Journal of Medicinal Plants
Year:2004 | Volume:3 | Issue:10|Papers Count:10

Telka tree (Pyrus boissieriana Buhse) is growing in north forest of Iran, from beach to mountain. Peduncle, leaf and bark of some genus of Pyrus contain arbutin as phenolglycoside. High quantities of arbutin is found in some plant family such as Saxiferagaceae, Ericaceae, Rosaceae and Compositae. Arbutin is used in treatment of the urinary tract infection and also antioxidant and sunscreen. Arbutin is diuretic and emmenagoge. In this study, antibacterial (Bacillus subtilis), antifungal (Candida albicans and Cladasporium cucumericum), antilarvae (Aedes aegypti), antioxidant and anticholinestrase activities of methanolic and dichloromethane extract of the plant and arbutin performed. Also, arbutin in Telka leaves is determined by HPLC and TLC and quantity has been determined by HPLC and spectrophotometry. Results have been shown that dried extract obtained 4.42% from dichloromethane and 22.04% from methanol, respectively. methanolic extract had antifungal, antioxidant, antilarvae, dichloromethane extract had antibacterial, antioxidant, anticholinestrase, and arbutin had antifungal and antioxidant activities. Arbutin has herbal origin and can be found in leaves of some plants such as Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 4-15%, Vaccinium vitis 5.5-7% and Vaccinium myrtillus 0.4-1.5%. In this study quantity of arbutin in telka was 7.01% and arbutin retention time, relative arbutin retention time in compare with hydroquinone was 5.457, 0.688 respectively. Since there is not A. uva-ursi in Iran, therefore Telka, which contains high quantity of arbutin, also high frequency of this plant is distributed in north of Iran, can be used as good natural source of arbutin.

Brucella under effects of agents such as penicillin, glycin and some hormones could convert to L-form. L-forms are possible during disease or latent brucellosis and interfering in renew relapsing disease. Garlic is a medicine plant that allicin the most important antimicrobial, is its compound. In this study after garlic choloroformic extract prepared and quantity of allicin calculated; MIC and MBC for two strains (B.melitensis Rev1 and B.abortus S19) was calculated. Effect of extract on Brucella morphology in subMIC concentrations; effect of time and temperature on extract activity and antimicrobial effect of extract with sucrose were studied. Results indicated that antimicrobial effect of allicin is temperature independent and showing its effect on bacteria in two hours. Also L-forms were not isolated in subMIC concentrations.

We studied the anticonvulsant activity of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Hypericum perforatum aerial parts in mice. The pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and the maximal electroshock seizure (MES) tests were used for assessing the anticonvulsive effects of this plant. In the PTZ test, the extracts (0.1-1 g/kg, i.p.) delayed the onset of tonic convulsions and protected mice against mortality. In the MES test, both extracts did not show antiseizure activity. L-NAME (1-10 mg/kg, i.p.), a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, reduced the anticonvulsant activity of the extracts. The results of this study indicate that the extracts of H. perforatum aerial parts could contribute to the control of petit mal seizure and this effect may be partially mediated by nitric oxide pathway.

Depression is a serious disorder in today(s) society. With estimates of lifetime prevalence as high as 21% of the general population in some developed countries. As a therapeutically plant, saffron it is considered an excellent stomach ailment and an antispasmodic, helps digestion and increases appetite. It is also used for depression in Persian traditional medicine. Our objective was to assess the efficacy of stigmas of Crocus sativus (saffron) in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in a 6-week double-blind, placebo controlled and randomized trial. Forty adult outpatients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition for major depression based on the structured clinical interview for DSM IV participated in the trial. Patients have a baseline Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score of at least 18. In this double-blind, placebo controlled, single-center trial and randomized trial, patients were randomly assigned to receive capsule of saffron 30 mg/day (BD) (Group 1) and capsule of placebo (BD) (Group 2) for a 6-week study. At 6 weeks, Crocus sativus produced a significantly better outcome on Hamilton Depression Rating scale than placebo (d.f.=1, F= 18.89, p<0.001). There were no significant differences in the two groups in terms of observed side effects. The results of this study indicate the efficacy of Crocus sativus in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. A large- scale trial is justified.

Hyoscyamus reticudatus from Solanaceae is an important pharmacological plant which contains tropane alkaloids. Presence of tropane alkaloids in this plant is investigated by HPLC apparatus. Different parts of plant including root, stem, leaf, flower and seed in different phases of vegetative growth (two leaves, five leaves, ten leaves), flowering, full flowering and fruiting have been prepared for this experiment. In roots and stems, the highest amount of hyoscyamine and scopolamine are found in vegetative phase with ten rosete leaves and in first stage of flowering phase, respectively. In leaves, the highst quantity of hyoscyamine and scopolamine are in full flowering phase. The flowers have the most amount of scopolamine and hyoscyamine. In fruiting phase, the green and immature seeds in comparison with the mature and brown seeds have more hyoscyamine and scopolamine. In all of these considerated phases, the rate of hyoscyamine production is higher than scopolamine. In vitro culture of Hyoscyamus reticulatus plant was carried out on B5 medium including 2 mg/l NAA and 1 mg/l 6-BAP. Explants were supplied from culturing of root, hypocotyl and leaf of sterile seedlings which were growing in B5 medium free hormone. The effect of different environmental factors on tropane alkaloids production were examined by changing the quantity of sucrose, calcium, nitrate and phosphate in B5 medium.

There are few reports on the antidiabetic effect of the medicinal plant red pepper. Since there is no strong documentation for its efficacy in diabetic state, therefore, its hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effect was investigated in an experimental model of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. For this purpose, male Wistar rats (n = 36) were randomly divided into 4 groups, i.e. control, pepper-treated control, diabetic, and pepper-treated diabetic groups. For induction of diabetes, streptozotocin (STZ; 60 mg/Kg; i.p.) was used at a single dose. A serum glucose level higher than 250 mg/dl was considered as the presence of diabetic state. The treatment groups received oral administration of pepper-mixed pelleted food at a ratio of 1/15. Statistical analysis of the data showed that serum glucose level in diabetic group increases 2 and 4 weeks after the experiment as compared to data one week before the experiment (p<0.001), while this parameter was only significantly lower 2 weeks after the experiment in pepper-treated diabetic group as compared to untreated-diabetic group (p<0.01). In addition, there was no significant difference between pepper-treated control and untreated control groups regardiong serum glucose level. In addition, triglyceride level was higher in diabetic group and there was a reduction in this parameter in pepper-treated diabetic group as compared to diabetic group at fourth week after the experiment (p<0.05). On the other hand, cholesterol level showed no significant reduction in pepper-treated diabtic group in comparison with untreated diabetic group. Taken together, the results of this study clearly showed that oral administration of red pepper in short-term could significantly reduce serum glucose level and in long-term could only reduce triglyceride level in diabetic rats. Therefore, this medicinal plant is recommended for attenuation of some diabetic complications due to hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia.

The growing interest in the substitution of chemical food preservatives, both antimicrobials and antioxidants, by natural ones has fostered research on the vegetable source and screening of plant extracts and essential oils in order to identify acceptable natural alternatives. In this study, log probability percentage (Log P%) of growth of Staphylococcus aureus in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) broth as affected by different concentrations of Zataria multiflora Boiss essential oil (0.0, 0.03 and 0.06%) during 22 days storage at three temperatures (35, 25 and 15°C) was investigated. The Log P% of S. aureus was affected significantly (p < 0.05) by different concentrations of the essential oil. The Log P% of S. aureus in BHI broth with 0% essential oil at 35, 25 and 15°C were -0.89, 1.24 and 1.55 respectively. While in BHI broth with 0.03 and 0.06% essential oils were -0.45, 0.24 and -4.21 and -0.45, -0.45 and -4.45 respectively (strong inhibitory action).

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a constant dose of aqueous extract of Echium amoenum. Thirty-five patients with mild to moderate major depressive disorder who had a score ³ 18 on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to receive either placebo or 375mg of aqueous extract of Echinum amoenum. Patients were followed for 6 weeks. Efficacy was assessed by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, in week 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6. In the week 4 and 6, drug was superior to placebo. This difference was significant at the fourth week (p =0.018) and marginally non-significant at the sixth week. The extract of Echium amoenum did not cause more adverse effects than placebo during the study. It is concluded that the aqueous extract of Echium amoenum can be considered as an effective and safe treatment for major depressive disorder. However further studies in warranted.