Determination of Pb and Cd in Garlic Herb (Allium sativum) Planted in Gilan and Khuzestan Provinces Using Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: Foods are enriched with variety of chemical elements. Some of these elements are necessary for human health. These elements enter in liquid, the cells and other organs, certain amount of these elements are essential for body organs to work properly. OBJECTIVES: This research was conducted to compare the level of lead and cadmium contamination in garlic species planted in Ramhormoz and Rasht and discuss about the source of this contaminations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty composite samples were collected from each province, Khozestan (Ramhormoz) and Gilan (Rasht). Each sample was burned according to instruction reported in AOAC. Then the white residue was dissolved in diluted nitric acid then the Pb and Cd contents were determined using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer at 217 and 228.8 nm, respectively. No Pb level was detected in garlic cultured in both cities. The mean concentration of cadmium was 0.40 and 0.58 mg/kg in garlics planted in Ramhormoz and Rasht, respectively. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed significant difference between mean concentration of cadmium in Rasht garlic and the permitted value (P < 0.001). The cadmium level in Rasht garlic is much higher than the standard level. CONCLUSIONS: In order to test the reliability of the data obtained using this method, randomly selected samples were spiked with Pb and Cd standard solutions. The cadmium and lead recovery were reported 93.93 and 90.18 percent.

Evaluation of the effect of green tea extract on mouth bacterial activity in the presence of propylene glycol.

BACKGROUND: Compounds present in green tea have proved to inhibit the growth and activity of bacteria associated with infections. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of green tea leaves extract in presence of propylene glycol on the aerobic mouth bacteria load. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Saliva of 25 volunteer girl students aging 20-25 years were selected and evaluated by a mouthwash sample containing 1% tannin, as the most effective antibacterial complex in green tea. Comparative studies were also conducted between green tea mouthwashes containing 1% tannin and a similar sample with 10% propylene glycol added during extraction. This comparison was applied for a chlorhexidine 0.2% sample as a chemical mouthwash brand, too. RESULTS: There was a meaningful difference between the green tea mouthwashes containing 10% propylene glycol and the simple green tea extract (P < 0.05). Significant difference was also seen between the herbal and chemical mouthwashes (P < 0.05). The extract 1% tannin containing 10% propylene glycol reduced the aerobic mouth bacterial load of the student salvia about 64 percent. The pH monotonousness in different days and temperatures approved the stability of tannin in liquid water medium. CONCLUSIONS: Using green tea extract as a herbal mouthwash is safe and harmless specially for children and pregnant women. This result led us to suppose that green tea may prevent plaque formation on teeth, coming over halitosis due to mouth infection, too. These effects need to be approved in an in vivo trial as a second study.

Preparation and Characterization of Liposomes Containing Essential Oil of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Leaf.

BACKGROUND: The increased incidence of fungal resistance has necessitated the need to search for new antifungal agents. OBJECTIVE: The main objectives of the present study were to investigate the effectiveness of the essential oil of Eucalyptus camaldulensis on dermatophytes growth and to formulate and characterize a liposomal gel loaded with the essential oil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The essential oil extracted from the leaves of E. camaldulensis was analyzed by GC-MS. The antifungal activity of this essential oil was determined against Microsporum canis, M. gypseum, Trichophyton rubrum and T. verrucosum, using the well diffusion method. Liposomes were prepared by the freeze-thaw method and evaluation of size distribution was performed using a particle size analyzer. The liposomal gel was prepared using 'hydroxethyl cellulose (HEC) as the gelling agent. The rheologic characteristics were determined by a Brookfield viscometer. RESULTS: The results showed that the minimum inhibitory volume of the essential oil was 0.125 ml and 95 ± 0.57% of the essential oil was successfully entrapped in the liposomes. The main constituents of the essential oil detected by GC-MS were; phenol, 1, 8 cineole, limonene, alcohol, pinene and terpinen. Results of particle size determination showed a wide range from 40.5 to 298 nm for the different formulations. No significant thixotropy was observed in the rheogram of the formulated liposomal gel. CONCLUSION: Liposomal gel formulation of the essential oil may lead to improved antifungal activity.

Formulation and Characterization of Oral Mucoadhesive Chlorhexidine Tablets Using Cordia myxa Mucilage.

BACKGROUND: The dilution and rapid elimination of topically applied drugs due to the flushing action of saliva is a major difficulty in the effort to eradicate infections of oral cavity. Utilization a proper delivery system for incorporation of drugs has a major impact on drug delivery and such a system should be formulated for prolonged drug retention in oral cavity. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was the use of mucilage of Cordia myxa as a mucoadhesive material in production of chlorhexidine buccal tablets and its substitution for synthetic polymers such as HPMC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The influence of mucilage concentration on the physicochemical responses (hardness, friability, disintegration time, dissolution, swelling, and muco-adhesiveness strength) was studied and swelling of mucilage and HPMC were compared. The evaluated responses included pharmacopoeial characteristics of tablets, the force needed to separate tablets from mucosa, and the amount of water absorbed by tablets. RESULTS: In comparison to HPMC, the rise of mucilage concentration in the formulations increased disintegration time, drug dissolution rate, and reduced MDT. Also, compared to 30% HPMC, muco-adhesiveness strength of buccal tablets containing 20% mucilage was significantly higher. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that the presence of Cordia myxa powdered mucilage may significantly affect the tablet characteristics, and increasing in muco-adhesiveness may be achieved by using 20% w/w mucilage.

Topical grape (Vitis vinifera) seed extract promotes repair of full thickness wound in rabbit.

In recent years, oxidative stress and free radicals have been implicated in impaired wound healing. Grape (Vitis vinifera) seed extract (GSE) possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The present study was undertaken to assess the potential activity of grape seed hydroalcoholic extract in wound healing in rabbits. Rabbits of either sex were subjected to a 20 × 20 mm square excision made over the skin of the back. The animals were randomly divided into seven experimental groups, as negative and positive control, eucerin and treatments. Negative control group did not receive any treatment. Positive control and eucerin groups received phenytoin cream (1%) and topical eucerin, respectively, twice a day from the beginning of experiments to complete wound closure. Treatment groups were treated topically by cream of GSE (2, 5, 10 and 70% w/w) in eucerin base, twice daily. For evaluation of the percentage of wound healing, area of the wound was measured daily. Histological studies were performed on the 7th and 15th days of treatments. After complete healing, hydroxyproline content and tensile strength measurement of tissue samples were done. Results showed that there were statistically significant differences between GSE treatments groups and eucerin animals (P < 0·05) in most of the days. Rabbits treated with 2% GSE had best results (completed healing in 13 days, higher hydroxyproline content and higher tissue resistance). We concluded that the extract of 2% GSE administered topically has a good potential to promote wound healing in wound model of rabbits.

A Comparative Study upon the Therapeutic Indices of Some Natural and Synthetic Anti-inflammatory Agents.

OBJECTIVES: THE AIM OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO COMPARE THE THERAPEUTIC INDICES OF SEVERAL AGENTS USED IN TREATMENT OF INFLAMMATORY CONDITIONS WHICH INCLUDED: Vitamin E, hydro-alcoholic extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Matricaria aurea, dexamethasone, piroxicam and diclofenac using Wehi-164 fibrosarcoma cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cytotoxicity evaluation was based on vital dye exclusion assay. Matrix-metalloproteinases inhibition (MMPI) was assessed by gelatinase zymography method. The collected data were used to estimate the IC50 (50% MMPI concentration), LC50 (50% cytotoxicity concentration) and the therapeutic index (LC50/IC50). RESULTS: Among the natural anti-inflammatory agents used, M. aurea was the least toxic and the most effective inhibitor of MMP. Vitamin E not only increased MMP activity, but also was the most toxic of all the agents tested. Next in terms of toxicity to vitamin E was G. glabra. Diclofenac was more toxic than both piroxicam and dexamethasone. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study suggest that medicinal plants reputed to have anti-inflammatory properties are not equally effective and safe. In order to assess the implications of these findings, further in vitro and in vivo studies are needed.

Hepatoprotective Effect of Ficus carica Leaf Extract on Mice Intoxicated with Carbon Tetrachloride.

Protective action of Ficus carica leaf ethanolic extract (obtained by maceration) was evaluated in an animal model of hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Male albino mice were divided into six groups. group I was normal control group; group II received olive oil (CCl4 solvent), groups III-VI received CCl4. After inducing hepatic damage, group III served as control for CCl4; and groups IV- VI received different doses of Ficus carica ethanol extract (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg) prior to intoxication with CCl4. Liver marker enzymes were assayed in serum. Sections of livers were observed under microscope for the histopathological changes. Levels of marker enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were increased significantly in CCl4 treated mice (group III). In groups IV, V and VI, pre-treated with the plant extract and intoxicated with CCl4, decreased activities of these two enzymes were observed. Also, pre-treatment with the extract in these groups resulted in less pronounced destruction of the liver architecture with no fibrosis and moderate inflammation was observed compared with group III. The present observations suggested that the treatment with Ficus carica leaf extract in dose of 200 mg/kg enhanced protection against CCl4 induced hepatic damage.

Rutin from different parts of Capparis spinosa growing wild in Khuzestan/Iran.

A qualitative and quantitative analysis of rutin from leaves, fruits and flowers of Capparis spinosa growing wild in Khuzestan was achieved. After soxhelet extraction of fats in diethyl ether, rutin was extracted by maceration using 50% EtOH. The ethanol extracts of these parts were separated by preparative TLC on silica gel precoated plate with a mixture of butanol: acetic acid (4:1, by volume) as the developing solvent. The spots were visualized under ultraviolet light (254 nm). Rutin was qualified by comparison of its R(f) value with that of standard. UV/Vis spectrum of separated rutin was also compared with those of standards and showed characteristic wavelengths at 260 and 360 nm. Purified rutin was quantified by UV/Vis spectrophotometric determination at 360 nm. The calibration curve was linear in the range of 0.156-2.5 microg mL(-1) with detection limit of 0.0731 microg mL(-1). The purity of extracted rutin from leave, flower and fruit determined by high performance liquid chromatography were 90.41, 87.25 and 64.56%, respectively. The amounts of rutin in leaves, fruits and flowers were 61.09, 6.03 and 43.72 mg per 100 g of dried powder, respectively. By analyzing the spiked samples of leave, flower and fruit the recovery of the UV/Vis method was in the range of 102-107.6%.

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of Mentha pulegium L. essential oil.

The dependence of Mentha pulegium L. (pennyroyal) essential oil composition, obtained by supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO(2)), with the following parameters: pressure, temperature, extraction time (dynamic), and modifier (methanol) was studied. The results were also compared with those obtained by conventional hydrodistillation method in laboratory conditions. Regarding the percentages of menthone (30.3%) and pulegone (52.0%), the optimum SFE results were obtained at the following experimental conditions: pressure=100atm, T=35 degrees C, dynamic time=10min, and V(modifier)=0mul. The results of hydrodistillation showed that the major components of M. pulegium L. were pulegone (37.8%), menthone (20.3%), and piperitenone (6.8%). The evaluation of the composition of each extract was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.