Taxonomic Diversity and Structure of Gastropods in Stations at Salvia officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) in the Gardens of Tlemcen Park (Tlemcen Mounts, Algeria)

The Tlemcen region is located in north-western Algeria and is characterized by a semi-arid bioclimate. An approach to the diversity of the malacofauna associated with Salvia officinalis was carried out in three stations belonging to this area from February to June 2015. The specific richness of the Gastropods is 9 divided into three families: Milacidae, Helicidae and Subulinidae. The second includes two subfamilies including that of Helicinae and that of Helicellinae. Two species are constant, 01 is incidental and the 06 others are very accidental. The relative importance of snails fluctuates according to the stations and according to the months and the seasons. In winter, in the first station the malacological richness is equal to 6. In February, the specific richness is relatively important in the 2nd station with a value equal to 7. Milax nigricans (Milacidae) has a frequency of 10% in station 1 and has a density of 0.1 in this same station. It is absent in the other two stations. Euparypha pisana has a frequency of 60% in station 3 and an abundance of 0.57 in this same station.

Baicalein and Salvia officinalis Extract Upregulate Transglutaminase 1 mRNA Expression via the Activation of Transient Receptor Potential Channel V4

Background: It is important to maintain skin homeostasis for cosmetic and medical reasons. Many ceramide-related ingredients and cosmetics have been developed to improve the skin barrier function and skin hydration. Similar to extracellular lipids, the cornified envelope, which is a structure formed beneath the plasma membrane, contributes to the skin barrier function as a scaffold for extracellular lipids. Therefore, in this study, we focused on transglutaminase 1 (TGM1) which is the key enzyme for formation of the cornified envelope Objective: The objectives of this study were to identify compounds that could upregulate the expression of TGM1 and evaluate their underlying action mechanisms. Methods: Expression of the transient receptor potential channel vanilloid subfamily member 4 (TRPV4) at the mRNA and protein levels was estimated by PCR and western blotting. Effects of baicalein and Salvia officinalis (SO) extract on TGM1 mRNA expression were measured by PCR. The involvement of TRPV4 in TGM1 mRNA expression was evaluated by the inhibition and silencing of TRPV4. Results: TRPV4 was expressed in both basal cell-like HaCaT cells and suprabasal cell-like HaCaT cells. Baicalein and SO extract upregulated TGM1 mRNA expression in basal cell-like HaCaT cells. However, inhibition and silencing of TRPV4 abrogated the effects of baicalein and SO extract. Conclusion: Baicalein and SO extract upregulated the expression of TGM1 mRNA via the activation of TRPV4, suggesting that it may improve the skin barrier function by enhancing cornified envelope formation.

Effect of Salvia officinalis Hydroalcoholic Extract on Vincristine-induced Neuropathy in Mice

AIM:Vincristine is one of the most commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs to treat a variety of malignant diseases,including leukemia and lymphoma.Studies have shown that vincristine cause painful effects,whereas Salvia officinalis(SO) showed analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the SO hydro-alcoholic extract on vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy in mice in comparison with morphine.METHODS:Experiments were performed on 60 NMRI male mice weighing 25-30 g divided into six groups.The individual groups received normal saline,SO hydro-alcoholic extract,vincristine,SO hydro-alcoholic extract and vincristine(12 days before formalin test),morphine,and vincristine and morphine,respectively.The injected hind paw biting and licking was measured in a 5-minute interval for one hour.RESULTS:The results showed that formalin induce significant(P < 0.05) pain responses(the first phase:0-5 min and the second phase:15-40 min after injection).Administration of SO extract before formalin test showed significant(P < 0.05) decrease of pain response in the second phase.Administration of vincristine caused significant(P < 0.05) increase in the second phase of pain response.Injections of SO extract and vincristine showed that SO significantly(P < 0.05) decrease the second phase of vincristine-induced pain.Morphine decreased vincristine-induced pain in the first and second phase of formalin test significantly(P < 0.05).In comparison,morphine showed analgesic effects in the first phase and SO extract showed significant(P < 0.05) anti-inflammatory effects in the second phase of formalin test.CONCLUSION:Both SO and vincristine showed analgesic and painful neuropathic effects,suggesting that SO extract could be useful in the treatment of vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathic pain.

In vitro anti-leishmanial activity of methanolic extracts of Calendula officinalis flowers, Datura stramonium seeds, and Salvia officinalis leaves

AIM: The anti-leishmanial activity of methanolic extracts of Calendula officinalis flowers, Datura stramonium seeds, and Salvia officinalis leaves against extracellular(promastigote) and intracellular(amastigote) forms of Leishmania major were evaluated in this study. METHOD: In the first stage, promastigote forms of L. major, were treated with different doses of the plant extracts in a 96-well tissue-culture microplate and IC50 values for each extract were measured with colorimetric MTT assay. In the second stage, macrophage cells were infected with L. major promastigotes. Infected macrophages were treated with plant extracts. Then the macrophages were stained with Gimsa and the number of infected macrophages and amastigotes were counted with a light microscope. RESULTS: The results indicated that the plant extracts inhibited the growth of promastigotes and amastigotes of L. major. Inhibitory concentrations(IC50) for promastigote assay were 108.19, 155.15, and 184.32 μg·mL-1 for C. officinalis flowers, D. stramonium seeds and S. officinalis, respectively. The extracts also reduced the number of amastigotes in macrophage cells from 264 for control group to 88, 97, and 102 for test groups. Although the anti-leishmanial activity of the extracts were not comparable with the standard drug, miltefosine; but they showed significant efficiency in reducing the number of amastigotes in macrophages, in comparison with the control group(P < 0.001). These plant extracts had lower toxicity compared with miltefosine. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the potential efficacy of the methanolic extracts of C. officinalis flowers, D. stramonium seeds, and S. officinalis leaves to control of cutaneous leishmaniasis.