Jundishapur Journal of Natural Pharmaceutical Products
Volume:17 Issue: 3, Aug 2022

As a prevalent problem on the first days of childbirth, nipple fissures can cause pain and discomfort and lead to the early cessation of breastfeeding. Effectively treating this complication is therefore crucial. This systematic review investigated the effects of herbal medicines on the treatment of nipple fissures.

Keywords such as “treatment”, “nipple fissure”, “fissure”, “medicinal plants”, “sore nipple” and “herbal ingredients” were used individually and in combination to extract relevant articles published by March 2020 from English databases, i.e., Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar. The Persian equivalents of these keywords were used for extracting articles from Google Scholar, SID and Magiran. The selected articles were qualitatively evaluated using the checklist issued by Consolidated Standard of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) in 2017.

Out of 132 articles retrieved, 10 eligible ones were included in this study. Investigating the full text of the articles found herbal medicines such as purslane, Aloe vera, olive oil, frankincense, Pistacia atlantica, curcumin and Ziziphus jujuba effective in treating nipple fissures.

Given the effects of herbal medicines on treating nipple fissures, it is recommended that comprehensive studies be conducted on different forms and doses of these compounds.

Nonconventional extraction methods, such as microwave, supercritical fluid, and ultrasonic, are known to be veritable means of producing solvent-free high-quality essential oils. Nonetheless, technical requirements for the utilization of these extraction technologies are often exorbitantly expensive, thereby limiting their utilization.

Although these emerging extraction technologies have been reported to be efficient at a laboratory scale, their techno-economic analyses are necessary for proper upscaling. Scaling up nonconventional extraction has long been regarded as a critical constraint in larger industrial applications with a relatively limited body of published literature on more specific techno-economic analyses.

Therefore, an essential oil extraction unit’s techno-economic feasibility should be carefully assessed before an acquisition decision can be made for industrial upscaling. This review critically examined the implications of upscaling nonconventional extraction techniques while taking into consideration their techno-economic benefits.

This study will undoubtedly assist researchers and industrial experts make an informed decision on the suitable extraction methods while taking into account the essential oil yield, quality characteristics, energy consumption, and operating costs.

Context:

 Five species of the genus Ajuga (Lamiaceae) having the common name of "bugle" are found in Iran. In Persian medicine (PM), the genus Ajuga (Kamaphytus) is used for treating jaundice, joint pain, gout, amenorrhea, sciatica, and wound healing. This study aimed to review the ethnobotanical, phytochemical, and biological activities of Ajuga species that grow in Iran to determine their therapeutic potentials and suggest further studies on the healing properties of this genus in Iran.

Evidence Acquisition:

 Electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were comprehensively searched for studies on Ajuga species in Iran, including "Ajuga austro-iranica," "Ajuga chamaecistus," "Ajuga comata" (Syn.: "Ajuga chia," "Ajuga chamaepitys subsp. Chia"), "Ajuga orientalis," and "Ajuga reptans." The search period was from 1966 to February 2021. The related articles were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the current study.

 Several ethnobotanical and pharmacologic reports have verified the traditional uses of the genus Ajuga for anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, analgesic, anabolic, anti-arthritis, antipyretic, and hepatoprotective activities. Numerous phytochemicals have been identified from Ajuga species involving phytoecdysteroids, neo-clerodane-diterpenes, iridoids, flavonoids, withanolides, phenylethyl glycoside, and essential oils.

 Due to the beneficial therapeutic effects of Ajuga genus, it can be considered in future clinical studies as a source of natural antioxidants, dietary supplements in the pharmaceutical industry, and stabilizing food against oxidative deterioration.

 Acne is the most common chronic skin disease affecting young adults and adolescents worldwide. A characteristic of this disease is the chronic inflammation of sebaceous glands leading to comedones, papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts. Topical and systemic uses of medicines are common approaches to treat acne. However, these medicines are associated with some adverse effects and increased microbial resistance.

 We aimed to prepare and apply an herbal formulation containing several herbs with different effects on mechanisms associated with acne formation.

 In this study, 66 patients with mild-to-moderate acne randomly received a packet containing herbal medicine or clindamycin gel. The treatment period was two months, and the total acne lesions and acne severity index were measured every four weeks. After eight weeks of treatment and follow-up, the physician examined clinical outcomes and possible complications.

 Decreases in total acne lesions and acne severity index were significantly different in both treatment groups (P < 0.05 in both groups). Although the herbal cream provided better improvement than clindamycin, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05).

 The use of the herbal cream could be recommended for treating acne lesions due to few complications, greater patient satisfaction, and avoiding microbial resistance to chemical antimicrobials.

Migraine sufferers seek a range of treatments according to the frequency and severity of their symptoms. Just a few research studies have shown the effectiveness of ginger derivatives for migraine treatment. Ginger has analgesic properties and is effective for the acute treatment of migraines, and there is anecdotal evidence of its effectiveness in migraine prevention.

The goal of this research was to see whether ginger may help prophylaxis of migraine episodes.

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study was done in the Neurology Clinic of Golestan Hospital (Ahvaz, Iran). This research enrolled 103 individuals with episodic migraine aged 18 to 50 years. Randomization was used to divide the participants into two groups: Control and intervention. For three months, patients were given 500 mg dry extract of ginger (5% active component) or placebo (starch) tablets twice a day. At the baseline and end of the study, MIDAS score, the number and duration of migraine attacks, headache severity, demographic data, dietary intakes, and anthropometric indices were collected. The data were statistically analyzed using the SPSS (version 26). In all tests, a P < 0.05 was deemed statistically significant.

At the end of the study, MIDAS score, duration of migraine attacks, and headache severity decreased significantly in the ginger group compared to the placebo group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference in the number of migraine episodes between the two groups.

Compared to the placebo, ginger has a stronger efficacy in the prevention of migraine.

Seafood such as fish is an integral part of human nutrition and an excellent source of protein. However, their short shelf life is quite challenging for the food industry.

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of nano-gelatin coating embedded with thymol and nisin on the chemical quality indices of rainbow trout fillets during 16 days of storage at 4°C.

The fillets were randomly divided into six groups, including control (C), gelatin (G), nano-gelatin (NG), nano-gelatin + thymol (NG-T), nano-gelatin + nisin (NG-N), and nano-gelatin + nisin and thymol (NG-T-N). The chemical quality of fish samples was assessed by performing pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), peroxide value (PV), free fatty acid (FFA), and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) analyses every four days.

The results revealed the stunning effect of nisin and thymol addition to the nano-gelatin coating on all chemical quality indices. Besides, PV, TBARS, and FFA analyses showed that nano-gelatin containing thymol significantly decreased lipid oxidation in fish fillet samples (P < 0.05). The lowest amounts of PV (8.33 meq oxygen/kg oil), TBARS, and FFA were recorded for NG-T-N. The best results in the TBARS test (P < 0.05) were observed in NG-T-N, followed by NG-T (1.45 and 1.69 mg of malonaldehyde/kg of tissue, respectively), and similar results were recorded for FFA analysis. On day 16, the lowest amounts of TVB-N were measured for NG-T-N, followed by NG-N and NG-T (26.13, 29.86, and 38.26 mg N/100 g, respectively). Both nisin and thymol reduced the TVB-N and increased the shelf life, and the best results were observed in groups treated with nisin and thymol simultaneously. However, the application of gelatin and nano-gelatin coating without nisin and thymol was ineffective in improving the chemical quality of samples, and they must be used with nisin and/or thymol.

Gelatin nanogel embedded with thymol and nisin can be utilized to enhance the chemical quality and shelf life of fish fillets.

 Scorpions and other venomous animals are sought with great concern because venom is a source of novel peptides with exciting features. Some toxins of scorpion venom are effectors of potassium channels. Previous studies strongly support the importance of potassium channel toxins for use as pharmacological tools or potential drugs.

 Here, a three-dimensional (3-D) structure and function of a potent acidic blocker of the human voltage-gated potassium ion channel, Kv1.3, previously identified in the scorpion Mesobuthus eupeus venom gland, were interpreted.

 The 3-D structure of meuK2-2 was generated using homology modeling. The interaction of meuK2-2 with the Kv1.3 channel was evaluated using a computational protocol employing peptide-protein docking experiments, pose clustering, and 100 ns molecular dynamic simulations to make the 3-D models of the meuK2-2/Kv1.3 complex trustworthy.

 A CSα/β (cysteine-stabilized α-helical and β-sheet) fold was found for the 3-D structure of meuK2-2. In a different mechanism from what was identified so far, meuK2-2 binds to both turret and pore loop of Kv1.3 through two key residues (Ala28 and Ser11) and H-bonds. The binding of meuK2-2 induces some conformational changes to Kv1.3. Eventually, the side chain of a positively charged amino acid (His9) occupies the channel's pore. All together blocks the ion permeation pathway.

 MeuK2-2 could block Kv1.3 by a new mechanism. So, it could be a unique target for further investigations to develop a pharmacological tool and potential drug.

The incorporation of dietary fibers in meat and processed meats has been introduced as an approach to amend the nutritional quality and technological properties of the products.

This study explores the effects of four dietary fibers, including orange fiber (OF), wheat fiber (WF), bamboo fiber (BF), and carrot fiber (CF), on shelf life of emulsion-type cooked sausages.

Microbiological and sensory analyses were performed to evaluate the shelf life of the treated products during 60 days of storage under refrigeration condition (4°C).

The results showed that all tested fibers improved the shelf life of the samples. The microbiological examinations revealed that while all the fibers could hinder the growth of spoilage bacteria, OF sample with the mesophilic, psychrotrophic, and lactic acid bacteria counts of 5.95, 4.78, and 5.27 log10 colony-forming unit per gram (CFU/g), respectively showed the highest microbiological quality at the end of the storage. Taste, odor, and overall acceptability of the samples were not significantly affected by the fibers, and texture was the sole sensory attribute that improved in the dietary fiber incorporated products, especially in the OF sample.

According to our results, among the various fibers, OF is recommended to the meat industry to extend the shelf life of cooked sausages.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women, and its prevalence has increased dramatically in recent years. Many treatments for BC have been proven, one of which is the utilization of natural products and herbal derivatives. Among natural plants, plants of the Apiaceae family like Eryngium have been studied, which entail antioxidant, antimicrobial, and most importantly, anti-cancer properties.

Considering the cytotoxical effects of different Eryngium species, it seems reasonable to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of E. thyrsoideum fractions on the BC, including MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines.

The shoots of E. thyrsoideum were extracted by Soxhlet apparatus with n-Hexane, methanol, and dichloromethane solvents. Methanolic extract (strong extract) on C18 Sep-Pak column with a mobile phase of methanol-water was fractionated. Then, the cytotoxicity of different fractions of the strong extract against normal and BC cells was evaluated for 24 and 48 hours using the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Induction of apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry using staining of cells treated with Annexin V/PI.

The 80% fraction of the methanolic extract illustrated the strongest cytotoxic effectiveness among the others. This strong fraction specifically prohibited the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 growth with minimal effect on normal cells. The prohibition of cell growth had a time- and dose-dependent manner (P < 0.001). In addition, the flow cytometric analysis indicated that the strong fraction exerted its cytotoxic effects by inducing apoptosis on the cancer cell line.

According to our results, due to effective secondary metabolites, 80% fraction of methanolic extract prohibited the growth of both types of BC cells by inducing apoptosis and had less toxicity on normal cells.

In diabetic patients, uncontrolled blood sugar causes disorders in various systems of the body in the long term. The reproductive system is one of these susceptible systems. It is known that diabetes can adversely affect spermatogenesis. The use of medicinal plants in the treatment of various diseases has been discussed by many researchers for a long time. Onion, scientifically known as Allium cepa L., contains antioxidants. Insulin is also a drug used to control blood sugar in diabetic patients.

This study aimed to evaluate and compare in vivo antidiabetic activities of hydroalcoholic onion seed extract together with insulin in diabetic rats.

In this study, diabetes was induced in rats with streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). Fifty animals were equally divided into five groups: nondiabetic control (group 1); diabetic control (group 2); diabetic rats receiving streptozotocin plus insulin (group 3); and diabetic rats treated with 200 and 400 mg/kg of Allium cepa L. seed extract by gavage for four weeks (groups 4 and 5). At the end of the study, the prostate ventral lobe was removed and processed for histological studies. Next, sperm parameters from the tail of the left epididymis, biochemical parameters, and histopathological changes were analyzed and compared.

The sperm parameters of diabetic rats receiving 200 and 400 mg/kg of Allium cepa L. extract showed a significant increase compared to the diabetic control group.

Administration of Allium cepa L. extract as a strong antioxidant was adequate to compensate for the toxic effects of streptozotocin and increase the motility of sperms.

Methotrexate (MTX) is mainly used for the chemotherapy of different types of malignancy and some autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. The MTX application is limited by its severe side effects, including several types of hepatic injury.

In this study, we decided to evaluate if zingerone (the main constituent of ginger) can reduce the hepatic side effects of MTX.

Thirty-five rats were divided into five groups: Control group receiving normal saline (N/S), once daily, by gavage, for 10 days, and N/S intraperitoneally (i.p.), a single dose on the ninth day; Methotrexate (MTX) group receiving N/S, once daily, by gavage, for 10 days, and MTX (i.p.), a single dose (20 mg/kg) on the ninth day; Groups 3 (ZG25), 4 (ZG50), and 5 (ZG100) receiving zingerone (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, respectively), once daily, by gavage, for 10 days, and MTX (i.p.), a single dose (20 mg/kg) on the ninth day.

The results showed a significant decrease in serum AST, ALT, and ALP, as well as the hepatic content of MDA, NO, PC, TNF-α, and IL-1β, in the ZG groups compared with the MTX group. The activity of SOD, CAT, and GPX, as well as the hepatic content of GSH, showed a significant increase in the ZG groups compared with the MTX group. Histopathological improvement in the hepatic tissue of ZG groups compared with the MTX group confirmed all other findings.

It is concluded that zingerone can improve hepatic injury induced by MTX in rats regarding the redox system features, inflammation, and histological changes. This can make humans hopeful for using Ginger in the future for attenuating the hepatic side effects of MTX when used chronically.

Primary endodontic infections are caused by necrotic colonization of the pulp tissues by microorganisms. The success of endodontic treatment depends on complete debridement and disinfection of the root canal space. Maximum antibacterial effects, maximum dissolving effects on necrotic tissues, and minimum toxic effects on the periapical tissues are essential characteristics of ideal root-canal irrigants. Recently, researchers have become further interested in medicinal plants as herbal medicines due to their good antimicrobial activities and natural origins.

This study aimed to compare the antimicrobial properties of chlorhexidine solution alone and mixed with two herbal solutions in root dentine and optimize factors affecting the disinfection of primary tooth root canals.

Teeth infected with pure Enterococcus faecalis suspensions were treated with chlorhexidine solution alone and mixed with chamomile and Satureja khuzestanica. After selecting the most efficient solution, factors possibly affecting the disinfection process were optimized using a central composite design. These factors were the CHX concentration, chamomile concentration, and contact time.

The microbial colony count showed that the minimum colony count belonged to 1% chamomile essence and 1% CHX solution, while the maximum colony count belonged to 1% S. khuzestanica and 1% CHX solution, with significant differences. In the optimization process, the best chlorhexidine concentration, chamomile concentration, and contact time were 1.13%, 1.39%, and 11.33 min, respectively.

A combination of chlorhexidine and chamomile provided protection against oral microbial pathogens for endodontic infections. However, further comprehensive in vivo studies seem necessary.