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Silk is a fibrous biopolymer with a recorded history in the textile industries for centuries. This fibre is constituted of two different proteins: fibroin and sericin, of which the latter accounting for approximately 20-30 % of the silk mass. Silk sericin (SSER) was previously considered as a waste by-product in silk fibroin extraction. SSER has recently garnered significant scientific interest due to its extensive biological and pharmacological properties. These include antioxidant effects, biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, controlled biodegradability, and the ability to induce cell proliferation. This review covers studies about various aspects of this emerging material, namely, its general morphology, specific structure, molecular weight, features of different layers, and gene sequences. The impact of different extraction methods and the application of extracted SSER based on molecular weight are discussed. Additionally, the characteristic functional groups in the amino acids of sericin facilitate its applications in regenerative medicine, wound healing, drug delivery, textile, environment, and energy, in various forms like hydrogels, films, scaffolds, and conduits. SSER-based materials offer great potentials for multi-functional applications in the upcoming decades, showcasing adaptability for various functional uses and promising future technological advancements., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Background: The activation of oxidative stress and inflammatory conditions has been associated with acceleration in diabetes (DM) onset and complications. Despite various anti-DM medications, there is a growing trend to discover inexpensive and effective treatments with low adverse effects from plants as one of the promising sources for drug development., Objective: This study aimed to systematically investigate the simultaneous anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of plant-derived hypoglycemic medicines in diabetic experimental models., Methods: The search terms consisted of "diabetes", "herbal medicine", "antioxidant", "Inflammatory biomarker", and their equivalents among PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases up to 17 August 2021., Results: Throughout the search of databases, 201 eligible experimental studies were recorded. The results showed that the most commonly assessed inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers were tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL) 6, IL-1β, IL-10, malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide (NO). The activity of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT) were assessed in the present review. Among herbal treatments, Trigonella foenum-graecum L., Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., Vitis vinifera L. , and Moringa oleifera Lam. were most commonly used for diabetic complications. Due to the dispersion of the treatments, meta-analysis was not applicable., Conclusion: Our findings showed that the application of different plant-derived hypoglycemic treatments in animal models improved diabetes and its complications, as well as modulated concomitant inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers. These findings suggest that plant-based antidiabetic medicines and food supplements have the potential to manage diabetes and its complications., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly, with some known classical factors. Cicer arietinum (Leguminosae) is a source of protein for humans and contains albumin, globulin, glutelin, and prolamin. The protein content of two cultivars of C. arietinum, Hashem and Mansour, was isolated to evaluate their inhibition activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholine esterase (BChE), and β-amyloid peptide (βA) aggregation. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and molecular docking were also applied to evaluate the content and determine the potential of each chickpea protein to interact with AChE, respectively. Obtained data showed that proteins from both cultivars could inhibit AChE with IC50 of 17.73 (0.03) and 22.20 (0.06) μg/mL, respectively, with no activity on BChE. The 50 μg/mL protein concentration of each cultivar suppressed βA accumulation (Mansour: 25.66% and Hashem: 21.69%) and showed biometal chelating activity. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed relatively different protein patterns, though the Mansour cultivar contained some protein bands with molecular weights of 18, 24, and 70 kDa were estimated to belong to vicilin and legumin, which were absent in the Hashem protein mass. Molecular docking showed that legumin and especially vicilin have good potential to interact with AChE. The chickpea proteins showed inhibitory activity against AChE, which might be due to the vicilin and legumin fractions. The characterization of the inhibitory effect of each protein band could be promising in finding new therapeutic peptide candidates to treat Alzheimer's in the future, although more experimental work is needed in this issue., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: Cedrus deodara (Roxb. Ex Lamb.) G. Don possesses various biological activities, which have been documented in modern and traditional medicine. In this study, burn wound healing activity of the methanol extract of C. deodara wood was evaluated via a burn wound model in Wistar rats., Methods: The methanol extract of C. deodara was evaluated for the contents of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and tannins. Also, its antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH assay. Then, a topical ointment containing the methanol extract of C. deodara (10%) was used to evaluate the healing effects on a model of second-degree thermal burn in 4 groups of 7 rats within 21 days. In this respect, average wound surface area, wound closure, and various histological features were examined., Results: Our findings revealed that the wounds treated with the methanol extract of C. deodara showed higher wound contraction (33.6, 87.1, and 93.4% on days 7, 14, and 21, respectively) compared with the positive control (27.6, 80.7, and 88.3% on days 7, 14, and 21, respectively) and the negative control (20.1, 77.9, and 80.2% on days 7, 14, and 21, respectively). According to the results from epitheliogenesis score, the number of inflammatory cells, neovascularization, and collagen density, good burn wound healing activity of the methanol extract of C. deodara was demonstrated., Conclusion: Using the methanol extract of C. deodara in an ointment formulation can be developed to prevent or reduce burn injury progression., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Arezoo Rastegari et al.)

The methanol extract of Doronicum pardalianches L. was fractionated using n -hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate to evaluate their cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitory activity via modified Ellman's method. It was perceived that only the ethyl acetate fraction was active toward acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with IC 50 value of 172.21 µg/mL. Also, all fractions showed no butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activity. The ethyl acetate fraction was also investigated for its neuroprotectivity and metal chelating ability (Zn 2+ , Fe 2+ , and Cu 2+ ) which demonstrated desired activity. Phytochemical analysis of the ethyl acetate fraction led to isolation and identification of formononetin 7- O -β-D-glucopyranoside which has not been previously reported for this plant.

In this study, the ethyl acetate fraction of Myristica fragrans Houtt. was investigated for its in vitro anticholinesterase activity as well as neuroprotectivity against H 2 O 2 -induced cell death in PC12 neuronal cells and the ability to chelate bio-metals (Zn 2+ , Fe 2+ , and Cu 2+ ). The fraction was inactive toward acetylcholinesterase (AChE); however, it inhibited the butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) with IC 50 value of 68.16 µg/mL, compared with donepezil as the reference drug (IC 50  = 1.97 µg/mL) via Ellman's method. It also showed good percentage of neuroprotection (86.28% at 100 µg/mL) against H 2 O 2 -induced neurotoxicity and moderate metal chelating ability toward Zn 2+ , Fe 2+ , and Cu 2+ . The phytochemical study led to isolation and identification of malabaricone A (1), malabaricone C (2), 4-(4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethylbutyl)benzene-1,2-diol (3), nectandrin B (4), macelignan (5), and 4-(4-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-1-methoxy-2,3-dimethylbutyl)-2-methoxyphenol (6) which were assayed for their cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitory activity. Compounds 1 and 3 were not previously reported for M. fragrans. Among isolated compounds, compound 2 showed the best activity toward both AChE and BChE with IC 50 values of 25.02 and 22.36 μM, respectively, compared with donepezil (0.07 and 4.73 μM, respectively)., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The growing interest in foods that can be beneficial to human health is bringing into focus some products that have been used locally for centuries but have recently gained worldwide attention. One of these foods is pumpkin seed oil, which has been used in culinary and traditional medicine, but recent data also show its use in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In addition, some sources refer to it as a potential functional food, mainly because it is obtained from pumpkin seeds, which contain many functional components. However, the production process of the oil may affect the content of these components and consequently the biological activity of the oil. In this review, we have focused on summarizing scientific data that explore the potential of pumpkin seed oil as a functional food ingredient. We provide a comprehensive overview of pumpkin seed oil chemical composition, phytochemical content, biological activity, and safety, as well as the overview of production processes and contemporary use. The main phytochemicals in pumpkin seed oil with health-related properties are polyphenols, phytoestrogens, and fatty acids, but carotenoids, squalene, tocopherols, and minerals may also contribute to health benefits. Most studies have been conducted in vitro and support the claim that pumpkin seed oil has antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Clinical studies have shown that pumpkin seed oil may be beneficial in the treatment of cardiovascular problems of menopausal women and ailments associated with imbalance of sex hormones., (© 2022 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

In this work, n -hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate fractions of the methanol extract of Myristica fragrans Houtt. seeds were evaluated against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) via Ellman's method. It was found that all fractions depicted no anti-AChE activity, however, they were active toward BChE with IC 50 values of 361.8, 215.0, and 145.8 µg/mL, respectively comparing with donepezil as the reference drug (IC 50 = 1.97 µg/mL). The ethyl acetate fraction which also showed high neuroprotectivity and metal chelating ability was selected for the phytochemical analysis. Our results confirmed the presence of trimyristin and 5,7-diacetyl chrysin (reported for the first time in M. fragrans ) in the corresponding fraction.

Arglabin (l(R),10(S)-epoxy-5(S),5(S),7(S)-guaia-3(4),ll(13)-dien-6,12-olide), is a natural sesquiterpene γ-lactone which was first isolated from Artemisia glabella. The compound has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory activity through inhibition of the NLR Family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and production of proinflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. A more hydrophilic derivative of the compound also exhibited antitumor activity in the breast, colon, ovarian, and lung cancer. Some other synthetic derivatives of the compound have also been synthesized with antitumor, cytotoxic, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. Since both NLRP3 inflammasome and cytokine storm are associated with the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and its lethality, compounds like arglabin might have therapeutic potential to attenuate the inflammasome-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome and/or the cytokine storm associated with COVID-19., (© 2021. Crown.)

Covering: 1976 to 2020. Although constituting a limited chemical family, phytostilbenes represent an emblematic group of molecules among natural compounds. Ever since their discovery as antifungal compounds in plants and their ascribed role in human health and disease, phytostilbenes have never ceased to arouse interest for researchers, leading to a huge development of the literature in this field. Owing to this, the number of references to this class of compounds has reached the tens of thousands. The objective of this article is thus to offer an overview of the different aspects of these compounds through a large bibliography analysis of more than 500 articles. All the aspects regarding phytostilbenes will be covered including their chemistry and biochemistry, regulation of their biosynthesis, biological activities in plants, molecular engineering of stilbene pathways in plants and microbes as well as their biotechnological production by plant cell systems.

Background: Considering the advantages of using medicinal herbs as supplementary treatments to sensitize conventional anti-cancer drugs, studying functional mechanisms and regulatory effects of Echinacea purpurea (as a non-cannabinoid plant) and Cannabis sativa (as a cannabinoid plant) are timely and required. The potential effects of such herbs on lung cancer cell growth, apoptosis, cell cycle distribution, cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, caspase activity and their cannabinomimetic properties on the CB2 receptor are addressed in the current study., Methods: The cytotoxic effect of both herb extracts on the growth of lung cancer cells (A549) was assessed using the MTT assay. The annexin-V-FITC staining and propidium iodide (PI) staining methods were applied for the detection of apoptosis and cell cycle distribution using flow cytometry. The cellular level of ROS was measured using 7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) as a fluorescent probe in flow cytometry. The caspase 3 activity was assessed using a colorimetric assay Kit., Results: Echinacea purpurea (EP) root extract induced a considerable decrease in A549 viable cells, showing a time and dose-dependent response. The cell toxicity of EP was accompanied by induction of early apoptosis and cell accumulation at the sub G1 phase of the cell cycle. The elevation of cellular ROS level and caspase 3 activity indicate ROS-induced caspase-dependent apoptosis following the treatment of A549 cells by EP extract. The observed effects of EP extract on A549 growth and death were abrogated following blockage of CB2 using AM630, a specific antagonist of the CB2 receptor. Increasing concentrations of Cannabis sativa (CS) induced A549 cell death in a time-dependent manner, followed by induction of early apoptosis, cell cycle arrest at sub G1 phase, elevation of ROS level, and activation of caspase 3. The CB2 blockage caused attenuation of CS effects on A549 cell death which revealed consistency with the effects of EP extract on A549 cells., Conclusions: The pro-apoptotic effects of EP and CS extracts on A549 cells and their possible regulatory role of CB2 activity might be attributed to metabolites of both herbs. These effects deserve receiving more attention as alternative anti-cancer agents.

Trachyspermum ammi (Apiaceae) plants have several medicinal and condimentary applications and are considered an aphrodisiac agent in Iranian Traditional Medicine. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the effects of oil from Iranian T. ammi plants on the viability of spermatogonial stem cells in vitro. The essential oil of T. ammi fruits was extracted by hydrodistillation, and the amount of thymol was calculated by a gas-chromatography method. Spermatogonial stem cells were isolated from the testes of mice using enzyme digestion. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was applied to assess the gene expressions of promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger protein ( Plzf ), DNA-binding protein inhibitor ( ID-4 ), tyrosine-protein kinase ( c-Kit ), B-cell lymphoma 2 ( Bcl2 ) and Bcl2-associated X protein ( BAX ). The number and diameter of colonies were also measured in the treated cells. The amount of thymol in the oil was 130.7 ± 7.6 µg/mL. Flow cytometry analysis showed that 92.8% of all cells expressed stimulated by retinoic acid 8 ( Stra8 ), a spermatogonial stem cell marker. Expression of Plzf and ID-4 genes significantly increased in the treatment groups, while c-Kit and BAX decreased, and Bcl2 increased in the presence of essential oil. The numbers and diameters of cells were also improved by the application of the plant oil. These data indicated that monoterpenes from the oil of T. ammi improved the quality and viability of spermatogonia cells in the cell culture.

The genus Achillea (Asteraceae) consisting of important medicinal species, growing wildly in Iran, of which A. tenuifolia is found in Iran-o-Turan regions. Regarding the traditional use of Achillea species for treatment of diabetes and also lack of information on phyto-constituents of A. tenuifolia underground parts, in this study anti-diabetic activity of the plant have been reported. In order to find the main active components, underground parts of the plant were extracted with water and fractioned by hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol and the separation of the main compounds were carried out via medium pressure liquid chromatography (MPLC). Also, anti-diabetic effects of the extract were investigated on rat pancreatic islets. The root extract of the plant as well as the compound β-sitosterol showed moderate α-amylase inhibitory activity, however prangol did not suppress the enzyme activity. The results of islet cells' bio-function assays revealed that the herb root extract was able to increase the secretion of insulin in high concentration (10 mg/mL) and improved the cell viability with no toxicity in all doses. Furthermore, the herbal extract could reduce the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation (LPO). The plant extract also significantly decreased the enzyme activity for both caspase-3 and -9 and increased the antioxidant capacity of the isolated cells. Taking together, preparations or extracts from the underground parts of the plant are good candidates for further anti-diabetic investigation and clinical trials.

Background: Clinicians have been searching for ways to obtain "super normal" wound healing. Honey is a traditional remedy for the treatment of infected wounds. We aimed to evaluate the wound contraction and antibacterial properties of locally produced Thyme honey on managing full-thickness wounds in vivo., Methods: This experimental study was conducted in 2015, in Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran on 54 adult male Wistar rats weighing 200-250 gr, and ages of 3-4 months. A square 1.5*1.5 wound was made on the back of the neck. The rats were divided into control and two experimental groups. Additionally, the control and experimental groups were separated into three subgroups corresponding to 4, 7, and 14 d of study. The control group did not receive any treatment. For histological studies, samples were taken from the wound and adjacent skin. This tissue was examined using histological staining (H&E). Wound surface and wound healing were evaluated. Data were analyzed by using one-way ANOVA with post hoc Tukey test and ( P< 0.05) was significant., Results: The macroscopic and microscopic evaluations showed that the percentage of wound healing on different days in the control and experimental groups were significant ( P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Using honey twice a day on open wounds will accelerate the healing process.

Glaucoma represents several optic neuropathies leading to irreversible blindness through progressive retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss. Reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) is known as the only modifiable factor in the treatment of this disorder. Application of exogenous cannabinoids to lower IOP has attracted attention of scientists as potential agents for the treatment of glaucoma. Accordingly, neuroprotective effect of these agents has been recently described through modulation of endocannabinoid system in the eye. In the present work, pertinent information regarding ocular endocannabinoid system, mechanism of exogenous cannabinoids interaction with the ocular endocannabinoid system to reduce IOP, and neuroprotection property of cannabinoids will be discussed according to current scientific literature. In addition to experimental studies, bioavailability of cannabinoids, clinical surveys, and adverse effects of application of cannabinoids in glaucoma will be reviewed., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by high blood sugar levels. Recently, it has emerged as an important and global health problem with long-term complications and high economic burden. α-Amylase (α-Amy) and α-glucosidase (α-Gls) are two enzymes which are involved in the hydrolysis of starch into sugars and disaccharides leading to the increase of blood glucose level. Hence, inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase plays key role in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Heterocyclic compounds -both synthetic and naturally occurring derivatives- possess efficient biological properties. At this juncture, they have demonstrated potent inhibitory activity against α-Amy and α-Gls and were found to be versatile tools for the development of novel anti-diabetic agents.

Objective: Burns are complicated traumatic injuries caused by several physical or chemical factors. Plants with a wide range of secondary metabolites, with valuable properties like antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, can be a promising source of wound healing agents., Materials and Methods: Effects of hydromethanolic extracts of Lythrum salicaria and Hypericum scabrum, individually and in combination, were assessed in second-degree burn wounds in rats in comparison to a white oleaginous base (negative control) and silver sulfadiazine (positive control). Histological assessments as well as total thiol molecules, lipid peroxidation, and total antioxidant power were evaluated in skin tissue samples. Total phenol, flavonoids, and tannins along with the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the extracts were also as- sessed., Results: Total phenol, total flavonoid, and total tannin amounts for L. salicaria and H. scabrum were 331 ± 3.7 and 308.1 ± 5.2 μg gallic acid/mg extract, 5.8 ± 0.4 and 4.3 ± 0.3 μg quercetin/mg extract, and 430 ± 2.33 and 13.4 ± 0.5 μg tannic acid/mg extract, respectively. H. scabrum significantly inhibited S. aureus and L. salicaria moderately suppressed Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans growth. Wound contraction percentage with L. salicaria and H. scabrum was 89.5 ± 3.7 and 77.6 ± 4.1, respectively. A well-organized epidermal layer and normal appearance in dermis layer were more observable in the L. salicaria group. Moreover, L. salicaria ointment individually displayed better influence on tissue oxidative stress parameters than H. scabrum and the negative control (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Results of this study clearly confirm the effectiveness of L. salicaria topical ointment as a wound healing agent, possibly due to the considerable polyphenolic content and antioxidant properties.

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter reducing neural excitability in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) with three subclasses of receptors. Several conventional drugs and compounds modulate the GABAergic system, demonstrating different pharmacological effects. In this review, interactions of natural terpenoids with the GABAergic system are highlighted with relation to disorders like anxiety, insomnia, convulsion, pain, and cognitive deficits. Terpenoids with various structures affect the function of the GABAergic system via dissimilar mechanisms. Most of the discussed compounds interact with GABA receptors, but especially with the GABAA subtype. This may be due to the fact that researchers tend to assess the interaction of compounds using GABAA receptors. However, bilobalide, a sesquiterpene, showed anticonvulsant properties through the activation of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) enzyme, which is a key enzyme in biosynthesis of GABA. Therefore, further studies evaluating and comparing terpenoids of different classes and their interaction with the GABA system, along with their pharmacokinetic properties, could be worthwhile in future studies., (Copyright © 2016 Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.)

Wound healing is a complex process that consists of several phases that range from coagulation, inflammation, accumulation of radical substances, to proliferation, formation of fibrous tissues and collagen, contraction of wound with formation of granulation tissue and scar. Since antiquity, vegetable substances have been used as phytotherapeutic agents for wound healing, and more recently natural substances of vegetable origin have been studied with the attempt to show their beneficial effect on wound treatment. Curcumin, the most active component of rhizome of Curcuma longa L. (common name: turmeric), has been studied for many years due to its bio-functional properties, especially antioxidant, radical scavenger, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities, which play a crucial role in the wound healing process. Moreover, curcumin stimulated the production of the growth factors involved in the wound healing process, and so curcumin also accelerated the management of wound restoration. The aim of the present review is collecting and evaluating the literature data regarding curcumin properties potentially relevant for wound healing. Moreover, the investigations on the wound healing effects of curcumin are reported. In order to produce a more complete picture, the chemistry and sources of curcumin are also discussed.

Background: Mitochondria, the power plants of the cell, are known as a cross-road of different cellular signaling pathways. These cytoplasmic double-membraned organelles play a pivotal role in energy metabolism and regulate calcium flux in the cells. It is well known that mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with different diseases such as neurodegeneration and cancer. A growing body of literature has shown that polyphenolic compounds exert direct effects on mitochondrial ultra-structure and function. Resveratrol is known as one of the most common bioactive constituents of red wine, which improves mitochondrial functions under in vitro and in vivo conditions., Scope of Review: This paper aims to review the molecular pathways underlying the beneficial effects of resveratrol on mitochondrial structure and functions. In addition, we discuss the chemistry and main sources of resveratrol., Major Conclusions: Resveratrol represents the promising effects on mitochondria in different experimental models. However, there are several reports on the detrimental effects elicited by resveratrol on mitochondria., General Significance: An understanding of the chemistry and source of resveratrol, its bioavailability and the promising effects on mitochondria brings a new hope to therapy of mitochondrial dysfunction-related diseases., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cannabinoid compounds are unique to cannabis and provide some interesting biological properties. These compounds along with endocannabinoids, a group of neuromodulator compounds in the body especially in brain, express their effects by activation of G-protein-coupled cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. There are several physiological properties attributed to the endocannabinoids including pain relief, enhancement of appetite, blood pressure lowering during shock, embryonic development, and blocking of working memory. On the other hand, activation of endocannabinoid system may be suppresses evolution and progression of several types of cancer. According to the results of recent studies, CB receptors are over-expressed in cancer cell lines and application of multiple cannabinoid or cannabis-derived compounds reduce tumor size through decrease of cell proliferation or induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis along with desirable effect on decrease of tumor-evoked pain. Therefore, modulation of endocannabinoid system by inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the enzyme, which metabolized endocannabinoids, or application of multiple cannabinoid or cannabis-derived compounds, may be appropriate for the treatment of several cancer subtypes. This review focuses on how cannabinoid affect different types of cancers., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

According to the epidemiological reports published by the World Health Organization, the proportion of elderly people (over 60 years) will increase from 11% to 22% by 2050 worldwide. This increase will be associated with a growing rate of morbidity and mortality of age-related diseases. Mental and neurodegenerative diseases are important health problems in elderly people. Therefore, recent research has been focused on finding effective neuroprotective agents with low adverse effects. Over the last two decades, much attention has been drawn to plant-derived bioactive compounds as novel therapeutic agents for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Among them, flavonoid chemical class is known as one of the most bioactive and non-toxic phytochemicals, which are widely found in different herbal medicines and edible plants. Fisetin is one of the most common and bioactive flavonoids which possesses potential neuroprotective effects. Fisetin also enhances learning and memory, decreases neuronal cell death, and suppresses oxidative stress. The present paper aims to critically evaluate the available literature regarding the beneficial effects of fisetin on neurodegenerative diseases, especially AD and PD. In addition, we provide information regarding the chemistry, sources, bioavailability and clinical impacts of fisetin to provide a broad spectrum for the use of this compound as a new approach to the treatment of AD and PD.

Background: Phthalate, esters of phthalic acid, are mainly applied as plasticizers and cause several human health and environment hazards. The essential oils of Achillea species have attracted a great concern, since several biological activities have been reported from varieties of these medicinal species. On the other side, due to the problems regarding the waste disposal in developing countries, phthalate derivatives can easily release from waste disposal to the water and soil resulting in probable absorption and accumulation by medicinal and dietary plants. As a matter of fact, although the toxicity of phthalate derivatives in human is well-known, food crops and medicinal plants have been exposing to phthalates that can be detected in their extracts and essential oils. Achillea tenuifolia (Compositea) is one of these herbaceous plants with traditional applications which widely growing in Iran., Finding: The plant root was subjected to hydro-distillation for 4 h using Clevenger type apparatus to obtain its essential oil before and after acid treatment. Both of the hydro-distilled essential oils were analysed by GC-MS method resulted in recognition of their constituent. Phthalate contamination as (1, 2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis (2-methylpropyl) ester (5.4%) and phthalic acid (4.5%), were identified in the first and second extracted oils, respectively., Conclusion: As a warning, due to the potential role of phthalates to cause reproductive toxicity, disturb of endocrine system and causing cancers, medicinal plants have to be considered through quality control for detection of these compounds.

Background: Zhumeria majdae (Lamiaceae) is an endemic species growing in the South parts of Iran especially Hormozgan province. The plant is so-called Mohrekhosh locally and widely used for medicinal purposes including stomachache and dysmenorrhea., Objective: In order to separation and identification of the main flavonoid glycosides of the plant (aerial parts including leaves, stems, flowers, and fruits were used) and evaluation of its alpha-amylase inhibitory (AAI) activity, methanolic extract was prepared and fractionated to botanolic portion., Materials and Methods: Isolation of the main compounds of the butanol extract of the plant have been performed using different column chromatography methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography (C18 column) and Sephadex LH-20 as well. The isolated compounds were identified by Hydrogen-1 nuclear magnetic resonance and Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectra and comparison with those reported in previous literature. Moreover, inhibitory activity of the butanolic extract of the plant against alpha-amylase enzyme was examined in different concentrations (15-30 mg/mL), where acarbose used as a positive control., Results: Three flavonoid glycosides: Linarin (1), hispidulin-7-O-(4-O-acetyl-rutinoside) (2), hispidulin-7-O-rutinoside (3) were successfully identified in the extract. The activity of alpha amylase enzyme was dose-dependently suppressed by the butanol extract. The extract exhibited the highest inhibition at 30 mg/mL toward enzyme (77.9 ± 2.1%), while acarbose inhibited the enzyme at 20 mg/mL by 73.9 ± 1.9%. The inhibitory concentrations of 50% for the extract and acarbose were calculated at 24.5 ± 2.1 and 6.6 ± 3.1 mg/mL, respectively., Conclusion: Z. majdae contains glycosylated flavones and could be a good candidate for anti-diabetic evaluations in animal and clinical trials due to possessing AAI activity.

Background: There are several plants have been used worldwide in the folk medicine with high incidence for treatment of human disorders, of which Lythrum salicaria belongs to the Lythraceae family has traditionally reputation for some medicinal usage and recently many biological and pharmacological activity of the plant have been studied., Methods: In this study, microscopic characterizations of the aerial parts of the plant were determined. Moreover, the plant extract (aqueous methanol 80%) was subjected to an anti-diabetic activity test (in a rat model of streptozocin induced diabetes), anti-Helicobacter pylori (using disc diffusion method) along with antioxidant activity against DPPH (stable free radical) tests. Besides, total flavonoids, phenols, tannins, as well as polysaccharides contents have been assessed using spectroscopic methods., Results: The microscopic properties of the plant fragments revealed anomocytic stomata, conical shape trichomes, and abundant spherical pollen grains as a characteristic pattern for the aerial parts of the plant. The extract of the plant at concentration of 15 g/kg showed mild lowering activity on blood glucose level to 12.6% and 7.3% after 2 and 3 h of administration. Additionally, clinically isolated H. pylori strain was inhibited with the plant extract at concentration of 500 mg/mL (zone of inhibition: 17 ± 0.08 mm). Moreover, IC50 values for DPPH inhibition of the plant extract, vitamin E, BHA were examined as 13.5, 14.2, and 7.8 μg/mL, respectively. Total flavonoids, phenols, tannin, and polysaccharides contents of the extract were successfully evaluated as 5.8 ± 0.4 μg QE/mg EXT, 331 ± 3.7 μg GAE/mg EXT, 340 ± 2.3 μg TAE/mg EXT, 21 ± 0.2 μg GE/mg EXT, respectively., Conclusions: The results suggested that L. salicaria has low anti-diabetic and anti-Helicobacter pylori effects, but high antioxidant activity, just the same as positive standard (vitamin E), which might be attributed to the high content of phenolic compounds in the extract.

In the study, anti-Candida activity and phenol contents of Lythrum salicaria L. calli and wild species have been evaluated. The seeds of L. salicaria (Lythraceae), collected from Lahidjan City in the north of Iran, were cultured in Murashige and Skoog medium (MSM) with a supplement, gibberellin, to germinate. Callus inductions were performed from segments of seedling on MSM containing different concentrations of plant growth regulators, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). The activity of calluses extracts, wild plant, gallic acid, and 3,3',4'-tri-O-methylellagic acid-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (TMEG) as the main phenolic compounds against Candida albicans was assessed using cup plate diffusion method. The total phenols contents of calli and wild plant extracts were analyzed using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The callus formation in MSM supplemented with various concentrations of 2,4-D and BAP were 0-100 %. Anti-Candida activity of callus extract which obtained from MSM supplemented with 2,4-D and BAP (1 mgdm(-3)) was similar to the wild plant extract. Minimum inhibitory concentration values of gallic acid and TMEG were obtained as 0.312 and 2.5 mgcm(-3), respectively. Gallic acid equivalent values in all treatments were from 0 to 288 μg GAE mg(-1). Phenolic contents of plant aerial parts (331±3.7 μg GAE mg(-1)) and the callus, which developed in MSM including 1 mgdm(-3) of both 2,4-D and BAP, showed the same phenolic value and exhibited anti-Candida extract activity.

The aerial parts of Stachys laxa Boiss. and Buhse. from Siah-bishe in Mazandaran province, Stachys trinervis Aitch. and Hemsl. from Karaj in Alborz province, Stachys subaphylla Rech. F. and Stachys turcomanica Trautv. from Golestan province have been collected in May 2008. Total extracts were obtained through MeOH/H2O (80/20) and then partitioned between CHCl3, EtOAc and MeOH. These fractions and total extracts have been investigated for in-vitro cytotoxic activity against the colon carcinoma (HT-29), colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2), breast ductal carcinoma (T47D) and Swiss mouse embryo fibroblast (NIH 3T3) cell lines using MTT assay (3-(4,5-di methyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-di phenyltetrazolium bromide). At each cell line, doses of 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 100, 200, 400 and 800 µg/mL in 1% (v/v) DMSO of all samples were tested. Ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions of Stachys laxa against proliferation of T47D and HT-29 cell lines and chloroform fraction of Stachys subaphylla and Stachys subaphylla ethyl acetate fraction toward T47D cell line exhibited highest cytotoxic activity (IC50 < 50 µg/mL). Ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions of Stachys turcomanica against HT-29 cell line, except methanol fraction of Stachys subaphylla, the other extrcts on T47D cell line, represented moderate cytotoxic activity (IC50 < 70 µg/mL). All fractions of S. trinervis demonstrated no effective cytotoxic activity. IC50 values confirmed that the growth and proliferation of HT-29 and T47D cells were most affected by chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions of Stachys laxa and Stachys turcomanica due to their nonpolar compounds.