Mentha piperita in nephrotoxicity--a possible intervention to ameliorate renal derangements associated with gentamicin

Peppermint essential oil: its phytochemistry, biological activity, pharmacological effect and application

Mentha (also known as peppermint), a genus of plants in the taxonomic family Lamiaceae (mint family), is widely distributed throughout temperate regions of the world. Mentha contains various constituents that are classified as peppermint essential oil (PEO) and non-essential components. PEO, consisting mainly of menthol, menthone, neomenthol and iso-menthone, is a mixture of volatile metabolites with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, scolicidal, immunomodulatory, antitumor, neuroprotective, antifatigue and antioxidant activities. Mounting evidence indicates that PEO may pharmacologically protect gastrointestinal, liver, kidney, skin, respiratory, brain and nervous systems, and exert hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects. Clinically, PEO is used for gastrointestinal and dermatological diseases, postoperative adjuvant therapy and other fields. This review aims to address the advances in the extraction and isolation of PEO, its biological activities, pharmacological effects, toxicity and applications, with an emphasis on the efficacy of PEO on burn wounds and psoriasis, providing a comprehensive foundation for research, development and application of PEO in future.

Varieties of immunity activities and gut contents in tilapia with seasonal changes

We performed 16S rDNA sequencing of tilapia fecal samples to analyze changes in tilapia gut contents after cultivation of the fish in the presence of sandwich-like floating beds of Chinese medicinal herbs (5 and 10% planting-areas; 5% Polygonum cuspidatum). The interactive effects between water quality and blood and hepatic pro- and anti-inflammatory concentrations were also assessed. Our results showed that the water quality (i.e., NO₃^--N, NO₂^--N, TP removal rates) improved, and the abundance of Chloroflexi and Cyanobacteria increased. The abundance of Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, Saccharibacteria, and Actinobacteria showed both significant seasonal decreases and increases in the presence of P. cuspidatum (increases in August and decreases in July). Fish blood and hepatic IL-10 and IFN-γ levels (together with fish sampled in September) significantly increased in the P. cuspidatum group sampled in August, while those of TNF-α (10% sandwich-like, P. cuspidatum), IL-1β (P. cuspidatum), IL-8 (5% sandwich-like in September, S905S) significantly decreased. Heat shock proteins 60 and 70 levels significantly increased in the P. cuspidatum group, and complement C3 and C4 concentrations significantly increased in S905S. This study demonstrated that enhanced immunity through the regulation of pro- and anti-inflammatory proteins was sustained throughout development until harvest, particularly in fish grown with P. cuspidatum.

Medicinal Plants of the Family Lamiaceae in Pain Therapy: A Review

Recently, numerous side effects of synthetic drugs have lead to using medicinal plants as a reliable source of new therapy. Pain is a global public health problem with a high impact on life quality and a huge economic implication, becoming one of the most important enemies in modern medicine. The medicinal use of plants as analgesic or antinociceptive drugs in traditional therapy is estimated to be about 80% of the world population. The Lamiaceae family, one of the most important herbal families, incorporates a wide variety of plants with biological and medical applications. In this study, the analgesic activity, possible active compounds of Lamiaceae genus, and also the possible mechanism of actions of these plants are presented. The data highlighted in this review paper provide valuable scientific information for the specific implications of Lamiaceae plants in pain modulation that might be used for isolation of potentially active compounds from some of these medicinal plants in future and formulation of commercial therapeutic agents.

A systematic meta-analysis on the efficacy of pre-clinically tested nephroprotectants at preventing aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity

Nephrotoxicity limits the use of aminoglycoside antibiotics. Kidney damage is produced mainly in the renal tubule due to an inflammatory and oxidative process. At preclinical level, many drugs and natural products have been tested as prospective protectors of aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity. The main objective of this work was to make a systematic literature review of preclinical studies about aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity protection and a statistical analysis based on the meta-analysis methodology. Studies published up to January 2016 were identified. After applying inclusion criteria, 54 studies were chosen. The size of the experimental groups, means and standard deviations of data on renal function (i.e. plasma creatinine and blood urea nitrogen [BUN] concentrations) were extracted and registered in a database. The studies were grouped according to the mechanism of nephroprotection and their route of administration. The Mean Difference (95% confidence interval) was calculated for each study and group. 40 of 54 products tested produced an amelioration of aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity based on creatinine results. Also a dose dependent protective effect was observed (both in creatinine and BUN). Products orally administered were more effective than via i.p. Products with attributed antioxidant activity were the most used and those which proved statistically significant nephroprotection as a class effect. Aminoglycoside tubular reuptake inhibitors, excretion inducers and calcium channel blockers also showed a promising and rather homogeneous class tendency towards nephroprotection, although more research is necessary to obtain solid and conclusive results, based on a larger number of studies.