BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies最新文献

{"title":"Nanoparticles from grape seed extract inhibit inflammatory cytokines and ameliorate CCl₄-induced hepatotoxicity.","authors":"Neveen Adel Madbouly, Doaa Mohammad Ali, Alyaa Ahmed Farid","doi":"10.1186/s12906-025-05005-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-025-05005-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Xenobiotic-induced liver injury is a clinically reverent condition which may influence the development of steatohepatitis via affecting numerous pathways such as oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondorial functioning and fatty acid biosynthesis. The current study was conducted to survey the antioxidant effect of grape seeds extract nanoparticles (GS extract NPs) against CCl₄-induced oxidative stress, hepatic dysfunction and inflammatory changes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Hydroethanolic Grape seed (GS) extract was prepared and characterized using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Then, GS extract NPs were synthesized and in vitro antioxidant, anticoagulant, cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory testes confirmed biological activity. Finally, Twenty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups (n = 5/group). Either GS extract (200 mg/kg/day) or GS extract NPs (100 mg/kg/day) were orally administrated independently to CCL₄-intoxicated (0.5 ml/kg twice a week for 3 weeks) rats. Four weeks after the treatment, serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were monitored. In addition, hepatic Malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide dismutases (SOD), Glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT) and hepatic inflammatory cytokines were assessed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>GS extract NPs were spherical-shaped and regular particles (size: 16.5 to 22.5 nm and zeta potential: -39.42 mv). CCL₄ -intoxicated rats showed increase of serum ALT, AST, ALP, elevation in MDA level accompanied by a decline in SOD, GSH and CAT levels in liver, compared with CCL₄-untreated rats. Immunologically, serum C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and hepatic interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-4, IL-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) showed significant elevation, compared with CCL₄ -untreated rats. Conversely, GS extract NPs supplementation potentially ameliorate hepatic functions by normalization of serum ALT, AST and ALP, reduced MDA level, improved antioxidant CAT, regulated liver inflammatory cytokines via maximal reduction of hepatic IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-α.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>GS extract NPs augmented the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of GS extract thereby protecting the liver against oxidative stress induced by CCl₄ as hepatic xenobiotic.</p><p><strong>Clinical trial number: </strong>Not applicable.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"25 1","pages":"276"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12275419/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144667049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acupuncture versus sham acupuncture in the treatment of insomnia for patients with Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled clinical trial.","authors":"Shuting Liu, Haining Li, Jiamei Zhang, Xiaona Ma, Junda Chen, Tingting Yang, Bing Chen, Ningai Yang, Xiuping Zhan, Jianxia Li, Guowei Wang, Yinlan Huang, Zhenhai Wang","doi":"10.1186/s12906-025-05009-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-025-05009-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Parkinson's disease-related insomnia (PD-I) has a profound impact on the overall well-being of patients. The findings of previous studies suggested that acupuncture may potentially improve the quality of sleep-in patients with PD. However, the clinical evidence to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture in managing PD-I remains undisclosed.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this randomized controlled trial, we enrolled 60 eligible participants between November 24, 2023 and June 18, 2024. Final follow-up was September 20, 2024. Participants with PD-I were allocated randomly (1:1) to the true acupuncture (TA) group or sham acupuncture (SA) group. The primary outcome was the change in the Parkinson Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS) score from baseline to week 16. The secondary outcomes included the assessment of insomnia, movement disorders, drug withdrawal rate and adverse effect were also recorded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The sleep quality rate of the TA group showed an increase at the 4th week, characterized by a notable rise in the proportion of scores within the range of 91-120 and a substantial decrease in scores ranging from 0-60, as compared to the SA group. Moreover, there was a significantly higher change observed in PDSS score for the TA group compared to the SA group, with a difference of 21.4 points (95% CI, 15.6 to 27.2), and this disparity remained consistent throughout the follow-up period until week 16. From baseline to week 4, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) decreased to 8.9 points (95% CI, 3.6 to 14.2) in the TA group and 10.8 points (95% CI, 4.3 to 17.3) in the SA group. The TA group presented a reduction in time to sleep and an increase in both actual sleep duration and sleep efficiency from baseline to week 4 and week 8.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings of this study suggest that acupuncture may enhance the management of patients with PD-I, thereby providing clinical evidence for the safety and efficacy evaluation of acupuncture.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>This trial has been registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2300077729). Submitted 18 July 2023, Registered 17 November 2023.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"25 1","pages":"278"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12276649/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144667046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chemical profile of Ficus lyrata bark extract and its therapeutic effect on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease via regulating oxidative stress, inflammation and hepatic lipogenesis.","authors":"Amria Mamdouh Mousa, Rehab Fikry Taher, Nermin Mohamed El-Sammad, Esraa Aly Balabel, Elham Mohamed Youssef, Ahmed Hassan Afifi, Sahar Samir Abdel-Rahman, Nayera Anwar, Sherien Kamal Hassan","doi":"10.1186/s12906-025-05010-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-025-05010-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The high prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) worldwide necessitates the attention and intervention of modern medical treatment options. Preliminary studies have demonstrated that Ficus Lyrata leaves can exert protective effects in rats against hepatic fibrosis and hypercholesterolemia. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the therapeutic effect of Ficus lyrata Wrab bark extract on the NAFLD rat model. NAFLD was induced through a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks in male Wistar rats. After four weeks of HFD feeding, the rats were treated with F. lyrata extract (250 mg/kg, 5 days/week) or simvastatin (4 mg/kg, 5 days/week) while continuing on the HFD till the end of the experiment. Serum and liver samples were harvested for biochemical, molecular, histopathological, and immunohistochemical investigations. In silico analysis was also conducted to analyse the binding affinity of the extract polyphenols and the key regulators of hepatic lipogenesis. The results revealed that F. lyrata extract administered to HFD-fed rats significantly improved the characteristics of NAFLD by reducing hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and aminotransferases while improving serum lipid profile and adipokines. Moreover, the extract reduced the expression of hepatic lipogenic genes sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), acetyl-CoA carboxylase-1 (ACC-1), and fatty acid synthase (FAS), and inflammatory markers tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), along with modulating oxidative stress markers and reversing histopathological changes. Molecular docking study revealed that most polyphenolic compounds in F. lyrata extract exhibited good binding affinity towards peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors γ (PPAR-γ) and liver X receptor α (LXR-α). In conclusion, our findings suggested that F. lyrata bark could be a promising therapeutic agent against the health issues related to NAFLD.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"25 1","pages":"280"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12276698/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144667047","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phytochemical profiling and anticancer potential of pistachio wastes against MCF-7 breast cancer cells: a metabolic and apoptotic pathway analysis.","authors":"Levent Gülüm, Emrah Güler, Çağla Başak Zırhlı, Ayşe Büşranur Çelik, Yusuf Tutar","doi":"10.1186/s12906-025-04963-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-025-04963-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Food waste poses significant environmental, economic, and social challenges worldwide. Pistachio waste is recognized for its health benefits, particularly for its anticancer properties. This study assessed the phytochemical characteristics of pistachio hull (PH) and shell (PS) using various solvents (ethyl acetate, hexane, and methanol). Methanolic extracts showed substantially higher phenolic and flavonoid contents along with enhanced antioxidant activity across all tested methods, with PH consistently outperforming PS in antioxidant properties. Cell viability tests on MCF-7 cancer cells indicated that PH-Hexane had a slightly greater effect than PH-ethyl acetate and PH-methanol. Cell cycle analysis revealed a notable arrest in the G0/G1 phase compared to the control group. Additionally, PH-Hexane treatment resulted in 21.24% apoptosis, primarily early apoptosis at 19.41%. The pathway analysis involving 46 genes revealed that PH-Hexane induces apoptosis in MCF-7 cancer cells by modulating several metabolic pathways, particularly those associated with the immune system, developmental biology, signal transduction, and cellular responses to stimuli. This induction was characterized by the substantial upregulation of the CEBPB, HIF1A, and MYC genes and the significant downregulation of ATF2, CEBPA, and NR3C1 genes. The findings of this study indicate that the hexane extract derived from high-oil-content wastes has potential as an anticancer agent. Future research on oil-rich plant-based wastes should consider utilizing hexane as a solvent for further exploration of anticancer properties.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"25 1","pages":"275"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12272975/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144658385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neuroprotective effect of the combination therapy of melatonin and URB447 after neonatal hypoxia-ischemia.","authors":"Marc Chillida, Francisco José Alvarez, Borja Herrero de la Parte, Ana Catalan, Antonia Alvarez, Daniel Alonso-Alconada","doi":"10.1186/s12906-025-05021-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-025-05021-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Perinatal asphyxia leading to neonatal encephalopathy is one of the major causes of death and childhood disability worldwide. As therapeutic hypothermia showed detrimental effects in medium/low-income countries, new therapeutic approaches are urgently needed to treat non-cooled asphyctic newborns. Melatonin and cannabinoids have emerged as possible neuroprotective strategies because of their multiple-acting mechanisms. The objective of this study was to assess the neuroprotective effects of combining melatonin and the cannabinoid URB447 after moderate-to-severe neonatal hypoxia-ischemia in newborn rats.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>On postnatal day (PD7) Sprague-Dawley rats underwent unilateral ligation of the left common carotid artery followed by 2 h exposure to a humidified 92%-nitrogen/8%-oxygen mixture to induce HI. Rat pups received 15 mg/kg of Melatonin (5 min after HI, and repeated at 24 and 48 h; HI + MEL, n = 15: 9 males / 6 females) and/or a single dose of 1 mg/kg of URB447 (3 h after HI; HI + MEL + URB447, n = 15: 8 males / 7 females; HI + URB447, n = 10: 5 males / 5 females). Animals without treatment received the corresponding volume of vehicle (HI-group, n = 15: 9 males / 6 females) and those without ischemia nor hypoxia served as controls (Sham, n = 10: 6 males / 4 females). At PD8 and PD14, a battery of behavioral tests (front limb suspension, righting reflex and negative geotaxis) were evaluated, before the sacrifice of animals for histological analysis of brain infarct and neuropathological damage on PD14. White matter was also assessed at PD14 by immunohistochemistry for myelin basic protein. To compare the five experimental groups, parametric data were analysed using one-way ANOVA with Tukey's multiple comparisons test, whereas non-parametric data were studied with the Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn's multiple comparisons test. Data considered significantly different if p < 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The combined therapy of Melatonin + URB447 obtained better results in sensorimotor performances when compared to non-treated HI. Melatonin- or URB447-only therapies did not improve either test. In the histological studies, despite having similar results to URB447-only, Melatonin + URB447 obtained better results in global neuropathological score and white matter injury in the cingulum.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our data suggest that Melatonin + URB447 improved neurodevelopmental outcomes after HI, a beneficial effect extended to grey and white matter after hypoxia-ischemia in neonatal rats.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"25 1","pages":"274"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12269206/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144648526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effectiveness of self-directed meal replacement-assisted intermittent fasting in adults.","authors":"Meixian Zhang, Guifeng Shi, Shuang Wang, Xiaoqin He, Tao-Hsin Tung, Yahong Chen, Yafei Ye","doi":"10.1186/s12906-025-05016-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-025-05016-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study examined whether the addition of meal replacement (MR)-assisted intermittent fasting increases the effectiveness of a lifestyle intervention.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In a nonrandomized intervention study, overweight and obese participants aged 18 to 60 years were recruited for weight management with MRs or lifestyle intervention alone (LIA) for 8 weeks. The outcomes were the percent change in body weight from baseline to weeks 4 and 8 and the associated changes in body composition (using a bioimpedance analyzer). Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were used to compare outcomes between groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 126 participants were recruited, and 74 participants in the MR group and 46 participants in the LIA group finished the intervention protocol. The mean age was 35.4 ± 9.7 years, and 75.4% were female. The baseline BMI was 26.6 ± 3.7 kg/m². At 4 weeks, the percent weight loss in the MR group was 6.3%, whereas it was 4.0% in the LIA group (P < 0.001). At 8 weeks, the percent weight loss in the MR group was 8.2%, whereas it was 5.8% in the LIA group (P = 0.004). The GEE models revealed no further differences in weight loss or related measurements between the groups, whereas the time effect was significant.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our study demonstrated that lifestyle interventions can result in weight loss regardless of the use of MR-assisted intermittent fasting. This finding suggests that nutritional support needs to be provided during short-term weight loss interventions.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>Chinese Clinical Trial Registry number: ChiCTR2500099520, Retrospectively registered 25 March 2025.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"25 1","pages":"272"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12269234/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144648541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bioactivity-guided fractionation of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal roots extract: evaluation of the anti-progressive potential on human Kelly neuroblastoma cell line.","authors":"Nada Ahmad Al-Hasawi, Naser Faisal Al-Tannak, Josily Joy, Khaled Youssef Orabi","doi":"10.1186/s12906-025-05018-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-025-05018-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, commonly known as ashwagandha, is a cornerstone of Ayurvedic medicine and has demonstrated anti-metastatic properties, including the ability to mitigate the cytotoxic effects of carcinogens and chemotherapeutic agents. Neuroblastoma (NB), a highly aggressive paediatric cancer, accounts for approximately 15% of childhood cancer-related deaths. Despite intensive treatment, over 50% of NB cases experience tumor recurrence and debilitating long-term effects. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-progression effects of W. somnifera root fractions on the human NB Kelly cell line at sub-cytotoxic concentrations and to identify the active bioactive constituents.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>W. somnifera roots were extracted using 95% ethanol and subsequently fractionated via vacuum liquid chromatography with a methanol-water gradient elution, yielding twelve fractions. Kelly cells were treated with each fraction at sub-cytotoxic concentrations, as determined by MTT assay. Treated cells were then subjected to transwell extracellular matrix invasion and fibronectin adhesion assays. Data were analysed using one-way ANOVA (GraphPad Prism), with statistical significance set at P ≤ 0.05. Bioactive fractions were further subfractionated by preparative HPLC, and major constituents were tentatively identified using GC-MS.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fraction 9 (eluted with 70% methanol) exhibited the highest anti-invasive activity, whereas Fraction 10 (eluted with 80% methanol) demonstrated the most potent and statistically significant (P = 0.0409) anti-adhesive effect compared to vehicle-treated cells (0.5% DMSO). Subfraction analysis revealed that Subfraction 10/1 had a significant anti-adhesive effect (P = 0.0482), while subfractions 10/3 and 9/2 showed non-significant anti-adhesive effects. GC-MS analysis of subfractions 9/2, 10/1, and 10/3 revealed the presence of four previously unreported compounds in W. somnifera.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Constituents of W. somnifera roots exhibit promising anti-metastatic activity against neuroblastoma cells, highlighting their potential to complement existing chemotherapeutic regimens and reduce associated long-term side effects.</p><p><strong>Clinical trial number: </strong>Not applicable.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"25 1","pages":"267"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12265239/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144648523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Navigating the decision landscape: understanding interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome patients' motivations and medical support needs for fecal microbiota transplantation: a qualitative research.","authors":"Hongyuan Liu, Yaodi Wei, Peng Jiang, Siyu Fan, Yu Zhao, Zhi Li, Shiyu Wang, Na Zhang, Junjie Zhi, Qun Wei, Yifeng Gu, Bihong Yang, Ninghan Feng, Yufan Wu, Fengping Liu","doi":"10.1186/s12906-025-04999-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-025-04999-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) patients often confront limited treatment options, leading them to contemplate fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) as an alternative therapy. Recognizing the factors influencing their decision-making process and their medical support needs is imperative. This study aimed to investigate the determinants of decision-making and the medical support requirements of IC/BPS patients considering FMT as an alternative treatment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 IC patients to explore their motivations for choosing FMT and their decision-making prerequisites. Data analysis was conducted using a thematic approach.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Two overarching themes and seven subthemes were identified. (1) Reasons for choosing FMT. ① Awareness of the complexity and intractability of the disease: Patients exhibited a profound understanding of IC's intricacy and intractability, which ignited their interest in FMT; ② Current treatment dissatisfaction boosted interest in FMT: Discontent with conventional treatments significantly impelled patients to consider FMT; ③ FMT is perceived as a side-effect-free holistic regulatory therapy; ④ Severe negative emotions drive patients to choose FMT: Strong emotions, such as anxiety and desperation, were motivating factors for patients choosing FMT. (2) Professional assistance required when choosing FMT. ① Access to Information Sources: Patients expressed a strong need for comprehensive information resources to aid their decision-making; ② Patients want to learn about peers' treatment experiences and outcomes: Patients sought insights from individuals who had undergone FMT; ③ Patients want more opportunities for communication with healthcare providers: enhanced communication channels with healthcare professionals were desired.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings emphasize the significance of addressing the intricate informational and emotional needs of IC/BPS patients when considering FMT as a treatment option. Tailored information delivery and peer support can facilitate informed decision-making within the context of FMT for IC/BPS.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>The trial registration number, CHiCTR2100048970, was registered on July 19, 2021.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"25 1","pages":"268"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12265147/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144648525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prunus amygdalus var. amara seed extract enhances the antileishmanial activity of miltefosine.","authors":"Sajjadul Kadir Akand, Areeba Rahman, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Husain, Mohd Danish, Mohammad Rashid Khan, Nemat Ali, Mohd Faiz Akram, Abdur Rub","doi":"10.1186/s12906-025-04958-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-025-04958-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Leishmaniasis, an infectious disease transmitted via sand flies is caused by the protozoan parasite of Leishmania spp. The treatment of this disease is quite challenging due to the high cost, resistance, and toxicity of conventional drugs. Various research studies have demonstrated that plant based drug possess least toxicity, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Here, evaluation of anti-leishmanial activity of methanolic Prunus amygdalus var. amara seed extract was conducted and found that it inhibited L. donovani proliferation and cause apoptosis. Moreover, its combinations with miltefosine enhanced antileishmanial effects. GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of various phytochemicals in the extract that contributed pharmacological efficacy. These findings highlighted the potential of herbal products as a valuable source of new treatments for leishmaniasis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The antileishmanial effect was determined by promastigote and amastigote assays. Parasite load was evaluated by staining L. donovani-infected macrophages with modified Giemsa stain. Cytotoxicity of seed extract was estimated by MTT (3-(4, 5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay. In addition, Pro-apoptotic events were inferred using RT-PCR and qRT-PCR. Further characterization of phytoconstituents was evaluated by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The extract promoted a dose-dependent reduction in growth of promastigotes (IC50 = 43.12 ± 3.03 μg/ml) and amastigotes (IC50 = 49.65 ± 3.34 μg/ml). Further, extract in combination with miltefosine showed enhanced antileishmanial activity against both forms of the L. donovani, promastigotes (IC50 = 4.547 ± 1.2 μg/ml) as well as amastigotes (IC50 = 19.54 ± 2.4 μg/ml). Early-stage apoptotic events were also observed in promastigote forms by determining the increased expression of LdMetacaspase and PARP1. The cytotoxic potential on THP-1 differentiated macrophages was assessed and indicated insignificant cytotoxicity of different doses of the extract (CC50 = 799.19 ± 134.59 μg/ml) and in combination with miltefosine (CC50 = 384.16 ± 177.47 μg/ml). Furthermore, the presence of phytocompounds like chaulmoogric acid and hydnocarpic acid was described, for the first time, in Prunus amygdalus var. amara seed extract.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings indicated that EPA plays a significant role in combating leishmaniasis and holds promise as a potential treatment for this disease. Moreover, when combined with miltefosine, EPA demonstrated increased effectiveness against leishmaniasis. Therefore, the combination of EPA and miltefosine presents a more promising outlook as a potential therapy for leishmaniasis.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"25 1","pages":"273"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12269125/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144648527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antibacterial activity of tannin-free ethanolic extracts from medicinal plants against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.","authors":"Pouria Nourmohammadi Ghezelghaye, Mostafa Alibegli, Amirabbas Fazelnejad, Ali Davoodi, Hamid Reza Goli","doi":"10.1186/s12906-025-05019-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12906-025-05019-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Treating infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a problematic challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of some medicinal plants' ethanolic extracts on MRSA strains.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ethanolic extracts of the plants were prepared using the maceration method, and the total phenolic content (TPC) was measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Total extractable tannins (TET) were removed by adding the polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP, 1.1 g) to plant extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of extracts against two clinical MRSA isolates and the ATCC 25,923 strain were determined using the micro broth dilution method. The minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of the extracts were determined by culturing on blood agar.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The highest (453 ± 22.4 mg GAE/g) and lowest (3.5 ± 0 0.2 mg GAE/g) amount of TCP was detected in the root of Panax ginseng L. and the fruit of Amygdalus communis L., respectively. The highest extraction yield (165.5 ± 21.7 mg GAE/g) was observed in the flower of Humulus lupulus L. The MICs ranged from 0.078 to 5 mg/mL for MRSA isolates and from 0.001 to 2.5 mg/mL for the ATCC strain. The MBC level was 10 mg/mL for Rhus coriaria L. while its simultaneous use with Panax ginseng and the concurrent use of Amygdalus communis L. and Allium sativum L. showed a MIC range of 5 mg/mL.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Tannin-free ethanolic extract of Panax ginseng L., Rhus coriaria L., and Amygdalus communis L., and their simultaneous use with other extracts and erythromycin may be effective to control the growth of the MRSA strains.</p>","PeriodicalId":9128,"journal":{"name":"BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies","volume":"25 1","pages":"271"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12269123/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144648521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}