Antioxidant flavonoids from Alhagi maurorum with hepatoprotective effect

Chemical constituents from Centaurothamnus maximus and their antimicrobial activity

A new sesquiterpene lactone, 3β,10α-dihydroxy-10β-(hydroxymethyl)-8α-(4-hydroxymethacrylate)-1αH,5αH,6βH,7αH-guai-4(15), 11(13)-dien-6,12-olide (1), along with twenty-one known compounds, were identified from the aerial parts of Centaurothamnus maximus. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidences and correlated with known compounds. Compounds (2, 3, 5‒13 and 15‒22) were identified from C. maximus for the first time. Antibacterial and antifungal activities of the isolated compounds were tested using the agar disc diffusion method. Compounds that demonstrated promising antimicrobial activity were evaluated for their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The results showed that compounds 3 and 7 were the most effective antibacterial compounds against B. subtilis ATCC 6633, S. aureus ATCC 25923 and S. pyogenes ATCC 27736, with MIC estimates between 8 and 32 mg/mL. In addition, compound 2 exhibited the strongest antifungal activity against C. albicans ATCC 14243 and C. krusei ATCC 14243 with MIC 8 mg/mL.

Holistic Overview of the Phytoconstituents and Pharmacological Activities of Egyptian Riverhemp [Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr.]: A Review

Background: Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr. (Family: Fabaceae), commonly known as Egyptian riverhemp, is a well-known plant widely distributed through Egypt, the rest of Africa and Asia. S. sesban leaves have been traditionally used as an anthelmintic, demulcent, purgative, and anti-inflammatory agent in the treatment of eczema, in addition to its agricultural uses. Objective: The aim of this review is to present a comprehensive account of the isolated constituents from S. sesban leaves, along with the correlation between those constituents and the reported biological activities. Methods: This search was performed using SciFinder, Google, Google Scholar, and CrossRef websites using the following keywords: “ Sesbania sesban,” “ Sesbania aegyptiaca,” “Egyptian riverhemp,” “phytochemistry,” “phytochemical constituents,” “isolation,” “steroids,” “triterpenoids,” “saponins,” “coumarins,” “lipoidal contents,” “pharmacological properties,” “biological activities,” “therapeutic uses,” and “review.” Results: S. sesban leaves exhibited several therapeutic potentials such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, anthelmintic, molluscicidal, antifertility, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, anticancer, antianxiety, and mosquito repellant properties. An updated chemical study of S. sesban leaves has provided a variety of essential metabolites belonging to different chemical classes including steroids, triterpenoids, saponins, flavonoids, coumarins, lipids, and other miscellaneous compounds. The correlations between biological activities and phytoconstituents are discussed. Conclusion: This article represents an updated comprehensive evaluation of the phytochemical and biological studies of S. sesban leaves.

Chemical compositions, antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic effects of Alhagi mannifera five extracts

OBJECTIVES

Plants were used as medicines thousands of years ago. Conventional medicine use is increasing and many of the currently used drugs are extracted from herbal sources. In Palestinian traditional medicine, the Alhagi mannifera plant is used for the treatment of cancer. Our study aimed to extract this plant using five solvent fractions, identifying their chemical compositions, and evaluating their antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects.

METHODS

The successive technique was used to extract five solvent fractions of A. mannifera. While the spectral analysis was used to characterize quantitatively and qualitatively the chemical components of these extracts. The antimicrobial activity of plant extracts was evaluated against seven microbial strains using a broth micro-dilution assay. The cytotoxic activity was assessed using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay against cervical cancer cell line (HeLa).

RESULTS

A total of 165 compounds were identified in A. mannifera different extracts. In the petroleum ether extract were found a total of 55 compounds. The major compounds were 2,5-cyclooctadien-1-ol (9.42%), 3-chloropropionic acid, heptyl ester (9.42%), carbonic acid, ethyl nonyl ester (9.42%) and chloroacetic acid. In methylene chloride extract a total of 11 compounds were found, and the major compounds were m-ainobenzenesulfonyl fluoride (14.35%), dodecane,2,6,10-trimethyl- (14.35%) and propanoic acid,2,2-dimethyl-,2-ethylexyl ester (14.35%). In chloroform extract, a total of 23 compounds were found. The major compounds were 5-ethyl-1-nonene (21.28%), and decanedioic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester (21.28%). In acetone extract were found a total of 47 compounds and the major compound was phenol,2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)- (5.22%). In methanol extract a total of 29 compounds were found and the major compounds were 3-o-methyl-d-glucose (10.79%), myo-inositol, 2-c-methyl- (10.79%), myo-inositol, 4-c-methyl- (10.79%), and scyllo-inositol,1C-methyl- (10.79%). All extracts showed antimicrobial activity. However, the petroleum ether extract showed the most potent antimicrobial effect against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, MRSA, and Candida albicans with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 1.25, 1.25, 6.25, 0.325, 6.25, and 1.56 μg/mL, respectively. De facto, chloroform extract followed by ether extract displayed potential cytotoxic activity with IC₅₀ values of 0.2 and 1.2 mg/mL, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

A. mannifera was found to contain a variety of phytochemicals and its chloroform extract showed a potent cytotoxic effect on HeLa cancer cells. In addition, petroleum ether showed potent antimicrobial agents and these extracts look promising as drug candidates. Further in vivo investigations should be conducted to provide the basis for developing new cancer and microbial infections treatments.

Alhagi maurorum Ethanolic Extract Rescues Hepato-Neurotoxicity and Neurobehavioral Alterations Induced by Lead in Rats via Abrogating Oxidative Stress and the Caspase-3-Dependent Apoptotic Pathway

This work investigated the probable protective effect of an Alhagi maurorum ethanolic extract on the hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity accompanied by neurobehavioral deficits caused by lead in rats. Rats in four groups were orally administered distilled water, ethanolic extract of A. maurorum (300 mg/kg BW daily), lead (100 mg/kg BW daily for 3 months), and lead + A. maurorum extract. The results demonstrated that lead exposure resulted in elevated locomotor activities and sensorimotor deficits associated with a decrease in brain dopamine levels. Moreover, lead exposure significantly increased liver function markers. In addition, the lead-treated rats exhibited extensive liver and brain histological changes and apoptosis. The lead treatment also triggered oxidative stress, as demonstrated by the increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations with a remarkable reduction in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, and transcriptional mRNA levels of antioxidant genes in the liver and brain. Nevertheless, co-treatment with the A. maurorum extract significantly ameliorated the lead-induced toxic effects. These findings indicate that the A. maurorum extract has the ability to protect hepatic and brain tissues against lead exposure in rats through the attenuation of apoptosis and oxidative stress.

The Inclusion of Alhagi maurorum in Growing Camel Diet: Effect on Performance, Liver-Related Blood Metabolites, and Antioxidant Status

This study determined the effect of dietary inclusion of camelthron [Alhagi maurorum (AM)] on the performance, blood metabolites, and antioxidant status of growing camels. A total of 18 Sindhi camel calves of 9–10 months of age and 115 ± 7 kg body weight (BW) were randomly assigned to three diets (with a forage:concentrate ratio of 50:50) that were formulated by partial and total substitution of alfalfa hay with AM as follows: (1) diet without AM (control), (2) diet containing 25% of AM (AM-25), and (3) diet containing 50% of AM (AM-50) (dry matter basis) for 150 days. Dry matter intake (DMI) was recorded daily. The camels were weighed individually on days 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 75, and 150. DMI was increased (p = 0.004) with AM-50 feeding followed by AM-25. Total weight gain (p = 0.048) and average daily gain (ADG) (p = 0.043) decreased with AM-50; however, no differences were observed between the AM-25 and CON groups. Feed cost per kg BW gain tended to decrease (p = 0.092) and return per kg BW gain tended to increase (p = 0.087) by AM feeding. The plasma triglycerides (TGs) (p = 0.046) and cholesterol (CHOL) (p = 0.025) concentration were reduced with AM inclusion. Additionally, the AM50-fed camels showed the lowest concentration of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (p = 0.008) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (p = 0.0036), followed by AM-25. The plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) was depressed (p = 0.037) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was enhanced (p = 0.016) with both the AM-25 and AM-50. Moreover, feeding the AM containing diets led to higher (p = 0.004) glutathione peroxidase (GPx) along with a tendency for superoxide dismutase (SOD) (p = 0.075) and catalase (CAT) (p = 0.094). Overall, feeding camels with AM for up to 25% of their dry matter (DM) diet positively influenced the antioxidant status without severe deleterious effects on performance.

UPLC-PDA-MS/MS Profiling and Healing Activity of Polyphenol-Rich Fraction of Alhagi maurorum against Oral Ulcer in Rats

Camelthorn, Alhagi maurorum Boiss, family Fabaceae has long been used in African folk medicine owing to its richness in pharmacologically active metabolites. The crude extract (CEAM), ethyl acetate fraction (EFAM) and n-butanol (BFAM) fraction of A. maurorum aerial parts were investigated for their total polyphenols and oral antiulcer activity using in-vitro and in-vivo models. The major phenolic compound was isolated from the polyphenol-rich EFAM fraction and identified by conventional and spectroscopic methods of analysis as isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside. Furthermore, standardization of EAFM using UPLC-PDA-UV quantified isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside as 262.91 0.57 g/mg of the fraction. Analysis of EFAM using UPLC-PDA-MS/MS revealed tentative identification of 25 polyphenolic compounds. EFAM exhibited the most potent free radical scavenging activity against DPPH, with an IC50 (27.73 ± 1.85 µg/mL) and an FRAP value of (176.60 ± 5.21 μM Trolox equivalent (TE)/mg fraction) in comparison with CEAM and BFAM. Acetic acid-induced oral ulcers in a rat model were used to evaluate the healing properties of A. maurorum aerial parts. EFAM significantly decreased tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) by 36.4% and 50.8%, respectively, in the ulcer tissues while, CEAM and BFAM exhibited lower activity at the same dose. In addition, EFAM led to a significant (p < 0.0001) rise in the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a cell proliferation marker. A. maurorum exhibited a potent healing effect in acetic acid-induced oral ulcers in rats by mitigating the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and improving PCNA expression.

Chromane Derivatives from Underground Parts of Iris tenuifolia and Their In Vitro Antimicrobial, Cytotoxicity and Antiproliferative Evaluation

Phytochemical investigation of the ethanol extract of underground parts of Iris tenuifolia Pall. afforded five new compounds; an unusual macrolide termed moniristenulide (1), 5-methoxy-6,7-methylenedioxy-4-O-2′-cycloflavan (2), 5,7,2′,3′-tetrahydroxyflavanone (3), 5-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyisoflavone-2′-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (9), 5,2′,3′-dihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyisoflavone (10), along with seven known compounds (4–8, 11–12). The structures of all purified compounds were established by analysis of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and HR-ESI-MS. The antimicrobial activity of the compounds 1–3, 5, 9, and 10 was investigated using the agar diffusion method against fungi, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In consequence, new compound 3 was found to possess the highest antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis VRE and Mycobacterium vaccae. Cell proliferation and cytotoxicity tests were also applied on all isolated compounds and plant crude extract in vitro with the result of potent inhibitory effect against leukemia cells. In particular, the newly discovered isoflavone 10 was active against both of the leukemia cells K-562 and THP-1 while 4–6 of the flavanone type compounds were active against only THP-1.