The antibacterial activity of the ethanol, aqueous, and organic extracts from the root of Rheum ribes Linn (Polygonaceae) was examined. Four anthraquinone aglycone components, chrysopahnol, physcion, aloe emodin, and emodin, were isolated from the biologically active extract and identified by spectroscopic analysis. Emodin is recorded for the first time in this species. The MIC values of the biologically active extracts, aloe emodin, and emodin, were 500, 125, 250, and 63 mg=mL against Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. The extracts and compounds did not inhibit Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli at the highest concentration tested, 4000 and 250 mg=mL, respectively.

The macerated methanolic extract of P. vera L., A. strigosa and I. paraguariensis A. St.-Hil. were used for evaluating their antioxidant. The results of present study showed that the IC50 value for Pistacia vera L., Anchusa strigosa and Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil. extracts were 5.85 ± 0.11, 43.75 ± 1.05 and 8.98 ± 0.65µg/ml respectively compared to 1.48 ± 0.05 µg/ml of ascorbic acid against DPPH radical. The IC50 values for β-carotene bleaching (BCB) assay for P. vera L., A. strigosa and I. paraguariensis A. St.-Hil. extracts were 390.1 ± 7.5, 425.8 ± 6.5 and 410.2 ± 9.0 µg/ml respectively compared to 9.5 ± 0.4 µg/ml of rutin. The results of β-carotene bleaching (BCB) assay showed that the plant extract exhibits weak activity compared to rutin. In conclusion, the present study indicates that these plants and their phytochemical constituents can be exploited in future extensively for controlling oxidative stress and ailments.

Teucrium polium L. (Lamiaceae) is a commonly used medicinal plant in folk medicine. Among several uses, T. polium is used to treat male fertility problems. This research was conducted to study the effect of T. polium on spermatogenesis, testosterone level, androgen receptor expression, and fertility in male rats. Administration of hexane extract for 6 days to aging rats increased testosterone level. When administered for 60 days, T. polium hexane extract downregulated androgen receptors, decreased sperm count without producing histological changes in different stages of spermatogenesis. Also, fertility index decreased without making teratogenic effects when treated males were mated with untreated females on the 55th day of extract administration. Therefore, the downregulation of androgen receptor could be due to the continued elevation in testosterone level over time. In conclusion, this study suggests that the prolonged use of T. polium in folk medicine may negatively affect male fertility.

Background:Tecoma stans (Bignoniaceae) is a central and south American tree used for the control of diabetes, also known as Yellow Elder, it was collected from the gardens of Al-Jadria in Iraq.Materials and Methods:One of the main reported alkaloidal constituents, tecomine, was isolated and confirmed by spectral analysis. The bacteriological assay for different plant leaves extracts; aqueous, ethanolic, and isolated tecomine were conducted to evaluate the antibacterial effect against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria.Results:Whole alcoholic and aqueous extract exhibited the antibacterial activity and isolated tecomine. Histopathological evaluation was demonstrated on the liver, spleen, and pancreas of the BALB/c mice given the whole alcoholic and aqueous extract that showed no significant changes in the organ texture.Conclusion:Biochemical analysis of the serum obtained showed decrease in the glucose level in the mice treated with plant extract at the most two higher concentrations used with no change in the cholesterol and triglyceride level.

Natural polyphenolic compounds produced in plants exhibit many pharmacological effects including antioxidant, chemopreventive, and anticancer properties. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of cynarin (from artichokes, Cynara scolymus) and isoliquiritin (from licorice, Glycyrrhiza uralensis) on doxorubicin (positive control) cytotoxicity in different cell lines including normal (MCR-5 fibroblasts and H9c2 myoblasts) and cancer (colorectal HCT-116 and hepatocellular HEP-G2) cell lines. The cytotoxic effect of doxorubicin, isoliquiritin, and cynarin alone or in different combinations was studied on cancer cell lines as well as normal cell lines. The results obtained indicated that both cynarin and isoliquiritin enhance the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin. Both cynarin and isoliquiritin also reduce the cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin on normal cardiac cell lines. The combination of the three compounds (cynarin, isoliquiritin, and doxorubicin) decreases the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin, which may indicate the presence of interaction and/or antagonism effect between cynarin and isoliquiritin. Cynarin was found to enhance the growth of HCT-116 and HEP-G2. This might suggest avoiding the use of artichokes in subjects susceptible to these cancers. All results were evaluated using a statistical path and showed significant findings. The mechanism of enhanced doxorubicinís cytotoxicity by cynarin or isoliquiritin also requires further investigation to explain the increasing and/or the decreasing effect of these polyphenolic compounds on the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin. The current findings can suggest safe minimum doses for the two or three-element combinations of compounds in the context of clinical trials and practice.