The protection of Thymus vulgaris leaves alcoholic extract against hepatotoxicity of alcohol in rats

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the protective effect of Thymus vulgaris (T. vulgaris) leaves 70% alcoholic extract against alcohol-mediate hepatotoxicity rats.@*METHODS@#The protective effect of T. vulgaris extract was investigated at dose of 500 mg/kg/day (as 0.1 of LD) orally against alcohol-mediate hepatotoxicity using adult male Wister albino rats during 21 days. Protective effect of T. vulgaris extract was evaluated comparing with silymarin standard drug at recommended dose (25 mg/kg/day) orally for 21 days. Serum liver and kidney functions, serum lipid profile, liver antioxidant enzymes activities, liver glutathione concentration (GSH), liver oxidative parameters and histopathological study of liver and kidney were estimated to find out protective effect of T. vulgaris extract.@*RESULTS@#Alcohol-mediate hepatotoxicity rats (alcohol-control) showed hepatocytes distortion represented as marked increment on liver biomarkers; alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) activities, as well as pronounced reduction on total protein and its fractions albumin and globulin production corresponding to normal ranges. Oxidative stress status was appeared on alcohol-control evident as significant depletion on GSH concentration, antioxidant enzymes activities; catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione- S- transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) recorded significant dwindling, concurrence with significant augmentation on oxidative stress parameters; malondyaldehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (HO) concentrations with respect to normal values. Serum lipid profile was affected by alcohol administration, total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were significantly reduced, meanwhile high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was raised comparing to normal ranges. Co-administration of T. vulgaris extract with alcohol showed protective effect on hepatocytes manifested as remarkable minimizing on ALP, AST and ALT activities and marked increment on total protein, albumin and globulin production compared to alcohol-control. Amelioration was achieved on oxidative stress status on rats co-administrated T. vulgaris extract with alcohol. Accordingly, antioxidant enzymes activities; CAT, SOD, GR, GST and GPx were significantly magnified, while oxidative stress parameters; MDA and HO concentration were significantly lessened corresponding to alcohol-control. Also, lipid profile was markedly improved and risk ratio was lowered by T. vulgaris extract co-administrated in comparison with alcohol-control. All these obvious results were confirmed by histopathological examination, which illustrated that extract showed normalization of degenerated and fibrotic liver tissue as of alcohol-control.@*CONCLUSION@#T. vulgaris extract protected hepatocytes from damaging by alcohol reflecting improvement on liver performance and inhibition of oxidative stress status of liver. T. vulgaris extract appeared hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic and antioxidant activities on alcohol-mediate hepatotoxicity rats compared to silymarin.

Technological studies on the essential oil of coriander

This study aimed to investigate the effect of different extraction methods [hydrodistillation, modified hydrodistillation and organic solvent extraction] of essential oil from coriander fruits on its chemical constituents. Also to investigate the changes in the chemical composition and physiochemical properties of coriander volatile oil during storage as a result of packing in different containers P.V.C., glass and aluminum] as well as, the effect of different drying methods [oven drying, spray drying and lyophilization drying] for microencapsulation technique on the main constituent of the volatile oil. The quantitative and qualitative analysis were carried out using GC-MS for different extraction methods and microencapsulation experiments, while the oil samples for storage experiments were analyzed using GLC. Results indicated that hydrodistillation method was superior to the other two; also the storage of coriander volatile oil in aluminum containers for 180 days was safe and had no effect on any of the studied physiochemical parameters. Lyophilization drying method was the most suitable one for preservation of the volatile oil where most of the compounds as well as their relative percentage were nearly like the control sample

Nitrogen fertilizer influences yield and essential oil of ocimum americanum cultivated in Egypt

The present study was carried out during two successive seasons at the Experimental Farm of Cultivation and Production of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Department, National Research Center, Giza, Egypt.The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of differc-t nitrogen levels on the yield and essential oil production of Ocimum cimericanum.Herbage yield was significantly increased with nitrogen fertilization especially at high levels [40, 60 and 80 kg N/fed]. Both fresh and dry yield of herb [ton/fed] in both seasons were significantly influenced. Similarly, the same effect was obtained on leaves fresh and dry yield per feddan [4200 m[2]]. The highest herb and leaves yields were obtained as a result of 60 kg N/fed. The highest oil percentage was associated with the highest nitrogen dose [80 kg N/fed] in most cuts of both seasons. All nitrogen doses significantly increased oil content [mi/plant] comparing to unfertilized plants. In all cuts of both seasons, 60 kg N/fed produced the highest oil content. The maximum total oil yield [ml/plants or 1/fed] were obtained with 80 and 60 kg N/fed in the lst and 2nd seasons, respectively. All identified compounds were observed in the essential oil of all treatments. The major compound was found to be eugenol followed by methyl chavicol. Generally, the higher the nitrdgen was applied, the higher the methyl chavicol was produced; the opposite was true with eugenol.As a conclusion we may recommend the fertilization of Ocirnum arnericanurn L. plants with 60 kg N/fed as ammonium sulfate to maximize herb, leaves and oil production either per plant or per feddan

Genetic variability, biological activity and lipid composition of three Nigella Sativa L. Cultivars

Variability, heritability and phenotypic correlation coefficient in three cultivars [Balady, Sori and Turki] of black cumin, Nigella sativa L. were studied during 2001/2002 - 2002/2003. The results reflected highly significant variability between cultivars among all studied characters. High heritability values were estimated for capsules length, number of branches / plant and number of capsules / plant, while moderate values were estimated for other characters. Balady was found to be the best cultivar in the most of traits and it had homogenetical plants. Different patterns of phenotypic correlation were noted between each cultivar characters. Successive extracts of the cultivar seeds were tested for the biological activity against Stegobium paniceum L. Petroleum ether followed by chloroform extract were the most effective extracts. Although, the p. ether extract of Sori was the most effective in all used concentrations [0.5, 1 and 2%], Balady showed the highest activity for chloroformic extract. Fatty acid methyl esters and unsaponifiable components of the seeds of each nigella cultivar were studied by GLC