Medicinal plants with hepatoprotective activity in Iranian folk medicine

There are a number of medicinal combinations in the Iranian traditional medicine which are commonly used as tonic for liver.In this review,we have introduced some medicinal plants that are used mainly for the treatment of liver disorders in Iranian folk medicine,with focus on their hepatoprotective effects particularly against CCI_4 agent.In this study,online databases including Web of Science.PubMed.Scopus,and Science Direct were searched for papers published from January 1970 to December 2013.Search terms consisted of medicinal plants,traditional medicine,folk medicine,hepatoprotective.Iran,liver,therapeutic uses,compounds,antioxidant.CCI_4.anti-inflammatory,and antihepatotoxic,hepatitis,alone or in combination.Allium hirtifolium Boiss..Apium graveolens L..Cynara scolyinus.Berberis vulgaris L..,Calendula officinalis,Nigella sativa L..Taraxacum officinale.Tragopogon porrifolius.Prangos ferulacea L..Allium sativum,Marribium vulgare,Ammi majus L..Citrullus lanatus Thunb.Agrimonia eupatoria L.and Primus armeniaca L.are some of the medicinal plants that have been used for the treatment of liver disorders in Iranian folk medicine.Out of several leads obtained from plants containing potential hepatoprotective agents,silymarin,P-sitosterol,betalain,neoandrographolide.phyllanthin.andrographolide.curcumin.picroside.hypophyllanlhin.kutkoside,and glycyrrhizin have been demonstrated to have potent hepatoprotective properties.Despite encouraging data on possibility of new discoveries in the near future,the evidence on treating viral hepatitis or other chronic liver diseases by herbal medications is not adequate.

Effects of Matricaria chamomilla extract on motor coordination impairment induced by scopolamine in rats

Objective: To evaluate the effect of ethanolic extract of chamomile on balance and motor learning in rats receiving scopolamine and intact rats.Methods: Fourty-two rats were divided into 6 groups(n = 7). Control group received distilled water. Rats in Group 2 were given 1 mg/kg scopolamine. Groups 3 and 4received chamomile extract 200 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg, respectively, and scopolamine simultaneously for 20 days. Intact groups(Groups 5 and 6) only received chamomile extract 200 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg, respectively. Motor coordination of rats was assessed with rotarod apparatus.Results: According to the obtained results, compared with the control group, scopolamine significantly decreased time spent on rotarod performance(P < 0.001). Compared with scopolamine group, the strength and staying on rotarod apparatus in Group 3significantly increased(P < 0.05). The results of this research showed that intact groups that received only chamomile extract at doses of 200 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg significantly increased time spent on rotarod, compared with scopolamine group(P < 0.001).Conclusions: The results of this study indicated the high antioxidant property and protective effect of chamomile extract on motor coordination in the groups that received scopolamine.

Oxidative stress and antioxidants in diabetes mellitus

Numerous studies have implicated oxidative stress in the development of complications of diabetes.During hyperglycemia,production of oxidant agents such as reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species increases.This process,along with a decrease in the activity of antioxidant enzymes,induces oxidative stress in the body.This redox imbalance causes damage to vital biomolecules such as proteins,lipids and DNA and results in the generation of harmful products for the body.Mechanisms associated with the creation of oxidative stress conditions and subsequently complications of diabetes are explained through several pathways such as flux through the polyol pathway,intracellular production of advanced glycation end products precursors,protein kinase-C activation,and increased activities of the hexosamine pathway.On the other hand,the study of polymorphism in the antioxidant enzymes genes indicates that some of the gene polymorphisms reduce the antioxidant power of the enzymes.This article aims to review various studies to demonstrate the effect of oxidative stress on the pathogenesis of diabetes and the positive role of antioxidants on diabetic complications.

Inhibitory effect of Thymus vulgaris extract on memory impairment induced by scopolamine in rat

Objective: To investigate the effect of Thymus vulgaris(T. vulgaris) on learning and memory functions in scopolamine-induced memory deficit in rats. Memory enhancing activity in scopolamine-induced amnesic rats was investigated by assessing the Morris water maze and passive avoidance paradigm.Methods: A total of 42 male Wistar rats were divided into 6 equal groups as follow:control group: received water, scopolamine treated group: received scopolamine 1 mg/kg for 15 days, two scopolamine + T. vulgaris treated groups: received scopolamine and T. vulgaris extract 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight per day for 15 days, two intact groups:received T. vulgaris extract 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight per day for 15 days.Results: Administration of T. vulgaris extract significantly restored memory and learning impairments induced by scopolamine in the passive avoidance test and Morris water maze test.Conclusions: T. vulgaris extract has repairing effects on memory and behavioral disorders produced by scopolamine and may have beneficial effects in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Brucellosis: Pathophysiology and new promising treatments with medicinal plants and natural antioxidants

Brucellosis is an old, infectious and common zoonosis whose causative agents are Gramnegative bacteria from the Brucella genus. Brucellosis is transmitted through direct contactwith infected animals or using unpasteurized dairy products of goats, pigs, camels, sheep,buffalo and cows. Brucellosis is still the most common zoonosis in the world, with mostof cases occurring in developing countries. Today, an approach to traditional medicine andmedicinal plants, especially with regards to the repeated recommendations of the World HealthOrganization, is a necessity. One-third of chemical drugs are produced by using plants andthere is a high potential to produce more drugs from plants. Medicinal plants are helpful inthe management of various conditions, especially bacterial diseases. Although there is notenough scientific evidence regarding the clinical effectiveness of herbal drugs for the treatmentof brucellosis, there is strong evidence on the antimicrobial effects of herbal drugs to preventinfection. Therefore, this article seeks to describe the antibacterial effects of some plantderived essential oils or extracts, so that they can serve as promising choices to develop newanti-Brucella medications, as suitable alternatives to conventional antibiotics for brucellosis, asmuch as possible, taking into account the benefits of these herbal drugs.

Identification of medicinal plants effective in infectious diseases in Urmia, northwest of Iran

Objective: To identify the medicinal plants effective in infectious diseases.Methods: Initially, we obtained a list of herbalists and traditional healers from Food and Drug Deputy. Direct observations and interviews as well as collection of herbarium specimens of indigenous medicinal plants effective in infectious diseases of urinary tract,reproductive, digestive, respiratory and skin systems were performed. This study was conducted through questionnaires and interviews; the questionnaires were distributed among traditional healers and simultaneous interviews were also run. The plants were herbariumized, herbarium specimens were authenticated, and their species were determined by using reliable flora and other sources. Finally, the data were input into Excel2010 and analyses were performed.Results: Out of the studied plants, 35 native medicinal plants belonging to 17 families were effective in the treatment of various diseases and infections. In this study, the Lamiaceae family had the highest frequency of plants for the treatment of infections.Traditional healers of Urmia in 24% of cases used the leaves of medicinal herb to treat patients. In 68% of cases, they prescribed medicinal herbs in the boiled forms. Most medicinal herbs showed therapeutic effect on the digestive system.Conclusions: Traditional medicinal sources, valuable knowledge of traditional healers in Urmia, the scientific investigation of the effects of the herbs offered in this study and their effects in traditional medicine may provide a good source for new drugs in modern medicine.

Biosynthesis of titanium dioxide nanoparticles using Hypericum perforatum and Origanum vulgare extracts and their main components,hypericin and carvacrol as promising antibacterial agents

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the anti-bacterial activities of titanium dioxide(Ti O;)nanoparticles of Origanum(O.)vulgare and Hypericum(H.)perforatum extracts,carvacrol and hypericin against Staphylococcus(S.)aureus.METHODS:In this study,Ti O;nanoparticles of O.vulgare and H.perforatum extracts,carvacrol and hypericin,were prepared and their antibacterial effects were evaluated against Staphylococcus(S.)aureus.In this study,scanning electron microscope,fourier transform infrared spectrometer,atomic force microscopy,dynamic light scattering and zeta potential were used to investigate the structure of synthesized drugs.RESULTS:Anti-bacterial activity of synthesized NPs was tested by minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC),minimum bactericidal concentration and disc diffusion method.MICs of Ti O;-NPs synthesized using O.vulgare,H.perforatum,carvacrol and hypericin and Ti O;were obtained 250,62.5,250,and 250,and 500μg/m L,respectively.The MBCs for all of these were obtained 1000μg/m L.CONCLUSION:Green-synthesized of Ti O;nanoparticles provides a promising approach to the use of O.vulgare and H.perforatum,carvacrol and hypericin as novel agents and safer antibacterial compounds,especially anti-S.aureus compounds.