Alantolactona în tulpina, frunzele şi inflorescenţele de Tagetes Erecta

The genus Tagetes (Asteraceae) comprises species with a wide arrays of uses. Previous studies have been focused on the distribution of flavonoids in the genus but little has been done on the identification of the sesquiterpenlactones in the medicinal, cosmetic and aromatic species. The significance of the distribution and accumulation of this compound thorough the plant is not yet clear. In the current study, the alantolactone content of aerial parts of Tagetes erecta was investigated, during budding and full flowering stages. The TLC and HPLC methods confirmed the presence of alantolactones, greater in budding stage sampes than in full flowering ones (0.2309 μg % in buds, 0.5097 μg % in leaves). The fertilized plant inflorescences contain greater amounts of studied metabolites than unfertilized plants. The leaves content is not influenced by fertilization. The presence of this metabolite alerts to the allergenic potential of plant, especially in budding stag

Memory-enhancing activities of the aqueous extract of Albizia adianthifolia leaves in the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesion rodent model of Parkinson’s disease

BACKGROUND: Albizia adianthifolia (Schumach.) W. Wright (Fabaceae) is a traditional herb largely used in the African traditional medicine as analgesic, purgative, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial and memory-enhancer drug. This study was undertaken in order to evaluate the possible cognitive-enhancing and antioxidative effects of the aqueous extract of A. adianthifolia leaves in the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesion rodent model of Parkinson’s disease. METHODS: The effect of the aqueous extract of A. adianthifolia leaves (150 and 300 mg/kg, orally, daily, for 21 days) on spatial memory performance was assessed using Y-maze and radial arm-maze tasks, as animal models of spatial memory. Pergolide - induced rotational behavior test was employed to validate unilateral damage to dopamine nigrostriatal neurons. Also, in vitro antioxidant activity was assessed through the estimation of total flavonoid and total phenolic contents along with determination of free radical scavenging activity. Statistical analyses were performed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Significant differences were determined by Tukey’s post hoc test. F values for which p < 0.05 were regarded as statistically significant. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and regression analysis were used in order to evaluate the association between behavioral parameters and net rotations in rotational behavior test. RESULTS: The 6-OHDA-treated rats exhibited the following: decrease of spontaneous alternations percentage within Y-maze task and increase of working memory errors and reference memory errors within radial arm maze task. Administration of the aqueous extract of A. adianthifolia leaves significantly improved these parameters, suggesting positive effects on spatial memory formation. Also, the aqueous extract of A. adianthifolia leaves showed potent in vitro antioxidant activity. Furthermore, in vivo evaluation, the aqueous extract of A. adianthifolia leaves attenuated the contralateral rotational asymmetry observed by pergolide challenge in 6-OHDA-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results suggest that the aqueous extract of A. adianthifolia leaves possesses antioxidant potential and might provide an opportunity for management neurological abnormalities in Parkinson’s disease conditions

MICROBIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL EVALUATION OF SEVERAL COMMERCIAL SAMPLES OF TILIAE FLOS

The aim of our study was to evaluate the chemical and microbiological composition of seven commercial samples of Tiliae flos cum bracteis. Sample S2 presents the maximum level of microbiological contamination with 1.2x104 colony forming units (CFU) aerobic germs/g, 9.6x103 CFU fungi/g, and 360 CFU Salmonella sp./g. For all samples the number of colony forming units for each type of microorganisms was under the limits of European Pharmacopoeia, 8th edition. The amount of flavonoids ranges between 489±1.25 mg/100 g (S2) and 647±1.32 mg/100 g (S4). For polyphenols the quantities range between 663±2.12 mg/100 g (S2) and 1,169±2.76 mg/100 g (S3). The maximum levels of metals determined in mineralised extracts were: 10.35±0.22 mg Mn/100 g (S5), 22.66±0.23 mg Zn/100 g (S3), 1.36±0.12 mg Cu/100 g (S4), 9.92±0.12 mg Fe/100 g (S2), and 9.15±0.12 mg Pb/100 g (S3)

The Effects of Honey Sulfonamides on Immunological and Hematological Parameters in Wistar Rats

Sulfonamides are among the most used drugs in beekeeping due to their effectiveness, despite their long-term persistence in tissues. Bee honey containing such residues poses numerous risks to human health. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects on immunological and hematological parameters of Wistar rats produced by sulfonamide residues in bee honey, through the evaluation of various blood parameters such as triiodothyronine and thyroxine levels, hematocrit, hemoglobin, red blood cell count and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration in a given volume of erythrocytes following administration of sulfonamide-containing honey. The hematological and immunological parameters showed significant variations in the group of rats that had been fed with honey spiked with sulfonamides compared to the control group. Changes in hematological indices were demonstrated in terms of a significant reduction in the number of erythrocytes, the amount of hemoglobin, and the value of hematocrit, thus confirming the induction of anemia in the tested group. Investigation of thyroid function through the analysis of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) and their ratio showed a very significant decrease in plasma thyroxine levels in laboratory rats that were fed sulfonamide-spiked honey compared to the control group. The mean T3 concentration decreased from 0.70 ± 0.14 ng/dL to 0.34 ± 0.03 ng/dL, while the mean T4 concentration was reduced from 4.50 ± 0.30 μg/dL to 3.32 ± 0.21 μg/dL, thus demonstrating toxic effects on thyroid function. In sum, the presence of sulfonamides induced significant changes in the evaluated parameters indicating that the consumption of contaminated honey samples represents a high risk factor for thyroid dysfunction with potentially serious health impacts

Bay Leaf (Laurus Nobilis L.) Incense Improved Scopolamine-Induced Amnesic Rats by Restoring Cholinergic Dysfunction and Brain Antioxidant Status

Bay leaf (Laurus nobilis L.) has been shown to possesses various biological activities such as wound healing activity, antioxidant activity, antibacterial activity, antiviral activity, immunostimulant activity, anticholinergic activity, antifungal activity, insect repellant activity, anticonvulsant activity, antimutagenic activity, and analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. The present study aimed to investigate whether the bay leaf incense (BL) elicits the memory formation via the action on the cholinergic system using a scopolamine (Sco)-induced rat model. Rats were exposed to BL over 5 min in a smoking chamber apparatus once daily for 22 days, whereas memory impairment was induced by Sco (0.7 mg/kg), a muscarinic receptor antagonist, delivered 30 min before each behavioral test. The phytochemical composition of BL was achieved by gas chromatograph–mass spectrometry (GCMS). Behavioral effects in rats were assessed by Y-maze, radial arm maze (RAM), and novel object recognition (NOR) paradigms. Additionally, the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and the oxidative stress markers in the rat hippocampus were also evaluated. Exposure to BL significantly ameliorated Sco-induced cognitive impairment and oxidative stress in the rat hippocampus. The obtained results suggested that BL-induced ameliorative cognitive effects are mediated by enhancement of the cholinergic system and antioxidant activities

Bay Leaf (<i>Laurus Nobilis</i> L.) Incense Improved Scopolamine-Induced Amnesic Rats by Restoring Cholinergic Dysfunction and Brain Antioxidant Status

Bay leaf (Laurus nobilis L.) has been shown to possesses various biological activities such as wound healing activity, antioxidant activity, antibacterial activity, antiviral activity, immunostimulant activity, anticholinergic activity, antifungal activity, insect repellant activity, anticonvulsant activity, antimutagenic activity, and analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. The present study aimed to investigate whether the bay leaf incense (BL) elicits the memory formation via the action on the cholinergic system using a scopolamine (Sco)-induced rat model. Rats were exposed to BL over 5 min in a smoking chamber apparatus once daily for 22 days, whereas memory impairment was induced by Sco (0.7 mg/kg), a muscarinic receptor antagonist, delivered 30 min before each behavioral test. The phytochemical composition of BL was achieved by gas chromatograph–mass spectrometry (GCMS). Behavioral effects in rats were assessed by Y-maze, radial arm maze (RAM), and novel object recognition (NOR) paradigms. Additionally, the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and the oxidative stress markers in the rat hippocampus were also evaluated. Exposure to BL significantly ameliorated Sco-induced cognitive impairment and oxidative stress in the rat hippocampus. The obtained results suggested that BL-induced ameliorative cognitive effects are mediated by enhancement of the cholinergic system and antioxidant activities

Memory-Enhancing Effects of Origanum majorana Essential Oil in an Alzheimer’s Amyloid beta1-42 Rat Model: A Molecular and Behavioral Study

Origanum L. (Lamiaceae) is an important genus of medicinal and aromatic plants used in traditional medicine since ancient times as culinary herbs and remedies. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the chemical composition, as well as the biochemical and cellular activities of freshly prepared Origanum majorana L. essential oil (OmEO) in an Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease (AD) amyloid beta1-42 (A&beta;1-42) rat model. OmEO (1% and 3%) was inhaled for 21 consecutive days, while A&beta;1-42 was administered intracerebroventricularly to induce AD-like symptoms. Our data demonstrate that OmEO increased antioxidant activity and enhanced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, which in concert contributed to the improvement of cognitive function of animals. Moreover, OmEO presented beneficial effects on memory performance in Y-maze and radial arm-maze tests in the A&beta;1-42 rat AD model

New Insights into the Antimicrobial Potential of <i>Polyalthia longifolia</i>—Antibiofilm Activity and Synergistic Effect in Combination with Penicillin against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>

Widespread antibiotic resistance has led to the urgent need for the identification of new antimicrobials. Plants are considered a valuable potential resource for new effective antimicrobial compounds. Therefore, in the present study, we focused on the antimicrobial activity of Polyalthia longifolia plants harvested from Cameroon using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and time-kill assays. The mechanism of action was investigated by employing fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. The anti-Staphylococcus aureus activity was studied using biofilm inhibition and checkerboard assays. Our results revealed that the tested extracts possess important antimicrobial activities, notably against Gram positive bacteria (MICs as low as 0.039 mg/mL). P. longifolia leaf extracts exhibited a significant bactericidal effect, with a total kill effect recorded after only 2 h of exposure at concentrations equivalent to MBC (0.078 and 0.156 mg/mL). The extracts showed a synergistic antibacterial activity in combination with penicillin against a MRSA clinical isolate and significantly inhibited S. aureus biofilm formation. The mechanism of action is related to the impairment of cell membrane integrity and cell lysis. All these findings suggest that P. longifolia could be an important source of reliable compounds used to develop new antimicrobials

The Aqueous Extract from Ceratonia siliqua Leaves Protects against 6-Hydroxydopamine in Zebrafish: Understanding the Underlying Mechanism

Ceratonia siliqua L. is a Mediterranean medicinal plant traditionally cultivated for its ethnopharmacological benefits, such as antidiarrheal, antidiabetic, enhance acetylcholine, antioxidant, antiatherosclerotic, and for its possible anti-neurodegenerative potential. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the chemical composition, as well as the cognitive-enhancing, anxiolytic, and antioxidant activities of the aqueous extract from C. siliqua (CsAE) leaves against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) zebrafish Parkinson’s disease (PD) model. CsAE (0.1, 0.3, and 1 mg/L) was administered by immersion to zebrafish (Danio rerio) for eight consecutive days and one hour before each behavioral test of each day, while 6-OHDA (250 µM) treatment was supplied one day before the novel tank diving test (NTT). Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed by the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) analysis. The memory performance was evaluated through the NTT and Y-maze tests. Additionally, the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant status and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was also assessed. Our finds demonstrated that CsAE presented positive antioxidant and anti-AChE activities, which contributed to the improvement of cognitive function in the 6-OHDA zebrafish PD model