The pharmacological potential of Phyllanthus niruri.

INTRODUCTION: Phyllanthus niruri is a traditional shrub of the genus Phyllanthaceae with long-standing Ayurvedic, Chinese and Malay ethnomedical records. Preliminary studies from cell and animal model have provided valuable scientific evidence for its use. AIM: This review aims to summarize selected scientific evidence on the pharmacological properties of P. niruri over the past 35 years while identifying potential areas of further development of this herb as an economical adjunct. METHODS: The review covers literature pertaining to the evidence base therapeutic potential of P. niruri spanning from 1980 to 2015 available on PubMed. RESULTS: Evidence suggests that the extracts of P. niruri possess hepatoprotective, antiviral, antibacterial, hypolipidaemic, hypoglycaemic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, anti-urolithiatic and antihyperuricaemic properties due its novel bioactive compounds. CONCLUSION: Scientific evidence suggests that there is strong pharmacological potential in developing P. niruri as a drug to be used in liver disorders and in antiviral therapy. Despites this, large-scale heterogeneity in study protocol and unstandardized reporting standards limit the ability for valuable comparison and may mask the ability to replicate these studies. Thus interpretation of findings should be performed with caution and further studies should be performed in line with best practices. More cheminformatics, toxicological and mechanistic studies would aid the progress to clinical trial studies.

Role of Genistein in Preeclampsia: A Case-Control Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between genistein intake (estimated from a food frequency questionnaire [FFQ) and incidence of preeclampsia. STUDY DESIGN: The study was conducted at University Malaya Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, and involved 32 women with preeclampsia and 32 healthy pregnant women (matched by parity and gestational age). A validated FFQ was used to collect information regarding dietary intake of genistein during their pregnancy. The association between preeclampsia and the level of genistein intake was evaluated by categorizing the participants into 3 groups according to tertiles of estimated genistein intake. RESULTS: The odds ratio estimates showed a four-fold increase in the risk of developing preeclampsia for tertile 1 (lowest intake) as compared with tertile 3 (highest intake) (crude OR, 4.38; 95% CI 1.21-15.81). CONCLUSION: Lower levels of genistein intake were associated with an increased risk of developing preeclampsia. These findings suggest a possible beneficial role of genistein in the prevention of preeclampsia.

Vascular endothelial growth factor, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 and genistein-induced changes in the vascular reactivity of rat's aorta.

AIM: During preeclampsia (PE), the excessive circulation of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFLT1) hinders the vasodilatory effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This effect has been proven in vitro in the renal artery of rats. The endothelium of the blood vessels is also said to be dysfunctional in PE. Genistein has shown the ability to antagonize the vascular contractions caused by a wide range of contractile agents. We conducted vascular reactivity studies to demonstrate the effect of: (i) sFLT1 on the vasodilatory effect of VEGF; and (ii) genistein on the vasodilatory effect of VEGF and its effects on denuded blood vessels (dysfunctional endothelium). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Isolated aortas of male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to sFLT1 or genistein and then subjected to increasing doses of VEGF. RESULTS: The presence of sFLT1 inhibited the vasodilatory effect of VEGF in the rats' aortas. Genistein significantly potentiated the vasodilatory effect by the VEGF. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that genistein may help overcome the vasospasm in PE. It may be a promising therapeutic approach to PE.

Development and validation of a food frequency questionnaire to estimate the intake of genistein in Malaysia.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to estimate the genistein intake in a Malaysian population of pregnant women. METHOD: A single 24-h dietary recall was obtained from 40 male and female volunteers. A FFQ of commonly consumed genistein-rich foods was developed from these recalls, and a database of the genistein content of foods found in Malaysia was set up. The FFQ was validated against 7-d food diary (FD) kept by 46 pregnant women and against non-fasting serum samples obtained from 64 pregnant women. Reproducibility was assessed by comparing the responses on two FFQs administered approximately 1 month apart. RESULTS: The Pearson correlation coefficient between FFQ1 and FD was 0.724 and that between FFQ2 and FD was 0.807. Classification into the same or adjacent quintiles was 78% for FFQ1 versus FD and 88% for FFQ2 versus FD. A significant dose -- response relation was found between FFQ-estimated genistein intake and serum levels. CONCLUSION: The FFQ developed is a reliable, valid tool for categorising people by level of genistein intake.