Preliminary phytochemical analysis and evaluation of antioxidant, cytotoxic and inhibition of lipopolysaccaride - induced NOS (iNOS) expression in BALB/c mice liver by Ziziphus oenoplia Mill. fruit

Ziziphus oenoplia Mill.: A systematic review on ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology of an important traditional medicinal plant

BACKGROUND

Ziziphus oenoplia Mill. (Family- Rhamnaceae) an important shrub, often found throughout the hot regions of tropical Asia and northern Australia, is commonly well known as Jackal Jujube in English. It is a folk herbal medicine used as an abdominal pain killer and anti-diarrhoeal agent,.

OBJECTIVE

The review aims to provide up-to-date information on the vernacular information, botanical characterization, distribution, ethnopharmacological uses, pharmacological activities, and chemical constituents of Z. oenoplia for possible exploitation of treatment for various diseases and to suggest future investigations.

METHOD

This review was performed by studying online resources relating to Z. oenoplia and diverse resources, including scientific journals, books, and worldwide accepted databases from which information was assembled to accumulate significant information and relevant data at one place.

RESULTS

Investigations on Z. oenoplia have been focused on its pharmacological activities, including its antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antihepatotoxic, antiulcer, antiplasmodial, anticancer, wound healing, anthelmintic, antioxidant, analgesic and antinociceptive, hypolipidemic activity, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antidiarrheal activities. Phytochemical studies resulted in the isolation of fatty acids, flavonoids, phenols, pentacyclic triterpenes, hydroxy carboxylic acids, aliphatic hydroxy ether, and cyclopeptide alkaloids.

CONCLUSIONS

Most of the ethnopharmacological relevance of Z. oenoplia is justified but more need to be studied. Further investigations are necessary to fully understand the mode of action of the active constituents and to exploit its preventive and therapeutic potentials.

Identifying Synergistic Mechanisms of Multiple Ingredients in Shuangbai Tablets against Proteinuria by Virtual Screening and a Network Pharmacology Approach

Shuangbai Tablets (SBT), a traditional herbal mixture, has shown substantial clinical efficacy. However, a systematic mechanism of its active ingredients and pharmacological mechanisms of action against proteinuria continues being lacking. A network pharmacology approach was effectual in discovering the relationship of multiple ingredients and targets of the herbal mixture. This study aimed to identify key targets, major active ingredients, and pathways of SBT against proteinuria by network pharmacology approach combined with thin layer chromatography (TLC). Human phenotype (HP) disease analysis, gene ontology (GO) analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis, and molecular docking were used in this study. To this end, a total of 48 candidate targets of 118 active ingredients of SBT were identified. Network analysis showed PTGS2, ESR1, and NOS2 to be the three key targets, and beta-sitosterol, quercetin, and berberine were the three major active ingredients; among them one of the major active ingredients, quercetin, was discriminated by TLC. These results of the functional enrichment analysis indicated that the most relevant disease including these 48 candidate proteins is proteinuria, SBT treated proteinuria by sympathetically regulating multiple biological pathways, such as the HIF-1, RAS, AGE-RAGE, and VEGF signaling pathways. Additionally, molecular docking validation suggested that major active ingredients of SBT were capable of binding to HIF-1A and VEGFA of the main pathways. Consequently, key targets, major active ingredients, and pathways based on data analysis of SBT against proteinuria were systematically identified confirming its utility and providing a new drug against proteinuria.

Gastrointestinal Protective Effect of Zizyphus xylopyrus (Retz) Willd Leaf Extract Against Indomethacin and HCl-EtOH Induced Ulcers

Background:

Zizyphus xylopyrus (Retz.) Willd. (Rhamnaceae) is a straggling shrub or a small tree, armed with spines, found throughout north western India, Pakistan and China.

Methods:

The aerial and root barks, leaves and fruits of Zizyphus species are used in medicine for the treatment of various diseases such as weakness, liver complaints, obesity, diabetes, skin infections, fever, diarrhea, insomnia and digestive disorders. Ethanolic extract of leaves of Zizyphus xylopyrus (Retz) Willd was prepared by solvent extraction and subjected to study the protective effect against Indomethacin and HCl-EtOH induced ulcer using Ranitidine (100 mg/kg) and Omeprazole (8 mg/kg) as standard respectively.

Results:

Histopathological lesions with marked disorientation of the gastric epithelium was observed in negative control, while extract treated rats showed a better protected mucosa with intact epithelium in comparison to standard treated rats. Ulcer index and percentage ulcer protection also represent protecting effects of the extract.

Conclusion:

Ethanolic extract of Z. xylopyrus (Retz) Willd leaves extract was found to be significantly protective against gastric ulcers.