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Purpose: To evaluate the antiulcer activities of the methanol extract of pomegranate (Punica granatum L) fruit peel using 80 % ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model in rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats, 175 - 220 g, were fasted for 48 h, but had free access to water. They were randomly divided into nine experimental groups. Ulcer was induced in the rats with 80 % ethanol. The control group animals received the same treatment as those in the test groups except that the extract treatment was replaced by administration of appropriate volume of the dosing vehicle. Histamine-receptor type-2 (H2) blocker, cimetidine (100 mg/kg, i.p.) was used as the reference drug. Oral pretreatment with three different extract doses (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) was for 15 days, thereafter, ulcer index (UI) and inhibition were calculated. Results: The extract, at 50 mg/kg, of black fruit peel extract produced significant (p < 0.05) protective effect in rats with a preventive index of 65.87 %. Other doses were significantly protective against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in the rats. On the other hand, north white peel was not effective (50 mg/kg) showed an ulcer index of 49.52 ± 1.99. Histopathological examination of the stomach of the ulcerated animals treated with white peel (50 mg/kg) showed severe erosion of gastric mucosa, sub-mucosal edema and neutrophil infiltration. Conclusion: The study shows indicates the antiulcer properties of the methanol extracts of north white peel, sour summer and black peel (25, 50, 100 mg/kg) of pomegranate. Their antiulcer activity is exerted, possibly, via its high antioxidant activity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate 38 natural and 62 branded lemon juices for their total antioxidant activities and flavonoid content. Methods: The ferric reducing antioxidant power was applied to evaluation of antioxidant. Additionally quercetin, eriocitrin, diosmin and hesperidin contents were evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: Total antioxidant activity of the juices ranged from 91.38 ± 0.01 to 526.93 ± 0.12 µg/ml. The maximum contents of quercetin, hesperidin and eriocitrin 14.83 ± 2.83, 104.84 ± 12.58 and 10.68 ± 2.41 µg/mL, respectively. The natural juices had diosmin levels as high as 236.18 mL. The limit of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.15 µg mg-1 for hesperidine to 0.53 µg ml-1 for diosmin while the limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.27 µg mg-1 for hesperidine to 0.93 µg ml-1 for quercetin. Conclusion: The developed method can also be applied to the determination of related extracts of orange cultivars as well as various extracts of medicinal plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tragopogon graminifolius DC. (TG), Compositae family, is traditionally used for the treatment of various diseases like gastrointestinal and hepatic disorders. The aim of the present study is to standardize extracts from TG used for preparation of different dosage forms in traditional Iranian medicine (TIM) based on phenolic compounds. For this purpose, total phenolic content and some phenolic compounds were determined in ethanolic extracts from aerial part and root of TG by HPLC method. Furthermore, antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH-HPLC methods. Caffeic acid, gallic acid, ρ-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and catechin were detected in root and aerial part of TG. ρ-Coumaric acid (6.357 ± 0.014 mg·g-1) was dominant phenolic compound in aerial part followed by ferulic acid (1.24 ± 0.018 mg-g-1). Also, p-coumaric acid (2.685 ± 0.031mg·g-1) was highly abundant in root, followed by catechin (2.067 ± 0.021 mg-g-1). Antioxidant activity of root extract (460.45 ± 0.78 µg Vit.E.E·mL-1) was better than that of aerial part. Generally, phenolic compounds are one of the major constituents of TG and could be used as markers for standardization of dosage forms prepared from this plant. Also, TG demonstrated significant antioxidant activity using DPPH-HPLC method. Phenolic compounds of TG may be responsible for its marked antioxidant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin E is a potent reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) scavenger. It is a lipid-soluble vitamin and its main function is to protect polyunsaturated fatty acids against oxidative stress. Twenty-five mechanically ventilated Intensive Care Unit (ICU) adult patients participated in a prospective randomized clinical trial receiving either placebo (10 patients) or 3 IM doses (1000 IU each) of vitamin E (15 patients). We determined plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid concentrations of vitamin E and superoxide dismutase (SOD).Among these 25 patients, there were 14 men and 11 women, aged 63.16 ± 15.48 years (mean ± SD; range = 33 to 87 years). Vitamin E supplementation resulted in significant differences in plasma and BAL vitamin E concentrations between the two groups (p-value = 0.01, 0.01), decrease in SOD activities (not differ significantly in plasma (p-value = 0.23)), but with significant differences in BAL (p-value = 0.016) and progressive reduction in Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) (p-value = 0.52) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) (p-value = 0.008) score in vitamin E group. From the results of this study, it seems that supplementation of vitamin E as a potent antioxidant, along with other supportive measures, can be beneficial in decreasing SOD total activity, ROM production and risk of organ failure in critically ill patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To develop a simple, selective, and sensitive extraction and assay method for the analysis of eight food dyes. Methods: All sulphonated colors were extracted by an NH2-aminopropyl-modified silica SPE cartridge, and thereafter determined by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) using a C18 column with gradient elution of ammonium acetate buffer (pH 6.7), methanol, and acetonitrile. The analysis was carried out on a UV detector with two optimized method settings within 17 min. Results: Certificated standard material (CRM) was used to validate the method, and significant difference was not observed between the results and assigned values. Maximum LOD was 1.154 ppm at 250 nm for Brilliant blue, and 0.873 ppm for carmoisine. Recovery was 94.2 % for Brilliant blue in jelly powder. Conclusion: This method was successfully applied to determine colorants in various (30) water-soluble foods, including fruit flavored drinks, sugar confectionery, sweets, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To monitor changes in fatty acid profiles of brown and yellow varieties of flaxseeds in the raw and roasted states using gas chromatography (GC). Methods: Samples of flaxseeds were extracted with n-hexane in a Soxhlet apparatus for 8 h. Methylesterification of the samples was performed by methanolic boron trifluoride (BF3-MeOH) method according to American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS). Fatty acid (FA), analyzed using GC equipped with a split/splitless capillary injector and flame ionization detector (FID). Results: The results indicate that lipid content varied with the type of seed. Seed oil content was 53.31 ± 0.30 and 45.20 ± 0.20% for roasted and unroasted brown flax, respectively, and 10.25 ± 0.04% for the yellow type. The yellow and roasted brown type, at 300 oC, showed the lowest and highest oil content, respectively. The highest calculated oxidizability (COX) value was found for the unroasted brown type (13.19 ± 0.01%) whilst the lowest amount was observed for the roasted brown seed at 350 ­C (12.79 ± 0.01%). COX value for yellow type was 5.62 ± 0.01%. Conclusion: This study shows that the fatty acids content of flaxseeds vary with roasting conditions. This is significant because flax seed fatty acid composition influences the applications of the oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"VARD" formula consisting of Rosa damascena Mill. (Rosaceae) petals, and rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (Papilionaceae) and Nardostachys jatamansi DC. (Valerianaceae), has been proposed for gastric ulcer in Iranian traditional medicine. We investigated the antiulcer activity of each plant separately and in combination. The biochemical and molecular functions of extracts were also evaluated. Each plant hydroalcoholic extract was standardized via determination of total phenolic and flavonoid contents, also via some phenolic compounds determination and specially glycyrrhizic acid in G. glabra by using HPLC. Rats received orally extracts of the plants (20, 40 and 80 mg/Kg) and "VARD" (45 mg/Kg) 1 h before ethanol administration. Two h after receiving ethanol, animals were sacrificed; the stomach was removed for macroscopic and microscopic assessment. Also heme-oxygenase-1, glutathione, and catalase were measured in the gastric tissue of the rats pretreated by "VARD" and dose of 20 mg/Kg of extracts. Among three extracts, R. damascena and G. glabra contained more total phenolic and flavonoid content respectively. Gallic acid was prominent compound in R. damascena. The extracts of R. damascena , G. glabra , and N. jatamansi significantly decreased ulcer index. ED 50 values were 8.2, 31.86 and 25.08 mg/Kg respectively. "VARD" significantly decreased ulcer index compared to 20 mg/Kg of G. glabra ( p < 0.0001) and N. jatamansi ( p < 0.001). Pretreatment with "VARD" and each plant extracts (20 mg/Kg) increased glutathione, catalse and heme-oxygenase-1 significantly ( p < 0.05 ) in comparison with control group. Our findings indicate that "VARD" partly via antioxidant activity can be considered as an effective antiulcer formula., Competing Interests: The Authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.