Hydroalcoholic extract from Origanum vulgare induces a combined anti-mycobacterial and anti-inflammatory response in innate immune cells

Formulation and evaluation of a smart mucoadhesive nasal gel containing oregano, chamomile, and lavender for seizure control in PTZ-induced seizure model in rats

BACKGROUND

Epilepsy is a prevalent neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, affecting approximately 1% of the global population. Despite the availability of antiepileptic drugs, a significant proportion of patients experience uncontrolled seizures, which necessitates the development of alternative therapeutic strategies. Herbal medicine has gained attention due to its potential anticonvulsant properties.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to assess the anticonvulsant effects of hydroalcoholic extracts of oregano, chamomile, and lavender in rats' pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)- induced seizure model. Furthermore, it sought to formulate and evaluate a mucoadhesive nasal hydrogel containing these extracts.

METHODS

The herbal extracts were prepared using ethanol (70%) through maceration and analyzed based on the Iranian Herbal Pharmacopeia standards. Total phenolic content (TPC) was quantified using the spectrophotometric method to standardize the extracts. Using various gelling agents, the nasal hydrogel formulation was optimized for mucoadhesion and gelation properties. The anticonvulsant activity was evaluated in vivo using seizure models induced by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ).

RESULTS

The herbal extracts met the pharmacopeial standards, and the nasal hydrogel formulation demonstrated favorable physicochemical properties, including optimal pH and mucoadhesive strength. In vivo studies showed that intranasal administration of the herbal extracts significantly delayed seizure onset and reduced seizure intensity at a dose of 34mg/kg, compared to the negative control group (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

The smart mucoadhesive nasal hydrogel containing oregano, chamomile, and lavender extracts exhibited promising anticonvulsant activity, suggesting its potential as a novel, non-invasive alternative for epilepsy management.

Medicinal plants used in traditional medicine to enhance immunity: A survey in the southeastern area of Morocco and a literature review

Objective

The threat of immune escape and the discovery of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, as well as the failure of certain conventional drugs that are already in use for the symptomatic treatment of diseases, have prompted a re-evaluation of ancient therapeutic remedies such as phytotherapy, and aromatherapy. In this context, the present study aims to shed light on some medicinal plants mostly used by the population of the Daraa Tafilalet region to strengthen their immune systems, and to provide an up-to-date literature review on this subject.

Materials and Methods

A survey study was conducted using pre-prepared questionnaires addressed to the population of the Daraa Tafilalet region. MS Windows Excel and SPSS software were used for statistical analysis and results presentation. In addition, for the literature review, searches were conducted across several databases, including Google Scholar, Science Direct, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus, using medicinal plants, date products, enhance immunity, and essential oils as keywords.

Results

Among 142 participants interviewed, 108 used medicinal plants to improve their immune systems. However, 34 interviewers prefer conventional medicine. Date palm fruits and oregano were the most commonly used medicinal plants by the Daraa Tafilalet population to enhance the immune system, followed by anise, lavender, rosemary, thyme, and pennyroyal. These results are supported by literature data.

Conclusion

These results reflect the interesting traditional medical knowledge of this population, which merits being documented.

Liposome-based nanoparticles impact on regulatory and effector phenotypes of macrophages and T cells in multiple Sclerosis patients

Current available treatments of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) reduce neuroinflammation acting on different targets on the immune system, but potentially lead to severe side effects and have a limited efficacy in slowing the progression of the disease. Here, we evaluated in vitro the immunomodulatory potential of a new class of nanoparticles - liposomes, constituted by a double-layer of phosphatidylserine (PSCho/PS), and double-faced, with an outer layer of phosphatidylserine and an inner layer of phosphatidic acid (PSCho/PA), either alone or in the presence of the myelin basic protein (MBP) peptide (residues 85-99) (PSCho/PS-MBP and PSCho/PA-MBP). Results showed that PSCho/PS are equally and efficiently internalized by pro- and anti-inflammatory macrophages (M1 and M2 respectively), while PSCho/PA were internalized better by M2 than M1. PSCho/PS liposomes were able to inhibit the secretion of innate pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. PSCho/PS liposomes expanded Tregs, reducing Th1 and Th17 cells, while PSCho/PA liposomes were unable to dampen pro-inflammatory T cells and to promote immune-regulatory phenotype (Treg). The ability of PSCho/PS liposomes to up-regulate Treg cells was more pronounced in MS patients with high basal expression of M2 markers. PSCho/PS liposomes were more effective in decreasing Th1 (but not Th17) cells in MS patients with a disease duration >3 months. On the other hand, down-modulation of Th17 cells was evident in MS patients with active, Gadolinium enhancing lesions at MRI and in MS patients with a high basal expression of M1-associated markers in the monocytes. The same findings were observed for the modulation of MBP-driven Th1/Th17/Treg responses. These observations suggest that early MS associate to a hard-wired pro-Th1 phenotype of M1 that is lost later during disease course. On the other hand, acute inflammatory events reflect a temporary decrease of M2 phenotype that however is amenable to restauration upon treatment with PSCho/PS liposomes. Thus, together these data indicate that monocytes/macrophages may play an important regulatory function during MS course and suggest a role for PSCho/PS and PSCho/PS-MBP as new therapeutic tools to dampen the pro-inflammatory immune responses and to promote its regulatory branch.

Phosphatidylcholine Liposomes Down-Modulate CD4 Expression Reducing HIV Entry in Human Type-1 Macrophages

A strategy adopted to combat human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) infection is based on interfering with virus entry into target cells. In this study, we found that phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes reduced the expression of the CD4 receptor in human primary type-1 macrophages but not in CD4⁺ T cells. The down-regulation was specific to CD4, as any effect was not observed in CCR5 membrane expression. Moreover, the reduction of membrane CD4 expression required the Ca²⁺-independent protein kinase C (PKC), which in turn mediated serine phosphorylation in the intracytoplasmic tail of the CD4 receptor. Serine phosphorylation of CD4 was also associated with its internalization and degradation in acidic compartments. Finally, the observed CD4 downregulation induced by PC liposomes in human primary macrophages reduced the entry of both single-cycle replication and replication competent R5 tropic HIV-1. Altogether, these results show that PC liposomes reduce HIV entry in human macrophages and may impact HIV pathogenesis by lowering the viral reservoir.

Biomedical Effects of the Phytonutrients Turmeric, Garlic, Cinnamon, Graviola, and Oregano: A Comprehensive Review

Phytonutrients are plant foods that contain many natural bioactive compounds, called phytochemicals, which show specific biological activities. These phytonutrients and their phytochemicals may play an important role in health care maintaining normal organism functions (as preventives) and fighting against diseases (as therapeutics). Phytonutrients’ components are the primary metabolites (i.e., proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids) and phytochemicals or secondary metabolites (i.e., phenolics, alkaloids, organosulfides, and terpenes). For years, several phytonutrients and their phytochemicals have demonstrated specific pharmacological and therapeutic effects in human health such as anticancer, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and immune response. This review summarizes the effects of the most studied or the most popular phytonutrients (i.e., turmeric, garlic, cinnamon, graviola, and oregano) and any reported contraindications. This article also presents the calculated physicochemical properties of the main phytochemicals in the selected phytonutrients using Lipinski’s, Veber’s, and Ghose’s rules. Based on our revisions for this article, all these phytonutrients have consistently shown great potential as preventives and therapeutics on many diseases in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies.

PMN-MDSC Frequency Discriminates Active Versus Latent Tuberculosis and Could Play a Role in Counteracting the Immune-Mediated Lung Damage in Active Disease

Tuberculosis (TB), due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, is still the principal cause of death caused by a single infectious agent. The balance between the bacillus and host defense mechanisms reflects the different manifestations of the pathology. Factors defining this variety are unclear and likely involve both mycobacterial and immunological components. Myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) have been shown to be expanded during TB, but their role in human TB pathogenesis is not clear. We evaluated the frequency of circulating MDSC by flow-cytometry in 19 patients with active TB, 18 with latent TB infection (LTBI), and 12 healthy donors (HD) as control. Moreover, we investigated the capacity of MDSC to modulate the mycobactericidal activity of monocytes. The association between MDSC level and TB chest X-ray severity score was analyzed. We observed that, unlike active TB, polymorphonuclear (PMN)-MDSC are not expanded in LTBI patients, and, by performing a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, we found that PMN-MDSC frequency supported the discrimination between active disease and LTBI. Interestingly, we observed an association between PMN-MDSC levels and the severity of TB disease evaluated by chest X-ray. Specifically, PMN-MDSC frequency was higher in those classified with a low/mild severity score compared to those classified with a high severity score. Moreover, PMN-MDSC can impact mycobacterial growth by inducing ROS production in Bacillus Calmette et Guerin (BCG)-infected monocytes. This effect was lost when tested with M. tuberculosis (MTB), In conclusion, our data indicate that the elevated frequency of PMN-MDSC in IGRA-positive individuals is associated with active TB. Our findings also pointed out a beneficial role of PMN-MDSC during human active TB, most likely associated with the limitation of inflammation-induced tissue damage.

Composition, antioxidant capacity, intestinal, and immunobiological effects of oregano (Lippia palmeri Watts) in goats: preliminary in vitro and in vivo studies

This study investigated Lippia palmeri Watt (oregano) phytochemical compounds, their antioxidant capacity, and immunological effects on goat peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL), and on the presence of intermediate polar compounds in goat feces fed dietary oregano. The polar and nonpolar fractions of L. palmeri W. were characterized and phytochemical contents and antioxidant capacity were determined. Twelve healthy Anglo-Nubian goats were used for the in vivo trials, which were randomly assigned to control fed with basal diet, or oregano group fed with basal diet + 2.6% (DM basis) dried oregano leaves. Goat peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) were isolated for the in vitro study, and PBL were stimulated with oregano extracts at 100 and 150 μg/mL after 24 h. For the in vivo trial, dietary oregano (2.6% on DM basis) was evaluated in the goats for 90 days. Relatively high abundance of carvacrol and thymol phytochemical compounds was found in oregano. The highest antioxidant capacity of oregano extracts was detected at 100 and 150 μg/mL. Nitric oxide production, phagocytosis, and superoxide dismutase activities increased (p < 0.05) in stimulated PBL with oregano extracts, whereas the pro-inflammatory (TNF-α and IL-1β) transcription and antioxidant (CAT and GPX-4) genes downregulated. In the in vivo experiment, dietary oregano enabled the detection of nine compounds found in goat feces, from which caproic (C6) was in a high relative quantity compared with the control group. Oregano has phytochemical compounds with strong antioxidant capacity that protect cells against oxidative stress damage and could modulate immune response and feces composition in goats.

Clinical Assessment of New Topical Cream Containing Two Essential Oils Combined with Tretinoin in the Treatment of Acne

Background

Acne is a frequent adolescent disease characterized by inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions whose topical treatment very often presents adverse phenomena such as irritation or resistance to antibiotics that reduce the patient’s compliance. The purpose of this study is to compare a commercial product (Acnatac gel) based on clindamycin-tretinoin (CTG) with a galenic compound containing 2 essential oils (Myrtus communisL. and Origanum vulgare) and tretinoin (MOTC) to evaluate its anti-acne effectiveness and action on the microclimate of the skin.

Methods

Sixty volunteers were randomly divided into an A group using MOTC and a B group, as a positive control, using CTG. The effectiveness was assessed with non-invasive skin analysis (Sebumeter, pH meter, Tewameter and Mexameter) and the counts of the number of lesions, after 15 and 30 days.

Results

In both groups, there is a worsening of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) due to tretinoin. MOTC has improved, starting from 15 days of treatment, the papular erythema (p = 0.0329 vs CTG) and has reduced at all times even the rashes of retinoids present in the healthy perilesional skin (p = 0.0329 and p = 0.0017, respectively, at 15 and 30 days).

Conclusion

MOTC has shown, compared to Acnatac, to have anti-acne efficacy and to possess an anti-inflammatory activity, due to essential oils, able to reduce in vivo erythematous lesions and those induced by retinoids.

New Tricks for Old Guys: Recent Developments in the Chemistry, Biochemistry, Applications and Exploitation of Selected Species from the Lamiaceae Family

Lamiaceae is one of the largest families of flowering plants comprising about 250 genera and over 7,000 species. Most of the plants of this family are aromatic and therefore important source of essential oils. Lamiaceae are widely used as culinary herbs and reported as medicinal plants in several folk traditions. In the Mediterranean area oregano, sage, rosemary, thyme and lavender stand out for geographical diffusion and variety of uses. The aim of this review is to provide recent data dealing with the phytochemical and pharmacological studies, and the more recent applications of the essential oils and the non-volatile phytocomplexes. This literature survey suggests how the deeper understanding of biomolecular processes in the health and food sectors as per as pest control bioremediation of cultural heritage, or interaction with human microbiome, fields, leads to the rediscovery and new potential applications of well-known plants.