Damage index in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus in Egypt

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To investigate the prevalence of cumulative organ damage among Egyptian children with juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (jSLE) and the relationships between the organ damage and the demographic data, clinical variables, and disease activity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 148 patients with jSLE have been followed in the pediatric rheumatology clinic and section at Cairo University. These patients were evaluated by retrospective chart review. The organ system damage due to SLE was measured using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI). Risk factors for damage were also studied including demographic criteria as well as clinical and laboratory manifestations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Overall, 43.9% of the patients had damage within a mean of 6.57 ± 3.59 years of disease diagnosis. Neuropsychiatric (NPS-21%) and renal (16.9%) system involvement were observed most frequently, followed by cardiovascular (11.5%), skin (9.5%), pulmonary (6.1%), and ocular (4.8%), with a mean SDI score of 0.93 ± 1.37. In our study, the presence of neuropsychiatric manifestations at diagnosis showed the strongest association with the presence of later disease damage.</p> <p>The number of SLE diagnostic criteria at presentation was strongly associated with the total SDI score, and the renal damage was significantly more prevalent in patients with age at disease diagnosis below 10 years of age. A higher mean disease duration was found in patients with musculoskeletal damage.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We found that cumulative organ damage, as measured by the SDI, was present in 43.9% of Egyptian patients with juvenile-onset SLE. The damage was significantly more likely in patients who had more SLE diagnostic criteria at time of disease presentation and NPS manifestations at the time of diagnosis.</p

Eucalyptus-derived essential oils alleviate microbes and modulate inflammation by suppressing superoxide and elastase release

The Eucalyptus tree, belonging to the myrtle family, grows all over the world for its pharmaceutical and industrial benefits. In this article, we present a comparative analysis of the chemical composition of the hydrodistilled oils obtained from three different Eucalyptus species growing in Egypt viz. E. citriodora, E. camaldulensis, and E. ficifolia. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometric guided analysis resulted in the identification of a total of 20 metabolites in E. citriodora oil with citronellal (54.9%) and citronellol (25.4%) being the most dominant components. β-cymene (12.7%) and 1,8-cineole (11.7%) were the major volatile constituents identified in E. camaldulensis oil, while trans-β-ocimene (22.4%), 1,8-cineole (13.5%), and L-trans-pinocarveol (12.5%) were the dominating components in the oil of E. ficifolia. The essential oils of the studied species were evaluated for their in vitro anti-inflammatory, antiviral including anti-SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2), antibacterial, and antifungal activities. E. citriodora oil displayed the highest inhibitory activity on the release of the superoxide radical (32%) and elastase enzyme (31%) in human neutrophils, while E. ficifolia oil had enhancing effects on elastase. The latter showed significant antiviral effects against hepatitis A, herpes simplex, and coxsackie viruses with IC50 values at 2.1, 2.5, and 5.6 μg/mL, respectively. Moderate antibacterial and antifungal activities were observed for Eucalyptus oils with Staphylococcus aureus being the most susceptible bacterial strain. E. ficifolia oil, similarly, displayed the best antibacterial activity with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value at ca. 25 μg/mL (for S. aureus). On the contrary, E. camaldulensis oil was the most active against Candida albicans with an MIC value at 45 μg/mL. In silico studies were performed with a number of macromolecular drug targets for confirming the biological activities of the identified compounds and for interpreting their ADME (absorption-distribution-metabolism-elimination) parameters

<i>Citrus reticulata</i> Leaves Essential Oil as an Antiaging Agent: A Comparative Study between Different Cultivars and Correlation with Their Chemical Compositions

The mass-based metabolomic approach was implemented using GC-MS coupled with chemometric analysis to discriminate between the essential oil compositions of six cultivars of Citrus reticulata. The antiaging capability of the essential oils were investigated through measurement of their ability to inhibit the major enzymes hyaluronidase, collagenase, and amylase involved in aging. GC-MS analysis resulted in the identification of thirty-nine compounds including β-pinene, d-limonene, γ-terpinene, linalool, and dimethyl anthranilate as the main components. Multivariate analysis using principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchal cluster analysis (HCA) successfully discriminated the cultivars into five main groups. In vitro antiaging activity showed that Kishu mandarin (Km) (2.19 ± 0.10, 465.9 ± 23.7, 0.31 ± 0.01 µg/mL), Cara mandarin (Cm) (3.22 ± 0.14, 592.1 ± 30.1, 0.66 ± 0.03 µg/mL), and Wm (8.43 ± 0.38, 695.2 ± 35.4, 0.79 ± 0.04%) had the highest inhibitory activity against hyaluronidase, collagenase, and amylase, respectively. Molecular docking studies on the major compounds validated the activities of the essential oils and suggested their possible mechanisms of action. Based on our result, certain cultivars of Citrus reticulata can be proposed as a promising candidate in antiaging skin care products

Comparative GC-MS Analysis of Fresh and Dried Curcuma Essential Oils with Insights into Their Antioxidant and Enzyme Inhibitory Activities

Species belonging to the Zingiberaceae family are of high nutritional, industrial, and medicinal values. In this study, we investigated the effect of processing steps (fresh vs. dried milled rhizomes) and extraction methodologies (hydrodistillation vs. hexane extraction) of curcuma essential oil on its chemical content (using GC-MS analysis), its antioxidant behavior (using in vitro assays such as DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP, phosphomolybdenum, and metal chelation), and its enzyme inhibitory activities (on tyrosinase, acetylcholinesterase, butylcholinesterase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase) supported by multivariate analysis, in silico studies, and molecular dynamics. The GC-MS investigations revealed a high degree of similarity in the chemical profile of fresh hydrodistilled and hexane-extracted essential oils with tumerone and curlone being the major metabolites. The extraction techniques affected the concentrations of other minor constituents such as terpinolene, caryophylla-4(12), 8(13)-dien-5α-ol, and neo-intermedeol, which were almost exclusively detected in the hydrodistilled fresh essential oil; however, zingiberene and β-sesquiphellandrene were predominant in the hexane-extracted fresh essential oil. In the dried curcuma rhizomes, tumerone and curlone contents were significantly reduced, with the former being detected only in the hydrodistilled essential oil while the latter was doubly concentrated in the hexane-derived oil. Constituents such as D-limonene and caryophyllene oxide represented ca. 29% of the dried hydrodistilled essential oil, while ar-turmerone was detected only in the dried hydrodistilled and hexane-extracted essential oils, representing ca. 16% and 26% of the essential oil composition, respectively. These variations in the essential oil chemical content have subsequently affected its antioxidant properties and enzyme inhibitory activities. In silico investigations showed that hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding were the characteristic binding modes of the bioactive metabolites to their respective targets. Molecular dynamics revealed the stability of the ligand-target complex over time. From the current study we conclude that fresh hexane-extracted essential oil showed the best radical scavenging properties, and fresh rhizomes in general display better enzyme inhibitory activity regardless of the extraction technique

Comparative LC-LTQ-MS-MS Analysis of the Leaf Extracts of Lantana camara and Lantana montevidensis Growing in Egypt with Insights into Their Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Cytotoxic Activities

Lantana camara L. and Lantana montevidensis Briq. (F. Verbenaceae) are invasive ornamental weeds native to the tropical regions of Africa and America. The leaves of both species have been traditionally used as infusions for treating fever, rheumatism, and cancer. LC-MS-MS-guided profiling of the methanolic extracts of the leaves of L. camara and L. montevidensis growing in Egypt led to the putative identification of 59 compounds belonging to terpenoids, flavonoids, iridoid glycosides, phenolic acids, and their derivatives. The in vitro antioxidants and anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities of the two extracts were investigated. L. camara and L. montevidensis inhibited DPPH center dot (IC50 = 34.01 +/- 1.32 and 47.43 +/- 1.74 mu g/ mL), ABTS (IC50 = 30.73 +/- 1.42 and 40.37 +/- 1.51 mu g/mL), and superoxide anion (IC50 = 1.57 +/- 0.19 and 1.31 +/- 0.14 mu g/mL) free radicals. A potent antiinflammatory effect was observed for both species through the inhibition of elastase release in fMLF/CB-induced human neutrophils (IC50 = 2.40 +/- 0.16 and 1.90 +/- 0.07 mu g/mL). The extracts showed significant cytotoxic activity against a panel of cancer cell lines with the most potent activity against Caco cells (IC50 = 45.65 +/- 1.64 and 40.67 +/- 1.52 mu g /mL for L. camara and L. montevidensis, respectively). Western blotting supported by FACS analysis revealed that the extracts inhibited cancer cell proliferation, reduced metastasis, and induced apoptosis resulting in cell cycle arrest. This was achieved via increasing mRNA and protein expressions of p53 and GSK-313 as well as decreasing the expression of PI3K, Akt, and cyclin D1

Vicia plants-A comprehensive review on chemical composition and phytopharmacology

The plants belonging to the genus Vicia are of great interest as a source of many bioactive compounds and micronutrients. A snapshot of their cultivation, habitat, main components, from which essential oils can be obtained, is given. The traditional medicinal uses of Vicia plants are also reported, as well as the wide spectrum of the main biological activities attributed to Vicia plants is discussed regarding potential health beneficial properties, in particular anti-Parkinson, anticholinesterase, antidepressant, anticonvulsant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antioxidant, antiinflammatory and antinociceptive, antidiabetic, antihemolytic, anticoagulant, estrogenic, diuretic, antihypoxic activities