Anticancer activities of the extract from Longkong (Lansium domesticum) young fruits

Context: “Longkong”(Lansium domesticum Corr., Family: Meliaceae) is a fruit found in the south of Thailand. This plant has been used in traditional medicines.

Objectives: To investigate the antiproliferative activities and the phytoconstituents of Longkong extracts.

Materials and methods: Cytotoxicity and apoptotic activity of 48 extracts were tested using the SRB assay and acridine orange (AO)/ethidium bromide (EB) staining, respectively. The extracts which gave the highest anticancer activity were selected to prepare the semipurified extracts and analysis for the constituents by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS).

Results: The highest percentage yield (59.38%) was from the cold water extract of Longkong ripe fruits (RFWC). The highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents were observed in cold and hot methanol extract of Longkong stalks (STMC and STMH). The hot and cold chloroform young Longkong fruit extracts (YFCH and YFCC) exhibited a cytotoxic effect (IC₅₀ < 1 mg/mL) against cancer cells. For apoptotic induction, YFCH demonstrated the highest activity against KB of 13.84 ± 4.21% at 0.5 mg/mL which was 0.88 and 1.35 times of cisplatin and 5-FU, respectively, while apoptotic cells in HT-29 were 8.68 ± 1.85% at 5 mg/mL, which was 0.61 and 1.43 times of cisplatin and 5-FU, respectively. YFCC showed the highest apoptotic effect against KB cells at 10.70 ± 2.15% at 0.5 mg/mL, which was 0.68 and 1.07 times of cisplatin and 5-FU, respectively. The major phytoconstituents in YFCH were hexadecanoic acid (11.53%) and ethyl oleate (10.58%).

Discussion and conclusion: The crude extracts of Longkong showed anticancer activities and may provide new lead compounds for the development of anticancer products.     

Rosmarinus plants: Key farm concepts towards food applications

Rosmarinus species are aromatic plants that mainly grow in the Mediterranean region. They are widely used in folk medicine, food, and flavor industries and represent a valuable source of biologically active compounds (e.g., terpenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids). The extraction of rosemary essential oil is being done using three main methods: carbon dioxide supercritical extraction, steam distillation, and hydrodistillation. Furthermore, interesting antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antileishmanial, anthelmintic, anticancer, anti‐inflammatory, antidepressant, and antiamnesic effects have also been broadly recognized for rosemary plant extracts. Thus the present review summarized data on economically important Rosmarinus officinalis species, including isolation, extraction techniques, chemical composition, pharmaceutical, and food applications.     

Psoralea corylifolia L: Ethnobotanical,biological, and chemical aspects: A review

Psoralea corylifolia L. (Leguminosae) is a well‐known traditional medicinal plant used from ancient times for treatment of various ailments. It is widely distributed and an important part of therapeutics in Ayurveda and in Chinese medicines. The aim of this review is to present comprehensive and most up to date report on its ethnobotanical, ethnopharmacological, clinical, phytochemical, and side effects. Studies on the ethnobotanical, ethnopharmacological, clinical, phytochemical, and side effects of P. corylifolia were published until year 2017 and were searched using various scientific databases. The scientific literature searched revealed that these plant species has been extensively investigated in vivo and in vitro for various biological and phytochemical studies. It has cardiotonic, vasodilator, pigmentor, antitumor, antibacterial, cytotoxic, and anti‐helminthic properties and locally used for alopecia, inflammation, leukoderma, leprosy, psoriasis, and eczema. So far, about a hundred bioactive compounds have been isolated from seeds and fruits, and most important compounds identified belongs to coumarins, flavonoids, and meroterpenes groups. This review article summarized the most updated scientific literature on bioactive phytochemical and biological activities of P. corylifolia. This article will be a useful addition to providing information for future research, and more standard clinical trials are needed for the plant to be used as therapeutic agent.     

Pharmacognosy,Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Properties of Achillea millefolium L.: A Review

Achillea millefoilum L. (Yarrow) is an important species of Asteraceae family with common utilization in traditional medicine of several cultures from Europe to Asia for the treatment of spasmodic gastrointestinal disorders, hepatobiliary, gynecological disorders, against inflammation and for wound healing. An extensive review of literature was made on A. millefoilum L. using ethno botanical text books, published articles in peer‐reviewed journals, unpublished materials and scientific databases. The Plant List, International Plant Name Index and Kew Botanical Garden databases were used to authenticate the scientific names. Monoterpenes are the most representative metabolites constituting 90% of the essential oils in relation to the sesquiterpenes, and a wide range of chemical compounds have also been reported. Different pharmacological experiments in many in‐vitro and in‐vivo models have proved the potential of A. millefoilum with antiinflammatory, antiulcer, anticancer activities etc. lending support to the rationale behind numerous of its traditional uses. Due to the noteworthy pharmacological activities, A. millefoilum will be a better option for new drug discovery. The present review will comprehensively summarize the pharmacognosy, phytochemistry and ethnopharmacology of A. millefoilum reported to date, with emphasis on more in vitro, clinical and pathological studies needed to investigate the unexploited potential of this plant. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Review on Pharmacological and Analytical Aspects of Naringenin

Flavonoids are a widely distributed group of phytochemicals having benzo-pyrone nucleus, and more than 4,000 different flavonoids have been described and categorized into flavonols, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones, catechins and anthocyanidins. Flavonoids occurs naturally in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beverages such as coffee, tea, and red wine, as well as in medical herbs. Flavonoids are responsible for the different colors of plant parts and are important constituents of the human diet. Flavanoids have different pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-allergic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and anticancer activity. Naringenin belongs to the flavanones and is mainly found in fruits (grapefruit and oranges) and vegetables. Pharmacologically, it has anticancer, antimutagenic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative and antiatherogenic activities. Naringenin is used for the treatments of osteoporosis, cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and showed lipid-lowering and insulin-like properties. In the present review, detailed pharmacological and analytical aspects of naringenin have been presented, which revealed the impressive pharmacological profile and the possible usefulness in the treatment of different types of diseases in the future. The information provided in this communication will act as an important source for development of effective medicines for the treatment of various disorders.     

Attenuation of DMBA/croton oil induced mouse skin papilloma by Apodytes dimidiata mediated by its antioxidant and antimutagenic potential

Context Considering the role of cellular oxidative stress in mutations and subsequent transformation, phytochemicals with antioxidant potential has become a primary choice as chemopreventives. Apodytes dimidiata E. Mey. Ex. Arn (Icacinaceae), a widely used plant in Zulu traditional medicine, is reported to possess antioxidant activity.

Objective To investigate the chemopreventive efficacy of methanol extract of A. dimidiata leaf (AMF).

Materials and methods Antimutagenic potential of AMF (25, 50 and 75?μg/plate) was evaluated by the Ames test. The ability of AMF (100 and 250?mg/kg orally) on restoration of depleted antioxidant status by sodium fluoride (NaF) was analysed on BALB/c mice. 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene/croton oil induced mouse skin papilloma model was studied up to 20 weeks to analyse the anticarcinogenic effect of AMF (1%, 3% and 5% topically, twice weekly for 6 weeks). Phytochemicals of AMF were characterized by GC–MS.

Results AMF (75?μg/plate) reverted 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (NPDA) induced mutations in Salmonella typhimurium strains, TA 98, 100 and 102 by 74.8%, 72.5% and 69.3%, respectively. Against sodium azide, the percentage reversion was 80.4, 71.3 and 71.3. In mice, AMF (250?mg/kg for 4 days) increased the serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities by 48.71% and 30.3% against the NaF-induced drop. GSH level was improved by 48.59% with a concomitant decrease in TBARS (57.67%). The skin papilloma reduction was 79.32% for 5% AMF. Squalene, dodecanoic, tetradecanoic and hexadecanoic acids are the known antioxidant and chemopreventive molecules identified by GC–MS.

Discussion and conclusion Antioxidant and antimutagenic activities of AMF might have contributed to its anticarcinogenic potential.     

Modulation of P‐glycoprotein ATPase activity by some phytoconstituents

In the present investigation 16 phytoconstituents, which are active moieties found in several medicinal herbs, have been evaluated for their P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) stimulation/inhibition profiles using a P‐gp‐dependent ATPase assay in rat jejunal membrane (in vitro). Acteoside, agnuside, catechin, chlorogenic acid, picroside ‐II and santonin showed an inhibitory effect. Negundoside, picroside ‐I and oleanolic acid caused a stimulatory effect. Andrographolide, apocyanin, berberine, glycyrrhizin, magniferin and piperine produced a biphasic response (stimulation at low concentration and inhibition at high concentration). The results suggested that a possible interaction of these phytoconstituents at the level of P‐gp, could be an important parameter in determining their role in several key pharmacodynamic events. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lansium domesticum—A Fruit with Multi-Benefits: Traditional Uses,Phytochemicals, Nutritional Value,and Bioactivities

Lansium domesticum (Langsat, Meliaceae) is a tropical fruit mainly found in Southeast Asian countries, particularly in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Traditionally, it is utilized as a folk treatment for eye inflammation, ulcers, diarrhea, dysentery, fever, spasms, flatulence, worms, insect bites, scorpion stings, and malaria. Additionally, it is utilized as a mosquito repellent, skin moisturizer and whitening agent. Pharmacological research showed that the plant has a wide array of bioactivities, including antimalarial, antifeedant, anti-aging, wound healing, antioxidant, cytotoxic, analgesic, antibacterial, antimutagenic, insecticidal, and larvicidal. The most commonly described activities were attributed to the presence of terpenoids and phenolics. Further, some studies reported the preparation of nanoparticles and pharmaceutical formulations from the plant. This review highlights the potential of L. domesticum as herbal medicine. It provides an overview about the reported data on L. domesticum from 1931 to November 2021, including nutritional value, traditional uses, phytoconstituents, and bioactivities, as well as nanoparticles and pharmaceutical formulations.     

Recent Advance in Studies on Angelica sinensis

Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR) is the root of Angelica sinensis which is a fragrant and perennial herb native to China, Japan, and Korea. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the plant is useful for replenishing and invigorating blood, relieving pain, and moistening the intestines, resulting in its application for the treatment of menstrual disorders, and as an emollient and laxative for chronic constipation of the aged and debilitated. An in-depth review of the literature brings to light a great number of chemical constituents that have been isolated from ASR as well as both preclinical (in vivo and in vitro) and clinical studies, which over the years, have sought to investigate the medicinal relevance of some of these phytoconstituents and/or extract(s) prepared from ASR. The purpose of this review is therefore to present some major pharmacological and pharmacokinetic research findings on some selected phytoconstituents of ASR with emphasis on the current trends in terms of research techniques or design. This review would also provide a wealth of information for users/practitioners of TCM regarding the use of ASR or its products for maximum efficiency and minimal toxicity or side effects.