Chemical composition and antiproliferative activity of essential oil from the leaves of a medicinal herb, Schefflera heptaphylla

Schefflera heptaphylla (L.) Frodin is a medicinal herb widely used as a main ingredient of the popular health tea formulation against infections in Southern China. Twenty-seven volatile compounds were identified by GC-MS analysis from the essential oil obtained from the leaves of S. heptaphylla, and 17 of them belonged to monoterpenes or sesquiterpenes. The main volatile constituent in S. heptaphylla was found to be a monoterpene, beta-pinene, comprising about 22% of the total volatile components. The essential oil showed significant antiproliferative activity against three cancer cell lines, MCF-7, A375 and HepG2 cells, with IC50 values of 7.3 microg/mL, 7.5 microg/mL and 6.9 microg/mL, respectively. The result of the cytotoxicity assay indicates that (-)-beta-pinene and (+)-beta-pinene (commercially available from Sigma) also possessed antiproliferative activity against the cancer cells MCF-7, A375 and HepG2 with IC50 values ranging from 147.1 to 264.7 microm.     

Comparative effect of an essential oil mouthrinse on plaque,gingivitis and salivary Streptococcus mutans levels: a double blind randomized study

An open, randomized, controlled study with two parallel treatment groups was done to evaluate the efficacy of a Lippia sidoides essential oil (EO) 1% mouthrinse compared with chlorhexidine 0.12% mouthrinse, applied two times daily for 1 week, in the treatment of dental plaque and gingivitis. Fifty‐five patients were included in the study. The efficacy variables were the colony count of Streptococcus mutans from the stimulated saliva and periodontal indices on days 0, 7 and 30 after commencement of therapy. Twenty eight patients received chlorhexidine mouthrinse (Periogard^®) and 27 Lippia sidoides essential oil mouthrinse (Cepakill^®). The clinical and microbiological parameters were significantly reduced by both mouthrinses. No significant difference was seen between the two groups (p > 0.05). There was a significant reduction in the colony count of S. mutans in both groups (p < 0.05). Chlorhexidine treatment reduced more efficiently than L. sidoides, however, no statistical difference was seen, the efficacy of both groups was similar (p = 0.3). The results indicate that Chlorhexidine mouthrinse reduced plaque index, gingival bleeding and the number of CFU (colonies forming units) more efficiently than L. sidoides but did not reach statistical significance. This study demonstrated that Lippia sidoides EO mouthrinse is effective in reducing microbial plaque and gingival inflammation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chemical composition and cytotoxic activity of the leaf essential oil of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eugenia zuchowskiae</Emphasis> from Monteverde,Costa Rica

The leaf essential oil of Eugenia zuchowskiae from Monteverde, Costa Rica, has been obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC–MS. The principal constituents of E. zuchowskiae leaf oil were α-pinene (28.3%), β-caryophyllene (13.2%), α-humulene (13.1%), and α-copaene (8.1%). The leaf essential oil of E. zuchowskiae showed pronounced in-vitro cytotoxic activity against MCF-7, MDA-MB-468, and UACC-257 human tumor cell lines. The major components showed cytotoxic activities comparable to doxorubicin (LC₅₀ 14–70 μg/ml).     

维甲酸硅油的视网膜毒性实验研究

目的：了解维甲酸硅油对视网膜是否产生毒性。 方法：12只新西兰白兔的24只眼，随机分为3组，行气体压迫玻璃体手术3天后，分别向玻璃体腔内注入硅油(4只眼)、5μg/ml维甲酸硅油(10只眼)、10μg/ml维甲酸硅油(10只眼)各
0.5m1，用检眼镜、光漳和电镜检查来观察视网膜变化情况。 结果：注入硅油28天后，未发现各浓度的维甲酸硅油对视网膜产生毒性作用。结论：浓度为5、10μg/ml的维甲酸硅油注入玻璃体腔4周，对视网膜不产生毒性作用。 （中华眼底病杂志，1997，13：81-82）     

A pharmacokinetic comparison of the corn oil versus microemulsion gelcap formulation of cyclosporin used de novo after renal transplantation

The initial poor absorption of the corn oil-based, gel capsule oral formulation of cyclosporin (CyA) greatly limits its use for inception of immunosuppressive therapy. Insufficient drug concentrations during the early post-transplant period predispose to renal allograft rejection. The present study served to compare the time required to achieve therapeutic CyA concentrations after de novo administration of the corn oil-based gel capsule (CyA-GC; n = 11) versus the microemulsion (CyA-ME; n = 11) formulation of CyA. During the 1st month after renal transplantation, patients underwent serial pharmacokinetic profiling from which we obtained observed and dose-corrected values of several parameters. Although patients in neither the CyA-GC nor the CyA-ME group adequately absorbed the drug during days 0–2, from day 3 to 4 patients in the CyA-ME group showed significantly greater absorption than those in the CyA-GC group (P = 0.041). Patients in the CyA-ME group reached the 1st month target average concentration (C_av) values ( ≥ 550 ng/ml) earlier than those in the CyA-GC group and required significantly lower daily CyA doses (P = 0.018). We conclude that therapeutic CyA levels can be achieved more rapidly and with lower doses of the drug after de novo administration of CyA-ME than with CyA-GC. Received: 13 September 1996 Accepted: 7 January 1997     

鱼油抗大鼠实验性心律失常作用

鱼油口服给药1.4 ml/kg·d,连续15d能显著升高氯化钡致大鼠心律失常的阈剂量(P<0.05),降低心律失常的严重程度(P<0.05),60 min内窦性心率恢复率为85.7％(P<0.01),死亡率为0。心肌细胞膜脂肪酸分析显示,鱼油影响大鼠心肌细胞膜脂肪酸组成,升高DHA含量(P<0.05),降低AA含量及AA/DHA比值(P<0.01)。多元逐步回归分析表明,鱼油的抗心律失常作用与其升高心肌细胞膜DHA含量有关,相关系数为r=-0.5872(P<0.01)。     

便携式野战真空注油设备的研制

本文将介绍在野战条件下，便携式真空注油设备，可以方便的更换X－线机球管及给变压器注油。并阐述了该设备的结构及原理。     

橄榄油对单核吞噬细胞系统的影响

本文采用橄榄油皮下注射、观察其对小鼠腹腔单核吞噬细胞的游出、活化及吞噬功能。结果发现、橄榄油对上述功能均有明显的抑制作。     

Essential oils of Salvia bracteata and Salvia rubifolia from Lebanon: Chemical composition,antimicrobial activity and inhibitory effect on human melanoma cells

Aim of the study

Salvia bracteata Banks et Sol. and Salvia rubifolia Boiss. are known in folk medicine of Lebanon for the treatment of microbial infections, cancer, urinary and pulmonary problems. In the present study the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oils from aerial parts of Salvia bracteata and Salvia rubifolia collected in Lebanon were evaluated. The oils were also tested for their potential antiproliferative effects against M14 human melanoma cells.

Material and methods

The oils were studied by GC and GC–MS and their antibacterial activity (MIC and MBC) was tested against ten bacteria species using the broth dilution method. The inhibitory effect on human melanoma cells (measurement of cell vitality, cell membrane integrity and genomic DNA fragmentation) was studied using MTT assay, calculation of LDH release and COMET assay.

Results

The oils showed a good antibacterial activity (MIC = 50 μg/ml) against Gram+ bacteria. They besides exhibited an inhibitory effect on the human cancer cells examined inducing also apoptotic cell death, but the oil of Salvia rubifolia was significantly (p < 0.001) more active as compared to the oil of Salvia bracteata.

Conclusion

The results on the pharmacological activities of these Salvia species provide an in vitro scientific support for the use of these plants in traditional herbal preparations.