Jundishapur Journal of Natural Pharmaceutical Products
Volume:10 Issue: 2, May 2015

Allicin has been reported to possess various biological properties. Commercial availability of allicin is limited because of its instability.. The aim of this study was to develop a semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for purification of allicin from garlic extract.. Aqueous garlic extract was prepared. Extract proteins were removed by methanol. The allicin peaks were separated using a semi-preparative C18 column and detected at 220 nm. Allicin fractions were collected and concentrated using a nonpolar solvent diethyl ether under vacuum at 33ºC. The content of purified allicin was quantitatively determined by analytical HPLC method. The biological activity was assayed using its antibacterial property compared to the standard allicin.. Semi-preparative HPLC yielded a distinct peak with a retention time of 12.28 minutes. The purity (≥ 95%) and biological activity (P > 0.05) of purified allicin were comparable to the standard allicin. Purified allicin produced same peak areas compared to the standard allicin in similar concentrations. The yield percentage of allicin in peak collection and concentrating steps were 100% and 73.34 ± 2%, respectively.. This method could be feasibly used for purification of large quantities of allicin from garlic extract..

Acrylamide (ACR) monomer is an effective neurotoxicant, which damages the central and peripheral nervous systems in humans and animals. Green tea, an infusion from the leaves of Camellia sinensis Theaceae, is a known antioxidant traditional medicine.. In this study, the protective effect of green tea aqueous extract (GTAE) was evaluated on ACR induced neurotoxicity.. In our in vitro study, the effect of different concentrations of GTAE on ACR toxicity (IC50) in PC12 cells was evaluated using MTT assay. Moreover in another experiment, the effect of GTAE on neural toxicity induced by ACR was evaluated in rats.. Treatment with ACR (50 mg/kg via intraperitoneal injection for 11 days), induced severe gait abnormalities and significantly decreased body weight at the end of 11 days. Treatment with GTAE (6.25, 12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg) reduced ACR-induced neurotoxicity, but the effect was only significant in a group which received GTAE at a dose of 12.5 mg/kg and ACR (P < 0.01). ACR decreased cell viability in PC12 cells used as an in vitro model. Pretreatment with GTAE (7.8 - 62.5 µg/mL) decreased ACR-induced cytotoxicity (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively).. As green tea is an essential source of antioxidants such as flavonoids, suppression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation may be in part considered as the neuroprotective mechanism on ACR induced neurotoxicity..

Chitosan-based nanoparticle systems have gained wide interest, mainly for their biocompatibility, biodegradability and mucoadhesive properties.. The aim of this study was to prepare and evaluate diclofenac-loaded chitosan nanoparticles based on the ionotropic gelation method.. Chitosan (CS) nanoparticles containing diclofenac was prepared using the ionotropic gelation method. Sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) was used as a polyanion in this process. The effect of some parameters on particle size and drug loading efficiency was evaluated.. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) photographs exhibited typical spherical shape of particles. The mean particle size was within 129 - 166 nm and was affected by homogenization, CS/TPP ratio, CS/drug ratio and pH of medium. The maximum drug loading efficiency was estimated as 65.43 ± 7.03% with CS/drug ratio of 10:1. This value tended to decrease by enhancement of drug proportion in the formulations. Differential scanning calorimetry data confirmed the formation of polyelectrolyte complex of TPP and chitosan. Drug release profile in phosphate buffer solutions (pH 6.8, 7.4) showed initial burst effect followed by a slower release pattern. However, release of diclofenac in the acidic medium was negligible.. Diclofenac-loaded nanoparticles based on properties of chitosan gelation could delay the release of drugs in the stomach and be further evaluated for the enteric delivery of diclofenac..

Artemisia absinthium L. (known as wormwood) is used as an antihelminthical, antimalarial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory agent, and also in the treatment of gastric pain, in traditional medicine.. In the present study, we have evaluated the effects of the ethanolic extract of A. absinthium L. on the maturation and function of dendritic cells (DCs).. The immunomodulatory effects of A. absinthium L. extract on DCs phenotypic maturation were determined by flow cytometry. The ability of the treated DCs to stimulate allogenic T cells proliferation and cytokines secretion was examined by mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and enzyme-linked immuosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively.. A. absinthium L. extract showed that it could promote DCs phenotypic maturation by increasing the level of surface expression of CD40 as an important costimulatory marker on the DCs, compared to the control. Extract with concentration below 100 µg/mL significantly increased the production of interleukin (IL)-12 cytokine by DCs. The same 100 µg/mL concentration A. absinthium L. inhibited the proliferation of allogenic T cells and also significantly increased the level of IL-10 (P < 0.001). Moreover, the extract with concentrations below 100 µg/mL significantly increased production of interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Nevertheless, these changes were not significant for IL-4 production.. Artemisia absinthium L. extract, at concentrations below 100 µg/mL, can modulate the immune response toward a Th1 pattern, by induction of CD40 expression on DCs and cytokine production. Also, it can inhibit DCs T cell stimulating activity, at high concentrations. Therefore, the traditional use of this plant possibly modulates immune-mediated disorders. However, future studies are needed to confirm these results..

Oral diseases continue to represent a major health problem worldwide. Various bacteria and fungi are found to be the possible pathogens responsible for the oral disease.. The present in vitro study was conducted to compare the antimicrobial efficacy of mouthrinse (MR) prepared from Brazilian propolis with that of two commercially available MR, Hexidine (chlorhexidine mouthrinse) (CHX), S-Flo (0.2% sodium fluoride) against common oral pathogens i.e. Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans and Escherichia coli.. The antimicrobial efficacy of three MR was measured against freeze-dried culture of S. mutans (MTCC 890), E. coli (MTCC 44) and C. albicans (MTCC 1637).The antimicrobial activity was determined by the agar well diffusion method and the zone of inhibition produced by the mouthwashes against the test organisms was measured. The data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 20 and the one-way ANOVA test was used to compare in vitro antimicrobial activity of various MR.. The antimicrobial efficacy of Hexidine against S. mutans and E. coli was higher compared to that of C. albicans. The Brazilian Propolis (P) MR showed antimicrobial action against S. mutans and C. albicans. The antimicrobial efficacy of P against C. albicans was higher compared to that of CHX. The S-Flo MR (0.2% sodium fluoride) and the negative control group did not show any zone of inhibition against all three test stains.. The results of the present study indicate that Brazilian Propolis demonstrated in vitro anti-microbial efficacy against S. mutans and C. albicans..

Breast pain or mastodynia is moderate to severe pain, which affects around 22 - 41% of women. If no anomaly is found and other causes, like nutritional changes, are excluded, many drugs, including herbal supplements, are recommended for the treatment of mastodynia.. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of vitamin E and omega-3, 6 and 9 free fatty acids combinations versus Vitamin E in women with mastodynia..Patients and A double blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted in Shohada Ashayer Hospital in Khorramabad Lorestan province, in the vest of Iran. A total of 88 women with symptoms of mastodynia, aged between 20 - 55 years old, were divided to two groups. The patients were randomly assigned to receive vitamin E (400 U/day) and vitamin E (400 U/day) plus omega-3, 6 and 9 (1200 mg/day) orally, for 3 months.. Vitamin E plus omega free fatty acids are more effective than the use of vitamin E alone in decreasing mastodynia. Significant difference was seen between the Cardiff Breast Score (CBS) of the vitamin E group compared to vitamin E - omega group (P < 0.05) at the end of the first, second and third months after treatment.. Our results showed that vitamin E plus omega free fatty acids decrease the severity of mastodynia better than vitamin E alone..

Although milk is the valorous source of nutrition, consumption of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) contaminated milk induces problems to human health. AFM1 is found in milk when dairy animals are fed with AFB1-contaminated feedstuff. AFM1 remains stable during milk pasteurization and storage as well as during the preparation of various dairy products.. The aim of the current study was to evaluate AFM1 contamination in raw milk of Fariman city.. During the summer (July to September, 2012), 45 samples of raw milk were collected randomly from Fariman, Iran. The samples were analyzed with a commercial competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit.. AFM1 was detected in all milk samples. The mean concentration of AFM1 was 11.61 ± 0.72 ng/L with a range of 6.3-23.3 ng/L. None of the samples had levels exceeding the maximum tolerance limit (50 ng/L) accepted by the European Union.. AFM1 contamination of milk is not a concern in this city. However, dairy cattle feed samples of various livestocks must be regularly checked for aflatoxin and the storage conditions of feeds should be strictly controlled..

Various dosage forms have been introduced in Iranian Traditional Pharmaceutical Pharmacopoeias. One important category of these dosage forms because of local and systemic efficacy was intra vaginal and intra rectal dosage forms.. The aim of this study is the investigation about Iranian Traditional Pharmaceutical dosage forms of vaginal and rectal medications.. A wide-ranging search in main Iranian Traditional Pharmacy text books and web engines performed to introduce vaginal and rectal dosage forms in Iranian Traditional Pharmacy.. Most common vaginal and rectal dosage forms mentioned in Iranian Traditional Pharmacy documents include vaginal or rectal fumigation (Bakhoor), vaginal or rectal cotton-load (Hamool), vaginal or rectal wick (Fateelah), vaginal pessary (Forzajah), vaginal or rectal suppository (Shiaf), vaginal or rectal enema (Hoghnah), penis fossa drop (Ghatoor) and vaginal or rectal oil (Dohn). All of them are applied for treatment of vaginal or rectal illnesses or systemic disorders.. Evaluation of Iranian Traditional Dosage Forms like vaginal and rectal types could be an attractive topic of research and the current study can briefly represent the Iranian Traditional Pharmaceutical knowledge on vaginal and rectal drug delivery..Keywords:

Tonsillectomy is a common pediatric surgery followed by a severe, sometimes debilitating, postoperative pain. Many drugs can be used to control pain..

This study aimed to investigate the effects of topical bupivacaine in controlling postoperative pain..Patients and

This clinical trial was performed on 60 elective tonsillectomy patients in Imam Khomeini Hospital, Ahvaz, in 2013. The patients were randomly divided into two groups of A and B; Group A received topical bupivacaine just before the operation, while Group B received placebo (distilled water). The results were statistically analyzed using SPSS-19..

Patients aged 4 to 13 years. The amount of postoperative pain was obviously less in the bupivacaine group than the other group. The mean time of postoperative fluid intake was lower in group A (bupivacaine) than Group B (placebo) (P < 0.001). The mean pain score at 24 hours after the operation was lower in the bupivacaine group than the placebo group (P < 0.001)..

Considering that tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgeries in children and produces a lot of pain, using a low risk medicine such as bupivacaine to recover child as soon as possible seems reasonable..

Griseofulvin is an antifungal drug and is available as oral dosage forms. Development of topical treatment could be advantageous for superficial fungal infections of skin. The film forming property of chitosan has made it interesting for transdermal/dermal drug delivery, but showed lack of stability. Soy phosphatidylcholine (PC), besides playing penetration enhancer and solubilizer roles, could enhance the stability and mechanical properties of the film. Films prepared from a mixture of chitosan and PC can achieve the benefits of both materials.. The aim of this study was to prepare and characterize films formed from blends of chitosan and soy PC for topical delivery of griseofulvin.. Topical films composed of chitosan and soy PC were prepared by means of casting and solvent evaporation technique. The properties of the films were characterized regarding mechanical properties, swelling, ability to transmit vapor, drug release, thermal behavior and antifungal efficacy against Microsporum gypseum and Epidermophyton floccosum.. Presence of soy PC improved mechanical properties, lowered swelling ratio and increased stability of the films. Solubilizing activity of phospholipid resulted in higher flux of drug release from formulation containing higher amount of soy PC. Antifungal efficacy of formulations was confirmed against two species of dermatophytes in vitro.. This topical composite film had the potential for griseofulvin delivery to superficial fungal infections..

Hypertension is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Lifestyle changes, physical exercise and intake of healthy diet are some common issues associated with reducing the risk of hypertension. There are several classes of pharmacological agents used in the treatment of hypertension. Angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) cleaves angiotensin I to angiotensin II and inactivates bradykinin. The synthetic ACE inhibitors are used widely to treat cardiovascular disorders. They may cause many adverse effects, including dry cough, allergic reactions and skin rashes, so investigation for new natural sources could be helpful.. The aim of the present study was to evaluate angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitory activities of hydroalcoholic extracts of Nardostachys jatamansi, Prangos ferulacea and Marrubium vulgare.. ACE inhibitory activity was measured according to the methods of Cushman & Cheung with some modifications. Captopril was used as positive control.. The ACE inhibitory activities of hydroalcoholic extracts were as follows; M. vulgare > N. Jatamansi > P. ferulacea. The least IC50 value was related to the hydroalcoholic extract of M. vulgare (0.791 mg/mL). The IC50 values of N. Jatamansi and P. ferulacea were 2.147 and 4.057 mg/mL, respectively.. The results supported the traditional antihypertensive use of these plants, especially M. vulgare, by inhibitory effects on ACE enzyme..

Previous reports have shown that quince seed might have some healing effects on skin ulcers in rabbits.. To assess the potential healing effect of quince seed cream on human skin ulcers..Patients and The present study was a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial. Fifty patients with skin ulcer caused by disposable biopsy punch 5 mm were allocated in two groups (25 in each) to receive either 5% quince seed cream or 1% phenytoin cream. Skin ulcers were evaluated before and during the study (on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days), based on the size of ulcers.. There was no significant difference in ulcer size between the two groups, before the treatment (P = 0.79). The ulcer size was diminished in the quince seed group, in comparison with the phenytoin group, on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days after the treatment. After two weeks of treatment, complete healing was observed in 19 patients (86.4%) of quince seed group and five patients (21.7%) of phenytoin group that was significant (P < 0.001). The most common complication was burning and local hypersensitivity and both were more frequent in the phenytoin group.. According to our findings, 5% quince seed cream, compared with 1% phenytoin cream, had several advantages, such as more rapid healing process of skin ulcers, and less complications..

Rice is one of the major cereals that are primarily consumed by humans. It may become contaminated with aflatoxins (AFs). Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is known as one of the most potent environmental mutagens and carcinogens.. This study was carried out to determine the concentration of AFs in the rice currently sold at the supermarkets in the city of Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran.. The levels of AFs in 90 collected imported rice samples after clean-up by AflaTest columns were measured by using a High-Performance Liquid Chromatographer equipped with a C18 column, fluorescence detector (excitation 360 nm and emission 440 nm) and post-column bromide derivatization method, mobile phase of water-acetonitrile-methanol (600:200:200 v/v) +119 mg potassium bromide +100 µL con. HNO3 at a flow rate of 1 mL/min.. The results showed that the highest concentration of AFB1 and total AFs in the rice samples were 2.3500 and 2.7040 ng/g, respectively. The different mean concentration of AFB1 and total AFs in three brands of the rice samples was significantly lower than the maximum tolerable level (MTL) of AFB1 (5 ng/g) and total AFs (30 ng/g) set by the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran.. In all of the investigated imported rice samples, the level of AFB1 and total AFS were found to be lower than the Iranian MTL, and no health risk for consumers were detected at these levels of contamination..