Extracts Of Prunella Vulgaris Research Articles

Extracts of Prunella vulgaris Enhanced Pentobarbital-Induced Sleeping Behavior in Mice Potentially via Adenosine A2A Receptor Activity.

The increasing prevalence of sleep dysregulation cases has prompted the search for effective and safe sleep-enhancing agents. Numerous medications used in the treatment of sleep disorders function by enhancing γ-aminobutyric acid neurotransmitter activity. Unfortunately, these substances may induce significant adverse effects in chronic users, such as dependence and motor behavior impairments. Consequently, there is a growing interest in exploring therapeutic sleep-enhancing agents derived from natural sources, with the anticipation of causing less severe side effects. Prunella vulgaris (PV), a perennial plant indigenous to South Korea, exhibits various pharmacological effects, likely attributed to its chemical composition. Rosmarinic acid, one of its components, has previously demonstrated sleep-potentiating properties, suggesting the potential for PV to exhibit similar pharmacological effects. This study aims to investigate the potential effects of repeated administration of PV extract on the sleep behavior, brainwave activity, sleep-wake cycle, and physiological behavior of mice. Findings indicate that PV extracts exhibit sleep-enhancing effects in mice, characterized by prolonged sleep duration and a reduced onset time of pentobarbital-induced sleep. However, PV extracts only reduced alpha wave powers, with minor alterations in wakefulness and rapid-eye-movement sleep duration. In contrast to diazepam, PV extracts lack adverse effects on locomotor activity, motor coordination, or anxiety in mice. Receptor-binding assay and caffeine treatment support the potential involvement of adenosine A2A receptors in the effects of PV, suggesting distinct mechanisms of action compared to diazepam, despite both exhibiting sleep-altering effects. Overall, our results suggest that PV holds promise as a potential source of sleep-aiding agents.

Antitumoral effect of the ethanolic extract of Prunella vulgaris L. in an in vivo murine lymphoma

Context: Prunella vulgaris L. is a plant used by various cultures around the world due to its antitumor effect, among others. In vitro investigations have described various mechanisms of cytotoxic action but, it is necessary to further extend the observations of in vivo models, whit the possibility of analyzing the effect on tumor grown, time of life, as well as toxicity, which that will allow to promote the possible use of P. vulgaris in cancer in a safe and effective way. Aims: To evaluate the antitumor effect of P. vulgaris L. on L5178Y lymphoma in BALB/c mice as well as its acute toxicity in CD1 mice. Methods: For the tests, the crude ethanolic extract of P. vulgaris was used. Acute oral toxicity was studied in female CD1 mice. The antitumor effect was observed with the L5178Y ascitic tumor model, the effect on tumor growth and survival of the groups with vehicle, vincristine and with the extract were compared. Results: In the toxicity test, no mouse died at the doses used. In relation to the antitumor effect, it was observed that tumor growth was lower both in the positive control and in the different doses used of the P. vulgaris extract compared to the vehicle, while the estimate of survival was similar in the vehicle and in the groups with the extract. Conclusions: In this work, the ethanolic extract of P. vulgaris did not show toxicity and inhibited tumor growth, without improving survival.

Effects of Ursolic Acid in Extracts of Prunella vulgaris on the Proliferation of Thyroid Papillary Carcinoma Cells Under the p53MAPK Signaling Pathway

The aim of this research was to demonstrate the impact of ursolic acid (UA) in Prunella vulgaris extracts on the proliferation of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) cells through the p53MAPK signaling. Effects of Prunella vulgaris extracts on TPC-1 cell proliferation were analyzed by intervening with various concentrations of UA, including negative control (NC) group, solvent control (SC) group, 3 μM UA group, 6 μM UA group, 12 μM UA group, and 15 μM UA group. Flow cytometry was adopted to evaluate apoptosis in TPC-1 cells, while real-time fluorescent quantitative (RT-q) PCR was implemented to assess expression (EP) of Bax and Bcl-2 in TPC-1 cells following UA intervention. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were employed to examine the differential EP levels of cell apoptosis, Bax, and Bcl-2 proteins. RT-qPCR was utilized to investigate the influence of UA on EP of various genes in MAPK pathway. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited the most notable inhibitory effect on TPC-1 cells. The content of UA in Prunella vulgaris increased gradually with the extension of ultrasonic time. The growth curve of TPC-1 cells demonstrated an initial increase followed by a decrease with increasing time. As the concentration increased, cell proportion in S phase increased, while the proportions in the GO-G1 and G2-M phases decreased, indicating that UA concentration-dependently arrested cells in the S phase. The level of Bax mRNA exhibited an increasing trend with increasing concentration, and the 12 μM UA and 15 μM UA groups demonstrated remarkable differences versus NC group (P <0.01). Bcl-2 protein demonstrated a decreasing trend with increasing concentration, and the 6 μM UA, 12 μM UA, and 15 μM UA groups exhibited considerable differences relative to NC group (P < 0.05). Additionally, pro-apoptotic protein Bax increased, while that of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 decreased. UA treatment upregulated EP of the p53 gene in the MAPK pathway. Genes such as ERK, MEK, TSHR, Ras, p53, BRAF, PAK4, and PAKCa were downregulated. In summary, UA can upregulate EP of the p53 gene in the MAPK pathway, greatly inhibit proliferation of TPC-1 cells in PTC, and promote apoptosis. These findings provide insights for therapy of thyroid cancer.

Fallopia Japonica and Prunella vulgaris inhibit myopia progression by suppressing AKT and NFκB mediated inflammatory reactions

BackgroundThe increased global incidence of myopia requires the establishment of therapeutic approaches. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Fallopia Japonica (FJ) and Prunella vulgaris (PV) extract on myopia caused by monocular form deprivation (MFD).MethodsWe used human retinal pigment epithelial cell to study the molecular mechanisms on how FJ extract (FJE) and PV extract (PVE) lowering the inflammation of the eye. The effect of FJE and PVE in MFD induced hamster model and explore the role of inflammation cytokines in myopia.ResultsFJE + PVE reduced IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α expression in RPE cells. Furthermore, FJE and PVE inhibited inflammation by attenuating the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT), and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B (NF-κB) pathway. In addition, we report two resveratrol + ursolic acid compounds from FJ and PV and their inhibitory activities against IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α expression levels in RPE cells treated with IL-6 and TNF-α. FJE, PVE, and FJE + PVE were applied to MFD hamsters and their axial length was measured after 21 days. The axial length showed statistically significant differences between phosphate-buffered saline- and FJE-, PVE-, and FJE + PVE-treated MFD eyes. FJE + PVE suppressed expressions of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α. They also inhibited myopia-related transforming growth factor-beta (TGF)-β1, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, and NF-κB expression while increasing type I collagen expression.ConclusionsOverall, these results suggest that FJE + PVE may have a therapeutic effect on myopia and be used as a potential treatment option.

Time Depletion Effects on the Volatile Compounds from the Distillation Extracts of Prunella vulgaris and the Dynamics of their Extraction.

Prunella vulgaris (PV) is a low-growing perennial herb, which can be found in different parts of the world as Asia, Europe and North America. It is traditionally used for medicinal treatment in various cultures in India, China, Japan, Korea, Russia, and Eastern Europe for treating different ailments, such as fever, and healing wounds. In our previous article, we showed the anti-tumorous effect of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of PV and characterized the steam distillation process in the extraction of VOCs from PV. This has never been done before as we are aware of. To use the VOCs as drugs, there is a question of how much of the VOCs are lost before the prepared drugs reach the patients. Thus, the first aim of the present article is to try to explore the time depletion effect on the VOCs in the PV extracts. Then, the second aim is to extend the work in the previous paper and further understand the dynamics of the distillation process of PV by changing the steam flow rate in the extraction process. To achieve the first aim to explore the aging effect of how much VOCs are depleted after they are extracted, the VOCs were first extracted by the same method as before, i.e., using steam distillation. Then, tubes of the aqueous solution containing the VOCs were then stored in a 5°C refrigerator. They were then taken out for GC-MS analysis according to a preplanned schedule up to 8 weeks after the VOCs were extracted. The chemical composition of the distillate could then be evaluated. This revealed the changes in the abundance of VOCs with aging. At the same time, the cell viability of SCC154 oral squamous cells treated by these herbal solutions, which were at different aging stages, was evaluated using a tetrazolium-based colorimetric reagent, Cell Counting Kit-8. To achieve the second aim of exploring the dynamics of the steam distillation process, the steam flow rate was adjusted by changing the temperature setting of the hot plate. GC-MS was again used to quantify the chemical constituents of the distillates. By using GC-MS to measure the abundance of volatile compounds at different time points after the distillation process, it was found that the volatile compounds persist for a very long time, or over 8 weeks, which was the longest period of our experiment. The aging of the distillates also did not depreciate much the cell cytotoxicity of the PV distillate on the cancer cells. With respect to the dynamics of the steam distillation process, it was found that, at a low steam flow rate, volatile compounds of lower molecular weight are more efficient to be extracted, while at a high steam flow rate, volatile compounds of higher molecular weight are more efficiently extracted. Our findings demonstrate that the VOC compounds extracted and present in aqueous form do not deplete much for at least 2 months after the extraction process, neither they exhibit cell cytotoxicity. The experiments on the dynamics of the steam distillation process demonstrate that the mass of herb present in the flow path of the steam has significant effects on the relative amounts of VOCs extracted.

GC–MS analysis and anti–microbial activity of Prunella vulgaris L. extracts

In this study, the chemical composition of the methanol, hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of Prunella vulgaris L. were investigated by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) method. 2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzaldehyde (15.70%), linolenic acid (45.50%) and icosane (16.24%) were found to be the most abundant in methanol, hexane and ethyl acetate extracts, respectively. Following the determination of chemical components of the Prunella vulgaris L. extracts, their anti–microbial activities against certain human pathogenic bacteria were tested and minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined. While some extracts of Prunella vulgaris L. show anti–microbial activity well above the standards (penicillin and tetracycline), it was determined that in general all the extracts showed good anti–microbial activity against these pathogenic bacteria.

The therapeutic effects of Prunella vulgaris against fluoride-induced oxidative damage by using the metabolomics method.

Fluoride is considered as one of the most ubiquitous environmental pollutants. Numerous studies have linked reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent oxidative damage with fluoride intoxication, which could be prevented by antioxidants. However, the metabolomic changes induced by ROS disruptions in fluoride intoxication are yet unknown. The present study aimed to provide novel mechanistic insights into the fluoride-induced oxidative damage and to investigate the potential protective effects of ethanolic extract of Prunella vulgaris (natural antioxidant, PV) against fluoride-induced oxidative damage. The serum biochemical indicators related to fluoride-induced oxidative damage, such as lipid peroxidation parameter, inflammation and marker enzymes in the liver increased significantly in the fluoride-treated group, while antioxidant enzymes were decreased. However, PV treatment restored the level of these biochemical indicators, indicating satisfactory antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective potential of PV. The metabolomics analysis in the serum was performed by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy, whereas the fluoride treatment caused severe metabolic disorders in rats, which could be improved by PV. The differential metabolites screened by multivariate analysis after fluoride and PV treatment, were organic acids, fatty acids, and lipids. These differential metabolites represented disorders of glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism and the citrate cycle (TCA) according to metabolic pathway analysis in fluoride treatment rats. Interestingly, the result of metabolic pathway analysis of post-treatment with PV was consistent with that of fluoride treatment, indicating that the energy metabolism plays a major role in the progress of fluoride-induced oxidative damage, as well as the therapeutic effect of PV. These findings provided a theoretical basis for understanding the mechanism underlying metabolic disorders of fluoride toxicity and the effect of PV.

ANTI-QUORUM SENSING AND ANTITUMOR ACTIVITY OF PRUNELLA VULGARIS, SAMBUCUS NIGRA, CALENDULA OFFICINALIS: potential use in food industry

With the emergence of health related side effects of synthetic substances, the trend towards natural products has increased and has directed researchers to determine their pharmacological properties. At the same time, the resistance of the microorganisms to the antibiotics used in the treatment revealed that they should be controlled without allowing them to gain resistance. In this study, the total phenolic content, volatile composition and antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-quorum sensing and antitumor activities of Prunella vulgaris, Sambucus nigra and Calendula officinalis extracts were determined. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts was determined by the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) method, volatile component analyses were determined by GC-MS, and antimicrobial activity was determined by the disc diffusion method. Chromobacterium violaceum 026 and Agrobacterium tumefaciens A136 were used to determine the anti-quorum sensing activity. Additionally, the antitumor potential of the extracts was determined by the potato disc method. Prunella vulgaris was the plant with the highest antioxidant capacity, while the extract with the highest antimicrobial activity was determined to be Sambucus nigra against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. The results showed that all extracts have anti-quorum sensing properties. Prunella vulgaris was the plant with the highest anti-quorum sensing properties. There was a correlation between the extract concentration and tumor inhibition. The Prunella vulgaris extract was found to have the highest antitumor activity. As a result, it was determined that the plants used in the study have the potential to be used in alternative medicine treatment and can be utilized for the control of microorganisms.

The Antitumour Effect of Prunella vulgaris Extract on Thyroid Cancer Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Prunella vulgaris, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used to treat various benign and malignant tumours for centuries in China. In our previous studies, Prunella vulgaris extract (PVE) was shown to promote apoptosis in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) cells. However, whether other mechanisms are involved in the antitumour effect of PVE in thyroid cancer (TC) cells remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the antiproliferative and antimigratory effects of PVE on TC cell lines both in vitro and in vivo. First, the TPC-1 and SW579 human TC cell lines were screened by MTT assay for their high level of sensitivity to PVE. Then, the results of cell growth curve and colony formation assay and cell cycle analyses, wound healing, and migration assays demonstrated that PVE inhibited the proliferation and migration of TPC-1 and SW579 cells. Moreover, the antitumour effect of PVE was verified in a subcutaneous xenotransplanted tumour model. Next, MKI67, PCNA, CTNNB1, and CDH1 were screened by qRT-PCR for their significantly differential expression levels in xenograft tissue with and without PVE treatment, and expression of MKI67, PCNA, and CDH1 was verified by Western blot. Finally, an integrated bioinformatics analysis containing protein-protein interaction network, KEGG pathway, and GO analysis was conducted to explore more potential antitumour mechanisms of PVE. In summary, PVE could inhibit the proliferation and migration of TC cells both in vitro and in vivo, which may have been achieved by modulation of the expression of MKI67, PCNA, and CDH1. These data suggest that PVE has the potential to be developed into a new anticancer drug for the treatment of TC.

Antibacterial and antitumor activity of the species Prunella vulgaris L.

Abstract Background: Prunella vulgaris L., known as self-healing herb, is a widely spread species in the spontaneous flora with beneficial effects on human health, a fact proven in particular by Asian researchers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antitumor activity and the antibacterial effect on different bacterial strains, including multidrug-resistant ones, depending on the type of solvent used (aqueous, hydroalcoholic), the plant product taken into consideration (spike inflorescence, leaf), its quantity and the concentration of active principles. Material and method: For screening of antimicrobial susceptibility, both minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were determined on Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Providencia stuartii, Pseudomonas aeruginosai, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus species, including reference strains and hospital strains. Leaves and flower extracts (aqueous and 70% methanolic) were first assessed, and the one with the best antibacterial potential was further tested as a concentrated extract. The antitumor activity was determined on MDA-MB-231 breast adenocarcinoma cells and on a non-tumor cell line, MCF-10A breast epithelial cells by means of Alamar blue technique and Scratch assay. Results: Inflorescence extracts showed better bacteriostatic effects than leaf extracts on most bacteria, in both aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts. The concentrated extract of spike inflorescence showed measurable activity with good effects on Gram-positive bacteria, but also on multidrug-resistant Gram-negative ones. The 70% methanolic extract of the species Prunella vulgaris L. (spike inflorescence) demonstrated a concentration-dependent cytotoxic and anti-migratory activity on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, while affecting the non-tumor cell line less. Conclusions: The results suggest that Prunella vulgaris extracts present antibacterial potential in the complementary treatment of multidrug-resistant infections. The extract from the spike inflorescence of Prunella vulgaris L. produced a dose and time-dependent reduction in cell viability and migration, eliciting a stronger effect on the breast adenocarcinoma cell line.

Evaluation of different plant extracts for effective management of fungal rot of tomato and brinjal in Kashmir Valley

The aim of present research was focused on the antifungal activities of Prunella vulgaris L and Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews via in vitro approach through agar well diffusion assay at three concentrations (25 uL, 50 uL and 75 uL) against fungi causing diseases in tomato and brinjal. All the concentration of plant extracts showed antimycotic activity against tested pathogenic fungi. Antimycotic activity increased with the increased concentrations of plant extracts. However, higher concentrations proved more effective than lower concentrations. It was revealed from the present study that the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Prunella vulgaris L showed maximum antimycotic activity against Rhizoctonia solani and least inhibitory effect against Penicillium chrysogenum. It was further revealed from the present study that the ethanolic extract of Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews showed maximum antimycotic activity against Penicillium expansum and least activity against Mucor plumbeus. Whereas the aqueous extract of Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews showed maximum antimycotic activity against Rhizoctonia solani and Penicllium expansum and least inhibitory effect against Mucor plumbeus.

The Action of Leaf Extracts of Prunella Vulgaris L. and Ocimum Araratum L. on the Peroxidase Activity of Erythrocytes of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

The Action of Leaf Extracts of Prunella Vulgaris L. and Ocimum Araratum L. on the Peroxidase Activity of Erythrocytes of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Phytochemical screening, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Prunella vulgaris for oral thrush

Plant imitative products have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. In traditional Indian medicine or Ayurveda, Prunella Vulgaris and many other herbs have been used as medicine. Traditional uses of plants have led to investigating their bioactive compounds, which have resulted in the detection of a significant number of therapeutic properties. The aim of present investigation was carried out to evaluate the phytochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of chloroform and hydroalcoholic leaves extracts of Prunella Vulgaris against microbial strains causing oral infections. Both chloroform and hydroalcoholic extracts revealed the presence of carbohydrate, triterpenoids/ steroids, flavonoids, tannin, phenolic compound and saponins were absent in only the chloroform extract. The bioactivities of the leaf extracts were qualified to their phytochemical constituents. Quantitative analysis of phenolic and flavonoids was carried out by Folins Ciocalteau reagent method and aluminium chloride method respectively. The In vitro antioxidant activity of chloroform and hydroalcoholic leaves extracts of Prunella Vulgaris was assessed against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl- hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, reducing power assay using standard protocols. The antimicrobial activity of chloroform and hydroalcoholic extracts of medicinal plants was evaluated using well diffusion method against Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. The TPC in chloroform extract was higher than that of the hydroalcoholic extract with concentration being 0.443 mg/g equivalent to gallic acid. The TFC in hydroalcohoilc extract was higher than that of the chloroform extract with concentration being 0.358 mg/g equivalent to rutin. The present study recognized leaves extract of Prunella vulgaris as a promising antioxidant and antimicrobial agent. However, further investigations are needed to understand the mechanistic basis of this effect of the extract and its chemical constituents thereof.
 Keywords: Prunella vulgaris, Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial activity, Folins Ciocalteau reagent, Quantitative analysis

A sensitive LC-MS/MS-based bioanalytical method for quantification of salviaflaside and rosmarinic acid in rat plasma and its application in a pharmacokinetic study.

A selective and sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the simultaneous determination of salviaflaside and rosmarinic acid in rat plasma. Sample preparation was carried out through liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate using curculigoside as internal standard (IS). The analytes were determined by selected reaction monitoring operated in the positive ESI mode. Chromatographic separation was performed on an Agilent Eclipse Plus C18 column (100 × 4.6 mm, 1.8 μm) with a mobile phase consisting of methanol-water-formic acid (50:50:0.1, v/v/v) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The run time was 1.9 min per sample and the injection volume was 5 μL. The method had an LLOQ of 1.6 ng/mL for salviaflaside and 0.94 ng/mL for rosmarinic acid in plasma. The linear calibration curves were fitted over the range of 1.6-320 ng/mL for salviaflaside and 0.94-188 ng/mL for rosmarinic acid in plasma with correlation coefficients (r2 ) >0.99. Intra- and inter-day precisions (relative standard deviation) were < 13.5%, and accuracies (relative error) were between -8.6% and 14.5% for all quality control samples. The method was validated and applied to the pharmacokinetics of salviaflaside and rosmarinic acid in plasma after oral administration of Prunella vulgaris extract to rats.

Antimicrobial activity of Prunella Vulgaris extracts against multi-drug resistant Escherichia Coli from patients of urinary tract infection.

Background and Objective:Escherichia Coli is the most common etiological agent of UTI and accounts for more then 100, 0000 hospitalization annually. The objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Prunella vulgaris against E. coli from urinary tract infection patients.Methods:Urine samples of forty four suspected patients from Tertiary Care Hospital Faisalabad were used in this study. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Prunella vulgris (PV), a medicinal plant was evaluated for its ability to inhibit the growth of 38 resistant isolates of Escherichia coli strains and compared to Ciprofloxacin, Ofloxacin, Cefixime and Tobramycin by well diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentration was measured by using broth micro dilution method.Results:PV showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli strains, however Tobramycin at 10 microgram (10μg) inhibited the resistant E. coli to a greater extent as compared to other antibiotics and was resistant to twice less number of strains, about 82% of E. coli isolates have MDR pattern.Conclusion:Ciprofloxacin has more efficacy than PV and no synergistic effect with extracts of PV. Cefixime is least efficacious against resistant E. coli, however it has synergistic effect with extracts of PV.

Prunella vulgaris Attenuates Diabetic Renal Injury by Suppressing Glomerular Fibrosis and Inflammation.

Diabetic nephropathy is both the most common complication and the leading cause of mortality associated with diabetes. Prunella vulgaris, a well-known traditional medicinal plant, is used for the cure of abscess, scrofula, hypertension and urinary diseases. This study confirmed whether an aqueous extract of Prunella vulgaris (APV) suppresses renal inflammation and fibrosis. In human mesangial cell (HMC), pretreatment of APV attenuated 25[Formula: see text]mM HG-induced suppressed TGF-[Formula: see text] and Smad-2/4 expression; it increased the expression level of Smad-7. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and collagen IV, fibrosis biomarkers, were significantly decreased by APV. APV suppressed inflammatory factors such as intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). APV inhibited activation and translocation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-[Formula: see text]B) in HG-stimulated HMCs. Moreover, APV significantly improved HG-induced ROS in a dose-dependent manner. In diabetic rat models, APV significantly decreased blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and ameliorated plasma creatinine (PCr). APV reduced the PAS positivity staining intensity and basement membrane thickening in glomeruli of diabetic rats. Fibrosis related proteins such as collagen IV and TGF-[Formula: see text]1 were also inhibited by APV. These results suggest that APV has a significant protective effect against diabetic renal dysfunction including inflammation and fibrosis through disruption of the TGF-[Formula: see text]/Smad signaling. Therefore, APV may be useful in potential therapies that target glomerulonephritis and glomerulosclerosis, which lead to diabetic nephropathy.

Anthelmintic Activities of Aqueous and Methanol Extracts of Prunella vulgaris L.

The increasing anthelmintic resistance, drug residues in animal products and high cost of conventional anthelmintics has created an interest in studying medicinal plants as an alternative source of anthelmintics. The aqueous and methanolic extracts of Prunella vulgaris was evaluated for anthelmintic efficacy against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep under both in vitro and in vivo conditions using worm motility inhibition assay, egg hatch assay and faecal egg count reduction percent (FECR%) assay respectively. Crude methanol extract and crude aqueous extract of P. vulgaris resulted in mean percentage mortality of 94.44%, as observed after the worms were put in lukewarm PBS for 30 min after exposure to different treatments(p<0.01). Crude methanol extract (LC50=2.48 mg/mL) had higher inhibitory effects compared to that of crude aqueous extract (LC50=3.36 mg/mL) on egg hatching, exhibiting higher ovicidal activity. in vivo, maximum reduction (92.86%) in faecal egg counts was recorded for crude methanol extract, followed by crude aqueous extract (80.34%) with dose 2 g/kg of body weight at day 15 post-treatment. The results of the present study suggest that P. vulgaris extracts are promising alternatives to the commercially available anthelmintics for the treatment of sheep nematodes.

Characterization of the inhibitory effect of an extract of Prunella vulgaris on Ebola virus glycoprotein (GP)-mediated virus entry and infection

Currently, no approved antiviral therapeutic is available for treatment or prevention of Ebola virus (EBOV) infection. In this study, we characterized an EBOV-glycoprotein (GP) pseudotyped HIV-1-based vector system in different cell cultures, including human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human macrophages, for the screening of anti-EBOV-GP agent(s). Based on this system, we demonstrated that an aqueous extract (CHPV) from the Chinese herb Prunella vulgaris displayed a potent inhibitory effect on EBOV-GP pseudotyped virus (EBOV-GP-V)-mediated infection in various cell lines, including HUVEC and macrophage. In addition, our results indicated that CHPV was able to block an eGFP-expressing Zaire ebola virus (eGFP-ZEBOV) infection in VeroE6 cells. The anti-EBOV activity of CHPV was exhibited in a dose-dependent manner. At a 12.5 μg/ml concentration, the CHPV showed a greater than 80% inhibition of EBOV-GP-V and eGFP-EBOV infections. Likewise, our studies suggested that the inhibitory effect of CHPV occurred by binding directly to EBOV-GP-Vs and blocking the early viral events. Interestingly, our results have shown that CHPV was able to enhance the anti-EBOV activity of the monoclonal antibody MAb 2G4 against EBOV-GP. Overall, this study provides evidence that CHPV has anti-EBOV activity and may be developed as a novel antiviral approach against EBOV infection.

The enhanced epithelialization potential of the aqueous extract of Prunella vulgaris in thermally injured rats

The aim of the present study was to assess the wound-healing efficiency of the Prunella vulgaris extract (PVE) on thermally injured rats. Sixty adult, female rats were divided into four groups, with group I serving as a sham control (without a burn injury). A burn was inflicted on the dorsum of all the rats in the second, third and fourth groups. Group II rats served as the burn-injury control group without any treatment. The burn-injured areas of the rats in the third and fourth groups were treated topically by 1% silver sulfadiazine (SSD) cream or 10% PVE-based cream, respectively. Biochemical (antioxidant, lipid peroxidation, hydroxyproline, mucopolysaccharide), morphological and histopathological evaluations showed the burn-healing efficiency of PVE to be better than that of the SSD group. In conclusion, topical application of PVE enhanced collagen synthesis and antioxidant levels by suppressing lipid peroxidation as well as increasing proliferation of keratinocytes, and thus positively influenced wound-healing.

Suppression of LPS-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition by aqueous extracts of Prunella vulgaris through inhibition of the NF-κB/Snail signaling pathway and regulation of EMT-related protein expression.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a pivotal event in the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. Prunella vulgaris (PV) inhibits the proliferation of various cancer cells; however, its possible role in EMT has not been demonstrated. In the present study, we explored the effect of PV aqueous extract (PVAE), a typical medicine for decoction, on EMT. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced EMT-like phenotype changes in cancer cell lines that enhanced cell migration and invasion. PVAE markedly inhibited these effects and produced accompanying changes in the expression of EMT markers, including decreased expression of N-cadherin and vimentin, and increased expression of β-catenin. We found that PVAE effects on LPS-induced EMT were mediated by inhibition of the NF-κB/Snail signaling pathway. Our findings provide new evidence that PVAE suppresses cancer invasion and migration by inhibiting EMT. Therefore, we suggest that PVAE is an effective dietary chemopreventive agent with antimetastatic activity against malignant tumors.