Green Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles from Althaea officinalis Flower Extract Coated with Chitosan for Potential Healing Effects on Diabetic Wounds by Inhibiting TNF-α and IL-6/IL-1ß Signaling Pathways.

Background: Diabetes Mellitus is a multisystem chronic pandemic, wound inflammation, and healing are still major issues for diabetic patients who may suffer from ulcers, gangrene, and other wounds from uncontrolled chronic hyperglycemia. Marshmallows or Althaea officinalis (A.O.) contain bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and phenolics that support wound healing via antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. Our study aimed to develop a combination of eco-friendly formulations of green synthesis of ZnO-NPs by Althaea officinalis extract and further incorporate them into 2% chitosan (CS) gel. Method and Results: First, develop eco-friendly green Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and incorporate them into a 2% chitosan (CS) gel. In-vitro study performed by UV-visible spectrum analysis showed a sharp peak at 390 nm, and Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometry showed a peak of zinc and oxygen. Besides, Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) was used to qualitatively validate biosynthesized ZnO-NPs, and transmission electron microscope (TEM) showed spherical nanoparticles with mean sizes of 76 nm and Zeta potential +30mV. The antibacterial potential of A.O.-ZnO-NPs-Cs was examined by the diffusion agar method against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Based on the zone of inhibition and minimal inhibitory indices (MIC). In addition, an in-silico study investigated the binding affinity of A.O. major components to the expected biological targets that may aid wound healing. Althaea Officinalis, A.O-ZnO-NPs group showed reduced downregulation of IL-6, IL-1ß, and TNF-α and increased IL-10 levels compared to the control group signaling pathway expression levels confirming the improved anti-inflammatory effect of the self-assembly method. In-vivo study and histopathological analysis revealed the superiority of the nanoparticles in reducing signs of inflammation and wound incision in rat models. Conclusion: These biocompatible green zinc oxide nanoparticles, by using Althaea Officinalis chitosan gel ensure an excellent new therapeutic approach for quickening diabetic wound healing.

The comprehensive strategy in the human health risk assessment of total chromium impurities in cough syrups with Marshmallow Root (Althaea officinalis) available in Polish pharmacies: regulatory aspects and special emphasis on Cr(VI) mode of action.

Chromium, which can currently only be considered pharmacologically active and not an essential element, is a very intriguing elemental impurity in final pharmaceutical products, especially traditional herbal medicinal products. This kind of traditional herbal medicinal product with Marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis L., radix) registered in the EU is widely used among the European population. The aim of this article is to propose a double regulatory strategy in assessing the human health risk of total chromium impurities in cough syrups with Marshmallow Root (Althaea officinalis) available in Polish pharmacies. We applied the strategy based on the requirements of the ICH Q3D (R1) guideline for the assessment of Cr impurities in final traditional herbal medicinal products with Marshmallow Root registered in the EU. Furthermore, we applied the strategy based on the concept of margin of exposure (MoE) considering Cr(VI) genotoxicity mode of action (MOA) and based on BMD10 for Cr(VI) as a point of departure (PoD). The total Cr content was in the range: 1.12-9.61 µg/L (in comparison with the ICH Q3D R1 guidelines: 1100 µg/g). Total Cr levels in a single dose were relatively high compared to raw results, but were not a threat to patients. Comparison of estimated results with oral PDE value for Cr in final drugs suggested by the ICH Q3D R1 guideline (10,700 µg/day) show that all the products analyzed were below this value (the highest result was 278.40 ng/day). Despite conservative assumptions, the MoE values obtained for Cr in daily dose for each Marshmallow Root cough syrup were above 10,000; therefore, exposure to Cr would not cause a health risk for specific population groups (children and adults). It can be summarized that each of the phytopharmaceuticals analysed with Marshmallow root available in Polish pharmacies does not represent a health hazard to patients. We confirm the safety of Cr impurities by applying a double regulatory strategy without the application of an expansive and demanding HPLC-ICP-MS technique for Cr speciation.

Design, optimization, and characterization of Althaea officinalis-loaded transliposomes for the treatment of atopic dermatitis: a Box Behnken Design, in vitro, and ex vivo study.

A chronic skin disorder called atopic dermatitis (AD) is brought on by the deterioration of the skin's barrier function marked by inflammation, dryness, and bacterial infection along with immunological changes. Althaea officinalis (AO), known for its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, has been explored as a potential treatment for AD. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a novel transliposomes (TL) formulation containing AO for AD treatment. Using rotary evaporation, AO-TL formulations were created and optimized employing Box Behnken Design. The optimized AO-TL formulation showed consistent characteristics: vesicle size of 145.8 nm, polydispersity index of 0.201, zeta potential of -28.22 mV, and entrapment efficiency of 86.21%. TEM imaging shows the spherical shapes of the vesicle. These findings demonstrate the formulation's stability and ability to encapsulate AO effectively. In vitro drug release studies revealed that the AO-TL formulation released 81.28% of the drug, outperforming conventional AO dispersion (56.80%). Additionally, when applied to rat skin, the TL gel demonstrated deeper penetration (30 µm) in comparison to the standard solution (5.0 µm) based on confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Ex vivo and dermatokinetics studies showed improved penetration of drug-loaded transliposomes gel in rat skin than the conventional AO gel. Overall, the optimized AO-TL formulation offers promising characteristics and performance for the topical treatment of AD. Its drug release, antioxidant activity, and deeper penetration suggest enhanced therapeutic effects. Further research and clinical trials are needed to validate its efficacy and safety in AD patients.

Determination of Multiple Neurotransmitters through LC-MS/MS to Confirm the Therapeutic Effects of Althaea rosea Flower on TTX-Intoxicated Rats.

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) inhibits neurotransmission in animals, and there is no specific antidote. In clinical practice in China, Althaea rosea (A. rosea flower) extract has been used to treat TTX poisoning. In this work, the efficacy of the ethyl acetate fraction extract of A. rosea flower in treating TTX poisoning in rats was investigated. A high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed to determine nine neurotransmitters in rat brain tissue, including γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), noradrenaline (NE), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA), 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA), epinephrine (E), and tyramine (Tyn). The detoxifying effect of A. rosea flower was verified by comparing the changes in neurotransmitters' content in brain tissue before and after poisoning in rats. The assay was performed in multiple reaction monitoring mode. The quantification method was performed by plotting an internal-standard working curve with good linearity (R2 > 0.9941) and sensitivity. Analyte recoveries were 94.04-107.53% (RSD < 4.21%). Results indicated that the levels of 5-HT, DA, E, and NE in the brains of TTX-intoxicated rats decreased, whereas the levels of GABA, Tyn, and 5-HIAA showed an opposite trend, and HVA and DOPAC were not detected. The levels of all seven neurotransmitters returned to normal after the gavage administration of ethyl acetate extract of A. rosea flower to prove that the ethyl acetate extract of A. rosea flower had a therapeutic effect on TTX poisoning. The work provided new ideas for studies on TTX detoxification.

Isolation, structural properties, and bioactivities of polysaccharides from Althaea officinalis Linn.: A review.

Althaea officinalis Linn. (AO) is a widely distributed herbaceous plant with a long history of medicinal and food functions in Europe and Western Asia. Althaea officinalis polysaccharide (AOP), as one of the main components and a crucial bioactive substance of AO, has a variety of pharmacological activities, including antitussive, antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer, wound healing, immunomodulatory, and infertility therapy effects. Many polysaccharides have been successfully obtained in the last five decades from AO. However, there is currently no review available concerning AOP. Considering the importance of AOP for biological study and drug discovery, the present review aims to systematically summarize the recent major studies on extraction and purification methods of polysaccharides from different AO parts (seeds, roots, leaves and flowers), as well as the characterization of their chemical structure, biological activity, structure-activity relationship, and the application of AOP in different fields. Meanwhile, the shortcomings of AOP research are further discussed in detail, and new valuable insights for future AOP research as therapeutic agents and functional foods are proposed.

The efficacy of complementary treatment with marshmallow (Althaea officinalis L.) on vulvovaginal candidiasis: A randomized double-blinded controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Vulvovaginal candidiasis is a common gynecologic infection, and recurring cases are yet incurable. This trial was based on Persian medicine to compare how effective marshmallow aqueous extract 4% plus clotrimazole 1% (CLOT-M) is compared to clotrimazole 1% vaginal creams on VVC. METHODS: This study randomly assigned 100 women with VVC into two groups. The target group (n = 50) was treated with CLOT-M while controls (n = 50) with clotrimazole vaginal creams for seven consecutive nights. Different VVC symptoms and signs, and yeast culture from vaginal discharge were evaluated as the outcome measures before the intervention and 7 and 30 days after. RESULTS: The efficacy of CLOT-M vaginal cream was assessed during the 1st and 2nd follow-ups, indicating a significant decrease in mean itching (P = 0.001 for both comparisons) and dyspareunia score (P = 0.001 and P = 0.04, respectively) as compared to treatment with clotrimazole vaginal cream. Moreover, after 7 days of the intervention, patients in the CLOT-M group experienced significant improvement in mean dysuria score compared to those in the control group (P = 0.001). Neither cream caused any significant adverse events. CONCLUSION: It seems that CLOT-M vaginal cream had a significant effect on the VVC symptoms improvement, without any significant side effects. However, larger sample-sized trials are needed for more evidence-based judgment.

Evaluation of antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, nitric oxide production inhibitory activities and chemical profiles of the active extracts from the medicinal and edible plant: Althaea officinalis.

To develop the medicinal and edible plant resources of Althaea officinalis Linn in Europe and other places, this study concentrated on the bioactive ingredients of its different extracts. The phytochemical compositions of MeOH extracts were evaluated by UPLC-DAD-ESI-Q-TOF-MSn analysis. The in vitro antioxidant properties, enzymes inhibitory effects and nitric oxide (NO) production inhibitory activities of fractions obtained from the aerial parts of Althaea officinalis (APAO) were evaluated. The results identified 76 compounds, including 8 phenolic acids, 17 flavonoids, 6 coumarins, 9 triterpenes and 11 alkaloids. Fr. C-2 of APAO was found to have the highest TPC (175.8 ± 1.5 mg GAE/g) and TFC (466.9 ± 5.0 mg RE/g) with the highest antioxidant capacity in DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP and ß-carotene bleaching assays. Fr. A showed noticeable inhibition of α-glucosidase with an IC50 value of 3.8 ± 0.1 µg/mL. However, Fr. B displayed stronger inhibitory activity on 5-lipoxygenase than quercetin, with the IC50 value of 8.4 ± 1.6 µg/mL. In addition, Fr. B also possessed potent inhibitory activities on NO production toward LPS-activated RAW 264.7 Cells with an IC50 value of 15.7 ± 1.6 µg/mL. Our findings suggest that different Althaea officinalis extracts may be considered sources of phenolic and flavonoid compounds with high potential as natural antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents and blood sugar regulators. In addition, they can also be used in food and nutraceutical products with enhanced bioactivities.

High-efficiency removal of benzene vapor using activated carbon from Althaea officinalis L. biomass as a lignocellulosic precursor.

Benzene is a primary air pollutant commonly found widespread in the indoor environment. It has always been a research focus on the environment due to the causes of significant human health concerns. It has been widely utilized in the synthesis of solvent production, which can rarely be found in high concentrations in outdoor air or high amounts in indoor air, depending on its sources. It is aimed to remove different initial benzene concentrations (from 5 to 1500 ppm) with the production of activated carbon as an excellent adsorbent with a high surface area to be used in these situations. Lignocellulosic wastes have great potential for activated carbon for their advantages (abundant, recycled, and low-cost materials, etc.). This study aimed to evaluate biowaste material for activated carbon production from Althaea officinalis L. biomass by chemical activation (H2SO4, LiOH, and ZnCl2) at temperatures between 500 and 900 °C. Newly developed powdered activated carbons (Ao-ACs) are also tabulated as Ao-AC1-45 for easy reference. Benzene vapor was collected into Tenax TA® tubes by automatic thermal desorption in conjunction with a capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS). The significant surface area and production yield of Ao-ACs were obtained at 1424 m2/g (Ao-AC43) and up to 40.32%, respectively. The maximum gas-phase benzene adsorption capacity was 140 mg/g at 270 min. This research has focused on adsorption gas-phase benzene removal onto Ao-ACs as a low-cost adsorbent from the Althaea officinalis L. biomass. Conspicuously, more study is needed to perform the enhanced adsorption of airborne pollutants capacity with inexpensive activated carbon from waste biomass materials.

Exogenous melatonin reduces water deficit-induced oxidative stress and improves growth performance of Althaea rosea grown on coal mine spoils.

Coal mining activities are responsible for significant land degradation and often long-term irreversible effects on ecosystem functioning. To better understand how coal mined sites could be re-vegetated and ecosystem functioning restored, we address the role of the signalling hormone melatonin, which controls plant growth and development under adverse environmental conditions. We assessed the effects of exogenous melatonin on the plant species Althaea rosea by measuring morphological growth attributes, photosynthetic efficiency, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative damage and antioxidant defence developed by the seedlings when grown on coal-mined spoils under various water regimes. Water deficit and negative effects of coal mine spoils significantly decreased morphological growth attributes (i.e. plant height, root length and dry biomass), gas-exchange traits (i.e. net photosynthesis rate, inter intercellular concentration of CO2, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and water use efficiency) and photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll and carotenoid contents) by increasing the ROS-induce oxidative damage and decreasing antioxidant enzyme activities of A. rosea seedlings. However, melatonin applications increased photosynthetic performance and antioxidant enzyme activities and decreased hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde contents and ultimately improved growth performance of A. rosea in coal-mined spoils. Overall, our findings show how the application of optimum water (63.0 %field capacity equivalent to 1.67 mm day-1) and melatonin (153.0 µM dose) significantly improves the re-vegetation of coal-mined spoils with A. rosea. Our study provides new insight into melatonin-mediated water stress tolerance in A. rosea grown on coal-mined spoils, and this strategy could be implemented in re-vegetation programmes of coal mine-degraded areas under arid and semiarid conditions of the north-western part of China and perhaps across other arid areas worldwide.

Impact of copper treatment on phenylpropanoid biosynthesis in adventitious root culture of Althaea officinalis L.

Althaea officinalis has been widely used in various pharmaceutical applications. The biological effects and significance of phenylpropanoids in numerous industries are well studied. However, fulfilling consumer demand for these commercially important compounds is difficult. The effect of heavy-metal toxic influence on plants is primarily due to a strong and rapid suppression of growth processes, as well as the decline in activity of the photosynthetic apparatus, also associated with progressing senescence processes. Some of the secondary metabolite production was triggered by the application of heavy metals, but there was not a stress response. In the adventitious root culture of A. officinalis, copper-mediated phenylpropanoid biosynthesis has been investigated in both concentration-and duration-dependent manners. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed a total of nine different phenolic compounds in response to different concentrations of copper chloride. In this study, high productivity of phenolic compounds was observed in the copper chloride treated-adventitious root culture of A. officianalis. In particular, a low concentration of copper chloride led to a significant accumulation of phenolic compounds under optimal conditions. Moreover, all genes responsible for phenylpropanoid biosynthesis may be sensitive to phenolic compound production following copper treatment. Especially, the highest change in transcript level was observed from AoANS at 6 h. According to our findings, treatment with copper chloride (0.5 mM) for 48 or 96 h can be an appropriate method to maximize phenylpropanoid levels in A. officinalis adventitious root culture.

Development and Evaluation of Vaginal Suppository Containing Althaea officinalis L. Polysaccharide Extract

Abstract Intrauterine adhesions cause several gynecological problems. Althaea officinalis L. roots known as marshmallows contain polysaccharides (M.P.) which possess anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcerogenic activities also can form a bio-adhesive layer on damaged epithelial membranes prompting healing processes. Vaginal formulations of herbal origin are commonly applied to relieve cervico-uterine inflammation. Herein, we aim to develop and evaluate vaginal suppositories containing polysaccharides isolated from the A. officinalis root. Six formulations (four P.E.G.-based and two lipid-based suppositories containing 25% and 50% M.P.) met standard requirements, which were then subjected to qualitative and quantitative evaluation. All suppositories exhibited acceptable weights, hardness, content uniformity, melting point, and disintegration time, which fall within the acceptable recommended limits. Higher concentrations of M.P. in PEG-bases moderately increased the hardness (p<0.05). PEG-formulations showed content uniformity>90% of the average content while it was 75-83% for suppocire formulations. All formulations disintegrated in<30minutes. In-vitro release test revealed that M.P. release from 25%-MP formulations was higher than that of 50%-M.P. suppositories. Overall, results revealed the feasibility of preparing P.E.G.-or lipid-based suppositories containing M.P., which met the B.P. quality requirement

Study of Superoxide Dismutase Activity in Long-Term Cultivated Artemisia and Althaea "hairy" Roots.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the long-term effect of Agrobacterium rhizogenes genes transfer on plant antioxidant system by the study of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in "hairy" roots of Artemisia and Althaea spp plants. PCR analyses revealed stability of the transformation and presence of bacterial rol B and rol C genes in the "hairy" roots after 4-6 years from the transformation event. SOD activity in the roots of untransformed in vitro cultivated plants used for the initiation of "hairy" roots growth was in the range of 45.8 ± 8.7 U/µg (Althaea officinalis) and 275 ± 97.1 U/µg (Artemisia ludoviciana). After a long-term in vitro cultivation more than half of tested "hairy" root lines (54%) showed a significant increase in SOD activity values compared to untransformed roots. The highest SOD activity values of "hairy" root lines (24-fold increase) were founded in A. officinalis (1105 ± 174 U/µg) and A. dracunculus (1356 ± 402 U/µg). The increase of the activity was found also in "hairy" roots of A. vulgaris (up to 375 ± 28.2 U/µg, sevenfold increase), A. ludoviciana (1001 ± 191 U/µg, 3.6-fold increase), and A. tilesii (438 ± 104 U/µg, 1.6-fold increase). The results of our study indicate that transformation by wild-type A. rhizogenes not harboring any foreign genes implementing in SOD activity regulation can often stably activate plant antioxidant enzyme system. This effect, observed in the "hairy" roots of five plant species in 4-6 years of the transformation event, obviously, should be taken into account in works aimed at creating transgenic plants by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.

Polysaccharide extracted from Althaea officinalis L. root: New studies of structural, rheological and antioxidant properties.

A water-soluble acidic polysaccharide (AOP-2) from Althaea officinalis L. root was isolated by water extraction and purified by ion exchange chromatography (Cellulose DEAE-52) and gel filtration (Sephadex G-200). The structure characteristics of AOP-2 was determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC_MS). The results indicated that the AOP-2 was an acidic hetropolysaccharide with the molecular weight of 639.27 kDa. The AOP-2 composed of 51% galacturonic acid, 32.56% rhamnose, 12.73% glucose and 3.71% galactose. It could be found that the main backbone chain of AOP-2 consisted of →3)-α-D-GalpA-(1→, →3)-α-D-Rhap-(1→ and→3,4)-ß-D-Galp-(1→ with branches of →4)-α-D-Rhap-(1→, →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ and α-D-Rhap-(1 â†’ . Thermal analysis revealed that the AOP-2 had high thermal stability and according to the results obtained from XRD analysis, it had a semi-crystalline structure. The results of Steady-shear flow and dynamical viscoelasticity showed that AOP-2 solutions exhibited shear-thinning behavior with high viscosity and a weak gel-like behavior at concentrations above 1% in linear viscoelastic region. In addition, it showed relatively high antioxidant property.

Additions of optimum water, spent mushroom compost and wood biochar to improve the growth performance of Althaea rosea in drought-prone coal-mined spoils.

Ecosystem degradation as a result of coal mining is a common phenomenon in various regions of the world, especially in arid and semi-arid zones. The implementation of appropriate revegetation techniques can be considered crucial to restore these degraded areas. In this regard, the additions of spent mushroom compost (SMC) and wood biochar (WB) to infertile and degraded soils have been reported to enhance soil fertility and plant growth under water (W) deficit conditions. However, the combined application of W, SMC and WB to coal mine degraded soils, to promote Althaea rosea growth and facilitate subsequent restoration, has not been explored yet. Hence, in the current study a pot experiment was carried out by growing A. rosea on coal mine spoils to assess the influence of different doses of W, SMC and WB on its morpho-physiological and biochemical growth responses. The results indicated that several plant growth traits like plant height, root length and dry biomass significantly improved with moderate W-SMC-WB doses. In addition, the simultaneous application of W-SMC-WB caused a significant decrease in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (by 7-56%), superoxide anion (O2●‒) (by 14-51%), malondialdehyde (MDA) (by 23-46%) and proline (Pro) contents (by 23-66%), as well as an increase in relative water content (by 10-27%), membrane stability index (by 2-24%), net photosynthesis rate (by 40-99%), total chlorophylls (by 43-113%) and carotenoids (by 31-115%), as compared to the control treatment. The addition of SMC and WB under low-W regime enhanced leaf water use efficiency, and soluble sugar content, also boosting the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase in leaf tissues, thus reducing the oxidative stress, as proved by low levels of H2O2, O2●‒, MDA and Pro contents. Finest growth performance under optimum doses of W (60% field capacity), SMC (1.4%) and WB (0.8%) suggest that revegetation of A. rosea with the recommended W-SMC-WB doses would be a suitable and eco-friendly approach for ecological restoration in arid degraded areas.

Effect of topical marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) on atopic dermatitis in children: A pilot double-blind active-controlled clinical trial of an in-silico-analyzed phytomedicine.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic relapsing eczematous skin disease, which primarily affects infants and young children. Due to the side effects of commonly used drugs for its treatment, the development of safer therapeutic strategies is needed. There are many reports on the topical use of marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) for a range of skin diseases in Persian medicine. The main aim of the present investigation was evaluating the efficacy of marshmallow in children with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis. Another aim of the study was screening the anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory potential of phytocomponents against target proteins, including TNF-alpha, IL6, and PDEs A, B, and D enzymes with PDB IDs: 2AZ5, 1P9M, 3I8V, 4KP6, and 1Y2K, respectively, along with their respective standard ligands using computational docking analysis. A pilot clinical trial was designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of Althaea officinalis in children with AD. The diagnosis of AD was made according to the criteria of Hanifin and Rajka. Children between 3 months and 12 years old were participated in this trial and randomly allocated into two parallel intervention and control groups. The intervention group used Althaea officinalis 1% ointment while the positive control group used Hydrocortisone 1% ointment twice a day for a week and after that, three times per week for a period of 3 weeks. The severity of AD was measured using the SCORAD score at the end of each assessment visits. A total number of 22 patients completed the study. A significant decrease of the SCORAD score was observed in both groups. At the end of the study, this score change, which indicates the improvement of the patients was significantly higher in the intervention group in comparison to the baseline (p-value = .015) and week 1 (p-value = .018). In the docking analysis of the study, 33 phytochemical compounds were identified, which were docked into the active site of IL6, TNF-alpha, and human PDE4 isoenzymes. Affinity toward the selected enzymes was significantly higher in glycosylated compounds. The results of this pilot study showed that the efficacy of Althaea officinalis 1% ointment in a decrease of disease severity is more than Hydrocortisone 1% in children with AD. However, further studies are needed to confirm this finding. Moreover, the docking analysis revealed that the inhibitory activity of compounds with free hydroxyl groups such as glycosylated compounds was better than others, probably due to the hydrogen bond interaction of hydroxyl groups of the ligands with the enzymes.

Althaea officinalis improves wound healing in rats: a stereological study.

Althaea officinalis (AO) is reported to have the ability to activate fibroblasts as well as anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. Herein, we investigated the effects of this herbal medicine on wound healing in rat models by using stereological methods. In this experiment, 48 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups randomly (n = 12): the control group with no treatment, the gel-base treated group, 5% and 10% AO-gel treated groups. The treatments were administered every 24 hours. Wound closure rate, volume densities of collagen bundles, hair follicles, and vessels, vessel's length density and mean diameter, and fibroblast populations were estimated. Fibroblast populations, hair follicles, and mean diameter of vessels in the dermis of AO-treated groups were noticeably higher than those of control and base groups. Also, collagen bundles synthesis was significantly higher in the AO10%-treated group compared to the control and base groups. According to our research and previous studies, AO has the potential to be considered as an alternative medicine in wound healing treatment; however, further clinical investigations are suggested.

Microwave-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from the marshmallow roots: Optimization, purification, structure, and bioactivity.

The process optimization and biological characterization of marshmallow root polysaccharides (MRPs) obtained from the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) were studied. The highest MAE-yield (14.47%) was optimized at 457.32 W and 75 °C for 26 min. The extracted crude polysaccharides were purified using ion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatographies and eluted a single symmetrical narrow peak, showing a homogenous fraction (MRP-P1) with a molecular weight of 4.87 × 104 Da. The surface morphology of polysaccharides and functional groups of MRP-P1 were determined by employing scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, respectively. The major monosaccharide composition of MRPs were the three monomers of rhamnose, galactose, and glucose. The antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antitumor activities were increased in a concentration-dependent manner (1.0-10.0 mg/mL). MRP-P1 exhibited a strong in vitro antiproliferative activity against lung (A549), liver (HepG2), and breast (MCF-7) cancer cells. The anticancer activity of polysaccharides extracted under optimal MAE conditions was highly associated with their antioxidant and antibacterial functions.

New infertility therapy effects of polysaccharides from Althaea officinalis leaf with emphasis on characterization, antioxidant and anti-pathogenic activity.

Characterization, antioxidant, anti-pathogenic and infertility therapy effects of polysaccharides from Althaea officinalis (marshmallow) leaf (AOLPS) were investigated. AOLPS was fractionated using ion-exchange chromatography, affording fractions of AOLPS-1, AOLPS-2, AOLPS-3 and AOLPS-4. The fractions were mainly composed of d-galactopyranose (α-(1 â†’ 4)-glycosidic bond) with the average molecular weight of 1220, 2240, 998 and 2670 Da, respectively which means it was a pectin-like polysaccharide. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques were employed to characterize the structure of purified polysaccharides. Compared with AOLPS-1, AOLPS-2 and AOLPS-4, AOLPS-3 had higher potential as a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial. At the same time, the infertility therapy effects of four fractions of AOLPS were in the order AOLPS-3 > AOLPS-4 > AOLPS-1 > AOLPS-2. The experimental study provides strong evidence to exploit A. officinalis leaf in food and pharma manufacturing processes and presents new benefit of this plant in infertility therapy.

Tolerance and distribution of cadmium in an ornamental species Althaea rosea Cavan.

The ornamental plants of Althaea rosea Cavan. were exposed to cadmium (Cd) at concentrations of 0, 5, 10, 50 and 100 mg·kg-1 to evaluate the potential of accumulation capacity and tolerance ability. The results showed that A. rosea was a Cd tolerance plant, and Cd accumulation was 4.57 mg·kg-1 in shoot and 9.43 mg·kg-1 in root at 100 mg·kg-1 Cd concentration. The high tolerance ability could be explained by the distribution characteristics and the defense mechanism. The accumulated Cd was allocated in root, older leaves, and subcellular level of the cell wall and supernatant soluble fraction to protect the physiological leaves from damage. The defense systems included the enzyme systems of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) that could effectively eliminate the excessive ROS, and the non-enzymes system of total soluble proteins and non-protein thiols (NP-SH) that played an important role in detoxification. Thus, A. rosea could be used as a potential species for phytoremediation in Cd contaminated areas and beautify the environment.