Horse Chestnut Tree Aesculus Hippocastanum Research Articles

Effect of Aescin in Psoriatic-Induced Animal Model: Immunohistochemical and Pathological Study

Background: Aescin is a mixture of the triterpene saponins extracted from the seeds of the horse chestnut tree Aesculus hippocastanum. Aescin has a venotonic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-edematous characteristics that are mostly connected to the agent molecular mechanism. Objective: The present study aim to investigate the potential effects of Aescin on psoriasis induced by Imiquimod in male rats, ncluding its effect on the level of tumor necrosis factor alpha, Ki-67 and the histopathologic features of the psoriatic skin. Methods: Thirty-six albino male rats were divided into six groups each group containing 6 animals, psoriasis was induced by Imiquimod to five of the groups, while for the last group vasaline was applied and the group served as a control group. The animals were then treated with topical Aescin, topical clobetasol, combination of topical Aescin and clobetasol and oral Aescin, finally all animals were sacrificed and the dorsal back skin was taken to perform histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis. Results: regarding the level of Ki-67, Strong expression of Ki-67 was seen in the group who received Imiquimod only, where the scoring of Ki-67 was notably lowered among the other groups. However, the lowest expression was noticed in the group that were treated with the combination of topical Aescin and clobetasol. While the number of TNF-α positive cells and the intensity of immunostaining were higher in the induction group who received Imiquimod only and the lowest among the group who received the combination of topical Aescin and Clobetasol. Lastly the histopathologic analysis shows that the histopathologic features of psoriasis was markedly affected by the anti-inflammatory effect of Aescin and clobetasol, which was noticed through inhibition of proinflammatory markers, and the decrease in capillary permeability. Conclusion: Topical Aescin alone or in combination with clobetasol reduced Ki-67 expression successfully; furthermore, the combination of topical Aescin and Clobetasol decreased TNF- score and had the strongest anti-inflammatory activity more than the other groups. Lastly Aescin was able to alter the histopathologic features of the psoriatic skin through its anti-inflammatory, venotonic and anti-edematous activity.

Investigation of the Bioactivity of Escin in Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Oxidative Stress

Escin is a triterpene saponin obtained from the horse chestnut tree Aesculus hippocastanum L. (Hippocastanaceae). The aim of this study is to investigate the bioactivity of escin against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in quails. The study was conducted in male Japanese quails (n=10) with similar pre-experimental weights (Coturnix coturnix japonica) on average. In order to create oxidative stress in quails, hydrogen peroxide was given to drinking water ad libitum for 1 week. At the end of the period, escin was injected intraperitoneally to the quails twice, every other day. The weights of the experimental animals were measured at the beginning and the end of the experiment and compared. In addition, the 10-day live weight change rate and feed consumption rates of the experimental animals were also compared. Total antioxidant (TAC), total oxidant (TOC) and oxidative stress index (OSI) were measured colorimetrically from serum and liver homogenates of animals in the experimental groups. In addition, IL-1β translation levels from serum samples were investigated by ELISA method. According to the data obtained from the study, 10-day body weight change rates increased by 33% in the hydrogen peroxide added group compared to the control group, while an increase of 133% was observed in the escin-treated group. Besides, in serum and liver samples, it was found that escin showed strong antioxidant properties by decreasing the amount of TOC and increasing TAC levels in the group escin administered with hydrogen peroxide, compared to the group administered only with hydrogen peroxide. It was also observed that escin significantly suppressed the levels of IL-1β induced by hydrogen peroxide. As a result, escin was thought to be an alternative molecule in improving growth performance by showing significant antioxidant activity in the prevention of oxidative stress and inflammation in quails. However, multiple trials and detailed molecular analyzes are needed to obtain more detailed information on the subject.

Effect of Cholesterol and Ibuprofen on DMPC-β-Aescin Bicelles: A Temperature-Dependent Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering Study

β -aescin is a versatile biosurfactant extracted from the seeds of the horse chestnut tree Aesculus hippocastanum with anti-cancer potential and is commonly used in the food and pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In this article, wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) is used in order to study the modifications of the structural parameters at the molecular scale of lipid bilayers in the form of bicelles composed of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) and the triterpenoid saponin β -aescin. In particular, the impact on the cooperative phase transition and the structural parameters of the DMPC bilayers at different compositions and temperatures is of special interest. Moreover, we show how cholesterol and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) ibuprofen modulate the structural parameters of the β -aescin-DMPC assemblies on a molecular scale. Ibuprofen and cholesterol interact with different parts of the bilayer, namely the head-region in the former and the tail-region in the latter case allowing for specific molecular packing and phase formation in the binary and ternary mixtures.

The Biosurfactant β-Aescin: A Review on the Physico-Chemical Properties and Its Interaction with Lipid Model Membranes and Langmuir Monolayers.

This review discusses recent progress in physicochemical understanding of the action of the saponin -aescin (also called -escin), the biologically active component in the seeds of the horse chestnut tree Aesculus hippocastanum. -Aescin is used in pharmacological and cosmetic applications showing strong surface activity. In this review, we outline the most important findings describing the behavior of -aescin in solution (e.g., critical micelle concentration () and micelle shape) and special physicochemical properties of adsorbed -aescin monolayers at the air–water and oil–water interface. Such monolayers were found to posses very special viscoelastic properties. The presentation of the experimental findings is complemented by discussing recent molecular dynamics simulations. These simulations do not only quantify the predominant interactions in adsorbed monolayers but also highlight the different behavior of neutral and ionized -aescin molecules. The review concludes on the interaction of -aescin with phospholipid model membranes in the form of bilayers and Langmuir monolayers. The interaction of -aescin with lipid bilayers was found to strongly depend on its . At concentrations below the , membrane parameters are modified whereas above the , complete solubilization of the bilayers occurs, depending on lipid phase state and concentration. In the presence of gel-phase phospholipids, discoidal bicelles form; these are tunable in size by composition. The phase behavior of -aescin with lipid membranes can also be modified by addition of other molecules such as cholesterol or drug molecules. The lipid phase state also determines the penetration rate of -aescin molecules into lipid monolayers. The strongest interaction was always found in the presence of gel-phase phospholipid molecules.

Aescin-Cholesterol Complexes in DMPC Model Membranes: A DSC and Temperature-Dependent Scattering Study

The saponin aescin, a mixture of triterpenoid saponins, is obtained from the seeds of the horse chestnut tree Aesculus hippocastanum. The β-form employed in this study is haemolytically active. The haemolytic activity results from the ability of aescin to form strong complexes with cholesterol in the red blood cell membrane. In this study, we provide a structural analysis on the complex formation of aescin and cholesterol when embedded in a phospholipid model membrane formed by 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC). In this work, the temperatures investigated extend from DMPC’s Lβ′ to its Lα phase in dependence of different amounts of the saponin (0–6 mol% for calorimetric and 0–1 mol% for structural analyses) and the steroid (1–10 mol%). At these aescin contents model membranes are conserved in the form of small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) and major overall structural modifications are avoided. Additionally, interactions between aescin and cholesterol can be studied for both phase states of the lipid, the gel and the fluid state. From calorimetric experiments by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), it could be shown that both, the steroid and the saponin content, have a significant impact on the cooperative phase transition behaviour of the DMPC molecules. In addition, it becomes clearly visible that the entire phase behaviour is dominated by phase separation which indeed also depends on the complexes formed between aescin and cholesterol. We show by various methods that the addition of cholesterol alters the impact of aescin on structural parameters ranging from the acyl chain correlation to vesicle-vesicle interactions. While the specific saponin-phospholipid interaction is reduced, addition of cholesterol leads to deformation of SUVs. The analyses of the structures formed were performed by wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS).

Evaluation of insect barrier glue bands and liquid glue for the management of horse chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella)

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of trunk applied insect barrier glue bands and liquid glue on reducing horse chestnut leaf miner (HCLM) severity on the white flowering horse chestnut tree Aesculus hippocastanum L. Treatments were applied to coincide with the emergence of the first adult moth generation. All glue treatments (bands and liquid) significantly reduced HCLM severity compared to non-treated controls by the end of a growing season. However, treatment efficacy was influenced by the number of glue bands used and length of tree trunk treated with liquid glue. For example, three glue bands reduced HCLM severity to a greater extent than two and one glue band, respectively, while applying liquid glue to a height of 90 cm around the circumference of the tree trunk reduced HCLM severity compared to applying liquid glue to a height of 60 and 30 cm, respectively. There was no significant influence of glue bands and liquid glue applied in 2010 on leaf mine number the following year (September 2011) indicating if glue bands and/or liquid glue were adopted as a management strategy then treatments would have to be reapplied on an annual basis. Consequently, the cost benefit of glue treatments needs to be carefully considered, especially in light of the fact that insecticides exist that provide longer term control and have greater efficacy against HCLM.

THE INFLUENCE OF DIFLUBENZURON TRUNK AND SCAFFOLD LIMB SPRAYS ON CONTROLLING HORSE CHESTNUT LEAF MINER (CAMERARIA OHRIDELLA)

Summary The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of trunk and scaffold limb sprays of the insect growth regulator diflubenzuron on reducing horse chestnut leaf miner (HCLM) severity on the white flowering horse chestnut tree Aesculus hippocastanum L. One bark and scaffold limb spray applied to coincide with the emergence of the first adult moth generation reduced leaf mining severity and increased larvae/pupae mortality at week 4 after treatment, but this effect faded by the end of the growing season. Two and three repeat bark and scaffold limb diflubenzuron sprays significantly reduced leaf mining severity and increased larvae/pupae mortality rates at the end of the growing season compared to non-diflubenzuron treated controls but did not significantly differ between themselves indicating little beneficial influence of a third diflubenzuron spray. There was no significant influence of diflubenzuron sprays applied in 2007 on leaf mine number and larvae pupae survival the following year (September 2008). This suggests that the treatment would have to be re-applied on an annual basis. Consequently, the cost benefit of such trunk and scaffold limb treatments needs to be carefully considered, especially as systemic insecticides exist that provide longer term control with less frequency of application.