Astrodaucus persicus as a new source of bioinsectisides against malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi

OBJECTIVE@#To determine the larvicidal activities of petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol fractions of roots and fruits extracts of Astrodaucus persicus from Apiaceae family against malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi (An. stephensi).@*METHODS@#Twenty five third instar larvae of An. stephensi were exposed to various concentrations (10-160 g/L) of fractions and were assayed according to World Health Organization protocol. The larval mortality was calculated after 24 h treatment.@*RESULTS@#Among tested fractions, the highest larvicidal efficacy was observed from ethyl acetate fraction of fruits extract with 50% and 90% mortality values (LC and LC) of 34.49 g/L and 108.61 g/L, respectively. Chloroform fraction of fruits extract was the second larvicidal sample with LC of 45.11 g/L and LC of 139.36 g/L. Petroleum ether fractions of fruits and roots and methanol fraction of fruits showed moderate toxicity against An. stephensi.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Astrodaucus persicus is a potential source of valuable and natural larvicidal compounds against malaria vector, An. stephensi and can be used in mosquitoes control programs as an alternative to synthetic insecticides.

Astrodaucus persicus as a new source of bioinsectisides against malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi

Objective To determine the larvicidal activities of petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol fractions of roots and fruits extracts of Astrodaucus persicus from Apiaceae family against malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi (An. stephensi). Methods Twenty five third instar larvae of An. stephensi were exposed to various concentrations (10–160 g/L) of fractions and were assayed according to World Health Organization protocol. The larval mortality was calculated after 24 h treatment. Results Among tested fractions, the highest larvicidal efficacy was observed from ethyl acetate fraction of fruits extract with 50% and 90% mortality values (LC

Larvicidal activities of some Iranian native plants against the main malaria vector, anopheles stephensi

Malaria is considered a major health problem in Iran. There are different methods for vector control. In this study we tested the larvicidal effects of some Iranian plants. The methanolic extracts of 11 plants were prepared with percolation method. The larvicidal activities of them against malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi were studied using World Health Organization standard method. All LC[50] values of methanolic extracts of plants that we screened were lower than 300 ppm. The methanolic extract of aerial parts of Lawsonia inermis and Stachys byzantine showed high larvicidal activity with LC[50] values 69.40 ppm and 103.28 ppm respectively. The results obtained from this study suggest that the methanolic extracts of these plants have larvicidal effects against Anopheles stephensi larvae and could be useful in the search for new natural larvicidal compounds

Cytotoxicity and antioxidant activity of 23 plant species of leguminosae family

Numerous studies have been focused on natural anticarcinogenic agents. Many antioxidants have been identified as anticarcinogens. Antimutagens have also been proposed as cancer chemopreventive agents. The use of natural products as anticancer has a long history that began with traditional medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate cytotoxicity and antioxidant activity of twenty-three plant species of Leguminosae family from different regions of Iran. Twenty-three plant species of Leguminosae family were collected in May-June 2009 from different regions of Iran. Methanol extracts of these species were tested through the brine shrimp lethality assay in order to detect potential sources of novel cytotoxic compounds. The total antioxidant activity was evaluated with DPPH free radical-scavenging method. The extracts of twelve species showed moderate cytotoxicity against brine shrimp [LC[50] between 30 and 50 microg/mL]. The extracts of Taverniera spartea and Tephrosia persica showed significant cytotoxicity [LC[50] < 30 microg/mL] with LC[50] values of 0.34 and 2.43 microg/mL, respectively, whereas the positive control, thymol showed a LC[50] value of 1.37 microg/mL. The chloroform fractions of the latter two species were subjected to the brine shrimp lethality assay with LC[50] values of 113.79 and 1.23 microg/mL, respectively. In comparing antioxidant capacities, Gleditschia caspica and Taverniera spartea showed significant antioxidant activity [IC[50] < 50 microg/mL] with LC[50] values of 14.54 and 20.32 microg/mL, respectively. It could be seen among 23 tested plant species that Taverniera spartea had the most cytotoxic and antioxidant activity and was the best candidate for these effects. Further investigations are necessary for chemical characterization of the active compounds and more comprehensive biological assays

Comparative chemical composition and antioxidant properties of the essential oils and aromatic water from teucrium persicum boiss

The essential oils and aromatic water, known as Arak in traditional Iranian medicine, comes from the aerial part of Teucrium persicum Boiss., which is grown in Fars Province located in Iran. The samples were collected in summer and the oils and aromatic water were obtained through steam distillation. The chemical composition of the oils was analyzed using GC-MS. An analysis of the chemical profile of the isolated oils revealed the presence of more than 80 compounds, mainly oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. The principal components of essential oil were alpha-cadinene [9.7%], 1,4-cadinadiene [9.2%] and alpha-terpinyl acetate [7.9%]. The major constituents in the Arak were determined to be linalool [10.4%], alpha-cadinene [7.5%] and gamma-terpineol [7.3%]. Most of the compounds identified from different oils were similar, but their amounts differed. The oil revealed a higher content of total phenolics than the Arak [1.71 +/- 0.12 mg GAE/g DW and 1.36 +/- 0.11 mg GAE/g DW, respectively]. The antioxidant activity of the oils was calculated by using a ferric reducing antioxidant power assay [FRAP], DPPH radical scavenging activity, and a reducing power assay [RP]. The FRAP value points to a considerably higher reducing power of essential oil [220 +/- 7.2 micromol Fe[2+]/g DW] compared to that of Arak [113 +/- 5.4 micromol Fe[2+]/g DW]. Essential oil exhibited higher radical scavenging potential [IC[50] = 0.29 mg/mL] than Arak [IC[50] = 4.19 mg/mL]. The reducing power of essential oil [51.7 +/- 4.3 microg BHA/g DW] was higher than that of Arak [34.1 +/- 2.7 microg BHA/g DW]. The studied essential oils showed good antioxidant activities, which were higher than those of Arak

Comparison of the volatile oils obtained by different distillation conditions of Iranian foeniculum vulgare mill

Many articles on Foeniculum vulgare Mill, essential oil constituents have been published. The goal of this article is to study the influence of preparations of essential oil on quality and quantity of the essence. We prepared the essences by two methods [hydrodistillation and steam distillation]. Hydrodistillations were conducted in four different process times [15, 30, 60 and 150 minutes] and the latter conducted at 150 minutes. The oils were analysed by GC and GC/MS. 37 major compounds were detected in the oil. Totally 91.37 to 97.57% of the essences were consisted of these compounds. [E] anethole, estragole and D-[+]-fenchone were the most frequent compounds. The highest percent of anethole was at 30 minutes

Cytotoxic terpenoids from Satureja macrantha C. A. Mey

From the aerial parts of Satureja macrantha C. A. Mey, one monoterpene [1], two triterpenoids [2,3] and one sesquiterpene [4] were isolated. Their structures were determined to be thymol [1], oleanolic acid [2], ursolic acid [3] and caryophyllene oxide [4], by using 1H and 13C-NMR, FTIR and EIMS spectra. Brine shrimp cytotoxicity effects of the crude extracts and isolated compounds were examined. Among them compounds 1 [612 microM], 2 [17 microM] and 3 [29 microM] were effective against Artemia salina larva

comparative study ofessential oils composition of three varieties of mentha longifolia[L.] huds. growing in Iran

The essential oils of three wild varieties of Mentha longifolia [L.] Huds. growing in distinct geographic areas of Iran [var. petiolata, var. kotschyana and var. chlorodictya], obtained by hydrodistillation, were studied. The results of quantitative and qualitative analysis by means of GC/MS, have shown that the essential oils of two varieties [var. chlorodictya and var. kotschyana]were characterized by the high concentration of piperitone oxide and piperitenone oxide, whereas the third one [var. petiolata]was rich in pulegone. Mentha chlorodictya has the higher amount of essential oil [2.6% v/w], the yield of Mentha petiolata and Mentha kotschyana was 2.1 and 1.3 v/w, respectively

comparative study of essential oils composition of three varieties of Mentha longifolia [L.] Huds., growing in Iran

The essential oils of three wild varieties of Mentha longifolia [L.] Huds. growing in distinct geographic area of Iran [var. petiolata, var. kotschyana and var. chlorodictya], obtained by hydrodistillation, were studied. The results of quantitative and qualitative analysis by means of GC/MS, have shown that the essential oils of two varieties [var. chlorodictya and var. kotschyana] were characterized by the high concentration of piperitone oxide and piperitenone oxide, whereas the third one [var. petiolata] was rich in pulegone. Mentha chlorodictya has the higher amount of essential oil [2.6% v/w], the yield of Mentha petiolata and Mentha kotschyana was 2.1 and 1.3% v/w, respectively

Extraction and purification of Hesperidin and Naringin from Citrus aurantium var. Amara L. Peel

Citrus aurantium var. amara L. [Rutaceae] is a plant whose fruit, flower and essential oil are used very extensively as well as its vitamins. Because of the importance of vitamin P and considerable amount of flavonoids in the peel of this plant, the ripe and unripe peels of the plant were the subject of this investigation. At first, the extraction of flavonoids [hesperidin and naringin] was carried out by suitable solvents. Then, preparative chromatography procedure was applied for the purification of the two flavonoids. Structures were elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical means. This method of isolation yielded hesperidin 9.8% from ripe and 12% from unripe peels and naringin 0.1% from ripe and unripe peels

Comparison between the essential oil and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of mentha piperita L. cultivated in Iran

The chemical compositions of the essential oils and the volatile concentrate of Mentha piperita L. [Labiatae] obtained by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction [SFE] at 35°C and 100 atm were compared using GC/MS. Whereas twenty four components were identified in the essential oil, only seven compounds, including the main compounds of the peppermint oil were isolated by the SFE. The percent of major components of the oil and the extract were: Menthol [31.53 and 48.39], Menthone [23.37 and 26.68] and Isomenthone [11.11 and 6.58], respectively. From these results it may concluded that the SFE method supply a selective essential oil extract