The Comparative Double-Blind Clinical Study in Antihelmintic Efficacy Between Thai Traditional Herbal Formulae and Mebendazole.

This study was carried out in Mahasarakham Primary Healthcare Centre, Mahasarakham province in the area of Northeastern of Thailand. The experiment was randomized controlled trial in the clinical study to examine the efficacy of Thai Traditional Herbal Formula (TTHF) in the treatment of antihelmintic activity of mixed worm infections in human. The 2 experimental groups consisted of 10 patients, and 5 patients for control group with inclusion and exclusion criteria, who were screened by the selection of mixed worm infection symptom samples. The investigation and extraction of worm eggs per gram (EPG) of patient feces method were performed with Ether-Formalin Sedimentation test. The percentage of reduction of EPG of patient feces were collected, counted, and confirmed by parasitologist, and the clinical efficacy was investigated by the physician and the pharmacist. The percent EPG data were collected before and after the treatment with TTHF and with mebendazole. The result showed that TTHF had higher efficacy in antihelmintic activity than mebendazole and placebo, which had the percent reduction of EPG of feces as 93.69 in TTHF and percent reduction of EPG of feces as 87.50 in mebendazole. The suggestion of this study should increase the number of samples of worm-infected patients, which the samples can be identified with the specific helminths genus and species to obtain the efficacy by the treatment using TTHF and mebendazole comparatively.

Phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities of Mao-Luang (Antidesma bunius L.) cultivars from Northeastern Thailand.

Phenolic compounds extracted from fourteen Mao-Luang (Antidesma bunius) cultivars grown in Northeastern Thailand were quantified using HPLC analysis and the antioxidant capacity of the extracts was determined by ABTS(+), DPPH radical, and FRAP assays. This study showed that there were differences (p<0.05) in phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities among Mao-Luang cultivars. Gallic acid, (-)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin, and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside were the major polyphenolic components in all Mao-Luang cultivars. The highest contents were found in 'Kumlai' with values of 281.30, 949.73, 127.60 and 54.67 mg/100g DW, respectively. 'Kumlai' also exhibited the highest antioxidant activity with the values of 103.04 mmol VCEAC/gDW (DPPH assay), 35.35 mmol Fe(II)/gDW (FRAP assay), and 46.37 mmol TE/gDW (ABTS(+) assay). Correlation analyses revealed that gallic acid, ferulic acid and some anthocyanins, mainly cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, were responsible for the antioxidant capacity of Mao-Luang fruits.

Comparative study of double blind clinical trial in side-effects among Areca catechu l., Thai traditional herbal formula and mebendazole.

BACKGROUND: This study was carried out in Mahasarakham Primary Healthcare Center, Mahasarakham province in the area of Northeastern of Thailand. The experiment was randomized control trial clinical study in order to examine the side effects of Areca catechu Linn., Thai traditional formulae medicine, mebendazole in the treatment of anti-helmintic activity of mixed worms infection in human. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experimental group consisted of 15 patients and 5 patients for control group with inclusion and exclusion criteria, which were screened by parasitologist with the selection of mixed worm infection patient samples. The investigation of side effects was recorded after the treatment of each group of patient with different kinds of 4 group of medicine. RESULTS: The percentage of side effects was collected by nurses and confirmed by the physician at Mahasarakham Health Center, which were diarrhea and nausea side effects. The percentage of side effects by the treatments of Areca catechu Linn., Thai traditional formulae medicine, mebendazole were investigated by the physician and the pharmacist, which the result showed 20% of diarrhea in Areca catechu Linn., 20% of nausea in Areca catechu Linn, 20% in side effect of diarrhea in mebendazole treatment, and no side effects were found by the treatment of TTFM. The result showed that Areca catechu Linn. had higher side effects among the 3 anti-helmintic drugs. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate to increase the numbers of samples of worm-infected patients, which the samples can be identified with the specification of helminthes genus and species in order to obtain the efficacy by the treatment using Areca catechu Linn and also indicates to increase various forms of dosage preparations and various demographic locations in Thailand.

A polyketide synthase of Plumbago indica that catalyzes the formation of hexaketide pyrones.

Plumbago indica L. contains naphthoquinones that are derived from six acetate units. To characterize the enzyme catalyzing the first step in the biosynthesis of these metabolites, a cDNA encoding a type III polyketide synthase (PKS) was isolated from roots of P. indica. The translated polypeptide shared 47-60% identical residues with PKSs from other plant species. Recombinant P. indica PKS expressed in Escherichia coli accepted acetyl-CoA as starter and carried out five decarboxylative condensations with malonyl coenzyme A (-CoA). The resulting hexaketide was not folded into a naphthalene derivative. Instead, an alpha-pyrone, 6-(2',4'-dihydroxy-6'-methylphenyl)-4-hydroxy-2-pyrone, was produced. In addition, formation of alpha-pyrones with linear keto side chains derived from three to six acetate units was observed. As phenylpyrones could not be detected in P. indica roots, we propose that the novel PKS is involved in the biosynthesis of naphthoquinones, and additional cofactors are probably required for the biosynthesis of these secondary metabolites in vivo.

Aromatic and pyrone polyketides synthesized by a stilbene synthase from Rheum tataricum.

A cDNA encoding a stilbene synthase, RtSTS, was isolated from the rhizomes of Tatar rhubarb, Rheum tataricum L. (Polygonaceae), a medicinal plant containing stilbenes and other polyketides. Recombinant RtSTS was expressed in E. coli and assayed with acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA), n-butyryl-CoA, isovaleryl-CoA, n-hexanoyl-CoA, cinnamoyl-CoA and p-coumaroyl-CoA as primers of polyketide synthesis. RtSTS synthesized resveratrol and a trace amount of naringenin chalcone from p-coumaroyl-CoA, supporting the enzyme's identification as a resveratrol-type stilbene synthase (EC 2.3.1.95). Bis-noryangonin and p-coumaroyl triacetic acid lactone (CTAL)-type pyrones were observed in minor amounts in the reaction with p-coumaroyl-CoA and as major products with cinnamoyl CoA. As well, such pyrones, and not aromatic polyketides, were identified as the only products in assays with aliphatic and benzoyl CoA esters. Acetonyl-4-hydroxy-2-pyrone, a pyrone synthesized from acetyl-CoA, was identified as a new product of a stilbene synthase. Using Northern blot analysis, RtSTS transcript was found to be highly expressed in R. tataricum rhizomes, with low transcript levels also present in young leaves. This expression pattern correlated with the occurrence of resveratrol, which was detected in higher amounts in R. tataricum rhizomes compared with leaves and petioles using HPLC. Few stilbene synthases have been found in plants, and the identification of RtSTS provides additional sequence and catalytic information with which to study the evolution of plant polyketide synthases.

Molecular characterization of root-specific chalcone synthases from Cassia alata.

Three cDNAs encoding very similar but unique isoforms of chalcone synthase (EC 2.3.1.74) were isolated from a cDNA library prepared from RNA from root tissue of the Thai medicinal plant Cassia alata L. (ringworm bush, Leguminosae). Gene transcript for these three type-III polyketide synthases was found to accumulate predominantly in roots. The heterologously expressed enzymes accepted acetyl-, n-butyryl-, isovaleryl-, n-hexanoyl-, benzoyl-, cinnamoyl-, and p-coumaroyl-CoA as starter molecules and together with the co-substrate malonyl-CoA, formed multiple products. With the exception of the assay in which acetyl-CoA was used as the starter molecule, all substrates yielded a phloroglucinol derivative resulting from three sequential condensations of acetate units derived from three malonyl-CoA decarboxylations. Every substrate tested also produced two pyrone derivatives, one resulting from two acetate unit condensations (a bis-noryangonin-type pyrone derailment product) and one resulting from three acetate unit condensations (a 4-coumaroyltriacetic acid lactone-type pyrone derailment). C. alata accumulates the flavonoids quercetin, naringenin and kaempferol in roots, suggesting that the in planta function of these enzymes is the biosynthesis of root flavonoids.