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Background: Marine natural products contain a wide range of bioactive compounds with therapeutic properties that have revealed crucial properties in the treatment of some diseases. Some of these compounds have recently received considerable attention for drug discovery. In this study we examined the anti-angiogenic effect of saponin isolated from Holothuria leucospilota (sea cucumber) through evaluation of vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF-D) and transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) expression in a breast cancer cell line. Methods: To investigate the effect of SCS on VEGF-D and TGF-β expression in breast cancer cells, the cells were treated with various concentrations of sample. After 48 h the viability of the cells was evaluated by trypan blue staining, and VEGF-D and TGFβ mRNA expression was were evaluated by real time-PCR. Results: Our results revealed that SCS can suppress cell viability and VEGF-D and TGFβ mRNA expression in breast cancer cells. Sea cucumber saponin at a concentration of 12 μg/ml inhibited VEGF-D and TGFβ expression more than 90% compared with controls. Conclusion: Findings suggest that SCS could inhibit tumor growth via inhibition of angiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context:Scutellaria lindbergiiRech. f.(Lamiaceae) is an Iranian species ofScutellariawhich has been shown to exert antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic effects.Objective: The protective properties of total methanol extract (TME) ofS. lindbergiiand its fractions (defatted and CH2Cl2) were investigated against cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of H2O2in NIH 3T3 cell line as non-malignant cells.Materials and methods: The cells were incubated with different concentrations ofS. lindbergiiroot extracts [TME (15–250 μg ml−1), defatted fraction (15–500 μg ml−1) and CH2Cl2fraction (5–40 μg ml−1)] and toxic concentration of H2O2(200 µM) at 37 °C for 2 h concurrently and Cell viability was quantitated by MTT assay. The antigenotoxic effect of extracts was investigated using comet assay. The cells were incubated with extracts [TME (25–250 μg ml−1), defatted fraction (25–500 μg ml−1) and CH2Cl2fraction (5–40 μg ml−1)] and H2O2(25 µM) at 4 °C for 20 min, then the comet assay was performed. DNA damage was expressed as percentage tail DNA.Results: Total methanol extract ofS. lindbergiiand its fractions had a significant inhibitory effect on DNA damage. The IC50values of TME, defatted fraction and CH2Cl2fraction against DNA damage were determined as 48, 138 and 8 μg ml−1, respectively.Conclusion:S. lindbergiiextracts can prevent oxidative DNA damage, which is likely due to its flavonoids and phenolic compounds as antioxidant constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective(s): Marine organisms are known as a potential source of natural products, which contain bioactive substances with therapeutic properties. Sea cucumbers are prominent among marine organisms because of their dietary and therapeutic applications. In addition, they have capacity of synthesizing saponins molecules and other metabolites with therapeutic properties such as antitumor, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and pro-apoptotic effects of sea cucumber saponins (SCS) isolated from Holothuria leucospilota species. Materials and Methods: Evaluation of antioxidant activity of SCS was carried out by DPPH (1, 1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), power reducing and total antioxidant assays. The anti-proliferative effect was studied by (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Mechanisms leading to apoptosis were also evaluated by fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry and real time PCR. Results: The results showed that the DPPH and ABTS activities increased in a dose dependent manner. The reducing capacity enhanced with increasing concentration of the saponin extract (0 to 2 mg/ml). The SCS exhibited moderate total antioxidant activity. Evaluation of anti-proliferative effect revealed that SCS with IC50 of about 6 μg/ml, can display a good cytotoxic activity in a dose dependent manner. Further apoptosis induction was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Sea cucumber saponin was also found to exert a pro-apoptotic effect by increasing the expression of Bax and decreasing the expression of Bcl2. Conclusion: These results indicate that the SCS may act as a natural antioxidant and antitumor agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical composition and antibacterial and antibiotic interacting activities of essential oils obtained from the flowering branchlets of seven Artemisia species grown in Iran were investigated. Antibacterial activity against multi-drug resistance extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) positive Escherichia coli was also investigated. Major compounds in different Artemisia oils were a-phellandrene in A. absinthium, camphor in A. annua, 1,8-cineol and borneol in A. kulbadica, β-thujone in A. persica, cis-verbenol in A. santolina and 1-phenyl-penta-2,4-diene in A. scoparia. Artemisia oils showed synergism with antibiotics, in particular ciprofloxacin and nitrofurantoin, against all 5 tested ESBL positive E. coli. A. santolina and A. kulbadica showed promising synergistic activity with antibiotics. Using bioautography, compounds such as cis-verbenol, trans-verbenol and β-cymene-8-ol were identified as active compounds of A. santolina, and β-pinene, 1,8-cineol and borneol as active components of A. kulbadica. Artemisia species have antibacterial activity against all tested resistant ESBL positive E. coli and potentiate the efficacy of antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): Various species of genus Trigonella are important from medical and culinary points of view. The essential oil of Trigonella torbatejamensis Ranjbar as an endemic plant in Iran has not been studied previously. The essential oil of this plant was analyzed by different methods for identification of its components. Materials and Methods: The essential oil composition of aerial parts of T. torbatjamensis was obtained by hydro-distillation and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS apparatus. Results: Forty components, representing 98.5 % of the total components, were identified. The pattern of the main grouped components in essential oil was: sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (70.2%), oxygenated sesquitepenes (16.5%), oxygenated monoterpenes (3.5%) and monoterpene hydrocarbons (0.5%). Germacrene -D (33.0%), bicyclogermacrene (26.0%), and viridiflorol (5.3%) were the main components of the essential oil. Conclusion: The essential oil of T. torbatjamensis Ranjbar consisted of forty components with sesquiterpene hydrocarbons as the main group of components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the wide range of investigations on the therapeutic potentials of herbal extracts in cancer cell lines, there is not usually enough data on their probable effects on normal cells. Recently, both anti-tumoral and anti-oxidant properties of Scutellaria litwinowii extracts have been reported on different cancer cell lines. In the present study, the possible protective effects of S. litwinowii root extracts against cytotoxicity and DNA damage induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on normal cells were investigated using MTT and Comet assays, respectively. Methods: A method of sequential extraction with solvents of different polarities was used to generate methanolic, de-fatted, and dichloromethane fractions. Both MTT and Comet assays were performed here to assess, respectively, changes in cell viability and levels of DNA damage from H2O2. In a pre-treatment regimen, test materials were applied to the cells prior to H2O2 treatment, while in a co-treatment protocol, cells were treated simultaneously with H2O2 and extracts. Results: In the co-treatment studies, only methanolic extract at 1,000 μg/mL (p<0.001) imparted a significant protective effect as shown in the MTT assay. Pre-treatment of cells for 24 h with different concentrations of the test materials did not lead to any significant protection. Results from the Comet assays in the co-treatment studies suggested a significant (p<0.01) protective effect of the test materials against DNA damage caused by H2O2. However, in the pre-treatment studies, only methanolic extract at ≥500 μg/mL showed a protective effect (p<0.01). Conclusions: Considering the probable high levels of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in the methanolic extract, these compounds may impart the noted protective effects of the S. litwinowii root through the scavenging of free radicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lavender (Lavandula angustifoliaMill.) is a bush-like shrub from Lamiaceae. The herb has been used in alternative medicine for several centuries. In this study, the cytotoxicity and the mechanisms of cell death induced by 3 different extracts of aerial parts and the essential oil ofL. angustifoliawere compared in normal and cancerous human cells. Malignant (HeLa and MCF-7 cell lines) and nonmalignant (human fibroblasts) cells were incubated with different concentrations of the plant extracts. Cell viability was quantified by MTS assay. Apoptotic cells were determined using propidium iodide staining of DNA fragmentation by flow cytometry (sub-G1 peak). The molecules as apoptotic signal translation, including Bax and cleaved PARP, were identified by Western blot. Ethanol andn-hexane extracts and essential oil exhibited significant cytotoxicity to malignant cells but marginal cytotoxicity to human fibroblasts in vitro and induced a sub-G1 peak in flow cytometry histogram of treated cells compared to the control. Western blot analysis demonstrated that EtOH andn-hexane extracts upregulated Bax expression, also it induced cleavage of PARP in HeLa cells compared to the control. In conclusion,L. angustifoliahas cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in HeLa and MCF-7 cell lines, and apoptosis is proposed as the possible mechanism of action. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Fragrant species of the genus Salvia have been attributed many medicinal properties, which include anticancer activity. In the present study, cytotoxic properties of total methanol extract of Salvia chloroleuca Rech. f. & Aellen and its fractions were investigated on MCF-7, a breast carcinoma cell line. Malignant and non-malignant cells were cultured in RPMI medium and incubated with different concentrations of plant extracts. Cell viability was quantitated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl) -2-(4-sulphophenyl) -2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay. Apoptotic cells were determined using propidium iodide (PI) staining of DNA fragmentation by flow cytometry (sub-G1 peak). S. chloroleuca inhibited the growth of malignant cells in a dose-dependent manner. Among solvent fractions of S. chloroleuca, the n-hexane and methylene chloride fractions were found to be more toxic compared to other fractions. S. chloroleuca-induced a sub-G1 peak in flow cytometry histogram of treated cells compared to control and DNA fragmentation suggested the induction of apoptosis. Administration of N-acetyl cysteine and vitamin C two ROS scavengers also resulted in significant inhibition of cytotoxicity induced by S. chloroleuca. These results support a mechanism whereby S. chloroleuca induces apoptosis of MCF-7 human breast cells through a ROS-mediated pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salvia chorassanica Bunge is one of the Iranian endemic species of Salvia. There is not any reported literature on S. chorassanica. This study was designed to examine the in-vitro antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects of the methanol extract of S. chorassanica and its fractions on HeLa cell line. Cells were cultured in EX-CELL®, an animal free medium specially designed for HeLa cell line and incubated with different concentrations of plant extracts. Cell viability was quantified by MTS assay. Apoptotic cells were determined using propidium iodide (PI) staining of DNA fragmentation by flow cytometry (sub-G1 peak). Activity of caspase -3, -8 and -9 was measured by the caspase colorimetric kit assay. S. chorassanica inhibited the growth of malignant cells and the CH2Cl2 fraction was determined as the most cytotoxic fraction in comparison with other fractions. The calculated IC50 values for methanol extract, n-hexane, CH2Cl2 and EtOAc fractions were 8.841, 5.45, 2.38, and 58.03 μg/mL, respectively. S. chorassanica induced a sub-G1 peak in the flow cytometry histogram of treated cells compared to control cells indicating that the cytotoxic mechanism is characterized by apoptosis induction. The activity of caspase-3 and 8 proteins in treated HeLa cells was significantly higher than that of the control while caspase-9 activity did not change significantly. Based on the result obtained from our study, the apoptosis pathway involved in S. chorassanica-induced cell death may be through the extrinsic pathway and it can be a novel promising candidate in the treatment of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential oil of the aerial parts of Nepeta binaludensis Jamzad, an endemic species to Iran, was obtained by hydro-distillation and analyzed by GC, GC-MS and then 13C-NMR spectra of the main compounds. Sixty-five components, representing 97.42% of the oil were identified. The major components of the oil were 1,8-cineol (68.31%), α-terpineol (5.24%), β-pinene (4.74%), δ-terpineol (2.57%), α-pinene (1.54%). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum cidal concentrations (MCCs) of the essential oil and it's major component, 1,8-cineol, as authentic compound were determined using broth dilution method against four bacteria and one fungus. The essential oil was moderately active against Bacillus cereus (3.125 mg/ml), Escherichia coli (3.125 mg/ml), Staphylococcus aureus (6.25 mg/ml) and Candida albicans (12.5 mg/ml) with the same MIC and MCC values in each case. Another gram negative bacteria, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, appeard not to be susceptible to inhibitory effects of the essential oil. The obtained MIC and MCC values for 1,8-cineol were closely near to the essential oil values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Platycladus orientalis or Thuja orientalis is a native plant of Iran different parts of which are used in the treatment of various diseases such as: gout, rheumatoid arthritis, common cold, cough, bronchitis, asthma, high blood pressure and hormonal disorders like hirsutism and baldness. Also, various organs of this species have been used as appetizer. The purpose of this study was to prepare and characterize liposomal formulations that contain methanol extract of aerial parts of P. orientalis for hirsutism treatment. Material and Methods: Plant's leaves were dried in room temperature, and powdered by grinding. Then, methanol extract was prepared by maceration method. Liposomes containing mathanol extract were produced by two methods of fusion and solvent evaporation. To evaluate mathanol extract and encapsulation efficiency of liposomes, quercetin was chosen as standard. The amount of quercetin in samples was determined by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Results: Mean size of liposomes prepared by solvent evaporation and fusion methods was 373 and 320 nm, respectively. According to the quercetin concentration, encapsulation efficiency of liposomes containing menthanol extract was 69.3±3.1% for solvent evaporation and 62.2±4.9% for fusion method. Conclusion: In the current study, a suitable liposomal formulation was prepared. The pharmacological activity of these carriers should be evaluated in the future study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to explore feasibility of H NMR metabolic fingerprinting for discrimination of authenticity of saffron using principal component analysis (PCA) modeling. Authentic reference Iranian saffron ( n = 31) and commercial samples ( n = 32) were used. Cross-validated PCA models based on H NMR spectra of solutions prepared by direct extraction of grinded saffron with methanol- d distinguished reference Iranian saffron samples from commercial samples that formed several distinct clusters, some of which represent falsified samples as confirmed by microscopic analysis. The production sites and drying conditions of the authentic reference Iranian samples were not reflected in the current dataset. Picrocrocin and glycosyl esters of crocetin emerged as the most important H NMR markers of authentic saffron by using statistical correlation spectroscopy. In conclusion, H NMR spectra of saffron extracts combined with pattern recognition by PCA provide immediate means of unsupervised classification of saffron samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential oils of the leaves and fruits of Junipenis polycarpos var. polycarpos were obtained by steam distillation. Chemical constituents of the obtained oils were analyzed by CC, CC/MS. GC/FTIR and 13C-NMR. The major components of the leaf oil of Juniperus polycarpos var. polycarpos were α-pinene (32.3%), cedrol (13.1%), β-elemene (3.7%), myrcene (3%), β-bisabolene (2.9%) and limonene (2.8%); whereas, the fruit oil contained α-pinene (47.6%), cedrol (12.0%), myrcene (5.1%), germacrene B (3.2%) and β-pinene (2.7%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assist the development of new therapeutic strategies for several disorders, biologically active peptides/proteins obtained from plant sources can be considered. Current study expected to determine the biological activities of peptide fractions of Mucuna pruriens against hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (HepG2/ADM, HepG2, SMMC‐7721, and QGY‐7703), as well as normal cell line to prove their selectivity. Moreover, anti‐genotoxicity and antiviral activity against the hepatitis C virus (HCV) were assessed. The methods of this study were to isolate the peptides of M. pruriens and hydrolysate fractionation via fractionated pepsin‐pancreatin hydrolysates by ultrafiltration/high‐performance ultrafiltration cell, identify anti‐hepatoma activity of peptide fractions human liver cancer and normal cells by (3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazole‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐biphenyl tetrazolium bromide) (MTT) assay, determine anti‐HCV, and assess anti‐genotoxic effect of peptide fractions against damage that induced via alkylating agent methyl methanesulphonate in human mononuclear cells. The results showed that the fraction 5–10 kDa has been reported to exhibit significant cytotoxic activity against HepG2 and QGY‐7703. It was proven that both of 5–10 and >10 kDa fractions are active against HCV. The cytotoxic concentration (CC50) of 5–10 kDa against the cell line was 703.04 ± 5.21 µg/ml. Anti‐genotoxic activities of the peptide fractions were evaluated as mean values for the analyzed comet images. In this regard, the highest activity of protecting DNA damages was observed by the peptide fraction of 5–10 kDa. This study revealed the potential ability of peptide fractions of M. pruriens for the treatment of liver cancer, HCV, and high activities of protecting DNA damages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which evaluates the chemical composition of Oxytropis kuchanensis Vassilcz' essential oil. The study used a Clevenger-type apparatus for the hydrodistillation of the plant's air-dried and powdered aerial parts. Results show that the compounds found in the plant include limonene, caryophyllene oxide, and camphene.

Abstract Chemical composition, antibacterial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of (Pistacia khinjuk) hull essential oil (EO) were evaluated in this study. The EO was isolated and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined using 6 strains of Gram-positive and negative bacteria. DPPH radical scavenging (DPPH) and β-Caroten Bleaching (BCB) assays were used to measure antioxidant activity of the EO. In vitro cytotoxic activity was measured using MTT assay. Fifty-six compounds representing 99.5% of the total oil composition were identified. In the antibacterial results, Staphylococcus aureus was found to be the most susceptible strain (MIC and MBC = 16 μg/ml). Antioxidant IC 50 values were respectively 19.03 ± 0.001 and 49.22 ± 0.005 μg/mL. The IC 50 indexes of cytotoxic tests were 29.6, 37.3 and 41.1 μg/mL for MCF-7, PC3 and DU-145 cell lines, respectively. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • The Chemical composition, antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of P. khinjuk were evaluated. • The minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration were determined using 6 strains of bacteria. • DPPH radical scavenging and β-Caroten Bleaching assays were used to measure antioxidant activity of the EO. • The EO has antibacterial and antioxidant activities and may serve in food and pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): Rosa damascena Herrm. belonging to the Rosaceae family has demonstrated antiinflammatory and anti-oxidant effects previously. Excessive production of free radicals and activation of tyrosinase enzyme caused by UV induces excessive concentration of melanin pigment and skin spots in the long term. Therefore, finding natural sources with anti-oxidant and antityrosinase effects helps to regulate the melanogenesis process. In the current research, we investigated the antimelanogenic, anti-oxidant, and anti-tyrosinase effects of its essential oil, methanol extract (MeOH), and different fractions including n-hexane, dichloromethane (CH2Cl2), n-butanol (BuOH), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and H2O of R. damascena in B16F10 cell line. Materials and Methods: For this purpose, impacts of extracts and essential oil of R. damascena were investigated on cell viability, cellular tyrosinase, melanin content, mushroom tyrosinase, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, as well as the amount of tyrosinase protein in the B16F10 murine melanoma cell line. Results: Essential oil, MeOH, and different fractions of R. damascena were not cytotoxic on B16F10 cells. However, they had significant reducing effects on mushroom tyrosinase activity, melanin content, and ROS production. Also, there is a significant decrease in tyrosinase protein levels at 200 µg/ml but not at other concentrations. Conclusion: Therefore, the essential oil, MeOH, and different fractions of R. damascena had promising antimelanogenic activity via repression of mushroom tyrosinase activity and ROS production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pistachio is an important horticultural product and Iran is considered as a main pistachio producing country. Assessment of heavy metals in this export fruit is crucial for protecting public health against toxic heavy metals. The concentration of selected heavy metals in soil, water and five pistachio cultivars from four geographical regions of Iran were measured. Although none of the elements were detected in water irrigation, infield metal content in the soil had good correlation with that of pistachio. The highest amounts of Al, As, Co, Ni and Se were reported in samples collected from Sarakhs, Iran. Considering both cultivar and region effects on selected heavy metals concentration, Kaleghoochi cultivar from Sarakhs site showed the highest amount of Al, As, Ni and Se. The maximum concentration of Hg was found in Akbari cultivar collected from Damghan. In the Akbari and the Ahmad aghaei cultivars collected from Sarakhs and Damghan cultivation zones, respectively, the highest amount of Co were observed. Based on our results, the HI value for the consumers of Iranian pistachio was 0.066. It seems that the levels of heavy metals in these pistachio samples pose no risk to consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most severe and the latest stage of iron deficiency. Consumption of purslane seeds is a traditional medicine approach for the treatment of anemia. We aimed to compare the effect of purslane seeds and ferrous sulfate (FS) on the hemoglobin (Hb) level of adolescent girls suffering from IDA. In this single-blind randomized comparative clinical trial, the effect of purslane seeds was compared with a FS tablet in 53 adolescent girls. Included subjects were within the age range of 15-18 years; with Hb levels of 10-12 g/dL and serum ferritin levels lower than 12 ng/L. The experimental group received 0.3 g/kg of purslane seeds and control group received 3 mg/kg of elemental iron as a standard control per day for a period of 4 weeks. There were significant increases in hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), and mean corpuscular volume in both purslane and FS groups; however, the mean elevation was significantly greater with the latter. FS also caused a significantly greater increase in red cell distribution width compared with purslane. Purslane seed consumption increases Hb and Hct levels but is less effective than FS. Purslane seeds may be used for the prevention of IDA and treatment of its mild form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): Neobaicalein is one of the rich plant flavonoids isolated from the roots of Scutellaria spp. In this study, we evaluated and compared cytotoxic activity and the related apoptosis mechanisms of neobaicalein from Scutellaria litwinowii Bornm. & Sint. ex Bornm on apoptosis-proficient HL-60 cells and apoptosis-resistant K562 cells. Materials and Methods: Cell viability, cell apoptosis, caspase activity, and apoptosis-related protein expression were measured using MTS assay, propidium iodide (PI) staining and flow cytometry, caspase activity assay, and western blot analysis, respectively. Results: Neobaicalein significantly reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner using the MTS assay (P<0.05). The IC50 values (μM) against HL-60 and K562 cells after 48 hr treatment were 40.5 and 84.8, respectively. Incubation of HL-60 and K562 cells with 25, 50, and 100 μM neobaicalein for 48 hr, significantly increased the number of apoptotic cells and showed cytotoxic effects compared with the control group. Treatment with neobaicalein significantly increased Fas (P<0.05) and the cleaved form of PARP (P<0.05), and decreased the Bcl-2 levels (P<0.05) in HL-60 cells, whereas neobaicalein significantly increased Bax (P<0.05) and the cleaved form of PARP (P<0.05), and the caspases of the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways including caspases-8 (P<0.0001), -9 (P<0.01), and effector caspase-3 (P<0.0001) levels in K562 cells compared with the control group. Conclusion: It seems neobaicalein might cause cytotoxicity and cell apoptosis through interaction with the different apoptosis-related proteins of apoptotic pathways in HL-60 and K562 cells. Neobaicalein may exert a beneficial protective effect in slowing the progression of hematological malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxodione, a diterpenoid from the roots of Salvia chorassanica Bunge, possesses cytotoxic, apoptotic, and antimicrobial activity. This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of taxodione on serum/glucose deprivation-induced ischemic injury in PC12 cells and related mechanisms. In an in vitro model of ischemia, PC12 cells were exposed to serum and glucose deprivation for 6 and 18 h. The protective effects of the methanol extract of S. chorassanica and taxodione were assessed using alamarBlue assay. Intracellular ROS production was measured by fluorimetry using 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA). The levels of PARP, Bcl-2, and Bax proteins were detected after western blot analysis. It was shown that taxodione (0.2-1.5 μM) significantly increased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner after ischemic insult. Taxodione has antioxidant activity and protects PC12 cells against oxidative stress-induced apoptotic cell death. Meanwhile, pretreatment with taxodione significantly induced an increase in Bcl-2 and a decrease in Bax protein level. The results of this study confirmed the protective effect of taxodione in serum/glucose deprivation-induced ischemic injury and the putative role of apoptosis as a underling mechanisms. Thus, it would be fair to consider taxodione as a promising ingredient of S. chorassanica for the expansion on novel class of anti-ischemic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Scutellaria species (Lamiaceae) is used as a source of flavonoids to treat a variety of diseases in traditional medicine. In spite of many reports about the cytotoxic and antitumor effects of some species of this genus, anticancer researches on one of the Iranian species S. litwinowii have not yet been conducted. The cytotoxic properties of total methanol extract of S. litwinowii and its fractions were investigated on different cancer cell lines including AGS, HeLa,MCF-7, PC12 and NIH 3T3.Meanwhile, the role of apoptosis in this toxicity was explored. The cells were cultured in DMEM medium and incubated with different concentrations of herb plant extracts. Cell viability was quantitated by MTT assay. Apoptotic cells were determined using propidium iodide staining of DNA fragmentation by flow cytometry (sub-G1 peak). Scutellaria litwinowii inhibited the growth of malignant cells in a dose-dependent manner. Among solvent fractions of S. litwinowii, the methylene chloride fraction was found to be more toxic compared to other fractions. The IC50 values of this fraction against AGS, HeLa, MCF-7 and PC12 cell lines after 24 h were determined, 121.2 ± 3.1, 40.9 ± 2.5, 115.9 ± 3.5 and 64.5 ± 3.4 μg/ml, respectively. Scutellaria litwinowii induced a sub-G1 peak in the flow cytometry histogram of treated cells compared to control cells indicating that apoptotic cell death is involved in S. litwinowii toxicity. Scutellaria litwinowii exerts cytotoxic and proapototic effects in a variety of malignant cell lines and could be considered as a potential chemotherapeutic agent in cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Allergic rhinitis is a widespread disorder across the globe. The Shirazi thyme (Zataria multiflora) has been shown to have considerable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study assessed the effect of this herbal product on alterations in inflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokines. Method: This study was conducted on the bank sample before and after the intervention to measure interleukin-4, interleukin-5, and interferon -γ levels with the ELISA test method in a supernatant taken from the PBMC cell culture from 30 allergic rhinitis patients. Results: The IL-4 level had no significant difference between the two groups before the treatment. However, it had a significant increase in the case group after the treatment. The IL-5 level was significantly higher in the case group before the treatment. Nevertheless, there were no significant differences between the case and control groups after the treatment. Similarly, no significant differences were observed between the two groups considering IFN-γ before and after the treatment. Conclusion: Consuming thyme with an increase in anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 and a decrease in IL-5 cytokine control inflammation and improvement in allergic rhinitis symptoms. Clinical trial details This clinical trial study was recorded at 22.5.2014 in the Iran Registry of Clinical Trials code: (IRCT2016121823235N6) https://www.irct.ir/trial/19852 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meroterpenoids are naturally occurring bioactive compounds derived from terpenoids. Isolation and structure elucidation of four meroterpenoids from Arnebia euchroma root confirmed as arnebinol A–D have been conducted and their antifungal and anti-aflatoxigenic activities against Aspergillus flavus have been investigated. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that after treating A. flavus with arnebinol A–D at ≥200 mg/L, the conidia with phialides appeared wrinkled and compressed, the cell wall was damaged, and mycelial growth was entirely inhibited. Arnebinol D could inhibit A. flavus aflatoxin production and reduce ergosterol levels. The present experiments confirmed the antifungal activity of arnebinol D and provided evidence for the potential use of these natural compounds against fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antagonistic interactions among different functional guilds of nematodes have been recognized for quite some time, but the underlying explanatory mechanisms are unclear. We investigated responses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) to two functional guilds of nematodes—plant parasite (Meloidogyne javanica) and entomopathogens (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, Steinernema feltiae below‐ground, and S. carpocapsae)—as well as a leaf mining insect (Tuta absoluta) above‐ground. Our results indicate that entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs): (1) reduced root knot nematode (RKN) infestation below‐ground, (2) reduced herbivore (T. absoluta) host preference and performance above‐ground, and (3) induced overlapping plant defence responses by rapidly activating polyphenol oxidase and guaiacol peroxidase activity in roots, but simultaneously suppressing this activity in above‐ground tissues. Concurrently, we investigated potential plant signalling mechanisms underlying these interactions using transcriptome analyses. We found that both entomopathogens and plant parasites triggered immune responses in plant roots with shared gene expression. Secondary metabolite transcripts induced in response to the two nematode functional guilds were generally overlapping and showed an analogous profile of regulation. Likewise, we show that EPNs modulate plant defence against RKN invasion, in part, by suppressing active expression of antioxidant enzymes. Inoculations of roots with EPN triggered an immune response in tomato via upregulated phenylpropanoid metabolism and synthesis of protease inhibitors in plant tissues, which may explain decreased egg laying and developmental performance exhibited by herbivores on EPN‐inoculated plants. Furthermore, changes induced in the volatile organic compound‐related transcriptome indicated that M. javanica and/or S. carpocapsae inoculation of plants triggered both direct and indirect defences. Our results support the hypothesis that plants "mistake" subterranean EPNs for parasites, and these otherwise beneficial worms activate a battery of plant defences associated with systemic acquired resistance and/or induced systemic resistance with concomitant antagonistic effects on temporally co‐occurring subterranean plant pathogenic nematodes and terrestrial herbivores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

■ cis and trans spiroethers levels were studied in different parts Arnebia species. ■ Samples assayed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC-PAD-MS). ■ Heatmap analysis showed chemical diversity among the species. ■ A. euchroma showed the most anti-cancer activity against HepG2. Spiroethers comprise a sub-class of spirocycles and exert various biological properties such as antibacterial and anti-tumor activities. The present study investigated the total spiroether isomers present in methanolic extract of root and aerial parts of 40 Arnebia species collected from 20 different geographical zones in Iran. Also, the cytotoxic effects of the methanolic extract of the samples and the retrieved isomers were assessed against eight cancerous and one non-cancerous cell-lines. In all Arnebia samples tested, two spiroether isomers namely, cis -(E)- and trans -(Z)-spiroethers were found and it was observed that root and aerial parts of Arnebia euchroma had significantly high levels of the two isomers as determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Photodiode Array Detection-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-PAD-MS). Both isolated compounds, particularly cis -(E)-spiroether, could inhibit cancer cells proliferation while had little destructive effects in normal cells. Cis -(E)- and trans -(Z)-spiroethers inhibited HepG2 cell line proliferation with IC 50 values of 3.23 ± 0.24 and 4.80 ± 0.15 µg/mL, respectively. Among the samples extracts, aerial parts and root extracts of A. euchroma had the highest anti-cancer activity against HepG2 with IC 50 values of 6.32 ± 0.23 and 7.50 ± 0.11 µg/mL, respectively. The present study showed variations in cytotoxic activity of cis -(E)- and trans -(Z)-spiroethers among Arnebia species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dracocephalum moldavica L. is a significant component in the Iranian food basket. This study aimed to investigate the bioactive compounds and biological activities of different extracts obtained from D. moldavica aerial parts. From the aerial parts, a crude methanolic (MeOH) extract and its four sub‐fractions, that is, petroleum ether (Pet), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n‐butanol (n‐BuOH), and aqueous (water) extracts were obtained. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents as well as the antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the extracts were determined. Moreover, the phytochemical profiles of the essential oil (EO) and of those extracts with the highest antioxidant activity measured by GC/MS and UPLC–PDA‐ESI–QTOF–MS/MS. Results showed that the highest concentrations of phenols and flavonoids as well as the most potent antioxidant potential according to the DPPH method were determined in the EtOAc and MeOH extracts with IC50 values of 22.0 and 34.4 µg.ml‐1, respectively. Quantitative analysis of these extracts was subsequently performed by UPLC–PDA‐ESI–QTOF–MS/MS. Both extracts contained mainly rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, and 2‐hydroxycinnamic acid, which may be responsible for their high antioxidant activity. Moreover, none of the extracts showed cytotoxic effects against MCF7, SW48, and a normal cell line of mouse embryonic fibroblast cells (NIH/3T3) in the tested concentrations (up to 400 μg.ml‐1). Additionally, GC‐MS analysis showed that oxygenated monoterpenes (55.4%) were the main constituents of the EO of D. moldavica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four previously unreported diterpenoids including three ent -atisanes (1–3) and one ent -abietane (4), along with one known linear triterpenoid (5) and five known diterpenoids including four myrsinanes (6–9), and one abietane (10) have been isolated from the roots of Euphorbia spinidens Bornm. ex Prokh. The structures were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses including HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR and comparison of the data with those reported in the literature. Antimicrobial potential of isolated compounds were also evaluated. Guionianol B (10) showed good antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis with MIC value of 6.25 μg/mL. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities of the methanolic extract/essential oil of S. parviflora L. were tested. • Eighty-seven compounds were characterized in the EO of S. parviflora using GC–MS. • 30 metabolites were identified in S. parviflora methanolic extract, mainly pertaining to phenolic compounds. • Strong antifungal activity has demonstrated by the EO of S. parviflora against C. albicans (MFC = 0.28 μg/mL). Abstract The use of some Stachys genus as herbal remedies is known and the aerial parts have a pharmaceutical interest, being used in Anatolia and Iran as wild tea. In this study, chemical composition, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antiproliferative activities of the methanolic extract and essential oil (EO) of Stachys parviflora L. (S. parviflora) were evaluated. Qualitative analysis of metabolites of S. parviflora methanolic extract was studied using liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/LTQOrbitrap/MS), evidencing the presence of phenolic acids and flavonoids derivatives. The EO was analyzed using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Eighty-seven compounds were characterized in the EO of S. parviflora , of which α-terpenyl acetate (23.6%), β-caryophyllene (16.8%), bicyclogermacrene (9.3%), spathulenol (4.9%) and α-pinene (4.2%) were found to be the major components. The highest antimicrobial effect of EO was found to S. aureus and B. cereus (MIC = 0.01 μg/ml), while the highest activity of extract was against B. cereus (MIC = 125 μg/ml). The methanolic extract exhibited strong antioxidant activity in DPPH (IC 50 = 76.87 μg/ml) and β-carotene/linoleic acid assay (BCB, IC 50 = 188.47 μg/ml) methods. Furthermore, in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation against three cell lines namely human ovarian carcinoma (A2780), human colon carcinoma (HCT), and mouse melanoma cell line (B16F10), showed an anti-proliferative activity of the EO ranging from IC 50 value 30.95 μg/ml to 16.55 μg/ml. The results from this study have demonstrated the promising cytotoxic, antibacterial, and antifungal properties of S. parviflora , which could have wide potential applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease is a type of cerebrovascular problem with progressive mental disabilities for the patient. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of safranal on toxicity and oxidative damage induced by beta-amyloid (Aβ) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in PC12 cells as an appropriate model of Alzheimer's cell damage. PC12 cells pretreated with saffron extract (2.5-40 μg/ml), essential oil (2.5-40 μg/ml), safranal (2.5-5-40 μM) and donepezil (5, 10 and 20 μM) for 120 min. Then exposed to either Aβ (25 μM) for 48 h or H2O2 (150 μM) for 24 h. In the end, the cell survival and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production analyzed. The anti-apoptotic effects of safranal in PC12 cells were studied using flow cytometry after PI staining. Also, western blot analysis of Cyt c, survivin, p44/42 MAPK (ERK1/2), Phospho-p44/42 MAPK (ERK1/2), PI3 Kinase P85, Phospho-PI3 Kinase P85, phospho SAPK/JNK, SAPK/JNK and caspase 3 performed for detection of apoptosis. Safranal (2.5 and 5 μM) and donepezil (10 and 20 μM) significantly decreased the Aβ toxicity. The ROS significantly attenuated when cells pretreated with essential oil, saffron extract, safranal, and donepezil. Cell apoptosis significantly increased after treatment with Aβ (25-35) (25 μM) compared to control. However, after pretreatment with safranal (2.5 μM) apoptosis was significantly reduced. Western blot analysis of PC12 cells showed that 25 μM Aβ (25-35) could increase proteins involved in apoptosis signaling and pretreatment with safranal (2.5 μM) could decrease the apoptosis. According to the results, safranal showed anti-apoptotic and antioxidant effects and may exert promising potential for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limited supply of Chinese officinal rhubarbs (Rheum palmatum L., R. tanguticum Maxim. ex Balf., and R. officinale Baill.) has resulted in the use of other Rheum species in many places. Therefore, investigating the metabolite profile of unofficinal rhubarbs, and an analytical comparison of their metabolite profile with the officinal ones is crucial. Rheum turkestanicum Janisch. and R. ribes L. are two Rheum species distributed in Iran and are widely being traded in traditional markets as substitutes for R. palmatum. Herein, we isolated different phenolic compounds in the roots and rhizomes of R. turkestanicum and R. ribes by chromatographic techniques and identified them by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), electronic circular dichroism (ECD), electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). In addition, the metabolite profile of the two above-mentioned species were compared with that of R. palmatum by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QqTOF MS). The obtained MS data were statistically compared by non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) and a heatmap was plotted for comparing the tested samples. The isolated compounds were catechins, anthraquinones, naphthoquinones, chromones and rhododendrol glycosides, among which (-) 3′,4′′-di-O-methyl-catechin-3-O-gallate was a new compound. The results of LC-MS/MS analysis indicated that while catechins were the most abundant compounds in R. ribes , anthraquinones and naphthalenes were the main constituents of R. palmatum and R. turkestanicum. Interestingly, the substitution in the hexosyl residue of anthraquinone and naphthalene hexosides was a malonyl or an acetyl group in R. palmatum , while this substitution was a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl group in R. turkestanicum. This may be considered as a potential marker for the differentiation of R. palmatum and R. turkestanicum. The statistical analysis showed that R. palmatum , R. turkestanicum , and R. ribes are distinct species, however, R. turkestanicum had some similarities to R. palmatum. In conclusion, R. turkestanicum can be a subject for future phytochemical, pharmacological, and clinical research regarding its ability to be used as a potential substitute for R. palmatum in pharmaceutical industries. [Display omitted] • Rheum palmatum is one of the three species considered as officinal Chinese rhubarbs. • One new and six known compounds were isolated from R. turkestanicum. • In the LC-MS/MS spectrum of R. ribes , catechins were the major compounds. • In R. palmatum and R. turkestanicum , anthraquinones and naphthalenes were abundant. • Rheum palmatum and R. turkestanicum had some similarities in their metabolite profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical composition and biological (antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic) activities of essential oils (EO) obtained from the aerial parts of Glycyrrhiza triphylla Fisch. & C.A.Mey ( G. triphylla ) were evaluated in the present study. The EO was isolated and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Fifty-five compounds representing 99.3% of the total oil composition were identified. Major components of the oil were β-caryophyllene (25.4%), limonene (16.7%), β-myrcene (16.0%) and α-humulene (4.4%). The oil composition was dominated by the presence of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons comprising 43.6% of the total oil. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the oil were determined against eight bacterial strains and one fungus. The EO showed a good antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The most susceptible strain was Micrococcus luteus (MIC = 2.7 μg/mL, MBC = 43.6 μg/mL). The antioxidant potential of the EO was examined using DPPH and β-carotene/linoleic acid (BCB) assays. The oil was considerably active in the DPPH assay (IC 50 = 100.40 ± 0.03 μg/mL). Moreover, in vitro cytotoxic activity was assessed against six cancer cell lines using MTT assay. The EO showed no significant cytotoxic activity. In light of the present findings, G. triphylla oil may deserves to be further investigated for its potential therapeutic effects and also as a natural preservative in food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Direct hyphenation of analytical-scale high-performance liquid chromatography, photo-diode array detection, mass spectrometry, solid-phase extraction and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HPLC–PDA–MS–SPE–NMR) has been used for accelerated dereplication of crude extract of Haplophyllum acutifolium (syn. Haplophyllum perforatum). This technique allowed fast on-line identification of six quinolinone alkaloids, named haplacutine A–F, as well as of acutine, haplamine, eudesmine, and 2-nonylquinolin-4(1H)-one. Acutine and haplacutine E, isolated by preparative-scale HPLC, showed moderate antiplasmodial activity with IC50 values of 2.17±0.22μM and 3.79±0.24μM, respectively (chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Asafoetida is an old traditional phytomedicine obtained from various Ferula species sources. • Asafoetida samples and Ferula species assayed by headspace gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy. • Heatmap analysis showed at least two types of asafoetida samples studied in Iran. • Volatile sulfur compounds could be considered to determine asafoetida types and sources. Volatile sulfur compounds of asafoetida, an oleo-gum-resin, obtained from different Ferula species may be considered as possible metabolites to determine the probable source. Asafoetida is widely used in Iranian and Indian traditional medicine and in food industry. Sesquiterpene coumarin, phenolic, and volatile compounds (especially sulfur compounds) can be used as evidence to find out the main asafoetida and their source(s). In this study, the volatile profiles of five Ferula species and six samples of asafoetida from eastern and southern Iran were investigated via the headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Heat map analysis was performed for comparing the sulfur pattern in samples. The results showed at least two types of asafoetida in these regions were produced from special Ferula species. Accordingly, Ferula lutensis Rech., was determined as the main source of asafoetida from eastern Iran due to the presence of Z-1-butynyl-1-methyl propyl disulfide and E-1-butynyl-1-methyl propyl disulfide. The results of this research support the idea that types and levels of sulfur compounds could be considered as lead compounds for determination of the main source(s) of asafoetida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]