Natural Herbal Extracts Research Articles

Antibaterial effect of Scutellariae Radix on wild type and mutants of E. coli

Inorganic polyphosphate(poly P)is having been found in all microbes, fungi, plants and animals and Human. In E. coli, an enzyme responsible for polyP synthesis is the polyphosphate kinase(ppk), exopolyphospatase(ppx), which hydrolysed the terminal residues of polyP, was discovered at same operon. Natural herbal extract of Scutellariae Radix(Scutellaria baicalensis George) have been used as antibacterial substance against infected bacteria. Scutellariae Radix extract showed remarkable antimicrobial activity against S. typhimurium, but little attention has been paid to the selective antibacterial activity against pathogenic and nonpathogenic bacteria. This study suggests the possible mechanism(s) of Scutellariae Radix for the selectable antibacterial activities in terms of the relationship between ppk and other relating regulatory genes(sspA and hns)on E.coli. Wild type and ppk mutants strains of E. coli were grown up to 5 mg/ml of Scutellariae Radix containing media. It shows significant differences between deletion mutants and wild type strains on treatment of Scutellariae Radix. Additionally, the results showed not only increased growth rate but also the regulation of gene expression on sspA and hns. Dependent on activities of ppk, the transcriptional activities of sspA and hns altered significantly. So, it suggests that Scutellariae Radix stimulate the transcription(s) either directly or indirectly to ppk and other ppk-relating genes.

Administration of extract of mushroom Phellinus linteus induces prostate enlargement with increase in stromal component in experimentally developed rat model of benign prostatic hyperplasia

Objectives To clarify the effect of the mushroom extract Phellinus linteus on noncancerous prostate cells using an experimentally developed rat benign prostatic hyperplasia model. A growing number of people take some natural herbal extracts for maintenance of their health. Among them, the extracts of certain mushrooms are believed to have a marked tumoricidal effect but low toxicity for normal tissues, and they are being drunk widely in Japan and Korea. However, until now, their effect on noncancerous benign prostate growth has not been examined. Methods The mushroom extract was administered daily for 5 weeks to experimentally developed benign prostatic hyperplasia rats. Prostate organ weight, histologic composition, and gene expression levels of sex hormone receptors, transforming growth factor-beta, vascular endothelial growth factor, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase were examined. Results Prostate weight increased significantly by 37% owing to treatment with the mushroom extract ( P <0.05). In particular, the stromal component of the prostate increased significantly by 80% ( P <0.05). A suppression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 expression by 56% was observed with the mushroom extract treatment ( P <0.05). Conclusions We found that the mushroom extract enlarged the prostate. The effect was suggested to be on the prostate stroma, which may be involved in transforming growth factor-beta 1 regulation. Administration of mushroom extract should be considered carefully by those with an enlarged prostate.

Identification of benzalkonium chloride in food additives and its inefficacy against bacteria in minced meat and raw sausage batters

There is a growing market for 'natural' food preservatives though their active ingredients are poorly known. We analysed four such additives, Bacterin, Protecta One, Protecta Two and Protecta Three, marketed as effective preservatives for meat products on the basis of salts and extracts of 'natural herbs'. Their ingredients were separated by HPLC and the structures of the antimicrobially active components were determined by mass spectrometry. The products contained the disinfectant benzalkonium chloride, an antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compound, as the only active principle. HPLC methods are reported for the analysis of benzalkonium chloride in such products and in meat. Bacterin and Protecta One, as well as pure benzalkonium chloride in equivalent concentrations, did not show antibacterial effects against meat-relevant pathogens in minced meat and raw sausage batter. Because benzalkonium chloride is not a permitted food additive, and is not effective as a preservative in meat, the public should be cautioned against such products alleged to contain 'natural herb extracts'.

Separation of twenty underivatized essential amino acids by capillary zone electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection.

Twenty underivatized essential amino acids were separated using capillary zone electrophoresis and consequently detected with contactless conductivity detection (CCD). A simple acidic background electrolyte (BGE) containing 2.3 M acetic acid and 0.1% w/w hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) allowed the electrophoretic separation and sensitive detection of all 20 essential amino acids in their underivatized cationic form. The addition of HEC to the BGE suppressed both, electroosmotic flow and analyte adsorption on the capillary surface resulting in an excellent migration time reproducibility and a very good analyte peak symmetry. Additionally, the HEC addition significantly reduced the noise and long-term fluctuations of the CCD baseline. The optimized electrophoretic separation method together with the CCD was proved to be a powerful technique for determination of amino acid profiles in various natural samples, like beer, yeast, urine, saliva, and herb extracts.

Election of Direct Representatives to the General Medical Council

<h3>ABSTRACT</h3> The lack of treatment options for COVID-19 has raised many concerns among populations worldwide, which has led to many attempts to find alternative options to prevent the transmission of the disease or to alleviate the progression of the infection, including focusing more on preventive measures (to prevent transmission to other individuals) and the use of natural products and herbal extracts to increase immunity and decrease the probability of getting infected. This study explored the knowledge of the population of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) about COVID-19 preventive measures and their belief about the consumption of herbal products for the prevention of COVID-19 infection. A total of 5,258 individuals participated in this study. Participants’ knowledge about the appropriate COVID-19 preventive measures in terms of handwashing procedures, self-quarantine and social distancing was moderate, with a mean score of 5.5 (SD: 1.7) out of 10 (representing around 55.0% of the total score). About 22.1% (n= 1,161) of the participants reported that they have used herbal products or nutritional supplements during the pandemic period, to protect themselves from the disease. Social media and the Internet (39.4%, n= 372) were the main motivators for the participants to try herbal products. Vitamin C was the most commonly used food supplement to increase immunity and reduces the chance of contracting COVID-19. Our study demonstrated that the general population in Saudi Arabia has a moderate level of knowledge about COVID-19 transmission and preventive measures. A considerable proportion of the population reported the use of herbal products or food supplements in order to protect themselves from the disease. Policymakers are suggested to provide further educational campaigns that increase population knowledge about the disease transmission routes and preventive measures. In addition, the use of herbal products should be evidence-based to ensure patient safety.