January 2012
Naturally occurring anxiolytic substances from aromatic plants of genus citrus
Currently, anxiety is one of the most common mental disorders affecting humanity and its prevalence is increasing. Anxiolytic substances occupy a prominent post in the ranking of the most utilized drugs by man. However, the anxiolytic drugs have an unfavorable risk/benefit ratio, especially benzodiazepines. Several medicinal plants have been used in traditional folk medicine for their anxiolytic or sedative properties....
January 2012
Antioxidant, antiangiogenic and vasorelaxant activities of methanolic extract of Clerodendrum serratum (Spreng.) leaves
The Clerodendrum serratum (Spreng.) known as ‘Timba Tasek’ is widely used in Asian countries especially Malaysia as the traditional medicine to treat various diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant, antiangiogenic and vasorelaxant activities as well as the chemical profiles of C. serratum leaves extract. The dried powder leaves of C. serratum were extracted...
January 2012
Distribution of arctigenin in different organs of Saussurea medusa Maxim. from Qinghai-Tibetan plateau
Saussurea medusa Maxim (S. medusa) is a rare materia medica used by Tibetans in Chinese phytotherapy. The contents of arctigenin in different organs of S. medusa were examined. The samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It was found that all samples contained arctigenin at concentrations ranging between 0.016±0.011 mg g-1 (stem) and 7.329±0.360 mg...
January 2012
Study of variation of biochemical components in Hypericum perforatom L. grown in North of Iran
Hypericum perforatum L. is among important herbs worldwide, growing wild in Iran in various areas and altitudes particularly north of the country. However, according to different regional and genetic reasons, its secondary metabolites differ in its vegetative growth. Therefore, in order to define its best vegetating area, the most important biochemical components in five regions and three altitudes and four...
January 2012
Optimization of central composite design-response surface methodology in ultra high pressure extraction of Scutellaria baicalensis
Ultra high pressure extraction (UHPE) was used to obtain bio-active components fromScutellaria baicalensis, which had characters of higher extraction yield, lower extracting temperature, shorter extracting time and less power consumption. The extraction process of baicalin and baicalein from S. baicalensis was optimized by using central composite design-response surface methodology (CCD-RSM). The results...
January 2012
In vitro callus induction protocol for Leptadenia pyrotechnica using various explants
An efficient protocol has been developed for a rapid callus induction in Leptadenia pyrotechnica. Nodal, internodal and pod explants from mature plant of L. pyrotechnica were cultured after surface sterilization on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with plant growth regulators (PGRs) cytokinins and auxins individually and with various combinations. Nodal segments proved the best explants (90%...
January 2012
Protective effect of anti-abortive herbal medicine on embryo implantation and the changes of serum progesterone, IFN-γ and IL-4 in cows after artificial insemination
Early embryo death is a serious problem in most mammals including cows. To investigate the protective effect of Chinese herbal medicine against embryo loss during implantation, 100 healthy multiparious cows were divided randomly into five groups: Control (CO) group, Taishan Panshi (TP) powder group, Baotai Wuyou (BW) powder group, Huangqin (HQ) group and baicalin (BC) group. The cows in the control...
January 2012
Antioxidant, antiproliferative, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of extracts from Impatiens textori Miq
Impatiens textori Miq is an annual plant used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat superficial infections and fingernail inflammation. In the present study, methanol extract and fractions of I. textori Miq were investigated for their antioxidant properties, α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, and antiproliferative activities against human gastric (AGS), human cervical (HeLa), human...
January 2012
Growth and accumulation of bioactive compounds in medicinal Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. cv. ‘Chuju’ under different colored shade polyethylene
Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. is not only a famous floricultural crop but also a plant of pharmacological importance. An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of different colored polyethylene shade on the growth and accumulation of chlorogenic acid, total flavonoids, quercetin, apigenin and acacetin in C. morifolium capitulum. The results showed that colored polyethylene shade...
January 2012
Genetic diversity among natural populations of Rhodiola imbricata Edgew. from trans- Himalayan cold arid desert using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers
Rhodiola imbricata Edgew. (Crassulaceae), well acknowledged medicinal plant is widely distributed in trans-Himalayan region of India. It has multiple uses in cuisine, forage, health care and ornamental worth. In the present investigation, 70 wildly grown Rhodiola genotypes, collected from three different sampling sites in trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh were analyzed using 40 DNA-based markers (20 random...
January 2012
Effect of salicylic acid (SA) and gibberellic acid (GA3) pre-soaking on seed germination of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) under salt stress
The role of salicylic acid (SA) and gibberellic acid (GA3) pre-soaking were examined on stevia(Stevia rebaudiana) seed germination under NaCl or NaHCO3 stress. A set of seeds was pre-soaked in H2O, another set of seeds in 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 mM SA and another set in 200 ppm GA3 for 24 h. Seeds were then placed in Petri-dishes with...
January 2012
In vitro antioxidant properties and induced G2/M arrest in HT-29 cells of dichloromethane fraction from Liriodendron tulipifera
The antioxidant and anti-proliferative effects of dichloromethane fraction from methanol extract of Liriodendron tulipifera were investigated in this study. Scavenging effects on the α,α-diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and nitrite radicals, and protection against reactive oxygen species induced lipid, protein and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage were evaluated. The dichloromethane...
January 2012
Plants used in ethnoveterinary practices in Medebay-Zana District, Northern Ethiopia
Ethoveterinary medicine provides traditional medicines which are locally available and cheaper than standard treatments. The present study was conducted to document the indigenous knowledge of ethnoveterinary practices in Medebay-Zana district, northern Ethiopia. Ethnoveterinary data was collected between October and November 2010 on eight field trips made to the site from 30 traditional healers using a semi-structured...
January 2012
Microwave assisted extraction and evaluation of in vitro antioxidant activity of Cinnamomum aromaticum
Cinnamomum aromaticum or Chinese cinnamon, belonging to the laurel family (Lauraceae) is an evergreen tree native to southern China, Bangladesh, India, and Vietnam. The dried bark ofC. aromaticum is used as a spice. In this study, extraction and evaluation of in vitro antioxidant activity of C. aromaticum bark with ethanol using microwave - assisted extraction and soxhlet extraction were...
January 2012
Chemical composition of the essential oil of wild and cultivated plant populations of Kelussia odoratissima Mozaff.
Kelussia odoratissima Mozaff. is an endemic plant in Iran, which has been used as a sedative and vegetable in Bakhtiari folk. The plant is known as Keluss or Karafs-e- Bakhtiari in Persian. The wild and cultivated plant populations of K. odoratissima collected throughout two provinces (Isfahan and Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari), Southwest Iran, were examined for chemical variability in leaves for components....
January 2012
Phytochemical and antimicrobial activities of Lavandula officinalis leaves and stems against some pathogenic microorganisms
The leaves and stem-bark of Lavandula officinalis were investigated for activity against some pathogenic organisms. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of coumarins, tannins, flavonoids, volatile oil and fatty acids. Twenty six and twenty were characterized representing 84.5% (leaf oil) and 91.4% (stem oil) of the lot of components detected. The leaf oil of the major constituents was identified as...
January 2012
Anti-spasmodic action of crude methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Vitex agnus castus
The aim of the current study was to screen the crude methanol extract (Cr. MeOH Ext.) of the aerial parts (leaves and stem) of Vitex agnus castus, for antispasmodic actions on isolated tissues. The Cr. MeOH Ext. was screened to measure antispasmodic action on the spontaneous rabbit’s jejunum preparations at different concentration(s) (0.01, 0.03, 0.1, 0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 mg/ml). Similarly, the Cr. MeOH Ext was...
January 2012
Antifungal activities of essential oils from Southern African medicinal plants against five Fusarium species
In the present study, essential oils from 9 plants traditionally used to treat infectious diseases were tested against five Fusarium spp. using the agar diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the oils were determined by the microdilution technique. The killing kinetics of the oils was further evaluated against the fungal organisms. Antifungal activity was exhibited by essential oils...
January 2012
Hairy roots induction from difficult-to-transform pharmacologically important plant Eurycoma longifolia using wild strains of Agrobacterium rhizogenes
Wild strains of Agrobacterium rhizogenes were used to induce hairy roots from Eurycoma longifolia, a high value medicinal plant in South-East Asia. Among 5 wild strains of A. rhizogenes tested, 3 strains namely MAFF 210265, MAFF 301726 and MAFF 720002 exhibited the ability to induce hairy roots from E. longifolia. After many unsuccessful attempts to produce hairy roots from this...
January 2012
Thymoquinone and vitamin E supplementation improve the reproductive characteristics of heat stressed male mice
Previous studies have shown that dietary supplementation with antioxidants such as vitamin E affects the reproduction parameters in heat stressed males mice. Nevertheless, the impact of thymoquinone (TQ) on the reproductive system during head stress is still poorly studied. Therefore, the aim of current study was to investigate changes in the reproductive parameters during heat stress and the impact of vitamin E...
January 2012
Investigation of the effects of extraction solvent/technique on the antioxidant activity of Cassia fistula L.
Cheaper and safer antioxidants of natural origin is the focus of research in recent times due to increased in safety concerns about synthetic antioxidants. The effects of four extracting solvents that is, ethanol, methanol, n-Hexane and pet ether and two extraction techniques that is, simple maceration and hot percolation (Soxhlet apparatus) were investigated on the antioxidant activity of pods, leaves, barks and...
January 2012
Pharmacognostic investigation of the leaves and rhizomes of Geranium wallichianum D. Don ex Sweet
Pharmacognostic investigation of the fresh powdered and anatomical section of the leaves and rhizomes of Geranium wallichianum was carried out to determine its morphological, histological and physicochemical characteristics. Macro and microscopic studies indicated that leaves are large, simple, petiolate, stipulate and palmatisect with five lobes. Lamina was 4 to 11 cm in diameter and green on the upper...
January 2012
Evaluation of St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) as an antibiotic growth promoter substitution on performance, carcass characteristics, some of the immune responses, and serum biochemical parameters of broiler chicks
This experiment was conducted to examine the effect of dried aerial parts of the herbHypericum perforatum L. (HP) as an antibiotic growth promoter substitution on performance, carcass traits, immune responses, and serum biochemical parameters of broiler chicks. In this study, 192 one-day old chicks (Ross 308) were allocated to four treatments with four replicates based on a completely randomized design. Dietary...
January 2012
Anti-inflammatory effects of ethanol extract from Melilotus suaveolens Ledeb: Involvement of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and mediators
Melilotus suaveolens Ledeb is an annual or biennial plant of Melilotus genus in the Leguminosae family, which was used for treatment of inflammation-related diseases. The paper aims to investigate the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of ethanol extracts from M. suaveolens Ledeb. RAW 264.7 cells were stimulated with 10 ng/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and intervened with 1 to 10 μg/ml ethanol...
January 2012
Antibacterial and antihemolytic activities of Enteromorpha intestinalis in Caspian Sea Coast, Iran
Enteromorpha is one of the filamentous green-algal genus and has a widespread distribution in Caspian Sea Coast. This study aimed at assaying the antimicrobial activities ofEnteromorpha intestinalis in South of Caspian Sea. Antimicrobial activities of hydroalcoholic extracts of five different gram negative and positive bacteria...
January 2012
Screening of antioxidant potential of Lonicera tatarica, Viburnum opulus and Sambucus ebulus L. by multiple in vitro assays
In this study, three medicinal plants known as (Sambucus ebulus, Lonicera tatarica andViburnum opulus) were investigated for their antioxidant properties. Total phenolic and total flavonoid content was also determined. All three phytopharmaceutical products have high amounts of phenols but the highest values were observed at V. opulus bark extract (42.38±0.12 gallic acid...
January 2012
Growth promotion by P-solubilizing, siderophore and bacteriocin producing rhizobacteria in Zea mays L.
An isolation study of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria was carried out in rhizosphere soil of rice grown in raised bed fields at Kalashakaku, Pakistan. Eight rhizobacteria were isolated, purified and their colony morphology was recorded. All of them were positive for catalase test. These isolates variably showed P-soloubilization, bacteriocin and siderophore production abilities. On the basis of these traits, three...
January 2012
The anti-leukemic lectins from Canavalia ensiformis induce macrophage differentiationthrough cross-regulation between monocytes and lymphocytes
Lectins from Canavalia ensiformis (CEL) have agglutinin effect and anti-leukemic function, however, the immunomodulatory activity of CEL in regulating immune-network remains unclear. The present study clarified CEL effect on modulating the cross-reaction between monocytes and lymphocytes. The hemagglutination activity of CEL was heat-inactive and CEL at low concentrations showed no cytotoxicity to human...
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