Current Issue : July-September Volume : 2025 Issue Number : 3 Articles : 5 Articles
Background/Objectives: Gingivitis and dental caries are oral diseases resulting from bacterial accumulation in dental plaque, leading to inflammation, tissue destruction and the demineralization of tooth structures. Dioscorea communis, due to its antiinflammatory and antimicrobial properties, could be a new treatment candidate. Methods: This study evaluated the preventive and therapeutic effect of a D. communis berry juice paste, formulated at 3% and 7% concentrations, on gingivitis and dental caries, in 55 male SKH-hr2 hairless mice. Gingivitis and dental caries were induced by ligation of the upper left incisor and the paste was applied topically three times daily, five days a week. Treatment efficacy was assessed through clinical examinations, photo-documentation, histopathological analysis and FT-IR spectroscopy. Results/Conclusions: Preventive administration of D. communis 7% significantly delayed disease onset, while therapeutic effects on established conditions were limited. Both concentrations were non-toxic to gingival tissues and dental structures....
Background/Objectives: The fern “Cyclosorus terminans” (C. terminans) or “Maiden Fern” contains interruptin A and interruptin B. This plant could attenuate obesity, insulin resistance, and fatty liver in rats fed a high-fat/calorie diet. However, the benefits of C. terminans to the gut remain unknown. We investigated the protective effect of C. terminans extract against gut dysfunction in rats exposed to a high-fat/calorie diet. Methods: Male Wistar rats were assigned to receive either (1) a normal diet treated with vehicle, (2) a high-fat/calorie diet treated with vehicle, (3) a high-fat/calorie diet treated with 100 mg per kg per day (mg·kg−1·day−1) of C. terminans extract, or (4) a high-fat/calorie diet treated with 200 mg·kg−1·day−1 of C. terminans extract. The rats were euthanized after 12 weeks of treatment to enable feces and colon tissue collection. Results: Both 100 and 200 mg·kg−1·day−1 of C. terminans extract reduced body weight (−10.49%; p = 0.030 and −10.54%; p = 0.037, respectively) and ameliorated gut inflammation, gut barrier disruption, changes in short-chain fatty acid levels, and gut dysbiosis caused by high-fat/calorie diet. Conclusions: C. terminans extract attenuated an increase in body weight and exerted prophylactic effects against gut pathologies induced by high-fat/calorie diet....
St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) has been used for centuries in traditional medicine owing to its high content of various bioactive metabolites and wide geographic occurrence. Nowadays, it plays an important role in the pharmaceutical industry and is increasingly significant in modern cosmetology. The objective of this study was to assess the antioxidant activity and compare the content of polyphenolic compounds in two commercial extracts of H. perforatum, glycerol–water and propylene glycol–water, which are used as cosmetic raw materials. The HPLC method was used to determine phenolic compounds. The total polyphenol content and total flavonoid content of H. perforatum extracts were determined using spectrophotometric methods. Free radical-scavenging properties were analyzed using a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical assay with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (DPPH-EPR assay), as well as the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) method. St. John’s wort extracts were able to scavenge free radicals, indicating beneficial cellular protection against oxidative stress. The use of nontoxic extractants makes it possible to obtain extracts with high antioxidant potential, which can be safely used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. The results of this study, i.e., the values for TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP), suggest that Hypericum perforatum, especially the glycerol–water extract, has antioxidant potential....
Grossheimin, a guaiane-type sesquiterpene lactone, displayed a diverse range of biological activities, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. Various amino analogues of grossheimin were prepared through a Michael addition at its highly active α-methylene-γ-lactone motif. On the other hand, grossheimin was reduced to diol, which was then subjected to nucleophilic addition or acetylation to introduce heteroatoms associated with oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen functionalities. All of the synthesised Michael and acetylated adducts were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic action on human colon adenocarcinoma lines, including Colo205 and Colo320. The bioassay results indicated that the acetylated adducts displayed a potent cytotoxic effect compared to grossheimin, the parent molecule. A docking study was also performed to exploit the observed results....
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a condition resulting from liver damage linked to excessive drinking over a brief duration. It poses a significant public health challenge globally, with its prevalence and morbidity rising annually due to escalating rates of alcohol abuse, which adversely affect human health. Phaeodactylum tricornutum (PT), a diatom species of microalgae, is reported to possess active components that provide antiinflammatory and antioxidant benefits. This study aimed to investigate the preventive and therapeutic effects of PT extract on ALD. To address our purpose, we used ethanol diet induced live disease model. Mice fed an ethanol diet showed less weight gain and higher levels of AST and ALT compared to those fed a regular diet. PT extract suppressed the inhibition of weight gain and the increase in AST/ALT levels caused by an ethanol diet. In addition, PT extract also prevented liver tissue damage caused by an ethanol diet. Thus, the effect of PT on ALD was found to be related to the inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinases) phosphorylation and TNF-α production....
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