[In vitro evaluation of antioxidant activity of Iranian Mentha longifolia essential oil and extracts]

The antioxidant properties of medicinal plants as natural resources are located attention by researchers for use in food and biological systems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate antioxidant activity of essential oil and extracts of Mentha longifolia as a substitute for synthetic antioxidants. In this laboratory study, the essential oil plant was analyzed by GC / MS. Antioxidant activity of essential oil and extracts was evaluated with DPPH free radical scavenging and beta-carotene bleaching methods and was compared with synthetic antioxidant BHT. The major components of Mentha longifolia essential oil were monoterpen oxygen compounds including Cis-piperitone epoxide%28.23, Alpha-terpineol%18.64, Menthone%10.97, Pulegone%9.73 and Cis-piperitone epoxide%8.73. IC50 of Mentha longifolia essential oil was 1765 +/- 5 microg / ml and IC50 of aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic extracts were 100 +/- 1.2, 53.8 +/- 0.58, 50 +/- 0.5, while IC50 of BHT was 4.9 +/- 0.25 microg / ml.furthermore, in beta-carotene bleaching method, the antioxidant activity essential oil was 60 percent and IC50 of aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic extracts were estimated73.27,89.88, 84.79 percent respectively. while parameters for BHT 95 +/- 0/9 percent. The antioxidant properties of essential oil tested was not significant, while the extracts showed considerable antioxidant properties that candidate them for using in foods as a natural antioxidant

randomized, double-blind, placebo - controlled study of safety of the adjunctive saffron on sexual dysfunction induced by a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

Recent studies have indicated potential of saffron for applying in a wide variety of diseases such as psychiatric and neurologic disorders. The concurrent use of saffron with SSRIs can lead to reducing the dose of SSRIs. Saffron at a dose of 200 mg may change some hematological and biochemical parameters. The goal of this trial was to assess the safety of concomitant administration of saffron and SSRI in patients with major depressive disorder [MDD]. Twenty adult outpatients between 18 to 55 years-old with the diagnosis of MDD who were receiving an SSRI for at least 1 month prior to the initiation of the study entered this double-blind trial. They were randomly assigned to receive capsule of saffron [15 mg twice daily] or placebo. Some laboratory parameters were measured at baseline and week 4 of the study. Other side effects checked on a prepared list of side effects, were systematically recorded throughout the study at baseline and on a weekly basis. Saffron as an add-on medication to SSRIs for 4 weeks did not cause any statistically significant changes in laboratory parameters including AST, ALT, ALP, BUN, Cr., FBS, TG, TC, WBC, RBC, Hgb, Ht, PT, INR, and Pl count. This preliminary study provides safety evidences of concurrent intake of saffron and SSRI

Antidepressant effect of Crocus sativus: an evidence based review

Depression is a heterogeneous disorder often manifested with symptoms at the psychological, behavioral and physiological levels. Full remission is achieved in fewer than 50% of patients. Therefore, antidepressant or medications that achieve a better rate of success are urgently needed. Herbal medicine has a long and respected history, and holds a valuable place in the treatment of depression. According to medical studies, saffron can be used to treat depression. This paper reviews the clinical studied regarding the antidepressant effect of saffron

[Assessment of vitex agnus -castus L. extract effect on treatment of premenstural syndrome]

Premenstrual syndrome is a cyclic recurrence of the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle of combination of distressing physical, psychological of sufficient severity to result in deterioration of interpersonal relationships and/or interference with normal activities. Traditionally, Vitex agnus castus fruit extract has been used in the treatment of many female conditions. Assess of Vitex agnus -castus effect [4.3 - 4.8 mg dry extract] on treatment of premenstrual syndrome. Randomized, double blind, placebo controlled, parallel group comparison over two menstrual cycles on students of Tehran Medical University and Tehran University, that live in dormitory. Volunteers under vent a preliminary screening interview, completed Daily Symptom Rating [DSR] [contain 18 symptoms] for two cycle, and attended a medical screening visit before being diagnosed with premenstrual syndrome and screening for depression by Beck questionary. 116 students were screened and 99 were evaluated [active: 49; placebo: 50]. Participants took Vitex agnus- castus [dry extract tablets] one tablet daily or matching placebo for two cycles. Data were analyzed by descriptive and analytic statistics [chi-square, fisher exact test, willcoxon, mann-whitney u and t test]. Decrease of severity of premenstrual syndrome was significantly greater in the Vitex group compared with placebo group in total symptoms of premenstrual syndrome [60.73% versus 20.79%, p<0.001], psychological symptoms [65.62% versus 28.19%, p<0.001] and physical symptoms [57.98% versus 16.22%, p<0.001]. Sixteen of eighteen symptoms of premenstrual syndrome indicate significant superiority for Vitex, other symptoms including [suicide and swelling of extremities] being unaffected by treatment. There was no statistically significant difference between two groups in regard to adverse events. Vitex is an effective treatment for the relief of symptoms of the premenstrual syndrome

[ efficacy of Rheum ribes L. stalk extract on lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic type II diabetic patients: a randomized, double-blind, placebo - controlled, clinical trial]

Previous clinical and experimental studies suggested the valuable effect of some herbal medicines on hyperlipidemic profile. Rheum ribes an herbal medicine has been prescribed for the treatment of diabetes and hyperlipidemia by several herbalists in Iran. The present study was designed to investigate the efficacy of Rheum ribes stalk extract on lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic type II diabetic patients. One month randomized double blind clinical trial was conducted on 36 hypercholesterolemic, type II diabetic patients, referred to Diabetic Clinic at Special Medical Center Tehran Iran. All the patients who participated were aged between 40 to 60 years had LDL cholesterol above 100 mg/dl and confirmed type II diabetes with fasting blood glucose above 150-200 mg/dl. The patients were not taking any antihyperlipidemic drug during last one month and continue their standard anti-diabetic therapy without any change during the study. The patients were randomly allocated in two groups. One group received 1200 mg Rheum ribes daily in three 400 mg capsule and other received placebo similarly. The patients fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, creatinine, SGOT and SGPT were determined at the beginning and at the end of the study after one month. At the end of the study in Rheum ribes treated patients fasting blood glucose, LDL and total cholesterol significantly decreased as compared to placebo treated patients as well as compared to beginning of the study. In placebo treated patients all blood level of biochemical determination at the end of the study were not significantly changed as compared to beginning of the study. Rheum ribes stalk extract treatment had beneficial effect on lipid as well as glucose profile in type II diabetic hypercholesterolemia patients without any adverse effect on liver and kidney

effects of garlic and cardamom extracts on morphology and physiology properties methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Garlic has been known as an important medicinal plant for centuries and belonging to the Liliaceae family. Cardamom is the dried fruit of the tall perennial herbaceous plant, Elettaria cardamomum Maton, and belonging to the Zingiberaceae. family. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of garlic and methanolic extract of cardamom on MRSA and P. aeruginosa. Dry garlic bulbs [l00g] were peeled and homogenized distilled water [1:1 w/v], using a blender and 50% juice of garlic is obtained, centrifuged and then the supernatant of garlic juice is collected and passed through a 0.45 micro m filter and stored at 4 for further experiments. Also after collecting cardamom seeds, drying and making it powder, extracts were obtained by using percolation method with methanol. for evaluating the antibacterial activity of the extracts or garlic and cardamom, the microbial suspension was prepared by direct colony suspension method and different dilutions of extracts [1:2, 1:4, 1:8,. .., 1:64 v/v for garlic; 800, 650, 400,. .., 50 micro g/ml for cardamom] were prepared and tested against of MRSA ATCC 33591 and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853. Minimum Inhibition Concentration [MIC] was obtained via Disc diffusion and Broth dilution and well diffusion method. We also analyzed morphological changes of MRSA and P.aeruginosa by light microscopy [LM] and biochemical properties was studied by inoculation of low concentrations of garlic and cardamom extracts to bacterial culture. The results showed that cardamom extract has no effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa but garlic extract is effective on P. aeruginosa. Garlic extract [1:2, 1:4, 1:8, 1:16, containing 220, 110, 55, 27.50 micro g/ml allicin] inhibited the growth of MRSA and concentrations of 1:2 to 1:8 [v/v] inhibited the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Further more MRSA is sensitive to cardamom extract in 800 to 200 micro g/ml. In general, the minimal inhibitory concentration for MRSA [garlic MIC 1:16; allicin mean MIC 7.50 micro g/ml] were lower than for P. aeruginosa [garlic MIC 1:8; allicin mean MIC 55 micro g/ml].The treatment group with garlic extract showed a changed form of morphology such as cellular swelling, partially distored shape and changes in the size of bacteria, but cardamom extract dose not reveal any changes compared to the control. It was also observed in low concentrations of garlic, production of catalase enzyme and pyocyanine pigment by P.aeruginosa were decreased but it increased strain hemolysis ability, and acid production from saccharose, manitol by MRSA changed to negative. This research showed that garlic and cardamom extracts have different antibacterial properties against 2 tested bacteria

[Study on effects of oral administrating of silybum marianum [L.] gaertn. extract [silymarin] on biochemical factors and tissue changes caused by aflatoxin in broiler chickens]

In poultry industry the most common and important mycotoxin is aflatoxin, and decreasing its economical and sanitary damages by using effective and inexpensive substances is the target of most of the researchers. Since the pathologic effects of aflatoxin toxicity are more important in liver, kidney and muscles, and due to the mechanism of formation of the damages and also taking in to account the other studies on silymarin effects [extract of Silybum marianum] in preventing various liver and kidney diseases, the silymarin effects reviewed on preventing the losses caused by aflatoxin due to the poultry breeding farms conditions in Iran. In this study 56 one-day chicken, divided in to 4 groups, each group contains 14 chickens. First group were feed with normal allotment, second group with normal allotment with added 1 mg/Kg aflatoxin, third group with normal allotment with 800 mg silymarin per kg body weight and with added 1 mg/Kg aflatoxin, and after 42 days biochemical, autopsy and histopathology surveys have been done on the samples. According to the reviewed data and comparing the results of studied groups, silymarin can be recommended for decreasing the damages caused by aflatoxin during the period of breeding broiler chickens

Study on effects of topical use of Silybum marianum extract [silymarin] on U.V. irradiated guinea pig skin

Regarding to the skin damages caused by the ultraviolet ray of sun and the need for protective materials against these mal effects, Silymarin was evaluated for the porpose. In this study, by histopathology studies and surveying the clinical symptoms the external use of an herbaceous [herbal] substance, Silymarin, in protecting the mal effects of ultraviolet ray has been evaluated. For the study 60 albino hamsters with same age and gender has been selected and they divided in two groups [each group 30 hamsters] randomly. The hair on the back of all animals shaved in an area about 2 square centimeters. The first group gets 9 miligram Silymarin with 20 micro liter acetone topically, and the second group gets only 20 micro liter acetone topically. Then both groups for 45 days exposed to ultra violet ray, 180 milijoule/cm[2] each day. The results of clinical and histopathologic surveys show that topical usage of Silymarin has considerable protective effects against the mal effects of ultra violet ray on skin and this can be a promise for using this herbaceous substance as a topical sun protects substance

Chemical composition of the essential olis Stachys athorecalyx C. Koch. collected from Arasbaran prospected region

The genus Stachys [Lamiaceae] is distributed in mild regions of the Mediterranean and south-west Asia. About 270 Stachys species are reported; 34 of them are found in Iran of which 13 are endemic. Several Stachys species are used in Iranian folk medicine as medicinal plants. There is no report on Stachys athorecalyx essential oil analysis previously. Investigation on essential oil constituents of Stachys athorecalyx collected from Arasbaran protected area in this study, Stachys athorecalyx has been collected from the Arasbaran protected areas; shade dried and the essential oil extracted by means of steam distillation and analyzed with GC/MS. Thirty six compounds representing 98.1% of total oil were identified in the oil of Stachys athorecalyx. Spathulenol [22.1%] was the major compounds. Oxygenated compounds were predominant [71.2%]. Eighteen monoterpenes [47.9%], thirteen sesquiterpenes [42.9%] and two aromatic compounds [1.6%] were founded. according to our investigation's results and considering previously reports on other Stachys species' essential oil compounds, there is good similarity between essential oil compounds of this species and other reported species in this genus

Pharmacognosical and plant tissue culture studies of Melissa officinalis L.

Melissa officinalis is a traditional herbal medicine used widely as a mid sedative, spasmolytic and antibacterial agent. This paper focuses on the analysis of the chemical composition of essential oil from the upper parts of plant and calli of Melissa officinalis. Growing the calli of Melissa officinalis L. and production its secondary metabolites studied and compared with those in the whole plant. Melissa seeds were first surface sterilized by shaking in 0.3% [W/V] aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution containing 1 drop tween 80, then by shaking in 5% Na hypochlorite and 70% aqueous Ethanol solution then, under aseptic condition, strile petrydishes containing autoclaved agar [0.8%] and kept in the dark at a temprature of 25-27°C. Seedlings were developed in one week. Then they were transferred to strile Murashing and skoog [MS] culture media which were containing 2, 4- D [1 mg/l], IAA [1 mg/l] and K [0.2 mg/l] as plant grow regulators. The amorph masses [calli] were produced and subcultvred every 20-25 days. The result obtained from GC/MS of essential oil if upper parts of plant indicated that the major compounds of the essential oil are Citronellal, Neral, Geranial and ?- Caryophyllene. In contrast, calli lacked essential oil, this was indicated upon GC of its dichlorometanic extract, however phytochemical tests indicated that some tannins were produced by calli

[ study of volatile oil of foeniculum vulgare miller. in their tissue culure and comparison with the whole plant]

Foeniculum vulgare Miller. is a traditional herbal medicine used widely in world. This paper focuses on the analysis of the chemical composition of essential oil from the whole plant and calli of Foeniculum vulgare Miller.. Growing the calli of Foeniculum vulgare Miller. and production its secondary metabolites studied and compared with those in the whole plant. Seeds were immersed in water for 5 min, surface-sterilized in 70% aqueous ethanol for 2 min and rinsed three laid on autoclaved agar [0.8%] and after 10 days the upper parts of the resultant seedlings were transferred to autoclaved MS [Murashige and Skoog] basal medium which were containing 2,4- D [1 mg/I], IAA [1 mg/I] and K [0.2 mg/I] as plant grow regulators. The callus were produced and subcultvred every 20-22 days. Callus volatile constituents were consisted of monoterpene hydrocarbons [14.13%] and oxygenated monoterpenes [34.83%] the typical components were [E, E] 2,4- Decadienal [22.64%] and 1,8 cineole [17.35%]. In the whole plant 37 major compounds were detected in the oild totally 91.37 to 96.93% of the essences were consisted of these compoundes. E Anethole, Estragole and D-[+]- Fenchone were the most frequent compounds

efficancy of herbal medicine khar maryam [silybum marianum[L.] Gaertn] on liver cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis B patients

Cirrhosis is the irreversible sequel of various disorders that damage liver cells permanently over time. Presently, the use of herbal medicines for prevention and control of chronic liver diseases is in the focus of attention for both the physicians and the patients; the reasons for such shift toward the use of herbals include the expensive cost of conventional drugs adverse drug reactions, and their inefficacy The present study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of herbal medicine Khar maryam or silymarin on liver cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis patients compare to placebo therapy 60 chronic hepatitis B cirrhotic patients were selected out of 500 patients to Tehran Hepatic center The patients were randomly divided in two groups of 30 patients One group received silymarin l50mg/kg three times a day and the other group placebo received for twelve months. The outcome measures included child-pugh score,ascitis, serum aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT] total billirubin, albumin, prothrombin time, platelet and white blood cells counts. The indices were recorded in all patients before and after 12 months of drug or placebo treatment The results demonstrated that the patients treatment with silymarin for 12 months had significantly better child-pugh score, decreased ascitis, decreased serum AST and ALT. In placebo administered patients all the clinical parameters recorded before and after 12 months were not significantly different. We conclude that silymarin treatment for 12 months in cirrhotic patients has hepatoprotective effect. To investigate the effects of this herbal remedy on the mortality rate of cirrhotic ratients, asimilar study, over an extended period has to be carried out