Pharmacological Research - Natural Products最新文献

{"title":"Toxicological profile and therapeutic potentials of Impatiens chinensis leaf extract: Exploring antibacterial, antioxidant, antidiabetic and insecticidal properties","authors":"Dharmalingam Kirubakaran ,&nbsp;Venugopal Krishnan","doi":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100238","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100238","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Impatiens chinensis</em>, a plant known for its traditional medicinal applications, has not been thoroughly investigated for its biological activities. This research delves into the chemical composition and biological effects of its methanolic leaf extract, focusing on its antibacterial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, molecular docking, larvicidal and insecticidal properties. The extract is rich in phenols and flavonoids, containing 20 compounds identified through GC-MS analysis. The primary components include Hexadecanoic acid (29.31 %). FTIR analysis revealed the presence of functional groups such as alcohols, alkenes and amides. The extract demonstrated strong antibacterial activity, especially against <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> and exhibited significant Antioxidant effects, achieving 60.27 % inhibition in the DPPH assay and 65.20 % inhibition in the ABTS assay. It also showed considerable Antidiabetic potential, inhibiting α-amylase (66.50 %) and α-glucosidase (61.12 %). Molecular docking studies with antidiabetic proteins (5NN8, 3W37) indicated promising interactions, suggesting potential therapeutic applications for diabetes. Additionally, the extract exhibited potent larvicidal and insecticidal properties. Overall, the leaf extract of <em>I. chinensis</em> showcases diverse biological activities, highlighting its potential as a valuable resource in medicinal research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101014,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological Research - Natural Products","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100238"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143928935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mapping the global landscape of in vitro antioxidant assays for natural product research: A bibliometric perspective","authors":"Aisyah Jaafar ,&nbsp;Nurul Alimah Abdul Nasir ,&nbsp;Aisyah Hasyila Jahidin ,&nbsp;Fazleen Haslinda Mohd Hatta ,&nbsp;Mizaton Hazizul Hasan","doi":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100248","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100248","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In vitro antioxidant assays (IVAA) are effective tools for evaluating the antioxidant properties of natural products, which are thought to contribute to their medicinal effects. However, the landscape of global interest in this topic has not been thoroughly examined. This study is the first to evaluate the bibliometric trends on the use of IVAA in natural product research focusing on the publication trends by year and country, top-cited articles, authors, journals, primary subject areas, and co-occurrences of authors' keywords. A total of 2856 Scopus-indexed publications from 1995 to 2024 were analysed using Scopus’s “Analyse Results” feature and VOSviewer v1.6.20 for keyword co-occurrence visualizations. Our findings revealed a steady increase in relevant publications from 2008 to 2024, with English as the dominant language. India and China emerged as the leading countries. Food Chemistry was the top publishing journal. A review article published by the Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal in 2013 was the most cited. Gokhan Zengin from Selcuk University, Turkey, was the topmost influential researcher. Agricultural and Biological Sciences, along with Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmaceutics, were the primary research subjects. Network visualisation identified six keyword clusters, with the red cluster being the most significant, featuring nine keywords including “antioxidant,” “anti-inflammatory,” “antimicrobial” and “phytochemical” among others. Recent impactful keywords include “antidiabetic” and “molecular docking.” Our in-depth analysis illustrated the key aspects of global research trend of IVAA impacting the natural product research. The use of computational tools is encouraged to complement IVAA while global collaborations are expected to promote natural product research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101014,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological Research - Natural Products","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100248"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143929003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of oral treatment with quercetin on inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease","authors":"Shivani Patel ,&nbsp;Nathaniel Marchetti ,&nbsp;Haleh Ganjian ,&nbsp;Daohai Yu ,&nbsp;Steven G. Kelsen ,&nbsp;Gerard J. Criner ,&nbsp;Umadevi S. Sajjan","doi":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100252","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100252","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Airway inflammation plays a major role in the development and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Quercetin, which has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties reduces lung inflammation in mice displaying COPD-like lung disease. Previously we showed that quercetin was safely tolerated up to 2000 mg/day. We conducted a pilot Phase II clinical trial to examine the effects of quercetin on inflammation in COPD patients.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Fourteen COPD patients with ≥ 10 pack-year smoking history and CRP &gt; 3.0 mg/L were randomized in 1:2 ratio to either placebo or quercetin 2000 mg/day for 6 months. Blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected at baseline and 6 months post-treatment. The reduction of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in BALF and blood were expressed as change from baseline. Safety of quercetin was assessed based on FEV₁ and blood tests.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Plasma quercetin levels significantly increased after treatment in only quercetin group. The levels of IL-8, IL-1β, and 8-isoprostane in the BAL and serum SP-D were significantly different from baseline in patients treated with quercetin, but not placebo. The patient-reported disease symptoms showed lowering trend in quercetin-treated group. No study drug-related adverse events were observed as assessed by comprehensive metabolic panel and FEV₁.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Oral treatment with quercetin was safely and well-tolerated by COPD patients. Quercetin treatment reduced some lung and serum inflammatory biomarkers in COPD. Further prospective studies are necessary to confirm the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of quercetin in COPD patients and to determine if quercetin offers any clinical benefit.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101014,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological Research - Natural Products","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100252"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143936639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nano-formulation of phytochemicals to combat neurodegenerative diseases: Current and thorough strategies","authors":"Sailee Chowdhury ,&nbsp;Garima Kumari ,&nbsp;Tanmay Jit","doi":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100249","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100249","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nanoparticles have established potential in enhancing medication pharmacokinetics, biodegradability, and therapeutic efficacy, while decreasing adverse effects. By breaching the blood-brain barrier, they have the ability to modulate disturbed processes in neurodegenerative illnesses, including inflammatory processes, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and protein aggregation. Nanoparticle-based formulations targeting pathways contribute to mental and neurological illnesses, including Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple sclerosis, and Huntington's syndrome. Various phytochemicals have shown potential for producing nano-formulations to treat Alzheimer's disease. Integrative medicine, combining Western and traditional medicine, has shown promising results in treating neurological problems. Various nano-formulations with bioactive phytochemicals have shown promising outcomes in treating various neuro-degenerative diseases through diverse ways. This review combines recent advancements in nanotechnology with neurodegenerative disease treatments, highlighting innovative approaches that focus on specific, lesser-explored phytochemicals or their novel combinations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101014,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological Research - Natural Products","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100249"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143921659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive evaluation of essential oil from stemodia viscosa roxb: Chemical composition, antimicrobial, antimycobacterial, antiangiogenic, and anticancer potential with apoptosis and cell cycle analysis","authors":"Alfredi A. Moyo ,&nbsp;Trupti B. Yadav ,&nbsp;Sneha R. Bhosale ,&nbsp;Raphael Matinde ,&nbsp;Alphonce Ignace Marealle ,&nbsp;Vitus A. Nyigo ,&nbsp;Vinod B. Shimpale ,&nbsp;Prashant V. Anbhule","doi":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100250","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100250","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stemodia viscosa&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Roxb.,&lt;/strong&gt; an aromatic herb, has traditionally been used in the Western Ghats region of India to treat and manage various microbial infections and cancer.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Aims&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The study aimed to explore the chemical composition, antimicrobial, anti-angiogenic, and anticancer effects of the essential oil and reveal the mechanism of action based on &lt;em&gt;in vitro&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;ex ovo&lt;/em&gt; experimental techniques.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The essential oil was extracted using hydrodistillation and characterized through Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Antibacterial and antifungal activities were tested using agar well diffusion and microdilution against &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;,&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aspergillus flavus&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, while antimycobacterial activity was evaluated against &lt;em&gt;Mycobacterium avium&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Mycobacterium tuberculosis&lt;/em&gt; using the Alamar Blue assay. Anticancer activity was assessed using the MTT assay, while the Chick Embryo Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) assay was used to evaluate antiangiogenic effects. Apoptosis and cell cycle analyses were conducted using flow cytometry.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Seventy six compounds were identified in the essential oil. The oil demonstrated significant antibacterial activity &lt;em&gt;Bacillus subtilis&lt;/em&gt; with zone of inhibition: 16 ± 1.08 mm and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 31.25 µg/mL. &lt;em&gt;Aspergillus flavus&lt;/em&gt; was most affected by the oil compared to the other fungi, with a zone of inhibition measuring 17 ± 0.45 mm and a MIC value of 15.63 µg/mL. Moderate antimycobacterial activity was observed against Mycobacterium avium with an inhibition rate of 54.33 %. Strong antioxidant activity was observed, with an IC&lt;sub&gt;50&lt;/sub&gt; value of 81.25 ± 1.18 μg/mL, while the antiangiogenic effects demonstrated significant suppression of vascularization in the CAM model. The essential oil exhibited potent anticancer activity against lung cancer cells (IC&lt;sub&gt;50&lt;/sub&gt; = 49.07 ± 0.74 µg/mL) with high selectivity for cancer cells (SI = 5.34). Mechanist&lt;sub&gt;ic&lt;/sub&gt; studies revealed significant cell death by inducing apoptosis and causing cell cycle arrest at the G1 and G2 phases in A549 human lung cancer cells.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Discussion&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;A comparison of the antimicrobial and anticancer results revealed that the essential oil from &lt;em&gt;S. viscosa&lt;/em&gt; exhibited significant anticancer activity, with the proposed mechanism involving cell cycle arrest in A549 human lung cancer cells.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Limitations&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Although apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were observed, specific molecular targets or pathways responsible for the observed anticancer effects were not elucidated.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;C","PeriodicalId":101014,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological Research - Natural Products","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100250"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143928934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Citral as an anti-inflammatory agent: Mechanisms, therapeutic potential, and perspectives","authors":"Isabelly G. Solon,&nbsp;Wanderson S. Santos,&nbsp;Luiz G.S. Branco","doi":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100253","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100253","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Citral, a natural monoterpene aldehyde found in plants like lemongrass and lemon balm, has been extensively studied for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. This review aims to comprehensively analyze citral's pathophysiological roles in inflammatory conditions, highlighting its mechanisms of action and therapeutic potential. Citral has been shown to modulate key inflammatory pathways, including the inhibition of COX-2 and NF-κB, reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). These molecular actions support citral’s ability to alleviate inflammation in various systems, including respiratory, gastrointestinal, neuroinflammatory, and orofacial conditions. Traditional uses of citral-rich plants in ethnopharmacology, particularly in Asia, Africa, and South America, have long underpinned its application in managing symptoms of inflammation. Modern research further validates these uses, suggesting that citral may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for chronic inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions. Despite its promising benefits, the full therapeutic potential of citral remains underexplored, with limited clinical studies and a lack of clarity regarding its long-term safety and bioavailability. This review discusses current research gaps, future directions, and the potential integration of citral into clinical practices. By bridging traditional knowledge with contemporary pharmacological research, citral stands as a candidate for the development of novel anti-inflammatory treatments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101014,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological Research - Natural Products","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100253"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143921658","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phytochemical evaluation, safety profile and hepato-renal protective potential of Green Gold Spirulina capsules containing Spirulina platensis in rats","authors":"Monika Bhadauria ,&nbsp;Samrat Rakshit ,&nbsp;Shamli S. Gupte ,&nbsp;Sangeeta Shukla ,&nbsp;Om Prakash Agrawal ,&nbsp;Sadhana Shrivastava ,&nbsp;Satendra Kumar Nirala","doi":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100240","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100240","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Evaluation of major phytochemical constituents and free radical scavenging activity of commercially available Green Gold capsules containing <em>Spirulina platensis</em> (GG <em>Spirulina</em>) was carried out in this investigation. Antioxidant, hepatoprotective and nephroprotective potential of GG <em>Spirulina</em> (125 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg, po) was also validated. Acute dose (1 ml/kg, ip) of carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) was administered to induce acute dysfunctions in liver and kidney in rats. Results indicated the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, flavonones and flavonols in GG <em>Spirulina</em> and possess H₂O₂ scavenging activity. Choleretic activity of GG <em>Spirulina</em> at 250 mg/kg dose showed no adverse effects on liver indicating its safe consumption at 250 mg/kg dose. Administration of CCl₄ altered various diagnostic variables. Treatment of GG <em>Spirulina</em> significantly controlled concentration of transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, albumin, cholesterol, triglycerides, urea and uric acid in serum and maintained various hematological indices towards control. Treatment of GG <em>Spirulina</em> reduced lipid peroxidation in liver, kidney and microsomes, enhanced glutathione level and prevented from severe alterations in histoarchitecture of liver and kidney. Protective effect of GG <em>Spirulina</em> at doses of 125 and 250 mg/kg was statistically compared to silymarin as positive control and found that effectiveness of 250 mg/kg dose of GG <em>Spirulina</em> was better than 125 mg/kg dose and silymarin in certain parameters, concluding hepato and nephroprotective potential of GG <em>Spirulina</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101014,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological Research - Natural Products","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100240"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143928936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A new insight into the phytochemistry, radical scavenging, and antimicrobial activity of Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit grown in different localities","authors":"Pratibha Mishra,&nbsp;Saima Sohrab,&nbsp;Sanjay Kumar Mishra","doi":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100247","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100247","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diverse edaphoclimatic conditions remarkably influence the pharmacological potential by affecting the synthetic ability of bioactive secondary metabolites in plants. Present research delves into exploring how the locality specific factors influence the phytochemical profile, antioxidative and antimicrobial activities of the untamed invasive weed, <em>Hyptis suaveolens</em> (L.) Poit. Advanced techniques like FTIR and GC-MS have been employed in order to identify the bioactive compounds present in the methanolic leaf extract of these plants. The therapeutic potential of the methanolic leaf extract was evaluated and compared for radical scavenging activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay and antimicrobial effectiveness employing the disc diffusion method, respectively. The IC₅₀ for radical scavenging and MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) for antimicrobial activities were determined using standard methods. Our results revealed that the methanolic leaf extracts of <em>Hyptis suaveolens</em> from localities Prayagraj (L1) and Shankargarh (L2), showed significant in-vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities due to the presence of an array of diverse bioactive secondary metabolites, including unique terpenes and fatty acids such as methyl 11,12-octadieodecanate, 8,9-octadecadienoate, cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid, squalene, beta-caryophyllene and n-hexadecanoic acid synthesized in glandular and non-glandular trichomes of the leaves. These compounds are lipophilic and contain carbonyl and hydroxyl groups, effectively contributing towards these pharmacological effects. The enhanced pharmacological effect observed in L1 plants can be attributed to the presence of additional active compounds like squalene (triterpene) and n-hexadecanoic acid (fatty acid), which were absent in L2 plants. This study underscores the influence of locality specific factors in shaping the pharmacological potential of <em>Hyptis suaveolens</em>, providing valuable insights for effective use in medicine.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101014,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological Research - Natural Products","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100247"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143894895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anticancer and apoptotic effects of orange peel extract and naringin on doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in human esophageal squamous carcinoma cell line","authors":"Mahboubeh Tajaldini ,&nbsp;Firooz Samadi ,&nbsp;Jahanbakhsh Asadi ,&nbsp;Ayoub Khosravi ,&nbsp;Faezeh Samadi","doi":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100244","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100244","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The presence of bioactive compounds in orange peel, which possess strong antioxidant properties, suggests that they may have pharmacological effects on cancer cells while maintaining low toxicity. This study sought to investigate the anticancer and apoptotic effects of orange peel extract (OPE) and its main flavonoid derivative, naringin (NR), on doxorubicin (Dox)-induced apoptosis in a human esophageal squamous carcinoma cell line (ESCC). The assessment of cytotoxicity and DNA fragmentation was conducted by employing the methylthiazoletetrazolium (MTT) assay and the fluorescent nuclear dye 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) assay, respectively. The levels of Bax, Bcl-2, p21, p53, and caspases 8 and 9 were quantified through the utilization of ELISA to determine the protein expression. A decline in the viability of YM-1 cells treated with OPE, NR, and Dox was observed in a dose-dependent manner. The combination of Dox with OPE and NR demonstrated a protective effect against Dox-induced cytotoxicity. Furthermore, normal cells exposed to Dox exhibited the lowest viability compared to other treatments, while the combination of Dox with OPE or NR reduced its cytotoxic effects. The interaction between Dox and OPE as well as NR resulted in a decrease in apoptotic bodies. The YM-1 cells subjected to treatments showed an up-regulation of the pro-apoptotic Bax gene. However, the interaction between Dox and OPE as well as NR led to the down-regulation of Bax. Furthermore, the activation of executioner caspases 8 and 9 was found in the YM-1 cell line exposed to Dox and its combination with OPE and NR. The YM-1 cells subjected to the treatments exhibited an overexpression of the anti-tumor genes p21 and p53. Conversely, the interaction between Dox and OPE as well as NR resulted in the down-regulation of the anti-tumor genes P21 and P53. In conclusion, this study suggests that OPE and NR have the potential to induce apoptosis in ESCC through Bax-dependent pathways and could serve as promising agents to mitigate the toxic effects of Dox on ESCC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101014,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological Research - Natural Products","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100244"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143891675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antibacterial effect of Vachellia farnesiana (L.) WIGHT & ARN. pod extract against gram positive and gram negative multidrug-resistant strains","authors":"Denise Aline Casimiro Bezerra ,&nbsp;Maria Anésia Sousa de Alencar ,&nbsp;Dárcio Luiz de Sousa Júnior ,&nbsp;Luciene Ferreira De Lima ,&nbsp;Ítalo Mykaell da Silva Benjamim ,&nbsp;Luiz Eduardo Oliveira Teotônio ,&nbsp;Nadghia Figueiredo Leite Sampaio ,&nbsp;Pedro Everson Alexandre De Aquino ,&nbsp;Ítalo Rosal Lustosa ,&nbsp;Joanda Paolla Raimundo e Silva ,&nbsp;Josean Fechine Tavares ,&nbsp;Marcelo Sobral da Silva ,&nbsp;Micheline Azevedo Lima ,&nbsp;Lucas Silva Abreu ,&nbsp;Jaime Ribeiro-Filho ,&nbsp;Francisco Assis Bezerra Da Cunha ,&nbsp;Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho","doi":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100245","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.prenap.2025.100245","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Antibiotic resistance rates have increased over time, requiring the development of new antimicrobial drugs and the identification of bioactive compounds capable of improving the effectiveness of currently available antibiotics. <em>Vachellia farnesiana</em> (L.) is a species of the Fabaceae family characterized by phenolic compounds and terpenes. Thus, considering the evidence that these compounds have significant biological effects, this study aimed to characterize the chemical composition and antibacterial effects of the ethanolic extract of <em>V. farnesiana</em> pods against standard and multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, <em>Escherichia coli</em>, and <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em>. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined to assess the antibacterial activity of the extract, as well as to investigate its enhancing the effectiveness of amikacin, gentamicin, and clindamycin against MDR strains. Therefore, the antibiotics were combined with a sub-inhibitory extract concentration (MIC/8). The extract showed significant antibacterial activity against <em>S. aureus</em> and <em>E. coli</em>. In addition, the association of antibiotics with a sub-inhibitory concentration (MIC/8) of the extract significantly reduced the MIC of at least two drugs against different strains, indicating potentiation. Finally, the HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS analyses detected the presence of 25 peaks, with the identification of 30 compounds in 22 peaks (88 %) in the extracts of <em>V. farnesiana</em> green pods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101014,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological Research - Natural Products","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100245"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143894896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}