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The cytotoxic chloroform fraction of Euphorbia aellenii Rech. F. (Euphorbiaceae) afforded two new phorbol diterpenoids: 4-deoxy-4α-phorbol-12-(2,3-dimethyl) butyrate-13-isobutyrate and 17-hydroxy-4-deoxy-4α-phorbol-12-(2,3-dimethyl) butyrate-13-isobutyrate. Their structures were elucidated by NMR and other spectroscopic methods. The immunomodulating potentials of the isolated compounds were tested using standard proliferation and chemiluminescence assays. Compound 2 showed moderate inhibitory activity against both T-cell proliferation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in whole blood with IC50 of 14.0 ± 0.57 and 44.1 ± 3.8 µg/ml, respectively, while compound 1 was relatively inactive with IC50 >50 µg/mL for T-cell proliferation, and >100 µg/mL for ROS.

RESUMEN

The methanol extracts of 20 selected medicinal plants were investigated for their effects on the respiratory burst of human whole blood, isolated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and isolated mice macrophages using a luminol/lucigenin-based chemiluminescence assay. We also tested the effect of the extracts on chemotactic migration of PMNs using the Boyden chamber technique. The extracts of Curcuma domestica L., Phyllanthus amarus Schum & Thonn and C. xanthorrhiza Roxb. were the samples producing the strongest oxidative burst of PMNs with luminol-based chemiluminescence, with IC(50) values ranging from 0.5 to 0.7 µg/ml. For macrophage cells, the extracts which showed strong suppressive activity for luminol-based chemiluminescence were C. xanthorrhiza and Garcinia mangostana L. Among the extracts studied, C. mangga Valton & Vazsjip, Piper nigrum L. and Labisia pumila var. alata showed strong inhibitory activity on lucigenin-amplified oxidative burst of PMNs, with IC(50) values ranging from 0.9 to 1.5 µg/ml. The extracts of Zingiber officinale Rosc., Alpinia galangal (L.) Willd and Averrhoa bilimbi Linn showed strong inhibition on the chemotaxic migration of cells, with IC(50) values comparable to that of ibuprofen (1.5 µg/ml). The results suggest that some of these plants were able to modulate the innate immune response of phagocytes at different steps, emphasizing their potential as a source of new immunomodulatory agents.

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RESUMEN

The present study is undertaken to find out the relative glycemic tolerance of natural honey compared with simulated honey and D-glucose using oral glucose tolerance tested up to 180 min. Twenty-six healthy human subjects with mean age of 28.6 +/- 9.3 y were randomly divided into 3 groups, that is, natural honey consumers (NHC; n= 13), simulated honey consumers (AHC; n= 6), and D-glucose consumers (DGC; n= 7). After recording fasting blood glucose, the participants consumed either natural honey or simulated honey or D-glucose (1g/kg body weight). Subsequently, additional plasma glucose levels (PGLs) were recorded at 60, 120, and 180 min. At 60 min, DGC and AHC group members exhibited similar PGL elevation (that is, 52% and 47%, respectively) compared to NHC group with only 20% increment. On the other hand, after 180 min, 20% decrease in PGL was observed in the DGC group compared to 9.75% reduction in the NHC group. These observations are primarily in line with earlier studies. Results analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant differences between all 3 tested groups with F-statistic (19.96) and P value (< 0.005). Coefficient of variation of the NHC, AHC, and DGC groups were 14.8%, 20.2%, and 27.5%, respectively. Posthoc tests showed that glucose response was significantly lower in the NHC group at all time points (P < 0.005) compared to the AHC and DGC groups. In conclusion, natural honey stabilizes physiological glycemic response with rebound recovery of PGL.

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