Current Issue : 5 Volume : 2011 Issue Number : 1-2 Articles : 6 Articles
Antiapoptotic and antioxidant activities of aqueous-methanolic extract (CAME) of Orthosiphonstamineus Benth(OS), and its hexane (HF), chloroform (CF), n-butanol (NBF), ethyl acetate (EAF) and water (WF) fractions were investigated. Antioxidant properties were evaluated using the assays of Folin-Ciocalteu, aluminiumtrichloride, �Ÿ-carotene bleaching and DPPH. The role of OS against hydrogen peroxide induced apoptosis on MDA-M231 epithelial cells was examined using MTT assay, phase contrast microscope, colorimetric assay of caspase-3, western blot and quantitative real-time PCR. Results showed that EAF showed the highest total phenolic content followed by CAME, NBF, WF, CF and HF, respectively. Flavonoid content was in the order of the CF > EAF > HF > CAME > NBF > WF. The IC50 values on DPPH assay for different extract/fractions were 126.2 �± 23, 31.25 �± 1.2, 15.25 �± 2.3, 13.56 �± 1.9, 23.0 �± 3.2, and 16.66 �± 1.5?�µg/ml for HF, CF, EAF, NBF, WF and CAME, respectively. OSreduced the oxidation of �Ÿ-carotene by hydroperoxides. Cell death was dose-dependently inhibited by pretreatment with OS. Caspase-3 and distinct morphological features suggest the anti-apoptotic activities of OS. This plant not only increased the expression of Bcl-2, but also decreased Bax expression, and ultimately reduced H2O2-induced apoptosis. The current results showed that phenolics may provide health and nutritional benefits....
This article reviews the anti-inflammatory relative and anti-infectious effects of Evodia rutaecarpa and its major bioactive components and the involvement of the nitric oxide synthases, cyclooxygenase, NADPH oxidase, nuclear factor kappa B, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha, reactive oxygen species, prostaglandins, tumor necrosis factor, LIGHT, amyloid protein and orexigenic neuropeptides. Their potential applications for the treatment of endotoxaemia, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and their uses as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal protective agents, analgesics, anti-oxidant, anti-atherosclerosis agents, dermatological agents and anti-infectious agents are highlighted. Stimulation of calcitonin gene-related peptide release may partially explain the analgesic, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal protective, anti-obese activities of Evodia rutaecarpa and its major bioactive components....
Ravan Napas (RN) is a traditional formula used to treat pulmonary symptoms and diseases such as coughing, breathing difficulty, and asthma in traditional Uighur medicine. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory, and immuno-modulatory activity of RN in a well-characterized animal model of allergic asthma. Rats were sensitized with intraperitoneal (ip) ovalbumin (OVA) and alum, and then challenged with OVA aerosols. The asthma model rats were treated with RN; saline- and dexamethasone- (DXM-) treated rats served as normal and model controls. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cellular differential and the concentrations of sICAM-1, IL-4, IL-5, TNF- ?? , INF- ?? , and IgE in serum were measured. Lung sections underwent histological analysis. The immunohistochemistry S-P method was used to measure the expression of ICAM-1 and HO-1 in the lung. RN significantly reduced the number of inflammatory cells in BALF and lung tissues, decreased sICAM-1, IL-4, IL-5, TNF- ?? , and IgE in serum, and increased serum INF- ?? . There was a marked suppression of ICAM-1 and HO-1 expression in the lung. Our results suggest that RN may have an anti-inflammatory and immuneregulatory effect on allergic bronchial asthma by modulating the balance between Th1/Th2 cytokines....
Dried Chrysanthemum morifolium flowers have traditionally been used in Korea for the treatment of insomnia. This study was performed to investigate whether the ethanol extract of Chrysanthemum morifolium flowers (EFC) enhances pentobarbital-induced sleep behaviors. EFC prolonged sleep time induced by pentobarbital similar to muscimol, a GABAA receptors agonist. EFC also increased sleep rate and sleep time when administrated with pentobarbital at a subhypnotic dosage. Both EFC and pentobarbital increased chloride (Cl-) influx in primary cultured cerebellar granule cells. EFC increased glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) expression levels, but had no effect on the expression of a1-, �Ÿ2-, and ?2-subunits of the GABAA receptor in the hippocampus of a mouse brain. This is in contrast to treatment with pentobarbital, which showed decreased a1-subunit expression and no change in GAD expression. In conclusion, EFC augments pentobarbital-induced sleep behaviors; these effects may result from Cl- channel activation....
Water extract of Lentinus squarrosulus mycelia was analysed for nutritional content, antioxidant capacity, and antiulcer ability. The extract contains high protein (57.6?g/100?g) and low total fat (0.5?g/100?g) and is rich in magnesium (0.4?g/100?g), potassium (3.8?g/100?g), vitamins B1 (1.42?mg/100?g), and B3 (194.29?mg/100?g) with total phenolic content of 39.16?mg/100?g. The cupric reducing antioxidant capacity and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity of the extract were A450 of 0.20 �± 0.03 at 0.5?mg/ml and IC50 of 14.29?mg/ml, respectively. Oral feeding of L. squarrosulus extract (250?mg/kg) offered significant gastric mucosal protection of Sprague-Dawley rats compared to cimetidine (50?mg/kg). The ulcer healing rate of ulcerated rats after 24, 48, and 72 hours of treatment was 82%, 90%, and 100%, respectively. The IL-1�Ÿ level in the serum and the NF-?B level in the tissues indicate that the healing potential was associated with attenuation of proinflammatory cytokines....
The preliminary phytochemical studies of Alafia barteri stem extracts revealed the presence of reducing sugar, steroids, glycosides, flavonoids and anthraquinones. Hexane, ethylacetate and methanol successive extracts of A. barteri stem showed inhibition on the six test bacteria. Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were sensitive to methanol extract at concentrations ranging from 25 to 200mg/ml using agar disk diffusion procedure, while hexane and ethylacetate extracts of the plant inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at concentrations between 50 and 200mg/ml. Hexane and ethylacetate extracts showed lower inhibition on Staphyloccocus aureus and Bacillus subtilis (gram positive), and Klebsiellae pneumonae (gram negative). Meanwhile, methanol extract exhibited antibacterial properties on Staphyloccocus aureus at concentrations between 50 and 200mg/ml, and Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiellae pneumonae and Salmonellae typhii at concentrations between 100 and 200mg/ml. The three extracts exhibited higher antifungal properties on Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolon, Penicillum notatum, Tricophyton rubrum and Epidermophyton floccosum with activity comparable to that of the reference drug tioconazole trosyd....
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