Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine
Volume:2 Issue: 4, Autumn 2012

Perilla frutescens is an annual herb of the mint family native to East Asia. Polyphenols present in perilla have various structural varieties with large diversity of biological activities. It is direct influence the quality of perilla plant and their potential functions. Some of these products have been studied and proven to be effective source of phenolic antioxidants. The aqueous extract contains phenolic compounds such as phenolic acids, cinnamic acid derivatives, flavonoids, and lignans. Gallic acid, hydroxytyrosol (3,4-DHPEA), cinnamic acid derivatives (coumaroyl tartaric acid, caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid), flavonoids, scutellarein 7-O-diglucuronide, luteolin 7 Odiglucuronide, apigenin 7-O-diglucuronide, luteolin 7-O-glucuronide, and scutellarein 7-Oglucuronide), and anthocyanins (mainly cis-shisonin, shisonin, malonylshisonin and cyanidin 3- O-(E)-caffeoylglucoside-5-O-malonylglucoside) are present.

Diabetes mellitus manifests itself in a wide variety of complications and the symptoms of this disease are multifactorial. Previous studies proved that this disease is directly related to hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Prangos frulacea (L.) Lindl in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Forty female Wistar rats with body weight of 200±20 g were randomly divided into five groups with eight rats per group. Diabetes was induced in rats by alloxan monohydrate at dose of 120 mg/kg body weight (BW) injected intraperitoneally. Hydro-alcoholic extract of the root and leaves with stems of P. frulacea at 100 mg/kg BW were given orally to diabetic rats daily for 4 weeks. Diabetic rats (D) exhibited a significant (p<0.05) increase in the levels of the serum glucose, Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglycerides (TG), and LDL in comparison with the control group whereas their BW and serum HDL levels were decreased. In diabetic rats treated by root extract of P. frulacea, these parameters were reversed to the normal levels compared with diabetic group. According to the results obtained, it was concluded that Root´s hydro-alcoholic extract of P. frulacea can be used in diabetics for the purpose of glucose and lipid profile reduction.

this study designed to test the antibacterial potency of enrofloxacin (ENR) and essential oils from Zataria multiflora Boiss (ZEO) and Trachyspermum copticum (TEO) on Aeromonas hydrophila. The antibacterial potency of test compounds was determined by several methods including the inhibition zone diameter determination, microbroth dilution method and colorimetric method of MTT. The cytotoxicity of test substances was assessed on Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) embryo (CHSE-214) cells. Results showed that ENR and tested essential oils exert antibacterial effect against A. hydrophila. Moreover, ENR exerted the most potent antibacterial effect with MIC values of 62.5 ng/ml. The natural compounds of ZEO and TEO also showed antibacterial effects with rather high MIC values of 0.315 mg/ml, and 1.25 mg/ml, respectively. None of the tested substances showed toxicity on CHSE-24 cells. It is concluded that ZEO and TEO could be applied to prevent from A. hydrophila infection. Moreover, data also suggest that MTT method could be both cost- and time-effective andaccurate method of MIC determination.

Curcumin is a major constituent of turmeric and has many biological functions such as anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of curcumin and diazepam in separate and combined treatments on penicillin-induced seizures in rats. In urethane-anesthetized rats, epileptiform activity was induced by intracortical (i.c.) administration of penicillin (200 IU, 1 μl), and frequency and amplitude of spike waves were analyzed using electrocorticographic recordings. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of curcumin at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg, and intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of diazepam at a dose of 5 μg significantly (p<0.05) reduced both frequency and amplitude of spike waves. Co-administrations of curcumin (50 mg/kg, i.p.) with diazepam (5 μg, i.c.v) enhanced the antiepileptic effect of diazepam (5 μg, i.c.v). The results suggested that both curcumin and diazepam suppressed penicillin-induced epileptiform activity. A potentiation effect was observed between curcumin and diazepam in reducing penicillin-induced seizures.

Ganoderma Lucidum (G. Lucidum) has been suggested to increase serum insulin level. This study was undertaken to investigate its direct effect on the islets of Langerhans. Male albino Wistar rats were anesthetized and the islets were isolated after digestion of the pancreas with collagenase. The islets were incubated for 60 min in Krebs bicarbonate buffer containing 3 or 10 mM glucose in the presence of hydroalcoholic extract of G. Lucidum (1 mg/ml), 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX, 100 μM) or vehicle. Exposure of islets to the extract increased insulin secretion at basal (3 mM) glucose concentration. Increase of glucose concentration to 10 mM resulted in a significant increase in the rate of insulin secretion. While the IBMX could augment insulin release evoked by 10 mM glucose, the extract failed to modify it. Our results demonstrate that G. lucidum acts directly on the Langerhans islets to increase basal insulin release.

Diabetes mellitus is a public health problem and one of the five leading causes of death globally. In the present study, the effect of Metformin with natural honey was investigated on glycemia in the Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Thirty Wistar male rats were randomly divided into six groups including C: non diabetic rats received distilled water, CH: non diabetic rats received honey, CD: diabetic rats administered with distilled water, DM: Metformin treated diabetic rats, DH: honey treated diabetic rats, and DMH: diabetic rats treated with a combination of Metformin and natural honey. Diabetes was induced by a single dose of Streptozotocin (65 mg/kg; i.p.). The animals were treated by oral gavage once daily for four weeks. At the end of the treatment period, the animals were sacrificed and their blood samples collected. Amount of glucose, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol, total bilirubin, and albumin were determined in serum. Group CD: showed hyperglycemia (252.2±4.1 mg/dl), while level of blood glucose was significantly (p<0.01) reduced in groups DH (124.2±2.7 mg/dl), DM (108.0±3.4 mg/dl), and DMH (115.4±2.1 mg/dl). Honey in combination with Metformin significantly (p<0.01) reduced level of bilirubin but Metformin alone did not reduce bilirubin. Honey alone and in combination with Metformin also significantly reduced triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL and increased HDL, but Metformin did not reduced triglycerides and increased HDL. The results of the present study demonstrated that consuming natural honey with Metformin improves glycemic control and is more useful than consuming Metformin alone. The higher therapeutic effect of Ilam honey on lipid abnormalities than Tualang honey was also evident.

Previous studies showed that grape seed extract (GSE) is an excellent natural substance with potent antioxidant effect and free radical scavenger. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of GSE on motor dysfunctions and thalamic local Electroencephalography (EEG) frequency band's powers in rats with Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study 8 μg 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) dissolved in 2 μl normal saline containing 0.01% ascorbic acid was infused into right medial forebrain bundle (MFB) to make an animal model of PD. Rats with PD received four weeks GSE (100 mg/kg, p.o.) after apomorphineinduced rotation test. Spontaneous motor tests and also thalamic ventroanterior nucleus (AV) local EEG recording were done in freely moving rats in all groups. Chronic treatment of PD rats with GSE could influence potentially frequency band's powers of thalamic VA and improve post-lesion motor dysfunctions significantly (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Our findings suggest that GSE modulates the CNS function and has beneficial effects on the direct and indirect striato-thalamo-cortical pathways in PD. GSE acts as a new and potent natural free radical scavenger which removes oxidants produced by neurotoxin 6-OHDA in brain. Therefore, it reinforces electrical power of remained thalamic VA neurons and thereby improves post-lesion motor disorders.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the renal protective effect of Adenanthera pavonina (A. pavonina) seed aqueous extract (APSAE), in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The renal protective effect of A. pavonina seed aqueous extract (APSAE) was studied in STZ-induced diabetic rats. APSAE (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg per day) was given daily to diabetic rats for 13 weeks. Blood glucose, serum parameters such as albumin, creatinine, total protein, urea, lipid profile, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), and urine parameters such as urine protein and albumin were examined. Kidney histopathology was also done. After 13 weeks of treatment, in STZ-induced diabetic rats, severe hyperglycemia was developed, with marked increase in proteinuria and albuminuria. However, APSAE treatment significantly reduced proteinuria, albuminuria, lipid levels, and HbA1c deposition in diabetic rats. These results suggested that APSAE has reduced development of diabetic nephropathy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and could have beneficial effect in reducing the progression of diabetic nephropathy.