ABSTRACT
Many species belonging to the Scrophularia genus have been used since ancient times as folk remedies for many medical conditions such as scrofulas, scabies, tumors, eczema, psoriasis, inflammations. The aim of this study was to characterize the matrix metalloproteinases [MMPs] inhibitor compounds of the Scrophularia striata extract by bio-guide fractionation. The aerial parts of S. striata were collected and different extracts were sequentially prepared with increasingly polar solvents. The MMPs inhibitory activity of the crude extract and its fractions were evaluated by the Zymoanalysis method. The pure compounds were purified from the active fraction by chromatography methods. Chemical structures were deduced by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. Two active compounds [acteoside and nepitrin] were identified by bio-guide fractionation. The inhibitory effects of nepitrin and acteoside at 20 Micro g/ml were about 56 and 18 percent, respectivly. The inhibitory effects of acteoside at 80 Micro g/ml were increased to about 73 percent. In summary, the results suggest that nepitrin effectively inhibited MMPs inhibitory activity at low concentrations, whereas acteoside showed inhibition at high concentrations
ABSTRACT
Recurrent aphthous stomatitis [RAS] is a common disease with unknown etiology. There is no curative treatment. Purslane is considered as a rich source of antioxidants with anti-inflammatory effects. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of Purslane in the treatment of RAS. A total of 50 patients were selected for this randomized triple-blind placebocontrolled clinical trial from School of Dentistry of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2011. All subjects were randomly divided into two groups. Groups A and B received placebo and Purslane, respectively, for three months. Pain intensity based on the visual analogue scale [VAS], the mean intervals of lesions occurrence, number of lesions and the mean duration of complete healing at baseline and at months 1, 2 and 3 were recorded. While no patient complained from increased severity of pain, decreased severity of pain for 4, 3, 2, and 1 grades were recorded in%16,%20, 20%, and 40%, respectively, which were much higher than 4%, 8%, 8%, and 28%, respectively, in the control group. A significant decrease in pain intensity in VAS scores were seen after treatment in group B [P<0.001]. The mean duration of complete healing showed significant differences [P<0.001] between groups A [-1.52 +/- 4.07 days] and group B [-6.56 +/- 4.50 days]. The mean intervals between lesions also showed significant differences [P<0.001] between group A [17.88 days] and group B [33.12 days]. No significant differences were found between group A and group B regarding to number of lesions. No serious side-effects occurred in either group. According to our study, Purslane is clinically effective in treatment of RAS and considering the lack of side-effects during the study period, this medicine may be a favorable alternative treatment for recurrent aphthous stomatitis.
Subject(s)
Humans , Stomatitis, Aphthous/drug therapy , Antioxidants , PlacebosABSTRACT
The essential oils and aromatic water, known as Arak in traditional Iranian medicine, comes from the aerial part of Teucrium persicum Boiss., which is grown in Fars Province located in Iran. The samples were collected in summer and the oils and aromatic water were obtained through steam distillation. The chemical composition of the oils was analyzed using GC-MS. An analysis of the chemical profile of the isolated oils revealed the presence of more than 80 compounds, mainly oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. The principal components of essential oil were alpha-cadinene [9.7%], 1,4-cadinadiene [9.2%] and alpha-terpinyl acetate [7.9%]. The major constituents in the Arak were determined to be linalool [10.4%], alpha-cadinene [7.5%] and gamma-terpineol [7.3%]. Most of the compounds identified from different oils were similar, but their amounts differed. The oil revealed a higher content of total phenolics than the Arak [1.71 +/- 0.12 mg GAE/g DW and 1.36 +/- 0.11 mg GAE/g DW, respectively]. The antioxidant activity of the oils was calculated by using a ferric reducing antioxidant power assay [FRAP], DPPH radical scavenging activity, and a reducing power assay [RP]. The FRAP value points to a considerably higher reducing power of essential oil [220 +/- 7.2 micromol Fe[2+]/g DW] compared to that of Arak [113 +/- 5.4 micromol Fe[2+]/g DW]. Essential oil exhibited higher radical scavenging potential [IC[50] = 0.29 mg/mL] than Arak [IC[50] = 4.19 mg/mL]. The reducing power of essential oil [51.7 +/- 4.3 microg BHA/g DW] was higher than that of Arak [34.1 +/- 2.7 microg BHA/g DW]. The studied essential oils showed good antioxidant activities, which were higher than those of Arak
ABSTRACT
The chemical composition of the Hydrolate of Citrus aurantium L. [Rutaceae] flowers [neroli] grown in Iran, and two commercial hydrolates were analyzed by GC/MS. Thirty compounds [90.3%] were identified in the Hydrolate by the use of laboratory apparatus, thirty-eight compounds [83.4%] in the Hydrolate from the traditional method and fifteen compounds [98.3%] in the industrially produced sample. The major compounds within the Hydrolate obtained in the laboratory were geraniol [26.6%], alpha-terpineol [20.7%], linalool [15.4%] and benzene acetaldehyde [5.5%]. Linalool [44.1%], methyl anthranilate [11.8%] and cis-linalool oxide [6.1%] were found in high percentages in the Hydrolate from the obtained traditional sample. 1,8-Cineol [15.9%], linalool [13.8%] and alpha-terpineol [6.6%] were more than other constituents in the industrially obtained hydrolate