Antihistaminic and anticholinergic activity of methanolic extract of barberry fruit [Berberis vulgaris] in the guinea- pig ileum

Barberry [Berberris vulgaris] is a well known medicinal plant in Iran and has also been used as food. This study was conducted to evaluate antihistaminic and anticholinergic activity of methanolic extract of barberry fruit. Methanolic extract was prepared and pharmacologically studied on isolated guineapig ileum, dose- response curves of histamine and acetylcholine with and without methanolic extract were plotted. The pA[2] values for antihistaminic activity of methanolic extract and dexchlorpheniramine were calculated [extract; pA[2] +/- S.E.M = 3.53 +/- 0.16 [-logC[g/l]]; dexchlorpheniramine; pA[2] +/- S.E.M.= 9.36 +/- 0.14 [[-logC [M]] and compared with each other. The pA[2] values of anticholinergic activity of methanolic extract and atropine were also calculated [extract; pA[2] +/- S.E.M = 4.18 +/- 0.17 [-logC[g/1]]; atropine, PA[2] +S.E.M = 8.99 +/- 0.13 [-logC[M]] and compared. The results indicated antihistaminic and anticholinergic activity of methanolic extract

[Review on phytochemistry and Therapeutic properties of Fenugreek [Trigonella foenum-graceum]

Fenugreek is an annual plant from leguminosea endemic to east Mediterranean. It has been used in traditional medicine for a while. It has been used for its oxytocic, digestive, and metabolism enhancement properties. While is reach in alkaloids, steroids, and sapogenins and also has good medicinal properties, it became one af more important medicinal plants. Nicotinic acid, and Trigonelline which are effective in treatment of diabetes and hypercholestremia, are reach in this plant. Also diosgenin, another medicinally important compound, is produced by this plant in high concentration. Many studies have been done and revealing it's beneficial in treatment diabetes and other metabolic disorders. In this review, we summaries some of this studies

anti-inflammatory and anti-viral effects of an ethnic medicine: glycyrrhizin

The extract of licorice [Glycyrrhiza glabra L.] has been widely used for many centuries in the traditional Chinese medicine as native anti-allergic agent. Glycyrrhizin [GL], a triterpenoidsaponin, extracted from the roots of licorice is the most effective compound for inflammation and allergic diseases in human body. The biological and pharmacological studies revealed that GL possesses many pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and liver protective effects, and the biological effects, such as induction of cytokines [interferon-alpha and IL-12], chemokines as well as extrathymic T and anti-type 2 T cells. This review describes [i] the pharmacological property of GL as an effective anti-inflammatory and anti-viral drug; [ii] the biochemical characteristics of several GL-binding proteins [gbPs] involved in the antiinflammatory and anti-viral effects of 68GL and the GL-induced selective inhibition of the phosphorylation of these gbPs by GL-binding protein kinases in vitro; and [iii] the mechanisms involved in the GL-induced inhibition of the replication of both RNA and DNA viruses. In addition, recent reports concerning the mechanical actions involved in the anti-inflammatory and anti-viral effects of GL in vivo and in vitro and its clinical effects on chronic active liver disease and viral infection are summarized