The effect of infusion time on Echium amoenum extract -induced hepatotoxicity in vitro.

Echium amoenum is an annual herb native to the northern mountains of Iran which has medicinal application. Petals of Echium amoenum (Gole-Gavzaban) is one of the most valuable medicinal plants in Iranian folk medicine. The dry petals of E. amoenum have long been used as a sedative, tonic, anxiolytic and as a treatment for sore throat, cough and inflammation. Previous studies have shown that petals of E. amoenum contain four toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids but conflicting results have been acquired in experimental studies investigating the hepatotoxicy of E. amoenum. However, the direct effect of E. amoenum on liver cells and the complete mechanisms of its possible cytotoxic effects toward these cells remain to be defined. The main aim of this study was to assay the mechanisms underlying the toxic effects of E. amoenum toward hepG2 cells. E. amoenum extract was obtained by infusion of dried petals in hot water (90 centigrade) for 15 or 30 min. Cell viability and mechanistic parameters were determined following 12 h incubation of hepG2 with E. amoenum extract that was obtained after 15 or 30 min infusion. The results indicated that E. amoenum extract exerts cytotoxic effects on hepG2 cells, probably through mitochondrial and lysosomal damage induced by glutathione depletion and oxidative stress.

Therapeutic targets of natural products for the management of cardiovascular symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019.

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first occurred in China in December 2019 and subsequently spread all over the world with cardiovascular, renal, and pulmonary symptoms. Therefore, recognizing and treating the cardiovascular sign and symptoms that caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can be effective in reducing patient mortality. To control the COVID-19-related cardiovascular symptoms, natural products are considered one of the promising choices as complementary medicine. Scientists are struggling to discover new antiviral agents specific to this virus. In this review, the natural products for management of cardiovascular symptoms of COVID-19 are categorized into three groups: (a) natural products with an impact on angiotensin II type 1 receptor; (b) natural products that inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme activity; and (c) natural products that mimic adenosine activity. All these natural products should undergo clinical investigations to test their efficacy, safety, and toxicity in the treatment of cardiovascular symptoms of COVID-19. This article summarizes agents with potential efficacy against COVID-19-related cardiovascular symptoms.

Cytotoxic Alkaloids Derived from Marine Sponges: A Comprehensive Review.

Marine sponges (porifera) have proved to be a prolific source of unique bioactive secondary metabolites, among which the alkaloids occupy a special place in terms of unprecedented structures and outstanding biological activities. Identification of active cytotoxic alkaloids extracted from marine animals, particularly sponges, is an important strive, due to lack of knowledge on traditional experiential and ethnopharmacology investigations. In this report, a comprehensive survey of demospongian bioactive alkaloids in the range 1987-2020 had been performed with a special emphasis on the potent cytotoxic activity. Different resources and databases had been investigated, including Scifinder (database for the chemical literature) CAS (Chemical Abstract Service) search, web of science, Marin Lit (marine natural products research) database. More than 230 representatives of different classes of alkaloids had been reviewed and classified, different genera belonging to the phylum porifera had been shown to be a prolific source of alkaloidal molecules, including Agelas sp., Suberea sp., Mycale sp., Haliclona sp., Epipolasis sp., Monanchora sp., Crambe sp., Reniera sp., and Xestospongia sp., among others. The sufficient production of alkaloids derived from sponges is a prosperous approach that requires more attention in future studies to consider the constraints regarding the supply of drugs, attained from marine organisms.