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Objective: Experiments were conducted to study the response of cress (Lepidium sativum) which is a sensitive plant to allelochemical compounds sensitive to aqueous extract obtained from the different organs of important weeds such as Silybum marianum and Malva sylvestris. Methods: The experiment for each plant was performed as a factorial based on the completely randomized design with three replications in 2023. The first factor was the different organs in three levels: root, stem, and leaf of weeds. The second factor was the various concentrations of the extracts obtained from each organ at 5 levels (0 (control), 25, 50, 75, and 100%). To extract samples, after collecting and drying them, the first 5 gr of the plant powder of each organ (weight) was extracted separately with 100 ml of distilled water as solvent (volume). Then different concentrations were prepared from the extract obtained from the stock (base solution). Results: The results showed that the percentage and rate of germination, length of radicle and, plumule, length of seedling, the ratio of radicle to plumule, seed length vigor index, dry weight of radicle and, plumule, seedling dry weight and seed weight vigor index of cress were influenced by aqueous extract of the Silybum marianum organs, different concentrations and the interaction effect of them. Among the different organs, the aqueous extract of the leaf had the highest inhibitory effect on the germination characteristics of the cress in such a way that the difference in the effect of different concentrations of organs was dependent on their concentration threshold. The findings showed that the effect of the aqueous extract of the different organs of Malva sylvestris weed on the germination characteristics of cress was similar to that of Silybum marianum, except that the aqueous extract of Malva sylvestris leaf in different concentrations had a higher inhibitory potential on the germination characteristics and seedling growth of cress compared to other organs and even Silybum marianum weed. Conclusions: Therefore, the use of the huge biomass of both studied weeds, especially the leaves of Malva sylvestris, can be a considerable option in producing biological herbicides to reduce the spread of weeds and water and soil pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the allelopathic effect of water extract from different parts of Eucalyptus on the germination characteristics and seedling growth of the benchmark plant and sensitive to allelochemicals of chickpea in both laboratory and greenhouse conditions in a completely randomized design with three replications, separately. At first, the dried samples were powdered by a mill. For bioassay experiment, a 2% suspension of Eucalyptus leaves and bark along mixture of them was prepared, and then different dilutions of the suspension such as 0 (control), 5, 15 and 20% of the resulting suspension were applied. In greenhouse condition, different amounts of plant residues including 0.5, 1, 2, and 5% by weight of each leaf organ, bark, and their mixture were prepared separately in three kg of loam soil in pots. The pots were kept for 60 days in order to rot and the activity of microorganisms in these conditions. Finally, for bioassay experiment, some characteristics of germination percentage, radicle and shoot length, allometric coefficient, seed vigor index, and in the case of greenhouse experiment, germination percentage, plant length, seedling fresh and dry weight were measured. According to the results, the effect of Eucalyptus organs, different concentrations or amounts of plant residues, and their interaction effect on the characteristics of germination and seedling growth of chickpeas were significant (p

In recent years, the use of propolis in food products has received attention owing to its functional role. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different concentrations of propolis extract on the total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity of raw milk. For this purpose, an aqueous extract of dry propolis was prepared and stored in dark-colored bottles at 4 °C until the day of experiments. The propolis extract was added to raw milk in concentrations of 0, 4.7, 9.1, 16.6, and 28.5%. Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were measured using the colorimetric Folin-Ciocalteu method and DPPH assay, respectively. Measurements were performed on the first day at zero hour and after 6 and 24 h of treatment, and the storage temperature was maintained at 5°C until analyzed. The amount of total polyphenol increased with the increase in the concentration of propolis extract in the treated milk in 0 hour; accordingly, the lowest and the highest amounts of total polyphenol were related to control milk and milk containing 28.5% propolis extract, respectively. A decreasing trend was observed in total polyphenol in the control sample and raw milk containing 4.7% propolis extract during 24 hours. There was an increase in total polyphenol content in raw milk containing 9.1% and 16.6% propolis extracts, the trend of changes in raw milk containing 28.5% extract was insignificant. The addition of propolis extract caused an increase in the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content in raw milk. According to the results, it is recommended to carry out more studies to clarify the functions of propolis's total polyphenol content and its interaction with milk proteins.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the allelopathic effect of aqueous extract of different parts of Eucalyptus on the germination characteristics and seedling growth of the benchmark plant and sensitive to allelochemicals of chickpea in both laboratory and greenhouse conditions in a completely randomized design with three replications, separately. At first, the dried samples were powdered by a mill. To extract the samples in the laboratory condition, first 2 g of the powdered plant organs of leaf and bark along mixture of them (weight) was extracted separately with 100 ml of distilled water as solvent (volume), separately. Then different concentrations (0 (control), 5, 15, and 20%) were prepared from the extract obtained from the stock (base solution). In greenhouse condition, different amounts of plant residues (i.e. .5, 1, 2, and 5 g of dry material in 3 kg of loam soil) of each organ, and their mixture were prepared in pots, separately. The pots were kept for 60 days in order to rot and the activity of microorganisms in these conditions. Finally, for bioassay experiment, some characteristics of germination percentage, radicle and shoot length, allometric coefficient, seed vigor index, and in the case of greenhouse experiment, germination percentage, plant length, seedling fresh and dry weight were measured. According to the results, the effect of Eucalyptus organs, different concentrations or amounts of plant residues, and their interaction effect on the characteristics of germination and seedling growth of chickpeas were significant (p<0.05). The intensity of the inhibitory or stimulating effect of the aqueous extract of organs and their mixture on chickpea seeds was dependent on the type of organ and the concentration of the aqueous extract or the amount of decayed Eucalyptus residues. In most cases, the leaf organ had the greatest inhibitory effect on the characteristics of chickpea germination and seedling growth. Therefore, due to the high biomass of the Eucalyptus plant and its high ability of hetrotoxicity, it can be considered as a candidate for the production of herbicides to reduce the spread of weeds in organic farming systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Breast cancer is still the most common cancer among women all over the world. Considering the medicinal and therapeutic properties of F. vulgare, in this research, first, the morphological and structural characteristics of metal nanoparticles biosynthesized from the aqueous extract of F. vulgare and then the antioxidant and anticancer properties of essential oil, aqueous extract and the biosynthesized nanoparticles were investigated. Materials and methods In this research, after the biosynthesis of iron, copper, zinc, and silver nanoparticles from the aqueous extract of fennel plant (F. vulgare) and their properties in terms of size with XRD and confirmation of the structure by FTIR, the amount of secondary metabolites, the amount of antioxidant and anticancer activity of the essential oil And the aqueous extract of fennel plant (F. vulgare) and iron, copper, zinc and silver nanoparticles biosynthesized from it were evaluated on the Sum-159 and the Hs-578T cell lines. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications. Graphpad and FlowJ software were used to study cell viability and flow cytometry results, respectively. Results According to the results obtained from DLS of biosynthesized metal nanoparticles, the sizes of iron, copper, zinc, and silver nanoparticles were 35, 32, 33, and 34 nm, respectively. The results of FTIR also confirmed the existence of the synthesized metal nanoparticles. Also, according to the results of HPLC and spectrophotometry, the presence of biochemical compounds such as flavonoid and anthocyanin and metabolites such as rutin, quercetin, and kaempferol in the aqueous extract of fennel plant was confirmed. In terms of antioxidant activity, a significant difference was observed between different treatments, it was also observed that with the increase in the concentration of the treatments, the amount of their antioxidant activity also increased, and the highest amount of antioxidant activity of each treatment was related to the highest concentration of each treatment. The highest amount of antioxidant activity (87.41%) was related to copper nanoparticles at a concentration of 500 mg/ml. In terms of the IC50 value of the mentioned treatments, it was also found that the Sum-159 cell line had higher resistance compared to the Hs-578T cell line against equal concentrations of different treatments. The results of anticancer properties demonstrated that in Sum-159 cell line, the highest pre-apoptotic and post)apoptotic rates were 4.31% and 17.56%, respectively, related to silver nanoparticle treatment. While, in the case of Hs-578 cell line, the highest rate of pre-apoptotic and post-apoptotic are respectively 4.5% and 18.7% related to silver treatment. Conclusions According to the obtained results, the amount of anticancer properties of essential oil and water extract of fennel plant and iron, copper, zinc, and silver nanoparticles biosynthesized from it showed that the percentage of necrotic cells, the percentage of cells in the pre-apoptotic and post)apoptotic stages significantly influenced with the type of treatment used, the type of cell line and their interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In agricultural systems, several environmental stresses can remarkably alter the growth, physiological, and biochemical responses of plants under stress. One of these factors is the biochemical reactions between plants along with the production of secondary compounds. Allelochemicals mainly have defence and cell wall ligninization roles in plants and do not directly play a role in the growth processes of plants. Thus, an experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of allelopathic stress of Hypericum perforatum on the germination, physiological, biochemical, and antioxidant activity characteristics of green pea, the benchmark plant sensitive to allelochemicals. Materials and methods: The treatments included different concentrations of H. perforatum at 11 levels (i.e., 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100% of the aqueous extract). This research was carried out as a completely randomized design with three replications at the weed science laboratory of Gonbad Kavous University in 2023. Results: The results of this study showed that one of the factors influencing the physiological, and biochemical characteristics of green pea is the concentration of the H. perforatum extract. In most cases, the percentage and rate of green pea germination, radicle and plumule length, and dry weight of radicle and plumule decreased with increased concentration of aqueous extract compared to the control, so that the greatest reduction in these characteristics was observed in 100% of H. perforatum extract. In contrast, the content of compatible osmolytes such as proline and soluble sugars, phenolic and flavonoid compounds, and antioxidant activity of green pea roots and plumules increased significantly in all studied treatments, with the highest increase in these characteristics observed at the concentration of 100% of H. perforatum aqueous extract. In general, the decrease in the dry weight of green pea seedlings due to the increase in the concentration of the aqueous extract of H. perforatum, despite the relative increase in the content of physiological and biochemical traits, indicates the high intensity of allelopathic stress of H. perforatum extract and their insufficiency, which leads to cytotoxicity against oxidative stress. Conclusion: Considering the heterotoxicity effect of H. perforatum on green pea sensitive to allelochemicals and its distribution in gardens, barren lands, and wheat and corn fields, the possible effect of their residues in the next planting and even in case of presence in mixed cultivation should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal effect of Iranian oak Jaft extract on Penicillium italicum and Penicillium digitatum, as an indicator of mold spoilage after citrus fruits harvest. Different extraction methods were used to obtain tannins and flavonoids from the Oak Jaft. The study investigated the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC), and non-growth diameter of the molds using three different methods: tube dilution, surface culture, and diffusion in agar well. The results showed that different concentrations of aqueous extract had varying effects on the non-growth diameter of the molds. The antifungal effect was significantly increased with a concentration of 40 and 80 mg/ml of aqueous extract. In comparison, the control group, which used Fludioxonil 25% poison, showed a significant difference in mold growth. Therefore, the extract of Iranian oak Jaft can be used as an alternative to control fungal spoilage of citrus fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction As the population grows and cities expand, the demand for more green spaces has also increased. Grass is widely recognized as one of the most important ground covers in the world. However, the development of green spaces is hindered by a severe shortage of water resources and challenges associated with managing and maintaining grass. The composition of trees and plants may cause to inhibitory or stimulation effects on crops, called allopathic effects. Therefore, understanding the allopathic effects is important to determine appropriate methods of cultivation and product management to prevent interference of allopathic substances in the growth and production of products. Materials and Methods This study was performed in two separate experiments as a factorial based on completely randomized design at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. In the first experiment, the effect of three different levels of plant residue powder (zero, 0.46 and 1 g) of three types of trees (Pine, Silk and Chinaberry) on germination and growth of Lolium prenne and Festuca arundinaceae grasses with four replications in the greenhouse was investigated. The second experiment, the effect of 5 ml of aqueous extract prepared from plant residues of the mentioned trees on germination and growth of the mentioned grasses in three replications in the laboratory was investigated. At the end of both experiments, some of morophology traits (weight, length, germination index) were measured. Minitab software was used to analyze the data obtained from both experiments. Results and Discussion According to the analysis of variance table of the first experiment, the results show that the simple effect of grass treatment on plant and root length, fresh weight, germination percentage and rate are significantly different. In the simple effect of treatment the quantity of plant residues, all traits have a significant difference. Also, in the simple effect of treatment of plant residue kind, plant length, root length, fresh and dry weight, germination percentage and rate were significantly different. Interaction grass and the quantity of plant residues treatment and the interaction of grass and kind of plant residues treatment, all measured traits had a significant difference. The interaction triple treatments plant length, root length, dry weight, germination percentage and rate differences were observed. Therefore, in the interaction triple treatments, the most and least plant lengths were observed related to the treatment of Lolium grass with 0.46 gr of Pine residue powder and the treatment of Festuca with 1 gr of Chinaberry residue powder. Also, the most and least root lengths were related to Lollium grass with 0.46 gr of Pine plant residue powder and Festuca grass with 1 gr of Pine plant residue powder. In the triple of dry weight the most amount was related to Festuca with 1 gr of Chinaberry residue powder and the least was related to Lolium control. The most and least germination percentages belonged to the control Festuca and lollium with 0.46 gr of pine plant residue powder respectively, and in the trait of germination rate, the most amount belonged to the control Festuca and the least to the control lollium has been observed. The results of the second experiment demonstrated a significant difference in all measured traits including grass treatment, plant length, fresh and dry weight, germination percentage and rate, and simple effect of plant extract. Moreover, the interaction of grass treatment and plant residue extract showed significant differences in root length, plant length, fresh weight, dry weight, and germination rate and percentage. Comparison of the mean interaction of grass treatment and type of plant residues revealed that the control Festuca had the highest plant length, while Lolium with Silk residue extract had the lowest. The longest and shortest root lengths were observed in control Lolium and Lolium with Silk residues, respectively. The highest and lowest fresh weight were recorded in Lolium control and Lolium grass along with Silk residue extract, respectively. For the dry weight trait, the highest amount was related to the treatment of Lolium grass with pine residue extract, while the lowest dry weight was observed in Festuca grass and Lolium grass with Silk residue extract. In terms of the germination percentage trait, control Festuca and Festuca with pine residue extract had the highest germination percentage, while Lolium with Chinaberry residue extract and Lolium with Silk residue extract had the lowest. The most and least germination rates belonged to Festuca control and Lolium with Chinaberry residue extract. From these discussions, it can be concluded that the allelchemicals in the powder extract of plant residues have had a significant effect on the yield of these two grasses and have reduced growth and germination. Decreased germination due to allelopathic stress can be due to different abnormalities in metabolic activity, seed saturation potential, death of some dividing cells and embryonic abnormalities. Conclusion Based on the results of both experiments, it can be concluded that Chinaberry and Silk trees have a stronger allelopathic effect compared to Pine. Additionally, the performance of both grasses in response to residues and extracts containing allelochemicals was slightly different. For instance, in the second experiment, the impact of Chinaberry extract reduced plant length by 28%, root length by 89%, dry weight by 16%, germination percentage by 75%, and germination rate by 85% compared to the Festuca control treatment. Similarly, the effect of Chinaberry extract on Lolium grass resulted in a 96% reduction in plant growth, 97% reduction in root length, 98% reduction in wet weight, 50% reduction in dry weight, 89% reduction in germination percentage, and 89% reduction in germination rate compared to the Lollium control treatment.

Objective Some plants have antiseptic properties with no harm to humans or animals. In this study, we aim to assess the effects of Ailanthus altissima and Salvia nemorosa extracts on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Proteus vulgaris in vitro. Methods Ailanthus altissima leaves and flowered branch of Salvia nemorosa were collected and dried in shade and powdered. Their aqueous, hydroalcoholic and methanolic extracts were prepared separately from the plants by Maceration method at four concentrations of 20, 30, 40, 50 mg/mL which were used in Mueller-Hinton Agar culture medium by the well diffusion method. Saponin was extracted was using 20% ethanol. The statistical results were analyzed in GraphPad Prism v.7 software. Results The aqueous extract of Salvia nemorosa was more effective on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (mean non-growth halo diameter = 26±1 mm). The diameter of the non-growth halo with Ailanthus altissima methanolic extract was 17.5±0.5 mm in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 16.5±0.5 mm in Staphylococcus aureus, and the effect was significant (P

Introduction: Allium genus with more than 900 important breeding and wild species, as a natural and bioactive antioxidant, is widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. This study aimed to investigate the effect of antioxidant activity of aqueous extract of Allium canadense and its effect on the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase enzyme and recovery of the inhibited enzyme activity. Material & Methods: After the preparation of Allium canadense aqueous extract, the antioxidant activity of the extract at the concentrations of 100, 500, and 1000 μg/ml was investigated using DPPH free radical scavenging method. Following that, the activity of serum acetylcholinesterase and its reactivation after inhibition by organophosphate diazinon was evaluated at the concentrations of 100, 500, and 1000 μg/ml of the extract by the Ellman method. Findings: Inhibition concentration of 50% (IC50) of free radicals of DPPH was 360/19 μg/ml. Aqueous extract of Allium canadense did not inhibit acetylcholinesterase activity and was added to the concentration dependently. The regeneration of the inhibited enzymes activity was also observed in the vicinity of different concentrations of the aqueous extract of the plant. Discussion & Conclusion: The aqueous extract of Allium canadense does not inhibit acetylcholinesterase activity; however, it can reactivate the enzyme inhibited by diazinon. The reason for this positive effect may be related to the high antioxidant activity in the extract.

Introduction: Nowadays, production and utilization of Nano materials have increased due to their unique and interesting properties. So far, different physical and chemical methods have been used to synthesize silver nanoparticles. Chemical synthesis is not compatible due to the hazardous chemicals residues on the surface of the nanoparticles (NP) as well as production of by products with high impact on the environment. Physical routes for synthesis of NPs have some drawbacks, too. These methods require high energy and space, and are expensive. Therefore, biological methods for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles are considered emerging technologies as economic choices in the green chemistry field. Among these methods, plant-mediated synthesis of AgNPs is a rapid, simple, non-toxic and eco-friendly technique. Silver nanoparticles exhibit high bactericidal activity at their utilized concentrations with no toxic effect on human cells, and they also strongly enhance the antibacterial activity of conventional antibiotics even against multi-resistant bacteria through their synergistic effects. Callistemon citrinus belongs to the family Myrtaceae and includes more than 30 species. The plant is widespread in wet tropics, notably Australia, South America and tropical Asia, but presently can be found all over the world. Callistemon citrinus is a potential medicinal plant used to treat gastrointestinal distress, pain, and infectious diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. In this study Callistemon citrinus aqueous extract was used to reduce silver ions in silver nitrate solution. In the following, the antimicrobial activity of nanoparticles synthesized by various qualitative and quantitative methods on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi and Listeria innocua was investigated. Materials and Methods: For the synthesis of silver nanoparticles, 25 mL of silver nitrate solution was added to 5 mL of leaf extract with a concentration of 100 mg/mL and maintained for 24 h at 20 °C. Change the color of the solution to Red represents the production of silver nanoparticles in the solution. To stabilize the presence of silver nanoparticles, the absorption spectrum of silver nanoparticles produced by spectrophotometer was prepared. Antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles synthesized using Callistemon citrinus leaf aqueous extract was examined by disc diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration (microdilution broth) and minimum bactericidal concentration on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi and Listeria innocua. Results and Discussion: The results showed that in disc diffusion agar method, the diameter inhibition zone increased with increasing the concentration of silver nanoparticles. The maximum effect of silver nanoparticles synthesized using Callistemon citrinus leaf aqueous extract at a concentration of 150 mg / ml was observed for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. An inhibition zone was observed for all examined pathogenic microorganisms at all concentrations. The results showed that in the well diffusion agar method, nanosilver particles at a concentration of 18.75 mg/ml did not show any inhibitory effect on all the pathogenic microorganisms. The results of statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference between all the concentrations of silver nanoparticles synthesized for Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus (P˂ 0.05(. The MIC for Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium and Listeria innocua was 128, 256, 256, 256 and 512 mg/mm, respectively. The MBC for all the pathogenic strains was 512 mg/mm. The results of this study showed that the Callistemon citrinus leaf extract has a good ability to synthesize silver nanoparticles. Nanoparticles synthesized from Callistemon citrinus leaf extract had good antimicrobial activity against examined pathogenic bacteria, especially Gram-negative bacteria. Green-synthesized nanoparticles can be used as antimicrobial agent to fight infectious diseases caused by various microbial strains, although more research is needed in vitro, animal models and in vivo.

IntroductionXanthium strumarium (Cocklebur) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to the America, Eastern Asia, South Africa and Australia. It is coarse, herbaceous annual plant growing to 50-120 cm tall, which invades agricultural lands. Its seedlings and seeds contain the glycoside carboxyatractyloside and can be poisonous to animals, including cattle, horses and pigs. Its successful spread in so many parts of world has mainly attributed to its allelopathic properties, which enable it to complete effectively with native crops and/or pasture species. Vigna radiata is an important food legume cultivated in rainfed areas in the west and northwest of Iran. One of the main reasons of its lower yield is competition from weeds, because it does not compete well with weeds. Thus, weeds reduce yield and quality of mungbean through competition for light, moisture and nutrient. This study was aimed at determining the possible effects of the widespread weed X. strumarium L. whole plant A.E. on germination and seedling growth of mungbean under laboratory and greenhouse conditions Materials and MethodsNaturally growing common cocklebur plants around our university campus were randomly uprooted and collected during flowering stage in August 2018. The plants were immediately brought to laboratory and the whole plant cut into 2 to 3 cm pieces, air-dried in greenhouse and ground in a mill of 2 mm sieve size. Then 3, 6 and 9 g of ground materials were mixed in 100 ml distilled water and soaked for 24 h at room temperature (21 to 22 oC) and filtered through four layers of cheesecloth. The aqueous extracts were stored in conical flasks in dark until use. Both in laboratory bioassays or greenhouse studies were done from August to December, 2018 and the rates of 90, 180 and 270 g powdered material or 3, 6 and 9% extracts were based on the previous studies. Results and DiscussionResults showed that mean rate of germination in control treatment was higher than that of other treatments, but there was not any significant difference between control and 3% treatment. The lowest value for this trait belonged to aqueous extract i.e. 9%. The increase in X. strumarium L. A.E. concentration was concomitant with decrease of the mean rate of mungbean seed germination. In this case, there was a negative linear regression between A.E. concentration and plumule length as well. It is noteworthy that decrease in germination rate led to a delayed emergence and poor establishment of mungbean seedlings. X. strumarium A.E. did not adversely influence plumule dry weight of mungbean in the 3% A.E. treatment, compared to the control. The A.E. concentrations of 6 and 9% resulted in significant reduction of 20.87 and 30.97% in plumule length compared with those of the control, respectively. The soil incorporation of dry mix residues decreased both germination and seedling growth of mungbean. There was an increase in inhibitory effect with increase in amount of dry residues incorporated. However, no significant difference was observed between control and 90 g for both germination (%) and rate, and root and shoot lengths. Compared to soil incorporated dry mix residues, the soil surface applied dry whole plant residues drastically inhibited the mungbean germination and seedling growth. This is congruent with previous report. All rates of soil surface placed X. strumarium dry mix residues significantly inhibited the mungbean seedling emergence (%) and rate and root and shoot lengths over the control. ConclusionHigh concentrations of X. strumarium L. A.E. negatively influenced seed germination rate, plumule length and seedling dry weight of mungbean. However, their effects were not considerable at low concentrations. In conclusion, we can claim that mismanagement of weed population in field condition especially high densities of X. strumarium L. weed and presence of high concentrations of water soluble chemicals produced by this weed adversely influence early growth (delayed emergence and dwarf and weak seedlings) of mungbean plants. Eventually, this trend negatively influences homogenous emergence of plants and the result would be plants susceptible to biotic and abiotic stresses, leading to very low marketable yields.

Objectives: Trichomoniasis is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection in the world. Metronidazole is currently used for the treatment of trichomoniasis, which has side effects. In recent years, the use of plants has been considered by researchers. This study was conducted to investigate the anti-trichomonal activity of aqueous and alcoholic extract of pomegranate peel on Trichomonas vaginalis in vitro.Methods: In this experimental study, the extracts were prepared, and to evaluate the effect of aqueous and alcoholic extract of pomegranate peel on Trichomonas vaginalis parasites, the concentrations of 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, and 3200 µg/ml were prepared. Metronidazole and TYM medium were considered positive and negative controls, respectively. Afterward, 105 live parasites were added to all wells, and all groups were kept at 37°C. Live parasites were counted at 24 and 48 h intervals by Trypan Blue using a neobar slide microscope (Hemocytometer). Also, the effect of metronidazole (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 10 µg/ml) was investigated as a drug control. Subsequently, the IC50 value for the above extract was calculated using GraphPad Prism 9. It should be noted that all steps of the experiment were performed in triplicate and the results were considered as average.Results: The IC50 of aqueous and alcoholic extract of pomegranate peel on Trichomonas vaginalis were calculated at 226.3, 109.9 μg/ml after 24h and 60.16 and 32.6 μg/ml after 48h, respectively. The IC50 of metronidazole was calculated at 0.28 and 0.1 μg/ml after 24h and 48h. The highest mortality rate (100%) was observed at a concentration of 3200 μg/ml after 24h of exposure.Conclusion: While the aqueous and alcoholic extract of pomegranate peel has an anti-Trichomonas effect, the anti-Trichomonas properties of the alcoholic extract are more than its aqueous extract. Further and more comprehensive studies are suggested to investigate this plant's constituents and the parasite's lethal effect in vitro and in vivo conditions.

Background and Objectives: Appearance of multidrug-resistant bacteria has created significant clinical problems in treatment of infectious diseases. Sonchus oleraceus plant with many medicinal properties can be a potential source of antibacterial effects. Methods: Aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of S. oleraceus were prepared by maceration and antibacterial effect of these extracts as well as latex on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were investigated by micro broth dilution method and MIC/ MBC according to CLSI. Results: Minimum lethal concentrations in latex and aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts for E. coli respectively 7.8, 15.6 and 7.8 mg / ml and for S. aureus, respectively. 3.9, 7.8 and 62.5 mg / ml were obtained. The highest antibacterial effect was observed in plant latex on S. aureus according to the diameter of inhibition zone. Conclusion: This study presents the first results of the antibacterial effects of latex and aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of S. oleraceus in Iran. The highest inhibitory effect was related to latex at 3.9 mg / ml on S. aureus. Further studies can help us understand the antimicrobial potential of this plant.

Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) is one of the vegetables that has high nutritional value and bioactive compounds. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of hydroethanolic and aqueous solvents on the functional potential and to investigate the bioactive compounds of Pumpkin extract. For functional evaluation of extracts, the amount of ascorbic acid, total phenol and flavonoids, antioxidant capacity were performed by DPPH and FRAP methods and also the chemical compounds in the extracts were identified by GC/MS. The results showed highest levels of ascorbic acid, total phenol and flavonoids in the hydroethanolic extract were 98.66±13.29 mg/100g, 1.663±0.004 mg GA/100g and 0.381±0.01 mg QU/100g, respectively. Hydroethanolic extract showed the highest ability to inhibit DPPH radicals compared to aqueous extract in all prepared concentrations; so that hydroethanolic extract with a concentration of 800 μg/ml with 61.866% inhibition had the highest inhibitory properties. Detected chemical compounds in hydroethanolic and aqueous extracts using GC/MS were identified 16 and 7 chemical compounds, respectively, when the highest compound content in hydroethanolic extract equal to 34.86767% related to D-erythro-pentose, 2-deoxy and the aqueous extract was related to 5,2-dichlorophenol (74,2053%). The results of this study suggest the use of hydroethanolic solvent for higher extraction of bioactive compounds from pumpkin.

Background and Objective: Cancer can spread to distant parts of the body through the lymphatic system or bloodstream. Angiogenesis is a fundamental step in the transition of tumors from a dormant state to a malignant. Some changes in cancerous cells can be improved and treated using herbal extracts. Salvia species in Iranian traditional medicine were used against various infections, inflammatory diseases.This study was done to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of Salvia atropatana leaf on subcutaneous tumor model of CT26 colon carcinoma in Mice. Methods: In this experimental study, for the induction of colon carcinoma, 26CT cells were injected into 18 BALB/c male Mice. Subcutaneous injection was done in the right side of the animal. When the size of the tumor was 50±350 mm3, 18 Mice were randomly allocated into 3 groups, including controls, aqueous extracts a breakdown of each dose 50 and 100 mg/kg/bw. The group containing the aqueous extracts of Salvia atropatana leaf was injected for 14 days, daily. To monitor the therapeutic effects, the parameters of the stopping rate in the growth of the tumor, the relative volume changes and the doubling of tumor volume were evaluated. After sacrificed the animals at the end the fourteenth day of the study, tumors were dissected for histological study. Results: The volume of tumors and the mean density of the number of vessels was significantly reduced in treated group 1 (50 mg/kg/bw of aqueous extracts of Salvia atropatana leaf) and treated group 2 (100 mg/kg/bw of aqueous extracts of Salvia atropatana leaf) in compared to control group (P

Introduction: Recently, much attention has been paid to the biosynthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) due to their eco-friendly, cost-effective, and easily applied nature. This study aimed to synthesize zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs using Eriobotrya Japonica seed aqueous extract. Moreover, it was attempted to evaluate their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Materials & Methods: Initially, the Eriobotrya Japonica seed aqueous extract was prepared, and the total phenolic and flavonoid contents were measured in this study. After the preparation of ZnO NPs by the extract, the antioxidant activity of ZnO NPs was evaluated using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging method. In addition, the antibacterial activities of the extract and NPs were determined using a disc diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus gram-positive bacteria and Escherichia coli gram-negative bacteria. Ethics code: Ir.ausmt.rec.1398.11.33 Findings: The results showed that aqueous extract had a specific amount of phenolic and flavonoids (9.86 mg/g and 27 mg/g dry weight of extract, respectively). Moreover, the synthesized ZnO NPs were

Background & Aims: Nanotechnology is one of the newest, most important and most efficient sciences in the world. It is an interdisciplinary technology that has caused significant changes and developments in the sciences by solving problems and shortcomings. Nanoscience and nanotechnology is the production of nanometer-sized material that has recently attracted the attention of many researchers in the fields of medicine, agriculture and industry. The great importance and application of this technology has attracted much attention. Nanoparticles are particles about 1 to 100 nm the properties of these materials depend on their nanometer size. Nano materials have unique properties including lightweight and small nanoparticles, High surface-to-mass ratio, using in small quantities, saving consumables, being multifunctional and safe for the environment. Chitosan is a linear amino polysaccharide that has been taken into consideration for its properties such as non-toxicity, antibacterial properties, adhesion properties, unique structure, multidimensional properties and high performance. Physical and chemical methods are mostly used to produce nanoparticles. Although these methods may be successful and well-known, they are generally expensive, time-consuming, and dangerous to the environment and humans. Therefore, alternative methods such as microorganisms, fungi, plants, plant extracts and plant biomass should be used instead, which have less environmental hazards. Among the methods of synthesis of chitosan nanoparticles, green synthesis using plant extracts is more beneficial than other methods. Many plant biomolecules such as polyphenols, flavonoids, amino acids, polysaccharides, alkaloids, alcohols, vitamins and proteins can play a role in the formation and stabilization of nanoparticles. The aim of this study was to develop a green method using the extract of the aerial parts of the Russian knapweed to prepare and produce chitosan nanoparticles. Methods: In this study, chitosan nanoparticles were synthesized in a process by the extract of Russian knapweed (Acroptilon repens L.) which containing phenolic compounds. In order to preparation the materials needed for the experiment, the aerial parts of the Russian knapweed in the pre-flowering stage were collected from a land in Ardabil with severe contamination. The collected plant was transferred to the weed laboratory and dried at 60 °C for 72 h in the oven. The dried samples were powdered by a grinding (mill) machine. The aqueous extract was prepared by maceration method. 100, 150 and 200 grams of Russian knapweed powder in to erlenmeyer flask spilled and then added a certain amount of twice distilled water until the final volume reaches of 1000 ml. Then they were placed on the shaker at 25 °C for 24 hours. The obtained extracts were smoothed using Whatman filter paper. At the final stage, the extracts were centrifuged at 5000 rpm for 15 minutes and supernatant were extracted as pure extract and were kept at 4 °C for testing. Chitosan nanoparticles were prepared using ionic gelation method. In the present study, commercial chitosan with medium molecular weight was used. At first, 3 g of chitosan was dissolved in 300 ml of distilled water and placed on a magnetic stirrer at 550 rpm to dissolve completely and evenly at room temperature (with one magnet). To adjust the pH =5, some acetic acid was added. Then a certain amount of Russian knapweed extract was added to it. In the next step, 0.5 g of sodium polyphosphate (TPP) in 50 ml of distilled water was completely dissolved and added drop by drop to the chitosan solution, that was stirring on a magnetic stirrer, and the stirring process continued for 60 minutes. This was repeated for all 3 concentrations of Russian knapweed extract separately. After the reaction time, the final solution was centrifuged for 5 min and after smoothing, the top solution of sediments deposited in the oven was dried for 24 h at 60 °C. Results: Basic techniques for investigation and determination of nanoparticle properties including: thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) tests. The samples obtained by these tests were analyzed. Infrared spectroscopy was used to investigate the vibrational frequencies of chemical compounds. Thermal weight measurement analysis method, which is based on weight changes during sample heating, was performed to investigate the difference in thermal stability of the samples in the temperature range of 0-700°C. X-ray diffraction pattern of the samples was performed using Cu-Ka radiation. Surface morphology and particle distribution were also obtained using scanning electron microscopy with accelerator voltage k 15. In Spectrophotometric analysis, the presence of a peak in the range of 700 nm indicates the biological synthesis of these nanoparticles with extract of Russian knapweed. FTIR spectroscopy showed the biomolecules present in the extract and involved in the synthesis, which confirms the process of green synthesis of chitosan nanoparticles. In the FTIR spectrum obtained from chitosan nanoparticles with aqueous extract of Russian knapweed and pure extract of Russian knapweed, the presence of factor groups confirming the existence and presence of effective antioxidant compounds such as phenols and flavonoids in the plant extract is used. Based on this, the participation and involvement of phenolic compounds in the Russian knapweed in the synthesis of chitosan nanoparticles is quite clearly observed and understood. The size and morphology of biologically synthesized nanoparticles were determined by scanning electron microscopy, and it was found that the shape of the nanoparticles produced is approximately spherical with an average size of about 33 to 76 nanometers. One of the main reasons for the difference in the shape and size of the synthesized nanoparticles is the different concentrations of the plant extract used. The results of X-ray diffraction analysis also showed the nanocrystals synthesized by the extract of Russian knapweed. Conclusion: According to the results, it can be said that the polyphenolic compounds in the Russian knapweed extract were acted reducing agents, and also as a complexing agent synthesize chitosan nanoparticles and make them sustainable. The process of ion reduction and synthesis of nanoparticles are done by primary and secondary metabolites such as antioxidants, flavonoids, flavonoids, isoflavones, anticyanidins, isothiocyanates, carotenoids and polyphenols present in the extract. According to the obtained results, plant extracts have a good compatibility with the environment, so that they can be used for rapid production of chitosan nanoparticles, which is a simple, green and efficient method for the synthesis of nanoparticles at room temperature. It is a reducing and inhibiting agent without the use of any chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is an endemic infectious disease in Iran. Failure to treat the disease requires the use of effective medicinal plants. Different species of Artemisia have anti leishmania activity. The aim of this study was to study effect of aqueous extract of Artemisia aucheri seed on Promastigote and Amastigote of leishmania major in vitro. Methods: In this study, the aqueous extract of Artemisia aucheri was prepared. The concentration of Artemisia aucheri was 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 µg/ml to investigate on promastigote and amastigote of Leishmania major. The effects of concentrations on leishmania promastigotes, non-infected macrophages and amastigote-infected macrophages were investigated by MTT and flow cytometry tests. The effect of the extract on apoptosis in promastigotes was investigated by flow cytometry. Results: Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Increasing the time and concentration of Artemisia aucheri significantly decreased the number of promastigotes of Leishmania major (P≤0.05). The growth of the parasite was completely stopped at a concentration of 400 and 200 µg / ml. Percentage of macrophages infected with amastigotes was 11.84% for the treated group at a concentration IC50 of extract was 37.5 µg /ml for promastigotes. At this concentration there was a 50% inhibition of growth. Conclusion: Aqueous extract of Artemisia aucheri seed had good activity in destroying Leishmania major promastigotes in culture and Leishmania major amastigotes in macrophages and the extract was able to induce apoptosis in 9.28% of promastigotes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Allium genus with more than 900 important breeding and wild species, as a natural and bioactive antioxidant, is widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. This study aimed to investigate the effect of antioxidant activity of aqueous extract of Allium canadense and its effect on the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase enzyme and recovery of the inhibited enzyme activity. Material & Methods: After the preparation of Allium canadense aqueous extract, the antioxidant activity of the extract at the concentrations of 100, 500, and 1000 μg/ml was investigated using DPPH free radical scavenging method. Following that, the activity of serum acetylcholinesterase and its reactivation after inhibition by organophosphate diazinon was evaluated at the concentrations of 100, 500, and 1000 μg/ml of the extract by the Ellman method. Findings: Inhibition concentration of 50% (IC50) of free radicals of DPPH was 360/19 μg/ml. Aqueous extract of Allium canadense did not inhibit acetylcholinesterase activity and was added to the concentration dependently. The regeneration of the inhibited enzymes activity was also observed in the vicinity of different concentrations of the aqueous extract of the plant. Discussion & Conclusion: The aqueous extract of Allium canadense does not inhibit acetylcholinesterase activity; however, it can reactivate the enzyme inhibited by diazinon. The reason for this positive effect may be related to the high antioxidant activity in the extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate the dodder (Cuscuta campestris) control methods in tomato an experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with 11 treatments and four replications (in box) at the Research Farm of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz in 2016. The dodder control treatments were including application of glyphosate with 100 g ai.ha-1 (infestation at 3-4- and 5-6-leaf stage of tomato), application of glyphosate with 150 g ai.ha-1 (infestation at 3-4- and 5-6-leaf stage), application of Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) water extract at ratio of 1:10 (m/v) (infestation at 3-4- and 5-6-leaf stage), application of vinegar at ratio of 1:10 (m/v) (infestation at 3-4- and 5-6-leaf stage application of auxin at concentration of 0.1% (infestation at 3-4- and 5-6-leaf stage) and dodder-free treatment. Results indicated that dodder biomass, seed number and seed weight per box and tomato fruit yield were affected by dodder management treatments. Application of Bermuda grass water extract at 3-4-leaf stage had the highest dodder biomass (29.3 g per box) and application of glyphosate at 100 and 150 g ai.ha-1 had the lowest dodder biomass (7.9 and 10.1 g per box, respectively). The greatest dodder seed number per plant were observed in vinegar, Bermuda grass water extract and auxin application treatments and the glyphosate application treatments had the lower dodder seed number per box. The highest tomato fruit yield (110.8 g.plant-1) was obtained in auxin application at 5-6-leaf stage that was not significantly different with vinegar and glyphosate at 100 g ai.ha-1 applications in this stage. Generally application of auxin and vinegar could be recommended to the growers as alternative of glyphosate for dodder management in organic production of tomato.

The toxic effects of synthetic antimicrobial and antioxidants compounds have led to an increase in the use of natural types, such as plant extracts. In this study, the antimicrobial effect of Lawsonia inermis aqueous extract was investigated against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Listeria innocua, by disc diffusion agar, well diffusion agar, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration methods. The higher concentrations of the extract showed higher antimicrobial effects against S. epidermidis and L. innocua compared to E. coli and S. typhimurium. Moreover, the total phenolic and flavonoids contents of the extract were 59.45±1.12 mg gallic acid per gram of extract and 40.35±0.70 mg quercetin per gram of extract, respectively. The antioxidant properties of aqueous extract were measured based on the DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging activities. It was found that the antioxidant activity increased significantly as a function of L. inermis aqueous extract concentration. The antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of L. inermis leaf aqueous extract could make it a natural bioactive compound to be used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Today, with increasingresistance of bacteria to antibiotics, the use of medicinal plants has increased. The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial properties of Carla extract on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus to investigate the inhibitory properties and to find alternative drugs. Materials and Methods: In this research, the antimicrobial activity of Carla inaqueous and alcoholic extraction on escherichia coli and staphylococcus aureus was performed by means of well diffusion method. Consequently, theinhibitory zone, MIC and MBC were determined. Results: MIC and Mbc for escherichia coli showed the highest sensitivity to alcoholic extract of leaf with mean of 62.5 mg/ml and 125 mg/ml and staphylococcus aureus showed the highest susceptibility to fruit alcoholic extract with mean of 64 mg / ml and 64 mg / ml. The diameter of the inhibition zone of the alcoholic extract of the leaf for E. coli is 19 mm and the diameter of the inhibition zone of the alcoholic extract of fruit for staphylococcus aureus is 2/26 mm, which confirms the results of MIC and Mbc. Minimum inhibitory concentration of E.coli was related to the alcoholic extract of leaf and the minimum concentration of fecundity was related to alcoholic beverage. Conclusions: Results for staphylococcus aureusac company from the order of aqueous extract of leaf

Background and Objective: Cancer can spread to distant parts of the body through the lymphatic system or bloodstream. Angiogenesis is a fundamental step in the transition of tumors from a dormant state to a malignant. Some changes in cancerous cells can be improved and treated using herbal extracts. Salvia species in Iranian traditional medicine were used against various infections, inflammatory diseases.This study was done to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of Salvia atropatana leaf on subcutaneous tumor model of CT26 colon carcinoma in Mice. Methods: In this experimental study, for the induction of colon carcinoma, 26CT cells were injected into 18 BALB/c male Mice. Subcutaneous injection was done in the right side of the animal. When the size of the tumor was 50±350 mm3, 18 Mice were randomly allocated into 3 groups, including controls, aqueous extracts a breakdown of each dose 50 and 100 mg/kg/bw. The group containing the aqueous extracts of Salvia atropatana leaf was injected for 14 days, daily. To monitor the therapeutic effects, the parameters of the stopping rate in the growth of the tumor, the relative volume changes and the doubling of tumor volume were evaluated. After sacrificed the animals at the end the fourteenth day of the study, tumors were dissected for histological study. Results: The volume of tumors and the mean density of the number of vessels was significantly reduced in treated group 1 (50 mg/kg/bw of aqueous extracts of Salvia atropatana leaf) and treated group 2 (100 mg/kg/bw of aqueous extracts of Salvia atropatana leaf) in compared to control group (P<0.05). Reduction in density of cells and vascular sections was significantly reduced in treated group 1 (50 mg/kg/bw of aqueous extracts of Salvia atropatana leaf) and treated group 2 (100 mg/kg/bw of aqueous extracts of Salvia atropatana leaf) in compared to control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Aqueous extracts of Salvia atropatana leaf has anti-angiogenesis activity and significant inhibitory effects on tumor growth in animal model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Shigella is a gram-negative intestinal bacillus whose infections have caused serious problems in developed and developing countries. The prevalence of Shigella infections is very low due to the low dose of pathogenicity of this bacterium as well as its easy transmission from one person to another and also the indirect contamination of people through the consumption of contaminated food and water. Objective of isolation of Shigella sonnei from children's feces, Effect and isolation of spring grass extract, Molecular isolation of tetracycline genes by multiplex PCR, Effect of extract on tetracycline gene expression by multiplex PCR. Methods: Out of 60 Shigella sonnei strains isolated from children with diarrhea after isolation of strains on different media and MacConkey Agar (MAC) medium in terms of shape and color of colonies were examined and recorded. First, the DNA of each sample was extracted by a DNA extraction kit, and after extraction, the DNA of the template was amplified by PCR. To investigate the effect of antibiotic resistance of spring grass to the extracted gene resistant to tetracycline, MIC of plant extract on different concentrations of Shigella sonnei was investigated. Strains with tetracyclineresistant genes were treated with MIC, using both treatment and nontreatment groups, and after incubation for 18 hours, stationary lag log was performed using RNA extraction kit x plus RNA extraction. Then, using RT-PCR ABI plus device, the expression of tet A and tet B genes in the treated and untreated groups under the influence of spring grass extract was read quantitatively (numerically) CT and the expression of the gene under the influence of treatment was interpreted. Results: Shigella sonnei isolated results showed a high percentage of the highest resistance to streptomycin, Nalidixic acid, tetracycline and ampicillin and chloramphenicol with 100%, 100%, 86.7%, 91.8% and 50%. Also, the highest sensitivity to gentamicin and ciprofloxacin was observed with 85% and 86.6%, respectively. Multiple PCR results showed that out of all 60 Shigella sonnei isolates, 3 isolates had only tetB gene (5%) and 55 isolates had tetA gene (91.6%). Conclusion: The results of Fisher test indicate that there was a significant relationship between tetA genes and antibiotic resistance at 5% error level (p-value <0.05). The results showed that at the 5% error level there was no significant relationship between tetB genes and antibiotic resistance (p-value = 0.05). The results showed that at the 5% error level, there was no significant relationship between positive and negative genes of all genes with antibiotic resistance (p-value <0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background: Aflatoxins are natural fungal toxins produced by Aspergillus species such as A. flavus. The toxins are poisoning and can cause tissue necrosis and liver cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the control of Aflatoxin B1 production by extracts and essential oils. Materials and Methods: Aqueous extracts were prepared by heating and essential oil by Clevenger's apparatus. Antifungal activity of essential oil and aqueous extract of Mentha pulegium and Satureja hortensis were determined by disc diffusion and microplate dilution methods. Production control of Aflatoxin B1 was investigated with concentrations under MIC(Minimum inhibitory growth concentration) of two materials and were determined by HPLC method. Results: The most zone of inhibition was 10% belonging to Satureja essential oil and its aqueous extracts with diameters of 26mm and 12mm, respectively. These values for Mentha extract and 10% essential oil were 18mm and 8mm respectively. MIC of the aqueous extract of Satureja and Mentha were 0.031 and 0.063mg/ml respectively, and 1% essential oil of two materials was 0.039 and 0.078 mg/ml, respectively. Aflatoxin B1 produced by A. flavus in concentrations of 1%, 2% and 10% Satureja essential oil were 122, 113 and 134 ppb, in 1%, 2% and 10% Mentha were 163, 168 and 171 ppb, respectively. The aqueous extracts of 1% Satureja reduced the production of toxin as 58.1 and the 1% aqueous extract of Mentha as 39.6. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that both Satureja hortensis and Mentha pulegium have the ability to inhibit the growth of Aspergillus flavus fungus, as well as control of aflatoxin B1 production in low concentrations and recommended for further studies.

Introduction: The violet flower is a plant that has long been considered by traditional medicine due to its sedative properties. Since testicular damage is one of the complications of diabetes, this study was conducted to investigate the therapeutic effect of the violet flower aquatic extract on testicular damage caused by diabetes. Materials and Methods: In this study, forty male Wistar rats weighing 200-220 g were divided into four groups: control group, diabetic group (induced by intraperitoneal injection of 55 mg/kg streptozotocin), experimental group 1 (diabetic + 100 mg/kg aqueous extract of violet flower), experimental group 2 (diabetic + 200 mg/kg aqueous extract of violet flower). The experimental groups received the aquatic extract by gavage after two months of diabetes for five weeks. At the beginning of the fifth week, blood samples were taken and hormonal factors of blood and tissue sections of testes were evaluated. Results The diabetic rats showed a significant decrease in diameter 0/98± 0/053 and number of spermatogonia 61/2±2/10 in the seminiferous tubules. In the experimental groups 1 and 2, the morphological changes in the testicular sections which induced by diabetes increased significantly, and production of germ cells were decreased in the germinal layer. Conclusion: The use of the violet flower aqueous extract significantly increased testicular damage in diabetic rats, and this extract did not have the ability to treat the testicular damage and increasing the germ cells.

Some medical plants which are rich in phenolic compounds (flavnoieds, tannis and anthocyanin) have drawn increasing attention as the most important naturanal antioxidant source by many developed countries. Laurus nobilis is one of the medical plants that grows in various regions of Iran. This plants is known to have many benefits and medical properties such as diuretics and mosaics. Also, this plant is used in treatment of gastrointestinal problems, especialy and it is effectieve in elimination of stomach gas. In this experiment, we studied antioxidant and antibacterial effects of Laurus nobilis plant. To this purpose, the efficiency of aqueous solvent extract, phenolic compounds, DPPH radical scavenging and ferric-reducing power and ABTS free radical scavenging were examined. Antibacterial characteristics of aqueous extract was evaluated on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichiacoli. The result shows that the aqueous extract of Lauros nobilis has 14/8% extraction efficiency with high rate of phenolic (99/9±9/95) and the lowest IC50 in DPPH test (2/813) and the high rate of ferric reducing power (22/15±2/10) and ABTS free radical scavenging (22/87±2/03). The result of antibacterial test also indicates that aqueous extract has high antibacterial effect on Staphylococcus aureus (18±0) and E. Coli (18±0) mm.These facts show high antioxidant and antibacterial activity of laurel’s extract.

Background: Mango belongs to the Anacardiaceae and the extracts from its stems, leaves, fruit and kernel are reported to affect smooth muscle contractility. We studied the role of cholinergic muscarinic receptors for the effects of aqueous extract of mango kernel (Mangifera indica) on the basal activity of virgin rat uterine smooth muscle. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, mid-sections (n=24) of the uterine of healthy virgin rats were placed in an organ bath containing carbonated Tyrode’s solution under 1 g tension. The cumulative effects of the aqueous extracts of mango kernel (0.002, 0.02, 0.2, 2, 20, 200, and 2000 μg/mL) or extract vehicle (Tyrode’s solution) in the presence or absence of atropine were examined by isometric method using the strength, frequency and contractile activity of uterine smooth muscle. Results: The cumulative concentrations (0.002-20 µg/ml) of mango kernel aqueous extract was significantly decreased the strength, frequency and contractile activity of uterine smooth muscle, but the contractile activity was returned to the basal level at the concentrations of 200 and 2000 µg/ml. Atropine (1 µM) could not significantly change the effects of cumulative use of extract on the strength and contractile activity of uterine smooth muscle, but it significantly enhanced the contractile frequency at low concentrations. Conclusion: The effects of aqueous extract of mango kernel on the activity of the uterine smooth muscle might not be through cholinergic muscarinic receptors and atropine could enhance the effects of the extract on frequency through other receptors.

Abstract Background: Stress oxidative factors are known to causes diseases resulting from metabolic disorders. Therefore, preventing, or at least decreasing the amount of these factors may have a positive impact on prevention or improvement of the metabolic problems. Recently, the herbal medicines are more considered due to more effectiveness. We designed the present study to evaluate anti-oxidant effect of aqueous extract of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). Materials and Methods: For extract preparation, the dry aerial part of lavender mixed with boiling water for 4 hours and then the container was filtered and condensed in a bain marie. Finally, the extract was powdered by freeze dryer. The anti-oxidant activities of the herbal medicine samples in 5, 10, 20 and 40 ppm concentrations were determined via DPPH method. This method is based on free radical scavenging of 2, 2- dipheny L-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) reflected in the color and absorbance changes in spectrophotometery method in 520 nm. Finally the IC50 was calculated and compared with that of for vitamin C as a standard. Results: All doses of the aqueous extract of the lavender showed dose- dependent potent anti-oxidant activity, So that, their differences were significant compared to control sample. The IC50 of the herbal medicine was 24.66 ppm that was less than the vitamin C of 2.3 ppm. Conclusion: As a potent anti-oxidant, the lavender aqueous extract can be effective in treatment of metabolic diseases.

Green tea leaf is a non-fermented product which contains many phenolic compounds. Green tea polyphenols are natural compound with antioxidants and anti-carcinogenic potential. Polyphenols are sensitive to environmental conditions. To improve the stability of polyphenols, green tea extract was microencapsulated by co-crystallization technique. Entrapment yield, loading capacity, antioxidant activity, characteristics of co-crystallized product such as moisture, water activity, bulk and tapped density, solubility and hygroscopicity, morphology as well as flow ability properties of powder (carr index, hausner ratio and angle of repose) were characterized. It was revealed that the effect of concentration on total phenolic compounds of co-crystallized products was significant (p<0.05). Encapsulation efficiency was increased by raising the extract concentration. The 10% concentration of microencapsulated extract showed the highest DPPH scavenging activity, ABTS and hydroxyl radicals inhibition activity, and reducing power (56.90, 69.37, 71.63% & 0.81, respectively). The difference in particle size of co-crystallized product was significantly (p˂0.05) influenced the flow properties. In general, the values of water activity, moisture content and hygroscopicity showed that co-crystallized product was stable and it had good characteristics during storage. Therefore, microencapsulation by co-crystallization technique can be used as an efficient method for increasing the stability of green tea extract against the environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of different concentrations of Sargassum angustifolium (Agardh, 182 ( extract on the hematological parameters in Common carp were investigated within 14 days. A total of 240 common carp were divided randomly to four treatments (control group without algae extract, 1% algae extract, 10% algae extract and 50% algae extract). Blood samples were taken on days 1, 3, 7 and 14. Hematological parameters were measured: white blood cell count (WBC), red blood count (RBC), haematocrit, Hb, RBC index (MCHC, MCH, MCV) and respiratory burst (NBT). At the end of the experiment, compare of treatments with control group showed significant difference in hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (%), total count of red blood cells, respiratory burst (NBT), heterophil, lymphocyte, monocyte (p>0.05). But significant difference was observed between the control group and treatments in the amount of hemoglobin, total count of white blood cells, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) (p

Introduction: Considering growing increase of antibacterial resistance to antibiotics and existing of anti-bacterial compounds in plants, in this study the antibacterial effect of aqueous and methanol extracts of Allium jesdianum plant on some species of pathogenic bacteria was evaluated. Methods: In this experimental study, the aqueous and methanol extracts of Allium jesdianum plant were prepared from Allium jesdianum plant. The antimicrobial effects of the extracts were evaluated by two methods: broth microdilution and agar-well diffusion on the bacteria in comparison with Gentamicin. The data were analysed by two independent samples T-test (SPSS-16). Results: The methanol extracts had a significant antibacterial eeffect on all examined Gram-positive and gram negative bacteria, except for Enterococcus faecalis (P

Background & objectives: History of medicinal plants in healing the pains goes back to five thousand years ago. In addition, strong antibacterial properties have been observed in many of these plants. In this research, the effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts and also homogenized form of scrophularia striata was examined on some respiratory and urogenital tract bacterial pathogens. Methods: At first, bacterial isolates susceptibility test was done by kerby-bauer disc diffusion method and positive control was determined for every isolate. Then, several dilutions (1000, 500, 250, 125, 62.5 mg/ml) of aqueous, ethanolic and homogenized extracts were prepared in distilled water separately. Thirty microliter of each diluted extract was inoculated on sterile blank disc and minimum inhibitory concentration was examined for every studied bacteria by E-test. Minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentration of extracts was determined by macrodilution method. Results: Based on the results, smaller inhibitory zone than inhibitory zone of positive control was observed only with high concentration of aqueous extract in mannheimia haemolytica and with serial dilutions of ethanolic and homogenized extract in trueperella pyogenes, and with homogenized form in corynebacterium renale. No response was observed with other bacteria. Ethanolic extract showed bactericidal property with 62.5 mg/ml concentration and bacteriostatic property with 125 mg/ml concentration on mannheimia haemolytica which was similar to effect of this extract and homogenized form on trueperella pyogenes. Conclusion: According to the results of this study and common application of this plant in respiratory and urogenital tract infections treatment, study on the role of different bacteria in this infections or effect of this extract on immune system stimulation can be recommended

Rainbow trout fish is highly susceptible to microbial and hydrolytic spoilage as well as oxidative rancidity. Therefore, it is essential to use preservatives to extend the shelf life of this product. Myrtle Leaf extract has significant antibacterial and antioxidant properties. This research conducted to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of myrtle (Myrtus communis) leaves on farmed rainbow trout fish (Oncorhynchus mykiss) quality during chilled (4 ±1°C) storage. The amounts of total phenolic compounds through Folin-Ciocalteu method, free radical scavenging by DPPH solution and metal scavenging ability of the extract through spectrophotometric method, were determined. Rainbow trout have been washed and gutted immediately after fishing. Then, with regard to primary tests results, samples were immersed in aqueous extract of myrtle leaves with concentration of 0.5% for 5 minutes. Sampling has been done at days 0, 5, 10 and 15 during chilled (4 ±1°C) storage. Antimicrobial effects of mentioned extract were evaluated by enumeration of psychrophilic bacterial counts through the pour plate method, using PCA. Furthermore, the effects of extract on chemical properties of samples have been investigated through, pH measurement, spectrophotometric evaluation of TBARS and TVB-N content determination using Kjheldal method. Sensory evaluation determined by 10 trained panelists who were asked to evaluate the appearance and color, odor, texture and eye appearance of the samples. Total phenolic compounds, free radical scavenging (IC50) and metal scavenging ability of aqueous extract of myrtle were 49.6±0.33 mg GA/ml, 20±0.03 µg/ml and 0.042 mg/ml, respectively. Dipping the fish in the aqueous extract reduced the psychrophilic bacterial count immediately after the treatment and significantly retarded the microbial deterioration of treated fishes. So that, the psychrophilic bacterial count of control and treated samples on day 10 of storage were, 7.29 and 5.91 log cfu/g respectively. Moreover, lipid oxidation and production of volatile nitrogen compounds reduced in treated samples and sensory characteristics improved compared to control samples. Thus, the myrtle aqueous extract can be used to extend the shelf life of rainbow trout during chilled storage. The use of water as a solvent, the low required concentration of extract and abundance of evergreen myrtle bushes in Iran, provides the possibility of economic use of this extract as a natural preservative and suitable substitute for chemical compounds.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: damage to peripheral nerves stimulates a series of morphological and biochemical changes in neurons, which are not concentrated only in the injured region, but are also observed in the cell body of neurons of the spinal cord and in the nerve ganglion. The aim of this study was evaluation of the protective effects of aqueous extract of Achillea millifolium on neuron density of ventral horn of the spinal cord after sciatic nerve compression. METHODS: In this experimental study, 30 Wistar rats were divided randomly into 5 groups: group I (control), group II (compression), group III (compression + injection of the aqueous extract at a dose of 25 mg/kg), Group IV (compression+injection aqueous extract at a dose of 50 mg/kg), and group V (compression+aqueous plant extract at a dose of 75 mg/kg). Mice were anesthetized and the skin of the right thigh was incised, then the muscles were parted to expose the sciatic nerve. Using forceps, the sciatic nerve cord blood was severely compressed, then the muscles and skin were sutured. Administration of the aqueous extract with group specific doses was performed for three weeks, with one injection per week. 28 days after the surgery, the rats were fixed and the lumbar spinal cord (L4, L5) was removed. Tissue sections were prepared from the spinal cord sample and through toluidine blue staining and photography, the density of alpha motor neurons of the spinal ventral horn was investigated. FINDINGS: The neuronal density in the compression group compared to the control group showed a significant decrease (943±59 vs. 1620±51.1, p

Background & Objective: In recent years, more attention has been devoted to herbal medicines. Up to now, many compounds with therapeutic effects has been extracted from the herbs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant and the antimicrobial effect of Rumex Alveollatus L. and to partially identify the effective compounds in this plant. Materials & Methods: Extraction was performed by using maceration method for dried flower sample. Then, the antimicrobial effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts on eight bacterial sp. and two fungi were tested using disc diffusion method. The antioxidant effect was also determined through ferric reducing potency and phosphomolybdenum followed by total phenol determination. Finally, partial detection of bioactive compounds was conducted using chemical and calorimetric methods. Results: The results showed that ethanolic extract had the most antimicrobial effect; while aqueous extract weakly affected bacterial and fungal strains. Antioxidant experiments also revealed that ethanol extract had more antioxidant effects than aqueous extract. The most content of total phenolic compounds was found in ethanol extract. The results of the plant chemical determination showed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, tannins, glycosides, and reducing sugars. Conclusion: Considering that few reports about the therapeutic effect of Rumex alveollatus L. has been published, this study could be considered as a valuable report about the important role of this plant on preventing infections and neutralizing oxidant agents.

Background: Aflatoxins are natural fungal toxins produced by Aspergillus species such as A. flavus. The toxins are poisoning and can cause tissue necrosis and liver cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the control of Aflatoxin B1 production by extracts and essential oils. Materials and Methods: Aqueous extracts were prepared by heating and essential oil by Clevenger's apparatus. Antifungal activity of essential oil and aqueous extract of Mentha pulegium and Satureja hortensis were determined by disc diffusion and microplate dilution methods. Production control of Aflatoxin B1 was investigated with concentrations under MIC(Minimum inhibitory growth concentration) of two materials and were determined by HPLC method. Results: The most zone of inhibition was 10% belonging to Satureja essential oil and its aqueous extracts with diameters of 26mm and 12mm, respectively. These values for Mentha extract and 10% essential oil were 18mm and 8mm respectively. MIC of the aqueous extract of Satureja and Mentha were 0.031 and 0.063mg/ml respectively, and 1% essential oil of two materials was 0.039 and 0.078 mg/ml, respectively. Aflatoxin B1 produced by A. flavus in concentrations of 1%, 2% and 10% Satureja essential oil were 122, 113 and 134 ppb, in 1%, 2% and 10% Mentha were 163, 168 and 171 ppb, respectively. The aqueous extracts of 1% Satureja reduced the production of toxin as 58.1 and the 1% aqueous extract of Mentha as 39.6. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that both Satureja hortensis and Mentha pulegium have the ability to inhibit the growth of Aspergillus flavus fungus, as well as control of aflatoxin B1 production in low concentrations and recommended for further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. belongs to Acantaceae family. Due to biological active compounds and traditional use of it’s leaves to treat rheumatic disease and wounds, seems that this plant has significant anti-microbial effects. The aim of this study was to determine antimicrobial effect of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Avicennia marina (different concentrations) on Staphylococcus epidermidis PTCC 1435, Streptococcus pyogenes PTCC 1447 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PTCC 1310” in vitro”. Material &Methods: In this study, antimicrobial effect of the extracts was evaluated by two methods, “Collins method” (spreading of the extract on medium surface) and “disk agar diffusion method”. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) for both species determined using a dilution method. Statistical analysis was carried out by analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The results showed that in "disk agar diffusion test ", ethanolic extract had inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus pyogenes. The results showed that in, “Collins method” aqueous extract did not show any inhibitory effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The result showed that MIC of Avicenna marina leaves of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts for Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 32 and 16 mg/ml, respectively. The MBC aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Avicenna marina leaves for Pseudomonas aeruginosa were, 64 and 32 mg/ml respectively. Conclusions: Pseudomonas aeruginosa was resistant to most of the aqueous and ethanolic Avicenna marina extracts. The ethanolic extract of Avicenna marina leaves “in vitro” have a significant antimicrobial effect on gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus pyogenes.

Background: Stress oxidative factors are known to causes diseases resulting from metabolic disorders. Therefore, preventing, or at least decreasing the amount of these factors may have a positive impact on prevention or improvement of the metabolic problems. Recently, the herbal medicines are more considered due to more effectiveness. We designed the present study to evaluate anti-oxidant effect of aqueous extract of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). Materials and Methods: For extract preparation, the dry aerial part of lavender mixed with boiling water for 4 hours and then the container was filtered and condensed in a bain marie. Finally, the extract was powdered by freeze dryer. The anti-oxidant activities of the herbal medicine samples in 5, 10, 20 and 40 ppm concentrations were determined via DPPH method. This method is based on free radical scavenging of 2, 2- dipheny L-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) reflected in the color and absorbance changes in spectrophotometery method in 520 nm. Finally the IC50 was calculated and compared with that of for vitamin C as a standard. Results: All doses of the aqueous extract of the lavender showed dose- dependent potent antioxidant activity, So that, their differences were significant compared to control sample. The IC50 of the herbal medicine was 24.66 ppm that was less than the vitamin C of 2.3 ppm. Conclusion: As a potent anti-oxidant, the lavender aqueous extract can be effective in treatment of metabolic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Effects of Aqueous Extract of Celery (Apium Graveolens) on Hematological Parameters and on the Level of Serum Testosterone in Male Rat Ameneh Hardani1*, Esrafil Mansouri2, Ashraf Zargar3, Hamid Reza Afzal Zadeh4 Abstract Background and Objectives: In Iran, traditionally, celery is used to treat of various diseases such as peptic ulcer. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the aqueous extract of celery (Apium graveolens) on hematological parameters and testosterone in male rats. Subjects and Methods: Twenty four adult rats were divided into 3 groups: Control and two experimental groups, which received the aqueous extract of celery at doses 100 and 200mg/Kg for 30 consecutive days. At the end of this period, all the animals were killed and blood samples were collected and the hematologic factors (hemoglobin, RBC, MCH and WBC) and serum testosterone levels were measured. The results were analysed by one-way ANOVA test. Results: Aqueous extract of celery, without affecting body weight, increased hemoglobin, MCH, WBC and as well as a significant increase of serum testosterone. Conclusions: The aqueous extract of celery can increase testosterone level and some blood parameters in rat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The antimicrobial properties of cyanobacteria was recently highlighted. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity and antiviral properties of cyanobacteria collected from oil-polluted areas of southern Iran. Methods: In the present study, aqueous and methanolic extracts of five species of cyanobacteria were prepared. Cytotoxic effects of cyanobacteria on (lymphoblast cell line) LCL and Hela cell lines were evaluated. Using MTT assay and medium only served as a negative control group. Hela and LCL cells also infected by human papilloma virus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) respectively and were exposed to the cyanobacteria extracts to examine the anti-viral effects of extracts. DNA was extracted and the viral gene encoding envelope was also carried out by PCR. The samples were assessed in order to examine that viruses are capable of successfully infecting and lysing embedded colonies. The data were analyzed using Two-way ANOVA tests. Results: The results indicated that cyanobacteria extract had cytotoxic effects on LCL and HeLa cell lines. In addition viral load gene was significantly decreased in treated cells. Conclusion: According to the significant antiviral effects of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of cyanobacteria. These extracts may used for a variety of viral therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to increasing antibiotic resistance, it is important to identify the antimicrobial activity of herbs. This experimental study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of herbal extracts of common hop (Humulus lupulus) and oak (Quercus castaneifolia) against several microbial standard strains. Materials and Methods: The alcoholic and aqueous extracts of H. lupulus and Q. castaneifolia were extracted. The inhibitory effects of herbal extracts were evaluated against the microbial standard strains (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans) by both agar diffusion and macrobroth dilution methods. In the agar diffusion method, concentrations of extracts were 125, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/ml. In order to determine the MIC, serial dilutions were prepared with a range from 1 to 512 mg/ml. Results: Alcoholic extract of both hop and oak showed higher inhibitory effect against microbial standard strains, compared to the aqueous extract. Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 and Candida albicans ATCC 76615 showed higher susceptibility to both alcoholic and aqueous extracts compared to Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. Statistically significant difference was found on the MIC of alcoholic and aqueous extracts (p< 0.05). Conclusion: This study revealed the considerable inhibitory effects of herbal hop and oak extracts on the various microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi. Although more research is needed in this field, they can be used as new antimicrobials in medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: In recent years, more attention has been devoted to herbal medicines. Up to now, many compounds with therapeutic effects has been extracted from the herbs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant and the antimicrobial effect of Rumex Alveollatus L. and to partially identify the effective compounds in this plant. Materials & Methods: Extraction was performed by using maceration method for dried flower sample. Then, the antimicrobial effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts on eight bacterial sp. and two fungi were tested using disc diffusion method. The antioxidant effect was also determined through ferric reducing potency and phosphomolybdenum followed by total phenol determination. Finally, partial detection of bioactive compounds was conducted using chemical and calorimetric methods. Results: The results showed that ethanolic extract had the most antimicrobial effect; while aqueous extract weakly affected bacterial and fungal strains. Antioxidant experiments also revealed that ethanol extract had more antioxidant effects than aqueous extract. The most content of total phenolic compounds was found in ethanol extract. The results of the plant chemical determination showed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, tannins, glycosides, and reducing sugars. Conclusion: Considering that few reports about the therapeutic effect of Rumex alveollatus L. has been published, this study could be considered as a valuable report about the important role of this plant on preventing infections and neutralizing oxidant agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: In recent years, more attention has been devoted to herbal medicines. Up to now, many compounds with therapeutic effects has been extracted from the herbs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant and the antimicrobial effect of Rumex Alveollatus L. and to partially identify the effective compounds in this plant. Materials & Methods: Extraction was performed by using maceration method for dried flower sample. Then, the antimicrobial effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts on eight bacterial sp. and two fungi were tested using disc diffusion method. The antioxidant effect was also determined through ferric reducing potency and phosphomolybdenum followed by total phenol determination. Finally, partial detection of bioactive compounds was conducted using chemical and calorimetric methods. Results: The results showed that ethanolic extract had the most antimicrobial effect; while aqueous extract weakly affected bacterial and fungal strains. Antioxidant experiments also revealed that ethanol extract had more antioxidant effects than aqueous extract. The most content of total phenolic compounds was found in ethanol extract. The results of the plant chemical determination showed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, tannins, glycosides, and reducing sugars. Conclusion: Considering that few reports about the therapeutic effect of Rumex alveollatus L. has been published, this study could be considered as a valuable report about the important role of this plant on preventing infections and neutralizing oxidant agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. belongs to Acantaceae family. Due to biological active compounds and traditional use of it's leaves to treat rheumatic disease and wounds, seems that this plant has significant anti-microbial effects. The aim of this study was to determine antimicrobial effect of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Avicennia marina (different concentrations) on Staphylococcus epidermidis PTCC 1435, Streptococcus pyogenes PTCC 1447 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PTCC 1310" in vitro". Material &Methods: In this study, antimicrobial effect of the extracts was evaluated by two methods, "Collins method" (spreading of the extract on medium surface) and "disk agar diffusion method". The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) for both species determined using a dilution method. Statistical analysis was carried out by analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The results showed that in "disk agar diffusion test", ethanolic extract had inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus pyogenes. The results showed that in, "Collins method" aqueous extract did not show any inhibitory effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The result showed that MIC of Avicenna marina leaves of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts for Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 32 and 16 mg/ml, respectively. The MBC aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Avicenna marina leaves for Pseudomonas aeruginosa were, 64 and 32 mg/ml respectively. Conclusions: Pseudomonas aeruginosa was resistant to most of the aqueous and ethanolic Avicenna marina extracts. The ethanolic extract of Avicenna marina leaves "in vitro" have a significant antimicrobial effect on gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus pyogenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the antibacterial aqueous extract of mountain sagebrush, Artemisia sieberi, Artemisia aucheri and Hyssopus officinalis against the bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes were investigated. The extracts were prepared by maceration and then the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using the broth micro-dilution and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) was measured. The minimum inhibitory concentration of aqueous Artemisia aucheri and Artemisia sieberi against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes was 160, 80 and 80 mgml-1 respectively. Also, the minimum inhibitory concentration of aqueous extract of hyssop against Escherichia Coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes was 80, 40 and 40 mgml-1 respectively. Based on these results, the aqueous extracts of the three plants have the strong antibacterial effect against gram-positive bacteria. The most sensitive organism regarding extracts experiment was Listeria monocytogenes wheras the most resistant bacteria was Escherichia coli. Among the extracts, the hyssop had the highest antibacterial activity While the antibacterial activity of aqueous extract of Artemisia aucheri and Artemisia sieberi were identical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]