Effects of hydro-ethanolic extract of leaves of Maesa lanceolata (Mursinaceae) on acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats

Inflammopharmacology - Ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease that is characterized by acute and chronic inflammation. The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of...     

Clinicopathological and Ultrasonic Features of Triple-Negative Breast Cancers: A Comparison with Hormone Receptor-Positive/Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2-Negative Breast Cancers

The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinicopathological and ultrasound characteristics of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) and compare these findings with those for hormone receptor-positive (HR-positive)/human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative (HER-2-negative) tumors. Seventy-five TNBCs and 135 HR-positive/HER-2-negative breast cancers were reviewed. Data from conventional ultrasound, Doppler vascularity and elastography were included in the analysis. TNBCs had a higher histologic grade and Ki-67 level. On ultrasound, TNBCs often appeared as microlobulated, markedly hypo-echoic masses with an abrupt interface boundary, posterior acoustic enhancement, absence of calcifications and more characteristics of surrounding tissue. Results from multivariate regression analysis revealed that margin, posterior acoustic features and surrounding tissue features of tumors were independent predictive factors in differentiating TNBCs from HR-positive/HER-2-negative tumors. Our results suggest that a thorough evaluation of sonographic findings might be useful in discriminating between TNBCs and HR-positive/HER-2-negative tumors, which may provide accurate evidence for clinical early diagnosis.     

Analgesic and antiinflammatory activities of the ethyl acetate fraction of Bidens pilosa (Asteraceae)

Bidens pilosa is an Asteraceae widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments including pain and inflammation. The present work was undertaken to assess the analgesic and antiinflammatory properties of the ethyl acetate fraction of methylene chloride/methanol (1:1) extract of leaves of Bidens pilosa at the gradual doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg in mice and rats, respectively. The analgesic properties of Bidens pilosa were investigated using the acetic acid writhing, hot plate, capsaicin and formalin-induced pain models. This was followed by a study of the antiinflammatory properties using carrageenan, dextran, histamine and serotonin to induce acute inflammation in rat hind paw. The extract provided a significant (p < 0.01) reduction in pain induced by all four models of nociception. It also presented significant (p < 0.05) antiinflammatory activity in all four models of acute inflammation. These results show that the ethyl acetate fraction of methylene chloride/methanol (1:1) of Bidens pilosa has both analgesic and antiinflammatory properties. The qualitative analysis of the fraction by the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint revealed the presence of two flavonoids, namely quercetin and iso-okanin, known to have antiinflammatory and antinociceptive properties, which could be responsible for the analgesic and antiinflammatory effects observed.     

Effects of Aframomum melegueta and Piper guineense on sexual behaviour of male rats

The effects of aqueous extracts of Aframomum melegueta and Piper guineense on the sexual behaviour of male rats were studied, considering many criteria, such as penile erection, copulatory behaviour and orientation activities towards themselves (genital grooming) and female rats (ano-genital sniffing, mounting). For 8 days different groups of rats received a daily administration of distilled water (control) or a plant extract: A. melegueta at 115 mg/kg or P. guineense at 122.5 mg/kg. Both plant extracts stimulated male sexual behaviour. In fact, A. melegueta and P. guineense significantly increased penile erection index, and the frequencies of intromission and ejaculation. These plant extracts were found to enhance the orientation of males towards females by increasing mounting and ano-genital investigatory behaviour. Results of this study showed that A. melegueta and P. guineense modified the sexual behaviour of male rats by increasing sexual arousal.     

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of the stem bark extract of Mitragyna ciliata (Rubiaceae) Aubrév. & Pellegr

Mitragyna ciliata is widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammation, hypertension, headache, rheumatism, gonorrhoea and broncho-pulmonary diseases. In the present study, the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of the stem bark extract of M. ciliata were investigated. The stem bark of this plant was extracted over Soxhlet with hexane followed by another extraction with methanol. The resulting methanol extract was used for the pharmacological test. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated on the basis of the inhibitory effect of the extract on 5-lipoxygenase, and carrageenin-induced hind paw oedema in the rat. The methanol extract, at a dose of 19.2 microg/ml, exhibited no inhibition on 5-lipoxygenase. However, this extract administered per os (50 mg/kg) produced about 70% inhibition of carrageenin-induced paw oedema 1 h after administration. This inhibition was maintained to about 50% 2 h after administration. The dose of 50 mg/kg of MeOH extract significantly decreased sensitivity to pain from 78.75 to 107.5 g These findings suggest that extracts of the bark of M. ciliata, possess potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Chemical analysis of the extract showed the presence of alkaloids and kaempferol derivative which may be responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties.     

Assessing Risk Category of Breast Cancer by Ultrasound Imaging Characteristics

The purpose of our study was to assess the potential clinical value of ultrasound imaging in predicting risk category in patients with breast cancer. Three hundred thirty-six patients were enrolled and divided into a high-risk group (99, 29.5%) and mid- to low-risk group (237, 70.5%) according to the St. Gallen risk criteria. All data were retrospectively collected to analyze correlations between ultrasound features and risk category. The results revealed that the ultrasound features of irregular shape (p?=?0.002), vertical growth orientation (p?=?0.002), angular contour (p?=?0.022) and high color Doppler flow imaging grade (p?=?0.001) tended to be present in images of the high-risk group. Therefore, tumor ultrasound features should be recognized as an ideal option for determination of risk category in patients with breast cancer.     

Flavonoids from Acacia pennata and their cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2) inhibitory activities

Two new flavonoids quercetin 4'-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-3-O-beta-D-allopyranoside (1) and apigenin 6-C-[2'-O-(E)-feruloyl- beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-8-C-beta-glucopyranoside (2), along with the known isorhamnetin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (3), kaempferol 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4), and isovitexin (5) were isolated from the leaves of Acacia pennata Willd. (Mimosaceae) and tested for their anti-inflammatory activity. Their structures were determined by 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectrometry. They were tested for an inhibitory effect on COX-1 and COX-2, showing 60-90% inhibition at 10(-4) g/mL and 5-14% inhibition at 10(-4) g/mL, respectively.     

Vasodilator effect of the extracts and some coumarins from the stem bark of Mammea africana (Guttiferae)

CH(2)Cl(2) fraction obtained from the stem bark of Mammea africana inhibited noradrenaline (NA) or KCl-induced contraction in isolated guinea pig and rat aorta. The vasorelaxant potency of the CH(2)Cl(2) fraction of Mammea africana was diminished by a pre-treatment with Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of NO synthase, which was however not affected by indomethacin pre-treatment. These findings indicated that the vasorelaxant effect of Mammea africana may be partially endothelium dependent, mediated by nitric oxide and that vasoactive prostanoids might not be contributing to the vasorelaxation effect. Three bioactive compounds were isolated from this CH(2)Cl(2) fraction and identified as 4-n-propylcoumarins (1) (mammea B/BB), 4-phenylcoumarins (2) (mammea A/AA or mammeisin) and (B/BA) (3) and might involved in the vasorelaxant effect of the extract. The mechanisms of the vasorelaxant effect might therefore be multiple, including endothelium dependence and the mechanisms, which interfere with the liberation of Ca(2+) into the muscle cell.     

Ozocardic A: a new alkylanacardic acid from Ozoroa pulcherrima

One new alkylanacardic acid, ozocardic A (1), along with the known and related metabolites 6-tridecyl anacardic acid (2) and β-sitosterol (3) was isolated from Ozoroa pulcherrima. The structure of the new compound was elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis such as ¹H, ¹³C NMR, COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and HREIMS. The structures of known compounds (6-tridecyl anacardic acid (2) and β-sitosterol (3)) were identified by the comparison of their spectral data with those published in the literature.