Journal of Medicinal Herbs
Volume:10 Issue: 1, Spring 2019

Albizia chevalieri Harms (Mimosaceae) is widely used in traditional medicine to treat various kinds of diseases such as epilepsy, diabetes mellitus, hemorrhoids, asthma, leprosy and gonorrhoea. The effectiveness of its leaf extract in the management of epilepsy is widely acclaimed among communities in northern Nigeria. This study aimed at evaluating the anticonvulsant effects of methanol leaf extract of A. chevalieri using acute and chronic models of epilepsy.

 Median lethal dose (LD50) of the extract was determined in chicks, mice and rats via intraperitoneal route. Anticonvulsant screening of the extract was performed using maximal electroshock-induced seizure test in day-old chicks; Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-, picrotoxin- and 4-aminopyridine-induced seizure models in mice. Similarly, its effects on pentylenetetrazole-induce kindling in rats was evaluated.

 Intraperitoneal LD50 values of the extract were estimated to be 1200, 1130 and 2150 mg/kg in chicks, mice and rats, respectively. The extract provided a dose dependent protection and significantly (P<0.01) increased in the mean onset of seizures induced by PTZ. At 300 mg/kg, it also offered 66.67 and 50% protection against picrotoxin- and 4-aminopyridine-induced seizures, respectively. The extract reduced the severity of seizure episodes induced by sub-convulsive doses of PTZ. The reduction was significant (P<0.01) at 75 and 300 mg/kg on day 11 when seizure score 5 was reached. These findings suggest that A.chevalieri leaf extract possessesanticonvulsant and antiepileptogenic properties.

The anticonvulsant properties of A.chevalieri can be applied in the treatment of epilepsy

Cognitive impairment is one of the age-related mental problems and a typical indicator of neurodegeneration. Eragrostis tremula Hochst. ex Steud. is a commonly used medicinal plant in Nigeria for memory enhancement. This study, therefore, aimed at evaluating the memory-enhancing potential of aqueous ethanolic extract of E. tremula in mice.

Classes of phytochemicals present in the extract were determined using standard protocol while its oral median lethal dose (LD50) in mice was estimated. The effect of E. tremula extract (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) on learning and memory was evaluated in mice using behavioural paradigms: elevated plus maze (EPM), novel object recognition and Barnes maze. Open field and hole-board tests were also carried out to evaluate locomotion.

The phytochemical constituents of E. tremula were alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, steroids and triterpenes. Oral LD50 was estimated to be >5000 mg/kg. E. tremula extract significantly (P<0.05) decreased the transfer latency of mice during the retention phase of EPM test. In the novel object recognition test, it significantly (P<0.05) increased the discrimination index. In Barnes maze test, the extract significantly (P<0.05) decreased the mean primary errors during the acquisition trials. It also significantly (P<0.05) decreased the primary latency, primary error and increased the time spent in the target quadrant during the probe trial. E. tremula extract significantly (P<0.05) decreased the immobility time of mice in an open field at 250 mg/kg, while in the hole-board test, it significantly (P<0.05) increased the mean head-dip of mice at 125 mg/kg when compared to the negative control.

The ethanol extract of E. tremula possesses memory enhancing properties which can be utilized in the management of amnesia and cognitive deficit.

Evaluation of the effects of medicinal herbs on the metabolism and physiology of the body is considered as one of the fundamental researches about the use of herbs in medicine. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) leaf on liver and kidney function of the rats in normal physiological conditions.

The Wistar adult male rats (n=32) were divided into 4 groups of control, 50, 100 and 200 based on the concentration of the hydroalcoholic extract fed to rats (mg/kg body weight). Dandelion leaf extract was administered by gavage for 20 days. Blood samples were taken from the heart to assess the health parameters of the liver (cholesterol, triglyceride and liver enzymes) and kidney (urea, urea nitrogen, and creatinine).

The concentrations of cholesterol and triglyceride were significantly increased in the extract-treated groups compared to the control. Levels of Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were not significantly different between the treated groups and the control. However, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were significantly increased in the extract-treated groups. Kidney health assessment showed that consumption of Dandelion leaf extract reduced the concentrations of urea, urea nitrogen, and creatinine. In addition, the concentration of these indicators at lower doses of the extract (50, was more significant.

The present study showed that under normal physiological conditions; consumption of hydroalcoholic extract of Dandelion leaf at low doses had no negative effects on liver and kidney functions.

Phytochemicals are naturally occurring chemical compounds present in plants. It includes glycosides, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, phenols, flavonoids, carbohydrates, etc. Among them, some of them possess antioxidant property, which is responsible for regulation of free radicals in the body and tyrosinase inhibitory activity that results in the reduction in melanin synthesis. In addition, phytochemicals provide different health benefits to humans. Thus, the aim of the study was to determine antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of some selected medicinal plants of Nepal.

Phytochemical screening of methanolic extracts of test samples was performed with various reagents and the phenol and flavonoid contents were also determined. Antioxidant activity was carried out by DPPH free radical scavenging method and tyrosinase inhibitory activity was performed by mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory method. The presence of phytochemicals was confirmed by the visual color change upon addition of test reagents. The higher phenol and flavonoid contents among the selected plants were found to have better antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities.

Among the selected plants, Diploknema butyraceae had the highest phenol content (665.33 ± 0.0 mg GAE/g dry extract weight) and flavonoid content (728 ± 0.3 mg quercetin/g dry extract weight) and showed similar DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC50 value 6.012 μg/ml) to standard ascorbic acid (IC50 value 4.73 μg/ml). In addition to this, mushroom tyrosinase inhibition was also found highest in the same plant (31.07 ± 2.13 %) followed by Jatropha curcas (17.51± 0.49 %), Woodfordia fruticosa (16.95 ± 2.24 %) and least in Crateva unilocularis (1.41 ± 2.13%).

The results above showed some probability of Diploknema butyraceae with potential tyrosinase inhibitory property. Therefore, further studies should be focused on isolation of active constituents responsible for tyrosinase inhibitory activity.

Saponins are well-known secondary metabolites with numerous beneficial pharmacological properties. Since the interactions of drugs with blood constituents, in particular with human serum albumin (HSA) may have a major impact on drug pharmacology, the present study designed to provide a fundamental understanding of the interaction of saponins extracted from Tribulus terrestris (typically utilized in folk medicine) with HSA in detail.

After extraction and purification of saponins; UV-Vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and far-UV CD spectroscopy were used to examine the effects of saponins from Tribulus terrestris on HSA.

Thin-Layer chromatography confirmed the presence of 3 different saponins. The UV-Vis absorption, fluorescence emission and far-UV CD results displayed that saponinsfrom Tribulus terrestris could form a complex with HSA. The binding constant for the saponins–HSA complex was found to be 13.4×104M-1. The distance r between HSA and Tribulus terrestris saponins was also acquired according to the Förster theory.

Altogether, saponins can bind to HSA and change the secondary and tertiary structure of HSA moderately. The results obtained from this study can help in understanding the pharmacokinetic properties of saponins.

The medicinal plants are used in treatment of diseases caused by the human pathogenic bacteria due to their antimicrobial compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate antibacterial and antioxidant activity of Citrus medica essential oil on some human pathogenic bacteria.

The plant samples of Citrus medica were collected from North of Iran. Samples were transferred to the biotechnology laboratory, Bu Ali Sina University, Hamadan. The essential oil was extracted by Clevenger device. Antibacterial activity and minimum inhibitory  concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined by agar well diffusion and by micro dilution broth methods, respectively. Antiradical activity was evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay (DPPH).

The highest and lowest inhibitory activity of essential oil was observed on Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli, respectively. Leaf essential oil showed the highest IC50 value than the skin essential oil. The essential oil of Citrus medica skin showed more inhibitory effect than the leaf essential oil. The MIC of leaf essential oil on B. subtilis, B. cereus and E. aerogenes and the MBC on B. cereus were found to be 3.12 mg ml-1. The MIC of skin essential oil on M. luteus was 1.56 mg ml-1 and the MBC on M. luteus and S. aureus was 3.12 mg ml-1.

 The results confirmed the efficacy of C. medica essential oil as natural antimicrobial and suggested the possibility of employing it in drugs for the treatment of diseases caused by the test organisms.

Nowadays, attention has increasingly been directed toward the treatment of animal’s disease using medicinal herbs. This research was conducted to evaluate the impact of Kelussia odoratissima Mozaff extract on dog serum biochemical parameters and hepatica enzymes over time.

32 adult dogs were randomly assigned to four groups. The first (control) group did not receive any pharmaceutical compound. The second group received 150 mg/kg of hydro-alcoholic extract of k.odoratissima. The third and the forth groups received 300 and 450 mg/kg of the extract, respectively. Finally, the blood samples were collected on days 0, 5, 10, and 15 for serum biochemical parameters analysis including the level of blood sugar, cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and HDL, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferases, and alkaline phosphatase.

Comparing to the control group, the levels of fast blood sugar, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein, trigliceride, cholesterol, Alanin aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in treated groups were significantly different over time and at various doses of the extract (P<0.05). However, the level of Alkaline-phosphatase (ALP) factor did not change throughout this study (P>0.05).

Considering the results of this study, anti-diabetic, anti-atherosclerotic and antioxidant effects of Kelussia odoratissima can be concluded. Then, the possibility of employing K. odoratissima extract in drugs for the treatment of mentioned diseases can be suggested.

Momordica charantiais an extensively distributed plant that is broadly prescribed in African medical system for treatment of various ailments. The plant has a comprehensive range of therapeutic uses. The present study reveals the antioxidative and cardioprotective abilities of methanol leaf extract of Momordica charantia (MLEMC) against cardiotoxicity using alloxan-induced animal model.

The ameliorative effect of the methanol leaf extract of Momordica charantia (MLEMC) was studied in alloxan-induced cardiac injury in 50 rats divided into five groups (A-E) (n =10) i.e. group A control, group B was toxicant group, group C animals received glibenclamide treatment while groups D and E received extracts at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses, respectively, for 28 days. Histopathological changes, serum cardiac injury markers such as myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, nitric oxide (NO) contents; oxidative status, blood pressure, electrocardiogram, cardiac P38 and CRP were evaluated.

The extract-treated group showed a decreased level of oxidant markers such as malondialdehyde(MDA) and hydrogen peroxide(H2O2) but increased levels of protein thiols, non-protein thiols, glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) indicating its anti-oxidant potential. Heart sections

of the cardiac architecture compared to toxicant group while decreased expression of cardiac P38 and CRP in extract-treated groups was observed. Recommended applications/industries: The plant extract exhibited anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, thereby displaying cardio-protective property which propose the plant as a good natural source for herbal nutraceuticals.