جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « thymus plant » در نشریات گروه « پزشکی »

This study aimed to investigate the physicochemical properties, antimicrobial activity, and cytotoxicity of Thyme Essential Oil (TEO) encapsulated by chitosan nanogels.

In this study, chitosan-stearic acid and chitosan-capric acid nanogels were developed in two ratios of chitosan to fatty acid (10: 1 and 10: 3).

The results of Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analysis showed a successful binding of chitosan to capric and stearic acids. Scanning Electron Microscope images revealed that particle formation improved with increase of the ratio of fatty acid to chitosan. The antimicrobial capacity of both encapsulation systems on three species of microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans) was studied. A sustained release of curcumin was observed in Simulated Intestine Fluid. The developed nanogels did not have any toxicity on different cell lines. The results also showed that the antimicrobial capacity of TEO encapsulated with chitosan nanogels was higher (p<0.05) than the ionic method (use of sodium triphosphate incorporating chitosan).

The results have shown that encapsulating TEO in chitosan nanogels is a suitable alternative for synthetic antibiotics in different products.

A large body of literature suggests that the extracts of Ocimum gratissimum (O. gratissimum) and Thymus vulgaris (T. vulgaris) play protective roles against various inflammatory disorders. However, the possible mechanism of action with reference to the interactions of their respective phytochemical compositions with pro-inflammatory mediators as the indication of their therapeutic effects is less clear. Therefore, the immunomodulatory properties of O. gratissimum and T. vulgaris were investigated in this study.

The in vitro lipoxygenase inhibitory potentials of methanolic extracts of the selected plants were assessed through colorimetric analysis. The pharmacokinetics of some identified compounds in the botanicals were investigated via the Swiss ADME server while the molecular interactions of the compounds with lipoxygenase, IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8, and CCL-2 were performed through molecular docking.

The assessment of the lipoxygenase inhibition revealed the extracts could possess anti-inflammatory agents. The pharmacokinetic results of some selected compounds identified in the botanicals showed moderate toxic effects compared to indomethacin. The molecular docking study substantiated the report of the in vitro analysis as indicated in the binding score of all the selected compounds compared to indomethacin.

The phytochemical components of the extracts of O. gratissimum and T. vulgaris could be effective as anti-inflammatory agents that could be explored in preventing disorders associated with excessive activities of pro-inflammatory mediators.

Zataria multiflora Boiss. (Avishan-e Shirazi), as an Iranian endemic plant, belongs to the Lamiaceae family and may be used as a food preservative. This study aimed to detect potential genotoxic effects of Z. multiflora extract. 

Hydro-alcoholic extract of Z. multiflora was prepared. Human B lymphocytes were treated with 1% extract within 3 and 24 h. Sterile Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) and cisplatin were used as negative and positive controls, respectively. DNA damage profiles were examined using comet assay (Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis). Data were statistically analyzed by SPSS software v. 21.

No statistically significant (p=0.071) DNA damage was observed in B lymphocytes treated with either Z. multiflora extract or PBS after 3 and 24 h. However, there was a statistically significant difference (p=0.0001) between DNA damage in B lymphocytes that treated with cisplatin and Z. multiflora after 3 and 24 h.

The comet assay used in the current study showed that Z. multiflora had no genotoxic effect.

Among important fungi associated with foods are Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., and Geotrichum spp. In this study, we evaluated antifungal effects of Essential Oils (EOs) of Zataria multiflora, Mentha pulegium, and Mentha piperita.  

Antifungal properties of EOs of M. piperita, M. pulegium, and Z. multiflora against Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., and Geotrichum candidum were determined by agar well diffusion and broth macrodilution method. Data were analyzed by SPSS 20.

Among three studied plant EOs, Z. multiflora EO had the strongest antifungal activity (p<0.05) on tested fungi; so that the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) were 0.01 and 0.3% for G. candidum, 0.005 and 0.3% for Penicillium spp., and 0.1 and 0.3% for Aspergillus spp.

All three studied plant EOs showed antifungal activities. However, as Z. multiflora EO showed the most antifungal effect, it could be specially suggested as natural powerful antifungal preservatives in the food industry.