Current Issue : April-June Volume : 2023 Issue Number : 2 Articles : 5 Articles
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has arisen as a global concern in recent decades. Plant extracts used in combination with antibiotics are promising against AMR, synergistically. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the component of the bitter ginger (Zingiber zerumbet) extract in different solvents using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), in addition to evaluate the antibacterial activity of these extracts, in combination with their antibiotic potential against four multidrug resistant (MDR) bacterial strains (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus). Ethanol and the aqueous extracts of bitter ginger were prepared using a conventional solvent extraction method and were evaluated for their phytochemistry using HPLC, qualitatively and quantitatively. Moreover, the antibiotic susceptibility of the pathogenic isolates was determined. A disc diffusion assay was used to obtain the antimicrobial potential of the extracts alone and with antibiotics. Eight components were identified from the separation of the bitter ginger extract by HPLC. For AMR bacteria, the combination of the antibiotic solution with the bitter ginger crude extracts could improve its susceptibility of these antibiotics. This study indicates that the combination of an antibiotic solution with the bitter ginger crude extract exhibits potent antibacterial activities against MDR bacterial strains. Therefore, they can be used for the treatment of various diseases against the microbial pathogen and can be incorporated into medication for antibacterial therapy....
In recent years, the interest in products of natural origin has boosted the exploitation and use of plants as food and sources of bioactive compounds, especially wild plants widely used in different cultures for several purposes. Commelina erecta is a wild edible plant (WEP) traditionally used as food and medicine, about which few studies exist. Thus, this study aimed at enhancing the knowledge about its nutritional, chemical and bioactive profile, considering different plant parts and development stages, in order to increase its inclusion in the diet of South American communities. The nutritional profile was found to be similar to other WEP frequently consumed in Brazil. Thirteen phenolic compounds (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS) were tentatively identified, with apigenin, luteolin and quercetin derivatives being the most abundant. Fructose and oxalic acid were the major sugar and organic acid, respectively, in the aerial parts of C. erecta, and four isoforms of tocopherols were also identified. Regarding the plant’s antioxidant activity, the EC50 values varied between 18.4 and 1060 μg/mL in the inhibition of lipid peroxidation assay (TBARS) and between 53 and 115 μg/mL in the oxidative haemolysis inhibition (OxHLIA) assay. The hydroethanolic extract obtained from stems at the flowering stage also presented anti-inflammatory activity. In general, all the extracts evidenced promising antimicrobial activity. Altogether, these results reinforce the traditional use of this plant species as food and medicine to support the diet of needier populations and also promote food sovereignty and sustainability....
Medicinal plants represent an inexhaustible source of traditional and effective remedies thanks to the various active ingredients they contain. Secondary metabolites present in plant extracts, such as essential oils (EO), have remarkable pharmacological properties, including antimicrobial effects. Here, the chemical composition and antimicrobial effects of four Moroccan medicinal plants, Rosmarinus officinalis L. (R. officinalis), Mentha pulegium L. (M. pulegium), Salvia officinalis L. (S. officinalis), and Thymus zygis subsp. gracilis (Boiss.) R. Morales (T. zygis), traditionally used in Morocco to treat microbial infections, were addressed. EO were extracted using the hydrodistillation method, and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). EO yields were of 3.64 ± 0.12, 3.53 ± 0.06, 2.48 ± 0.06, and 2.34 ± 0.08%, respectively, for M. pulegium, R. officinalis, S. officinalis, and T. zygis. The main bioactive components present in these EO were piperitenone (32.9%) and pulegone (32.8%) for M. pulegium, 1,8-cineol (43.8%) and camphor (18.7%) for R. officinalis, 1,8-cineole (16.8%) and trans-thujone (15.9%) for S. officinalis, and thymol (36.4%), carvacrol (24.1%) and cymene (23.5%) for T. zygis. These EO showed, according to the results of their antimicrobial activities, good effectiveness against bacteria and fungi. Moreover, the T. zygis EO showed the most potent activity against all bacteria studied, while that of R. officinalis, M. pulegium, and S. officinalis showed moderate activity against the Enterobacter cloacae of Streptococcus agalactiae and Escherichia coli. The antifungal activity tests revealed a strong antifungal activity for the T. zygis EO and a moderate activity for the S. officinalis EO. On the other hand, the EO of R. officinalis, and M. pulegium were found to be inactive at the doses used against the selected strains. In conclusion, our results show that the medicinal plants studied contain biologically active molecules with antimicrobial effects. They can replace synthesized molecules, especially in the formulation of additives, and for therapeutic, cosmetic, and food-processing purposes....
Pomelo peel is a natural plant product with numerous pharmacological effects and is used in traditional Chinese medicine. In the present study, we extracted naringin from pomelo peel and aimed to decipher its therapeutic potential against hyperlipidemia. We used ultrasonic-assisted extraction to obtain naringin prior to identifying its structure, to evaluate its ability in binding sodium glycine cholate and sodium bovine cholate in vitro by simulating the gastrointestinal environment, so as to evaluate its blood lipid-lowering activity. The hyperlipidemia mouse model was established. Following the intragastric administration of naringin for 5 weeks, we measured the weight change, organ index, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), serum total cholesterol (TC), serum triglycerides (TG), liver superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level, malondialdehyde (MDA), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level of mice in the normal control and high-fat diet groups in addition to the high-, medium-, and low-dose naringin groups. The pathological changes in the liver were observed under a light microscope. The total RNA of the liver was extracted, and the mRNA expression level of lipid metabolism-related factors in mouse liver was detected via a fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Naringin significantly (p < 0.01) reduced the body weight, organ index, serum TG, LDL-C, and TC levels of hyperlipidemic mice, but increased the serum HDL-C levels (p < 0.01). Furthermore, naringin increased GSH Px and SOD activity (p < 0.01), while decreasing MDA, ALT, and AST levels, as well as the liver index (p < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in the brain, heart, spleen, kidney, and other indicators (p > 0.05). A histopathological analysis of mouse liver showed that naringin could alleviate the degenerative damage of fatty liver cells in hyperlipidemic mice. Naringin could significantly (p < 0.01) reduce the expression of FAS and SREBP-1c mRNA, and simultaneously increase PPARα mRNA expression. This study shows that naringin has the strong effect of lowering lipids and protecting the liver in hyperlipidemic mice. Our findings underscore the anti-hyperlipidemia potential of naringin and increase the scientific understanding of its anti-hyperlipidemia effects, that may lead to its potential application as a dietary strategy for hyperlipidemia management in the future....
Plant extracts of Cissus hastata, indigenously known as Semperai, have been used as an effective traditional remedy against coughs. Recently, the leaf extract was potentially shown to have anti-hemorrhoid activity, although there is a lack of scientific data due to its folklore usage. Hence, the therapeutic properties of the phytochemicals and metabolites of Semperai remain elusive. Therefore, this study aims to determine the total phenolic content and phytochemical compounds of the plant leaf extract. Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were determined by the Folin–Ciocalteau method and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method, respectively. Phytochemical compounds present in the leaf methanol extract were analyzed by a qualitative method. Results showed the extract comprised a total of 21.3 mg GAE/g of phenolic content with reference to gallic acid. The antioxidant activity was almost absence with an IC50 of 7.80 μg/mL when compared to trolox and gallic acid. Presence of the red to orange precipitate in reference to gallic acid indicate alkaloid content, while the appearance of black-blue/green color in reference to gallic acid are referred to as tannins. The steroids were represented by an upper red layer and a yellowish sulfuric acid with green fluorescence in comparison to cholesterol. Nonetheless, saponin was not detected in the extract, as indicated by the absence of the persisting foam in the test solution when compared with sodium dodecyl sulphate. In conclusion, despite not having an antioxidant property, the methanol extract of Semperai comprised a fair amount of phenolic compounds, including tannins, alkaloids, and steroids, which, potentially, are highly anti-inflammatory towards hemorrhoids....
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