METHODS: Anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential of the SKF7® was evaluated in SARS-CoV-2-infected Vero E6 cells and SARS-CoV-2-infected A549 cells by cytopathic effect-based assay and RT-qPCR, respectively. Target based assays were performed on the SKF7® against the S1-ACE2 interaction and 3CL protease activities. Anti-inflammatory activity of the SKF7® was evaluated by nitric oxide inhibitory and TLR2/TLR4 receptor blocker assays.
RESULTS: The SKF7® inhibited wild-type Wuhan (EC50 of 21.99 µg/mL) and omicron (EC50 of 16.29 µg/mL) SARS-CoV-2 infections in Vero-E6 cells. The SKF7® also inhibited the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 infection in A549 cells (EC50 value of 6.31 µg/mL). The SKF7® prominently inhibited 3CL protease activity. The SKF7® inhibited the LPS induced-TLR4 response with the EC50 of 16.19 µg/mL.
CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our in vitro study highlighted anti-SARS-CoV-2 and anti-inflammatory potentials of the SKF7®. Future pre-clinical in vivo studies focusing on antiviral and immunomodulatory potentials of the SKF7® in affecting the COVID-19 pathogenesis are warranted.
OBJECTIVES: This article compiles the ethnomedicinal uses of CN and its phytochemistry, and thus provides a phytochemical library of CN. It also discusses the known pharmacological and biological effects of CN to enable better investigation of CN.
METHODS: This literature review was limited to articles and websites published in the English language. MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases were searched from December 2014 to September 2016 using the following keywords: "Clinacanthus nutans" and "Belalai gajah". The results were reviewed to identify relevant articles. Information from relevant selected studies was systematically analyzed from contemporary ethnopharmacological sources, evaluated against scientific literature, and extracted into tables.
RESULTS: The literature search yielded 124 articles which were then further scrutinized revealing the promising biological activities of CN, including antimicrobial, antiproliferative, antitumorigenic and anti-inflammatory effects. Few articles discussed the mechanisms for these pharmacological activities. Furthermore, CN was beneficial in small-scale clinical trials for genital Herpes and aphthous stomatitis.
CONCLUSION: Despite the rich ethnomedicinal knowledge behind the traditional uses of CN, the current scientific evidence to support these claims remains scant. More research is still needed to validate these medicinal claims, beginning by increasing the understanding of the biological actions of this plant.
OBJECTIVES: This study evaluates the anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic and anti-cholinergic activities of Sida rhombifolia Linn. whole plant for the first time.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: S. rhombifolia whole plant was extracted by n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol using Soxhlet apparatus. The plant extracts were evaluated for their antioxidant (DPPH, FIC and FRAP), anti-inflammatory (NO and protein denaturation inhibitions), cytotoxic (MTT) and anti-cholinesterase (AChE) properties in a range of concentrations to obtain IC50 values. GC-MS analysis was carried out on the n-hexane extract.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The ethyl acetate extract exhibited the most significant antioxidant activities by scavenging DPPH radicals and ferrous ions with EC50 of 380.5 and 263.4 μg/mL, respectively. In contrast, the n-hexane extract showed the strongest anti-inflammatory activity with IC50 of 52.16 and 146.03 μg/mL for NO and protein denaturation inhibition assays, respectively. The same extract also revealed the strongest effects in anti-cholinesterase and cytotoxic tests at the concentration of 100 μg/mL, AChE enzyme inhibition was 58.55% and human cancer cells, SNU-1 and Hep G2 inhibition was 68.52% and 47.82%, respectively. The phytochemicals present in the n-hexane extract are palmitic acid, linoleic acid and γ-sitosterol.
CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed that the n-hexane extract possessed relatively high pharmacological activities in anti-inflammation, cytotoxicity and anti-cholinesterase assays. Thus, further work on the detail mechanism of the bioactive phytochemicals which contribute to the biological properties are strongly recommended.