Effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa on high blood pressure, lipid profile and C- reactive protein among adult hypertensive patients

BackgroundHypertension is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Hibiscus is a cheap readily available preparation.AimsWe aimed to assess the effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa on blood pressure, lipid profile, plasma sugar, and h-sensitive C-reactive protein.MethodsThis is a prospective cohort study conducted among 19 College staff members at the University of Tabuk, Saudi Arabia during January 2020. The participants signed written informed consent, then responded to a questionnaire to report their demographic data. At baseline,  the blood pressure was measured, anthropometric measures collected, and, and a blood sample was taken to measure fasting plasma sugar, serum cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoproteins, and high-sensitive C-reactive protein. Participants thereafter took Hibiscus sabdariffa for four weeks, then the above measurements were repeated. The compliance of the participants was also assessed.Results No significant effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa consumption were observed on systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, and high-sensitive C-reactive protein, P-value< 0.05.ConclusionNo significant effects were observed among Hibiscus sabdariffa users on blood pressure, plasma sugar, lipid profile, and C-reactive protein. Further larger multicenter studies are recommended

Immunomodulatory activities of isolated compounds from the root-bark of Cussonia arborea

Context: Cussonia arborea Hochst. ex A. Rich (Araliaceae) is a folk medicine used to treat various diseases. However, there is no report of the root phytochemistry. Objective: This study isolates and identifies the immunomodulatory compounds from root-bark of C. arborea. Materials and methods: The methanol extract (18 g) was subjected to repeated column chromatography resulting in isolation of five compounds (1–5). Structure determination was achieved by analysis of their 1 D and 2 D NMR, and mass spectroscopy. The compounds (100–1.0 μg/mL) were examined immunomodulatory for effect on production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from whole blood phagocytes and on proliferation of T-cells. The compounds cytotoxicity (100–1.0 μg/mL) was evaluated on NIH-3T3 normal fibroblast cells. Results: Three pentacyclic triterpenoids [3, 23-dihydroxy-12-oleanen-28-oic acid (1), 3β-hydroxylolean-12-en-28-oic (2) and 23-hydoxy-oxo-urs-12-en-28-oic acid (5)], two phytosterols: [stigmasterol (3)] and [3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl stigmasterol (4)] were all isolated from the methanol soluble extract. All the tested compounds (1–4) were found to be nontoxic on NIH-3T3 cells. Compound 1 and 2 moderately inhibited the production of ROS (IC50 = 24.4 ± 4.3 and 37.5 ± 0.1 μg/mL, respectively) whereas compound 2 exhibited the highest inhibitory effect (IC50 = 12.6 ± 0.4 μg/mL) on proliferation of phytoheamagglutinin (PHA) activated T-cells. Conclusions: The isolated compounds (1–5) are reported for the first time from this species. In addition, compound 2 with suppressive potential on production of intracellular ROS and proliferation of T-cells could be of immense value in control of autoimmune diseases as well as in immune compromised patients

Synthesis, immunomodulation and cytotoxic effects of vanadium (IV) complexes

Vanadium is known to exhibit several bioactivities and shows potential as a pharmaceutical drug. The current studies were conducted with the goal of synthesizing a new generation of oxovanadium(IV) complexes, investigating their effects on cancer cell proliferation and their immunomodulatory properties, and predicting possible structure activity relationships. The elucidation of the structures of the synthesized complexes was achieved using elemental analysis, conductivity measurements, magnetic property measurements, and IR and electronic spectroscopies. These studies suggest that the synthesized complexes have a binuclear structure. All of the complexes were evaluated on different cancer cell lines, including HeLa, PC-3, and C33A, and on the normal 3T3 fibroblast cells. Some of the compounds exhibited prominent inhibitory activities on the cervical cancer cell lines and the prostate cancer PC-3 cells. The immunomodulatory activity of the vanadium compounds was evaluated on human phagocytes for ROS (reactive oxygen species) production using luminol- and lucigenin-based chemiluminescence assays. No potent effect was exerted by the majority of the tested compounds on whole blood oxidative burst activity. A study of human T-cells proliferation in vitro on vanadium complexes was also conducted. The majority of the compounds were observed to exhibit potent inhibitory effects. The superoxide, nitric oxide and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging properties were also determined.Scopu

Effects of date fruit consumption on labour and vaginal delivery in Tabuk, KSA

الملخص: أهداف البحث: ثبت أن ثمار التمر لها فوائد صحية عديدة. تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى تحديد آثار ثمار التمر في تسهيل بداية وتطور الولادة. طرق البحث: أجريت هذه الدراسة السريرية العشوائية المحكمة على ٨٩ مشاركة لتقييم آثار ثمار التمر التي أعطيت في بداية المخاض على سير الولادة. تناولت ٢٦ مشاركة ثمار التمر فقط، وأعطيت ٣٢ مشاركة ثمار التمر متبوعة بشرب الماء، وأدرجت ٣١ في مجموعة التحكم. النتائج: كان هناك تأثير إيجابي ذو دلالة احصائية لاستهلاك (الرطب) ثمار التمر على نتائج الأمهات لكل من المرحلتين الأولى والثالثة من المخاض. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، كان هناك علاقة ذات دلالة إحصائية بين عوامل سلامة الجنين مثل صفاء السائل السلي، وانتظام معدل قلب الجنين، وظهور انتفاخ بفروة الرأس، والنبض، والتجهم، والنشاط، والتنفس درجة (أبجار) عند خمس دقائق. ولم تظهر العوامل الأخرى لسلامة الأم والجنين أي علاقة ذات دلالة إحصائية بين من تناولن ثمار التمر أثناء الولادة. الاستنتاجات: أظهرت الدراسة الحالية تأثيرا واعدا لثمار التمر (الرطب) على مدة مرحلة الولادة. لم يلاحظ أي فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية بين من تناولن التمر ونظرائهن فيما يتعلق بتوسع عنق الرحم، وتمزق الأغشية، وقوة، وتكرار، وانتظام تقلص الرحم، وتقارير قياس توكو وعوامل سير الولادة لدي الأمهات. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، كانت درجة أبجار عند خمس دقائق أفضل بين الأطفال الذين تناولت أمهاتهم ثمار التمر. Abstract: Objectives: The date fruit has been shown to possess several health benefits. This study aims to determine the effects of date fruit consumption on the onset and progression of labour. Methods: A randomised controlled clinical study was conducted on 89 participants to assess the effects of date fruit consumption on the onset and progression of labour. Twenty-six participants consumed date fruits alone, and 32 consumed date fruits followed by drinking of water. Thirty-one served as controls. Results: There was a significant positive impact of consuming (rutab) date fruits on maternal outcomes in both the first and third stages of labour (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). In addition, there was a significant relationship with the foetal well-being factors, such as healthy liquor, foetal heart rate, presence of caput, and Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration (APGAR) score at 5 min (p < 0.05). The other maternal and foetal well-being factors showed no significant relationship with consumption of date fruits during labour. Conclusion: The present study showed a promising effect of (rutab) date fruit consumption on the duration of the stages of labour. No significant differences were observed between the date fruit consumers and their counterparts regarding cervical dilatation; rupture of membranes; strength, frequency, and regularity of uterine contractions; tocometric reports; and maternal progression factors. Additionally, the APGAR score at 5 min was better among the infants whose mothers consumed date fruits. الكلمات المفتاحية: ثمار التمر, الولادة, نتائج الولادة, تطور الولادة, الرطب, Keywords: Date fruit, Delivery, Labour outcomes, Labour progression, Ruta

Sarcorucinine-D Inhibits Cholinesterases and Calcium Channels: Molecular Dynamics Simulation and In Vitro Mechanistic Investigations

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors and calcium channel blockers are considered effective therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. AChE plays an essential role in the nervous system by catalyzing the hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. In this study, the inhibition of the enzyme AChE by Sarcorucinine-D, a pregnane type steroidal alkaloid, was investigated with experimental enzyme kinetics and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation techniques. Kinetics studies showed that Sarcorucinine-D inhibits two cholinesterases—AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE)—noncompetitively, with Ki values of 103.3 and 4.66 µM, respectively. In silico ligand-protein docking and MD simulation studies conducted on AChE predicted that Sarcorucinine-D interacted via hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds with the residues of the active-site gorge of AChE. Sarcorucinine-D was able to relax contractility concentration-dependently in the intestinal smooth muscles of jejunum obtained from rabbits. Not only was the spontaneous spasmogenicity inhibited, but it also suppressed K+-mediated spasmogenicity, indicating an effect via the inhibition of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. Sarcorucinine-D could be considered a potential lead molecule based on its properties as a noncompetitive AChE inhibitor and a Ca2+ channel blocker