Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, and Antibacterial Activity of Ruta chalepensis L. Ethanolic Extract

Ruta chalepensis L. is a versatile herb used in culinary arts and traditional medicine. The study aimed to determine the chemical composition of an ethanolic extract from R. chalepensis and the total phenolic and flavonoid content. Additionally, the extracts' antimicrobial and antioxidant activities were tested. The disc diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were used to test the antibacterial properties on four types of bacteria: Escherichia coli, Proteus penneri, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus. A colorimetric assay was used to evaluate the total phenolic and flavonoid content, and the DPPH method was used to assess the antioxidant activity. The phytochemical constituents were determined using LC-MS/MS. The results indicated that R. chalepensis ethanolic extract had 34 compounds, and the predominant compounds were quercetin (9.2 %), myricetin (8.8 %), and camphene (8.0 %). Moreover, the extract had a good level of polyphenols and flavonoids, as demonstrated by inhibiting free radicals (DPPH) (IC50 was 41.2±0.1). Also, the extract exhibited robust antimicrobial activity against P. penneri and S. aureus with an MIC of 12.5 and 25.0 μg/mL, respectively. In conclusion, the results suggest that the R. chalepensis ethanolic extract has good antioxidant and antibacterial properties that could be utilized to develop new antibacterial agents.

Efficacy of methanolic extracts of some medicinal plants on wound healing in diabetic rats

Background

Materials and methods

Results

Conclusion

Ruta graveolens, Peganum harmala, and Citrullus colocynthis methanolic extracts have in vitro protoscolocidal effects and act against bacteria isolated from echinococcal hydatid cyst fluid

Echinococcosis is a common and endemic disease that affects both humans and animals. In this study, the in vitro activities of methanolic extracts of Ruta graveolens, Peganum harmala aerial parts, and Citrullus colocynthis seeds against protoscolosis and isolated bacterial strains from hydatid cysts were assessed using disc diffusion methods and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). The chemical composition of three methanolic extracts was studied using LC-MS. After 3 h of exposure to 40 mg/mL R. graveolens extract, a tenfold protoscolocidal effect was seen when compared to the convintional medication (ABZ) for the same duration (P < 0.05). The bacteria listed below were isolated from hydatid cyst fluid collected from a variety of sick locations, including the lung and liver. Micrococcus spp., E. coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter amnigenus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus xylosus, and Achromobacter xylosoxidans are among the bacteria that have been identified. The most effective extract was R. graveolens, followed by P. harmala and C. colocynthis, according to the results of antibacterial activity using the disc diffusion method. R. graveolens extract had the lowest MIC values (less than 2 mg/mL) against all microorganisms tested. This shows that the R. graveolens extract has additional properties, such as the ability to be both scolocidal and bactericidal. Because these bacteria are among the most prevalent pathogenic bacteria that increase the risk of secondary infection during hydatid cysts, the results of inhibitory zones and MICs of the R. graveolens methanol extract are considered highly promising.

Anti-nociceptive effect of Arbutus andrachne L. methanolic leaf extract mediated by CB1, TRPV1 and PPARs in mouse pain models

Arbutus andrachne L. is a medicinal plant that grows in Jordan and has many valuable effects. In the present study, the anti-nociceptive effect of A. andrachne methanolic leaf extract was determined in mice using thermal and chemical tests. Our findings show that different doses of A. andrachne extract reduced the number of writhings significantly compared to control group. The leaf extract also reduced the time of paw licking in the early and late phases of formalin test. In all the conducted tests, 300 mg/kg body wt. was the best effective dose. A peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) antagonist reversed the action of the plant extract in the early phase of formalin test while antagonists of the PPARα, PPAR gamma (PPARγ) and cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptors were responsible for abolishing its effect in the late phase of this test. Also, the extract administration increased the latency time in hot plate and tail flick, an effect that was reversed by the antagonists of PPARγ, CB1 and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). No effect was noticed for α₂-adrenergic receptor antagonist in the action of A. andrachne in any of the conducted tests in this study. Furthermore, analysis of the constituents in the methanolic leaf extract using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS) showed that the extract is rich in compounds that have anti-nociceptive and/or anti-inflammatory effects such as arbutin, rutin, linalool, linoleic acid, gallic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, hydroquinone, β-sitosterol, ursolic acid, isoquercetin, quercetin, (+)-gallocatechin, kaempferol, α-tocopherol, myricetin 3-O-rhamnoside and catechin gallate. In conclusion, A. andrachne showed promising anti-nociceptive effects in thermal and chemical models of pain. These findings can open an avenue for natural pain relief.

Antinociceptive Action of Moringa peregrina is Mediated by an Interaction with α2-Adrenergic Receptor

Background:

Moringa peregrina (M. peregrina) is an edible, drought-resistant tree that is native to semi-arid countries. It is used as a painkiller in folk medicine.

Aims:

To study the antinociceptive effects of the leaf extract of M. peregrina in mice.

Study Design:

Animal experimentation.

Methods:

We employed thermal (hot plate and tail-immersion tests) and chemical (writhing and formalin tests) pain models in male BALB/c mice (eight animals per group) to investigate the mechanisms involved in the antinociceptive actions of M. peregrina. Additionally, we identified the chemical constituents present in the extract of M. peregrina by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, and predicted the possible active constituents that interact with the receptor based on molecular docking simulations.

Results:

In the writhing test, 200 mg/kg of M. peregrina extract restricted abdominal cramps by up to 55.97% (p<0.001). Further, it reduced the time of paw-licking in the early and late phases of formalin test by up to 56.8% and 65.5%, respectively, as compared to the percentage inhibitions of 50.5% and 48.4% produced by 30 mg/kg diclofenac sodium in the early and late phases, respectively (p<0.05). This effect was abrogated by yohimbine (1 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), but not by methysergide (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), in the late phase only, which indicates that the action of M. peregrina in formalin test is not mediated by 5-HT2 serotonin receptors, but rather via α₂-adrenergic receptors. In the hot plate test, but not on tail-immersion test, the high dose (400 mg/kg) of the extract increased the latency time after 30 minutes of its administration. Yohimbine antagonized the action of M. peregrina in the hot plate test. Based on LC-MS analysis, the major constituents found in M. peregrina methanolic extract were chrysoeriol 7-O-diglucoside, lupeol acetate, quercetin, and rutin. Depending on the molecular docking results, the activity of M. peregrina extract could be due to the binding of chrysoeriol 7-O-diglucoside, quercetin, and rutin to the α₂-adrenergic receptor.

Conclusion:

Interaction with the α₂-adrenergic receptor serves as a possible mechanism of the M. peregrina analgesic effect.

Fetotoxic potentials of Globularia arabica and Globularia alypum (Globulariaceae) in rats

Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats received by intragastric application, ethanolic extracts of Globularia arabica and Globularia alypum dried leaves. The effect of the extracts was monitored on fertility. The ingestion by female rats of 800 mg/kg of ethanolic extracts of G. arabica and G. alypum, from day 1 to day 6 of pregnancy, did not cause pregnancy failure. However, the ingestion of ethanolic extracts of G. alypum significantly reduced the number of viable fetuses. The number of resorptions was significantly increased in pregnant females administered ethanolic extracts of both G. arabica and G. alypum. The ingestion of 800 mg/kg of ethnologic extracts of G. arabica and G. alypum for 30 consecutive days by adult female rats had no significant effect on the occurrence of pregnancy. However, the ingestion of extracts of both species increased the number of resorptions and only G. alypum extract caused a significant reduction in the number of viable fetuses. These results indicate that ingestion of G. arabica and G. alypum could have some reproductive toxicity in female rats.