Pure Isolates and Preparative HPLC Fractions or Crude Extract of Inula viscosa: Effect on β-hematin Inhibition in vitro

The antimalarial activity of wild Inula viscosa (I. viscosa) plant leaves was investigated. The efficacy of the whole crude extract versus preparative HPLC fractions versus pure isolates were compared by measuring their effect on β-hematin inhibition in-vitro. The preparative HPLC experiments consisted of reversed phase preparative column (22.2mm x 250mm, 10μm) and linear gradient of water, acetonitrile as the mobile phase. Injection volume was 1000μl and the wavelengths range were from 200-450 nm using photodiode array detector (PDA). While fractions (IV, V and VI) showed antimalarial potential in comparison to chloroquine positive control, the rest of the fractions did not show any significant inhibition to the β-hematin formation. The antimalarial results showed that whole crude exact of the plant works better than the preparative fractions or the pure isolates presumably due to synergistic effect. The chemical identity of some of the pure isolates was explored using UHPLC-ESi-MS. Moreover, I. viscosa extract powder stayed stable over several years, while many other products such as Artemisia annua extract or Artemisin Combined Therapy (ACT) drugs rapidly lost their efficiency under tropical storage conditions.None

HPLC separation of phenolic phytochemicals from grape peels and seeds water extracts and their in-vitro antimalarial activities

Water extracts of three grape types (black, shami and white) were separated using reversed phase HPLC-PDA and their in-vitro effect on β-hematin inhibition were investigated. The grape crude water extracts of peels and seeds impede the formation of β-hematin in vitro and therefore possess a significant antimalarial effect. Black grape peel extract gave superior activity as revealed by its absorption value in comparison to CQ positive control. In general, black and shami peels water extracts were slightly more active than their corresponding seeds extracts while surprisingly, the white grape peel extract was completely inactive. The same inactivity was noticed when black, shami and white grape juices as well as red and white wines were examined in-vitro. The lack in white grapes of the active phytochemicals that present at high levels in black and shami grapes explains the inactivity of the former. Several secondary plant phenolic metabolites may be responsible for the antimalarial activity and subsequently, one could infer that the antimalarial activity of water extract may be a result of the synergistic effect of its diverse phenolic phytochemicals.None

Bicarbonate In-Vitro Effect on Beta-Hematin Inhibition by Artemisia sieberi Aqueous Infusion

Malaria is still considered the most threatening disease in Africa. Plasmodium; the malaria parasite, forms during its intra-erythrocytic stage a pigment called hemozoin, which acts as a protection shield against oxygen radical-mediated stress that leads to parasite’s death. Many drugs targeting hemozoin formation such as chloroquine and amodiaquine, but recently strains of Plasmodium have gained resistance to such drugs. Artemisia sieberi stem and leaf water infusion extract compared with A. sieberi bicarbonate aqueous infusion were tested using a semi-quantitative in-vitro method based on the inhibition of ferriprotoporphyrin IX (FP) bio- mineralization developed by Deharo et al. to reveal the differences in antimalarial activity. Reversed phase preparative liquid chromatography coupled to Photo Diode Array (HPLC-PDA) detector was also used to explain this dissimilarity in antimalarial activity. We found that A. sieberi bicarbonate aqueous infusion inhibits the formation of β-hematin better than standard water infusion. The bicarbonate addition increases the extraction of more compounds as the chromatographic HPLC results revealed. Other Artemisia plants (A. vulgaris and A. herba alba) were also tested to explore any inhibition effects

Morin, quercetin, catechin and quercitrin as novel natural antimalarial candidates

Background: The discovery of efficient antimalarial candidates from natural sources has become more urgent as a result of drug resistance emergence. Therefore, discovering effective substitutes to treat malaria remains a top priority to health community. Medicinal plants and some edible foods contain inexhaustible source of new active ingredients that may treat malaria. Objective: The aim of the current study was to explore the in-vitro inhibitory effect of the polyphenolic flavonoids: morin, quercetin, catechin, and quercitrin on the β-hematin formation in order to utilize them as new potential antimalarial leads. Methodology: The methods used were the in-vitro colorimetric semi-quantitative and quantitative assays that are based on β-hematin inhibition and optical density measurement at 405 nm. Results and discussion: The in-vitro inhibitory effect on β-hematin formation using the four flavonoids of morin, quercetin, catechin and quercitrin in comparison to chloroquine and amodiaquine positive controls signifies to their encouraging potential as new antimalarial leads. Morin flavonol however was the most potent compound even at extremely low concentration of 0.04mg/ml. The efficiency of the four flavonols suggesting the formation of a favorable complex with the free heme over β-hematin formation to a level that becomes irreversibly toxic to the plasmodium.None

Cinnamon bark water-infusion as an in-vitro inhibitor of β-hematin formation

Malaria remains one of the prominent public health problems that lead to severe morbidity and mortality in many developing countries around the globe. New antimalarial drugs are urgently needed due to the emergence of antimalarial-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum. In previous studies, we tested several plants extracts that are capable of inhibiting β-hematin formation, with efficiency similar to chloroquine. In the current study, the effect of cinnamon ethanol and water extracts on inhibiting β- hematin formation was studied. Powdered cinnamon extracts and bark in a stick form were investigated using various extraction methods. A semi-quantitative in vitro method, based on the inhibition of ferriprotoporphyrin IX (FP) bio-crystallization developed by Deharo et al. (2002) was utilized. Water extracts of cinnamon revealed potential activity even at low concentration of infusions, which was manifested by a high capability to inhibit β-hematin formation in vitro

The Effect of Cis-2-(1Himidazole-2-yl)-1H-imidazole Dichloro Platinum (II) on the in-vitro Formation of β-Hematin.

Abstract: This study aimed at assessing the effect of two Cis-Dichloro Platinum complexes on the in-vitro formation of the Malaria pigment. According to World Health Organization, death rates of Malaria decreased by 20%, even with this decrease Malaria is still considered to be the leading killer in Africa. Reports show nearly 90% of children die before they have the chance to reach their fifth year. Plasmodium; the Malaria parasite, forms during its intra-erythrocytic stage a pigment called Hemozoin. This pigment acts as a protection shield against oxygen radical-mediated stress that leads to the death of the parasite. Many drugs targeting the formation of this pigment are still effective such as Chloroquine and Amodaquine, but recently strains of Plasmodium have gained resistance to such drugs. As an attempt to find new anti-malarial drugs , the potential inhibitory effect of Cis-Dichloro Platinum complexes such as Cis-2-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)-1H-imidazole Dichloro Platinum (II) and Cis-1-methyl-2-(1-methyl-1H-imidazole-2-yl)-1H-imidazole Dichloro Platinum (II) on Ferriprotoporphyrin IX (FP) biomineralisation was examined. A previously self-developed quantitative invitro method was used to detect the efficiency of these two complexes. Results showed that the efficiency of Cis-2-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)-1H-imidazole Dichloro Platinum (II) and Cis-1-methyl-2-(1-methyl-1H-imidazole-2-yl)-1H-imidazole Dichloro Platinum (II) in preventing the formation of $-Hematin were 69.4 and 45%, respectively. The efficiency of Chloroquine as a standard drug using the same method was reported to give 95.9

تحري مصل الأمهات الفلسطينيات في الضفة الغربية

An audit was made of laboratory records of triple test results from 943 Palestinian women residing in the West Bank from 2000–03. The mean expected age at delivery of the subjects was 25.5 years; 12% were 35 years old or above. Age was the main factor associated with an abnormal calculated risk score. The frequency of elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein was 1.3%, abnormal human choriogonic gonadotropin (elevated or reduced) was 1.9% and reduced unconjugated estriol was 0.3%

A Highly Unusual Palindromic Transmembrane Helical Hairpin Formed by SARS Coronavirus E Protein

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