Bangladeshi Medicinal Plants Research Articles

Unveiling the apoptotic potential of antioxidant-rich Bangladeshi medicinal plant extractives and computational modeling to identify antitumor compounds

Nowadays, there has been a significant surge in the exploration of anticancer compounds derived from medicinal plants due to their perceived safety and efficacy. Therefore, our objective was to investigate the antioxidant and antiproliferative properties, along with the phytoconstituents, of methanol extracts from various parts of 15 selected Bangladeshi medicinal plants. Standard spectrophotometric methods and confocal microscopy were utilized to assess the antioxidant and antiproliferative potential of these extracts. Additionally, phytochemical profiling was executed through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Among the extractives, Bombax ceiba bark exhibited the highest scavenging capacity against DPPH (IC50: 10.3 ± 0.7 μg/mL) and hydroxyl (IC50: 3.9 ± 0.1 μg/mL) free radicals. Furthermore, the total antioxidants, reducing power, and polyphenols of B. ceiba bark were higher than those of other extracts. B. ceiba bark also showed significant antiproliferative capacity against MCF-7 cells (86.67 %) in the MTT assay, followed by Cocos nucifera roots (83.92 %), Bixa orellana leaves (44.09 %), and Leea macrophylla roots (25 %). Moreover, B. ceiba bark, L. macrophylla roots, C. nucifera roots, and B. orellana leaves-treated Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells demonstrated growth inhibition rates of 87.27 %, 80.45 %, 42.9 %, and 37.27 %, respectively. Fluorescence microscopic analysis of EAC cells treated with these extracts revealed apoptotic features such as condensed chromatin, cell shrinkage, nucleus fragmentation, and membrane blebbing compared to untreated EAC cells. The GC-MS analysis of B. ceiba bark identified 18 compounds, including various alcohols, alkenes, and esters. Additionally, a molecular docking study revealed oxalic acid, cyclohexyl dodecyl ester as the most potent compound (−6.5) active against breast cancer. In summary, our results demonstrate that B. ceiba bark possesses robust antioxidant and antiproliferative properties, along with potent antitumor compounds, which could be utilized in the treatment of carcinoma.

In vitro and in vivo pharmacological evaluation of polygonum persicaria l.

The present study was designed to investigate the in vitro antioxidant, cytotoxic, anthelmintic and in vivo analgesic, anti-diarrheal, hypoglycemic and CNS anti-depressant properties of different solvent fractions of methanol extract of leaf and flower of Polygonum persicaria L., a notable medicinal plant in Bangladesh. The crude methanol extracts were partitioned separately to petroleum-ether, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform and aqueous fractions. In DPPH scavenging assay for antioxidant test, the aqueous fraction of flower extract showed maximum antioxidant activity with IC50 of 0.60 μg/ml. Most of the fractions revealed prominent lethality (LC50) against brine shrimp nauplii. The test samples also exhibited dose-dependent anthelmintic activity against Pheretima posthuma. The leaf extract and flower extract (200-and 400 mg/kg b.w.) can decrease the painful sensation in mice. Leaf extracts and flower extracts displayed 57.69 and 50% reduction of diarrhea induced by castor oil in mice, respectively. The plant samples exhibited hypoglycemic effect and CNS anti-depressant effect in mice. Based on the possibility of bioactivity, the plant can be thoroughly examined to determine its potential efficacy and to support its traditional uses. Bangladesh J. Bot. 53(3): 475-485, 2024 (September)

Phytochemical Analysis of Bangladeshi Medicinal Plants Led to the Isolation of Anti-Staphylococcal Compounds

Article Phytochemical Analysis of Bangladeshi Medicinal Plants Led to the Isolation of Anti-Staphylococcal Compounds Holly Siddique 1,2,* and Mukhleshur Rahman 3 1 Department of Clinical and Pharmaceutical Science, School of Life and Medical Science, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK 2 Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Kew Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK 3 Medicines Research Group, School of Health, Sports and Bioscience, University of East London, Stratford Campus, Water Lane, London E15 4LZ, UK * Correspondence: h.siddique@herts.ac.uk Received: 20 June 2024; Revised: 26 August 2024; Accepted: 12 September 2024; Published: 24 September 2024 Abstract: Antibacterial resistance is a major threat to global health. Due to its new resistance mechanisms, it is spreading and emerging widely, thereby threatening the treatment of common infectious diseases. Ancient history and ethnopharmacological studies highlighted the importance of natural sources in treating resistance infections. This study involved bioassay-directed phytochemical investigation on Bangladeshi medicinal plants selected by an ethnopharmacological survey to explore antibacterial compounds against Methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In 2016, an ethnopharmacological survey conducted in Bangladesh led to the recommendation of 71 medicinal plants by 127 respondents (71 Ayurvedic/Unani practitioners, 21 Ayurvedic patients and 35 local inhabitants) for the treatment of infectious diseases. Based on the literature review, data analysis of the ethnopharmacological survey and ease of availability of the plants, 18 plants were initially selected and collected from Bangladesh. After the initial antibacterial screening of 18 plants, five plants with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of 32–512 µg/mL were chosen based on potential antibacterial activity. These are (Zingiber montanum, Uraria picta, Diospyros malabarica, Cynometra ramiflora, Swertia chirayita. Extensive phytochemical work using different chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques on five Bangladeshi medicinal plants led to the isolation and identification of 24 compounds. Eight terpenes (zerumbol (3), zerumbone (4), buddledone A (5), germacrone (6), furanodienone (7), (−) borneol (1), camphor (2) and 8(17), 12-labdadiene-15, 16-dial) (8) were isolated from Zingiber montanum with the MIC (32– >128 µg/mL). Eugenol (14) and steroids were isolated from Uraria picta (MIC 64– >128 µg/mL). Lupane-type triterpenoids (Lupeol (20), betulin (21), betulinaldehyde (23), betulone (24) and messagenin (22) were isolated and identified from Diospyros malabarica with the MIC (64– >128 µg/mL), while pentacyclic triterpene (glutinol (10), glutinone (11)), simple phenolic (ethyl 4-ethoxybenzoate (9)) and steroids were isolated from Cynometra ramiflora with MIC (64– >128 µg/mL). A series of xanthones (swerchirin (16), swertiaperenin (17), bellidifolin (18) and decussatin (19)) were identified from Swertia chirayita with MIC (>128 µg/mL). 4-ethoxybenzoate (9) and messagenin (22) were identified as new natural compounds among these compounds. In terms of activity, 8(17), 12-labdadiene-15, 16-dial (8) (32 µg/mL against ATCC 5941) and zerumbol (3) (32 µg/mL against EMRSA 15) exhibited potential antibacterial activity. Phytochemical discoveries of Bangladeshi medicinal plants gave a new dimension to exploring anti-staphylococcal compounds.

Anthelmintic screening of Bangladeshi medicinal plants and related phytochemicals using in vitro and in silico methods: An ethnobotanical perspective

Ethnopharmacological relevanceInfections caused by parasitic worms or helminth continue to pose a great burden on human and animal health, particularly in underdeveloped tropical and subtropical countries where they are endemic. Current anthelmintic drugs present serious limitations and the emergence of drug resistance has made it increasingly challenging to combat such infections (helminthiases). In Bangladesh, medicinal plants are often used by indigenous communities for the treatment of helminthiases. Knowledge on such plants along with screening for their anthelmintic activity has the potential to lead to the discovery of phytochemicals that could serve as novel molecular scaffolds for the development of new anthelminthic drugs. Aim of the studyThe purpose of this study was i) to conduct an ethnobotanical survey to gather data on Bangladeshi medicinal plants used in the treatment of helminthiases, ii) to test plants with the highest use values for their in vitro anthelmintic activity, and iii) to carry out in silico screening on phytochemicals present in the most active plant extract to investigate their ability to disrupt β-tubulin function in helminths. MethodsThe ethnobotanical survey was conducted across three sub-districts of Bangladesh, namely Mathbaria, Phultala and Khan Jahan Ali. The in vitro screening for anthelmintic activity was performed in a motility test using adult Haemonchus contortus worms. Virtual screening using PyRx was performed on the phytochemicals reported from the most active plant, exploring their interactions with the colchicine binding site of the β-tubulin protein target (PDB ID: 1SA0). ResultsThe survey respondents reported a total of 32 plants for treating helminthiases. Based on their use values, the most popular choices were Ananas comosus (L.) Merr., Azadirachta indica A.Juss., Carica papaya L., Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr., Curcuma longa L., Momordica charantia L., Nigella sativa L. and Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels. In vitro anthelmintic testing revealed that A. indica leaves and bark had the highest activity with LC50 values of 16 mg/mL in both cases. Other plant extracts also exhibited good anthelmintic activity with LC50 values ranging from 16 to 52 mg/mL, while the value for albendazole (positive control) was 8.39 mg/mL. The limonoids nimbolide and 28-deoxonimbolide showed a binding affinity of −8.9 kcal/mol, and satisfied all drug-likeness parameters. The control ligand N-deacetyl-N-(2-mercaptoacetyl)colchicine had a binding affinity of −6.9 kcal/mol. ConclusionFurther in silico and in vitro studies are warranted on the identified limonoids to confirm the potential of these derivatives as novel drug templates for helminthiases. The current study supports the need for an ethnobotanical survey-based approach to discover novel drug templates for helminthiases.

Unveiling Annona Reticulata's Bioactive Arsenal for Enhanced Antibiotic Effects.

To study the antibacterial and phytochemical activities of bioactive elements in the leaves of Annona reticulata Linn, a historically used Bangladeshi medicinal plant. Shade-dried and crushed plant leaves were soaked with various solvents to obtain samples for different chemical analyses. All extracts were selected for antimicrobial, physicochemical, and Pharmacological investigations. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated using disc diffusion assay, and broth microdilution methods determined potentiation of the activities of the antibiotic antibacterial activity of the plant extracts was investigated using either gram-positive or gram-negative pathogenic wild-type bacteria. From the initial phytochemical and pharmacological studies, it was clear that all extracts, methanol, chloroform, and ethyl acetate, of the leaves of A. reticulata, were proven to process potent bioactive constituents. While differential antimicrobial properties were found to be possessed by all extracts, methanolic extract was the most potent one against all tested microorganisms. It also has potentiated the activities of antibiotics in E. coli. Bioactive constituents in the plant extracts were shown to possess phytochemical and antimicrobial activities. More investigation is needed to segregate the chemical components responsible for the respective phytochemical and antimicrobial activities.

Anti-viral Activity of 62 Medicinal Plants, Herbs and Spices Available in Bangladesh: A Mini Review

Microorganisms can cause devastating diseases leading to a pandemic, such as COVID-19 which has created a devastating situation throughout the world. The SARS-CoV-2 or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 is the major concern for creating this pandemic situation. Viruses are the major pathogenic microorganisms that have the potential to be detrimental to human beings and animals in many ways. By entering the human body through different routes and commanding different machinery of the body to generate a higher number of their genomic copies and proteins they create pathogenesis. Phytomedicines may act as suitable weapons to halt the reproduction of such viruses and combat diseases caused byBangladesh is the habitat of about 500 medicinal and aromatic plants. Many of these plants have been found to show anti-viral activity. The anti-viral activity of Terminalia chebula, a well-known Bangladeshi medicinal plant has been proven to combat Newcastle Disease virus, Herpes Simplex Virus, Adenovirus type 5, Measles virus, Echovirus type 11, Rotavirus, Influenza A virus, Hepatitis B virus and Enterovirus. This review article was aimed to search available medicinal plants as novel anti-viral drugs. Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 22(2): 213-232, 2023 (December)

Deep-Learning-Based Classification of Bangladeshi Medicinal Plants Using Neural Ensemble Models

This research addresses the lack of publicly available datasets for Bangladeshi medicinal plants by presenting a comprehensive dataset comprising 5000 images of ten species collected under controlled conditions. To improve performance, several preprocessing techniques were employed, such as image selection, background removal, unsharp masking, contrast-limited adaptive histogram equalization, and morphological gradient. Then, we applied five state-of-the-art deep learning models to achieve benchmark performance on the dataset: VGG16, ResNet50, DenseNet201, InceptionV3, and Xception. Among these models, DenseNet201 demonstrated the highest accuracy of 85.28%. In addition to benchmarking the deep learning models, three novel neural network architectures were developed: dense-residual–dense (DRD), dense-residual–ConvLSTM-dense (DRCD), and inception-residual–ConvLSTM-dense (IRCD). The DRCD model achieved the highest accuracy of 97%, surpassing the benchmark performances of individual models. This highlights the effectiveness of the proposed architectures in capturing complex patterns and dependencies within the data. To further enhance classification accuracy, an ensemble approach was adopted, employing both hard ensemble and soft ensemble techniques. The hard ensemble achieved an accuracy of 98%, while the soft ensemble achieved the highest accuracy of 99%. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of ensembling techniques in boosting overall classification performance. The outcomes of this study have significant implications for the accurate identification and classification of Bangladeshi medicinal plants. This research provides valuable resources for traditional medicine, drug discovery, and biodiversity conservation efforts. The developed models and ensemble techniques can aid researchers, botanists, and practitioners in accurately identifying medicinal plant species, thereby facilitating the utilization of their therapeutic potential and contributing to the preservation of biodiversity.

Antiproliferative and Antibacterial Potentials of Endophytic Fungi Associated with Bangladeshi Medicinal Plant Tinospora Cordifolia

Endophytes provide mutual benefits and produce various biologically active secondary metabolites in plants. Our study was designed to isolate and identify fungal endophytes from fresh leaf and bark of Tinospora cordifolia, coupled with their bioactivity and preliminary chemical screening. Six endophytic fungi were isolated using surface sterilization technique. The fungi were identified by microscopic and molecular characterization and confirmed TCLE-1 as Fusarium perseae, TCLE-2 as Fusarium keratoplasticum, TCLE-3 as fusarium macrosporum, TCBE-1 as Fusarium falciforme and TCBE-2 as well as TCBE-3 leaving unidentified. Isolated strains were cultured in large scale on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium and were extracted using ethyl acetate. Antibacterial activity of fungal extracts was performed by disc diffusion method and cytotoxicity using HeLa cell line by MTT assay. In antimicrobial test, all the fungal extracts except TCBE-2 showed moderate to potent activity in comparison to the standard kanamycin. All, except TCBE-2, demonstrated significant cytotoxic activity on HeLa cell. Preliminary chemical profiling using thin liquid chromatography (TLC) and analytical high performance liquid chromatography techniques indicated the presence of secondary metabolites in fungal extracts. In conclusion, endophytic fungi reside in the T. cordifolia, a native medicinal plant in Bangladesh, could be a potent source of putative antibacterial and anticancer compounds. Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 21(2): 183-194, 2022 (December)

Anti-malarial investigation of Acorus calamus, Dichapetalum gelonioides, and Leucas aspera on Plasmodium falciparum strains.

Malaria is a significant global health concern and adversely affects people in developing countries including Bangladesh. The causative agent Plasmodium falciparum is resistant to several currently available anti-malarial drugs, such as mefloquine, chloroquine, and artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), and this has been a major global challenge towards the control of the disease. There is urgent need for novel anti-malarial chemotherapeutic agents. The present study aimed to evaluate antimalarial activity of methanolic extracts of three Bangladeshi medicinal plants- Acorus calamus, Dichapetalum gelonioides and Leucas aspera - against both chloroquine sensitive (3D7) and resistant (Dd2) strains of P. falciparum. Histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) based ELISA was used to evaluate the in vitro inhibitory activity of the extracts. D. gelonioides extract showed moderate (IC50 = 19.15 µg/mL) and promising activity (IC50 = 10.43 µg/mL) against 3D7 and Dd2 strains respectively. A. calamus remained inactive against both 3D7 (IC50 = 72.29 µg/mL) and Dd2 strain (IC50 = 67.81 µg/mL). L. aspera initially remained inactive against 3D7 strain (IC50 = 60.51 µg/mL), but displayed promising activity (IC50 = 7.693) against Dd2 strain. This is the first time these plant materials have been assessed for their in vitro antimalarial properties. It is pivotal to conduct further phytochemical analysis of D. gelonioides and L. aspera to evaluate the presence of potential novel antimalarial drug compounds.

Investigation of biological activities of Xeromphis uliginosa (Retz.) root extracts in Swiss-albino mice model, an extinctive medicinal plant of Bangladesh

Xeromphis. uliginosa (Retz.) is an extinctive Bangladeshi medicinal plant that is locally used for the treatments of pain, diabetes, diarrhea, depressant, and other diseases. The present study was conducted to evaluate the peripheral analgesic activity (PAA), central analgesic activity (CAA), central nervous system antidepressant activity (CNS-AD), antidiarrheal activity (ADA), and hypoglycaemic activity (HGA) of methanolic root extract of X. uliginosa (MREXU) in a mice model. The acetic acid-induced writhing inhibition and tail flick method were applied to determine the PAA and CAA of MREXU. The CNS-AD was measured using the phenobarbitone sodium-mediated sleeping method whereas, the castor oil-induced antidiarrheal method was used to determine the ADA of the crude extracts. To determine the HGA of MREXU crude extract, the tail tipping technique was conducted in a mice model. The MREXU displayed potential PAA and CAA in mice models. The MREXU 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly inhibit the number of writings along with diclofenac sodium. On the other hand, MREXU both doses significantly inhibit thermal stimulus after 60 and 90 minutes respectively. In the CNS-AD study, crude extract of 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly increase the onset of sleep by decreasing the duration of sleep. Similarly, the dose of 200 mg/kg significantly reduced diarrheal faeces for the whole 4 hours of experiments. The heartiest outcome of MREXU was displayed in the HGA assay. Both doses of MREXU significantly reduced the blood sugar level for the entire 3 hours of the experiments. In this study, it is revealed that the root of MREXU has extremely significant blood sugar-reducing activity, potential CNS-AD and mild to moderate nociceptive activity in the mice model

Tigliane-Type Diterpene Esters from the Fruits of Shirakiopsis indica and Their Anti-HIV Activity.

Four new diterpene esters, shirakindicans A-D (1-4), along with eight related known diterpene esters (5-12), were isolated from the fruits of the Bangladeshi medicinal plant Shirakiopsis indica. The structures of 1-4 were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Shirakindican A (1) was assigned as a tigliane-type diterpene ester possessing an unusual 6β-hydroxy-1,7-dien-3-one structure, while shirakindican B (2) exhibits a tiglia-1,5-dien-3,7-dione structure. The anti-HIV activities of the isolated diterpene esters were evaluated and showed significant activities for sapintoxins A (5) and D (11), with EC50 values of 0.0074 and 0.044 μM, respectively, and TI values of 1 100 and 5 290. Sapatoxin A (12) also exhibited anti-HIV activity with an EC50 value of 0.13 μM and a TI value of 161.

Review on Some Bangladeshi Medicinal Plants with Anticancer Properties

According to WHO, cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, accounting for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018. More significant improvements have been made in the management and treatment of cancer, still there remains scope for the betterment of treatment procedures. Mostsynthetic anticancer drugs are known to develop resistance, show cytotoxicity against normal cells due to their non-selective nature, and cause tremendous side effects. Medicinal plants are significantly feasible sources of organic compounds, for their better availability, cheaper price, fewer side effects, and sometimes better therapeutic efficacy, which may benefit the world commercially or act as an important starting point for identifying lead compounds to develop modified derivatives. This article describes the ethnobotanical properties of 15 available medicinal plants of Bangladesh having anti-cancer properties. Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 21(1): 95-104, 2022 (June)

Phytochemicals from Bangladeshi Medicinal Plants Potentially Targeting Non-Structural Protein 2/Non-Structural Protein 3 Chimera of Dengue Virus: An in silico study

In Bangladesh, the incidence and death rate of patients suffering from dengue infection are escalating. To date, there is no effective antiviral against dengue virus. Treatment regimen mostly includes symptomatic management of the disease. In this study, we performed molecular docking with 36 phytochemicals extracted from Bangladeshi medicinal plants namely Averrhoa carambola L., Curcuma longa L., Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L. and Zingiber officinale against dengue virus non-structural protein 2/non-structural protein 3 (NS2/NS3) chimera. The NS2/NS3 complex functions simultaneously as helicase/protease and/or RNA-tri-phosphatase. The compounds calceolarioside A, ᵞ-elemene, β-sitosterol, β-elemene and curcuminoid-D exhibited high binding affinity (ranging from -8.3 to -7.2 kJ/mol) towards the selected protein and their drug-likeness was confirmed via ADMET analysis. Hence, these compounds have the potential to inhibit viral replication as indicated by computational calculation. However, further in vitro and in vivo studies can be undertaken to confirm such inhibitory properties of the reported phytochemicals. Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 20(3): 417-426, 2022 (June) Centennial Special Issue

Evaluation of α-Amylase Inhibitory, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities of Mimusops elengi Seeds

Mimusops elengi Linn., locally known as “Bakul, is a commonly used medicinal plant in Bangladesh to treat several maladities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antioxidant, α-amylase inhibitory and cytotoxic activity of four different solvent fractions such as petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and water of M. elengi seed. In this study, the high ferric reducing (1.74 ± 0.005) and DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC50 39.49 ± 0.05 μg/ml) was observed in the ethyl acetate fraction. The highest amount of flavonoid content (1059.80 ± 2.15 mg of CE/g) and total antioxidant capacity (0.17 ± 0.005) was present in chloroform fraction. On the other hand, the ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the highest total phenolic content (182.90 ± 0.38 mg of GAE/g). Crude methanolic extract showed highest inhibition of α-amylase with IC50 value of 4.09 ± 0.08 mg/ml. The brine shrimp lethality bioassay of ethyl acetate fraction exhibited maximum toxicity with low LD50 value 127.10 μg/ml. Thus, extracts of M. elengi seed could be a source of antioxidant, cytotoxic and α-amylase inhibitory activity containing compounds. Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 25(1): 16-25, 2022 (January)

Promising Actions of Certain Medicinal Plants of Bangladesh against Diabetes and Oxidative Stress: A Review

Diabetes is a metabolic illness defined by hyperglycemia that affects 10% of the world’s population. Diabetic complications such as blindness, kidney failure, and heart failure can develop if left untreated and are made worse by oxidative stress. Oxidative stress contributes to the rise of diabetic complications, particularly type-2 diabetes. In the blood vessels of diabetic individuals, it causes endothelial dysfunction. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Nowadays, it is alarming that the number of diabetic patients is increasing dramatically. There are plenty of anti-diabetic drugs available on the market, but they possess several adverse effects and do not completely cure diabetes. It has now become a financial burden on patients, their families, and society as well. Medicinal plants have gained popularity in developed and developing countries over the last two decades because of their vast natural sources and lack of harmful effects compared to modern allopathic medications. According to the World Health Organization, traditional medicines, which are mostly manufactured from plants, are still used by 80% of the population in developing countries for the management and curing of diseases. This review includes 81 Bangladeshi medicinal plants from 51 different families that can be used to treat diabetes and oxidative stress. Among them, Psidium guajava (L.), Aloe vera, Catharanthus roseus, Allium sativum, Annona squamosa, Cinnamon zeylaniucm, Amaranthus esculentus, Eugenia jambolana, Azadirachta indica, Moringa oleifera, Spondias pinnata, Coccinia grandis (L.), Momordica charantia L., Heretiera fomes, Trigonella foenum-graecum were most potent. The fundamental purpose of our study is to find out and highlight certain medicinal plants in Bangladesh that have anti-diabetic and antioxidant capabilities so that the researchers can develop newer anti-diabetic medications with minimal side effects to treat metabolic dysfunction, diabetic complications, and oxidative stress more effectively.

Therapeutic Promises of Medicinal Plants in Bangladesh and Their Bioactive Compounds against Ulcers and Inflammatory Diseases.

When functioning properly, the stomach is the center of both physical and mental satisfaction. Gastrointestinal disorders, or malfunctioning of the stomach, due to infections caused by various biological entities and physiochemical abnormalities, are now widespread, with most of the diseases being inflammatory, which, depending on the position and degree of inflammation, have different names such as peptic or gastric ulcers, irritable bowel diseases, ulcerative colitis, and so on. While many synthetic drugs, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are now extensively used to treat these diseases, their harmful and long-term side effects cannot be ignored. To treat these diseases safely and successfully, different potent medicinal plants and their active components are considered game-changers. In consideration of this, the present review aimed to reveal a general and comprehensive updated overview of the anti-ulcer and anti-inflammatory activities of medicinal plants. To emphasize the efficacy of the medicinal plants, various bioactive compounds from the plant extract, their experimental animal models, and clinical trials are depicted.

Anticholinesterase Activity of Eight Medicinal Plant Species: In Vitro and In Silico Studies in the Search for Therapeutic Agents against Alzheimer's Disease.

Many Bangladeshi medicinal plants have been used to treat Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, the anticholinesterase effects of eight selected Bangladeshi medicinal plant species were investigated. Species were selected based on the traditional uses against CNS-related diseases. Extracts were prepared using a gentle cold extraction method. In vitro cholinesterase inhibitory effects were measured by Ellman's method in 96-well microplates. Blumea lacera (Compositae) and Cyclea barbata (Menispermaceae) were found to have the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibitory (IC50, 150 ± 11 and 176 ± 14 µg/mL, respectively) and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory effect (IC50, 297 ± 13 and 124 ± 2 µg/mL, respectively). Cyclea barbata demonstrated competitive inhibition, where Blumea lacera showed an uncompetitive inhibition mode for acetylcholinesterase. Smilax guianensis (Smilacaceae) and Byttneria pilosa (Malvaceae) were also found to show moderate AChE inhibition (IC50, 205 ± 31 and 221 ± 2 µg/mL, respectively), although no significant BChE inhibitory effect was observed for extracts from these plant species. Among others, Thunbergia grandiflora (Acanthaceae) and Mikania micrantha (Compositae) were found to display noticeable AChE (IC50, 252 ± 22 µg/mL) and BChE (IC50, 314 ± 15 µg/mL) inhibitory effects, respectively. Molecular docking experiment suggested that compounds 5-hydroxy-3,6,7,3′,4′-pentamethoxyflavone (BL4) and kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1⟶6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (BL5) from Blumea lacera bound stably to the binding groove of the AChE and BChE by hydrogen-bond interactions, respectively. Therefore, these compounds could be candidates for cholinesterase inhibitors. The present findings demonstrated that Blumea lacera and Cyclea barbata are interesting objects for further studies aiming at future therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease.

Appraisals of the Bangladeshi Medicinal Plant Calotropis gigantea Used by Folk Medicine Practitioners in the Management of COVID-19: A Biochemical and Computational Approach.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first recognized in Wuhan in late 2019 and, since then, had spread globally, eventually culminating in the ongoing pandemic. As there is a lack of targeted therapeutics, there is certain opportunity for the scientific community to develop new drugs or vaccines against COVID-19 and so many synthetic bioactive compounds are undergoing clinical trials. In most of the countries, due to the broad therapeutic spectrum and minimal side effects, medicinal plants have been used widely throughout history as traditional healing remedy. Because of the unavailability of synthetic bioactive antiviral drugs, hence all possible efforts have been focused on the search for new drugs and alternative medicines from different herbal formulations. In recent times, it has been assured that the Mpro, also called 3CLpro, is the SARS-CoV-2 main protease enzyme responsible for viral reproduction and thereby impeding the host’s immune response. As such, Mpro represents a highly specified target for drugs capable of inhibitory action against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As there continue to be no clear options for the treatment of COVID-19, the identification of potential candidates has become a necessity. The present investigation focuses on the in silico pharmacological activity of Calotropis gigantea, a large shrub, as a potential option for COVID-19 Mpro inhibition and includes an ADME/T profile analysis of that ligand. For this study, with the help of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of C. gigantea methanolic leaf extract, a total of 30 bioactive compounds were selected. Our analyses unveiled the top four options that might turn out to be prospective anti–SARS-CoV-2 lead molecules; these warrant further exploration as well as possible application in processes of drug development to combat COVID-19.

Comparative Study on Antimicrobial Activity of Four Bangladeshi Medicinal Plants Used as Antimicrobial Finishes on Cotton Fabric

Considering the post COVID19 pandemic situation, it can be assumed that using safer clothing will be a great attraction point for consumers across the world. In that scenario, effective antimicrobial finishes that are readily available and cheap would contribute to the consumer demand of safer clothing. This study scrutinized the antimicrobial activity of bleached cotton fabric treated with extracts of Ocimum tenuiflorum (Basil), Mentha spicata (Spearmint), Centella asiatica (Indian pennywort) and Azadirachta indica (Neem) as antimicrobial finishes. The study aims at assessing the comparative activity of four abovementioned natural medicinal plants which can be used as ecofriendly antimicrobial finishes for textiles. Bleached cotton fabric samples were treated with plant extractions following exhaust method and then evaluated by using ASTM E2149-01 method against gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli. The results depicted that all the four samples showed antimicrobial activity with more than 95% reduction of micro-organisms. Among the four, Ocimum tenuiflorum (Basil) showed the best result against both E. coli and S. aureus with reduction percentage of 98.81% and 99.16% respectively. Although Azadirachta indica (Neem) has comparatively the lowest performance against E. coli, its antimicrobial activity against S. aureus is very close to Ocimum tenuiflorum (Basil).

Comparative Study on Antimicrobial Activity of Four Bangladeshi Medicinal Plants used as Antimicrobial Finishes on Cotton Fabric

Considering the post COVID-19 pandemic situation, it can be assumed that using safer clothing will be a great attraction point for consumers across the world. In that scenario, effective antimicrobial finishes that are readily available and cheap would contribute to the consumer demand of safer clothing. This study scrutinized the antimicrobial activity of bleached cotton fabric treated with extracts of Ocimum tenuiflorum (Basil), Mentha spicata (Spearmint), Centella asiatica (Indian pennywort) and Azadirachta indica (Neem) as antimicrobial finishes. The study aims at assessing the comparative activity of four abovementioned natural medicinal plants, which can be used as ecofriendly antimicrobial finishes for textiles. Bleached cotton fabric samples were treated with plant extractions following exhaust method and then evaluated by using ASTM E2149-01 method against gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli. The results depicted that all the four samples showed antimicrobial activity with more than 95% reduction of micro-organisms. Among the four, Ocimum tenuiflorum (Basil) showed the best result against both E. coli and S. aureus with reduction percentage of 98.81% and 99.16% respectively. Although Azadirachta indica (Neem) has comparatively the lowest performance against E. coli, its antimicrobial activity against S. aureus is very close to Ocimum tenuiflorum (Basil).