Plant Ingredients Research Articles

Chemical Composition of Clerodendrum Phlomidis: A Review

Agnimantha is a medicinal plant that grows either as a large shrub or a small tree. Its height is up to 10 meters tall. Its bark, roots, and leaves are used for medicinal purposes. In Agnimantha, ‘agni’ means fire, ‘mantha’ refers to churning. In the English language, Agnimantha is referred to as a headache tree. As per Ayurveda, agnimantha is an important ingredient of Dashmool Plants. Dashmool has two subcategories Brihat Panchamoola and Laghu Panchamoola and in these subcategories, Agnimantha is included under Brihat Panchamoola. As per Ayurveda, Agnimantha is useful in treating all types of Vata Disorders (that related to the nervous and musculoskeletal system), inflammatory disorders, neuralgia, rheumatoid arthritis, anemia, piles, constipation, common cold. Roots of agnimantha have the property of appetizer and digestive. It boosts the appetite and aids in the proper digestion of food. It can digest foods, treats heaviness in the abdomen, drowsy, or tiredness after having a meal. It reduces all the symptoms related to digestion and promotes proper assimilation of the food. Agnimantha leaves boost up the metabolism of the body. These have anti-obesity effects and the juice extracted from its fresh leaves is very helpful for reducing weight and improves the metabolism of the fats and prevents fat accumulation. These should be taken twice daily for at least 3 months for better results. Roots of agnimantha are especially used in the treatment of urticaria because it has anti-allergic, anti-urticaria action, which helps to reduce prickling pain, hives, and itching. Being an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral action helps to inhibit the growth of microbes, fights against infections, and reduces inflammation.

The Beneficial and Adverse Effects of Phytoestrogens

The most well-known phytoestrogens (flavonoids, isoflavonoids, lignans, coumestans, stilbenes, and prenylflavonoids) are isoflavonoids, which are important active ingredients in medicinal and food plants. They are highly abundant in the Fabaceae family. More than 1,000 types of isoflavonoids have been isolated from nearly 300 kinds of plants, and more are being discovered through modern analytical methods. Glycosides O and C of isoflavonoids are poorly absorbed in the intestine. They are converted by bacterial esterases and/or β-glycosidase enzymes to aglycones, which are absorbed more efficiently. Their bioavailability shows significant differences due to variation in the intestinal microflora of various races. The compounds formed during their biotransformation are structurally similar to estrogens. In Traditional Chinese medicine, several herbs rich in phytoestrogens are used to prevent and cure various diseases, such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, tumors, and inflammation; additionally, 185 herbs are used to treat menopausal symptoms. Some of these herbs can be used to alleviate the unpleasant symptoms of menopause and treat breast and prostate cancer. From a nutritional physiology perspective, the consumption of Glycine max and Vigna unguiculata should be emphasized. Soy has been consumed in China for about 5,000 years while it was introduced to Europe nearly 300 years ago. Soybean cultivation in Hungary dates back only 100 years. The assessment of the efficacy of phytoestrogens is unclear. Although several experimental and molecular biology studies have shown favorable results, studies on humans have not shown prominent therapeutic benefits. However, comparing and interpreting the findings of modern studies might elucidate the therapeutic utility of phytoestrogens.

A novel fish meal-free diet formulation supports proper growth and does not impair intestinal parasite susceptibility in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) with a reshape of gut microbiota and tissue-specific gene expression patterns

The exponential growth of the aquaculture sector requires the development of sustainable aquafeeds with less dependence on marine products. The maximized replacement of fish meal (FM) and fish oil (FO) with plant ingredients has been extensively studied in the economically important species gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata). Recently, major progress has been done with other alternative raw materials, though some non-pathological inflammatory response persisted with feed formulations that increased the circularity of resource utilization. In the present study, we evaluated the effects on growth performance, gene expression, intestinal microbiota and disease resistance of a FM-free diet (NoPAP SANA), based on plant ingredients, aquaculture by-products, algae oil, insect meal and bacterial fermentation biomasses as main dietary oil and protein sources, and supplemented with a commercially available health-promoting feed additive (SANACORE®GM). Juveniles of 21 g initial body weight were fed control or NoPAP SANA diets for 34 days, and head kidney, liver and posterior intestine were collected for gene expression analyses using customized PCR-arrays. Each tissue-specific PCR covered 96 genes in total and included markers of growth performance, lipid and energy metabolism, antioxidant defence, immune system, and intestinal function and integrity. From the same fish, the adherent bacteria of the posterior intestine were studied by Illumina sequencing of the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA. The remaining fish were challenged with the intestinal parasite Enteromyxum leei for 78 days and sampled for parasite diagnosis. Both control and NoPAP SANA fish grew efficiently considering gilthead sea bream standards. Before parasite challenge, the NoPAP SANA group showed differential expression of 17, 2 and 4 genes in liver, head kidney and posterior intestine, respectively. The intestinal bacterial composition showed no major differences in diversity or at the phylum level. However, 29 abundant OTUs significantly changed with the diet. From these, 10 OTUs were significantly correlated with differentially expressed genes in the different target tissues. Inferred metagenome analyses revealed that the altered microbiota with NoPAP SANA diet could account for changes in 15 metabolic pathways. The intensity and prevalence of infection after the parasite challenge did not significantly vary between dietary treatments, and infected fish from both groups showed similar disease outcome. Altogether, these results indicate that the NoPAP SANA diet promoted optimal growth and a healthy condition in gilthead sea bream without affecting susceptibility against the tested intestinal parasite, as often observed with alternative diets following current industry formulations.

Determination of Anti-Alzheimer's Disease Activity of Selected Plant Ingredients.

Neurodegenerative diseases, among which one of the more common is Alzheimer’s disease, are the one of the biggest global public health challenges facing our generation because of the increasing elderly population in most countries. With the growing burden of these diseases, it is essential to discover and develop new treatment options capable of preventing and treating them. Neurodegenerative diseases, among which one of the most common is Alzheimer’s disease, are a multifactorial disease and therefore demand multiple therapeutic approaches. One of the most important therapeutic strategies is controlling the level of acetylcholine—a neurotransmitter in cholinergic synapses—by blocking the degradation of acetylcholine using acetylcholinesterase inhibitors such as tacrine, galantamine, donepezil and rivastigmine. However, these drugs can cause some adverse side effects, such as hepatotoxicity and gastrointestinal disorder. Thus, the search for new, more effective drugs is very important. In the last few years, different active constituents from plants have been tested as potential drugs in neurodegenerative disease therapy. The availability, lower price and less toxic effects of herbal medicines compared with synthetic agents make them a simple and excellent choice in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The empirical approach to discovering new drugs from the systematic screening of plant extracts or plant-derived compounds is still an important strategy when it comes to finding new biologically active substances. The aim of this review is to identify new, safe and effective compounds that are potential candidates for further in vivo and clinical tests from which more effective drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease could be selected. We reviewed the methods used to determine anti-Alzheimer’s disease activity. Here, we have discussed the relevance of plant-derived compounds with in vitro activity. Various plants and phytochemical compounds have shown different activity that could be beneficial in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disorders. Most often, medicinal plants and their active components have been investigated as acetylcholinesterase and/or butyrylcholinesterase activity inhibitors, modifiers of β-amyloid processing and antioxidant agents. This study also aims to highlight species with assessed efficacy, usable plant parts and the most active plant components in order to identify species and compounds of interest for further study. Future research directions are suggested and recommendations made to expand the use of medicinal plants, their formulations and plant-derived active compounds to prevent, mitigate and treat Alzheimer’s disease.

Phytotherapy in Integrative Oncology-An Update of Promising Treatment Options.

Modern phytotherapy is part of today’s conventional evidence-based medicine and the use of phytopharmaceuticals in integrative oncology is becoming increasingly popular. Approximately 40% of users of such phytopharmaceuticals are tumour patients. The present review provides an overview of the most important plants and nature-based compounds used in integrative oncology and illustrates their pharmacological potential in preclinical and clinical settings. A selection of promising anti-tumour plants and ingredients was made on the basis of scientific evidence and therapeutic practical relevance and included Boswellia, gingko, ginseng, ginger, and curcumin. In addition to these nominees, there is a large number of other interesting plants and plant ingredients that can be considered for the treatment of cancer diseases or for the treatment of tumour or tumour therapy-associated symptoms. Side effects and interactions are included in the discussion. However, with the regular and intended use of phytopharmaceuticals, the occurrence of adverse side effects is rather rare. Overall, the use of defined phytopharmaceuticals is recommended in the context of a rational integrative oncology approach.

Medical Cannabis Activity Against Inflammation: Active Compounds and Modes of Action.

Inflammation often develops from acute, chronic, or auto-inflammatory disorders that can lead to compromised organ function. Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) has been used to treat inflammation for millennia, but its use in modern medicine is hampered by a lack of scientific knowledge. Previous studies report that cannabis extracts and inflorescence inhibit inflammatory responses in vitro and in pre-clinical and clinical trials. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a modulator of immune system activity, and dysregulation of this system is involved in various chronic inflammations. This system includes cannabinoid receptor types 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2), arachidonic acid-derived endocannabinoids, and enzymes involved in endocannabinoid metabolism. Cannabis produces a large number of phytocannabinoids and numerous other biomolecules such as terpenes and flavonoids. In multiple experimental models, both in vitro and in vivo, several phytocannabinoids, including Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG), exhibit activity against inflammation. These phytocannabinoids may bind to ECS and/or other receptors and ameliorate various inflammatory-related diseases by activating several signaling pathways. Synergy between phytocannabinoids, as well as between phytocannabinoids and terpenes, has been demonstrated. Cannabis activity can be improved by selecting the most active plant ingredients (API) while eliminating parts of the whole extract. Moreover, in the future cannabis components might be combined with pharmaceutical drugs to reduce inflammation.

Hyperoside: A Review of Its Structure, Synthesis, Pharmacology, Pharmacokinetics and Toxicity.

Hyperoside is an active ingredient in plants, such as Hypericum monogynum in Hypericaceae, Crataegus pinnatifida in Rosaceae and Polygonum aviculare in Polygonaceae. Its pharmacologic effects include preventing cancer and protecting the brain, neurons, heart, kidneys, lung, blood vessels, bones, joints and liver, among others. Pharmacokinetic analysis of hyperoside has revealed that it mainly accumulates in the kidney. However, long-term application of high-dose hyperoside should be avoided in clinical practice because of its renal toxicity. This review summarises the structure, synthesis, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and toxicity of hyperoside.

Alternative Proteins for Fish Diets: Implications beyond Growth.

Simple SummaryAquaculture is now well-established as a provider of protein for human consumption, and its contribution will be paramount to providing food for a nine billion population in 2050. Protein is usually the major constituent of fish feeds and the most expensive ingredient. For years, fishmeal was the preferential protein source in fish diets, but environmental and economic concerns led to the search for more sustainable proteins. Hence, research on alternative protein sources to fishmeal was fruitful, being firstly directed to terrestrial plant ingredients. Recently, research on novel ingredients, such as insect meals, macroalgae, microalgae, and yeasts, has proliferated. However, the impacts of protein and its constituents (amino acids) go beyond fish growth. Thus, this review will provide knowledge on the impacts of alternative/novel protein sources on fish stress and immune responses, disease resistance, and health. Although some negative impacts of alternative ingredients, for instance, on gut integrity and immune responses have been observed, research results also point to the potential beneficial effects of novel ingredients, such as insect meals, on fish health. This information is essential to the development of innovative diets that guarantee the production of healthy fish with high quality standards and optimised welfare conditions.Aquaculture has been challenged to find alternative ingredients to develop innovative feed formulations that foster a sustainable future growth. Given the most recent trends in fish feed formulation on the use of alternative protein sources to decrease the dependency of fishmeal, it is fundamental to evaluate the implications of this new paradigm for fish health and welfare. This work intends to comprehensively review the impacts of alternative and novel dietary protein sources on fish gut microbiota and health, stress and immune responses, disease resistance, and antioxidant capacity. The research results indicate that alternative protein sources, such as terrestrial plant proteins, rendered animal by-products, insect meals, micro- and macroalgae, and single cell proteins (e.g., yeasts), may negatively impact gut microbiota and health, thus affecting immune and stress responses. Nevertheless, some of the novel protein sources, such as insects and algae meals, have functional properties and may exert an immunostimulatory activity. Further research on the effects of novel protein sources, beyond growth, is clearly needed. The information gathered here is of utmost importance, in order to develop innovative diets that guarantee the production of healthy fish with high quality standards and optimised welfare conditions, thus contributing to a sustainable growth of the aquaculture industry.

Network Pharmacology Approach for Medicinal Plants: Review and Assessment.

Natural products have played a critical role in medicine due to their ability to bind and modulate cellular targets involved in disease. Medicinal plants hold a variety of bioactive scaffolds for the treatment of multiple disorders. The less adverse effects, affordability, and easy accessibility highlight their potential in traditional remedies. Identifying pharmacological targets from active ingredients of medicinal plants has become a hot topic for biomedical research to generate innovative therapies. By developing an unprecedented opportunity for the systematic investigation of traditional medicines, network pharmacology is evolving as a systematic paradigm and becoming a frontier research field of drug discovery and development. The advancement of network pharmacology has opened up new avenues for understanding the complex bioactive components found in various medicinal plants. This study is attributed to a comprehensive summary of network pharmacology based on current research, highlighting various active ingredients, related techniques/tools/databases, and drug discovery and development applications. Moreover, this study would serve as a protocol for discovering novel compounds to explore the full range of biological potential of traditionally used plants. We have attempted to cover this vast topic in the review form. We hope it will serve as a significant pioneer for researchers working with medicinal plants by employing network pharmacology approaches.

Eugenol alleviated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in rat via a gut-brain-liver axis involving glucagon-like Peptide-1

Eugenol, an active ingredient of many medicinal aromatic plants, has been proved to have the hypolipidemic effect, but its potential mechanism of action is still unknown. This study aimed to investigate whether eugenol regulates liver lipid accumulation in high-fat diet (HFD) induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rats via the gut-brain-liver axis involving glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Hepatic vagotomy was performed in NAFLD rats to determine the role of eugenol in regulating hepatic lipid accumulation via vagus nerve. The results showed that after eight weeks of eugenol administration in NAFLD rats, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and hepatic TG decreased. However, eugenol showed no significant effect on the increased food intakes and weight gain caused by the HFD. Eugenol promoted the secretion of GLP-1 into the blood, increased GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) expression in the duodenum, liver, arcuate nucleus (ARC) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN), increased c-fos expression in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS), and promoted ZO-1 and occludin expression in duodenum. Furthermore, steatosis and lipid accumulation were significantly alleviated. Hepatic vagotomy partially attenuated the improvement of eugenol in hepatic lipid accumulation in NAFLD rats. In conclusion, eugenol regulates hepatic lipid metabolism via a gut-brain-liver axis involving in GLP-1, providing a new strategy for the treatment of NAFLD.

Low Omega-3 Levels in the Diet Disturbs Intestinal Barrier and Transporting Functions of Atlantic Salmon Freshwater and Seawater Smolts.

Due to a limited access to marine raw materials from capture fisheries, Atlantic salmon feeds are currently based on mainly plant ingredients (75%) while only 25% come from traditional marine ingredients including marine fish meal and fish oil. Thus, current feeds contain less of the essential omega-3 fatty acids. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of different omega-3 levels in fish feed on intestinal barrier and transporting functions of Atlantic salmon freshwater and seawater smolts. Atlantic salmon were fed three levels of omega-3 (2, 1 and 0.5%) and fish performance was followed through smoltification and the subsequent seawater acclimation. Intestinal barrier and transporting functions were assessed using Ussing chamber methodology and combined with transcript analysis of tight junction related proteins and ion transporters. A linear decrease in growth was observed with decreasing omega-3 levels. Low (0.5%) inclusion of omega-3 impaired the barrier function of the proximal intestine compared to 2% inclusion. Further, low levels of omega-3 decrease the transepithelial electrical potential across the epithelium indicating disturbed ion transport. It can be concluded that low dietary levels of omega-3 impair somatic growth and intestinal function of Atlantic salmon.

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.

Research on the indirect antiviral function of medicinal plant ingredient quercetin against grouper iridovirus infection

Grouper iridovirus is a devastating pathogen that belongs to the genus Ranavirus. Based on the previous results that natural ingredient quercetin isolated from Illicium verum Hook. f. could effectively inhibit Singapore grouper iridovirus (SGIV) replication, suggesting that quercetin could serve as potential antiviral agent against grouper iridovirus. To know about whether quercetin has indirect antiviral activity against SGIV, this study made the investigation in vitro and in vivo, and the potential mechanism was also explored. Pretreating the cells with quercetin (12.5 μg/mL) significantly inhibited the replication of SGIV, similar results were also confirmed in vivo. Importantly, quercetin pretreatment could induce the expression of genes involved in type I interferon (IFN) system (IFN, STAT1, PKR, MxI and ISG15) and TLR9. It suggested that quercetin exerted the indirect antiviral activity against SGIV infection through promoting the recognition of SGIV and activating the IFN pathway to establish the antiviral status of host cell. Taken together, our results shedded light on the indirect antiviral function of natural ingredient quercetin, and clearly demonstrated that natural ingredient quercetin will be an excellent potential agent against SGIV infection in grouper aquaculture.

Safety and Efficacy of Medicinal Plants Used to Manufacture Herbal Products with Regulatory Approval in Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction The Uganda National Drug Authority requires phytochemical screening, freedom from microbial contamination, and evidence of safety and efficacy of the constituent plants to register herbal products. Since Uganda has no pharmacopeia, safety, efficacy, and plant processing information are not readily available. We documented the plant materials used to manufacture products in Uganda and established evidence of their safety and efficacy and availability of monographs. Methods The NDA register of herbal products was reviewed, and a product list was extracted. The herbal products were purchased from local pharmacies, and their labels were studied to identify plant ingredients and drug use. Literature was reviewed to document evidence of the safety and efficacy of the plant materials concerning manufacturer's claims. Also, the WHO and available African Pharmacopeia were searched to establish the availability of the plant monographs. Results Of the 84 NDA-registered local products, only 18 were obtained from the market; 82% were indicated for respiratory tract disorders. Thirty-three plant materials were listed with Eucalyptus globulus Labill, being the commonest. Several in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate efficacy, thus supporting the use of the selected plant species for empirical treatment as stated on the product label. While most plants were safe, some species such as Albizia coriaria Oliv. had dose-dependent toxicities that cannot be predicted in combinations. The WHO, African Pharmacopoeia, and West African Herbal Pharmacopoeia had only 16 plant monographs of the 33 plants of interest. Nevertheless, Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f., Azadirachta indica A.Juss., Zingiber officinale Roscoe, and Allium sativum L. monographs were published by all three pharmacopoeias. Conclusions Preclinical evidence of safety and efficacy exists in the literature for most of the plants used to manufacture registered herbal products in Uganda. More specific bioassays and clinical trials are required for the products to provide conclusive evidence of safety and toxicity. Monographs are urgently needed for the Ugandan plants.

Beyond \u03949-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol: chemical differentiation of cannabis varieties applying targeted and untargeted analysis

Cannabis sativa (C. sativa) is commonly chemically classified based on its Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) content ratios. However, the plant contains nearly 150 additional cannabinoids, referred to as minor cannabinoids. Minor cannabinoids are gaining interest for improved plant and product characterization, e.g., for medical use, and bioanalytical questions in the medico-legal field. This study describes the development and validation of an analytical method for the elucidation of minor cannabinoid fingerprints, employing liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry. The method was used to characterize inflorescences from 18 different varieties of C. sativa, which were cultivated under the same standardized conditions. Complementing the targeted detection of 15 cannabinoids, untargeted metabolomics employing in silico assisted data analysis was used to detect additional plant ingredients with focus on cannabinoids. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to evaluate differences between varieties. The overall purpose of this study was to examine the ability of targeted and non-targeted metabolomics using the mentioned techniques to distinguish cannabis varieties from each other by their minor cannabinoid fingerprint. Quantitative determination of targeted cannabinoids already gave valuable information on cannabinoid fingerprints as well as inter- and intra-variety variability of cannabinoid contents. The untargeted workflow led to the detection of 19 additional compounds. PCA of the targeted and untargeted datasets revealed further subgroups extending commonly applied phenotype classification systems of cannabis. This study presents an analytical method for the comprehensive characterization of C. sativa varieties.Graphical abstract

Thespesia populnea: An Ethnomedicinal, Phytochemical and Pharmacological Review

: Thespesia populnea, family, Malvaceae, commonly known as paras pipal and Indian tulip tree, is widely distributed in coastal forests of India and south-eastern areas. The plant is medicinally used for the treatment of numerous diseases including cutaneous infections, brain and liver disorders.The review summarizes all the information related to botanical characteristics, traditional uses, chemical components and biological activities of T. populnea, in order to exploit therapeutic potential of this plant.x.The available information about T. populnea was collected through the online search on Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, Springer and Google Scholar. T. populnea is widely explored concerning its phytochemistry and biological activities. Amongst all phytoconstituents present in Thespesia, sesquiterpenes and phenolic compounds are major bioactive ingredients in plant. Experimental studies show that these compounds exhibit a wide range of biological activities including anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, analgesic, wound healing, anti-alzheimer, anti-ulcer and anti-psoriasis in in vitro and in vivo animal studies.To sum up, the plant, T. populnea, possess high medicinal and social value, that deserves further investigation. T. populnea is promising plant to be utilized in the development of pharmaceutical drug products. However, there is a lack of scientific studies to confirm its ethnopharmcological uses. In addition, further studies on isolation of bioactive molecules and their pharmacological studies are recommended that could be of great significance towards clinical application of this plant.

A Natural Plant Ingredient, Menthone, Regulates T Cell Subtypes and Lowers Pro-inflammatory Cytokines of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease with nearly 1.6 billion patients worldwide and an incidence of 0.5-1%. In recent years, basic and clinical studies have revealed that immune cell responses and corresponding secretion of inflammatory factors are important in the control of RA development. Our study found that a natural plant ingredient, menthone, could be used as a potential antirheumatism compound. In vivo observations demonstrated that menthone alleviates collagen II-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. Furthermore, we found that menthone regulates the number of Th1 and Th17 cells in CIA mice. Importantly, menthone significantly inhibits the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, in CIA mice. Our study suggests a potential component for the development of drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Bibliographic review of cannabis, cannabinoids and their health effects

Introduction: Currently the use of marijuana is very popular recreationally or therapeutically, among the different ways of consuming marijuana the most popular is by inhalation, followed by the oral route that can include the consumption of the plant, extracts and active ingredients such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBC). Methodology and results: A systematized searching is performed in the PubMed database with the keywords cannabis, cannabinoids, and health, from 2016 to 2021, limited to humans, adolescents and adults, obtaining as a result 505 articles, of which 463 are eliminated, leaving a total of 42 articles to analyze. Conclusion: In patients with diseases such as multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia and chronic pain, who do not respond adequately to conventional therapies, it is valid to consider the use of THC or CBD to improve their symptomatology, on the other hand healthy people who use marijuana for recreational purposes are not exempt from the harmful effects that this substance can have on the body in the short, medium and long term, such as neoplasms, cardiovascular diseases, not to mention the impact it has on the body, are not exempt from the harmful effects in the short, medium and long term that this substance can have on the organism, such as neoplasms, cardiovascular diseases, without leaving aside the impact on mental health, since the consumption of marijuana favors the development of depression, suicidal ideation and suicide in adolescents.

Current Approaches in Using Plant Ingredients to Diversify Range of Bakery and Pasta Products

There is a growing interest in the industry to manufacture food products containing health-promoting nutrients and to prevent nutrition-related disorders [...]

<em>Xeranthemum cylindraceum</em>: A potential broad spectrum antimicrobial

Novel plant ingredients continue to be key antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral agents in the fight against novel pathogens. Here, we have shown the antibacterial properties of Xeranthemum cylindraceum against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, and also C. albicans. Homogenates of X. cylindraceum were extracted with 95% ethanol and the extracts tested against various bacterial species. Blanks discs were soaked in extraction solvents as controls. X. cylindraceum demonstrated antimicrobial activity indicated by zones of inhibition against the following gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria: E. coli, P. vulgaris, E. cloacae, and K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, S. agalactiae, and S. pyogenes. X. cylindraceum did not demonstrate antifungal activity. By these data we conclude X. cylindraceum displayed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against clinically relevant bacteria and has the potential for future development as a broad-spectrum antibiotic.