ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effects of Thymus vulgaris, Thymus caramanicus Zataria multiflora, Zizphora clinopodioides and Zizphora tenuior against four foodborne and four other bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella dysenteriae, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis, MRSA and Pseiidomona aeruginosa and measuring the amount of total phenolics of the plants. The extracts were prepared by maceration method. Pre-evaluation of the antimicrobial effect was utilized by cup-plate technique and then Minimum Inhibitory Concentration was determined by agar dilution method according to NCCLS. The total phenolics as a possible cause of antibacterial effect, was measured by Folin-Ciocalteucolorimetry. The results showed that T. caramanicus and Z. multiflora were the most effective ones with MIC values between 0.78-3.125 mg/mL against all of the Bactria and Z. tenuior and Z. clinopodioides had the minimum antimicrobial activity. Total phenolic contents of these five plants were different and followed the general pattern of the antimicrobial effect. The antibacterial effects and the total phenolic content of T. caramanicus and Z. multiflora were remarkable and should be investigated more in future studies
ABSTRACT
Androgenetic alopecia is the most common form of hair loss in men. The present study was designed to evaluate the hair growth-promoting activity of a preparation of the Adiantum capillus-veneris Linn. [A. capillus-veneris] on albino mice using a testosterone-induced alopecia model. Five groups of albino mice were studied: [A] Testosterone solution only [n=6]; [B] Testosterone + Finasteride solution [2%] [n=6]; [C] Testosterone + vehicle [n=6]; [D] Testosterone + A. capillus-veneris solution [1%] [n=6]; [E] intact control [n=2, without testosterone]. Alopecia was induced in all intervention groups by testosterone 1.0 mg subcutaneous. A. capillus-veneris solution was applied topically to the back skin of animals in the respective group. Hair growth was evaluated by visual observation and histological study of several skin sections via various parameters as follicle density [number of follicles/mm] and anagen/telogen ratio. After 21 days, a patch of diffuse hair loss was seen in animals received testosterone while animals treated with A. capillus-veneris showed less hair loss as compared to those treated with testosterone only. The follicular density observed in the A. capillus-veneris-treated group was 1.92 +/- 0.47, compared to 1.05 +/- 0.21 in testosterone-group and 2.05 +/- 0.49 in finasteride-treated animals. Anagen/telogen ratio was significantly affected by A. capillus-veneris, which was 0.92 +/- 0.06 as compared with 0.23 +/- 0.03 and 1.12 +/- 0.06 for testosterone and finasteride treated groups, respectively. According to visual observation and quantitative data [follicular density and anagen/telogen ratio], A. capillus-veneris was found to possess good activity against testosterone-induced alopecia