هما حاجی مهدی پور

Capparis spinosa is used in Persian medicine for treatment of various diseases. In order to easier use, better patient’s acceptance and more stability, preparing a suitable dosage form is necessary.

The aim of the study was preparing tablet form from caper fruits and quality assessment of the product.

The fruit extraction was performed using ethanol 80% and maceration technique and the extract was dried by freeze dryer. Eight formulations were made using lactose, avicel PH-102, SiO2 and magnesium stearate. The best formulation was failed during stability tests; therefore, the extract was dried by spray drying method along with maltodextrin and SiO2 as excipients. Eight formulations were prepared using lactose, avicel PH-102, croscarmellose sodium, PVP K30 and magnesium stearate and the best one was selected. Physicochemical and microbial assessments were performed on the selected formulation and stability tests were done in 40°C and 75% humidity as well as 30°C.

Caper tablets with freeze dried extract were deformed and their color changed but tablets with spray dried extract were stable in 30°C. They were oblong, green-blue, biconvex, scored tablets with 20.3×9.9×6.7 mm dimensions. Weight, hardness, disintegration time, rutin assay and dissolution were 1115 mg ± 10%, 18.33 ± 1.52 kp, 15±3.5 min, 0.58 ± 0.02 mg/tab and 93.03 ± 3.61 % in 60 min, respectively.

Caper tablets are good candidate for production in industrial scale after in vivo and clinical studies. Moreover stability assessment of the tablets should be performed in suitable packaging in long term study.

Coriander Triphala is one of the famous drugs in traditional medicine which is consisted of Terminalia chebula, T. bellirica, Phyllanthus emblica, Coriandrum sativum, almond oil and honey. Traditional dosage forms should be converted to modern forms for better acceptance and suitable characteristics and stability.

In the present investigation, the traditional form of Coriander Triphala was converted to film coated tablet and quality control of the tablet was performed.

The fruits of
T. chebula, T. bellirica, Ph. emblica, C. sativum in equal proportions along with almond oil and honey in different proportions were used for tablet formulation with other excipients. Sixteen formulations were made and after pre-formulation studies, twelve of them were selected for making tablet. Prepared tablets went through primary quality control tests such as weight variation, friability, hardness and disintegration time. Finally, the best formulation was coated by green colored water soluble material and its physicochemical characteristics were determined.

Among different formulations, the tablet consisted of 98 mg of each species, 14 mg almond oil, 148 mg honey along with lactose, Avicel PH-102, croscarmellose sodium, PVP K30, magnesium stearate and silicone dioxide was the best one. Weight variation, hardness, disintegration time, total tannins content as pyrogallol were found 1192 mg ± 5 %, 20 kp, 25 min and 64.19 mg/tablet, respectively. Over 90 % of tannins were released after 60 min during dissolution test.

The formulated tablet with suitable characteristics is a good substitution for traditional form and could be produced in industrial scale after complementary clinical trial studies.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is widely used in traditional medicine. In Iranian folk medicine, turmeric and egg yolk mixture is used for inflammation due to dislocations and strains. Since lecithin (one of the component of egg yolk) is an absorption enhancer, it seems this phospholipid can increase turmeric absorption and its anti-inflammatory effect.

In order to find the role of lecithin in the folklore formulation, anti-inflammatory effects of ointments containing turmeric extract and lecithin have been studied.

Ointment base was prepared using bees wax, vaseline, liquid paraffin and eucerin. Then, hydroalcoholic turmeric extract (2.5 % and 5 %) with lecithin (5 % and 15 %) or without lecithin were added to the ointment base. Anti-inflammatory effect of the ointments was assessed in arthritis model in rat using complete Freund’s adjuvant. Ointments were used daily on the inflamed joints for 20 days. Finally, arthritis index, TNF-α concentration and histopathological changes of joints were determined.

The results showed that arthritis index has decreased in all groups but it was significant in groups of turmeric 2.5 % and turmeric 5 % with lecithin 15 %. TNF-α was decreased in all samples but reduction was more significant in group turmeric 2.5 %. Histopathological changes were significantly less in turmeric groups compared to ointment base group.

It seems that local healers use egg yolk as a binder in formulation. In other words, turmeric 2.5 % ointment is preferable compared to other formulations.

Background and Purpose:

“Shoneez” known as “Siyahdaneh”, “Habbato saudā” and “Kalonji”, is one of the most ancient known plants with hot and dry temperament at the third degree which is used for treatment of various diseases. Black seed is an herbaceous annual herb, and its flowering time is from late May to July. The seeds of this plant are black, triangular and fragrant. Their pleasant odor is smelled when they are crushed. The aim of this study was adaptation of the botanical descriptions of “Shoneez” according to Traditional Persian Medicine resources to the black seed according to modern literatures to specify its scientific name. Therapeutic and pharmacological effects were also explored.

The characterization and properties of plants were extracted from Traditional Persian Medicine texts and also recent studies and were compared to each other.

There are similarities in botanical description of the plants’ leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. “Shoneez” has been used in a wide range of gastrointestinal, urinary, respiratory and skin diseases. Also, black seed is one of the most important plants in the world and extensive studies have been carried out regarding its efficacy and active ingredients (especially thymoquinone) on various diseases. Several effects including antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, cholesterol-lowering, anti-tumor and positive effects on the function of the gastrointestinal and respiratory protective activity have been reported from the seeds.

Reviewing the ancient and current literatures demonstrated that the scientific name of “Shoneez” is Nigella sativa L. and both traditional and conventional medicine suggests the effectiveness of black seed on respiratory and gastrointestinal systems.

Capparis spinosa is used in different countries for prevention and treatment of various diseases. Its fruits are usually used in processed form especially with vinegar.

The aim of the present study was investigating the effect of processing on some phytochemical constituents and biological activities of C. spinosa.

The fruits were processed with grape vinegar. Total phenolics and alkaloids contents of the raw and processed fruits were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu and titration methods, respectively. For quantitation of rutin, quercetin and α-tocopherol, R-HPLC was used. Cytotoxic activity of the fruits was determined by MTT assay. Antioxidant properties were evaluated by DPPH and FRAP techniques. Fingerprinting of raw and processed fruits were prepared using TLC and evaluated by TLC densitometry instrument. 

The results demonstrated that while total phenolics, total alkaloids and quercetin contents were decreased in the processed fruits, rutin concentration remained unchanged. Antioxidant activities of processed fruits increased using both DPPH and FRAP methods. Raw and processed fruits showed no cytotoxic effect on MCF-7, HepG-2 and MDBK cell lines up to the concentration of 100 µg/ml. The fingerprints of the fruits were different which admitted the change in the fruit constituents due to processing.

It seems that processing with vinegar lessens the unpleasant taste of the plant due to alkaloids and increased the antioxidant effects; therefore, it would be more suitable for use in some diseases such as diabetes and hepatitis as it is used in folklore and traditional medicine.

Melia indica and M. azedarach (Meliaceae) are widely used in traditional medicine. These species are considered as natural pesticides. Their major compound is azadirachtin (AZD) which is considered as the marker for quality control of these species. In the present investigation, AZD content of the leaves and fruits (comprising the whole fruit, peel, pulp and seeds) of M. indica and M. azedarach have been determined. The leaves and fruits of M. indica and M. azedarach were collected from Bandar Abbas and Gorgan, respectively and identified. The peel, pulp and seeds were separated from each other. One gram of each sample was extracted using methanol. AZD content of each extract was determined by HPLC with following condition: C18 column, mobile phase: acetonitrile: H2O (60:40), flow rate: 1 mL/min, wave length: 227 nm and run time: 6 min. The results revealed that the fruits of the species contained higher amounts of AZD compared to the leaves. Comparing the species, AZD content of M. indica fruits was about two folds in comparison with M. azedarach fruits; also, the content of AZD in the seeds of M. indica was more than peel and pulp of the plant fruits. AZD content was high in peel of M. azedarach and was trace in pulp and seeds of the plant fruits. It is concluded that M. azedarach peel could be suggested to be used regarding pesticide properties while it is better to use the whole fruits of M. indica for insecticidal effects.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in the elderly. One of the major pathological hallmarks of AD is extracellular deposition of aggregated beta-amyloid (Aβ) peptide in the brain. Aβ causes neural cell death through several mechanisms. New treatments for AD focus on compounds that can modify disease progression and reduce symptoms through several mechanisms. Medicinal plants include several compounds with heterogeneous pharmacological effects that can be effective in the treatment of AD through different mechanisms. The aim of this study is to evaluate the protective effect of a methanolic extract of seven medicinal plants from Iran on Aβ induced toxicity in a cell culture model.
We cultured PC12 cells according to standard protocols. The cells were incubated with Aβ alone or with different concentrations of extracts for 24 hours. Cell viability was measured using the MTT assay.
Sanguisorba minor, Cerasus microcarpa, Ferulago angulate,andRosa caninasignificantly reduced Aβ-induced cell death in the PC12 cell culture. The observed protective effects of extracts were dose-dependent. We did not observe any protective effects with the Stachys pilifera,Amygdalus scoparia, and Alhagi pseudalhagi extracts.
Sanguisorba minor, Cerasus microcarpa,Ferulago angulate, andRosa canina extracts could be considered for treatment of AD.

The evaluation of educational programs is the most important aspect of any educational system. If performed correctly, it will provide valuable information on designing and implementation of educational programs and a basis for the evaluation of educational practices.

This present study was performed in 2014 on 22 PhD students attending the Schools of Traditional Medicine of Mashhad, Kerman, and Shahid Beheshti Universities of Medical Sciences, Iran, in 2009-2013. The data collection tool consisted of a questionnaire containing open- and closed-ended questions. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire have been approved. The quantitative data obtained were analyzed and categorized using Microsoft Excel.

The general objectives of traditional pharmacy consist of mission, perspective, goals, and professional duties. Each course was evaluated from the view point of students. This showed that more than half of the students agreed on the overviews and details (general objective, prerequisites, content titles, student evaluation, and educational sources). The educational sources of some courses such as Iranian Traditional Medicine (foundations and principles) with 43.9%, Sanitation and Prevention Principles with 33%, and Identification of Raw Material and Production of Traditional Medicine with 36.8% obtained the less than half of the positive votes of students. Moreover, 42.1% of students believed that the courses of Identification of Raw Material, Production of Traditional Medicine, and Identification of Traditional Medicine Forms were not presented in accordance with the educational program.

The participants mostly approved the aims and overviews of this field of study each of its courses. The proposed recommendations show that the units and content of some courses, and their educational sources and priorities require revision and reformation. In general, due to being a new field, traditional medicine contains ambiguities which must be clarified through further evaluation and elimination of deficiencies observed in the current survey.

Dyslipidemia is the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease in world and herbal medicines play an important role in the treatment of dyslipidemia. There are a few studies of sour tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) effects on human. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of sour tea consumption on the lipid profile in dyslipidemic subjects. A randomized control clinical trial study was conducted on 43 Polygenic dyslipidemia patients with no history of Cardiovascular, diabetes, kidney, hepatic, thyroid diseases that did not taking Lipid-lowering medicine selected in 2012 and divided randomly into two groups. Both groups received dietary and physical activity (lifestyle) advices. Experimental group received two glass sour tea in the morning and afternoon between meals, for 90 days instead of two glass black tea every day. Lipid profile was measured at baseline, day 45 and day 90 after 12-14 hours fasting. This study showed the mean cholesterol levels at baseline, day 45 and day 90 was significantly decreased till 9.46% in experimental group. The decrease in mean LDL-c and HDL-c levels, at baseline, day 45 and day 90 was significant till 8.33% and 9.80% respectively in experimental group. These findings suggest Hibiscus sabdariffa L. extract can be used in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The present study showed a decreasing trend in the mean HDL-c levels that difference between two groups statistically significant and no statistically significant difference in other lipids between two groups.

Nowadays، one of the methods for treatment of Alzheimer is using of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs). Discovering the drugs with better effects and fewer side effects especially from natural sources is the aim of many researchers. In the present investigation، AChEI effects of six Ferula species have been studied. Total extracts of six species of Ferula including F. persica var. persica، F. hezarlalezarica، F. ovina، F. oopoda، F. hirtella and F. szowitsiana were obtained by using methanol 80% and different fractions of the species were prepared by using hexane، chloroform، ethyl acetate، methanol، methanol 50% and water، respectively with maceration method. AChEI activity of each extract in concentration of 300 µg/ml was determined by Ellman method in 96 -wells plates in 405 nm. The results revealed that among examined samples، only F. persica var. persica chloroform fraction showed reasonable AChEI activity (27. 3%) while other extracts had trace activity or no effect. It seems that relatively non-polar components of F. persica var. persica had AChEI activity. Since، sesquiterpene coumarins are the major compounds in Ferula species، they may be considered as AChEI agents in Ferula persica var. persica، but more investigations are necessary to establish the idea.

The accumulation of beta-amyloid peptide (Aβ) in the brain, is the main characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that cause oxidative stress and neurotoxicity. Melissa officinalis can protect cells against oxidative damages. This plant is also used in traditional medicine as a memory enhancer and diseases that are associated with neurological disorders. This study investigated the effects of ethanolic extract of Melissa officinalis on Aβ induced neurotoxicity and its antioxidant mechanism. Aerial parts of Melissa officinalis were extracted with ethanol 80% using maceration method. PC12 cells were incubated with the extract prior to incubation with Aβ and cell toxicity, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation and glutathione peroxidase activity were measured 24 h later. Incubation of PC12 cells with Aβ significantly caused cell death in PC 12 cells, this was accompanied by increasing in ROS and lipid peroxidation but decreasing in glutathione peroxidase activity. Pretreatment with Melissa officinalis extract significantly protected PC 12 cells against Aβ induced toxicity and attenuated Aβ induced changes in oxidative stress biomarkers in PC 12 cells. Melissa officinalis extract, prevents Aβ induced neurotoxicity through attenuating oxidative stress. It may act as an ROS scavenger and can be a candidate for AD therapy.

In addition to the use of chemicals in food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and hygiene industries, use of herbal and natural compounds have also increased. It seems natural ingredients compared with the chemical components show less side effects, such as mutagenicity and carcinogenesis; however, their use can also be associated with side effects and toxicity. Some significant medicinal effects of saffron have been proven, which reveals the necessity to investigate the toxicity of the plant. This study aimed to evaluates the cytotoxic effects of saffron on cell lines Vero, HeLa, and Hep2 using MTT assay method. Firstly the stigma of saffron was extracted by methanol: water 80:20 using maceration method. Cytotoxic effects of different dilutions of saffron extract on Vero normal cell lines and HeLa and Hep2 cancerous cell lines was investigated using MTT assay method in a 96 well microplate. Reading optical density (OD) was done by microplate reader apparatus and IC50 (Inhibition Concentration 50%) was calculated for each cell line. Aqueous - methanolic saffron extract on cell lines Vero, HeLa, and Hep2, showed IC50 equal 162, 653 and 208 μg/ml respectively. Saffron has a toxic effect on normal Vero cell line. Therefore, must be cautious to not to use it in food and as herbal medicine in high concentrations. Also the extract of this plant revealed toxic effects on two cancerous cell lines, Hepa2 and Hela. However, its toxicity, especially on HeLa cancerous cell line was lower than the Vero normal cell line.

Helicobacter pylori infection is common in gastrointestinal tract and lead to gastritis, peptic ulcer and finally stomach cancer. Many synthetic drugs are used to eradicate the bacteria but there are some problems in treatment due to drug resistance and frequent relapses of infection. Herbal drugs are very important in the case. Glycyrrhiza glabra is used for treatment of H. pylori infection. This plant grows in different regions of Iran, therefore, investigation of anti H. pylori effects of the plant collected from different growing area is important. The aim of this study is determination of MIC of licorice roots collected from different regions of Iran against H. pylori in order to introduce the best growing area of the plant. Roots of the plant were collected from Kerman, Kermanshah, Sirjan, Sarhadd (Fars province), Istahban (Fars province), Ghasredasht (Fars province), Najaf Abad (Isfahan province), Ganjnameh (Hamedan province), Ekbatan (Hamedan province), Mahabad, Khorram Abad and Ardabil and extracted by using ethanol 80%. MIC of each extract was determined against three clinical isolated strains of H. pylori which obtained during endoscopy procedure. The results showed that susceptibilities of three clinical isolated bacteria to the licorice extracts are different. Among the studied extracts, licorice roots collected from Ardabil showed the lowest MIC (at least: 5 ppm) and all strains were almost resistant to the extract from Mahabad. It is concluded that drug resistance is observed in herbals just like synthetic drugs. Moreover, in order to achieve best therapeutic results, before using an herbal preparation for treatment a disorder, growing area of a medicinal herb should be considered.

Passiflora has several species that two of them named P. incarnata and P. caerulea are cultivated in Iran. Many investigations have been carried out on therapeutic effects of the genus but only P. incarnata is approved for use in pharmaceutical dosage forms for anxiety and insomnia. The purpose of this study is differential determination of P. incarnata and P. caerulea in medicinal plants and related herbal drugs. In this investigation, microscopic properties, total ash, acid-insoluble ash and total flavonoids calculated as hyperoside of P. incarnata and P. caerulea were determined. In addition, TLC chromatogram regarding flavonoids and HPLC chromatograms of P. incarnata and P. caerulea ethanol extract, Passipay tablet and drop (Iran Darouk Co.), Passiflora drop and dry extract (Vogel Co.) and Passiflora drop (Curarina Co.) were also compared. No significant difference between total ash, acid-insoluble ash and total flavonoids in two species were found. But they were very different in microscopic properties. TLC and HPLC chromatograms are very different as well. The aerial parts of the two plant species can be well distinguished by microscopic method. The plant extract either itself or in pharmaceutical dosage forms, can be determined by HPLC or TLC methods. Since sample preparation is very simple and doesn’t require complex procedures, the above-mentioned methods seem to be efficient.