RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: A plethora of scientific evidence showed that several plant species from the genus Allium (Alliaceae) possess multiple therapeutic effects. Present paper aimed to examine the antioxidant and antihemolytic activities of the essential oil and methanol extract Allium rotundum L. through different in vitro assays. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydroxyl radical (DPPH), nitric oxide as well as hydrogen peroxide scavenging, Fe2+ chelating, reducing power and also hemoglobin-induced linoleic acid peroxidation assay systems have been utilized to examine antioxidant effects of these samples. Total amounts of phenolic and flavonoid contents were calculated. The antihemolytic effect was investigated against hemolysis induced by hydrogen peroxide in rat erythrocytes. Also, mineral contents of plant were evaluated by atomic absorption spectroscopy. RESULTS: IC50 for DPPH radical-scavenging activity were 284 ± 11.64 for methanol extract and 1264 ± 45.60 µg ml-1 for essential oil, respectively. The extract has shown better reducing effects versus essential oil. The extract also demonstrated better activity in nitric oxide-scavenging activity. IC50 were 464 ± 19.68 for extract and 1093 ± 38.25 µg ml-1 for essential oil. The extract shows better activity than essential oil in Fe2+ chelating system. IC50 were 100 ± 3.75 for extract and 1223 ± 36.25 µg ml-1 for essential oil. The A. rotundum extract and essential oil showed significant H2O2 scavenging effects at dose-dependent manners. IC50 was 786 ± 29.08 mg ml-1 for essential oil. The amounts of eight elements were determined. The concentrations of elements were in the order: Mn> Fe> Zn> Cu> Ni> Cd. CONCLUSIONS: The extract showed a higher antioxidant effect in all tested models including DPPH, nitric oxide, reducing power as well as iron chelating and antihemolytic activities than essential oil. The latter showed more potent antioxidant activity in scavenging H2O2 and lipid peroxidation model. Antioxidant activities of extract may be attributed at least in part, due to its phenolic and flavonoid contents.
Asunto(s)
Allium/química , Hemólisis/efectos de los fármacos , Metanol , Animales , Antioxidantes/farmacología , Peróxido de Hidrógeno/química , Aceites Volátiles , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , RatasRESUMEN
Although cyclophosphamide (CP), an alkylating agent, has been extensively used in chemotherapy, it possesses a wide spectrum of adverse effects including hepatotoxicity. This study was aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Zataria multiflora against hepatic damage induced by CP in mice.Mice were orally (gavages) pretreated with the ethanolic extract aerial parts of Zataria at doses of 50, 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg for 7 consecutive days before a single intraperitoneal injection of 200 mg/kg CP. After 24 h, animals were anesthetized, blood samples and hepatic tissues were collected and used for biochemical and histological examination.Serum levels of hepatic markers were significantly increased after only CP treated animals but restored in Zataria pretreated groups. A single dose of CP administration also markedly induced abnormality in the levels of several biomarkers associated with oxidative stress in liver tissues homogenates. However, pretreatment with Zataria significantly inhibited the abnormality of antioxidant enzymes defense system in the liver tissues. In addition, histopathological studies proved that CP causes damage to the liver, and this was evidenced by the induced dilated and congested sinusoidal space, lymphocytic infiltration between hepatocytes, portal space with moderate to severe inflammation and necrotic hepatocyte with absence of nuclei. Zataria effectively protected animals against CP-induced hepatic tissue damages.Our results reveal that Zataria produces a potent hepatoprotective role and could be a potent candidate to use concomitantly as a supplement agent against hepatotoxicity of CP for the patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedad Hepática Inducida por Sustancias y Drogas/prevención & control , Ciclofosfamida/efectos adversos , Lamiaceae/química , Fitoterapia , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Sustancias Protectoras/farmacología , Animales , Biomarcadores/sangre , Enfermedad Hepática Inducida por Sustancias y Drogas/sangre , Enfermedad Hepática Inducida por Sustancias y Drogas/enzimología , Enfermedad Hepática Inducida por Sustancias y Drogas/patología , Relación Dosis-Respuesta a Droga , Etanol/química , Masculino , Ratones , Estrés Oxidativo/efectos de los fármacos , Componentes Aéreos de las Plantas/química , Extractos Vegetales/química , Extractos Vegetales/uso terapéutico , Sustancias Protectoras/química , Sustancias Protectoras/uso terapéutico , Sustancias Reactivas al Ácido Tiobarbitúrico/metabolismoRESUMEN
Aloe vera is a medicinal plant that promotes wound healing in burn injuries. A prospective clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of a topical cream containing 0.5% Aloe vera juice powder in the treatment of chronic anal fissures. The aloe cream was applied by the patients to the wound site 3 times per day for 6 weeks following the instructions of a physician. Pain was assessed with a visual analog scale before treatment and at the end of each week of treatment. Wound healing and the amount and severity of bleeding were examined and evaluated before and at the end of each week of treatment. There were statistically significant differences in chronic anal fissure pain, hemorrhaging upon defection and wound healing before and at the end of the first week of treatment also in comparison with control group (p < 0.0001). In this study, a topical cream containing aloe vera juice was an effective treatment for chronic anal fissures. This is a promising result indicating that further comparative studies are justified.
Asunto(s)
Aloe , Fisura Anal/tratamiento farmacológico , Hemorragia/tratamiento farmacológico , Dolor/tratamiento farmacológico , Fitoterapia , Preparaciones de Plantas/uso terapéutico , Adulto , Anciano , Defecación , Método Doble Ciego , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Dimensión del Dolor , Hojas de la Planta , Cicatrización de Heridas/efectos de los fármacos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
The Islamic Republic of Iran arguably has one of the most successful family planning programs in the developing world. This success is all the more interesting for advocates of population programs because the political leaders of the Islamic regime were once strongly opposed to family planning. Indeed, after gaining power following the 1979 revolution, they were responsible for dismantling Iran's relatively new family planning program and introducing pronatalist policies. This article provides an account of the different phases of the population policy in Iran and examines the diverse elements that led politico-religious leaders to revise their views about fertility control and to participate in creating a workable family planning program. The complex formal and informal strategies that the political experts, the media, the religious authorities, and the government of the Islamic Republic adopted in order to achieve this about-face are described. The analysis is based on data collected by the first author during anthropological field research in 1993-96, by means of informal interviews with officials, with medical personnel, with family planning clients, and with religious leaders.