Ethnopharmacology of Rubus idaeus Linnaeus: A critical review on ethnobotany, processing methods, phytochemicals, pharmacology and quality control.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Rubus idaeus Linnaeus (RI) is a Chinese herbal medicine that has been widely used in China for a long time to reinforce the kidney, nourish the liver, improve vision, and arrest polyuria. AIM OF THE STUDY: This work aims to evaluate the recent progress of the chemical composition, pharmacological activity, pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and quality control and of Rubus idaeus, which focuses on the insufficiency of existing research and will shed light on future studies of Rubus idaeus. METHODS: Literatures about "Rubus idaeus","Red raspberry" and "Fupenzi"are retrieved by browsing the database, such as Web of Science (http://www.webofknowledge.com/wos), Pubmed (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/), CNKI (http://www.cnki.net/), and Wanfang Data (http://www.wanfangdata.com.cn). In addition, related textbooks and digital documents are interrogated to provide a holistic and critical review of the topic. The period of the literature covered from 1981 to 2022. RESULTS: Approximately 194 compounds have been isolated from Rubus idaeus, which is rich in phenols, terpenoids, alkaloids, steroids, and fatty acids. Numerous investigations have demonstrated that Rubus idaeus exhibits many pharmacological activities, including hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic, anti-Alzheimer effect, anti-osteoporosis, hepatoprotective, anti-cancer, neuroprotective, anti-bacteria and skin care, etc. However, it is worth noting that most of the research is not associated with the conventional effect, such as reducing urination and treating opacity of the cornea. CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of Rubus idaeus has been proved by its long-term clinical application. The research on the pharmacological activity of Rubus idaeus has flourished. In many pharmacological experiments, only the high-dose group can achieve the corresponding efficacy, so the efficacy of Rubus idaeus needs to be further interrogated. Meanwhile, the relationship between pharmacological activity and specific compounds of Rubus idaeus has not been clarified yet. Last but not least, studies involving toxicology and pharmacokinetics are very limited. Knowledge of bioavailability and toxicological behavior of Rubus idaeus can help understand the herb's pharmacodynamic and safety profile.

Mango 'criollo' by-products as a source of polyphenols with antioxidant capacity. Ultrasound assisted extraction evaluated by response surface methodology and HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS characterization.

Ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) was evaluated as a green procedure for the recovery of phenolic compounds with antioxidant capacity from underutilized mango 'criollo' (peel, pulp and seed). Magnetic stirred was performed as conventional extraction. Response surface methodology using a three-factor (% ethanol, amplitude and time) central composite design was used to maximize the extraction for total phenolic compounds (TPC), total flavonoids and antioxidant capacity. The operational conditions to maximize extraction were: peel, 46% ethanol/amplitude 60% (36 µm)/6.5 min; pulp, 25% ethanol/amplitude 75% (45 µm)/30 min; seed 49% ethanol/100% (60 µm) amplitude/20 min. The phenolic composition of the optimized extracts was characterized by HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS and 45 compounds were tentatively identified as xanthones (mangiferin), flavonoids (quercetin), ellagic acid, benzophenones (maclurin), gallate derivatives and gallotannins. UAE increased TPC extraction (33%); interestingly mangiferin extraction increased 53% in peel, similarly, ellagic acid increased up to 2.5 and 4.4 times in peel and seed extracts.

Mulberry leaf (Morus alba L.): A review of its potential influences in mechanisms of action on metabolic diseases.

The leaves of Morus alba L. (called Sangye in Chinese, ML), which belong to the genus Morus., are highly valuable edible plants in nutrients and nutraceuticals. In Asian countries including China, Japan and Korea, ML are widely used as functional foods including beverages, noodles and herbal tea because of its biological and nutritional value. Meanwhile, ML-derived products in the form of powders, extracts and capsules are widely consumed as dietary supplements for controlling blood glucose and sugar. Clinical studies showed that ML play an important role in the treatment of metabolic diseases including the diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, atherosclerosis and hypertension. People broadly use ML due to their nutritiousness, deliciousness, safety, and abundant active benefits. However, the systematic pharmacological mechanisms of ML on metabolic diseases have not been fully revealed. Therefore, in order to fully utilize and scale relevant products about ML, this review summarizes the up-to-date information about the ML and its constituents effecting on metabolic disease.

The antihypertensive potential of flavonoids from Chinese Herbal Medicine: A review.

With the coming of the era of the aging population, hypertension has become a global health burden to be dealt with. Although there are multiple drugs and procedures to control the symptoms of hypertension, the management of it is still a long-term process, and the side effects of conventional drugs pose a burden on patients. Flavonoids, common compounds found in fruits and vegetables as secondary metabolites, are active components in Chinese Herbal Medicine. The flavonoids are proved to have cardiovascular benefits based on a plethora of animal experiments over the last decade. Thus, the flavonoids or flavonoid-rich plant extracts endowed with anti-hypertension activities and probable mechanisms were reviewed. It has been found that flavonoids may affect blood pressure in various ways. Moreover, despite the substantial evidence of the potential for flavonoids in the control of hypertension, it is not sufficient to support the clinical application of flavonoids as an adjuvant or core drug. So the synergistic effects of flavonoids with other drugs, pharmacokinetic studies, clinical trials and the safety of flavonoids are also incorporated in the discussion. It is believed that more breakthrough studies are needed. Overall, this review may shed some new light on the explicit recognition of the mechanisms of anti-hypertension actions of flavonoids, pointing out the limitations of relevant research at the current stage and the aspects that should be strengthened in future researches.

Suppression of apoptosis in vascular endothelial cell, the promising way for natural medicines to treat atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis, a chronic multifactorial disease, is closely related to the development of cardiovascular diseases and is one of the predominant causes of death worldwide. Normal vascular endothelial cells play an important role in maintaining vascular homeostasis and inhibiting atherosclerosis by regulating vascular tension, preventing thrombosis and regulating inflammation. Currently, accumulating evidence has revealed that endothelial cell apoptosis is the first step of atherosclerosis. Excess apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by risk factors for atherosclerosis is a preliminary event in atherosclerosis development and might be a target for preventing and treating atherosclerosis. Interestingly, accumulating evidence shows that natural medicines have great potential to treat atherosclerosis by inhibiting endothelial cell apoptosis. Therefore, this paper reviewed current studies on the inhibitory effect of natural medicines on endothelial cell apoptosis and summarized the risk factors that may induce endothelial cell apoptosis, including oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), reactive oxygen species (ROS), angiotensin II (Ang II), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), homocysteine (Hcy) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We expect this review to highlight the importance of natural medicines, including extracts and monomers, in the treatment of atherosclerosis by inhibiting endothelial cell apoptosis and provide a foundation for the development of potential antiatherosclerotic drugs from natural medicines.

Comparison of phenolic compounds extracted from Diaphragma juglandis fructus, walnut pellicle, and flowers of Juglans regia using methanol, ultrasonic wave, and enzyme assisted-extraction.

The phenols in Diaphragma juglandis fructus (DJF), walnut pellicle (WP), and flowers of Juglans regia (FJR) from walnut were extracted using three methods (methanolic condensation reflux extraction, ultrasonic wave extraction, and enzyme assisted-extraction), and phenolics and antioxidant capacities of different extractions were compared. Overall, 50 phenolics were identified by HPLC-MS/MS with 41 compounds in DJF, 32 in WP, and 29 in FJR. It was observed that tannins in WP was higher than those in DJF and FJR. As for PCA, more than 70% of the variance was explained with the obvious comparison between the phenolic constituents. The phenolics in walnut contributed to remarkable antioxidant effect, with the highest effect observed in WP. This study presents the analysis and comparison of the phenols can be further extended for the development of functional walnut instant foods.

Bioguided extraction of phenolic compounds and UHPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS characterization of extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves collected in Brazil.

Moringa oleifera leaves are used in Brazilian folk medicine for their hypoglycemic and nutritional properties. In this context, the chemical and biological characteristics were determined. Conventional successive solid-liquid extraction with simultaneous bioguided purification using solvents with different polarities was performed with M. oleifera leaves, yielding six fractions and extracts. The fractions showed better results for antioxidant activity than the extracts. All of them were evaluated by scavenging of synthetic free radicals and reactive oxygen species, and Fr-Ace and Fr-EtOAc showed >100 mg GAE g-1 of phenolic content, while for FRAP and ORAC assays the values were higher than 1600 µmol Fe2+ g-1 and 3500 mmol TEAC g-1 respectively. The UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS analysis of hydroalcoholic extract (HE) allowed identifying 24 compounds, with flavonoid derivatives being the most abundant group. Furthermore, the alkaloid trigonelline and sesquiterpenoid abscisic acid were identified for the first time in M. oleifera leaves. Finally, gallic acid, caffeic acid, rutin and quercetin were found in concentrations of 16.5, 2129, 477.4 and 127.5 µg g-1 respectively in HE, all of which were higher in fractions and extracts. These results suggest that bioguided extraction is an important technique, due to its ability to concentrate active compounds in a logical and rational way. In addition, M. oleifera leaves grown in Brazil are an important source of phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity that can be used in food, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products.

Natural medicines for the treatment of fatigue: Bioactive components, pharmacology, and mechanisms.

It is a common phenomenon that people are in a sub-health condition and facing "unexplained fatigue", which seriously affects their health, work efficiency and quality of life. Meanwhile, fatigue is also a common symptom of many serious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, and schizophrenia. However, there are still no official recommendations for the treatment of various forms of fatigue. Some traditional natural medicines are often used as health care products, such as ginseng, Cordyceps militaris (L.ex Fr.Link) and Rhodiola rosea L., and these have been reported to have specific anti-fatigue effects with small toxic and side effects and rich pharmacological activities. It may be promising treatment strategy for sub-health. In this review, we first outline the generation of fatigue. Furthermore, we put emphasis on the anti-fatigue mechanism, bioactive components, and clinic trials of natural medicines, which will contribute to the development of potential anti-fatigue agents and open up novel treatments for sub-health.

Identification and quantitative analysis of phenolic glycosides with antioxidant activity in methanolic extract of Dendrobium catenatum flowers and selection of quality control herb-markers.

Recently, the flowers of Dendrobium catenatum (D. officinale) have been approved as new food ingredient. This study aimed to investigate the herb-markers and their antioxidant activities in methanolic extracts of D. catenatum flowers, and to establish the quality evaluation methods for raw materials and their products of flower by HPLC. The methanolic extract of 11 strains of D. catenatum flowers were found to contain a high content of total phenol and flavonoids, and they possessed potential antioxidant capacities based on DPPH radical scavenging assay. A total of 21 phenolic herb-markers were selected according to the similarity and principal component analysis of the chromatographic fingerprinting profiles. Their structures were further elucidated by UV, HPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS and NMR analyses. The identified compounds included 2 phenylpropanoids, 11C-glycosylflavones and 6 O-glycosylflavones, which could be employed as the indicators for quantitative evaluation of the quality and authenticity of the flowers. Based on the pre-column DPPH/ABTS+-HPLC analysis, the major compounds contributed to the antioxidative activity were identified as 1-O-caffeoyl-ß-D-glucoside, rutin and isoquercitrin, all of which, were also the most abundant constituents in the methanolic extract. The results suggest the potential of D. catenatum flowers as a new antioxidant resources for medicinal and food products.

Fermentation and complex enzyme hydrolysis for improving the total soluble phenolic contents, flavonoid aglycones contents and bio-activities of guava leaves tea.

There are both soluble and insoluble-bound forms of phenolics in tea-leaf products. In order to increase total soluble phenolics contents, guava leaves tea (GLT) was first fermented with Monascus anka and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and then hydrolyzed with complex enzymes. The changes in phenolics profiles, antioxidant activities and inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase in processed GLT were investigated. Compared with the un-fermented GLT, fermentation and complex enzymatic processing (FE) significantly increased the total phenolics, total flavonoids, quercetin and kaempferol contents by 2.1, 2.0, 13.0 and 6.8 times, respectively. After the FE, a major proportion of phenolics existed in the soluble form. Quercetin was released in the highest amount among different phenolics. In addition, soluble phenolic extracts from GLT following FE exhibited a highest antioxidant activity and inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase. The paper suggested an improved method for processing GLT into high-value products rich in phenolics and flavonoids aglycones with enhanced health benefits.

Bioactive fraction of Rhodiola algida against chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension and its anti-proliferation mechanism in rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Rhodiola algida var. tangutica (Maxim.) S.H. Fu is a perennial plant of the Crassulaceae family that grows in the mountainous regions of Asia. The rhizome and roots of this plant have been long used as Tibetan folk medicine for preventing high latitude sickness. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of bioactive fraction from R. algida (ACRT) on chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (HPAH) and to understand the possible mechanism of its pharmacodynamic actions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into five groups: control group, hypoxia group, and hypoxia+ACRT groups (62.5, 125, and 250mg/kg/day of ACRT). The chronic hypoxic environment was created in a hypobaric chamber by adjusting the inner pressure and oxygen content for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, major physiological parameters of pulmonary arterial hypertension such as mPAP, right ventricle index (RV/LV+S, RVHI), hematocrit (Hct) levels and the medial vessel thickness (wt%) were measured. Protein and mRNA expression levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclin D1, p27Kip1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4)) were detected by western blotting and real time PCR respectively. Chemical profile of ACRT was revealed by ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). RESULTS: The results showed that a successful HPAH rat model was established in a hypobaric chamber for 4 weeks, as indicated by the significant increase in mPAP, RV/LV+S, RV/BW and wt%. Compared with the normal group, administration of ACRT reduced mPAP, right ventricular hypertrophy, pulmonary small artery wall thickness, and damage in ultrastructure induced by hypoxia in rats. PCNA, cyclin D1, and CDK4 expression was reduced (p<0.05), and p27Kip1 expression increased (p<0.05) in hypoxia+ACRT groups compared to hypoxia. 38 constituents in bioactive fraction were identified by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that ACRT could alleviate chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension. And its anti-proliferation mechanism in rats based on decreasing PCNA, cyclin D1, CDK4 expression level and inhibiting p27Kip1 degradation.

Renal protective effect and action mechanism of Huangkui capsule and its main five flavonoids.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The flower of Abelmoschus manihot (Linn.) Medicus (A. manihot), as a traditional Chinese Herbal medicine, was used widely in China with efficacy of inducing diuresis for treating strangurtia, and subdhing swelling and detoxicating. It has been reported that Huangkui capsule, prepared by the extract of the flower of A. manihot, can reduce the content of urinary protein, serum creatinine and serum urea nitrogen in nephropathy rats and processes renoprotective activity, while the action mechanism need to illuminate deeply. AIMS OF THE STUDY: In this study, we investigated the protection effect of Huangkui capsule on tubulointerstitial fibrosis in chronic renal failure (CRF) rats and its mechanism against high glucose-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) of its bioactive components. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The animals were divided into normal group, CRF model group and Huangkui capsule-treated group. Hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining and Masson staining were applied to observe pathological changes in renal tissue of different groups. Biochemical indicators including serum urea nitrogen (BUN), urine protein (UP) and serum creatinine (Scr) were measured according to the manufacturer's instructions of kits. HK-2 cell damaged model was established to access the protection effect and action mechanism of five main flavonoids from Huangkui capsule. The experimental cells were divided into eight groups: control group, model group, positive drug group and five main flavonoids treated groups. The dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay was used to determine the reactive oxygen species (ROS) in different groups. Western blot was applied to analyze the expression of pathogenesis-related proteins in different groups. RESULTS: The results stated that Huangkui capsule significantly inhibited the elevation of Scr, BUN, UP, the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), phosphorylation-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK1/2), NADPH Oxidase 1, NADPH Oxidase 2 and NADPH Oxidase 4 in adenine-induced CRF rats. The main bioactive components of quercetin (QT), hyperoside (HY), isoquercitrin (IQT), gossypetin-8-O-ß-D-glucuronide (GG) and quercetin-3'-O-glucoside (QG) at the dosage of 100µM, like NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium, exhibited a significant effect on inhibiting the expression of α-SMA, p-ERK1/2, NADPH Oxidase 1, NADPH Oxidase 2 and NADPH Oxidase 4 in high glucose-induced HK-2 cells, especially GG. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that Huangkui capsule and the flavonoids components prevent tubulointerstitial fibrosis in CRF rat involvement in the action mechanism of inhibiting NADPH oxidase/ROS/ERK pathway.

Analytical optimization of a phenolic-rich herbal extract and supplementation in fermented milk containing sweet potato pulp.

The aims of the present study were to optimize and characterize the phenolic composition of a herbal extract composed of green mate (Ilex paraguariensis), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) and to propose the addition of this polyphenol-rich extract to fermented milks (FM) with/without sweet potato pulp (Ipomoea batatas). Proximate composition, pH, acidity, instrumental texture profile, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (AA) of all formulations were measured, and sensory attributes were also investigated. The addition of a lyophilized extract (1g 100g-1) containing 87.5% clove and 12.5% green mate increased the AA and TPC, while FM with added sweet potato pulp had the best sensory acceptance. The TPC and total reducing capacity had a slight change during 21days of storage. The data showed that herbal extracts and sweet potato pulp may be used to develop new dairy foods with potential functional properties.

In vitro and in vivo assessment of meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) as anti-inflammatory agent.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim, Rosaceae) has been traditionally used in most European countries for the treatment of inflammatory diseases due to its antipyretic, analgesic, astringent, and anti-rheumatic properties. However, there is little scientific evidence on F. ulmaria anti-inflammatory effects regarding its impact on cyclooxygenases enzymatic activity and in vivo assessment of anti-inflammatory potential. This study aims to reveal the anti-inflammatory activity of methanolic extracts from the aerial parts (FUA) and roots (FUR) of F. ulmaria, both in in vitro and in vivo conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The characteristic phenolic compounds in F. ulmaria extracts were monitored via high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). The in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of F. ulmaria extracts was evaluated using cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme assays, and an assay for determining COX-2 gene expression. The in vivo anti-inflammatory effect of F. ulmaria extracts was determined in two doses (100 and 200 mg/kg b.w.) with hot plate test and carrageenan-induced paw edema test in rats. Inflammation was also evaluated by histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS: FUA extract showed the presence of rutoside, spiraeoside, and isoquercitrin. Both F. ulmaria extracts at a concentration of 50µg/mL were able to inhibit COX-1 and -2 enzyme activities, whereby FUA extract (62.84% and 46.43% inhibition, respectively) was double as effective as the root extract (32.11% and 20.20%, respectively). Extracts hardly inhibited the level of COX-2 gene expression in THP-1 cells at a concentration of 25µg/mL (10.19% inhibition by FUA and 8.54% by FUR). In the hot plate test, both extracts in two doses (100 and 200mg/kg b.w.), exhibited an increase in latency time when compared with the control group (p<0.05). In the carrageenan-induced acute inflammation test, FUA at doses of 100 and 200mg/kg b.w., and FUR at 200mg/kg, were able to significantly reduce the mean maximal swelling of rat paw until 6h of treatment. Indomethacin, FUA, and FUR extracts significantly decreased inflammation score and this effect was more pronounced after 24h, compared to the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The observed results of in vitro and, for the first time, in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of meadowsweet extracts, provide support of the traditional use of this plant in the treatment of different inflammatory conditions. Further investigation of the anti-inflammatory compounds could reveal the mechanism of anti-inflammatory action of these extracts.

In vitro and in silico antioxidant and toxicological activities of Achyrocline satureioides.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Achyrocline satureioides ("macela or marcela") is a medicinal plant, traditionally collected in "Good Friday" before sunrise. In traditional medicine, dried flowers of A. satureioides are used as anti-dyspeptic, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the phytochemical profile and to present an in vitro and in silico approach about toxicity and antioxidant potential of A. satureioides flowers extract and its major phytoconstituents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plant were collected according to the popular tradition. Extract were obtained by infusion and analyzed from high-performance liquid chromatography. Toxicity was evaluated in Artemia salina and human lymphocytes. Extract antioxidant activity was determined with total antioxidant capacity, DPPH• and ABTS+• scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power, deoxyribose degradation assay, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBA-RS) assay. TBA-RS inhibitions were evaluated in brain of rats for A. satureioides extract and its major phytoconstituents. Predictions of activity spectra for substances and in silico toxicity evaluation from major phytoconstituents were performed via computer simulation. RESULTS: Chromatographic data indicated isoquercitrin, quercetin and caffeic acid as main compounds in flowers extract. Toxicity tests demonstrated a very low toxic potential of A. satureioides. Extract exhibited antioxidant activities in low concentrations. Both extract and major phytochemicals standards showed protection against lipid peroxidation in brain of rats. Computer simulations pointed some biological activities in agreement with traditional use, as well as some experimental results found in this work. Moreover, in silico toxic predictions showed that the A. satureioides major compounds had low probability for toxic risk. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that A. satureioides infusion possesses low toxicological potential and an effective antioxidant activity. These findings confirm the traditional use of this plant in the folk medicine.

Polyphenols, antioxidants, and antimutagenic effects of Copaifera langsdorffii fruit.

Copaifera langsdorffii (copaiba) is a Brazilian exotic fruit, poorly studied regarding its bioactive composition. The aim of this study was to determine bioactive compounds, antioxidant and antimutagenic activities of copaiba pulp. The samples were extracted with different solvents in order to analyze polyphenol compounds (Folin Ciocalteau and HPLC-DAD), total flavonoids (reaction with AlCl3) and antioxidant capacity (FRAP, ORAC, DPPH). The copaiba fruit showed high polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity. Phenolic compounds, such as gallic acid, epicatechin gallate, catechin, epicatechin and isoquercitrin, were identified in the copaiba pulp. Despite the antioxidant capacity, the highest dose of copaiba showed no antimutagenic effects in the in vivo study. The dose which showed antimutagenic activity was 100 mg kg(-1).

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in western part of central Taurus Mountains: Aladaglar (Nigde - Turkey).

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: With this study, we aimed to document traditional uses of medicinal plants in the western part of Aladaglar/Nigde. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted between 2003 and 2005. The research area was in the western part of the Aladaglar mountains. The settlements in Aladaglar (5 towns and 10 villages) were visited during the field work. The plants collected by the help of medicinal plant users. The plants were identified and voucher specimens prepared. These voucher specimens were kept at the Herbarium of Istanbul University Faculty of Pharmacy (ISTE). We collected the information by means of semi-structured interviews with 170 informants (90 men and 80 women). In addition, the relative importance value of the species was determined and the informant consensus factor (FIC) was calculated for the medicinal plants researched in the study. RESULTS: According to the results of the identification, among 126 plants were used by the inhabitants and 110 species belonging to 40 families were used for medicinal purposes. Most of the medicinal plants used in Aladaglar/Nigde belong to the families Lamiaceae (25 species), Asteraceae (16 species), Apiaceae (7 species), Fabaceae (6 species) and Brassicaceae (5 species). The most commonly used plant species were Hypericum perforatumThymus sipyleus var. sipyleus, Rosa canina, Urtica dioica, Malva neglecta, Thymus leucotrichus, Salix alba, Mentha longifolia, Berberis crataegina, Juniperus oxycedrus, Viscum album subsp. abietis, Allium rotundum and Taraxacum stevenii. The most common preparations were infusion and decoction. The traditional medicinal plants have been mostly used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (86%), hemorrhoids (79%), urinary diseases (69%), diabetes (68%) and respiratory diseases (61%). CONCLUSION: The use of traditional medicine was still widespread among the inhabitants of Aladaglar mountains/Nigde region. Due to the lack of medical facilities in the villages of Aladaglar mountains, local people prefer herbal treatment rather than medical treatment. This study identified not only the wild plants collected for medical purposes by local people of Aladaglar/Nigde, but also the uses and local names of these plants. This paper helps to preserve valuable information that may otherwise be lost to future generations.

Antihyperlipidemic effect of Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja extract and inhibition of apolipoprotein B48 overproduction in hyperlipidemic mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cyclocarya paliurus (CP) Batal., the sole species in its genus, is a native plant to China. As a traditional Chinese folk medicine, the tree leaves have been widely used for the treatment of metabolic disorders, including hyperlipidemia, obesity, diabetes and hypertension. AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to evaluate the antihyperlipidemic effect of CP ethanol extract, as well as its inhibitory activity on apolipoproteinB48 (apoB48), in normal and hyperlipidemic mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antihyperlipidemic effect of CP was evaluated in hyperlipidemic mice induced by high-fat diet for 4 weeks. CP ethanol extract (0.37, 0.75 and 1.5g/kg/day) was orally administrated once daily. Lipids and antioxidant profiles, including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), together with the indices of hepatic and renal functions were examined. RT-qPCR and western blotting were used to analysis the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), total- and triglyceride-rich apoB48 (TRL-apoB48), as well as the phosphorylation of the mitogen-activatein kinase (MAPK). RESULTS: CP as well as simvastatin remarkably lowered the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C and MDA, and at the same time, elevated the HDL-C, SOD and GSH-Px in high-fat diet mice. It also decreased the serum concentration of total- and TRL-apoB48 in the fasting state. CP inhibited TNF-α expression and phosphorylation level of MAPK. Furthermore, the HE staining of liver and kidney, together with hepatic and renal function analysis showed hepato- and renoprotective activities of CP. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that CP possesses beneficial potentials for use in treating hyperlipidemia and the underlying lipid-lowering mechanism might associate with a down-regulation of the intestinal-associated lipoprotein apoB48, which may provide evidence about its practical application for treating hyperlipidemia and its complications.

Determination of phytochemicals and antioxidant activity of methanol extracts obtained from the fruit and leaves of Tunisian Lycium intricatum Boiss.

A comparative analysis of methanol extracts from fruit and leaves of Lycium intricatum Boiss., a Solanaceous shrubbery with the potential to become a high-value crop, was performed by means of liquid chromatography with photodiode array and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometric detection (LC/PDA/ESI-MS). The total phenolic (TPC), anthocyanin (TAC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents as well as the antioxidant capacity measured by four complementary methods were performed for each sample. The results showed the tested extracts to be rich sources of phenolics; in leaves polyphenols and flavonoids dominate, while in fruit anthocyanins dominate. Nineteen phenolic compounds were detected and fifteen were identified or tentatively characterised based on Photodiode-array ultraviolet visible (PDA) UV-Vis spectra, ESI-MS spectrometric data and spiking experiments with authentic standards. Rutin and chlorogenic acid are the major constituents of the leaves and fruit, respectively. Results obtained in this study have revealed that leaves exhibit better performance in all antioxidant assays. From these results it has been shown that extracts of L. intricatum have great potential as a source of phenolics for natural health products.

Chemical constituents of Morus alba L. and their inhibitory effect on 3T3-L1 preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation.

Mulberry leaf, an important traditional Chinese medicine, possesses many biological activities, including effects of anti-obesity. However, which constituents of mulberry leaf are responsible for its anti-adipogenic action is unclear. This study primarily investigated the chemical constituents from mulberry leaf and their bioactivity on the proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. A new flavane derivative, (2S)-4'-hydroxy-7-methoxy-8-prenylflavan (1), together with twelve known compounds including three flavanes (2-4), three chalcones (5-7), two flavones (8-9), two benzofurans (10-11) and two coumarin (12-13) was isolated from mulberry leaf. The structure of the new compound was elucidated by various spectroscopic methods including UV, HR-ESI-MS, (1)H and (13)C NMR and CD. The results of activity screening showed that compound 2, 6 and 7 inhibited the proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.