Phytochemical analysis and anticancer activity of Falcaria vulgaris Bernh growing in Moghan plain, northwest of Iran.

BACKGROUND: Falcaria vulgaris Bernh among the most important member of Apiaceae family has been used for medical investigation in Iran and some regions in the world. This plant possesses a range of coumarin and flavonoids compounds that have many therapeutic properties such as gastrointestinal and liver diseases, skin ulcers, gastric ulcers, and intestinal inflammation. It has also been found that these compounds lead to cytotoxic effects. OBJECTIVE: This study contains concentrates on the cytotoxic effect and induction of apoptosis on cancerous cells (SW-872) through various extracts and essential oil of Falcaria vulgaris Bernh. It considers the volatile compounds of effective samples. METHODS: The shoot of the plant was extracted by the Soxhlet apparatus and its essential oil was taken by the Clevenger apparatus. The cytotoxicity of the samples was evaluated by the MTT method and the mechanism of cancer cell death by flow cytometry and finally, the volatile compounds of essential oils and effective extracts were identified by GC-MS. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that n-Hexane extract and 40% VLC fraction had the greatest cytotoxic effect on SW-872 cells. While, the most abundant volatile compounds in essential oil and 40% VLC fraction of n-Hexane extract were terpenoid compounds like (+) spathulenol and caryophyllene oxide, in n-Hexane extract tetradecan, and spathulenol were the most, respectively. CONCLUSION: The fraction of 40% n-Hexane was in a concentration-dependent manner and significantly with controlling cells inhibited the growth of cancer cells. A plausible explanation could be made to account for this effect. This inhibition was made through induction of apoptosis and due to the presence of effective volatile compounds such as terpenoids and non-terpenoids which could be considered as valuable natural sources for the isolation of anti-cancer compounds.

Natural Phytochemicals Derived from Gymnosperms in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancers.

The incidence of various types of cancer is increasing globally. To reduce the critical side effects of cancer chemotherapy, naturally derived compounds have been considered for cancer treatment. Gymnosperms are a group of plants found worldwide that have traditionally been used for therapeutic applications. Paclitaxel is a commercially available anticancer drug derived from gymnosperms. Other natural compounds with anticancer activities, such as pinostrobin and pinocembrin, are extracted from pine heartwood, and pycnogenol and enzogenol from pine bark. Gymnosperms have great potential for further study for the discovery of new anticancer compounds. This review aims to provide a rational understanding and the latest developments in potential anticancer compounds derived from gymnosperms.

Chemical compositions, antimicrobial effects, and cytotoxicity of Asia minor wormwood (Artemisia splendens Willd.) growing in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Artemisia splendens from the Asteraceae family is a new source of biologically active compounds. The current study investigated to evaluate antimicrobial and cytotoxicity activity of methanolic extracts and their fractions obtained from aerial parts by agar disk diffusion and MTT methods, respectively. The active fractions were subjected to preparative HPLC for isolating the pure compounds, which were structurally elucidated, by 1H and 13C NMR. RESULTS: The results showed that the methanolic extract and its 60% SPE fraction have the anti-proliferative activity on A549 cell line in comparison with the control group. Meanwhile, the methanolic extract and its 40% SPE fraction can inhibit the growth of Gram-positive strains as anti-microbial activity. The 60% SPE fraction also illustrated anti-proliferative activity on the HT-29 cell line compared to the control group. Chromatographic separations via preparative HPLC yielded 5 flavonoids and three flavonoid glycosides. CONCLUSION: Based on the results it can be concluded that A. splendens as a potential source of cytotoxic and antimicrobial compounds can be used in pharmaceutics.

In vitro anticancer activity of Scrophularia amplexicaulis extracts on MCF-7 and WEHI-164 cell line.

Scrophularia amplexicaulis is an Iranian endemic plant belonging to the Scrophulariaceae family, which is used in traditional medicine to treat many diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro anticancer activity of S. amplexicaulis extracts against human breast carcinoma (MCF-7) and mouse fibrosarcoma (WEHI-164) cell lines. The ground aerial parts of S. amplexicaulis were soxhlet-extracted with n-hexane, dichloromethane and methanol. MTT assay exhibited that dichloromethane and methanol extracts remarkbly inhibited the growth of MCF-7 and WEHI-164 cancer cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner with little cytotoxicity on normal cell line HUVEC. Cell death ELISA, TUNEL assay, and the cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) uncovered that the cytotoxic effects of dichloromethane and methanol extracts were attributed to apoptosis in cancerous cells. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR revealed significant increases in the mRNA expression levels of p-53, caspase-3, caspase-9, Bax, and also a decrease in Bcl-2 expression. These results suggested that the extracts mainly induced apoptosis via a mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway. Notably, dichloromethane extract had higher cytotoxic and apoptotic activities than that of methanol extract, against both cancer cell lines, particularly MCF-7 cells. Our results indicate that S. amplexicaulis may serve as a promising source of potent agents for the treatment of human cancers.

Comparison of the Effects of Fenugreek Vaginal Cream and Ultra Low- Dose Estrogen on Atrophic Vaginitis.

INTRODUCTION: Atrophic vaginitis is a common problem in postmenopausal women and results from decreased levels of blood estrogen. It is associated with symptoms of itching, burning, dyspareunia, and postmenopausal bleeding. The present study evaluated the effects of fenugreek extract on atrophic vaginitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial was performed on 60 postmenopausal women in Ardabil, Iran, in 2018. The participants were selected using block randomization with the allocation ratio 1:1. Those in the intervention group received 0.5g (the applicator filled to the half-full mark) fenugreek vaginal cream 5% twice a week for 12 weeks. The control group received conjugated estrogens vaginal cream at the dose of 0.625 mg (the applicator filled to the half-full mark) containing 0.3 mg of conjugated estrogens. Atrophic vaginitis was evaluated before and after the treatment through clinical examination, clinical signs, and measurement of Vaginal Maturation Index (VMI). FINDINGS: After the 12-week intervention and modification of the baseline score, the mean (standard error) score for atrophic vaginitis signs was 3.100 (1.43-4.75). This difference was statistically significant in intragroup comparison and in favor of the control group in intergroup comparison (p=0.001). VMI was less than 49% in 86.7% and 46.7% of the participants in the intervention and control groups, respectively. This was a significant difference in favor of the control group (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that total fenugreek extract could be effective in treating signs of atrophic vaginitis, but it was not as effective as ultra-low-dose estrogen.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenesis effect of bee pollen methanolic extract using air pouch model of inflammation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Research on new drugs with a natural source and low side effects is a priority in pharmacology studies. The present study was conducted to investigate the anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenesis effects of bee pollen extract in the air pouch model of inflammation. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: To achieve this goal, male rats were moderately anesthetized and then 20 and 10 mL of sterile air were subcutaneously injected into the intrascapular area of the back of the rat on first and third days, respectively. On day 6, inflammation was induced by intrapouch injection of carrageenan. Normal saline in the control group and bee pollen methanolic extract (50, 100, and 200 mg/pouch) were administered at day 6, simultaneously with carrageenan, and then for 2 consecutive days only normal saline and the extracts were injected. Following sacrificing the rats the pouch was opened and the exudate volume, leukocyte accumulation, granulation tissue weight, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin 1beta, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) concentrations were determined 3 days after induction of inflammation. In order to investigate the angiogenesis, the granulation tissue was removed, homogenized in the Drabkin's reagent, and then centrifuged. The supernatant was filtered and the hemoglobin concentration was determined using a spectrophotometer. RESULTS: Bee pollen extract significantly decreased the exudate volume, leukocyte accumulation, granulation tissue weight, angiogenesis, VEGF, and TNF-α concentration. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The findings of the current study revealed that bee pollen methanolic extract has an anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenesis effect, which could be attributed to the inhibition of VEGF and TNF-α production in the inflammatory exudates.

Phytochemical analysis and antiproliferative activity of the aerial parts of Scrophularia subaphylla.

Scrophularia subaphylla (S. subaphylla) L., a medicinal plant from the Scrophulariaceae family, has been reported to possess potential profits in the treatment and prophylaxis of different diseases. Some phenolic compounds in this genus have been displayed decent effects on different types of cancer via multiple mechanisms. The current study aimed to bioassay guided isolation of cytotoxic constituents from the aerial parts of S. subaphylla against breast (MCF-7) and colon (HT-29) cancer cell lines as well as normal cells (L929). Different extracts of S. subaphylla were acquired by Soxhlet apparatus and then subjected to brine shrimp lethality test and MTT assay for assessing their cytotoxic characteristics. Cytotoxic extract subjected to further phytochemical fractionation using solid phase extraction, reversed-phase high pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), and one dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (1D-NMR) spectroscopy. The biological activity of the isolated pure components, verbascoside and 3' O rhamnosyl -4' O para coumaryl 7- hydroxyl salidroside, was assessed using MTT assay against MCF-7 and HT-29 carcinoma cells. Two known phenylpropanoid compounds were isolated from this species. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data (using 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR) and compared with the previous literature. Both pure compounds in comparison with control group demonstrated significant antiproliferative activity against cancerous cells (P < 0.001). In our study, verbascoside and its derivative could inhibit proliferation of cancerous cells without any side effects on normal cells.

Phytochemical Analysis and Various Biological Activities of the Aerial Parts of Scrophularia Atropatana Growing in Iran.

Scrophularia atropatana (S. atropatana), an Iranian plant belonging to the family of Scrophulariaceae, was assigned for its chemical compositions and biological activities of essential oil (EO) and extracts of the aerial parts of the plant during the flowering stage. Combination of GC-MS and GC-FID was assessed for analyzing the chemical compositions of the EO from the aerial parts of S. atropatana. Furthermore, Brine shrimp lethality test and DPPH assay were performed to evaluate general toxicity and free-radical-scavenging properties, respectively. Furthermore, anti-proliferative and antimicrobial activities were assessed by MTT assay and disc diffusion methods correspondingly. Additionally, all the potent samples (extracts) and its fractions in the MTT assay were further studied for the presence of various compounds by GC-MS apparatus. MeOH extract and 40% sep-pak fraction indicated high amounts of total phenolic (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant properties. In the case of general toxicity, among the extracts, dichloromethane (DCM) extract showed noticeable effect. Furthermore, DCM extract was indicated potent ability to eliminate breast tumor cells and minimum efficacy on normal cells. Anti-microbial activity of all samples was ignorable. The potent extracts and fractions which had more anti-proliferative activity were further elucidated by GC-MS and showed high amounts of Alkanes and fatty acids. In the case of EO constituents, non-terpenoids were the major compounds. To sum up, it seems BSLT could be a good preliminary approach for evaluating the cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cell line. Additionally, antioxidant activity, TPC, and TFC contents of all samples were in consistent with each other.

The Cytotoxic and Apoptotic Effects of Scrophularia Atropatana Extracts on Human Breast Cancer Cells.

Purpose: Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy diagnosed in women both in developed and developing countries. Natural products especially those from herbal origin have high potential in producing drug components with a source of novel structures. The present study was designed to explore the cytotoxic effects and the cell death mechanism of Scrophularia atropatana extracts. Methods: MTT assay was employed to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of the extracts of S. atropatana on the MCF-7 as well as non-malignant cells. Furthermore, induction of apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL assay, cell death detection ELISA, DNA fragmentation test, western blotting and Real Time PCR. Results: In vitro exposures of the MCF-7 cells with different concentration of S. atropatana extract significantly inhibited their growth and viability and induced apoptosis in the MCF-7 cells. Cleavage PARP protein, decrease in the mRNA expression levels of bcl-2 and increase expression of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 mRNA, highlights that the induction of apoptosis was the main mechanism of cell death. Moreover the expression study of Caspase-9 mRNA showed that, the extracts have induced apoptosis via intrinsic mitochondrial pathway. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that dichloromethane extract of Scrophularia atropatana has an apoptotic effects and it can be developed as anticancer agents.

Cytotoxic Properties of Three Isolated Coumarin-hemiterpene Ether Derivatives from Artemisia armeniaca Lam.

Considering multiple reports on cytotoxic activity of the Artemisia genus and its phytochemicals, in the current study A. armeniaca Lam. and the three components isolated from the plant were subjected to cytotoxic studies. Analytical fractionation of A. armeniaca aerial parts for the first time was directed to the isolation of 7-hydroxy-8-(4-hydroxy-3-methylbutoxy) comarin (armenin), 8-hydroxy-7-(4-hydroxy-3-methylbutoxy) comarin (isoarmenin) and deoxylacarol. Cytotoxicity assessed with alamalBlue® assay and apoptosis was detected by PI staining and western blot analysis of Bax and PARP proteins. Extracts and all compounds exhibited cytotoxic activity against apoptosis-proficient HL-60 and apoptosis-resistant K562 cells, with the lowest cytotoxic activity on J774 cell line as non-malignant cell. Armenin as the most potent component decreased the viability of cell with IC50 of 22.5 and 71.1 µM for K562 and HL-60 cells respectively and selected for further mechanistic study. Armenin increased the sub-G1 peak in flow cytometry histogram of HL-60 and K562 treated cells and increase in the amount of Bax protein and the cleavage of PARP in comparison with the control after treatment for 48 h in K562 treated cells verified the apoptotic activity of the armenin. Taken together, according to the finding of this study armenin was introduced as a novel cytotoxic compound with apoptotic activity, which is encouraging for further mechanistic and clinical studies.

Evaluation of Various Biological Activities of the Aerial Parts of Scrophularia frigida Growing in Iran.

The current study was assigned to evaluate the total phenol, total flavonoid content (TPC, TFC) and antioxidant properties of extracts from the aerial parts of Scrophularia frigida (S. frigida). Extracts were also tested by preliminary phytochemical screening as well as cytotoxic activity against Artemia salina, MCF-7 (human breast carcinoma) and SW-480 (colon carcinoma) and L-929 (normal) cell lines along with antimicrobial characteristic. DPPH, MTT and Brine shrimp lethality tests and disc diffusion method were carried out to determine the biological activities of the different extracts of S. frigida. In addition, the extracts which had more potent antioxidant and antiproliferative activity were further analyzed by NMR and GC-MS. 40% methanol-water (from MeOH extract) fraction showed higher amounts of TPC, TFC and antioxidant property. Findings of the study for general toxicity effect showed that dichloromethane (DCM) and MeOH extracts had weak to moderate effects. Furthermore, DCM extract indicated the most potent anti-proliferative activity against cancer cell lines. No evidence of antibacterial activity was determined. On the other hand, analysis of the potent extract DCM in cytotoxic assay showed the presence of trans-phytol and cis-oleic acid in GC-MS. Furthermore, NMR analysis of potent methanolic fractions in antioxidant tests revealed the presence of iridoids and phenolics. Generally, the results of TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity of extracts and fractions were in agreement with each other.

In-vitro Bioactivity and Phytochemical Screening of Extracts from Rhizomes of Eremostachys azerbaijanica rech. f. Growing in Iran.

The current study evaluated the general toxicity, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activity of extracts obtained from the rhizomes of Eremostachys azerbaijanica (Labiatae) as well as analyzed the potent extracts using GC-MS. Extracts of E. azerbaijanica in n-hexane, dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH) were prepared using a Soxhlet apparatus. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated for free radical scavenging activity by DPPH assay. The antimicrobial activity of samples was determined by disc diffusion and brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLA) was used to assess general toxicity. The cytotoxicity of each extract was determined by MTT assay against human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT29), human lung carcinoma (A549) and a normal cell line (human umbilical vein endothelial cells, HUVEC). The MeOH extract showed significant antioxidant activity and the n-hexane and DCM extracts showed promising activity against gram-positive species when compared with amikacin as a standard. Moreover, the n-hexane extract displayed the most potent activity in general toxicity assay. The results showed that all three extracts have cytotoxic effects against the A549 cell line. In the case of HT29 cell lines, only the DCM extract exhibited cytotoxicity. Interestingly, none of the extracts showed significant cytotoxic activity against the HUVEC cell line. The bioassay-guided identification of constituents showed the presence of fatty acids and steroids as the compounds responsible for bioactivity in the non-polar extracts.

Chemical composition and radical scavenging activity of essential oil and methanolic extract of Eremostachys azerbaijanica Rech.f. from Iran.

In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oil and methanol (MeOH) extract of aerials of E. azerbaijanica were identified. Furthermore, the free radical scavenging properties of the volatile oil as well as the MeOH extract of the plant were assessed. The essential oil of the air-dried aerial parts was obtained by hydro-distillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus. The oil was then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography with flame ionization detector. Soxhlet extraction was performed on the aerial parts using n-hexane, dichloromethane and MeOH. The MeOH extract was then subjected to solid-phase extraction using a C18 Sep-Pak cartridge. Isolation and structural elucidation of the pure components was accomplished by high-performance liquid chromatography and spectroscopic methods (UV, (1)H-NMR). The free radical scavenging properties were determined by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. A total of 59 components representing 95.9% of the oil constituents were identified which were primarily characterized as terpenoids or aliphatic skeletons. The major components of the oil were hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (27.1%), 2-methyl-6-propyl-dodecane (16.4%) and tricosane (9.3%). One flavonoid (luteolin-7-O-rutinoside) and one phenylethanoid (verbascoside) were also isolated and identified from the MeOH extract. The results of DPPH assays showed that the essential oil of E. azerbaijanica possessed weak free radical scavenging activity whereas the MeOH extract and its pure constituents showed significant scavenging activities in comparison with positive controls.

Characterization of Terpenoids in the Essential Oil Extracted from the Aerial Parts of Scrophularia Subaphylla Growing in Iran.

PURPOSE: The aim of this work was to investigate the volatiles released from aerial parts of Scrophularia subaphylla (Scrophulariaceae) which is a perennial herb growing in Azarbaijan province in Iran. METHODS: A combination of GC-MS and GC-FID were applied for analyzing the chemical compositions of the essential oil extracted by hydro-distillation from the aerial parts of Scrophularia subaphylla (S. subaphylla). RESULTS: Thirty six compounds, representing 97.32% of total oil were identified. High content of terpenoids (60.02%) were identified in the essential oil with Linalool (22.35%), phytol (15.74%) and geraniol (7.27%) as the most dominant compounds, while other main components were representatives of fatty acids (24.31%), indicated mainly by palmitinic acid (17.29%). DPPH assay was used for assessing the antioxidant properties of compounds. However, no remarkable free radical scavenging activity was observed. Furthermore, Disc diffusion method was applied for evaluating the antimicrobial activity of essential oil vs. gram positive and gram negative bacteria strains. The examined oil showed weak antibacterial effect. CONCLUSION: Main constituents of S. subaphylla were terpenoids. In comparison with other genesis of Scrophularia, antioxidant and anti bacterial properties of S. subaphylla essential oil were not noticeable.

Methanolic Fractions of Ornithogalum cuspidatum Induce Apoptosis in PC-3 Prostate Cancer Cell Line and WEHI-164 Fibrosarcoma Cancer Cell Line.

PURPOSE: The present study, was aimed to assess the cytotoxic effects of Ornithogalum cuspidatum methanolic fractions on PC-3, prostate cancer cells and WEHI-164, Fibrosarcoma cells. METHODS: Methanolic fractions of O. cuspidatum were prepared using solid phase extraction and the cells were treated with different concentrations for 12 and 24 hours. Cytotoxicity and cell viability were measured by MTT assay. ELISA was also employed to assess the histone-associated DNA fragments and the involvement of apoptotic mechanisms. RESULTS: 10 and 20% fractions had not significant cytotoxic effects (p>0.05) but other fractions exerted growth inhibition on both cancer cell lines (p<0.05). After 24h of incubation with 40, 60, 80 and 100% fractions, the IC50 values were: 165, 85, 65 and 45µg/ml on PC-3 cells and 200, 96, 76 and 73µg/ml against WEHI-164 cell line, respectively. ELISA results also revealed that, both cell lines had undergone apoptosis. CONCLUSION: It is deduced that, 80% and 100% methanolic fractions had significant anti-proliferative and apoptotic impacts on PC-3 and WEHI-164 cells in vitro and could be considered for developing chemo-preventive substances.

Induction of Apoptosis and Cytotoxic Activities of Iranian Orthodox Black Tea Extract (BTE) Using in vitro Models.

PURPOSE: Plant-derivate therapeutic agents can perform cancer chemotherapeutic activity through triggering apoptotic cell death. Our aim was to investigate the cytotoxic effects, induction of apoptosis, and the mechanism of cell death of Iranian orthodox black tea extracts (BTEs) and hydro methanolic purified fractions (40, 60, 80 and 100%) in KB cells (oral squamous cell carcinoma). METHODS: In order to analyze the cytotoxic activity of the BTEs, MTT (3-(4, 5- dimetylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and Trypan-blue assays were performed in oral squamous cell carcinoma (KB). Furthermore, the apoptosis inducing action of the extracts was determined by TUNEL, DNA fragmentation and cell death detection analysis. RESULTS: Dichloromethane BTE and hydro methanol fractions (40 and 60%) extract showed no cytotoxic effects; however, hydro methanol crude and hydro methanol fractions of BTE (80 and 100%) significantly inhibited cell growth and viability in a dose and time dependent manner. In addition, Cell death assay, TUNEL, and DNA fragmentation indicated induction of apoptosis by hydro methanol 80 and 100% fractions of BTE in KB cells. Statistical significance was determined by analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Duncan test and p value ≤0.05 was considered significant. CONCLUSION: The results from the present study suggests that the hydro methanol crude and hydro methanol fractions of BTE (80 and 100%) are significant source of compounds with the anti proliferative and cytotoxic activities, and this may be useful for developing potential chemo preventive substances.

Effects of quince leaf extract on biochemical markers and coronary histopathological changes in rabbits.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis is the main cause of cardiovascular disease which is caused by a high-fat diet. Many of these patients use boiled quince leaves for their treatment. However, the supporting scientific information is limit. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of quince leaf on the progression of atherosclerosis and whether it can be an appropriate alternative to statins. METHODS: 24 male rabbits were randomly divided into two groups: normal diet (6 n) and high-cholesterol diet (2% cholesterol, 18 n) for 8 weeks. At the end of the 8 weeks, both groups underwent blood sampling and their biochemical markers were measured. Then, all animals in the normal-diet group and three of the high-cholesterol diet group were killed to investigate atheromic plaque in their coronary artery. The 15 remaining rabbits of the high-cholesterol diet group were randomly divided into 3 groups (5 n) after discontinuation of the fatty diet. The first group was not given any treatment, the second received atorvastatin (0.5 mg/kg) orally, and the third received quince leaf extract (50 mg/kg) orally for 12 weeks. At the end of this period, after blood sampling, biopsy of coronary artery was performed for histological study. RESULTS: The results showed that atorvastatin and quince leaf significantly decreased total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, AST, ALT, AP, BUN, and Cr levels compared with the first group of the high-cholesterol diet group (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found between atorvastatin and quince leaf extract groups in biochemical markers and atherosclerotic plaque in coronary artery. CONCLUSION: Atorvastatin and quince leaf extract can effectively prevent the progression of atherosclerosis in coronary arteries. According to the results of this study and also lower toxic effects of herbal medication compared to synthetic medication, leaf extract can be a substitute for statins in treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease. The anti-atherosclerotic effect of quince leaf is most likely related to its antioxidant components.

Induction of apoptosis by grape seed extract (Vitis vinifera) in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Development of novel therapeutic modalities is crucial for the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Recent scientific studies have been focused on herbal medicines as potent anti-cancer drug candidates. This study is the first to investigate the cytotoxic effects and the mechanism of cell death induced by grape seed extract (GSE) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (KB cells). MTT (3-(4,5-dimetylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and trypan blue assays were performed in KB cells as well as human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were used to analyze the cytotoxic activity of GSE. Furthermore, the apoptosis-inducing action of the extract was determined by TUNEL, DNA fragmentation and cell death analysis. Statistical significance was determined by analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Duncan's test at a significance level of P≤0.05. The results showed apoptotic potential of GSE, confirmed by significant inhibition of cell growth and viability in a dose- and time- dependent manner without inducing damage to non-cancerous cell line HUVEC. The results of this study suggest that this plant contains potential bioactive compound(s) for the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Efficacy of Eremostachys laciniata herbal extract on mitigation of pain after hysterectomy surgery.

Pain is the most common complaint in all kinds of diseases. Considering side effects of chemical medicines as well as unnecessary continuation of pain after surgery, the present study aimed at evaluating anti-pain effect of Chelledaghi herbal extract on mitigation of pain after hysterectomy surgery. This study was conducted on 90 randomly selected patients. The subjects were divided into three groups each of them consisting of 30 cases. One group was regarded as control and two other groups as case groups. The group A (control group) received the placebo from 24 h before surgery to 24 h after surgery. The group B (case I) received placebo 24 h before surgery and medicine containing Chelledaghi herbal extract for 24 h after surgery. The group C (case II) received medicine containing Chelledaghi herbal extract which was prepared as a suppository from 24 before to 24 h after surgery for every 12 h. Then, pain severity based on VAS within different time intervals after surgery. Mitigation rate of pain after surgery, need to use sedatives, low dosage of the consumed anti-pain medicine and pain severity after surgery were all better in the groups B and C in comparison with the placebo group. Rate of complications after surgery was the same for all three groups and there was not any statistically meaningful difference in this regard. Chelledaghi herbal extract can be effectively used to mitigate pain after surgery in the selected patients without any significant side effects.

Phytochemistry and bioactivity of Pedicularis sibthorpii growing in Iran

The methanol extract of the aerial parts of the medicinal plant Pedicularis sibthorpii Boiss., Scrophulariaceae, growing in the Azerbaijan province of Iran, was found to be active in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and the antibacterial agar well diffusion assays, but no general toxicity was observed in the brine shrimp lethality assay. A combination of solid-phase extraction (SPE) and preparative reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (prep-RP-HPLC) analyses of the methanolic extract afforded three phenylethanoids (verbascoside, martynoside and isomartynoside), an iridoid (aucubin), a flavonoid (luteolin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside) and mannitol, and the structures of these compounds were elucidated unambiguously by spectroscopic means. The distribution of the isolated compounds within the genus Pedicularis has also been discussed.