Mosquitocidal Activity of Extracts from Ammi visnaga (Apiaceae) Seeds

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are responsible for transmission of many viral diseases, such as Zika fever, dengue fever, yellow fever, and chikungunya. Emergence of resistance to currently used pesticides among mosquitoes has increased the importance for the search for novel mosquito control agents. Natural products, particularly plant and microbe derived secondary metabolites, are good sources in the search for such compounds. Ammi visnaga (Lam.) Lamarck is a plant in the Apiaceae family native to North Africa, Europe, and Asia. In the search for environmentally benign and effective insecticides as part of an ongoing joint effort between the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) and the DWFP (Deployed War Fighter Protection) program sponsored by the Department of Defense, we have investigated ethyl acetate extract of A. visnaga seeds. Two furanochromones, khellin and visnagin that exhibited larvicide activity against Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the seeds by bioassay-guided fractionation. This is the first report of mosquito larvicidal activity of khellin and visnagin.

Therapeutic potential and pharmacological mechanism of visnagin

Visnagin is a furanochromone and one of the most important compound in the Ammi visnaga(L.)Lam(a synonym of Visnaga daucoides Gaertn.)plant,which is used to cure various ailments.Many investigations into the bioactive properties of visnagin have been studied to date.The literature on visnagin demonstrates its biological properties,including anti-inflammatory,anti-diabetic,and beneficial effects in cardiovascular and renal diseases.Moreover,visnagin improves sperm quality parameters,stimulates steroidogenesis,and increases serum gonadotropins and testosterone levels,while decreasing proinflammatory cytokines,oxidative damage,genomic instability,and it modulates apoptosis.Thus,visnagin has emerged as an exciting lead for further research,owing to its potential in various unmet clinical needs.The current review summarized its basic structure,pharmacokinetics,and pharmacological effects,focusing on its mechanisms of action.The review will help to understand the potential of visnagin as an alternative treatment strategy for several diseases and provide insight into research topics that need further exploration for visnagin’s safe clinical use.

外来植物药阿米芹的中药药性探讨

基于外来植物药阿米芹的文献研究,结合中医药基础理论探讨阿米芹的中药药性,概括归纳阿米芹的药材来源、性味归经、用法用量和功能主治,赋予阿米芹明确的中药药性,进行中药化。通过查阅中国期刊全文数据库(CNKI)、中文科技期刊全文数据库(VIP)、万方全文数据库(WanFang)、Web of Science、PubMed等文献数据库中关于阿米芹的相关文献,筛选可信度高、设计合理、结论可靠的文献进行总结研究。以14篇临床研究文献为依据,22篇药理研究、56篇化学成分、6篇安全性研究、25篇种植基源、3篇工艺研究文献为佐证,结合中医药理论探讨阿米芹的中药药性。推断阿米芹中药药性为味淡、辛,性凉;归膀胱、心、肺经;功能主治为利尿通淋,活血化瘀,祛风除湿;临床用于尿路结石、肾结石、心绞痛、白癜风、银屑病等疾病的治疗或辅助治疗。阿米芹的中药化可扩大中药新资源,为探讨其与其他中药的配伍及临床应用奠定理论基础。