A Comparative in-vitro study between the interaction of aqueous extracts of Ephedra, Nepeta, and Hymenocrater with histone proteins

Ephedra, Nepeta, and Hymenocrater herbs have long been used in the treatment of many diseases, but their interactions with cellular components, especially nuclear proteins, are still unknown. On the other hand, in the eukaryotic cell nucleus histone proteins play a main role in the packaging of the genetic material as chromatin. The present study aimed at comparing the in-vitro interactions of aqueous extracts of Ephedra, Nepeta, and Hymonocarater with histone proteins.
Histone proteins type 2A were purchased from Sigma company and aqueous extract of Ephedra, Nepeta and Hymenocrater were prepared in the research laboratory of Birjand University of Medical sciences. Different concentrations of the aqueous extracts were incubated with histone proteins, then analyzed by UV-Spectroscopy and Circular dichroism.
Aqueous extract of Nepeta increased maximum absorbance of histone proteins at 210 nm, but the reduction in absorbance was shown at its high concentration. The absorbance of histone proteins also changed in the presence of the aqueous extract of Ephedra and Hymenocrater and it decreased to zero at higher concentration of Ephedra. Circular Dichroism studies demonstrated that the structure of histone proteins changed in the presence of mentioned aqueous extract; the observed effect of the aqueous extract of ephedra was higher than Nepeta and Hymenocrater.
The aqueous extracts of ephedra, Nepeta,and Hymenocrated interacted with histone proteins and changed their structure. The effect of ephedra was higher than others.