Advances in Traditional Medicine最新文献

The development of effective therapy is required for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients because of the resistance action to temozolomide (TMZ). Bromelain (BRO) is a plant-derived therapeutic used against inflammation. The objective of this study is to appraise the effect of the BRO + TMZ combination on U87MG and LN229 cells and investigate its mechanism. The BRO + TMZ treatment resulted in synergistic effects that restricted cell growth and inhibited the colony formation of GBM cells. The combined treatment led to the initiation of early apoptosis resulting in the overexpression of BAX/caspase-3 (CASP3) and decreased transcript level of BCL-2. The BRO + TMZ induced the arrest in G0/G1 phase and decreased the migration mediated by the dysregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9. The BRO and TMZ combination treatment was observed to be more effective than the individual compound to inhibit cell growth in human GBM cell lines.

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria infect mostly immunocompromised people. NTM infections incidence and prevalence increase has led to a public health problem. Combretum species are used as food by humans and animals, and medicinal purposes. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antimycobacterial effects of plant extracts from selected Combretum species on Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium aurum as well as their mode of action on the most susceptible organisms. Antimycobacterial activity of the plant extracts was screened. Mycobacterium smegmatis was more susceptible to the extracts. The potent Combretum extracts were investigated for their effects on Rhodamine 6G transport and biofilms in M. smegmatis. The amount of Rhodamine 6G accumulated in M. smegmatis in the presence of extracts were also investigated. The C. zeyheri acetone extracts were the most potent efflux pump inhibitors. Surface extracts from C. zeyheri were the most potent disrupters and inhibitors of biofilms. The ethylacetate extract of another species, C. apiculatum lacked the effect on biofilms and this may be due to the lack of penetration of the extract into the already established biofilm. The ultra-high performance liquid chromatography UPHLC-MS/MS analysis of acetone extracts from C. zeyheri indicated the presence of cirsimaritin, quinic acid, and ampelopsin glucoside and these could have contributed to the antimycobacterial activities of the extract. In conclusion, phytochemicals from C. zeyheri, C. platypetalum, C. apicultum species used in traditional medicine in Zimbabwe showed antimycobacterial and antibiofilm activity and may be used as sources of lead compounds targeting non-tuberculosis infections caused by M. smegmatis.

Wild mushrooms are a rich source of bioactive compounds. They have diverse pharmacological and nutraceutical importance that help to boost immunity against many life-threatening diseases. They have biological functions such as; antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, antiviral, anticancer, immunomodulatory, and hepatoprotective activities, etc. Besides, they are globally used as a functional food due to low calorie (low lipid) and rich in proteins and carbohydrates. Overall, they are abundant in vitamins, minerals, fibres, nutrients, and a mighty source of potential bioactive secondary metabolites. This review aims to focus on the therapeutic values of wild mushrooms, which are found worldwide, and the availability of such wild mushrooms in Chhattisgarh based on previous literatures, to account the status of study on mushrooms in this state. It is found that a little to no work has been done on the diversity and therapeutic potentials of wild mushrooms in Chhattisgarh. This review gives a solid basis to investigate their properties from this region to support the livelihood of humanity.

Nowadays, numerous diseases are benefitted from phytosomal therapy. However, poor selectivity and bioavailability may be limiting factors of their therapeutic applicability. The distribution of hydrophobic phytochemicals has been proposed as a potential use for nanovesicles. Phytosomes are more stable, according to a recent assessment of the literature, since a chemical link is created between the phospholipid molecules and the phytoconstituent. Fewer phytoconstituents are needed, extending the action, and they are more bioavailable in their complex form. Due to the easy preparation of the bilayer vesicles and their adaptability, they have been widely used and approved by the scientific literature. In this review paper we describe the promising clinical and experimental findings of more than 100 phytosomal studies. The effects of phytosomes on the immunological, circulatory, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, respiratory, integumentary, central and peripheral nervous systems, and musculoskeletal systems have all been studied according to the research compiled. These results confirm the greater effectiveness of phytosomes, both in terms of biological activity or reduced dosage, highlighting curcumin and silymarin as the most formulated compounds. Using such formulations to increase the bioactivity of phytochemicals and their bioavailability generally has advantages, allowing for lower dosages or higher biological activity as compared to using unformulated compounds. The conclusion of this study encourages the researchers to transfer their findings from research laboratories to market, for a further development of these products. The potential role of phytophospholipid complexes has a promising future for pharmaceutical applications with the help of physicians and other researchers.

Voacanga africana, is a medicinal plant widely used in many African countries. Various parts of this plant are used, but more especially the seeds are held in high esteem for it’s their additional economic value due to the presence of the alkaloids ibogaine, tabersonine, and voacangine. These alkaloids have peculiar medicinal uses in the treatment of psychotic ailments, drug addiction, and also serve as precursors for drug synthesis. V. africana is traditionally used to treat a myriad of diseases including malaria, worm infestation, amoebiasis, ulcers, pain, cardiovascular conditions, depression, fatigue, shortness of breath, diarrhoea, gynaecological conditions, delayed labour, kidney conditions, malaria, asthma and convulsions, however not all these have been investigated. Studies have demonstrate possible efficacy in the treatment of worm infestation, amoebiasis, ulcer, pain and inflammation, cardiovascular condition, depression, diarrhoea, onchocerciasis, mental disorder, and microbial infections. The plant also has CNS, neuro-protective, sedative, anti-microbial, anti-tumor and anti-oxidant activities. Further studies is however needed to verify its activity in the treatment of malaria, fatigue, gynaecological and, labour conditions, respiratory conditions and carious teeth. With respect to safety, the ethanolic leaf extract is reported to be relatively non-toxic with an estimated LD₅₀ of ≥ 5000 mg while the aqueous leaf extract had no significant alteration on the blood biochemistry or histopathology of essential organs in murine models. Some isolated alkaloids from this plant: vobtusine, voacangine and voacamine are however known to exhibit toxicity in the form of cardiac depressor activity, asphyxia and convulsions, hypertension and CNS depressant activities. In addition to alkaloids, the plant is also rich in saponins, tannins, terpenes, steroids, flavonoids, phenols, anthranoids, glycosides, and oils. This review therefore suggests the need for further robust and detailed investigations on the activity of the extracts and compounds of this plant and their potential toxicities.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is one of most critical inflammatory conditions. It is produced by different scenarios, which poses a challenge for its clinical management and treatment. Coumarins, a class of natural and synthetic compounds, identified as important candidates for new drugs due to their anti-inflammatory action, could be an alternative for the development of new medicines to manage ALI. In this article, we compile the results of a literature review to conclude whether coumarins are as effective as anti-inflammatory compounds when used in LPS-induced ALI in mice. The outcomes used as parameters to answer this question were: the ability to reduce the influx of inflammatory cells, and edema in inflamed lungs. A total of eight manuscripts were reviewed that unanimously addressed the anti-inflammatory efficacy of coumarin compounds in inhibiting the formation of edema and the influx of leukocytes into the lungs in LPS-induced ALI in mice. Most of the studies also highlighted the role of compounds in decreasing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and these effects were associated with interference in the cell signaling pathways, which were investigated by some of the studies included in this review. The assessment of methodological quality showed that the studies evaluated in this review had moderate to high risk of bias, related to the lack of data on randomization of the animals, and the blinding of the investigators, compromising the reliability of the experimental results of the published works. Leading the results of the manuscripts is possible affirm that coumarins have important anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-induced ALI in mice, and the effect is comparable to the reference anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone.

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The present study was designed to elucidate the prophylactic and therapeutic potential of argan oil (AO) (from the kernels of the argan tree, Argania spinosa) against acetic acid (AA)-induced colitis and associated alterations in the liver and kidneys of rats. Colitis was induced by intra-rectal administration of 4% AA solution for 3 consecutive days. Some groups of rats were treated orally with AO (5 mL/kg) for 5 consecutive days before and after AA administration, while other groups were treated with either the vehicle or AO alone. Macroscopic and microscopic lesions in the tissues were assessed, while oxidative stress, antioxidant parameters and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were determined by biochemical methods. Haematological and serum chemistry parameters were also evaluated. Administration of AO before or after AA induction produced improvements in body weight gain, faecal consistency, macroscopic and histologic scores of the colonic mucosa compared to rats treated with AA alone. Furthermore, AO treatment caused significant reduction in colonic levels of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), malondialdehyde (MDA), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and serum MPO activity, while glutathione S-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were increased in the colon and kidneys, compared to the colitis control. Acetic acid treatment resulted in significant reduction in erythrocyte and leucocyte indices in relation to healthy controls. Taken together, treatment of rats with AO protected colonic tissues from acetic acid-induced inflammation and suggests that the oil may be considered for preventive and therapeutic purposes against inflammatory bowel diseases.

Xanthine oxidase is an enzyme that plays an essential role in the biosynthesis of uric acid. Inhibiting this enzyme can diminish the production of uric acid. Caryophyllene is a type 2 cannabinoid agonist receptor widely distributed in all plants' essential oil and provides plentiful biological activities. This research was carried out to isolate and evaluate the antioxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities of caryophyllene. Caryophyllene was isolated from Syzygium aromaticum essential oil using SiO₂-AgNO₃-based column chromatography. The xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity was assessed by molecular docking and in vitro assay using a spectrophotometer in 96-well plates below the aerobic conditions, while the antioxidant activity was tested to DPPH and measured as AAI. Our study revealed that the SiO₂-AgNO₃-based column chromatography technique provides caryophyllene with a purity of 98%. The biological evaluation showed that caryophyllene could inhibit the xanthine oxidase in silico and in vitro with an IC₅₀ value of 4.79 ± 0.25 µg/mL. Caryophyllene also exhibits very strong antioxidant activity. In conclusion, caryophyllene shows a promising potential to be developed as a novel candidate for uric acid-lowering agents.

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Long-term use of tamoxifen (TAM) is associated with severe side effects. The present study aimed at evaluating the protective effect of the ethanolic extract of Aframomum angustifolium seeds (EEAA) against some adverse effects of TAM in female Wistar rats with 7,12-dimethybenz-(a)-anthracene (DMBA)-induced breast cancer. Breast cancer was induced through the subcutaneous administration of 50 mg/kg, bw of DMBA while normal rats constituted the control group. Twelve weeks later, breast cancer rats were randomised 5 per group and treated or not with 3.3 mg/kg, bw of tamoxifen alone, or tamoxifen plus either 150 or 300 mg/kg, bw of EEAA during 28 days, after which all animals were sacrificed under anaesthesia. The effects of the treatment on the uterus, body weight, lipid profile, liver and kidneys were evaluated. The EEAA at 300 mg/kg, bw significantly prevented tamoxifen-induced uterus’s hyperplasia by reducing serum estradiol level from 896.85 ± 54.57 (tamox alone) to 639.81 ± 43.41 pg/L. The extract at both doses prevented metabolic disturbance by increasing body weight, lowering triglyceride and total cholesterol levels and also prevented lipids accumulation in the liver. Catalase activity and TBARS levels were ameliorated (p < 0.05) in the liver and kidneys leading to the improvement of the integrity of these organs. Also, an amelioration of plasmatic activities of transaminases alkaline phosphatase and uric acid levels was noted. The ethanolic extract of Aframomum angustifolium seeds can be considered a potential source of bioactive compounds for the management of the side effects of TAM among breast cancer patients.

Curcumin (Curc) has been shown to have the potential to ameliorate or prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, most of them are in vitro and in vivo short-term studies. This study was conducted to investigate whether long-term, low-dose dietary Curc intake in mouse of AD might suppress short-term memory retention, amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition and tau phosphorylation, delaying the onset of AD and prolonging the lifespan of the animals. Short-term memory was examined by the Y-maze method after 6 months old. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed at 10 months old to determine changes in Aβ deposition, tau phosphorylation, and glial cell number in brain tissue. Furthermore, we investigated the survival rate for 12 months old and evaluated the AD prevention effect. The alternation rates of short-time memory in the wild type and AD mice were 56.2% and 25.9%, respectively. These rates in the experimental groups (0.02% and 0.5% Curc) were in the range of 44.4–45.7%. The area of Aβ42 deposition in AD mice was approximately 25,000 µm², while the experimental groups had a significantly reduced area of 5000–10,000 µm². Survival rate was 34% in the AD control group, 100% in the 0.02% Curc, and 83% in the 0.5% Curc group, significantly longer in the Curc groups than the AD control group. This study demonstrates that long-term intake of low concentrations of Curc may act on the tau- phosphorylation, suppress brain inflammation, delay the onset of AD, and prolong the lifespan of the mouse.