Antinociceptive and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Total Alkaloid Extract from Fumaria capreolata

Fumaria capreolata is used in traditional medicine in North Africa for its gastrointestinal and anti-inflammatory activities. The present study investigates the effects of total alkaloids extracted from the aerial parts of Fumaria capreolata (AFC) on LPS-induced production of proinflammatory mediators (IL-6, IL-1β, iNOS, TNF-α, COX-2, and MIP-2) in RAW264.7 cells. AFC significantly reduced the inflammatory response inhibiting the production of nitric oxide (NO) and IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner, without affecting the viability of cells, and downregulated mRNA expression of proinflammatory key players: IL-6, IL-1β, iNOS, TNF-α, and COX-2. AFC antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties were also evaluated on the acetic acid- and formalin-induced pain models in mice. AFC oral administration significantly inhibited acetic acid-induced writhes and reduced formalin-induced paw licking time. Therefore, AFC may be a potential candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as colitis and arthritis

Evaluation of Acute and Subacute Toxicity of Fumaria officinalis Alkaloids in Mice

Background: Fumaria officinalis is largely used in traditional medicine due to its efficiency in the treatment and prevention of numerous diseases and its large spectrum of therapeutic effects. Its multiple beneficial properties are due to its richness in bioactive substances, particularly isoquinoline alkaloids. However, few studies have addressed the toxicity of this plant. Objectives: The present work aimed to study acute and subacute toxicity of alkaloids extracted from F. officinalis using Swiss albino mice as the in vivo model. Methods: Alkaloids from the aerial parts of F. officinalis were extracted and administered to male and female Swiss albino mice. The acute and subacute toxicities were studied by monitoring the weight and histopathological study of animal bodies and organs (e.g., liver, heart, spleen, and kidneys). Results: The results revealed that mice treated with increasing doses developed serious symptoms of toxicity (i.e., respiratory problems, tremors, coma, and paralysis leading the death) and lost weight. The LD50 was estimated at 1341.11 mg/kg permitting its classification as a low-toxic plant. The microscopic observations demonstrated disturbances in the kidney and liver, but not the heart and spleen. Conclusion: The alkaloids of the aerial parts of F. officinalis expressed severe toxicity in mice, particularly at high doses. Nevertheless, the neutral fraction of alkaloids is more indicated

Isoquinoline alkaloid fractions of Fumaria officinalis: Characterization and evaluation of their antioxidant and antibacterial activities

International audienceCrude alkaloid extracts of Fumaria officinalis (Fumariaceae), used in Algerian traditional medicine for hepatobiliary diseases, were subjected to fractionation and GC–MS analysis. The total alkaloid (TA) content was 630mg/100g of dry weight. Fractionation led to three fractions: neutral (NF), acidic (AF) and basic (BF) with alkaloid levels of 300, 240 and 180mg/100g of dry weight, respectively. Eleven isoquinoline alkaloids were identified. The main component in all fractions was protopine, especially in the acidic fraction (AF) (51.75%). F. officinalis is usually classified by authors in the second chemotaxonomic group of Fumaria sp., while our results showing the presence of stylopine, especially in the basic fraction (2.08%), suggest it should be classified in the first chemotaxonomic group. The crude extract and fractions showed high antioxidant activity against the free radical DPPH (IC50 NF (15.74±0.04μg/mL)), the ABTS radical (IC50 BF (70.71±0.04μg/mL)), and the hypochlorous acid radical (IC50 NF (304.19±0.29μg/mL)), Total Antioxidant Capacity (TA (14.23±0.04mg eq ascorbic acid/g DM)), lipid peroxidation inhibition (IC50 TA (41.67±0.17μg/mL)) and ferric reducing power (FRP) (BF (3.49±0.11mg eq ascorbic acid/g DM)). Antibacterial activity was evaluated using liquid medium against Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Propionibacterium acnes and Corynebacterium xerosis. Evaluation of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) showed low values, indicating an interesting antibacterial capacity. The MIC of 0.33mg/mL recorded against Propionibacterium acnes with alkaloid extracts showed the effectiveness of this plant as an antibacterial agent. The greater effectiveness of the acid fraction (AF) and the total alkaloid extract (TA) against the three strains tested was correlated to their richness in protopine with levels of 51.75% and 34.48%, respectively

Revealing the anti-tumoral effect of Algerian Glaucium flavum roots against human cancer cells.

Glaucium flavum (G. flavum) is a plant from the Papaveraceae family native to Algeria where it is used in local traditional medicine to treat warts. G. flavum root crude alkaloid extract inhibited breast cancer cell proliferation and induced G2/M phase cycle arrest and apoptosis without affecting normal cells, which is a highly awaited feature of potential anti-cancer agents. G. flavum significantly reduced growth and vascularization of human glioma tumors on chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) in vivo. The chromatographic profile of the dichloromethane extract of G. flavum root showed the presence of different constituents including the isoquinoline alkaloid protopine, as the major compound. We report for the first time that G. flavum extract may represent a new promising agent for cancer chemotherapy

Identification and Quantification of the Main Active Anticancer Alkaloids from the Root of Glaucium flavum

Glaucium flavum is used in Algerian folk medicine to remove warts (benign tumors). Its local appellations are Cheqiq el-asfar and Qarn el-djedyane. We have recently reported the anti-tumoral activity of Glaucium flavum root alkaloid extract against human cancer cells, in vitro and in vivo. The principal identified alkaloid in the extract was protopine. This study aims to determine which component(s) of Glaucium flavum root extract might possess potent antitumor activity on human cancer cells. Quantitative estimation of Glaucium flavum alkaloids was realized by HPLC-DAD. Glaucium flavum effect on human normal and cancer cell viability was determined using WST-1 assay. Quantification of alkaloids in Glaucium flavum revealed that the dried root part contained 0.84% of protopine and 0.07% of bocconoline (w/w), while the dried aerial part contained only 0.08% of protopine, glaucine as the main alkaloid, and no bocconoline. In vitro evaluation of the growth inhibitory activity on breast cancer and normal cells demonstrated that purified protopine did not reproduce the full cytotoxic activity of the alkaloid root extract on cancer cell lines. On the other hand, bocconoline inhibited strongly the viability of cancer cells with an IC50 of 7.8 µM and only a low cytotoxic effect was observed against normal human cells. Our results showed for the first time that protopine is the major root alkaloid of Glaucium flavum. Finally, we are the first to demonstrate a specific anticancer effect of Glaucium flavum root extract against breast cancer cells, which can be attributed, at least in part, to bocconoline

Inhibition of myeloperoxidase activity by the alkaloids of Peganum harmala L. (Zygophyllaceae).

Seeds and aerial parts of Peganum harmala L. (Peganum harmala) are widely used in Algeria as anti-inflammatory remedies. Evaluation of Peganum harmala total alkaloids extracts and pure β-carboline compounds as an anti-inflammatory treatment by the inhibition of an enzyme key of inflammatory, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and HPLC quantification of the alkaloids from the different parts of plant.JOURNAL ARTICLESCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe