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Introduction: Wound healing is an intricate and continual process influenced by numerous factors that necessitate suitable environments to attain healing. The natural ability of wound healing often gets altered by several external and intrinsic factors, leading to chronic wound occurrence. Numerous wound dressings have been developed; however, the currently available alternatives fail to coalesce in all conditions obligatory for rapid skin regeneration., Area Covered: An extensive review of articles on herbal nano-composite wound dressings was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases, from 2006 to 2024. This review entails the pathophysiology and factors leading to non-healing wounds, wound dressing types, the role of herbal bio-actives for wound healing, and the advantages of employing nanotechnology to deliver herbal actives. Numerous nano-composite wound dressings incorporated with phytoconstituents, herbal extracts, and essential oils are discussed., Expert Opinion: There is a strong substantiation that several herbal bio-actives possess anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic, and angiogenesis promoter activities that accelerate the wound healing process. Nanotechnology is a promising strategy to deliver herbal bio-actives as it ascertains their controlled release, enhances bioavailability, improves permeability to underlying skin layers, and promotes wound healing. A combination of herbal actives and nano-based dressings offers a novel arena for wound management.

The multicomponent mixtures consisting of herbs and fungi are commonly used for the production of alcoholic beverages with potential health-promoting effects in many Asian countries. The medicinal fungus Ganoderma lucidum is one of the most important fungi used for spirit production. Although this fungus affects the aromatic complexity of spirits, only a small number of studies have focused on investigating the influence of G. lucidum on the aromatic profile and colour of spirits. The aim of the research is to evaluate the influence of adding G. lucidum and herbal extract on final concentrations of volatile compounds and sensory quality of several distillates. In this study, distillates (grain, plum, grape and wine) were used to produce new spirit-based beverages with the fungus G. lucidum only, or with the fungus and herbal extract. Fifty-nine aroma compounds were identified by GC-MS. The aromatic profiles were strongly influenced by the primary aromas of the distillates, but the addition of G. lucidum and herbal extract enriched the volatile fraction of distillates with a range of ethyl esters, with a fruity and floral fragrance. Higher alcohols, 1-propanol, 2-isobutanol and isoamyl alcohol, were the most abundant volatile compounds in the analyzed distillates and spirits. The lightness of distillates was from 60.7 to 63.6, and with the addition of Ganoderma it significantly decreased to the range from 43.6 to 50.5. The addition of the fungus also increased the intensity of red and yellow colours. The Ganoderma spirits scored very highly in sensory evaluation (17.6–18.3), significantly better than the spirits without any additions (16.1–16.9).

In patients with cerebral ischemia, both during hospitalization and in the community, the prevalence of major depression is evident. Since the depression has a negative impact on recovery, its timely diagnosis and treatment is essential. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the oral administration of Chevilan extract (Ferulago angulata hydroalcoholic extract; 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) on brain oxidative stress indices and depression after permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion or ischemia/hypoperfusion in male adult rats. A number of 35 rats were divided into a control group, an ischemic group and ischemic groups receiving doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of Chevilan extracts for 14 days by gavage. To make animal models of permanent cerebral hypo perfusion/ischemia, right common carotid artery was ligatured first and the left one ligatured with an interval of one week. To evaluate depression, immobility in the forced swimming time of each rat was measured and then the rat’s brain tissues were extracted to separate hippocampus and measure malondialdehyde. The results showed that ischemia/hypoperfusion increased brain oxidants such as lipid per oxidation (LPO) and immobility. Also, ischemic rats treated with all three doses of the Chevilan show significant reduction in the concentration of MDA hippocampus and in immobility time at a dose of 100 mg/kg and 200 / 400mg, respectively. Increased swimming time was observed in all three groups of extract recipients. It was found that Chevilan extract with antioxidant effect can reduce the side effects of ischemia such as depression.

Hyperuricaemia is characterised by a high level of urate in the blood. The crystallisation of urate is considered a critical risk factor for the development of gout. Allopurinol and febuxostat have been commonly used medications to decrease the circulating urate levels. However, the use of these drugs is associated with undesired side effects. Therefore, the development of a new active, safety anti-hyperuricaemic and anti-inflammatory drug could be useful in gout therapy and is highly justified. Natural products have become a source of new pharmaceuticals due to their strong efficacy with less side effects, which relies on the comprising of complex bioactive compounds. There are a growing number of studies purporting decreasing serum urate with traditional medicines. This article was aimed to review these studies and identify which extracts promote urate reduction, along with their different mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper studies antibacterial activity (AA) and anti-enterotoxigenic activity (AEA) of three Iranian medicinal plant extracts, Origanum majorana, Areca, and Long pepper. In addition, the anti-enterotoxigenic interactive effects of these extracts as herbal extract blend (HEB) were studied. Kirby-Bauer, agar dilution, and Real-time PCR methods were used to study the AA and AEA of the extracts. The statistical method of mixture design was used to optimize and find out the best HEB with the highest AEA on A and B enterotoxins of S. aureus. In individual AA study of extracts, O. majorana extract had the highest AA. Among the extracts evaluated in this study, the extract of O. majorana had much AA on S. aureus and its enterotoxins production. As an interesting result, there is an inhibitory synergistic effect between the extracts studied in this paper on gene expression of sea and seb. The maximum AEA was observed by treat with HEB including 47% O. majorana, 26% Areca, and 27% Long pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Armenia has a large diversity of flora, which is not properly explored for the discovery of new biologically active extracts or compounds with promising anticancer therapeutic value. In this work, we investigated the anticancer potential of two Armenian herbal extracts; H. alpestre and R. obtusifolius, against 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced mammary carcinogenesis in rats. According to obtained data, H. alpestre and R. obtusifolius methanol extracts can affect the regulation of cancer cell metabolism, which have been reflected in changes of tumors size, weight, numbers, and mortality rate. Therefore, tested two Armenian plant extracts could have high therapeutic potential during breast cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the antimicrobial effects of ethanolic extract of five herbal plants; Guava (Psidium guajava), Sage (Salvia officinalis), Rhamnus (Ziziphusspina Christi), Mulberry (Morusalba L.), and Olive (Oleaeuropaea L) leaves against several microbial population representing Gram positive, Gram negative and Mollicutes; S. aureus, E. coli, Pasteurella multocida , B. cereus , Salmonella Enteritidis and M. gallisepticum using standard agar disc diffusion technique and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). Different extracts reveal variable results against the microorganism under study. All extracts have no antibacterial potency for Mycoplasma gallisepticum except Psidium guajava. The results of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the extracts against the six bacteria ranged from 625 to 5000 μg/ml. The used herbal extract could inhibit the selected microorganism under study with variable minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saprolegniasis which is caused mainly by Saprolegnia sp. is the main cause of the winter mass kills in northern freshwater fish farms in Egypt. Various treatment protocols were used to control it, but they are not favoured due to toxicity and cost of treatment; thus, the search for safer economic alternative is ongoing. In this study, 50/59 plant/plant parts methanolic extracts were screened for the possible anti‐fungal activity against a locally isolated Saprolegnia parasitica strain by agar plate dilution method. The screening revealed a significant inhibition of S. parasitica produced by 8 plant extracts, in which the highest inhibition rate was produced by Cyperus esculentus rhizomes, and the least efficacy amongst them belonged to Juniperus phoenicea fruits. Afterwards, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) by the macrodilution broth assay was performed for them, which revealed that C. esculentus and Carthamus tinctorius extracts were the most effective with concentration of 0.1 ppm while the least activity among the effective extracts belonged to Chenopodium murale, Ipomoea batatas and Luffa aegyptiaca (fruit rend) with concentration of 10 ppm. In the present study, it was concluded that the methanolic extracts of C. esculentus rhizomes, C. murale whole plant, C. tinctorius flowers, I. batatas leaves, J. phoenicea fruits, L. aegyptiaca leaves and fruit rend, and Ricinus communis leaves, showed high inhibitory action against Saprolegnia in low concentrations, which may lead to their future usage in the aquaculture application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repellency of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Zingiber officinale, Raphanus sativus var. niger and Daucus carota var. atrorubens along with permethrin dust against Sitophilus granarius was evaluated in the laboratory at 27 ± 1 °C and 65 ± 5% RH. The herbals were applied as dusts, methanolic, ethanolic and aqueous extracts at the rate of 5.0, 10.0 and 20.0 × 104 ppm per 40 g of wheat grains, while the permethrin dust was applied at 0.055 × 104 ppm. Percentage repellency was recorded at 1, 6, 12 and 24 hours after treatment (HAT). All the herbals were found to have a repellent effect against Sitophilus granarius at all three concentrations. The highest (90.18 ± 2.83) repellency among the herbal dusts was exhibited by 20.0 × 104 ppm of Glycyrrhiza glabra within 24 HAT. Methanolic root extracts were found to be more effective than the other formulations, causing total repellency against the weevils at 20.0 × 104 ppm of all the herbals, while the activities of the aqueous extracts were the least repellent (45.49 ± 7.49 to 64.30 ± 1.50%) after 24 hours of exposure. The repellent activities of the herbals decreased with increasing exposure periods for dusts and aqueous extracts and increased with increasing duration for methanolic and ethanolic root extracts. The results showed that the herbals were good repellent against Sitophilus granarius and could serve as stored wheat grain protectants against wheat granary weevil infestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Τen herbal extracts were subjected to cyclic voltammetry for 100 times. • The Houttuynia cordata extract (HCE) possessed the highest CV area. • The supplement of HCE in MFC was found to have a PD value of 33.70 mW/m2. • Τhe CV areas were positively correlated to the PD ratios in the MFC tests. This first-attempt study revealed electrochemically promising strategy to provide optimal herbal species of supplementation as electron shuttling stimulator to microbial fuel cells (MFCs). First, cyclic voltammetry (CV) was used to screen the feasible electron shuttle (ES) materials after serial testing of 100 cycles. The results indicated that Houttuynia cordata extract (HCE) possessed the highest CV area of closed-loop profile (i.e., the most appropriate ES). Alternanthera paronychioides exhibited a symmetrical peak in the oxidation and reduction profiles. All of the herb extracts were subjected to the Shewanella sp. WLP72-inoculated double-chamber MFC to compare their power density (PD) ratios. The optimal supplement of HCE in MFC was found to have a PD value of 33.70 mW/m2, which was 2.67-fold higher than the blank control. It indicated that HCE could express the highest electrochemical characteristics as a potential ES. In addition, the CV areas were positively correlated to the PD ratios in the MFC tests. However, there were no correlations between CV areas to their total polyphenol contents (TPCs) and 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity. This study showed that HCE contains polyphenolic compounds (e.g., kaempferol, chlorogenic acid, and quercitrin), indicating that HCE possesses highly promising ES characteristics for bioenergy extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the possibilities of fortification of beer with various herbal extracts. The aim was to fortify beer with natural substances that have favourable effects on consumers' health. The tested beers were enriched with ethanol extracts of medicinal herbs (ribwort plantain, small leaved linden, purple coneflower, chamomile, sage) so that the sensory characters of the supplemented herbal extract created only an accompanying perception and the malt and hop flavour of beer was preserved. In the enriched beers, the contents of the selected phenolic substances and important essential oils were determined and sensory evaluation was performed. The content of phenolic substances increased the most in beer with linden (42.46 mg/l) and plantain (37.5 mg/l) extracts, approximately four times compared to the original beer (8.11 mg/l). Beer with sage and chamomile extract achieved the best sensory assessment, with components of essential oils added in units of ng/l of beer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The development of medicinal plants for clinical use represents an important direction in biomedical research, despite the technological difficulties. Significance: The aim of this study was to compare pharmaceutical characteristics and in vitro release of Classical and Pickering emulsions containing crude or fractionated extracts of Libidibia ferrea. Methods: After evaluating the extract's solubility in formulation, a dispersion of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) was prepared in water. For Pickering emulsions, the aqueous phase was HPMC and the oil phase was Miglyol® 812; for Classical emulsions, water with Tween® 20 and Miglyol® 812 with Span® 80 were used for aqueous and oil phases, respectively. Crude or fractionated extracts were added to the aqueous phase (5% w/v). Both phases were heated (40 °C); then, the oil phase was poured into the aqueous phase and homogenized using an Ultra-Turrax. Emulsions were characterized for 90 days by pH, polyphenol content, phytomarker content, macroscopic characteristics, droplet size, and zeta potential. Results: These formulations displayed satisfactory stability for 90 days when stored at 25 °C. Regarding the investigation of rheological properties, Pickering emulsions displayed higher viscosity with lesser deformation than Classical emulsions. Moreover, the emulsions displayed similar in vitro release behavior. Conclusion: Based on the results of present study, the Pickering emulsions were obtainable and displayed higher stability than Classical emulsions. Additionally, maintenance of system integrity points to promising systems for delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients in the internal phase, despite the complex chemical mixture added to the external phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The co-crystalized powder prepared from Securigera securidaca seed extract was used for the formulation of a functional beverage in the study. In doing so, various ratios of co-crystalized powder from the plant extract, water, citric acid, mint essential oil, honey, apple extract, and stevia were mixed together. Three beverage formulas along with the control sample were prepared and evaluated by panelists using six-point hedonic scale. The formula containing 2 g of the extract powder was introduced as the best beverage from the panelists' perspective and received an average score. The samples were stored at 4 °C for 3 months and examined for pH, acidity, brix, turbidity, vitamin C, phenolic compounds, radical scavenging capacity, total microorganism count, molds and yeasts to evaluate shelf life. The pH and acidity changes were almost constant until day 60; but pH and acidity were decreased and increased in the last month, respectively. The brix changes were slight and had a slight decrease in the last month of storage. Although turbidity changes were small, they were associated with an increase over the storage time. Moreover, the beverage could well retain the phenolic compounds and the radical scavenging capacity and the antioxidant activity had a little change during storage. The changes trend in vitamin C was declining and equal to 16.85 mg/ml in the last month. No mold and yeast contamination were observed in any of the treatments according to ISO 21527 and mesophilic aerobic bacterial counts were in the range based on the ISO 4833. Hence, the herbal beverages produced with 2 g of the extract powder can replace industrial beverages given their proper chemical and microbial properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A six-week feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the effects of inclusion of dietary olive waste cake (OWC, 0, 0.5, 2.5 and 5 g kg−1 diet) on performance, antioxidant condition and immune responses of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) (2.5 ± 0.1 g). Supplementing diet with 2.5 and 5 g OWC kg−1 diet significantly enhanced serum and mucosal lysozyme activity in fish. Regarding mucosal immunity, fish fed 2.5 and 5 g OWC kg−1 diets had higher skin mucus total Ig concentrations than other groups. In relation to antioxidant status, those in 2.5 g OWC kg−1 and the control groups exhibited the highest and the least liver superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities, respectively. Furthermore, the activity of liver glutathione S transferase in fish fed 2.5 and 5 g OWC kg−1 diets was higher than the other treatments. In respect to gut cytokines gene expression, our findings demonstrated dietary OWC did not influence interlukines-1β and 10 genes expression, but relative expression of IL8 gene gradually up-regulated with increasing dietary OWC level. Moreover, fish fed 0.5 g OWC kg−1 and the control diets had the highest and the lowest gut tumor necrosis factor-α gene expression values, respectively. The relative expression of transforming growth factor-β significantly down-regulated in gut of fish fed 2.5 and 5 g OWC kg−1 diets compared to other groups. Supplementing diet with OWC pronouncedly improved growth and feed conversion ratio in fish compared to the control. Overall, the findings of this study suggested that inclusion of 2.5 g OWC kg−1 diet can improve growth rate, oxidative stress status, humoral and skin mucosal immune responses in O. mykiss fingerlings and it can be considered as a functional feed additive for this species. • Dietary olive waste cake (OWC) increased serum immune parameters in trout fingerlings. • Trout fingerlings fed OWC showed altered mucosal immunity. • Feeding on OWC significantly increased the antioxidant enzymes activity. • Immune related genes were modulated by supplementing OWC in diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant public health problem, with a worldwide prevalence of approximately 170 million. Current therapy for HCV infection includes the prolonged administration of a combination of ribavirin and PEGylated interferon-α, for over a decade. This regimen is expensive and often associated with a poor antiviral response and unwanted side effects. A highly effective combination treatment is likely required for the future management of HCV infections and entry inhibitors could play an important role. Currently, no entry inhibitor has been licensed for the prophylactic treatment of hepatitis C. Therefore, additional agents that combat HCV infection are urgently needed and must be developed. Many phytochemical constituents have been identified that display considerable inhibition of HCV at some stage of the life cycle. This review will summarise the current state of knowledge on natural products and their possible activities in the context of HCV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of a mouthwash containing Teucriumpolium herb on Streptococcus mutans in mouth. Methods: This study was a randomized, crossover, double-blind clinical trial, where we selected 22 volunteers (dental students) randomly and we divided them into two groups. The study had two phases. In each phase, one group acted as the intervention group, while the other one was the control group. Both the intervention and control groups were given the mouthwash with and without Teucriumpolium, respectively. S. mutans of saliva were measured before and after each phase to compare the effects of the mouthwashes. A three-week washout period was considered between the two phases. An independent two-sample t-test was utilized to compare the mean of S. mutans colonies. Additionally, we used a standard AB/BA crossover model to find the results of the treatment and the impact of carryover on the residual's biological effects. The significance level was considered 0.05 in this experiment. Results: There is no significant difference observed between the two groups in the number of S. mutans before using the mouthwashes. When the mouthwash containing Teucriumpolium was used, there was a significant decrease in the number of S. mutans colonies in both phases' extract (P = 0.002). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate the mouthwash containing aqueous extract of Teucrium polium can majorly reduce the colonization of S. mutans in human saliva. Trial registration: Ethical issues approved by the Ethics Committee of the Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences with the approval number of 937/9/31, IRCT code Number of IRCT2013121815842N1 and it was approved on 06/16/2014. The study was conducted in the period of September to November 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human body needs an antioxidant-rich diet that comes from foods, beverages, and herbal products to support the physiological antioxidant systems. Thus, the development of an analytical tool for a simple assay of the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of the rich antioxidant samples is crucial. The current work demonstrates a simple colorimetric assay of TAC of the herbal extract on the paper microzone plate (PµZP) that was constructed in the 70-well of patterned paper using the screen printing technique. The PµZP was constructed by immobilizing DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) onto 70-well of PµZP as a sensing zone for colorimetric detection. The purple-sensing zone exhibited a good response to gallic acid (GA), by producing slightly gray to pale yellow color that can be captured using a scanner and then analyzed using the ImageJ program. The paper-based sensor showed a linear response toward GA at 0.05–0.6 mM (r = 0.9895), reproducible response (RSD < 4%), and accurate measurement with 91 to 106% recovery for measuring TAC of herbal extract, presented as mM gallic acid equivalent and showed a good agreement with the standard DPPH method. The results suggested that the proposed method can be applied for simple TAC measurement in the herbal extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prasaprohyai remedy (PSPR) is a Thai traditional medicine that has long been used to treat the common cold and fever. Previous studies revealed that PSPR powder can relieve allergic rhinitis symptoms as effectively as Loratadine. The usual dose was 3,000 mg/day; however, if the extract could be used it may be possible to reduce the dosage. Therefore, it is necessary to find out if the administration of PSPR ethanolic extract to healthy volunteers is safe. Objective: To study the safety of PSPR ethanolic extract in healthy volunteers. Materials and Methods: The present study was a randomized, open-labelled, trial for safety assessments in 24 healthy volunteers. The volunteers were divided into two groups, one group receiving 3x100 mg/day and the other group receiving 3x200 mg/day before meal for 6 weeks. The blocked randomization was done by a computer program with equal distribution of genders. The experiment with group 2 started after finishing with group 1. There was a wash-out period after week 6th. All volunteers were followed-up in the 3rd week, 6th week and 8th week to evaluate the safety of the medicine. Results: There was no toxicity of PSPR to the liver and kidney. The results on blood glucose, lipid profile and complete blood count were normal. Conclusion: The PSPR remedy ethanolic extract capsules at 300 and 600 mg/day were safe to use in healthy volunteers for 6 weeks, with mild side effects. Oral administration was recommended after meals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to various reports of beneficial effects of medicinal plants on the performance of broiler chickens and less extensively studies in laying poultries, this study was conducted to find an appropriate and harmless feed additive to enhance the quality and quantity of poultry eggs. The effect of three herbal extracts on quantity and quality of eggs, blood parameters, hatchability, intestinal bacterial population, and intestinal morphology in laying Japanese quail were investigated. The study was applied with 64, ten-week old laying Japanese quails for 8 weeks. The experiment was a completely randomized design with 4 treatments, 4 replications and 4 birds per replicate (the ratio of male to female 1:3). Experimental treatments involved: Control, with no additive in drinking water; chamomile extract; wild mint extract; and oregano extract. Herbal extracts were added 1 mL/L drinking water. The three treatments showed no significant effect on productivity, egg mass, FCR, egg weight, feed intake and qualitative indices of eggs; however, the herbal extracts specially the chamomile extract reduced the cholesterol of eggs (P

Abstract Background The beneficial effects of traditional herbs of Crete, Greece for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections have been reported in observational and laboratory studies. Following a published, double blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an extract of three Cretan herbs on the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections, upon its market release. Methods An observational study was conducted in Heraklion, Crete, Greece. Participants were patients presenting at selected pharmacies with symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection, choosing to receive the extract for their treatment. Patients’ symptoms (local, general, total) where recorded at three time points within 1 week, using a questionnaire developed based on the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory System Survey. For each patient, symptoms were scored on a 0–7 Likert scale and three indexes were calculated: the score of local symptoms, the score of general symptoms and the total score of symptoms. Effectiveness was assessed by examining the reduction in these indexes over the 1-week observation period. Results Mean score of general symptoms was 19.1 (SE: 0.9) in day 1, dropping to 8.6 (SE: 0.6) and 3.1 (SE: 0.4) in days 4 and 7 respectively. Mean score of local symptoms declined from 7.9 (SE: 0.5) in day 1 to 2.3 (SE: 0.3) in day 4 and to 0.5 (SE: 0.1) in day 7. Total score of symptoms reached 27.0 (SE: 1.2) in day 1, decreasing to 10.9 (SE: 0.8) in day 4 and to 3.5 (SE: 0.5) in day 7. The percentage of participants reporting fever was 82.1% at baseline, 8.0% in day 4 and 2.0% in day 7 (p

Purpose: Sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (AD) accounts for over 95% of cases. Possible mechanisms of AD such as inflammation and oxidative stresses in the brain motivate researchers to follow many therapies which would be effective, especially in the early stages of the disease. IMOD, the herbal extract of R. Canina, T. Vulgare and U. Dioica plant species enriched with selenium, has anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory and protective effects against oxidative stress. Methods: In this study three AD-related genes, DAXX, NFκβ and VEGF, were chosen as candidate to investigate the neuroprotective effect of the extract by comparing their expression levels in the hippocampus of rat model of sporadic AD, using qPCR in the herbal-treated and control groups. The therapeutic effects on learning and memory levels were evaluated by Morris Water Maze (MWM) test. Results: Gene expression results were indicative of significant up-regulation of Vegf in rat’s hippocampus after treatment with the herbal extract comparing to model group (P-value= 0.001). The MWM results showed significant changes in path length and time for finding the hidden platform in all groups during test and the same change in the treated comparing to the control group in memory level. Conclusion: It could be concluded that the herbal extract may have significant effect on gene expression but not on behavioral level.

Regarding the significance of environmental issues, the use of herbal compounds is proposed as an alternative method for methyl bromide and phosphine. In this research, the insecticide effect of MeOH extract of Pistacia khinjuk leaves on Tribolium confusum (Jacquelin du Val, 1863) and Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Linnaeus, 1758) was studied. The chemical compounds of the extract were also identified by the GC-Mass device. The contact toxicity test was performed on 1 to 7-day-old insects. LC50 values of 9.32 and 5.47 mg ml–1 were calculated for T. confusum and O. surinamensis, respectively. More than 39 compounds were identified in MeOH extract of P. khinjuk, with 5-ethoxy-4-phenyl-2-isopropylphenol (29.02 %), phenyl ethyl alcohol (10.78 %), benzyl alcohol (7.8 %) and 1, 2-benzenediol (6.67 %) as main compounds. In addition, there were the known insecticide compounds such as spathulenol (2.07 %), myrcene (2.03 %), ρ-cymene (1.67 %), apiol (1.61 %), borneol (0.79 %), and pulegone (0.44 %) in the plant extract that confirmed the potential of the P. khinjuk extract in controlling stored-product insects.

Cimicifuga racemosa extracts (CREs) have gained well-established use for the treatment of menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and excessive sweating, and weight gain. While the clinical effects of CREs have been well documented, the mechanisms underlying these effects are largely unknown. More recently, the metabolic effects of the CRE Ze 450 were demonstrated in cultured cells in vitro and in mouse models of obesity in vivo. At the molecular level, metabolic regulation, enhanced insulin sensitivity, and increased glucose uptake were linked to the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Therefore, we tested the effects of Ze 450 on AMPK phosphorylation and thus activation in cells from different tissues, i.e., murine C2C12 myoblast cells, human HEPG2 liver cells, mouse HT22 neuronal cells, and in murine 3T3L1 adipocytes. Using a FRET-based HTRF-assay, we found that Ze 450 induced AMPK phosphorylation and the activation of this key enzyme of metabolic regulation in cells from various different tissues including C2C12 (muscle), HEPG2 (liver), HT22 (hippocampal), and 3T3-L1 (adipocyte) cells. In C2C12 muscle cells, enhanced AMPK activation was accompanied by reduced mitochondrial respiration and enhanced glucose uptake. Further, Ze 450 enhanced the resilience of the cells against oxidative death induced by ferroptosis inducers erastin or RSL3. Our findings suggest a general effect of Cimicifuga racemosa on AMPK activation in different tissues and across species. This may have a significant impact on expanded therapeutic applications of Ze 450, since AMPK activation and the related metabolic effects have been previously associated with anti-aging effects and the prevention of the metabolic syndrome.

Restoring hair follicles by inducing the anagen phase is a promising approach to prevent hair loss. Hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs) play a major role in hair growth via the telogen-to-anagen transition. The therapeutic effect of Morus alba activates β-catenin in HFDPCs, thereby inducing the anagen phase. The HFDPCs were treated with M. alba root extract (MARE) to promote hair growth. It contains chlorogenic acid and umbelliferone and is not cytotoxic to HFDPCs at a concentration of 20%. It was demonstrated that a small amount of MARE enhances growth factor secretion (related to the telogen-to-anagen transition). Activation of β-catenin was observed in MARE-treated HFDPCs, which is crucial for inducing the anagen phase. The effect of conditioned medium derived from MARE-treated HFDPCs on keratinocytes and endothelial cells was also investigated. The findings of this study demonstrate the potency of MARE in eliciting the telogen-to-anagen transition.

The formulation of herbal extracts into tablets that meet the various quality expectations in terms of compendial and non-compendial requirements often presents a lot of challenges because of the peculiar nature of certain physicochemical properties of the extracts. In this study, some critical physicochemical parameters such as flow, moisture content, and moisture sorption of the pre-compression material (aqueous extract of Vernonia amygdalina) were determined. Robust tablets that met compendia and non-compendia requirements for quality were produced by both wet granulation and direct compression techniques using specific and appropriate quantities of excipients. The weight variation, mechanical strength and disintegration time of the compressed tablets were evaluated. Quality tablets that met critical quality expectations in terms of compendia and non-compendia requirements were produced using both the wet granulation and direct compression techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation-induced toxicity is a major limiting factor for prescribing radiation dose in cancer radiotherapy. Skin reaction to radiation is one of the primary concerns, which could affect quality of life of the patients both physically and mentally. Reviews of the literature show limited number of effective reagents for its prophylaxis. In this study, we attempted to determine whether prophylactic treatment of the 3 different herbal creams containing Centella asiatica, Cucumis sativus, and Thunbergia laurifolia extracts as well as a commercial moisturizing cream could reduce acute skin reaction in breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. A total of 153 breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy were randomly assigned into 5 different groups with one group receiving no treatment. The patients were instructed to apply their designated creams once daily from their first radiotherapy session until 1-month post-irradiation. Their skins were graded by a radiation oncologist on a weekly basis until 1-month post-irradiation to identify any skin reactions. The results showed that the administration of the herbal creams or the moisturizing cream could neither reduce the severity nor delay the onset of dermatitis compared with the no treatment group. However, despite the limited benefits from the prophylaxis, the Cucumis sativus cream was shown to help with the skin recovery post-irradiation. These results suggested that breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy should be advised to apply moisturizing cream to the area of irradiated skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although there is a standard guideline for the treatment of acne, it is still a common skin disease, and suboptimal medication adherence is a major reason for treatment failure. Herbal extracts are an interesting alternative medicine because they consist of a variety of active ingredients. Moreover, herbal extracts may have improved therapeutic efficacy because of the combination of various herbs. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of herbal extracts for the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris. Methods: A total of 77 patients were randomized to receive either an herbal extract or 2.5% benzoyl peroxide, which were applied for a period of 12 weeks. Acne lesion counts, adherence, porphyrin counts, the Dermatology Life Quality Index, satisfaction and side effects were assessed. Result: At the 12‐week point, the acne lesion counts decreased, with statistically significant differences from the baseline values in both groups and for all types of acne (P‐value < 0.001). The adherence rate was significantly higher in the patients using the herbal extract than in the patients using 2.5% benzoyl peroxide (P‐value = 0.002). There was no statistically significant difference in terms of porphyrin counts, spot scores, the Dermatology Life Quality Index or satisfaction with efficacy between the groups; however, satisfaction with drug administration was significantly higher in the patients using the herbal extract (P‐value = 0.001). Conclusion: Herbal extracts could be beneficial for anti‐acne pharmaceutical preparations and may be used as an alternative medicine for patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris who do not adhere to benzoyl peroxide treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbs have a long history of use as galactagogues and several commercial formulations have been prepared using herbs. Several active substances such as polyphenols, flavonoids, isoflavones and terpenes are present in the herbal formulations that produce unpleasant taste and decreases consumption of the products. Furthermore, some of these active compounds are unstable when exposed to environmental conditions. In this respect, different approaches can be utilized in order to mask the taste and increase the stability of core substances such as microencapsulation. In the present study, microcapsules containing galactagogue herbs extract were developed through ionotropic gelation and Box-Behnken design was used to investigate the effects of independent variables (chitosan (CS): 1–2%, extract: 1–5% and sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP): 1–3%) on encapsulation efficiency (EE%). Following evaluation of the model, the optimum condition of encapsulation process was selected as 1.19% chitosan, 2.69% extract and 2.08% TPP with EE% of 83.054%. Microcapsules had an acceptable spherical morphology and the results of Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed the presence of the extract within the microcapsules. The mean diameters of CS-TPP microcapsules containing extract was 27 μm with polydispersity index of 0.53, indicative of polydisperse nature of the microcapsules. The in vitro release in simulated gastric fluid (SGF; pH 1.2) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF; pH 7.4) were 55.19% and 85.04%, respectively during 24 h. The freeze-dried extract-loaded microcapsules were stable during 150 days of storage and have potential to be used in food matrices with neutral pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by elevated blood glucose levels. Medicinal plant Ferulago angulata has anti-oxidant properties. The aim of the present research was to evaluate the effect of a hydroalcoholic extract of F. angulata on the blood glucose level and liver enzyme activity in diabetic male rats. Forty-eight male rats were randomly divided into eight groups, including normal and diabetic groups. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin at 40 mg·kg-1 body weight. Rats were treated with an intraperitoneal injection of the extract for three weeks. At the end of the experimental period, fasting blood samples were collected, and blood glucose and liver enzyme activity were measured. This study demonstrated that serum glucose levels in diabetic groups treated with F. angulata were significantly lower than those in diabetic rats (P < 0.001). Alanine aminotransferase levels in diabetic rats treated with F. angulata were significantly decreased compared to diabetic rats (P < 0.001). Aspartate aminotransferase levels in diabetic rats treated with 200 and 400 mg·kg-1 F. angulata were significantly decreased compared to diabetic rats (P < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in the serum levels of blood glucose and liver enzymes in the normal group treated with different doses of the extract. These results show that the hydroalcoholic extract of F. angulata might be effective in the treatment of diabetes and consequently alleviate the liver damage caused by streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus. This effect might be due to the presence of flavonoids and their antioxidant features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead (Pb) is a toxic heavy metal and an environmental pollutant, particularly because of its anthropogenic activity. The main impacts of Pb is recognized to cause injurious influences of various levels of the tropic chain, due to bio-accumulated lead causes many health issues such as intoxication of different body organs, such as kidneys and liver, and reproductive and nervous systems. Industrial lead toxicity has reduced as a result of the attempts to decrease the lead levels in the surrounding work environment. Conversably, health risks related with long-term environmental exposure to a low dose of Pb have been steadily demonstrated. Long-term exposure to lead toxicity caused inflammatory infiltration, degenerative changes in testicular tissues, reduction in spermatocytes, necrosis of hepatocytes, degeneration in renal tubules, and renal epithelium hypertrophy. Hence, we need an influential approach to vanquish lead toxicity. This consequence has emerged the necessity for potentially safe represent remedy, favorably keeping both enhancement and chelating of the antioxidant competences. Many antioxidants have been used for chelating heavy toxic pollutants such as lead and oxidative stress released in excess during lead exposure. Several studies have stated the noticeable gathering of herbal singly or in combination in modulating lead-induced disturbances, therefore proposing great promise in enhancing health status and welfare of man as well as animals. For this, in the current review, we tried to discuss the enormous harmful influences of lead toxicity on the animal model and the disturbing truth that this detrimental toxic substance can be found quite simply in the surroundings and amplitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant extracts are gaining more attention as therapeutic agents against inflammation. In this study, four different widely used herbals were selected, such as holy basil leaf, sesame seed, long pepper, and cubeb pepper. We have evaluated the anti-inflammatory action of an aqueous extract from these herbs and tested their effects on monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). MDMs were pre-treated with these extracts individually for 2 h, followed by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation for 24 h and pro-inflammatory gene expression was analyzed. Also, we studied the effect of these extracts on the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by enzymatic (Myeloperoxidase) and non-enzymatic (copper) reactions. All extracts attenuated LPS-induced inflammation and also were able to inhibit the oxidation of LDL. These beneficial actions of extracts led us to identify molecules present in the extracts. A liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometric analysis was performed to identify the chemical composition of extracts. Wide range of molecules were identified across all the extracts, short-chain organic acids, phenolic acids and derivatives, piperine and its structural homologues, eugenol, rosmarinic acid, flavonoids and their glucosides, and others. This study opens a door for future studies on non-pharmacological natural therapeutics that will be useful for consumers and producers, as well as industries utilizing bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many herbs and spices have been recommended traditionally as galactagogues and several commercial formulations prepared using herbs. Due to the presence of various compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids, isoflavones, and terpenes, bitter and stringent taste is elicited that make the consumption of these herbal preparations unpleasant. Moreover, these compounds are unstable when exposed to environmental conditions. In this regard, different approaches are used for taste masking such as microencapsulation. In the present study, microcapsules containing herbal galactagogue extract were developed through emulsification/ external gelation and Box-Behnken design was used to investigate the effects of independent variables (sodium alginate: 1-1.5%, calcium chloride: 0.2-1% and extract concentrations: 1-5%) on encapsulation efficiency (EE%). Following evaluation of the model, the optimum condition of encapsulation process was selected as 1.49% sodium alginate, 0.84 CaCl2, and 1.58% extract with EE% of 77.97%. Microcapsules had an acceptable spherical morphology and the results of Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed the presence of the extract within the microcapsules. The mean diameters of the uncoated and chitosan-coated microcapsules were 52 and 123 µm and encapsulation yield was 50.21 and 69.7%, respectively. The polydispersity index of 0.45 and 0.48 were an indicative of polydisperse nature of the microcapsules. The loss of flavonoids in microcapsules stored at two different temperatures was insignificant. The in-vitro release in simulated gastric fluid (SGF; pH 1.2) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF; pH 7.4) were 48.1% and 80.11%, respectively during 24 h. The prepared extract-loaded microcapsules have potential to be used in matrices with neutral pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food Technology & Biotechnology is the property of Food Technology & Biotechnology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Hyperlipidemia is an abnormality of lipid metabolism, characterized by an elevation of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and/or a decreasing of high density lipoprotein cholesterol in circulating levels. Hyperlipidemia has been ranked as one of the greatest risk factors contributing to prevalence and severity of coronary heart diseases. Hyperlipidemia-associated lipid disorders are considered the cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. There has been a growing interest in natural products and their role in the maintenance and improvement of health and wellness. The cholesterol-lowering effect of dietary plants has been well studied and various natural products were shown to be helpful in lowering plasma cholesterol levels and encouraging safety profile. The main focus of this review is to describe what we know to date of natural products, along with their lipid-lowering mechanisms, which are either through inhibition of cholesterol absorption, inhibition of cholesterol synthesis or antioxidant mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Agriculturae Slovenica is the property of Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract This study investigated 354 herbal extracts prepared from 115 herbs via 4 extraction methods. The extracts' antibacterial activities against Streptococcus agalactiae were sequentially evaluated in vitro by two methods: (1) microplate assay and (2) agar well diffusion. Then the herbal extracts with high antibacterial activity in vitro were mixed into feed at 100 mg/g (dry herb/dry feed, w: w) and fed to fishes with S. agalactiae infection for in vivo evaluation of their therapeutic efficacy. Subsequently, the EC 50 values (the concentrations result in the relative percent survival (RPS) of 50%) of the three herbal extracts with the highest therapeutic efficacies were calculated according to fit equations. Finally, phytochemical analyses of the herbs with the highest therapeutic efficacies were conducted using ultra performance liquid chromatography-Q Exactive Orbitrap-Mass spectrometry (UPLC-QE-MS). The results showed the following: in detections from the microplate assay method, 62 of the 354 candidate herbal extracts had antibacterial activity with inhibition ratios above 5%; in detections from the agar well diffusion method, 29 of the 62 the candidate herbal extracts showed clear inhibition zones and 33 showed semi-clear inhibition zones. Aristolochia debilis (fruit), Lonicera japonica (flower), Spatholobus suberectus (stem), and Arecae Semen (fruit) extracts prepared by 3 h of maceration at 50 °C had RPSs of 100.0%, 55.6%, 75.0%, and 33.3%, respectively; Panax ginseng (leaf), Rheum palmatum L. (root), and Semen Alpiniae (seed) extracts prepared by 72 h of maceration at room temperature had RPSs of 77.8%, 25.0%, and 12.5%, respectively; and Radix Isatidis (root) extract prepared by 30 min of ultrasonic-extraction at room temperature had an RPS of 62.5%. A. debilis , P. ginseng , and S. suberectus extracts had EC 50 s of 44.03, 41.19, 39.54 mg/g, respectively. Phytochemical analyses of A. debilis , P. ginseng , and S. suberectus extracts using UPLC-QE-MS produced the following results: the negative model detected 270, 623, and 326 peaks and identified 54, 70, and 52 compounds, respectively; the positive model detected 446, 1401, and 400 peaks and identified 61, 107, and 44 compounds, respectively. Taken together, these results indicate that the extracts of A. debilis , P. ginseng , and S. suberectus could prove useful for the treatment of S. agalactiae infection in Nile tilapia and suggest that appropriate bioactive compounds from these three herbal extracts may be developed as alternates to antibiotics. Highlights • Seventeen herbs have antibacterial activity against S. agalactiae in vitro , which have not previously been reported. • Six herbal extracts have been demonstrated to have good therapeutic efficacy on tilapia S. agalactiae diseases in vivo. • A foundation for identifying antibacterial ingredients of the three selected herbs was established by UPLC-QE-MS analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbal extracts are used in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical sectors, e.g., as natural antioxidants, herbal remedies and active phyto-ingredients. Herbal extract constituents can be lost or suffer degradation due to environmental factors and microbial spoilage. Encapsulation technologies may overcome these limitations and improve product properties. Rosmarinus officinalis is an aromatic plant with proven antioxidant properties linked to their high content of phenolic compounds. In this work, the feasibility of fluidization technology for coating of microcrystalline cellulose cores (Celphere) with a lipid-based system loaded with polyphenol-rich extract of R. officinalis was studied. The effects of the processing conditions and encapsulating composition on system performance and product properties were evaluated. The coating efficiency ranged from 64.3 to 79.2; although the differences did not show statistical significance (p < 0.05). The percentage of agglomerates in the product ranged from 0.2 to 47.7 and was impacted by processing conditions. Higher retention efficiencies were observed for the monitored marker compounds (caffeic, rosmarinic and carnosic acids and carnosol), reaching values higher than 70%, except for caffeic acid in the composition added with gum arabic (-60%). Therefore, the fluidization is an effective and promising technology able to engineer innovative granular products loaded with herbal phytochemical compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this experiment, the effects of fennel and thyme extracts with and without flaxseed were investigated on performance and egg quality of Leghorn-type laying hens (Hy-Line W-36). 200 laying hens from 26 to 38 weeks of age were assigned to five dietary treatments with five replications. The treatment groups were: 1) Control (a diet without any additives); 2) control diet plus fennel (40 mg/kg feed); 3) control diet plus thyme (40 mg/kg feed); 4) a diet containing flaxseed and fennel; and 5) a diet containing flaxseed plus thyme. There were significant differences in feed intake and egg weight between the treatments (P < 0.05). The egg yolk color index in hens that received thyme extract and flaxseed treatment was significantly higher than other treatments (P < 0.05). Hens fed control diet had lower Haugh unit compared to other treatments that contained herbal extracts. The eggshell strength was significantly higher in hens that received thyme extract and flaxseed treatments than control (P < 0.05). The eggshell weight in treatments containing flaxseed was significantly higher compared to the other treatments (P < 0.05). The lowest egg yolk cholesterol concentration was found in hens fed thyme and flaxseed treatment. The hens fed plant extracts and flaxseed diets had eggs with low palmitic and stearic acids and high α-linolenic acid. It is concluded that thyme and fennel extracts, as well as flaxseed, improved the performance and egg quality of laying hens. The use of flaxseed and thyme extract improved egg yolk omega-3 fatty acids and decreased yolk cholesterol content.

Background & Objectives: Punica granatum is a non-productive form of a plant and is used for the treatment of diseases in traditional medicine. In this study, we evaluate the antibacterial activity and the total phenol compounds of Punica granatum. Materials & Methods: Disk and well diffusion methods and MIC were used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of hydro-alcoholic extract on S. aureus and E. coli compared to standard commercial antibiotic disks. Measurement of phenol compounds were performed by Seevers and Daly colorimetric methods (Folin-ciocalteu indicator). Results: 35 and 29 mm inhibition zones in S. aureus and 22 and 17 mm inhibition zones in E. coli were shown by disk and well diffusion method, respectively. Also, 7.8 mg/ml concentration of extract showed the MIC points for two bacteria. Phenol compound of extract was 233.15±5.1 mg/g of extraction. Conclusion: Antibacterial effect of Punica granatum compared to antibiotics indicates the strong activity against examined bacteria. Extensive antibacterial study of Punica granatum is suggested.

Introduction: Our study is a part of a trend of studies on the antioxidative properties of Chelidonium majus extracts or their fractions suggesting that antioxidant activities may depend on total flavonoid and/or alkaloid contents.

Binbing Ling,1,2 Deborah Michel,1 Meena Kishore Sakharkar,1 Jian Yang1 1Drug Discovery and Development Research Group, College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, 2Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Cancer Biology & Genetics Division, Queen’s Cancer Research Institute, Kingston, ON, Canada Abstract: Malignant melanoma (MM) is the most dangerous type of skin cancer, killing more than 1,100 people each year in Canada. Prognosis for late stage and recurrent MM is extremely poor due to insensitivity to chemotherapy drugs, and thus many patients seek complementary and alternative medicines. In this study, we examined four commonly used anticancer herbs in traditional Chinese medicine, Hedyotis diffusa, Scutellaria barbata, Lobelia chinensis, and Solanum nigrum, for their in vitro antitumor effects toward human MM cell line A-375. The crude water extract of S. nigrum (1 g of dry herb in 100 mL water) and its 2-fold dilution caused 52.8%±13.0% and 17.3%±2.7% cytotoxicity in A-375 cells, respectively (P0.05). Higher concentrated formulation might be needed for H. diffusa to exert its cytotoxic effect against A-375 cells. No cytotoxicity was observed in A-375 cells treated with crude water extract of S. barbata and L. chinensis. Further high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy analysis of the herbal extracts implicated that S. nigrum and H. diffusa might have adopted the same bioactive components for their cytotoxic effects in spite of belonging to two different plant families. We also showed that the crude water extract of S. nigrum reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species generation in A-375 cells, which may lead to a cytostatic effect. Furthermore, synergistic effect was achieved when crude water extract of S. nigrum was coadministered with temozolomide, a chemotherapy drug for skin cancer. Keywords: herbal extract, malignant melanoma, cytotoxicity, HPLC-MS/MS, reactive oxygen species

Recent investigations have shown that plants with medicinal peculiarities as good alternative to anthelmintics for livestock. In this study, the anthelmintic effects of three medicinal herbs (Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Punica granatum flower and Capsicum annuum) were screened in vitro against the infective larvae of Parascaris equorum. The recovered larvae of the parasite were exposed to four concentrations (50, 75, 100 and 125 mg/mL) of the extracts and then they examined for the viability at 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 minutes after the challenge. The results revealed that all the concentrations of each plant extract had anthelmintic effects on P. equorum larvae. Also, the statistics indicated that there were significant interactions between the concentration of the extracts and time of exposure on the number of viable larvae. In addition, C. annuum extract seemed to be a strong potency to kill larvae at all concentrations from the beginning of the experiment. These results confirmed that those herbal extracts possess good antiparasitic effects against infective larvae of P. equorum and thus could be considered in anthelminth treatment strategies.

Background: Production of anti-Toxoplasma drug with high efficacy and low side effect is one of the main priorities in toxoplasmosis researches. Herbal extracts has considered as a candidate for this purpose. Objective: This study was performed in order to determine lethal effect of Artemisia absinthium L., Carum copticum L. and Gossypium hirsutum extracts on Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites in vitro free cell line. Methods: Tachyzoites of T. gondii RH strain were treated with concentrations of 10, 50, 100, and 200 mg/ml of Artemisia absinthium L., Carum copticum L., and Gossypium hirsutum extracts within 10, 30, and 45 min. Afterward, the tachyzoites were stained with alkaline methylene blue. Mortality rates of tachyzoites treated with extracts were determined. The results were analyzed with one way ANOVA and Post Hoc Test by SPSS software. P