Therapeutic Potential of Seaweed Bioactive Compounds

Edible seaweeds are rich in bioactive compounds such as soluble dietary fibers, proteins, peptides, minerals, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants. Previously, seaweeds were only used as gelling and thickening agents in the food or pharmaceutical industries, recent researches have revealed their potential as complementary medicine. The red, brown and green seaweeds have been shown to have therapeutic properties for health and disease management, such as anticancer, antiobesity, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic, antioxidant, anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiestrogenic, thyroid stimulating, neuroprotective, antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial and tissue healing properties. In proposed chapter, we discussed various active compounds include sulphated polysaccharides, phlorotannins, carotenoids (e.g. fucoxanthin), minerals, peptides and sulfolipids, with proven benefits against degenerative metabolic diseases. Moreover, therapeutic modes of action of these bioactive components and their reports are summarized in this chapter

Citrus peel extract and powder attenuate hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia using rodent experimental modeling

Objective: To investigate hypocholesterolemic and hypoglycemic potential of citrus peel extract and powder using rodent experimental modeling. Methods: Considering the fact, rat feeding trial was carried out for a period of 56 d to access the prophylaxis of citrus peel flavonoids by employing normal (study I), hyperglycemic (study II) and hypercholesterolemic (study III) rats. Each study was further divided into three groups to ensure the provision of selected diets, i.e., control, functional and nutraceutical diets. Each study was further divided into three groups to ensure the provision of selected diets, i.e., control, functional and nutraceutical diets. Results: Declining trend for total cholesterol was observed in all studies with maximum reduction (8.55%) in rat group fed on nutraceutical diet in study III. Likewise, levels of low density lipoproteins and triglycerides reduced 11.39% and 7.89% respectively in hypercholesterolemic rats. Moreover, nutraceutical diet alleviated the sera glucose level by 8.96% in study II. Conclusions: Conclusively, inclusion of citrus peel bioflavonoids in dietary therapies is a promising strategy to modulate lipidemic and glycemic attributes without imparting any deleterious effect on hematological parameters

Evaluation of the spermatogenic activity of polyherbal formulation in oligospermic males

The therapeutic use of natural herbs is an ancient human civilization act and the numbers of people have reliance on their pharmacological properties and preferred to use the natural herbs. People also use to consume these herbs as supplements to energize, bolster, and eventually enhance sexual ability. Polyherbal formulation (PHF) is one of these herbal amalgams that can be used to treat sexual dysfunction including erectile dysfunction, impotence, ejaculation dysfunction, and hypogonadism. The pilot study was aimed at evaluating the capacity of PHF in enhancing the spermatogenic potential of oligospermic patients. Thirty-six male patients with oligospermia were enrolled and randomized either to treatment (n = 23) with PHF (750 mg/d in three doses for 90 days) or to placebo (n = 13) in the same protocol. The preintervention semen analysis was compared with posttreatment semen analysis. Based on the postintervention semen analysis, patients were advised to undergo either in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to assess their fertility status. After polyherbal treatment, there was a 256% increase in sperm concentration (9.59 +/- 4.37 x 106/mL to 25.61 +/- 8.6 x 10(6)/mL;

Identification and characterization of rhizospheric microbial diversity by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing

In the present study, samples of rhizosphere and root nodules were collected from different areas of Pakistan to isolate plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. Identification of bacterial isolates was made by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and taxonomical confirmation on EzTaxon Server. The identified bacterial strains were belonged to 5 genera i.e. Ensifer, Bacillus, Pseudomona, Leclercia and Rhizobium. Phylogenetic analysis inferred from 16S rRNA gene sequences showed the evolutionary relationship of bacterial strains with the respective genera. Based on phylogenetic analysis, some candidate novel species were also identified. The bacterial strains were also characterized for morphological, physiological, biochemical tests and glucose dehydrogenase (gdh) gene that involved in the phosphate solublization using cofactor pyrroloquinolone quinone (PQQ). Seven rhizoshperic and 3 root nodulating stains are positive for gdh gene. Furthermore, this study confirms a novel association between microbes and their hosts like field grown crops, leguminous and non-leguminous plants. It was concluded that a diverse group of bacterial population exist in the rhizosphere and root nodules that might be useful in evaluating the mechanisms behind plant microbial interactions and strains QAU-63 and QAU-68 have sequence similarity of 97 and 95% which might be declared as novel after further taxonomic characterization

In vitro anti-thrombotic activity of extracts from blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra) processing waste

Waste generated from the processing of marine organisms for food represents an underutilized resource that has the potential to provide bioactive molecules with pharmaceutical applications. Some of these molecules have known anti-thrombotic and anti-coagulant activities and are being investigated as alternatives to common anti-thrombotic drugs, like heparin and warfarin that have serious side effects. In the current study, extracts prepared from blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra) processing waste, using food grade enzymes papain and bromelain, were found to contain sulphated polysaccharide with anti-thrombotic activity. Extracts were found to be enriched with sulphated polysaccharides and assessed for anti-thrombotic activity in vitro through heparin cofactor-II (HCII)-mediated inhibition of thrombin. More than 60% thrombin inhibition was observed in response to 100 μg/mL sulphated polysaccharides. Anti-thrombotic potential was further assessed as anti-coagulant activity in plasma and blood, using prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and thromboelastography (TEG). All abalone extracts had significant activity compared with saline control. Anion exchange chromatography was used to separate extracts into fractions with enhanced anti-thrombotic activity, improving HCII-mediated thrombin inhibition, PT and aPTT almost 2-fold. Overall this study identifies an alternative source of anti-thrombotic molecules that can be easily processed offering alternatives to current anti-thrombotic agents like heparin

Anti-coagulant and anti-thrombotic properties of blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra): in vitro and animal studies

Sulphated polysaccharides with anti-thrombotic and anti-coagulant activities have been found in various marine biota. In this study, a previously characterised anti-thrombotic and anti-coagul ant extract from blacklip abalone was fractionated by anion exchange chromatography (AEC), pooled (on a sulphated polysaccharide basis) and administered to Wistar rats via oral gavage (N = 8) for assessment as an oral therapeutic. To ensure that the preparation had anti-coagulant activity prior to oral administration, it was assessed in rat blood by thromboelastography (TEG) significantly increasing reaction (R) time (or time until clot formation). Following in vitro confirmation of anti-coagulant activity, 40 mg of the preparation was orally administered to rats with blood samples collected at 2, 4, and 6 h post-gavage. Assessment of all blood samples by TEG showed some prolongation of R time from 355 to 380 s after 4 h. Dosing of the post-gavage blood samples with the abalone preparation to confirm anti-thrombotic activity in vitro revealed residual anti-coagulant activity, further suggesting that oral administration did increase anti-coagulant potential in the collected blood but that bioavailability was low. Assessment of tissues and haematological parameters showed no obvious harmful effects of the abalone preparation in animals. In summary, even though oral administration of fractionated and pooled blacklip abalone extract to rats delayed clotting after 4 h, bioavailability of the preparation appeared to be low and may be more appropriate for intravenous administration as an anti-thrombotic or anti-coagulant therapeutic

The therapeutic potential of wogonin observed in preclinical studies

Wogonin is a flavonoid found in different plants such as roots of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi distributed mainly in Asia and Europe. Dried root extracts of S. baicalensis with high content of wogonin, popularly known as "Huang-Qin" or Chinese or baical skullcap, have been used for long time in traditional Chinese medicine. Several health benefits are attributed to wogonin and derivatives showing anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anticancer, and antioxidant effects and more recently antineurodegenerative properties. Preclinical pharmacological activities of wogonin against diverse types of cancer such as breast, colorectal, and human gastric cancer will be presented in this review. In addition, studies on oxidative stress and bioavailability of wogonin will be discussed together with antineurodegenerative potential with special focus on Alzheimer's disease. Outcomes extracted from the last preclinical studies related to therapeutic applications of wogonin will be commented and updated in this review. The scientific evidence collected in this review aims to encourage transfer of the preclinical evidence of wogonin to new clinical studies.CONICYT PIA/APOYO CCTE: AFB170007info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Analysis of codon usage bias of lumpy skin disease virus causing livestock infection

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) causes lumpy skin disease (LSD) in livestock, which is a double-stranded DNA virus that belongs to the genus Capripoxvirus of the family Poxviridae. LSDV is an important poxvirus that has spread out far and wide to become distributed worldwide. It poses serious health risks to the host and causes considerable negative socioeconomic impact on farmers financially and on cattle by causing ruminant-related diseases. Previous studies explained the population structure of the LSDV within the evolutionary time scale and adaptive evolution. However, it is still unknown and remains enigmatic as to how synonymous codons are used by the LSDV. Here, we used 53 LSDV strains and applied the codon usage bias (CUB) analysis to them. Both the base content and the relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis revealed that the AT-ended codons were more frequently used in the genome of LSDV. Further low codon usage bias was calculated from the effective number of codons (ENC) value. The neutrality plot analysis suggested that the dominant factor of natural selection played a role in the structuring of CUB in LSDV. Additionally, the results from a comparative analysis suggested that the LSDV has adapted host-specific codon usage patterns to sustain successful replication and transmission chains within hosts (Bos taurus and Homo sapiens). Both natural selection and mutational pressure have an impact on the codon usage patterns of the protein-coding genes in LSDV. This study is important because it has characterized the codon usage pattern in the LSDV genomes and has provided the necessary data for a basic evolutionary study on them

Comparative evaluation of polyphenol contents and antioxidant activities between ethanol extracts of Vitex negundo and Vitex trifolia L. leaves by different methods

The in vitro antioxidant potential assay between ethanolic extracts of two species from the genus Vitex (Vitex negundo L. and Vitex trifolia L.) belonging to the Lamiaceae family were evaluated. The antioxidant properties of different extracts prepared from both plant species were evaluated by different methods. DPPH scavenging, nitric oxide scavenging, and β-carotene-linoleic acid and ferrous ion chelation methods were applied. The antioxidant activities of these two species were compared to standard antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), ascorbic acid, and Ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA). Both species of Vitex showed significant antioxidant activity in all of the tested methods. As compared to V. trifolia L. (60.87–89.99%; 40.0–226.7 μg/mL), V. negundo has been found to hold higher antioxidant activity (62.6–94.22%; IC50 = 23.5–208.3 μg/mL) in all assays. In accordance with antioxidant activity, total polyphenol contents in V. negundo possessed greater phenolic (89.71 mg GAE/g dry weight of extract) and flavonoid content (63.11 mg QE/g dry weight of extract) as compared to that of V. trifolia (77.20 mg GAE/g and 57.41 mg QE/g dry weight of extract respectively). Our study revealed the significant correlation between the antioxidant activity and total phenolic and flavonoid contents of both plant species