OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview of traditional medicinal claims, pharmacological properties, and phytochemical principles of P. kotschyi as a basis for its clinical applications and further research and development of new drugs.

METHODS: Through interpreting already published scientific manuscripts retrieved from different scientific search engines, namely, Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, Science Direct and Google scholar databases, an up-to-date review on the medicinal potentials of P. kotschyi from inception until September, 2020 was compiled. 'Pseudocedrela kotschyi', 'traditional uses', 'pharmacological properties' and 'chemical constituents' were used as search words.

RESULTS: At present, more than 30 chemical constituents have been isolated and identified from the root and stem bark of P. kotschyi, among which limonoids and triterpenes are the main active constituents. Based on prior research, P. kotschyi has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, anthelminthic, antimalaria, anti-leishmaniasis, anti-trypanosomiasis, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antidiarrheal, antimicrobial, and anticancer effects.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the anti-atherosclerotic activity of a C. nutans leaf methanol extract (CNME) in a type 2 diabetic (T2D) rat model induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) and low-dose streptozotocin.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups: non-diabetic fed a standard diet (C), C + CNME (500 mg/kg, orally), diabetic fed an HFD (DM), DM + CNME (500 mg/kg), and DM + Metformin (DM + Met; 300 mg/kg). Treatment with oral CNME and metformin was administered for 4 weeks. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum lipid profile, atherogenic index (AI), aortic tissue superoxide dismutase levels (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were measured. The rats' aortas were stained for histological analysis and intima-media thickness (IMT), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the biological activities of pectin synthesised MNPs (Pe-MNPs).

METHODS: The databases Springer Link, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, PubMed, Mendeley, and ResearchGate were systematically searched from the date of their inception until 10th February 2020. Pectin, green synthesis, metallic nanoparticles, reducing agent and biological activities were among the key terms searched. The data extraction was focussed on the biological activities of Pe-MNPs and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations for systematic reviews.

RESULTS: A total of 15 studies outlined 7 biological activities of Pe-MNPs in the only three metals that have been explored, namely silver (Ag), gold (Au) and cerium oxide (CeO2). The activities reported from the in vitro and in vivo studies were antimicrobial (9 studies), anticancer (2 studies), drug carrier (3 studies), non-toxic (4 studies), antioxidant (2 studies), wound healing (1 study) and anti-inflammation (1 study).

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to determine whether Gynura procumbens (GP) could improve vascular reactivity by suppressing inflammation in postmenopausal rats fed with five-times heated palm oil (5HPO) diet.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham [non-ovariectomized; grouped as control, GP extracts (250 and 500 mg/kg), atorvastatin (ATV, 10 mg/kg)] and postmenopausal (PM) groups [ovariectomized rats fed with 5HPO; grouped as PM, GP extracts (250 and 500 mg/kg) and ATV (10 mg/kg)]. Each group (n = 6) was either supplemented with GP extract or ATV orally once daily for 6 months.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the vasorelaxant mechanism of VA ethanol extract (VAE) and analyzes its tri-step FTIR spectroscopy fingerprint.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dried VA leaves were extracted with ethanol through maceration and concentrated using rotary evaporator before freeze-dried. The vasorelaxant activity and the underlying mechanisms of VAE using the cumulative concentration (0.01-2.55 mg/mL at 20-min intervals) were evaluated on aortic rings isolated from Sprague Dawley rats in the presence of antagonists.

RESULTS: The tri-step FTIR spectroscopy showed that VAE contains alkaloids, flavonoids, and saponins. VAE caused the relaxation of pre-contracted aortic rings in the presence and absence of endothelium with EC50 of 0.057 ± 0.006 and 0.430 ± 0.196 mg/mL, respectively. In the presence of Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (EC50 0.971 ± 0.459 mg/mL), methylene blue (EC50 1.203 ± 0.426 mg/mL), indomethacin (EC50 2.128 ± 1.218 mg/mL), atropine (EC50 0.470 ± 0.325 mg/mL), and propranolol (EC50 0.314 ± 0.032 mg/mL), relaxation stimulated by VAE was significantly reduced. VAE acted on potassium channels, with its vasorelaxation effects significantly reduced by tetraethylammonium, 4-aminopyridine, barium chloride, and glibenclamide (EC50 0.548 ± 0.184, 0.158 ± 0.012, 0.847 ± 0.342, and 0.304 ± 0.075 mg/mL, respectively). VAE was also found to be active in reducing Ca2+ released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and blocking calcium channels.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to study the chemoprevention effects of MEMCL against azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon cancer and to examine the involvement of endogenous antioxidants Materials and methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats, divided into five groups (n = 7), were injected intraperitoneally once weekly for 2 weeks with 15 mg/kg AOM, except for the normal group (received saline). The animals were then administered orally for 8 weeks with 8% Tween-80 (vehicle; normal group), 8% Tween-80 (vehicle; cancer group) or, 50, 250 or 500 mg/kg MEMC. After treatments, colon samples were collected from each rat for the histopathological analysis, quantification of aberrant crypt foci formed and determination of colon antioxidant levels. MEMC was also subjected to HPLC analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This study assesses the extent of adulteration of E. longifolia herbal medicinal products (HMPs) using DNA barcoding validated by HPLC analysis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chloroplastic rbcL and nuclear ITS2 barcode regions were used in the present study. The sequences generated from E. longifolia HMPs were compared to sequences in the GenBank using MEGABLAST to verify their taxonomic identity. These results were verified by neighbor-joining tree analysis in which branches of unknown specimen are compared to the reference sequences established from this study and other retrieved from the GenBank. The HMPs were also analysed using HPLC analysis for the presence of eurycomanone bioactive marker.

RESULTS: Identification using DNA barcoding revealed that 37% of the tested HMPs were authentic while 27% were adulterated with the ITS2 barcode region proven to be the ideal marker. The validation of the authenticity using HPLC analysis showed a situation in which a species which was identified as authentic was found not to contain the expected chemical compound.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the cardioprotective effects of arjunolic acid (AA) via MyD88-dependant TLR4 downstream signaling marker expression.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MTT viability assay was used to assess the cytotoxicity of AA. LPS induced in vitro cardiovascular disease model was developed in H9C2 and C2C12 myotubes. The treatment groups were designed such as control (untreated), LPS control, positive control (LPS + pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC)-25 µM), and treatment groups were co-treated with LPS and three concentrations of AA (50, 75, and 100 µM) for 24 h. The changes in the expression of TLR4 downstream signaling markers were evaluated through High Content Screening (HCS) and Western Blot (WB) analysis.

RESULTS: After 24 h of co-treatment, the expression of TLR4, MyD88, MAPK, JNK, and NF-κB markers were upregulated significantly (2-6 times) in the LPS-treated groups compared to the untreated control in both HCS and WB experiments. Evidently, the HCS analysis revealed that MyD88, NF-κB, p38, and JNK were significantly downregulated in the H9C2 myotube in the AA treated groups. In HCS, the expression of NF-κB was downregulated in C2C12. Additionally, TLR4 expression was downregulated in both H9C2 and C2C12 myotubes in the WB experiment.

OBJECTIVE: This study elucidates the hepatoprotective activity of chloroform extract of B. purpurea leaves (CEBP) in paracetamol (PCM)-induced liver injury (PILI) rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 6) were pre-treated once daily (p.o.) with CEBP (50-500 mg/kg) for seven consecutive days before being administered (p.o.) a hepatotoxic agent, 3 g/kg PCM. Liver enzyme levels were determined from the collected blood, while the collected liver was used to determine the activity of endogenous antioxidant enzymes and for histopathological examination. CEBP was also subjected to radical scavenging assays and phytochemical analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The present study examines the antibacterial properties of 18 medicinal plants used by the Khyang tribe in day-to-day practice against human pathogenic bacteria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Leaves, bark, fruits, seeds, roots and rhizomes from collected plants were successively extracted with hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol. The corresponding 54 extracts were tested against six human pathogenic bacteria by broth microdilution assay. The antibacterial mode of actions of phytoconstituents and their synergistic effect with vancomycin and cefotaxime towards MRSA was determined by time-killing assay and synergistic interaction assay, respectively.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Hexane extract of bark of Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Presl. (Lauraceae) inhibited the growth of MRSA, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii with MIC values below 100 µg/mL. From this plant, cinnamaldehyde evoked at 4 × MIC in 1 h an irreversible decrease of MRSA count Log10 (CFU/mL) from 6 to 0, and was synergistic with vancomycin for MRSA with fractional inhibitory concentration index of 0.3.

OBJECTIVE: The BP ethanol and methanol extracts were evaluated to determine antioxidant activity by an in vitro method and lyophilized extract of BP was added to beef patties to study oxidative stability.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Antioxidant activities of extracts of BP were determined by measuring scavenging radical activity against methoxy radical generated by Fenton reaction 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (TEAC) radical cation, the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The lipid deterioration in beef patties containing 0.1% and 0.3% (w/w) of lyophilized extract of BP stored in 80:20 (v/v) O2:CO2 modified atmosphere (MAP) at 4 °C for 10 days was determined using thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS), % metmyoglobin and colour value.

RESULTS: The BP methanol extract revealed the presence of catechin, myricetin, quercetin, naringenin, and p-coumaric acid. The BP ethanol (50% w/w) extract showed scavenging activity in TEAC, ORAC and FRAP assays with values of 1.45, 2.81, 1.52 mmol Trolox equivalents (TE)/g DW, respectively. Reductions in lipid oxidation were found in samples treated with lyophilized BP extract (0.1% and 0.3% w/w) as manifested by the changes of colour and metmyoglobin concentration. A preliminary study film with BP showed retard degradation of lipid in muscle food.

OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluates the protective effect of the standardized extract of ginger against isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial infarction (MI) in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wistar rats were pretreated orally with three doses of standardized ginger extract (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of body weight) or propranolol (5 mg/mL) for 28 d prior to ISO (85 mg/kg) induced MI in two doses on days 29 and 30. The rats were sacrificed 48 h after the first induction; serum and hearts were collected for biochemical and histopathological analysis.

OBJECTIVE: In this paper, we review the health beneficial effects of polyphenols and phlorotannins from brown seaweeds with special emphasis on their inhibitory effects on carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes.

METHODS: A survey of literature from databases such as Sciencedirect, Scopus, Pubmed, Springerlink, and Google Scholar from the year 1973 to 2013 was done to bring together the information relating to drug discovery from brown seaweeds as a source for diabetes treatment.

RESULTS: Over the past two decades, 20 different bioactive polyphenols/phlorotannins have been isolated and studied from 10 different brown algae. Discussion of the positive effect on the inhibition of enzymes metabolizing carbohydrates in both in vitro and in vivo experiments are included.

OBJECTIVE: The study reports the antioxidant properties and the protective effects of turmeric against carbofuran (CF)-induced toxicity in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antioxidant potential was determined by using free radicals scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power values. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, designated as control, turmeric (100 mg/kg/day), CF (1 mg/kg/day) and turmeric (100 mg/kg/day) + CF (1 mg/kg/day) treatments. All of the doses were administered orally for 28 consecutive days. The biological activity of the turmeric and CF was determined by using several standard biochemical methods.

RESULTS: Turmeric contains high concentrations of polyphenols (8.97 ± 0.15 g GAEs), flavonoids (5.46 ± 0.29 g CEs), ascorbic acid (0.06 ± 0.00 mg AEs) and FRAP value (1972.66 ± 104.78 μM Fe2+) per 100 g of sample. Oral administration of CF caused significant changes in some of the blood indices, such as, mean corpuscular volume, corpuscular hemoglobin, white blood cell, platelet distribution width and induced severe hepatic injuries associated with oxidative stress, as observed by the significantly higher lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels when compared to control, while the activities of cellular antioxidant enzymes (including superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) were significantly suppressed in the liver tissue.