Anticholinesterase activity of endemic plant extracts from Soqotra

A total of 30 chloroform and methanol extracts from the following endemic Soqotran plants Acridocarpus socotranus Olive, Boswellia socotranao Balf.fil, Boswellia elongata Balf. fil., Caralluma socotrana N. Br, Cephalocroton socotranus Balf.f, Croton socotranus Balf. fil.., Dendrosicycos socotrana Balf.f., Dorstenia gigas Schweinf. ex Balf. fil., Eureiandra balfourii Cogn. & Balf. fil., Kalanchoe farinaceae Balf.f, Limonium sokotranum (Vierh) Radcl. Sm), Oldenlandia pulvinata, Pulicaria diversifolia( Balf. and Pulicaria stephanocarpa Balf. were screened for their acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity by using in vitro Ellman method at 50 and 200 μg/ml concentrations. Chloroform extracts of Croton socotranus, Boswellia socotrana, Dorstenia gigas, and Pulicaria stephanocarpa as well as methanol extracts of Eureiandra balfourii exhibited inhibitory activities higher than 50 % at concentration of 200 μg. At a concentrations of 50 μg, the chloroform extract of Croton socotranus exhibited an inhibition of 40.6 %.Key words: plant extracts, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, Soqotra, Alzheimer’s diseas

SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN YEMENI HERBAL MEDICINE TO TREAT

This pilot study examined the extent and the type of medicinal plants used for treating malaria. 492 informants were interviewed in 13 villages located on the coastal plain of four provinces. Nineteen plants belonging to fourteen families were recorded each with local names, methods of preparation and parts used. The antimalarial traditional uses of Dodonaea viscosa, Plantago major, Cissus rotundifolia, Citrullus colocynthis, Anisotes trisulcus, and Tamarindus indica had been reported for the first time

ANTICHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY OF ENDEMIC PLANT EXTRACTS FROM SOQOTRA

A total of 30 chloroform and methanol extracts from the following endemic Soqotran plants Acridocarpus socotranus Olive, Boswellia socotranao Balf.fil, Boswellia elongata Balf. fil., Caralluma socotrana N. Br, Cephalocroton socotranus Balf.f, Croton socotranus Balf. fil.., Dendrosicycos socotrana Balf.f., Dorstenia gigas Schweinf. ex Balf. fil., Eureiandra balfourii Cogn. & Balf. fil., Kalanchoe farinaceae Balf.f, Limonium sokotranum (Vierh) Radcl. Sm), Oldenlandia pulvinata, Pulicaria diversifolia( Balf. and Pulicaria stephanocarpa Balf. were screened for their acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity by using in vitro Ellman method at 50 and 200 µg/ml concentrations. Chloroform extracts of Croton socotranus, Boswellia socotrana, Dorstenia gigas, and Pulicaria stephanocarpa as well as methanol extracts of Eureiandra balfourii exhibited inhibitory activities higher than 50 % at concentration of 200 ï­g. At a concentrations of 50 ï­g, the chloroform extract of Croton socotranus exhibited an inhibition of 40.6 %

DETERMINATION OF PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN KHAT LEAVES BY SOLID-PHASE EXTRACTION AND HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY

The purpose of this investigation is to develop a simple method for the assessment of pesticides in Khat leaves, Catha edulis FORSK. (Celastraceae) shrub, chewed by about 60 % of the Yemeni people, producing amphetamine-like psychostimulation. The first procedures involve solid-phase extraction using Adsorbex® RP-C18 and Bakerbond® RP-C18 disposable cartridges with 40 % acetonitrile for elution. Isocratic and gradient analysis was carried out by means of high-performance liquid chromatography using different stationary phases to analyse methidathion, peconazole and dimethoate. An UltrasphereODS RP-18-column with UV-detection at 210 nm and 80/20 % (v/v) acetonitrile/water as mobile phase (isocratic) was used to determine the content of methidathion, peconazole and dimethoate (detection limit 20-25 ng). The method was validated with fortified samples at pesticide concentration of 0.1 mg/ml. Average recoveries ranging from 97.9 and 101.6% with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.7-3.8 %. Each recovery analysis was repeated four times. Limits of detection ranged from the analytical procedures were applied to 5 samples of khat and no detectable amounts of pesticides were found in any sample under the conditions described

Some medicinal plants used in yemeni herbal medicine to treat Malaria

This pilot study examined the extent and the type of medicinal plants used for treating malaria. 492 informants were interviewed in 13 villages located on the coastal plain of four provinces. Nineteen plants belonging to fourteen families were recorded each with local names, methods of preparation and parts used. The antimalarial traditional uses of Dodonaea viscosa, Plantago major, Cissus rotundifolia, Citrullus colocynthis, Anisotes trisulcus, and Tamarindus indica had been reported for the first time

Emergence of acute promyelocytic leukemia in a patient with granulomatosis with polyangiitis during treatment with cyclophosphamide: a rare case report

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a rare autoimmune disease that affects multiple organs and causes inflammation, necrosis, and vasculitis in small blood vessels. Treatment for GPA involves achieving and maintaining remission. In recent studies, cyclophosphamide-based regimens have been linked to comorbidity hazards, including an increased risk of malignancies, especially hematological ones. Acute myeloid leukemia is the main hematologic malignancy that can complicate GPA. In this context, we report the case of a middle-aged woman with GPA who developed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) during maintenance with cyclophosphamide. She was treated with all-trans retinoic acid at 50 mg/day and arsenic trioxide at 10 mg/day, along with steroids. This case highlights the unique emergence of APL in a GPA patient during cyclophosphamide therapy. A single case has previously been reported on the development of APL in a patient with GPA while using azathioprine monotherapy for 2 years

Research Paper - DETERMINATION OF PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN KHAT LEAVES BY SOLID-PHASE EXTRACTION AND HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY

The purpose of this investigation is to develop a simple method for the assessment of pesticides in Khat leaves, Catha edulis Forsk. (Celastraceae) shrub, chewed by about 60 % of the Yemeni people, producing amphetamine-like psychostimulation. The first procedures involve solid-phase extraction using Adsorbex® RP-C18 and Bakerbond® RP-C18 disposable cartridges with 40 % acetonitrile for elution. Isocratic and gradient analysis was carried out by means of high-performance liquid chromatography using different stationary phases to analyse methidathion, peconazole and dimethoate. An Ultrasphere®ODS RP-18-column with UV-detection at 210 nm and 80/20 % (v/v) acetonitrile/water as mobile phase (isocratic) was used to determine the content of methidathion, peconazole and dimethoate (detection limit 20-25 ng). The method was validated with fortified samples at pesticide concentration of 0.1 mg/ml. Average recoveries ranging from 97.9 and 101.6% with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.7-3.8 %. Each recovery analysis was repeated four times. Limits of detection ranged from the analytical procedures were applied to 5 samples of khat and no detectable amounts of pesticides were found in any sample under the conditions described

Chemotypic Characterization and Biological Activity of Rosmarinus officinalis

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) is a popular herb in cooking, traditional healing, and aromatherapy. The essential oils of R. officinalis were obtained from plants growing in Victoria (Australia), Alabama (USA), Western Cape (South Africa), Kenya, Nepal, and Yemen. Chemical compositions of the rosemary oils were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as well as chiral gas chromatography. The oils were dominated by (+)-α-pinene (13.5%–37.7%), 1,8-cineole (16.1%–29.3%), (+)-verbenone (0.8%–16.9%), (−)-borneol (2.1%–6.9%), (−)-camphor (0.7%–7.0%), and racemic limonene (1.6%–4.4%). Hierarchical cluster analysis, based on the compositions of these essential oils in addition to 72 compositions reported in the literature, revealed at least five different chemotypes of rosemary oil. Antifungal, cytotoxicity, xanthine oxidase inhibitory, and tyrosinase inhibitory activity screenings were carried out, but showed only marginal activities

Hierarchical cluster analysis and chemical characterisation of <i>Myrtus communis</i> L. essential oil from Yemen region and its antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-colorectal adenocarcinoma properties

<p>The hydrodistilled essential oil obtained from the dried leaves of <i>Myrtus communis</i>, collected in Yemen, was analysed by GC–MS. Forty-one compounds were identified, representing 96.3% of the total oil. The major constituents of essential oil were oxygenated monoterpenoids (87.1%), linalool (29.1%), 1,8-cineole (18.4%), α-terpineol (10.8%), geraniol (7.3%) and linalyl acetate (7.4%). The essential oil was assessed for its antimicrobial activity using a disc diffusion assay and resulted in moderate to potent antibacterial and antifungal activities targeting mainly <i>Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus</i> and <i>Candida albicans.</i> The oil moderately reduced the diphenylpicrylhydrazyl radical (IC₅₀ = 4.2 μL/mL or 4.1 mg/mL). <i>In vitro</i> cytotoxicity evaluation against HT29 (human colonic adenocarcinoma cells) showed that the essential oil exhibited a moderate antitumor effect with IC₅₀ of 110 ± 4 μg/mL. Hierarchical cluster analysis of <i>M. communis</i> has been carried out based on the chemical compositions of 99 samples reported in the literature, including Yemeni sample.</p