The genus Schinus (Anacardiaceae): a review on phytochemicals and biological aspects.

The genus Schinus belongs to family 'Anacardiaceae' and includes about 29 species originating from South America, distributed to Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay and cultivated in Egypt. Traditionally, Schinus plants are used to alleviate several and diverse diseases including rheumatism, hypertension, ulcers, gastric distress, menstrual disorders, gonorrhea, bronchitis, gingivitis, conjunctivitis, dysentery, wounds, urinary tract, and eye infections. Several phytochemical studies on the Schinus plants revealed presence of diverse bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, bioflavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, catechins, terpenoids and essential oils. Besides, some Schinus species and their isolated active compounds showed important biological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, insecticidal, antiparasitic, analgesic, cytotoxic, antitumor, antioxidant, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antimycobacterial, anti-Parkinson, anti-allergic, antiviral, wound healing, chemoprotective, anthelmintic and hepatoprotective. This review attempts to summarize the phytochemical profile and biological activities of Schinus species that could guide researchers to undertake further investigation.

HPLC-ESI- MS/MS analysis of beet (Beta vulgaris) leaves and its beneficial properties in type 1 diabetic rats.

The phenolic profile of the leaves of Beta vulgaris subspecies vulgaris variety rubra was investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to electrospray ionization high resolution mass spectrometric (ESI-HRMS-MS) detection. Mass spectrometry-based molecular networking was employed to dereplicate the known compounds. Twelve known compounds, seven of which are previously undescribed as constituents in the B. vulgaris leaves were dereplicated and assigned with various levels of identification confidence. The ameliorative effects of the aqueous methanolic extract of the leaves were assessed against alloxan induced diabetic rats. It was found that the extract significantly decreased (p < 0.001) serum glucose, lipid profile, ALT, AST, TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and hepatic MDA levels; and significantly increased (p < 0.001) hepatic TAO and GSH; and down-regulated the expression of hepatic NF-κB versus the untreated diabetic groups, in a dose-dependent manner. In molecular docking, all identified compounds exhibited good glide score against the PPAR-É£ target, confirming the in vivo observed activities. In conclusion, B. vulgaris has immunomodulatory / antioxidant effects that could be helpful in slowing the progression of diabetic complications.

Spirulina ameliorates aspirin-induced gastric ulcer in albino mice by alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation.

Aspirin is a commonly prescribed non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, but its prolonged use injures the gastric mucosa. The present study was carried out to evaluate the ameliorative effect of spirulina against aspirin-induced gastric ulcer in albino mice. Gastric ulcer was induced by oral administration of aspirin (500 mg/kg bw). Spirulina (250 and 500 mg/kg bw) was given orally for 3 days after the induction of gastric ulcer. Spirulina ameliorated aspirin-induced gastric ulcer by improving the gross morphology, histology and mucous layer of gastric tissue, augmenting the endogenous enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants (reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase and catalase) and the cytoprotective marker (COX-1), and by alleviating tissue levels of the lipid peroxidation marker (malondialdehyde) and inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, COX-2 and NO). In conclusion, spirulina has a therapeutic potential in aspirin-induced gastric injury by alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation.

The prophylactic effect of a Eugenia aquea extract against oxidative stress and inflammation associated with the development of arthritis in an adjuvant-induced arthritis rat model.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common human autoimmune disease. A petroleum ether extract of Eugenia aquea (E. aquea) was analyzed by GC/MS. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were investigated in rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). An AIA rat model received orally/daily a vehicle, diclofenac (100 mg per kg b.w.), and E. aquea extract (50 or 100 or 200 mg per kg b.w.; for 21 days). Fifty-five out of 70 compounds (97.77%) were identified: eucalyptol (34.14%), α-pinene (15.91%), l-verbenone (8.01%), camphor (7.38%) and borneol (6.74%). In an acute oral toxicity study, the E. aquea extract did not show any toxic effects in rats at 2000 mg/ kg-1. Only a high dose of the E. aquea extract or diclofenac significantly alleviated (P < 0.05-0.001) all complications observed in arthritic rats, including body weight loss, articular/extra-articular oxidative injury and synovial joint inflammation by increasing food intake as well as improving the antioxidant defense system and inflammatory marker. The dose-dependent modulatory activity of the E. aquea extract was statistically significant. It was equivalent to and sometimes even better than that of diclofenac. The present study proved the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the E. aquea extract, which could be attributed to the presence of eucalyptol and α-pinene.

New Methoxyflavone from Casimiroa sapota and the Biological Activities of Its Leaves Extract against Lead Acetate Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats.

Flavonoids are agents with strong antioxidant properties and ameliorate many diseases associated with oxidative stress. Leaves of Casimiroa sapota were investigated for components and antioxidant/anti-inflammatory activities against lead acetate ((AcO)2 Pb) induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Three groups of male albino rats were administrated orally with vehicle or C. sapota (100 and 200 mg/kg b.w/day) for 28 days; other group was injected with sub-acute dose (100 mg/kg b.w/day) of (AcO)2 Pb. Three protective groups were injected with (AcO)2 Pb (100 mg/kg b.w/day) for 7 days at day 22 after treatment with either C. sapota (100 or 200 mg/kg b.w/day) or silymarin (SILY) for 28 days. We isolated and identified, from C. sapota, a new compound for the 1st time in nature; 5,6,2',3'-tetramethoxyflavone in addition to the rare compound 5,6,3'-trimethoxyflavone (second report of isolation from nature) and the known compound 5,6,2',3',4'-pentamethoxyflavone. There is an improvement in all hemato-biochemical parameters, antioxidant defense system and anti-inflammatory cytokines of protective groups, which received C. sapota in dose dependent manner. The percentage of changes in all parameters measured in (AcO)2 Pb groups that received vehicle, CS100, CS200 or SILY were 109.2, 37.3, 12.5%, and 1.2% compared with the healthy control group. The C. sapota groups confer a better antioxidant activity by preventing oxidative stress and inflammation in (AcO)2 Pb treated rats. The compounds isolated are responsible at least in part for the observed protective effects.

Anti-inflammatory activity of green versus black tea aqueous extract in a rat model of human rheumatoid arthritis.

AIM: Recently, there has been an increasing interest in tea (Camellia sinensis) as a protective agent against inflammatory diseases. Here, we evaluated/compared the anti-inflammatory activity of two different doses (0.5 and 1.0 g/kg body weight) of green tea aqueous extract (GTE, rich in catechins) and black tea aqueous extract (BTE, rich in theaflavins and thearubigins) in rat adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). METHODS: Adjuvant-induced arthritis rat model received orally/daily distilled water as vehicle, indomethacin (1.0 mg/kg body weight; a non-steroidal/anti-inflammatory drug), or tea aqueous extracts (for 28 or 14 consecutive days starting from day 0 or 14 of arthritis induction, respectively). RESULTS: The present study showed that only the high dose of GTE (from day 0) significantly alleviated (P < 0.05-0.001) all complications shown in arthritic rats, including synovial joint inflammation, elevation in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, blood leukocytosis (due to lymphocytosis and neutrocytosis), and changes in weight/cellularity of lymphoid organs. The anti-arthritic activity of the high dose of GTE (from day 0) was comparable (P > 0.05) with that of indomethacin (12.9-53.8 vs. 9.5-48.4%, respectively) and mediated by significantly decreasing and down-regulating (P < 0.001) the systemic production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the expression of chemokine receptor-5 in synovial tissues, respectively. Moreover, the anti-arthritic activity of tea aqueous extracts was in the following order: high dose of GTE > low dose of GTE ≥ high dose of BTE > low dose of BTE. CONCLUSION: The present study proved the anti-inflammatory activity of GTE over BTE and equal to that of indomethacin in AIA rat model.

GC-MS analysis and hepatoprotective activity of the n-hexane extract of Acrocarpus fraxinifolius leaves against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in male albino rats.

CONTEXT: In Egypt, the burden of liver diseases is exceptionally high. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the components of the n-hexane extract of Acrocarpus fraxinifolius Arn. (Leguminosae) and its hepatoprotective activity against paracetamol (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: TRACE GC ultra gas chromatogaphic spectrometry was used for extract analysis. Thirty albino rats were divided into six groups (five rats in each). Group 1 was the healthy control; Groups 2 and 3 were healthy treated groups (250 and 500 mg/kg b.w. of the extract, respectively) for seven days. Group 4 was hepatotoxicity control (APAP intoxicated group). Groups 5 and 6 received APAP + extract 250 and APAP + extract 500, respectively. RESULTS: Chromatographic analysis revealed the presence of 36 components. Major compounds were α-tocopherol (18.23%), labda-8 (20)-13-dien-15-oic acid (13.15%), lupeol (11.93%), phytol (10.95%) and squalene (7.19%). In the acute oral toxicity study, the mortality rates and behavioural signs of toxicity were zero in all groups (doses from 0 to 5 g/kg b.w. of A. fraxinifolius). LD50 was found to be greater than 5 g/kg of the extract. Only the high dose (500 mg/kg b.w.) of extract significantly alleviated the liver relative weight (4.01 ± 0.06) and biomarkers, as serum aspartate aminotransferase (62.87 ± 1.41), alanine aminotransferase (46.74 ± 1.45), alkaline phosphatase (65.96 ± 0.74), lipid profiles (180.39 ± 3.51), bilirubin profiles (2.30 ± 0.06) and hepatic lipid peroxidation (114.20 ± 2.06), and increased body weight (11.58 ± 0.20), serum protein profile (11.09 ± 0.46) and hepatic total antioxidant capacity (23.78 ± 0.66) in APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. CONCLUSION: Our study proves the antihepatotoxic/antioxidant efficacies of A. fraxinifolius hexane extract.

Modulatory effects of black v. green tea aqueous extract on hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia and liver dysfunction in diabetic and obese rat models.

Cardiovascular complications are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes, obesity and the metabolic syndrome. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in tea as a protective agent against CVD. Here, we compared the modulatory effects of two different doses (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight given orally for 28 consecutive days) of black tea aqueous extract (BTE, rich in theaflavins and thearubigins) and green tea aqueous extract (GTE, rich in catechins) on experimentally induced hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia and liver dysfunction by alloxan (which destroys pancreatic beta-cells and induces type 1 diabetes) and a cholesterol-rich diet (which induces obesity and type 2 diabetes) in male Wistar albino rats. Both tea extracts significantly alleviated most signs of the metabolic syndrome including hyperglycaemia (resulting from type 1 and 2 diabetes), dyslipidaemia and impairment of liver functions induced by alloxan or the cholesterol-rich diet in the animals. Also, the tea extracts significantly modulated both the severe decrease and increase in body weight induced by alloxan and the high-cholesterol diet, respectively. The modulatory effects obtained here were partial or complete, but significant and dose dependent, and slightly more in GTE in most cases. No harmful effects were detected for tea consumption on all parameters measured, except that the high dose of both tea extracts significantly decreased the spleen weight:body weight ratio and induced lymphopenia. The present study supports the hypothesis that both black and green teas may have beneficial effects against the risks of the metabolic syndrome and CVD as shown in rat models of human obesity and diabetes.