Chemical Investigation of Some Capparis Species Growing in Egypt and their Antioxidant Activity

Capparis cartilaginea and C. deserti growing in Egypt were investigated for their glucosiolates and rutin content. From Capparis cartilaginea four isothiocynates were isolated and identified using GC and EI/MS techniques. These compounds were butyl isothiocyanate (1), 6-methylsulphonylhexyl isothiocyanate (2), 7-methylsulphonylheptyl isothiocyanate (3) and 5-benzylsulphonyl-4-pentenyl isothiocyanate (4). In addition to compounds (1) and (2), two other compounds were isolated and identified from Capparis deserti. These compounds are 3-methylthiopropyl isothiocyanate (5) and [11-(2-butenylthio)6-undecenyl isothiocyanate] (6). Compounds (1), (2), (5) and (6) are reported in this study for the first time from Capparis deserti. The main flavonoid component in the studied species was isolated and identified as rutin by comparing the data with those reported. Also, quantitative evaluation of rutin in the two species was carried out by TLC-densitometric analysis. The antioxidant activity was done using diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method. The butanol fraction from C. cartilaginea and C. deserti showed the highest antioxidant properties

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF SILYBUM MARIANUM L. FOOD SUPPLEMENTS AVAILABLE ON MARKET: INVITRO STUDY

Objective: Silybum marianum L. Food Supplements that contain silymarin is widely used as a therapeutic agent in liver diseases. Many brands are available on the market in USA, Egypt, Europe and other countries. The objective of this study was to compare the biological activity in different preparations of silymarin available on the market in USA and Egypt using paracetamol-induced oxidative stress injury on primary cultured rat hepatocytes. Methods: Forty four silymarin samples available on the market were collected from USA (24) and Egypt (20) and tested for hepat protective antioxidant effects on primary cultured rat hepatocytes. Cytotoxicity was measured by MTT [3-(4, 5-dimethyl-thiazol-2)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LD) leakage into culture medium. Antioxidant effects were determined by glutathione reductase (GR), and Nitric oxide (NO) assays in silymarin, pretreated rat hepatocytes for 2 h followed by incubation with 25 mM paracetamol over a period of 1 h. Therapeutic index was calculated for each tested sample for comparative analysis. Results: Silymarin preparations significantly decreased toxicity induced by paracetamol in rat hepatocytes, decreased lactate dehydrogenase leakage and prevented GSH depletion (P<0.01) and returned NO to basal levels in rat hepatocytes. The therapeutic index was 80, 40 and 20 for samples No. 20, 19 and 5 respectively. Conclusions: The 44 different silymarin preparations tested in this study exhibited variation in antioxidant capacity and in reducing nitric oxide produced as a result of paracetamol injury. This variation in biological activity did not always correspond to the amount of silymarin recorded on samples

Targeting multidrug resistance in cancer by natural chemosensitizers

Abstract Background Statistics on cancer incidence and mortalities indicate that this disease still has a fatal outcome for a majority of patients due to non-sufficient treatment. The options available for cancer treatment include chemotherapy, which still commands a leading position in clinical oncology. A major obstacle to successful chemotherapy is the development of cellular resistance to multiple structurally unrelated anticancer drugs. This phenomenon has been termed multidrug resistance (MDR), which occurs in a majority of cancer patients. MDR is mainly due to the overexpression of ABC transporters which extrude chemotherapeutic drugs outside of cancer cells. A plethora of synthetic chemosensitizers have been described during the past decades that block ABC transporter function to reverse their MDR. However, none of them reached clinical routine application as of yet. In this review, we highlight the potential of natural products derived from plants, marine organisms, fungi, and other sources as chemosensitizers to the targeted major ABC transporters (ABCB1, ABCC1, and ABCG2). Conclusion Natural compounds may serve as lead compounds for the development of novel ABC transporter inhibitors with improved pharmacological features that can be used as adjuvant therapy to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs against MDR

فلافينويدات مستخلصة من كريسا كريتيريا

The aerial parts of Cressa cretica L. yielded five flavonoids that were identified as quercetin (1), quercetin-3-B-O-D-glucoside (2), kaempferol-3-O-B-D-glucoside (3), kaempferol-3-O-a-L-rhamno-(1—+6)- B-D-glucoside (a) and quercetin-3-O-o-L-rhamno-(1+ 6)- B-D-glucoside. (rutin) (5). A11 of the isolated flavonoids were identified by spectroscopic methods (UV, FAB-MS, 'H-NMR and "C-NMR). The isolated flavonoids except quercetin are reported here for the first time from Cressa cretica L.‏تم استخلاص خمسة أنواع مختلفة من الفلافينويد من جزء الأيريل لنبات كريسا كريتيريا L وتم تصنيفهم كما في المعادلة المرفقة إلى الفلافونويد رقم (1)و(2)و(3)و(4)و(5)‏ وقد تمت دراسة هذه المركبات والتعرف عليها بواسطة أجهزة الطيف المختلفة مثل الأشعة الفوق بنفسجية وأجهزة الرنين النووي المغناطيسي ( البروتون و الكربون 13‏) وأجهزة الكتلةFAB-MS ‏وتعتبر الفلافينويد الأربعة 2 ‏-5 مركبات تم استخلاصها حديثا وتنشر لأول مرة من نبات كريسا كريتيريا

Naphthaquinones of Alkanna Orientalis (L.) BOISS

The roots of Alkanna orientalis (L.) Boiss yielded α- methyl-n-butyl alkannin (compound 1) and alkannin acetate (compound 2). The compounds were identified by UV, MS, 1H NMR and 13C NMR. Quantitative determination of α- methyl-n-butyl alkannin and alkannin acetate in Alkanna orientalis (L) Boiss roots was established by TLC densitometry

Isolation and Characterization of Antineoplastic Alkaloids from Catharanthus Roseus L. Don. Cultivated in Egypt

Vinblastine and vincristine (the antileukemic agents) were isolated, in a pure form, from Catharanthus roseus L. Don., cultivated in Egypt, by several chromatographic techniques. Five modified methods for the preparation of total alkaloids were carried out. All the isolated mixtures were evaluated by HPLC and HPTLC analyses. The antineoplastic alkaloids; vinblastine and vincristine, were isolated by the use of vacuum liquid chromatographic column on silica gel : aluminium oxide (1:1) mixed bed vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC), Charcoal column, and finally purified by centrifugally accelerated radial chromatography (Chromatotrone)