In vitro micropropagation and conservation of endangered medicinal plant Nepeta asterotricha Rech.f. (Lamiaceae): genetic fidelity, phytochemical and biological assessment.

An efficient in vitro protocol was introduced for the conservation of Nepeta asterotricha, a vulnerable and endangered medicinal species found in the central of Iran for the first time. Growth, phytochemical, and biological traits of in vitro regenerated plant (RP) and acclimated plant (AP) were compared to the mother plant (MP). In addition, the genetic stability of AP was assessed by using inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers. The highest number of lateral branches (4.25) was obtained from the medium with 3 mg/mL kinetin (KIN), while the highest length of lateral branches (13.25 cm) was achieved on the medium culture fortified with 3 mg/mL thidiazuron (TDZ) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). The highest number of leaves (20.25) and main branch length (12.25 cm) were obtained from the medium containing 3 mg/mL TDZ. The highest number of roots (46.25) and root length (2.25 cm) was measured from the medium fortified with 1 mg/mL indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 0.6 mg/mL indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), respectively. RP was successfully acclimated (85%) in vivo. Molecular analysis showed that the AP was true to the type of the MP. cis-Sabinene hydrate (26.8-57.7), 1,8-cineole (6.2-24.1), 4aα,7ß,7aα-nepetalactone (4.1-12.3), and terpinene-4-ol (3.2-15.0) were the major essential oils compounds. The studied samples contained rosmarinic acid (2.55-5.97 mg/g DW), cichoric acid (1.68-12.7 mg/g DW), chlorogenic acid (1.91-64.21 mg/g DW), rutin (0.59-1.09 mg/g DW), apigenin (0.52-0.72 mg/g DW), betulinic acid (0.17-2.20 mg g DW), oleanolic acid (0.84-5.37 mg/g DW) and ursolic acid (3.46-15.70 mg/g DW). Acclimated plant exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (IC50 = 196.4 µg/mL), while the methanolic extract of MP displayed the highest antibacterial activity (MIC = 8 mg/mL) against Staphylococcus aureus. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-024-01416-x.

Molecular networking based dereplication of AChE inhibitory compounds from the medicinal plant Vincetoxicum funebre (Boiss. & Kotschy).

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease affecting 47 million people worldwide. While acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors such as donepezil and galantamine are leading drugs in the symptomatic treatment of AD, new AChE inhibitors continue to be explored for improved potency and selectivity. Herein, a molecular networking approach using high resolution (HR-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS2) has been used for rapid chemical profiling of an extract of the medicinal plant Vincetoxicum funebre Boiss. & Kotschy (Apocynaceae family) that was active against AChE. A total of 44 compounds were identified by combining the MN with traditional natural product methods, including the isolation and identification of five known compounds (13, 41-44) and a novel C13-norisoprenoid (40). In addition, the potential inhibitory activity of all 44 compounds was evaluated against the AChE enzyme via molecular docking to provide further support to the proposed structures. The glycosylated flavonoid querciturone (31) exhibited the highest affinity with a docking score value of -13.43 kJ/mol. Another five compounds showed stronger docking scores against AChE than the clinically used donepezil including the most active isolated compound daucosterol (44), with a binding affinity of -10.11 kJ/mol towards AChE. These findings broaden our understanding of Vincetoxicum metabolites and highlight the potential of glycosylated flavonoids as AChE inhibitors.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Accelerative effect of topical Zataria multiflora essential oil against infected wound model by modulating inflammation, angiogenesis, and collagen biosynthesis.

CONTEXT: Zataria multiflora Boiss (Lamiaceae) essential oil (ZME) is believed to be a bactericide herbal medicine and might alleviate negative effects of infection. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the effects of an ointment prepared from ZME (ZMEO) on infected wounds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A full-thickness excisional skin wound was surgically created in each mouse and inoculated with 5 × 107 suspension containing Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. The BALB/c mice (n = 72) were divided into four groups: (1) negative control that received base ointment (NCG), (2) positive control that daily received Mupirocin® (MG), (3) therapeutic ointment containing 2% ZMEO and (4) therapeutic ointment containing 4% ZMEO, for 21 days. Wound contraction, total bacterial count, histopathological parameters, antioxidant activity, qRT-PCR analysis for expression of IL-1ß, TNF-α, VEGF, IGF-1, TGF-ß, IL-10, and FGF-2 mRNA levels were assessed on days 3, 7, and 14 following the wounding. RESULTS: Topical administration of ZMEO significantly decreased the total bacterial count and wound area and also expression of IL-1ß and TNF-α compared to the control groups (p < 0.05) in all days. This could also increase significantly the expression of TGF-ß, IL-10 IGF-1, FGF-2, and VEGF, and also angiogenesis, fibroblasts, fibrocytes, epithelialization ratio, and collagen deposition and improve antioxidant status compared to the control group (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: ZMEO accelerated the healing process of infected wounds by shortening the inflammatory factors and increasing proliferative phase. Applying ZMEO only and/or in combination with chemical agents for the treatment of wound healing could be suggested.

Accelerated healing by topical administration of Salvia officinalis essential oil on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus infected wound model.

BACKGROUND: Salvia officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) is known to have antibacterial properties possibly conducive to the healing process of infected wounds. PURPOSE: The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of an ointment containing Salvia officinalis essential oil (SOO) on an infected wound model. METHODS: Essential oil hydrodistillated from the dried leaves of the plant was analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. After creating two full-thickness cutaneous wounds, mice were classified into four groups, control, and animals treated with 2 % mupirocin® (standard positive drug), and 2 % and 4 % (w/w) of SOO. In order to evaluate the effects of SOO on the wound healing phases, the expression levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), cyclin-D1, Bcl-2, fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) were analyzed using qRT-PCR. Immunohistochemistry analysis, tissue total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were further assessed in all groups. RESULTS: Concerning essential oil, the main compounds were found to be cis-thujone (26.8 %), camphor (16.4 %), trans-thujone (14.1 %) and 1,8-cineole (10.8 %). Our findings showed that the topical application of SOO was able to shorten the inflammatory phase and accelerate the cellular proliferation, re-vascularization, collagen deposition and re-epithelialization in comparison to the control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, increased mRNA levels of FGF-2 and VEGF, and up-regulation of cyclin-D1 and Bcl-2 were observed following the topical application of SOO compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The expression levels of IL-6, IL-1ß and TNF-α were reduced in animals treated with SOO on days 3, 7 and 14 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Administration of SOO increased the TAC level and reduced the MDA content and levels of IL-1ß and TNF-α. It is concluded that SOO is able to accelerate the wound healing process by regulating the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, and antioxidant properties.

Physicochemical Characterization, Antioxidant Activity, and Phenolic Compounds of Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) Fruits Species for Potential Use in Food Applications.

Hawthorn belongs to the Crataegus genus of the Rosaceae family and is an important medicinal plant. Due to its beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system and its antioxidant and antimicrobial activity hawthorn has recently become quite a popular herbal medicine in phytotherapy and food applications. In this study, physicochemical characterization (color parameters, pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, soluble carbohydrate, total carotenoid, total phenols, and flavonoid contents), antioxidant activity (by ferric-reducing antioxidant power, FRAP assay), and quantification of some individual phenolic compounds of fruits of 15 samples of different hawthorn species (Crataegus spp.) collected from different regions of Iran were investigated. According to findings, the total phenols, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity were in the range of 21.19-69.12 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry weight (dw), 2.44-6.08 mg quercetin equivalent (QUE)/g dw and 0.32-1.84 mmol Fe++/g dw, respectively. Hyperoside (0.87-2.94 mg/g dw), chlorogenic acid (0.06-1.16 mg/g dw), and isoquercetin (0.24-1.59 mg/g dw) were found to be the most abundant phenolic compounds in the extracts of hawthorn fruits. The considerable variations in the antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of hawthorn species were demonstrated by our results. Hence, the evaluation of hawthorn genetic resources could supply precious data for screening genotypes with high bioactive contents for producing natural antioxidants and other phytochemical compounds valuable for food and pharma industries.

Topical application of Cinnamomum hydroethanolic extract improves wound healing by enhancing re-epithelialization and keratin biosynthesis in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.

Context: Cinnamomum verum J. Presl. (Lauraceae) has a high number of polyphenols with insulin-like activity, increases glucose utilization in animal muscle, and might be beneficial for diabetic patients.Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of an ointment prepared from Cinnamomum verum hydroethanolic extract on wound healing in diabetic mice.Materials and methods: A total of 54 male BALB/c mice were divided into three groups: (1) diabetic non-treated group mice that were treated with soft yellow paraffin, (2 and 3) mice that were treated with 5 and 10% C. verum. Two circular full-thickness excisional wounds were created in each mouse, and the trial lasted for 16 d following induction of the wound. Further evaluation was made on the wound contraction ratio, histopathology parameters and mRNA levels of cyclin D1, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1), total antioxidant capacity, and malondialdehyde of granulation tissue contents. HPLC apparatus was utilized to identify the compounds.Results: The HPLC data for cinnamon hydroethanolic extract identified cinnamaldehyde (11.26%) and 2-hydroxyl cinnamaldehyde (6.7%) as the major components. A significant increase was observed in wound contraction ratio, fibroblast proliferation, collagen deposition, re-epithelialization and keratin biosynthesis in the C. verum-treated groups in comparison to the diabetic non-treated group (p < 0.05). The expression level of cyclin D1, IGF1, GLUT 1 and antioxidant capacity increased in the C. verum-treated groups in comparison to the diabetic non-treated group (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Topical administration of C. verum accelerated wound healing and can possibly be employed in treating the wounds of diabetic patients.

Phytochemical and Biological Studies of Nepeta asterotricha Rech. f. (Lamiaceae): Isolation of Nepetamoside.

The n-butanolic extract, from an Iranian specimen of Nepeta asterotricha Rech. f. (NABE), displayed anti-inflammatory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated J774A.1 macrophages, which reduced nitrites and cytokines production. Bioassay guided fractionation of the extract led to the isolation of four iridoid glycosides, including a new one known as nepetamoside (1), one hexenyl-diglycoside, and some polyphenol and flavonoid components. None of the isolated iridoid components displayed significant effects on nitrites formation in an in vitro LPS-induced model of inflammation, thus suggesting that the plant anti-inflammatory effect is probably due to a synergistic action among its constituents.

Antiprotozoal Germacranolide Sesquiterpene Lactones from Tanacetum sonbolii.

A phytochemical investigation of extracts from flowers and aerial parts of Tanacetum sonbolii afforded 7 new germacranolide sesquiterpene lactones. The structures were established by a combination of 1- and 2-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and electronic circular dichroism. The in vitro antiprotozoal activity of the compounds against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and cytotoxicity against rat myoblast (L6) cells were determined. Compounds 4: and 5: showed IC50 values of 5.1 and 10.2 µM and selectivity indices of 3.9 and 4.0, respectively.

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Tanacetum walteri (Anthemideae-Asteraceae) from Iran.

The composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Tanacetum walteri were studied. Aerial flowering parts of plant were collected from North Khorasan Province of Iran and the essential oil was isolated by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was determined by disc diffusion and MIC and MBC determination. Thirty-five compounds were identified in the oil of T. walteri accounting for 94.4% of the total oil. Thymol (22.5%), 1,8-cineole (8.2%), umbellulone (6.9%), α-bisabolol (6.3%) and camphor (5.3%) were as the principal constituents. The highest antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was observed against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis and Klebsiella pneumoniae with MIC value of 0.63 mg/mL. The inhibitory effect of the essential oil of T. walteri could be attributed mainly to the high levels of phenolic compound thymol and oxygenated terpenes in essential oil.

Essential oil composition of Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss. from Iran.

Dracocephalum kotschyi is one of the medicinal and fragrant herbs that can be found in natural locations of mountainous areas. In this investigation the hydrodistilled essential oils obtained from aerial parts of two populations of D. kotschyi collected from Siahbisheh and Baladeh were analysed by capillary GC-FID and GC-MS. Essential oil analysis led to the identification of 48 compounds that represented 85.9 and 90.0% of the total oil compositions, respectively. As the major group of compounds, oxygenated monoterpens comprised 45.5 and 57.4% in the essential oils of compounds as the main group in the essential oils of Siahbisheh and Baladeh samples, respectively. Disagreement in the major contents of the essential oils of these two samples may be ascribed to differences in the ecological, climatic and genetically factors.

Chemical diversity of the essential oils of twenty populations of Tanacetum polycephalum Sch. Bip. from Iran.

Chemical diversity of the essential oils of twenty wild populations of Tanacetum polycephalum Sch. Bip., was investigated. The aerial parts of T. polycephalum were collected at full flowering stage from West Azerbaijan Province of Iran, air-dried; hydrodistilled to produce essential oils. The essential oils were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. A total of forty compounds were identified accounting for 96.4-99.9% of the total oils. The most principal compounds were cis-thujone (0-82.3%), trans-thujone (0-79.8%), camphor (1.3-75.0%), 1,8-cineole (4.5-43.3%), borneol (1.0-36.2%) and bornyl acetate (0-26.8%). Hierarchical cluster analysis based on the percentages (>0.5%) of the essential oils components was carried out to determine the chemical diversity among the populations studied. The cluster analysis resulted in the identification of four main chemotypes namely: 'camphor + 1,8-cineole', 'mixed', 'cis-thujone' and 'trans-thujone'.

Effectiveness of topical administration of Anethum graveolens essential oil on MRSA-infected wounds.

Medicinal plants are conventionally used for wound healing, but their action mechanisms are still unknown. The present study evaluated the effect of topical administration of ointment containing dill (Anethum graveolens) essential oil (DEO) in the management of apoptosis and cell proliferation during MRSA-infected experimentally induced wound healing process in BALB/c mice model. The GC-FID and GC-MS techniques were used to analyze chemical composition of the essential oil. The mice were randomly divided into four treatment groups including negative control (sham), 2% and 4% DEO and mupirocin®-treated animals. The full-thickness excisional wounds were inoculated by 5 × 107 colony-forming units of MRSA. In order to assess the effect of different concentrations of DEO on wounds infection, wound area, bacterial count, histopathological, immunohistochemical and RT-PCR analysis were evaluated. The GC-MS analysis identified α-phellandrene (47.3%), p-cymene (18.5%) and carvone (14.1%) as the main compounds of the essential oil tested here. Administration of DEO prevented bacterial growth and also reduced wound area in comparison to the control group. Topical administration of DEO significantly reduced the inflammatory phase and accelerated re-epithelialization, angiogenesis, fibroblast and collagen deposition. Moreover, the DEO-treated animals exhibited higher expressions of Bcl-2, p53 caspase-3, VEGF and FGF-2 in comparison to the control and mupirocin®-treated groups (P < 0.05). Topical administration of DEO decreases the inflammatory phase by increasing p53 and caspases-3 expression. It triggers the proliferative phase by up-regulation of the Bcl-2, VEGF and FGF-2 expression and also up-regulates the collagen biosynthesis by enhancing the ERα expression level. Thus, ointment prepared from dill essential oil, in Iran, with its major compounds such as α-phellandrene, p-cymene and carvone can be used as an agent for accelerating the infected wound healing.

Acetylcholinesterase-inhibitory activity of Iranian plants: Combined HPLC/bioassay-guided fractionation, molecular networking and docking strategies for the dereplication of active compounds.

In order to search for discovery of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors, as a therapeutic strategy for treatment of the Alzheimer's disease, twenty-five Iranian plants have been evaluated by an in vitro enzymatic Ellman method and molecular docking study. Each plant was successively extracted by n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol to obtain a total of 75 extracts. The inhibiting effect of extracts was measured by a colorimetric assay in 96-well microplates. The n-hexane extract of Prangos ferulacea showed the highest AChE inhibitory activity with 75.6% inhibition at a concentration of 50 µg/mL. The chemical composition of this extract was investigated in detail based on a combination of HPLC/bioassay-guided fractionation and molecular networking techniques. The results led to the identification of seventeen compounds, one of them was a fatty acid derivative, two compounds had flavonoid structure and others were furanocoumarin type compounds. In vitro analysis showed that the subfraction F10f was the most potent inhibitor against the activity of AChE with an IC50 value of 25.2 µg/mL and good docking scores of its constituents confirming its high activity.

Genetic and Chemical Diversity in Perovskia abrotanoides Kar. (Lamiaceae) Populations Based on ISSRs Markers and Essential Oils Profile.

Genetic and the essential oil composition variability among twelve Perovskia abrotanoides populations (PAbPs) growing wild in Iran were assessed by ISSR markers, GC-FID and GC/MS, respectively. Nine selected ISSR primers produced 119 discernible bands, of them 96 (80.7%) being polymorphic. Genetic similarity values among populations ranged between 0.07 and 0.79 which indicated a high level of genetic variation. Polymorphic information content, resolving power and marker index generated by ISSR primers were, 0.31, 6.14, and 3.32, respectively. UPGMA grouped PAbPs into four main clusters. Altogether, 38 chemical compounds were identified in the oils, and a relatively high variation in their contents was found. Camphor (11.9 - 27.5%), 1,8-cineole (11.3 - 21.3%), α-bisabolol (0.0 - 13.1%), α-pinene (5.9 - 10.8%), and δ-3-carene (0.1 - 10.5%) were the major compounds. Oxygenated monoterpenes (32.1 - 35.8%) and monoterpene hydrocarbons (25.7 - 30.4%) were the main groups of compounds in the oils studied. Cluster analysis and principal-component analysis were used to characterize the samples according to oil components. Four main chemotypes were found to be Chemotype I (camphor/1,8-cineol), Chemotype II (1,8-cineole/camphor), Chemotype III (camphor/1,8-cineol/α-bisabolol), and Chemotype IV (camphor/δ-3-carene/α-bisabolol). The information, provided here on P. abrotanoides populations, will be useful to introduce this plant into agricultural systems.

Seco-ursane-type Triterpenoids from Salvia urmiensis with Apoptosis-inducing Activity.

Fractionation of an acetone extract of the aerial parts of Salvia urmiensis led to the isolation of a new (1) and a known (2) E-seco-ursane-type triterpenoid, together with four other known compounds. Their structures were established by 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance as well as high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The effect of compounds 1 and 2 on cell viability of HeLa and HepG2 cells was investigated with the MTT assay. We also report the mechanism of action of compound 2 as a potential anticancer agent in HeLa cells. Bcl-2, Bax, and caspases signaling pathway expression in HeLa cells was analyzed. HeLa cells treated with compound 2 were assayed for the cleavage of poly-(ADP-ribose)-polymerase and DNA fragmentation resulting in nuclear shrinkage. Taken together, these results suggest that treatment of HeLa cells with compound 2 can induce apoptosis by regulating Bcl-2 family members and by suppressing caspase cascade activation.

The striking and unexpected cytogenetic diversity of genus Tanacetum L. (Asteraceae): a cytometric and fluorescent in situ hybridisation study of Iranian taxa.

BACKGROUND: Although karyologically well studied, the genus Tanacetum (Asteraceae) is poorly known from the perspective of molecular cytogenetics. The prevalence of polyploidy, including odd ploidy warranted an extensive cytogenetic study. We studied several species native to Iran, one of the most important centres of diversity of the genus. We aimed to characterise Tanacetum genomes through fluorochrome banding, fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) of rRNA genes and the assessment of genome size by flow cytometry. We appraise the effect of polyploidy and evaluate the existence of intraspecific variation based on the number and distribution of GC-rich bands and rDNA loci. Finally, we infer ancestral genome size and other cytogenetic traits considering phylogenetic relationships within the genus. RESULTS: We report first genome size (2C) estimates ranging from 3.84 to 24.87 pg representing about 11 % of those recognised for the genus. We found striking cytogenetic diversity both in the number of GC-rich bands and rDNA loci. There is variation even at the population level and some species have undergone massive heterochromatic or rDNA amplification. Certain morphometric data, such as pollen size or inflorescence architecture, bear some relationship with genome size. Reconstruction of ancestral genome size, number of CMA+ bands and number of rDNA loci show that ups and downs have occurred during the evolution of these traits, although genome size has mostly increased and the number of CMA+ bands and rDNA loci have decreased in present-day taxa compared with ancestral values. CONCLUSIONS: Tanacetum genomes are highly unstable in the number of GC-rich bands and rDNA loci, although some patterns can be established at the diploid and tetraploid levels. In particular, aneuploid taxa and some odd ploidy species show greater cytogenetic instability than the rest of the genus. We have also confirmed a linked rDNA arrangement for all the studied Tanacetum species. The labile scenario found in Tanacetum proves that some cytogenetic features previously regarded as relatively constant, or even diagnostic, can display high variability, which is better interpreted within a phylogenetic context.

Flavonoids from Salvia chloroleuca with α-Amylsae and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Effect.

It is believed that the inhibition of carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes including α-amylase and α-glucosidase is one of the therapeutic approaches to decrease the postprandial glucose level after a meal, especially in the people with type 2 diabetes. Medicinal plants and their extracts are one of the main sources to find new inhibitors to the enzymes. In our study four flavonoids, namely luteolin 7-O-glucoside (1), luteolin 7-O-glucuronide (2), diosmetin 7-O-glucuronide (3) and salvigenin (4) were isolated from aerial parts of Salvia chloroleuca. The inhibitory activity of these compounds against α-amylase and α-glucosidase were evaluated. Compounds 1, 2 and 3 showed potent α-glucosidase inhibitory effect with IC50 values of 18.3, 14.7, and 17.1 µM, respectively. Also these compounds exhibited moderate α-amylase activity with IC50 values 81.7, 61.5, and 76.3 µM, respectively.

Effects of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Tanacetum Sonbolii (Asteraceae) on Pain-related Behaviors during Formalin Test in Mice.

INTRODUCTION: Tanacetum sonbolii (Asteraceae) is an endemic species in Iran. In the present study, we examined the effects of Tanacetum sonbolii hydroalcoholic extract on the formalin test in mice. METHODS: 126 Swiss albino mice weighing 230-280g were used as subjects. The formalin test was performed on two control groups (marked as intact and saline groups; n = 6 in each group) and an experimental group. In all groups, the formalin test was recorded for 60 min after administration of extract and drugs in mice. RESULTS: The results showed that Tanacetum sonbolii (150 and 300 mg/kg) produced significant antinociception in phase 2. In addition, different doses of Tanacetum sonbolii extract (600, 900 and 1200 mg/kg) also induced antinociceptive effects in phase1 and phase 2. On the other hand, morphine could induce antinociception in a dose-dependent manner. Diclofenac (10 mg/kg) failed to affect the pain scores compared to Tanacetum sonbolii (300 mg/kg) group. DISCUSSION: It seems that administration of hydroalcoholic extract of Tanacetum sonbolii has the potential to relieve pain through both central and peripheral mechanisms in persistent inflammatory nociception.

The Biological Activity and Composition of the Essential Oil of Sclerorhachis leptoclada (Asteraceae-Anthemideae) from Iran.

The biological activity and composition of the essential oil of Sclerorhachis leptoclada Rech. f. an endemic species from northeast of Iran was studied. The essential oil was isolated from the aerial flowering parts of the plant and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Fifty-four compounds accounting for 95.9% of the total oil were characterized. The main constituents were (E)-nerolidol (14.5%), terpinen-4-ol (13.3%), camphor (6.1%), 1,8-cineole (4.8%) and p-cymene (4.5%). The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of S. leptoclada was tested against eight microbial strains and a fungi. The results of the bioassays showed that the Gram-positive bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus epidermidis, were the most sensitive to the oil than others with the MIC value of 1.8 mg/mL. The tested fungi, Saccharomyces cerevisiae was highly inhibited by the oil of S. leptoclada with MIC value of 10 mg/mL. In the case of cytotoxicity, IC50 values estimated to be 312, 1250, 625 and 1250 µg oil/mL respectively, for the Vero, SW480, MCF7, and JET 3 cancer cell lines.

In vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of nine Salvia species.

Supported by a growing increase of scientific research attesting the health properties of salvia species, we have decided to investigate nine Salvia namely Salvia sclarea, Salvia atropatana, Salvia sahendica, Salvia hydrangea, Salvia xanthocheila, Salvia macrosiphon, Salvia glutinosa, Salvia chloroleuca and Salvia ceratophylla species for their antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. In order to correlate the bioactivity with their phytochemical content, the total phenol and total flavonoid contents were also determined. S. ceratophylla exhibited the strongest activity against C32 cells with an IC50 value of 20.8 µg mL(- 1), while S. glutinosa exhibited an IC50 value of 29.5 µg mL(- 1) against ACHN cell line. Interestingly, S. glutinosa displayed also the highest DPPH radical-scavenging activity with an IC50 of 3.2 µg mL(- 1). These species are characterised by the highest total phenol and flavonoid contents. The obtained results suggest that Salvia species are healthy plant foods.