Chemical composition, antiproliferative and antioxidant attributes of ethanolic extract of resinous sediment from Etlingera elatior (Jack.) inflorescence

In Vitro Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Ethyl Acetate Extracts of Ziziphus lotus Leaves and Five Associated Endophytic Fungi

The exploration of new pharmacological compounds from endophytic fungi offers infinite possibilities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of extracts from the leaves of Ziziphus lotus and five of its endophytic fungi and investigate the chemical diversity of the secondary metabolites produced. Isolated, purified, and molecularly identified endophytes and plant leaves were subjected to ethyl acetate extraction. The antibacterial potential of the extracts was assessed by the disc diffusion method against five bacterial strains: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923; Staphylococcus aureus MU50; Enterococcus faecalis WDCM00009; Escherichia coli ATCC 25922; and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. DPPH and reducing power tests were performed to assess antioxidant potential. GC-MS analysis was used to identify volatile compounds in extracts. Fungal endophytes were identified as Aspergillus cavernicola, Aspergillus persii, Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium asperlatum, and Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti complex, with respective accession numbers DTO 412-G6, DTO 412-I5, DTO 413-E7, DTO 412-G4, and DTO 414-I2. GC-MS analysis revealed a large number of bioactive compounds. All extracts showed antibacterial activity against at least two of the bacteria tested, and most showed antioxidant activity. The Aspergillus cavernicola extract stood out for its higher phenolic content and higher antioxidant and antibacterial activities in all tests.

Insights into free radicals scavenging, α-Amylase inhibition, cytotoxic and antifibrotic activities unveiled by Peganum harmala extracts

BACKGROUND

Peganum harmala L. is used in traditional medicine to treat several health ailments. Hence, the present work aimed to investigate the DPPH free radical scavenging, α-amylase, cytotoxic, and antifibrotic effects of the hydrophilic extract and fixed oil obtained from P. harmala seeds.

METHODS

The hydrophilic extract and fixed oil of P. harmala were assessed for their abilities to scavenge DPPH free radicals and inhibit α-amylase using reference bioassays. The cytotoxicity was assessed on several cancer and normal cell lines, including B16F1, Caco-2, COLO205, HeLa, Hep 3B and Hep G2, MCF-7, and HEK-293 T cells. The MTS assay was used to evaluate the antifibrotic capabilities utilizing the human hepatic stellate (LX-2) cell line.

RESULTS

P. harmala plant fixed oil has potent DPPH free radical scavenging activity with an IC50 dose of 79.43 ± 0.08 µg/ml. Besides, the hydrophilic extract has a poor anti-α-amylase effect compared with the antidiabetic drug Acarbose, with IC50 doses of 398 ± 0.59 and 25.11 ± 1.22 µg/ml, respectively. In addition, the growth of MCF-7, Hep3B, HepG2, HeLa, COLO205, CaCo2, B16F1, and HeK293t was inhibited by P. harmala hydrophilic extract with IC50 doses of 121.34 ± 1.71, 268.3 ± 0.75, 297.20 ± 1.00, 155.60 ± 1.14, 150.01 ± 0.51, 308.35 ± 0.53, 597.93 ± 1.36, and 5.38 ± 0.99 µg/ml, respectively. In addition, at 1000 µg/ml, 5-Fluorouracil reduced fibrosis cells by 0.089%, while the hydrophilic extract decreased the number of LX-2 cells by 5.81%.

CONCLUSION

P. harmala plant-fixed oil exhibits potential antioxidant properties. While the hydrophilic extract showed limited effectiveness as an anti-α-amylase agent and demonstrated notable cytotoxic effects against various tested cancer cell lines. Furthermore, this extract significantly reduces the number of LX-2 fibrotic cells. These findings emphasize the therapeutic potential of these products in managing various health disorders and warrant further investigation into their mechanisms of action and clinical applications.

Etlingera elatior Flower Aqueous Extract Protects against Oxidative Stress-Induced Nephropathy in a Rat Model of Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a known systemic disease with increasing global prevalence and multi-organ complications including diabetic nephropathy (DN). The trend of using medicinal plants in the management of DM is increasing exponentially. Etlingera elatior is a medicinal plant that contains chemicals and antioxidants that delay the oxidation process. However, available data focusing on its use on DN are inconsistent and scarce. This study aims to investigate the antidiabetic and nephroprotective effects of E. elatior flower aqueous extract (EEAE) in a type 2 DM rat (T2DR) model. The T2DR model was developed using a combination of a high-fat diet (HFD) and a low dose of streptozotocin (STZ) at 35 mg/kg. Thirty-two Sprague Dawley male rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 8): (1) control (normal rat), (2) T2DR (untreated-type 2 diabetic rat), (3) Met (250 mg/kg metformin-treated T2DR), and (4) EEAE (1000 mg/kg EEAE-treated T2DR). All treatments were administered orally for 6 weeks. EEAE significantly reduced fasting blood glucose (FBG), microalbuminuria, serum creatinine, and serum blood urea nitrogen. EEAE also reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) and enhanced the levels of antioxidant markers—superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC). The inflammatory marker (interleukin (IL)-6) and fibrosis markers (transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF)) were significantly decreased in the EEAE-treated group. The T2DR group developed DN, which was characterized by segmental sclerosis of the glomeruli associated with focal tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis. Interestingly, the histology of kidney tissue in the EEAE group was preserved. This effect was similar to that of the control drug metformin. In summary, the antidiabetic and nephroprotective effects might be related to the antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory effects of the EEAE. The antidiabetic activity could be due to the presence of the active compound cyanidin-3-O-glycosides, which is an anthocyanin antioxidant, that is present in the EEAE. E. elatior has the potential to be developed as a natural source of antioxidants that can be used for the prevention or even the treatment of DM. These findings could lead to future research into the therapeutic use of E. elatior in alleviating the progression of DM and thus preventing nephropathy.