Jundishapur Journal of Natural Pharmaceutical Products
Volume:17 Issue: 4, Nov 2022

Context:

 Cruciferous vegetables are among the popular functional foods in disease prevention and health promotion. Emerging literature suggest that Sulforaphane-yielding broccoli sprouts can influence cardiometabolic diseases management.

 Given the increasing prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases worldwide, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to study the cardiometabolic implications of broccoli sprout supplementation within the literature.

 Eligible literature was retrieved through Pubmed and Scopus up to June 2022.

 Ten clinical trials investigating broccoli sprout supplementation and cardiometabolic health among human subjects were extracted for meta-analysis. The earliest study was published in 2004, and the most recent was released in 2019. Seven studies included control groups for valid comparison. Overall, the dietary intake of broccoli sprouts significantly reduced systolic (-10.9 mmHg; 95% confidence interval (CI): -17.0, -4.86) and diastolic (-6.95 mmHg; 95% CI: -10.6, -3.28) blood pressures. Marginally significant changes were also detected in blood lipid biomarkers compared to the baseline.

 Our results confirm the hypotensive properties of broccoli sprout and highlight the potential sulforaphane-dependent effects of this vegetable.

Context: 

Mouth rinses have been recognized as the main adjuvant or primary treatment to address many issues relating to dentistry. Previous studies have investigated the anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, anti-viral, antioxidant, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial effects of Aloe vera. Recently, Aloe vera has been applied to treat several dental and oral conditions.

 Official web pages, such as Scopus, PubMed, and Microsoft were searched for collecting the required data using the keywords Aloe vera, Aloe vera mouthwash, Aloe vera mouth rinse, and dentistry. After checking the abstracts and titles, all relevant papers were retrieved for performing a full-text review.

 Aloe vera was effective in reducing periodontal indices compared to chlorhexidine. It was also effective in treating oral diseases such as mucositis, postoperative pain, trismus, and dry socket incidence after the third molar extraction. Aloe vera decreased the number of colony-forming units during scaling and root planning (SRP).

 Aloe vera mouthwash was just as effective as other commercial mouthwashes in reducing the severity of radiation-induced mucositis, periodontal disease, the amount of S. mutans, the number of colony-forming units during SRP, and other situations which required a mouth rinse for the acceleration of treatment.

Context:

 Hydrosol is a residual product from the steam or hydro distillation process of abundant types of plants. It can be separated from the essential oil mixture by the liquid-liquid extraction process. Hydrosols from a variety of plants are becoming increasingly popular in cosmetology, aromatherapy, traditional pharmacy, and food sector; thus, their prospective applications should be further explored.

Evidence Acquisition: 

Hydrosol may generally contain chemicals such as alcohol, ketone, and ester. Based on the previous studies using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis, linalool, carvacrol, and α-terpineol are the major chemicals present in plant hydrosol.

 The chemical composition is either showing antimicrobial or antioxidant properties. The antioxidant properties are important in cosmeceutical products to prevent oxidation of the cosmetic ingredients, while the antimicrobial properties maintain the quality of the cosmetics. Hitherto, hydrosol usage is still unfamiliar in the market, but several cosmetic products have been formulated using hydrosol, such as shampoo, soap, and conditioner.

 This work will review the hydrosol compound from plants, extraction methods, chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, and the potential of hydrosol in cosmeceutical application.

Context: 

An outbreak of the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, subsequently affecting countries worldwide and causing a pandemic. Although several vaccines, such as mRNA vaccines, inactivated vaccines, and adenovirus vaccines, have been licensed in several countries, the danger of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants persists. To date, Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351, B.1.351.2, B.1.351.3), Delta (B.1.617.2, AY.1, AY.2, AY. 3), Gamma (P.1, P.1.1, P.1.2), and Iota (B.1 .526) circulating in the United States, Kappa (B.1.617.1) in India, Lambda (C.37) in Peru and Mu (B.1.621) in Colombia are considered the variants of concern and interest.

Evidence Acquisition:

 Data were collected through the end of August 2021 by searching PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. There were findings from in silico, in vitro cell-based, and non-cell-based investigations.

 The potential and safety profile of herbal medicines need clarification to scientifically support future recommendations regarding the benefits and risks of their use.

 Current research results on natural products against SARS-CoV-2 and variants are discussed, and their specific molecular targets and possible mechanisms of action are summarized.

Context:

 Pathological vaginal discharges are one of the most common reasons for referring to gynecological clinics. The use of herbal medicines has been considered as an effective and low-complication treatment method in recent years. In this study, we introduce Teucrium polium according to traditional Persian medicine and modern medicine’s point of view to investigate the antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects of T. polium on common pathogens in vaginitis.

Evidence Acquisition: 

This study is a simple review based on studies conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, SID, and Scopus databases, from October 1984 to June 2019. Finally, 58 articles were selected from 88 for the final review.

 The results indicate that T. polium is a potential source of antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant in producing plant products for vaginal infections treatment thanks to its flavonoid compounds, sesquiterpenes, α-pinene, and linalool.

 Teucrium polium can be considered as a potential source for vaginal infection treatments. Much clinical research has not been conducted on its use in vaginal infection treatment, so it is recommended to conduct more clinical trials to prove the T. polium’s efficiency against common microorganisms in vaginitis and its treatment.

 Sexual dysfunction is one of the most common problems following menopause. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of cinnamon and vitex on improving sexual function in postmenopausal women.

 This study was a randomized triple-blind clinical trial with a control group. Randomized sampling was used to allocate postmenopausal women into three cinnamon, vitex, and placebo groups of 35. A sexual function index was utilized before and two and three months after the intervention to assess sexual functioning. SPSS version 21 software was used for analysis.

 The mean age was 54.45 ± 3.73 years. The overall sexual function score in the two cinnamon and vitex groups showed a statistically significant difference before and after treatment compared to the placebo group (P < 0.00). In the vitex group, sexual desire (P = 0.00) and arousal (P = 0.02) increased significantly compared to pre-intervention, and this significant increase was observed in the cinnamon group in lubricity (P = 0.00) and sexual satisfaction (P = 0.03).

 Cinnamon and vitex are effective medicinal herbs to alleviate sexual function.

 Persian oak (Quercus castaneifolia C.A.Mey) belongs to the Fagaceae family. This plant is commonly used in Iranian traditional medicine to treat inflammatory and gastric ulcers.

 This study aimed to assess the efficacy of Persian oak fruit aqueous hull extract on wound healing in rats.

 Thirty-five male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups, then two full-thickness wounds of 10 mm in diameter were created bilaterally on the back of the animals. The negative control group received saline, the positive control group was treated with phenytoin cream, and three treatment groups received 2%, 4%, and 8% Jaft aqueous extract. The animals received these medicines once daily for 15 days. The percentage of wound healing was evaluated using wound contraction ratio, re-epithelialization, tensile strength, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) content. Histopathological examination was performed on repaired tissues.

 In the 2%, 4%, and 8% Jaft extract and the phenytoin groups, the wound closure rate was significantly higher than in the saline group. The treatment groups revealed significant healing improvement (P < 0.05) compared to the control group in wound contraction, tensile strength, epithelialization duration, VEGF, and PDGF plasma level. Histopathological investigations also exhibited development in wound healing with Jaft extract.

 This study shows that the Persian oak fruit hull aqueous extract was effective in wound healing in animal models. Clinical trials are required to prove the efficacy of Q. castaneifolia fruit hull spray in healing various wounds in humans.

 Replacing all or part of synthetic preservatives with natural antimicrobials in pharmaceutical formulations can be a way to improve the safety and quality of products. Evaluating the preservative effectiveness of essential oils is valuable since most of them are generally known to be safe.

 In the current research, the efficacy of Eucalyptus globulus essential oil was investigated as an antimicrobial agent individually and in combination with benzalkonium chloride in fluticasone propionate nasal spray.

 To determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of E. globulus essential oil, in vitro antimicrobial activity was assayed. The stability of nasal sprays was studied in intended preservation conditions at 40°C and RH: 25 %, and also the microbial challenge test was performed according to the United States Pharmacopoeia procedure, using reference strains: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 1112, Escherichia coli ATCC 1330, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 1074, Candida albicans ATCC 5027, and Aspergillus brasiliensis ATCC 5011.

 The combined application of E. globulus essential oil and benzalkonium chloride at a concentration of 0.675/0.005% v/v, in nasal spray formulation could decrease the bacterial and fungal populations, in compliance with United States Pharmacopoeia criteria, with considerable preservation within 28 days of the study compared to those preserved with only benzalkonium chloride (0.02%).

 In the current research, notable antimicrobial effectiveness of the combinational preservative system was observed and followed by a decrease in the functional level of the synthetic preservative. Therefore, after further studies, a combinational preservative system can be considered as an alternative preservative for pharmaceutical formulations.

 According to the international diabetes federation, 629 million adults will suffer from diabetes by 2045. Wet cupping therapy is a combination of bleeding and dry cupping and has been used in traditional medicine as a complementary therapy for diabetes. Limonene was shown to have both antioxidant and antidiabetic activity but its potential alongside other treatments has not been thoroughly explored.

 Although wet-cupping therapy is widely used under different conditions, its potential in the treatment of diabetes is not well-examined.

 Male Wistar rats were then injected with alloxan and nicotinamide to induce diabetes. After cupping, the rats’ serum nitric oxide, creatinine, SGPT, SGOT, cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, GPX, urea, and HDL levels were determined. The glutathione, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, malondialdehyde, and protein level of the serum, renal, and liver were then measured.

 The results showed a significant differences in serum glucose levels among the diabetic rats receiving wet cupping and limonene, in serum glutathione levels in diabetic rats receiving limonene or limonene and wet cupping compared to the diabetic rats, in liver GSH levels in control rats receiving limonene and wet cupping, in the liver GPX activity in control rats receiving limonene, and in liver catalase activity in control rats receiving limonene and wet cupping compared to control group. There was no significant change in serum NO, protein, creatinine, SGPT, SGOT, cholesterol, triglyceride MDA, urea, catalase, HDL, renal GSH, MDA, catalase, liver protein, and MDA Level.

 The findings of the present study suggested that a combination of limonene and wet cupping therapy could be presented as an agent to lower elevated blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. Further clinical studies are required to confirm the findings.

 Nowadays, finding natural compounds with antimicrobial properties against pathogens is very important, especially for the food and drug industries.

 The antibacterial activity of chitosan coatings nanoemulsion (NE) containing Zataria multiflora and Bunium persicum essential oils (EOs) was evaluated in a food model (chicken breast fillets) during 15 days of refrigerated storage.

 The chicken breast fillets were divided into seven groups: control, chitosan 2%, sonicated chitosan 2%, chitosan NE coating containing Z. muitiflora EO (ZMEO, 0.5%, and 1 %) and chitosan NE coating containing B. persicum EO (BPEO, 0.5%, and 1 %). Characteristics of chitosan NE coatings containing EOs were analyzed. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of coatings against Listeria monocytogenes was investigated.

 The results showed good properties of the NE coatings. The analysis of EOs revealed that the major components for ZMEO were carvacrol (51.55%) and thymol (25.49%). In addition, the main components of BPEO were p-cumic aldehyde (38.39%) and p-cymene (18.36%). All treatments exhibited antimicrobial properties; however, the best result was recorded for chitosan NE coating containing 1% ZMEO, which was the lowest amount of L. monocytogenes (7.61 Log CFU/g). Moreover, L. monocytogenes analysis for chitosan NE coating containing 1% BPEO samples was 7.73 Log CFU/g.

 Therefore, based on the results of this study, chitosan NE coating containing ZMEO and BPEO as natural preservatives can be recommended for meat products, especially chicken meats.

 Opioids are the principal drugs of choice for managing acute severe pain; however, physical dependence is still reported as one of the main limiting factors in the clinical application of these drugs. In the present study, the effect of Ganoderma lucidum was assessed on morphine dependence in mice.

 A 19-day administration schedule was applied to induce morphine dependence in male adult NMRI mice. The mice were given intraperitoneal (i.p.) morphine sulfate once daily in an increasing dose of 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg. Then, G. lucidum hydroalcoholic extract (12.5, 25, and 50 mg/kg, i.p.) was given to the mice from days 10 to 18. Another group of mice received single doses of the extract (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, i.p.) only on the 19th day. Naloxone (3 mg/kg, i.p.) was used to precipitate withdrawal syndrome. Normal saline and diazepam (0.25 mg/kg) were used as the negative and positive controls, respectively.

 The administration of single doses of G. lucidum extract (100 and 200 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly decreased the number of jumps, leanings, and diarrhea in mice subjected to morphine dependence. The repeated administration of G. lucidum extract (25 and 50 mg/kg for nine days) significantly attenuated the number of jumps, leanings, and diarrhea in morphine-dependent mice.

 Overall, G. lucidum extract attenuates induced morphine dependence and inhibits withdrawal syndrome symptoms in mice.

 Mucilage is an important polysaccharide with a broad range of physicochemical properties and antioxidant activity that is widely used for various applications in the medicine and food industries.

 This study aims to evaluate the effect of the extraction method on the physicochemical properties of mucilage extracted from yellow and brown flaxseeds.

 Mucilage was extracted by different

heating, sonotrode, and bath sonication. The extracted mucilage was evaluated for mucilage extraction efficiency (MEE%), solubility, water-binding capacity (WBC%), antioxidant activity, and foam stability.

 In all extraction methods, the MEE% of yellow flaxseed was significantly higher than that of brown flaxseed. The antioxidant activity of mucilage extracted from brown and yellow flaxseed was 43.65 ± 1.86% and 12.65 ± 1.23%, respectively (P < 0.001). In all extraction methods, the solubility of mucilage was increased by enhancing the temperature. Significantly, higher solubility (P < 0.01) and stronger foam stability (P < 0.001) was obtained for mucilage extracted from brown flaxseed. The highest foam stability was obtained by the sonotrode method. Mucilage extracted by sonotrode and bath sonication methods showed significantly stronger (P < 0.01) water-binding capacity (WBC%) compared to that of the heating method.

 Our results showed that the ultrasonic methods, especially sonotrode, due to their positive effects on physicochemical properties of mucilage, could be more appropriate methods for extraction of mucilage.