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Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss. (Labiatae) is a traditional medicine which is believed to have antispasmodic and analgesic activities. The antispasmodic action of D. kotschyi essential oil has been shown in a previous report. The objective of this research was to study antispasmodic activity of hydroalcoholic extract of D. kotschyi on ileum contractions. Hydroalcoholic extract was obtained from aerial part of D. kotschyi using percolation method. For antispasmodic studies, a portion of rat ileum was suspended under 1g tension in Tyrode's solution at 37 °C and gassed with O2. Effect of the D. kotschyi extract was assessed on ileum contractions induced by KCl (80 mM), acetylcholine (ACh, 500 nM) and electrical field stimulation (EFS). The D. kotschyi extract concentration dependently inhibited the response to KCl (IC50 =36 ± 5.1 μg/ml), ACh (IC50 =101 ± 9.5 μg/ml), EFS-1 (IC50 =96 ± 7.1 μg/ml) and EFS-2 (IC50 =53 ± 4.3 μg/ml). From this experiment it was concluded that D. kotschyi extract possessed potent antispasmodic activity. Therefore, identification of the active component(s) is (are) recommended in order to find the best lead compound for drug development.

The objectives were to study the potential of Pulicaria gnaphalodes (Vent.) Boiss. aerial parts in production of nanoparticles and the effect of the extraction solvent on the produced nanoparticles. Methanol and dichloromethane extracts were prepared by percolation of the plant powder. Both the extracts of P. gnaphalodes (Vent.) Boiss. successfully produced small and polydispersed nanoparticles with low aggregates in early hours of the biotransformation. Methanol extract produced spherical and many single nanoparticles, whereas dichloromethane produced porous polyhedral and more aggregated nanoparticles. Methanol extract of this plant seems to be quiet useful for industrial scale production of nanoparticles.

Trichomoniasis is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a protozoan parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. This disease, with roughly 170 million new infected people worldwide per year, is associated with various problems such as pre-term delivery, high infant mortality or low birth weight. In addition, trichomoniasis increases patient susceptibility to HIV infection. The mainstay medication for trichomoniasis is metronidazole, but some resistant strains to this treatment have been identified. Moreover, treatment with metronidazole is associated with numerous side effects. Thus efforts to identify new alternative drugs in order to control trichomoniasis are vital. The use of medicinal herbs has gained widespread acceptance in both developing and non-developing societies because of owing to fewer side effects and better patient tolerance. In our search for alternative drugs in the treatment of trichomoniasis, we reviewed the effect of different plant extracts on Trichomonas vaginalis in vitro.

Background: Pycnocycla spinosa Decne. ex Boiss is an aromatic plant which showed relaxant effects on isolated ileum contractions and antidiarrheal activity. Thirty four components have been extracted from P. spinosa essential oil, of which several major constituents were found to show seasonal variation. Objectives: The aim of this work is to evaluate the diurnal variation of its oil constituents during specific hours of the day. Materials and Methods: The Pycnocycla spinosa samples were collected at different times of the day. The hydro-distilled aerial parts oils of collected P. spinosa were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Results: Fourteen monoterpenoid and nine sesquiterpenoid components were identified, of which the fluctuating constituents were p-cymene, trans-β-ocimene, β-citronellol, citronellyl pentanoate, geranyl isovalerate, α-humulene, caryophyllen oxide, α-cadinol, and α-eudesmol. The content of p-cymene in the essential oil in different daily times varied from 0.16 to 4.19%, and the geranyl isovalerate 7.75 -23.99%. Conclusions: Essential oils with different qualities can be obtained according to the harvest time of the plant in a day.

Using a bioassay-directed fractionation of Pycnocycla spinosa Decne. Ex Boiss. var. spinosa, a new polycyclic diterpenoid, 3,7,10,14,15-pentaacetyl-5-butanoyl-13,17-epoxy-8-myrsinene ( 1 ), two known compounds; vanillin ( 2 ) and isoacetovanilon ( 3 ), and a new phenolic compound, 6-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-hexanoic acid ( 4 ) with inhibitory effects on KCl-induced smooth muscle contractions on the rat isolated ileum were obtained. Compound 1 , the most active of the series, which exerted potent antispasmodic activity with IC 50 value of IC 50 = 0.062 ± 0.011 μM, is likely the main active ingredient of the extract. The structures of the isolated compounds were established based on 13 C and 1 H NMR as well as 2D NMR, IR, HR-MS, and X-ray crystallographic methods.

Background. Removing tooth results in gingival bleeding. Several measures are taken to stop bleeding. In this study, the effect of green tea extract on cessation of bleeding and oozing after removing of mandibular molars was investigated.Methods. This was a randomized controlled clinical trial carried out on 62 patients who were referred for extraction of their mandibular molars. The volunteers were randomly and equally divided into treatment and control groups. In the first group, green tea extract-impregnated sterile gauze was used after removing the tooth while in the second group, green tea extract-free gauze was applied. Active bleeding and oozing monitoring was done every 5 minutes until cessation of bleeding and one hour after that, respectively. The results were compared usingt-test.Results. The mean ± SD of bleeding duration in green tea group was significantly lower than control group (5.87±1.76versus10.09±3.61minutes,P=0.001). In addition, the number of people with oozing one hour after surgery was significantly lower in the green tea group (6 versus 29 persons,P=0.001).Conclusion. This study showed that green tea extract contributes to significant decline in bleeding of the socket caused by tooth extraction as well as reduction of oozing.

Hyperlipidemia is associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis; therefore, control of this risk factor is very important in preventing atherosclerosis. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) seed is used traditionally as a lipid-lowering nutritional supplement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cucumber seed extract on serum lipid profile in adult patients with mild hyperlipidemia. In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, hyperlipidemic patients with inclusion criteria were randomly and equally assigned to either Cucumis or placebo groups and used one medicinal or placebo capsule, respectively, once daily with food for 6 wk. Body mass index (BMI) as well as fasting serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) were measured for all patients pre- and post-intervention and finally the changes were compared between the groups. Twenty-four patients in Cucumis group and 23 patients in placebo group completed the study. Cucumis seed extract resulted in significant reduction of total cholesterol (P = 0.016), LDL-C (P0.001), TG (P0.001), and BMI (P0.001) as well as significant increase of HDL-C (P = 0.012) compared to placebo. In conclusion, the consumption of C. sativus seed extract with daily dose of 500 mg results in desirable effects on serum lipid profile in adult hyperlipidemic patients. Therefore, cucumber seed could be considered as a food supplement for treatment of dyslipidemia.

Pycnocycla caespitosa is an essential oil-containing plant naturally growing in southwest of Iran. The extract of this plant has been used as remedy in traditional medicine. Another species of Pycnocyla (P. spinosa) possessed antispasmodic activity. The pharmacological objective of this study was to look for relaxant effect of hydroalcoholic extract and essential oil of P. caespitosa on rat isolated ileum contractions for comparison with loperamide. The essential oil and the hydroalcoholic extract were prepared by hydrodistillation and percolation techniques, respectively. For antispasmodic studies a section of rat ileum was suspended in an organ bath containing Tyrode's solution. The tissue was stimulated with electrical field stimulation (EFS), KCl (80 mM) and acetylcholine (ACh 0.5 μM). The tissue was kept under 1 g tension at 37°C and continuously gassed with O2. The essential oil content in the aerial parts of P. caespitosa was found to be 0.16 % ml/g. The essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Seventy constituents, representing 97 % of the oil were identified. The major components of the oil were carvacrol (7.1%), β-eudesmol (6.4 %), ρ-cymene (5.7%), caryophyllene oxide (3.6%), α-pinine (1.4%) and α-phelandrene (1.1%). The hydroalcoholic extract of P. caespitosa inhibited the response to KCl (IC50 = 48 ± 3 μg/ml), ACh (IC50 = 61 ± 14.7 μg/ml) and EFS (IC50 = 77 ± 17 μg/ml) in a concentration-dependent manner. The essential oil of P. caespitosa also inhibited rat ileum contractions. The IC50 values for KCl, ACh and EFS were 9.2 ± 1.2 μg/ml, 7.6 ± 0.8 μg/ml and 6.4 ± 0.8 μg/ml, respectively. The inhibitory effect of both the essential oil and the extract were reversible. This research confirms the anti-spasmodic activity of both the essential oil and the extract of P. caespitosa on smooth muscle contraction of ileum.

Background: Taxol is an effective anticancer drug used widely in the treatment of a variety of cancers, including carcinomas of the ovary and breast. Taxol was originally isolated from the bark of Pacific yew tree Taxus bervifolia L.. Increasing demand for taxol and resource paucity of Pacific yew trees has driven several research groups to advance the taxol production methodologies, including using elicitors in suspension cultures of Taxus spp. cells. Elicitors are often used to improve taxol production incultured cells. Objectives: The aim of this work is to inject the Taxus baccata tree a single and combination of salaicylic acid and silver nitrate to improve taxol production. Methods: Salicylic acid and silver nitrate solution in different concentration were prepared and injected to tree. After 30 days of elicitors’ injection the leave for aerial parts of the tree was collected. The dried powder of the leave was extracted by maceration with ethanol 96%. To detect taxol, a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system was employed. Results: The treated cells with salaicylic acid and silver nitrate displayed a significant decrease in taxol. Increasing concentration of elicitors resulted lower content of taxol. Conclusion: The injection of single and combine of salaicylic acid and silver nitrate on the Taxus baccata tree showed negative effect on taxol production. It seems that more researchs need to be done in order to understand the acting mechanisms of used elicitors.

Background: Artemisia aerial parts are well known for antimicrobial activities including anti malaria. Objectives: This study was carried out to evaluate the antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of essential oil from the seeds of Artemisia aucheri Boiss (Asteraceae). Materials and Methods: Essential oil was extracted from the powdered seeds of Artemisia aucheri by hydrodistillation. Antimicrobial activity against five bacterial species was tested using the disc diffusion method, and the chemical composition of the essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results: The essential oil of Artemisia aucheri seed showed activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes. The essential oil constituents identified by GC-MS were as follows: decane, ρ-cymene, 1,8-cineole, linalool, ρ-mentha-8-ol, triene, borneol, lavandulol, bornyl acetate, chrysanthenyl acetate, dehydro aromadenderene, and caryophyllene oxide. Most of these compounds are also found in the aerial parts of Artemisia aucheri. Conclusions: Variation in the compositions of essential oils from Artemisia aucheri, and thus variation in the antimicrobial activity of these oils, may be due to the plant parts used for essential oil prepration.

This study was carried out to evalute antimicrobial activities of aerial parts of Inula viscosa (Asteraceae). Aerial parts of I. viscosa were collected in summer 2010 from Lazeghiyah, Syria. The powdered aerial part of the plant was extracted with acidic methanol. Methanolic extract was partitioned in distilled water and diethyl ether. The pH of aqueous parts were changed by adding NaHCO3 solution, and then extracted with chloroform to obtain non-phenolic compounds. The pH of aqueous part again was acidefied and extracted with ethyl acetate to obtain phenolic fraction. Antimicrobial activity tests were carried out using disc diffusion methods aginst five bacterial species. The results showed that different fraction of Inula viscosa extract was effective against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella entritidis. Variation in antimicrobial activity of I. viscosa may be due to polarity of solvent used for extract prepration and the role of extract compositions on plant biological ...

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L. var. glabra, Fabaceae) is considered as a model plant synthesizing triterpenoid secondary compounds. It is known that glycyrrhizin is accumulated in thickened intact licorice roots. The effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJa) and salicylic acid (SA) on plant growth and production of glycyrrhizin in the roots of in vitro cultured 65-day-old plants were studied. Increasing amounts of glycyrrhizin in the roots treated with MeJa inhibited root growth, while SA increased the amount of glycyrrhizin without negative effects on growth. Treatment of plantlets with 0.1–2 mM MeJa and 0.1 and 1 mM SA enhanced the production of glycyrrhizin by 3.8 and 4.1 times, respectively, as compared to the controls. Results support the hypothesis that production of glycyrrhizin is related to a defense response system of the licorice.

Background: Silybum marianum has been recognized as an antihepatotoxic plant. The active constituents of Silybum marianum include a group of flavonolignans known collectively as silymarin. Slymarin production by cultured cells of Silybum marianum has already been reported. Also, it was reported that physiochemical factors can influenced silymarin production in S. marinum cell cultures. Objective: Evaluation the affect of sugar source on flavonolignan production in S. marianum callus cultures. Method: Callus culture of S. marianum were established by transferring seedling on solidified MS medium supplemented with 1 mg/l 2, 4 dichlorophenoxy acetic acid and 0.2 mg/l kinetin. Optimal callus were subcultured to medium containing different concentration of sugars including fructose, glucose, and sucrose. Then cultures were harvested after 28 days, dried and extracted with methanol. Quantitative analyses of flavonolignans were carried out using spectrophotometric method. Results: Higher levels of flavonolignans accumulation were observed in cultures containing 6% of all three sugars comparing with concentrations of 3% and 1.5%. Conclusion: It seems flavonolignans production in callus culture of S. marianum influenced by concentration of sugars rather than of sugars type.

Higher plants have been shown to be a potential source for the new anti-microbial agents. Essential oils are becoming increasingly popular as naturally occurring antimicrobial agents. In this work the chemical composition and the antimicrobial properties of Echinophora platyloba essential oils were determined. The aims of this work were to assess the antimicrobial properties of the essential oils isolated from the aerial parts of E. platyloba. The plant was collected from Isfahan and identified by Pharmacognosy Department of Isfahan Faculty of Pharmacy. Hydrodistillation was used to isolate the essential oils and the chemical analyses were performed by gas chromatography and GC coupled to mass spectrometry. The antimicrobial activity of the oils and components was determined against several microorganisms, using a disc agar diffusion method. Ciprofloxacin, ketoconazole and amphotericin B are used in the test as positive control. The GC-MS analysis showed that the major constituents of the oils we...

Objective To evaluate the effect of aromatherapy with Lavandula angustifolia essential oil on post-tonsillectomy pain in pediatric patients. Methods This was a randomized controlled prospective clinical trial. In this study, 48 post-tonsillectomy patients aged 6-12 years were randomly assigned to two groups (24 patients in each group). After tonsillectomy surgery, all patients received acetaminophen (10-15 mg/kg/dose, PO) every 6h as necessary to relieve pain. The patients of the case group also inhaled lavender essential oil. The frequencies of daily use of acetaminophen and nocturnal awakening due to pain, and pain intensity (evaluated using visual analog scale [VAS]) were recorded for each patient for 3 days after surgery. Finally, the mean values of variables were compared between two groups separately for each post-operative day. Results The use of lavender essential oil caused statistically significant reduction in daily use of acetaminophen in all three post-operative days but had not significant effects on pain intensity and frequency of nocturnal awakening. Conclusion Aromatherapy with lavender essential oil decreases the number of required analgesics following tonsillectomy in pediatric patients.

Six labdanes (1-6) and four isopimaranes (7-10), including three new natural products (7, 9, and 10), were isolated from Platycladus orientalis, and their structures determined using 1D and 2D NMR methods, ion-cyclotron resonance HRMS, and optical rotation data. Relative configurations of all chiral centers in the isopimaranes were determined using NOESY experiments at 600 and 800 MHz. Specific optical rotation data were used to correlate absolute configurations. Compounds 1-9 and aframodial (11) were tested for their in vitro antiplasmodial activity and for their ability to induce changes of erythrocyte shape in order to obtain data about possible correlation between the two effects. All compounds tested exhibited weak (IC(50) > 25 microM) in vitro antiplasmodial effects against Plasmodium falciparum strain 3D7. At the same time, the compounds caused echinocytic or stomatocytic changes of the erythrocyte membrane curvature, indicative of their incorporation into the lipid bilayer, in the concentration region where the antiplasmodial activity was observed. The antiplasmodial effect of these compounds thus appears to be an indirect effect on the erythrocyte host cell. Weak or moderate antiplasmodial activity observed with many other apolar natural products, in particular those with amphiphilic structures, is also likely to be an indirect effect.

Lamiaceae familyasindan bircok bitki tum dunyada geleneksel halk ilaci olarak kullanilmaktadir. Bu familyadan hareketle izole edilen sekonder metabolitlerinde ilgi cekici biyolojik etkilere sahip oldugu gosterilmistir. Calismamizda, Lorestan ilinin Aligudarz bolgesinde halk ilaci olarak sikca kullanilan Lamiaceae familyasindan bazi bitkilerin fitokimyasal analizi yapilmistir. Bu amacla 2014-2015 yillari arasinda bitkiler toplanmis ve sistematik olarak tanimlanmistir. Bitkilerin geleneksel ve bolgesel kullanilislari bolge halkindan bilgilendirilmis onam ve yari yapilandirilmis gorusme yontemiyle derlenmistir. Bitkilerde; alkaloidler, flavonoidler, saponinler, taninler, antrakinon ve glikozitler gibi bilesenlerin varligini saptamak icin fitokimyasal analizler yapilmistir. 13 Gene ait 25 bitki turu toplanmis ve tanimlanmistir. Bitkilerin en cok, soguk alginligi ve gastrointestinal rahatsizliklarin tedavisinde ve aroma verici olarak kullanildigi saptanmistir. 25 Bitki turunden 23’unun tanen icerdigi, 22 turun flavonoid, 4 turun alkaloid ve 1 turun saponin tani tepkimeleri sonucunda pozitif sonuc verdigi tespit edilmistir. Bu arastirma insan sagligina katkida bulunmak icin geleneksel halk ilaci olarak kullanilan sekonder metabolitlerin kullanimi icin bir yaklasim saglamaktadir. Bu makale kapsaminda incelenen bitkiler, yeni ilaclar kesfetmek icin potansiyel birer kaynak olarak degerlendirilebilir.

Background: Perovskia abrotanoides Karel. is a medicinal plant used in Iranian folk medicine as a pain killer. Forty-one components have been identified in P. abrotanoides samples collected from Baluchistan Province, and 29 components have been recognized in samples collected from Khorasan Province. The leaves of P. abrotanoides have glandular trichomes (capitates and peltate) on both sides of the lamina. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the variation of oil constituents of the plant and illustrate the glandular trichomes types and then show the influence of environment on oil constituents and glandular trichomes. Materials and Methods: The essential oil of the plant was obtained using hydrodistillation and the analysis of oils carried out using GC-MS. The anatomical analysis of leaves was done by fixing, coloring, and photoing the sections. Results: Glandular trichomes composed of capitates and peltate trichomes. The essential oil composition differs. Viridiflora and neryl acetate were not identified in yellow glandular trichomes. Conclusions: It seems that there is no relation between anatomical characteristics of the plant leaves and its essential oil composition.

The objectives were to study the potential of Althaea officinalis radix in production of silver NPs, and the effect of the extract ethanol concentration on the produced NPs. Seventy and ninety-six percent hydroalcoholic extracts were prepared by percolation of the plant powder. The extract was concentrated by rotary evaporator and then freeze-dried. Silver ions were determined using atomic absorption analysis. The NPs were characterized by Nano-Zeta Sizer and TEM. Both of 70% and 96% of hydroalcoholic extracts of A. officinalis radix successfully synthesized spherical and poly-dispersed silver NPs. The conversion was fast and almost completed in 5 h.

Traditional herbal medicines such as Ferula gummosa Boiss. have been used for treatment of intestinal disorders in Iran. To date no pharmacological evidence for their effectiveness has been reported. The aim of this study was to examine the relaxant effect of essential oil, hydro-alcoholic, etheric, petrolic and methanolic extracts of Ferula gummosa and two of its components, alpha-pinene and beta-pinene, on isolated rat ileum contractions induced by KCl and acetylcholine (ACh). Ferula gummosa essential oil (FGEO) and hydro-alcoholic, etheric, petrolic and methanolic extracts all inhibited the response to 80 mM KCl in a concentration-dependent manner and attenuated the maximum attainable response of the ACh concentration-response curve. Although the effect of etheric extract on ACh contractions was less than that of petrolic extract, the overall order of effectiveness on the weight basis was the etheric, petrolic, methanolic, and hydro-alcoholic extracts, and the essential oil, respectively. A mixture of etheric and petrolic extracts together had a similar effect on KCl response to etheric extract was used alone. Alpha-pinene and beta-pinene both exhibited inhibitory effect on the contraction of rat ileum, but the inhibitory effect of beta-pinene on KCl contraction was more pronounced. The inhibitory effect of a mixture of these two compounds was, however, less than the sum of their separate effects. When a mixture of alpha-pinene and beta-pinene together were examined on the ileum, without presence of the spasmogen, they initially caused contraction of the tissue, while neither of them used alone caused a noticeable contraction of the ileum. This study shows that Ferula gummosa essential oil and its various extracts are relaxant of rat isolated ileum and that at least part of their inhibitory effect is due to alpha-pinene and beta-pinene components. As the inhibition of contractile over-activity of the ileum is the basis of the treatment of some gastero-intestinal disorders such as diarrhea, Ferula gummosa may have clinical benefits for treatment of this condition.

Pycnocycla spinosa Decne. ex Boiss. var. spinosa (Fam. Umbelliferae) is an essential oil-containing wild plant growing in central part of Iran. Hydroalcoholic extract of Pycnocycla spinosa has antispasmodic and antidiarrheal activity. The aim of this study was to further investigate antidiarrheal and small intestinal transit effect of P. spinosa extract for a comparison with loperamide and dicyclomine. Male mice fasted over night with free access to water, were treated with P. spinosa extract, loperamide, dicyclomine or vehicle (p.o.). After thirty min, castor oil was given orally to the animals. In separate groups, magnesium sulphate was given in the beginning and 30 min after the extract or drugs were administered. The onset and number of wet defecation on the absorbent paper was recorded for each animal for 2.5 h. In another group of mice, intestinal transit of charcoal meal after the administration of extract, loperamide or dicyclomine was determined and compared with the control group. P. spinosa extract sharply reduced castor oil and magnesium sulphate induced diarrhea. The extract, in dose of 1 mg/Kg, had antidiarrheal effect similar to loperamide (2 mg/Kg) and with dose of 0.5 mg/Kg, its antidiarrheal action was greater than that of dicyclomine (5 mg/Kg). Unlike dicyclomine, P. spinosa extract significantly reduced the small intestinal transit of charcoal meal. However, its inhibitory effect on intestinal transit was less than loperamide. This study shows that anti-diarrhea l effect of P. spinosa extract is similar to loperamide. The inhibition of intestinal propulsion is a most likely mechanism that may account for anti-diarrhea l activity of the extract.

314 Background: The IMPaCT trial screened patients with advanced pancreas cancer for molecular targets and aimed to test molecularly guided therapy in a pilot randomized study, but closed in December 2015 having delivered personalized treatment to only 1 patient. A follow up analysis of the screened cohort provides insight into the clinical utilisation of targetable molecular results in pancreas cancer. Methods: IMPaCT screened for 3 genetic phenotypes matched to precision treatment: Her2 amplification (trastuzamab + gemcitabine), KRAS wildtype (erlotinib + gemcitabine) and DNA damage repair pathway defects (platinum-based). Previously recruited primary resected APGI participants known to be alive were also screened for these targets. The initial pilot protocol included randomisation, but after amendment in early 2015, became a single-arm study allowing one cycle of gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel during screening. Results: A total of 101 potential patients were screened. This was enriched for patients with known targets where sequence data was available from primary pancreatectomy. 23 had one of the 3 molecular targets in this enriched population (4 Her2 amplified, 16 KRAS wt, 2 BRCA2, 1 ATM). The prospectively recruited de novo metastatic cohort (n = 63) had an actionable mutation detection rate of 14.3%. Of the 23 patients identified, 3 received personalised treatment off study, 1 on study, 3 are currently alive without recurrence, 1 is monitored for suspected recurrence, 2 developed second primary malignancies, 10 died or progressed prior to result and 3 decided not to use personalised treatment. The identification of a molecular target did not significantly affect overall survival. Conclusions: Although actionable molecular targets were detected, recruitment rates on the IMPaCT trial were low (1%). Follow up illustrates that these molecular results were incorporated into clinical care off trial or still have the potential to be utilised in another 6.9% of the cohort. Further follow up is planned for long term outcomes. Clinical trial information: ACTRN12612000777897.

Background The production of nanoparticles using a biosystem is considered green chemistry. Application of plant extracts as a biological process has been proven to be suitable for synthesis of nanoparticles. Objectives This study designed in order to evaluate the production of silver nanoparticles using Juglans regia leaf extract and to compare the outcome of different preparation methods of plant extracts (ethanolic extract, boiling water extract and plant powder) for the generation of nanoparticles. Materials and methods THE REACTION MIXTURE CONTAINED THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS: AgNO3 (10 mM) as the biotransformation substrate, plant extract or powder as the biocatalyst, glucose (560 mM) as the electron donor, phosphate buffer (pH = 7, 100 mM) and ethanol 70% as the solvent in the reaction mixture. The samples were taken from the reaction mixtures at different times, and the absorbance (450 nm) of the colloidal suspensions of silver nanoparticle hydrosols was recorded immediately following dilution (1:80) so as to preserve its freshness. Results UV-visible spectrophotometer analysis revealed that the direct application of powder of the walnut leaf was the most efficient technique. TEM (Transmission electron microscopy) micrograph obtained by using this method revealed the generation of aggregated polydisperse, quasi-spherical nanoparticles in sizes of 10-50 nm. Ethonolic extract resulted in single silver nanoparticles which were nearly monodisperse, spherical, and individual nanoparticles ranged in size from 1-5 nm. Therefore, using direct powder of Walnut created more particles but applying ethanolic extract synthesized particles with smaller dimensions and no aggregation. Conclusions Different preparation methods of Juglans regia influence silver nanoparticles formation.

Background: Trichomonas vaginalis is considered one of the main causes of vulvovaginitis in women. Metronidazole with vast side effects is now the drug of choice for treatment of this infection. In an attempt to find an alternative drug, the effect of Eucalyptus camaldulensis on this parasite was shown in previous studies. In this investigation, the effect of different extracts of this plant on T. vaginalis in culture medium has been investigated. Materials and Methods: Five different extracts including total extract, diethyl ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and water fractions were prepared. The extracts were dried using vacuum rotary evaporator and then they were used for in vitro anti-trichomonas experiments. Results: Crude extract of E. camaldulensis showed 80% growth inhibition (GI) in a concentration of 12.5 mg/ml during 24 h. Diethyl ether extract in a concentration of 25 mg/ml showed 100% GI during 24 h. With ethyl acetate extract, 100% GI was detected with the minimum concentration of 12.5 mg/ml in the first 24 h. Finally, water extract in a concentration of 50 mg/ml showed 80% and 100% GI after 48 and 72 h, respectively. Conclusion: Ethyl acetate fraction is the extract which showed the highest percentage of GI (100%) with the least concentration (12.5 mg/ml) after 24 and 48 h.

Callus cultures of Carum copticum were established from cotyledons and healthy suspensions grown using Murashige and Skoog medium. The dichloromethane extract of cell suspension culture of Carum copticum was analysed by GC and GC–MS; 41 components were identified, of which the major constituents were found to be elemol (11.5%), α-cadinol (10.6%), δ-cadinene (7.8%), caryophyllene (6.2%), muurolol (4.9%), β-eudesmol (3.1%), β-elemene (3.9%), α-muurolene (2.6%), limonene (2.4%) and α-humulene (2.0%). Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pycnocycla spinosa is an essential oil from a wild plant growing in central Iran. However, so far its pharmacological effects have not been studied. The aim of this study was to look for relaxant effects of the essential oil and hydro-alcoholic extract of P. spinosa on rat isolated ileum contractions induced by KCl and acetylcholine (ACh). P. spinosa essential oil (PSEO) and the hydro-alcoholic extract inhibited the response to 80 mM KCl in a concentration-dependent manner and attenuated the maximum attainable response of ACh concentration-response curve. Furthermore, in caster oil induced diarrhoea, the hydro-alcoholic extract had a dose-dependent anti-diarrhoeal effect. This study showed that P. spinosa essential oil and its hydro-alcoholic extract act as a relaxant of rat isolated ileum. As the inhibition of contractile over-activity of the ileum is the basis for the treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders such as diarrhoea, P. spinosa may have clinical benefits for treatment of this condition. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Hydroalcoholic extract of Pycnocycla spinosa was shown to have spasmolytic action in vitro and antidiarroheal effect in vivo. The hydroalcoholic extract of P. spinosa is composed of alkaloid-, flavonoid- and saponin-rich components. These components were separated by fractional separation technique. The pharmacological objective of this study was to look for relaxant effect of these components of hydroalcoholic extract of P. spinosa on rat isolated ileum contractions. The alkaloid-, flavonoid- and saponin-rich fractions of P. spinosa inhibited the response to 80 mM KCl in a concentration-dependent manner. The alkaloid-rich fraction was the most and saponin-rich fraction the least effective relaxant of ileum contractions. The alkaloid-rich fraction also inhibited the response to acetylcholine (ACh) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). From this study, it can be concluded that the antispasmodic action of hydroalcoholic extract of P. spinosa could be due to components in the alkaloid-rich fraction and to a lesser extent, to its flavonoid-rich fraction.

Background: Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori. is a tropical tree growing in southeast of Iran. All parts of this plant have nutritional uses and pharmacological activities. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of hydroalcoholic extract from the leaves of M. peregrina in dexamethasone (Dex)-induced hypertension in rats. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats received Dex (30 μg/kg, subcutaneously; s.c.) or saline (as vehicle, 1 ml/kg, s.c.) for 14 days. In a prevention study, the rats received M. peregrina extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, orally) for 4 days, followed by Dex for 14 days. In a reversal study, the animals received M. peregrina extract orally from day 8 to 14. The systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured using tail-cuff method. The hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) concentration and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were assessed in plasma samples. Results: Dex significantly increased the SBP and the plasma H 2 O 2 and decreased the plasma FRAP value (P < 0.001). M. peregrina extract at a dose of 400 mg/kg prevented (P < 0.01) but did not reverse Dex-induced hypertension in rats. It also dose-dependently reduced the plasma H 2 O 2 concentration and improved the FRAP value upon Dex administration. Conclusions: The findings of the present study indicated the antioxidant and partially antihypertensive effects of the hydroalcoholic extract from the leaves of M. peregrina in Dex-induced hypertension. Further experiments on other fractions of the leaves and also other parts of this plant are suggested for better evaluation of its antihypertensive effect and finding its mechanisms of action.

Background: Moringa peregrina (M. peregrina) is an important tropical tree recognized for its nutritional and medicinal properties. The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritional component in the leaves and seeds of the Persian M. peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori. Materials and Methods: The M. peregrina leaves and seeds of wild cultivated trees were collected from the areas of arid environment located in the South-East of the Iran. The leaves and seeds of M. peregrina were dried and grounded to a fine powder and kept in dark for the day of experiment. The acidic digested leaves and seeds were analyzed for Vitamins C and A, calcium, and potassium using atomic adsorption and flame emission spectrophotometer. Results: The analytical data revealed that the leaves and seeds of the Persian M. peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori contain sufficient amounts of Vitamin C: 83 ± 0.5 and 14 ± 0.6 mg/100 g/DW; and Vitamin A: 6.8 ± 0.7 and 24.8 ± 0.7 mg/100 g/DW, respectively. The elemental analysis in the leaves and seeds showed that the calcium content are 764.8 ± 1.6 and 1164.8 ± 43.4 mg/100 g/DW and for potassium content are 900.2 ± 14 and 572 ± 10 mg/100 g/DW, respectively. Conclusions: The nutritional characteristics of the Persian M. peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori, investigated in this study revealed that, daily use of leaves and seeds of this plant could significantly provide the recommended dietary allowance for the Vitamins C and A, and minerals, such as calcium and potassium.

Background: Pentavalent antimonial compounds are the main treatment option for cutaneous leishmaniasis. However, their clinical use has limitations such as lack of efficacy by oral route, long-term treatment period, emergence of drug resistance in about 10-15% of cases, cardiac toxicity, and reversible renal insufficiency. Curcumins are phenolic derivatives extracted from turmeric rhizome which have anti-leishmania effects. Intraperitoneal injection of licochalcone A, extracted from licorice root, prevents ulcer in BALB/c mice infected by L. major. As a part of screening of Iranian herbs with potential antileishmanial activity, the effects of total extract of turmeric and licorice on L. major culture were assessed in this study. Methods: Serial concentrations of 0.4, 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/ml were prepared from the dried plant extract. Moreover, 400 microliters of the parasite suspension was added to all test tubes except for the negative control in which only the culture media was added. Amphotericin B 0.1 mg/ml was used as the positive control. The average numbers of promastigotes of all three series of test tubes were calculated. For each concentration, percent of alive parasites at different times were recorded. The results were expressed as IC50 of each extract. Findings: The 2 mg/ml concentration of turmeric extracts resulted in rapid death of promastigotes compared to 0.2 mg/ml concentration which killed them after 88 hours of exposure. The effects of licorice total extract were similar to negative control at lower concentrations (0.5 and 1 mg/ml). Increasing the concentration up to 16 mg/ml killed more promastigotes. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that both turmeric and licorice total extracts have antileishmanial effects in-vitro. However, the overall activity of licorice on promastigotes is much less than turmeric. It also kills parasites at higher doses.

The oldest method for the managing of the illness is the use of medicinal plants. The use of herbal products as the first choice in self-treatment of minor conditions continues to expand rapidly across Iran. This makes the safety of herbal products an important public health issue. Pesticides are used widely in agriculture to increase the production by controlling the harmful insects and disease vectors, however it has some hazards on biological system of human especially children. The present study was designed to examine the residual amount of organophosphorus pesticides (Diazinon and Chlorpyrifos) in children herbal medicines available in the Iranian market. Five children herbal medicine liquid dosage forms were purchased from pharmacy store. They were extracted with SPME (Solid Phase Microextraction) using the PDMS-DVB fibre. Then the extracts were injected into a GC. The gas chromatograph was Younglin model YL 6100 equipped with a flame ionization detector. The column was Technokroma 60 m length, 0.53 mm internal diameter and 1.25 µm film coated. The presence and quantity of Diazinon and Chlorpyrifos were evaluated using their standard curves. Trace amounts of chlorpyrifos and diazinon were detected in a few herbal medicines. Based on European pharmacopeia, threshold limits of chlorpyrifos and diazinon residues for medicinal plant materials are 0.2 and 0.5 mg/Kg, respectively. Our analysis results showed that residue limits of these two pesticides in five children herbal medicines are ignorable.

Background: Artemisinin is an important plant secondary metabolite with anti-malaria, anti-viral and anti-cancer properties. In recent years many efforts have been made to improve artemisinin production through plant tissue culture (such as hairy roots). Objective: In this study, the effects of Stephylococcus aureus on artemisinin production in hairy roots of Artemisia annua were investigated. Methods: Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains A7 and Ar318 were used for the root induction. Two explants types were prepared, the first was leaf explants cut from both side (explant 1) and the second was, stems which cut from node (explant 2). The bacterial suspensions (A7 and Ar318) were inoculated at the wounding site of explants 1 and node explants 2. Transgenic nature of hairy roots was confirmed by amplification of rolB gene in polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Gas chromatography (GC) was conducted to determine artemisinin production. Results: About 5 to 10 days after inoculation by A7, hairy roots were appeared at the wounding sites of explants 2. Strain Ar318 could not induce any hairy roots. Also, after treatment with Agrobacterium suspensions, hairy roots were not induced in the explants 1 and explants were necrotic. The artemisinin content in the hairy roots treated with S. aureus suspension was 0.063, 0.133, 0.046 and 0.043 mg/g DW, respectively. Conclusion: Results show that various factors such as type of explants and Agrobacterium strains were effective in hairy roots induction. It seems that Stephylococcus aureus is stimulating the production of artemisinin in hairy roots of Artemisia annua.

Seeds of Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori. (Moringaceae) is widely used in south east of Iran for gastrointestinal disorders. However, so far there is no pharmacological evidence for antispasmodic activity of this plant extract. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate antispasmodic activity of M. peregrina on rat isolated ileum contraction. Hydroalcoholic extract was obtained by percolation method from seeds and leaves of M. peregrina collected from Baluchestan province of Iran. A portion of isolated rat ileum was suspended under 1 g tension in Tyrode's solution at 37 °C and gassed with O2. Effects of seeds and leaves extracts of M. peregrina were studied on ileum contractions induced by KCl (80 mM), acetylcholine (ACh, 250 μM) and electrical field stimulation (EFS). The seed extract of M. peregrina concentration dependently inhibited the response to KCl (IC50=87 ± 18 μg/ml), ACh (IC50=118 ± 18 μg/ml) and EFS (IC50=230 ± 51 μg/ml). The extract of M. peregrina leaves also had inhibitory effect of ileum contraction induced by KCl (IC50=439 ± 108 μg/ml), ACh (IC50=365 ± 61 μg/ml) or EFS (IC50=314 ± 92 μg/ml). From these experiments it was concluded that M. peregrina extract mainly had an inhibitory effect on ileum contractions but the seed extract was more potent than the leave extract in inhibiting KCl and ACh contractile responses.

Background: Tichomoniasis is a very common sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by Trichomonas vaginalis. Metronidazol with vast side effects is now the only drug approved for the treatment of this infection in many countries. The effect of Viola odorata on several parasites is shown in previous studies. In this study, in an attempt to find an alternative drug, the effect of different extracts of this plant on Trichomonas vaginalis in culture medium was investigated. Methods: Three different fractions of leave, flower, and root including diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, and water fractions were prepared from crude extract. The extracts were dried using vacuum rotary evaporator and then, they were used for in-vitro anti-trichomonas vaginalis experiments. Findings: The crude extract of leave (4 mg/ml), flower (4 mg/ml), and root (2 mg/ml) of Viola odorata showed 100% growth inhibition (GI) during 24 hours. Diethyl ether fraction of leave, flower, and root of Viola odorata in concentration of 6 mg/ml showed 100% growth inhibition during 24 hours. The ethyl acetate fraction of leave, flower, and root revealed 100% growth inhibition in the first 24 hours with the minimum concentration of 20 mg/ml, 25 mg/ml, and 25 mg/ml, respectively. Water fraction of leave, flower, and root showed 100% growth inhibition during 24 hours in concentrations of 5, 3, and 1.5 mg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: Considering the appropriate effect of Viola odorata on Trichomonas vaginalis, more investigation is recommended to convert this plant to an anti-Trichomonas vaginalis drug.

Hydroalcoholic extract of Pycnocycla spinosa has spasmolytic effect in vitro and antidiarrhoeal action in vivo. The aim of this research was to separate fractions of total hydroalcoholic extract of P. spinosa guided by their spasmolytic activity. Aerial parts of P. spinosa were extracted with ethanol. The concentrated extract was subjected to column chromatography and thin layer chromatography. Initially four fractions were obtained (F1, F2, F3, and F4) and their spasmolytic activities were determined on ileum contraction induced by KCl (80 mM). The more active fraction was subjected to further isolation and tested to find its most active components. The active component was phytochemically characterized using phytochemical methods including ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopy. Hydroalcoholic extract of P. spinosa (10-320 μg/ml) in a concentration dependent manner inhibited ileum contraction with the IC(50) value of 47 ± 8.1 μg/ml (mean ± S.E.M., n=6). Fraction F2 was the most potent inhibitor of ileum contraction (IC(50)= 3.4 ± 0.33 μg/ml). From five sub-fractions separated from fraction F2 (F2a, F2b, F2c, F2d, and F2e, respectively), F2c was a more active component with the IC(50) value of 2.6 ± 0.27 μg/ml. The primary results of target fraction (F2c) showed sugar moiety in its structure or in one of its components. In this research we have isolated pharmacological active fraction which is most likely responsible for antispasmodic action of P. spinosa hydroalcoholic extract.

Extract prepared from aerial part of Pycnocycla spinosa is a relaxant of rat ileum contractions. The objective of this research was to study the spasmolytic activity of P. spinosa root extract for comparison with the aerial part extract. Hydroalcoholic extracts were prepared by percolation method. A portion of rat ileum was removed and suspended under 1 g tension in Tyrode's solution at 37 °C and gassed with O(2). Isotonic contractions induced by electrical field stimulation (EFS), and KCl were recorded before and after addition of the extracts. Experiments were performed alongside time-matched vehicle controls. Both EFS responses are blocked by lidocaine (74 μM), indicating that contractile responses are mediated by neuronal mechanism and partially was blocked by atropine. The root extract of P. spinosa (10-320 μg/ml) inhibited both initial rapid (IC(50) = 71 ± 11.9 μg/ml) and secondary slow contraction (IC(50) = 56 ± 7.8 μg/ml) evoked by EFS (n=6) as well as the KCl response (IC(50) = 59 ± 11.7 μg/ml). The aerial part extract had a similar inhibitory effect on both KCl (IC(50) = 47 ± 6.3 μg/ml) and EFS responses. This study confirms the inhibitory effects of root extract of P. spinosa on rat ileum contraction. However, the root extract was not more effective than the aerial part extract. Therefore, the aerial parts extract of P. spinosa could be used as a suitable substitute for the root extract.