A new approach against Helicobacter pylori using plants and its constituents: A review study.

Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative, spiral-shaped bacillus that colonizes 50% of the world population and is considered a class 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization. This pathogen is the most common cause of infection-related cancers. Apart from cancer, it also causes several gastric and extra gastric diseases. Eradication of H. pylori using antibiotics is a global challenge because of its drug resistance. Alternative treatment options are gaining more attention to tackle drug-resistant H. pylori infections. Several medicinal plants and their isolated compounds have been reported for their antimicrobial activity against H. pylori. The mechanism of action of many of these plant extracts and plant-derived compounds is different from that of conventional antibiotics. Therefore they are shown to be effective against drug-resistant strains of H. pylori. They act by inhibiting bacterial enzymes, adhesions with gastric mucosa, suppression of nuclear factor-κB and by inhibition of oxidative stress. Extracts from Pistacia lentiscus, Brassica oleracea, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Camellia sinensis, Cinnamomum cassia, Allium sativum and Nigella sativa plants and isolated phyto-compounds such as curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, allicin and ellagic acid demonstrated antimicrobial activity against H. pylori under in vivo conditions. The plant extracts of Zingiber officinale, Glycyrrhiza glabra; and phytochemical allicin and berberine when combined with standard treatment, result in a dramatic increase in H. pylori eradication. In this review, we highlighted the therapeutic efficacy of different plant extracts and isolated phyto compounds against H. pylori infection and described their role in tackling H. pylori resistance to antibiotics.

Bacopa monnieri for Disorders Affecting Brain: Current Perspectives.

Bacopa monnieri (BM) is of immense therapeutic potential in today's world. This review is aimed to project the beneficial role of BM in disorders affecting the brain, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, epilepsy, and depression. The active constituents and metabolites responsible for the effects of BM could be bacoside A and B, bacopaside I and II, bacopasaponin C, betulinic acid, asiatic acid, loliolide, ebelin lactone, and quercetin. The mechanistic role of BM in brain disorders might be related to its ability to modulate neurotransmission, neurogenesis, neuronal/ glial plasticity, intracellular signaling, epigenetics, cerebral blood flow, energy metabolism, protein folding, endoplasmic reticulum stress, neuroendocrine system, oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. We have also discussed CDRI-08, clinical trials, safety, emerging formulation technologies, as well as BM combinations, and dietary supplements. To propel the clinical translation of BM in disorders affecting the brain, strategies to improve brain delivery via novel formulations and integration of the preclinical findings into large and well-defined clinical trials, in appropriate age groups and sex, specifically in the patient population against existing medications as well as placebo, are essentially required.