Hypoglycemic Activity of Fumaria parviflora in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Purpose: Fumaria parviflora Lam (Fumariaceae) has been used in traditional medicine in the treatment of several diseases such as diabetes. The present work was designed to evaluate the hypoglycaemic effects of methanolic extract (ME) of F. parviflora in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods: The rats used were allocated in six (I, II, III, IV, V and VI) experimental groups (n=5). Group I rats served as ‘normal control’ animals received distilled water and group II rats served as ‘diabetic control’ animals. Diabetes mellitus was induced in groups II, V and VI rats by intraperitoneal single injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 55 mg kg-1). Group V and VI rats were addi-tionally treated with ME (150 mg kg-1 day-1 and 250 mg kg-1 day-1, i.p. respectively) 24 hour post STZ injection, for seven consecutive days. Groups III and IV rats received only ME 150 mg kg-1 day-1 and 250 mg kg-1 day-1, i.p. respectively for seven days. The levels of blood glucose were determined using a Glucometer. Results: Administra-tion of F. parviflora extract showed a potent glucose lowering effect only on streptozo-tocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats below 100 mg/dl (P<0.001). However, no significant differences in the blood glucose levels were recorded between diabetic rats received 125 or 250 mg/kg of plant extracts. Conclusion: The findings of the study indicated that F. parviflora has significant hypoglycemic effect on STZ-induced diabetic rats with no effects on blood glucose levels of normal rats

Characterization of Non-Terpenoids in Marrubium crassidens Boiss. Essential Oil

Purpose: Marrubium crassidens, a plant belonging to the family Lamiaceae, was studied for its volatile components present in the aerial parts of the plant during the flowering stage. Methods: The essential oil of the plant obtained through hydrodistillation of the dried plant material was assessed for its chemical composition by GC/MS and GC-FID analyses. Results: Twenty-five compounds were identified, which constituted 94.3% of the total oil composition. The major components were identified as, m-tolualdehyde (23.3%), acetophenone (15.8%), nonacosane (13.1%), docosane (7.2%), o-tolualdehyde (4.1%), β-caryophyllene (3.8%) and caryophyllene oxide (3.4%). Non-terpenoids with 75.7% were the most abundant components of the essential oil. Conclusion: Overall, M. crassidens essential oil revealed to include rather higher proportions of non-terpenoid compounds compared with other species of genus Marrubium

Chamomile: An ancient pain remedy and a modern gout relief -A hypothesis

Matricaria chamomilla (MC) i

The Effects of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Arum orientale on CLP-Induced Sepsis in Rats

Background: Sepsis is a lethal clinical syndrome that results from dysregulated systemic inflammatory response of the body due to the invasion of pathogens, especially bacteria. Despite advances in medical care and therapy, sepsis is still one of the major causes of death in intensive care units and no decisive medical treatment is available against that. Studies have suggested that some Arum species have anti-bacterial properties. The present study investigated the effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Arum orientale, on cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) induced sepsis in rats. Methods: CLP method was used for induction of sepsis in rats. Hydroalcoholic extract of A. orientale was injected intraperitoneally with doses of 80 and 640 mg/Kg body weight at times of 0, 1, 3, 6 and 24 h after the surgery. Antibacterial activity, hemodynamic parameters, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and survival rate were measured after 72 h. Results: Hydroalcoholic extract of A. orientale showed antibacterial activities as potent as gentamycin against Escherichia coli. Administration of the extract with a dose of 80 mg/Kg body weight increased significantly hemodynamic parameters such as mean arterial pressure (p&lt;0.05)and decreased optical density (OD) (p&lt;0.05) of blood. The extract also increased serum MPO activity (p&lt;0.01) and reduced survival rate to 20%. Conclusion: This study for the first time showed that hydroalcoholic extract of A. oriental acts as a double edge sword in the treatment of CLP-induced sepsis. This extract showed antibacterial properties and also improved hemodynamic parameters but decreased survival rate, that might be through pro-inflammatory effects

Rhizomes of Eremostachys laciniata: Isolation and Structure Elucidation of Chemical Constituents and a Clinical Trial on Inflammatory Diseases

Purpose: The purpose of this study was the isolation and structure elucidation of chemical compounds from the rhizomes of Eremostachys laciniata (L) Bunge (EL), an Iranian traditional medicinal herb with a thick root and pale purple or white flowers as well as the clinical studies on the therapeutic efficacy and safety of topical application of the EL extract in the management of some inflammatory conditions, e.g., arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and septic arthritis (Riter’s syndrome). Methods: The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated unequivocally on the basis of one and two dimensional NMR, UV and HR-FABMS spectroscopic data analyses. A single-blinded randomized clinical trial was carried out with the extract of the rhizomes of E. laciniata (EL) to determine the efficacy and safety of the traditional uses of EL compared to that of piroxicam in treatment of inflammatory diseases, e.g., osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and Reiter’s syndrome. Results: Eleven iridoid glycosides, two phenylethanoids and two phytosterols were isolated and identified for the first time from the rhizomes of EL. After 14 days of treatment with the EL and piroxicam ointments, all groups showed significant improvements compared to the control groups. EL (5%) ointment induced better initial therapeutic response than piroxicam (5%) onitment. Conclusion: This clinical trial established that EL was suitable for topical applications as a safe and effective complementary therapy for inflammatory diseases

Phytochemical analysis and antioxidant activity of Hyssopus officinalis L. from Iran

Introduction: Hyssopus officinalis (L) (Hyssop, Family: Lamiaceae), one of the endemic Iranian perennial herb with a long history of medicinal use, was studied to detect some biologically active chemical constituents of the plant. Methods: The flavonoids of the hydromethanolic extract of the aerial parts of Hyssopus officinalis (L.) were studied by VLC and crystalisation of the major compound in subsequent fractions. Furthermore, the composition of its essential oil, total phenolic content and antioxidant activities were studied by GC-MS, Folin–Ciocalteau and DPPH reagents respectively. Results: Apigenin 7-O-β-D-glucuronide was isolated as the major flavonoid. All structural elucidation was performed by spectral means. A total of 20 compounds representing 99.97% of the oil have been identified. Myrtenylacetate , Camphor, Germacrene, Spathulenol were the main compounds The total phenol content of the n-butanol and ethylacetate extracts were determined spectrophotometrically according to the Folin–Ciocalteau procedure to be 246 mgGAE g-1 and 51 mgGAE g-1 in the aerial parts of Hyssopus officinalis. The antioxidant activities of apigenin 7-O-β-D-glucuronide, ethylacetate and n-butanol extracts were also determined by DPPH radical scavenging assay with IC50 values of 116×10_3, 103×10_3, 25×10_3 mg mL-1 respectively. The purified flavonoid showed weak radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 116×10_3mg mL_1). N-butanol extract, because of the highest content of total phenolic compounds (246 mgGAE100_1g) had the best antioxidant activity (IC50 = 25mg mL_1). Conclusion: On the whole, the findings of the study revealed that Hyssop possesses valuable antioxidant properties for culinary and possible medicinal use

The effect of Oenothera biennis (Evening primrose) oil on inflammatory diseases: a systematic review of clinical trials

Abstract Background Evening primrose oil (EPO), extracted from the seeds of Oenothera biennis, has gained attention for its therapeutic effects in various inflammatory conditions. Method We performed a systematic search in multiple databases and defined the inclusion criteria based on the following PICOs: P: Patients with a form of inflammatory condition, I: EPO, C: Placebo or other therapeutic interventions, O: changes in inflammatory markers or patients’ symptoms; S: randomized controlled trials. The quality of the RCTs was evaluated using Cochrane’s RoB tool. Results Several conditions were investigated in the literature. In rheumatoid arthritis, mixed results were observed, with some studies reporting significant improvements in symptoms while others found no significant impact. EPO showed some results in diabetes mellitus, atopic eczema, menopausal hot flashes, and mastalgia. However, it did not demonstrate effectiveness in chronic hand dermatitis, tardive dyskinesia, psoriatic arthritis, cystic fibrosis, hepatitis B, premenstrual syndrome, contact lens-associated dry eyes, acne vulgaris, breast cyst, pre-eclampsia, psoriasis, or primary Sjogren's syndrome. Some results were reported from multiple sclerosis after EPO consumption. Studies in healthy volunteers indicated no significant effect of EPO on epidermal atrophy, nevertheless, positive effects on the skin regarding hydration and barrier function were achieved. Conclusion Some evidence regarding the potential benefits of EPO in inflammatory disorders were reported however caution is due to the limitations of the current survey. Overall, contemporary literature is highly heterogeneous and fails to provide strong recommendations regarding the efficacy of EPO on inflammatory disorders. Further high-quality studies are necessitated to draw more definite conclusions and establish O. biennis oil effectiveness as an assuring treatment option in alleviating inflammatory conditions