Water-Soluble Polysaccharides from Ephedra alata Stems: Structural Characterization, Functional Properties, and Antioxidant Activity.

In this study, the physicochemical characterization, functional properties, and antioxidant activity of polysaccharides extracted from Ephedra alata (EAP) were investigated. EAP were extracted in water during 3 h with a liquid/solid ratio of 5 in a water bath at 90 °C. The structure of the extracted EAP was examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The functional properties and biochemical activities of EAP were determined. The chemical analysis revealed that the contents of carbohydrates, uronic acid, and proteins were 73.24% ± 1.24%, 6.82% ± 0.57%, and 6.56% ± 0.36%, respectively. The results showed that the extracted EAP essentially contain three functional groups: C=O, C-H, and O-H. SEM images showed that EAP present numerous high porosity particles. The monosaccharide composition revealed a polymer composed of glucose (43.1%), galactose (36.4%), mannose (14.9%), arabinose (3.7%), and gluconic acid (1.7%). EAP showed interesting functional properties (solubility, oil holding capacity, foaming and emulsion properties). Finally, the results revealed that EAP displayed excellent antihypertensive and antioxidant activities. Overall, EAP present a promising natural source of food additives, antioxidants, and antihypertensive agents.

Phytochemical Characterization and Evaluation of the Antimicrobial, Antiproliferative and Pro-Apoptotic Potential of Ephedra alata Decne. Hydroalcoholic Extract against the MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cell Line.

Ephedra alata Decne. belongs to the Ephedraceae family. It is a species of Ephedra that grows mostly in the desert. Today, the main importance of Ephedra species in the medical field is due to the presence of the alkaloids derived from phenyl-alanine, which act on the sympathetic nervous system as a sympathomimetic. The aim of this study was to conduct a phytochemical characterization of the hydroalcoholic extract of the aerial part of Ephedra alata Decne., which is indigenous to Tunis, that involves the total phenolic content, individual phenolic content, and antioxidant activity as well as a biological screening for the evaluation of the antimicrobial, antifungal, antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic, and cytotoxic potential against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. The results show that the hydroalcoholic extract contains polyphenolic phytocompounds (156.226 ± 0.5 mgGAE/g extract) and elicits antioxidant activity (7453.18 ± 2.5 µmol Trolox/g extract). The extract acted as a bacteriostatic agent against all tested bacterial strains, but was bactericidal only against the Gram-positive cocci and Candida spp. In the set experimental parameters, the extract presents antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic, and cytotoxic potential against the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line.

Topical aqueous extract of Ephedra alata can improve wound healing in an animal model.

PURPOSE: Ephedra alata (E. alata) is perennial tough shrub plant that grows in Palestine and other regions. It is used often in folk's medicine for the treatment of various diseases. In this project, E. alata extract was tested for its ability to improve wound and burn healing. METHODS: An aqueous extract of E. alata was prepared and underwent several phytochemical analyses for the presence of the major classes of phytochemical compounds. After that, a polyethylene glycol-based ointment containing the extract of E. alata was prepared and its wound and burn healing activities were tested in-vivo using an animal model for deep wound and full thickness skin burn. The effect was compared against a placebo ointment. Skin biopsies were evaluated by a blinded clinical histopathologist, in addition to digital analysis. RESULTS: Phytochemical analysis demonstrated the presence of the major classes of phytochemical compounds in the prepared extract including flavonoids, alkaloids, phytosteroids, phenolic compounds, volatile oils and tannins. As compared to placebo ointment, E. alata ointment significantly improved the healing of the wound ulcers, whereas it showed no advantage on the quality of the healing of burn ulcers. CONCLUSION: E. alata extract is rich in phytochemical compounds and can improve wound healing when applied topically.

Study of in vitro antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities of selected Saharan plants.

The aim of the present study was the evaluation of the antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities of selected Saharan species, which are applied in the traditional medicine but not studied thoroughly from chemical and pharmacological point of view. The studied plants, namely Anthyllis henoniana, Centropodia forskalii, Cornulaca monacantha, Ephedra alata var. alenda, Euphorbia guyoniana, Helianthemum confertum, Henophyton deserti, Moltkiopsis ciliata and Spartidium saharae were collected from remote areas of North Africa, especially from the Tunisian region of Sahara. After drying and applying the appropriate extraction methods, the plant extracts were tested in antimicrobial screening assay, performed on 19 Gram-positive and -negative strains of microbes. The inhibition zones produced by plant extracts were determined by disc-diffusion method. Remarkable antibacterial activities were exhibited by extracts of Ephedra alata var. alenda and Helianthemum confertum against B. subtilis, M. catarrhalis and methicillin-resistant and non-resistant S. aureus. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of these two species were also determined. Antiproliferative effects of the extracts were evaluated against 4 human adherent cell lines (HeLa, A431, A2780 and MCF7). Notable cell growth inhibition was found for extract of Helianthemum confertum and Euphorbia guyoniana. Our results provided data for selection of some plant species for further detailed pharmacological and phytochemical examinations.

The role of Algerian Ephedra alata ethanolic extract in inhibiting the growth of breast cancer cells by inducing apoptosis in a p53- dependent pathway.

Background: Ephedra alata, a member of the Ephedraceae family, was used to treat different diseases and it might be shown a strong efficacy to inhibit cancer cell lines. Methods: Due to the limited research available about this plant, the objective of this research was to evaluate the antioxidant, cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of Ephedra alata ethanolic extract (EAEE), against different human cancer cell lines. Results: EAEE inhibited the growth of the liver (HepG2), breast (MCF-7), and colon cancer cells (Caco-2). MCF-7 cells with an IC50 of 153 µg/ml, were the most sensitive to the extract. Furthermore, exploration using flow cytometry using Annexin V-FITC/PI assay demonstrated that EAEE caused death for all human cancer cells mainly through apoptosis. Very interestingly, qRT-PCR analysis using the ΔΔCt method revealed that four genes, Bax, p21, RB1, and TP53 were up-regulated in MCF-7 cells treated either with EAEE or S-FU drug. These findings let us believe that the mechanism by which EAEE kills breast cancer cells seems to be apoptosis via a P53-dependent manner, which involved intrinsic pathways through the induction of Bax, p21, and RB1. Conclusions: EAEE exhibits good biological properties in contradiction of HepG-2, MCF-7, and Caco-2 cell lines. This study appoints for the first time that EAEE increases the expression in MCF-7 cells of p53 and three more genetic traits that control cellular proliferation and apoptosis. Therefore, this plant could serve as a potential source to find new pro-apoptotic drugs for cancer treatment.

Green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles using Ephedra Alata plant extract and a study of their antifungal, antibacterial activity and photocatalytic performance under sunlight.

In the present work, copper oxide (CuO NPs) was synthesized by an eco-friendly, simple, low-cost, and economical synthesis method using Ephedra Alata aqueous plant extract as a reducing and capping agent. The biosynthesized CuO-NPs were compared with chemically obtained CuO-NPs to investigate the effect of the preparation method on the structural, optical, morphological, antibacterial, antifungal, and photocatalytic properties under solar irradiation. The CuO NPs were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-VIS spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) analysis, and field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (FESEM-EDX). The photocatalytic activities of biosynthetic CuO-NPs and chemically prepared CuO-NPs were studied using methylene blue upon exposure to solar irradiation. The results showed that the biosynthesized CuO photocatalyst was more efficient than the chemically synthesized CuO-NPs for Methylene Blue (MB) degradation under solar irradiation, with MB degradation rates of 93.4% and 80.2%, respectively. In addition, antibacterial and antifungal activities were evaluated. The disk diffusion technique was used to test the biosynthesized CuO-NPs against gram-negative bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, as well as C. Albicans and S. cerevisiae. The biosynthesized CuO-NPs showed efficient antibacterial and antifungal activity. The obtained results revealed that the biosynthesized CuO-NPs can play a vital role in the destruction of pathogenic bacteria, the degradation of dyes, and the activity of antifungal agents in the bioremediation of industrial and domestic waste.

Ephedra alata Seeds Confer Kidney Protection against Early Life Exposure to Acephate by Regulating Oxidative Insult and Activating Autophagy.

The aim of the current work was to examine for the first time the nephropreventive capacity of Ephedra alata seed extract (E) against maternal exposure to acephate in rat offspring. The in vivo results revealed that E. alata supplementation for 28 days (40 mg/kg b.w.) significantly attenuated the nephrotoxicity in adult offspring induced by acephate. In fact, it decreased the levels of creatinine and uric acid and increased the albumin content compared to the intoxicated group. The in utero studies showed that E. alata inhibited the renal oxidative stress generated by acephate exposure by reducing lipid peroxidation and enhancing antioxidant biomarker activities (GSH, CAT, and SOD). The inhibition of DNA fragmentation and the improvement of the ultrastructural changes highlighted the prophylactic effect of E. alata in renal tissue. Additionally, the immunofluorescence study showed the upregulation of LC3 gene expression, suggesting the capacity of E. alata extract to stimulate autophagic processes as a protective mechanism. Molecular docking analysis indicated that hexadecasphinganine, the major compound in E. alata, has a higher affinity toward the Na+/K+-ATPase, epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), and sodium hydrogen exchanger 3 (NHE3) genes than acephate. Hexadecasphinganine could be considered a potential inhibitor of the activity of these genes and therefore exerted its preventive capacity. The obtained findings confirmed that E. alata seed extract exerted nephropreventive capacities, which could be related to its bioactive compounds, which possess antioxidant activities.

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Isoquercetin from Ephedra alata (Decne): Optimization Using Response Surface Methodology and In Vitro Bioactivities.

Isoquercetin (ISQ) is reported to be a powerful antioxidant with extremely high bioavailability and structural stability compared to aglycone quercetin. Despite this, it is not well studied due to the limited methods for its extraction. With the growing interest in the research and analysis of ISQ-rich herbs, there is a need to optimize an efficient and rapid method for their extraction. In the present study, the ultrasound-assisted extraction of ISQ from Ephedra alata Decne was optimized by a response surface methodology (RSM) using high-performance liquid chromatography as a separation method. The best possible ranges for extraction time (10-30 min), temperature (50-70 °C), ultrasonic power (60-90 W), solvent-to-solid ratio (50-70 mL/g), and ethanol concentration (50-70%) were determined using a single factor analysis. Subsequently, an optimization of the extraction conditions was performed with RSM using the Box-Behnken design. An ultrasonication time of 10 min, a temperature of 60 °C, a power of 75 W, a solvent-to-solid ratio of 60 mL/g, and an ethanol concentration of 70% were determined to be the optimal conditions for the highest recovery of isoquercetin (1033.96 ± 3.28 µg/g). Furthermore, E. alata powder morphology (using a scanning electron microscope), antioxidant activities, and the inhibition potential of key enzymes involved in skin aging (elastase and collagenase), hyperpigmentation (tyrosinase), diabetes (α-amylase), inflammation (hyaluronidase), and neurodegenerative disorders (cholinesterase) were determined and compared with those using the Soxhlet method. This study established a highly efficient method for ISQ extraction and suggested several potential applications of ISQ in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.

Pirimicarb Induction of Behavioral Disorders and of Neurological and Reproductive Toxicities in Male Rats: Euphoric and Preventive Effects of Ephedra alata Monjauzeana.

Carbamate pesticides are a risk to human well-being, and pirimicarb is the most widely employed carbamate insecticide. This ongoing investigation aimed to reveal its toxicity on neurobehavioral and reproductive function. The study was carried out on male Wistar rats by assessment of behavioral changes via experiments, such as the forced swim test and the elevated plus maze; determination of oxidative stress (checking parameters such as catalase activity, etc.); measurement of cortisol and testosterone serum titers, and IL-1ß levels in the plasma and brain; and evaluation of histopathological lesions that induced pirimicarb after 28 days of gavage, specifically in the brain and testis. Traces of pirimicarb were analyzed in tissue extracts using LCMS/MS. At the same time, the beneficial and protective effect of EamCE (Ephedra alata monjauzeana Crude Extract) were tested. The outcomes showed considerable anxiety and depressive status, with an evident increase in cortisol and IL-1ß titers and an important decrease in oxidative enzymes and testosterone. Significant histological lesions were also recorded. In addition, the LCMS/MS analysis affirmed the accumulation of pirimicarb in organ tissue from rats force-fed with pirimicarb. Conversely, EamCE demonstrated outstanding potential as a preventive treatment, restoring cognitive and physical performance, boosting fertility, enhancing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and preserving tissue integrity. We concluded that pirimicarb has critical deleterious impacts on health, affecting the neuroimmune-endocrine axis, and EamCE has a general euphoric and preventive effect.

Ephedra alata Subsp. Alenda as a Novel Source of Bioactive Phytochemicals: Characterization Based on the Mass Spectrometry and Profiling of Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties.

The aim of the present study was to examine, for the first time, the phytochemical content of Ephedra alata pulp extract (EAP) and explore its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities. High-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTOF/MS) was used for phytochemical analysis and three in vitro antioxidant assays together with three in vitro anti-inflammatory tests were used for the assessment of biological activity. The HPLC-ESI-QTOF/MS analysis revealed the presence of 42 metabolites, including flavonoids, sphingolipides, fatty acids, ephedrine derivatives, and amino acid derivatives. In vitro findings revealed that EAP has interesting 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide, and ferrous ion chelating capacities (IC50 values were 0.57 mg/mL, 0.55 mg/mL, and 0.51 mg/mL for DPPH, superoxide radical, and ferrous ion, respectively). Furthermore, EAP showed a noticeable anti-inflammatory ability by inhibiting the two cyclooxygenase isoforms, COX-1 and COX-2 (IC50 of 59.1 and 58.8 µg/mL for COX-1 and COX-2, respectively), preventing protein denaturation (IC50 = 0.51 mg/mL), and protecting membrane stabilization (IC50 = 0.53 mg/mL). The results highlighted the use of Ephedra alata pulp as a potential source of natural compounds with therapeutic effects for the management of inflammatory disorders.

RP-HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS Qualitative Profiling, Antioxidant, Anti-Enzymatic, Anti-Inflammatory, and Non-Cytotoxic Properties of Ephedra alata Monjauzeana.

An investigation was conducted to study the beneficial effects of Ephedra alata monjauzeana crude extract (EamCE). The chemical profile was determined using RP-HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS analysis, revealing the presence of twenty-one flavonoids and phenolic acids. A series of antioxidant assays was carried out using ten different methods. The EamCE has demonstrated a significant antioxidant potential, with interesting IC50 values not exceeding 40 µg/mL in almost activities. Likewise, a significant inhibition of key enzymes, involved in some health issues, such as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, hyperpigmentation, dermatological disorders, gastric/urinary bacterial infections, and obesity, was observed for the first time. The IC50 values ranged from 22.46 to 54.93. The anti-inflammatory and non-cytotoxic activities were assessed by heat-induced hemolysis and cell culture methods, respectively; the EamCE has shown a prominent effect in both tests, notably for the anti-inflammatory effect that was superior to the reference compound "diclofenac" (IC50: 71.03 ± 1.38 > 70.23 ± 0.99 (µg/mL)). According to these results, this plant could be used in a large spectrum as a food supplement, as a natural remedy for various physiological disorders and pathologies; and it might serve as a preventive and health care agent.

Ephedra alata subsp. alenda (Ephedraceae) leaf extracts: phytochemical screening, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity and anti-toxic activities on diabetic-induced liver-kidney-testes toxicities and inhibition of α-amylase and lipase enzymes.

The study evaluated the phytochemical composition of Ephedra alata and its effects on α-amylase and lipase enzymes and diabetic-induced liver-kidney-testes toxicities to determine the anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, and anti-toxic potentials of the plant. Obesity was induced by a high-fat and fructose diet (HFFD). Various compounds were identified and quantified: cafeic acid, apigenin 7-O-glucoside, apigenin, rutin, luteolin 7-O-glucoside, p-Coumaric acid and others in EA aqueous extract (EAWE). In vitro, this study showed that EAWE strongly inhibited lipase activity as compared to EA methanol (EAME) and ethyl acetate EA extracts (EAEE). In obese rats, the supplementation of EAWE inhibited significantly (P < 0.01) intestinal and pancreatic lipase activity by 35 and 36% respectively. This decrease in lipid digestive enzyme activity caused a significant (P < 0.05) reduce in the weight gain by 12.7% and significant (P < 0.05) decrease in the serum lipid rate as total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Moreover, the supplementation of EAWE to obese rats reduced the activity of α-amylase in the small intestine and pancreas by 26 and 31% respectively (P < 0.01) and consequently decreases in serum glucose level by 20.8% (P < 0.05). In addition, administration of EAWE in type 2 diabetes protected from obesity induced liver, kidney and testes alterations. The potent protective effect EAWE may be influenced by the diversity of phenolic compounds. therefore, this study showed in the first time that EAWE are efficient for the prevention and the amelioration of obesity, hyperglycemia, and various organs toxicities.

Control of Staphylococcus aureus methicillin resistant isolated from auricular infections using aqueous and methanolic extracts of Ephedra alata.

In the current study the potential use of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Ephedra alata aerial parts as biological control agent against pathogenic bacteria and especially Staphylococcus aureus methicillin resistant isolated from auricular infections was evaluated. Chemical tests and spectrophotometric methods were used for screening and quantification of phytochemicals. The assessment of the antioxidant activity was accomplished by DPPH and ABTS radicals scavenging assays. Extracts were evaluated for their antibacterial efficacy by diffusion and microdilution methods. Biofilm inhibition was tested using XTT assay and the cytotoxicity of extracts was carried out on Vero cell line. The GC-FID analysis revealed that E. alata was rich in unsatured fatty acids. In addition, the aqueous extract had the highest flavonoid and protein contents (30.82 mg QE /g dry extract and 98.92 mg BSAE/g dry extract respectively). However, the methanolic extract had the highest phenolic, sugars and tannins. The antioxidant activity demonstrated that the aqueous extract exhibited the strong potency (IC50 ranged between 0.001 and 0.002 mg/mL). Both extracts displayed antimicrobial activity on Gram negative and positive strains. They were effective against S. aureus isolated from auricular infections. The tested extracts were able to inhibit biofilm formation with concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, no cytotoxic effect on Vero cells line was demonstrated for the extracts. Overall, our findings highlight the potential use of E. alata extract as a novel source of bioactive molecules with antioxidant, antibacterial and antiobiofilm effects for the control of infectious disease especially those associated to S. aureus methicillin resistant.

HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS profiles of bioactive compounds, antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities of Ephedra alata subsp. alenda growing in Algeria.

Ephedra (Ephedraceae) is used in medicine for various purposes as having, antioxidant, anticarcinogen, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory hepatoprotective, anti-obesity, antiviral and diuretic activities. In this study the aim was to investigate chemical constituents of Ephedra alata and understand the possible effects of those constituents in antioxidant activity and alzheimer's disease essay. For this purpose, natural compounds from E.alata were characterized by LC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS using negative and positive ionization modes, while the bioactivity was assessed by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition study and determining of antioxidant activity; DPPH radical scavenging and ß-carotene bleaching assays were used to assess the antioxidant potential. The proposed method of spectrometry provided tentative identification of 27 compounds including alkaloids and phenolic compounds as flavonoids. The methanolic extract showed high contents of total phenolic and exhibited an important antioxidant potential and demonstrated a potent inhibitory effect against acetylcholinesterase (IC50: 11,25 ± 0,25 µg/mL). The results showed that the plant possesses a therapeutic effect.

Ephedra alata fruit extracts: phytochemical screening, anti-proliferative activity and inhibition of DPPH, α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase enzymes.

BACKGROUND: Discovering and screening for potential anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anticancer, and antioxidant treatments from natural products still in recent times the main goal for many pharmaceutical scientists. The present investigation aimed to evaluate the chemical constituents of Ephedra alata fruits various extracts and to assess their antioxidant, antiobesity, antidiabetic, and cytotoxic effects. RESULT: In this work, high content of flavonoids and phenols were observed in the methanol fraction of E. alata fruits, which reached 98.95 mg of RUE/g and 33.22 mg of GAE/g, respectively. The methanol fraction has significant inhibitory activity against DPPH, α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase with an IC50 value of 1.07, 9.43, 46.16, and 66.48 µg/mL. respectively. Also has anticancer activity against HeLa cancer cell line. While the acetone fraction has potent antioxidant activity with IC50 5 µg/mL. CONCLUSION: The DPPH and digestive enzymes assays results showed that the methanolic fraction of E. alata fruits has potent antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-obesity activities, which can be an excellent candidate for biological and chemical analysis and can be further subjected for isolation of the therapeutically active compounds with anticancer potency.

Methanolic extract of Ephedra alata ameliorates cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity through reducing oxidative stress and genotoxicity.

Cisplatin (CP) is a powerful anticancer agent used in the treatment of a diverse type of cancers. Oxidative stress is one of the most important side effects limiting the use of cisplatin. The protective effects of methanolic extract (ME) and ephedrine (EP), major compound, of Ephedra alata on CP-induced damages were here assessed. Treatment with CP-induced nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity characterized by biochemical alterations. In fact, using CP reduced significantly glutathione (GSH) levels, enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and increased malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Nonetheless, CP-treatment induced DNA damage at renal, hepatic, and blood cells and increased interferon gamma (IFNγ) level in serum. Co-treatments of mice with ME normalized relative kidney/body weight, restored biochemical and oxidative stress parameters, reduced DNA damage and IFNγ level. In conclusion, ME exhibited the best protective effect against CP damage compared with ephedrine. This is could be attributed to the presence of polysaccharides, organic acids, flavonoids, and tannins in addition to ephedrine alkaloids. These compounds were reported to play a major role in inhibiting and scavenging free radicals, providing an effective protection against CP- induced oxidative damage. Graphical abstract.

Effects of Ephedra alata extract on the quality of minced beef meat during refrigerated storage: A chemometric approach.

The biopreservative effect of Ephedra alata aqueous extract (EAE), used at 0.156, 0.312 and 0.624%, on minced beef meat was evaluated by microbiological, physicochemical and sensory analyses during storage at 4 °C for 14 days. The results showed that EAE significantly (P < .05) delayed the formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and carbonyls and reduced the sulfhydryl loss in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that EAE had a protective effect against lipids and protein oxidation. Concomitantly, an increase of redness and loss of lightness and yellowness was observed. Furthermore, two multivariate exploratory techniques, namely Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) were applied to all obtained data describing the main characteristics attributed to refrigerated meat samples. During storage time, the used chemometric approaches were useful in discriminating meat samples, and therefore offers an approach to underlay connections between meat quality features. The obtained findings demonstrated the strong potential of EAE as a natural preservative in meat and meat products.

α-Amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitor effects and pancreatic response to diabetes mellitus on Wistar rats of Ephedra alata areal part decoction with immunohistochemical analyses.

Ephedra alata, known as a medicinal plant in China, was used in this study as aqueous extract from aerial parts, for diabetes mellitus treatment. This study was carried out on two parts, in vitro, we tested the effect of the studied extract on the inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities, and in vivo on Wistar male rats receiving alloxan intraperitoneally at a rate of 125 mg/kg. Extract (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg of body weight) was administrated for 28 days by oral gavage. Blood glucose, amylase, lipase, and lipid profile level were determined. Oxidative stress was evaluated by enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and by estimation of lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl (PC) level. Histopathological changes in pancreas were investigated under photonic microscopy using immunohistochemical procedure. Our findings showed that aqueous extract inhibited in vitro both α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities and its use in vivo at 300 mg/kg of body weight restored pancreas weight and weight gain, ameliorated significantly (p Ë‚ 0.05) biochemical parameters; it prevented the increase in lipid and protein oxidation and the decrease in enzymatic and non-enzymatic defense system. Histological study of treated animals showed a comparable healed regeneration of beta cells.

ANALYSIS OF PHENOLIC AND FLAVONOIDS OF WILD EPHEDRA ALATA PLANT EXTRACTS BY LC/PDA AND LC/MS AND THEIR ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY.

BACKGROUND: Ephedra is among Palestinian medicinal plants that are traditionally used in folkloric medicine for treating many diseases. Ephedra is known to have antibacterial and antioxidant effects. The goal of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant activity of different extracts from the Ephedra alata plant growing wild in Palestine, and to analyze their phenolic and flavonoid constituents by HPLC/PDA and HPLC/MS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Samples of the Ephedra alata plant grown wild in Palestine were extracted with three different solvents namely, 100% water, 80% ethanol, and 100% ethanol. The extracts were analyzed for their total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity (AA), as well as phenolic and flavonoids content by HPLC/PDA/MS. RESULTS: The results revealed that the polarity of the extraction solvent affects the TPC, TFC, and AA of extracts. It was found that both TPC and AA are highest for plant extracted with 80% ethanol, followed by 100% ethanol, and finally with 100% water. TFC however was highest in the following order: 100% ethanol > 80% ethanol > water. Pearson correlation indicated that there is a significant correlation between AA and TPC, but there is no correlation between AA and TFC. Simultaneous HPLC-PDA and UHPLC-MS analysis of the ethanolic plant extracts revealed the presence of Luteolin-7-O-glucuronide flavone, Myricetin 3-rhamnoside and some other major polyphenolic compounds that share myricetin skeleton. CONCLUSION: Ephedra alata extract is rich in potent falvonoid glycosidic compounds as revealed by their similar overlaid UV-Vis spectra and UHPLC-MS results. On the basis of these findings, it is concluded that Ephedra alata constitutes a natural source of potent antioxidants that may prevent many diseases and could be potentially used in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products.