Caesalpinia pulcherrima lowered serum carcinoembryonic antigen and antigen 125 in 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced Mammary Carcinogenesis in Female Albino Rats.

Aim: This study is aimed at evaluating the anticancer effect of the aqueous extract of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) Sw in 7,12-Dimethlbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) - induced mammary cancer. Methods: Tumors were induced via a single intraperitoneal injection of DMBA (dissolved in olive oil) at a dose of 80 mg/kg body weight to the test rats and allowed to develop for about four months. They were treated with cyclophosphamide and an aqueous extract of Caesalpinia pulcherrima at doses of 10 and 250 mg/kg body weight, respectively, for 28 days. Serum levels of cancer antigen 125 (CA125), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) activity, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and cytochrome p450 oxidase (cytp450) activity, as well as other diagnostic enzymes, were estimated. Results: The result revealed that DMBA is associated with a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the serum levels of CA125, CEA, COX-2, cytp450, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) of the rats, thus suggesting tumor-promoting and hepatotoxic effects of DMBA. There was also a significant (p < 0.05) reduction of serum levels of these cancer and liver biomarker enzymes in the groups treated with cyclophosphamide and Caesalpinia pulcherrima compared to the untreated group, thus suggesting anticancer activity of Caesalpinia pulcherrima. The anticancer effect of Caesalpinia pulcherrima was further confirmed by the disappearance of infiltrative fibrous cells and the absence of inflammatory cells from the photomicrographs of the rats treated with Caesalpinia pulcherrima. Conclusion: Our findings show that Caesalpinia pulcherrima possesses anticancer activity, and could protect against mammary cancer.

In vitro and computational studies on the antiglycation activity of compounds isolated from antidiabetic Tetracera alnifolia stem bark.

The continuous search for new compounds in natural-based plants is a promising strategy for the prevention of diseases. This work examined antiglycation activity compounds isolated from the antidiabetic extract of T. alnifolia stem bark via in vitro and computational [molecular dynamics (MD)] approach. Phytochemical investigation of ethyl acetate fraction and the application of spectroscopic methods led to the isolation and elucidation of 3 compounds: quercetin (1), kaempferol (2), and gallic acid (3). Compounds 1, 2 and 3 were then screened for antioxidant and antiglycation activities. Results show that the ethanol extract of T. alnifolia demonstrated good antioxidant activity compared to the standard gallic acid. There was a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose level progressively in diabetic rats, for 21 days compared to diabetic control. Consequently, the antiglycation activity of ethyl acetate fraction had the highest antiglycation activities, followed by dichloromethane (DCM) fraction. Compounds isolated from ethyl acetate fraction, exhibited the highest antiglycation effect for kaempferol followed by quercetin, while gallic acid had the least antiglycation effect. The root mean square of deviation (RMSD) and MM/GBSA energies obtained from molecular dynamics agree with the in vitro antiglycation activity with the sequence of structural stability in the order; kaempferol > quercetin > gallic acid. Therefore, findings from these results suggest that compounds isolated from T. alnifolia possess antiglycation activity.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Isolation, characterization, and hepatoprotective properties of betulinic acid and ricinine from Tetracarpidium conophorum seeds (Euphorbiaceae).

The present study is to isolate and characterize betulinic acid and ricinine from T. conophorum seeds. Phytochemical investigation on hexane fraction of T. conophorum seeds led to the isolation of two compounds, Betulinic acid (1), and Ricinine (2). Betulinic acid and ricinine were screened against HepG2 cells and tested in vivo in CCl4 -induced experimental rats model. Results from this study showed that the compounds had hepatoprotective and cytotoxic activities. It was observed that betulinic acid inhibited HepG2 cell with percentage inhibition of 54% compared with standard doxorubicin (64%), while ricinine was inactive against HepG2 cell lines. Furthermore, molecular docking was carried out on betulinic acids and ricinine, with binding energies of -11.2 kcal/mol and -5.4 kcal/mol, respectively, indicating strong binding sites and interactions with Hepatitis B Virus DNA polymerase. Therefore, findings from this study suggest that betulinic acid possess cytotoxic and hepatoprotective properties, while ricinine exhibited hepatoprotection in CCl4 -induced liver damage. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Medicinal plants contain unrestricted ability to make compounds that intrigue researchers in the quest for novel phyto-therapeutic drugs. The continuous exploration of new compounds in the medicinal plant is an auspicious strategy for the prevention of diseases. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to evaluate the cytotoxic and hepatoprotective compounds (betulinic acid and ricinine) isolated from T. conophorum seeds.

Characterization and Antioxidant Activity of Volatile Constituents from Different Parts of Aframomum danielli (Hook) K. Schum.

Background:Aframomum danielli is used in ethno-medicine for the treatment of several ailments and as a traditional food spice. Methods: The hydro-distilled leaf, stem, seed, rhizome and pod volatile oils of A. danielli were subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Free radical scavenging capacity of the volatile oils was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Results: Thirty-nine (39) volatile compounds were identified in the oils of A. danielli, accounting for 85.33 to 96.03% of the total oil composition. The leaf, stem, rhizome and pod volatile oils were dominant in ß-pinene (30.94-47.55%), while the seed oil contained a high amount of 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol) (53.44%). The seed oil showed higher radical inhibitory activity in the DPPH assay (IC50 value, 45.5 µg/mL) and the rhizome oil was the most effective in the FRAP assay. Conclusions: The characterization of the leaf, stem, rhizome and pod volatile oils of A. danielli is reported for the first time. A. danielli seed and rhizome oils elicit promise as potential plant resource and warrant further biological exploitation.

Phytochemical, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities of different citrus juice concentrates.

The search for new antimicrobial compounds is ongoing. Its importance cannot be overemphasized in an era of emerging resistant pathogenic organisms. This study therefore investigated the phytochemical composition and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of different citrus juice concentrates. Fruit juices of Citrus tangerine (tangerine), Citrus paradisi (grape), Citrus limon (lemon), and Citrus aurantifolia (lime) were evaluated. Antimicrobial activities against five bacterial and three fungal strains were evaluated. The results revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, saponins, cardiac glycosides, and reducing sugars in all the juice concentrates. DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging capacities varied with tangerine and grape juices having better scavenging capacities than lemon and lime juices. Grape juice was observed to have a significantly higher (P < 0.05) ferric-reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) value (364.2 ± 10.25 µmol/L Fe(II)/g of the extract) than the reference antioxidant, ascorbic acid (312.88 ± 5.61 µmol/L). Antimicrobial studies revealed differential antimicrobial activities against different microbial strains. Zones of inhibition ranging from 4 to 26 mm were observed for the antibacterial tests with 0-24 mm for antifungal test. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bacteriostatic concentrations (MBC) for concentrates against bacterial strains ranged from 12.5 to 200 µg/mL. Lemon and lime juice concentrates had lower MIC and MBC values with orange and tangerine having the highest values. Minimum fungicidal concentrations ranged from 50 to 200 µg/mL. The results of this study suggest that these juice concentrates may have beneficial antimicrobial roles that can be exploited in controlling unwanted microbial growth.