Time effect of wild oat removal on winter wheat yield

The extent of the competitive effect of wild oats on winter wheat yield was estimated in field studies on three commercial wheat farms in the Willamette Valley. The morphological development of the wild oat plants was also documented. Wild oats were removed from stands of wheat in six different treatments; hand-weeded once at three different growth stages, treatment with barban, continuous hand weeding, and barban plus continuous hand weeding. Continuous weeding and continuous weeding plus barban most effectively reduced wild oat competition in two locations where Nugaines was the wheat variety. Spraying barban alone or hand weeding once at any certain stage was not as effective. The effect of wild oat was expressed in reducing tillering of wheat in one location and in reducing tillering and reducing seed weight in another location. Some wild oats were emerging most of the time from the beginning of the season (November 1969) until May 1970. Emergence terminated in late May and June but it was noticed in July after harvest. There were two main waves of emergence; the first one was at the beginning of the winter season and the other was during spring. Tillering of the winter emerging plants started in late February 1970. The plants in the second emergence wave hardly developed tillers. Heading for both emergence waves was in June 1970. The wild oat plants which emerged when the crop germinated were much more vigorous than the late-emerging plants. When growing in association with Druchamp wheat, wild oat plants were weak due to the vigor and early development of the wheat crop

Inhibitory effects of methanol extracts of selected plants on the proliferation of two human melanoma cell lines

Purpose: To investigate the in vitro antiproliferative activity of methanol extracts of six plants regardless of their claimed ethnopharmacological application.Methods: Methanol extracts of different parts of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. Licorice), Matricaria chamomilla L. (Chamomile), Salvia triloba L. (Sage), Rheum palmatum L. (Rhubarb), Trigonella foenum-graecum L (Fenugreek) and Sambucus ebulus L. (Dwarf Elder)were prepared. The antiproliferative effects of the extracts weretestedon two skin cancer melanoma cell lines namely A375.S2 (low tyrosinase expression) and WM 136.1A (high tyrosinase expression) using MTT assay.The IC50 values for the active extracts were determined against the two melanoma cell lines.Results: The methanol extracts of G. glabra, M. chamomilla, S.triloba, R. palmatum inhibited the melanotic WM1361A proliferation in a dose-dependent manner revealing IC50 values of 35.2, 25.2, 20.6, 17.8, μg/ml, respectively but not A375.S2 cell line. However, the extracts of T. foenum-graecum and S. ebulus did not exhibit any significant cytotoxic activity on both melanoma cell lines.Conclusion: Methanol extracts of Licorice, Chamomile, Sage and Rhubarb have significantantiproliferative activity on WM1361A cell line; a representative human melanotic melanocyte tumor cell line. This renders these plants as potential sources of new lead compounds for the development of new drugs for melanoma cancer.Keywords: Melanoma, Plant extract, tyrosinase, Licorice, Chamomile, Sage, Rhubarb, WM1361A

Inhibitory effects of methanol extracts of selected plants on proliferation of two human melanoma cell lines

Purpose: The aim of the current study was to investigate the in vitro antiproliferative activity of methanolic extracts of six plants regardless of their claimed ethnopharmacological application.Methods: Methanol extracts of different parts of Glycyrrhizaglabra L. (Licorice), Matricaria chamomilla L. (Chamomile), Salvia triloba L. (Sage), Rheum palmatum L. (Rhubarb), Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (Fenugreek) and Sambucusebulus L. (Dwarf Elder) were prepared. The antiproliferative effects of the extracts were tested on two skin cancer melanoma cell lines namely A375.S2 (low tyrosinase expression) and WM 136.1A (high tyrosinase expression) using MTT assay. The IC50 values for the active extracts were determined against the two melanoma cell lines.Results: The methanolic extracts of G.glabra, M. chamomilla, S. triloba, R. palmatum inhibited the melanotic WM1361A proliferation in a dose-dependent manner revealing IC50 values of 35.2, 25.2, 20.6, 17.8, μg/ml, respectively but not A375.S2 cell line. However, the extracts of T. foenum-graecum and S. ebulus did not exhibit any significant cytotoxic activity on both melanoma cell lines.Conclusion: The results of these experiments show that methanol extracts of licorice, chamomile, sage and rhubarb have significant antiproliferative activity onWM1361A cell line; a representative human melanotic melanocyte tumor cell line. This renders these plants as potential sources of new lead compounds for the development of new drugs for melanoma cancer.Keywords: Melanoma, Plant extract, tyrosinase, Licorice, Chamomile, Sage, Rhubarb, WM1361

Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine, a Re-emerging Health Aid

Complementary medicine is a formal method of health care in most countries of the ancient world. It is expected to become more widely integrated into the modern medical system, including the medical curriculum. Despite the perception of modern medicine as more efficacious, traditional medicine continues to be practiced. More than 70% of the developing world's population still depends primarily on the complementary and alternative systems of medicine (CAM). In rural areas, cultural beliefs and practices often lead to self-care, home remedies or consultation with traditional healers. Herbal medicine can be broadly classified into four basic systems as follows: Traditional Chinese Herbalism, Ayurvedic Herbalism, Western Herbalism—which originally came from Greece and Rome to Europe and then spread to North and South America and Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine (TAIM). There is no doubt that today the concept of Arabic traditional herbal medicine is a part of modern life in the Middle East, and it is acquiring worldwide respect, with growing interest among traditional herbalists and the scientific community. TAIM therapies have shown remarkable success in healing acute as well as chronic diseases and have been utilized by people in most countries of the Mediterranean who have faith in spiritual healers. TAIM is the first choice for many in dealing with ailments such as infertility, epilepsy, psychosomatic troubles and depression. In parallel, issues of efficacy and safety of complementary medicine have become increasingly important and supervision of the techniques and procedures used is required for commercial as well as traditional uses. More research is therefore needed to understand this type of medicine and ensure its safe usage. The present review will discuss the status of traditional Arab medicine (particularly herbal medicine), including the efficacy and toxicity of specific medicinal preparations, with an emphasis on the modern in vitro and in vivo techniques

Use of complementary and alternative medicines by a sample of Turkish women for infertility enhancement: a descriptive study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Infertility patients are a vulnerable group that often seeks a non-medical solution for their failure to conceive. World-wide, women use CAM for productive health, but only a limited number of studies report on CAM use to enhance fertility. Little is known about traditional and religious forms of therapies that are used in relation to conventional medicine in Turkey. We investigated the prevalence and types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) used by infertile Turkish women for fertility enhancement.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A face-to-face questionnaire inquiring demographic information and types of CAM used for fertility enhancement were completed by hundred infertility patients admitted to a primary care family planning centre in Van, Turkey between January and July 2009.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The vast majority of infertile women had used CAM at least once for infertility. CAM use included religious interventions, herbal products and recommendations of traditional "hodja's" (faith healers). Of these women, 87.8% were abused in the last 12 months, 36.6% felt not being supported by her partner and 80.5% had never spoken with a physician about CAM.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Infertile Turkish women use complementary medicine frequently for fertility enhancement and are in need of information about CAM. Religious and traditional therapies are used as an adjunct to, rather than a substitute for, conventional medical therapy. Physicians need to approach fertility patients with sensitivity and should be able to council their patients about CAM accordingly.</p

An ethnobotanical study of traditional steam-bathing by the Batak people of North Sumatra, Indonesia

This study aimed to document (1) the Batak people’s knowledge of the use of medicinal plants for steambathing, (2) the preparation and operation of steam-bathing, and (3) the benefits of steam-bathing. To attain these objectives, data were collected by using ethnobotanical survey and interview methods. The survey was conducted in Kabanjahe and Berastagi traditional markets, in Kaban Tua village, and in Tanjung Julu village. The participants for the interview were nine medicinal plants traders, nine midwives, and 32 mothers. The basic principle of steam-bathing by the Batak people is based on thermotherapy and aromatherapy. A total of 59 species (belonging to 37 genera and to 25 families) have been documented as medicinal plants for their use as steam-bathing materials by the Batak people. The traders, midwives and mothers are all aware of the benefits of steam-bathing. Gaultheria leucocarpa Blume and Cinnamomum porrectum (Roxb.), the species that produce distinctive aromas and reduce pain, would be interesting to study for their phytochemical and pharmacological properties

Iron Overload Effect on Serum Levels of Glucose, Insulin and HOMA-IR was Ifluenced by the Type of Fat in Female Sprague-Dawley Rats Fed High-Fat-Diets

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