New Data on Anti-Inflammatory and Wound Healing Potential of Transgenic Senna obtusifolia Hairy Roots: In Vitro Studies.

Asthma is an inflammatory disease whose etiology remains unclear. Its characteristics encompass a wide range of clinical symptoms, inflammatory processes, and reactions to standard therapies. Plants produce a range of constitutive products and secondary metabolites that may have therapeutic abilities. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Senna obtusifolia transgenic hairy root extracts on virus-induced airway remodeling conditions. Three cell lines were incubated with extracts from transformed (SOA4) and transgenic (SOPSS2, with overexpression of the gene encoding squalene synthase 1) hairy roots of Senna obtusifolia in cell lines undergoing human rhinovirus-16 (HRV-16) infection. The effects of the extracts on the inflammatory process were determined based on the expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-8, TNF-α, IL-1α and IFN-γ) and total thiol content. The transgenic Senna obtusifolia root extract reduced virus-induced expression of TNF, IL-8 and IL-1 in WI-38 and NHBE cells. The SOPSS2 extract reduced IL-1 expression only in lung epithelial cells. Both tested extracts significantly increased the concentration of thiol groups in epithelial lung cells. In addition, the SOPPS2 hairy root extract yielded a positive result in the scratch test. SOA4 and SOPPS2 Senna obtusifolia hairy root extracts demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects or wound healing activity. The SOPSS2 extract had stronger biological properties, which may result from a higher content of bioactive secondary metabolites.

Leonotis nepetifolia Transformed Root Extract Reduces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines and Promotes Tissue Repair In Vitro.

Inflammation is closely related to asthma and its defining feature: airway remodeling. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of extracts of normal (NR) and transformed (TR) Leonotis nepetifolia roots on respiratory cells and against the gingival epithelium. Extracts from NR and TR roots were added to lung fibroblast, bronchial epithelial and gingival fibroblast cell lines, in the presence of HRV-16 infection, to determine their impact on inflammation. The expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1ß, GM-CSF and MCAF) as well as total thiol contents were assessed. The TR extract inhibited rhinovirus-induced IL-6 and IL-1ß expression in all tested airway cells (p < 0.05). Additionally, the extract decreased GM-CSF expression in bronchial epithelial cells. The tested extracts had positive effects on total thiol content in all tested cell lines. The TR root extract demonstrated wound healing potential. While both tested extracts exhibited anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects, they were stronger for the TR extract, possibly due to higher concentrations of beneficial metabolites such as phenols and flavonoids. Additionally, wound healing activity was demonstrated for the TR root extract. These results suggest that TR root extract may become a promising therapeutic agent in the future.

Potential Synergistic Action of Bioactive Compounds from Plant Extracts against Skin Infecting Microorganisms.

The skin is an important organ that acts as a physical barrier to the outer environment. It is rich in immune cells such as keratinocytes, Langerhans cells, mast cells, and T cells, which provide the first line of defense mechanisms against numerous pathogens by activating both the innate and adaptive response. Cutaneous immunological processes may be stimulated or suppressed by numerous plant extracts via their immunomodulatory properties. Several plants are rich in bioactive molecules; many of these exert antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal effects. The present study describes the impact of plant extracts on the modulation of skin immunity, and their antimicrobial effects against selected skin invaders. Plant products remain valuable counterparts to modern pharmaceuticals and may be used to alleviate numerous skin disorders, including infected wounds, herpes, and tineas.

Plant Extracts as a Natural Source of Bioactive Compounds and Potential Remedy for the Treatment of Certain Skin Diseases.

Skin ailments present a major health burden in both developed and undeveloped countries. Maintaining healthy skin is important for a healthy body. Medicinal plants have long provided reliable therapy in the treatment of skin diseases in humans through a diverse range of bioactive molecules. Skin diseases may have a various basis, or may be genetically determined; together, they constitute approximately 34% of all occupational diseases encountered in people of all ages. Of these, melanoma is one of the most dangerous forms, with very poor prognosis for patients if it is diagnosed too late. This review of the literature over the past five years examines the role and utilities of plant extracts in treating various skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, acne or melanoma with various potential mechanisms of action.

Insight the Biological Activities of Selected Abietane Diterpenes Isolated from Plectranthus spp.

Natural compounds isolated from plants are excellent starting points in drug design and have been widely studied as anticancer agents; they hence find use in a considerable proportion of anticancer drugs. The genus Plectranthus (Lamiaceae) comprises a large and widespread group of species with various applications in traditional medicine. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of treatment with four abietane diterpenoids isolated from P.madagascariensis and P.ecklonii, 6,7-dehydroroyleanone, 7ß,6ß-dihydroxyroyleanone, 7α-acetoxy-6ß-hydroxyroyleanone and parvifloron D, in initiating apoptosis in a glioma cell line. The pure compounds were found to exhibit anticancer effects in primary H7PX glioma cells line by inducing apoptosis G2/M cell cycle arrest and double-strand breaks, indicated by increased levels of phosphorylated H2A.X and decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential; they also influenced the expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic genes (Bax, Bcl-2, TP53, or Cas-3). Our findings indicate that these compounds may offer potential as beneficial antitumor drugs but further in vivo studies are needed.

Induction of apoptosis by in vitro and in vivo plant extracts derived from Menyanthes trifoliata L. in human cancer cells.

Menyanthes trifoliata L. has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. It exists in Asia, Europe, North America and in Morocco and is exploited as a remedy for anemia and lack of appetite. This plant shows many pharmacological properties, but its most interesting one is its anti-cancer potential. The present study examines the induction of apoptosis in grade IV glioma cells after treatment with the extracts from aerial part and root of M. trifoliata plants derived from in vitro (MtAPV and MtRV, respectively) and from soil (MtAPS and MtRS, respectively) and presents the first comparison of the biological effects of four different extracts of M. trifoliata against glioblastoma cells. The root extracts of M. trifoliata plants were found to exhibit cytotoxic effects against grade IV glioma cells, but not normal human astrocytes. HPLC analysis demonstrated the presence of various polyphenolic compounds, including sinapinic acid, ferulic acid, syringic acid and vanilic acid. Higher amount of pentacyclic triterpene (betulinic acid) was also found in MtRV extract. The growth inhibition of human grade IV glioma cells mediated by MtRV extract appears to be associated with apoptosis and G2/M phase cell cycle arrest, and altered expression of the pro- and anti-apoptotic genes (Bax, Bcl-2, Cas-3 and TP53) and proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, Cas-3 and p53), as well as decreased mitochondrial membrane potential. Our results indicate that M. trifoliata gives promising results as an anti-cancer agent for human glioblastoma cell lines. However, further research is necessary in view of its therapeutic use.

The Extract of Leonurus sibiricus Transgenic Roots with AtPAP1 Transcriptional Factor Induces Apoptosis via DNA Damage and Down Regulation of Selected Epigenetic Factors in Human Cancer Cells.

The aim of this study was to determine the anticancer potential of Leonurus sibiricus extract derived from in vitro transgenic roots transformed by Agrobacetrium rhizogenes with AtPAP1 transcriptional factor, and that of transformed roots without construct, on grade IV human glioma cells and the U87MG cell line, and attempt to characterize the mechanism involved in this process. The anticancer effect induced by the tested extracts was associated with DNA damage, PARP cleavage/increased H2A.X histone levels and UHRF-1/DNMT1 down-regulation of mRNA levels. Additionally, we demonstrated differences in the content of compounds in the tested extracts by HPLC analysis with ATPAP1 construct and without. Both the tested extracts showed anticancer properties and the better results were observed for AtPAP1 with transcriptional factor root extract; this effect could be ascribed to the presence of higher condensed phenolic acids such as neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acids, ferulic acid, caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid. Further studies with AtPAP1 (with the transcriptional factor from Arabidopisi thaliana) root extract which showed better activities in combination with anticancer drugs are needed.

Induction of apoptosis in human glioma cell lines of various grades through the ROS-mediated mitochondrial pathway and caspase activation by Rhaponticum carthamoides transformed root extract.

The present study is the first investigation of the inhibitory effect of Rhaponticum carthamoides transformed roots (TR) extract on the proliferation of grade II and III human glioma cells. TR extract showed the cytotoxic effect and inhibited the colony formation of both glioma cell lines in dose-dependent manner. The root extract induced apoptosis by increasing of the reactive oxygen species (about threefold compared to the control cells) leading to a disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential. Additionally, the mRNA levels of the apoptotic factors such as Bax, Tp53, caspase-3, and caspase-9 were observed to increase. These results indicate that the TR extract possesses anticancer activity by inhibiting glioma cell proliferation and inducing apoptotic cell death, and may be used as a promising anticancer agent.