The effect of luteolin 7-glucoside, apigenin 7-glucoside and Succisa pratensis extracts on NF-κB activation and α-amylase activity in HepG2 cells.

The chemical composition of Succisa pratensis is not well known. The existing data indicate a substantial content of flavonoids, which include luteolin and apigenin 7-glucosides. The aim of this study was to elaborate the isolation protocol of these flavonoids from flowers and leaves of S. pratensis, to carry out their characterization, as well as evaluate the effect of S. pratensis extracts on activation of transcription factor NF-κB and α-amylase activity. The extraction protocol applied in this study allowed isolation and characterization of flavonoid fraction of S. pratensis. Their identity was confirmed by NMR spectra analysis, UV spectroscopy and electrospray ionization-tandem MS evaluation. Treatment of pancreatic α-amylase with S. pratensis extract inhibited this enzyme's activity to an extent comparable to that of isolated luteolin and apigenin 7-glucosides. Incubation of HepG2 cells for 24 h with S. pratensis extracts or isolated flavonoids resulted in moderate reduction in NF-κB transcription factor activation evaluated in terms of translocation of its active subunits from cytosol into nucleus and subsequently diminished expression of the COX-2 gene. Expression of NF-κB was also reduced. The most significantly diminished NF-κB activation and expression, as well as COX-2 expression, was found to result from treatment with isolated flavonoids and ethyl acetate extract of S. pratensis leaves. These results indicate that S. pratensis flavonoids may modulate the metabolic and signaling pathways whose deregulation is related to pathogenesis of liver cancer. Further studies are required to confirm these observations and assess the chemopreventive and/or therapeutic potential of the S. pratensis herb.

Micropropagation of Chaenomeles japonica: A Step towards Production of Polyphenol-rich Extracts Showing Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities.

A protocol for C. japonica micropropagation with a confirmation of genome size stability of the in vitro-propagated plantlets was developed. The highest number of shoots multiplied in vitro was obtained on Murashige & Skoog medium (MS) with 1.0 mg L-1 N6-benzyladenine plus 1.0 mg L-1 indole-3-acetic acid. The highest number of roots was observed for the shoots on MS with 15 g L-1 sucrose plus 1.0 mg L-1 indole-3-acetic acid. The acclimatization rate was significantly high. The qualitative HPLC analyses confirmed the presence of phenolic acids and flavonoids in the extracts. The extracts from both shoot cultures and the leaves from field-grown plants revealed antioxidant activity and they exhibited moderate antimicrobial activity. The conducted research confirmed the regeneration potential of genetically-stable plants of C. japonica under in vitro conditions, the ability of the plantlets to produce polyphenols as those present in field-grown plants, as well as their antioxidant potential.

Flavonoids from Trollius europaeus flowers and evaluation of their biological activity.

OBJECTIVES: This article describes the flavonoid composition of the flowers of Trollius europaeus and the method of isolation thereof and provides an attempt at investigating the antioxidant activity of the isolated flavonoids and the antityrosinase activity of the extracts from the investigated material. METHODS: The compositional data were acquired by combining results of nuclear magnetic resonance, ultraviolet spectroscopy, electrospray ionisation-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) analyses and those of an analysis of the products of acid hydrolysis of the compounds. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was studied using the 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay and the tyrosinase inhibitory activity - with the use of mushroom tyrosinase. KEY FINDINGS: Ten flavonoid derivatives of luteolin and apigenin were isolated from the flowers of T. europaeus and identified. The investigation into the antioxidant activity revealed that orientin 2″-O-α-arabinopyranoside (4) and orientin 2″-O-ß glucopyranoside (5) had a significant antioxidant effect. CONCLUSIONS: The studies conducted led to the development of a method of isolating flavonoid, potentially antioxidant, compounds from T. europaeus. They allowed to determine which of the investigated flavonoids demonstrated significant antioxidant activity and could be used as natural antioxidants.

Chemical Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Trollius Europaeus under the Influence of Feeding Aphids.

The influence of stress factors on a plant may lead to worse functioning of the plant and the loss of its crop. The effect of Aulacorthum solani feeding on Trollius europaeus with regard to active compounds in the leaves was investigated in the study. The antioxidant activity of the leaves, the material on which the insects fed, was compared with that of the material that was not infested by the aphids. Stress level was evaluated on the basis of such physiological parameters as chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthesis activity. An increase of 34.5% in the content of polyphenolic compounds, as compared to control, was demonstrated in the material exposed to the biotic stress caused by aphids. The content of phenolic acids was 28% higher while that of flavonoids rose by 25%. The increase in polyphenolic compounds augmented the antioxidant activity of the material.

Essential oils and hydrophilic extracts from the leaves and flowers of Succisa pratensis Moench. and their biological activity.

OBJECTIVES: This study was undertaken to evaluate the antioxidant activity of methanol and water extracts from Succisa pratensis Moench (Dipsacaceae) leaves and flowers as well as the chemical composition of the essential oils found in them and the antimicrobial activity of the oils and extracts thereof. METHODS: The essential oils from S. pratensis leaves and flowers were analysed by the GC-MS. The total phenolic content was determined with Folin-Ciocalteu, that of flavonoids with aluminium chloride and that of phenolic acids with Arnov's reagent. The antioxidant activity was investigated by the DPPH radical scavenging assay. Antimicrobial activity was studied in vitro against G-positive and G-negative bacteria, and fungi using disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods. KEY FINDINGS: Eighty-six components of the leaf essential oil and 50 of the flower essential oil were identified. The main components of the leaf essential oil were 2-hexyl-1-octanol (5.76%) and heptacosane (5.53%), whereas hexadecanoic acid (16.10%), 8-octadecen-1-ol acetate (9.86%), methyl linolenate (8.58%), pentacosane (6.63%) and heptacosane (5.50%) were found in the flower essential oil. The essential oils exerted high antimicrobial activity (range: 0.11 to >3.44mg/ml) against the following bacteria: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and fungi: Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Candida albicans, whereas the methanol and water extracts showed moderate or weak activity. The strongest antioxidant activity was shown by methanol extracts from S. pratensis leaves, IC50 = 0.09 mg/ml. There was a positive correlation between the total phenolic content and the antimicrobial activity, while for the antioxidant effect, it was not observed. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest great antibacterial activity of the oils and high antioxidant activity of the methanol extract and may justify the application in treating infections.

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Sanguisorba officinalis L. Extracts.

Sanquisorba officinalis has been used internally for the treatment of intestinal infections and duodenal ulcers, as well as hemorrhoids, phlebitis and varicose veins and female disorders, and topically to heal wounds, burns, and ulcers. In our study, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, as well as quantitative analysis of polyphenols (phenolic acids, flavonoids and total polyphenols) in methanol and aqueous extracts from S. officinalis herbs are presented. A correlation between the antioxidant activity and composition of tested extracts indicates that flavonoids are the major compounds causing scavenging of free radicals. Higher content of flavonoids was found in the methanol extract, while the content of total phenolics was higher in the aqueous extract. Both extracts from S. officinalis herbs showed antioxidant activity and high antimicrobial activity in a wide spectrum of test strains.

IN-VITRO ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF BRONCHOSOL.

Bronchosol is a traditional medicinal product in the form of syrup used in cough and impeded expectoration. The active ingredients that it contains include extracts from the herb of thyme, the root of primrose and thymol. It is recommended in disorders of the respiratory tract when expectoration is impeded and secretion of liquid mucus in bronchi is insufficient. Antimicrobial activity of the components of Bronchosol, especially thyme and thymol, has frequently been reported in the literature. To date, there have not been any studies to confirm such activity of Bronchosol, though. The results of our research are the first one to point to the great activity of Bronchosol against microorganisms causing infections of the respiratory tract. It has been demonstrated that this product displayed antimicrobial activity against reference strains as well as strains of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria and fungi isolated from patients. The confirmation of the antimicrobial activity of Bronchosol provides an explanation of its effectiveness in the therapy of the respiratory tract infections.

The genus Trollius-review of pharmacological and chemical research.

Three species of the genus Trollius (Ranunculaceae) are traditionally used to treat upper respiratory tract infections, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis, cold with fever, acute tympanitis, aphthae, mouth sore, hemorrhage and pain of gums, acute lymphangitis and acute periostitis. However, only a few studies support its traditional use. These are studies of the biological activity of extracts and/or compounds of selected species of Trollius, but there are no clinical studies proving the effectiveness or possible toxic effects. Until now, the following activity of extracts and/or compounds from certain species of Trollius used in traditional medicine has been proven: antiviral, antibacterial, antiinflammatory and antioxidant. The review showed that flavonoids, mainly C-glycosides, were characteristic of the species Trollius. Furthermore, other main groups of compounds are carotenoids, organic acids, terpenes, alkaloids, sterols, lactones and carbohydrates. The essential oil mainly contains compounds from the group of benzenoids, nitrogen-containing compounds, monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids, irregular terpenes and macrocyclic epoxide.

[Phytotherapy of respiratory tract diseases]. / Fitoterapia chorób dróg oddechowych.

Herbal medicines have been used in cough due to their antitussive and expectorant activity. Antitussives act either centrally on the cough center of the brain or peripherally on the cough receptors in the respiratory passages. The antitussive effect of many herbs results from the content of mucilage, which exerts protective and demulcent activity. The activity of expectorant herbs results primarily from their influence on the gastric mucose (saponins and ipec alkaloids). This proves reflex stimulation which leads to an increase in the secretion of bronchial glands. Volatile-oil type expectorant herbs exert a direct stimulatory effect on the bronchial glands by means of local irritation with antibacterial activity. In colds and flu, herbs containing volatile oil can be used; also, volatile oils are ingredients of syrups and liquids as well as external phytomedicines in the form of liniments, ointments, and inhalations. The paper shows the herbs and phytomedicines present on the Polish market used for the treatment of respiratory tract diseases.

Antimicrobial activity of Viola tricolor herb.

The antimicrobial activity of infusion, decoction, ethanol extract and fractions obtained by successive extraction of Viola tricolor herb with dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol was evaluated. The infusion, decoction and ethanol extract were found to be most effective against the tested microorganisms.

[Expectorant herbal medicines in respiratory tract diseases in tobacco smokers]. / Roslinne leki wykrztusne w schorzeniach górnych dróg oddechowych u palaczy tytoniu.

Cigarette smoking can cause a variety of pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases like: bronchitis, emphysema, myocardial infraction as well as lung cancer. The tar phase precipitates in the respiratory tract, inactivating the ciliated epithelium and inhibiting the self-cleaning of bronchia. Herbal remedies increase mucosa secretion and hence facilitate coughing up the secrete residual. The action of expectorant herbs results primarily from their influence on the gastric mucosa and following a reflex stimulation which leads to an increase in secretion of the bronchial glands. Volatile-oil type expectorant herbs have shown a direct stimulatory effect on the bronchial glands by means of local irritation, accompanied with antibacterial and spasmolytic activity. Expectorant herbs containing saponins function reduce the surface tension of the secretions facilitating their separation from the mucous membranes.

[Herbs and herbal preparations applied in the treatment of gastric hyperacidity, gastric and duodenal ulcer in cigarette smokers]. / Surowce i preparaty roslinne stosowane w leczeniu choroby wrzodowej zoladka i dwunastnicy u palaczy tytoniu.

The origins of gastric hyperacidity, gastric and duodenal ulcer appearance includes genetic predisposition, incorrect diet and unbalanced lifestyle, e.g. increased stress level, cigarette smoking. Herbal drugs have been proved to be very effective in treatment of hyperacidity, gastric and duodenal ulcer. They can be applied as drugs supplementing or enhancing the activity of synthetic medicines. Moreover, herbal drugs have been successfully applied inprophylactic of hyperacidity, gastric and duodenal ulcer. Herbal therapeutic preparations are administered as infusions from individual herbs, from mixtures of herbs, tinctures, herbal preparations. The most often used herbs include mucus: Lini semen, Psylli semen, Foenugraeci semen, Althaeae radix/folium, Sinapis albae semen; antiphlogistic volatile-oils: Chamomillae anthodium, Millefolii herba, moreover Glycyrrhizae radix, Aloe gel.