In vitro screening of Fe2+-chelating effect by a Fenton's reaction-luminol chemiluminescence system.

In vitro screening of a Fe(2+) -chelating effect using a Fenton's reaction-luminol chemiluminescence (CL) system is described. The luminescence between the reactive oxygen species generated by the Fenton's reaction and luminol was decreased on capturing Fe(2+) using a chelator. The proposed method can prevent the consumption of expensive seed compounds (drug discovery candidates) owing to the high sensitivity of CL detection. Therefore, the assay could be performed using small volumes of sample solution (150 µL) at micromolar concentrations. After optimization of the screening conditions, the efficacies of conventional chelators such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), diethylentriaminepentaacetic acid (DETAPAC), deferoxamine, deferiprone and 1,10-phenanthroline were examined. EC50 values for these compounds (except 1,10-phenanthroline) were in the range 3.20 ± 0.87 to 9.57 ± 0.64 µM (n = 3). Rapid measurement of the Fe(2+)-chelating effect with an assay run time of a few minutes could be achieved using the proposed method. In addition, the specificity of the method was discussed.

Thujone corrects cholesterol and triglyceride profiles in diabetic rat model.

Thujone, which is the major constituent in Salvia sp. (Lamiaceae), was found to correct the lipid profile (cholesterol and triglycerides) in diabetic rats. Oral treatment with thujone (5 mg kg⁻¹ body weight dose) significantly adjusted cholesterol and triglyceride levels in diabetic rats (p ≤ 0.05) to normal levels compared to diabetic untreated rats. This provides a premise in the field of finding new agents to treat diabetic complications.

Xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of the methanolic extracts of selected Jordanian medicinal plants.

BACKGROUND: The search for novel xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitors with a higher therapeutic activity and fewer side effects are desired not only to treat gout but also to combat various other diseases associated with the XO activity. At present, the potential of developing successful natural products for the management of XO-related diseases is still largely unexplored. In the present study, we have screened the methanolic extracts of various Jordanian medicinal plants for their XO inhibitory activities using an optimized protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The methanolic extracts of 23 medicinal plants, belonging to 12 families, were tested in vitro, at 200 µg/ml concentrations, for their XO inhibitory potential. The dose-dependent inhibition profiles of the most active plants were further evaluated by estimating the IC(50) values of their corresponding extracts. RESULTS: Six plants were found most active (% inhibition more than 39%). These plants are Salvia spinosa L. (IC(50) = 53.7 µg/ml), Anthemis palestina Boiss. (168.0 µg/ml), Chrysanthemum coronarium L. (199.5 µg/ml), Achillea biebersteinii Afansiev (360.0 µg/ml), Rosmarinus officinalis L. (650.0 µg/ml), and Ginkgo biloba L. (595.8 µg/ml). Moreover, four more plants, namely Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (28.7% inhibition), Helianthemum ledifolium (L.) Mill. (28.4%), Majorana syriaca (L.) Kostel. (25.1%), and Mentha spicata L. (22.5%) showed a XO inhibitory activity in the range of 22-30%. CONCLUSION: The study showed that many of the tested plant species are potential sources of natural XO inhibitors that can be developed, upon further investigation, into successful herbal drugs for treatment of gout and other XO-related disorders.

Effect of ethnomedicinal plants used in folklore medicine in Jordan as antibiotic resistant inhibitors on Escherichia coli.

BACKGROUND: Escherichia coli occurs naturally in the human gut; however, certain strains that can cause infections, are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Multidrug-resistant E. coli that produce extended-spectrum beta lactamases (ESBLs), such as the CTX-M enzymes, have emerged within the community setting as an important cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and bloodstream infections may be associated with these community-onsets. This is the first report testing the antibiotic resistance-modifying activity of nineteen Jordanian plants against multidrug-resistant E. coli. METHODS: The susceptibility of bacterial isolates to antibiotics was tested by determining their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) using a broth microdilution method. Nineteen Jordanian plant extracts (Capparis spinosa L., Artemisia herba-alba Asso, Echinops polyceras Boiss., Gundelia tournefortii L, Varthemia iphionoides Boiss. & Blanche, Eruca sativa Mill., Euphorbia macroclada L., Hypericum trequetrifolium Turra, Achillea santolina L., Mentha longifolia Host, Origanum syriacum L., Phlomis brachydo(Boiss.) Zohary, Teucrium polium L., Anagyris foetida L., Trigonella foenum-graecum L., Thea sinensis L., Hibiscus sabdariffa L., Lepidium sativum L., Pimpinella anisum L.) were combined with antibiotics, from different classes, and the inhibitory effect of the combinations was estimated. RESULTS: Methanolic extracts of the plant materials enhanced the inhibitory effects of chloramphenicol, neomycin, doxycycline, cephalexin and nalidixic acid against both the standard strain and to a lesser extent the resistant strain of E. coli. Two edible plant extracts (Gundelia tournefortii L. and Pimpinella anisum L.) generally enhanced activity against resistant strain. Some of the plant extracts like Origanum syriacum L.(Labiateae), Trigonella foenum- graecum L.(Leguminosae), Euphorbia macroclada (Euphorbiaceae) and Hibiscus sabdariffa (Malvaceae) did not enhance the activity of amoxicillin against both standard and resistant E. coli. On the other hand combinations of amoxicillin with other plant extracts used showed variable effect between standard and resistant strains. Plant extracts like Anagyris foetida (Leguminosae) and Lepidium sativum (Umbelliferae) reduced the activity of amoxicillin against the standard strain but enhanced the activity against resistant strains. Three edible plants; Gundelia tournefortii L. (Compositae) Eruca sativa Mill. (Cruciferae), and Origanum syriacum L. (Labiateae), enhanced activity of clarithromycin against the resistant E. coli strain. CONCLUSION: This study probably suggests possibility of concurrent use of these antibiotics and plant extracts in treating infections caused by E. coli or at least the concomitant administration may not impair the antimicrobial activity of these antibiotics.