A review of significant molecular mechanisms of flavonoids in prevention of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the third most common cancer among men. Risk factors for prostate cancer contain environmental factors such as diet rich of reactive oxygen species. Epidemiological studies recommend dietary consumption of plant-derived foods may decrease the risk of prostate, colon, pancreas, breast and lung cancers. However, it has been difficult to identify specific components responsible for this effect. Many phytochemicals have been shown to be biologically active compounds and they may act as a protective factor against cancer. Recent researches have revealed that diets based on flavonoids have the potential benefits for cancer prevention. Flavonoids are part of a large class of polyphenols that are found widely in diet. Nowadays, experimental researches have suggested developing proof for the valuable action of flavonoids on multiple cancer-related biological pathways. Although the outcomes of studies about flavonoids and prostate cancer are still limited and conflicting, some protective associations have been suggested for flavonoid-rich foods. The current review presented molecular mechanism of the main flavonoids on prostate cancer. The main mechanisms are in three different directions. These mechanisms contain antioxidant activity and inhibition of DNA damage of its oxidizing agents, anti-cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis

A review of medicinal herbs with antioxidant properties in the treatment of cerebral ischemia and reperfusion

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Stroke is the second most common cause of death and a major cause of disability in individuals aged over 65 years, worldwide. Considering the complex pathological process of ischemia, use of one single agent does not seem ideal for treatment. Therefore, studies in search of effective compounds and methods are under way. In recent years, increased attention has been paid to medicinal plants as potential sources for the treatment of ischemia and reperfusion. This study aimed to introduce the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia and review the effects of medicinal plants and their mechanisms of action in cerebral ischemia. METHODS: In this study, articles indexed in scientific databases including ISI, SID, PubMed, PubMed Central, Scopus, and Web of Science were evaluated, using the following keywords in Farsi and English: "Ischemia and reperfusion", "medicinal herbs", and "antioxidant properties". FINDINGS: The review of conducted studies showed that medicinal plants and their compounds are capable of reducing infarct volume, cerebral edema, neuronal damages, sensory problems, and motor disorders through reducing oxidative and nitrative stress. Moreover, these plants are able to decrease the expression of inflammatory mediators, inhibit DNA fragmentation and oxidative DNA damage, reduce microglial and astrocyte activities, increase the expression of mitochondrial genes, inhibit apoptotic protein expression, reduce eicosanoids, and boost anti-apoptotic protein expression. CONCLUSION: Medicinal herbs and their compounds are able to diminish the damages caused by cerebral ischemia through several pathways; therefore, they can be used as new sources against cerebral ischemia

Effects of ultrasonic on microorganisms and enzymes

Removing on pathogens is the key concern of non-thermal technology in food products. Recently, inclusion of ultrasound into the food industry has been a subject of research and development. The application of ultrasound in food industry is undoubtedly the notion of consideration and development and, the same as other cases in other areas, the sound ranges can would fall into the following categories of high frequency, low energy, diagnostic ultrasound in the MHz range and low frequency, high energy, power ultrasound in kHz range. The advantageous application of power ultrasound is reflected in its chemical, mechanical, or physical effects on the process or product. Microorganisms Inactivation mechanism, based on physical and chemical factors that ultrasonic was caused on liquid food. When it comes to physical and chemical effects, one would distinguish between them as thinning cell membrane, localized heat and pressure changes (5500°C, 50Mpa); hydroxyl radical and sonochemical reactions, respectively. Ultrasound-assisted inactivation of microorganisms and enzymes brings about the extension of shelf life of raw materials or prepared foods. The study focuses on the related literature having to do with the effect of ultrasonic on microorganism and enzymes

Evaluation of the Effect of different microwave dryer power on the Qualitative and Quantitative properties of Essential oil of Bakhtiari Savory

Drying is one of the most important post-harvest stages of medical plants which has a significant effect on the quality and quantity of the effective compounds. In order to promote the objectives of the study, microwave power was selected as an independent variable so that power variable microwave was designed and constructed. After collection and drying the savory samples in the shade, the essential oil at different treatments was extracted in three levels of 400, 600 and 800 W. The volatile oil was analyzed using GC/MS method. Results of experiments showed that increase in the power from 400 W to 600 and 800 W caused a reduction in drying time. The most yield of essential oil was obtained in the shade drying method with the essence value of 2.41%. It was also revealed that with increasing the microwave power, the amount of essence decreased, so that the microwave power of 800 W had the lowest essence value. The highest values of thymol and carvacrol and sum of them that show the quality of essential oil was obtained in drying methods with microwave power of 800 W (56.83%). Overall, when the quality of essence is important, the common method of shade drying is suggested, while considering the speed and quality, the microwave drying is recommended

Crop productivity and chemical compositions of black cumin essential oil in sole crop and intercropped with soybean under contrasting fertilization

Intercropping systems and the application of organic manures play an important role in increasing of quantity and quality of plant products. In order to evaluate the quantity and quality of black cumin products under contrasting fertilization, a factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications in 2016. Soybean and black cumin seeds were sown in five planting patterns (sole black cumin, sole soybean and three intercropping ratios of soybean: black cumin (1:2): one row of soybean plus two rows of black cumin, soybean: black cumin (1:1): one row of soybean plus one row of black cumin and soybean: black cumin (2:1): two rows of soybean plus one row of black cumin. All these cropping systems were received organic manure and chemical fertilizer. The results indicated that the highest seed yield (on an average by 86 g m−2) of black cumin was achieved in sole crop of black cumin treated with organic manure. The maximum seed yield of soybean (on an average by 247 g m−2) and land equivalent ratio (1.06) was obtained in two rows of soybean + one row of black cumin under the application of chemical fertilizer. The p-cymene (20.51–62.77%), carvacrol (2.40–25.99%), longifolene (1.11–24.69%) and spathulenol (0.9–14.45%) were major chemical compositions of black cumin. The highest content of p-cymene and carvacrol of black cumin essential oil were recorded in one row of soybean + two rows of black cumin with the application of chemical fertilizer and one row of soybean + one row of black cumin under chemical fertilizer, respectively. The highest longifolene and spathulenol content was observed in one row of soybean + two rows of black cumin treated with organic manure. These major chemical compositions are useful for industrial use (food and pharmaceutical). Therefore, according to different subjects of applying in industries it could be suggested especial treatment with favorite major compounds. © 2018 Elsevier B.V

Effect of Isolated Tricin from Arial Part of Allium atrovoilaceum Boiss. on Proliferation and Apoptosis in PC3 Cell Line

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Tricin as a flavone compound, in many food sources, has anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects in several cancer cell lines. Considering the importance of using natural anti-cancer drugs in treatment-resistant cancers such as prostate cancer, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of tricin on cell growth and proliferation and induction of apoptosis in human PC3 prostate cancer cell line. METHODS: In this experimental study, the PC3 cell line was prepared from the Pasteur Institute of Iran and cultivated. Extraction and purification of Tricin were performed using column chromatography and re-crystallization of Alliuum atrovoilaceum extract. The cytotoxic effect of Tricin in concentrations of 60,80,100,120, and 140 μM was evaluated by MTT method. Apoptotic effect was evaluated in the treated cell group with the IC50 concentration of Tricin and untreated cells (control group), using an Annexin-V kit and flow cytometry. FINDINGS: The viability of cells at different tricin concentrations were 85.66±1.52, 76±3.60, 66.33±4.16, 44±3.60, and 36.66±3.21, respectively (p<0.01). The IC50 concentration of tricin was 117.5±4.4 μM for PC3 cell line. The apoptosis rate in PC3 cells after 48 hours of treatment with IC50 concentration of tricin was 24.3±0.58%, which was not significant in comparison with control cells (23.3±0.58%). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that Tricin resulted in cell death in the PC3 cell line, but the cell death mechanism was not apoptosis

The comparision of essential oil composition from Thymus vulgaris L., Melissa officinalis L. and Achillea millefolium L. in Shahrekord climate condition

In this research, the essential oil composition of Thymus vulgaris L., Melissa officinalis L. and Achillea millefolium L. were evaluated in Shahrekord climate condition. The aerial parts of these plants in full flowering stages were collected in summer 2017 from a research farm of Shahrekord University. The essential oils were extracted by hydro distillation method (clevenger apparatus) and were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Results were showed that the thymol (33.2%), α-terpinene (18.50%), p-cymene (10.9%) and linalool (5%) were the most components of Thymus vulgaris. Neral (26.3%), geranial (25%), β-caryophyllene (6.9%), geranyl acetate (6.4%) and cis-crysantenol (5.8%) were the most important compound of M. officinalis essential oil and the cis-chrysanthenyl acetate (27.19%), cis-chrysantheol (13.16%), germacren D (7.24%), β-caryophyllene (6.69%) and thymol (6.15%) recorded in Achillea essential oil In conclusion, the results were showed that essential oils of thyme, lemon balm, and yarrow had suitable quality composition in Shahrekord climate conditions

Depression and treatment with effective herbs

Depression is a common psychiatric disease and one of the main causes of disability worldwide. In spite of certain developments in this field, chemical and synthetic drugs used for the treatment of depression may disrupt the treatment process due to numerous side effects and high cost. Today, the goal of using a potential method for treating depression involves the use of medicinal and phytochemical plants, which have many therapeutic benefits. Studies have shown that medicinal plants affect the nervous system and exert antidepressant effects in various ways, including synaptic regulation of serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine and inflammatory mediators. In this study, depression as well as the factors and mechanisms involved in its development are first addressed, and then medicinal plants effective in the treatment of depression along with their mechanisms of actions are reported

Implication of NMDA-NO pathway in the antidepressant-like effect of ellagic acid in male mice

Depression is one the common psychiatric disorders through the world. Nitric oxide (NO) and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDA-R) are involved in the pathophysiology of depression. Previous studies have been reported various pharmacological properties for ellagic acid (EA). We aimed to evaluate possible involvement of NMDA-NO pathway in the antidepressant-like effect of EA. To do this, we used relevant behavioral tests to evaluate depressive-like behavior. In order to find effective and sub-effective doses of agents, mice treated with EA (6.25, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg), L-NAME (5 and 10 mg/kg), L-arg (25 and 50 mg/kg), NMDA (75 and 150 mg/kg) and ketamine (0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg). Furthermore, mice were treated with combination of sub-effective dose of EA plus sub-effective doses of L-NAME and/or ketamine as well as treated with effective dose of EA in combination of effective doses of L-arg and/or NMDA. Level of NO and gene expression of NR2A and NR2B subunits of NMDA-R were assessed in the hippocampus. Results showed that EA dose dependently provoked antidepressant-like effects and also decreased the hippocampal NO level as well as expression of NMDA-Rs. Co-administration of sub-effective doses of L-NAME or ketamine with sub-effective dose of EA potentiated the effect of EA on behaviors, NO level as well as NMDA-Rs gene expression in the hippocampus. However, co-treatment of effective dose of EA with effective doses of L-arg or NMDA mitigated effects of EA. In conclusion, our data suggested that NMDA-NO, partially at least, are involved in the antidepressant-like effect of EA