Journal of Medicinal Plants
Volume:23 Issue: 90, Mar 2024

Allium jesdianum Boiss. & Buhse is a native herb from the Amaryllidaceae family found in Middle East regions. Due to its numerous medicinal and biological properties, it is used for the treatment of many diseases, including colds, infections, kidney stones, etc.

In this review, we investigated the medicinal uses, phytochemical properties, and pharmacological properties of A. jesdianum.

The medicinal uses and phytochemical and pharmacological properties of A. jesdianum, were searched databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and the Web of Science using keywords such as A. jesdianum, biological activity, phytochemical compounds, pharmacological effects, medicinal plants.

Studies have shown that A. jesdianum contains various chemical compounds such as flavonoids, polyphenols, and Sulphur compounds. Moreover, the antioxidant, anticancer, analgesic, antidepressant, antifungal, antibacterial, kidney protective, liver protective, immune system enhancing, radioprotective, and hematopoietic effects of this plant have been demonstrated. Furthermore, A. jesdianum can be used as a natural preservative to improve the oxidative stability of foods rich in unsaturated fatty acids, control the growth of microorganisms, and enhance the immunity of foods.

Based on the results obtained, A. jesdianum can be considered an herbal compound with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative, which can be useful as a protective agent against chemical toxicity and overuse of drugs. However, further studies are needed to investigate the clinical effects of this extract on human health.

The use of dietary herbal products as potential anti-obesity agents has gained considerable traction in recent years.

The purpose of the current study was to assess the effects of silymarin supplementation with and without exercise training on a high-fat diet-induced metabolic disorder in male Wistar rats.

36 male Wistar rats were divided into six groups; 1) control group with a regular diet; 2) high-fat diet (HFD); 3) HFD + Silymarin 25 (S25); 4) HFD + Silymarin 50 (S50); 5) HFD +S25 + ART (aerobic resistance training); 6) HFD + S50+ART (n = 6 for each group). HFD + S25 + ART and HFD + S50 + ART groups performed aerobic exercise three days/week and resistance exercise two days/week. Blood specimens were obtained for biochemical assessments and gene expression at the end of the 12-week intervention. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVAs and Tukey’s post hoc test with SPSS21 at a significance level of P < 0.05.

Final body weight, the levels of glucose, insulin, and Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) in all of the treatment groups were significantly less compared with the HFD group (P < 0.05). Lipid profile was significantly improved in treatment groups in comparison with the HFD group (P < 0.05). Leptin and Neuropeptide Y (NPY) levels were significantly lower in HFD + S50, HFD + S25 + ART, and HFD + S50 + ART groups compared to HFD group (P < 0.05). Exercise plus silymarin consumption (HFD + S25 + ART and HFD + S50 + ART) increased Peptide YY levels (PYY) (P= 0.013 and P < 0.001, respectively).

Our findings suggest that combined silymarin consumption and exercise training is a promising non-pharmacological treatment for multiple simultaneous HFD-induced risk factors.

Anacyclus pyrethrum var. depressus (Ball) Maire is a medicinal plant whose roots have been reported to possess medicinal properties in traditional and modern medicine systems.

The present work aims to maximize the extraction of polyphenols and compounds with antioxidant properties by applying the Simplex-Centroid Mixture Design.

Eleven solvents were tested for their affinities with A. pyrethrum bioactive molecules, and the three best solvents (water, methanol, and ethanol) were subjected to mixing modeling for optimization, and different models were developed to study the binary and ternary combined effects. Extract fractionation was performed using four solvents namely Chloroform, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and hexane. The evaluation of the antioxidant activity of the fractions was performed using various tests (TAC, DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, chelating power, and nitric oxide scavenging activity).

The developed models and all their parameters were significant. The analysis of the response surfaces generated by the models indicated that the quantity of phenolic compounds extracted in the binary mixtures and the total antioxidant activity of the extracts increase with the increasing water percent in the solvent mixture using both ethanol or methanol. While, the binary “water-ethanol”, and “water-methanol” and the ternary mixture proved to be the most effective combinations for extracting anti-radical compounds. Fractionation results showed that the aqueous fraction exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, due to its higher content of phenolic compounds.

With this type of research, it would be easier to treat and prevent human damage from free radicals and also replace synthetic antioxidants in industry.

Utilizing pomegranate peel as an antibacterial agent in topical formulations presents an opportunity for optimization through innovative drug delivery systems, notably encapsulating extracts and fractions within a nanoemulgel.

This study aimed to formulate ethanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction of pomegranate peel into nanoemulgels and assess their antibacterial activity against skin disease-causing bacteria.

The methodology encompassed extraction, formulation, testing, and antibacterial assays involving maceration and fractionation using ethanol and ethyl acetate solvents. The physical properties and antibacterial efficacy of the nanoemulgels were evaluated.

Nanoemulsions derived from pomegranate peel ethanol extracts and ethyl acetate exhibited promising attributes, demonstrating 98.27 % and 98.77 % transmittance levels and zeta potentials of 0.18 mV and 0.32 mV. The nanoemulgel with ethanol had a pH of 6.62 ± 0.02, 6.86 ± 0.01, 6.3 ± 0.01 in 0.5 %, 1 %, and 1.5 % concentrations. For nanoemulgels with ethyl acetate, the pH levels for concentrations 0.5 %, 1 %, and 1.5 % are 6.58 ± 0.00, 6.80 ± 0.01, and 6.94 ± 0.01, respectively. These nanoemulgels displayed consistent odour, colour, and homogeneity characteristics, highlighting their suitability for topical application. The adhesion, spreadability, and viscosity assessments showed concentration-dependent variations, influencing effectiveness and user comfort. Notably, these nanoemulgels displayed substantial potential as antimicrobial agents against S. aureus and S. epidermidis bacteria in inhibitory assays, signalling promise for addressing skin infections.

Overall, the study underscores the potential of nanoemulgels derived from pomegranate peel extracts as a natural alternative for topical antimicrobial therapy against skin infections.

Obesity is a widespread public health concern with a growing global prevalence, leading to an increased risk of chronic metabolic conditions. Despite this, research on the impact of exercise and supplementation on inflammatory factors in obese individuals is limited.

This study evaluates the effects of high-intensity functional training (HIFT) and Thylakoid supplementation on interleukins-1beta and interleukin-8 levels in obese individuals.

In this study, 44 obese men were allocated into four groups: control (C), Thylakoid supplement (T), HIFT (H), and a combination of supplements and exercise (HT). Participants followed the HIFT exercise protocol for 12 weeks, while those in the supplement groups received Thylakoid supplement for the same duration. Body mass index, inflammatory biomarkers were assessed through blood samples before and after the 12-week intervention.

In these groups, H, T, and HT, the levels of inflammatory factors interleukin-1beta and interleukin-8 were compared. In the case of interleukin-8 a significant difference was observed in the H and HT groups compared to the T group. Also, significant decrease in interleukin-1beta level was observed in all groups, H, T, and HT, compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Interestingly, the mentioned factors in both H and HT groups also showed a significant difference (P < 0.001).

The findings of the study showed that the HIFT protocol and the use of thylakoid supplements can reduce systemic inflammatory indicators in obese men by showing a synergy effect. Therefore, HIFT exercise with thylakoid supplements can be considered an effective way to reduce inflammation in obese people.

Nowadays, the decreased susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) to last-resort antibiotics such as vancomycin has caused concern in both human and veterinary medicine. Therefore, the need to find alternative treatments and new antibacterial agents is felt more than ever.

The antibacterial effect and simultaneous effect of Ferula foetida (Bunge) Regel (F. foetida) oleo-gum-resin (OGR) extract and vancomycin on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were investigated.

Aqueous, ethanolic, a mixture of aqueous and ethanolic extracts, and essential oil were prepared from F. foetida OGR collected from Beyrut village, Sabzevar, Razavi Khorasan province, Iran. The Checkerboard method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of vancomycin and plant extracts and essential oil, and their simultaneous effects on MRSA (ATCC 33591). The minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of these agents were also determined. Ethanolic extract and essential oil of F. foetida OGR were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

The MICs of vancomycin and aqueous, ethanolic, a mixture of aqueous and ethanolic extracts, and essential oil of F. foetida OGR were 0.00195 mg/ml, 8 mg/ml, 0.25 mg/ml, 0.5 mg/ml, and 256 mg/ml, respectively. The MBCs of these agents were 0.0078 mg/ml, 64 mg/ml, 0.5 mg/ml, 2 mg/ml, and more than 512 mg/ml, respectively. The simultaneous use of the extracts and essential oil of this plant with vancomycin on MRSA showed partial synergistic to additive effects.

The combinations of F. foetida OGR extracts or essential oil with vancomycin are expected to reduce the effective dose of vancomycin against MRSA.

Tooth decay is the result of the activity of cariogenic microorganisms that live in dental plaque. Among these, Streptococcus mutans is the main factor in the development and progression of dental tissue destruction.

The study aims to investigate the anti-caries potential of a natural compound-based varnish against S. mutans on a set of dental specimens.

Fifty-four extracted human molar and premolar specimens were procured from an outpatient clinic of pediatric dentistry, Bojnurd, Iran. These teeth were cast in a silicon putty and treated with a varnish made of propolis and miswak (from twigs of Salvadora persica L. tree) ethanolic extracts, followed by incubation in a harsh acidic medium (pH 2). Then, the density of samples, antibacterial activity, buffering capacity, and fluoride release were respectively investigated using radiography, disc diffusion and microdilution tests, and pH drop challenge in acetic acid solution (PH 4).

Overall, the varnishes protected the dental samples from dissolution in the acidic medium, as evidenced by the radiographic examination. The varnishes also exhibited remarkable antibacterial activity (inhibition zones of 3.2 ± 0.8 mm and 2.0 ± 0.2 mm for miswak and propolis varnish films), a considerable buffering capacity (pH increase from 4 to 7 within 5 minutes), and released fluoride (mean 85 µmoles).

The application of natural compound-based varnish is strongly recommended for dental protection.