Phytochemical Analysis, Antibacterial, and Antitumor Potential of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn

This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition, antibacterial activity, and antitumor potential of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn, a widely used medicinal plant. Qualitative systematic phytochemical analysis was conducted on flower of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis for determining their antimicrobial and antitumor potential by using disc diffusion method and potato disc bioassay, respectively. Phytochemicals found in chloroform extract of H. rosa-sinensis were alkaloids, betacyanin's, tannins, and quinones in nature while in ethanol extract only alkaloids and betacyanin's were present. The findings demonstrated potent inhibitory effects of the extracts against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Chloroform extract exhibited more significant antibacterial activity as compared to ethanolic extract against various drug resistant pathogens such as Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus subtilis. Furthermore, the antitumor activity of the H. rosa-sinensis extract was evaluated using in vitro assays against selected cancer cell-lines. These extracts exhibited significant antiproliferative effects such as ethanolic extract had more significant antitumor activity as compared to chloroform. After 24 h zones of inhibition were analyzed and measured using ruler. The diameter of zones of inhibition of chloroform flower extract against E. coli, S. aureus, Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and B. subtilis, S. typhi was 11, 8, 13, 17, 10, and 23 mm, while ethanolic extract had 6, 0, 6, 10, 7, and 10 mm, zone of inhibition, respectively. Flower extracts by inhibiting the formation of crown gall tumors suggesting their potential as sources of natural anticancer compounds. These results provided valuable insights into the phytochemical composition and therapeutic potential of H. rosa-sinensis. Additional investigations into the bioactive components of H. rosa-sinensis might result in the creation of new antibacterial and anticancer medicines for use in a range of medical applications.

Flavonoids, the Family of Plant-derived Antioxidants making inroads into Novel Therapeutic Design against IR-induced Oxidative Stress in Parkinson's Disease

Background:

Ionizing radiation from telluric sources is unceasingly an unprotected pitfall to humans. Thus, the foremost contributors to human exposure are global and medical radiations. Various evidences assembled during preceding years reveal the pertinent role of ionizing radiation-induced oxidative stress in the progression of neurodegenerative insults, such as Parkinson’s disease, which have been contributing to increased proliferation and generation of reactive oxygen species.

Objective:

This review delineates the role of ionizing radiation-induced oxidative stress in Parkinson’s disease and proposes novel therapeutic interventions of flavonoid family, offering effective management and slowing down the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

Methods:

Published papers were searched in MEDLINE, PubMed, etc., published to date for in-depth database collection.

Results:

The oxidative damage may harm the non-targeted cells. It can also modulate the functions of the central nervous system, such as protein misfolding, mitochondria dysfunction, increased levels of oxidized lipids, and dopaminergic cell death, which accelerate the progression of Parkinson’s disease at the molecular, cellular, or tissue levels. In Parkinson’s disease, reactive oxygen species exacerbate the production of nitric oxides and superoxides by activated microglia, rendering death of dopaminergic neuronal cell through different mechanisms.

Conclusion:

Rising interest has extensively engrossed in the clinical trial designs based on the plant-derived family of antioxidants. They are known to exert multifarious impact on neuroprotection via directly suppressing ionizing radiation-induced oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species production or indirectly increasing the dopamine levels and activating the glial cells.

Rutin ameliorates copper sulfate-induced brain damage via antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities in rats

Excessive exposure to Copper (Cu) may result in Cu toxicity and adversely affect health outcomes. We investigated the protective role of rutin on Cu-induced brain damage. Experimental rats were treated as follows: group I: control; group II: Cu-sulfate: 200 mg/kg; group III: Cu-sulfate, and rutin 100 mg/kg; and group IV: rutin 100 mg/kg, for 7 weeks. Cu only treatment significantly decreased body weight gain, while rutin cotreatment reversed this decrease. Cu treatment increased malondialdehyde, nitric oxide level, and myeloperoxidase activity and decreased superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in rat brain. Immunohistochemistry showed that COX-2, iNOS, and Bcl-2 proteins were strongly expressed, while Bax was mildly expressed in the brain of Cu-treated rats. Furthermore, brain histology revealed degenerated neurons, and perforated laminae of cerebral cortex in the Cu-only treated rats. Interestingly, coadministration of Cu and rutin reduced the observed histological alteration, improved inflammatory and antioxidant biomarkers, thereby protecting against Cu-induced brain damage via antioxidative and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.