Comprehensive analysis of different solvent extracts of Ferula communis L. fruit reveals phenolic compounds and their biological properties via in vitro and in silico assays.

Although giant fennel is recognized as a "superfood" rich in phytochemicals with antioxidant activity, research into the antibacterial properties of its fruits has been relatively limited, compared to studies involving the root and aerial parts of the plant. In this study, seven solvents-acetone, methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, water, and hexane-were used to extract the chemical constituents of the fruit of giant fennel (Ferula communis), a species of flowering plant in the carrot family Apiaceae. Specific attributes of these extracts were investigated using in silico simulations and in vitro bioassays. High-performance liquid chromatography equipped with a diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD) identified 15 compounds in giant fennel extract, with p-coumaric acid, 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, sinapic acid, and syringic acid being dominant. Among the solvents tested, ethanol demonstrated superior antioxidant activity and phenolic and flavonoid contents. F. communis extracts showed advanced inhibition of gram-negative pathogens (Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis) and variable antifungal activity against tested strains. Molecular docking simulations assessed the antioxidative, antibacterial, and antifungal properties of F. communis, facilitating innovative therapeutic development through predicted compound-protein interactions. In conclusion, the results validate the ethnomedicinal use and potential of F. communis. This highlights its significance in natural product research and ethnopharmacology.

Investigation of physio-mechanical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of starch-zinc oxide nanoparticles active films reinforced with Ferula gummosa Boiss essential oil.

The production of surface compounds coated with active substances has gained significant attention in recent years. This study investigated the physical, mechanical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of a composite made of starch and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) containing various concentrations of Ferula gummosa essential oil (0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%). The addition of ZnO NPs improved the thickness, mechanical and microbial properties, and reduced the water vapor permeability of the starch active film. The addition of F. gummosa essential oil to the starch nanocomposite decreased the water vapor permeability from 6.25 to 5.63 g mm-2 d-1 kPa-1, but this decrease was significant only at the concentration of 1.5% of essential oils (p < 0.05). Adding 1.5% of F. gummosa essential oil to starch nanocomposite led to a decrease in Tensile Strength value, while an increase in Elongation at Break values was observed. The results of the antimicrobial activity of the nanocomposite revealed that the pure starch film did not show any lack of growth zone. The addition of ZnO NPs to the starch matrix resulted in antimicrobial activity on both studied bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli). The highest antimicrobial activity was observed in the starch/ZnO NPs film containing 1.5% essential oil with an inhibition zone of 340 mm2 on S. aureus. Antioxidant activity increased significantly with increasing concentration of F. gummosa essential oil (P < 0.05). The film containing 1.5% essential oil had the highest (50.5%) antioxidant activity. Coating also improved the chemical characteristics of fish fillet. In conclusion, the starch nanocomposite containing ZnO NPs and F. gummosa essential oil has the potential to be used in the aquatic packaging industry.

Characterization and investigation of cytotoxicity and antimicrobial properties of coencapsulated limonene and thymol into the Ferula assafoetida gum microparticles.

Thymol (Th) and d-limonene (L) exhibit low stability and are prone to oxidation when exposed to air, light, humidity, and high temperatures. This study examined the coencapsulation of Th and L into Ferula assafoetida gum (AFG) microparticles. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) were done to characterize the obtained complexes. Furthermore, the encapsulation efficiency, antibacterial properties, cytotoxicity, and anticancer properties of both the free and encapsulated forms of L and Th were measured. For all samples, by increasing the percentage of bioactive compound (L, Th, and L-Th) from 2.5 to 5 % w/w, the EE was increased. FTIR and XRD analysis results demonstrated that Th and L were successfully incorporated into the AFG. Additionally, thermogravimetric analysis showed that in the thermal graphs of all samples, the first weight loss occurred between 30 °C and 160 °C, which was due to the evaporation of water. In the free L and Th graph, a sharp reduction peak was observed in which 80 % of compounds were lost. These reduction peaks disappeared in the thermal graphs of L: AFG and Th: AFG revealing that the thermal stability of Th and L was significantly increased upon their incorporation into the AFG. The inclusion of Th into the AFG also led to an increase in its antibacterial activity, while L exhibited acceptable antibacterial activity, albeit not as high as Th. Additionally, according to the MIC results, Th: AFG had the best antibacterial activity among all compounds, especially on gram-positive bacteria. According to the result of the MTT assay, there was a significant difference between the IC50 of free Th (123.4 µg/ml) and Th: AFG (2312 µg/ml), and free L (1762 µg/ml) and L: AFG (2480 µg/ml) showing that encapsulated Th and L into the AFG has decreased the cytotoxicity of free compounds against L929 cell line. Also, Th: AFG had the best anticancer activity against Hella and CT26 cell lines among all compounds. Finally, the flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that the encapsulated particles effectively eliminated cancer cells. The outcomes imply that AFG can be employed as a suitable delivery system to enhance the use of Th and L into the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Dauferulins A-L, daucane-type sesquiterpenes from the roots of Ferula communis: Their structures and biological activities.

Phytochemical study on the roots of a medicinal plant Ferula communis L. (Apiaceae) resulted in the isolation of 20 sesquiterpenes including 12 previously undescribed compounds, dauferulins A-L (1-12). The detailed spectroscopic analysis revealed 1-12 to be daucane-type sesquiterpenes with a p-methoxybenzoyloxy group at C-6. The absolute configurations of 1-12 were deduced by analysis of the ECD spectra. Dauferulins A-L (1-12), known sesquiterpenes (13-20), and analogues (14a-14l) derived from 6-O-p-methoxybenzoyl-10α-angeloyloxy-jeaschkeanadiol (14) were evaluated for their effects on AMPK phosphorylation in human hepatoma HepG2 cells as well as inhibitory activities against erastin-induced ferroptosis on human hepatoma Hep3B cells and IL-1ß production from LPS-treated murine microglial cells.

Efficient extraction of oleoresin from Ferula gummosa roots by natural deep eutectic solvent and its structure and chemical characterizations.

Deep eutectic solvents in the extraction of plant metabolites have found many advantages, such as low toxicity, biodegradability, low cost and ease of preparation over the conventional methods. This work aims to compare natural deep eutectic solvents in extraction and optimization of oleoresin from Ferula gummosa and determining its chemical and structure properties. Box-Behnken design was applied to optimize the extraction of oleoresin from Ferula gummosa using eutectic solvents. The variables of extraction were extraction time, temperature, and ratio of eutectic solvents. Six mixtures of eutectic solvents including choline chloride/urea, acetic acid, lactic acid, formic acid, formamide and glycerol at ratios of 2:1 and 3:1 were evaluated. The highest yields were obtained for choline chloride/formic acid, choline chloride/formamide. The quadratic regression equation was set up as a predictive model with an R2 value of 0.85. The optimum condition was 6 h, 40 °C, and ratio 12.5% (w/v). No significant difference was found between the predicted and experimental yield. The main components of the oleoresin were ß-pinene (40.27%), cylcofenchen (11.93%) and α-pinene (7.53%) as characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The chemical structure study by spectroscopy showed that no solvents remained in the oleoresin. Therefore, F. gummosa oleoresin can be explored as a novel promising natural pharmaceutical ingredient extracted with eutectic solvents.

Exploring the anticancer properties of the gum of Ferula gummosa: impact on cytotoxicity, caspase 3/7 activity and apoptosis, and gene expression in SW-480 cells.

Ferula gummosa Boiss. is a well-known Iranian endemic plant that grows in the north and northeast regions of Iran. In Iranian traditional medicine, its gum is utilized to treat inflammation, pain, and infections of the gastrointestinal system. However, no studies have been conducted to investigate the anticancer potential of its gum against colorectal cancer cells. This study aimed to identify the chemical components of the gum of F. gummosa and investigate its effects on SW-480 cells. The experiments included MTT, clonogenic, micronucleus formation, acridine orange/ethidium bromide stain, DNA degradation, caspase 3/7 activity assay, and in vitro wound-healing experiment and investigating the expression of BAX, BCL2, MTOR, and PTEN genes. Chemical analysis using GC/MS identified 102 compounds. The gum had a significant cytotoxic effect on SW-480 cells, with an IC50 value of 1.8 µg/ml for 48 hours. The gum induced apoptosis. Microscopic observations revealed a decrease in cell proliferation, as evidenced by nuclear condensation, increased micronucleus formation, and inhibition of colony formation. Additionally, the gum suppressed cell migration, induced the expression of PTEN and BAX, and down-regulated MTOR and BCL2 genes. These findings suggest that Ferula gummosa has strong cytotoxic properties and warrants further investigation.

Antitumor and Phytochemical Properties of Ferula assa-foetida L. Oleo-Gum-Resin against HT-29 Colorectal Cancer Cells In Vitro and in a Xenograft Mouse Model.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequently occurring tumors. Ferula assa-foetida oleo-gum-resin (OGR) extract is a traditional cooking spice known for its broad spectrum of biological activities such as antifungal, antiparasitic, and anti-inflammatory activities. This study evaluated the antitumor effect of OGR extract against HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. The OGR chemical composition was analyzed using LC-ESI-MS/MS; MTT, clonogenic assays, and a xenograft model were used to measure cytotoxicity, while apoptotic proteins were detected using Western blotting. Phytochemical analysis revealed that the extract was a rich source of isoflavones, xanthones, and other derivatives. In a dose-dependent manner, the OGR extract significantly inhibited colony formation ability and HT-29 cell growth (IC50 was 3.60 ± 0.02 and 10.5 ± 0.1 mg/mL, respectively). On the other hand, the OGR extract significantly induced apoptosis and increased the expression of some pro-death proteins involved in cellular apoptosis including PUMA, BIM, BIK, and BAK. Moreover, in a subcutaneous HT-29 xenograft model, the tumor volume and burden decreased after treatment with the OGR extract (550 ± 32 mm3 and 16.3 ± 3.6, respectively) This study demonstrated that Ferula assa-foetida OGR ethanolic extract has potential antitumor effects against HT-29 CRC cell lines by reducing cell viability and the function of apoptosis. More studies are needed to reveal the underlying mechanisms related to cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction.

Comparison effects of Ferula gummosa essential oil and Beta-pinene Alginate nanoparticles on human melanoma and breast cancer cells proliferation and apoptotic index in short term normobaric hyperoxic model.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, and melanoma is the most dreadful type of skin cancer. Due to the side effects of chemotherapy drugs, the development of new herbal nano-medicines has been considered. METHODS: This study first investigated the chemical composition of Ferula gummosa essential oil using GC-MS analysis; ß-pinene, with 61.57%, was the major compound. Next, alginate nanoparticles containing ß-pinene and the essential oil with particle sizes of 174 ± 7 and 137 ± 6 nm were prepared. Meanwhile, their zeta potentials were 12.4 ± 0.7 and 28.1 ± 1 mV. Besides, the successful loading of ß-pinene and the essential oil in nanoparticles was confirmed using ATR-FTIR analysis. After that, their effects on viability and apoptotic index of human melanoma and breast cancer cells were investigated in normoxia and normobaric hyperoxia (NBO) conditions. RESULTS: The best efficacy on A-375 and MDA-MB-231 cells was achieved by alginate nanoparticles containing the EO at hyperoxic and normoxia conditions; IC50 76 and 104 µg/mL. Besides, it affected apoptosis-involved genes; as Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was higher than 1, conditions for induction of apoptosis were obtained. Higher sensitivity was observed in the A-375 cell line treated with Alg-EO in the NBO model. CONCLUSIONS: Alginate nanoparticles containing F. gummosa EO could be considered for further investigation in anticancer studies. Also, it may be expected that NBO can be a new strategy for delaying cancer progression and improving nanotherapy efficacy.

Effects of silver nanoparticles prepared by aqueous extract of Ferula communis on the developing mouse embryo after maternal exposure.

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from aqueous silver nitrate has been achieved using an extract of Ferula communis leaf as a capping, reducing, and stabilizing agent. The formation and stability of the green synthesized silver nanoparticles in the colloidal solution were monitored by absorption measurements. Silver nanoparticles were characterized by different analyses such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and FT-IR spectroscopy. The average particle size of silver nanoparticles was determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. In this experiment, pregnant female mice were divided into four groups (G); G1 was the control and received phosphate-buffered saline, G2 received orally aqueous extract of F. communis leaf, G3 received orally AgNPs chemically prepared by NaBH4, and G4 received orally AgNPs prepared by aqueous extract of F. communis leaf. The diameter of AgNPs was 20 nm. AgNPs exhibited good catalytic reduction ability toward methyl orange in the presence of sodium borohydride with a rate constant of 2.95 x 10-4 s-1. The results revealed the occurrence of resorbed embryos in G2, G3, and G4 with different percentages. The livers of mothers and embryos at E14.5 in G2, G3, and G4 showed different levels of histopathological alteration and increase in GFAP and CTGF expressions compared with the control group. The study concluded that the oral administration of small-sized AgNPs (20 nm) prepared by Ferula extract had less toxicity than those prepared by the chemical method.

A multimodality therapeutic application on Toxoplasma gondii encephalitis utilizing Spiramycin and 'de novo' Ferula asafetida in immunodeficient mice.

This study investigated a 'de Novo' medicinal herb, Ferula asafetida (FA), against toxoplasma encephalitis either alone or combined with spiramycin (SP). Female Swiss-Webster mice (n = 72) were divided into three batches. Batch-I received no DMS to serve as an immunocompetent control, batch-II was immune-suppressed with the DMS (0.25 mg/g/day) for 14 days pre-infection, whilst batch-III was immune-suppressed with the DMS on the same day of infection. All experimental mice were inoculated with Toxoplasma gondii ME49 cysts (n = 75). Each batch was split into four subgroups: Mono-SP, mono-FA, combined drug (SP + FA), or neither. Therapies were administered on day zero of infection in batches (I and II) and 35 days post-infection in batch (III). Treatments lasted for 14 days, and mice were sacrificed 60 days post-infection. Histopathological changes, cysts load, and CD4 and CD8 T-cells were counted in brain tissues. The cyst-load count in mice receiving SP + FA was significantly (p < .0001) the least compared to the mono treatments in all protocols. Interestingly, the combined therapy demolished the T-cell subsets to zero in immunocompetent and immunocompromised infected mice. In conclusion, F. asafetida might be a powerfully natural, safe vehicle of SP in the digestive system and/or across the brain-blood barrier to control toxoplasmosis even through immunodeficient conditions.

Conferone, a coumarin from Ferula flabelliloba, induced toxic effects on adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is a lymphoid malignancy caused by HTLV-1 infection, with distinct geographical distribution. Despite advances in cancer treatment, the average survival rate of ATL is low. Conferone is a natural coumarin extracted from Ferula species with a wide range of pharmaceutical effects. In search for a novel chemotherapeutic agent, we investigated the cytotoxicity of conferone on ATL cells. METHODS: To obtain conferone, the methanolic extract of the roots of F. flabelliloba was subjected to silica gel column chromatography, followed by 1H- and 13C-NMR to confirm its structure. For cytotoxicity assay, MT-2 cells were treated with different concentrations of conferone (2.5, 5, 10, 20, and 40 µM) for 24, 48, and 72 h, and viability was evaluated by a colorimetric assay using alamarBlue. Cell cycle was analyzed by PI staining and flow cytometry, and qPCR was used to study the expression of candidate genes. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Obtained findings indicated that conferone induced considerable cytotoxic effects on MT-2 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. In addition, accumulation of cells in the sub-G1 phase of the cell cycle was detected upon conferone administration. Moreover, conferone reduced the expression of CDK6, c-MYC, CFLIPL, and NF-κB (Rel-A) in MT-2 cells. Accordingly, conferone could be considered as a potent agent against ATL, although complementary investigations are required to define more precisely its mechanism of action.

Novel Cytotoxic Sesquiterpene Coumarin Ethers and Sulfur-Containing Compounds from the Roots of Ferula turcica.

Six new sesquiterpene coumarin ethers, namely turcicanol A (1), turcicanol A acetate (2), turcicanol B (3), turcica ketone (4), 11'-dehydrokaratavicinol (5), and galbanaldehyde (6), and one new sulfur-containing compound, namely turcicasulphide (7), along with thirty-two known secondary metabolites were isolated from the root of the endemic species Ferula turcica Akalin, Miski, & Tuncay through a bioassay-guided isolation approach. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with the literature. Cell growth inhibition of colon cancer cell lines (COLO205 and HCT116) and kidney cancer cell lines (UO31 and A498) was used to guide isolation. Seventeen of the compounds showed significant activity against the cell lines.

In Vitro Evaluation of Ferutinin Rich-Ferula communis L., ssp. glauca, Root Extract on Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity: Antioxidant Properties and Cell Cycle Modulation.

The clinical use of anthracycline Doxorubicin as an antineoplastic drug in cancer therapy is limited by cardiotoxic effects that can lead to congestive heart failure. Recent studies have shown several promising activities of different species of the genus Ferula belonging to the Apiaceae Family. Ferula communis is the main source of Ferutinin-a bioactive compound isolated from many species of Ferula-studied both in vitro and in vivo because of their different effects, such as estrogenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and also antiproliferative and cytotoxic activity, performed in a dose-dependent and cell-dependent way. However, the potential protective role of Ferutinin in myocardium impairment, caused by chemotherapeutic drugs, still represents an unexplored field. The aim of this study was to test the effects of Ferutinin rich-Ferula communis L. root extract (FcFE) at different concentrations on H9C2 cells. Moreover, we evaluated its antioxidant properties in cardiomyocytes in order to explore new potential therapeutic activities never examined before in other experimental works. FcFE, at a concentration of 0.25 µM, in the H9C2 line, significantly reduced the ROS production induced by H2O2 (50 µM and 250 µM) and traced the cell mortality of the H9C2 co-treated with Ferutinin 0.25 µM and Doxorubicin (0.5 µM and 1 µM) to control levels. These results showed that FcFE could protect against Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Further molecular characterization of this natural compound may open the way for testing FcFE at low concentrations in vivo and in clinical studies as an adjuvant in cancer therapy in association with anthracyclines to prevent side effects on heart cells.

Eficacia del tratamiento de rehabilitación para el síndrome del túnel carpiano: un ensayo clínico controlado aleatorizado / Efficacy of rehabilitation treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome: A randomized controlled clinical trial

Introducción y objetivo El síndrome del túnel carpiano es la neuropatía del nervio mediano más frecuente. Existen múltiples tratamientos invasivos y no invasivos, incluyen férulas, ultrasonido terapéutico (UST) e infiltraciones con esteroides (IE) que han demostrado una mejora en los estudios de conducción nerviosa (ECN), sin embargo, se desconoce el efecto de los tratamientos conservadores combinados. El objetivo fue determinar la eficacia del tratamiento conservador para mejorar los ECN y las manifestaciones clínicas en pacientes con síndrome del túnel carpiano. Métodos Pacientes con diagnóstico de síndrome del túnel carpiano mediante ECN, sin enfermedades que afecten al nervio periférico. Todos firmaron consentimiento informado y fueron aleatorizados en 3 grupos de tratamiento (G1: férula+UST; G2: férula+IE; G3; férula+UST+IE). Participaron 3 médicos especialistas en rehabilitación (médico 1: realizó los ECN; médico 2: realizó evaluaciones clínicas; médico 3: realizó la IE). Tratamientos: UST (10 sesiones continuas de lunes a viernes durante dos semanas, 3MHz, 0,8W/cm2, 8min) aplicado por el mismo fisioterapeuta. Infiltración: dosis única, 1ml de metilprednisolona (40mg/ml) mezclado con 1ml de (0,5%) bupivacaína. Férula: férulas neutras volares hechas a la medida, de fibra de vidrio para uso nocturno. Resultados Se incluyeron 30 pacientes y 30 manos, con una edad de 50,5±7,5 años, todas ellas mujeres. Los grupos no tenían diferencias en las variables electrofisiológicas y clínicas al inicio del estudio. Tras la intervención (4 semanas) los grupos 2 y 3 mostraron mejoría en el ECN (p<0,05) siendo mayor en el grupo 3. En la evaluación final (8 semanas) todos los grupos mostraron una mejoría en las variables electrofisiológicas y clínicas. Conclusiones El tratamiento combinado de férula+UST+IE presenta resultados significativos en el ECN a las 4 semanas de seguimiento, en comparación a los otros dos grupos (AU)

Introduction and objective Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common median nerve mononeuropathy. There are multiple conservative treatments, invasive (corticoid injections [CI]) and non-invasive (splinting, therapeutic ultrasound [TUS], laser, exercise). However, the treatment choice is controversial. The aim was to determine the efficacy of conservative treatment to improve the clinical and electrophysiological evaluations. Methods Outpatients referred whit carpal tunnel syndrome clinical diagnosis to perform nerve conduction study (NCS) were included, without chronic or metabolic diseases that affect the peripheral nerves, without carpal tunnel syndrome treatment and with mild or moderate axonotmesis or neuropraxia in NCS baseline. Patients who signed informed consent forms were randomized in three treatment groups (Group 1: TUS+splint; Group 2: CI+splint and Group 3: TUS+CI+splint) were referred for clinical evaluations. The NCS was performed in each patient at baseline, fourth and eighth weeks by the same physiatrist and the clinical evaluations were performed at baseline and the final follow-up. Results Thirty patients were included; mean age was 50.7±7.5 years and all of them females, without differences in NCS or clinical variables in the baseline evaluations. All groups exhibited improvement in some clinical and electrophysiological variables in the final evaluation, though only group 3 showed improvement on median/ulnar nerves sensory peak latency difference (1.2±0.4 vs. 0.4±0.4; p=0.001) starting in week four. Conclusions The conservative treatment in patients with CTS improves NCS and clinical variables, including the most sensitive electrophysiological test (medial/ulnar difference), though if we combined three treatments (splint+TUS+CI), the improvement was found to be faster and remarkable (AU)

Preliminary phytochemical screening and antibacterial effects of root bark of Ferula communis (Apiaceae).

INTRODUCTION: Plants are widely used in traditional medicine because they contain a high concentration of antimicrobial agents, serving as the foundation for medicines. The aim of this study was preliminary identification of phytochemicals and assesses the antimicrobial activity of extracts of Ferula communis root bark. METHODS: Plant was collected, and standard qualitative procedures were conducted. The plant samples were extracted with 99.9% methanol and 80% ethanol. To identify phytochemicals found in plants, a preliminary phytochemical analysis was performed. Agar diffusion tests, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were performed to evaluate antibacterial activity. RESULT: The preliminary phytochemical analysis of the ethanol and methanol extract revealed positive results for flavonoids, coumarins and tannins. Terpenoids and anthraquinones were detected only in the methanol extract. The extract of Ferula communis showed an antibacterial effect on both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria in a concentration-dependent manner. The average zone of inhibition for gram-positive bacteria was 11 mm, whereas for gram-negative bacteria, it was 9 mm. The MIC and MBC values also varied with the type of bacteria. In all bacterial species tested, the mean MBC value was similar to the MIC. CONCLUSION: Different phytochemicals were detected in extracts of the root bark of F. communis and extracts showed antibacterial effects in a concentration-dependent manner. Therefore, further purification and evaluation of the extracts and antioxidant activity of the plant should be investigated.

Chemistry, Bioactivity, and Prediction of the Quality Marker (Q-Marker) of Ferula Plants in China: A Review.

The genus of Ferula belongs to the family Apiaceae, and many Ferula plants are used as traditional Chinese medicines. Ferula plants were initially identified as early as the "Newly Revised Materia Medica" written in the Tang Dynasty (AD 659), and several of them are also recognized as the traditional medicines of the Uygur, Kazakh, and Mongolian. Ferula plants are distributed in China, Russia, India, Africa, Central Asia, and other places. Currently, the chemical components derived from Ferula plants are mainly coumarins, sesquiterpenes, and volatile oils. Ferula plants can exhibit diverse pharmacological activities such as anti-allergy, analgesia, relieving cough, anticoagulation, and anti-tumor. Therefore, this article summarized the domestic research conducted on the genus Ferula, appropriately combines the research status of the foreign genus Ferula, and describes the chemical composition, biological activity, toxicity issues, and Q-marker prediction. In addition, all the related studies about the genus Ferula are summarized by analyzing the various databases such as CNKI, Wanfang data, PubChem and SciFinder.

Encapsulation of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 in alginate-galbanum (Ferula Gummosa Boiss) gum microspheres and evaluation of the survival in simulated gastrointestinal conditions in probiotic Tahini halva.

One of the famous traditional confectionery products is Tahini halva. The aim of this study was the production of probiotic halva using free Lactobacillus acidophilus (FLA) and microencapsulated Lactobacillus acidophilus (MLA) with sodium alginate and galbanum gum as the second layer. The survival rate of MLA and FLA during heat stress, storage time, and simulation gastrointestinal condition in Tahini halva was assessed. The survival rates of MLA and FLA under heat stress were 50.13% and 34.6% respectively. During storage in Tahini halva, the cell viability loss was 3.25 Log CFU g-1 and 6.94 Log CFU g-1 for MLA and FLA, separately. Around 3.58 and 4.77 Log CFU g-1 bacteria were reduced after 6 h of exposure in simulated gastrointestinal conditions, for MLA and FLA respectively. These results suggest that the use of alginate and galbanum gum is a promising approach to protecting L. acidophilus against harsh environmental conditions.

Investigation of composition, antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic characteristics from Juniperus sabina and Ferula communis extracts.

Plants have been one the most valuable sources of biologically active compounds. This study investigates the chemical composition, as well as the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities of methanolic and ethanolic extracts from Juniperus sabina and Ferula communis leaves, grown in Cyprus. Total phenolic and flavonoids content of methanol and ethanol extracts were quantified. Chemical constituents of the leaf extracts were analysed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Mome inositol was the predominant component in the J. Sabina's extracts. The most dominant component in F. communis ethanolic extract was phytol, while in FCL methanolic extract 1,3,4,5 tetrahydroxycyclohexanecarboxylic acid. Antioxidant activities were evaluated by 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical-scavenging ability. Antioxidant activity results revealed concentration dependent activity for methanolic and ethanolic extracts from the plant leaves. Antibacterial activity of plant extracts was tested against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria using disk diffusion and minimal inhibitory concentration methods. Cytotoxic activity of plant extracts were evaluated on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines, where they demonstrated their potential on the viability of both cell lines. The biological activity revealed by plants is due to the bioactive compounds found in the extracts. These bioactive components could be used as anticancer drug candidates.

New antiprotozoal sesquiterpene derivatives from Dorema glabrum Fisch & C.A.Mey.

Seven undescribed sesquiterpene derivatives, Azerins A-G (3-6, 8, 14 and 15), three known sesquiterpene phenols, kopetdaghin A (1), kopetdaghin B (2) and latisectin (7), together with five known sesquiterpene coumarins (9-13), were isolated from the roots of Dorema glabrum. The structures were elucidated by comprehensive 1D- and 2D-NMR spectral analysis as well as HR-ESI-MS. Compounds were assessed for their in vitro antiprotozoal activity against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, T. cruzi, Leishmania donovani, and Plasmodium falciparum. Cytotoxic potentials of the compounds were also tested on L6 rat skeletal myoblasts. Azerin G (15) showed a potent preferential growth inhibitory activity against T. b. rhodesiense with IC50 value of 0.01 µM and selectivity index of 329. Compounds 1, 4, 7 and 8 were also found as the most active compounds with selective growth inhibitory effects toward P. falciparum with selectivity indices ranging from 11.6 to 16.7 (IC50: 1.8-24.6 µM).

Biosynthesize, physicochemical characterization and biological investigations of chitosan-Ferula gummosa essential oil (CS-FEO) nanocomposite.

The bioavailability, solubility, stability, and evaporation rate of essential oils can all be improved by using appropriate nanocarriers. This study describes the simple biosynthesize, physicochemical, optical, and biological activity of Chitosan-Ferula gummosa essential oil (CS-FEO) nanocomposite. The prepared nanocomposite was evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-vis and photoluminescence (PL) techniques. The XRD investigation showed that crystallinity indexes of CS-FEO nanocomposite were lower than that of the pure CS and higher than nano-CS. According to SEM/TEM images, a spherical shape with a particle size distribution of around 50-250 nm for nanocomposite was obtained. PL measurement exhibited the addition of FEO caused a strong red emission. GC-MS analysis showed 40 various components in FEO. The antibacterial activity was studied using broth micro-dilution, disc diffusion, colony counts, and well agar diffusion methods against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The results revealed that CS-FEO has stronger antibacterial activities than pure CS. It was also observed that the combined use of CS with FEO resulted in synergistic effects against studied bacteria. Obtained results imply that the CS-FEO may provide a new outlook in biomedical applications.