Objective: The stem bark of Mammea africana Sabine (Guttiferae), (M. africana) a common plant that has been traditionally used to treat various diseases and ailments was evaluated for hepatoprotective potentials against paracetamol-induced liver injury in rats.Materials and Methods: The hepatoprotective effect of the stem bark extract (30-90 mg/kg) was evaluated by the assay of liver function parameters, namely total and direct bilirubin, serum protein and albumin, total cholesterol, alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransaminase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase activities (ALP), antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), reduced glutathione (GSH) and histopathological study of the liver.Results: Administration of the stem bark extract caused a significant (p<0.05 – 0.001) dose-dependent reduction of high levels of liver enzymes (ALT, AST and ALP), total cholesterol, direct and total bilirubin as well as elevation of serum levels of total protein, albumin and antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPx and GSH). Histology of the liver sections of extract and silymarin-treated animals showed reductions in the pathological features compared to the paracetamol-treated animals. The chemical pathological changes were consistent with histopathological observations suggesting marked hepatoprotective effect of the stem bark extract of M. africana.Conclusion: The results show that the stem bark extract of M. africana has hepatoprotective potential which may be due to its antioxidant activity.

Garciniavalline (1), a novel aporphinoid alkaloid, in addition to four known alkaloids, cleistopholine (2), O-methylmoschatoline (3), (-)-oliveroline (4) and (-)-oliveridine (5), were isolated and characterized from Garcinia Parvifolia Miq. s tem bark.Structural elucidation of these compounds was established by spectroscopic methods. Among them, alkaloids (2) and (4) exhibited antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of methanol extract of Careya arborea (MECA) stem barks (Myrtaceae) in various in-vitro systems. Antimicrobial activities of MECA were carried out using disc diffusion methods with Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and some fungal species. MECA showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganism Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of MECA was assessed by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical (DPPH), superoxide anion radical, nitric oxide radical and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays. The antioxidant activity of MECA increased in a concentration dependent manner. In DPPH radical scavenging assay the IC50 value of the extract was found to be 132.25 μg/mL. MECA was found to inhibit the nitric oxide radicals generated from sodium nitroprusside. The IC50 value was found to be 72.54 μg/mL, whereas the IC50 value of curcumin was 20.4 μg/mL. Moreover, the MECA was found to scavenge the superoxide generated by phenazine methosulphate (PMS) / nicotinamide adenine cleotide (NADH)-nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) system. MECA was also found to inhibit the hydroxyl radical generated by Fenton’s reaction, where the IC50 value of MECA was found to be more than 1000 µg/ml and for catechin the IC50 value was found to be 5 μg/mL. The results obtained in the present study indicate that the MECA can be a potential source of natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agents.

Background: Malaria is a parasitic infection that is common in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. It is estimated to kill one million individuals annually. Detarium microcarpum (Fabaceae family) is used traditionally for the treatment of malaria, diabetes, hypertension, convulsions, pneumonia, leprosy, and meningitis. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the antiplasmodial potential and safety profile of the methanol extract of D. microcarpum stem bark. Methods: The extract was subjected to phytochemical screening and oral median lethal dose (LD50) estimation. Using curative, suppressive, andprophylactic experimental animal models, antiplasmodial activity was assessed in mice infected with chloroquinesensitive Plasmodium berghei berghei. Biochemical and hematological tests were conducted in rats orally administered with the extract for 28 days. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the data, followed by Dunnett’, s post hoc test. Results: Alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, triterpenes, and glycosides were found in the extract through phytochemical analysis. When compared to the negative control group, the extract at the tested doses (200, 400, and 800 mg/kg) showed a significant (P < 0. 001) curative, suppressive, and prophylactic effect and significantly (P < 0. 001) prolonged the survival time of mice in the treated groups. The extract had an insignificant (P > 0. 05) effect on the biochemical and hematological parameters tested. Conclusion: The results suggest that the stem bark extract of D. microcarpum at the doses tested possesses antiplasmodial activity and is relatively safe after short-term use.

Lapachol is a naphthoquinone with anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal and antivirus activities. Lapachol and some of its derivatives tested with good experimental results in tumors. The bark of some trees belonging to the Bignoniaceae family contain up to a few percent of lapachol and often a considerable amount of related compounds. Tecomella undulata (Roxb.) Seem. is the only native species of the family in arid and semi-arid of southern parts of Iran. In this research lapachol have been extracted from T. undulata inner bark stem that collected from near Darab in Fars province by three methods. The methods were heated methanol in microwave for 6 minutes, non-heated methanol and hot water at 90ºC temperature. The most effective extraction method was the heated methanol in microwave. According to this method, stem inner bark of T. undulata has 3.6% Lapachol in dry weight which is determined by high performance liquid chromatography.

Background & Aim: Mammea africana sabine (Guttiferae) stembark commonly used traditionally to treat various diseases and ailments was evaluated for nephroprotective activity against paracetamol – induced kidney injury in rats to confirm its use in the treatment of kidney diseases.Experimental: The nephroprotective effect of the extract was evaluated by the determination of some kidney function parameters such as serum urea and creatinine, electrolyes (K+, Na+, Cl- and HCO-3), antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and histopathological study of the liver.Results & Discussion: The administration of the stembark extract caused significant dose-dependent reduction of high levels of serum creatinine and urea. The electrolytes levels were not affected. Histology of the kidney sections of extract and silymarin- treated animals showed reductions in the pathological features compared to the paracetamol- treated animals. The chemical pathological changes were consistent with histopathological observations suggesting marked nephroprotective effect of the stembark extract of M. AfricanaRecommended applications/industries: The results show that the stembark extract of Mammea africana has nephroprotective potential which may be due to its antioxidant effect activity.

A new cyclic diarylheptanoid namely alnuheptanoid B (3), along with four known cyclic diarylheptanoids: myricanone (1), (+) - S -myricanol (2), myricanone 5- O- b-D-glucopyranoside (4), and (+) - S -myricanol 5- O- b-D-glucopyranoside (5) were isolated from the EtOAc fraction of Alnus japonica Steud (family: Betulaceae) stem bark. Their structures were established by different spectroscopic analyses, as well as optical rotation measurement. Compounds 1, 2, 4, and 5 are isolated for the first time from A. japonica. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of compounds (1-5) were assessed using DPPH assay and carrageenin induced rat paw edema model, respectively. They displayed significant antioxidant activity in relation to propyl gallate (standard antioxidant) at concentration 50 mM. Compound 2 demonstrated anti-inflammatory effect at a dose 10 mg/kg compared with indomethacin (positive control).

Background: Short-stem prosthesis for total hip arthroplasty (THA) have been designed to overcome the weakness of standard-stem prostheses and improve surgical outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare short-stem with standard-stem prosthesis outcomes.Methods: This study was performed as a randomized clinical trial. Subjects were selected among patients referred to Sina University Hospital, Tehran, Iran from April 2010 to 2012. THA were performed with short-stem or standard-stem prostheses after obtaining written informed consent from patients. Balanced block randomization method was used to get a random sample in each group. Clinical outcomes were evaluated based on Harris Hip Score (HHS). Patients were followed up for at least one year. All patients were examined at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and one year after surgery. In each visit, Control X-ray was obtained and bone and prosthetic position were assessed. Also, the symptoms such as infection, pain, claudication, ability to climb stairs, using crutches and weight bearing were rechecked. Student t-test was used to compare outcomes in the two groups.Results: A total of eighty four THA were studied. 13 patients were lost to follow-up or had infection and failure. One patient died with the prosthesis in situ from causes not related to the surgery. Therefore, a total of 70 patients were analyzed. Of these, 34 and 36 hips underwent small stem and standard stem THA, respectively. The mean age of the patients at the time of operation was 61.1±8.68 years (range, 48-86 years). Most common reasons for arthroplasty were osteoarthritis, avascular necrosis and dysplasia of hip. There were significant differences between the two study groups in bleeding during surgery (P=0.001). There were no significant differences among the study groups in HHS except for 6th week and 3th month (P=0.000).Conclusion: The use of short-stem prosthesis can improve the performance of patients in short-term but no significant difference with standard-stem prosthesis in long- term.