Bioactive Compounds In Medicinal Plants Research Articles

Chemical Profiling and Biological Activities of Ziziphus Mauritiana var. spontanea (Edgew.) R.R. Stewart ex Qaiser & Nazim. and Oenothera Biennis L.

Bioactive compounds of medicinal plants, including polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, and alkaloids, are essential sources for developing analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antidiarrheal drugs. In the current study, secondary metabolites were assessed through phytochemical screening and GC-MS analysis whereas analgesic activity was carried out through hot plate (HP) and acetic acid-induced method (AAI), anti-inflammatory through paw edema model (PEM), and antispasmodic activity via charcoal meal test (CMT) using ethyl acetate and ethanolic extract of Ziziphus mauritiana var. spontanea and Oenothera biennis. The phytochemical screening revealed that the ethyl acetate and ethanolic extracts of Z. mauritiana and O. biennis were rich in alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, steroids, triterpenoids, and saponins. GC-MS analysis of Z. mauritiana and O. biennis of ethyl acetate and ethanolic extract showed the existence of many bioactive substances at various retention durations (min). These included pharmacologically active compounds such as heptadecane, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, hexadecanoic acid, and tetradecanoic acid. The results of the HP method revealed that ethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts of Z. mauritiana and O. biennis at 300 mg/kg increased basal reaction time significantly (p<0.001) after 90 min. The results of the AAI method revealed that the ethanolic and ethyl acetate extract of Z. mauritiana and O. biennis showed significant (p<0.001) peripheral analgesic activity at the dose of 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight. The dosage of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight of the ethyl acetate and ethanolic extracts of Z. mauritiana and O. biennis showed significant (p<0.001) anti-inflammatory activity. According to PEM, the ethanolic extract of O. biennis showed the highest reduction in paw volume (73.3%) at 300 mg/kg. The results of CMT revealed that ethanolic and ethyl acetate extract of Z. mauritiana and O. biennis significantly (p<0.001) inhibited charcoal movement at 300 mg/kg. The maximum percent inhibition (67.2%) was shown by ethyl acetate of O. biennis at 300 mg/kg. From the present study, it can be concluded that ethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts of Z. mauritiana and O. biennis have the potential to manage inflammation, pain, and diarrhea-related problems mainly at a higher dose, i.e., 300 mg/kg. The presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, steroids, triterpenoids, and saponins might be among the responsible bioactive constituents. These plants showed significant medicinal and therapeutic efficacy which are novel. However, further studies are required to investigate the mechanism responsible for the activity.

GC-MS and HPTLC bioautography-based phytochemical profiling and evaluation of biological activity Neptunia prostrata Linn whole plant and leaves

This work used experimental methods to evaluate the chemical composition of GC-MS, HPTLC-based bioautographaphy, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and protein denaturation properties of the Neptunia prostrata Linn (family: Mimosaceae) whole plant and leaves. Three methods, namely DPPH, metal chelating, and reducing power assays, were used to estimate the antioxidant effects. In addition, α-amylase, a carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzyme, was targeted to test the anti-diabetic activity. The protein denaturation assay was used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the plant. GC-MS, an important analytical tool, was performed to identify bioactive compounds of medicinal plants used in pharmaceutical industries. Biochemical derivatization HPTLC-based bioautography with DPPH was executed to identify antioxidant agents from N. prostrata. The validated HPTLC method was used to quantify identified antioxidant agents. The stability of compounds, preparation of calibration curves, linearity, range, precision, limit of detection, limit of quantification, robustness, and accuracy are examined to develop a robust method. Higher total phenolic content (TPC) content was observed in N. prostrata hydroalcoholic extract of the whole plant (81.12 ± 4.19 mg GAE/g) and methanolic extract of leaves (105.16 ± 3.11 mg GAE/g). Methanolic extract of N. prostrata leaves showed significantly high antioxidant potential for all DPPH (IC50:28.05 ± 1.78 µg/mL), metal chelating (IC50:1598 ± 23.51 µg/mL), and reducing power assay compared to standard ascorbic acid (DPPH assay: IC50:24.14 ± 2.34 µg/mL and metal chelating: IC50:1301.16 ± 6.14 µg/mL). N. prostrata aqueous extract of the whole plant (IC50:179.47 ± 10.59 µg/mL) and leaves (IC50:130.86 ± 3.58 µg/mL) showed significantly high α-amylase inhibitory activity as compared to standard acarbose (IC50:148.62 ± 7.84 µg/mL). Methanolic extract of whole plants (IC50:131.46 ± 11.81 µg/mL) and chloroform extract of leaves (IC50:122.61 ± 8.19 µg/mL) exhibited strong anti-inflammatory activity as compared to standard acetylsalicylic acid (IC50:117.77 ± 4.95 µg/mL). GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of several bioactive compounds, where 2-cyclopenten-1-one, 2-hydroxy showed the most abundant bioactive compounds in the plant with 17.01%. HPTLC-bioautography identified three phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid) and one flavonoid (naringenin), further quantified with the validated HPTLC method. These findings propose that N. prostrata has therapeutic potential for treating diseases related to oxidative damage, diabetes, and inflammation, which may be due to the presence of bioactive compounds.

Hemolytic, antioxidant, and phospholipase A2 neutralization efficacy of Asparagus racemosus, Withania somnifera, Syzygium cumini, Psidium guajava, Basella alba, Morus indica, Morus laevigata, and Morus latifolia

Bangladesh is abundant in medicinal plants. The bioactive compounds in medicinal plants provide novel therapeutic opportunity of improving human health. But, the benefit-risk balance is usually less considered during formulation of traditional medicine. However, the plants that we included in this study are not studied regarding their hemolytic and anti-venom properties. Thus, we aimed to evaluate and compare the hemolytic activity, antioxidant activity, and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) enzyme neutralization efficacy of aqueous and methanolic extracts of eight known medicinal plants including Asparagus racemosus (root), Withania somnifera (root), Syzygium cumini (leaf), Psidium guajava (leaf), Basella alba (leaf and seed), Morus indica (leaf), M. laevigata (leaf), and M. latifolia (leaf). The results of the hemolytic activity test suggested that the methanolic extracts of S. cumini, P. guajava, B. alba (leaf and seed), M. indica, M. laevigata, and M. latifolia showed significantly higher hemolytic activity compared to their aqueous extracts. The methanolic extracts of A. racemosus, W. somnifera, P. guajava, M. laevigata, and M. latifolia showed remarkable antioxidant activity. Moreover, the results of the PLA2 enzyme neutralization activity test revealed that both aqueous and methanolic extracts of P. guajava, S. cumini, and B. alba (leaf) have significant PLA2 neutralization capacity. Altogether, the aqueous extracts of all plants, except A. racemosus root, have ignorable hemolytic effect. Additionally, P. guajava and S. cumini leaf aqueous extracts have promising PLA2 inhibitory effect and may become the potential source of bioactive compounds for anti-venom drug development.

The Egyptians' Use of Spices from “Attarin Market” In Folk Medicine, a Survey Study

ABSTRACT: Economic botanists investigate the relationship between humans and plants to understand how plants are used in culture, where some foods come from, and how to use plant resources sustainably. A large proportion of the general population in developing countries still uses traditional folk medicines derived from plant sources. Bioactive compounds in medicinal plants have always attracted great interest from scientists in this field. Egypt is famous of the folkloric medicine plants. This is considered the main source for new medicines discoveries. The methods of cure and herbal prescriptions are generally not written down. These skills are passed from one generation to the other through apprenticeship and once forgotten may not be revived again. This research aims to focus on the traditional uses of some herbs and spices which have medicinal property and be used as a functional food for humans in Greater Cairo area, Egypt for thousands of years. Ethno-botanical field trips were done in different Attarin Markets of Cairo province. The various data concerning 30 species (local name, locations, medical uses, parts of plant used… etc), were recorded. The information was gathered using a questionnaire distributed through the ethno-botanical interviews. The results were discussed and different recommendations were suggested.

Estimating the production of withaferin A and withanolide A in Withania somnifera (L.) dunal using aquaponics for sustainable development in hill agriculture.

Humanity is suffering from huge and severe difficulties, including changes in climate, soil degradation, scarcity of water and the security of food and medicines, among others. The aquaponics system acts as a closed loop consisting of aquaculture elements and hydroponics, which may contribute to addressing these problems. The aquaponics method is quickly expanding as the requirement to increase the production of sustainable herbal products, including medicinal compounds and foods, in freshwater systems and replenish phosphorous reserves shrinks. The current work is designed to increase the production of the antioxidants withaferin A and withanolide A in two varieties (Jawahar-20 and Poshita) of W. somnifera using the aquaponics technique. Total 100 seedlings (one month old) grown in soil initially were taken to be grown in aquaponics for a time period of 6 months.And 100 seedlings were placed in pots containing soil as control for study after six months. It was observed that the higher content of withaferin A was analyzed in the root and stem samples of Jawahar-20 and Poshita from the six-month-old plant of W. somnifera. The maximum content of withanolide A was examined in the root samples of the six month-old plants of Poshita (1.879 mg/g) and Jawahar-20 (1.221 mg/g). While the 6 month old Poshita seedling grown in soil recorded less withaferin A (0.115 ± 0.009b) and withanolide A (0.138 ± 0.008d). It is concluded that Poshita was found to be more promising for the enhanced production of withaferin A and withanolide A in the aquaponics system. Moreover, the root was observed as the best source for the production of withaferin A and withanolide A and the best age of the plant is 2 years for the production compounds in medicinal plants with futuristic perspective to hill agriculture integrated farming. compounds. Thus aquaponics can be an effective approach with enhanced yield of bioactive compounds in medicinal plants with futuristic perspective to hill agriculture and integrated farming.

In vitro antioxidant activity of alginate nanoparticles encapsulating the aqueous extract of Coccinia grandis L.

Bioactive compounds in medicinal plants are more susceptible to preventing oxidative stress. Encapsulation of herbal extracts has empowered the properties and characteristics of bioactive compounds. Nanoencapsulation allows the enhancement of the stability of extracts and targeted drug delivery. The present study aims to determine the antioxidant activity of alginate nanoparticles encapsulating the aqueous extract of Coccinia grandis L. (Family: Cucurbitaceae). The aqueous extract of C. grandis (AqCG) was prepared by using ultrasonication (40 °C, 20 min, 40 kHz) followed by refluxing (2½ h). The prepared AqCG (1-5 mg/mL) encapsulated alginate nanoparticles were synthesized by ionic gelation with the addition of extracts and CaCl2. Characterization of nanoparticles was performed via encapsulation efficiency (EE%), loading capacity (LC%), particle size (PS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), zeta potential and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis. The antioxidant activity of the nanoparticles was evaluated in vitro by the ferric reducing antioxidant (FRAP) assay, 2,2-di-phenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging assay. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's posthoc test was used to analyze the data. Maximum LC% (3.07 ± 0.11) and average particle size (71 nm from SEM) were obtained for alginate nanoparticles encapsulated at 4 mg/mL extract concentration. The IC50 values for DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP were 6.49 ± 0.10 mg/mL, 0.24 ± 0.01 mg/mL, and 20.63 ± 0.28 mg Trolox equivalent/g of extract respectively for alginate nanoparticles encapsulating the AqCG. Nanoparticles have shown a significant difference in IC50 values compared to Trolox (p < 0.05). The successful encapsulation of the AqCG in the alginate matrix was evidenced by FTIR and SEM analysis. Encapsulation contributed to enhancing the antioxidant activity in terms of ABTS assay when compared to the AqCG. However, in vitro release and stability studies are warranted to facilitate the development of a commercially viable nanonutraceutical using alginate nanoparticles encapsulating the AqCG.

Exposure, formation, and various available treatments to combat hepatocellular carcinoma: A comprehensive review

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary liver tumor that develops from chronically damaged tissue that contains large amounts of inflammation and fibrosis, which also promote tumor progression and resistance to therapy. It is the most common cancer with high mortality (&gt;60,000) in low resourced countries, which covers over 5% of the deaths and the sixth most widespread cause of cancer death among cirrhosis patients across the globe. There has been a widespread notion that synthetic agents are the cause of most cancers. There are many other hereditary and environmental factors, which alter the behavior and aggressiveness of HCC, particularly at early stages of disease. This remains a significant public health challenge and is assumed to affect over 1 million people every year by 2025. The present situation reflects that HCC is steadily increasing in developed countries due to poor prognosis. Newer treatments are needed with several being in development, either in pre-clinical or clinical studies. Over the past decade, herbal medicines have been accepted globally as prominent therapeutic agents for prevention and treatment of cancer. This review summarizes several aspects of environmental chemical carcinogenesis and their treatments by using diverse natural bioactive compounds of medicinal plants.

EFEK SITOTOKSISITAS SENYAWA BIOAKTIF TUMBUHAN TERHADAP SEL KANKER PAYUDARA -SKBR3 CELL LINE : A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

SKBR3 cancer cells are cell cultures isolated from pleural effusion of a 43-year-old Caucasian woman with metastatic breast cancer. Many plant species are used in alternative medicine which has increased in recent decades for purposes related to breast cancer. The purpose of this systematic review is to make it easier to study the potential of bioactive compounds of medicinal plants and to analyze the effects of medicinal plants on cancer cells. This study uses a search strategy to retrieve articles, including the following items: related scientific questions, database to be used, selection of keywords, inclusion and exclusion criteria, definition of results and conclusions regarding the selected articles. Eight articles that met the inclusion criteria and had compounds derived from plants were tested in vitro on the SKBR3 cell line to see their toxicity. These plant bioactive compounds play an important role in the proliferative phase, cell cycle, fatty acid synthesis and apoptosis of cancer cells.

Anti-obesity effects of aerobic exercise along with Rosa canina seed extract supplementation in rats: The role of irisin and adipolin

Aerobic exercise and some bioactive compounds in medicinal plants have anti-obesity effects and can suppress body weight. The aim of this study was to determine the anti-obesity effects of 6 weeks of aerobic exercise (AE) and supplementation of the hydroalcoholic extract of Rosa canina fruit seed (RC) in obese male rats. In this experimental study, 24 high-fat diet (HFD) obese male Wistar rats were used. The animals were randomly divided into 4 groups (6 rat in group), including 1. HFD (the control group), 2. HFD + AE, 3. HFD + RC and 4. HFD + AE + RC. An obesity protocol was implemented for 12 weeks with the consumption of HFD along with the consumption of water containing 1 % fructose. Afterwards, the animals were given access only to HFD food until the end of the study in all the groups. After the obesity protocol, 6 weeks of exercise (50–70 % VO2 max) and access to the extract (1 % of the consumed food) were given. Bodyweight, subcutaneous adipose tissue mass, and some serum lipid profiles were measured in the experimental groups. The serum levels of irisin and adipolin were evaluated by the ELISA method. Expression of FNDC5 and CTRP12 in adipose tissue were determined by real-time PCR. The findings of this study showed that body weight (P = 0.001), subcutaneous adipose tissue mass (P = 0.001), and lipid profile were significantly reduced in HFD + AE and HFD + AE + RC groups compared with the HFD group. Irisin was significantly increased in the HFD + AE and HFD + AE + RC groups compared with the HFD group (P = 0.019 and P = 0.001; respectively) and in the HFD + AE + RC group compared with the HFD + RC group (P = 0.004). Moreover, adipolin, expression of FNDC5 and CTRP12 were significantly increased in the HFD + AE + RC group compared with the HFD group (P = 0.004, P = 0.023, and P = 0.001; respectively). Altogether, HFD + AE with HFD + RC diet supplementation could reduce weight and the risks of obesity, at least, through the up-regulation of irisin and adipolin.

DETERMINATION OF IRIDOID, ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS BY HPLC METHOD IN PLANTS GENTIANA CRUCIATA L. FROM DIFFERENT GROWTH PLACE

Background. The ecological and geographical conditions of the habitat may be responsible for the synthesis and accumulation of various bioactive compounds and, therefore, for biological effects, including the antioxidant properties of medicinal plants. Understanding the impact of environmental factors on bioactive compounds in medicinal plants have great importance for choosing a place for growing and harvesting plants with a high content of bioactive compounds, as well as providing the highest quality raw materials in the pharmaceutical industry.&#x0D; Objective. To study the accumulation of iridoids, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in G. cruciata plant samples, depending on the growing conditions.&#x0D; Results. The regions of the Republic of Tatarstan with the best quality of medicinal raw materials, as well as factors contributing to the accumulation of various groups of biologically active substances in G. cruciate plants, were identified. Humidity and soil type played a decisive role in the accumulation of iridoids; the synthesis of phenolic compounds was more influenced by humidity than the type of soil. However, since the change in antioxidant activity did not correspond to concentration of phenolic compounds, this may be due to the presence of iridoids, which are considered to be the main substances of the plant of the genus Grecian. Their antioxidant activity has been shown in previous studies. In our studies, soil properties seem to have great influence on the production of studied compounds.&#x0D; Conclusions. Almetevsky and Laishevsky districts can be chosen as the optimal place for growing and collecting medicinal plants G. cruciata L.

Rhizobacterial compositions and their relationships with soil properties and medicinal bioactive ingredients in Cinnamomum migao.

Rhizobacterial communities and their metabolites can affect plant growth, development, and stress resistance, as well as the biosynthesis and accumulation of bioactive compounds in medicinal plants. This relationship has been well-characterized in many medicinal herbs, although much less commonly in medicinal trees. Here, we analyzed the composition and structure of Cinnamomum migao rhizobacterial communities across nine growing regions in Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi, China, as well as differences in soil properties and fruit bioactive compounds. Results showed that the C. migao rhizobacterial communities exhibited high species richness, but location-specific differences in structure. Site-specific differences in soil properties and bioactive compounds were also observed. Furthermore, rhizobacterial community compositions were correlated with both soil properties and fruit bioactive compounds, metabolism-related functions were most common in C. migao rhizobacteria. Several bacterial genera, including Acidothermus, Acidibacter, Bryobacter, Candidatus_Solibacter, and Acidimicrobiales, potentially promote the biosynthesis and accumulation of 1,8-cineole, cypressene, limonene, and α-terpineol, Nitrospira and Alphaproteobacteria may play an inhibitory role. Finally, our results emphasized the critical role that soil pH and nitrogen levels play in driving rhizobacterial community structure, and specific functional bacteria can also counteract with soil properties, Acidibacter and Nitrospira can affect soil pH and nitrogen effectiveness. Overall, this study provides additional insight into the complex correlation of rhizosphere microorganisms with bioactive ingredients and soil properties of medicinal plants.

Smart Farming Enhances Bioactive Compounds Content of Panax ginseng on Moderating Scopolamine-Induced Memory Deficits and Neuroinflammation.

Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) is a traditional herbal supplement known to have a variety of pharmacological activities. A smart farm system could provide potential standardization of ginseng seedlings after investigating plant metabolic responses to various parameters in order to design optimal conditions. This research was performed to investigate the effect of smart-farmed ginseng on memory improvement in a scopolamine-induced memory deficit mouse model and an LPS-induced microglial cell model. A smart farming system was applied to culture ginseng. The administration of its extract (S2 extract) under specific culture conditions significantly attenuated cognitive and spatial memory deficits by regulating AKT/ERK/CREB signaling, as well as the cortical inflammation associated with suppression of COX-2 and NLRP3 induced by scopolamine. In addition, S2 extract improved the activation of iNOS and COX-2, and the secretion of NO in LPS-induced BV-2 microglia. Based on the HPLC fingerprint and in vitro data, ginsenosides Rb2 and Rd were found to be the main contributors to the anti-inflammatory effects of the S2 extract. Our findings suggest that integrating a smart farm system may enhance the metabolic productivity of ginseng and provides evidence of its potential impact on natural bioactive compounds of medicinal plants with beneficial qualities, such as ginsenosides Rb2 and Rd.

Effect of feeding bioactive compounds identified from plant extracts (4-hexylresorcinol, 7-hydroxycoumarin, and gamma-octalactone) on the productivity and quality of broiler meat.

Secondary bioactive compounds of medicinal plants exert anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and metabolism-modulating effects. This study aimed to investigate the effect of feeding 4-hexylresorcinol, as well as its combinations with gamma-octalactone and 7-hydroxycoumarin, on the digestibility of dietary nutrients, weight gain, and quality characteristics of the meat and liver of Arbor Acres broiler chickens. The following feeding scheme was applied on the chickens: Control, basal diet (BD); I experimental, BD + 4-hexylresorcinol at 0.5 mg/kg of live weight per day; II experimental, BD + 4-hexylresorcinol + gamma-octalactone at 0.4 mg/kg of live weight per day; III experimental, BD + 4-hexylresorcinol + 7-hydroxycoumarin at 0.1 and 0.15 mg/kg of live weight per day; and IV experimental, BD + 4-hexylresorcinol + gamma-octalactone + 7-hydroxycoumarin at 0.05, 0.15, and 0.01 mg/kg of live weight per day. Chickens in I, II, and IV experimental groups at the age of 35 days showed superior live weight than chickens in the control group. Supplementation with all the tested additives, except the combination 4-hexylresorcinol + 7-hydroxycoumarin, significantly increased the digestibility coefficients of dietary nutrients. Supplementation with the combinations 4-hexylresorcinol + gamma-octalactone and 4-hexylresorcinol + gamma-octalactone + 7-hydroxycoumarin significantly increased the amount of fat in the pectoral muscles. However, the mass fraction of fat in the thigh muscles of broiler chickens decreased in II, III, and IV experimental groups. The pectoral muscles of broiler chickens in experimental Group IV contained small amounts of lysine, tyrosine, histidine, leucine-isoleucine, methionine, valine, proline, threonine, serine, alanine, and glycine. Supplementation with pure 4-hexylresorcinol significantly reduced the levels of lysine, phenylalanine, histidine, leucine-isoleucine, methionine, valine, proline, threonine, and alanine in the thigh muscles. However, supplementation with pure 4-hexylresorcinol significantly increased the concentrations of P, Fe, Se, Zn, and B and decreased the concentrations of I, Ni, V, Al, and Pb in the pectoral muscles. Supplementation with the combination 4-hexylresorcinol + gamma-octalactone + 7-hydroxycoumarin resulted in the accumulation of Ca, Co, Fe, Mn, Se, Zn, and Li and a decrease in the concentrations of K, Mg, and V. Supplementation with all the tested additives, except the combination 4-hexylresorcinol + 7-hydroxycoumarin, exerted a positive effect on the indicators of live weight gain and dietary nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens. Supplementation with the combinations 4-hexylresorcinol + gamma-octalactone and 4-hexylresorcinol + gamma-octalactone + 7-hydroxycoumarin increased the amount of fat in the pectoral muscles but decreased it in the thigh muscles. Supplementation with all the tested additives decreased the concentrations of I in the pectoral muscles and Zn in the thigh muscles in all the experimental groups compared with those in the control group.

Phaleria macrocarpa Leaves Extract Reduce Tumors Growth and Improve Histological Changes of Liver and Kidney on 4T1 Breast Cancer Mice Model

Breast cancer is a type of cancer that highly occurs globally and causes death cases. Of the many ways of treating breast cancer, chemotherapy is the most recommended, even though it causes various disturbing side effects. Therefore, alternative medicine using bioactive compounds of medicinal plants has begun to be widely used, for example, Phaleria macrocarpa, a plant native to Indonesia with anticancer and antioxidant activity. The liver and kidneys are important organs that function to maintain body homeostasis. The use of crude extracts of medicinal plants often causes damage to those organs at inappropriate doses. This research aimed to get an effective dose for reducing breast cancer growth and is safe for the liver and kidneys. A total of 36 mice were divided into six groups, including healthy control, cancer control, cisplatin, and three doses of P. macrocarpa extract (58.9, 117.8, and 235.6 mg.kg-1). The experimental animals were injected using a 4T1 cell line and treated orally using P. macrocarpa leaf ethanol extract for two and three weeks. The tumor volume of mice was measured periodically. At the end of treatment, mice were sacrificed, and their liver and kidney organs were isolated. Both organs were then prepared for H&amp;E staining and observed using a microscope. The results showed that a dose of 58.9 mg.kg-1 and 117.8 mg.kg-1 of P. macrocarpa extract could reduce tumor volume by more than 90%, and the 117.8 mg.kg-1 dose is the safest dose to use because it does not affect the kidney and cause chronic damage to liver tissue. Keywords: extract, kidney, liver, tissue damage, tumor.

GC-MS bioactive compounds in Ocimum gratissimum methanol and hexane extracts a comparative study

Bioactive compounds in medicinal plants are very important because they are the active ingredients in the plant. Therefore this work is aimed at determining the bioactive compounds in methanol and n-hexane extracts of Ocimum gratissimum using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The leaves of Ocimum gratissimum were dried and grounded and extracted with methanol and n-hexane separately. The extract was concentrated to a dark paste, which was later subjected to GC-MS analysis. Results revealed the presence of many compounds for example octacosane with peak number 47 retention time RT 22.521 and % area of 7.82, other extracts of Medicinal importance are 2,6,10,14,18,22-tetracosahexaene RT 24.584 area % 5.51 and peak number 55, erythro-9,10-dibropentacosane with a peak number 52 RT 24.142 and % area 3.30, heneicosane has a peak number 43, RT 22.024 and % area 5.45, 2-methyloctacosane has a peak number 36 RT 20.069 and area % of 5.57.

COMPUTATIONAL STUDIES OF POTENTIAL EBOLA VP40 INHIBITORS USING BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS FROM MEDICINAL PLANTS OF MALAYSIA

Ebola virus (EBOV) belongs to Filoviridae family, a deadly virus that can cause severe viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHF) with a high fatality rate between 25 to 90 percent. Amongst EBOV proteins, the EBOV matrix protein VP40 is crucial in facilitating the transcription of the viral gene in the early stage of infection. To date, there is no cure for EBOV and available chemical drugs were known to cause severe side effects. It is known that bioactive compounds from natural products can potentially combat this viral disease with fewer side effects. Therefore, this study aims to screen 15 bioactive compounds of medicinal plants from Malaysia. These compounds were docked against the RNA active site (Phe125 and Arg134) on VP40 matrix protein using AutoDock Vina. The ADMET properties and the toxicity class of the compounds were predicted computationally, and the compounds with good oral bioavailability were chosen for docking simulations. The top three docked compounds namely apigenin, epiexcelsin and kaempferol have a binding affinity of -4.6, -4.4 and -4.3 kJ/mol respectively. Our MD simulation study showed that epiexcelsin is the best candidate among the three selected compounds. Binding free energy calculation via molecular-mechanics Poisson Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) method showed that epiexcelsin has the lowest binding free energy of -56.503 kJ/mol compared to apigenin (-40.344 kJ/mol) and kaemferol (-27.329 kJ/mol).  Our results suggest that epiexcelsin from local herbal plants can potentially be explored as a good candidate for further development of EBOV inhibitor targeting VP40.

Evaluation of antiurolithiatic and antioxidant activity of the Egyptian Pluchea dioscoridis L. leaves extracts in vitro

Bioactive compounds in medicinal plants are believed to be an important in the folk of medicine. Many efforts have been done to discover the safe medical treatment instead of chemical drugs which have a harmful effect on the human body. In the present study the crude extracts of Pluchea dioscoridis were tested to evaluate their bioactive compounds (total phenolic and flavonoid compounds) and their effects as antiurolithiasis of human stones (calcium triphosphate (CTP), cholesterol and calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) besides, their antioxidant activities. The measured total phenolic compounds content in the methanol, ethyl acetate, and water extracts of Pluchea dioscoridiswere found to be equal to 11.842, 9.047, and 8.126 mg/g, respectively. Also, the contents of the total flavonoid compounds (total phenol) were 19.018, 15.312, and 14.022mg/g for methanol, ethyl acetate, and aqueous extracts of P.dioscoridis, respectively. The results showed that all extracts of P. dioscoridis have a significant inhibitory effect on the dissolution of the three investigated types of formed stones (CTP, cholesterol, and COM). The inhibition effect was in the order methanol > ethyl acetate > water extract. Also, it was found that all extracts for P.dioscoridis were exhibited 2, 2, diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazil (DPPH) radical, reducing power, ABTS∙+ radical, Nitric oxide radical scavenging activity. Methanol extract of P. dioscoridis exhibited the highest scavenging activity compared to ethyl acetate and water extracts.     Refaat Ahmed Saber

Anti-inflammatory natural products as potential therapeutic agents of rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review

BackgroundRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease causing severe locomotor disability and deterioration in the quality of life. Existing treatments for RA mainly focus on the use of immunomodulators and the suppression of synovial inflammation, and many have significant side effects. Medicinal plants are regarded as important alternative sources for treating RA. PurposeThis review summarizes the bioactive compounds of medicinal plants, which have been shown to modulate the immune response by regulating interleukins in vitro and in vivo experimental models, and that may be promising substances for use in the treatment of RA. MethodsArticles on natural products used for the management of arthritis were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science through electronic and manual search in English. In total, 576 publications were identified, and 34 were included in this systematic review. ResultsTwo articles presented findings on the role of natural components in the treatment of arthritis in both in vitro and in vivo studies. Nine reports defined the role of plant-derived natural molecules in the treatment of arthritis using cell lines, and 27 in vivo studies assessed the anti-arthritic efficacy and immunomodulation effects of phytoconstituents on interleukin production and inflammatory responses. ConclusionThis systematic review broadly reports that, in contrast to other classes of phytochemicals, flavonoids have the greatest therapeutic potential against arthritis by modulating the expression of pro-inflammatory TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17, as well as anti-inflammatory IL-2 and IL-10 cytokines, through the suppression of dynamic inflammatory biomarkers.

The Potential of Medicinal Plants and Bioactive Compounds in the Fight Against COVID-19

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel coronavirus , is causing a serious worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. The emergence of strains with rapid spread and unpredictable changes is the cause of the increase in morbidity and mortality rates. A number of drugs as well as vaccines are currently being used to relieve symptoms, prevent and treat the disease caused by this virus. However, the number of approved drugs is still very limited due to their effectiveness and side effects. In such a situation, medicinal plants and bioactive compounds are considered a highly valuable source in the development of new antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2. This review summarizes medicinal plants and bioactive compounds that have been shown to act on molecular targets involved in the infection and replication of SARS-CoV-2.&#x0D; Keywords: Medicinal plants, bioactive compounds, antivirus, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19&#x0D; References&#x0D; [1] R. Lu, X. Zhao, J. Li, P. Niu, B. Yang, H. Wu et al., Genomic Characterisation and Epidemiology of 2019, Novel Coronavirus: Implications for Virus Origins and Receptor Binding, The Lancet, Vol. 395, 2020, pp. 565-574, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30251-8.[2] World Health Organization, WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard, https://covid19.who.int, 2021 (accessed on: August 27, 2021).[3] H. Wang, P. Yang, K. Liu, F. Guo, Y. Zhang et al., SARS Coronavirus Entry into Host Cells Through a Novel Clathrin- and Caveolae-Independent Endocytic Pathway, Cell Research, Vol. 18, No. 2, 2008, pp. 290-301, https://doi.org/10.1038/cr.2008.15.[4] A. Zumla, J. F. W. Chan, E. I. Azhar, D. S. C. Hui, K. Y. Yuen., Coronaviruses-Drug Discovery and Therapeutic Options, Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, Vol. 15, 2016, pp. 327-347, https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd.2015.37.[5] A. Prasansuklab, A. Theerasri, P. Rangsinth, C. Sillapachaiyaporn, S. Chuchawankul, T. Tencomnao, Anti-COVID-19 Drug Candidates: A Review on Potential Biological Activities of Natural Products in the Management of New Coronavirus Infection, Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 11, 2021, pp. 144-157, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2020.12.001.[6] R. E. Ferner, J. K. Aronson, Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine in Covid-19, BMJ, Vol. 369, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1432[7] J. Remali, W. M. Aizat, A Review on Plant Bioactive Compounds and Their Modes of Action Against Coronavirus Infection, Frontiers in Pharmacology, Vol. 11, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.589044.[8] Y. Chen, Q. Liu, D. Guo, Emerging Coronaviruses: Genome Structure, Replication, and Pathogenesis, Medical Virology, Vol. 92, 2020, pp. 418‐423. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.25681.[9] B. Benarba, A. Pandiella, Medicinal Plants as Sources of Active Molecules Against COVID-19, Frontiers in Pharmacology, Vol. 11, 2020, https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.01189.[10] N. T. Chien, P. V. Trung, N. N. Hanh, Isolation Tribulosin, a Spirostanol Saponin from Tribulus terrestris L, Can Tho University Journal of Science, Vol. 10, 2008, pp. 67-71 (in Vietnamese).[11] V. Q. Thang Study on Extracting Active Ingredient Protodioscin from Tribulus terrestris L.: Doctoral dissertation, VNU University of Science, 2018 (in Vietnamese).[12] Y. H. Song, D. W. Kim, M. J. C. Long, H. J. Yuk, Y. Wang, N. Zhuang et al., Papain-Like Protease (Plpro) Inhibitory Effects of Cinnamic Amides from Tribulus terrestris Fruits, Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, Vol. 37, No. 6, 2014, pp. 1021-1028, https://doi.org/10.1248/bpb.b14-00026.[13] D. Dermawan, B. A. Prabowo, C. A. Rakhmadina, In Silico Study of Medicinal Plants with Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex as The Potential Inhibitors Against SARS-Cov-2 Main Protease (Mpro) and Spike (S) Receptor, Informatics in Medicine Unlocked, Vol. 25, 2021, pp. 1-18, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imu.2021.100645.[14] R. Dang, S. Gezici, Immunomodulatory Effects of Medicinal Plants and Natural Phytochemicals in Combating Covid-19, The 6th International Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MESMAP-6), Izmir, Selcuk (Ephesus), Turkey, 2020, pp. 12-13.[15] G. Jiangning, W. Xinchu, W. Hou, L. Qinghua, B. Kaishun, Antioxidants from a Chinese Medicinal Herb–Psoralea corylifolia L., Food Chemistry, Vol. 9, No. 2, 2005, pp. 287-292, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.04.029.[16] B. Ruan, L. Y. Kong, Y. Takaya, M. Niwa, Studies on The Chemical Constituents of Psoralea corylifolia L., Journal of Asian Natural Products Research, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2007, pp. 41-44, https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020500289618.[17] D. T. Loi, Vietnamese Medicinal Plants and Herbs, Medical Publishing House, Hanoi, 2013 (in Vietnamese).[18] S. Mazraedoost, G. Behbudi, S. M. Mousavi, S. A. Hashemi, Covid-19 Treatment by Plant Compounds, Advances in Applied NanoBio-Technologies, Vol. 2, No. 1, 2021, pp. 23-33, https://doi.org/10.47277/AANBT/2(1)33.[19] B. A. Origbemisoye, S. O. Bamidele, Immunomodulatory Foods and Functional Plants for COVID-19 Prevention: A Review, Asian Journal of Medical Principles and Clinical Practice, 2020, pp. 15-26, https://journalajmpcp.com/index.php/AJMPCP/article/view/30124[20] A. Mandal, A. K. Jha, B. Hazra, Plant Products as Inhibitors of Coronavirus 3CL Protease, Frontiers in Pharmacology, Vol. 12, 2021, pp. 1-16, https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.583387[21] N. H. Tung, V. D. Loi, B. T. Tung, L.Q. Hung, H. B. Tien et al., Triterpenen Ursan Frame Isolated from the Roots of Salvia Miltiorrhiza Bunge Growing in Vietnam, VNU Journal of Science: Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vol. 32, No. 2, 2016, pp. 58-62, https://js.vnu.edu.vn/MPS/article/view/3583 (in Vietnamese).[22] J. Y. Park, J. H. Kim, Y. M. Kim, H. J. Jeong, D. W. Kim, K. H. Park et al., Tanshinones as Selective and Slow-Binding Inhibitors for SARS-CoV Cysteine Proteases. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 20, No. 19, 2012, pp. 5928-5935, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmc.2012.07.038.[23] F. Hamdani, N. Houari, Phytotherapy of Covid-19. A Study Based on a Survey in North Algeria, Phytotherapy, Vol. 18, No. 5, 2020, pp. 248-254, https://doi.org/10.3166/phyto-2020-0241.[24] P. T. L. Huong, N. T. Dinh, Chemical Composition And Antibacterial Activity of The Essential Oil From The Leaves of Regrowth Eucalyptus Collected from Viet Tri City, Phu Tho Province, Vietnam Journal of Science, Technology and Engineering, Vol. 18, No. 1, 2020, pp. 54-61 (in Vietnamese).[25] M. Asif, M. Saleem, M. Saadullah, H. S. Yaseen, R. Al Zarzour, COVID-19 and Therapy with Essential Oils Having Antiviral, Anti-Inflammatory, and Immunomodulatory Properties, Inflammopharmacology, Vol. 28, 2020, pp. 1153-1161, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-020-00744-0.[26] I. Jahan, O. Ahmet, Potentials of Plant-Based Substance to Inhabit and Probable Cure for The COVID-19, Turkish Journal of Biology, Vol. 44, No. SI-1, 2020, pp. 228-241, https://doi.org/10.3906/biy-2005-114.[27] A. D. Sharma, I. Kaur, Eucalyptus Essential Oil Bioactive Molecules from Against SARS-Cov-2 Spike Protein: Insights from Computational Studies, Res Sq., 2021, pp. 1-6, https://doi.org/10.21203/ rs.3.rs-140069/v1. [28] K. Rajagopal, P. Varakumar, A. Baliwada, G. Byran, Activity of Phytochemical Constituents of Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) and Andrographis Paniculata Against Coronavirus (COVID-19): An in Silico Approach, Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vol. 6, No. 1, 2020, pp. 1-10, https://doi.org/10.1186/s43094-020-00126-x[29] J. Lan, J. Ge, J. Yu, S. Shan, H. Zhou, S. Fan et al., Structure of The SARS-CoV-2 Spike Receptor-Binding Domain Bound to The ACE2 Receptor, Nature, Vol. 581, No. 7807, 2020, pp. 215-220, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2180-5.[30] M. Letko, A. Marzi, V. Munster, Functional Assessment of Cell Entry and Receptor Usage for SARS-Cov-2 and Other Lineage B Betacoronaviruses, Nature Microbiology, Vol. 5, No. 4, 2020, pp. 562-569, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-020-0688-y.[31] C. Yi, X. Sun, J. Ye, L. Ding, M. Liu, Z. Yang et al., Key Residues of The Receptor Binding Motif in The Spike Protein of SARS-Cov-2 That Interact with ACE2 and Neutralizing Antibodies, Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vol. 17, No. 6, 2020, pp. 621-630, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41423-020-0458-z.[32] N. T. Thom, Study on The Composition and Biological Activities of Flavonoids from The Roots of Scutellaria baicalensis: Doctoral Dissertation, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, 2018 (in Vietnamese).[33] Y. J. Tang, F. W. Zhou, Z. Q. Luo, X. Z. Li, H. M. Yan, M. J. Wang et al., Multiple Therapeutic Effects of Adjunctive Baicalin Therapy in Experimental Bacterial Meningitis, Inflammation, Vol. 33, No. 3, 2010, pp. 180-188, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10753-009-9172-9.[34] H. Liu, F. Ye, Q. Sun, H. Liang, C. Li, S. Li et al., Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract and Baicalein Inhibit Replication of SARS-Cov-2 and Its 3C-Like Protease in Vitro, Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 36, No. 1, 2021, pp. 497-503, https://doi.org/10.1080/14756366.2021.1873977.[35] Z. Iqbal, H. Nasir, S. Hiradate, Y. Fujii, Plant Growth Inhibitory Activity of Lycoris Radiata Herb. and The Possible Involvement of Lycorine as an Allelochemical, Weed Biology and Management, Vol. 6, No. 4, 2006, pp. 221-227, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1445-6664.2006.00217.x.[36] S. Y. Li, C. Chen, H. Q. Zhang, H. Y. Guo, H. Wang, L. Wang et al., Identification of Natural Compounds with Antiviral Activities Against SARS-Associated Coronavirus, Antiviral Research, Vol. 67, No. 1, 2005, pp. 18-23, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2005.02.007.[37] S. Kretzing, G. Abraham, B. Seiwert, F. R. Ungemach, U. Krügel, R. Regenthal, Dose-dependent Emetic Effects of The Amaryllidaceous Alkaloid Lycorine in Beagle Dogs, Toxicon, Vol. 57, No. 1, 2011, pp. 117-124, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2010.10.012.[38] Y. N. Zhang, Q. Y. Zhang, X. D. Li, J. Xiong, S. Q. Xiao, Z. Wang, et al., Gemcitabine, Lycorine and Oxysophoridine Inhibit Novel Coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2) in Cell Culture, Emerging Microbes &amp; Infections, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2020, pp. 1170-1173, https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2020.1772676.[39] Y. H. Jin, J. S. Min, S. Jeon, J. Lee, S. Kim, T. Park et al., Lycorine, a Non-Nucleoside RNA Dependent RNA Polymerase Inhibitor, as Potential Treatment for Emerging Coronavirus Infections, Phytomedicine, Vol. 86, 2021, pp. 1-8, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2020.153440.[40] H. V. Hoa, P. V. Trung, N. N. Hanh, Isolation Andrographolid and Neoandrographolid from Andrographis Paniculata Nees, Can Tho University Journal of Science, Vol. 10, 2008, pp. 25-30 (in Vietnamese)[41] S. K. Enmozhi, K. Raja, I. Sebastine, J. Joseph, Andrographolide as a Potential Inhibitor Of SARS-Cov-2 Main Protease: An in Silico Approach, Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, Vol. 39, No. 9, 2021, pp. 3092-3098, https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2020.1760136.[42] S. A. Lakshmi, R. M. B. Shafreen, A. Priya, K. P. Shunmugiah, Ethnomedicines of Indian Origin for Combating COVID-19 Infection by Hampering The Viral Replication: Using Structure-Based Drug Discovery Approach, Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, Vol. 39, No. 13, 2020, pp. 4594-4609, https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2020.1778537.[43] N. P. L. Laksmiani, L. P. F. Larasanty, A. A. G. J. Santika, P. A. A. Prayoga, A. A. I. K. Dewi, N. P. A. K. Dewi, Active Compounds Activity from The Medicinal Plants Against SARS-Cov-2 Using in Silico Assay, Biomedical and Pharmacology Journal, Vol. 13, No. 2, 2020, pp. 873-881, https://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bpj/1953.[44] N. A. Murugan, C. J. Pandian, J. Jeyakanthan, Computational Investigation on Andrographis Paniculata Phytochemicals to Evaluate Their Potency Against SARS-Cov-2 in Comparison to Known Antiviral Compounds in Drug Trials, Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, Vol. 39, No. 12, 2020, pp. 4415-4426, https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2020.1777901.[45] S. Hiremath, H. V. Kumar, M. Nandan, M. Mantesh, K. Shankarappa,V. Venkataravanappa et al., In Silico Docking Analysis Revealed The Potential of Phytochemicals Present in Phyllanthus Amarus and Andrographis Paniculata, Used in Ayurveda Medicine in Inhibiting SARS-Cov-2, 3 Biotech, Vol. 11, No. 2, 2021, pp. 1-18, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-020-02578-7.[46] K. S. Ngiamsuntorn, A. Suksatu, Y. Pewkliang, P. Thongsri, P. Kanjanasirirat, S. Manopwisedjaroen, et al., Anti-SARS-Cov-2 Activity of Andrographis Paniculata Extract and Its Major Component Andrographolide in Human Lung Epithelial Cells and Cytotoxicity Evaluation in Major Organ Cell Representatives, Journal of Natural Products, Vol. 84, No. 4, 2021, pp. 1261-1270, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c01324.[47] D. X. Em, N. T. T. Dai, N. T. T. Tram, D. X. Chu, Four Compounds Isolated from Azadirachta Indica Jus leaves. F., Meliaceae, Pharmaceutical Journal, Vol. 59, No. 7, 2019, pp. 33-36 (in Vietnamese).[48] V. V Do, N. T. Thang, N. T. Minh, N. N. Hanh, Isolation, Purification and Investigation on Antimicrobial Activity of Salanin from Neem Seed Kernel (Azadirachta Indica A. Juss) of The Neem Tree Planted in Ninh Thuan Province, Vietnam, Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 44, No. 2, 2006, pp. 24-31 (in Vietnamese).[49] P. I. Manzano Santana, J. P. P. Tivillin, I. A. Choez Guaranda, A. D. B. Lucas, A. Katherine, Potential Bioactive Compounds of Medicinal Plants Against New Coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2): A Review, Bionatura, Vol. 6, No. 1, 2021, pp. 1653-1658, https://doi.org/10.21931/RB/2021.06.01.30[50] S. Borkotoky, M. Banerjee, A Computational Prediction of SARS-Cov-2 Structural Protein Inhibitors from Azadirachta Indica (Neem), Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, Vol. 39, No. 11, 2021, pp. 4111-4121, https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2020.1774419.[51] R. Jager, R. P. Lowery, A. V. Calvanese, J. M. Joy, M. Purpura, J. M. Wilson, Comparative Absorption of Curcumin Formulations, Nutrition Journal, Vol. 13, No. 11, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-13-11.[52] D. Praditya, L. Kirchhoff, J. Bruning, H. Rachmawati, J. Steinmann, E. Steinmann, Anti-infective Properties of the Golden Spice Curcumin, Front Microbiol, Vol. 10, No. 912, 2019, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00912.[53] C. C. Wen, Y. H. Kuo, J. T. Jan, P. H. Liang, S. Y. Wang, H. G. Liu et al., Specific Plant Terpenoids and Lignoids Possess Potent Antiviral Activities Against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 50, No. 17, 2007, pp. 4087-4095, https://doi.org/10.1021/jm070295s.[54] R. Lu, X. Zhao, J. Li, P. Niu, B. Yang, H. Wu et al., Genomic Characterisation and Epidemiology of 2019 Novel Coronavirus: Implications for Virus Origins and Receptor Binding, The Lancet, Vol. 395, No. 10224, 2020, pp. 565-574, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30251-8.[55] M. Kandeel, M. Al Nazawi, Virtual Screening and Repurposing of FDA Approved Drugs Against COVID-19 Main Protease, Life Sciences, Vol. 251, No. 117627, 2020, pp. 1-5, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117627.[56] V. K. Maurya, S. Kumar, A. K. Prasad, M. L. B. Bhatt, S. K. Saxena, Structure-Based Drug Designing for Potential Antiviral Activity of Selected Natural Products from Ayurveda Against SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein and Its Cellular Receptor, Virusdisease, Vol. 31, No. 2, 2020, pp. 179-193, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13337-020-00598-8.[57] M. Hoffmann, H. Kleine Weber, S. Schroeder, N. Kruger, T. Herrler, S. Erichsen et al., SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry Depends on ACE2 and TMPRSS2 and Is Blocked by a Clinically Proven Protease Inhibitor, Cell, Vol. 181, No. 2, 2020, pp. 271-280, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.02.052.[58] S. Katta, A. Srivastava, R. L. Thangapazham, I. L. Rosner, J. Cullen, H. Li et al., Curcumin-Gene Expression Response in Hormone Dependent and Independent Metastatic Prostate Cancer Cells, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol. 20, No. 19, 2019, pp. 4891-4907, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20194891.[59] D. Ting, N. Dong, L. Fang, J. Lu, J. Bi, S. Xiao et al., Multisite Inhibitors for Enteric Coronavirus: Antiviral Cationic Carbon Dots Based on Curcumin, ACS Applied Nano Materials, Vol. 1, No. 10, 2018, pp. 5451-5459, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.8b00779.[60] T. Huynh, H. Wang, B. Luan, In Silico Exploration of the Molecular Mechanism of Clinically Oriented Drugs for Possibly Inhibiting SARS-CoV-2's Main Protease, the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, Vol. 11, No. 11, 2020, pp. 4413-4420, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c00994.[61] D. D'Ardes, A. Boccatonda, I. Rossi, M. T. Guagnano, COVID-19 and RAS: Unravelling an Unclear Relationship, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol. 21, No. 8, 2020, pp. 3003-3011, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21083003. [62] X. F. Pang, L. H. Zhang, F. Bai, N. P. Wang, R. E. Garner, R. J. McKallip et al., Attenuation of Myocardial Fibrosis with Curcumin is Mediated by Modulating Expression of Angiotensin II AT1/AT2 Receptors and ACE2 in Rats, Drug Design Development Therapy, Vol. 9, 2015, pp. 6043-6054, https://doi.org/10.2147/DDDT.S95333.[63] Y. Yao, W. Wang, M. Li, H. Ren, C. Chen, J. Wang et al., Curcumin Exerts its Anti-Hypertensive Effect by Down-Regulating the AT1 Receptor in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells, Scientific Reports, Vol. 6, No. 25579, 2016, pp. 1-6, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep25579.[64] V. J. Costela Ruiz, R. Illescas Montes, J. M. Puerta Puerta, C. Ruiz, L. Melguizo Rodríguez, SARS-CoV-2 Infection: The Role of Cytokines in COVID-19 Disease, Cytokine Growth Factor Reviews, Vol. 54, 2020, pp. 62-75, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cytogfr.2020.06.001.[65] H. Valizadeh, S. Abdolmohammadi Vahid, S. Danshina, M. Ziya Gencer, A. Ammari, A. Sadeghi et al., Nano-Curcumin Therapy, a Promising Method in Modulating Inflammatory Cytokines in COVID-19 Patients, International Immunopharmacology, Vol. 89 (PtB), No. 107088, 2020, pp. 1-12, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107088.[66] Y. H. Lo, R. D. Lin, Y. P. Lin, Y. L. Liu, M. H. Lee, Active Constituents from Sophora Japonica Exhibiting Cellular Tyrosinase Inhibition in Human Epidermal Melanocytes, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Vol. 124, No. 3, 2009, pp. 625-629, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2009.04.053.[67] A. Robaszkiewicz, A. Balcerczyk, G. Bartosz, Antioxidative and Prooxidative Effects of Quercetin on A549 Cells, Cell Biology International, Vol. 31, No. 10, 2007, pp. 1245-1250, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cellbi.2007.04.009[68] N. Uchide, H. Toyoda, Antioxidant Therapy as a Potential Approach to Severe Influenza-associated Complications, Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), Vol. 16, No. 3, 2011, pp. 2032-2052, https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules16032032.[69] M. P. Nair, C. Kandaswami, S. Mahajan, K. C. Chadha, R. Chawda, H. Nair et al., The Flavonoid, Quercetin, Differentially Regulates Th-1 (IFNgamma) and Th-2 (IL4) Cytokine Gene Expression by Normal Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Cell Research, Vol. 1593, No. 1, 2002, pp. 29-36, https://doi.org/10.1016/s0167-4889(02)00328-2.[70] X. Chen, Z. Wang, Z. Yang, J. Wang, Y. Xu, R. X. Tan et al., Houttuynia Cordata Blocks HSV Infection Through Inhibition of NF-κB Activation, Antiviral Research, Vol. 92, No. 2, 2011, pp. 341-345, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2011.09.005.[71] T. N. Kaul, E. J. Middleton, P. L. Ogra, Antiviral Effect of Flavonoids on Human Viruses, Journal of Medical Virology, Vol. 15. No. 1, 1985, pp. 71-79, https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.1890150110.[72] K. Zandi, B. T. Teoh, S. S. Sam, P. F. Wong, M. R. Mustafa, S. AbuBakar, Antiviral Activity of Four Types of Bioflavonoid Against Dengue Virus Type-2, Virology Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1, 2011, pp. 560-571, https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-422X-8-560.[73] J. Y. Park, H. J. Yuk, H. W. Ryu, S. H. Lim, K. S. Kim, K. H. Park et al., Evaluation of Polyphenols from Broussonetia Papyrifera as Coronavirus Protease Inhibitors, Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 32, No. 1, 2017, pp. 504-515, https://doi.org/10.1080/14756366.2016.1265519.[74] S. C. Cheng, W. C. Huang, J. H. S. Pang, Y. H. Wu, C. Y. Cheng, Quercetin Inhibits the Production of IL-1β-Induced Inflammatory Cytokines and Chemokines in ARPE-19 Cells via the MAPK and NF-κB Signaling Pathways, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol. 20, No. 12, 2019, pp. 2957-2981, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20122957. [75] O. J. Lara Guzman, J. H. Tabares Guevara, Y. M. Leon Varela, R. M. Álvarez, M. Roldan, J. A. Sierra et al., Proatherogenic Macrophage Activities Are Targeted by The Flavonoid Quercetin, The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Vol. 343, No. 2, 2012, pp. 296-303, https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.112.196147.[76] A. Saeedi Boroujeni, M. R. Mahmoudian Sani, Anti-inflammatory Potential of Quercetin in COVID-19 Treatment, Journal of Inflammation, Vol. 18, No. 1, 2021, pp. 3-12, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12950-021-00268-6.[77] M. Smith, J. C. Smith, Repurposing Therapeutics for COVID-19: Supercomputer-based Docking to the SARS-CoV-2 Viral Spike Protein and Viral Spike Protein-human ACE2 Interface, ChemRxiv, 2020, pp. 1-28, https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv.11871402.v4.[78] S. Khaerunnisa, H. Kurniawan, R. Awaluddin, S. Suhartati, S. Soetjipto, Potential Inhibitor of COVID-19 Main Protease (Mpro) from Several Medicinal Plant Compounds by Molecular Docking Study, Preprints, 2020, pp. 1-14, https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202003.0226.v1.[79] J. M. Calderón Montaño, E. B. Morón, C. P. Guerrero, M. L. Lázaro, A Review on the Dietary Flavonoid Kaempferol, Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 11, No. 4, 2011, pp. 298-344, https://doi.org/10.2174/138955711795305335.[80] A. Y. Chen, Y. C. Chen, A Review of the Dietary Flavonoid, Kaempferol on Human Health and Cancer Chemoprevention, Food Chem, Vol. 138, No. 4, 2013, pp. 2099-2107, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.11.139.[81] S. Schwarz, D. Sauter, W. Lu, K. Wang, B. Sun, T. Efferth et al., Coronaviral Ion Channels as Target for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Forum on Immunopathological Diseases and Therapeutics, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2012, pp. 1-13, https://doi.org/10.1615/ForumImmunDisTher.2012004378.[82] R. Zhang, X. Ai, Y. Duan, M. Xue, W. He, C. Wang et al., Kaempferol Ameliorates H9N2 Swine Influenza Virus-induced Acute Lung Injury by Inactivation of TLR4/MyD88-mediated NF-κB and MAPK Signaling Pathways, Biomedicine &amp; Pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine &amp; Pharmacotherapie, Vol. 89, 2017, pp. 660-672, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2017.02.081.[83] K. W. Chan, V. T. Wong, S. C. W. Tang, COVID-19: An Update on the Epidemiological, Clinical, Preventive and Therapeutic Evidence and Guidelines of Integrative Chinese-Western Medicine for the Management of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease, The American Journal of Chinese medicine, Vol. 48, No. 3, 2020, pp. 737-762, https://doi.org/10.1142/S0192415X20500378.[84] Y. F. Huang, C. Bai, F. He, Y. Xie, H. Zhou, Review on the Potential Action Mechanisms of Chinese Medicines in Treating Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Pharmacological Research, Vol. 158, No. 104939, 2020, pp. 1-10, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104939.[85] L. Xu, X. Zheng, Y. Wang, Q. Fan, M. Zhang, R. Li et al., Berberine Protects Acute Liver Failure in Mice Through Inhibiting Inflammation and Mitochondria-dependent Apoptosis, European Journal of Pharmacology, Vol. 819, 2018, pp. 161-168, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejphar.2017.11.013.[86] X. Chen, H. Guo, Q. Li, Y. Zhang, H. Liu, X. Zhang et al., Protective Effect of Berberine on Aconite‑induced Myocardial Injury and the Associated Mechanisms, Molecular Medicine Reports, Vol. 18, No. 5, 2018, pp. 4468-4476, https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2018.9476.[87] K. Hayashi, K. Minoda, Y. Nagaoka, T. Hayashi, S. Uesato, Antiviral Activity of Berberine and Related Compounds Against Human Cytomegalovirus, Bioorganic &amp; Medicinal Chemistry Letters, Vol. 17, No. 6, 2007, pp. 1562-1564, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmcl.2006.12.085.[88] A. Warowicka, R. Nawrot, A. Gozdzicka Jozefiak, Antiviral Activity of Berberine, Archives of Virology, Vol. 165, No. 9, 2020, pp. 1935-1945, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-020-04706-3.[89] Z. Z. Wang, K. Li, A. R. Maskey, W. Huang, A. A. Toutov, N. Yang et al., A Small Molecule Compound Berberine as an Orally Active Therapeutic Candidate Against COVID-19 and SARS: A Computational and Mechanistic Study, FASEB Journal : Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, Vol. 35, No. 4, 2021, pp. e21360-21379, https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.202001792R.[90] A. Pizzorno, B. Padey, J. Dubois, T. Julien, A. Traversier, V. Dulière et al., In Vitro Evaluation of Antiviral Activity of Single and Combined Repurposable Drugs Against SARS-CoV-2, Antiviral Research, Vol. 181, No. 104878, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104878.[91] B. Y. Zhang, M. Chen, X. C. Chen, K. Cao, Y. You, Y. J. Qian et al., Berberine Reduces Circulating Inflammatory Mediators in Patients with Severe COVID-19, The British Journal of Surgery, Vol. 108, No. 1, 2021, pp. e9-e11, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjs/znaa021.[92] K. P. Latté, K. E. Appel, A. Lampen, Health Benefits and Possible Risks of Broccoli - an Overview, Food and Chemical Toxicology : an International Journal Published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association, Vol. 49, No. 12, 2011, pp. 3287-3309, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2011.08.019.[93] C. Sturm, A. E. Wagner, Brassica-Derived Plant Bioactives as Modulators of Chemopreventive and Inflammatory Signaling Pathways, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol. 18, No. 9, 2017, pp. 1890-1911, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18091890.[94] R. T. Ruhee, S. Ma, K. Suzuki, Sulforaphane Protects Cells against Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Inflammation in Murine Macrophages, Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), Vol. 8, No. 12, 2019, pp. 577-589, https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8120577.[95] S. M. Ahmed, L. Luo, A. Namani, X. J. Wang, X. Tang, Nrf2 Signaling Pathway: Pivotal Roles in Inflammation, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta Molecular Basis of Disease, Vol. 1863, No. 2, 2017, pp. 585-597, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbadis.2016.11.005.[96] Z. Sun, Z. Niu, S. Wu, S. Shan, Protective Mechanism of Sulforaphane in Nrf2 and Anti-Lung Injury in ARDS Rabbits, Experimental Therapeutic Medicine, Vol. 15, No. 6, 2018, pp. 4911-4951, https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.6036.[97] H. Y. Cho, F. Imani, L. Miller DeGraff, D. Walters, G. A. Melendi, M. Yamamoto et al., Antiviral Activity of Nrf2 in a Murine Model of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Vol. 179, No. 2, 2009, pp. 138-150, https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.200804-535OC.[98] M. J. Kesic, S. O. Simmons, R. Bauer, I. Jaspers, Nrf2 Expression Modifies Influenza A Entry and Replication in Nasal Epithelial Cells, Free Radical Biology &amp; Medicine, Vol. 51, No. 2, 2011, pp. 444-453, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2011.04.027.[99] A. Cuadrado, M. Pajares, C. Benito, J. J. Villegas, M. Escoll, R. F. Ginés et al., Can Activation of NRF2 Be a Strategy Against COVID-19?, Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, Vol. 41, No. 9, 2020, pp. 598-610, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tips.2020.07.003.[100] J. Gasparello, E. D'Aversa, C. Papi, L. Gambari, B. Grigolo, M. Borgatti et al., Sulforaphane Inhibits the Expression of Interleukin-6 and Interleukin-8 Induced in Bronchial Epithelial IB3-1 Cells by Exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein, Phytomedicine : International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology, Vol. 87, No. 53583, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153583.

Variations in the leaf metabolite profile between hydroponic and field grown Moringa oleifera Lam. genotypes

Medicinal and herbal plants are increasingly cultivated on commercial scale all around the world, to satisfy the large demand for natural remedies associated with plant bioactive compounds. Moringa oleifera Lam. is one of these attractive plant species, being cultivated across the world, with most of the production in Africa and Asia. However, it is increasingly reported that the composition and concentration of bioactive compounds in medicinal plants, are largely influenced by factors such as the growing environment, harvesting time, and climatic factors among others. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the differences in the leaf metabolite profile between hydroponic and field grown M. oleifera plants due to cultivation system, harvesting time and genotypes. 1H NMR was used for data acquisition, and MestReNova software was used for the pre-processing of the spectral data. Multivariate data analysis by means of PCA and OPLS-DA was conducted, followed by targeted metabolite analyses. The results show variations in the leaf metabolite profile as influenced by cultivation systems, harvesting time and genotypes. In both PKM-1 and Malawi hybrid genotypes, the concentration level of chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, vanillic acid, and wogonin compounds were higher in the hydroponic leaf material, whereas the concentration level of esculetin, niazirin and GABA were slightly higher in the field harvested leaf materials. With regards to harvesting time effect, the concentration level of all seven targeted compounds were higher in February (summer) harvest as compared to May (autumn) harvest. Among the genotypes, PKM-1 showed to have higher concentration of certain targeted compounds as compared to Malawi hybrid, but on the other hand certain compounds from the Malawi hybrid showed also higher concentrations. These results provide insight on the possible alternative production system that can be adopted to optimise and improve accumulation of bioactive compounds in M. oleifera leaf materials.