Hymenocrater longiflorus was collected from northern Iraq, and the chemical composition and antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of this plant were investigated. Ten compounds detected by HPLC-ESI/MS were identified as flavonoids and phenolic acids. The free radical scavenging activity of the 70% methanol extract was evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The antioxidant activities of the extract may be attributed to its polyphenolic composition. The cytotoxicity of the plant extract against the osteosarcoma (U2OS) cell line was assessed with the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The extract significantly reduced the viability of cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Cells were arrested during the S-phase of the cell cycle, and DNA damage was revealed by antibodies against histone H2AX. The apoptotic features of cell shrinkage and decrease in cell size were also observed. Western blot analysis revealed cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose)-polymerase 1 (PARP-1), in addition to increases in the proteins p53, p21, and γ-H2AX. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the H. longiflorus extract is highly cytotoxic to U2OS cells, most likely due to its polyphenolic composition.

Cytokine storm is one of the causative deaths in a patient with severe acute respiratory syndrome. This study aimed at evaluating the prophylaxis effect of quercetin complexes with zinc and buffered ascorbic acid upon cytokine storm induction in mice and identifying the complex’s acute toxicity. Mice were randomly divided into three groups: group A, control group, received 0.9% normal saline; group B received 100 mg/kg of the complex one hour before lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration; and group C received the LPS IP 5 mg/kg. Then, levels of interleukin 1 and interleukin 6 were measured in the serum, and lung and kidney tissues were investigated for any changes that may have happened. Thirty mice were used to investigate the acute toxicity; mice were distributed into six groups: one control group and five treated groups; then several serial dilutions from the complex have been prepared for different concentrations from 5 g/kg to 0.312 g/kg. The animals were observed for 14 days. The LD50 was deduced by the straight-line equation calculated from the dose-response curve. The results in this study showed that group A had no significant tissue change. LPS group C showed tissue damage in the lung and kidney, which significantly prevented by the pretreated complex in group B. Moreover, the complex’s acute toxicity value (LD50) was 655 mg/kg. In conclusion, the complex has significantly ameliorated LPS-induced acute lung and kidney injury, largely through suppression of inflammation; the large lethal dose value may make the complex have a promising therapeutic effect in the prevention of cytokine storm.

The current study is an attempt to assess the cytogenotoxic potential of the ethanolic extract from the leaves of Borago officinalis on Swiss albino male mice. Young Swiss albino mice were orally administered with leaf ethanolic extract of Borago officinalis. Three mice groups were used using different doses of plant extract (T1: 100, T2: 200, and T3:400 mg\kg) in addition to the control negative group (untreated mice) for 7 days to assess mitotic index or 28 days to assess meiotic index.  The results revealed that the extract significantly induced the division of disruptive chromosomal changes in the bone marrow and the mean of abnormality was (3.5±0.47, 4.43±0.83, and 5.83±0.96%) for T1, T2, and T3 respectively,  as well as in primary spermatocytes. It is planned that the extract might have interfered with the spindle protein or protein packing.