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A simple semi-preparative reversed-phase HPLC/PDA method for separation and quantification of glycyrrhizin in nine samples of Glycyrrhiza glabra root collected from different geographical origins

Basar N, Talukdar AD, Nahar L, Stafford A, Kushiev H, Kan A, et al.

Phytochem Anal, 2014 Sep-Oct;25(5):399-404.
PMID: 24585378 DOI: 10.1002/pca.2507

Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (Fabaceae), commonly known as 'liquorice', is one of the most popular ingredients in several traditional herbal medicinal preparations, and glycyrrhizin is the major glycoside present in this plant. The content of glycyrrhizin may vary among G. glabra samples collected from various geographical origins, which may affect the therapeutic efficacy. Thus, quantification of glycyrrhizin in G. glabra samples is important.
Comparative Cytotoxicity of Glycyrrhiza glabra Roots from Different Geographical Origins Against Immortal Human Keratinocyte (HaCaT), Lung Adenocarcinoma (A549) and Liver Carcinoma (HepG2) Cells

Basar N, Oridupa OA, Ritchie KJ, Nahar L, Osman NM, Stafford A, et al.

Phytother Res, 2015 Jun;29(6):944-8.
PMID: 25779384 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5329

Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (Fabaceae), commonly known as 'liquorice', is a well-known medicinal plant. Roots of this plant have long been used as a sweetening and flavouring agent in food and pharmaceutical products, and also as a traditional remedy for cough, upper and lower respiratory ailments, kidney stones, hepatitis C, skin disorder, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, gastrointestinal ulcers and stomach ache. Previous pharmacological and clinical studies have revealed its antitussive, antiinflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective and cardioprotective properties. While glycyrrhizin, a sweet-tasting triterpene saponin, is the principal bioactive compound, several bioactive flavonoids and isoflavonoids are also present in the roots of this plant. In the present study, the cytotoxicity of the methanol extracts of nine samples of the roots of G. glabra, collected from various geographical origins, was assessed against immortal human keratinocyte (HaCaT), lung adenocarcinoma (A549) and liver carcinoma (HepG2) cell lines using the in vitro 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazoliumbromide cell toxicity/viability assay. Considerable variations in levels of cytotoxicity were observed among various samples of G. glabra.
Utilization of the Ability to Induce Activation of the Nuclear Factor (Erythroid-derived 2)-like Factor 2 (Nrf2) to Assess Potential Cancer Chemopreventive Activity of Liquorice Samples

Basar N, Nahar L, Oridupa OA, Ritchie KJ, Talukdar AD, Stafford A, et al.

Phytochem Anal, 2016 Sep;27(5):233-8.
PMID: 27527356 DOI: 10.1002/pca.2616

INTRODUCTION: Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor that regulates expression of many detoxification enzymes. Nrf2-antioxidant responsive element (Nrf2-ARE) signalling pathway can be a target for cancer chemoprevention. Glycyrrhiza glabra, common name, 'liquorice', is used as a sweetening and flavouring agent, and traditionally, to treat various ailments, and implicated to chemoprevention. However, its chemopreventive property has not yet been scientifically substantiated.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the ability of liquorice root samples to induce Nrf2 activation correlating to their potential chemopreventive property.
METHODS: The ability of nine methanolic extracts of liquorice root samples, collected from various geographical origins, to induce Nrf2 activation was determined by the luciferase reporter assay using the ARE-reporter cell line, AREc32. The antioxidant properties were determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) and the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays.
RESULTS: All extracts exhibited free-radical-scavenging property (RC50 = 136.39-635.66 µg/mL). The reducing capacity of ferrous ion was 214.46-465.59 μM Fe(II)/g. Nrf2 activation indicated that all extracts induced expression of ARE-driven luciferase activity with a maximum induction of 2.3 fold relative to control. These activities varied for samples from one geographical location to another.
CONCLUSIONS: The present findings add to the existing knowledge of cancer chemoprevention by plant-derived extracts or purified phytochemicals, particularly the potential use of liquorice for this purpose. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fulltext Multilocus Sequence Typing Reveals Extensive Genetic Diversity of the Emerging Fungal Pathogen Scedosporium aurantiacum

Harun A, Kan A, Schwabenbauer K, Gilgado F, Perdomo H, Firacative C, et al.

Front Cell Infect Microbiol, 2021;11:761596.
PMID: 35024355 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.761596

Scedosporium spp. are the second most prevalent filamentous fungi after Aspergillus spp. recovered from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients in various regions of the world. Although invasive infection is uncommon prior to lung transplantation, fungal colonization may be a risk factor for invasive disease with attendant high mortality post-transplantation. Abundant in the environment, Scedosporium aurantiacum has emerged as an important fungal pathogen in a range of clinical settings. To investigate the population genetic structure of S. aurantiacum, a MultiLocus Sequence Typing (MLST) scheme was developed, screening 24 genetic loci for polymorphisms on a tester strain set. The six most polymorphic loci were selected to form the S. aurantiacum MLST scheme: actin (ACT), calmodulin (CAL), elongation factor-1α (EF1α), RNA polymerase subunit II (RPB2), manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2), and β-tubulin (TUB). Among 188 global clinical, veterinary, and environmental strains, 5 to 18 variable sites per locus were revealed, resulting in 8 to 23 alleles per locus. MLST analysis observed a markedly high genetic diversity, reflected by 159 unique sequence types. Network analysis revealed a separation between Australian and non-Australian strains. Phylogenetic analysis showed two major clusters, indicating correlation with geographic origin. Linkage disequilibrium analysis revealed evidence of recombination. There was no clustering according to the source of the strains: clinical, veterinary, or environmental. The high diversity, especially amongst the Australian strains, suggests that S. aurantiacum may have originated within the Australian continent and was subsequently dispersed to other regions, as shown by the close phylogenetic relationships between some of the Australian sequence types and those found in other parts of the world. The MLST data are accessible at http://mlst.mycologylab.org. This is a joined publication of the ISHAM/ECMM working groups on "Scedosporium/Pseudallescheria Infections" and "Fungal Respiratory Infections in Cystic Fibrosis".