Inhibition of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines by Ethyl Acetate Extract of Scrophularia striata

Purpose: To investigate the effect of ethyl acetate extract of S. striata on pro-inflammatory production by macrophages.Methods: Mouse peritoneal macrophages were cultured in solvent either alone or with 2 ìg/ml lipopolysaccaride (LPS) with/without different doses of ethyl acetate extract of S. striata. Production of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin 1â (IL-1â), tumor necrosis factor - á (TNF-á) andprostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were examined using ELISA.Results: Ethyl acetate fraction of S. striata in doses of 10, 50, 100 and 200 ìg/ml significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited pro-inflammatory mediators (IL-1â, TNF-á, and PGE2) production by LPS stimulated peritoneal macrophages.Conclusion: The anti-inflammatory effect of the extract on pro-inflammatory cytokines may ameliorate inflammatory diseases, possibly via an immunomodulatory mechanism.Keywords: Pro-inflammatory, Cytokines, Ethyl acetate extract, Scrophularia striat

Morphine withdrawal attenuating effect, toxicity and alkaloid composition of Sophora alopecuroides L. var. alopecuroides

Background and objectives: The seedsof Sophora alopecuroides L. var. alopecuroides may benefit treatment of opioid dependence. Therefore, the plant alkaloid composition, toxicity and effects on morphine withdrawal were studied. Methods: The alkaloid composition was determined by GC and GC/MS analysis. Mice were made dependent by morphine injected 3 times a day for 3 days. The withdrawal jumping and diarrhea were induced by administration of naloxone 2 h after the 10th injection of morphine on the day 4. The ethanol 90% extract (100, 200, 300 mg/kg), alkaloid fraction (5, 10, 20 mg/kg), morphine (50 mg/kg) or saline were injected 30 min before naloxone. All drugs were injected subcutaneously to groups each consisting of 10 mice. To assess toxicity, different doses of the ethanol or aqueous extracts dissolved in normal saline were gavaged once to groups each consisting of 30 mice. Afterward, the numbers of dead animals within 72 h after gavage were counted and LD50 was calculated. Results: Matrine, cytisine, sophoridine, n-methyl cytisine, sophocarpine and sophoramine were the major alkaloids. All doses of the total extract, alkaloid fraction and morphine decreased jumping and diarrhea significantly compared to the saline (p0.05). The ethanol and aqueous extracts LD50 were 355 mg/kg and 540 mg/kg, respectively. Conclusion: The plant inhibited opioid withdrawal with efficacy comparable to morphine. The alkaloids may be involved in the effect. The ethanol and aqueous extracts are moderately and slightly orally toxic, respectively

Phytochemical and growth responses of Mentha piperita

The biostimulant products are able to improve quality and quantity of medicinal plants. The comparative effects of biostimulants foliar spraying on peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) were investigated. These studies were done on the basis of randomized complete blocks design in 3 replicates during 2015. In field conditions, the highest leaves and stems dry weight by 400 mg/l chitosan (CH) + 400 mg/l citric acid (CA), essential oil content by 200 mg/l chitosan + 400 mg/l humic acid (HA) + 400 mg/l citric acid and menthol content in 200 mg/l chitosan + 800 mg/l humic acid + 400 mg/l citric acid were observed. In greenhouse conditions, the best results of those mentioned parameters were obtained by 400 mg/l chitosan + 800 mg/l humic acid + 400 mg/l citric acid, 800 mg/l humic acid and 400 mg/l chitosan + 400 mg/l humic acid + 400 mg/l citric acid, respectively.Produkty biostymulujące mają właściwości podnoszące jakość i plon roślin leczniczych. Porównanie efektów spryskiwania biosymulatorami liści mięty pieprzowej. Badanie przeprowadzono w 2015 r. metodą wybranych losowo kompletnych bloków w trzech powtórzeniach. W warunkach polowych najwyższy plon suchej masy łodyg i liści otrzymano przy zastosowaniu 400 mg/l chitosanu (CH) + 400 mg/l kwasu cytrynowego (CA), zawartość olejku eterycznego przy użyciu 200 mg/l chitosanu + 400 mg/l kwasu humusowego (HA) + 400 mg/l kwasu cytrynowego oraz zawartość mentolu przy zastosowaniu 200 mg/l chitosanu + 800 mg/l kwasu humusowego + 400 mg/l kwasu cytrynowego. W warunkach szklarniowych najlepsze wyniki powyższych parametrów uzyskano, stosując odpowiednio 400 mg/l chitosanu + 800 mg/l kwasu humusowego + 400 mg/l kwasu cytrynowego, 800 mg/l kwasu humusowego oraz 400 mg/l chitosanu + 400 mg/l kwasu humusowego + 400 mg/l kwasu cytrynowego.Stosowanie dolistne efektywnych biostymulantów może podnieść jakość i plon mięty pieprzowej

Encapsulation of thyme essential oil in polymeric capsules using electrospray method

Background and objectives: Essential oils (EOs) of medicinal herbs are prone to degradation by oxidation, heating, or light. Encapsulation of EOs can protect these fragile volatile natural products from degradation. Thymus vulgaris (thyme) is a well-known herb which has been used as food additive as well as medicine since ancient times. Electrospraying is a novel technology to encapsulate food and pharmaceutical materials. The aim of this study was to apply electrospray method for encapsulation of thyme essential oil in polymeric capsules. Methods: The thyme essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation. Ploylactic acid (PLA) capsules, loaded by thyme EO, were synthesized by electrospraying. The applied voltage was set at 18 kV and the flow rate of solution in injector was 0.5 mL/h. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) capsules were also prepared. The distance between metal nozzle and collector plate was 25 cm. The solution was injected at the flow rate of 0.5 mL/h and the applied voltage was set at 8 kV. SEM micrographs of the produced micro/nanocapsules were analyzed using image j software. Results: The findings indicated that the mean diameter of PLA capsules were about 162 nm while in the case of PMMA capsules, the mean diameter of fabricated particles was about 5.4 µm. Conclusion: The major conclusion of this study was that the particle size and morphology of synthesized particle was directly affected by the type of polymer utilized for electrospraying

On the Simultaneous Edge-Coloring Conjecture

At the 16th British Combinatorial Conference (1997), Cameron introduced a new concept called 2-simultaneous edge-coloring and conjectured that every bipartite graphic sequence, with all degrees at least 2, has a 2-simultaneous edge-colorable realization. In fact, this conjecture is a reformulation of a conjecture of Keedwell (Graph Theory, Combinatorics, Algorithms and Applications, Proceedings of Third China--USA International Conference, Beijing, June 1--5, 1993, World Scientific Publ. Co., Singapore, 1994, pp. 111--124) on the existence of critical partial latin squares (CPLS) of a given type. In this paper, using some classical results about nowhere-zero 4-flows and oriented cycle double covers, we prove that this conjecture is true for all bipartite graphic sequences with all degrees at least 4

Odpowiedź biochemiczna i wzrost Mentha piperita po dolistnym podaniu biostymulatorów w warunkach szklarniowych i polowych

The biostimulant products are able to improve quality and quantity of medicinal plants. The comparative effects of biostimulants foliar spraying on peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) were investigated. These studies were done on the basis of randomized complete blocks design in 3 replicates during 2015. In field conditions, the highest leaves and stems dry weight by 400 mg/l chitosan (CH) + 400 mg/l citric acid (CA), essential oil content by 200 mg/l chitosan + 400 mg/l humic acid (HA) + 400 mg/l citric acid and menthol content in 200 mg/l chitosan + 800 mg/l humic acid + 400 mg/l citric acid were observed. In greenhouse conditions, the best results of those mentioned parameters were obtained by 400 mg/l chitosan + 800 mg/l humic acid + 400 mg/l citric acid, 800 mg/l humic acid and 400 mg/l chitosan + 400 mg/l humic acid + 400 mg/l citric acid, respectively.Produkty biostymulujące mają właściwości podnoszące jakość i plon roślin leczniczych. Porównanie efektów spryskiwania biosymulatorami liści mięty pieprzowej. Badanie przeprowadzono w 2015 r. metodą wybranych losowo kompletnych bloków w trzech powtórzeniach. W warunkach polowych najwyższy plon suchej masy łodyg i liści otrzymano przy zastosowaniu 400 mg/l chitosanu (CH) + 400 mg/l kwasu cytrynowego (CA), zawartość olejku eterycznego przy użyciu 200 mg/l chitosanu + 400 mg/l kwasu humusowego (HA) + 400 mg/l kwasu cytrynowego oraz zawartość mentolu przy zastosowaniu 200 mg/l chitosanu + 800 mg/l kwasu humusowego + 400 mg/l kwasu cytrynowego. W warunkach szklarniowych najlepsze wyniki powyższych parametrów uzyskano, stosując odpowiednio 400 mg/l chitosanu + 800 mg/l kwasu humusowego + 400 mg/l kwasu cytrynowego, 800 mg/l kwasu humusowego oraz 400 mg/l chitosanu + 400 mg/l kwasu humusowego + 400 mg/l kwasu cytrynowego.Stosowanie dolistne efektywnych biostymulantów może podnieść jakość i plon mięty pieprzowej

Splenocyte proliferation, NK cell activation and cytokines production by extract of Scrophularia variegata; an in vitro study on mice spleen cells

Background and objectives:Scrophularia variegata M. Beib. (Scrophulariaceae) is a medicinal plant, used for various inflammatory diseases in Iranian Traditional Medicine. In the present study, we evaluated the immune modulation and antioxidant effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of S.  variegata. Methods: The splenocytes were harvested from the spleen of Balb/c mice and were cultured. The splenocyte proliferation, NK cell activity, cytokines production and antioxidant effects were evaluated by MTT assay, enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and DPPH assay, respectively. Results: The S. variegata extract significantly increased splenocyte proliferation. The results indicated that the extract increased NK cell cytotoxicity of Yac-1 tumor cells and at the concentration of 50-200 µg/mL significantly increased IFN-γ and IL-2 cytokines, although the level of IL-4 cytokine was significantly reduced. The antioxidant activity was observed in the extract with IC50 302.34±0.11 μg/mL.Conclusion: The increasing in the splenocyte proliferation, anti-tumor NK cell cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion were indicated as potent immunomodulatory effects. These results suggest that S. variegata could be considered in the treatment of immunopathological disorders such as allergy and cancer; however, future studies are necessary

In vitro wound healing activity of luteolin

Background and objectives: Luteolin (3′,4′,5,7-tetrahydroxy flavone) is one of the most common flavones, which is naturally found in several edible plants and traditional medicine. It is known as a non-toxic compound with anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic, and antiangiogenic properties. Luteolin has antiproliferative activity against different human hormone dependent cancer cells e.g. breast, prostate, and thyroid. Due to its bacteriostatic properties  and strong antioxidant potential, luteolin is valuable in the management of diverse diseases including peptic ulcers. There are some evidences on wound healing effect of luteolin on diabetic rats and in this work, an in vitro model of wound healing was used to study the wound healing effect of luteolin. Methods: Different concentrations of luteolin were applied in MTT and scratch assay on 3T3 fibroblast cells. FBS-free medium was used as the negative control. Cell proliferation and migration during scratch contraction was calculated. Annexin V and cell cycle analyses were performed to study the effect of luteolin on cell proliferation. Result: The results showed that, scratch contraction was observed significantly (