Journal of Medicinal Herbs
Volume:7 Issue: 2, Summer 2016

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women after lung cancer. Given that the herbal ingredients are used for centuries to treat cancer,The aim of this study was to determine the cytotoxic effect of hydroalcholic extract from Thymus daenesisCelak on MCF-7 cancer cells line. Breast cancer cells MCF-7 and natural fibroblast cells were cultured in DMEM medium containing fetal bovine serum and antibiotics. The cells were exposed to different doses ofhydroalcholic extract ofThymus daenesisCelak(0.156, 0.312, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5mg/ml)and incubated for 24, 48 and 72 hours, respectively. After incubation, the modified MTT colorimetric test was used to determine cytotoxicity.   The results of MTT test showed thathydroalcholic extractof Thymus daenesisCelak has dose- and time-dependent anti-cancer effect on MCF-7 cancer cells, so that by increasing the concentration and 72h incubation, the most cell death was observed (P<0.05). Plant extract did not show significant cytotoxicity on natural fibroblast cells. Then, it seems that its compounds can be used in treating cancer through more future research.  With regard to the increasing use of herbal medicines to treat many diseases, hydroalcholic extract of Thymus daenesis Celak can be used to treat cancer with drug therapy due to having antioxidant properties.

Zea mays leaf used traditionally in Ibibio ethno medicine in Southern Nigeria to treat malaria and other inflammatory diseases. These anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties were evaluated against experimentally induced inflammation and pains using standard models. The effects of ethanol leaf extract of Zea mays (170 -510 mg/kg) on experimentally induced inflammation and pain were studied in rats using Carrageenin, egg albumin  and xylene-induced inflammation as well as acetic acid-induced writhing and thermal induced pain models. The GCMS analysis of the most active fraction was carried out. The extract (170 -520 mg/kg) inhibited inflammation and pains caused by different phlogistic agents used in a dose dependent fashion. The various degrees of inhibitions were statistically significant (p<0.05, 0.01, 0.001), though incomparable to that of the standard drugs used (ASA and indomethacin). The GC-MS revealed the present of polyunsaturated fatty acids and phenolic compounds which may be responsible for the observed activities of the extract. The present study demonstrates that leaf extract of Zea mays might to be useful for the treatment of inflammation and pains.

Hypericum perforatum L. is native to Iran. This herb is one of the most important medicinal plants and had many medical effects.This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding Hypericum perforatum and protexin on performance, carcass characteristics and intestinal morphology Japanese quails. A total of 240 ten days old quails were divided into eight treatments with three replicates as factorial randomized design. The treatments were divided as basal diet with no protexin and Hypericum perforatum kept as control, and 0.2% (H1), 0.4% (H2) and 0.6 % (H3) Hypericum perforatum with 0.02 % or without protexin as P0 and P1 were used respectively. The live body weight gains, feed intake and feed conversion ratio of quails were calculated weekly. At the end of the trial two birds (male) form each replicates were slaughtered and dressing percentage were calculated and some carcass traits were weighed separately as percentage of carcass weight.   Data indicated that using of protexin and Hypericum perforatum increased feed intake (FI) in treatments compared to control group. Also body weight (BW) (g/d) and Pre-slaughter weight (g) were higher in protexin and Hypericum perforatum compared to the control. There were no significant differences (p<0.05) for feed conversation ratio (FCR) among treatments.  Considering that body weight gain of Japanese quails can improve by increasing the level of Hypericum perforatum in diet, this herb is recommended for industrial poultry farm.

Extracts of Roselle calyx,   possess compounds which could be considered as a great source of natural antioxidants.   In this project, antioxidant activities, phenolic compounds content and their   correlation analysis on calices of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) was investigated.  Total polyphenolic compound, flavonoids and anthocyanins were determined spectrophotometrically. Catalase and peroxidase activity was estimated based on unit per milligram protein. Total antioxidant capacities of the extract were studied using phosphomolybdate assay, DPPH assay and FRAP method.   The hibiscus calices were rich in phenolic compounds, flavonoids and anthocyanins. Peroxidase and catalase activity was estimated as 3.13 and 0.05 unit mg-1 protein, respectively. Calyx extract showed high antioxidant activities specially based on DPPH assay. Correlation analysis was also performed between parameters. There was a positive significant correlation between the levels of polyphenolics and flavonoids, anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity of calices at P  Extracts of H. sabdariffa L. (sabdariffa) calices are rich in antioxidant compounds including total phenolic compounds, flavonoids content, and anthocyanins. Based on all the method of measuring antioxidant capacities in this project, the calices showed an acceptable antioxidant activity. Thus, H. sabdariffa L. (sabdariffa) may be suggested as a potential source of natural antioxidants in food and pharmaceutical industry.

Nepeta racemosa is an herbal and medicinal plant and this report aims to   identify chemical compositions of the essential oils and volatiles of its   aerial parts through classical and advanced methods.  Chemical profiles of the essential oils and volatile compounds from the aerial parts of Nepeta racemosa obtained through hydrodistillation (HD), solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME), microwave assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD) and headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) methods were subsequently investigated by means of GC and GC-MS instruments.   Totally, 25, 26, 24, and 24 components were identified in the chemical profiles, representing 98.1%, 96.6%, 97.7% and 96.4% of the total compositions when using the HD, HS-SPME, SFME and MAHD methods, respectively. In all samples, oxygenated monoterpenes were the major fractions of the chemical profiles with the exception of chemical composition of the essential oil of N. racemosa obtained by using the MAHD approach in which monoterpene hydrocarbons were dominant constituting compounds. In final, 4aα,7α,7aα-nepetalactone was the most abundant compound in the chemical profiles of HD, HS-SPME and SFME approaches while 4aα,7α,7aβ-nepetalactone oxygenated monoterpene was the most frequent compound in the MAHD profile. Using the advanced separation methods for isolation of the essential oils are economic, time saving and eminently suited compared with the classical and traditional separation methods. Moreover, the significance of this study relates to the fact that the essential oils, which are rich in monoterpene hydrocarbons and oxygenated monoterpenes could be regarded as powerful food preservatives and novel antioxidants.

Dorema   ammoniacum D. Don. (ammoniac plant) belongs to   Apiaceae family and Dorema genus. It is one of the most important   endemic medicinal plants in its family which grows in the arid and semi-arid   areas in the regions of Iran and some of the Asian countries such as   Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. This study was carried out   with aim of the extraction and identification of constituents of D. ammoniacum   D. Don. in   the western areas of Isfahan province, Iran. For this purpose, after the plant   collecting in the mentioned area its target organs namely stem and leaf were   separated, air dried, milled and weighted in the certain amount. Then the   essential oil of the plant was isolated by hydrodistillationmethod   and analyzed by GC/MS device. The results indicated that major components were Limonene   (49.18%), Neophytadiene   (10.21%), beta Caryophyllene   (3.54%), Phytol (2.61%) and Neryl acetone (1.46%).  Several therapeutic cases have been reported in traditional medicine and currently in contemporary medicine for Dorema ammoniacum D. Don. that some of them are include the treatment of cough, vasodilator, anti-flatulence and anti-microbial. Also, the mentioned plant has varied applications in the fields of foods, cosmetic and detergent industries.

 Thymus daenensis is recognized as aromatic herbs,   which used in food, flavoring, pharmaceutical, and perfumery industries. This   study was conducted to investigate the response of T.daenensis to   different fertilizers (chemical and organic) along with chitosan.  Treatments consisted of different fertilizers including: F1 =C (control without manure and fertilizer); F2 = CF (chemical fertilizers 100-150-100 kg ha−1NPK, respectively), F3= CM (cow manure, 20 tonha−1), F4= VC (vermicompost, 10 tonha−1), F5=CF+CM+VC (chemical fertilizers + cow manure + vermicompost) and three chitosan levels (0, 0.2%, 0.4%) and acetic acid. This experiment conducted in split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications during the period from 2014 to 2015 in Shahrekord, Iran. Morphological traits, essential oil yield from aerial parts and phenolic content were studied.  Results indicated that canopy diameter, lateral branches, number of flower and leaf area index increased by CF+CM+VC treatment as compared to the control in 2014 and 2015. Chitosan increased biomass yield in both of growing year. Phenolic content increased in CF+CM+VC treatment in 2015 and it was also affected by application of 0.4% chitosan. Since essential oil of T. daenensis, especially thymol and carvacrol, have a lot of applications in pharmacological and also has antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, the use of integrated fertilizer along with chitosan as  a elicitor is recommended to obtain more essential oil yield and phenolic content.

Increasing the tendency in families for taking care of pets makes   people pay more attention to their disease especially the common ones. In   recent years the tendency to use of herbal drugs has increased in animals.   Herbal drugs are plants that one or some of their members have effective. We   supposed that the Elaeagnus angustifolia(oleaster)   powder has the plantagel. Therefore, the aim of this study is to compare the   oleaster powder herbal compounds and plantagel as anti-diarrhea in dogs. This study was done on 12 male dogs collar (3   quadri groups) with the similar approximate weight and similar age in   veterinary clinic of Islamic azad university of Shahrekord branch. Sana   flower herbal syrup was used to cause the diarrhea in all 3 groups. They   received 15 mg/kg every 12 hours and all groups were suffering from diarrhea.   Three groups were studied including testifier group without remedy, the first   care group that received 5 mg/kg of oleaster and the second care group that   received the plantagel powder every day and during this period of time the   whole index related to diarrhea were exanimate whether on aspect of clinical   or mortal factors. By looking at the mortal indices, it was observed   that the percentage of hematocrit in plantagel and oleaster groups in   comparison with testifier group in recovery time was significantly different   (P>0.05), that shows the recovery of mortal hematocrit index. Also the   percentage of neutrophils in oleastergroup with testifier and plantagel   groups was observed a meaningful difference which is reducethat is a sample   of meaningful increase in comparison with other groups (P>0.05). Also by   sampling from excrement, the numbers of the bacteria showed a meaningful   difference in oleaster and plantagel group in comparison with testifier group   (P>0.05).  The use of oleaster powder as dose and time dependent causes reducing the duration of diarrhea because of the prehensile materials in oleaster.