Ingredients In Medicinal Plants Research Articles

Comparison of quantity, quality and antibacterial activity of essential oil Mentha longifolia (L.) L. under different traditional and modern extraction methods.

Extraction is the first and most important step in obtaining the effective ingredients of medicinal plants. Mentha longifolia (L.) L. is of considerable economic importance as a natural raw material for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Since the effect of different extraction methods (traditional and modern methods) on the quantity, quality and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of this plant has not been done simultaneously; the present study was designed for the first time with the aim of identifying the best extraction method in terms of these features. For this purpose, extracting the essential oil of M. longifolia with the methods of hydrodistillation with Clevenger device (HDC), steam distillation with Kaiser device (SDK), simultaneous distillation with a solvent (SDE), hydrodistillation with microwave device (HDM), pretreatment of ultrasonic waves and Clevenger (U+HDC) and supercritical fluid (SF) were performed. Chemical compounds were identified by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Antimicrobial activity of essential oils against various clinical microbial strains was evaluated by agar diffusion method and determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration (MIC and MBC). The results showed that the highest and lowest yields of M. longifolia leaf essential oil belonged to HDC (1.6083%) and HDM (0.3416%). The highest number of compounds belonged to SDK essential oil and was equal to 72 compounds (with a relative percentage of 87.13%) and the lowest number of compounds was related to the SF essential oil sample (7 compounds with a relative percentage of 100%). Piperitenone (25.2-41.38%), piperitenone oxide (22.02-0%), pulegone (10.81-0%) and 1,8-cineole (5-35.0%) are the dominant and main components of M. longifolia essential oil were subjected to different extraction methods. Antimicrobial activity results showed that the lowest MIC value belonged to essential oils extracted by HDM, SDK, SDE and U+HDC methods with a value of 1000 μg/mL was observed against Gram-negative bacteria Shigella dysenteriae, which was 5 times weaker than rifampin and 7 times weaker than gentamicin. Therefore, it can be concluded that in terms of efficiency of the HDC method, in terms of the percentage of compounds of the HDM method, and in terms of microbial activity, the SDK, HDM and U+HDC methods performed better.

Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis of triterpenoid accumulation in the roots of Codonopsis pilosula var. modesta (Nannf.) L.T.Shen at different altitudes.

Codonopsis Radix is a beneficial traditional Chinese medicine, and triterpenoid are the major bioactive constituents. Codonopsis pilosula var. modesta (Nannf.) L.T.Shen (CPM) is a precious variety of Codonopsis Radix, which is distributed at high mountain areas. The environment plays an important role in the synthesis and metabolism of active ingredients in medicinal plants, but there is no report elaborating on the effect of altitude on terpenoid metabolites accumulation in CPM. This study aims to analyse the effects of altitude on triterpenoid biosynthetic pathways and secondary metabolite accumulation in CPM. The untargeted metabolomics based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and 10 triterpenoids based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) method were analysed at the low-altitude (1480 m) and high-altitude (2300 m) CPM fresh roots. The transcriptome based on high-throughput sequencing technology were combined to analyse the different altitude CPM triterpenoid biosynthetic pathways. A total of 17,351 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 55 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were detected from the different altitude CPM, and there are significant differences in the content of the 10 triterpenoids. The results of transcriptome study showed that CPM could significantly up-regulate the gene expression levels of seven key enzymes in the triterpenoid biosynthetic pathway. The CPM at high altitude is more likely to accumulate triterpenes than those at low altitude, which was related to the up-regulation of the gene expression levels of seven key enzymes. These results expand our understanding of how altitude affects plant metabolite biosynthesis.

In silico study of alkaloids with quercetin nucleus for inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 protease and receptor cell protease.

Covid-19 disease caused by the deadly SARS-CoV-2 virus is a serious and threatening global health issue declared by the WHO as an epidemic. Researchers are studying the design and discovery of drugs to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 virus due to its high mortality rate. The main Covid-19 virus protease (Mpro) and human transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2) are attractive targets for the study of antiviral drugs against SARS-2 coronavirus. Increasing consumption of herbal medicines in the community and a serious approach to these drugs have increased the demand for effective herbal substances. Alkaloids are one of the most important active ingredients in medicinal plants that have wide applications in the pharmaceutical industry. In this study, seven alkaloid ligands with Quercetin nucleus for the inhibition of Mpro and TMPRSS2 were studied using computational drug design including molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation (MD). Auto Dock software was used to evaluate molecular binding energy. Three ligands with the most negative docking score were selected to be entered into the MD simulation procedure. To evaluate the protein conformational changes induced by tested ligands and calculate the binding energy between the ligands and target proteins, GROMACS software based on AMBER03 force field was used. The MD results showed that Phyllospadine and Dracocephin-A form stable complexes with Mpro and TMPRSS2. Prolinalin-A indicated an acceptable inhibitory effect on Mpro, whereas it resulted in some structural instability of TMPRSS2. The total binding energies between three ligands, Prolinalin-A, Phyllospadine and Dracocephin-A and two proteins MPro and TMRPSS2 are (-111.235 ± 15.877, - 75.422 ± 11.140), (-107.033 ± 9.072, -84.939 ± 10.155) and (-102.941 ± 9.477, - 92.451 ± 10.539), respectively. Since the binding energies are at a minimum, this indicates confirmation of the proper binding of the ligands to the proteins. Regardless of some Prolinalin-A-induced TMPRSS2 conformational changes, it may properly bind to TMPRSS2 binding site due to its acceptable binding energy. Therefore, these three ligands can be promising candidates for the development of drugs to treat infections caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The AP2/ERF Transcription Factor PgERF120 Regulates Ginsenoside Biosynthesis in Ginseng.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is a perennial herb belonging to the family Araliaceae and has been used for thousands of years in East Asia as an essential traditional medicine with a wide range of pharmacological activities of its main active ingredient, ginsenosides. The AP2/ERF gene family, widely present in plants, is a class of transcription factors capable of responding to ethylene regulation that has an influential role in regulating the synthesis of major active ingredients in medicinal plants and in response to biotic and abiotic stresses, which have not been reported in Panax ginseng. In this study, the AP2/ERF gene was localized on the ginseng chromosome, and an AP2/ERF gene duplication event was also discovered in Panax ginseng. The expression of seven ERF genes and three key enzyme genes related to saponin synthesis was measured by fluorescence quantitative PCR using ethylene treatment of ginseng hairy roots, and it was observed that ethylene promoted the expression of genes related to the synthesis of ginsenosides, among which the PgERF120 gene was the most sensitive to ethylene. We analyzed the sequence features and expression patterns of the PgERF120 gene and found that the expression of the PgERF120 gene was specific in time and space. The PgERF120 gene was subsequently cloned, and plant overexpression and RNA interference vectors were constructed. Ginseng adventitious roots were transformed using the Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated method to obtain transgenic ginseng hairy roots, and the gene expression, ginsenoside content and malondialdehyde content in overexpression-positive hairy roots were also analyzed. This study preliminarily verified that the PgERF120 gene can be involved in the regulation of ginsenoside synthesis, which provides a theoretical basis for the study of functional genes in ginseng and a genetic resource for the subsequent use of synthetic biology methods to improve the yield of ginsenosides.

Natural Science Mini Project Practicum through The Practical Instructions Module for Identifying Natural Chemicals in Medicinal Plants

21st century learning includes achieving the ability to communicate, think critically, think and act creatively, and collaborate. One of the efforts recommended by experts to achieve this is through the application of project-based learning. Various forms of blending are implemented using project-based learning. One form of method in project-based learning is the practicum method. This literature review aims to describe various forms of project-based learning as well as the development of practical guide modules and their relationship to several practical activities that lead to the chemical identification of natural medicinal plant ingredients. The various results of this research will give birth to alternative project-based learning by developing practical guide modules that can strengthen students' understanding of high-level thinking skills related to the classification of living things, especially plants, as well as science process skills and scientific attitudes.

Research Progress of Plant Active Ingredients in Pharmaceutical Cocrystal.

The disadvantages of active ingredients extracted from medicinal plants due to poor solubility in the body and low bioavailability limit their clinical application. Pharmaceutical cocrystal as a new type of drug in solid form has attracted the attention of researchers. This article reviews the effects of cocrystal in various poorly soluble herbal active ingredients of medicinal plants on their physicochemical properties and biological properties and provides references for the application of pharmaceutical cocrystal in poorly soluble active compounds of medicinal plants.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhance active ingredients of medicinal plants: a quantitative analysis

Medicinal plants are invaluable resources for mankind and play a crucial role in combating diseases. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are widely recognized for enhancing the production of medicinal active ingredients in medicinal plants. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the quantitative effects of AMF on the accumulation of medicinal active ingredients. Here we conducted a comprehensive global analysis using 233 paired observations to investigate the impact of AMF inoculation on the accumulation of medicinal active ingredients. This study revealed that AMF inoculation significantly increased the contents of medicinal active ingredients by 27%, with a particularly notable enhancement observed in flavonoids (68%) and terpenoids (53%). Furthermore, the response of medicinal active ingredients in belowground organs (32%) to AMF was more pronounced than that in aboveground organs (18%). Notably, the AMF genus Rhizophagus exhibited the strongest effect in improving the contents of medicinal active ingredients, resulting in an increase of over 50% in both aboveground and belowground organs. Additionally, the promotion of medicinal active ingredients by AMF was attributed to improvements in physiological factors, such as chlorophyll, stomatal conductance and net photosynthetic rate. Collectively, this research substantially advanced our comprehension of the pivotal role of AMF in improving the medicinal active ingredients of plants and provided valuable insights into the potential mechanisms driving these enhancements.

STUDI POTENSI TANAMAN BIOFARMACA DI KAWASAN IUPHKm “HANDAK MAJU” DESA TUMBANG NUSA, KECAMATAN JABIREN RAYA, KABUPATEN PULANG PISAU, PROVINSI KALIMANTAN TENGAH

Peatland is a specific ecosystem that is always waterlogged and has multiple functions, including economic, hydrological, environmental, cultural, and biodiversity functions. Existing peatlands, especially in Central Kalimantan, have great biodiversity potential. This potential provides benefits for people living in peat areas. This diversity of biodiversity has the potential of medicinal plants that have not been maximally explored. Therefore, through this activity, data will be obtained regarding the types and potential of medicinal plants in inland peat areas, which will facilitate their management. This research activity was carried out in the “Handak Maju” IUPHKm area for 3 (three) months, from July – September 2022. The implementation method is carried out through survey activities and field observations and carrying out of the Focus Group Discussions, as well as related literature studies. Based on the results of the survey conducted, it was found that several types of medicinal plants have the potential to be developed and preserved. According to Zuhud (1991) that medicinal plants are plants whose plant parts (leaves, stems or roots) have medicinal properties and are used as raw materials in the manufacture of modern and traditional medicines. It was further revealed that, medicinal plants are still not widely cultivated. However, the advantages of treatment using traditional medicinal plant ingredients are generally considered safer than the use of modern medicine. This is because traditional medicine has relatively fewer side effects than modern medicine.

Effects of Natural Substances on Lowering Uric Acid

Uric acid (UA) metabolism, which includes uric acid production controlled by purine metabolism and uric acid excretion controlled by the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys, is the primary way to maintain the concentration of uric acid in the body. Abnormal functionalizing of the metabolism may cause hyperuricemia, gout, kidney injury, and other diseases. Over the last decade, numerous studies have been conducted on the effect of natural products, including active ingredients of medicinal plants, natural compounds, plant and fungal extracts, traditional herbal formulations, microbial products, alkaloids, etc., on the downward regulation of uric acid for treating uric acid related diseases. Based on the potential sources from 2018 to 2022, 16 studies were reviewed and considered relevant to the topic. This paper is a preliminary summary of the effects of active ingredients of plants, the extracts of plants, and traditional herbal formulations on regulating uric acid levels.

Physiological and metabolomic analyses reveal that Fe3O4 nanoparticles ameliorate cadmium and arsenic toxicity in Panax notoginseng

Heavy metal(loid)-contaminated available arable land seriously affects crop development and growth. Engineered nanomaterials have great potential in mitigating toxic metal(loid) stress in plants. However, there are few details of nanoparticles (NPs) involved in Panax notoginseng response to cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As). Herein, integrating physiological and metabolomic analyses, we investigated the effects of Fe3O4 NPs on plant growth and Cd/As responses in P. notoginseng. Cd/As treatment caused severe growth inhibition. However, foliar application of Fe3O4 NPs increased beneficial elements in the roots and/or leaves, decreased Cd/As content by 10.38% and 20.41% in the roots, reduced membrane damage and regulated antioxidant enzyme activity, thereby alleviating Cd/As-induced growth inhibition, as indicated by increased shoot fresh weight (FW), the rootlet length and root FW by 40.14%, 15.74%, and 46.70% under Cd stress and promoted the shoot FW by 27.00% under As toxicity. Metabolomic analysis showed that 227 and 295 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified, and their accumulation patterns were classified into 8 and 6 clusters in the roots and leaves, respectively. Fe3O4 NPs altered metabolites significantly involved in key pathways, including amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis and phenylalanine metabolism, thus mediating the trade-off between plant growth and defense under stress. Interestingly, Fe3O4 NPs recovered more Cd/As-induced DAMs to normal levels, further supporting that Fe3O4 NPs positively affected seedling growth under metal(loid)s stress. In addition, Fe3O4 NPs altered terpenoids when the seedlings were subjected to Cd/As stress, thus affecting their potential medicinal value. This study provides insights into using nanoparticles to improve potential active ingredients of medicinal plants in metal(loid)-contaminated areas.

Effects of Altitude and Continuous Cropping on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Community in Siraitia grosvenorii Rhizosphere

Siraitia grosvenorii, a medicinal plant with continuous cropping, is cultivated in southern China. Changes in the soil microbial community during continuous cropping can cause soil-borne diseases in S. grosvenorii. This experimental study aimed to determine the differences in the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community structure and root colonization in the rhizosphere soil of S. grosvenorii with different continuous cropping years and altitudes. We tested three altitude gradients (low, 200–300 m; middle, 500–600 m; and high, 700–800 m) and four continuous cropping years (1, 2, 3, and 5 years). AMF colonization, along with AMF spore density, and the soil physicochemical properties of S. grosvenorii roots at different altitudes and continuous cropping years were determined. Illumina high-throughput sequencing was used to determine the molecular diversity of AMF in the rhizosphere of S. grosvenorii as they exhibited a symbiotic relationship. The AMF species in the rhizosphere soil of S. grosvenorii included 28 species of nine genera, including Glomus, Claroideoglomus, Acaulospora, Paraglomus, Ambispora, and so on. With an increasing altitude, the AMF colonization of S. grosvenorii roots increased significantly (p < 0.01); available phosphorus (AP) content was negatively correlated with AMF colonization (p < 0.01). Glomus and Paraglomus were the common dominant genera in the rhizosphere soil of S. grosvenorii planted for 2–5 years at a low altitude and 1 year at middle and high altitudes. The average relative abundance of Glomus increased with increasing continuous cropping years and altitude in the low-altitude and 1-year S. grosvenorii areas, respectively. Slightly acidic rhizosphere soil contributed to AMF colonization and improved the richness and diversity of the AMF community. Our results showed that altitude, AP, and pH are essential factors for predicting AMF infection and community changes in the S. grosvenorii rhizosphere. Here, Illumina high-throughput sequencing was used to study the species resources and community composition of mycorrhizal fungi in S. grosvenorii in the hilly areas of Guangxi, China. This study provides a theoretical basis for the application and practice of mycorrhizal fungi including the isolation and screening of dominant strains, inoculation of mycorrhizal fungi, and exploration of the effects of mycorrhizal fungi on the growth and active ingredients of medicinal plants.

Volatile compounds of Origanum onites L. herbal tea influenced by brewing durations

The tisanes (herbal teas), which are prepared by steeping various parts containing bioactive ingredients of medicinal plants in hot water, have long been used for the prevention and treatment of human diseases. For the effective transfer of phytochemicals to water, the duration of brewing is one of the basic factors that determine the quality of tisanes. This study was carried out to investigate the volatile compounds of Origanum onites L. tisane influenced by 7 different brewing durations (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 10 min) by SPME/GC-MS method. To clearly understand the qualitative changes of the tisanes that bear volatile ingredients, the volatile oil (VO) of the plant was also analyzed. Oxygenated monoterpenes (81.43%) were higher than other chemical groups in the VO. Carvacrol (73.2%) was observed as the predominant constituent of O. onites VO. Other major components of the VO were determined as linalool, γ-terpinene, p-cymene, β-bisabolene, caryophyllene, thymol, borneol, α-thujene, and α-terpinene. As a result of chromatographic analysis, oxygenated monoterpenes (96.05–98.19%) were the most major group in O. onites tisanes exposed to different brewing durations. Carvacrol was predominant constituent (84.34–92.6%) in all tisane treatments.The highest carvacrol contents of tisanes were observed at 4 (92.65%), 3 (92.19%), and 6 (91.61%) min. p-Cymene, γ-terpinene, linalool, and thymol were the other main compounds of O. onites tisanes. Based on the current findings, the greatest compounds group dissolved in water were oxygenated derivatives. As a general result, the most effective brewing duration in terms of volatile compounds diversity was determined in 2, 3, and 4 min. Also, the richest treatments in terms of carvacrol content were seen at 3, 4, and 6 min.

Transcriptional regulatory network of high-value active ingredients in medicinal plants

In Figure 2 in this Review article, the two end products, Artemisinin and Arteannuin B, of the pathways shown are reversed. The solid lines of ORA and NAC1 regulating the downstream genes are changed into dotted lines. The corrected figure is shown below. The authors apologize for the error. Transcriptional regulatory network of high-value active ingredients in medicinal plantsZheng et al.Trends in Plant ScienceJanuary 6, 2023In BriefMany active ingredients have been isolated and identified from medicinal plants, including terpenoids, alkaloids, saponins, and phenolic acids, which have crucial roles in the development of drugs and promotion of human health (Figure 1). Many environmental responses and specific accumulation of active ingredients in medicinal plants depend on transcriptional regulatory networks of hormone signals. Here, we review the transcriptional regulation of artemisinin, tanshinone, salvianolic acid, Taxol, vinblastine, and ginsenoside biosyntheses, which mainly involve jasmonic acid (JA) [1], abscisic acid (ABA) [2], salicylic acid (SA) [3], gibberellic acid (GA) [4], ethylene (Eth) [5], and indole acetic acid (IAA) [6] signaling. Full-Text PDF

A comparative study of the mineral elements in different medicinal plant parts of Daphne altaica Pall.

Daphne altaica Pall. is an important plant in traditional Chinese medicine. Mineral elements play an important role in the formation of active ingredients in medicinal plants. In this study, 14 mineral elements were quantitatively determined by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry using the roots, stems and leaves of D. altaica. The distribution variance of mineral elements between different organs were analyzed by statistical analysis methods such as single factor analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster heat map. The results show that the mineral element contents in corresponding parts of D. altaica exhibited significant variation, with the order from highest to lowest being K > Ca > Mg > Fe > Al > Mn > Na > Zn > Sr > Cr > Ni > Cu > Pb > Mo. Among them, the highest content of mineral elements are K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Cu and Mo in leaves, and the stems contains more Zn, Sr, Cr and Ni, while the content of mineral elements Fe, Al, Na and Pb in roots is much higher than the other two organs. The ANOVA revealed significant variations in the mineral element content across different regions of D. altaica (p < 0.05). Based on single factor analysis of variance, different parts of D. altaica had different fingerprint of mineral elements, and the concentration of the same mineral elements in different parts had significant difference (p < 0.05). The principal component analysis (PCA) model showed that the cumulative variance contribution rate of first two principal components was 99.10%, in which Mn, Mg and Ca have higher load values, which is consistent with the results of bi-plot and cluster analysis. These results indicated that there were great differences in absorption and utilization of mineral nutrient elements between roots, stems and leaves of D. altaica, and there was significant correlation among mineral elements, indicating that there was a complex synergistic and antagonistic effect among the elements. At the same time, the discriminant analysis of the characteristic elements provided a scientific basis for the quality control of D. altaica.

Transcriptional regulatory network of high-value active ingredients in medicinal plants.

High-value active ingredients in medicinal plants have attracted research attention because of their benefits for human health, such as the antimalarial artemisinin, anticardiovascular disease tanshinones, and anticancer Taxol and vinblastine. Here, we review how hormones and environmental factors promote the accumulation of active ingredients, thereby providing a strategy to produce high-value drugs at a low cost. Focusing on major hormone signaling events and environmental factors, we review the transcriptional regulatory network mediating biosynthesis of representative active ingredients. In this network, many transcription factors (TFs) simultaneously control multiple synthase genes; thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms affecting transcriptional regulation of active ingredients will be crucial to developing new breeding possibilities.

A Review on Some Indian Medicinal Plants useful in Hair Care

Abstract: Hair related problems are an ever-increasing problem. Compared with chemical herbal ingredients are more preferred because of their easy availability and lesser side effects. The utilization of novel medicinal plant ingredients in various formulations such as hair tonic, hair gels, hair oils and hair dyes has proved to be beneficial than the formulations containing chemical components. These novel ingredients have helped in the enhancement of the beauty of hair and help in the treatment of various hair problems such as dandruff, alopecia and many more. It is a universal problem affecting both sexes. Herbal cosmetics are now appropriate solution to the current problem. This review describes the use of some natural medicinal plants for hair growth promotion, Anti-hair fall and Anti-grey hair with a brief description of the major use, plant parts used and the active compounds responsible for the use of the herbal plants.

Structural characterization of chlorogenic acid-metal complexes derived from the aqueous extracts of medicinal plants and their DNA cleavage and antibacterial activities

The discovery of organic components with pharmacological activities in medicinal plants is crucial for new drug development. We examined chlorogenic acid (CGA) using high-performance liquid chromatography to analyze the aqueous and methanolic extracts of medicinal plants dissolved in methanol or methanol containing 15% formic acid. We found that for the aqueous extract, the peak areas of various components dissolved in 15% formic acid methanol were significantly larger than those dissolved in methanol. For the differences in the methanolic extract, the peak areas of all chromatographic peaks were relatively small between the samples dissolved in the two solvents. Electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry showed that CGA could react in hot water with the eight most common plant metal ions (Ca2+, Cu2+, Fe3+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Sr2+, and Zn2+) to form complexes with different coordination forms. The bioactivity experiments showed that CGA-Cu complexes could cause DNA cleavage through oxidative damage. CGA-Ni, CGA-Mn, and CGA-Zn showed significantly stronger inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus than CGA and the corresponding metal ions. These results suggest that, during the decoction process of medicinal plants, CGA forms complexes with metal ions, which are likely to be one of the active ingredients in medicinal plants. Subsequently, further research is needed on the antibacterial mechanism of chlorogenic acid-metal complexes not mentioned in this article.

Antimalarial efficacy and toxicological assessment of medicinal plant ingredients of Prabchompoothaweep remedy as a candidate for antimalarial drug development

BackgroundDrug resistance exists in almost all antimalarial drugs currently in use, leading to an urgent need to identify new antimalarial drugs. Medicinal plant use is an alternative approach to antimalarial chemotherapy. This study aimed to explore potent medicinal plants from Prabchompoothaweep remedy for antimalarial drug development.MethodsForty-eight crude extracts from Prabchompoothaweep remedy and its 23 plants ingredients were investigated in vitro for antimalarial properties using Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) enzyme against Plasmodium falciparum K1 strain and toxicity effects were evaluated in Vero cells. The plant with promising antimalarial activity was further investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify phytochemicals. Antimalarial activity in mice was evaluated using a four-day suppressive test against Plasmodium berghei ANKA at dose of 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg body weight, and acute toxicity was analyzed.ResultsOf the 48 crude extracts, 13 (27.08%) showed high antimalarial activity against the K1 strain of P. falciparum (IC50 < 10 μg/ml) and 9 extracts (18.75%) were moderately active (IC50 = 11–50 μg/ml). Additionally, the ethanolic extract of Prabchompoothaweep remedy showed moderate antimalarial activity against the K1 strain of P. falciparum (IC50 = 14.13 μg/ml). Based on in vitro antimalarial and toxicity results, antimalarial activity of the aqueous fruit extract of Terminalia arjuna (IC50 = 4.05 μg/ml and CC50 = 219.6 μg/ml) was further studied in mice. GC-MS analysis of T. arjuna extract identified 22 compounds. The most abundant compounds were pyrogallol, gallic acid, shikimic acid, oleamide, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, 1,1-diethoxy-ethane, quinic acid, and furfural. Analysis of the four-day suppressive test indicated that T. arjuna extract at dose of 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg body weight significantly suppressed the Plasmodium parasites by 28.33, 45.77, and 67.95%, respectively. In the acute toxicity study, T. arjuna extract was non-toxic at 2000 mg/kg body weight.ConclusionsThe aqueous fruit extract of T. arjuna exerts antimalarial activity against Plasmodium parasites found in humans (P. falciparum K1) and mice (P. berghei ANKA). Acute toxicity studies showed that T. arjuna extract did not show any lethality or adverse effects up to a dose of 2000 mg/kg.

A Comparative Analysis of Choorna and Bhavitha Choorna of Flower Buds of Japa (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn.) through High-performance Thin-layer Chromatography

Introduction:High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) is nowadays adopted by the major pharmacopoeias of the world for analysis of herbal drugs and preparations. The current use is generally limited to the visual observation of the fingerprints for identification and detection of adulterations and falsifications. It makes sense to use HPTLC to expand chromatographic fingerprints to identify the main active ingredients in medicinal plants. Compared to thin layer chromatography, the separation and resolution are significantly superior, and the outcomes are far more consistent and repeatable. Materials and Methods: Japakusuma mukula (flower buds of Japa) which is botanically identified as Hibiscus rosasinensis Linn. contains various phytoconstituents such as flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, polysaccharides, alkaloids, amino acids, lipids, sesquiterpene, quinones, and naphthalene groups. HPTLC fingerprinting profile of choorna (powder) and bhavitha choorna (triturated powder) of flower buds of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn. is demonstrated in methanolic extract in this study and bands are analyzed at 254 nm and 366 nm using CAMAG Linomat V Automatic Sample Spotter. The peaks and area are compared. Results and Conclusion: Similarity in the peak areas even in different Max Rf values, it could be inferred that the phytoconstituent obtained in both conditions will be having similarity. Since the bhavitha choorna possess, the greater number of large value peak areas in both the wavelength of visualization, it is clear that bhavitha choorna is more potent in comparison with choorna.

Inhibition of osteosarcoma by European Mistletoe derived val-miR218

Aim: In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the therapeutic potential of plant-derived miRNAs, which have been considered new bioactive ingredients in medicinal plants. Viscum album L., commonly used as an adjuvant cancer therapy in central Europe, contains a large number of miRNAs associated with human diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders. This study aimed to investigate whether mistletoe miRNAs, specifically val-miR218, exert anti-cancer activity against osteosarcoma. Methods: The anti-cancer effects of miRNAs from V. album L. were evaluated. The targets of val-miR218 were identified by RNA-seq. The mRNA and protein expression of the targets was confirmed by RT-qPCR and western blot analyses. The interaction between the val-miR218 and miRNA recognition elements (MREs) was validated by the dual-luciferase assay. The inhibitory effect of val-miR218 against osteosarcoma was investigated in vivo. Results: Among these abundant miRNAs in V. album L., val-miR218 showed high potential anti-cancer effects against osteosarcoma. To clarify its molecular mechanism of action, we sequenced val-miR218 associated RNAs and their down-regulated RNAs. As a result, 61 genes were considered the direct targets of val-miR218. Interestingly, these targets were related to essential cellular functions such as cell cycle, DNA replication, and cell morphology, suggesting that val-miR218 significantly inhibited cell growth and arrested osteosarcoma cells in G0/G1 phase by influencing basic cell activities. Mistletoe extracellular vesicles offered val-miR218 adequate protection and facilitated the uptake of val-miR281 by human cells. Moreover, val-miR218 showed significant anti-tumor effects in vivo. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the significant potential of val-miR218 regarding proliferation inhibition in various tumor cell lines in vitro and for osteosarcoma in vivo. Due to the increasing problems during chemotherapy, new therapeutic approaches are becoming more critical. The significant anti-cancer effects of medicinal plants derived miRNAs indicate a promising therapeutic strategy for treating cancer.