Antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of Trapa bispinosa

Molecular mechanism of the anti-gastric cancer activity of 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose isolated from Trapa bispinosa Roxb. shell in vitro

Trapa bispinosa Roxb. is a traditional Chinese food which is well known for its medicinal properties. The shell of Trapa bispinosa has anticancer activity, maybe due to its high content of polyphenols. There are few studies on the chemical composition of Trapa bispinosa shells, then we isolated the active components from Trapa bispinosa shell and clarified the mechanism of its anticancer activity. One monomer compound was separated from the ethanol extract of the Trapa bispinosa shell by fractional extraction, silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 gel column chromatography and liquid phase separation. The structure, identified by NMR was 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose. The results of the CCK-8 assay showed that 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose could significantly inhibit the proliferation of gastric cancer SGC7901 cells, and the effect was close to that of 5-fluorouracil. Here, 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose could affect the cell cycle of SGC7901 cells. At the dose of 200 μg/mL and an incubation time of 48 h, SGC7901 cells remained in the G1 phase, apoptosis occurred, the intracellular calcium ion concentration increased and the mitochondrial membrane potential decreased. Transcriptome sequencing analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in the P53 signalling pathway associated with apoptosis. The results of qPCR and Western blot showed that 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose could induce apoptosis of SGC7901 cells by up-regulating the expression levels of P21, PUMA, PERP and IGF-BP3 genes, down-regulating the CyclinD gene, increasing the expression levels of cytochrome C, caspase-3, caspase-9 protein and decreasing that of the protein BCL-2.

Stability of Principal Hydrolysable Tannins from Trapa taiwanensis Hulls

The fruit and hulls of the water caltrop (Trapa taiwanensis Nakai) are used as hepatoprotective herbal tea ingredients in Taiwan. The stability of hydrolysable tannins in herbal drinks has rarely been reported. In the present study, two hydrolysable tannins, tellimagrandin II (TGII) and 1,2,3,4,6-pentagalloylglucopyranose (PGG), were isolated from water caltrop hulls. The stability of the two compounds was evaluated by treatment with various pH buffer solutions, simulated gastric fluid and intestinal fluid, different temperatures, and photo-irradiation at 352 nm in different solvents. Results showed that TGII and PGG were more stable in a pH 2.0 buffer solution (with 91.88% remaining) and in a water solution with 352 nm irradiation (with 95% remaining). TGII and PGG were more stable in methanol or ethanol solutions (with >93.69% remaining) than in an aqueous solution (with <43.52% remaining) at 100 °C. In simulated gastric fluid, more than 96% of the hydrolysable tannins remained after incubation at 37 °C for 4 h. However, these hydrolysable tannins were unstable in simulated intestinal fluid, as after incubation at 37 °C for 9 h, the content of TGII had decreased to 31.40% and of PGG to 12.46%. The synthetic antioxidants, butyl hydroxy anisole (BHA), di-butyl hydroxy toluene (BHT), and propyl gallate, did not exhibit photoprotective effects on these hydrolysable tannins. However, catechin, a natural antioxidant, displayed a weak photoprotective effect. Ascorbic acid had a short-term thermal-protective effect but not a long-term protective effect. The different stability properties of hydrolysable tannins in solutions can be used in the development of related herbal teas in the future.

The Anticancer, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of the Sesquiterpene β-Caryophyllene from the Essential Oil of Aquilaria crassna

The present study reports a bioassay-guided isolation of β-caryophyllene from the essential oil of Aquilaria crassna. The structure of β-caryophyllene was confirmed using FT-IR, NMR and MS. The antimicrobial effect of β-caryophyllene was examined using human pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains. Its anti-oxidant properties were evaluated by DPPH and FRAP scavenging assays. The cytotoxicity of β-caryophyllene was tested against seven human cancer cell lines. The corresponding selectivity index was determined by testing its cytotoxicity on normal cells. The effects of β-caryophyllene were studied on a series of in vitro antitumor-promoting assays using colon cancer cells. Results showed that β-caryophyllene demonstrated selective antibacterial activity against S. aureus (MIC 3 ± 1.0 µM) and more pronounced anti-fungal activity than kanamycin. β-Caryophyllene also displayed strong antioxidant effects. Additionally, β-caryophyllene exhibited selective anti-proliferative effects against colorectal cancer cells (IC₅₀ 19 µM). The results also showed that β-caryophyllene induces apoptosis via nuclear condensation and fragmentation pathways including disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential. Further, β-caryophyllene demonstrated potent inhibition against clonogenicity, migration, invasion and spheroid formation in colon cancer cells. These results prompt us to state that β-caryophyllene is the active principle responsible for the selective anticancer and antimicrobial activities of A. crassnia. β-Caryophyllene has great potential to be further developed as a promising chemotherapeutic agent against colorectal malignancies.

Trapa bispinosa Roxb.: A Review on Nutritional and Pharmacological Aspects

Trapa bispinosa Roxb. which belongs to the family Trapaceae is a small herb well known for its medicinal properties and is widely used worldwide. Trapa bispinosa or Trapa natans is an important plant of Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine which is used in the problems of stomach, genitourinary system, liver, kidney, and spleen. It is bitter, astringent, stomachic, diuretic, febrifuge, and antiseptic. The whole plant is used in gonorrhea, menorrhagia, and other genital affections. It is useful in diarrhea, dysentery, ophthalmopathy, ulcers, and wounds. These are used in the validated conditions in pitta, burning sensation, dipsia, dyspepsia, hemorrhage, hemoptysis, diarrhea, dysentery, strangely, intermittent fever, leprosy, fatigue, inflammation, urethrorrhea, fractures, erysipelas, lumbago, pharyngitis, bronchitis and general debility, and suppressing stomach and heart burning. Maybe it is due to photochemical content of Trapa bispinosa having high quantity of minerals, ions, namely, Ca, K, Na, Zn, and vitamins; saponins, phenols, alkaloids, H-donation, flavonoids are reported in the plants. Nutritional and biochemical analyses of fruits of Trapa bispinosa in 100 g showed 22.30 and 71.55% carbohydrate, protein contents were 4.40% and 10.80%, a percentage of moisture, fiber, ash, and fat contents were 70.35 and 7.30, 2.05 and 6.35, 2.30 and 8.50, and 0.65 and 1.85, mineral contents of the seeds were 32 mg and 102.85 mg calcium, 1.4 and 3.8 mg Iron, and 121 and 325 mg phosphorus in 100 g, and seeds of Trapa bispinosa produced 115.52 and 354.85 Kcal of energy, in fresh and dry fruits, respectively. Chemical analysis of the fruit and fresh nuts having considerable water content citric acid and fresh fruit which substantiates its importance as dietary food also reported low crude lipid, and major mineral present with confirming good amount of minerals as an iron and manganese potassium were contained in the fruit. Crude fiber, total protein content of the water chestnut kernel, Trapa bispinosa are reported. In this paper, the recent reports on nutritional, phytochemical, and pharmacological aspects of Trapa bispinosa Roxb, as a medicinal and nutritional food, are reviewed.

Trapa natans L. root extract suppresses hyperglycemic and hepatotoxic effects in STZ-induced diabetic rat model

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Trapa natans L. has a folkloric reputation as nutrient, appetizer and astringent. Its utility as antidiabetic, anticancer, diuretic, aphrodisiac, antidiarrhoeal and in many other maladies is well reported in the literature. Therefore, the present study has been carried out to study the antihyperglycemic effect of root extract of Trapa natans L. and its various fractions. Furthermore, hepatotoxic effects and lipid peroxidation risks have also been evaluated.

METHODS

The ethanol extract and its successive fractions obtained from roots of Trapa natans have been administered in sucrose loaded and STZ- induced diabetic Wistar rats at doses of 50, 100 and 200mg/kg b.w. Glibenclamide was used as positive control. The evaluation of protective effects of extract as well as fractions against hepatotoxicity and lipid peroxidation at 600mg/kg b.w. has also been carried out.

RESULTS

The methanol fraction emerged as the most potent antihyperglycemic fraction. It has also been found that the ethanolic extract as well as its fractions did not cause any lipid peroxidation and hepatotoxicity risks.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that the intense investigations of the methanol fraction obtained from Trapa natans root extract can be done to provide an alternative natural therapy for hyperglycemia.

Utilization of water chestnut for reclamation of water environment and control of cyanobacterial blooms

Overgrowth of water chestnut (Trapa spp.) is a regional problem throughout Asia and North America because of waterway blockage and water fouling upon decomposition. In the present study, we investigated the potential of water chestnut to control cyanobacterial blooms, via a high content of phenolic compounds. In addition, we assessed the impact of biomass harvesting and crude extract application on nutrient balance. We showed that the floating parts of water chestnut contained high concentrations of total phenolics (89.2 mg g(-1) dry weight) and exhibited strong antioxidant activity (1.31 mmol g(-1) dry weight). Methanol-extracted phenolics inhibited growth of Microcystis aeruginosa; the half maximal effective concentration (EC50) of the extracted phenolics was 5.8 mg L(-1), which was obtained from only 103 mg L(-1) of dry biomass (the floating and submerged parts). However, the crude extracts also added important quantities of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (1.49, 1.05, and 16.3 mg g(-1), respectively; extracted dry biomass weight basis); therefore, in practice, nutrient removal before and/or after the extraction is essential. On the other hand, biomass harvesting enables recovery of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from the water environment (23.1, 2.9, and 18.7 mg g(-1), respectively; dry biomass weight basis). Our findings indicate that water chestnut contains high concentrations of phenolics and exhibits strong antioxidant activity. Utilization of these resources, including nutrients, will contribute to reclamation of the water environment, and also to disposal of wet biomass.

Antibacterial effect of Allium sativum cloves and Zingiber officinale rhizomes against multiple-drug resistant clinical pathogens

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the antibacterial properties of Allium sativum (garlic) cloves and Zingiber officinale (ginger) rhizomes against multi-drug resistant clinical pathogens causing nosocomial infection.

METHODS

The cloves of garlic and rhizomes of ginger were extracted with 95% (v/v) ethanol. The ethanolic extracts were subjected to antibacterial sensitivity test against clinical pathogens.

RESULTS

Anti-bacterial potentials of the extracts of two crude garlic cloves and ginger rhizomes were tested against five gram negative and two gram positive multi-drug resistant bacteria isolates. All the bacterial isolates were susceptible to crude extracts of both plants extracts. Except Enterobacter sp. and Klebsiella sp., all other isolates were susceptible when subjected to ethanolic extracts of garlic and ginger. The highest inhibition zone was observed with garlic (19.45 mm) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). The minimal inhibitory concentration was as low as 67.00 µg/mL against P. aeruginosa.

CONCLUSIONS

Natural spices of garlic and ginger possess effective anti-bacterial activity against multi-drug clinical pathogens and can be used for prevention of drug resistant microbial diseases and further evaluation is necessary.

Antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic activities of amblyone isolated from Amorphophallus campanulatus

Objective:

To assess the in vitro antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic activities of amblyone, a triterpenoid isolated from Amorphophallus campanulatus (Roxb).

Methods:

Disc diffusion technique was used for in vitro antibacterial and antifungal screening. Cytotoxicity was determined against brine shrimp nauplii. In addition, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using serial dilution technique to determine the antibacterial potency.

Results:

Large zones of inhibition were observed in disc diffusion antibacterial screening against four Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes) and six Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella sonnei, Shigella flexneri, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi). The MIC values against these bacteria ranged from 8 to 64 μg/ml. In antifungal screening, the compound showed small zones of inhibition against Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus aryzae. Candida albicans was resistant against the compound. In the cytotoxicity determination, LC₅₀ of the compound against brine shrimp nauplii was 13.25 μg/ml.

Conclusions:

These results suggest that the compound has good antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria, moderate cytotoxicity against brine shrimp nauplii and insignificant antifungal activity against the tested fungi.

Antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of the essential oil of Curcuma zedoaria

The chemical compositions of the essential oil of Curcuma zedoaria (Berg.) Rosc. were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and showed a high content of epicurzerenone and curdione representing 46.6% and 13.7% of the total oil, respectively. The essential oil was evaluated for potential antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonasa aeruginosa, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella typhimurium and Bacillus cereus. V. parahaemolyticus was sensitive to the presence of the essential oil, while the most resistant strain appeared to be E. coli. Based on 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction and cell morphology, the essential oil of C. zedoaria could inhibit the proliferation of human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. These results suggest that the essential oil has the antimicrobial activity against some of Gram- positive and negative pathogenic microorganisms and the components of the extract lead to the apoptosis of human cancer cell line.