ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Objective: Aflatoxicosis is a mycotoxicosis infection with an acute or chronic course that forms due to aflatoxins (AFs) in humans and animals. Aflatoxins primarily affect the liver and can lead to histopathological necrosis, fibrosis and hepatocarcinogenesis of the organ. This paper studied the preventive effects of dead nettle leaf (Urtica dioica leaf; UDL) extract on liver lesions that were induced by experimental aflatoxicosis in rats. Methods: A total of 30 rats were separated into three groups of 10 rats each. Experimental group A (control) received normal rat food, experimental group B (AFB1) received 2 mg/kg of AF, and experimental group C (AFB1 + UDL extract) received 2 mg/kg of AF + 2 ml/rat/day of UDL extract. After three months of experimentation, blood and tissue samples were taken from the rats by necropsy to perform chemical and histopathological analyses. Results: According to the biochemical and histopathological findings, antioxidant system activity increased and lipid peroxidation and liver enzyme levels decreased in the group that received UDL extract. Conclusion: The extract of UDL had hepatoprotective effects against aflatoxicosis.
RESUMEN Objetivo: La aflatoxicosis es una infección por micotoxicosis con un curso agudo o crónico producido por aflatoxinas (AF) en seres humanos y animales. Las aflatoxinas afectan principalmente el hígado y pueden conducir a necrosis histopatológica, fibrosis o hepatocarcinogénesis del órgano. En este trabajo se estudiaron los efectos preventivos del extracto de la hoja de ortiga mayor (Urtica dioica l; UDL) sobre las lesiones hepáticas inducidas por aflatoxicosis experimental en ratas. Métodos: Un total de 30 ratas se separaron en tres grupos de 10 ratas cada una. EL grupo experimental A (control) recibió comida normal de ratas; el grupo experimental B (AFB1) recibió 2 mg/kg de AF; y el grupo experimental C (AFB1 + extracto de UDL) recibió 2 mg/kg de AF + 2 ml/rata/día de extracto de UDL. Después de tres meses de experimentación, se tomaron muestras de sangre y tejidos de las ratas en una necropsia encaminada a realizar análisis químicos e histopatológicos. Resultados: Según los hallazgos bioquímicos e histopatológicos, la actividad del sistema antioxidante aumentó, y la peroxidación del lípido y los niveles de la enzima del hígado disminuyeron en el grupo que recibió el extracto de UDL. Conclusión: El extracto de UDL tuvo efectos hepatoprotectores contra la aflatoxicosis.
Subject(s)
Animals , Rats , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Aflatoxins/toxicity , Urtica dioica/chemistry , Hepatoprotector Drugs , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/prevention & control , Immunohistochemistry , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Disease Models, Animal , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury, Chronic/pathologyABSTRACT
Objective:To establish a method to determine the content of chlorogenic acid and rutin in nettle to assess the quality of nettle.Methods:An HPLC method was used with the following chromatographic conditions:CAPCELL PAK C18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) was used with the mixture of 0.4%phosphoric acid and methanol as the mobile phase with gradient elution , the de-tection wavelength was set at 340 nm, the flow rate was 1.0 ml· min-1 and the sample size was 10μl.Results:Chlorogenic acid with-in the range of 2.360-23.600μg · ml-1 showed a good linear relationship (r=0.999 9), and rutin within the range of 6.208-62.080μg · ml-1 showed a good linear relationship (r=0.999 9).The recovery of rutin and chlorogenic acid was 99.20% and 100.40%with RSD of 1.2%and 1.1%(n=6), respectively.Conclusion:The method is fast, effective, simple, accurate and reproducible , which can be used to quantitatively analyze chlorogenic acid and rutin in nettle .
ABSTRACT
To investigate the antioxidant effect of an orally administered ethanol extract of nettle (Urtica dioica) and its protective role in preventing or ameliorating oxidative stress as a major factor in gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in male rabbits. Methods: Twenty rabbits were divided into 4 equal groups: (G1) control group, (G2) gentamicin treated group (100 mg/kg), (G3) nettle treated group (100 mg/kg), (G4) combination treated group with both gentamicin (100 mg/kg) and nettle (100 mg/kg) for 10 days. The antioxidant properties of nettle were evaluated using different antioxidant tests, such as determination of glutathione and malondialdehyde levels and total phenolic content analysis. Results: Biochemical and histopathological study revealed that gentamicin caused nephrotoxicity observed clearly in the histopathological section of the kidney in the gentamicin treated group. Serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen were biochemical indicators for nephrotoxicity which increased significantly in gentamicin treated group; other groups have no significant change in these two parameters. Nettle extract protected the rabbits from alteration in the level of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine when given after inducing of gentamicin nephrotoxicity. The nettle treated group showed a great effect as an antioxidant factor by increasing the glutathione level and reducing malondialdehyde level. No significant changes in biochemical parameters and no renal histopathological changes observed in the groups treated with nettle extract, which meant nettle had powerful antioxidant activity. Conclusions: Therefore, it can be assumed that the nephroprotective effect shown by nettle in gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity can reserve intracellular levels of biological pathways and supportively enhance excretion of toxic levels of gentamicin.
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The antibacterial and antioxidant activities of ethyl acetate extract of nettle (Urtica dioica) and dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) was studied, also phytochemical screening and determination of total phenolic content has been investigated. The results revealed that ethyl acetate extract of nettle was more effective on all bacterial isolates (Aeromonas hydrophila, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli) than dandelion with highest inhibition zone (24 mm) towards B. cereus, A hydrophila was more resistant than other bacteria. Also it was found that nettle gave large inhibition zone to S. typhi (22mm). Ethyl acetate of nettle had the highest content of phenolic compounds (48.3mg GAE/gdw) while dandelion had only (10.2 mg GAE/gdw) of phenolic content. The phytochemical qualitative screening exhibited flavonoid, glycosides and phenols were present in nettle and dandelion. In nettle, alkaloid, tannins and terpenoids were present, while absent in dandelion, on the other hand, dandelion had the saponins which not found in nettle. Steroids not present in the tow plants. Evaluation of antioxidant activities of ethyl acetate extract of nettle and dandelion by ferric thiocyanate method (FTC) exhibited that nettle caused 76% lipid peroxidation in inhibition of linoleic acid emulsion; this activity was greater than dandelion (44%) and α-tocopherol (65%).
ABSTRACT
Utticaceae includes about 1300 species in 47 genera which largely spread in wet tropical regions,and 341 species in 25 genera are in China.Some species are used in Chinese folk medicine.So far,studies on chemistry and pharmacology of Urticaceous plants are mainly focused on nettle of Urtica L.In this review,the chemical researches on 35 new compounds and related pharmacological effects of the plants in Urticaceae reported during2000-2010 are described.The 35 new compounds belong to the classes of lignan,secolignan,norlignan,flavonoid,alkaloid,sesquiterpenoid,triterpenoid,sterol,and sphingolipid.The main bioactivities include cytotoxic,antitumor,antimicrobial,antifungal,anti-BPH,anti-HIV,antidiabetic,hypolipidemic,5α-reductase inhibitory,hair regrowth promotion,and anti-oxidative activities.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Nettles, of the plant family Urticae, cause nonimmunologic contact urticaria by stinging hairs. Light application of the leaf or stem to the skin results in the rapid development of a short-lived stinging sensation accompanied by wheal formation and itching. The types of chemical mediators causing the stinging sensation and wheal have not yet been clarified. OBJECTIVE: To investigate stinging and urticating substances causing contact urticaria when the skin is in contact with nettle(Urtica thunbergiana). METHODS: Twenty two volunteers were used for the clinical portion of this investigation. The time to wheal development and the evanescent time of pain and wheal were measured after pricking the forearm skin with nettle trichomes, following the administration of antihistamine, antiserotonin or corticosteroid, respectively or a combination of two, either with or without the application of substance P antagonist(capsaicin cream, 0.025%). Nettle extracts were prepared from dry stems and leaves of Urtica thunbergiana. Histamine, serotonin and substance P(SP) contents of nettle extracts were measured by gas chromatographic mass spectroscopy. RESULTS: After puncture of the skin by trichome of nettle, a stinging sensation developed within a few seconds but disappeared faster at the site where capsaicin cream had been applied than at the nonapplied skin site(p<0.05). The development and evanescent time of wheal were not significantly correlated with the application of capsaicin cream. The evanescent time of pain after pricking the skin with trichome following the administration of antiserotonin was significantly shortened at the nonapplied skin site. Pain disappeared more rapidly at the capsaicin applied site following the administration of antihistamine or antiserotonin than at the nonapplied sites(p<0.05), but not following prednisolone administration. Wheal development was delayed significantly at both the capsaicin applied and nonapplied sites after antihistamine administration(p<0.05). Histamine was detected only in the nettle extract. SP and serotonin were not detected because of their insolubility in solvents. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that wheal-and-flare reaction to nettle stings is due primarily to the histamine and partly to the serotonin and SP introduced by the nettle. SP may be mainly involved and partially involved by serotonin in stinging pain.