Promising Medicinal Plant Research Articles

Indian Medicinal Plants and Formulations and Their Potential Against COVID-19-Preclinical and Clinical Research.

The cases of COVID-19 are still increasing day-by-day worldwide, even after a year of its first occurrence in Wuhan city of China. The spreading of SARS-CoV-2 infection is very fast and different from other SARS-CoV infections possibly due to structural differences in S proteins. The patients with severe diseases may die due to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by systemic inflammatory reactions due to the excessive release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines by the immune effector cells. In India too, it is spreading very rapidly, although the case fatality rate is below 1.50% (https://www.statista.com), which is markedly less than in other countries, despite the dense population and minimal health infrastructure in rural areas. This may be due to the routine use of many immunomodulator medicinal plants and traditional AYUSH formulations by the Indian people. This communication reviews the AYUSH recommended formulations and their ingredients, routinely used medicinal plants and formulations by Indian population as well as other promising Indian medicinal plants, which can be tested against COVID-19. Special emphasis is placed on Indian medicinal plants reported for antiviral, immunomodulatory and anti-allergic/anti-inflammatory activities and they are categorized for prioritization in research on the basis of earlier reports. The traditional AYUSH medicines currently under clinical trials against COVID-19 are also discussed as well as furtherance of pre-clinical and clinical testing of the potential traditional medicines against COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2. The results of the clinical studies on AYUSH drugs will guide the policymakers from the AYUSH systems of medicines to maneuver their policies for public health, provide information to the global scientific community and could form a platform for collaborative studies at national and global levels. It is thereby suggested that promising AYUSH formulations and Indian medicinal plants must be investigated on a priority basis to solve the current crisis.

Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) as a Multifunctional and Sustainable Crop for the Mediterranean Climate

Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) is a promising medicinal and aromatic plant for Mediterranean agroecosystems given its positive agronomic attributes and interesting quality features. It has both food and pharmaceutical applications, since its leaves contain sweet-tasting steviol glycosides (SVglys) and bioactive compounds, such as phenolics, flavonoids, and vitamins. We evaluated the agronomic and qualitative performances of nine stevia genotypes cultivated, in open field conditions, for two consecutive years under the Mediterranean climate of central Italy. Growth, biomass production, and accumulation of bioactive compounds (SVglys, polyphenols, and their related antioxidant activities) were evaluated, considering the effect of harvest time and crop age (first and second year of cultivation). The results showed high variability among genotypes in terms of both morpho-productive and phytochemical characteristics. In general, greater leaf dry yields, polyphenol accumulation, and antioxidant activities were found in the second year of cultivation, harvesting the plants in full vegetative growth. On the other hand, total SVglys leaf content reached the highest values in the first year when plants were at the beginning of the reproductive phase. On the other hand, although the SVglys profile (Rubusoside, Dulcoside A, Stevioside, Rebaudioside A, C, D, E, and M) remained stable over harvest times, it differed significantly depending on the crop age and genotype. Our findings provide useful information on the influence of crop age and harvest time in defining quanti-qualitative traits in stevia, with PL, SL, BR5, and SW30 being the best performing genotypes and thus suitable for breeding programs. Our study highlighted that stevia, in the tested environment, represents a promising semi-perennial crop which offers new solutions in terms of cropping system diversification and marketing opportunities.

A systematic review on wound healing and its promising medicinal plants

Wound healing is one of the most complex and dynamic processes in the body of the human. Wound healing is an essential biological development to sustain the integrity of skin after trauma, either by accident or by a deliberate process. In the phases of hemostasis, inflammation, development, re-epithelialization, and remodeling, this includes the spatial and temporal coordination of many cell types with different functions. In understanding the mechanisms of normal wound closure, it is important to unravel the functions of these cell types and their interactions with each other. Micro-environmental changes, including changes in mechanical forces, levels of oxygen, chemokines, extracellular matrix, and synthesis of growth factor, directly influence cellular recruitment and activation, leading to disrupted wound healing conditions. Wounds are cured with different medicinal plants or from their extracts. Plants supply humans with different medicines, and medicinal plants are the blessing of nature used to heal wounds with even lower side effects. This systematic review aims to explain the physiology of the wound healing process, different cellular, and molecular aspects, and to provide insight into the various plants that have possible wound healing properties that could be valuable in healing practice. Keywords: Wound healing, Skin injury, Hemostasis, Inflammation, Reepithelialization, Remodelling, medicinal plants.

Toxicity evaluation of Eleutherine plicata Herb. extracts and possible cell death mechanism.

Eleutherine plicata has been shown to be a promising medicinal plant, and its activity has been associated with naphthoquinones. The present study aimed at evaluating the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and oral toxicity of the ethanol extract (EEEp), dichloromethane fraction (FDMEp) of E. plicata, and isoeleutherin. For the cytotoxicity evaluation, the viability test (MTT) was used. Genotoxicity was accessed through the Comet assay (alkaline version), acute and subacute oral toxicities were also evaluated. The antioxidant capacity of the samples in the wells where the cells were treated with E. plicata was evaluated. Furthermore, the participation of caspase-8 in the possible mechanism of action of isoeleutherin, eleutherin, and eleutherol was also investigated through a docking study. FDMEp and isoeleutherin were cytotoxic, with higher rates of DNA fragmentation observed for FDMEp and isoeleutherin, and all samples displayed higher antioxidant potential than the control. In the acute oral toxicity test, EEEp, FDMEp, and isoeleutherin did not cause significant clinical changes. In the subacute toxicity assay, EEEp and FDMEp also did not cause clinical, hematological, or biochemical changes. The three compounds bound similarly to caspase-8. Despite the results of cytotoxicity, in vitro studies demonstrated that the use of EEEp appears to be safe and cell death may involve its binding to caspase-8.

Morphological features of the plant <i>Pyrethrum majus</i> (Desf.) Tzvel. and variability of the component composition of essential oil during introduction in the North-East of the European part of Russia

The paper presents the results of the research on the growth, development, and biochemical evaluation of introduced Pyrethrum majus plants in the middle taiga subzone of the Komi Republic. It is established that in the conditions of culture the species is characterized by a high stability and winter hardiness. The phenology and dynamics of plant growth were studied. Morphological parameters of vegetative and generative shoots were determined. The yield of essential oil from the aboveground phytomass of P. majus and its component composition were studied. It was found that the content of essential oil of flowering plants varied over the years of research from 0,25 to 1,41% and depended on the weather conditions of the growing season. More than 190 components were found in the essential oil of P. majus plants using the method of GLC analysis, 48 of them were identified. The main terpenoids in the essential oil were S-(+) carvone (5465%), -tuyon (610%), TRANS-and CIS-p-Menta-2,8-dienols (2,32,8%), 1,8-Cineol (1,42,9%), CIS Menta-1(7)8-Dien-2ol (1,52,1%), germacrene d (1,21,8%) -cadinol (0,51,5%), -muurolol (0,22,6%). It was found that the component composition of the essential oil from perennial plants P. majus corresponds to the carvone-Tuyon chemotype and did not change significantly due to the meteorological conditions of the environment. Taking into account a high adaptation of plants of this species to the conditions of the middle taiga subzone of the Komi Republic, high indicators of aboveground phytomass with a sufficient content of essential oil, P. majus can be successfully cultivated in the North as a promising spicy-aromatic medicinal and ornamental plant.

Phytocannabinoids Profile in Medicinal Cannabis Oils: The Impact of Plant Varieties and Preparation Methods.

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) is a highly promising medicinal plant with well-documented effectiveness and growing use in the treatment of various medical conditions. Cannabis oils are mostly used in galenic preparations, due to their easy adjustment of the administration dose, together with the enhanced bioavailability of its active compounds. As stated by the Italian Law (9/11/2015, 279 Official Gazette), “to ensure the quality of the oil-based cannabis preparation, the titration of the active substance(s) should be carried out.” This study aims to represent the Italian panorama of cannabis oils, which were analyzed (8,201) to determine their cannabinoids content from 2017 to 2019. After application of the exclusion criteria, 4,774 standardized cannabis oils were included, which belong to different medicinal cannabis varieties and prepared according to different extraction methods. The concentration of the principal cannabinoids was taken into account dividing samples on the basis of the main extraction procedures and cannabis varieties. According to this analysis, the most substantial variations should be attributed to different cannabis varieties rather than to their extraction protocols. This study may be the starting point of preparatory pharmacists to assess the correct implementation of the preparation procedures and the quality of the extracts.

Trypsin inhibitor activity in representatives of the genus Hedysarum (Fabaceae): the polyvariance of seasonal dynamics in Southern Siberia

Background. Trypsin-inhibiting activity (TIA) is one of the factors of plant immunity. This factor provides the presence of general non-specific systemic resistance. Representatives of the genus Hedysarum L. are promising medicinal and high-protein fodder plants with high TIA in the leaves. High TIA values in the aboveground part of plants lead to a decrease in protein assimilation by animals. Therefore, identifying the differentiation in the features of TIA seasonal dynamics will make it possible to use the potential of these species most effectively under the conditions of Southern Siberia.Materials and methods. TIA in the leaves of mature generative plants of Hedysarum theinum Krasnob. and H. flavescens Regel & Schmalh. was analyzed. H. theinum is a rare species for Siberia; H. flavescens is a settled one in the forest-steppe zone of Western Siberia. The studies were conducted with H. theinum in 2010 under natural conditions (Altai Republic) and in cultivation (forest zone of Western Siberia). In 2017, H. theinum and H. flavescens were studied under cultivation in the forest-steppe zone of Western Siberia. The research method was based on the spectrophotometric measurement of the optical density in protein substrate (BAPA) decomposition products under the effect of trypsin (at 405 nm). Bovine trypsin manufactured by ISNBiomedical (USA) was used. BAPA (Na -benzoyl-DL-argininep-nitroanilide) served as a substrate.Conclusions. The TIA values in the flowering phase of seasonal plant development reached their maximum only under favorable conditions: in Altai Republic for the leaves of H. theinum, and in the foreststeppe zone of Western Siberia for H. flavescens. TIA values in H. theinum did not increase during flowering in the forest zone of Western Siberia and significantly decreased in the forest steppe. In view of these findings, these two species may be recommended for practical utilization in this phase of seasonal development.

Phytochemical investigation of medicinally important plants of the Pothohar region of Pakistan.

To report the phytochemical composition (flavonoids, phenolics, saponins, tannins, and terpenoids) and biological activities (antioxidant, phytotoxic, cytotoxic, antifungal activities) of medicinally important plants of Pothohar region. In the current study various qualitative and quantitative phytochemical tests were conducted to investigate the phytochemical composition of plant extracts prepared in benzene, chloroform and methanol. The same extracts were further utilized in different biological activities i.e., antioxidant [total antioxidant capacity, total reducing power, and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay], phytotoxicity (Radish seed bioassay), brine shrimp cytotoxicity and antifungal activities (against four pathogenic fungal strains). Phytochemical analysis indicate flavonoids, phenolics, saponins, tannins and terpenoids were present in almost all plants however, maximum amount of total phenolic and flavonoid contents was reported in of Malva parviflora and Lepidium pinnatifidum. Extracts of Malva parviflora and Lepidium pinnatifidum also depicted the superlative antioxidant activity (total antioxidant capacity, total reducing power, and DPPH scavenging activity). Maximum fungal growth inhibition was demonstrated by extracts of Centaurea calcitropa, Vicia sativa and Malva parviflora. The maximum cytotoxicity was shown by the extracts of Centaurea calcitropa. Moreover, for phytotoxicity assay the highest allelopathic potential was exhibited by extracts of Lepidium pinnatifidum. Solvents prejudiced results; the best results were obtained by Methanol followed by Chloroform and Benzene. Centaurea calcitropa, Vicia sativa, Malva parviflora and Lepidium pinnatifidum are most promising medicinal plants of Pothohar region for future studies.

Promising Medicinal Plants with Diuretic Potential Used in Brazil: State of the Art, Challenges, and Prospects.

Medicinal plants are used in traditional medicine to treat a wide range of ailments. The knowledge of them is handed down from generation to generation and is described in several pharmacopoeia and in the general literature. The immense biodiversity of the Brazilian flora, covering about 25% of all plant species worldwide, makes Brazil a huge potential source of medicinal plants. Indeed, many of these plant species are already used in the Brazilian ethnopharmacology for their probable effect to induce diuresis, to reduce fluid retention, and to treat cardiovascular and renal disorders. This review article describes and discusses the main native Brazilian medicinal plants (including some of their isolated compounds) used as diuretics. It also gives a comprehensive analysis of the most relevant scientific studies presented to date, as well as addressing a special topic with future prospects for plant species that have not yet been scientifically studied. In brief, several plants can be indicated for more detailed study, with a view to obtain scientific subsidies for a new and effective diuretic medicine in the future. These include Bauhinia forficata, Leandra dasytricha, and Tropaeolum majus. Other species have reputed medicinal properties but lack experimental assays to demonstrate their pharmacological effects (e.g., Mikania hirsutissima, Phyllanthus niruri, and Tagetes minuta). Several active principles are indicated as responsible for the diuretic effects of the plants studied, with emphasis on phenolic compounds as flavonoids, phenolic acids, and xanthones. These results should encourage more detailed preclinical, clinical, and phytochemical investigations on Brazilian plants in the future.

Chemical investigation, the antibacterial and antifungal activity of different parts of Capparis spinosa extracts

Capparis spinosa (Capparidacea), is one of the most used medicinal plants worldwide. It is used for the treatment of various diseases because of its biological and pharmacological effect, such as antioxidant, anticancer, antihypertensive, antidiabetic and antibacterial. Phytochemical analysis of the plant showed that it is a rich source of bioactive constituents, including alkaloids, glucosinolates, tocopherols, carotenoids and polyphenols, which have led to C. spinosa being considered as a promising medicinal plant. Our study aims to detail the chemical profiles of the present bioactive responsible for the pharmacological effects of C. spinosa; it also aims to experimentally demonstrate the presence of polyphenols in different parts of the plant as well as their antimicrobial effects. For this, we used methanolic and aqueous extracts of the different parts of the plant picked in Beni Aziz in the Sétif region (North-east of Algeria). The extracts subjected to TLC and HPLC showed that they were rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids. This led to find that rutin was the most dominant compound in most of our extracts. On the other hand, the antimicrobial effect was tested by the disk diffusion method on three bacterial strains: E. coli, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus and two fungi: C. albicans and A. flavus. Candida albicans’s antifungal effect of our extracts was absent. While the same extracts showed a slight inhibitory activity against Aspergillus flavus. As for the antibacterial effect, it exists only for the methanolic extract of the twigs against Staphylococcus aureus. While the other extracts only showed a slight inhibitory activity against the same strain. The other strains of bacteria were resistant to all extracts at any used concentration.
 Keywords: Capparis spinosa, Pharmacological effect, Chemical investigation, antibacterial activity, phenolic compounds, antifungal activity.

Artemisia annua L. as a promising medicinal plant for powerful wound healing applications.

Artemisia annua L. has been utilized for the first time in a nanofibrous wound dressing composition. The extract of this valuable plant provides anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties which can be considered as a promising medicinal component in therapeutic applications. In the present work, Artemisia annua L. was picked up from Gorgan forest area of Northern Iran and its extract was prepared by methanol as the extraction solvent. In the fabrication of wound dressing, Artemisia annua L. extract was mixed with gelatin and a nanofibrous structure was formed by electrospinning technique. To have a wound dressing with acceptable stability and optimum mechanical properties, this biologically active layer was formed on a PCL nanofibrous base layer. The fabricated double-layer wound dressing was analyzed chemically, structurally, mechanically and biologically. ATR-FTIR spectra of the prepared wound dressing contain functional groups of Artemisia annua L. as peroxide groups, etc. SEM micrographs of electrospun gelatin/Artemisia annua L. confirmed the successful electrospinning process for producing Artemisia annua L.-containing nanofibers with mean diameter of 242.00±67.53 nm. In vitro Artemisia annua L. release study of the fabricated wound dressings suggests a sustain release over 7days for the crosslinked sample. In addition, evaluation of the in vitro structural stability of the prepared wound dressings confirmed the stability of the crosslinked nanofibrous structures in PBS solution environment. Biological study of the Artemisia annua L.-containing wound dressing revealed no cytotoxicity, good proliferation and attachment of the seeded fibroblasts cells and acceptable antibacterial property against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.

Yarrow oil ameliorates ulcerative colitis in mice model via regulating the NF-κB and PPAR-γ pathways

Background/AimsUlcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder with indefinite etiology; however, environmental, genetic, immune factors and microbial agents could be implicated in its pathogenesis. UC treatment is lifelong, therefore; the potential side effects and cost of the therapy are significant. Yarrow is a promising medicinal plant with the ability to treat many disorders, owing to its bioactive compounds especially the essential oil. The main aim of this research was to investigate the therapeutic effect of the yarrow oil on colitis including the involved mechanism of action.MethodsIn 21-female C57BL/6 mice were divided into 3 groups; control group, colitis model group, and oil-treated group. Groups 2 and 3 received 5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in drinking water for 9 days, and concomitantly, only group 3 was given 100 mg/kg yarrow oil. Mice were examined for their body weight, stool consistency and bleeding, and the disease activity indexes were calculated.ResultsOral administration of yarrow oil markedly repressed the severity of UC via the reduction of the inflammatory signs and restoring colon length. The oil was able to down-regulate nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), up-regulate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), and enhance transforming growth factor-β expression. The oil normalized the tumor necrosis factor-α expression, restored the normal serum level of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and reduced the serum level of IL-6.ConclusionsYarrow oil mitigated UC symptoms and regulated the inflammatory cytokines secretion via regulation of NF-κB and PPAR-γ pathways in the mice model, however, this recommendation requires further investigations using clinical studies to confirm the use of the oil on humans.

Ethnobotanical, phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of Bengal Pogostemon (Pogostemon benghalensis)

Pogostemon benghalensis (Burm.f.) Kuntze (Lamiaceae) is an important aromatic plant. Multiple classes of phytochemicals such as flavonoids, phenols, phytosteroids, carbohydrates, fatty acids, glycosides, sterols, terpenoids, tannins, essential oil, and alkaloids have been isolated from the title species. Different plant parts have been used as traditional remedies for various ailments. The present review aims to update and coherent the fragmented information on botanical aspects, phytochemistry, traditional uses, and pharmacological activities. An extensive review of the literature was carried out by using various search engines like PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Google, Scifinder for information. The articles were searched using the keywords "Pogostemon", "Parviflorus’, "benghalensis". Chemical structures of the chemical compounds were drawn using software Chem Draw ultra 8.0. Most of the plant parts have been used for the treatment of various ailments. Phytochemistry reveals that the plant is a rich source of various biologically active compounds. Pogostemon extracts exhibited numerous pharmacological effects like anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. In sum, P. benghalensis is a promising aromatic and medicinal plant as depicted by its various traditional uses and pharmacological studies. Bioactive compounds, responsible for its various pharmacological activities at the molecular level, need further detailed investigations. Future clinical studies are also required to validate the various traditional uses of P. benghalensis.

Bergenia pacumbis from Nepal, an astonishing enzymes inhibitor

BackgroundThe Bergenia species are perennial herbs native to central Asia, and one of the most promising medicinal plants of the family Saxifragaceae which are popularly known as ‘Pashanbheda’. The aim of this study was to evaluate antioxidant and α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipase, tyrosinase, elastase, and cholinesterases inhibition potential of Bergenia pacumbis of Nepali origin collected from the Karnali region of Nepal.MethodsThe sequential crude extracts were made in hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water. Antioxidant activities were analyzed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay. The α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipase, tyrosinase, elastase, acetylcholinesterase, and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition were analyzed by the 3,5-Dinitrosalicylic acid (DNSA), p-Nitrophenyl-α-D-glucopyranoside (p-NPG), 4-nitrophenyl butyrate (p-NPB), l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), N-Succinyl-Ala-Ala-p-nitroanilide (AAAPVN), acetylthiocholine, and butyrylcholine as a respective substrate. The major metabolites were identified by high performance liquid chromatography with electron spray ionization- quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS) profiling.ResultsOur results revealed the great antioxidant ability of crude extract of B. pacumbis in ethyl acetate extract against both DPPH (IC50 = 30.14 ± 0.14 μg/mL) and ABTS (IC50 = 17.38 ± 1.12 μg/mL). However, the crude methanol extract of B. pacumbis showed the comparable enzymes inhibitions with standard drugs; α-amylase (IC50 = 14.03 ± 0.04 μg/mL), α-glucosidase (IC50 = 0.29 ± 0.00 μg/mL), lipase (IC50 = 67.26 ± 0.17 μg/mL), tyrosinase (IC50 = 58.25 ± 1.63 μg/mL), elastase (IC50 = 74.00 ± 3.03 μg/mL), acetylcholinesterase (IC50 = 31.52 ± 0.58 μg/mL), and butyrylcholinesterase (IC50 = 11.69 ± 0.14 μg/mL). On the basis of HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS profiling of metabolites, we identified major compounds such as Bergenin, Catechin, Arbutin, Gallic acid, Protocatechuic acid, Syringic acid, Hyperoside, Afzelechin, Methyl gallate, Paashaanolactone, Astilbin, Quercetin, Kaempferol-7-O-glucoside, Diosmetin, Phloretin, and Morin in methanol extract which has reported beneficial bioactivities.ConclusionOur study provides a plethora of scientific evidence that the crude extracts of B. pacumbis from Nepalese origin in different extracting solvents have shown significant potential on inhibiting free radicals as well as enzymes involved in digestion, skin related problems, and neurological disorders compared with the commercially available drugs.

Comparison of pharmacological activity of hawthorn fruits preparations

Objectives - a comparative study of antidepressant activity and diuretic action of water and water-alcohol preparations of the fruits of Crataegus sanguinea Pall. and Crataegus submollis Sarg. Materials and methods. The study covers the water and alcohol-water extracts from the fruits of hawthorn blood-red (Crataegus sanguinea Pall.) and Quebec hawthorn (Crataegus submollis Sarg.). The comparative study of the antidepressant activity and the diuretic action of the preparations was carried out on white mongrel rats of both sexes. Results. The liquid extracts of fruits Crataegus sanguinea Pall. and Crataegus submollis Sarg. at a dose of 100 μl/kg revealed an antidepressant activity. Decoctions of Crataegus sanguinea Pall. and Crataegus submollis Sarg. at a dose of 100 μl/kg had a pronounced diuretic and saluretic activity. Pharmacotherapeutic effects of the studied preparations can be explained by the presence of flavonoids in them. Conclusion. The preparations of the fruits of Crataegus sanguinea Pall. and Crataegus submollis Sarg. can be recommended as antidepressant and diuretic agents. The fruits of Crataegus submollis Sarg. are the promising medicinal plant raw materials.

The Synergistic Effect of Co-Treatment of Methyl Jasmonate and Cyclodextrins on Pterocarpan Production in Sophora flavescens Cell Cultures.

Pterocarpans are derivatives of isoflavonoids, found in many species of the family Fabaceae. Sophora flavescens Aiton is a promising traditional Asian medicinal plant. Plant cell suspension cultures represent an excellent source for the production of valuable secondary metabolites. Herein, we found that methyl jasmonate (MJ) elicited the activation of pterocarpan biosynthetic genes in cell suspension cultures of S. flavescens and enhanced the accumulation of pterocarpans, producing mainly trifolirhizin, trifolirhizin malonate, and maackiain. MJ application stimulated the expression of structural genes (PAL, C4H, 4CL, CHS, CHR, CHI, IFS, I3’H, and IFR) of the pterocarpan biosynthetic pathway. In addition, the co-treatment of MJ and methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MeβCD) as a solubilizer exhibited a synergistic effect on the activation of the pterocarpan biosynthetic genes. The maximum level of total pterocarpan production (37.2 mg/g dry weight (DW)) was obtained on day 17 after the application of 50 μM MJ on cells. We also found that the combined treatment of cells for seven days with MJ and MeβCD synergistically induced the pterocarpan production (trifolirhizin, trifolirhizin malonate, and maackiain) in the cells (58 mg/g DW) and culture medium (222.7 mg/L). Noteworthy, the co-treatment only stimulated the elevated extracellular production of maackiain in the culture medium, indicating its extracellular secretion; however, its glycosides (trifolirhizin and trifolirhizin malonate) were not detected in any significant amounts in the culture medium. This work provides new strategies for the pterocarpan production in plant cell suspension cultures, and shows MeβCD to be an effective solubilizer for the extracellular production of maackiain in the cell cultures of S. flavescens.

Ontogenetic Development of Hedysarum alpinum L. in the Prebaikalia Region

Hedysarum alpinum L. is an important medicinal plant, which also has ornamental value and is used as a non-conventional feed resource. The medicinal value of this plant species is attributable to the content of the glycoside mangiferin in the aerial parts of a plant, which demonstrates immunostimulating properties. Harvesting of H. alpinumas a herbal raw material leads to a fast depletion of natural coenopopulation areas. When cultivated in Prebaikalia, the plant passes through all ontogenetic stages, entering the reproductive phase at year 2-3 of growth. The mid-reproductive stage, which is the most productive for feeding purposes, lasts 6 to 10 years. For introduced species, the life span of a plant growing in the same place ranges between 12 and 20 years. H. alpinumis a promising medicinal and fodder plant, which tolerates dry summer periods, is winter-hardy, and has high shoot biomass production.

Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of <i>Waltheria Indica</i> Linn whole plant

Waltheria indica is a promising medicinal plant belonging to family Malvaceae, which many biological activities of the solvent extracts of its various parts have been scientifically evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate and analyze the minerals, crude fibre and fat contents, the phytochemical constituents as well as the antioxidants activity of the powder sample of W. indica whole plant. Fresh sample of whole W. indica plant was collected and airdried at room temperature. The mineral constituents were determined by spectrophotometry. The crude fibre, fat contents and the qualitative and quantitative phytochemical compositions were determined using standard analytical procedure. The antioxidants activity was determined using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) assays. The mineral analysis results revealed the presence of micro and macro nutrients such as potassium, calcium, magnesium and manganese among others which are within the acceptable health range. The values (23.8%; 0.15%) obtained for both crude fibre and fat contents were reasonable. The qualitative phytochemical screening established the presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, anthraquinones and phenol. Steroids are in abundance while Cardiac glycosides are absent. The quantity of alkaloids (1.9%), saponins (1.4%), flavonoids (3.1%) and tannins (17422μg/GAE) are in appreciable amount which may be responsible for its various activities. W. indica showed good inhibitory scavenging activity and better reducing ability compared to ascorbic acid. The results obtained from this study provide further scientific evidence to support the ethno-medicinal information on the uses of W. indica in the treatment of various health issues.

Molecular docking elucidates the plausible mechanisms underlying the anticancer properties of acetyldigitoxigenin from Adenium obesum.

Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult. is a promising medicinal plant belonging to the Apocynaceae family. It is a rich source of various phytochemicals such as cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, terpeniods, pregnanes etc. which have different pharmacological properties such as anticancer, antibacterial, acaricidal etc. While previous reports showed the anticancer activity of the aerial parts of the plant extract of A. obesum, the mechanisms of action of its chemical constituents are not known. The present study is aimed at elucidation of plausible mechanisms of anticancer activity of the plant by evaluating the binding interaction of its nine major selected compounds with macromolecular receptors implicated in the initiation and progression of cancer using various in silico approaches. Molecular docking results showed that the compound Δ16-3-Acetyldigitoxigenin (16-anhydro-3-acetylgitoxigenin) scored the best binding energy scores with the majority of the target proteins. The molecular binding of the compound was stabilized through hydrogen bonds as well as hydrophobic interactions, and also possesses favorable drug-like properties without significant toxicities.

Rumex nervosus leaf extracts enhance the regulation of goblet cells and the inflammatory response during infection of chickens with Eimeria tenella

Eimerian parasites are the main intestinal tract pathogens in many animals, which invade and damage the intestinal epithelium causing severe injuries and economic loss. Our study was planned to examine the ameliorative effect of Rumex nervosus leaf extracts (RNE) against Eimeria tenella-induced changes in caecal goblet cells and cytokines of chickens. The infected chickens with E. tenella were treated with 50, 100, 200 mg/Kg RNE, respectively. Amprolium was used as a reference drug. Our result showed that RNE contained 8 phytochemical components that were able to decrease the number of oocysts in bird’s faeces. Also, the number of goblet cells was decreased after infection. This number was increased after RNE treatment. In addition, RNE caused upregulation of the mucin gene, MUC2 after E. tenella infection. Moreover, the infection caused upregulation in the inflammatory cytokines IL1β, IL 6, INF-γ and LiTAF. This increase in mRNA expression of IL1β, IL 6, INF-γ and LiTAF was about 5, 5.6, 4 and 5.8 fold, respectively. Collectively, R. nervosus is a promising medicinal plant with anticoccidial, and anti-inflammatory properties and could be used for the treatment of eimeriosis.