Nimbolide: promising agent for prevention and treatment of chronic diseases (recent update)

Background

Nimbolide, a bioactive compound derived from the neem tree, has garnered attention as a potential breakthrough in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. Recent updates in research highlight its multifaceted pharmacological properties, demonstrating anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects. With a rich history in traditional medicine, nimbolide efficacy in addressing the molecular complexities of conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer positions it as a promising candidate for further exploration. As studies progress, the recent update underscores the growing optimism surrounding nimbolide as a valuable tool in the ongoing pursuit of innovative therapeutic strategies for chronic diseases.

Methods

The comprehensive search of the literature was done until September 2020 on the MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus and Web of Knowledge databases.

Results

Most studies have shown the Nimbolide is one of the most potent limonoids derived from the flowers and leaves of neem (Azadirachta indica), which is widely used to treat a variety of human diseases. In chronic diseases, nimbolide reported to modulate the key signaling pathways, such as Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), Wingless-related integration site-β (Wnt-β)/catenin, NF-κB, PI3K/AKT, and signaling molecules, such as transforming growth factor (TGF-β), Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), inflammatory cytokines, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) proteins. Nimbolide has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer properties, which make it an intriguing compound for research. Nimbolide demonstrated therapeutic potential for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular, inflammation and cancer.

Conclusion

The current review mainly focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapecutic effects of nimbolide in chronic diseases.

Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of ethanol extract from the stem and leaf of Impatiens balsamina L. (Balsaminaceae) at different harvest times

The aim of this study was to investigate the total phenolic content, total flavonoid contents, antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extract from stems (S) and leaves (L) of Impatiens balsamina L. (Balsaminaceae), which were harvested in Korea on March 10, 2011 (S1 and L1), May 14, 2011 (S2 and L2), and July 5, 2011 (S3 and L3), respectively. Our results revealed that the total phenolic (79.55–103.94 mg CE/g extract) and flavonoid (57.43–104.28 mg QE/g extract) contents of leaf extract were higher (p < 0.01) than those of stem extract. Leaf extracts (L1, L2, and L3) exhibited stronger (p < 0.01) free radical scavenging activity (66.06, 63.71, and 72.19%, respectively) than that of the positive control. In terms of antimicrobial activity, leaf extracts showed higher inhibitory effects against microorganisms than those of stem extracts (S1, S2, and S3). Among the leaf extracts at different harvest times, L3 showed the greatest antimicrobial activity against both Gram negative and Gram positive strains. From these results, the leaf extract from I. balsamina L. might be a valuable bioactive resource, and would seem to be applicable as a natural antioxidant in food preservation.

Effects of bamboo charcoal and bamboo vinegar as antibiotic alternatives on growth performance, immune responses and fecal microflora population in fattening pigs

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of bamboo charcoal and bamboo vinegar as alternatives of antibiotics in the diet of fattening pigs and their influence on growth performance, immune responses and fecal microflora populations. Crossed pigs (n = 144, 79 kg body weight) were divided into 12 heads per pen, four diets and three replications. The basal diet (negative control: NC) was supplemented with 0.3% antibiotics (positive control: PC), 0.3% bamboo charcoal (BC) and 0.3% bamboo vinegar (BV). Average daily weight gain and feed efficiency were higher (P < 0.05) in PC, BC and BV. The concentration of lactate dehydrogenase and cortisol were lower (P < 0.05), but the concentration of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA were higher (P < 0.05) in PC, BC and BV. Counts of coliform bacteria and Salmonella spp. were lower (P < 0.05), while the counts of fecal anaerobic total bacteria and lactic acid bacteria were higher (P < 0.05) in PC, BC and BV. A reasonable inclusion of bamboo charcoal or bamboo vinegar as antibiotics in the diet of fattening pigs leads to a better growth performance, immune responses and fecal microflora populations. The results of the present study suggest that bamboo charcoal or bamboo vinegar could be a potential additives in animal production as an alternative to antibiotics.

Complete Nucleotide Sequence of the Cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) Chloroplast Genome with a Comparative Analysis of Sequences among 9 Dicot Plants

Recently, the complete chloroplast genome sequences of many important crop plants were determined, and this can be considered a major step forward toward exploiting the usefulness of chloroplast genetic engineering technology. Economically, cotton is one of the most important crop plants for many countries. To further our understanding of this important crop, we determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the chloroplast genome from cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.). The chloroplast genome of cotton is 160,317 base pairs (bp) in length, and is composed of a large single copy (LSC) of 88,841 bp, a small single copy (SSC) of 20,294 bp, and two identical inverted repeat (IR) regions of 25,591 bp each. The genome contains 114 unique genes, of which 17 genes are duplicated in the IRs. In addition, many open reading frames (ORFs) and hypothetical chloroplast reading frames (ycfs) with unknown functions were deduced. Compared to the chloroplast genomes from 8 other dicot plants, the cotton chloroplast genome showed a high degree of similarity of the overall structure, gene organization, and gene content. Furthermore, the sequences of the genes showed high degrees of identity at the DNA and amino acid levels. The cotton chloroplast genome was somewhat longer than the chloroplast genomes of most of the other dicot plants compared here. However, this elongation of the cotton chloroplast genome was found to be due mainly to expansions of the intergenic regions and introns (non-coding DNA). Moreover, these expansions occurred predominantly in the LSC and SSC regions.