Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine
Volume:13 Issue: 2, Mar-Apr 2023

Endocarditis is a rare but serious infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes. Panax ginseng demonstrated multiple immunomodulatory effects in earlier studies. Ampicillin is known as an effective antibiotic in the treatment of this disease. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of P. ginseng and ampicillin treatment in an animal model of Listeria monocytogenes-induced endocarditis.

Thirty mice, 5-7 weeks old, were randomly divided into five groups (n=6) including Healthy Control, Infected, Ampicillin (20 mg/kg, subcutaneous) treatment, Ginseng (0.025 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) treatment, and Ginseng (0.025 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) +Ampicillin (15 mg/kg, subcutaneous) treatment groups. The concentration of cytokines in heart tissue, such as IL-1 (interleukine-1), IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α (Tumor Necrosis Factor-α), was measured. Histopathological changes were evaluated in heart tissues.

The levels of cytokines were significantly decreased in the Ampicillin+Ginseng treated group compared to the other experimental groups. Microscopically, pathologic changes in heart tissue were concomitant with biochemical findings, which in the infected group, neutrophils and mononuclear cells infiltration in endocardial tissue, myocardial cell necrosis, and edema were detectable. The Ampicillin+Ginseng group showed no significant changes compared to the normal control group.

This study showed that ginseng hydro-alcoholic extract plus ampicillin has better efficacy than the extract or antibiotic alone against experimental endocarditis caused by Listeriosis.

Retinopathy is an ocular manifestation of systemic diseases such as diabetes and vascular diseases. Herbal drugs have been considered as an effective therapeutic option with minimal side effects for the treatment of retinopathy by reducing the symptoms and improving visual acuity. The purpose of this systematic review was to collect studies on the effectiveness of medicinal plants in the treatment or prevention of retinopathy.

A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and other databases in April 2021 using “herbal products” and “Retinopathy” with all their equivalent and similar terms. For this purpose, human clinical trials with the English language were included and articles with subject irrelevancy were excluded from further evaluation.

Overall, 30 articles with 2324 patients were studied for possible effects of herbal therapy on retinopathy. From 30 included articles, different herbal products had been evaluated. Out of 30 selected articles, 11 articles were for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), 14 articles covered patients with diabetic retinopathy, and the other five studies were for other retinal disorders. The outcomes in majority of the studies include changes in visual acuity (VA), fundus performance, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), focal electroretinogram (fERG), supplements and adjuvant medications appeared to be more beneficial in patients with AMD and diabetic maculopathy. 

Herbal therapy can be considered as a potential candidate in the adjuvant and complementary therapies of retinopathy. However, further studies are required to verify such efficiency.

To evaluate the effect of Ajwa dates pit powder (ADP) on lipid profile, body composition and blood pressure in patients with hyperlipidemia. This randomized controlled clinical study was carried out on 40 patients with total cholesterol >200 mg/dl, triglycerides >150 mg/dl and BMI >25, of either sex, aged 30-50 years, who were recruited through written consent. The patients were divided into two groups (n=20 each): the ADP and the control group (CG). All patients received the doctor’s prescribed class A statin (Rosuvastatin/ Atorvastatin) 10 mg/day, while 2.7 g ADP was given on daily basis before breakfast with lukewarm water for 40 days and the control group received the same amount of wheat flour. Body composition, blood pressure and lipid profile were determined at baseline, and after 20 and 40 days. Data were analyzed by using SPSS and GraphPad Prism. ADP significantly reduced body weight (p<0.001), BMI (p<0.001), fat mass, body fat percentage, visceral fat area and waist circumference compared to the control group. Similarly, ADP significantly (p=0.000) decreased the serum level of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein.  ADP may have the potential to improve dyslipidemia and obesity.

Curcumin is a safe phytochemical with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and lipid-lowering effects. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of curcumin-piperine in non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. In this double-blind randomized trial, 60 diabetic retinopathy patients after meeting the inclusion criteria will be randomly assigned to two groups of curcumin-piperine supplementation (1000 mg per day for 12 weeks) or receiving placebo. The density of small blood vessels in the retina by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, renal indices (blood urea nitrogen and creatinine), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, total antioxidant capacity, total oxidant status, body mass index, waist circumference, and weight will be measured. If the beneficial effects of curcumin on diabetic retinopathy are observed, this safe, this natural and inexpensive herbal supplement can be considered a therapeutic solution in these patients.

Obesity is an important public health concern in the world. Considering the limited medications and their side effects and lack of a known effective way to reduce appetite, traditional herbs have been considered a complementary treatment for obesity. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of an Iranian Traditional Medicine (ITM)-based herbal candy on body composition and appetite in obese and overweight adults. In this preliminary study that conducted in nutrition clinic of Ghaem Hospital of Mashhad, participants were selected from overweight and obese people and randomly assigned to either groups. Participants in the intervention group received herbal candy which contained a combination of Portulaca oleracea, Plantago psyllium, and peanut oil, while participants in the control group received placebo candy for 8 weeks. The primary (appetite response, and weight changes) and secondary (body mass index (BMI), anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, and laboratory variables) outcomes were collected at baseline and during the intervention. Fifty participants between the age of 18 and 65 years old were included in this study. Herbal candy resulted in a greater reduction in mean weight and BMI compared to placebo (p<0.001). Mean of hunger, satiety, and eating capacity indicators decreased more significantly at all three intervals (30 min after herbal candy, 1 hour after meal and 2 hours after meal) at lunch and dinner meal in the intervention group compared to the control group (p<0.05). A combination of produced herbal candy at a dose of 4 g (2 pcs), given half an hour before each meal for 8 weeks, can be effective in reducing weight and appetite in obese and overweight people.

Articular cartilage damages do not repair spontaneously. Tissue engineering is a promising approach to repair cartilage damage. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) members are the known induction factors in chondrogenic differentiation. However, hypertrophy of the chondrocytes resulting from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) induction by TGF-β is inevitable. Pomegranate fruit contains many ingredients which are useful in ensuring the health of organs. This study was designed to investigate the Pomegranate Fruit hydroalchoholic Extract (PFE) capability in human adipose derived stem cells (hASCs) differentiation into the chondrocytes on fibrin scaffold. Pomegranate fruit hydroalchoholic extract (PFE) was prepared. hASCs were isolated, expanded, labeled, and seeded on the fibrin scaffold. The constructs were divided into three groups including TGF-β3, PFE, and control. The constructs were induced for 14 days, then, the MTT assay, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and histochemistry assessments were run, and finally, the constructs were transplanted into the knee defect of rats. The gross and histological assessments of the transplants were done after 8 weeks. The viability rate, COL2A1, Aggrecan (ACAN) and COL10A1 genes expression levels, and histological criterion of the PFE samples were significantly higher than that of the control. The macroscopic grades and histological results of the PFE samples were close to that of the TGF-β3. The number of positive cells for COLІI protein were higher significantly in the PFE group than the control. PFE was effective in the chondrogenic induction of hASCs. Further studies are needed to find out the events of the chondrogenic induction using PFE.

Diabetic nephropathy is one of the most common microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus that finally leads to complete loss of kidney function. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of crocin and losartan on TGF-β gene expression and histopathology of kidney tissue in a rat model of diabetic nephropathy. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (n=8): Untreated control, Diabetic (D), D + crocin, D + losartan, and D + losartan + crocin. Induction of diabetes was performed using streptozotocin (50 mg/kg/ Intraperitoneal injection). At the end of the eight-week period, the rats were sacrificed. Spectrophotometry measured serum glucose, urea, creatinine, and uric acid levels. Microalbumin and creatinine levels were measured in 24-hour urine. Real-time PCR was used to determine the relative expression of the TGF-β gene in kidney tissue. Renal tissue histopathology was also examined. The results showed that hyperglycemia increased biochemical factors associated with diabetes, TGF-β gene expression, and kidney damage. Separate treatment with crocin and losartan led to a decrease in renal function factors and TGF-β gene expression and improved kidney damage. Our results showed that crocin could improve kidney function in diabetic conditions. In addition, we showed that crocin increases the effectiveness of losartan. Consequently, we suggest that crocin in combination with chemical drugs can be a potential therapeutic agent for diabetes and its complications. Nonetheless, human studies are needed to make firm findings.

The current study's goal was to examine how crocin affects organ damage such as damage to the kidney and liver in mice treated by 2100 MHz Electro Magnetic Field. The liver and kidneys of mice exposed to EMFs were used in this study to examine how crocin affected them. 24 male NMARI mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: EMF group (2100 MHZ); Crocin (Cr) group (50 mg/kg); EMF+Crocin group (2100 MHZ+50 mg/kg), and control group. The antioxidant enzymes and some serum biochemical parameters were assessed in blood samples collected after the experiment. After the animals were put to sleep, liver and kidney samples were taken for histopathological and liver samples were taken for ultrastructural analysis. The serum levels of urea and creatinine, and serum activities of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase were higher in the EMF group than the control group, and this difference was significant. When compared to the control group, the EMF group's antioxidants, (catalase and superoxide dismutase) activity were decreased. These metrics significantly improved in the EMF + Cr group when compared to the EMF group. Different pathological damages were present in the liver and kidney of the EMF group, and the liver's ultrastructure had changed. Crocin administration decrease these changes. Crocin, an antioxidant agent, may provide defense against tissue damage brought on by EMF by reducing oxidative stress.

Sesamol is a phenolic lignan extracted from sesame seeds, and it possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is known to produce neuroinflammatory responses and memory impairment. The current study aimed to investigate the protective influence of sesamol against LPS-mediated neuroinflammation and memory impairment. Sesamol (10 and 50 mg/kg) was injected to Wistar rats for two weeks. Then, animals received LPS injection (1 mg/kg) for five days, while treatment with sesamol was performed 30 min before LPS injection. Spatial learning and memory were assessed by the Morris water maze (MWM), two hours after LPS injection on days 15-19. Biochemical assessments were performed after the end of behavioral experiments. LPS-administered rats showed spatial learning and memory deficits, since they spent more time in the MWM to find the hidden platform and less time in the target quadrant. Besides these behavioral changes, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and lipid peroxidation levels were increased, while total thiol level was decreased in the hippocampus and/or cerebral cortex. In addition, sesamol treatment (50 mg/kg) for three weeks decreased the escape latency and increased the time on probe trial. Sesamol also reduced lipid peroxidation and TNF-α level, while enhanced total thiol level in the brain of LPS-exposed rats. Supplementation of sesamol attenuated learning and memory impairments in LPS-treated rats via antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities in the rat brain.