Medicinal Plants for the Treatment of Nephrolithiasis

Nephrolithiasis (kidney stones) impacts a significant group of individuals today as a result of changing lifestyles. Over the past decade, there has been a revival of interest in the study of medicinal plants as a source of potential herbal medicine. Herbal medicine could become a new phase in the medical system for human disease management within the next few decades. In fact, a number of studies strongly suggest using medicinal herbs as one of the anti-nephrolithiatic treatments. Different bioactive substances found in plants, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, saponins, furanochromones, alkaloids, and terpenoids, may be useful in halting the development of stones. These natural resources do in fact contain bioactive compounds of many types, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, and terpenoids, which have recently been shown to have potent anti-nephrolithiatic properties. However, the outcomes of the experiments that have been conducted with these natural substances are still in the preclinical stages. Future research on clinical applications may therefore be a fruitful way to confirm the clinical utility of these medications

Fungitoxic activity of root extracts from Ferula harmonis

Air-dried and finely powdered roots of Ferula harmonis F. (Umbelliferae) were extracted in a Soxhlet with several solvents in succession and the gummy extracts in each fraction were collected and tested for their fungitoxic effects. The antifungal activity of nine F. harmonis extracts against Alternaria solani, Cladosporium sp., Colletotrichum sp., Fusarium oxysporum, Mucor sp., Penicillium italicum, Pythium sp., Rhizoctonia solani, Rhizopus stolonifer, Stemphylium solani, and Verticillium dahliae is reported. The strongest fungitoxic effects were found against V. dahliae, P. italicum and R. stolonifer. The weakest effect was against A. solani. All extracts of F. harmonis had varying degrees of fungitoxicity against all the fungi tested, which makes it a potential source of antifungal compounds. Ferutinin and teferidine, two known sesquiterpenes, were isolated from the roots of F. harmonis and their structures were identified. The fungitoxic activity of the ethyl acetate extract might be due to the presence of ferutinin contained in it

HAMILTON-JACOBI TREATMENT OF LAGRANGIANS WITHIN FRACTIONAL CAPUTO DERIVATIVES

In this work, the Hamilton-Jacobi formulation of fractional Caputo Lagrangians of linear velocities is investigated. The fractional Hamilton-Jacobi equations of motion for several potential systems are derived. Under certain conditions on the potential, it is shown that the action integral is independent on the fractional Caputo derivatives

Effect of plant eztracts and essential oils on root-knot nematode

The nematicidal activity of methanolic extracts (20 µg ml-1) from twenty Jordanian plant species against two species of root-knot nematodes in vitro was evaluated. Whole-plant extract of Hypericum androsaemum showed the highest activity (11% mortality) against Meloidogyne javanica after 24 h of incubation. However, leaf extract of Origanum syriacum also increased M. javanica mortality markedly a day later, reaching 59 and 82% after 48 and 72 h of exposure respectively. Against M. incognita the response of leaf extracts was somewhat different, with leaf extract of Artemisia herba alba the most effective causing 22, 51, 54% mortality after 24, 48 and 72 h of exposure respectively. With a tenfold concentration (200 µg ml-1) of those plant extracts thought to contain volatile oils, the secondstage juveniles (J2) mortality of both nematodes increased after 24 and 72 h of incubation. Nematicidal tests of some volatile oils that are active ingredients of the plants tested revealed that geraniol, thymol, and camphor were the most effective against M. javanica J2s, with 91, 60, 56% mortality respectively after 72 h of exposure. Cineole, menthol, and pinene were not effective against this nematode. Against M. incognita J2s, the most effective oil components were carvacol, thymol, and geraniol, with mortalities of 100, 90, and 74% respectively after 72 h of exposure. Cineole was the least effective against M. incognita

Effect of ethnomedicinal plants used in folklore medicine in Jordan as antibiotic resistant inhibitors on Escherichia coli

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Escherichia coli </it>occurs naturally in the human gut; however, certain strains that can cause infections, are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Multidrug-resistant <it>E. coli </it>that produce extended-spectrum β lactamases (ESBLs), such as the CTX-M enzymes, have emerged within the community setting as an important cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and bloodstream infections may be associated with these community-onsets. This is the first report testing the antibiotic resistance-modifying activity of nineteen Jordanian plants against multidrug-resistant <it>E. coli</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The susceptibility of bacterial isolates to antibiotics was tested by determining their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) using a broth microdilution method. Nineteen Jordanian plant extracts (<it>Capparis spinosa </it>L., <it>Artemisia herba-alba Asso, Echinops polyceras </it>Boiss., <it>Gundelia tournefortii </it>L, <it>Varthemia iphionoides </it>Boiss. & Blanche, <it>Eruca sativa Mill</it>., <it>Euphorbia macroclada </it>L., <it>Hypericum trequetrifolium </it>Turra, <it>Achillea santolina </it>L., <it>Mentha longifolia </it>Host, <it>Origanum syriacum </it>L., <it>Phlomis brachydo</it>(Boiss.) Zohary, <it>Teucrium polium </it>L., <it>Anagyris foetida </it>L., <it>Trigonella foenum-graecum </it>L., <it>Thea sinensis </it>L., <it>Hibiscus sabdariffa </it>L., <it>Lepidium sativum </it>L., <it>Pimpinella anisum </it>L.) were combined with antibiotics, from different classes, and the inhibitory effect of the combinations was estimated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Methanolic extracts of the plant materials enhanced the inhibitory effects of chloramphenicol, neomycin, doxycycline, cephalexin and nalidixic acid against both the standard strain and to a lesser extent the resistant strain of <it>E. coli</it>. Two edible plant extracts (<it>Gundelia tournefortii L</it>. and <it>Pimpinella anisum L</it>.) generally enhanced activity against resistant strain. Some of the plant extracts like <it>Origanum syriacum </it>L.(Labiateae), <it>Trigonella foenum- graecum </it>L.(Leguminosae), <it>Euphorbia macroclada </it>(Euphorbiaceae) and <it>Hibiscus sabdariffa </it>(Malvaceae) did not enhance the activity of amoxicillin against both standard and resistant <it>E. coli</it>. On the other hand combinations of amoxicillin with other plant extracts used showed variable effect between standard and resistant strains. Plant extracts like <it>Anagyris foetida </it>(Leguminosae) and <it>Lepidium sativum </it>(Umbelliferae) reduced the activity of amoxicillin against the standard strain but enhanced the activity against resistant strains. Three edible plants; Gundelia <it>tournefortii </it>L. (Compositae) <it>Eruca sativa </it>Mill. (Cruciferae), and <it>Origanum syriacum </it>L. (Labiateae), enhanced activity of clarithromycin against the resistant <it>E. coli </it>strain.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study probably suggests possibility of concurrent use of these antibiotics and plant extracts in treating infections caused by <it>E. coli </it>or at least the concomitant administration may not impair the antimicrobial activity of these antibiotics.</p

Molecular characterization and antibiotic susceptibility profiles of Helicobacter pylori isolated from patients with Gastrodeudenal diseases in Jordan

Introduction:&nbsp; Helicobacter pylori is a major cause of more than 80% of chronic active gastritis and other gastrodeudonal diseases worldwide. Successful treatment of H. pylori routinely requires the use of multiple agents with different mechanisms including compounds inhibiting acid secretion in conjunction with antibiotics. However, recent data showed the emergence of resistant clinical strains particularly against metronidazole and clarithromycin. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of and the susceptibility of H. pylori isolates recovered from patients with gastrodeudonal diseases to several antimicrobial agents. Materials and Methods: A prospective study has been conducting on Jordanian patients attended the gastrointestinal unit of the Jordan university hospital starting from 2014-2015 with gastroduodenal diseases. Antral and corpus mucosal biopsies from the stomach of each patient were used for the isolation of H. pylori on selective culture media. Presumptive H. pylori colonies were subsequently confirmed by biochemical tests and standard 16S rDNA PCR assay. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by standard agar diffusion methods according to CLSI. Subsequently, MICs were determined by E test and standard agar dilution method. Molecular typing of the clinical strains was performed using multiplex PCR for the detection of vacA and cagA genotypes. Metronidazole resistance was characterized by molecular methods for the detection of rdxA gene mutations. Results: Among 72 symptomatic patients, 13 (23%) patients showed positive H. pylori infection by both rapid urease test and culture. The antibiotic susceptibility profile showed that all of the isolates were sensitive to amoxicillin.&nbsp; Resistance to, clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin were observed in 15%, 23% and 8% of the isolates respectively while 92% of the strains were resistant to metronidazole (MIC ≥ 32 ug/ml). Metronidazole resistance due to mutations in rdxA gene was only observed in one strain (8%) suggesting other resistance mechanisms. Correlation between antibiotic resistance and virulence factors was statistically not significant (p &gt; 0.05). Conclusion: The present study showed that the prevalence of metronidazole resistance among clinical isolates of H. pylori is very high. Lower resistance to other antibiotics are reported. Concern should be taken into consideration when triple therapy is used for the treatment of H. pylori in our region

Comparative study of GC-MS characterization, antioxidant activity and hyaluronidase inhibition of different species of Lavandula and Thymus essential oils

The chemical compositions of essential oils of Lavandula angustifolia, Lavandula latifolia, Lavandula hybrida cultivar Grosso and cultivar Super, Thymus zygis with high proportions of thymol and linalool and Thymus hyemalis, from Murcia country (Spain), were studied in relative (%), absolute (mM) and chiral concentrations by GC/MS. Hyaluronidase inhibition and antioxidant activities of the essential oils were evaluated using ABTS(center dot+), DPPH center dot, ORAC, chelating power, hydroxyl radical, nitric oxide, TBARS and reducing power assays. Linalool and linalyl acetate were the most abundant components in the Lavandula genus whereas thymol, linalool and 1,8-cineole were the most abundant molecules in the respective Thymus species. Chiral determination of the main components showed (+)-enantiomers like terpinen-4-ol, beta-pinene, borneol and a-terpineol and (-)-enantiomers like linalool, linalyl acetate and camphene in Lavandula sp. In the case of Thymus sp. (+)-enantiomers like a-pinene, limonene, terpinen-4-ol and a-terpineol and (-)-enantiomers like borneol were found. Essential oils containing thymol were found especially powerful in all assays but chelating power, ORAC and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays. The capacity for inhibiting hyaluronidase showed that T. zygis with a high proportion of thymol was the most effective inhibitor. Essential oils containing thymol and linalool/linalyl acetate have a potential use as antioxidant agents. Thymol shows strong inhibition of hyaluronidase. Copyright (C) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd