Evaluation of the immunostimulatory activity of Ziziphora tenuior extracts

Antifungal and immunomodulatory activity of Allium jesdianum Boiss extracts

Introduction: Macrophages are one of the key phagocytes against various pathogenic fungi, particularly Candida species killed by various mechanisms such as nitric oxide (NO) agents. The purposes of this research were to investigate the anti-Candida and immunomodulatory effects of the extracts from Allium jesdianum on mouse peritoneal macrophages. Methods: The antifungal assay of amphotericin B and nystatin, as well as hydroalcoholic extract from A. jesdianum was carried out using disk diffusion and broth macrodilution methods against Candida albicans (ATCC 10231). Furthermore, microculture tetrazolium (MTT) and nitrite assays (Griess test) were applied to study the influence of the aqueous extract from A. jesdianum on macrophage viability indices and NO production, respectively. Results: The results showed inhibition zone values of 8, 16, 28 mm for A. jesdianum, amphotericin B and nystatin against the organism tested, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of A. jesdianum were found to be 330 and 663 μg/mL, respectively. Aqueous extract of A. jesdianum induced a significant decrease (2.8-fold at a concentration of 5 mg/mL and 4.3-fold at concentration of 10 mg/mL) in macrophage viability indices in comparison with the control group (P < 0.001) but there was no toxic effect at 1 and 0.5 mg/mL. In addition, the aqueous extract of A. jesdianum resulted in a significant increase in NO production at non-toxic concentrations (77.6 μM nitrite at concentration of 1 mg/mL and 79.4 μM at concentration of 0.5 mg/mL) by macrophages (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The extract of A. jesdianum showed an in vitro anti-C. albicans and NO stimulatory effect. More studies with purified immunomodulatory components of A. jesdianum should be performed in future to shed light on the exact mechanisms of this activity.

Protective effects of Ziziphora tenuior extract against chlorpyrifos induced liver and lung toxicity in rat: Mechanistic approaches in subchronic study

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is one of the most widely used organophosphorus, which has spurred renewed interest. This study was conducted to investigate the protective effect of ziziphora tenuior extract against CPF-induced liver and lung toxicity. This study conducted 8-week rat sub-chronic toxicity study and then the effect of ziziphora tenuior extract in 3 different doses (40, 80, 160 mg/kg) was determined. We administrated maximum tolerated dose of CPF (6.75 mg/kg) by gavage for 8 weeks (5 times in week) to male rats. Rats were sacrificed 24 h after last dose and the biochemical analysis, which confirms involvement of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of CPF toxicity in liver including increased in lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl content, and ROS formation, glutathione depletion, decreased of antioxidant effect via frap oxidation and cytochrome c expulsion. In addition, pathological lesions confirm the dysfunction of the organs (liver and lung). In addition, using of ziziphora extract as an antioxidant is resulted in amelioration of oxidative stress marker in liver and lung damage. In conclusion, the current study revealed that CPF toxicity is related to oxidative stress and induction of cell death signaling and cotreatment with ziziphora extract is recommended in the routine therapy for the protection against CPF induced liver and lung tissue damage.

Ziziphora tenuior L. essential oil from Dana Biosphere Reserve (Southern Jordan); Chemical characterization and assessment of biological activities

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGIC RELEVANCE

Ziziphora tenuior L. (Lamiaceae) is a medicinal plant in Jordan, which is included in various antimicrobial, antiseptic, expectorant and wound healing preparations. It is used for the treatment of cough, stomach ache, dysentery, fever, uterus infection, gut inflammation and painful menstruation.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study was to assess, for the first time, the chemical composition of the essential oil of Z. tenuior originated from southern Jordan and its antifungal effects against several yeasts. Concomitantly, the mechanisms behind the anti-fungal activity against Candida albicans were also disclosed. Since the Z. tenuior traditional uses are related with inflammatory-associated conditions, the putative anti-inflammatory activity of the oil was also unveiled. Importantly, the potential toxicity of pharmacologically active concentrations was screened in different types of mammalian cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Z. tenuior essential oil, isolated by hydrodistillation, was analyzed by gas chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Antifungal activity was evaluated against yeasts, dermatophytes and Aspergillus strains. Germ tube inhibition and biofilm formation assays were evaluated using C. albicans. Assessment of cell viability was made by the MTT assay using different types of mammalian cells, including hepatocytes, keratinocytes and macrophages. The in vitro anti-inflammatory potential of the oil was evaluated by measuring nitric oxide production using lipopolysaccharide-stimulated mouse macrophages.

RESULTS

Oxygen-containing monoterpenes are the main oil compounds: pulegone (46.8%), p-menth-3-en-8-ol (12.5%), isomenthone (6.6%) and 8-hydroxymenthone (6.2%). The highest antifungal activity was against Cryptococcus neoformans, with a MIC value of 0.16µL/mL. The oil revealed an important inhibitory effect on germ tube formation with a filamentation inhibition rate higher than 80% at 0.16µL/mL. The amount of the attached biomass was reduced. Importantly, concentrations devoid of toxicity on several mammalian cell types still displayed anti-inflammatory activity (0.16 and 0.32µL/mL).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings add significant information to the pharmacological activity of Z. tenuior, thus justifying and reinforcing the use of this plant in traditional medicine. Additionally, the antifungal and anti-inflammatory potential of the oil at non-toxic concentrations, opens new avenues for its further exploitation, for instance in health-care product development.

Protoscolicidal and immunomodulatory activity of Ziziphora tenuior extract and its fractions

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the scolicidal and immunomodulatory effect of the Ziziphora tenuior (Z. tenuior) extract and its fractions.

METHODS

Protoscolices were treated with six concentrations (3, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg/mL) of Z. tenuior extract and its fractions (ethanol, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and chloroform) in periods of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 min, and viability of protoscolices was evaluated using the 1.0% eosin. To examine the immunomodulatory effects of Ziziphora and its fractions on macrophage cells, the non-toxic concentration of extract and different fractions determined by MTT assay, and the Griess reaction was used to measure the level of nitrite as an indicator of nitric oxide by the macrophage cells in 10, 100 and 200 μg/mL in 24 h at 37 °C.

RESULTS

In this study, the Z. tenuior extract at 10 mg/mL concentration was able to kill all protoscolices during 20 min. By increasing the concentration to 25 mg/mL, the scolicidal time reduced to 10 min. Regarding the effect of different fractions of Z. tenuior, the ethanolic fraction showed the highest scolicidal activity. The extract demonstrated an inhibitory effect on the activity of macrophages and reduced nitric oxide production. Although the petroleum ether and ethanolic fractions of the extract reduced nitric oxide production, nevertheless, this effect was only significant at 10 and 100 μg/mL concentrations (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The Z. tenuior extract and its fractions were effective against protoscolices yet the effect of total extract was considerable. Our findings indicates that the extract and its ethanolic and petroleum ether fractions could have anti-inflammatory properties.

In vitro propagation of the medicinal plant Ziziphora tenuior L. and evaluation of its antioxidant activity

Ziziphora tenuior L. (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic herb used for its medicinal values against fungi, bacteria. Micropropagation can be used for large-scale multiplication of essential oil producing plants thus avoiding an overexploitation of natural resources. This work aims to develop a reliable protocol for the in vitro propagation of Z. tenuior, and to compare the antioxidant activity between in vitro propagated and wild plants. The explants were sterilized and cultured on MS medium containing different concentrations of growth regulators naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) or indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) with 0.5 mg/L of kinetin (Kin) callus formation was 70.2% after 45 days of incubation in dark on medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/L of NAA. After one month of callus culture on medium supplemented with 2 mg/L BA the shoot number was 5.12 and for the multiplication stage. The shoot number was 4.21 and length was 6.17 cm on medium supplemented with 1 mg/L Kin + 0.1 mg/L NAA. DPPH• reagent was used to test the antioxidant activity. The aqueous and methanol extracts of in vitro plants which were treated with 1.5 and 1 mg/L of kin plus 0.1 mg/L of NAA showed a strong DPPH• scavenging activity where IC50 was 0.307 and 0.369 mg/ml, respectively, while the IC50 of aqueous and methanol extracts of wild plants was 0.516 and 9.229 mg/ml, respectively. Our results suggested that plant growth regulators and in vitro culture conditions increased the antioxidant activity.