Future Natural Products
Volume:3 Issue: 1, Winter 2017

Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic diseases around the world and this problem is the result of variety of different bacteria. Streptococcus mutants is one of the most important bacteria which is related to this disease. Finding new effective antibacterial agents is an important area in bioscience for fighting and controlling bacterial infections. Essential oils are most important natural sources of antibacterial agents, particularly against drug-resistant bacteria.
The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the antibacterial activity of three essential oils Mentha arvensis, Mentha piperita and Foeniculum vulgare Mill against Streptococcus mutants. Disk diffusion method was carried out and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were measured.
The results showed that all three essential oils have antibacterial activity against S. mutants. With a constant concentration of 100 µg/µl, the efficiency of Mentha piperita and then Foeniculum vulgare Mill was higher than the efficiency of Mentha arvensis at all 3 given time points (24, 48 and 72 hours). The most effective MIC and MBC were related to Streptococcus mutants using Foeniculum vulgare essential oil which were equal to 8.4 and 14.9 µg/ml, respectively. MIC and MBC for Mentha piperita essential oil were measured 10.5 and 16.3 µg/ml, respectively.
The Essential oils used in present study with different components showed antibacterial activity and therefore they can be used as new antibacterial substances.

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder associated with diseases. The use of supplements, herbal extracts, and exercise training for the treatment of diseases and metabolic disorders has increased among people. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 10-week aerobic training with and without ginger supplementation on aerobic power, BFP, and insulin resistance in obese middle-aged women with type 2 diabetes.
In this study, 46 obese diabetic women (BMI > 30, blood fasting sugar more than 150-250 mg/dL, 45-60 years old) were selected and randomly assigned into four groups, ginger (n=12), aerobic exercise training ginger (n=12), aerobic exercise training (n=12) and control (n=10). Participants in supplementary groups received four 250 mg capsules ginger extract 1000 mg daily for 10 weeks. Aerobic training program included 10 weeks of training, 3 sessions per week and each session was 60 minutes at 55% maximum heart rate during the first week and gradually increased with the progress of the training program to 75 percent of maximum heart rate.
After 10 weeks, significant difference was observed in weight, BMI, body composition, VO2max, Insulin, fasting glucose and insulin resistance (P According to obtained results, it appears that aerobic training plus ginger extract consumption have better effect on insulin levels and insulin resistance in obese middle-aged women with type 2 diabetes.

Zataria multiflora Boiss (ZM) is a thyme-like plant reported to have immunomodulatory properties. This study was aimed to examine effects of ZM essential oil on performance, biochemical and immunological parameters in broilers.
Two hundred and forty, broiler chickens were divided into 4 groups. CON considered as control group received basal diet, T100, T200 and T400 treated by basal diet supplemented with ZM 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg feed, respectively. Body weight and feed intake were recorded at 14, 28, and 42 days of age. At the end of experiment, eight broilers per group were slaughtered and carcass portion yield was calculated. Humoral immune response efficacy by injection of 5% sheep red blood cell into the pectoral muscle of birds was evaluated.
This study showed that supplementation of ZM promoted the weight gain in T200 as compared to other groups (P According to the results of present study, supplementing broilers diet with ZM could have favorable impact on performance and immunity.

Staphylococcus aureus and anaerobic gram-positive cocci, are medically the most important species in the genus Staphylococcus. Sometimes, the bacteria are called S. aureus. The constantly growing antibiotic-resistant bacterium is very important in treatments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of ethanol extract from Citrullus colocynthis against the S. aureus resistant to antibiotics.
S. aureus strains were isolated from the city of Zabol and C.colocynthis extract was prepared using rotary Department of Biology, Payame noor University, Tehran, Iran devices and the MIC and MBC were determined by microdilution method.
The results of this study showed that the extract from C. colocynthis inhibits the growth of bacteria in different concentrations, and that despite the relative strength of most species with different concentrations, the highest sensitivity was observed in concentrations of 10 and 20 mg/ml, in which is 100% bacteria were gone. C. colocynthis extract at a concentration of approximately 5 mg /ml had the highest inhibitory effect.
The results showed high antimicrobial effects of ethanol extract of
C. colocynthis, which can offer appropriate drug therapy.

This study investigates the kinetics of inhibitory activities of ethyl acetate leaf fraction of Lecanodiscus cupanoides on 𝛼-amylase and 𝛼-glucosidase.
This was done using 𝛼-amylase and 𝛼-glucosidase enzymes from Aspergillus oryzae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae respectively, active component and antioxidants capabilities of the fraction were also analyzed.
The fraction scavenged DPPH, OH*, and ABTS and chelated Fe2 with the IC50 values of 0.46, 0.70, 0.75 and 0.97 mg/mL respectively. However, significant and mild inhibitory effect was also observed in 𝛼- amylase and glucosidase with IC50 values (0.73 and 0.58 mg/mL) in concentration dependent pattern. Kinetic analysis of the fraction revealed an uncompetitive and non-competitive mode of inhibition for 𝛼-amylase and 𝛼-glucosidase respectively.
This study suggests that ethylacetate fraction of this plant possesses antidiabetic property as a result of its ability to inhibit the metabolism of carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes. The elicited activities of the ethyl acetate fraction Lecanodiscus cupanoides may be due to the presence of phytochemicals of utmost pharmacological importance present in the fraction.