Current Issue : April-June Volume : 2026 Issue Number : 2 Articles : 5 Articles
The need for new medications to treat diabetes mellitus (DM) is a global health concern due to the cost and impact on patients and their families, health systems, and society. Recent approaches in drug development have focused on multitarget therapy for DM, considering its multifactorial and complex pathophysiology. The present work contributes to the review of the plant species Schinus molle L. (pirul), a tropical tree native to South America but now widespread worldwide, which has demonstrated anticancer, analgesic, antibacterial, and insecticidal properties. According to traditional uses, pirul has been employed as a food condiment, in the preparation of beverages and chewing gums, and in the treatment of DM. The antidiabetic effects of pirul appear to act through several mechanisms involved in DM. The methanolic extract of S. molle fruits collected in Tunisia exhibited a dosedependent inhibition on both α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes (77.49% and 86.45%, respectively). A dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effect was also observed at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 h, in the carrageenan-induced rats’ paw edema model. Furthermore, in both the H2O2 and the superoxide radical assays, the pirul extract demonstrated moderate antioxidant activity (IC50 = 0.22 mg/mL). Isomasticadienonic acid and Masazino-flavanone, the major components of active fractions and extracts of S. molle represent promising antidiabetic agents. Although pirul appears to be safe in in vivo acute and subchronic administrations, toxicological studies and clinical trials in individuals with DM are still pending....
Bursera microphylla A. Gray (Burseraceae) is a medicinal plant native to Sonora, Mexico, with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties. However, the pharmacological potential of its ecotypes remains underexplored. This study evaluated the biological activity and chemical composition of ethanolic extracts from the fruit and stem of the Magdalena ecotype. Total phenolic content was quantified using the Folin–Ciocalteu method, and phenolic profiles were characterized by ESI-IT-MS. Antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH and FRAP assays; anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by measuring nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels in LPS-activated RAW264.7 macrophages. Antiproliferative activity was tested against LS180, C-33 A, and ARPE-19 cell lines using the MTT assay. Fruit extract exhibited higher phenolic content (180.6 ± 22.0 mg GAE/g) and ferricreducing power (FRAP = 2034.3 ± 89.7 μM Fe(II)/g), whereas the stem extract showed stronger DPPH scavenging capacity (IC50 = 52.9 ± 0.02 μg/mL). For the first time, gallic acid glucoside, kaempferol rhamnoside, quercetin rhamnoside, and isorhamentin xyloside were identified in B. microphylla fruit extract. Furthermore, the fruit extract significantly reduced NO production (93.6 ± 4.6 μg/mL) and TNF-α levels (IC50 = 101.5 ± 9.1 μg/mL). It also showed strong cytotoxicity against C-33 A (IC50 = 0.6 ± 0.07 μg/mL) and LS180 (0.7 ± 0.01 μg/mL), with lower cytotoxicity in ARPE-19 cells (77.9 ± 4.3 μg/mL). These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of the Magdalena ecotype, likely associated with its phenolic and other bioactive metabolites that require further investigation....
Gmelina philippensis Cham. (Lamiaceae) is a traditionally valued medicinal plant with unexplored potential for the management of neurodegenerative disorders. In the present study, the phytochemical profile of its methanolic leaf extract was comprehensively characterized using untargeted liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry metabolomics (LC–MS/MS) and molecular networking. In addition, the extract was evaluated for its antioxidant and cholinesterase inhibitory activities relevant to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Metabolite profiling led to the annotation of 27 compounds, with a predominance of flavonoids and iridoid glycosides unique to the genus Gmelina, along with phenolic acids, lipids, and other minor compounds. The extract exhibited potent in vitro antioxidant activity, with an IC50 of 7.49 ± 0.002 μg/mL in the DPPH assay and 639.63 ± 0.814 μg AAE/mg in the FRAP assay. Notably, the extract showed significant inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, with an IC50 of 4.87 ± 0.16 and 40.99 ± 0.03 μg/mL, respectively. Molecular networking further supported the metabolite annotation and highlighted clusters of bioactive iridoids and flavonoids. Overall, these findings highlight that G. philippensis as a rich source of multi-target bioactive compounds, supporting that the extract has good anti-acetylcholinesterase activity comparable to the rivastigmine that used in neurodegenerative disease. This study provides a promising foundation for the development of novel therapeutic approaches targeting neurodegenerative diseases....
The mango (Mangifera indica L.) is a commonly cultivated tropical fruit across the globe. It is known to be rich in carotenoids, polyphenols, and vitamins, compounds that largely account for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Although the beneficial effects of mango phytochemicals have been widely documented, virtually no studies have investigated extracellular vesicles (EVs) originating from mango fruit. In the presented work, we developed a workflow combining differential centrifugation, filtration, and size-exclusion chromatography for the isolation of EVs from mango pulp. The isolates were characterized in accordance with the guidelines of the International Society of Extracellular Vesicles recommendations. The optimized size-exclusion chromatography column, packed with Sepharose CL-6B beads, enabled the recovery of a high-quality EV fraction, which was characterized in terms of physicochemical properties. Additionally, proteomic analysis identified 1084 proteins, many of which are associated with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory functions. These findings provide the first comprehensive characterization of mango-derived EVs and suggest that they may contribute to the biological activity traditionally attributed to mango consumption....
The rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens global health by reducing the effectiveness of current antibiotics. Natural products remain an essential source of structurally diverse compounds with therapeutic potential. This study’s methanolic extracts of Sophora tomentosa L., a leguminous plant with traditional medicinal uses, were fractionated by liquid–liquid extraction and column chromatography. Dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions from leaves and seeds exhibited antibacterial activity against Kocuria rhizophila and Bacillus cereus. GC–MS profiling revealed alkaloids (e.g., matrine), flavonoids (e.g., catechin), phthalic acid derivatives, and fatty acids, supporting the potential of S. tomentosa as a source of novel antibacterial agents....
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