mg/kg/day of UU, for 60days. Blood samples were collected for the dosage of 17β-estradiol levels. Ovaries were removed for tissular dosage of malondialdehyde (MDA), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), glutathione (GSH), vitamin E, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Histological and histomorphometric examinations were performed as well. IMI caused an acute ovary injury, increased the ovary tissue levels of MDA and AOPP, and decreased the levels of GSH, vitamin E, and antioxidant enzyme activities. The number and the diameter of follicles were markedly diminished together with a reduction of the relative weight of ovaries. Compared with controls, the treated rats exhibited a significant reduction in serum 17b-estradiol levels. These results suggest an endocrine disruption by IMI which may interfere with ovarian follicles development in rat. The injection of UU EtOH extract improved the histological and all biochemical parameters cited above. In conclusion, IMI induced an acute ovary injury accompanied with disturbance of oxidant status and causes follicular atresia. Significant antioxidant activities were also observed in UU EtOH and a total of 31 compounds were identified. The injection of UU EtOH provided a significant protection which might be due to its antioxidant activities., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The chemical study of Launaea acanthoclada from South-East Algeria led to the isolation of twelve oxygenated terpenoid compounds, including three new pentacyclic triterpenoids 1 - 3 with either lupane or ursane rearranged skeletons. The structure and the stereochemistry of these compounds were established by spectroscopic methods, including NMR techniques. The chemical pattern of L. acanthoclada is in accordance with the triterpenoid scenario of the genus Launaea embracing to date lupane, oleane, ursane and taraxastane skeletons. However, the carbon frameworks exhibited by new compounds 1 - 3 have never been reported from Launaea species., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

The present study aimed to evaluate the activity of methanolic extract of Rubus ulmifolius Schott against the Acanthamoeba castellani Neff Strain as well as its antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. The tested extract has a good amoebicidal activity with low IC 50 (61.785 ± 1.322 μg/ml) and also has significant activity against both Gram-positive (S. aureus, S. agalactiae) and Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli, S. typhimurium) and against C. albicans. The inhibition zones diameters (IZD) and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were in the range of 22.5-50 mm and 02.29-4.76 mg ml -1 , respectively. In the other hand, the in vitro ROS scavenging activity was evaluated, the tested extract exhibited a good effect on the ·OH radical (89.99% at a concentration of 100 μg/ml) when compared to the ascorbic acid (68.81%). Moreover, the inhibition percentage of superoxide generation by R. ulmifolius extract at 100 μg/ml was greater than ascorbic acid (79.55; 64.79%, respectively). Also, the tested extract showed a high percentage of H 2 O 2 scavenging activity (99.95% at 100 μg/ml). Our findings suggest that R. ulmifolius could be a potential source of natural antioxidant in preventing many diseases associated with oxidative stress, amoebic and bacterial infections., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

It has been revealed in recent studies that Hypericum Perforatum (HP) is influential on cancer, inflammatory diseases, bacterial and viral diseases, and has neuroprotective and antioxidant properties. In this study, we investigated the effect of HP, which is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, on kidney I/R damage. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups, and each of the groups had eight rats: The Control Group; the Ischemia/Reperfusion (I/R) Group; and the IR + HP Group which was treated with 50 mg/kg of HP. The right kidneys of the rats were removed, and the left kidney developed ischemia during the 45th min, and reperfusion occurred in the following 3rd h. The histopathological findings and also the level of Malondialdehyde (MDA), Glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) enzyme activations in the renal tissues were measured. Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), Creatinin (Cre) from serum samples were determined. The levels of BUN, Cre, and kidney tissue MDA increased at a significant level, and the SOD, CAT, and GSH-PX enzyme activity decreased at a significant level in the I/R group, compared with the Control Group (p < 0.05). In the I/R + HP group, the levels of MDA decreased at a significant level compared to the I/R group, while the SOD, CAT, and GSH-PX activity increased (p < 0.05). In histopathological examinations, it was observed that the tubular dilatation and epithelial desquamation regressed in the IR + HP Group when compared with the I/R Group. It has been shown with the histological and biochemical results in this study that HP is protective against acute renal I/R.

Objective: To determine the medicinal potential of various plants and their parts extracted with different solvents., Methods: The total phenolic content of acetonitrile/water (60%-40%) (ACN/W) and aqueous (W) extract fractions was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and terpenic compounds were detected by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Antioxidant activity of the samples was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and β-carotene bleaching method. Cell viability was investigated by thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol)-2-yl 2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] (MTT) assay. The mechanisms involved in cytotoxic activity were investigated in a murine macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7) and cancer lines., Results: Our findings show that 11 plant species exhibited biological activity. In addition, moderate antibacterial activity was reported against one or more of the tested bacterial strains at two concentrations: 300 μg and 3 mg/disc. Furthermore, our data reveal that among all plants investigated, some extract and hydrophobic fractions were potent scavengers of the DPPH radical (6.78 μg/mL < EC50 < 8.55 μg/mL). Taken together, our results show that Nerium oleander (NOACN/W) and Pituranthos tortuosus (PTACN/W) were highly cytotoxic against RAW 264.7 cells with IC80 values of 0.36, and 1.55 μg/mL, respectively. In contrast, murine macrophage cell lines had low growth and were significantly sensitive to water extracts of Thymus hirtus sp. algeriensis (THW), Lavandula multifida (LMW), and ACN/W extract of Erica multiflora (EMACN/W) at doses > 400, 47.20, and 116.74 μg/mL, respectively. The current work demonstrates that RAW 264.7 cell proliferation was inhibited by samples in a dose-dependent manner., Conclusion: Our findings, validated through free radical scavenging activity, agar diffusion assay, and cytotoxicity of essential oils towards cancer cells, show that ethnomedicinal plants used in this work have a novel application as a tumor suppressor., (Copyright © 2017 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.)