Plant-derived Substances Research Articles

A social media analysis of kratom use to discontinue stimulants

Background While FDA-approved treatments exist for opioid use disorder, none are available for stimulant use disorder. Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa), an unregulated plant-derived substance with known opioid- and stimulant-like effects, has been used to self-treat opioid use disorder; however, its use in relation to stimulant use disorder has not been described. Objective To understand whether and how individuals use kratom to self-treat stimulant use disorder. Methods Using a commercially available social listening platform, 3,820 publicly available social media posts published between January 1, 2020, and June 21, 2021, were reviewed for relevance to kratom and stimulant discontinuation. Manual qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on relevant data. Results Among the 398 relevant posts that discussed using kratom to discontinue stimulants, motivations and methods varied considerably. Posts predominantly identified benefits but also negative outcomes of kratom use. Some justified it as necessary despite consequences, while others reported a desire to quit. Conclusions Although there is some awareness that kratom is used to self-treat opioid use disorder, its use to treat stimulant use disorder is more novel. In the absence of approved treatments, kratom was viewed as a natural and safe way to quit stimulants. Despite some reported success, this study shows self-treatment may pose significant risks, including kratom addiction and physical dependence. Healthcare practitioners, researchers, and public health professionals may benefit from understanding motivations for kratom use, associated benefits and risks, and the importance of discussing kratom use with patients/clients who have stimulant use disorder.

Could Bioluminescent Bacteria be Used in the Search for New Plant-derived Antibacterial Substances?

Introduction. Currently, the search for new antibacterial substances is an urgent task due to the growing resistance of pathogens to existing antibiotics. One of the key directions in this area is the expansion of scientific research of medicinal plants, as new sources of therapeutic agents. This article examines the possibility of using highly sensitive bioluminescent test bacteria for these purposes, which can quickly detect non-specific antimicrobial activity and can be adapted to highly effective pharmaceutical screening technologies.Aim. To study the applicability of bioluminescent bacteria for the analysis of the antibacterial activity of biologically active substances (BAS) of plant origin.Materials and methods. BAS quercetin, 8-hydroxyquinoline, gallic acid and thymoquinone, which are often found in medicinal plant raw materials and with which its antibacterial properties are associated, were used in the work. Bacteria with constitutive bioluminescence Aliivibrio fischeri F1 and Escherichia coli (pXen7), as well as recombinant bioreporter strains with inducible luminescence were used as test-objects: E. coli (pRecA-lux), E. coli (pColD-lux), reacting to nucleic acid damage; E. coli (pKatG-lux) and E. coli (pSoxS-lux), sensitive to oxidative stress.Results and discussion. It was found that the nonspecific antimicrobial activity of the studied BAS is manifested in the inhibition of bacterial bioluminescence of test-strains with constitutive glowing. It was noted that the marine test-bacteria A. fischeri F1 have significantly greater sensitivity to the action of BAS, compared with the recombinant strain of E. coli (pXen7). It has been shown that their inhibitory effect begins at concentrations of 2 mcg/ml, and bactericidal activity occurs at concentrations of more than 20 mcg/ml. The results obtained are compared with the data on MIC and MBC of gram(+) and gram(–) pathogens. The study of the induction of bioluminescence of recombinant bioreporter strains showed that the antibacterial effect of the BAS is accompanied by oxidative stress. Also, quercetin caused activation of luminescence in E. coli (pRecA-lux) and E. coli (pColD-lux), which may indicate its participation in damage to nucleic acids. Analysis of the induction factors of bioreporter strains indicates that the revealed mechanisms of antibacterial activity are not major, but may be of a secondary nature.Conclusion. It has been shown that the intensity of the glow of natural and recombinant bioluminescent bacteria can be an indicator of the antibacterial activity of BAS of natural origin. The high sensitivity of A. fischeri F1 bacteria to the action of substances such as quercetin, 8-hydroxyquinoline, gallic acid and thymoquinone has been shown. Considering that bioluminescence analysis is a quantitative instrumental method, it can be easily adapted for high-throughput pharmaceutical screening. It has been shown that the luminescence intensity of natural and recombinant bioluminescent bacteria can be an indicator of the antibacterial activity of BAS of natural origin. The high sensitivity of A. fischeri F1 to the action of substances such as quercetin, 8-hydroxyquinoline, gallic acid and thymoquinone has been established. Taking in an account that bioluminescent analysis is a quantitative instrumental method, it can be easily adapted for high-throughput pharmaceutical screening.

Plant-Derived Epi-Nutraceuticals as Potential Broad-Spectrum Anti-Viral Agents.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be diminishing, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants represents a threat to humans due to their inherent transmissibility, immunological evasion, virulence, and invulnerability to existing therapies. The COVID-19 pandemic affected more than 500 million people and caused over 6 million deaths. Vaccines are essential, but in circumstances in which vaccination is not accessible or in individuals with compromised immune systems, drugs can provide additional protection. Targeting host signaling pathways is recommended due to their genomic stability and resistance barriers. Moreover, targeting host factors allows us to develop compounds that are effective against different viral variants as well as against newly emerging virus strains. In recent years, the globe has experienced climate change, which may contribute to the emergence and spread of infectious diseases through a variety of factors. Warmer temperatures and changing precipitation patterns can increase the geographic range of disease-carrying vectors, increasing the risk of diseases spreading to new areas. Climate change may also affect vector behavior, leading to a longer breeding season and more breeding sites for disease vectors. Climate change may also disrupt ecosystems, bringing humans closer to wildlife that transmits zoonotic diseases. All the above factors may accelerate the emergence of new viral epidemics. Plant-derived products, which have been used in traditional medicine for treating pathological conditions, offer structurally novel therapeutic compounds, including those with anti-viral activity. In addition, plant-derived bioactive substances might serve as the ideal basis for developing sustainable/efficient/cost-effective anti-viral alternatives. Interest in herbal antiviral products has increased. More than 50% of approved drugs originate from herbal sources. Plant-derived compounds offer diverse structures and bioactive molecules that are candidates for new drug development. Combining these therapies with conventional drugs could improve patient outcomes. Epigenetics modifications in the genome can affect gene expression without altering DNA sequences. Host cells can use epigenetic gene regulation as a mechanism to silence incoming viral DNA molecules, while viruses recruit cellular epitranscriptomic (covalent modifications of RNAs) modifiers to increase the translational efficiency and transcript stability of viral transcripts to enhance viral gene expression and replication. Moreover, viruses manipulate host cells' epigenetic machinery to ensure productive viral infections. Environmental factors, such as natural products, may influence epigenetic modifications. In this review, we explore the potential of plant-derived substances as epigenetic modifiers for broad-spectrum anti-viral activity, reviewing their modulation processes and anti-viral effects on DNA and RNA viruses, as well as addressing future research objectives in this rapidly emerging field.

Lutein/Zeaxanthin Isomers and Quercetagetin Combination Safeguards the Retina from Photo-Oxidative Damage by Modulating Neuroplasticity Markers and the Nrf2 Pathway.

Exposure to light-emitting diode (LED) light is a primary cause of retinal damage, resulting in vision loss. Several plant-derived substances, such as lutein and quercetagetin (QCG), show promise in supporting eye health. In this study, the impact of lutein/zeaxanthin (L/Z, Lutemax 2020) and QCG were evaluated individually and together in a rat model of LED-induced retinal damage. A total of 63 Wistar rats were allocated into nine groups (n = 7). For 28 days, the rats received L/Z (10 or 20 mg/kg BW), quercetin (QC, 20 mg/kg BW), QCG (10 or 20 mg/kg BW), or a mixture of different lutein and QCG dosages, after which they were exposed to LED light for 48 h. LED exposure led to a spike in serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and inflammatory cytokines, as well as an increase in retinal NF-κB, ICAM, GFAP, and MCP-1 levels (p < 0.0001 for all). It also reduced serum antioxidant enzyme activities and retinal Nrf2, HO-1, GAP43, NCAM, and outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness (p < 0.0001 for all). However, administering L/Z and QCG, particularly a 1:1 combination of L/Z and QCG at 20 mg/kg, effectively reversed these changes. The treatment suppressed NF-κB, ICAM, GFAP, and MCP-1 while enhancing Nrf2, HO-1, GAP43, and NCAM and preventing ONL thickness reduction in LED-induced retinal damage rats. In conclusion, while LED light exposure caused retinal damage, treatment with L/Z, QC, and QCG, particularly a combined L/Z and QCG regimen, exhibited protective effects on the retina. This is possibly due to the modulation of neuroplasticity markers and nuclear transcription factors in the rats' retinal cells.

Bazı etanolik bitki ekstrelerinin histon deasetilaz inhibitör ve antioksidan aktiviteleri: Kanser için yeni bir terapötik yaklaşım

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate histone deacetylase inhibitory and antioxidant activities of some ethanolic plant extracts. &#x0D; Materials and Methods: In this study, the inhibitory effects of ethyl alcohol extracts prepared from various plants and some chemical compounds on histone deacetylase activity were investigated. In addition, the antioxidant activity of plant-derived active substances, which have had an important value in alternative medicine in recent years, has been determined to replace chemicals.&#x0D; Results: All the plant extracts and chemical substances used in the study showed histone deacetylase inhibitory effect (with IC50 range of 0.000078-319.0 µg/mL) and antioxidant activity. The results indicated that the percentage of histone deacetylase inhibition and antioxidant activities increased with increasing concentrations of the plant extracts and chemical compounds. &#x0D; Conclusion: These plant extracts which are potential sources of histone deacetylase inhibitors may be appropriately used as an alternative support to drug treatment rather than the use of toxic chemicals.

Therapeutic effects of medicinal plants and their constituents on lung cancer, in vitro, in vivo and clinical evidence.

The most common type of cancer in the world is lung cancer. Traditional treatments have an important role in cancer therapy. In the present review, the most recent findings on the effects of medicinal plants and their constituents or natural products (NP) in treating lung cancer are discussed. Empirical studies until the end of March 2022 were searched using the appropriate keywords through the databases PubMed, Science Direct and Scopus. The extracts and essential oils tested were all shown to effect lung cancer by several mechanisms including decreased tumour weight and volume, cell viability and modulation of cytokine. Some plant constituents increased expression of apoptotic proteins, the proportion of cells in the G2/M phase and subG0/G1 phase, and Cyt c levels. Also, natural products (NP) activate apoptotic pathways in lung cancer cell including p-JNK, Akt/mTOR, PI3/ AKT\ and Bax, Bcl2, but suppressed AXL phosphorylation. Plant-derived substances altered the cell morphology, reduced cell migration and metastasis, oxidative marker production, p-eIF2α and GRP78, IgG, IgM levels and reduced leukocyte counts, LDH, GGT, 5'NT and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Therefore, medicinal plant extracts and their constituents could have promising therapeutic value for lung cancer, especially if used in combination with ordinary anti-cancer drugs.

Antibacterial mechanism of vanillin against Escherichia coli O157: H7

Vanillin, a plant-derived antimicrobial volatile substance, has potential microbial control applications in the food industry. However, the effect of vanillin on the food-borne pathogen Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 has not been well studied. This study aims to explore the antibacterial mechanism of vanillin against E. coli O157:H7. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and antibacterial effect of vanillin were determined by microdilution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the damage of vanillin to the cell membrane, while cell membrane potential and the leakage of nucleic acid protein were measured to explore the effect of vanillin on the membrane system. Confocal laser scanning and intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration determination were utilized to investigate the effects of vanillin on the energy, life, and death of E. coli. Finally, transcriptome sequencing was conducted to investigate the gene expression differences induced by vanillin treatment. The results showed that vanillin treatment effectively controlled E. coli O157:H7 with an MIC of 2 mg/mL. After treatment, damage to the membrane system, depolarization of the membrane, and leakage of nucleic acid and protein were observed. Meanwhile, vanillin treatment caused decreased ATP content and cell death. Transcriptome analysis showed that vanillin treatment significantly affected the expression of genes involved in cell membrane formation, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycling pathway, and oxidative phosphorylation pathway in E. coli O157:H7. In conclusion, membrane damage and energy metabolism disruption are important mechanisms of vanillin's inhibitory effect on E. coli O157:H7. This study provides new insights into the molecular reaction mechanism of vanillin against E. coli O157:H7, highlighting its potential as an antibacterial substance for preventing E. coli contamination in the food industry.

The treatment of mild upper respiratory tract infections - a position paper with recommendations for best practice.

Following the waning severity of COVID-19 due to vaccination and the development of immunity, the current variants of SARS-CoV-2 often lead to mild upper respiratory tract infections (MURTIs), suggesting it is an appropriate time to review the pathogenesis and treatment of such illnesses. The present article reviews the diverse causes of MURTIs and the mechanisms leading to symptomatic illness. Different symptoms of MURTIs develop in a staggered manner and require targeted symptomatic treatment. A wide variety of remedies for home treatment is available, including over-the-counter drugs and plant-derived substances. Recent pharmacological research has increased the understanding of molecular effects, and clinical studies have shown the efficacy of certain herbal remedies. However, the use of subjective endpoints in these clinical studies may suggest limited validity of the results. In this position paper, the importance of patient-centric outcomes, including a subjective perception of improved well-being, is emphasized. A best practice approach for the management of MURTIs, in which pharmacists and physicians create an improved multi-professional healthcare setting and provide healthcare education to patients, is proposed. Pharmacists act as first-line consultants and provide patients with remedies, considering the individual patient's preferences towards chemical or plant-derived drugs and providing advice for self-monitoring. Physicians act as second-line consultants if symptoms worsen and subsequently initiate appropriate therapies. In conclusion, general awareness of MURTIs should be increased amongst medical professionals and patients, thus improving their management.

Characterization of Salvadora persica and Salvadora oleoides Extracts Against Multidrug Resistant Bacterial Strains

The rapid emergence of drug-resistant bacteria is occurring worldwide, presenting urgent, serious, and concerning threats, many of which are already responsible for placing a substantial clinical and financial burden on the global healthcare system, patients, and their families. The use of plant-derived drug substances has a long tradition in medicine. Owing to the low cost and less toxicity, synthetic compounds and their derivatives are strong candidates to be used as potential drugs against multidrug-resistant bacterial strains. The current study aims to determine the potential antibacterial activity of two selected plant extracts. Two plants Salvadora persica and Salvadora oleoides, of Pakistani origin, were collected locally. The leaves and roots of both plants were dried, and extracts were prepared in four different solvents. The antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella typhi was evaluated by disc diffusion assay. Cytotoxicity of the extracts was tested by MTT assay. The plant extracts have shown varying antimicrobial activity against MDR bacterial strains with a zone of inhibition ranging from 16 mm ± to 6 mm ±. In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation showed that these extracts are non-toxic to cells even at high concentrations. The tested plant extracts have shown potent antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant bacterial strains and thus can be further evaluated for extracting potent antibacterial compounds with broad therapeutic potentials.

Review of Plant Extracts and Active Components: Mechanisms of Action for the Treatment of Obesity-Induced Cognitive Impairment

Obesity has been shown to negatively impact cognitive functions, but effective treatments for obesity-induced cognitive impairment are lacking. Natural dietary and plant products, functional foods, and plant-derived compounds have gained attention as potential remedies in part due to the nootropic properties of plants and certain plant-derived agents. This review discusses plant extracts and plant-derived substances that have been shown to ameliorate obesity-induced cognitive impairment in animal models. Mechanistic evaluations of their therapeutic effects are also summarized. A literature search was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar databases, resulting in the review of 27 English language articles meeting the inclusion criteria. The nine plants (e.g., Ashwagandha, Adzuki bean, and olive) and 18 plant-derived substances (e.g., curcumin, Huperzine A, and Roxburgh’s jewel orchid polysaccharides) included in this review improved obesity-induced cognitive impairment through several mechanisms, including attenuation of neuroinflammation, improvement in both central and peripheral insulin resistance, enhancement of neuroprotection and neurogenesis, and modulation of the synthesis and release of cognition-associated neurotransmitters. Based on these findings, plants and plant-derived substances may hold promise for the prevention and treatment of obesity-induced cognitive impairment. Further research is warranted to explore the clinical potential of these plant-derived treatments and to elucidate their underlying molecular mechanisms.

Plant Antimicrobials for Food Quality and Safety: Recent Views and Future Challenges.

The increasing demand for natural, safe, and sustainable food preservation methods drove research towards the use of plant antimicrobials as an alternative to synthetic preservatives. This review article comprehensively discussed the potential applications of plant extracts, essential oils, and their compounds as antimicrobial agents in the food industry. The antimicrobial properties of several plant-derived substances against foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, along with their modes of action, factors affecting their efficacy, and potential negative sensory impacts, were presented. The review highlighted the synergistic or additive effects displayed by combinations of plant antimicrobials, as well as the successful integration of plant extracts with food technologies ensuring an improved hurdle effect, which can enhance food safety and shelf life. The review likewise emphasized the need for further research in fields such as mode of action, optimized formulations, sensory properties, safety assessment, regulatory aspects, eco-friendly production methods, and consumer education. By addressing these gaps, plant antimicrobials can pave the way for more effective, safe, and sustainable food preservation strategies in the future.

Antidiabetic Properties of Plant Secondary Metabolites.

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is one of the major medical problems that the modern world is currently facing. Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus both result in early disability and death, as well as serious social and financial problems. In some cases, synthetic drugs can be quite effective in the treatment of diabetes, though they have side effects. Plant-derived pharmacological substances are of particular interest. This review aims to study the antidiabetic properties of secondary plant metabolites. Existing review and research articles on the investigation of the antidiabetic properties of secondary plant metabolites, the methods of their isolation, and their use in diabetes mellitus, as well as separate articles that confirm the relevance of the topic and expand the understanding of the properties and mechanisms of action of plant metabolites, were analyzed for this review. The structure and properties of plants used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, including plant antioxidants, polysaccharides, alkaloids, and insulin-like plant substances, as well as their antidiabetic properties and mechanisms for lowering blood sugar, are presented. The main advantages and disadvantages of using phytocomponents to treat diabetes are outlined. The types of complications of diabetes mellitus and the effects of medicinal plants and their phytocomponents on them are described. The effects of phytopreparations used to treat diabetes mellitus on the human gut microbiota are discussed. Plants with a general tonic effect, plants containing insulin-like substances, plants-purifiers, and plants rich in vitamins, organic acids, etc. have been shown to play an important role in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and the prevention of its complications.

Biogenic approach for synthesis of nanoparticles via plants for biomedical applications: A review

The development of nanobiotechnology paves a way for applied and research fields. It offers a method that can be used to synthesize materials and devices with a better resolution for the purification of biomolecules. The scientific community gets access to a new field as a result of an innovative and environmentally friendly synthesis. The use of green synthesis techniques helps to cut down the risk of environmental pollution, which in turn increases the attractiveness of living in green space. The nanoparticles generated from plants and their potential medical uses are discussed in this article. Recent years have seen a surge in interest in plant-derived chemicals as a result of the many ways in which these substances may be used. Plant-derived substances provide an improved platform for the synthesis of nanoparticles, but they also provide natural capping. The use of plants in the production of nanoparticles has the advantages of being readily accessible, being risk-free to work with, and possessing a diverse range of metabolites that might potentially assist in the reduction of harmful effects.

Evaluation of effects on hepatocellular carcinoma cell line of Cocos nucifera: In vitro study

Abstract Objective: Cancer is one of the most important diseases today. The use of chemical drugs, surgical operations, and transplants is very common in its treatment. In addition to these treatment methods, studies include the effects of natural and plant-derived substances. Various substances are used in these studies, which are called phytotherapy. The antioxidant activity and cytotoxic effects of Cocos nucifera on hepatocellular carcinoma HepG-2 and the mouse fibroblast L929 cell line were investigated in this study. Methods: In this study, in vitro cytotoxic effects of C. nucifera at different concentrations (7.81-500 mg/ml) were investigated on the L929 Mouse Fibroblast cell line and HepG-2 Hepatocellular Carcinoma cell line. In addition to these studies, their antioxidant capacity was evaluated via spectrophotometric methods. In this work, different concentrations of C. nucifera were examined. Results: According to the results, C. nucifera had a cytotoxic effect in HepG-2 and ensured the proliferative effect of cells in the L929 cell line. Among C. nucifera extracts according to total antioxidant capacity results, C. nucifera extract was found to be the richest in antioxidants with 2.79 mmol/L, while the material with the lowest antioxidant capacity was determined to be C. nucifera milk. DPPH free radical scavenging activity results show the opposite. Conclusion: In line with the data we obtained, it is thought that C. nucifera can be used in liver cancer studies, and its antioxidant effect may play an important role in balancing against oxidative stress. Simultaneously, the data show that the exposure time and concentrations of the active substance are related to the cytotoxic effect. However, it may be considered that the use of C. nucifera water, extract, and milk in cancer patients may be supported by more comprehensive clinical studies.

High molecular weight glucose homopolymer of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) stimulates both invertebrate and mammalian immune systems

There is widespread interest in the immunostimulatory effects of food-derived substances that are expected to contribute to improving human health. Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) has been shown to contain potent polysaccharides for developing food materials with immunomodulatory function. In this study, immunostimulatory activity of previously uncharacterized broccoli polysaccharides was assessed using a silkworm (Bombyx mori) immunological assay (using muscle contraction as an index) across 10 commercial and 17 experimental cultivars of broccoli. For the commercial cultivars, there was a significant variation in specific activity (units/mg, measured by the silkworm-based immunological assay). For the experimental cultivars, a cultivar “winter dome” showed the highest activity. We further purified the immunostimulatory polysaccharides of “winter dome” by gel filtration. Using the silkworm-based assay, we found that the peak fraction (“Fraction II”) contained the active substance with higher specific activity than previously reported active substances (e.g., glucans). The substance appeared a heterogeneous molecular weight of more than 270 kDa. The major sugar composition of Fraction II was glucose, suggesting that glucose homopolymer is responsible for the activity. Further, Fraction II induced cytokine productions both in the silkworm (production of active B. mori paralytic peptide (BmPP) in vivo) and mouse (production of TNFα in vitro) immune system. These results suggest that glucose homopolymer of broccoli induces cytokines both in insect and mammalian immune systems, providing molecular insights to our understanding about how plant-derived substances interact with animal immune system.

Anticancer acumens of three Annona species: a proportional review.

Cumulative pattern of cancer could be seen in day-to-day life with each passing year and, it is becoming a great matter of concern especially to the scientific community worldwide. Alternative treatment methods for various types of cancer are in place and, being continuously worked out. Plant-derived natural substances have shown great results in combating cancer in comparison to chemo and radiotherapies which are toxic besides having serious side effects. In continuation, Annona species, native to America, Africa, Asia and Australia have been used in folk medicines and, are reported to have many anti-carcinogenic substances. For a prudent understanding of Annona species against various cancers, comparative investigation and analysis of three species viz., A. cherimola, A. muricata, and A. squamosa was undertaken through a detailed review of the in-attendance subject. The major scientific biomedical literature databases were consulted and the information available from 2011 until January 2021 was taken into account. Studies on anti-cancer activities along with the thorough analysis of the findings and the pieces of evidence supporting their anti-proliferative, apoptosis, G1 cell cycle arrest and cytotoxic effects are described. A. muricata displayed maximum number of anti-cancer activities being revealed by most of its parts with the lowest IC50 values against various cancer cell lines compared to A. cherimola and A. squamosa. On account of the findings, it is advocated that, further detailed studies on anti-cancer explorations of Annona species could be proved fruitful in paving new and innovative methodologies for novel anti-cancer drug discovery and development.

Traditional herbal plant useful for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

As per WHO Traditional medicine is the sum total of the knowledge, skill, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of illness. World Health Organization define Traditional herbal medicines as naturally occurring, plant-derived substances with minimal or no industrial processing that have been used to treat illness within local or regional healing practices. Meyna is a genus of shrub and the plant is Small or medium size tree, Bark light black, smooth. Leaves opposite or whorled distributed in tropical and subtropical region. Earlier Vangueria spinosa covers a group of plants from Meyna genus recently the plants has been separated and classified into eleven different species of Meyna with the help of molecular phylogenetics The plant was reported to be used for treatment of diseases of digestive system, anti- inflammatory ,antioxidant, anti-dysentery and constipation .It also exhibits anti-fungal and anti-bacterial activities which indicate its usefulness as a promising drug in treatment of IBD.

Bakuchiol - a plant-based retinol. The review article

Bakuchiol is a plant-derived substance that is more and more used by cosmetics manufacturers as an ingredient of anti-aging preparations. The aim of the article was to compare the structure and action of bakuchiol to retinol, as well as to present its effect on the skin based on already published research. Due to its properties, bakuchiol becomes an alternative ingredient to retinol, hence is also known as vegetable retinol.

Drosophila as an Animal Model for Testing Plant-Based Immunomodulators

Allopathic medicines play a key role in the prevention and treatment of diseases. However, long-term consumption of these medicines may cause serious undesirable effects that harm human health. Plant-based medicines have emerged as alternatives to allopathic medicines because of their rare side effects. They contain several compounds that have the potential to improve health and treat diseases in humans, including their function as immunomodulators to treat immune-related diseases. Thus, the discovery of potent and safe immunomodulators from plants is gaining considerable research interest. Recently, Drosophila has gained prominence as a model organism in evaluating the efficacy of plant and plant-derived substances. Drosophila melanogaster "fruit fly" is a well-known, high-throughput model organism that has been used to study different biological aspects of development and diseases for more than 110 years. Most developmental and cell signaling pathways and 75% of human disease-related genes are conserved between humans and Drosophila. Using Drosophila, one can easily examine the pharmacological effects of plants/plant-derived components by employing a variety of tests in flies, such as survival, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cell death tests. This review focused on D. melanogaster's potential for identifying immunomodulatory features associated with plants/plant-derived components.

Electronic Nose Analysis and Statistical Methods for Investigating Volatile Organic Compounds and Yield of Mint Essential Oils Obtained by Hydrodistillation

A major problem associated with the development of medicinal plant products is the lack of quick, easy, and inexpensive methods to assess and monitor product quality. Essential oils are natural plant-derived volatile substances used worldwide for numerous applications. The important uses of these valuable products often induce producers to create fraudulent or lower quality products. As a result, consumers place a high value on authentic and certified products. Mint is valued for essential oil used in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and health industries. This study investigated the use of an experimental electronic nose (e-nose) for the detection of steam-distilled essential oils. The e-nose was used to evaluate and analyze VOC emissions from essential oil (EO) and distilled water extracts (DWEs) obtained from mint plants of different ages and for leaves dried in the shade or in the sun prior to hydrodistillation. Principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and artificial neural networks (ANN) were performed on electrical signals generated from electronic nose sensors for the classification of VOC emissions. More accurate discriminations were obtained for DWEs sample VOCs than for EO VOCs. The electronic nose proved to be a reliable and fast tool for identifying plant EO. The age of plants had no statistically significant effect on the EO concentration extracted from mint leaves.