Journal of Herbmed Pharmacology
Volume:12 Issue: 1, Jan 2023

The genus Ocimum has many species belonging to the Lamiaceae family that are used to treat various diseases and disorders. Ocimum basilicum has been found to contain over 200 chemical components in different plant parts. The bioactive components showed the presence of α-linalool, camphor, limonene, thymol, citral, β-linalool, estragole, etc. O. basilicum exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiulcer, antiviral, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, antimicrobial, anticancer, wound-healing activities, etc. They have also been used to treat fevers, digestive issues, stomach cramps, nausea, gastritis, migraine, diarrhea. This review aims to provide information about the chemical compounds and biological activities of O. basilicum var thyrsiflora (Thai basil). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review outlining the innovative ethnomedicinal approach to oral health care that, through its strong phytoconstituents, has the potential to improve modern medicine.

Since ancient times, people have used medicinal plants as a source of medications to treat and prevent diseases. Paeonia species are important therapeutic plants in Ayurvedic, Unani, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. This study aims to provide updated information on the ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of Paeonia species discovered until now. Using the keywords “Paeonia”, “geographical distribution”, “ethnopharmacology and traditional values”, “phytochemistry”, “antioxidant”, “anti-inflammatory”, “antimicrobial”, “cardiovascular diseases”, and “anticancerous properties”, the published reports from 2001 to 2022 were retrieved using Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, and Scopus databases. A total of 156 published articles were studied after meeting the qualifying criteria. Out of these, 52 articles were studied for phytochemistry, ethnopharmacological and traditional uses. Paeonia emodi is used to treat hypertension, asthma, convulsions, epilepsy, bronchitis, ascites, uterine abnormalities, and a variety of skin ailments. Bioactive compounds like triterpenes, monoterpene glucosides, phenols, tannins, emodinol, benzoic acid, paeonin A and B, steroids, several secondary metabolites like paeoniflorin and paeonol, and several minerals are abundant in the Paeonia species. In recent studies, Paeonia emodi has been shown to possess pharmacological properties like antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal, and anti-tumor activities. Convincing data supports the traditional ethnomedicinal claims of the plant; the abundant phytocompounds of the plant are attributed to its broad spectrum of pharmacological activities. In order to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the action of the bioactive ingredients in drug development processes and to investigate their potential at the clinical level, more research is required.

This review is destined for a comprehensive assessment of the phytochemistry and medicinal properties of Tecoma stans, a widely used plant in folk cultures, as a traditionally safe and effective treatment for different diseases and complications. The attainable and reachable sources of T. stans confirmed its origin, ethnopharmacological properties, and therapeutic medicinal uses. Besides a hundred chemical compounds that have been isolated, the main active constituents are flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolic acids, and fatty acids. T. stans exerted many medicinal benefits, including antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, and nephroprotective properties. However, there is a shortage of in vivo studies, especially adequate dosage and toxicity studies. More studies should be carried out for nutritional data. This review represents a scientific understanding of clinical correlations and applications of phytocompounds from T. stans in protecting and treating many complaints and disorders.

Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem is usually found in tropical and subtropical areas, used in traditional medicine for various health problems, including pain, rheumatism, diarrhea, hypertension, infection, skin allergies, anemia, wound, hernia, and hemorrhoids. This review aims to present the phytoconstituents and pharmacological activities of F. elastica. A literature search employing PubMed, Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, and Library was done to retrieve the relevant articles. F. elastica is a good source of traditional medicine for the treatment of various types of diseases, especially for microbial infections and preeclampsia. Quercitrin and myricetrin, having strong antioxidant activity, as well as ficusamide, ficusoside B, elastiquinone, elasticoside, and elasticamide are compounds, which have potential to be developed as new drugs for these conditions. In sum, the data regarding the pharmacological and safety aspects of this plant and its components are still limited. However, F. elastica is a natural product that has beneficial to human health and might be a good source for the preparation of new drugs.

Celtis australis is a deciduous plant used worldwide in folk medicine to treat various ailments, such as stomach disorders, cough, pimples, joint pain, amenorrhoea, rheumatism, menstrual disorders, and herpes. The present review aims to document and summarize different works regarding the ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, and biological activities of different parts (fruits, barks, leaves, and seeds) of this medicinal plant. For data collection, Google scholar, Science direct, Scopus, PubChem, and PubMed databases were used. This study shows that C. australis contains several bioactive compounds, exhibiting various pharmacological activities mainly hepatoprotective, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Thus, C. australis is a promising plant that can be exploited in the treatment of various diseases.

Rhododendron brachycarpum D. Don ex G. Don(RbGD) leaves have traditionally been used to treat diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, and skin ailments. Although RbGD leaves are used as a medicinal plant, there is no scientific evidence to support skin treatment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to look into the anti-inflammatory effect of an ethanolic extract of RbGD on skin disease, specifically atopic dermatitis (AD).

The anti-inflammatory effect of RbGD ethanol leaf extract (RbGDE) on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)/interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-activated keratinocytes was evaluated using MTT, qPCR, ELISA, and Western blot Procedures. The therapeutic effects of RbGDE were evaluated in vivo inflammatory responses by histological observation, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and ELISA using the 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB)/Dermatophagoides farina extract (DfE)-induced AD-like skin mouse model.

RbGDE showed the protective effect against irritating and stimulating substances (H2 O2 and TNF-α/IFN-γ) and inhibited TNF-α/IFN-γ-activated keratinocytes by inhibiting the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor-kappa B activation. Furthermore, topical RbGDE treatment reduced the AD features such as thickened skin, erythema, immune cells infiltration (eosinophils and mast cells), and AD-related cytokines (IL-12a, IL-1β, IL-4, and TSLP) in the ear tissues of DNCB/DfE-induced mice. The RbGDE also reduced histamine and immunoglobulins (Igs) levels in the serum, including DfE-specific IgE, total IgE, and IgG2a.

RbGD leaf extract had an anti-inflammatory effect on dermatitis by reducing inflammatory mediators, indicating that it might be used to treat skin disease.

 Mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) has been implicated in a wide variety of diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes. Crassocephalum rubens is a leafy vegetable consumed in different parts of Africa for the management of symptoms of diabetes mellitus, inflammation, malaria, and blood pressure. The present study evaluated the modulatory effects of aqueous leaf extract of C. rubens (ACR) and gliclazide on MPTP in the pancreas of Wistar albino rats in vitro.

 Pancreatic mitochondria were isolated from experimental animals using standard protocols. Furthermore, MPTP was induced using various concentrations (15, 22.5, 30, and 37.5 mmol/L) of glucose and CaCl2 (3 µM). Alterations in MPTP and ameliorative potential of different concentrations of ACR (8, 24, 40, 56 μg/mL) and gliclazide (0.054 mg/mL) were monitored spectrophotometrically via changes in absorbance at 540 nm for 12 minutes, under sodium succinate energized condition.

 It was observed that 30 mmol/L, 37.5 mmol/L D-glucose, and Ca2+ significantly induced MPTP opening by 0.635, 5.10, and 9.95 folds, respectively, an effect that was reversed by gliclazide and ACR, in a none-dose dependent manner. In addition, ACR at 56 μg/mL in conjunction with Ca2+ opened the MPTP.

 Data from this study suggest that gliclazide and ACR, especially at the lower concentrations, possess significant inhibitory effects against MPTP opening in the pancreas of male Wistar albino rats and, therefore, could be useful in protecting beta-cell death usually associated with diabetes mellitus, as well as other conditions in which MPTP opening is implicated.

 The leaves of Moroccan bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) have been used in several forms of extracts to cure rheumatic pain due to their anti-inflammatory properties. Our work aimed to evaluate the effects of aqueous and ethanolic extracts, as well as the essential oil (EO) from laurel, on the microbicidal activity of human neutrophils when compared to the effect of eucalyptol.

 The extracts (ethanolic and aqueous) were subject to phytochemical profiling and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses. The EO obtained by hydrodistillation from laurel was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The immunomodulatory effects on neutrophil microbicidal activity of the extracts, EO, and eugenol were carried out by 3-(4,5-diméthylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphényltétrazolium (MTT) assay.

 The phytochemical analysis of the extracts revealed the presence of flavonoids, coumarins, phenols, flavone aglycones, and tannins. HPLC analysis showed the presence of numerous phenolic molecules such as syringic acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, caffeine, and quercetin. The chemical composition of EO revealed that the major components were eucalyptol (44.14%), α-terpinyl acetate (11.11%), and β-phellandrene (6.74%). Aqueous and ethanolic extracts and EO revealed a significant and dose-dependent ability to inhibit neutrophils microbicidal activity with maximal inhibition at 200 µg/mL concentration with 30.42%, 24.7%, and 38.13%, respectively (P<0.001).

 The obtained results revealed the immunomodulatory properties of laurel as a potential natural anti-inflammatory agent that would also allow the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs.

 Secondary metabolites from plants have been found to play an important role in the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complications. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the chemical components of Annona muricata leaf chloroform fraction (CFAm) and its in vitro antioxidant properties, as well as inhibitory activity against α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymatic activities.

 Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique was engaged in the identification of phytochemical constituents. Antioxidant activities such as DPPH free radical scavenging ability, reducing power capacity, hydroxyl radical scavenging ability, singlet oxygen scavenging capacity, as well as α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition were carried out using standard in vitro methods.

 GC-MS analysis of CFAm revealed the presence of 23 phytochemicals, out of which 5 compounds had the highest % compositions (i.e., octadecanoic acid (20.35%), 2-propanone, 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) (12.04%), isocomene (22.60%), 9, 12, 15 octadecatrienoic acid, methyl ester (Z,Z,Z) (28. 98%), and quercetin, 5TMS derivative (18.28%)). Also, CFAm demonstrated a significant (P<0.05) inhibition against DPPH (IC50= 26.33±1.39 mg/mL), with OH free radical scavenging capacity (65.46 ± 1.39 mg/100 g), singlet oxygen scavenging capacity (55.24 ± 1.22 mg/100 g), and showed ferric reducing power (84.52 ± 2.84 mg/100 g). Also, CFAm exhibited a significant (P<0.05) inhibition against α-glucosidase (IC50= 71.06 ±1.45 mg/ mL) and α-amylase (IC50= 73.88±1.58 mg/mL) in a concentration-dependent manners.

 The remarkable properties demonstrated by CFAm, which are essential for the management of DM, could probably be credited to the presence of the various identified phytonutrients.

 Portulacaria afra is a medicinal plant commonly used among African traditional healers to treat skin conditions and dehydration. The aim of this study was to scientifically validate the use of P. afra among traditional healers.

 Standard phytochemical colour tests were used to determine the presence of ten phytochemicals, using four solvents of varying polarities (hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water). The antioxidant activity was determined using 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assays. An agar-well diffusion assay was used to determine the antibacterial activities of the leaves, stems, and roots of P. afra against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

 P. afra exhibited a high phytochemical presence in the methanolic extracts, with seven out of the 10 phytochemical groups present. Flavonoids and phlobatannins were absent in all of the plant’s extracts. The methanolic root extract exhibited the highest DPPH scavenging activity (IC50=0.39) whilst the hexane leaf extract (IC50= 14.83) was the only extract to exceed the acceptable upper limit. The scavenging activity of the plant was stronger against hydrogen peroxide than it was against DPPH. The methanolic and hot water stem extracts displayed the largest zone of inhibition (of 20 mm) against E. coli. The cold-water and room-temperature water extracts, of all three plant parts, showed no zone of inhibition against either bacterial strain.

 P. afra has the capacity to be used as a nutritional supplement for its antioxidant properties, while the antibacterial properties may provide relief against E. coli infections.

 The current study aimed to explore the in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and dermatoprotective properties of lemon peel essential oil (EO).

 The chemical composition of lemon EOs extracted from the lemon of three cities in Morocco was investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The antioxidant property was estimated by two complementary tests: Ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The in vitro anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by the inhibition of albumin denaturation and proteinase. Inhibitory properties of α-glucosidase and α-amylase were used to reveal the antidiabetic activity of lemon peel EOs. Dermatoprotective property was evaluated by the tyrosinase inhibition method.

 In addition to high amounts of polyphenols and flavonoids, GC-MS analysis of lemon peel EOs demonstrated the presence of D-limonene, β–pinene, and γ-terpinene as the main compounds in the three samples studied. Lemon peel EOs exhibited significant antioxidant activities by IC50 values ranging from 40.57 µg/mL to 100.22 µg/mL and 113.63 µg/mL to 180.90 µg/mL obtained by DPPH and FRAP tests, respectively. in vitro inhibition of enzymes involved in inflammatory response revealed that lemon peel EOs presented remarkable inhibitory activities against albumin denaturation (230.48 µg/mL>IC50<341.13 µg/mL) and proteinase (199.70 µg/mL>IC50<307.05 µg/mL). Moreover, lemon peel EOs demonstrated powerful inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase with various IC50 values (1689.06 µg/ mL>IC50>4000 µg/mL and 1021.58 µg/mL>C50<2467.62 µg/mL), respectively. These EOs also revealed significant inhibition of tyrosinase with IC50 values ranging from 248.42 μg/ mL to 378.02 μg/mL.

 These results revealed that lemon peel EOs might constitute a new product with beneficial biological abilities against the mentioned complications.

 Nigella sativa L. is a widely used medicinal plant throughout the world. The low toxic effects and low price of this plant make it an excellent treatment choice for many diseases. The present study aims to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of N. sativa L. total oil (TO) and its neutral lipid fraction (NLF) via the estimation of circulating xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) level and anti-XOR antibodies titer.

 Antiradical activities of TO and NLF, in vitro, were carried out using three reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical, and hydrogen peroxide. In vivo study was conducted to determine the possible protective effects of TO and NLF against ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats feeding Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet in both sera and liver homogenate. Before conducting the hepatoprotective effects, we assessed the toxicity of our extracts using the same animal model. The administrated doses of 400 mg/kg for TO and 300 mg/kg for NLF showed no toxic effects.

 ELISA assay indicated a significant increase (P<0.001) in the level of XOR and the titer of anti-XOR antibodies in rats treated with ethanol compared to the control group. After treatment with TO and NLF, the titer of anti-XOR antibodies and the level of XOR decreased significantly compared to the control group.

 XOR plays an important role in alcohol liver pathologies as a major source of free radicals. In addition, TO and NLF have significant potential as liver protective agents and might be utilized as new antioxidant therapeutics.

 Natural polyphenols, rutin, endogenous polycations, and polyamines (spermine and spermidine) are reported to have beneficial effects on hyperlipidemia, obesity, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The present study attempts to evaluate the combined effects of polyamines or rutin and simvastatin on hyperlipidemic rats.

 Wistar rats were maintained on a high-fat diet (HFD) for 60 days. The HFD rats were administered from the 31st day onward with polyamines (PAs), rutin, and simvastatin for the next 30 days. The body weight, serum lipid profile, biomarkers, liver cholesterol, triglycerides, hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase activity, antioxidants, and marker enzymes in HFD rats were estimated along with the liver histoarchitecture of the rats.

 The experimental findings demonstrated abnormal alterations in body weight, serum lipid profile, hepatic lipid, and HMG-CoA reductase activity, hepatic antioxidants, serum marker enzymes, blood glucose, total protein, and histoarchitecture of the liver in HFD rats. The aforementioned treatment elicited a significant reduction in the biochemical parameters, biomarkers, and the evaluated enzymes in the present study. Furthermore, an improvement in the histoarchitecture of the liver was observed.

 The experimental results point out the positive role of antioxidant polyamines along with rutin on different parameters in HFD rats. Thus the combinatorial effect of polyamines and rutin with simvastatin (5 mg/kg) was found to be greater than simvastatin (10 mg/kg) alone. The enhancement in the anti-hyperlipidemic effect of simvastatin may be due to the intrinsic antioxidant property of polyamines and rutin.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major problem in platinum-based chemotherapy patients. Boesenbergia rotunda can induce the generation of osteoblast cells and significantly increase pancreatic antioxidant enzyme activities; therefore, this study aimed to investigate the cytotoxicity of cisplatin on human embryonic kidney-293 (HEK-293) cells and the protective impact of the ethanol extract of B. rotunda (EEBR) against such conditions.

Cytotoxicity was assessed using the CCK-8/WST-8 reagent, while the protective activity was assayed on 1 µg/mL cisplatin-exposed HEK-293 cells by quantifying the expression of nephrotoxicity biomarkers, e.g., kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1) and neutrophil gelatinase associated-lipocalin (NGAL), nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), apoptotic caspase-3, and caspase-7 genes, in cisplatin-exposed HEK-293 cells.

Cisplatin was confirmed as highly toxic against the HEK-293 cells (IC50 = 2.5145 μg/ mL), whereas quercetin was of moderate toxicity (IC50 = 185.6225 μg/mL). EEBR revealed an IC50 = 40.0655 μg/mL. Moreover, EEBR concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 µg/mL confirmed its remarkable protective activity against cisplatin-exposed HEK-293 cells (P=0.031, 0.014, 0.046, respectively) compared to the cisplatin-treated cell lines without treatment. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed that a higher concentration of EEBR significantly suppressed the expression of Kim-1, while lower concentrations of EEBR significantly inhibited NGAL and NF-κB genes. Higher concentrations of EEBR reduced the expression of caspase-3. All concentrations of EEBR stimulated the expression of caspase-7.

The significant protective activity observed in this study indicated that EEBR might be beneficial in protecting kidney cells against cisplatin.

 Tyrosinase is considered an important target of melanin biosynthesis inhibitors. Curcuma longa L. has been used in the Javanese traditional whitening cosmetics. This work aimed to explore the effect of C. longa extracts on mushroom tyrosinase activity and the cytotoxicity of the extract towards murine skin cancer B16F10 cells.

 C. longa rhizomes were cold-extracted using ethanol 70% and yielded 15.3% w/w of extract (ECL). The presence of curcuminoids in ECL was determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). ECL was assessed for its inhibitory effects on mushroom tyrosinase activity using L-DOPA as substrate and kojic acid as the positive control drug. The cytotoxicity of ECL and curcumin was studied in B16F10 cells.

 Triplet peaks of RP-HPLC chromatogram revealed that curcuminoids were available in ECL. The level of bisdemethoxycurcumin was 6.3306% (tR = 12.646 minutes), demethoxycurcumin was 3.1414% (tR = 13.675 minutes), and curcumin was 8.3754% (tR = 14.802 minutes). ECL had a weak inhibitory activity towards mushroom tyrosinase with IC50 = 564.8 µg/mL, while the IC50 = of kojic acid was 55.70 µg/mL. Both ECL and kojic acid had moderate toxicity to B16F10 cells (IC50 survival growth rates were 98.06 µg/mL and 65.54 µg/ mL, respectively). Curcumin was highly toxic to B16F10 cells (IC50 = 14.42 µg/mL).

 Taken together, ECL might be able to prevent melanogenesis via the inhibition of tyrosinase activity, and interestingly, it could inhibit the growth of murine skin cancer B16F10 cells. However, further studies are needed to verify its antimelanogenesis and anticancer properties.

 Mondia whitei (Hook.f.) Skeels is rich in antioxidant activity and is known for its nutritional and medicinal uses. This study evaluated the protective effect of M. whitei fruit against cadmium-induced hepatic damage in rats.

 Twenty-five albino (Wistar strain) rats were randomly assigned into five equal groups. Rats in group I served as control, rats in group II were intoxicated with 5 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) cadmium chloride (CdCl2 ) for 5 days via an oral route, while groups III, IV, and V were respectively administered with 5 mg/kg b.w. CdCl2 for 5 days co-treated with 70 mg/kg b.w silymarin, 250 and 500 mg/kg b.w. of aqueous fruit extract of M. whitei (AEMW) for 7 days.

 Cadmium caused a significant (P<0.05) increase in the concentration of cadmium in the liver as well as liver function markers such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and bilirubin. In addition, a significant (P<0.05) elevation in the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and a reduction in the nitric oxide (NO) and antioxidant status were noted in the CdCl2 -exposed rats; hepatic degeneration and congested portal area were also noted. These changes were, however, reduced in the cadmium-intoxicated rats co-treated with silymarin, 250 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg AEMW.

 Our result suggests that AEMW exerts protective effects against CdCl2 -induced hepatic damage in rats, and this might be due to the presence of phytochemicals in the plant capable of scavenging oxidative stress caused by cadmium.

 The use of pomegranates in Moroccan pharmacopeia is due to their healing and nutritional properties because of their richness in secondary molecules. The following study analyses the composition of the aqueous extract of Punica granatum peel and evaluates in vivo and in vitro antioxidant effects, hemolytic protection, and acute toxicity.

 Quantification of the plant extract was realized by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The hemolytic assay was used for erythrocyte protection, while the in vitro antioxidant effect was evaluated by 2, 20-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoneline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) and reducing ferric power (RFP) assays. The in-vivo antioxidant activity was tested by measuring levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) in serum. The toxicological study was tested by oral administration of the extract to four groups of mice for 21 days, followed by a histopathological examination of the spleen.

 HPLC analysis showed the presence of some phenolic compounds such as coumarin, caffeic, gallic and syringic acids. The IC50 of the antioxidant assays were 254.49 ± 62.17 μg/mL and 40.265 ± 2.9 μg/mL for ABTS and reducing power, respectively. Furthermore, the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay showed the lowest levels at 150 mg/mL concentration. All of the concentrations used for hemolytic protection did not exceed 15% of hemolysis. Moreover, the toxicity test showed no sign of mortality, signs of weakness, or weight loss; also the histopathological examination of the spleen tissues showed the absence of any damage.

 The peel extract of P. granatum showed good potential and could be exploited as a natural antioxidant and antihemolytic remedy, leading to the development of new drugs.