Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine最新文献

Objective: The integrity of the DNA is continously menaced by the harmful genotoxic compounds. The endogenous system responsible for preserving the DNA integrity, often fails following a massive influx of these genotoxic compounds. Reseaches on exogenous bioactive compounds from fruits and vegetables are necessary. This study was designed to evaluate the free radical scavenging activity and the DNA protection/repair potentiality of the extracts of Detarium microcarpum fruit pulp to protect against the arsenic trioxide-induced DNA oxidative degradation.

Materials and methods: The ability of extracts to trap free radicals was assessed by using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide and hydroxyle radicals quenching assay. The comet assay was performed for evaluating the DNA protection/repair property of extracts to inhibit the DNA oxidative damage induced by arsenic trioxide.

Results: All extracts at a final concentration of 50 µg/mL have quenched more than 50% of DPPH, nitric oxide and hydroxyle radicals. Moreover, all extracts have showed good DNA protection/repair activity against the arsenic trioxide-induced DNA oxidative damage compared to arsenic treatment alone (p<0.001). However, methanol fractions have exhibited the best DNA protection/repair activities by reducing considerably DNA fragmentations compared to arsenic treatment (p<0.001). The genoprotective activity of the extracts was positively correlated with their free radical scavenging abilities.

Conclusion: The methanol fraction of D. microcarpum fruits have exhibited interesting DNA protection /repair properties probably due to its free radicals quenching ability. Further investigations are necessary to identify the phytomolecules responsible for these biological activities.

Objective: Brain metastasis in patients with breast cancer is considered a deadly event. The oleogum resins of Boswellia species, known as Frankincense has been found to have anti-cancer properties in many studies. The main purpose of our research was to evaluate these effects on brain metastatic cancer cells.

Materials and methods: Primary (4T1T) and brain metastatic (4T1B) tumor cells were isolated from breast cancerous mice. Cytotoxic, apoptotic, and anti-metastatic effects of the methanolic extract of frankincense were evaluated with MTT assay, propidium iodide (PI) flow cytometric assay, and scratch test, respectively. Zymography assay was used to evaluate the effects of extract on the matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 (MMP-2 /9) expression/activity.

Results: The methanolic extract of frankincense has significant cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on 4T1B cells (p<0.001). Interestingly, 4T1B cells are more prone to these effects than 4T1T cells. In 4T1B, the anti-metastatic effects of frankincense extract were confirmed. Frankincense suppressed MMP-2/9 protein expression both in 4T1T and 4T1B.

Conclusion: Our findings indicated that frankincense extract has a potent cytotoxic effect on brain metastatic tumor cells and induces apoptosis in these cells. Unlike many anti-cancer drugs which have very little ability to combat and kill brain metastatic cancer cells, frankincense extract can be considered a suitable candidate to fight these cells.

Objective: The Maillard reaction generates acrylamide (ACR), a toxic compound commonly found in laboratory and industrial settings. ACR exposure, both short-term and long-term, can damage various organs, notably the central nervous system, through oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. This study explores the potential neuroprotective effects of zeaxanthin (ZEA), known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties, against ACR-induced toxicity in the rat cerebral cortex.

Materials and methods: Rats were subjected to ACR exposure (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection) for 11 days and subsequently, treated with ZEA (20-80 mg/kg, intragastric gavage) for either 11 or 20 days to assess both preventive and therapeutic effects. Locomotor behavior was evaluated using a gait score test, while biochemical analyses measured malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels, inflammatory markers interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and apoptotic markers (cleaved caspase-3) in the cerebral cortex.

Results: ACR exposure impaired locomotion in the animals, but ZEA treatment significantly improved gait scores when administered preventatively (from days 6-11) or therapeutically (from days 6-20). ACR also led to increased MDA levels and depleted GSH content in brain tissue, and it elevated IL-1β, TNF-α, and cleaved caspase-3 in the cerebral cortex. However, ZEA supplementation, along with vitamin E, effectively reversed these alterations compared to the ACR-exposed group.

Conclusion: In conclusion, ZEA demonstrates both preventive and therapeutic effects against ACR-induced neurotoxicity. These findings suggest that ZEA could serve as an effective preventive agent by countering ACR-induced damage through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms.

Objective: Ma'aljobon is used in Persian medicine (PM) as a natural antihypertensive product. This study aimed to evaluate the hypotensive effect of Ma'aljobon in patients with uncontrolled grade 1 primary hypertension (HTN).

Materials and methods: This double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial included 114 patients (20-80 years) with uncontrolled grade 1 primary HTN. After obtaining informed consent, the participants were randomly divided into two groups and administered with 25g of Ma'aljobon or maltodextrin twice daily for six weeks. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP, respectively) were analyzed.

Results: A total of 97 patients (52.3±10.7 years, %53.6 female) completed the study. In the Ma'aljobon group, SBP decreased from 150.3±12.3 to 130.6±12.1 mm Hg, and DBP decreased from 93.3±8.2 to 80.1±6.6 mm Hg (p<0.001). In the control group, SBP decreased from 147.6±11.2 to 138.7±14.4 mm Hg, and DBP decreased from 86.6±7.7 to 82.2±8.2 mm Hg (p<0.001). There was a significant difference in the changes of SBP and DBP between the two groups over time (p<0.001). No adverse events were observed.

Conclusion: Ma'aljobon has a stronger hypotensive effect than placebo in patients with HTN and can be recommended as an add-on therapy for uncontrolled HTN.

Objective: In the absence of targeted antidotes for chlorine gas poisoning, a common yet concerning problem, this study investigates the effect of Wet Cupping Therapy (WCT, or "Hijamat") on the recovery process in chlorine-induced reactive airway dysfunction syndrome (RADS) patients.

Materials and methods: This randomized controlled trial enrolled 24 patients experiencing acute inhalation of chlorine poisoning in Tehran, Iran (2020-2021). Patients were randomly divided into control (n=12, receiving conventional treatment) and intervention (n=12, receiving conventional treatment plus WCT) groups. Signs and symptoms were assessed pre-intervention, and in the first hour, first week, and first month post-intervention.

Results: Medical records of 24 patients, including 3(12.5%) men and 21(87.5%) women, with a mean age of 42.92 years old, were evaluated. Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. WCT significantly improved symptoms (dyspnea, cough, chest tightness, etc.) within the first hour (p=0.003) compared to the controls, with no future significant changes during the first week and first-month post-WCT. Comparison between the groups revealed substantial differences in the following variables: dyspnea scale (p=0.009), respiratory rate (p=0.026), cough (p=0.001), breath shortness (p=0.006), chest tightness (p=0.002), chest pain (p=0.010), substernal burning (p=0.015), throat sore (p=0.005) and hoarseness (p=0.027). Peak flow meter readings, reflecting lung function, were also significantly higher in the WCT group at all time-points (p<0.007).

Conclusion: WCT may offer a rapid and sustained improvement in pulmonary and respiratory symptoms following acute chlorine inhalation injury.

Objective: Given the apparent life-threatening nature of COVID-19, finding an effective treatment is under investigation.

Materials and methods: We assessed effect of shallomin oral syrup (co IranAmin^®) as a complementary treatment to improve the clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Patients in the control group received the approved treatment protocol (lopinavir/ritonavir), while those in the intervention group were treated with the oral syrup shallomin in addition to the approved treatment. Clinical status of treated patients was recorded and compared.

Results: There were meaningful differences between the two groups regarding shortened length of hospital stay and the recovery time for cough, myalgia, sore throat, and shortness of breath. No side effect occurred in the intervention group compared to the control group in terms of biochemical and hematological factors.

Conclusion: It seems that the treatment with shallomin syrup showed remarkable contribution to the recovery of COVID-19 induced symptoms in the patients under lopinavir/ritonavir therapy.

Objective: Brain ischemia generally results in irreversible brain damage or death. One of the most important features of an ischemic stroke is disruption of the Blood-brain barrier (BBB). In this study, we examined the effect of cinnamon hydroalcoholic extract consumption on BBB permeability and expression of some genes regulating its function.

Materials and methods: Sixty male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups; sham (high-fat diet+ sham surgery), Model (Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion, MCAO+ high-fat diet), Lovastatin (high-fat diet + lovastatin + MCAO surgery), low and high dosage cinnamon (high-fat diet + cinnamon 130 or 260 mg, respectively+ MCAO surgery). The two doses of cinnamon (130 and 260 mg) were administered intraperitoneally. Twelve hours after ischemic stroke induction, brain right hemisphere tissues were collected and calpain I, calpainII, occludin and VEGF genes expression were quantified by Real-Time -PCR. Accordingly, p-selection protein levels were measured by ELISA method.

Results: Cinnamon hydroalcoholic extract reduced the BBB permeability compared with the model group (p<0.05). Stroke increased calpain and VEGF genes while decreased occludin gene expression (p<0.001). Conversely, cinnamon administration increased occludin gene expression while calpain and VEGF genes were down-regulated (p<0.01). Pretreatment with cinnamon significantly diminished the P-Selectin protein levels as compared with the model group dose dependently (p<0.001).

Conclusion: It seems that cinnamon restores BBB function by regulating the elements involved in its permeability.

Objective: Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) is a devastating syndrome. Our previous studies showed that perillyl alcohol (P), berberine (B) and quercetin (Q) improve PAH. In this study, we investigated the effects of sub-effective doses of these derivatives in double and triple combination forms on PAH in rats.

Materials and methods: Forty nine rats were divided into seven groups (n=7): 1) control, 2) monocrotaline (MCT), 3) MCT+vehicle (veh), 4) MCT+BP, 5) MCT+PQ, 6) MCT+BQ, and 7) MCT+BPQ. After three weeks of PAH induction with MCT (60 mg/kg), either vehicle (ethanol 5% in saline) or one of the above combinations (dose of 20 mg/kg for B, and doses of 20 and 10 mg/ kg for P and Q in vehicle) was administered for three weeks. Right ventricular (RV) pressure, contractility indices, lung pathology, miR-204 expression, oxidative stress markers, inflammation and apoptosis were assayed.

Results: MCT increased RV systolic pressure and hypertrophy, and lung arteriole wall thickness, fibrosis and leukocyte infiltration in the MCT group compared to the CTL group. All treatments improved these effects significantly. Furthermore, MCT reduced antioxidant factors, Bax, P21 and miR-204 expression and increased Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and Bcl-2. All of these effects were recovered by combination treatments.

Conclusion: The results showed that combination therapy with sub-effective/ineffective doses of these compounds had ameliorative effects against PAH.

Objective: Cyclophosphamide (CTX) is an effective anticancer drug, but toxic effects against normal human tissues are its dose-limiting drawback. The aim of this research was to investigate the in vivo immunomodulatory activities of Allium ampeloprasum Subsp Iranicum against CTX-induced toxicity in mice.

Materials and methods: Extract of the whole plant of A. ampeloprasum Subsp Iranicum was obtained using the maceration technique, and its total phenolic and flavonoid contents were quantified through spectrophotometric analysis. Mice received daily oral administration (PO) of the extract (150 mg/kg) for a duration of 14 days, either as a standalone treatment or in conjunction with an intraperitoneal (IP) injection of 20 mg/kg CTX. The effects of the extract on body weight, spleen weight, white blood cell (WBC), serum antibody titer hemagglutination (HA), delayed-type hypersensitivity response (DTH), lymphocyte proliferation, cytokine production, and histopathological examinations were evaluated.

Results: A. ampeloprasum Subsp Iranicum restored several parameters including spleen weight (p<0.001), WBC (p<0.001), lymphocytes (p<0.05), and monocytes (p<0.01), HA titer (p<0.05), and DTH response (p<0.01). A. ampeloprasum Subsp Iranicum notably stimulated lymphocyte proliferation to PHA (p<0.01) and LPS (p<0.05) and recovered interferon (IFN)-γ (p<0.001) and interleukin (IL)-4 (p<0.001) levels in the immunosuppressed mice. Also, CTX-induced histopathological changes were reversed by A. ampeloprasum Subsp Iranicum .

Conclusion: Analyses revealed A. ampeloprasum Subsp Iranicum could regulate immunity and increase host immune responses. The observed strengthening effect can be attributed to the high amount of flavonoids and dipropyl trisulfide compounds present in A. ampeloprasum Subsp Iranicum.

Objective: The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of combination of medicinal plants, including Colchicum autumnal L., Olea europaea L., Nigella sativa L., Lavandula angustifolia L., and Zingiber officinale Roscoe, on the recovery and outcome of COVID-19 patients.

Materials and methods: This study was conducted on 150 COVID-19 patients. All patients received both pharmaceutical and supportive treatments. In addition to the standard care treatment, intervention group received two capsules of herbal medicine orally every 8 hours, while control group received placebo.

Results: Oxygen saturation percentage (SpO2) of the intervention group (median:88.00) was significantly higher than that of the control group (median:86.00), while C-reactive protein (CRP) of the intervention group (median:20.00) was significantly lower than that of the control group (median:28.00) at the time of hospital discharge (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The combination of studied medicinal plants could significantly reduce the oxygen requirement and oxygen therapy.