Journal of Herbmed Pharmacology
Volume:3 Issue: 1, Jun 2014

Curcuma longa (Turmeric), belonging to Zingiberaceae family is one of the most useful herbal medicinal plants. Extensive researches have proven that most of the turmeric activities of the turmeric are due to curcumin. It has various useful properties with antioxidant activities and is useful in conditions such as inflammation, ulcer and cancer. It also has antifungal, antimicrobial renal and hepatoprotective activities. Therefore, it has the potential against various cancer, diabetes, allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic and hard curable diseases. The purpose of this review was to provide a brief summary of the new and current knowledge of the effects of curcumin. The recently published papers in international cites such as PubMed/Medline, Science Citation Index and Google Scholar about turmeric were searched. Recent studies have authenticated the use of turmeric for various diseases especially oxidative stress induced ones such as cancer, diabetes mellitus and inflammatory disorders. It also is used as hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, anticoagulant and anti-HIV to combat AIDS. Curcumin, as a spice, exhibits great promise as a therapeutic agent. It has very low toxicity, too. As the global scenario is now changing towards the use of non-toxic plant products having traditional medicinal use, development of modern drugs from turmeric should be emphasized for the control of various diseases. Further evaluation needs to be carried out on turmeric in order to explore the concealed areas and their practical clinical applications, which can be used for the welfare of mankind.

Due to increased risk for opportunistic fungal infections and increasing prevalence of hospital infections caused by pathogenic yeasts and fungus resistance to antifungal drugs, discovery of antifungal compounds with high efficiency is necessary. This study was aimed to evaluate and compare the antifungal activities of Allium ascalonicum, Marticaria chamomilla and Stachys lavandulifolia on Candida albians. In this study the plants extracts were prepared with macerated method using ethanol 70%. Antifungal activities of the extracts were performed according to microbroth dilution method in 96 well microdilution plates. The amount of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) based on counting the number of fungal colonies (CFU) were evaluated for each of Allium ascalonicum, Chamomile and Stachys lavandulifolia extracts compared with the control group. MIC of Allium ascalonicum, Marticaria chamomilla and Stachys lavandulifolia were respectively 0.31, 3.75 and 15.13 mg/ml and also MIC50% of Allium ascalonicum, Marticaria chamomilla and Stachys lavandulifolia were respectively 0.93, 10.59 and 41.32 mg/ml and MIC 90% of them were respectively 8.65, 16.88 and 60.55 mg/ml and their MFC were respectively 20, 20 and 65 mg/ml. The results indicate that all three extracts are effective, but Allium ascalonicum possesses the highest antifungal activity on Candida albicans. If clinical trials approve these findings, this plant may represent a new source of antifungal agent for control of Candida albicans.

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat, and lipid metabolism resulting from defect in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. It not only leads to hyperglycemia but also may cause hyperlipidemia. Herbal medicines have always been considered as a healthy source of life. Although medicinal herbs and their derivatives have long been used for hyperlipidemia, their definite effects have not yet been proven by valid research. The aim of this study was to measure minerals in B. lycium fruit and to evaluate the effects of its ethanolic extract on lipid profile in diabetic rats. For this study 40 male Wistar rats were used and were divided into five equal groups. For induction of diabetes in animals, alloxan monohydrate was used. The animals were under treatment for 42 days. For healthy and diabetic control groups distilled water, for positive diabetic control metformin, for the fourth and fifth diabetic groups Berberis lycium extract in respectively 200 and 600 mg/kg dose were used, daily. Blood samples were collected from heart and lipid profile was measured with autoanalyzer and HPLC. The results of the study indicated that iron level in Berberis lycium fruit was considerably high. In diabetic rats administered with Berberis lycium fruit extract in 600 mg/kg dose, the lipid profile decreased significantly (p<0.05). The present investigation showed that the Berberis lycium fruit extract alleviates lipid profile level and might be used efficiently in hyperlipidemia, especially in diabetic patients. It may also be beneficial in iron deficiency.

Rizatriptan benzoate is a potent and selective 5-HT1B/1D receptor agonist and is effective for the treatment of acute migraine. Difficulty in swallowing is common among all age groups, especially elderly and pediatrics. Orally disintegrating tablets may constitute an innovative dosage form that overcome the problem of swallowing and provides a quick onset of action. This study was aimed to formulate and evaluate an Orally Disintegrating Tablet (ODT) containing Rizatriptan while using semi-synthetic and natural superdisintegrants. Orodispersible tablets were prepared by direct compression using natural superdisntegrant (Plantago ovata mucilage) and semi-synthetic superdisntegrant (crospovidone). The prepared tablets were evaluated for hardness, friability, thickness, drug content uniformity, water absorption and wetting time. A 32 factorial design was used to investigate the effect of independent variables (amount of crospovidone and Plantago ovata mucilage) on dependent variables [disintegration time, wetting time and Q5 (cumulative amount of drug release after 5 minutes)]. A counter plot was also presented to graphically represent the effect of independent variable on the disintegration time, wetting time and Q5. The check point batch was also prepared to prove the validity of the evolved mathematical model. The systematic formulation approach helped in understanding the effect of formulation processing variable. According to the results of optimized batches, the best concentration of superdisintegrant were as follows: 9.4 mg Psyllium mucilage and 8.32 mg crospovidone gave rapid disintegration in 35sec and showed 99% drug release within 5 minutes. Plantago ovata mucilage, a natural superdisintegrant, gives a rapid disintegration and high release when used with synthetic superdisntegrant in formulation of orally disintegrating tablet of Rizatriptan.

This study was aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the ethanol and aqueous extracts of Scrophularia striata plant on E. coli O157:H7 in vitro. In this experimental study the ethanol and aqueous extract of the plant was prepared and their antibacterial effects were determined using sink diffusion and broth macrodilution methods against the bacterium E. coli O157:H7. The ethanol extract of Scrophularia striata plant had inhibitory effect on the E. coli O157:H7 in two methods of sink diffusion and macrodilution, but the aqueous extract of this plant had not antibacterial effect. The MIC and MBC amounts were obtained 90mg/ml and 100 mg/ml, respectively. Based on the present results that the ethanol extract of the Scrophularia Striata plant showed inhibitory effect on bacterium, more researches are recommended to evaluate its in vivo effects and to identify active compounds.

Phenolic compounds are a large number of secondary metabolites that have useful and desirable effects in the field of agriculture, medicine, and food. This research was aimed to achieve methods of in vitro propagation of grapevine in order to apply biotechnologies for correction, growth, and optimization of products and compounds of the cultivated plant in relation to phenol ratio. In this interventional study, the effects of cultivar and size of the inflorescence explant and the gibberellin hormone in two levels, benzylaminopurine, and auxin hormones in three levels with three replicates per treatment were evaluated in relation to phenol ratio, in order to evaluate the effect of plant growth regulators, the type and size of the grape inflorescence explant on the phenol production. The type of plant growth regulators affected phenolic substances production. The production of phenolic substances decreased in a medium with the highest concentration of growth regulators, 4 and 2.5 μM concentration of benzylaminopurine, and 4.9 μM of auxin. Production of phenolic substances increased in the free-plant hormone medium. In smaller samples tendency to turn brown was more regarding high amount of the sugar. The plant sample and the cultivar as important factors in producing phenol environment are induced by environmental stimuli like sugar, light, temperature, stress, ozone, and wound and can be actually applied to increase phenol production.

Passiflora incarnata (PI) is one of the commonest herbal anti-anxiety and sedative agents. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antidepressant effect of hydroalcoholic extract of PI in forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) in male mice. In this experimental study, 48 male mice were randomly divided into 6 groups of 8: Negative and positive control groups received normal saline (10 ml/kg), fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) and imipramine (30 mg/kg), respectively and treatment groups received extracts of PI (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg). Immobility, swimming and climbing behaviors were recorded during 6-min. All doses of PI extract compared to control group significantly reduced the duration of immobility time in both of two tests (p<0.001). Also, these extracts increased swimming time (p<0.001) without significant change of climbing time. PI has considerable antidepressant-like effect in animal models of depression. However, further studies are needed to determine its exact mechanism of action.

Electromagnetic fields produce free radicals which might be teratogen. Camellia sinensis is rich in natural antioxidants and antioxidants can neutralize free radicals effects. In present research the effect of C. sinensis extract in reduction of teratogenicity induced by electromagnetic field with 50 gauss intensity was studied on bone marrow of Balb/C mice fetuses. In this experimental study, 24 Balb/C pregnant mice were randomly divided into four groups: control, sham exposed (off position), experimental 1 (electromagnetic field with 50-gauss intensity) and experimental 2 (treatment by C. sinensis extract + electromagnetic field with 50-gauss intensity). After treatment period, the bone marrow aspirates of Balb/C mice embryos were prepared and studied by Giemsa. The quantitative data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and Kolmogorov- Smirnov using SPSS16 software at the level of p<0.05. The mean number of promyelocytes, myelocytes, erythrocytes, necrotic and apoptotic cells in experimental group1 compared with sham exposed embryos showed significant increase but the mean number of eosinophils in experimental group 1 compared with sham exposed embryos showed significant decrease. The mean number of promyelocyte and erythrocyte in experimental group 2 compared with experimental group 1 showed significant decrease. The mean of necrotic and apoptotic cells, in experimental group 2 compared with experimental group 1 showed significant increase. Usage of C. sinensis can decrease the damage due to teratogenicity induced by low frequency electromagnetic field in some cells.

Acute diarrhea is one of the most important causes of global childhood mortality and morbidity. The most common complication of acute diarrhea is dehydration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of aqueous Elaeagnus angustifolia extract in controlling non-inflammatory diarrhea in a hospital setting. In this case–controlled randomized double blind clinical trial 80 children in age range of 1-5 years were admitted in pediatric ward with diagnosis of non-inflammatory diarrhea. The patients were randomly divided into two equal groups of 40 cases. The subject in the first group received aqueous Elaeagnus angustifolia extract, 1.2 ml/Kg single dose for 4 days duration and the second group (control group) 1.2 cm/Kg distilled water single dose for 4 days duration. Data analysis were performed by Chi-square and t-tests, using SPSS software. The groups were similar regarding gender, mean age, and frequency, and consistency of defecation (p> 0.05). Although the children seemed better in regard to frequency and consistency of defecation, however the results showed that aqueous extract of Elaeagnus angustifolia was not significantly effective in the treatment of non-inflammatory diarrhea. The results of this study demonstrated that the use of aqueous extract of Elaeagnus angustifolia was not effective in the treatment of non-inflammatory diarrhea in children.

Epilepsy has been always considered as one of the most prevalent disorders of nervous system and despite various drugs available, there are still some patients who have drug resistance. In traditional medicine, basil (Ocimum basilicum) has been used in treating epilepsy. To achieve an effective antiepileptic drug with few side effects, the antiepileptic effect of O. basilicum was investigated in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced epilepsy model. In this experimental research, 48 laboratory female mice (for removing gender factor) were designated in 6 equal groups. The experimental groups comprised control, sham, and four treatment groups receiving the extract at 100, 250, 300, and 350 mg/kg doses (intraperitoneally; ip), 65 minutes before PTZ injection and the factors of epilepsy symptoms and the symptoms frequency were studied. The obtained results of using different doses (100, 250, 300, 350 mg/kg) of the extract indicated that the mice in 100 mg/kg dose group exhibited the highest frequency of epileptic attacks. The samples receiving the extract at 100 and 250 mg/kg doses exhibited the highest and lowest frequency of myoclonic twitches, respectively. In the group treated with 250 mg/kg dose, the symptoms of epilepsy, frequency of epilepsy, and mortality rate respectively increased, decreased, and decreased (p<0.05). By the obtained results, the hydroalcoholic extract of O. basilicum at 250 mg/kg dose could be recommended as an effective drug for preventing epilepsy in the animal model.

Catecholamines (L-DOPA and dopamine) are the key metabolites found in nervous system and their endogenous deficiency is associated with different patho-physiological disorders. Therefore, it is important to screen the new herbal sources of catecholamines for drug preparation. In this study, the amount of L-DOPA and dopamine were investigated in the leaves and roots of three species from legume family such as Pisum sativum (garden pea), Phaseolus vulgaris (haricot bean) and Vicia faba (broad bean); using TLC and HPLC. The seeds of P. sativum, P. Vulgaris and V. faba were treated and cultured under the glasshouse conditions. The extraction from 1 gram of each plant sample was obtained and assayed for L-DOPA and dopamine using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and reversed-phase HPLC. The results indicated that all cultivars accumulated different levels of L-DOPA and dopamine in leaves and roots. The quantitative results showed that the metabolites concentrations were high in the leaves of P. Sativum and V. faba compared to that in roots. The present study may provide a new avenue for preparation and estimation of L-DOPA and dopamine from plant sources and may be used for further analysis and therapeutic studies.

Inflammation is a complex process and part of the host immune defense against invading micro-organism or trauma. Over production of some pro-inflammatory mediators can lead to chronic diseases of the inflammatory origin. Medicinal Plants which are used as anti-inflammatory agents, mainly act affecting various stages of the process of inflammation. In general they can inhibit formation of a wide of mediators such as cytokines by immune cells to prevent the inflammatory reaction cascade from starting. The use of most of the medicinal plants in treatment of chronic disease of the inflammatory origin is based on clinical and pharmacological trials. Meanwhile, the use of most of them is based on their longstanding traditional use in folk medicine. In this review, we report some of anti-inflammatory effects of G. lucidum as an ancient Chinese herbal medicine.