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Purpose: Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench is a member of the Asteraceae family and is traditionally used mainly due to its immunostimulatory properties. Various compounds including alkylamides and chicoric acid were reported as active ingredients of E. purpurea. Here, we aimed to prepare electrosprayed nanoparticles (NPs) containing hydroalcoholic extract of E. purpurea using Eudragit RS100 (EP-Eudragit RS100 NPs) to improve the immunomodulatory effects of the extract. Methods: The EP-Eudragit RS100 NPs with the different extract:polymer ratios and solution concentrations were prepared using the electrospray technique. The size and morphology of the NPs were evaluated using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). To evaluate the immune responses, male Wistar rats were administrated with the prepared EP-Eudragit RS100 NPs and plain extract in the final dose of 30 or 100 mg/kg. The blood samples of the animals were collected and the inflammatory factors and complete blood count (CBC) were investigated. Results: In vivo studies indicated that the plain extract and EP-Eudragit RS100 NPs (100 mg/kg) significantly increased the serum level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1-β (IL1-β) whereas the EP-Eudragit RS100 NPs (30 mg/kg) significantly increased the number of white blood cells (WBCs) compared to the control group. Lymphocytes' count in all groups was increased significantly compared to the control group (P < 0.05) whereas other CBC parameters remained unchanged. Conclusion: The prepared EP-Eudragit RS100 NPs by electrospray technique caused significant reinforcement in the immunostimulatory effects of the extract of E. purpurea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): The current study's objectives were to obtain different extracts and essential oils of Symphytum kurdicum and Symphytum asperrimum and to determine the chemical composition, as well as to evaluate free radical scavenging activity (IC50) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and the effect of liposomal formulation on antimicrobial properties. Materials and Methods: Air-dried powdered aerial parts of S. kurdicum and S. asperrimum were used. The antioxidant and antibacterial properties, essential oil compositions, total phenol, and flavonoid contents of different fractions were determined by DPPH test, disk diffusion assay, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, Folin-ciocalteu reagent, and colorimetric assay method, respectively. The film hydration method was used to fabricate nanoparticles. Results: GC-MS analysis indicated that hexafarnesyl acetone was a major essential oil component. n-butanol and ethyl acetate extracts of S. kurdicum had the highest anti-oxidant activity. Extracts of both plants showed antimicrobial activity. The extracts' maximum inhibition zones against Staphylococcus epidermidis were established. A particle size analyzer detected the formulation size of 140 nm. The optimum formulation of liposomes contains the ratio of 75 mg lecithin, 25 mg cholesterol, and 50 mg herbal extract. Despite the nanoparticles' appropriate particle size, the liposomal extract's antimicrobial effect was lower than that of the free form. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that extracts have significant antibacterial and anti-oxidant activities, attributed to their bioactive constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcea glabrata from the family Malvaceae, was selected for evaluating its xanthine oxidase inhibitory, anti-malarial, and antioxidant activities. In addition, some phytochemical analysis upon different extracts of A. glabrata were performed. Aerial parts of the collected A. glabrata plant material were dried and solvent extracted via soxhlet apparatus using different solvents. Various chromatographic techniques were used for extra fractionation of the achieved extracts. Xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory, antimalarial and antioxidant activity assays upon different A. glabrata extracts and fractions were carried out and reported in terms of IC 50s. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the A. glabrata methanol extract (MeOH) were determined using the 2,2-Di Phenyl-1-Picryl Hydrazyl (DPPH) assay, aluminum chloride colorimetric, and Folin-Ciocalteu reagents, respectively. In addition, A. glabrata essential oil was obtained through hydrodistillation by a Clevenger apparatus. Analysis and identification of essential oil compounds were carried out through gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. MeOH extract showed the highest XO inhibitory activity with the IC 50 of 0.37 ± 0.12 mg/mL antioxidant activity with the RC 50 of 0.24 ± 0.06 mg/mL. While, chloroform extract revealed the strongest antimalarial activity with the IC 50 of 0.4 ± 0.05 mg/mL. The total flavonoid and phenolic contents of the A. glabrata methanol extract were 39.8 mg quercetin equivalent and 6.1 g gallic acid equivalent per 100 g of dry plant material, respectively. GC-MS analysis showed that the monoterpenes were prevailing in A. glabrata essential oil where the major constituents: octacosane (30.7%), eugenol (12.3%), and anethole (12.0%). Concerning the results of this study, A. glabrata extracts and its ingredients could be considered as a novel promising herbal medicine in the design and also treatment of new drugs for the relief of gout and malaria diseases. [Display omitted] • Eleven components were determined from endemic A. glabrata essential oil. • Eugenol and anethole were the major monoterpenes of the A. glabrata essential oil. • A. glabrata methanol extract showed the highest xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity. • The strongest antimalarial activity with the IC 50 of 0.4 mg/mL were obtained from A. glabrata chloroform extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue, and Zika, pose major public health challenges globally, affecting millions of people. The growing resistance of mosquito populations to synthetic insecticides underscores the critical need for effective and environmentally friendly larvicides. Although chemical pesticides can initially be effective, they often lead to negative environmental consequences and health hazards for non-target species, including humans. This study aimed to evaluate the larvicidal effects of Trachyspermum ammi essential oil and Delphinium speciosum extract on the larvae of three major mosquito species: Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi, and Culex quinquefasciatus. Mosquito larvae of Ae. aegypti, An. stephensi, and Cx. quinquefasciatus were reared under controlled laboratory conditions. The larvicidal activity of T. ammi essential oil and D. speciosum extract was evaluated through standard bioassays, using various concentrations of essential oils (10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 ppm) and extracts (160, 320, 640, 1280, and 2560 ppm) to determine the lethal concentration (LC 50 ) values after 24 h of exposure. Fresh plant materials were collected, with the essential oil extracted via hydro-distillation, and the extract prepared using methanol solvent extraction. The chemical composition of T. ammi essential oil was examined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Additionally, the preliminary analysis of the chemical compounds in D. speciosum extract was carried out using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) techniques. The results indicated that the essential oil of T. ammi exhibited more effective larvicidal activity compared to the D. speciosum extract. Specifically, the essential oil demonstrated LC 50 values of 18 ppm for Cx. quinquefasciatus and 19 ppm for Ae. aegypti. In contrast, the D. speciosum extract showed the strongest larvicidal effect against An. stephensi, with an LC 50 of 517 ppm. Concentrations of 40 ppm of the essential oil and 1280 ppm of the extract resulted in 100% mortality across all three species. Both the essential oil of T. ammi and the D. speciosum extract exhibited concentration-dependent larvicidal activity, and these results were statistically significant (p < 0.001) compared to the no-treatment group. GC-MS analysis revealed thymol (88.95%), o-cymen-5-ol (4.11%), and γ-terpinene (2.10%) as the major constituents of the T. ammi essential oil. Additionally, TLC verified the presence of alkaloids in both chloroform and methanolic extracts. Proton NMR identified a diterpene structure for these alkaloids. These findings suggest that T. ammi essential oil is a promising candidate for natural mosquito control strategies. Given its efficacy, further research is warranted to explore its potential in integrated vector management programs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)