Interaction of folk medicinal plant extracts with human alpha2-adrenoceptor subtypes

Peganum harmala L.: A Review of Botany, Traditional Use, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Quality Marker, and Toxicity

BACKGROUND

Peganum harmala L. is a perennial herb of Peganum in Zygophyllaceae family. It has been used as a national medicinal herb with the efficacy of strengthening muscle, warming stomach, dispelling cold, and removing dampness in Chinese folk. Clinically, it is mainly used to treat diseases such as weak muscles and veins, joint pain, cough and phlegm, dizziness, headache, and irregular menstruation.

METHODS

The relevant information about P. harmala L. in this review is based on online databases, including Elsevier, Willy, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, SciFinder, SpringLink, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, ACS publications, SciHub, Scopus, and CNKI. The other information was acquired from ancient books and classical works about P. harmala L.

RESULTS

P. harmala L. is an important medicinal plant with a variety of traditional uses according to the theory of Chinese medicine. Phytochemical research revealed that P. harmala L. contained alkaloids, volatile oils, flavonoids, triterpenoids, coumarins, lignins, anthraquinones. Modern studies showed P. harmala L. possessed multiple bioactivities, including anti-cancer, neuroprotective, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, anti-hypertensive, anti-asthmatic, and insecticidal activities. Furthermore, the contents of the quality marker and toxicity of P. harmala L. were summarized and analyzed in this review.

CONCLUSION

The botany, traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality marker, and toxicity of P. harmala L. were reviewed in this paper. It will not only provide an important clue for further studying P. harmala L., but also supply an important theoretical basis and valuable reference for in-depth research and exploitations of this plant in the future.

Antidiabetic activity of Acacia tortilis (Forsk.) Hayne ssp. raddiana polysaccharide on streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced diabetic rats

The present study was designed to investigate the antidiabetic activity of aqueous extract of Acacia tortilis polysaccharide (AEATP) from gum exudates and its role in comorbidities associated with diabetes in STZ-nicotinamide induced diabetic rats. Male albino Wistar rats were divided into control, diabetic control, glimepiride treated (10 mg/kg), and diabetic rats treated with 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg dose of AEATP groups and fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, VLDL, HDL, SGOT, and SGPT levels were measured. STZ significantly increased fasting blood glucose level, glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, VLDL, SGOT, and SGPT levels, whereas HDL level was reduced as compared to control group. After 7 days of administration, 500 and 1000 mg/kg dose of AEATP showed significant reduction (P < 0.05) in fasting blood glucose level compared to diabetic control. AEATP has also reduced total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, VLDL, SGOT, and SGPT levels and improved HDL level as compared to diabetic control group. Our study is the first to report the normalization of fasting blood glucose level, lipid profile, and liver enzyme in AEATP treated diabetic rats. Thus, it can be concluded that AEATP may have potentials for the treatment of T2DM and its comorbidities.