Ancient Herbal Medicine Research Articles

Antibacterial activity and mutagenicity of leaves of <i>Indigofera tinctoria</i> Linn

Objective: Indigofera tinctoria Linn was traditionally been used in the ancient herbal medicine in India/China for epilepsy, nervous disorders, bronchitis, and liver ailments; and also used as an anticardiovascular, but there was no literature evidence substantiating its antibacterial activity. The purpose of this study is to determine the antibacterial and mutagenic properties of an extract prepared from the leaves of I.tinctoria, commonly known as indigo plant. Methods: Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the extract are determined with respect to bacterial species by agar dilution as per Clincial and Laboratory Standard Institute and mutagenicity of the extract is determined by Ames test. Results: The respective MICs of the methanol extract of I.tinctoria were methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus 0.125 µg/ml, methicillin resistant S.aureus 0.25 µg/ml, coagulase negative S.aureus 0.25-0.5 µg/ml, vancomycin sensitive Enterococcus faecalis 0.5 µg/ml, vancomycin resistant Enterococcus species 0.125-0.5 µg/ml, Moraxella 2 µg/ml, Streptococcus species 0.125-0.25 µg/ml, Haemophilus influenzae 2-4 µg/ml and against anaerobes is 1-2 µg/ml. Time kill assay were analyzed for methanol extract of I.tinctoria and it showed bacteriostatic and nonmutagenic activity up to 5 mg per plate in Ames test both in the presence and absence of S9 fraction. Conclusion: Methanol extract of I.tinctoria exhibited antibacterial activity, which was more active than that of standard linezolid, against a variety of clinically important bacteria isolated from near by selected hospitals in India and was found to be nonmutagenic up to 5 mg/plate in Ames test.

Natural Products for Liver Diseases: Basic, Clinical, and Translational Research

Natural Products for Liver Diseases: Basic, Clinical, and Translational Research

Restoration of renal hemodynamics and functions during black cumin (Nigella sativa) administration in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

BackgroundBlack cumin (Nigella sativa) is an ancient herbal medicine recommended by the World Health Organization. The antioxidant and antihyperglycemic effects of black cumin are well established. Amelioration of renal dysfunction in nephrotoxic rats with black cumin treatment has also been noted. However, the effect of black cumin treatment on renal dysfunction in diabetes mellitus has not been clarified. In this study, the effect of black cumin oil (BC) on changes in renal dysfunction and renal hemodynamics in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was evaluated.MethodsThe experiments were performed in male Sprague Dawley rats, divided into four groups (seven in each group): (1) normal rats given tap water (CON); (2) normal rats administered with BC (CON-BC); (3) diabetic rats given tap water only (STZ); and (4) diabetic rats administered with BC (STZ-BC). Diabetes mellitus was induced in the rats by an injection of streptozotocin. BC was given orally at the dose of 1000 mg/kg body weight to the rat in either CON-BC or STZ-BC every day for 8 weeks. Renal hemodynamics and functions in each rat were studied.ResultsRenal hemodynamic changes in STZ-BC rats appeared to increase in terms of glomerular filtration rate, effective renal plasma flow, and effective renal blood flow, while renal vascular resistance and filtration fraction were decreased in comparison with diabetic rats given tap water only (STZ). An improvement of renal tubular dysfunction in STZ-BC rats was indicated by the decreases in fractional excretion of water and Mg++.ConclusionAn administration of BC can restore changes in renal hemodynamics and renal dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Opium poppy ( Papaver somniferum L.) oil for preparation of biodiesel: Optimization of conditions

Opium poppy, Papaver somniferum L., is one of the ancient herbal medicines. In addition to this medical use of latex, opium that is extracted from the immature seed capsule, it is also used illegally for pleasure. It is being produced in great quantities in Turkey especially in Afyonkarahisar city. The seeds of opium poppy plant have high ratio oil content. The opium poppy seeds and oil of these seeds are purely used as an ingredient in production of bakery products. In this study, biodiesel evaluation of the opium poppy seeds that have a high oil ratio is aimed. Alkali catalyzed (NaOH) single-phase reaction was preferred to produce biodiesel from opium poppy oil. The parameters like catalyst concentration, methanol ratio, reaction temperature were optimized and biodiesel production was obtained with high yield in reaction time of 75 min. The methyl ester content in the opium poppy oil biodiesel was determined with Gas Chromatography–Frame Ionized Detector (GC–FID). In optimum conditions, methanol ratio and catalyst concentration was determined as 20 wt% and 0.5 wt%, respectively. The reaction temperature was optimized as 60 °C. Biodiesel was obtained from the opium poppy oil under optimum conditions. Some basic features of the produced methyl esters were determined.

Pharmacokinetic Profiles of Anticancer Herbal Medicines in Humans and the Clinical Implications

A number of herbal medicines are increasingly used by cancer patients worldwide, despite the fact that the clinical evidence that supports their use to fight cancer is weak or lacking. Pharmacokinetic studies have been integrated into modern drug development, but they are generally not needed for herbal remedies. To update our knowledge in this field, this paper highlights the pharmacokinetic properties of anticancer herbal medicines and the clinical relevance. To retrieve relevant data, the authors have searched through computer-based literatures by full text search in Medline (via Pubmed), ScienceDirect, Current Contents Connect (ISI), Cochrance Library, CINAHL (EBSCO), CrossRef Search and Embase ((all from inception to May 2011). An extensive literature search indicatesthat there are limited data on the pharmacokinetic properties of anticancer herbal medicines in humans. There are increasing pharmacokinetic studies of anticancer herbal remedies, but these studies are mainly focused on a small number of herbal medicines including curcumin, ginseng, ginkgo, ginger and milk thistle. For an anticancer herbal medicine, the pharmacological activity is gained when the active agents or the active metabolites reach and sustain proper levels at their sites of action. Both the dose levels and pharmacokinetic processes of active herbal components in the body determine their target-site concentrations and thus the anticancer effect. In this regard, a safe and optimal use of anticancer herbal medicines requires a full understanding of their pharmacokinetic profiles. To optimize the use of anticancer herbal remedies, further studies to explore their pharmacokinetic properties and the relevance to pharmacodynamics and toxicity in humans are certainly warranted.

The effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on the functions of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells

BackgroundPropolis, an ancient herbal medicine, has been reported the beneficial effect both in asthma patients and murine model of asthma, but the mechanism was not clearly understood. In this study, the effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), the most extensively studied components in propolis, on the functions of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MoDCs) was investigated.ResultsCAPE significantly inhibited IL-12 p40, IL-12 p70, IL-10 protein expression in mature healthy human MoDCs stimulated by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and IL-12 p40, IL-10, IP-10 stimulated by crude mite extract. CAPE significantly inhibited IL-10 and IP-10 but not IL-12 expression in allergic patients' MoDCs stimulated by crude mite extract. In contrast, the upregulation of costimulatory molecules in mature MoDCs was not suppressed by CAPE. Further, the antigen presenting ability of DCs was not inhibited by CAPE. CAPE inhibited IκBα phosphorylation and NF-κB activation but not mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family phosphorylation in human MoDCs.ConclusionThese results indicated that CAPE inhibited cytokine and chemokine production by MoDCs which might be related to the NF-κB signaling pathway. This study provided a new insight into the mechanism of CAPE in immune response and the rationale for propolis in the treatment of asthma and other allergic disorders.

Structure-Based Virtual Screening for the Discovery of Natural Inhibitors for Human Rhinovirus Coat Protein

Inhibitors of the human rhinovirus (HRV) coat protein are promising candidates to treat and prevent a number of upper respiratory diseases. The aim of this study was to find antiviral compounds from nature, focusing on the HRV coat protein. Through computational structure-based screening of an in-house 3D database containing 9676 individual plant metabolites from ancient herbal medicines, combined with knowledge from traditional use, we selected sesquiterpene coumarins from the gum resin asafetida as promising natural products. Chromatographic separation steps resulted in the isolation of microlobidene (1), farnesiferol C (2), farnesiferol B (3), and kellerin (4). Determination of the inhibition of the HRV-induced cytopathic effect for serotypes 1A, 2, 14, and 16 revealed a dose-dependent and selective antirhinoviral activity against serotype 2 for asafetida (IC50 = 11.0 microg/mL) and its virtually predicted constituents 2 (IC50 = 2.5 microM) and 3 (IC50 = 2.6 microM). Modeling studies helped to rationalize the retrieved results.

Mechanism of proliferation arrest of embryonic cells of Xenopus by diterpene compounds

Three diterpene compounds isolated from the anti-cancer herbal medicine kansui, namely, kansuinin B, 20-OD-ingenol Z, and 20-OD-ingenol E, specifically inhibited the proliferation of isolated embryonic cells from Xenopus embryos. We conducted a cytologic study to determine the mechanism underlying the arrest of the cellular proliferation by these compounds. While kansuinin B and 20-OD-ingenol Z treatment decreased the cell numbers in the S phase and the M phase substages of the cell cycle, 20-OD-ingenol E inhibited mitosis.

Selective inhibition of the growth of cancer cells by diterpenes selected with embryonic cells of Xenopus.

We used Xenopus embryo cells with a cell cycle of 20-30 min to detect inhibitory effects on cell proliferation. Inhibition of proliferation was observed when isolated embryonic cells were incubated for 16 h in a simple salt solution containing the well-known anticancer drugs 5-fluorouracil and adriamycin. In addition, three diterpene compounds isolated from the anticancer herbal medicine kansui: kansuinin B, 20-OD-ingenol Z, and 20-OD-ingenol E specifically inhibited the proliferation of isolated embryonic cells. The inhibitory compounds selected using the embryonic cells also inhibited proliferation of certain mammalian cell types.

The Citrus Canker Epidemic in Florida: The Scientific Basis of Regulatory Eradication Policy for an Invasive Species

The Citrus Canker Epidemic in Florida: The Scientific Basis of Regulatory Eradication Policy for an Invasive Species

Plant toxins as tools for understanding CNS disorders

Plants are sources of novel therapeutics, but can also provide clues to the causes of neurodegenerative disease. Plant toxins are being used as tools in attempts to understand what causes the pathology seen in central nervous system (CNS) disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and motor neurone disease, delegates were told at a symposium entitled ‘Plants and the central nervous system’, which was held during the 135th British Pharmaceutical Conference [ Eastbourne, UK; September 1998 ]. Other researchers are going back to the future by looking at ancient herbal medicines for clues in their search for CNS therapeutics.