N-butanol Extract Research Articles

Phytochemical profile, antioxidant and antibacterial activity of four Hypericum species from the UK

Treatment of skin wounds is an important domain in biomedical research since many pathogenic bacteria can invade the damaged tissues causing serious infections. Effective treatments are required under such conditions to inhibit microbial growth. Plants are traditionally used for the treatment of skin infections due to their antimicrobial potential. The antibacterial activity of different solvent extracts of four Hypericum species (H. androsaemum, H. ericoides, H. x moserianum and H. olympicum) traditionally acclaimed for their wound healing activity was examined in the present study against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter aerogenes. In addition the content and types of flavonoids [High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis], and antioxidant activity [1,1-diphenyl-2-picryIhydrazyl (DPPH) assay] were evaluated for all the species. The most prominent antibacterial activity was displayed by H. olympicum (MIC between 0.001 – 0.1 mg/mL) in particular ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions which were found to be rich in phenolic and flavonoid contents. Strong antioxidant activity was observed for all the species and was associated with the more polar methanol, ethyl acetate and n-butanol extracts, with IC50 values ranging between 0.093 to 0.3 mg/mL. HPLC analysis of the extracts indicated the presence of different flavonoids in the plants and the highest content of selected flavonoids was determined for H. olympicum. The antibacterial activity of the selected Hypericum species shown in this study supports the traditional role of using these species for wound healing.

Sodium Valproate Affect Brain Antioxidant/Oxidant Status in Mice: Ameliorative Effect of Vitamin E and Chrysanthemum fontanesii Extract

Background: This study was aimed to evaluate the protective effects of n-butanol extract of Chrysanthemum fontanesii against oxidative stress induced by sodium Valproate (VPA) in the brain of female mice in comparison to Vitamin E (Vit E). Methods: Mice were divided into 5 groups and treated daily for 12 days. They received VPA (300 mg/kg i.p. injection), C. fontanesii butanolic extract (100 mg/kg), and Vit E (100 mg/kg). Glutathione Peroxidase Activity (GPx), Reduced Glutathione (GSH), and lipid peroxidation end products in the brain were measured. Results: Subacute treatment of mice with VPA resulted in a significant increase in oxidative damage. At a dose of 100 mg/kg, both C. fontanesii and Vit E significantly reduced VPA-induced oxidative stress by inhibiting lipid peroxidation, increasing brain GSH content, and restoring the activity of GPx. Conclusion: It may be concluded that the phytoconstituents present in the n-butanol extract of aerial parts of C. fontanesii are responsible for the ameliorative effect of brain antioxidant/oxidant status affected by VPA.

Liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis, phytochemical and biological study of two aizoaceae plants: A new kaempferol derivative from Trianthema portulacastrum L.

Background: Natural remedies used for the treatment of liver diseases have a major concernworldwide. Objectives: Evaluation of the cytotoxic potential of successive fractions of two Aizoaceae plants; Trianthema portulacastrum L. and Aizoon canariense L. against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell lines. Moreover, metabolomic profiling of the successive fractions of both plants was carried out. Materials and Methods: Cytotoxic activity of successive fractions of the two plants against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) HepG2 cell lines were evaluated using viability assay, whereas metabolomic profiling was carried out using Liquid Chromatography High-Resolution ElectroSpray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (LC-HR-ESI-MS). Results: Significant cytotoxic activity of the n-hexane and n-butanol extracts of A. canariense (24.7 ± 3.5 and 55.3 ± 4.9 μg/mL, respectively) is recorded. On the other hand, metabolomic profiling of both plants resulted in dereplication of 27 metabolites belonging to different chemical classes; for example, sterols, flavonoids, diterpenes, triterpenes, tetraterpenes, alkaloids, lignans, hydrocarbons, and nucleosides. Phytochemical study of the biologically active fractions resulted in the isolation of one new compound; kaempferol-3-O-(2''-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-6''-O-E-feruloyl-β-D-glucopyranosid (T1). Biological testing of the isolated compounds indicated significant activity of T1 against HCC (IC50 =7.19 ± 0.27 μg/mL). Conclusion: Phytochemicals isolated from T. portulacastrum L and A. canariense L. may be responsible for their cytotoxic activity against HCC HepG2 cell lines.

Antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of Trollius altaicus C. A. Mey. On Streptococcus mutans

Dental caries is a chronic bacterial infectious disease caused by multiple factors, with Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) as the main cariogenic bacteria. Trollius altaicus C. A. Mey. (TA) is a common folk medicine in the Xinjiang area of China. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of T. altaicus C. A. Mey. (TA) flower extracts on S. mutans. The inhibition zone, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) value were investigated to determine the antibacterial activity of the extracts. Biolfilm study was used to determine the antibiofilm activity of the extracts. Results showed that the water, ethanol, and n-butanol extracts of TA flower against S. mutans had MIC values of 10, 5, and 10 mg/mL, respectively, and MBC values of 20, 10, and 20 mg/mL, respectively. Crystal violet staining assay showed that the inhibition rates of the biofilm were 78.10% ± 1.14%, 81.12% ± 3.33%, and 80.54% ± 3.60% at MIC levels of the water, ethanol, and n-butanol extracts of TA flower, respectively. Observation of the biofilm by confocal laser scanning microscopy and quantification of the biofilm via flow cytometry showed that the TA flower extracts could damage the biofilm. The TA flower extracts significantly inhibited biofilm formation at MIC value (P < 0.05). These results showed that the water, ethanol, and n-butanol extracts of TA flower had inhibitory effects on the planktonic growth and biofilm formation of S. mutans. The ethanol extract had the strongest inhibitory effect among the three extracts. Therefore, TA flower has bacteriostatic activity against S. mutans and has the potential to be developed for the prevention of dental caries.

Structural characterization of phenolic content, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Coffea arabica green seeds

This study concerns the evaluation of the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Coffea arabica green seed extract. The chemical compositions were analyzed by RP-HPLC-PDA spectroscopy. Antioxidant activities were assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), reducing power and phenanthroline assays. The antibacterial activity was tested against 14 bacterial strains as per CLSI recommendation. The RP-HPLC-PDA revealed the presence of resorcinol, ferulic acid, rutin, catechin, gallic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, chlorogenic acid and p-coumaric acid. The n-butanolic extract has the highest activity with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (20.09 ± 0.40 µg/ml) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (5.27 ± 0.19 μg/ml) assays. The A0.5 of the methanolic crude extract was 8.18 ± 0.63 μg/J ml for reducing power and 2.54 ± 0.06 μg/ml for phesnanthroline assay. The n-butanol extract showed an interesting antibacterial activity against Citrobacter freundii ATCC 8090 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 with minimal inhibitory concentration of 13.02 µg/ml. Our finding provides an effective and specific natural approach to search for classes of antioxidant and antibacterial compounds for different uses.

New prenylflavonol glycosides with xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity from the leaves of Cyclocarya paliurus

Eight new prenylflavonol glycosides (1–8), along with five known analogues (9–13) were isolated from the n-butanol extract of the dried leaves of Cyclocarya paliurus (family Juglandaceae) for the first time. The structures of these compounds were characterized by comprehensive analysis of 1D, 2D NMR, HRESIMS, UV data and acid hydrolysis. In bioassay, all these thirteen prenylflavonol glycosides exhibited inhibitory effects on xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity. Especially compounds 2 and 7, showed outstanding IC50 values of 31.81 ± 2.20 and 29.71 ± 3.69 μM, respectively.

Total Phenolic Contents and Antioxidant Properties of Algerian Arbutus unedo L. Extracts

Arbutus unedo L. is a plant widely distributed in the Mediterranean basin and North Africa, frequently used in traditional folk medicine to treat diabetes and arterial hypertension. This study aims to evaluate the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of ethyl acetate (EA.E) and n-butanolic (But.E) extracts prepared from leaves of Arbutus unedo. Total phenolic and flavonoids contents were determined spectrophotometrically. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH•, OH•, H2O2, O•-2, ß-carotene bleaching and AAPH-induced erythrocyte oxidative hemolysis assays. The phytochemical analysis showed the presence of polyphenols and flavonoids in both extracts. The high amount was observed in EA.E which exerted the stronger antioxidant effect, with IC50 values of 3.43 μg/mL, 323.45 µg/mL, 38.40 µg/mL and 11.56 µg/mL, in DPPH•, OH•, O•-2 and H2O2 tests, respectively. Both extracts inhibited β-carotene bleaching, but EA.E is always more potent (92%) than But.E (85%). Furthermore, the EA.E showed the highest protective effect on erythrocyte hemolysis induced by AAPH, with half time hemolysis (HT50) of 122.02 min at 40 µg/mL. Taken together, this study showed that Arbutus unedo leaf extracts possess strong antioxidant potential, which may be attributed to the presence of a high amount of polyphenolic constituents. So, this plant might be exploited as a potential source of natural antioxidant agents for pharmaceutical and food applications.&#x0D; Keywords: oxidative stress, antioxidant, phenolic compounds, Arbutus unedo.

Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Cytotoxic Properties of Centaurea africana Lamk var. [Bonnet] M

In Algerian traditional medicine, Centaurea species are well known in traditherapy. Centaurea africana has been used in folk medicine for the treatment of several inflammatory disorders. This study aims to examine the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative potential of both n-Butanol (BECA) and ethyl acetate (EAECA) extracts of Centaurea africana. The phytochemical analysis of both BECA and EAECA were explored and the antioxidant activities were investigated by measuring the DPPH° scavenging effect, the reducing power and the inhibition of lipid peroxidation (LPO) induced by by Fe2+/ ascorbic acid system. The antiinflammatory properties were determined by measuring the NO° scavenging effect and by using carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema. The antiproliferative activity was studied on HT29 (human colorectal adenocarcinoma), OV2008 (human ovarian cancer) and C6 (Rattus norvegicus brain glioma) cell lines using the Sulforhodamine B assay. The total polyphenol contents (TPC) of EAECA and BECA are recorded at 125.24±10.14 and 53.03±2.50 mgGAE/g extract, respectively. Both extracts revealed the antioxidant activity in a concentration-dependent manner; this effect is more pronounced with EAECA. The BECA exhibited a higher anti-inflammatory activity. This anti-inflammatory activity was reflected in a reduction of swelling of carrageenan-evoked edemas (48.45 %), inhibition of nitric oxide (84.7 %), effective decrease in myeloperoxidase activity (58.82 %) and malondialdehyde level (65.58 %). The cytotoxic effect of BECA was found to be more pronounced against C6 cell lines (IC50 value: 131.93 μg/mL) while the cytotoxic activity of EAECA was more effective against HT29 and OV2008 cell lines. The obtained results indicated that EAECA exhibited a high antioxidant activity, while BECA has significant anti-inflammatory activity. Both extracts showed cytotoxic effects against cancer cell lines at certain concentrations in a cell-specific manner.

Assessment of the antioxidant activity and genotoxicity of the extracts and isolated glycosides with a new flavonoid from Lotus aegaeus (Gris.) Boiss

Chemical composition and genotoxic properties of L. aegaeus (Griseb.) Boiss. which is a member of legumes and used as a cover crop, an antimicrobial agent for animal wounds and forage in Central Anatolia were detected for the first time. Nine secondary metabolites together with a new compound for nature were isolated from the n-butanol extract of Lotus aegaeus (Griseb.) Boiss aerial parts. The structures of the isolated compounds were clarified as a known cyanogenic glucoside, linamarin (1), 2 known saponins: wistariasaponin C (8) and wistariasaponin D (9), 5 known flavonoids: quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside-7-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (2), quercetin-3-O-β-d-galactopyranoside-7-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (3), kaempferol-3-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-7-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (4), kaempferol-3-O-β-xylopyranosyl-(1→2)-α--l-rhamnopyranosyl-7-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (5), kaempferol 3-O-(5′'-acetyl) apiofuranoside 7-O-rhamnopyranoside(6) and a new flavonoid, kaempferol 3-O-(3′',5′'-diacetyl) apiofuranoside 7-O-rhamnopyranoside (7) by using 1D-2D Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Mass Spectroscopy (MS) methods. Antioxidant effects of the L. aegaeus (Griseb.) Boiss extracts and all isolated compounds were investigated by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide (SO) radical scavenging tests. Quercetin glycosides (2/3) exhibited the strongest antioxidant ability. The genotoxicity of the extracts and some isolated compounds (1,4,6/7,9) were determined in Drosophila melanogaster by the in vivo wing somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART). All genotoxicity test results revealed that L. aegaeus is a reliable source for drug development researches.

Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity Against Food Poisoning of Alcoholic Extract of Nigella Sativa L

Nowadays using natural sources for treating disease is one of the most favorable methods because of fewer side effects. Reporting antimicrobial properties of a new natural source can be useful for designing new natural medicines antimicrobial effect of Nigella Sativa L. seeds n-butanol extract will be useful for treating or preventing for many infections. In our study we report the first GC-MS analysis of n-butanol extract of Nigella Sativa L. seed and also its antimicrobial activity against some food poisoning and nosocomial infection causing microorganisms. Nigella Sativa L. seed powder was subjected to n-butanol with ratio 1:10 in a flask and then kept on shaker. After filtering, the extract has been analyzed by GC-MS. After that, the extract was tested against bacteria and fungi by three method, disc diffusion, well diffusion, and micro dilution methods. The GC-MS analysis revealed that fatty acids and terpenoids are the major constituents. The result showed that pseudomonas aureoginosa, klebsiella pneumoniae, acinetobacter baumanii, Yersinia enterocolitica, Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis and Candida krusei were the sensitive microorganisms. According to great antimicrobial activity and having nourishing components (fatty acids and terpenoids) adding this plant to a daily food diet is a good way for having a healthy life and this plant can be a new source for therapeutic uses.

Toxic and active material basis of Aconitum sinomontanum Nakai based on biological activity guidance and UPLC-Q/TOF-MS technology

BackgroundAs a folk medicine, Aconitum sinomontanum Nakai (Ranunculaceae, Gaowutou, in Chinese) is used by traditional healers to treat many disorders, including pain and inflammatory diseases, but it exhibits the toxic side effects. This study aimed to obtain toxic extract parts from A. sinomontanum roots and to further evaluate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of toxic extract parts on mice. This work also aimed to identify various chemical compositions of the toxic and active extract parts and evaluate the safety profile of this plant. MethodsExperimental drugs (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, alcohol and water extracts) were obtained through systematic solvent extraction from 95 % ethanol extract from A. sinomontanum roots. An acute toxicity test was conducted to compare the toxicity of different extracts administered at the maximum dose to screen a highly toxic extract. In pharmacodynamic activity analysis, the antinociceptive activity of the A. sinomontanum toxic extract was assessed using an acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing model and a hot plate test. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed in terms of xylene-induced inflammation. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS) was performed to establish a chromatographic fingerprint and to identify various chemical components of the toxic and active extract. ResultsChloroform, water and n-butanol extracts elicited significant toxic effects and had LD50 of 89.65, 1805.40 and 24409.41 mg/kg, respectively. Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities indicated that the chloroform extract significantly alleviated (p < 0.01) the pain induced by acetic acid with an inhibition rate of 44.7 % (5.9 mg/kg) and 50.4 % (17.7 mg/kg). The chloroform extract also significantly (p < 0.01) increased the latency time during the hot plate test. The latency time at 5.9 and 17.7 mg/kg increased from 15.6 ± 4.1 s to 47.3 ± 6.4 s and from 16.3 ± 3.8 s to 49.8 ± 7.6 s (p < 0.01), respectively, 2 h after treatment. In the inflammatory test, the chloroform extract significantly reduced (p < 0.01) the xylene-induced mouse ear oedema with an inhibition rate of 45.48 % (5.9 mg/kg) and 51.46 % (17.7 mg/kg), respectively. This result indicated that A. sinomontanum chloroform extract was also the active extract part of A. sinomontanum. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids in the chloroform extract. A total of 30 compounds were detected, and 23 compounds, including lappaconine, ranaconidine, 8-O-acetylexcelsine, sinomontanine H, finaconitine, lappacontine, N-dacetyllappaconitine, ranaconitine and isolappaconitine, were identified. ConclusionsA. sinomontanum chloroform extract possesses antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities and exhibits significant toxic effects. Phytochemical analysis indicated that some alkaloids may be the main bioactive ingredient responsible for the toxicity and efficacy of A. sinomontanum. This work contributes to the determination of the safety of the medicinal use of A. sinomontanum roots.

Iridoid glycosides from the Tunisian Citharexylum spinosum L.: Isolation, structure elucidation, biological evaluation, molecular docking and SAR analysis

For several years, chemicals with plant sources are of significant interest mainly for its amazing therapeutic properties and particularly at the structural level. For this reason, a phytochemical investigation and a biological evaluation were performed on the Tunisian Citharexylum spinosum L. tree. The n-butanol extract of flowers from this plant was fractionated by silica gel column chromatography and its fractions have been purified using preparative HPLC, which led to the isolation of a new iridoid glycoside named spinomannoside, as well as seven other known identified as 5-deoxypulchelloside I, pulchelloside I, lamiide, durantoside I, lamiidoside, and caudatosides B and E. The structures of the isolates were established by spectroscopic means including 1D and 2D NMR experiments, and spectrometric ESI-HRMS analysis. Furthermore, the isolated compounds were evaluated in vitro for their anti-tyrosinase, anticholinesterase, and cytotoxic activities. Caudatoside E displayed the highest anti-tyrosinase effect, with a percent of inhibition value of 69.3 ± 2.8 %. Also, the highest anticholinesterase effect was given by caudatoside E with an IC50 value of 22.38 ± 1.82 μM. Lamiidoside and caudatoside E were found to be the most cytotoxic compounds against the human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) with IC50 values of 17.28 ± 1.40 and 19.02 ± 0.90 μM, respectively. The study of the structure-activity relationship (SAR) has been sufficiently discussed. Caudatoside E, the most active compound, was docked with the protein crystal structures of the PDBs: 2Y9X, 4B0P, and 4I5I.

RETRACTED: In Vitro Antitumor Activities of Biologically Active Extracts and Isolated Phytochemicals From Rabdosia latifolia C. Y. Wu Et H. W. Li in Addenda

To investigate the antitumor activities, as well as phytochemical constituents of Rabdosia latifolia C. Y. Wu et H. W. Li in Addenda ( R. latifolia) extracts, the light petroleum, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water extracts from R. latifolia were determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays on MCF-7, HepG2, A549, Hela, and BGC-823 cells. We further examined cell cycle and apoptosis of the biologically active extracts on MCF-7 cells. The constituents of the biologically active extracts were determined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Triple-TOF/MS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometric (GC–MS) analysis. MTT assays showed that the dichloromethane extract had an inhibitory effect on MCF-7 and BGC-823 cells and that at 50 µg/mL showed 9.9% ± 1.7% inhibition of MCF-7 cells and 81.7% ± 9.5% of BGC-823 cells, respectively. The data for cell cycle analysis clearly showed a significant block in the S-phase. The dichloromethane extract induced apoptosis of MCF-7 cells, and the cell apoptosis rate showed time and concentration effects. UPLC- Triple-TOF/MS analysis revealed the presence of 16 structurally characterized compounds in the dichloromethane extract, all of which were identified for the first time in this species. Ent-kauranoids, such as henryin (9) and its analogs, were the predominant compounds. Subsequently, GC–MS analysis showed the presence of 20 volatile compounds, including γ-sitostenone, β-amyrone, γ-tocopherol, and dotriacontane. Based on the results of this study and previous literature reports, it is concluded that the ent-kauranoids, such as henryin, were the predominant components of R. latifolia with antitumor activity.

Biological activity studies of Sensevieria hyacinthoides extracts

Biological activity was studied of the different solvent extracts such as n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and methanol extracts of the rhizomes of Sensevieria hyacinthoides. The cytotoxic potential were examined by using brine shrimp lethality bioassay. Ethyl acetate extract exhibited quite potent activity in brine shrimp lethality bioassay with LC50 1.95 μg/mL, respectively. These result suggested that it might contain antitumor or cytotoxic agent. The ethyl acetate extract showed significant free radical scavenging activity with IC50 10.51 μg/mL and demonstrated excellent antibacterial activity. The free radical scavenging activity of the solvent extracts (n-hexane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol) were assayed by using DPPH method. The IC50 for Vit-c (Ascorbic acid) and ethyl acetate extract were found to be 3.91 and 10.51 μg/mL, respectively.&#x0D; Asian Australas. J. Biosci. Biotechnol. 2020, 5 (1), 15-20

Chemical composition, antioxidant, antihemolytic and anti-inflammatory activities of Ononis mitissima L.

A new trisnorlanostene-type triterpenoid 25,26,27-trisnor-3α-hydroxy-lanost-7(8)-en-24-oic acid and a new isoflavone, formononetin-7-O-[6″-O-((S)-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl)]-β-d-glucopyranoside, in addition to twelve known compounds, were isolated from the ethyl acetate and n-butanolic extracts of Ononis mitissima L. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR, mass spectrometry and comparison with literature data. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were estimated. Furthermore, the antihemolytic and anti-inflammatory activities of the crude extracts (petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and n-butanol) were evaluated, as well as their antioxidant activity. The tested extracts displayed antioxidant activity on different methods including DPPH free radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, ferric thiocyanate assay, hydrogen peroxide scavenging capacity and total antioxidant activity by phosphomolybdate assay. All extracts showed a moderate anti-inflammatory activity at the concentration of 500 μg/mL. The strongest antihemolytic activity was observed with the EtOAc extract.

Phytochemical Investigation, Acute Toxicity, Central Analgesic and Antioxidant Activities of Extracts and Essential Oil of Cotula cinerea Del (Asteraceae)

Background:Cotula cinerea belongs to the Asteraceae family and grows in desert areas such as Moroccan Sahara. The use of this plant in Moroccan traditional medicine prompted us to investigate its chemical composition, its acute oral toxicity, its analgesic and antioxidative activities.Methods:Extraction was conducted by steam distillation for essential oil and by maceration using solvents (hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol) for other non-volatile compounds. Quantitative analysis of total polyphenols, procyanidins and flavonoids was conducted through spectrophotometric assays. Qualitative phytochemical composition of the essential oil was investigated by GC/MS analysis. Acute oral toxicity was tested at a dose of 2000 mg/kg in mice. Central analgesic effect was assessed in rat using tail flick and hot plate models and the obtained results were compared to morphine. Antioxidant activity of the essential oil and the obtained extracts was evaluated through 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH°) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) assays and the obtained results were compared to TROLOX.Results:The obtained results showed that the studied extracts contained significant amounts of total polyphenols, flavonoids and condensed tannins. The phytochemical composition of the essential oil was predominated by thujone, eucalyptol and santolinatriene. The results of the acute oral toxicity showed that the tested essential oil and extracts were not toxic even at the highest dose of 2000 mg/kg. Experiments on analgesic activity showed that the administered extracts have a central analgesic effect. The highest effect was observed with the n-butanol and ethyl acetate extracts for both tail-flick and hot plate tests. The antioxidant activity of the explored extracts showed higher scavenging activities of the studied samples compared to TROLOX.Conclusion:Our results indicate thus that C. cinerea could be considered as a source of various secondary metabolites including terpenoids and polyphenols. Exploration of its biological activities showed that the plant essential oil and extracts possessed antioxidant and analgesic effects. Based on the results of this study, it is likely that extracts of C. cinerea could open perspectives for its use for pain relief.

Deciphering the Pharmacological Mechanisms of Taohe-Chengqi Decoction Extract Against Renal Fibrosis Through Integrating Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation In Vitro and In Vivo.

Taohe-Chengqi decoction (THCQ), a classical traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) formula, has been extensively used for treating chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the biological activity and mechanisms of action of its constituents against renal fibrosis have not yet been investigated thoroughly. This study was aimed at devising an integrated strategy for investigating the bioactivity constituents and possible pharmacological mechanisms of the n-butanol extract of THCQ (NE-THCQ) against renal fibrosis. The n-butanol extract of THCQ was prepared by the solvent extraction method. The components of NE-THCQ were analyzed using UPLC-Q/TOF-MS/MS techniques and applied for screening the active components of NE-THCQ according to their oral bioavailability and drug-likeness index. Then, we speculated the potential molecular mechanisms of NE-THCQ against renal fibrosis through pharmacological network analysis. Based on data mining techniques and topological parameters, gene ontology, and pathway enrichment, we established compound-target (C-T), protein-protein interaction (PPI) and compound-target-pathway (C-T-P) networks by Cytoscape to identify the hub targets and pathways. Finally, the potential molecular mechanisms of NE-THCQ against renal fibrosis, as predicted by the network pharmacology analyses, were validated experimentally in renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) in vitro and against unilateral ureteral obstruction models in the rat in vivo. We identified 26 components in NE-THCQ and screened seven bioactive ingredients. A total of 118 consensus potential targets associated with renal fibrosis were identified by the network pharmacology approach. The experimental validation results demonstrated that NE-THCQ might inhibit the inflammatory processes, reduce ECM deposition and reverse EMT via PI3K/AKT/mTOR and HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathways to exert its effect against renal fibrosis. This study identified the potential ingredients of the NE-THCQ by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS/MS and explained the possible mechanisms of NE-THCQ against renal fibrosis by integrating network pharmacology and experimental validation.

Protective effects of Amygdalus mongolica on rats with renal fibrosis based on serum metabolomics

Ethnopharmacological relevanceRenal fibrosis (RF) is a common outcome of various progressive chronic kidney diseases (CKDs) and, thus, seriously endangers human health. As the active ingredient of Amygdalus mongolica, amygdalin inhibits RF. Furthermore, our previous studies demonstrated that n-butanol extract (BUT) and petroleum ether extract (PET), which are effective components of A. mongolica, have an anti-renal fibrosis effect. However, their potential mechanisms of action are unclear and need further verification. Aims of the studyThe aims of this study were to further investigate the effects and potential mechanisms of A. mongolica extracts in the treatment of RF. Materials and methodsThe animals were divided into the control group, RF model group, PET group and BUT group. The RF rat model was established through unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Biochemical indicators, including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr), and hydroxyproline (HYP, a routine marker of fibrosis), and the antioxidant index (including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA)) were measured to evaluate the anti-RF effects of the extracts of A. mongolica. The histomorphology of renal tissue was observed and scored by HE and Masson staining. A serum metabonomic analysis based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS was performed to assess the changes in the metabolic profile among the different groups. ResultsThe results showed that PET and BUT significantly improved tubulointerstitial damage and fibrosis by reducing the levels of Scr, BUN, HYP, and MDA and increasing the level of SOD. Moreover, no significant differences in efficacy were observed between the BUT and PET groups. According to the metabolomics analysis, seventy-four potential biomarkers were identified, and eight crucial biomarkers were further selected. These key biomarkers significantly contributed to RF progression by participating in six metabolic pathways, including pathways involved in arginine and proline metabolism, histidine metabolism, nicotinamide metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversion, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism. In addition, eight key biomarkers and six crucial biomarkers were restored to levels similar to those observed in controls following the treatment with PET and BUT, respectively. ConclusionsThe outcomes of these studies demonstrate the renoprotective effects of A. mongolica extracts in rats with RF and revealed the mechanism underlying these antifibrotic effects on metabolic activity for the first time.

Jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum) Flower Extracts Ameliorate Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate Induced Ear Edema in Mice

Published data from in vitro assays support the anti-inflammatory effects of jasmine ( Jasminum grandiflorum Linn.) but limited studies are reported in animal models. Herein, the anti-inflammatory effects of jasmine flower extracts (JFEs) including ethanol extract (JF-EE), petroleum ether extract (JF-PEE), ethyl acetate extract (JF-EAE), and n-butanol extract (JF-BE) were evaluated in a mouse ear edema model. Acute mouse ear skin inflammation was induced by tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA; 125 µg/mL) and then treated with JFEs (100 mg/mL) or dexamethasone (DEX; 6.25 mg/mL; as a positive control). Jasmine flower extracts alleviated ear edema by reducing TPA-increased ear thickness and ear weight by 30.8% to 64.1% and 24.0% to 47.1%, respectively, whereas DEX showed comparable activity (by 71.8% and 49.1%, respectively). Their anti-inflammatory effects were supported by data from the immunohistochemical assays. Jasmine flower extracts reduced the inflammatory cells (from 5.5- to 9.5-fold) and the expressions of inflammation related enzymes including cyclooxygenase-2 and inhibitor of kappa-B kinase (from 1.9- to 2.8-fold and from 7.1- to 11.0-fold, respectively). Findings from this study showed that JFEs were able to ameliorate TPA-induced mouse skin inflammation. However, future studies on the underlying mechanisms of jasmine flower’s anti-inflammatory effects are warranted.

Antioxidant Activities of Yinchenhao (Artemisiae Capillaris) Leaves

Yinchenhao (Artemisia capillaris Thunb.) is a pharmaceutical agent that not only shows therapeutic effects against hepatobiliary diseases but also offers various physiological benefits. This study examined the extraction rates of antioxidant extracts from Yinchenhao leaves using different solvents. The extraction rates using different solvents were as follows: ethanol (12.1 ± 0.87%) &gt; water (7.7 ± 0.45%) &gt; n-butanol (1.3 ± 0.16%) ethyl acetate &gt; (1.3 ± 0.14%) &gt; n-hexane (1.1 ± 0.15%). The n-butanol and ethyl acetate extracts showed higher 1,1-Diphenyl-2 picrylhydrazyl radical free radical scavenging activity, 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonate) free radical scavenging activity and ferric ion reducing antioxidant activity, while n-hexane extracts showed weak antioxidant activity. In conclusion, Yinchenhao leaf has potential as a natural antioxidant, and n-butanol and ethyl acetate may be effective extraction solvents for studying its antioxidant activities.