Plant Active Ingredients Research Articles

The potential of diallyl trisulfide for cancer prevention and treatment, with mechanism insights.

Cancer has become an important public health problem worldwide, and there is currently a lack of effective treatment and prevention strategies. Natural plant active ingredients have been proven to be a safe and highly promising method for preventing and treating cancer. It has been found that diallyl trisulfide have anticancer effects in multiple types of cancer via inhibiting cancer proliferation, enhancing chemotherapy sensitivity, inducing apoptosis/autophagy, suppressing invasion/migration, regulating microenvironment. With the deepening of research on new strategies for cancer prevention and treatment, the role of diallyl trisulfides in cancers occurrence, prognosis, and drug resistance is also receiving increasing attention. In order to better understand the relationship between diallyl trisulfides and various cancer, as well as the role and mechanism of diallyl trisulfides in cancer prevention and treatment, we briefly summarized the role and function of diallyl trisulfide in cancers.

Epigallocatechin gallate attenuated high glucose-induced pancreatic beta cell dysfunction by modulating DRP1-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis pathways

Long-term exposure to hyperglycemic conditions leads to β-cell dysfunction, particularly mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammatory and oxidative stress responses, which are considered the primary causes of β-cell death and the hallmarks of diabetes. Plant-active ingredients may play a key role in glycemic control. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a characteristic catechin derived from tea that possesses anti-diabetic properties. Nonetheless, its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Herein, the protective role of EGCG on high glucose (33 mM)-induced pancreatic beta cell dysfunction and its possible molecular mechanisms were investigated. Briefly, MIN6 cells were treated with glucose and EGCG (10 µM, 20 µM, and 40 µM) for 48 h. Our results revealed that EGCG dose-dependently restored mitochondrial membrane potential and concomitantly alleviated cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, the expression level of apoptotic protein BAX and Dynamic related protein 1 (DRP1) was significantly downregulated following EGCG treatment, whereas that of the anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2 was significantly upregulated. Taken together, EGCG alleviated high glucose-induced pancreatic beta cell dysfunction by targeting the DRP1-related mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and thus can serve as a nutritional intervention for the preservation of beta cell dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Isoliquiritigenin retards starch digestion by increasing resistant starch content and inhibiting the activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase

The inhibition mechanism of starch digestion by a natural plant active ingredient isoliquiritigenin was studied. The results indicated that isoliquiritigenin effectively decreased the starch hydrolysis through increasing the content of resistant starch, and inhibiting the activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The content of resistant starch increased by 18.85% with the addition of isoliquiritigenin at 8% content. Multispectral analyses showed isoliquiritigenin combined with α-amylase or α-glucosidase to form stable complexes by non-covalent bonds, leading to the enzyme's structure to be loose, which was supported by the results of unstable conformations and an increase in the freedom of amino acid residues of the enzymes in molecular dynamics simulation. Molecular docking demonstrated that isoliquiritigenin bound to the amino acid residues 304–310 nearby the active pocket of α-amylase, and inserted the active site of α-glucosidase competing with the substrate to bind the crucial amino acid residues (Asp215, Asp352 and Glu411), thereby inhibiting α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity. These findings highlight the development potential of isoliquiritigenin as a hypoglycaemic dietary supplement.

Application of Natural Medicinal Plants Active Ingredients in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignant cancer of the head and neck, with high morbidity and mortality, ranking as the sixth most common cancer in the world. The treatment of OSCC is mainly radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery, however, the prognosis of patients is still poor and the recurrence rate is high. This paper reviews the range of effects of natural medicinal plant active ingredients (NMPAIs) on OSCC cancer, including the types of NMPAIs, anti-cancer mechanisms, involved signaling pathways, and clinical trials. The NMPAIs include terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, glycosides, alkaloids, coumarins, and volatile oils. These active ingredients inhibit proliferation, induce apoptosis and autophagy, inhibit migration and invasion of OSCC cells, and regulate cancer immunity to exert anti-cancer effects. The mechanism involves signaling pathways such as mitogen-activated protein kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/protein kinase B, nuclear factor kappa B, miR-22/WNT1/β-catenin and Nrf2/Keap1. Clinically, NMPAIs can inhibit the growth of OSCC, and the combined drug is more effective. Natural medicinal plants are promising candidates for the treatment of OSCC.

A Nuphar lutea plant active ingredient, 6,6′-dihydroxythiobinupharidine, ameliorates kidney damage and inflammation in a mouse model of chronic kidney disease

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) associated complications are associated with increased inflammation through the innate immune response, which can be modulated with anti-inflammatory agents. An active ingredient derived from the Nuphar lutea aquatic plant, 6,6′-dihydroxythiobinupharidine (DTBN) has anti-inflammatory properties, mainly through the inhibition of NF-κB. We tested the effects of DTBN on mice with CKD. After preliminary safety and dosing experiments, we exposed 8 weeks old male C57BL/6J mice to adenine diet to induce CKD. Control and CKD animals were treated with IP injections of DTBN (25 μg QOD) or saline and sacrificed after 8 weeks. Serum urea and creatinine were significantly decreased in CKD-DTBN Vs CKD mice. Kidney histology showed a decrease in F4/80 positive macrophage infiltration, damaged renal area, as well as decreased kidney TGF-β in CKD-DTBN Vs CKD mice. Kidney inflammation indices (IL-1β, IL-6 and P-STAT3) were significantly decreased in CKD-DTBN as compared to CKD mice. DTBN treatment showed no apparent damage to tissues in control mice, besides a decrease in weight gain and mild hypoalbuminemia without proteinuria. Thus, DTBN significantly improved renal failure and inflammation indices in CKD mice. Therefore, this and similar substances may be considered as an additional treatment in CKD patients.

Evaluation of Anthelmintic Activity of Caesalpinia Pulcherrima Leaf Extract by In-Silico and In-Vitro Studies

The Greek term for "helminthes" means "worm." Human-infecting parasites fall into one of two categories: keepsakes or heirlooms. Heirlooms are parasites that have been passed down from African ancestors, while souvenirs are parasites that humans have picked up from animals through migration, evolution, and agricultural activities. These helminthic infections are the most prevalent human infectious agents in poor nations. The helminthic parasite affects around 2 billion people worldwide, or more than 25% of the total population. It is a big problem in developing nations, particularly for young people. Therefore, the goal of the current study was to extract the plant's active ingredients and test the crude extract's anti-helminthic properties. In this study, we worked on the ceasalpeniapulcherima plant with a focus on natural remedies for the treatment of helmintiasis. The chief scientist of Sri Konda Laxman Telangana State Horticulture University, Floriculture Research Station, Rajndranagar, authenticated the true nature of the plant. Water and ethanol were utilized in the extraction procedure. To find out what chemicals are in the alcoholic extract, a screening test is performed on it. The flavonoid test on the extract came out positive. Using Albendazole as the prescribed medication, the anthelmintic action was carried out on Indian earthworms. In Indian earth worms, we found that alcoholic extract exhibits good antihelmintic action. By Insilco studies we found the interaction of flavanoids with antihelmentic proteins. Key Word: Helminthes, ceasalpeniapulcherima, flavonoids, extractioin, in silico study.

Health outcomes associated with phytosterols: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials.

Phytosterols (PS), as a kind of plant active ingredients, have many benefits to human health. However, there is currently no comprehensive overview of the clinical evidence and an assessment of the evidence quality. We conducted an umbrella review, which incorporated verification spanning a number of meta-analyses and systematic reviews to clarify the link that existed between PS consuming and health outcomes. The databases PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and The Cochrane Library were searched for appropriate research and ultimately included 23 articles involving 79 results. Methodological quality and the validity of evidence received designation in the included meta-analyses leveraging the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR-2) and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). The consumption of PS makes a contribution to the alleviation of metabolic conditions such as hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Its most essential function is to decrease cholesterol absorption, leading to dramatically reductions in total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Furthermore, utilizing PS products can have a favorable impact on managing apolipoprotein levels along with decreasing the probability of obtaining atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This umbrella review summarized a range of beneficial functions of PS to humans, highlighting the promising potential for the development of PS into functional foods.

Plant-mediated biosynthesized Au/CuO catalysts for efficient glycerol oxidation to 1,3-dihydroxyacetone: effect of biomass component on catalytic activity

This study prepared a series of SoL-Au/CuO catalysts by isolating plant active ingredients. S3-Au/CuO enriched with polyphenols demonstrated the highest activity with a glycerol conversion of 86.6% and DHA selectivity of 82.0%.

The improvement of kinsenoside in wild-imitated cultivation Anoectochilus roxburghii associated with endophytic community

Due to the low content of active ingredients and poor efficacy in herbal medicine in modern large-scale planting conditions, a growing number of methods for improving the content of active ingredients have been studied, such as improving planting techniques, developing and applying microbial engineering bacteria. In recent years, most studies have focused on improving the quality of Anoectochilus roxburghii through conventional farming methods. However, the role of endophytes in improving the quality of herbal medicine was often ignored. Although some studies have shown that microorganisms can regulate Anoectochilus roxburghii growth, there are still few studies on their regulation of plant active ingredients in plants. In this study, endophytic community and active ingredient content under the three culture patterns were examined through amplicon sequencing and high performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detector, and the correlation between the abundance of endophytes and kinsenoside content was analyzed. The results indicated a significant alteration in the diversity and network complexity of endophytic community within Anoectochilus roxburghii under the three culture conditions. After being cultivated in a wild-imitated environment for 3 months, the microbial composition of wild-imitated cultivated Anoectochilus roxburghii differentiated and converged toward that of wild-tending planted Anoectochilus roxburghii. Correlation analyses showed that the diversity of bacterial community has a significant positive relationship with the content of kinsenoside, and Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia is the key taxa affecting kinsenoside content. In addition, acetylacetyl-CoA reductase, a key enzyme for the synthesis of kinsenoside, was significantly enriched in wild-imitated cultivated and wild tending cultivated Anoectochilus roxburghii. The study proposed that the medicinal quality of wild-imitated cultivated and wild tending cultivated Anoectochilus roxburghii, with high content of kinsenoside, which is likely attributed to the Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia and acetylacetyl-CoA. This study provides a basis for the improvement and sustainable utilization of Anoectochilus roxburghii resources.

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.

Extraction and Analysis of Plant Active Ingredients

The extraction of active ingredients from vegetable matter is one of the most attractive research fields in the literature [...]

Protective Effects of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) against the Jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai Envenoming.

Jellyfish stings are the most common marine animal injuries worldwide, with approximately 150 million envenomation cases annually, and the victims may suffer from severe pain, itching, swelling, inflammation, arrhythmias, cardiac failure, or even death. Consequently, identification of effective first aid reagents for jellyfish envenoming is urgently needed. Here, we found that the polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) markedly antagonized the hemolytic toxicity, proteolytic activity, and cardiomyocyte toxicity of the jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai venom in vitro and could prevent and treat systemic envenoming caused by N. nomurai venom in vivo. Moreover, EGCG is a natural plant active ingredient and widely used as a food additive without toxic side effects. Hence, we suppose that EGCG might be an effective antagonist against systemic envenoming induced by jellyfish venom.

The theoretical and experimental substantiation of the composition of a mouthwash

Aim. To develop the composition and laboratory technology of a therapeutic and preventive mouthwash based on a plant active ingredient and study a number of its quality indicators. Materials and methods. When developing the composition and technology of the drug, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and excipients approved for medical use and widely used in pharmaceutical practice were selected. The information-search, information-analytical, organoleptic, physicochemical, pharmacotechnological and microbiological research methods were used. Statistical processing of the data obtained was performed using Microsoft Excel 2007 spreadsheets. Results and discussion. The composition and number of components of the therapeutic and preventive mouthwash have been theoretically substantiated. The theoretical and experimental substantiation of the composition of the original mouthwash of the multifaceted action with a deodorizing effect for use in halitosis (the liquid extract of burdock, pot marigold, fleaworts, horsetail, sage, inula, chicory (45 : 5 : 15 : 5 : 10 : 15 : 5, respectively) (1 : 4); thyme and lemon essential oil, xylitol, polysorbate-20, glycerin, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, purified water) is given. The tests showed the need to add antimicrobial preservatives to the mouthwash composition. Taking into account the requirements of safety and cost-effectiveness, as well as slightly higher antimicrobial activity, potassium sorbate in the minimum effective concentration of 0.1 % was chosen as a promising preservative. Salivary diagnostics revealed a general tendency to improve the physicochemical properties of saliva by a number of parameters after applying an experimental sample of the mouthwash developed. There is a general tendency to improve the physicochemical properties of saliva by a number of parameters after using an experimental sample of the mouthwash developed. Conclusions. The composition of the therapeutic and preventive original drug – a mouthwash of the multifaceted action with the antimicrobial and deodorizing effects for use in halitosis has been developed.

Isosinensetin alleviates estrogen deficiency-induced osteoporosis via suppressing ROS-mediated NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathways

The formation of osteoclasts and their hyperactive bone resorption are related to the aggregation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Flavonoids, derived from plant active ingredients, can alleviate the symptoms of osteoporosis (OP). Isosinensetin (Iss) is a flavonoid with antioxidant effects obtained mainly from citrus fruits, and its effect on osteoclastogenesis has not been reported. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant activity of Iss on osteoclast differentiation and function, as well as the therapeutic impact of Iss on OP. We found that Iss inhibited osteoclastogenesis and suppressed the bone resorption function of osteoclasts. Additionally, Iss reduced receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced intracellular ROS. Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot, we further found that Iss inhibited osteoclast-specific genes and related proteins, while promoting the expression of antioxidant enzyme-related genes and proteins. Mechanistically, Iss reduces intracellular ROS by activating nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its related antioxidant enzymes and inhibits the downstream nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways of ROS, which in turn inhibits nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFATc1), and ultimately inhibits osteoclastogenesis. In vivo, by micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) assay and histological analyses, we found that Iss could reduce bone loss in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. Therefore, Iss has the potential as an OP preventative and therapeutic drug option.

CELLULASE OF ENDOPHYTIC Bacillus SP. FROM Glycyrrhiza uralensis F. AND ITS APPLICATION FOR EXTRACTION OF GLYCYRRHIZIC ACID

Glycyrrhizic acid is the main component of the medicinal plant Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. It is widely used as a sweetener and an effective active ingredient with multiple physiological functions. Endophytes are microorganisms that coexist with plants and can produce cellulase. This cellulase enzyme can be used to overcome dissolution barriers of plant active ingredients by degrading plant cell wall. In the present study, a cellulase-producing strain with high cellulase activity was isolated from fresh Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, and identified using the Congo red staining method and the DNS method. Glycyrrhizic acid yield was determined by the HPLC method. A highly reactive cellulase-producing strain, with a high extraction capacity of glycyrrhizic acid, was obtained. The strain was named GG-3, and bioinformatic analysis showed that it was a Bacillus sp. Findings obtained after optimization of the enzyme production and glycyrrhizic acid extraction process showed that glycyrrhizic acid yield increased by 32.52% and 31.35% after extraction with GG-3 enzyme, compared with the use of the traditional extraction method and commercial cellulase extraction method, respectively.

Luteolin ameliorates hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension via regulating HIF-2α-Arg-NO axis and PI3K-AKT-eNOS-NO signaling pathway

BackgroundPulmonary hypertension (PH) is a devastating disease with poor prognosis and high mortality. Hypoxia induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH) is a persistent threat to human health, especially to people who live on high altitude plateau. Pulmonary vascular endothelial cell is involved in numerous pathophysiological processes, including in vasoconstriction, oxidative stress, cell growth and differentiation. Endothelial cells (ECs) are the first layer to be exposed to changed oxygen levels and hypoxia could lead to ECs dysfunction. Endothelial-derived nitric oxide (NO) is the most important bioactive molecule, which could regulate endothelial homeostasis. PH pathophysiology has been linked to the disruption of NO pathways. PurposeLuteolin is a kind of plant active ingredient with multiple pharmacological activities. The purpose of this study is to detect the effect of luteolin on HPH with in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro analyses and to further elucidate luteolin's pharmaceutical mechanism with NO related signaling pathway regulation. MethodsHypobaric chamber was used to establish HPH animal model. Rats were intragastrically administrated luteolin for 28 days. Then hemodynamic indexes, histopathological changes, pulmonary artery endothelial function, NO content and arginase activity in lung tissue, NO related pathway proteins expression were measured to evaluate the effect of luteolin on HPH. PAECs were treated with 1% O2 and incubated with or without luteolin. PAECs vitality, NO content in cells supernatant, and NO related pathway proteins expression were tested to reveal the protective mechanism of luteolin. ResultsLuteolin decreased mean pulmonary hypertension of HPH rats, alleviated right ventricular and pulmonary vascular remodeling. Immunofluorescence staining (vWF), isolated perfused/ventilated rat lung experiment indicated that luteolin protected pulmonary vascular endothelial function of HPH rats. Luteolin increased NO content in PAECs supernatant while decreased NO level in lung tissues of HPH rats. Further, it was demonstrated that luteolin inhibited HIF-2α-Arg axis in PAECs and HPH rats. PI3K-AKT-eNOS signaling pathway was upregulated in PAECs, but which was downregulated in lung tissues of HPH rats. Pharmacological effect of luteolin was equivalent or better than sildenafil. ConclusionLuteolin ameliorated HPH in rats by protecting pulmonary vascular endothelial function via regulating HIF-2α-Arg-NO axis and PI3K-AKT-eNOS-NO signaling pathway. This study may provide a novel perspective and approach to alleviate the devastating disease of HPH.

Herbal Compounds as an Antidote Against Snake Bite.

Snakebites have been declared a neglected health problem that is considered a national disease by the WHO (world health organisation). Asian countries like India have high snakebite death rates due to short antidotes and poorly equipped doctors. In today's scenario, local resources like herbs need to be used to prepare cheap antidotes and are often available to victims. Snake bites should be viewed as an emergency problem and require additional national guidelines, doctor training, expertise, and human concentration for effective and timely treatment-measures to be taken to ensure the availability and mass production of antidotes. Currently available, antidotes have problems with storage, manufacture, and aspects of the results. Attention should be paid to the natural compound Gedunin with antitoxic effects. To determine Gedunin's therapeutic efficacy, well-designed clinical research is required. This article emphasizes and proves the therapeutic effectiveness of the herbal plant active ingredient Gedunin against snakebites.

Protective Effect and Mechanism of Plant-Based Monoterpenoids in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases.

The protective effect of plant active ingredients against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming increasingly prominent, and the terpenoids have always been the main active compounds in Chinese herbal medicine exerting hepatoprotective effects. However, the related pharmacological effects, especially for monoterpenoids or iridoid glycosides, which have obvious effects on improvement of NAFLD, have not been systematically analyzed. The objective of this review is to systematically examine the molecular mechanisms of monoterpenoids in NAFLD. The signaling pathways of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, insulin, nuclear factor κB, toll-like receptor, adipocytokine, RAC-α serine/threonine protein kinase, mammalian target of rapamycin, 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase, and autophagy have been proven to mediate this protective effect. We further compared the experimental data from animal models, including the dosage of these monoterpenoids in detail, and demonstrated that they are effective and safe candidate drugs for NAFLD. This review provides a reference for the development of NAFLD drugs as well as a research guideline for the potential uses of plant monoterpenoids.

Optimization of some parametric values of MTT for the determination of human melanoma (SK-Mel-30) cell viability

3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide (MTT) assay is a widely used assessment method for the determination of anticancerogenic effects of active compounds including plant secondary metabolites. Recently, some important plant active ingredients have been widely investigated for anticancerogenic properties on melanoma cancer lines which are the most lethal type of skin cancer. Although some methods including DNA assay, 3H-thymidine incorporation and flow cytometry have been recommended for counting cells in the culture, MTT is one of the most frequent method and therefore, MTT assay needs to be optimized for melanoma cell lines. In this study, the MTT analytical procedure for determination of cell viability of human melanoma cell line (SK-Mel-30) was divided into nine steps and various parameters in each step (reagent amount, incubation time, centrifugation, solvent type, waiting time before spectrophotometric analysis and spectrophotometric parameters) were optimized. Optimum amount of MTT reagent and incubation time after MTT addition were determined as 10 µL and 4 h for 96 well plate, respectively. Various solvents were evaluated for solubility effectiveness of the formed crystals and DMSO was found to be the best solvent to dissolve the crystals. Waiting time before spectrophotometric reading and Uv-vis spectrums were also evaluated. At the end of the study a flowchart, presented the best analytical conditions, was constructed. Obtained findings can be used for the determination of anticancerogenic properties of plant ingredients.

The Perspective of Traditional Persian Medicine on Botanicals Effective in Quitting Opium Addiction: A Review

Traditional Persian medicine (TPM) is a set of theoretical and practical sciences that are used in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of physical, mental, or social disorders. This holistic medical system can provide solutions for some diseases, including drug addiction, that modern medicine, only offers symptomatic treatment. Since the addiction prevalence in the 16th century, Persian medicine scholars have introduced various ways to quit it. In this study, we investigated if Persian medicine has treatment options to quit opium addiction. We studied the main textbooks of TPM that specifically talked about addiction. Our study was conducted according to a systematic prioritization in traditional medicine. Additionally, scientific databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar searched for plant active ingredients in current pharmacology. By this method, forty-nine drugs were found, and nine drugs with herbal origin obtained the highest score in addiction treatment. Since the main purpose of the study is finding new drugs theoretically effective in quitting opium addiction; we sought to find evidence of that effectiveness in modern pharmacology and we found them in most prioritized drugs. Prioritizing traditional drugs can lead to find new drugs which also have evidence of effectiveness in modern studies. Therefore, they could be introduced as novel natural remedies for disease. The list of drugs obtained in this study can be the basis for conducting in vitro and in vivo studies for design and development of new drugs in the treatment of opium addiction. In fact, traditional medicine could have a special place in quitting opium addiction, and this capacity should be further exploited.