Journal of Medicinal Plants
Year:2010 | Volume:9 | Issue:35|Papers Count:17

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) has a long and respected history of medicinal uses in Middle East and Persian medicine. The hypocholesterolaemic and hypoglycaemic effects of fenugreek were attributed to its major steroidal sapogenin, diosgenin and its major alkaloid, trigonelline. The knowledge of diosgenin and trigonelline biosynthesis is derived from studies of cholesterol and nicotinic acid production through acetyl-CoA ® mevalonate® isopentenyl pyrophosphate® squalene® lanosterol® cholesterol® diosgenin and quinolinic acid® nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide® nicotinamide® nicotinic acid® trigonelline pathways, respectively. This paper reviews the secondary metabolites and metabolic pathways of diosgenin and trigonelline production in fenugreek as a medicinal plant and economical crop.

Antioxidants have important preventive roles, not only on undesirable changes in the flavor and nutritional quality of food, but also on tissue damage in various human diseases. Some of Iranian plants, despite wide spread use of them as medicines in Iran; have been investigated for their beneficial use as an antioxidants or source of antioxidants. The present review deals with a list of such plants based on information collected from various literatures dealing with herbs found in Iran having antioxidant properties. Also a brief review on common methods for evaluating anti-oxidant capacity is presented.

More than 12,000 alkaloids are known in plants, mostly used as medicine with a world market value of about 4 billion US$. Opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, is the most important economic source of morphinane alkaloids such as morphine, codeine, thebaine, narcotine and papaverine that are exploited by the pharmaceutical industry as analgesics, antitussives and anti-spasmodics. With regard to increasing demand for these compounds, the aim of this review is presenting an outlook of classical breeding programs that successfully applied for enhancing the alkaloid content of opium poppy. The latest biotechnological approaches also are discussed to give an outlook for future trends and possibilities.

Background: Elicitors can trigger defense responses and activate specific genes involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Objective: For understanding SA-treatment signaling pathway we determined defense-related compounds and enzymes in S. marianum hairy root cultures.Methods: 28 day old hairy roots were treated by salicylic acid (6 mg/50 ml culture) for different times (24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h). The antioxidant activity was assayed by the 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl stable free radical method and results were calculated based on the IC50. H2O2, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase activity and total tocopherol content was measured in treated and non-treated hairy root cultures. Results: The highest accumulation of H2O2 was 86.60 mmol g-1 DW that was obtained 120 h after elicitation (2-times of non-treated hairy roots). IC50 increased upon treatment and was 1.15- times higher than the control 24h after elicitation. The content of total tocopherol content under SA treatment was lower than the control experiments. Maximum activity of peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase were 0.17 and 1.50 mmol min-1 mg-1 protein, 96 and 72 h after elicitation, respectively. Conclusion: Oxidative stress defends system can be activated by salicylic acid in Silybum marianum hairy root cultures. This study suggested that exogenous SA can increase H2O2 content of hairy roots, and induce the expression of antioxidant enzymes and increase secondary metabolite accumulation.

Background: Plants and fruits are an essential component of the universe. Human beings have used those as medicine from the very beginning of time. According to holy Quran, the fruits like grape, date, fig, olive and pomegranate are gifts and heavenly fruits of God. Eighteen fruits and plants name have been mentioned in the holy book of Moslem. A phytochemical screening of these fruits and plants belonging to 15 families was carried out.Objective: This study was conducted to phytochemical investigation on fruits and plants that has been mentioned in Holy Quran.Methods: The plant species are: Olea europaea L., Vitis vinifera L., Punica granatum L., Phoenix dactylifera L., Alhagi mannifera Desf., Ficus carica L., Cedrus deodara (Lawb.)G. Don., Tamarix aphylla L., Salvadora persica L., Zingiber officinale Rosc., Musa sapientum L., Brassica nigra (L.) koch., Lens culinaris medicus., Allium sativum L., Allium cepa L., Cucumis sativus L., Cucurbita maxima Duchartre., and Ocimum basilicum L. Fruits, seeds and other material of the plants screened in this investigation were collected and/or purchased from different grocery and fruit shop during the seasonable period, dried in shadow, and then powdered, some fruits used as fresh sample. A qualitative phytochemical analysis was performed for the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins and saponins. Results: The results obtained of the investigated plants showed that the all 18 samples were found to be flavonoids bearing, 9 showed the presence of alkaloids, 10 tannins and 10 saponins. Conclusion: The methanolic extract of Phoenix dactylifera L., Olea europaea L., Ficus carica L., Cedrus deodara (Lawb.) G.Don., Tamarix aphylla L., Salvadora persica L., Zingiber officinale Rosc., Brassica nigra (L.) Koch. Allium sativum L. and Allium cepa L. mentioned in holy Quran are rich sources of flavonoids that appear to have protective effects for human health. The Quranic fruits and plants which are medicinal species used for various ailments.

Background: The family Rosaceae, include some large genus, eg; the genus Rose includes 200 species and 18000 cultivars.Objective: Aim of this study is to determine the chemical composition of the hydrodistilled oil of the leaves of Sanguisorba minor scop, of Iranian origin for the first time. Methods: The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of Sanguisorba minor was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Results: The major constituents appeared to be (E, E) farnesyl acetate (13.4%), nonadecane (11.2%) and docosane (11.0%).Conclusion: In Sanguisorba minor we identified 17 components representing 93.2%. It’s rich in regard to aliphatic hydrocarbons (40.6%), five sesquiterpenes (36.8%), one oxygenated monoterpene (7.3%) and one aliphatic aldehyde (8.3%).

Background: It has been reported that the chronic oral administration of garlic homogenate protected the rat heart from in vitro ischemic reperfusion injury. However, the biological effects of garlic juice on the heart are expected to be different from oral administration of it. Objective: the present study was designed to investigate the effect of garlic juice on the isolated rat heart in ischemia- reperfusion.Methods: Rat isolated, perfused hearts were subjected to 30 min baseline measurement followed by 40 min normothermic global ischemia and 45 min reperfusion. Garlic juice (0.01 mg/ml) was added to the perfusion solution 20 min before ischemia in the test 1 and 5 min before and 10 min after ischemia in test 2. Different cardiac variables including left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), heart rate (HR) and coronary flow (CF) were measured. Rate pressure product (RPP) was calculated, and released lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme in effluent was measured in reperfusion.Results: Garlic juice significantly increased CF before ischemia in both test groups. The released LDH enzyme at the first minute and the recovery of RPP and LVDP on the 45th minute of reperfusion were significantly better in the test group 2 in comparison to the control. Conclusion: The result of the present study shows that garlic juice has a vasodilator activity and protects the isolated ischemic rat heart when it was administrated in reperfusion. It is probably mediated by antioxidant activity of allicin as a principal bioactive compound of garlic juice.

Background: Chemical preservation has become an increasingly important practice in modern food technology and herbal medicinal products with the increase in production of processed and convenience products.Objective: In the present study, a reversed-phased HPLC method for simultaneous determination of the preservatives sodium benzoate (SB) and potassium sorbate (PS) is described.Methods: The separation of SB and PS were performed on the C18- column and acetonitrile – ammonium acetate buffer as mobile phase. The detector wavelength was set at 254 nm.Results: Separation of the two components (SB and PB) was achieved in less than 6 min. Analytical characteristics of the separation such as limit of detection, limit of quantification, accuracy, precision and reproducibility were evaluated. The range of preservatives found were from not detected (nd) — 2477 mg l-1, nd — 328 mg l-1 for SB, PS respectively.Conclusion: In This study, has shown that the concentration of SB and PS in the soft drink samples is higher that ADI even for normal consumers, based on maximum limits specified in national standards and on model diets.

Background: Mentha species are widely used in traditional medicine mostly as anti-flatulence. Nowadays, their usage as flavor and preservative in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries has been developed. Moreover, cytotoxic effects of some Mentha species have been reported. Objective: In this study, cytotoxic properties of Mentha piperita, M. spicata, M. aquatica, M. crispa, M. pulegium and M. longifolia have been investigated.Methods: Different concentrations of essential oils and total extracts of six Mentha species were tested by MTT assay against Vero, Hep2 and Hela cell lines.Results: The results showed that all samples were toxic against Vero, Hela and Hep2 cell lines (IC50 28.1-166.2 mg/ml). Conclusion: All examined Mentha species extracts and essential oils have cytotoxic effects but some of them could be considered as potent toxic agents.

Background: Ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale R., family: Zingiberaceae) is used medicinally and as a culinary spice and has anti-oxidant and cell-protective effects in animals and humans body.Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of Ginger rhizome toxicity of Gentamicin on sperm parameters in male rats. Methods: Forty Wistar male rat (n=40) were allocated into four groups, control (n=10) and test groups (n=30), that subdivided into groups of 3 that received ginger rhizome powder (100 mg/kg/day), gentamicin group that received, 5 mg/kg/day and ginger group that received, 5 mg/kg/day gentamicin additionally, for 30 consequence day. Animals were kept in standard conditions. In thirty day the testes tissue of Rats in whole groups were collected. Results: Ginger administration caused a marked increase in the testosterone concentrations of the rats even in spite of receiving 5 mg/kg/day gentamicin in compared with the control and gentamicin treated groups. Conclusion: Ginger rhizome is able to overcome reproductive toxicity of gentamicin and induces spermatogenesis probably mainly through the elevation of testosterone levels.

Background: Barberry (Berberris vulgaris) is a well known medicinal plant in Iran and has also been used as food.Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate antihistaminic and anticholinergic activity of methanolic extract of barberry fruit.Methods: Methanolic extract was prepared and pharmacologically studied on isolated guinea- pig ileum, dose- response curves of histamine and acetylcholine with and without methanolic extract were plotted.Results: The pA2 values for antihistaminic activity of methanolic extract and dexchlorpheniramine were calculated (extract; pA2± S.E.M = 3.53±0.16 [-logC(g/l)]; dexchlorpheniramine; pA2 ± S.E.M.= 9.36±0.14 ([-logC (M)]) and compared with each other. The pA2 values of anticholinergic activity of methanolic extract and atropine were also calculated (extract; pA2± S.E.M = 4.18 ± 0.17 [-logC(g/1)]; atropine, PA2 +S.E.M = 8.99 ± 0.13 [-logC(M)]) and compared.Conclusion: The results indicated antihistaminic and anticholinergic activity of methanolic extract.

Background: Herbal medicine has been used for many years by different cultures around the world for the treatment of diabetes.Objective: The hypoglycemic effect of caraway ethanolic extract (Carum carvi L.) was investigated in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.Methods: Intraperitoneal administration of caraway ethanolic extract seeds (0.1, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 g/kg body wt.) on the level of serum glucose and insulin in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were evaluated. Before administration and 1, 3 and 5 h after administrations of the ethanolic extract, blood samples were drawn from the retro-orbital sinus. Serum glucose and insulin levels were determined.Results: The results showed that the caraway ethanolic extract seeds at doses 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 g/kg body wt. significantly decreased serum glucose and insulin in diabetic rats in 3 and 5 h but not in healthy rats.Conclusions: It could be proofed that the traditional use of caraway as a hypoglycemic agent is justified and that extract from this plant show a dose-dependent hypoglycemic activity.

Background: Danae racemosa is a strong antioxidant and antioxidants have significant effects on spermatogenesis, sperm biology and oxidative stress, and changes in antioxidant capacity are considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic diabetes mellitus.Objective: Because STZ causes testicular dysfunction and degeneration under situations of experimentally induced diabetes in animal models, we aimed in this study Danae racemosa’s effects in decreasing the harmful effects of STZ on testicular and sperm functions b.Methods: Male Wistar rats (n=40) were allocated into four groups: Group 1a: Control rats given 0.5 ml of 20% glycerol in 0.9% normal saline. Group 1b: Control rats given 0.5ml of 0.5 ml citrate buffer (pH4.0).Group 2: streptozotocin (STZ) treated rats. Group 3: rats given danae racemosa 400 mg/kg (gavage). Group 4: STZ treated rats given danae racemosa 400 mg/kg (gavage). Animals were kept in standard conditions. At 28 days after inducing diabetics, 5 mL blood was collected for measuring testosterone.Results: Total serum testosterone increased significantly in the group treated with danae racemosa (p<0.05) compared with control groups. Testis weights in the diabetic groups decreased significantly in comparison with controls (p<0.05). Conclusion: Danae racemosa had a significant protective effect on the diabetes-induced deteriorations in serum total testosterone, by reducing the levels of reactive oxygen species in serum. Therefore, it could be effective for maintaining healthy in diabetic rats.

Background: Plant cell cultivations are considered as an alternative to agricultural processes for producing valuable phytochemicals (secondary metabolites). The use of plant cell cultures has overcome several inconveniences for the production of secondary metabolites.Objective: The essential oils isolated from roots of 24-month-old field grown valerian (Valeriana sisymbriifolium) and hairy root cultures were analysed by GC and GC-mass spectrometry. Methods: Transformed root cultures of valerian were established by inoculation of sterile plantlets grown with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain R1601. Qualitative and quantitative differences were found between the essential oils from the non-transformed roots and those from the hairy roots.Results: There are some major differences in the hairy root culture and field grown valerian essential oils especially in valeranone, valerenal, valerenyl acetate, valerenic acid and valerenol compounds. The essential oils from the plant roots were obtained in a yield of 13.2% bornyl acetate, valerenal 12.7%,  µ-Pinene 7.50 compared with that from transformed root culture identified as kessyi alcohol (10.10%) and kessyl acetate (9.90%), as the main constituents.Conclusion: Inoculation with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain R1601 was found to be an effective means of inducing hairy root formation on Valeriana sisymbriifolium.

Background: Thymus daenensis Celak. is one of the medicinal plants which cultivated in Iran. This plant involve high amount of polyphenols including thymol and carvacrol, which were reported to possess the high antioxidant activity.Objective: Antioxidative activity (AOA) and chemical constituents of Thymus daenensis essential oil (TDEO) were examined. Also, the effect of thermal treatments (80,120 and 180oC) for 1, 2 and 3 hours on the AOA and chemical constituents of TDEO was studied.Methods: The chemical constituents of Thymus daenensis essential oil was analyzed by GC/MS. Antioxidant activity (AOA) of TDEO was determined by two complementary test methods, namely DPPH free radical-scavenging and b-carotene bleaching.Results: TDEO had different chemical components, including thymol (54.7%), carvacrol (5.0%), linalool (1.9%), 1-octene-3-ol (1.6%), p-cymene (11.3%), terpin-4-ol (1.5%), g-terpinene (12.9%), a-terpinene (2.0%), myrcene (1.1%),b-caryophelene (2.6%) and borneol (1.1%). The IC50 of TDEO was compared with synthetic antioxidant (BHT). Antioxidant activities of TDEO at different concentrations (0.1- 3.1 mg/ml) were determined by b-carotene bleaching method. Antioxidant activity of TDEO at these range of concentration were 20 - 96.0 %. After heating up to 180oC, essential oil showed a significantly higher free radical-scavenger activity and evident changes in its chemical composition. Conclusion: Owing to this property, the studies can be further extended to exploit not only the phenolic extracts but also the residual phenolic constituents associated with this herbal medicine as health supplement and nutraceutical.

Background: Essential oils from Elettaria cordamomum (cardamom oil) and Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender oil) are used a lot in food and Drug Industry. Cardamom oil traditionally used as spice in food now is increasingly used as diuretic, sedative and for gastrointestinal disease. Lavender oil, traditionally used as an antiseptic agent, is now widely used as a relaxant, carminative, and sedative in aromatherapy.Objective: They both are used as flavouring additives in food and medical industry. It’s very important to know their mutagenic potential. Meanwhile, the growth of cancer disease and insufficient chemical treatments are among main reasons for the antimutagenic effect of essential oils to be assessed. Methods: In this study we investigated the mutagenic and antimutagenic activities of cardamom oil and lavender oil by the bacterial reverse mutation assay in salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains with and without S9 (microsomal mutagenesis assay) for 7 dilutions of each essential oils. Results: The mutagenicity effects were not seen in all dilutions of each essential oils, and antimutagenicity effect was seen in 0.40 and more concentration (mg/plate) of Elettaria cordamomum by the bacterial reverse mutation assay in salmonella typhimurium TA98 strains without S9. Conclusion: Assessment of genotoxic potential and identification of mutagenic components of essential oils has been considered widely after their increasing consumption rate, in order to investigate possible new activities of herbal essential oils like antimutagnic effect possibly leading to new and safer products.Although the antimutagenic activity of lavender oil is an interesting finding, further studies are required to identify the components responsible for its antimutagenic action.

Background: Alcoholic mothers who consume ethanol give birth to infants with high percentage of hepatic diseases. Alcohol can cause cellular damage in different tissues, including liver. Finding a drug which is effective and efficient in reducing ethanol misuse consequences during pregnancy can assist the decrease of harmful effects of this habit.Objective: This research aims to study the effects of oral administration of silymarin in preventing consequences of ethanol on liver during pregnancy.Methods: 45 female rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, each including 15 ones. After the first day of pregnancy, the study was performed as follows. The first group was given distilled water. The second group received ethanol equivalent to 35% of the total required calorie. Furthermore, the third group received the same amount of ethanol plus 200 mg/kg silymarin. At day 21, biopsy of liver tissue of the born infants was carried out for light microscopy studies.Results: Findings of the present study indicate that, in the group which received ethanol, this extract can have a considerable effect on decreasing the hepatic cellular death as well as reducing hepatic hyperemia.Conclusion: Oral consumption of silymarin extract can reduce the damage and inflammation in liver tissue of infants born from alcoholic mothers.