Effects of Pyriproxyfen on Life Table Indices of Plutella xylostella

The diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is a major pest of Brassicaceae family in Iran. This study investigated the sublethal effects of pyriproxyfen, a juvenile hormone analogue, on DBM, for two subsequent generations. The leaf dip bioassay method was adopted in conducting this experiment. Sublethal concentrations resulted in a significant decrease in fecundity, oviposition period, and pupal weight of parents and offspring generations. Also, the development time of DBM was prolonged after exposure to pyriproxyfen. The biological parameters such as net reproductive rate (R0) and intrinsic (rm) and finite (λ) rate of increase were lower than control in treatment groups, significantly. From our investigations, pyriproxyfen is a good choice for control of the diamondback moth population through continuous generations

Osteogenic induction of menstrual blood mesenchymal stem cell by different Ferula species extracts

Objective: Ferula spp. have many applications in complementary medicine and are recognized as the most important sources of natural products for bone health and regeneration especially in postmenopausal women. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the extracts from three Ferula species on proliferation and osteogenesis potential of human menstrual blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MenSCs). Materials and Methods: The possible cytotoxic activity of three members of Ferula spp. (at concentrations of 5 to 100 μg/ml) was determined using MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay, Alizarin Red-S staining, and the expression analysis of an osteoblastic gene were performed to evaluate osteogenic differentiation potential. Results: The extracts of F. flabelliloba and F. szowitsiana decreased the viability and growth of MenSCs while F. foetida increased the proliferation of cells after 72 hr incubation. Treatment of MenSCs with selected plant extracts revealed that F. foetida and F. szowitsiana could enhance the osteogenic potential of MenSCs in terms of ALP activity. The Runx-2 expression in the presence of F. foetida was significantly greater than observed following treatment with 17β-estradiol (as positive control). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that F. foetida and F. szowitsiana may have therapeutic values as a nutraceutical with respect to their considerable influence on osteogenic potential of mesenchymal stem cells

Cytotoxic activity of the genus Ferula (Apiaceae) and its bioactive constituents

Objective: The genus Ferula L. includes perennial flowering plants belonging to the Apiaceae family. This genus is a rich source of biologically active phytochemicals such as sulfur-containing derivatives, coumarins, sesquiterpenes, sesquiterpene lactones, sesquiterpene coumarins, glucuronic acid, galactose, arabinose, rhamnose, and daucane esters. Over the last decade, considerable attention has been paid to biological activities of these compounds; it is assumed that the most prominent biological features of the genus Ferula are their cytotoxic effects. This article discusses cytotoxic activity of the genus Ferula and their important compounds. Methods: In this mini-review article, papers published from 1990 to April 2016 were included and the following information was discussed; cytotoxic activity of the genus Ferula and their important compounds, the type of cell line used in vitro, concentrations of the extracts/active compound that were used, and the underlying mechanisms of action through which Ferula-related chemicals induced cytotoxicity. In addition, we explained different mechanisms of action through which the active constituents isolated from Ferula, could decrease cellular growth. Conclusion: It is highly recommended that potent and effective compounds that were isolated from Ferula plants and found to be appropriate as adjuvant therapy for certain diseases, should be identified. Also, the versatile biological activities of sesquiterpene coumarins suggest them as promising agents with a broad range of biological applications to be used in the future

Review of the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of giant fennel (Ferula communis L. subsp. communis)

Ferula communis L., subsp. communis, namely giant fennel, has extensively been used in traditional medicine for a wide range of ailments. Fresh plant materials, crude extracts and isolated components of F. communis showed a wide spectrum of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological properties including antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, and cytotoxic activities. The present paper, reviews the traditional uses, botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of F. communis in order to reveal its therapeutic potential and future research opportunities. A bibliographic literature search was conducted in different scientific databases and search engines including Scopus, Cochrane Library, Embase, Google Scholar, Pubmed, SciFinder, and Web of science. Phytochemical studies have led to the isolation of different compounds such as sesquiterpenes from F. communis. This plant has two different chemotypes, the poisonous and non-poisonous chemotypes. Each chemotype is endowed with various constituents and different activities. The poisonous chemotype exhibits anticoagulant and cytotoxic activities with sesquiterpene coumarins as major constituents, while the non-poisonous one exhibits estrogenic and cytotoxic effects with daucane sesquiterpene esters as the main compounds. In addition, although various pharmacological properties have been reported for F. communis, anti-microbial activities of the plant have been investigated in most studies. Studies revealed that F. communis exhibits different biological activities, and contains various bioactive compounds. Although, antibacterial and cytotoxic activities are the two main pharmacological effects of this plant, further studies should focus on the mechanisms underlying these actions, as well as on those biological activities that have been reported traditionally

Synthesis and Purification of 7-Prenyloxycoumarins and Herniarin as Bioactive Natural Coumarins

Objective(s)7-prenyloxycoumarins including 7-isopentenyloxycoumarin, auraptene and umbelliprenin, and herniarinhave been widely recognized as bioactive coumarins. This paper presents the ways to synthesis thesecompounds.Materials and Methods7-prenyloxycoumarins were synthesized by reaction between 7-hydroxycoumarin (1 M) and relevant prenylbromides (1.5 M) in acetone at room temperature. The reaction was carried out in the presence of DBU(1, 8-diazabicyclo [5.4.0] undec-7-ene) (2 M). After 24 hr, the mixture was concentrated under reducedpressure. The compounds were purified by column chromatography.ResultsThree bioactive 7-prenyloxycoumarins, namely, umbelliprenin, auraptene and 7-isopentenyloxycoumarin,together with herniarin were synthesized from 7-hydroxycoumarin under alkaline conditions (DBU) and thenpurified by column chromatography. The structures of the products were characterized by NMRspectroscopic method including 1H- and 13C-NMR experiments.ConclusionThe method of synthesis for 7-prenyloxycoumarins and herniarin which is presented here has not beenreported yet. Moreover, for the first time, umbelliprenin was chemically prepared in this work.Keywords: Auraptene, Herniarin, 7- Isopentenyloxycoumarin, 7-Prenyloxycoumarins, Synthesis,Umbellipreni

Possible mechanism(s) of the relaxant effect of asafoetida (Ferula assa-foetida) oleo-gum-resin extract on guinea-pig tracheal smooth muscle

Objective: Asafoetida (Ferula assa-foetida) is known as a valuable remedy for whooping cough, pneumonia, bronchitis in children and asthma treatment in folk medicine. In the present study the relaxant effects of the asafoetida on tracheal smooth muscle of guinea pigs and its probable mechanism(s) were examined. Materials and Methods: The relaxant effects of three cumulative concentrations of the aqueous extract (2, 5 and 10 mg/ml), theophylline (0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 mM) and saline were examined on non-incubated tracheal smooth muscle of guinea pig precontracted by 10 µM methacholine (group 1); preincubated tissues by propranolol and chlorpheniramine, contracted by methacholine (group 2) and preincubated tissues by propranolol, contracted by methacholine (group 3), (n=6 for each group). Results: All concentrations of theophylline in group 1 and all concentrations of the extract in the other three groups showed significant relaxant effects compared to that of saline (

Antihypertensive effect of auraptene, a monoterpene coumarin from the genus Citrus, upon chronic administration

Objective(s): Auraptene, a monoterpene coumarin from Citrus species, exhibits cardioprotective effects.In this study, the effects of auraptene administration were investigated on blood pressure of normotensive and desoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) salt induced hypertensive rats. Materials and Methods: Five weeks administration of auraptene (2, 4, 8 and 16 mg/kg/day) and nifedipine (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 mg/kg/day) in different groups of normotensive and hypertensive rats (at the end of 3 weeks treatment by DOCA salt) was carried out and their effects on mean systolic blood pressure (MSBP) and mean heart rate (MHR) were evaluated using tail cuff method. Results: Our results indicated that chronic administration of auraptene (2, 4, 8 and 16 mg/kg/day) significantly reduced the MSBP in DOCA salt treated rats in a dose and time dependent manner. The percent of decreases in MSBP levels by the highest dose of auraptene (16 mg/kg) at the end of 4 th to 8 th weeks, were 7.00%, 10.78%, 16.07%, 21.28% and 27.54% respectively(