ABSTRACT
Medications and treatments are said to have a palliative effect if they relieve symptoms without having a curative effect on the underlying disease such as atherosclerosis or cancer. Some authors speculated that atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) could be considered a “cancer of the coronary arterial wall”. Although the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has proven to be effective in decreasing mortality rates among patients with acute coronary syndromes, the previous meta-analyses of PCI versus optimal medical therapy for stable CAD have not been able to demonstrate a reduction in major adverse cardiac outcomes. However, few cardiologists discussed the evidence-based benefits of angiogram and PCI for stable CAD, and some implicitly or explicitly overstated the benefits. Recently, the precision medicine is defined as an evidence-based approach that uses innovative tools and biological and data science to customize disease prevention, detection, and treatment, and improve the effectiveness and quality of patient care. Providing patients with accurate and complete information appears to be an effective way to combat the reliance on the oculostenotic reflex. The foundation of precision medicine is the ability to tailor therapy based upon the expected risks and benefits of treatment for each individual patient. As said by Doctor William Osler, “The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.”
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To explore cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant effect of six coniferous trees (Abies bornmulleriana, Picea pungens, Juniperus communis, Cedrus libani, Taxus baccata, and Cupressus sempervirens var. horizantalis).@*METHODS@#Acetone (Ace), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and ethanol (EtOH) extracts prepared from the needles and shoots of the six coniferous trees were screened for their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activity at 100 μg/mL. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was tested using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylendiamine (DMPD) radical scavenging, metal-chelation capacity, ferric-(FRAP) and phosphomolibdenum-reducing antioxidant power (PRAP) assays. All of the assays were performed in ELISA microplate reader. Total phenol and flavonoid amounts in the extracts were determined spectrophotometrically.@*RESULTS@#Among thirty-six extracts in total, the shoot-Ace extract of Cupressus sempervirens var. horizantalis exerted the highest inhibition against AChE [(54.84±2.51)%], while the needle-Ace extract of Cedrus libani was the most effective in inhibiting BChE [(67.54±0.30)%]. The highest DPPH radical scavenging effect, FRAP and PRAP was observed in the shoot-Ace and EtOAc extracts from Taxus baccata, whereas all the extracts showed a variable degree of scavenging effect against DPMD radical. The shoot-EtOAc extract of Cedrus libani had the highest metal-chelation capacity [(58.04±0.70)%]. The shoot extracts of Taxus baccata were determined to have the richest total phenol content, which may contribute to its marked antioxidant activity.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The conifer species screened in this study may contain cholinesterase-inhibiting and antioxidant properties, which might be useful against Alzheimer's disease.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To explore some Fumaria species which were recorded to be traditionally used against malaria and other protozoal diseases.@*METHODS@#Consequently, in the current study, antiprotozoal effect of the ethanol extracts obtained from five Fumaria species (Fumaria densiflora, Fumaria cilicica, Fumaria rostellata, Fumaria kralikii, and Fumaria parviflora) was investigated against the parasites; Plasmodium falciparum (malaria) and Trypanosoma bruceirhodesiense (human African trypanosomiasis) at 0.81 and 4.85 μg/mL concentrations.@*RESULTS@#Among them, Fumaria densiflora extract exerted the highest antiplasmodial (93.80%) and antitrypanasomal effect (55.40%), while the ethanol extracts of Fumaria kralikii (43.45%) and Fumaria rostellata (41.65%) showed moderate activity against Plasmodium falciparum. Besides, phenolic acid contents of the extracts were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and trans-cinnamic (4.32 mg/g) and caffeic (3.71 mg/g) acids were found to be the dominant phenolic acids in Fumaria densiflora.@*CONCLUSIONS@#According to our results, Fumaria densiflora deserve further study for its promising antiprotozoal activity.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore some Fumaria species which were recorded to be traditionally used against malaria and other protozoal diseases. Methods: Consequently, in the current study, antiprotozoal effect of the ethanol extracts obtained from five Fumaria species (Fumaria densiflora, Fumaria cilicica, Fumaria rostellata, Fumaria kralikii, and Fumaria parviflora) was investigated against the parasites; Plasmodium falciparum (malaria) and Trypanosoma bruceirhodesiense (human African trypanosomiasis) at 0.81 and 4.85 μg/mL concentrations. Results: Among them, Fumaria densiflora extract exerted the highest antiplasmodial (93.80%) and antitrypanasomal effect (55.40%), while the ethanol extracts of Fumaria kralikii (43.45%) and Fumaria rostellata (41.65%) showed moderate activity against Plasmodium falciparum. Besides, phenolic acid contents of the extracts were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and trans-cinnamic (4.32 mg/g) and caffeic (3.71 mg/g) acids were found to be the dominant phenolic acids in Fumaria densiflora. Conclusions: According to our results, Fumaria densiflora deserve further study for its promising antiprotozoal activity.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant effect of six coniferous trees (Abies bornmulleriana, Picea pungens, Juniperus communis, Cedrus libani, Taxus baccata, and Cupressus sempervirens var. horizantalis). Methods: Acetone (Ace), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and ethanol (EtOH) extracts prepared from the needles and shoots of the six coniferous trees were screened for their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activity at 100 μg/mL. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was tested using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and N,. N-dimethyl- p-phenylendiamine (DMPD) radical scavenging, metal-chelation capacity, ferric-(FRAP) and phosphomolibdenum-reducing antioxidant power (PRAP) assays. All of the assays were performed in ELISA microplate reader. Total phenol and flavonoid amounts in the extracts were determined spectrophotometrically. Results: Among thirty-six extracts in total, the shoot-Ace extract of Cupressus sempervirens var. horizantalis exerted the highest inhibition against AChE [(54.84±2.51)%], while the needle-Ace extract of Cedrus libani was the most effective in inhibiting BChE [(67.54±0.30)%]. The highest DPPH radical scavenging effect, FRAP and PRAP was observed in the shoot-Ace and EtOAc extracts from Taxus baccata, whereas all the extracts showed a variable degree of scavenging effect against DPMD radical. The shoot-EtOAc extract of Cedrus libani had the highest metal-chelation capacity [(58.04±0.70)%]. The shoot extracts of Taxus baccata were determined to have the richest total phenol content, which may contribute to its marked antioxidant activity. Conclusions: The conifer species screened in this study may contain cholinesterase-inhibiting and antioxidant properties, which might be useful against Alzheimer's disease.