The Genus Paeonia: A Review of the Targeted Signaling Pathways and Underlying Mechanisms of Pharmacological and Clinical Properties.

INTRODUCTION: The Paeoniaceae family contains only the Paeonia genus and is considered the major group of flowering plants. Several traditional and pharmacological applications of Paeoniaceae herbs have been described. The current paper aimed to determine the pharmacological activities of the most prevalent herbs from the genus Paeonia by focusing on the underlying mechanism of action and signaling pathways to provide insight for further in-depth research on the medicinal resources of Paeonia. METHOD: The "Paeoniaceae" keyword was searched from 1st January 1995 to 15th May 2024 through the PubMed and Scopus databases. Only papers related to pharmacology, pharmaceutics, and toxicology were extracted. The possible pharmacological activity of the Paeonia plants underlying their mechanism of action and signaling pathways was subsequently discussed. RESULTS: Following our venture, only 15 Paeonia herbs were adequately evaluated for their pharmacological applications. Paeonia lactiflora Pall., Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews, and Paeonia emodi Royle are among the most prevalent Paeonia plants that have attracted increased amounts of attention in modern pharmacological studies. Paeonia herbs possess various pharmacological applications, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anticancer, antimicrobial, cardiovascular protective, cosmetic and skincare, radical scavenging, hepatoprotective and anti-ulcerative, anti-diabetic, musculoskeletal, and neuroprotective effects, and can be used as alternative therapies under critical medical conditions. CONCLUSION: Among the applications of Paeonia herbs, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities are critical, as most of the other pharmacological effects are attributed to them. In other words, nuclear factor (NF)-κB and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) can be considered the most important signaling pathways involved in the pharmacological activity of Paeonia herbs.

Evaluation of the Effects of Punica granatum Flower Tablets on Pain and Healing of Minor Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the therapeutic effect of the Punica granatum (PG) flower on recurrent aphthous stomatitis in comparison with corticosteroid therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-over randomized clinical trial was conducted on the patients who had been referred to Shiraz Dental School for their RAS in 2021. All the participants used both P. granatum flower tablets and Triadent a month apart for wash-out time and all compared themselves. In the experimental group, 30 patients received pomegranate flower tablets, three tablets daily, for 6 days. In the control group, oral paste Triadent has been prescribed three times a day for 6 days. The visual analog scale (VAS) and the size of RAS were evaluated on Days 0-6. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 21. The Wilcoxon test was used. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 27.8 ± 14.77 years old. In this study, 15 patients (50%) were men and 15 patients (50%) were women. The mean value of VAS after using prescribed treatment in both evaluated groups on all days was significantly different such that the VAS values were lower for PG flower tablets than Triadent (p value < 0.05). The size of oral lesions in participants who used PG flower tablets was significantly less than those who used Triadent on all evaluation days (p value < 0.05) except on Day 1 (p value = 0.29). The descending slope of VAS from Days 1 to 6 for both Triadent and PG flower tablet users was significant and noticeable. (p value < 0.05). CONCLUSION: According to the result of this study, both P. granatum flower tablet and Triadent are useful in reducing the size, period of healing, and VAS of patients with RAS, but the PG flower tablet is more effective.

Evaluation of the Effect of Cichorium intybus L. on the Liver Enzymes in Burn Patients: A Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial.

Burn injuries are considered an important public health problem in the world. Burns are considered the fourth most common kind of trauma in the world, after traffic accidents, falls, and interpersonal violence. Various biochemical agents are involved in the burn healing process such as cytokines (such as IL-6 and TNF-α), antioxidants, and liver and kidney damage biomarkers. Cichorium intybus L. and milk thistle extracts showed a wide range of pharmacological activities such as significant antimicrobial effect and antioxidant activity, as well as anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiproliferative, antiprotozoal, and hepatoprotective effect. Also, these two herbs possess blood-cleansing, detoxifying, laxative, and invigorating activities. Some research confirmed that the preparations of the extract are very suitable for the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This is a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial. Patients with 2nd and 3rd degree burns have been selected to participate in the study according to the inclusion criteria. A total of 60 patients were selected and divided into intervention and control groups (30 patients in each group). Patients in the intervention group received chicory seed syrup 10 cc three times a day and 1 placebo capsule, and those in the control group received placebo syrup (10 cc three times a day) and one Livergol (140 mg of silymarin in each capsule) capsule. Lab data such as liver function tests, albumin, creatinine, BUN, and hemoglobin were checked every 3 days and 1 week after discharge. The treatment lasted for 4 weeks. According to the results of the study, although the average of liver enzymes at the end of the study does not show a significant difference between the two groups, the level of liver enzymes in each group decreased on the 15th day of the study compared to the first day. This trial is registered with IRCT20180609040016N1.

The Effects of Ginger (Zingiber Officinale Roscoe) on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Double-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prominent etiological factor for liver cirrhosis worldwide. It is frequently associated with obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) supplementation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who have NAFLD. In a two-arm, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, seventy-six patients diagnosed with both T2DM and NAFLD were randomly assigned to receive either ginger powder capsules (1000 mg, twice daily) or placebo capsules (administered in the same manner) for a period of three months. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure readings, biochemical profiles, and imaging parameters were assessed before and after the intervention. Safety measures were also evaluated. In both the ginger and placebo groups, there was a significant reduction in mean body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumferences, as well as liver transaminase levels. Moreover, significant improvements in mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were observed in the ginger group (p = 0.02 and < 0.0001, respectively). Within the ginger group, there was a decrease in serum insulin levels and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p = 0.002 and 0.004, respectively). Furthermore, the ginger group exhibited an improvement in serum HDL-cholesterol level (p = 0.01). However, there were no significant changes in the assessed inflammatory markers or the indices obtained from fibroscan imaging, including steatosis percent and controlled attenuation parameter. This study demonstrates that ginger supplementation can significantly improve mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures. However, it does not have a significant impact on inflammatory markers or fibroscan imaging indices. Nonetheless, the three-month use of ginger improves serum insulin level, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and HDL-cholesterol level compared to baseline values. Further investigations with longer durations and larger sample sizes are recommended.

Antiseizure Effects of Peganum harmala L. and Lavandula angustifolia.

Peganum harmala L. and Lavandula angustifolia are two traditional herbs with probable antiseizure effects. This study evaluated the effects of these two herbal extracts on pentylenetetrazol- (PTZ-) induced seizures in mice. We prepared hydroalcoholic extracts using P. harmala seeds and the aerial parts of L. angustifolia and then randomly divided 190 mice into 19 groups. Normal saline (10 mg/kg), diazepam (2 mg/kg), P. harmala (2.5, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60 mg/kg), and L. angustifolia (200, 400, 600, and 800 mg/kg) were intraperitoneally (IP) administrated 30 min before an IP administration of PTZ (90 mg/kg). Animals were observed for behavioral changes for one hour. In addition, the effects of flumazenil and naloxone on the antiseizure activity of P. harmala and L. angustifolia were assessed. P. harmala showed antiseizure activity at the dose of 10 mg/kg; it prolonged the seizure latency and decreased the seizure duration. The mortality protection rate was 90% for this herbal extract. L. angustifolia (600 mg/kg) prolonged the seizure latency and decreased both seizure duration and mortality. Neither flumazenil nor naloxone significantly reversed the antiseizure activities of P. harmala and L. angustifolia. In mice, the hydroalcoholic extracts of P. harmala and L. angustifolia showed antiseizure activity against PTZ-induced seizures. We could not delineate the exact antiseizure mechanisms of these extracts in the current study.

Linking traditional medicine to modern phytotherapy: Chemical characterization and assessment of antioxidant and anticholinesterase effects in vitro of a natural Persian remedy for dementia.

Several natural remedies are used in the Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) to prevent dementia, but their efficacy is debated. In this work, an improved "Safoof-e-Nesyan" formulation described in the "Qarabadin-e-Azam" pharmacopoeia was developed, and its chemical composition and antioxidant and anti-cholinesterase properties were assessed. The formulation contains a mixture (FM) of Cinnamomum cassia (CC), C. verum (CV), Pistacia lentiscus (PL), Rheum palmatum (RP), Syzygium aromaticum (SA), and Zingiber officinalis (ZO) powdered plants. Its total phenolic content is 110.45 mg GAE/g, while the total flavonoid content is 6.28 mg RE/g. 66 secondary metabolites (mainly tannins, flavonoids, anthraquinones, and gingerols) were identified by UPLC-QToF-MS analysis. FM exerts antioxidant effects by scavenging radicals, and by reducing and chelating metals such as Mb, Cu and Fe. The anticholinesterase activity of one gram of the FM equals that of 3.60 mg of the reference drug galantamine, on both acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterase. Correlations between specific compounds and bioactivities were highlighted by multivariate analysis of data: lyoniresinol 9'-glucoside strongly correlates with antiradical activities on DPPH and ABTS and reducing activity on Cu, and with anti-AChE effects. Most of the identified flavonoids and the ellagic acid derivatives positively correlate with the reducing activity on Fe and Mb, and with anti-BChE effects. Finally, a tablet formulation of the FM was developed, and its physical properties were preliminarily assessed. Overall, our results indicate that the FM may be a useful natural remedy for dementia, although further safety and efficacy assessments in vivo are required.

The role of transposable elements in aging and cancer.

Transposable elements (TEs) constitute a large portion of the human genome. Various mechanisms at the transcription and post-transcription levels developed to suppress TE activity in healthy conditions. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that TE dysregulation is involved in various human diseases, including age-related diseases and cancer. In this review, we explained how sensing TEs by the immune system could induce innate immune responses, chronic inflammation, and following age-related diseases. We also noted that inflammageing and exogenous carcinogens could trigger the upregulation of TEs in precancerous cells. Increased inflammation could enhance epigenetic plasticity and upregulation of early developmental TEs, which rewires the transcriptional networks and gift the survival advantage to the precancerous cells. In addition, upregulated TEs could induce genome instability, activation of oncogenes, or inhibition of tumor suppressors and consequent cancer initiation and progression. So, we suggest that TEs could be considered therapeutic targets in aging and cancer.

Preparation and evaluation of polycaprolactone/chitosan/Jaft biocompatible nanofibers as a burn wound dressing.

Tissue engineering is an emerging method for replacing damaged tissues. In this study, the potential application of electrospun polycaprolactone/chitosan/ the internal layer of oak fruit (Jaft) as skin scaffolds was investigated. A combination of Polycaprolactone (PCL), chitosan (CH), and the internal layer of oak fruit (Jaft) was used to incorporate mechanical properties of synthetic polymers, biological properties of natural polymers, and antibacterial activity of Jaft. Physical and morphological characteristics of prepared scaffolds were investigated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), mechanical analysis, swelling ratio, and contact angle. Moreover, chemical and biological properties were evaluated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), chromatography, flow cytometry, DAPI staining, MTT assay, and trypan blue exclusion assay. Obtained results demonstrated that the fabricated scaffolds have good mechanical properties. Moreover, the addition of chitosan and Jaft to the PCL scaffolds improved their water absorption capacity as well as surface hydrophilicity. MTT results showed the fabricated nanofibrous scaffolds have adequate cell viability, which is higher than the cell culture plate at each time point of culture. Furthermore, SEM images of cultured scaffolds, trypan blue exclusion assay, and DAPI staining confirmed that fibroblast cells could be well-attached and proliferate on the PCL/CH/Jaft scaffolds. Results have proven that this novel bioactive scaffold has promising mechanical properties, suitable biocompatibility in vitro, and in vivo. Consequently, it could be a promising candidate for skin tissue engineering applications.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) oil could improve abdominal obesity, blood pressure, and insulin resistance in patients with metabolic syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Carthamus tinctorius L. (Safflower) has been widely recommended to treat metabolic disorders in traditional herbal medicine in Persia, China, Korea, Japan, and other East-Asian countries. The anti-hypercholesterolemic and antioxidant effects of this plant have been well documented, but its protective effects against Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) have not been fully illustrated. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of safflower oil on MetS risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 67 patients with MetS were administered either divided 8 g safflower oil or placebo daily for 12 weeks. All patients were advised to follow their previous diets and physical activities. RESULTS: Safflower oil resulted in a significant reduction in waist circumference (-2.42 ± 3.24 vs. 0.97 ± 2.53, p<0.001), systolic blood pressure (-8.80 ± 9.77 vs. -2.26 ± 8.56, p = 0.021), diastolic blood pressure (-3.53 ± 7.52 vs. -0.70 ± 6.21, p = 0.041), fasting blood sugar (-5.03 ± 10.62 vs. 2.94 ± 7.57, p = 0.003), and insulin resistance (-0.59 ± 1.43 vs. 0.50 ± 1, p = 0.012), but an increase in adiponectin level (0.38 ± 0.99 vs. -0.09 ± 0.81, p = 0.042) in the treatment group in comparison to the placebo group. The results revealed a direct relationship between leptin level and Body Mass Index (BMI) in both groups (p<0.001). In addition, increase in BMI resulted in a non-significant decrease in adiponectin level in both groups. Moreover, no significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding lipid profiles, leptin serum level, serum creatinine concentration, and other outcomes. CONCLUSION: Safflower oil without lifestyle modification improved abdominal obesity, blood pressure, and insulin resistance in patients with MetS.

Assessment of the Cytotoxic Activity of Triphala: A Semisolid Traditional Formulation on HepG2 Cancer Cell Line.

Cancer chemotherapies may result in resistance, and therefore, contemporary treatments including natural products may find an increasing consideration. As per Persian medicine (PM), many natural products have been used for malignant and chronic diseases. Triphala, with a combination of Terminalia chebula Retz., Terminalia bellirica Retz., Phyllanthus emblica L., and honey, is a multi-ingredient traditional formulation attributed to anticancer activities in PM. This study is aimed at evaluating the cytotoxic activity of this preparation on HepG2, the human liver cancer cell line. Hydroalcoholic extracts were prepared from the formulation and its components. Compared with the control and Cisplatin, the extracts were tested using MTT assay at different concentrations. All concentrations of the preparation, as well as Cisplatin, were effective significantly against HepG2 cells. All extract preparations at multiple concentrations were significantly effective as evidenced by MTT assay when compared to the control group. The IC50 level for Triphala extract was 77.63 ± 4.3 µg/ml. Based on the results, Triphala and its components have cytotoxic activity on the HepG2 cancer cell line and they can reduce the survival rate significantly.

The Effect of a Traditional Preparation Containing Piper nigrum L. and Bunium persicum (Boiss.) B.Fedtsch. on Immobility Stress-Induced Memory Loss in Mice.

OBJECTIVE: Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, age-related, and neurodegenerative disease characterized by mental decline. The exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is unclear, but cholinergic dysfunction, protein accumulation, and oxidative stress are among the most important hypotheses. The main purpose of our study was to investigate the effects of aqueous and hydroalcoholic extract combination of these two medicinal plants, black pepper and cumin (as a related formulation in traditional Persian medicine), on memory and learning of an immobilized stress animal model. METHODS: In this study, hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts of cumin and black pepper fruits were prepared. Six groups of mice were treated orally for 2 weeks: control group, immobility stress, and stress-induced immobility mice received different doses of the hydroalcoholic extract (100 and 200 mg/kg) and aqueous extract (100 and 200 mg/kg). The shuttle box, novel object detection, and rotarod test were used to evaluate memory and learning. The activities of acetylcholinesterase, catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured in the brain tissue. RESULTS: Immobility stress significantly reduced learning and motor coordination. Furthermore, MDA levels and acetylcholinesterase activity were significantly increased, while CAT and SOD activities were significantly reduced in the brain of immobility-induced stress mice. Other findings indicated that hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts (100 and 200 mg/kg) of cumin and black pepper fruits have an improving effect on animal motor coordination and learning ability, GSH content, and CAT, SOD, and acetylcholinesterase enzyme function in comparison with stress groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts of cumin and black pepper fruits have protective effects against stress-induced memory deficit and oxidative stress and may have beneficial therapeutic effect in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Pharmacogenetic-based management of depression: Role of traditional Persian medicine.

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders worldwide. The genetic factors are linked to depression and anti-depressant outcomes. Traditional Persian medicine (TPM) manuscripts have provided various anti-depressant remedies, which may be useful in depression management. This review has studied the bioactive compounds, underlying mechanisms, and treatment outcomes of the medicinal plants traditionally mentioned effective for depression from "The storehouse of medicament" (a famous pharmacopeia of TPM) to merge those with the novel genetics science and serve new scope in depression prevention and management. This review paper has been conducted in two sections: (1) Collecting medicinal plants and their bioactive components from "The storehouse of medicament," "Physician's Desk Reference (PDR) for Herbal Medicines," and "Google scholar" database. (2) The critical key factors and genes in depression pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment were clarified. Subsequently, the association between bioactive components' underlying mechanism and depression treatment outcomes via considering polymorphisms in related genes was derived. Taken together, α-Mangostin, ß-carotene, ß-pinene, apigenin, caffeic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, citral, ellagic acid, esculetin, ferulic acid, gallic acid, gentiopicroside, hyperoside, kaempferol, limonene, linalool, lycopene, naringin, protocatechuic acid, quercetin, resveratrol, rosmarinic acid, and umbelliferone are suitable for future pharmacogenetics-based studies in the management of depression.

AKT/GSK-3 Pathway Targeting; Botanicals and Bioactive Compounds with Anticancer Activities.

BACKGROUND: In the late 20th century, the leading role of signaling pathways in various cancers is revealed via some genome's systematic investigations. The Akt/GSK-3 signaling pathway is one of the critical signaling pathways dysregulated in numerous human cancers. The Akt cascade acts in the cancer process by regulating apoptosis, cell cycle, metabolism, and cells' longevity. The GSK-3 is downstream of Akt, which has an opposite role in cancer progression. OBJECTIVE: Attending to the importance of the Akt/GSK-3 pathway in cancer progression and the positive result of natural products in cancer treatment, this research is designed to review effective herbal medicines in one of the involvement critical signal pathways of cancer for developing novel anticancer drugs. METHOD: Keywords "plant", "natural", "cancer", "AKT", and "GSK" were searched through the "Scopus" and "Google scholar" databases up to 30th August 2020. Papers linking to pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmaceutics were collected and discussed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The Akt/GSK-3 signaling pathway plays a prominent role in cancer. Although the effect of GSK-3 in cancer cells is depended on the type and contents of cells, the inhibition of Akt/GSK-3 mostly is led to three primary outcomes in cancer cells, including (1) apoptotic activity and autophagy induction, (2) anti-proliferative and growth inhibitory effects, and (3) anti-metastatic and angiogenesis effects. As the tendency to use natural products increases, we gathered 64 plants or bioactive components with the anticancer activity via the Akt/GSK-3 signaling pathway. Since most of these investigations have been conducted on cell lines, these plants can be the right candidate to be evaluated in human trials.

A systems pharmacology approach to identify the autophagy-inducing effects of Traditional Persian medicinal plants.

Aging is correlated with several complex diseases, including type 2 diabetes, neurodegeneration diseases, and cancer. Identifying the nature of this correlation and treatment of age-related diseases has been a major subject of both modern and traditional medicine. Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) embodies many prescriptions for the treatment of ARDs. Given that autophagy plays a critical role in antiaging processes, the present study aimed to examine whether the documented effect of plants used in TPM might be relevant to the induction of autophagy? To this end, the TPM-based medicinal herbs used in the treatment of the ARDs were identified from modern and traditional references. The known phytochemicals of these plants were then examined against literature for evidence of having autophagy inducing effects. As a result, several plants were identified to have multiple active ingredients, which indeed regulate the autophagy or its upstream pathways. In addition, gene set enrichment analysis of the identified targets confirmed the collective contribution of the identified targets in autophagy regulating processes. Also, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the targets was reconstructed. Network centrality analysis of the PPI network identified mTOR as the key network hub. Given the well-documented role of mTOR in inhibiting autophagy, our results hence support the hypothesis that the antiaging mechanism of TPM-based medicines might involve autophagy induction. Chemoinformatics study of the phytochemicals using docking and molecular dynamics simulation identified, among other compounds, the cyclo-trijuglone of Juglans regia L. as a potential ATP-competitive inhibitor of mTOR. Our results hence, provide a basis for the study of TPM-based prescriptions using modern tools in the quest for developing synergistic therapies for ARDs.

Green Tea, A Medicinal Food with Promising Neurological Benefits.

Neurological disorders and their sequelae, as of the widespread and critical humans' complications, affect the body's nervous systems, organ functions, and behaviors. According to WHO, neurological disorders are currently predicted to affect more than one billion people globally. It is well-established that complementary medicine is one of the high accepted interventions that could have been considered for the management of neurological ailments. The current review aimed to compile all the crucial data reporting the investigation on the conspicuous intervention of green tea (made of Camellia sinensis) and related lead compounds (especially l-theanine, epigallocatechin- 3-gallate, epicatechin-3-gallate, epicatechin, and epigallocatechin) for their neurological activities, mechanisms of action, and clinical properties. According to the documents, green tea exhibits antidepressant, anti-neurodegenerative (e.g., anti-Parkinson and anti-Alzheimer), as well as neuroprotective effects.Chief among them, for offering novel work, it is worth focusing on several related assessments with great attention to more extensive standardized clinical trials, and subsequently more in-depth pharmacokinetic studies to safely introduce this beneficial medicinal food as a neuro-effective agent.

A pharmacology-based comprehensive review on medicinal plants and phytoactive constituents possibly effective in the management of COVID-19.

Arisen in China, COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-II) is a novel coronavirus that has been expanding fast worldwide. Till now, no definite remedial drug or vaccine has been identified for COVID-19 treatment. Still, for a majority of infected patients, supportive therapy is the cornerstone of the management plan. To the importance of managing the COVID-19 pandemic, this article proposed to collecting capable medicinal plants and bioactive components in both treat and supportive therapy of this novel viral infection. Clinical points in the pathogenesis, symptoms, and complications of COVID-19 were considered. The effective plants and bioactives that may play a role in supportive therapy/management of COVID-19 were searched, collected through the "Scopus" database and listed in three sections. Numerous medicinal plants such as Citrus Spp., Camellia sinensis, and Glycyrrhiza glabra can interference with COVID-19 pathogenesis via inhibition of virus replication and entry to its host cells. Also, some anti-inflammatory herbal medicine such as Andrographis paniculata, Citrus spp., and Cuminum cyminum can relieve fever and cough in COVID-19 patients. Medicinal plants such as G. glabra, Thymus vulgaris, Allium sativum, Althea officinalis, and Panax ginseng may modulate the immune system and possess prevention and supportive therapy. However, more clinical data are required to confirm these hypotheses.

Punica granatum as a Source of Natural Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Agent: A Comprehensive Review on Related Investigations.

BACKGROUND: The consumption of natural antioxidants is increasing due to the demand and tendency to natural foods. Punica granatum L. [Punicaceae] is a fruit with various bioactive ingredients. The effectiveness of this plant has been proved against various disorders such as hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, blood coagulation, infections, cancer, and dentistry. Among them, there are numerous researches on antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Subsequently, the present study aimed to compile a review of those properties to outline this herb as a possible natural antioxidant and preservative. METHODS: Synchronically, keywords "Punica granatum" with antimicrobial, or antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant and radical scavenging were searched through "Scopus" database up to 31st September 2019. Papers focusing on agriculture, genetics, chemistry, and environmental sciences were excluded, and also related papers were collected. RESULTS: Among 201 papers focusing on related activities, 111 papers have dealt with antioxidant activities focusing based on DPPH assay, 59 with antibacterial, on both gram+ and gram- bacteria, 24 with antifungal effects, mostly on Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans, and 7 papers with antiviral activities. There were about 50 papers focusing on in-vivo antioxidant activities of this plant. CONCLUSION: Taken together, botanical parts of P. granatum have possessed notable radical scavenging and antimicrobial activities that, with these properties, this plant can be introduced as a natural, safe source of preservative and antioxidant. Accordingly, P. granatum can be applied as excipient with the aforementioned properties in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

A Review of Pharmacological Properties and Toxicological Effects of Adiantum capillus-veneris L.

BACKGROUND: Adiantum capillus-veneris L. (Family: Pteridaceae) is a well-known safe medicinal herb used in traditional and modern medicine due to its beneficial pharmacological properties. The current study aimed to compile a review on phytochemicals, pharmacological properties and toxicological effects of this plant. METHODS: An incisive search was conducted through electronic scientific databases including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library using keyword 'Adiantum capillusveneris'. All related in vivo, in vitro, human (English papers), were selected from the beginning up to 1st January 2019. All letters, conference papers, papers dealing with genetics, agriculture, and pure phytochemistry of the herb were excluded. RESULTS: A. capillus veneris revealed various pharmacological activities including the effects on the remodeling of lung alveolar epithelial cells in a hypoxic environment, anti-toxicity properties in liver and testes, anti-hyperglycemic, and wound healing effects in diabetic or non-diabetic patients, protection against damage to fibroblasts via free radicals, activity against testosteroneinduced alopecia, anticonvulsant, depressant, analgesic and anti-nociceptive activities, as well as effects on urinary output, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, antilithiatic, hypothyroidism regulatory, anti-cancer, antidiarrheal and antispasmodic, anti-asthmatic and anti-histaminic, and enzyme inhibition (in Alzheimer's, diabetes and skin disorders) activities. CONCLUSION: This plant can be used as a natural potent and safe agent to alleviate numerous medical symptoms and diseases due to its useful pharmacological properties. Thus, further researches are needed in order to compile the clinical effects of this plant via human studies.

Traditional Aspects of Sciatic Pain Management and Allied Therapies from Persian Medical Reports.

Sciatica is a common back pain caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve. Current pharmacologic therapies have proven inadequate for many patients with sciatic pain. On the other hand, there is a globally increasing demand for the use and administration of natural medicaments for this disorder. Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) is a school of medicine and a medicinal plant-based resource for clinical studies put forward by Persian scholars. The aim of the present study is to gather and study the effectiveness of all medicinal plants from five main Persian pharmacopeias. Furthermore, different databases such as PubMed and Scopus have been checked to derive relevant activities for these plants. In all, 99 medicinal plants related to 42 families have been authenticated. Asteraceae and Apiaceae were the most frequent families and roots and seeds were the most reported botanical parts. The employed routes of administration were oral (54%), topical (33%) and rectal (13%). Anti-inflammatory, analgesic activity and antinociceptive properties of medicines are known as some main mechanisms to manage sciatic pain. These functions are possessed by 30%, 15%, and 15% of the studied plants, respectively. Medicaments that can be introduced as lead agents for further investigation are Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Olea europaea L., Strychnos nux-vomica L and Artemisia vulgaris L which showed all of these properties in previous studies. Hence, conducting adducible clinical trials using these lead agents may lead to novel drugs with lesser undesirable and much more therapeutic effects on controlling sciatic pain.