Effects of a Plantago ovata-based herbal compound in prevention and treatment of oral mucositis in patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy: A double-blind, randomized, controlled crossover trial / 中西医结合学报

BACKGROUND@#Oral mucositis (OM) is one of the most common complications of mucotoxic cancer therapy. Mucositis induces clinically significant pain, increases the risk of infections and affects the patients' quality of life.@*OBJECTIVE@#This study investigated the effects of an herbal preparation from Plantago ovata hydrocolloid in the prevention and treatment of OM, in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with a regimen including adriamycin.@*DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND INTERVENTIONS@#This research was a double-blind, randomized, controlled crossover trial. The herbal compound consisted of a mixture of 500 mg of P. ovate husk in 30 mL water plus three drops of vinegar per dose, which was used as a mouthwash. Phytochemical and physicochemical tests of the compound were also performed. Twenty-eight patients who developed mucositis during the chemotherapy screening cycle were randomized to the herbal compound (n = 14) and placebo (n = 14) groups. They received herbal compound or placebo three times per day during their next chemotherapy cycle (cycle 1 of treatment). Patients were crossed over during cycle 2 of treatment and received the alternative therapy. An oral care protocol was prescribed to all patients in cycles 1 and 2 of the treatment.@*MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES@#The patients were visited at baseline, the end of the first and second weeks of the screening cycle, and the end of the first and second weeks of each of two treatment cycles. The degree of mucositis was used as the main treatment outcome. Other indexes, such as the severity of pain, xerostomia grade and the quality of life were also measured.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the placebo, the herbal compound significantly reduced the degree of mucositis, the severity of pain and the xerostomia grade; it also improved the patients' quality of life (P < 0.05). Comparison between the screening cycle and placebo treatment group showed that the oral care protocol had a significant effect in the reduction of OM (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The oral care protocol and the herbal compound based on P. ovata are effective ways for preventing and treating OM in patients undergoing mucotoxic cancer therapy.@*TRIAL REGISTRATION@#Iranian registry of clinical trials IRCT20180923041093N1.

effects of olive leaf extract on the testis, sperm quality and testicular germ cell apoptosis in male rats exposed to busulfan

Background: Busulfan [BU] has a destructive effect on the male reproductive system. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of olive leaf extract [OLE] as a source of antioxidants and phenolic compounds, on BU-induced damages in rat testes

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 40 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups. The control group [CTL] received a single intraperitoneal [i.p.] injection of dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO], followed by oral administration of distilled water for 5 weeks. In BU group, BU [10 mg/kg] was administrated i.p. once. In co- treatment groups, first, received BU [10 mg/kg, a single i.p. injection] then, OLE was administrated orally at different doses of 250 mg/kg [BU+OLE 250], 500 mg/kg [BU+OLE 500] and 750 mg/kg [BU+OLE 750], for 5 weeks. Next, blood and sperm samples were collected. The left testis was removed to investigate testicular parameters and apoptosis by using H and E and TUNEL staining, respectively. All data were analyzed by SPSS software and a P<0.05 was considered significant

Results: There was a significant decline in sperm viability [P=0.017], number of primary spermatocyte [PS] [P=0.001] and Leydig cells [P=0.023] in the BU group versus the CTL group. OLE at three doses could repair these defects versus BU group. Increases in apoptotic spermatogonia cells [SG] due to BU were significantly reduced by OLE 250 and 500 mg/kg [P<0.01]. A reduction in germinal epithelium height and an increase in apoptotic SG were observed in BU+OLE 750 group vs. other groups [P<0.01] and alkaline phosphatase [ALP] was at the highest level, also Aspartate aminotransferase [AST] increased markedly vs. CTL [P=0.024]

Conclusion: Oral administration of OLE at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg could be helpful in ameliorating BU- induced toxicity in rat testes, while OLE 750 mg/kg not only did not cause positive effects, but also could exacerbate the harmful effects

Antileishmanial and Cytotoxic Effects of Essential Oil and Methanolic Extract of Myrtus communis L

Plants used for traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances that can be used to treat various diseases such as infectious diseases. The present study was designed to evaluate the antileishmanial effects of the essential oil and methanolic extract of Myrtus communis against Leishmania tropica on an in vitro model. Antileishmanial effects of essential oil and methanolic extract of M. communis on promastigote forms and their cytotoxic activities against J774 cells were evaluated using MTT assay for 72 hr. In addition, their leishmanicidal activity against amastigote forms was determined in a macrophage model, for 72 hr. Findings showed that the main components of essential oil were alpha-pinene (24.7%), 1,8-cineole (19.6%), and linalool (12.6%). Findings demonstrated that M. communis, particularly its essential oil, significantly (P<0.05) inhibited the growth rate of promastigote and amastigote forms of L. tropica based on a dose-dependent response. The IC50 values for essential oil and methanolic extract was 8.4 and 28.9 mug/ml against promastigotes, respectively. These values were 11.6 and 40.8 mug/ml against amastigote forms, respectively. Glucantime as control drug also revealed IC50 values of 88.3 and 44.6 mug/ml for promastigotes and amastigotes of L. tropica, respectively. The in vitro assay demonstrated no significant cytotoxicity in J774 cells. However, essential oil indicated a more cytotoxic effect as compared with the methanolic extract of M. communis. The findings of the present study demonstrated that M. communis might be a natural source for production of a new leishmanicidal agent.

Antileishmanial and Cytotoxic Effects of Essential Oil and Methanolic Extract of Myrtus communis L

Plants used for traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances that can be used to treat various diseases such as infectious diseases. The present study was designed to evaluate the antileishmanial effects of the essential oil and methanolic extract of Myrtus communis against Leishmania tropica on an in vitro model. Antileishmanial effects of essential oil and methanolic extract of M. communis on promastigote forms and their cytotoxic activities against J774 cells were evaluated using MTT assay for 72 hr. In addition, their leishmanicidal activity against amastigote forms was determined in a macrophage model, for 72 hr. Findings showed that the main components of essential oil were alpha-pinene (24.7%), 1,8-cineole (19.6%), and linalool (12.6%). Findings demonstrated that M. communis, particularly its essential oil, significantly (P<0.05) inhibited the growth rate of promastigote and amastigote forms of L. tropica based on a dose-dependent response. The IC50 values for essential oil and methanolic extract was 8.4 and 28.9 mug/ml against promastigotes, respectively. These values were 11.6 and 40.8 mug/ml against amastigote forms, respectively. Glucantime as control drug also revealed IC50 values of 88.3 and 44.6 mug/ml for promastigotes and amastigotes of L. tropica, respectively. The in vitro assay demonstrated no significant cytotoxicity in J774 cells. However, essential oil indicated a more cytotoxic effect as compared with the methanolic extract of M. communis. The findings of the present study demonstrated that M. communis might be a natural source for production of a new leishmanicidal agent.

Protoscolecidal effect of berberis vulgaris root extract and Its main compound, berberine in cystic echinococcosis

Cystic echinococcosis [CE], a zoonotic parasitic infection caused by the metacestode [larvae] stage of dog tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus and recognized as a major economic and public health concern in the world. This study aimed to investigate the in vitro scolicidal effect of methanolic extract of Berberis vulgaris L. roots and its main compound, berberine against protoscoleces of hydatid cysts. For this purpose, protoscoleces were aseptically aspirated from sheep livers having hydatid cysts. Various concentrations of the methanolic extract [0.25- 2 mg/ml] and berberine [0.062- 0.5 mg/ml] were used for 5 to 30 min. Viability of protoscoleces was confirmed by eosin exclusive test. In the present study, all of the various concentrations of the B. vulgaris methanolic extract [0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/ml] and berberine [0.062, 0.125, 0.25 and 0.5 mg/ml] revealed significant [P<0.05] scolicidal effects against protoscoleces of E. granulosus in a dose-dependent manner. Both berberine and methanolic extract exhibited 100% inhibition against protoscoleces of E. granulosus at the concentration of 2.0 and 0.5 mg/ml after 10 min incubation respectively. According to the results, both B. vulgaris methanolic extract and berberine alone demonstrated high scolicidal activities against protoscoleces of hydatid cysts in low concentration and short exposure time on in vitro model. However, in vivo efficacy of B. vulgaris and berberine also requires to be evaluated using an animal model with hydatid infection

vitro inhibitory effect of berbcris vulgaris [berberidaceae] and its main component, berberine against different leishmania species

Leishmaniasis has been identified as a major public health problem in tropical and sub-tropical countries. The present study was aimed to investigate antileishmanial effects of various extracts of Berberis vulgaris also its active com-poenent, berberine against Ieishmania tropica and L infantum species on in vitro experiments..In this study in vitro antileishmanial activity of various extracts of B. vulgaris also its active compoenent, berberine against promastigote and amastigote stages of L. tropica and L. infantum was evaluated, using MTT assay and in a macro-phage model, respectively. Furthermore, infectivity rate and cytotoxicity effects of B. vulgaris and berberine in murine macrophage cells were investigated. The findings of optical density [OD] and IC[50] indicated that B. vulgaris particulary berberine significantly [P<0.05] inhibited the growth rate of promastigote stage of L.tropica and lL.infantum in comparison to meglumine antimoniate [MA]. In addition, B. vulgaris and berberine significantly [P<0.05] decreased the mean number of amastigotes in each macrophage as compared with positive control. In the evaluation of cytotoxicity effects, it could be observed that berberine as compared with B. vulgaris exhibited more cytotoxicity against murine macrophages. Results also showed that when parasites were pre-incubated with B. vulgaris their ability to infect murine macrophages was significantly decreased. Conclusion. B.vulgaris particularly berberine exhibited potent in vitro leishmanicid-al effects against L tropica and L.infantum. Further works are required to evaluate the antileishmanial effects of B. vulgaris on Leishmania species using clinical settings

Antioxidant effect and study of bioactive components of Valeriana sisymbriifolia and Nardostachys jatamansii m comparison to Valeriana officinalis

The roots of Nardostachys jatamansi have been used as a substitute for valerian in Iranian traditions. Moreover, six species from Valeriana genus such as V. sisymbriifolia grow in Iran which has not been studied yet. We aimed to study of antioxidant effect of Valeriana officinalis, Nardostachys jatamansi and Valeriana sisymbriifolia and comparing their content of valerenic acid and valepotriate. Antioxidant effect was evaluated using diphenylpicrylhydrazyl [DPPH] inhibition and beta carotene-bleaching assays. Identification of valepotriates was achieved using chemical and TLC method. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of valerenic acid was performed using TLC and spectrophotometry methods. Among the tested samples, V. Officinalis showed the highest DPPH inhibition effect with IC[50] value of 38mg/mL. All of the tested plants potentially inhibited beta-carotene oxidation. The calibration curve of authentic valerenic acid was linear in the range of 2-51 mg L[-1] The most and least amount of valepotraites was detectable in V. officinalis and V. sisymbriifolia respectively. Total valerenic acid in different plant species ranged from 0.02% in V. sisymbriifolia to 0.07% [w/w] in V. Officinalis. Our results indicated that all three tested plants contain different amount of valepotriates and valerenic acid. The highest percentage of valepotriates and valerenic acid was detectable in V. officinalis. Overall can conclude that N. jatamansii and V. sisymbriifolia would be a good candidate for substitutation of V. officinalis with noticeable antioxidant effect

Bioactivity of major components from the seeds of bunium persicum [boiss.] fedtch

Zire Kermani [Bunium persicum] is an Iranian plant which is commonly used as antispasmodic, carminative, anti obesity and lactogage. The essential oil and different extracts of the seeds of this plant were evaluated for antioxidant activity by three complementary methods: DPPH assay, beta-carotene bleaching and ammonium thiocyanate methods. The oil and methanolic extract of B. persicum exhibited the highest antioxidant activity with IC50=23.4 +/- 1.6 and 45.7 +/- 3.6 micro gmL-1 in DPPH assay and the most inhibition of beta-carotene oxidation and lipid peroxidation. The GC/MS analysis of the essential oil of B. persicum indicated the gamma-Terpinene [46.1%] and cuminaldehyde [15.5%] as the major components of the oil. Furthermore the active methanol extract of the plant was fractioned by column chromatography to afford several fractions, of which in more purification, kaempferol, caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid were found to be the antioxidant components of this extract. These results confirm the in vitro antioxidant and radical scavenging activity of the essential oil and methanolic extract of B. persicum, which warranty the use of the plant in many traditional uses

Bioassay screening of the essential oil and various extracts from 4 spices medicinal plants

Four commonly used spices plants in Iran were evaluated for cytotoxicity effect using Brine Shrimp Lethality [BSL] assay. Essential oils and various extracts of Heracleum persicum, Nigella arvensis, Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Zingiber officinale were assessed by two methods of disk and solution of BSL. Data were processed in probit-analysis program to estimate LC50 values. All of the tested fractions have exhibited more cytotoxicity in the solution method. Essential oils of H. persicum and C. zeylanicum have shown the most cytotoxicity with LC50 values 0.007 and 0.03 microg/ml respectively. None of aqueous extracts showed significant cytotoxicity. The analysis of the essential oil of H. persicum showed the hexyl butyrate and octyl acetate as the main compounds. These results suggest some limitation for using of these spices in diet. Furthermore, these plants could be considered as a source of cytotoxic compounds which might be studied in more details