Comparing of the Cytotoxicity Properties and Mechanism of Lawsonia inermis and Strobilanthes crispus Extract Against Several Cancer Cell Lines

A comparison of the effects of Lawsonia inermis (Iranian henna) and clotrimazole on Candida albicans in rats

BACKGROUND

Candida albicans may cause vaginal infections in women. The aim of this study was to compare the antifungal effect of Lawsonia inermis with that of clotrimazole on rats.

METHODS

A total of 35female Wistar rats were randomly assigned into 5groups. Four groups were infected vaginally with C. albicans and one group was not (negative control). The four infected groups received the following treatments: two groups received vaginal creams of 2% or 4% of L. inermis, one group received 1% clotrimazole and one infected group did not receive any treatment (positive control). The hydro-ethanolic henna extract was prepared from the powder of henna leaves using maceration method. Samples were taken for culture from the vaginae of all rats before the treatment, one and two weeks after treatment. An ANOVA test was used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

Before the treatment, the mean colony forming units (CFU) was 213.6±10.08 and 334.42±20.32 in the 2% and 4% henna groups, respectively, 312.7±28.32 in the clotrimazole group, 233.85±8.15 in the positive control group, and zero in the negative control group. The mean CFUs were zero for all groups except for the 2% henna and positive control groups (P<0.001) one week after the treatment and zero in all groups except for the positive control group two weeks after the treatment (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

L. inermis (henna) in form of vaginal cream could treat C. albicans infections in female rats; however, 4% henna was more effective and had an effect similar to that of clotrimazole.

L. inermis-loaded nanofibrous scaffolds for wound dressing applications

Since ancient times, some herbal medicines have been extensively used for burn and wound treatments, showing preference to the common synthetic medications by virtue of having less side effects and faster healing rate. In this study, hybrid nanofibrous scaffolds of poly-l-lactic-acid (PLLA) and gelatin incorporated L. inermis were fabricated via electrospinning technique. Morphology and characteristics of the scaffolds were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), respectively. The release profile of the L. inermis from the nanofibers was also assessed in vitro. Moreover, the structural stability of the released L. inermis from the nanofibers was evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The nanofibers showed a gradual release of L. inermis up to two days while the intact structure was preserved. Furthermore, antibacterial assay demonstrated that L. inermis-loaded nanofibrous scaffolds could effectively kill E. coli and S. aureus within 2 h. Finally, biocompatibility of the nanofibers was proven on 3T3 fibroblasts. Therefore, the L. inermis loaded PLLA-Gelatin nanofibers showed a potential application as a wound dressing in order to control wound infections.

Antidiabetic Naphthoquinones and Their Plant Resources in Thailand

Diabetes mellitus is the seventh leading cause of death globally. Ninety percent of the diabetic population suffers from type-2 diabetes, which still needs an effective, safe and economical oral hypoglycemic therapy. Plants are rich sources of various therapeutic molecules. More than 400 medicinal plants of interesting phytochemical diversity have been reported for their antidiabetic potential. Naphthoquinones are a group of phytochemicals, which have a wide range of pharmacological potential, including antidiabetic activity. Naphthoquinones exert their antidiabetic effects through various mechanisms such as the inhibition of α-glucosidase and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, increased glucose uptake in myocytes and adipocytes via glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) and GLUT2 translocations, enhanced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) ligand activity, and by normalizing carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes in the liver. Moreover, naphthoquinone inhibits adipogenesis by both upstream and downstream regulation to control obesity, which is one of the important risk factors for diabetes. Naturally occurring naphthoquinones, as well as their plant sources, are therefore of interest for exploring their antidiabetic potential. The present review aims to overview the antidiabetic potential of naphthoquinones and their plant resources in Thailand.

Anticancer mechanisms of Strobilanthes crispa Blume hexane extract on liver and breast cancer cell lines

Cancer is a major public health concern not only in developed countries, but also in developing countries. It is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. However, current treatments may cause severe side effects and harm. Therefore, recent research has been focused on identifying alternative therapeutic agents extracted from plant-based sources in order to develop novel treatment options for cancer. Strobilanthes crispa Blume is a plant native to countries including Madagascar and Indonesia. It has been used as an anti-diabetic, diuretic and laxative in traditional folk medicine. Furthermore, S. crispa has potential in treating cancer, as evidenced in previous studies. In the present study, the cytotoxic and apoptotic activities of S. crispa crude extracts were investigated in liver and breast cancer cell lines. Hexane, ethyl acetate, chloroform, methanol and water extracts prepared from the leaves, and stems of S. crispa were evaluated for their cytotoxicity on HepG-2 and MDA-MB-231 cells using an MTT assay. The anti-proliferative properties of stem hexane (SH) extract on both cell lines were analysed using cell doubling time determination and cell cycle analysis, while the apoptogenic properties was determined through the detection of caspase-8. Among the extracts tested, SH extract exhibited the lowest half maximal inhibitory concentrations in both the cell lines. The SH extract induced morphological changes in HepG-2 and MDA-MB-231 cells, and significantly delayed cell population doubling time. Furthermore, it altered cell cycle profile and significantly increased caspase-8 activity in HepG-2 cells, but not in MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, the SH extract of S. crispa possesses potent anticancer properties and may be a suitable chemotherapeutic target.

North African Medicinal Plants Traditionally Used in Cancer Therapy

Background: Cancer is a major cause of mortality worldwide with increasing numbers by the years. In North Africa, the number of cancer patients is alarming. Also shocking is that a huge number of cancer patients only have access to traditional medicines due to several factors, e.g., economic difficulties. In fact, medicinal plants are widely used for the treatment of several pathologies, including cancer. Truthfully, herbalists and botanists in North African countries prescribe several plants for cancer treatment. Despite the popularity and the potential of medicinal plants for the treatment of cancer, scientific evidence on their anticancer effects are still scarce for most of the described plants.

Objective: Bearing in mind the lack of comprehensive and systematic studies, the aim of this review is to give an overview of studies, namely ethnobotanical surveys and experimental evidence of anticancer effects regarding medicinal plants used in North Africa for cancer therapy.

Method: The research was conducted on several popular search engines including PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Science. The research focused primarily on English written papers published between the years 2000 and 2016.

Results: This review on plants traditionally used by herbalists in North Africa highlights that Morocco and Algeria are the countries with most surveys on the use of medicinal plants in folk medicine. Among the plethora of plants used, Nigella sativa and Trigonella foenum-graecum are the most referred ones by herbalists for the treatment of cancer. Moreover, a plethora of scientific evidence qualifies them as candidates for further drug development. Furthermore, we report on the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms.

Conclusion: Overall, this review highlights the therapeutic potential of some medicinal plants as anticancer agents. The North African flora offers a rich source of medicinal plants for a wide array of diseases, including cancer. The elucidation of their modes of action represents an indispensable condition for the rational development of new drugs for cancer treatment. Furthermore, testing the anticancer activity in vivo and in clinical trials are warranted to explore the full therapeutic potential of North African plants for cancer therapy.

In vivo ameliorative effects of methanol leaf extract of Lawsonia inermis Linn on experimental Trypanosoma congolense infection in Wistar rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effect of Lawsonia inermis Linn used traditionally against trypanosomosis. Twenty-five adult Wistar rats of both sex were individually infected intraperitoneally (IP) with 10⁶Trypanosoma congolense per ml of blood. Following establishment of infection, the rats were randomly divided into five groups of 5 rats each. Rats in groups I, II, and III were treated with 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg of the extract, respectively, while rats in groups IV and V were treated with 3.5 mg/kg and 2 ml/kg of diminazene aceturate (DM) once and physiological buffered saline, respectively. All treatments except DM were given orally for 7 days IP. The antitrypanosomal effect of the plant was assessed by observing the level of parasitaemia daily, packed cell volume (PCV) weekly, erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration on day 21. Phytochemical screening of the extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, triterpenes, steroids, cardiac glycosides, saponins, tannins and flavonoids. The extract significantly (P < 0.05) reduced levels of parasitaemia at 250 mg/kg. PCV was higher (P > 0.05) in extract treated groups but significantly higher (P < 0.05) in group II at week 2 when compared to group V. Rats in group II had significantly lower values of EOF and MDA when compared with groups IV and V. Thus, the leaf of L. inermis has in addition to an antitrypanosomal effect against T. congolense in rats, an attenuating effect on the trypanosomosis pathology probably mediated via protection of the erythrocyte membrane against trypanosome-induced oxidative damage to the erythrocytes.

Anti-Tumor Action, Clinical Biochemistry Profile and Phytochemical Constituents of a Pharmacologically Active Fraction of S. crispus in NMU-Induced Rat Mammary Tumour Model

Cancer patients seek alternative remedies such as traditional medicinal plants for safe and effective treatment and help overcome the side effects of conventional therapy. Current knowledge indicates that extracts of Strobilanthes crispus of the Acanthaceae family exhibit potent anticancer properties in vitro and are non-toxic in vivo. S. crispus was also reported to be protective against chemical hepatocarcinogenesis. We previously showed that a bioactive fraction of S. crispus leaves also synergized with tamoxifen to cause apoptosis of human breast cancer cell lines without damaging non-malignant epithelial cells. The present study aimed to evaluate the antitumor effect of S. crispus dichloromethane fraction (F3) using N-methyl-N-Nitrosourea (NMU)-induced rat mammary tumor model. Tumor regression was observed in 75% of the rats following 8-week oral administration of F3 with no secondary tumour formation and no signs of anemia or infection. However, no improvement in the liver and renal function profiles was observed. Major constituents of F3 were identified as lutein, 13¹-hydroxy-13²-oxo-pheophytin a, campesterol, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, pheophytin a and 13²-hydroxy-pheophytin a. These compounds however, may not significantly contribute to the antitumor effect of F3.

Cytotoxic effect of γ-sitosterol from Kejibeling (

Background: This study aimed to analyze the cytotoxicity effect of γ-sitosterol isolated from “Kejibeling” (Strobilanthes crispus), a medicinal plant, on several cancer cell lines. The mechanisms of the effects were studied through the expression of cancer-caused gene, c-myc and apoptotic pathways.Methods: This in vitro study was done using human colon cancer cell lines (Caco-2), liver cancer cell lines (HepG2), hormone-dependent breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) and the normal liver cell lines (Chang Liver). The cytotoxic effect was measured through MTT assay and the potential cytotoxic value was calculated by determining the toxic concentration which may kill up to 50% of the total cell used (IC50). Meanwhile, the cytotoxic mechanism was studied by determining the effect of adding γ-sitosterol to the c-myc gene expression by reverse transciptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The effect of γ-sitosterol through apoptotic pathway was studied by using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay.Results: γ-sitosterol was cytotoxic against Caco-2, HepG2, and MCF-7 with IC50-values of 8.3, 21.8, and 28.8 μg/mL, respectively. There were no IC50-values obtained from this compound against Chang Liver cell line. This compound induced apotosis on Caco-2 and HepG2 cell lines and suppressed the c-myc genes expression in both cells.Conclusion: γ-sitosterol was cytotoxic against colon and liver cancer cell lines and the effect was mediated by down-regulation of c-myc expression and induction of the apoptotic pathways.

Lawsonia inermis L. (henna): ethnobotanical, phytochemical and pharmacological aspects

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The use of Lawsonia inermis L. (henna) for medicinal and cosmetic purposes is inextricably linked to ancient and modern cultures of North Africa and Asia. Literature and artwork indicates that Lawsonia inermis played an important holistic role in the daily lives of some ancient cultures, providing psychological and medicinal benefits, as well as being used for personal adornment. Although henna was historically applied to the hands and feet to protect against fungal pathogens and to hair to combat lice and dandruff, other traditional uses include the treatment of liver and digestive disorders, reduction of tissue loss in leprosy, diabetic foot disorders and ulcers.

PHYTOCHEMISTRY

Almost 70 phenolic compounds have been isolated from various parts of the plant. Naphthaquinones, which include the dyeing principle lawsone, have been linked to many of the pharmacological activities. The terpene, β-ionone is largely responsible for the pungent odour of the essential oil isolated from the flowers. In addition to other volatile terpenes, some non-volatile terpenoids, a single sterol, two alkaloids and two dioxin derivatives have also been isolated from the plant.

BIOACTIVITY

Henna is a pharmacologically important plant with significant in vitro and in vivo biological activities. Although a myriad of pharmacological activities have been documented, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities are the most thoroughly investigated. Some incidents of adverse reactions following application to the skin have been reported, but these are mainly confined to cases involving individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and reactions to adulterants added to henna products.

CONCLUSIONS

Adulteration of henna is very common and may have resulted in unwarranted scientific findings. Phytochemical profiling studies of the plant, which are crucial for the establishment of proper quality control protocols, are lacking and hamper the development of medicinal products. Although many in vitro studies have been conducted to evaluate the pharmacological activities and many in vivo studies have focussed on the toxicity of extracts, more in vivo studies to validate pharmacological activities are needed. The roles of specific compounds and their synergies have not been comprehensively investigated.