Journal of Medicinal Plants
Volume:18 Issue: 71, 2019

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a severe and debilitating neuropsychiatric condition that is characterized by recurrent and intrusive thought that the affected individual feels compelled to perform in order to reduce the distress. It affects between 1 to 3% of the general population around the world and has some gender-related features. Although selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants and cognitive-behavioral therapy are the first line medication and treatment of OCD, an estimated 30% of patients are treatment-resistant and complete functional recovery is rare. Therefore, several researches and trials have been done to develop new pharmacotherapeutic agents or modulate different neurotransmitters for treatment of OCD. In this concept alternative medicine and particular herbal medicine are very interesting in this issue. We focus on some herbal medicine in the treatment of OCD in this review.

In recent years, metabolism researches using nanomaterials have been focusing on human and animal cells, and therefore very limited data are available about influence of nanomaterials on biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in plant cells. Plants produce different types of secondary metabolites including terpenoids, phenolics, tannins, and alkaloids, which are known to act as vital mediators for the interaction with other living (biotic) or non-living (abiotic) agents under stressful conditions. Elicitors may induce physiological and biochemical processes of the target plants and activate defense mechanisms. Application of signaling molecules as elicitors has evolved an efficient technique for the production of pharmaceutically active compounds in plants. However, relatively little has been done regarding the application of nanomaterials as potential elicitors for production of industrially valuable compounds. Here, we provide studies proving that nanomaterials can function as elicitors of plant defensive chemistry that are mostly accompanied by enhanced production of different secondary metabolites.

Strenuous acute exercise induces oxidative stress in the active muscles and circulation, However, consumption of products rich in antioxidants may potentially
ameliorate these effects.

The present investigation was conducted to determine the effect of Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) extract on oxidative stress and antioxidant defense after aerobic exercise in young athletes.

Twenty two subjects received 2400 ml/kg/day Artichoke-leaf extract or placebo capsule for a period of 14 days. All subjects of both groups underwent in acute aerobic exercise before and after 14 days supplementation. Blood samples were collected at pre supplementation, pre exercise, post exercise and 24 hours after exercise. Malondiadehyde (MDA), plasma total antioxidant capacity (FRAP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and 8-iso-prostaglandin-F2α (8-iso-PGF2α) were measured.

The results showed that concentration of MDA and Serum 8-iso-PG F2α, SOD, and plasma total antioxidant significantly increased at immediately and 24 hrs after aerobic exercise (P<0.05). Artichoke supplementation has no effect on concentration of MDA, FRAP and SOD activity immediately after aerobic exercise (P>0.05), but after 24-h of exercise, 8-iso-PG F2α concentration in the group supplement was significantly lower in comparison to placebo group (P=0.002).

The results of this study indicated that a single session of strenuous aerobic exercise induces oxidative stress production and increase of antioxidant indices in young athletes. However, further studies are necessary to clarify the exact antioxidant effects of Artichoke extract in athletes.

β-Hematin (Hemozoin) was synthised inside human erythrocyte by malaria parasite. The parasite avoids the toxic effects by polymerizing heme molecules into insoluble crystalline β-Hematin. C. botrys and A. annua used for the treatment of diseases like malaria, hepatitis, cancers, and inflammations.

Determine of antimalarial and anti-protozoa effects of A. anuuae and C. botrys.

C. botrys and A. annua terpenoids were extracted by acetonitrile. The antimalarial activity of plant extracts was evaluated by in vitro β-Hematin formation. Some ciliates were tested by 0.01, 0.1 and 1 mgml-1 of C. botrys and A. annua extracts. Total terpenoid were measured by spectrophotometry method. The terpenoid extracts were determined by TLC and GC-MS.

Terpenoids effects on Paramecium and other ciliates was movement inhibition and cell targeting and cilia isolating induction and cell disjointing. Anti-malarial study on β-Hematin formation showed that acetonirile and aquatic extracts of shoots and roots of two species are antimalaria. Inhibiting effects of acetonirile and aquatic extracts of A. annua shoots were much of double effects of shoots of acetonirile extracts of C. botrys and aquatic extracts of A. annua root. Total terpenoids of two plants were 0.317- 4.46 mgg-1dw. TLC and GC/MS analysis showed that the acetonirile extract of A. annua contains artemisinin and several kinds of terpenoids, but in extracts of C. botrys with highe terpenoids content didn’t find artemisinin.

The inhibiting effects of C. botrys on some ciliates and in vitro β-Hematin formation is from other terpenes in the extracts probably.

Ecballium elaterium is endemic to the northwestern Iran and its fruit is traditionally used for therapeutic purposes in Iran. The toxicological and phytochemical characteristics of the Iran’s Ecballium elaterium have not been investigated so far.

Study on some toxicological and phytochemical features of the Iran’s Ecballium elaterium fruit 90% ethanol extract.

The antioxidant capacity in the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay and total phenol and flavonoid contents were determined by spectrophotometry. The rutin (phytomyelin) content was measured by HPLC. Moreover, oral and intra-peritoneal LD50 (median lethal dose) after 72 hours of the extract administration in rat were determined by the graphical method of Miller and Tainter. The cytotoxicity against several cancer and non-cancer cell lines was determined by the MTT (mitochondrial tetrazolium) method.     

The IC50 (inhibitory concentration 50%) in the DPPH assay was 3.57±0.006 mg/mL. The total phenol in terms of mg Gallic acid/0.05 g extract was 17.84±0.92. The total flavonoid in terms of mg rutin/0.1 g extract was 33.35 ± 1.06. The extract contained 1 mg/g rutin. The oral and intra-peritoneal LD50 of the extract were 472 mg/kg and 425 mg/kg respectively. The extract showed strong cytotoxicity in ACHN and ASPC1 cell lines, which was followed by Caco2 and PC12 cells. Non-neoplastic cells were much less affected by the extract in comparison with the cancerous cells.

The extract has low antioxidant activity. The oral and intra-peritoneal toxicities of the extract in the LD50 test are moderate. The extract has considerable selective toxicity against cancer cells.

Dorema aucheri (Apiaceae) grows in west and southwest of Iran. Young leaves of this plant are used orally as pickle or for cooking some local foods, as well as for the treatment of parasitic digestive infections and constipation.

The aim of present study was evaluation of cytotoxic potential and total phenols determination of D. aucheri young aerial parts extract and fractions and its pickle extract.

The dried powders of D. aucheri young aerial parts and pickles were macerated with 80% methanol and fractionated with petroleum ether (PE), chloroform (CL), ethyl acetate (EA) and methanol (ME). Cytotoxic activity of the total extract, fractions and pickle extract on HT-29, MDA-MB-231, A549, Hela cancer and normal fibroblast cell lines were assessed by MTT assay. Total phenol contents of all samples were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method.

The potent cytotoxic activities were shown by PE and CL fractions on normal fibroblast cell line with IC50 equal to 17.66±2.3 and 48.80±1.24 µg/ml, respectively. Other fractions and extracts didn’t have considerable cytotoxic effects on other cell lines. In addition, two mentioen fractions had the lowest total phenols. ME and EA fractions with highest amounts of phenols showed the lowest cytotoxicity.

It is concluded D. aucheri compounds have potential to exhibit toxic effects on healthy cells. On the other hand, there is negative correlation between cytotoxicity and phenol contents of D. aucheri fractions.

Solanum section Solanum has been extensively used in traditional medicine in Iran for many ailment treatments. The plant contains some substances such as total alkaloid, steroid alkaloid, steroidal saponins and glycoprotein, exhibiting anti-tumor activity.

In this research, wild species of Solanum section Solanum has been studied in Iran in the field of ethnobotanical investigation such as interviews, questionnaires, scientific articles, authentic books and ancient documents in traditional medicine. The anthropological uses of the plant have also been taken into consideration.

The wild species of these plants in Iran were studied using field and library methods. In the first method, to determine the distribution of Solanum and its related plants, numerous trips were carried out and many samples were collected. The anthropological use of these plants has been examined through interviews and questionnaires from 39 local people. In the second method, traditional Iranian books and published articles on the subject were also studied.  

According to this survey, these plants are commonly used for food digestion and constipation in traditional as well as current local medicine. In addition, we identified 180 different growing locations in Iran to illustrate their distribution maps.

These plants are being used as fever-reducing agent, pain-reliever, softener, laxative, diarrhea, anticoagulant and anti-asthma. Some outstanding results are obtained in the treatments of analgesic and sedative, anemia, burns, carminative, constipation, cough, cut restoration, food digestion, infections, mouth disinfection, skin diseases, toothache etc.

The increasing amount of sewage sludge (SS) and more legislative regulation of its disposal have stimulated the need for developing new technologies including gamma irradiation to recycle SS efficiently.

To evaluate the effects of gamma irradiated and non-irradiated SS (SSGI and SSNI, respectively) on essential oil (EO) content and composition of Ocimum basilicum L.

A greenhouse experiment was conducted with 15, 30, and 60 g kg-1 of SS irradiated with absorbed doses of 5, 10, and 20 kGy gamma-ray and soil without SS and irradiation as the control treatment. The essential oil was isolated by hydro-distillation and analyzed by Gas chromatography and Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques.

The applications of SSGI and SSNI at all levels except 15 g kg-1 significantly enhanced EO content compared to the control. The using of 60 g kg-1 SS in each absorbed dose significantly reduced EO yield relative to the control, while it was significantly increased under 15 and 30 g kg-1 SSNI and SSGI. Also, in 60 g SS kg-1, the restriction effects on EO yield were mitigated with increasing the absorbed dose of gamma-ray, but it was insignificant with increasing absorbed dose to 10 and 20 relative to 5 kGy. The methyl chavicol as a major constituent of EO was significantly increased in SSGI and SSNI as compared with the control. However, the increment in the methyl chavicol content was not significant between the treatments ≥ 30 g kg-1 SSGI or SSNI and 15 g kg-1 SS at absorbed dose of ≥10 kGy.

To improve essential oil content and composition, application of ≤ 30 g kg-1 sewage sludge with 5 kGy absorbed dose of gamma-ray can be suggested at similar conditions.

Sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) belongs to Anacardiaceae family. The dried and powdered fruits are used as a food flavoring and medicinal plant.

In this study, variability of fatty acid composition in some wild sumac fruits were investigated.

The samples were collected from their natural origins in central parts of Iran; Isfahan and Markazi province in the September to October, 2016. The morphological characters of fresh fruits were measured. Also oil content and profile of fatty acids composition were measured.

Results indicated that there are significant differences between morphological characteristics, oil percent and fatty acids compositions of wild sumac fruit populations. The range of oil percent of Iranian sumac population was 9.22% to 15.33%. The major oil quantity contained unsaturated fatty acids (64.75%- 74.08%) followed by saturated fatty acids (25.84%- 35.13%). Among saturated fatty acids, palmitic was evaluated as the highest value (21.36- 29.79 %) while the most unsaturated fatty acids were oleic acid (36.65- 44.74 %) and linoleic acid (22.62- 33.48 %). Also, soil and geographical characteristics show significant relationship with fatty acids quantity in this study.

According to our results concluded that the differences between fatty acids of sumac fruits may be related to the growth conditions like soil and geographical characteristics. Also, this study demonstrates that sumac can be a good source of fatty acids and could be useful for human nutrition.

Exposure of the skin against occupational hazards is growing every day. Many scientists are trying to identify aspects about the mechanisms of damages done to the skin by them. The skin is the second metabolism organ of the body where redox-dependent metabolic pathways overcome. By considering the UV index, Iranians are at high risk of UVB damage by generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that leads to skin aging.

In this study, we discuss the effects of the UVB rays on redox system; evaluate and compare the protective role of Silymarin and Vitamin C against UVB-induced skin aging.

Male Balb/C mice were divided into 6 groups of 6 mices: Silymarin, Vitamin C, Control, UVB exposed, UVB exposed treated with Silymarin and UVB exposed treated with Vitamin C. The inhibitory effect of Silymarin and Vitamin C for skin aging were determined by wrinkle formation, epidermal thickness and dermal inflammation. The anti-photo aging effects of Silymarin and Vitamin C have been assessed by SOD, GSH, GSH_PX and TAC kits.

The flake in UVB irradiated groups was significantly different (P<0.05). The mean length of the wrinkle in UVB irradiated group very significantly increased (P<0.01) and the collagen reduction, increased in very high significant different in aged control group (P<0.001). The mean TAC in VitaminC group increased very significantly high. (P <0.0001)

The results indicate that the Silymarin and Vitamin C have anti-photo aging effects suggested to use in anti-wrinkle, anti erythematosus, anti-inflammatory topical cosmetics products.