Hyoscyamus Niger Research Articles

Compound Unani formulations used in Zeeq-un-Nafas (Bronchial Asthma) with their therapeutic importance: An overview

Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in modern society and there is increasing evidence to suggest that its incidence and severity are increasing. There is a high prevalence of usage of complementary medicine for asthma. Current estimates suggest that 300 million people worldwide suffer from Bronchial asthma. This disease is very well recognized since ancient times in Unani system of medicine. Various ancient Unani Scholars and Physicians have use different Arabic terms like Rabu (short inspiration and prolonged expiration), Buhar, Dama, Intesab-un-Nafas and Zeequn Nafas under the caption of bronchial asthma. They also described the etiopathological factors, clinical features, types, and various complications of bronchial asthma that are presented in detail in their concerning treatises. Unani physicians have been treating this disease for thousands of years and they have mentioned various single as well as compound drugs viz; Kakra Seenghi (Pistacia integerrima) Arusa (Adhatoda vasica), Ajmod (Apium graveolens), Aslussoos (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Bazrul banj (Hyoscyamus niger), Biskhapra (Trianthema portulaca), Doodhi (Euphorbia hirta), Nil(Indigofera: tinctoria), Qinnab (Cannabis sativam) etc. and the compound formulations in the forms of - Kushta, Majoon , Hubb, Sharbat, Arqiyat, Joshanda, Khenshanda, Laooq ,Tiryaq, Sikanjabeen, Rub, Roghaniyat for its treatment. The relevance formulations have been described in this review paper with their ingredients and usage also to provide the benefit to the students and researchers for their further researches

The effect of propolis plus Hyoscyamus niger L. methanolic extract on clinical symptoms in patients with acute respiratory syndrome suspected to COVID‐19: A clinical trial

The outbreak of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has caused a global health crisis. Nevertheless, no antiviral treatment has yet been proven effective for treating COVID‐19 and symptomatic supportive cares have been the most common treatment. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the effects of propolis and Hyoscyamus niger L. extract in patients with COVID‐19. This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 50 cases referred to Akhavan and Sepehri Clinics, Kashan university of medical sciences, Iran. Subjects were divided into two groups (intervention and placebo). This syrup (containing 1.6 mg of methanolic extract along with 450 mg of propolis per 10 mL) was administered three times a day to each patient for 6 days. The clinical symptoms of COVID‐19 such as: dry cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, chest pain, fever, dizziness, headache, abdominal pain, and diarrhea were reduced with propolis plus Hyoscyamus niger L. extract than the placebo group. However, the administration of syrup was not effective in the control of nausea and vomiting. In conclusion, syrup containing propolis and Hyoscyamus niger L. extract had beneficial effects in ameliorating the signs and symptoms of COVID‐19 disease, in comparison with placebo groups.

Transfer of tropane alkaloids (atropine and scopolamine) into the milk of subclinically exposed dairy cows

Tropane alkaloids are toxic secondary metabolites found in agricultural weeds, like jimson weed (Datura stramonium) and henbane (Hyoscyamus niger). The intake of food and feed contaminated with tropane alkaloids led to several incidents of poisoning in humans and animals. Because data on the transfer of tropane alkaloids into the milk of exposed dairy cows were not available in scientific literature, the present study was carried out. Four cows received tropane alkaloids (atropine sulfate and scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate) orally in three increasing dosage levels for five days each. The total doses of pharmacologically active alkaloids (sum of l-hyoscyamine and scopolamine) at the levels 1, 2, and 3 were 93, 186, and 279 μg/kg body weight/day, respectively. None of the applied dosage levels induced obvious clinical symptoms in the cows. The alkaloid content in composite milk of individual cows was measured for each milking time. Even though the maximum mean transfer rates (atropine: 0.037%, scopolamine: 0.007%) were very low, a transfer of tropane alkaloids into milk could already be proven at the lowest dosage level. At the highest dosage level, the biologically active substances were detected in milk at a mean level of 1.60 ± 0.07 μg/kg. The results obtained in this study indicate that under particular circumstances contaminated raw milk may contribute to the exposure of consumers to tropane alkaloids.

Nixing the nightshades: Traditional knowledge of intoxicating members of the Solanaceae among hallucinogenic plant and mushroom users in Slovenia.

Anticholinergic plants of the family Solanaceae have a long history of use as medicines, poisons, and recreational drugs. Though they were the intoxicating substances of choice throughout Europe for centuries, their use for these purposes has declined with the globalisation of other recreational drugs. The present study sought to examine the level of knowledge surrounding these plants among individuals who had used other hallucinogenic plants or mushrooms in Slovenia. Participants were questioned in regards to the anticholinergic Solanaceae that are known to grow wild in Slovenia: Atropa belladonna L., Datura stramonium L., Hyoscyamus niger L., and Scopolia carniolica L. As expected, only a small number of individuals had any substantial knowledge of these plants, and fewer still had used them; some were even unfamiliar with any of these plants. Knowledge of toxicity generally arose from family members, while books and the internet played prominent roles in regards to use knowledge. Knowledge of the plants was vastly varied, with many individuals confusing the plants for others, especially other members of the Solanaceae. Ultimately, a small group of individuals had the largest body of knowledge of these plants, though this was linked with university studies rather than traditional uses. Knowledge of the intoxicating Solanaceae has been largely lost in Slovenia among users of other botanical hallucinogens, likely due to the various dangers their use poses and the undesirable effects they often cause.

BARSHA'SHA: A REVIEW ON FAST ACTING UNANI COMPOUND FORMULATION

Various compound formulations of Unani System of Medicine are used for the treatment of several ailments by boosting immune system and improving functioning of vital organs. Barsha'sha is a classical Unani formulation which is composed of Papaver somniferum, Hyoscyamus niger, Crocus sativus, Euphorbia resinifera, Piper nigrum, Valeriana officinalis, Anacyclus pyrethrum and honey. It is famous for its quick action and used for the treatment of CNS, hepatic, cardiac, sexual and digestive disorders. Due to its quick action to resolve the Ailments, it is named as Barsha'sha which means instant relief. The present review is not only focused on the classical uses of the compound but also presents a detailed account of its method of preparation, nature of ingredients present in it, with their medicinal importance and pharmacological studies.

A comparable stimulation of seed germination by gibberellic acid and sodium nitroprusside in hyoscyamus niger l.,a threatened medicinal herb, from spiti (Himachal Pradesh)

A comparable stimulation of seed germination by gibberellic acid and sodium nitroprusside in hyoscyamus niger l.,a threatened medicinal herb, from spiti (Himachal Pradesh)

Treatment of opium addiction in persian medicine: A review study.

Drug abuse is one of the most important threats to human beings today, leading to disability and even early death. In the past, opium had only therapeutic uses, but now, drug addiction is one of the major public health problems in Iran. Opium and its derivatives are the most commonly used illicit drugs in this country. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the treatment strategies of opium addiction from the perspective of Persian medicine. In this narrative review, the search was conducted using appropriate keywords in the authoritative books of Persian medicine documentations of databases of PubMed, Google Scholar, PsycINFO, American Academy of Medical Sciences, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes with keywords of opioid and opium since 2000 AD. In Persian medicine books, “Afioon” means poppy plant (Papaver somniferum), which is called opium in English and “Theriac” in Persian. To quit, they should be gradually reduced and replaced with appropriate spices such as henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) seeds or mandrake (Mandragora officinarum) fruit or root or poppy (P. somniferum) seeds or poppy shell or Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) seeds, or castor testis or nutmeg (Myristans fragrans) fruit or ajwain (Trachyspermum copticum) seeds or baked bread. Opioid quit should be gradual and delayed in time of consumption and gradual reduction of opium levels, and bodies that have become lean for a long time will gradually recover with adequate nutrition over time.

The wild plants of Scotia Illustrata (1684)

Scotia Illustrata was published in 1684 and contains a section (II:1) describing 662 ‘naturally occurring plants of Scotland’. This paper sets out to identify and discuss the species in the text. It was possible to identify 652 species from the text and 396 could be securely identified. Most of these are species which are widespread today, but there are some important exceptions. Three arable weeds are mentioned which now seem to be extinct in Scotland: Lolium temulentum, Scandix pecten-veneris and Euphorbia exigua. There are also references to one possibly-extinct river species (Sium latifolium), and one coastal species (Centaurea calcitrapa). Two species, now rare in Scotland, are described in the text as species widespread on roads: Cynoglossum officinale and Hyoscyamus niger.

PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY OF AN IMPORTANT UNANI DRUG BAZR-UL-BANJ (HYOSCYAMUS NIGER LINN.) – REVIEW

Objective: Bazr-ul-Banj syn. Ajwain khurasani (Hyoscyamus niger Linn.) is one of the important drug mentioned in Unani literature. It mentioned by the great Unani philosopher Dioscorides (first century AD) in his treatise Kitab-al-Hashaish. According to Unani philosophy, Bazr-ul-Banj is in third-degree category according to its temperamental nature. H. niger Linn. contains tropane alkaloids in good quantity, mainly hyoscyamine and scopolamine.
 Methods: Unani classical literature was searched from recent to past available in different libraries. For phytochemistry, pharmacology, and clinical studies to prove, the importance computerized databases such as Medline, PubMed, Ovid SP, Google Scholar, and Science-direct were searched. All the information of plant available in Urdu, Persian, Arabic, and studies published abstract were included in the study.
 Results: Fourteen Unani books were referred and 18 pharmacological studies were recognized. The action of Bazr-ul-Banj mentioned in Unani classical literature are Hazim (Digestive), Mudammil (Cicatrizant), Mujaffif (Dessicant), Mukhaddir (Anesthetic), Munashshi (Narcotic), Munawwim (Hypnotic), Musakkin (Sedative), Musakkin-e-Alam (Analgesic), Raade (divertive), Qabiz (Astringent), etc., and useful in Amraz-e-asbania (nervous affections), Amraz-e-Raham (uterine spasm and pain), Dard wa Alam (pain), Ikhtelaj-e-Qalb (palpitation), Junoon (mania), Niqras (Gout), Zeequn Nafas (Bronchial asthma), etc. H. niger Linn. showed many pharmacological effects included antimicrobial, anticancer, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antihypertensive, and antidiarrheal activities in different clinical and experimental studies.
 Conclusion: This presentation is an attempt to showcase the action, uses mentioned in Unani literature, chemical constituent, and pharmacological and toxicological effects at one place. It may also observe that the drug is having many actions which may be beneficial in cases of COVID-19. It may be concluded this should be tested as adjuvant medicine in cases of COVID-19.

Insecticidal Activity of Hyoscyamus niger L. on Lucilia sericata Causing Myiasis.

Background: Hyoscyamus niger L. (Solanaceae) generally known as henbane, is commonly distributed in Europe and Asia. In Turkey, henbane seeds have been used in folk medicine to remove worms from the eyes. The present study aimed to investigate the insecticidal activity of H. niger seeds. Methods: n-hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and alkaloid extracts were prepared from the seeds of the plant and their insecticidal activities on Lucilia sericata larvae were evaluated. EC50 and EC90 values of the alkaloid extract were calculated and morphological abnormalities were investigated. Results: Alkaloid extract prepared from the seeds of this plant displayed significant insecticidal activity. EC50 values of H. niger seeds alkaloid extract were found to be 8.04, 8.49, 7.96 μg/mL against first, second and third instar, respectively. It was determined that malformations of larvae included damaged larvae with small size, contraction and weak cuticle. Furthermore, HPLC analysis was performed on alkaloid extract of H. niger seeds and main components of the extract were determined. It was determined that alkaloid extract mainly contain hyoscyamine and scopolamine. Conclusions: These results confirm the folkloric usage of the plant and suggest that the alkaloid content of the plant could be responsible for the insecticidal activity.

Promoting the accumulation of scopolamine and hyoscyamine in Hyoscyamus niger L. through EMS based mutagenesis.

The overexploitation of medicinal plants is depleting gene pool at an alarming rate. In this scenario inducing the genetic variability through targeted mutations could be beneficial in generating varieties with increased content of active compounds. The present study aimed to develop a reproducible protocol for in vitro multiplication and mutagenesis of Hyoscyamus niger targeting putrescine N-methyltransferase (PMT) and 6β-hydroxy hyoscyamine (H6H) genes of alkaloid biosynthetic pathway. In vitro raised callus were treated with different concentrations (0.01% - 0.1%) of Ethyl Methane Sulfonate (EMS). Emerging multiple shoots and roots were obtained on the MS media supplemented with cytokinins and auxins. Significant effects on morphological characteristics were observed following exposure to different concentrations of EMS. EMS at a concentration of 0.03% was seen to be effective in enhancing the average shoot and root number from 14.5±0.30 to 22.2 ±0.77 and 7.2±0.12 to 8.8±0.72, respectively. The lethal dose (LD50) dose was calculated at 0.08% EMS. The results depicted that EMS has an intense effect on PMT and H6H gene expression and metabolite accumulation. The transcripts of PMT and H6H were significantly upregulated at 0.03–0.05% EMS compared to control. EMS treated explants showed increased accumulation of scopolamine (0.639 μg/g) and hyoscyamine (0.0344μg/g) compared to untreated.

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome sequence of Anisodus acutangulus (Solanaceae)

Anisodus acutangulus is a Solanaceae perennial plant, which is endemic to China and classified as an endangered species. In this study, we have sequenced the complete chloroplast genome of A. acutangulus, which is 156,079 bp in length, containing a large single-copy (LSC) region of 86,526 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 17,741 bp and comprises a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRs) of 25,906 bp. Totally 134 genes were annotated, including 87 protein-coding genes, 39 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Its overall GC content is 37.6%. Phylogenetic analysis using total chloroplast genome DNA sequence of 21 species revealed that A. acutangulus was closely related to Hyoscyamus niger with 100% bootstrap value.

Effects of gamma irradiation on the alkaloid content in seeds of Datura stramonium and the radiosensitivity of derived seedlings

Tropane alkaloids are a group of secondary metabolites occurring naturally in Solanaceae family as Atropa belladona, Datura stramonium, Mandragora officinalis, and Hyoscyamus niger. These molecules have valuable therapeutic applications, for example, atropine and hyoscyamine are utilized as antimuscarinic besides being stomach and intestinal diseases drugs. Plants of the Solanaceae family can provide a natural yet less expensive source of these compounds. Hitherto, in order to emphasize these metabolites biosynthesis, D. stramonium seeds were irradiated using a cobalt-60 source of gamma rays of 5 to 80 Gy and germinated in vitro on MS medium in growth controlled chamber. Mutagenesis of D. stramonium seeds was attempted aiming at obtaining plants from in vitro source that are genetically variable for enhancing the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, namely alkaloids. Results indicated that D. stramonium seeds exhibited a good radiosensitivity and the mutagen damage index GR (30-50) for D. stramonium was determined at 80 Gy. The Characterization of alkaloids (Atropine and hyoscyamine) was done by infrared spectroscopy which showed that alkaloids content of the irradiated seeds is altered by irradiation as the reference bands were not found with all doses used. In addition, seedlings grown from irradiated in vitro seeds exhibited remarkable morphological variations that varied based on the employed dose of gamma rays. These findings permitted the selection of the optimal irradiation dose (80 Gy) to induce mutations that are likely to prompt changes at genetic and metabolic level of the targeted alkaloids.

Neuroscience and herbal plants: A review on the most important herbal plants effective on chronic pain

Chronic pain can be periodic, persistent, or even a combination of both. Unlike acute pain, chronic pain is not usually useful, reduces the quality of life and functional abilities and also weakens mental health, interpersonal relationships, and financial status, leading to changes in appetite, sleep disorders, psychomotor retardation, tiredness and depression. Human being has always faced various kinds of pain during life and sought to relieve his pain. Pain is a sign of a disease that acts as a warning mechanism and informs of a tissue injury. In this regard, the analgesic effects of many medicinal plants have also been studied. Therefore, in this review study, indigenous medicinal plants with anti-chronic pain effects were reported. Information to conduct this review was obtained using the keywords chronic pain, herbal drug, Iran, medicinal plants, extracts and essential oils to retrieve articles indexed in databases such as Scopus, SID, Magiran, Google Scholar and other Persian databases. The related articles were reviewed for plants serving as chronic pain killers. After reviewing the literature, it was found that Solanum melongena, Hyoscyamus niger, Phoenix dactylifera, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Artemisia sieberi, Crocus sativus, Carum copticum, Euphorbia helioscopia, Hypericum perforatum, Cucurbita maxima, Passiflora caerulea, Rosa damascena, Tanacetum parthenium, Allium jesdianum and Pistacia atlantica among indigenous medicinal plants with analgesic effect.

Sagas of the Solanaceae: Speculative ethnobotanical perspectives on the Norse berserkers

Ethnopharmacological relevanceThe Norse berserkers were wild warriors of Scandinavia known to enter a trance-like state that allowed them to fight with increased strength and a rage that granted them immunity to many forms of harm in battle. Though many theories have been advanced as to the cause of this state, the most widely believed is that the intoxicating mushroom Amanita muscaria was used. Aim of the studyThe following article underlines the issues with this theory and provides an alternate intoxicant that fits with the reports of berserker behaviour much better: Hyoscyamus niger. Materials and methodsLiterature from a variety of disciplines pertaining to history, toxicology, pharmacology, and botany was compiled to frame and support the argument. ResultsH. niger proved to be a more likely intoxicant used to induce the berserker rage state. ConclusionsWith its anticholinergic tropane alkaloids and symptom profile, H. niger is a much more likely cause of the berserker state than A muscaria. Though there is not enough archaeological and historical evidence to prove or disprove this theory, it provides a novel explanation that is at present the most viable means of understanding the berserkers' trance.

Small-Scale Bioreactor for Sterile Hydroponics and Hairy Roots: Metabolic Diversity and Salicylic Acid Exudation by Hairy Roots of Hyoscyamus niger

The volume and complexity of commercial bioreactors for sterile hydroponics and hairy roots are too large for comparative analysis of many cultures. Here a small-scale bioreactor fabricated from standard glass materials and suitable for both airlift and bubble aeration mode is described. The performance of the bioreactor was tested by growing oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) and rose plants (Rosa canina L.) in sterile hydroponics and by cultivating hairy roots of henbane (Hyoscyamus niger L.) and sesame (Hyoscyamus niger L.). Plants grown in hydroponics for up to six weeks did not show chloroses or necroses. Hairy roots grew faster or comparably fast in bioreactors as compared to shaking flasks. Root exudates of roses and exudates of hairy roots of henbane were subjected to targeted and nontargeted analysis by HPLC coupled with optical and mass spectrometric detectors. The diversity and concentration of hairy root exudates were higher in bioreactors than in shaking flasks. The composition of hairy root exudates of three accessions of H. niger did not match the genetic relatedness among the accessions. Hairy roots of Hyoscyamus niger exuded salicylic acid in amounts varying among plant accessions and between bioreactors and shaking flask cultures.

Differentiation of Solanaceae psychoactive plants based on GC-MS analysis supported by chemometric tools

Among Solanaceae plants, there are many which contain psychoactive or toxic compounds as atropine and scopolamine. They could be legally planted as ornamental plants or might be found growing widely. This is why they are a frequent subject of abuse sometimes followed by intoxication, and thus they are a subject of forensic examination. The differentiation between particular genera using only the concentration of atropine and scopolamine might be misleading as the variability between particular plants is not negligible. In this work, the chemometric methods were used to solve this problem. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis have been employed in the discrimination between leaves and seeds originated from such Solanaceae plants as Datura metel, Datura stramonium, Brugmansia pittieri, Datura inoxia, Scopolia carniolica, Scopolia lurida, Atropa belladonna and Hyoscyamus niger using the microwave-assisted extraction followed by the GC–MS analysis. Analytical data were processed according to the self-build GC–MS database for components recognition. This enabled the differentiation between plant samples and moreover, some differences between plants growing area have been also exemplified.

Development and Validation of a High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatographic (HPTLC) Method for Simultaneous Quantification of Reserpine, Atropine, and Piperine in Sarpagandha Ghanvati, a Classical Ayurvedic Preparation.

Background: Anxiety disorders are the most common of emotional disorders, affecting more than 20 million people annually. Sarpagandha Ghanvati is a classical Ayurvedic polyherbal formulation prescribed in conditions of insomnia, hysteria, and is used as an anxiolytic agent. Standardization and quality control are the two major issues that need to be addressed for herbal formulations, especially those containing multiple herbal ingredients. Objective: An HPTLC method was developed for the simultaneous quantification of reserpine, atropine, and piperine from Sarpagandha Ghanvati containing Rauwolfia serpentine (root), Hyoscyamus niger (seed), and Piper longum (root and stem). Methods: The marker compounds were effectively resolved on a silica gel G TLC plate using toluene-ethyl acetate-diethyl amine (7+2+1, v/v) as the mobile phase. The detected wavelengths for reserpine, atropine, and piperine were 269, 220, and 254 nm, respectively. The method was validated as per the International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. Results: R. serpentine roots contained 0.82% w/w of reserpine. Atropine content in the seeds of H. niger was found to be 0.004% w/w, whereas P. longum roots were found to contain 0.508% of piperine. The method was found to be accurate, which was evident from 98.93, 99.46, and 99.10% recovery of reserpine, atropine, and piperine, respectively, when the respective herbs were spiked with them. By the developed HPTLC method, 1.0 g of Sarpagandha Ghanvati was found to contain 4.94, 0.049, and 0.318 mg of reserpine, atropine, and piperine, respectively. The recoveries of these three markers from the formulation were found to be 90.32, 92.45, and 89.97%, respectively. Conclusions: The developed method can be successfully used for simultaneous estimation of these marker compounds and for the quality control of the classical Ayurvedic formulation Sarpagandha Ghanvati. Highlights: This works describes effects of extraction solvents on the quantities of marker compounds in the formulations. It also suggests a simple and reliable HPTLC method for simultaneous quantification of three different marker compounds from a poly-herbal formulation.

Antifungal activity of Mongolian medicinal plant extracts

The in vitro antifungal activity of extracts obtained from 14 medicinal plants of the mongolian flora were investigated by measuring their minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) against fungi cause of cutaneous diseases such as Candida species, dermatophytes and Malassezia furfur. Among the species examined, Stellaria dichotoma L., Scutellaria scordifolia L. Aquilegia sibirica Fisch. Et Schrenk. and Hyoscyamus niger L. extracts demonstrated antifungal activity against all studied fungi. In particular, S. scordifolia L. methanol extract, obtained at room temperature, showed the best activity against Candida spp., Malassezia furfur and dermatophytes with GMMIC50 values of 22 µg/mL, 64 µg/mL and 32 µg/mL, respectively. The flavones, luteolin and apigenin, identified in S. scordifolia extracts, and rutin identified in S. dichotoma and Hyoscyamus niger L. extracts, could be responsible of the observed antifungal activity.

Absence of photosynthetic state transitions in alien chloroplasts

Main conclusionThe absence of state transitions in a Nt(Hn) cybrid is due to a cleavage of the threonine residue from the misprocessed N-terminus of the LHCII polypeptides.The cooperation between the nucleus and chloroplast genomes is essential for plant photosynthetic fitness. The rapid and specific interactions between nucleus-encoded and chloroplast-encoded proteins are under intense investigation with potential for applications in agriculture and renewable energy technology. Here, we present a novel model for photosynthesis research in which alien henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) chloroplasts function on the nuclear background of a tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). The result of this coupling is a cytoplasmic hybrid (cybrid) with inhibited state transitions—a mechanism responsible for balancing energy absorption between photosystems. Protein analysis showed differences in the LHCII composition of the cybrid plants. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed a novel banding pattern in the cybrids with at least one additional ‘LHCII’ band compared to the wild-type parental species. Proteomic work suggested that the N-terminus of at least some of the cybrid Lhcb proteins was missing. These findings provide a mechanistic explanation for the lack of state transitions—the N-terminal truncation of the Lhcb proteins in the cybrid included the threonine residue that is phosphorylated/dephosphorylated in order to trigger state transitions and therefore crucial energy balancing mechanism in plants.