Development of New Dermato-Cosmetic Therapeutic Formulas with Extracts of Vinca minor L. Plants from the Dobrogea Region.

A new trend in the use of indole alkaloids from natural products is the preparation of topical pharmaceutical formulations with applications in the field of regenerative medicine. These formulations can be characterized through the ease of administration, the proven healing action of indole alkaloids, the protection of skin lesions, and the assurance of oxygen permeability. Based on the numerous benefits that indole compounds extracted from the Vinca minor plant show externally, the purpose of this study was to develop new semi-solid biocomposites for topical application obtained from hydroalcoholic macerates of 40%, 70%, and 96% concentrations from the stems and leaves of the Vinca minor L. plant from the Dobrogea area. A total of 12 pharmaceutical formulations (named P1-P12) were prepared for which the physicochemical properties, pH, thermal stability, spreading capacity, and rheological behavior were determined. The optimal formulas with antioxidant and antimicrobial capacity were evaluated and determined (P3, P4, P9, and P10). Antioxidant activity was elicited using the photochemiluminescence method. The microorganisms used for the evaluation of antimicrobial activity were Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Gram-negative Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), and a fungal species, Candida albicans (ATCC 900288). The study of the rheological profile for the obtained composites revealed Newtonian, pseudoplastic, and thixotropic fluid behaviors. Following determinations using the photochemiluminescence method, the best antioxidant activity was obtained in the P3 and P9 preparations. The results of the antimicrobial analysis confirmed that both the leaves and the stems of the Vinca minor plant represent a valuable source of antibacterial substances, and the biocomposites analyzed may represent an alternative in the realization of new pharmaceutical preparations with topical applications based on hydroalcoholic macerates obtained from the Vinca minor plant.

Evaluation of Non-Alcoholic Beverages and the Risk Related to Consumer Health among the Romanian Population.

The range of non-alcoholic drinks is very varied both from a compositional point of view and from a caloric and nutritional point of view. The excessive consumption of sweetened non-alcoholic beverages represents an important risk factor for health, especially when it is accompanied by an unbalanced diet and a disordered lifestyle. In order to evaluate the consumption of non-alcoholic beverages correlated with the evaluation of the main lifestyle factors that can affect the state of health among Romanians, a cross-sectional observational study was carried out based on a questionnaire. The results of the study indicate that among the most consumed non-alcoholic drinks are coffee and sweetened carbonated and non-carbonated drinks, which are indicated as being responsible for the development of consumption addictions: 44% for coffee, 16.5% for sweetened or tonic carbonated drinks and 12% for sweetened non-carbonated drinks. Considering that the consumption of coffee is usually associated with sweeteners, there is a risk of excessive caffeine and caloric intake in a context where a lack of exercise predominates (59.98%) among respondents declaring that they do sports rarely or not at all, which can lead, in the long term, to the appearance of imbalances either of a psycho-emotional nature or of a metabolic nature. A significant link was found between sports activity and the environment in which they work (χ2 = 51.33, p = 0.05). Respondents with a daily activity that involves movement (working outdoors, working on a construction site) are also those who usually do sports, while 60.67% of the respondents who work a lot in front of the computer declared that they do sports very rarely or not at all. Reducing the excessive consumption of sweetened drinks can be achieved through an appropriate consumption of water and fruits and by intensifying physical activity as a way of counterbalancing the excess caloric intake.

Determination of Active Ingredients, Mineral Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Hydroalcoholic Macerates of Vinca minor L. Plant from the Dobrogea Area.

In recent decades, new alternative therapies using drugs containing active ingredients of natural origin have been a hot topic for medical research. Based on the confirmed therapeutic potential of the Vinca minor plant, considered in the specialized literature to be of pharmaceutical interest, the purpose of this study is to determine the chemical and mineral composition of the Vinca minor plant grown in the Dobrogea area, with a view to its use in the formulation of dermal preparations. For this purpose, plant materials were collected from the mentioned area and hydroalcoholic macerates of different concentrations were obtained: 40%, 70% and 96% from leaves (F40, F70, F96) and stems (T40, T70, T96) of Vinca minor plant to determine the optimal extraction solvent. The hydroalcoholic macerates were analyzed via the HPLC method for the identification and quantification of the main bioactive compounds, and two methods were used to evaluate their antioxidant properties: the DPPH radical scavenging test and the photochemiluminescence method. HPLC analysis showed the presence of four indole alkaloids: vincamine, 1,2-dehydroaspidospermidine, vincaminoreine and eburnamonine. Vincamine was the alkaloid found in the highest concentration in Vinca leaves (2.459 ± 0.035 mg/100 g d.w.). The antioxidant activity of Vinca minor hydroalcoholic macerates showed values between 737.626-1123.500 mg GAE/100 g d.w (DPPH test) and 77.439-187.817 mg TE/100 g d.w (photochemiluminescence method). The concentrations of toxic metals Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb in dried leaves and stems of Vinca minor, determined by AAS, were below detection limits.

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Activity, and Antibacterial Activity of Black Poplar Buds' Hydroalcoholic Macerates from Dobrogea Area.

Black poplar buds have high contents of many compounds with therapeutic potential, which are useful in cosmetics and the treatment of various dermatitis, respiratory diseases, etc. The aim of this study was to identify and exploit the local plant resources with biologically active properties from the Dobrogea area, Romania. For this purpose, materials were collected from the mentioned area, and macerates of black poplar were prepared in order to evaluate their qualities as antioxidant and antimicrobial agents. Three different black poplar buds' hydroalcoholic macerates were analyzed by the Folin-Ciocâlteau method to estimate the total content of phenolic compounds, by the HPLC-DAD method for identification and quantification of the main bioactive compounds and by the DPPH radical scavenging method to evaluate the antioxidant activity. All hydroalcoholic macerates showed high concentrations of phenolic compounds, the main individual compounds being gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, cinnamic acid, and methyl gallic acid. The antioxidant activity of the black poplar buds' hydroalcoholic macerates, evaluated by the DPPH radical scavenging test, showed high values, between 496 and 1200 mg GAE /100 g d.w. The Cd, Cu, Zn, Ni, and Pb concentrations released in dry poplar buds, determined by AAS, were below the detection limits. Hydroalcoholic macerates of black poplar were tested against two groups of gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus and Staphylococcus) using an agar well diffusion assay. The in vitro inhibitory activities of the macerates were important and ranged from 8.2-9.4 mm inhibition zones (Staphylococcus) to 8.6 -10 mm inhibition zones (Enterococcus).

Major Phytocannabinoids and Their Related Compounds: Should We Only Search for Drugs That Act on Cannabinoid Receptors?

The most important discoveries in pharmacology, such as certain classes of analgesics or chemotherapeutics, started from natural extracts which have been found to have effects in traditional medicine. Cannabis, traditionally used in Asia for the treatment of pain, nausea, spasms, sleep, depression, and low appetite, is still a good candidate for the development of new compounds. If initially all attention was directed to the endocannabinoid system, recent studies suggest that many of the clinically proven effects are based on an intrinsic chain of mechanisms that do not necessarily involve only cannabinoid receptors. Recent research has shown that major phytocannabinoids and their derivatives also interact with non-cannabinoid receptors such as vanilloid receptor 1, transient receptor ankyrin 1 potential, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma or glitazone receptor, G55 protein-coupled receptor, and nuclear receptor, producing pharmacological effects in diseases such as Alzheimer's, epilepsy, depression, neuropathic pain, cancer, and diabetes. Nonetheless, further studies are needed to elucidate the precise mechanisms of these compounds. Structure modulation of phytocannabinoids, in order to improve pharmacological effects, should not be limited to the exploration of cannabinoid receptors, and it should target other courses of action discovered through recent research.

Challenges and Opportunities in Preclinical Research of Synthetic Cannabinoids for Pain Therapy.

Cannabis has been used in pain management since 2900 BC. In the 20th century, synthetic cannabinoids began to emerge, thus opening the way for improved efficacy. The search for new forms of synthetic cannabinoids continues and, as such, the aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive tool for the research and development of this promising class of drugs. Methods for the in vitro assessment of cytotoxic, mutagenic or developmental effects are presented, followed by the main in vivo pain models used in cannabis research and the results yielded by different types of administration (systemic versus intrathecal versus inhalation). Animal models designed for assessing side-effects and long-term uses are also discussed. In the second part of this review, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of synthetic cannabinoid biodistribution, together with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric identification of synthetic cannabinoids in biological fluids from rodents to humans are presented. Last, but not least, different strategies for improving the solubility and physicochemical stability of synthetic cannabinoids and their potential impact on pain management are discussed. In conclusion, synthetic cannabinoids are one of the most promising classes of drugs in pain medicine, and preclinical research should focus on identifying new and improved alternatives for a better clinical and preclinical outcome.

Medicinal Plants of the Family Lamiaceae in Pain Therapy: A Review.

Recently, numerous side effects of synthetic drugs have lead to using medicinal plants as a reliable source of new therapy. Pain is a global public health problem with a high impact on life quality and a huge economic implication, becoming one of the most important enemies in modern medicine. The medicinal use of plants as analgesic or antinociceptive drugs in traditional therapy is estimated to be about 80% of the world population. The Lamiaceae family, one of the most important herbal families, incorporates a wide variety of plants with biological and medical applications. In this study, the analgesic activity, possible active compounds of Lamiaceae genus, and also the possible mechanism of actions of these plants are presented. The data highlighted in this review paper provide valuable scientific information for the specific implications of Lamiaceae plants in pain modulation that might be used for isolation of potentially active compounds from some of these medicinal plants in future and formulation of commercial therapeutic agents.