botanical

BACKGROUND: A phase I clinical study for patients with locally advanced H&N cancer with a new class of botanical drug APG-157 provided hints of potential synergy with immunotherapy. We sought to evaluate the efficacy of the combination of APG-157 and immune checkpoint inhibitors. METHODS: CCL23, UM-SCC1 (human), and SCCVII (HPV-), MEER (HPV+) (murine) H&N cancer cell lines were utilized for in vitro and in vivo studies. We measured tumor growth by treating the mice with APG-157, anti-PD-1, and anti-CTLA-4 antibody combinations (8 groups)...

INTRODUCTION: Neutrophil predominant airway inflammation is associated with severe and steroid-resistant asthma clusters. Previously, we reported efficacy of ASHMI, a three-herb TCM asthma formula in a steroid-resistant neutrophil-dominant murine asthma model and further identified Ganoderic Acid C1 (GAC1) as a key ASHMI active compound in vitro. The objective of this study is to investigate GAC1 effect on neutrophil-dominant, steroid-resistant asthma in a murine model. METHODS: In this study, Balb/c mice were systematically sensitized with ragweed (RW) and alum and intranasally challenged with ragweed...

Baccharin is one of the major compounds found in Brazilian green propolis and its botanical source, Baccharis dracunculifolia. Considering the biological effects of propolis and B. dracunculifolia, this study aims to evaluate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory potential of baccharin. The neurodepressor potential was performed by the open field test, analgesia by mechanical stimulation with Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer, and by thermal stimulation with Hargreaves apparatus. In addition, the anti-inflammatory potential was achieved by the paw edema assay, histopathological evaluation, and NF-kB expression...

BACKGROUND: Semecarpus anacardium (SCA) fruits are found in India's sub-Himalayan, tropical, and central regions and have been utilized for centuries in traditional Indian medicine to treat various ailments. In recent times, a growing body of research has emerged indicating that the extracts and active components found in SCA fruits possess qualities that can potentially inhibit the development of cancer and inflammatory markers. PURPOSE: This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the existing literature on the pharmacological mechanisms underlying the effects of extracts and phytochemicals of SCA fruits in cellular, animal models, and clinical trials of cancer and inflammatory diseases...

This study evaluates the pediculicidal activity of nanoformulations containing different binary essential oil component mixtures (eugenol:linalool, 1,8 -cineole:linalool, and eugenol:thymol) using immersion bioassays. These have allowed us to evaluate the knockdown time affecting 50% of the individuals (KT50 ). In addition, the type of interaction between the components in each mixture was established in terms of the combination index (IC). The KT50 values were 6.07; 8.83; 7.17 and 27.23 h for linalool, 1,8 -cineole, eugenol, and thymol, respectively...

Plutella xylostella is an important pest showing resistance to various chemical pesticides, development of botanical pesticides is an effective strategy to resolve above problem and decrease utilization of chemical pesticides. Previous study showed that 2,3-dimethyl-6-(1-hydroxy)-pyrazine has significant repellent activity to P. xylostella adult which mainly effect to the olfactory system, however the molecular targets and mechanism are still unclear. Based on the RNA-Seq and RT-qPCR data, eight ORs (Odorant receptor) in P...

INTRODUCTION: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition characterized by recurrent abdominal pain associated with bowel movements. Modified Gwakjeongtang (MGT), an herbal prescription rooted in traditional East Asian medicine, consists of thirteen botanical drugs known for their potential to enhance intestinal barrier function, regulate gastrointestinal motility, and exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Despite a few previous clinical trials highlighting MGT's potential for IBS symptom management, limited evidence exists with placebo control...

Polysaccharide-based materials of plant origin are known to have been used as binding media in paint and ground layers of artifacts from ancient Egypt, including wall paintings, cartonnages and sarcophagi. The use of gums from Acacia , Astragalus and Prunus genera has been suggested in the literature on the basis of their qualitative or quantitative monosaccharide profile after complete chemical hydrolysis. The introduction of partial enzymatic digestion of the polysaccharide material, followed by analysis of the released oligosaccharides by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry, has proved effective in discriminating among gums from different genera, as well as among species within the Acacia genus...

BACKGROUND: Accurate species delimitation is fundamental for testing evolutionary theory and provides essential implications for conservation management. The arctic-alpine genus Saxifraga L. (Saxifragaceae) is taxonomically complex and many species have not been critically assessed. The taxonomic and phylogenetic status of Saxifraga lancangensis Y.Y.Qian, considered as a synonym of Saxifraga mengtzeana Engl. & Irmsch. in previous studies, is re-evaluated in light of new evidence presented here...

Botanical essential oils are natural insecticides derived from plants, offering eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic chemicals for pest control. In this study, the essential oils were extracted from Acacia nilotica seed cotyledons, and their toxicity was tested against insect pests. Furthermore, the chemical components of the essential oils were identified through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The essential oil extracted from A. nilotica seeds exhibited the highest mortality rates of 60% and 98% in Culex quinquefasciatus, and 60% and 96...

OBJECTIVES: Early colonial documents from central Mesoamerica detail raising and planting of European livestock and crops alongside native ones. The extent to which Indigenous people, especially of the rural commoner class, consumed newly introduced foods is less known. This gap in knowledge is addressed through stable isotope analysis and comparison to published archaeological botanical, human, and faunal data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stable isotope analysis of bone collagen and bioapatite is applied to 74 skeletal samples of Indigenous human remains representing Colonial period individuals from El Japón-a farming hamlet in the Xochimilco area-to provide insight into long-term individual dietary practices in the context of a rapidly transforming Mesoamerican world...

Botanicals and herbal supplements contain a diverse array of polyphenols that may affect mammary gland function and promote galactagogue activity. This scoping review is conducted to identify scientific literature elucidating how polyphenols affect mammary gland biology and cellular mechanisms critical for lactation. A literature search of PubMed and Medline reviews relevant studies in dairy animals, rodent models, and cultured mammary epithelial cells that are published from January 2010 until July 2023, to ascertain effects of polyphenols on mechanisms regulating milk production and composition...

BACKGROUND: Despite some evidence supporting the synergy concept, the commonly known assumption that combinations of several herbs in one formulation can have better efficacy due to additive or synergistic effects has yet to be unambiguously and explicitly studied. STUDY AIM: The study aimed to reveal the molecular interactions in situ of host cells in response to botanical hybrid preparations (BHP) intervention and justify the benefits of implementing BHP in clinical practice...

The Serra da Estrela Natural Park (NPSE) in Portugal stands out as a well-preserved region abundant in medicinal plants, particularly known for their pharmaceutical applications in diabetes prevention and treatment. This comprehensive review explores these plants' botanical diversity, traditional uses, pharmacological applications, and chemical composition. The NPSE boast a rich diversity with 138 medicinal plants across 55 families identified as traditionally and pharmacologically used against diabetes globally...

Research on nanoparticles (NPs) is gaining great attention in modulating abiotic stress tolerance and improving crop productivity. Therefore, this investigation was carried out to evaluate the effects of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) on growth and biochemical characteristics in two maize hybrids (YH-5427 and FH-1046) grown under normal conditions or subjected to saline stress. A pot-culture experiment was carried out in the Botanical Research Area of "the University of Lahore", Lahore, Pakistan, in a completely randomized design...

Galls (also known as cecidia) have been studied by botanists, zoologists and microbiologists over the last century. Indeed, galls can be induced by different animals, bacteria, viruses and fungi, so that their presence simultaneously attested the presence of specific host plants and gall-inducing species. Consequently, gall collections, also known as cecidological herbaria or cecidological collections, can be interesting to study biodiversity changes over time. This review describes the main cecidological collections currently available in different European museums in order to stimulate their future study...

Curcumae Rhizoma , a traditional Chinese medicine with a wide range of pharmacological activities, is obtained from the dried rhizomes of Curcuma phaeocaulis VaL., Curcuma kwangsiensis S. G. Lee et C. F. Liang, and Curcuma wenyujin Y. H. Chen et C. Ling. Sesquiterpenoids and curcuminoids are found to be the main constituents of Curcumae Rhizoma . Sesquiterpenoids are composed of three isoprene units and are susceptible to complex transformations, such as cyclization, rearrangement, and oxidation. They are the most structurally diverse class of plant-based natural products with a wide range of biological activities and are widely found in nature...

We investigated the larvicidal activity of the essential oil (EO) from Tetradenia riparia and its majority compound fenchone for controlling Culex quinquefasciatus larvae, focusing on reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities, and total thiol content as oxidative stress indicators. Moreover, the lethal effect of EO and fenchone was evaluated against Anisops bouvieri, Diplonychus indicus, Danio rerio, and Paracheirodon axelrodi...

Stress is an adaptive response to the stressors that adversely affects physiological and psychological health. Stress elicits HPA axis activation, resulting in cortisol release, ultimately contributing to oxidative, inflammatory, physiological and mental stress. Nutritional supplementations with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and stress-relieving properties are among widely preferred complementary approaches for the stress management. However, there is limited research on the potential combined impact of vitamins, minerals and natural ingredients on stress...

Drained peatlands in temperate climates are under threat from climate change and human activities. The resulting decomposition of organic matter plays a major role in regulating the associated land subsidence rates, yet the determinants of aerobic and anaerobic peat decomposition rates are not fully understood. In this study, we sought to gain insight into the drivers of decomposition rates in botanically diverse peatlands (sedge, reed, wood, and moss dominant) under oxic and anoxic conditions. Peat samples were collected from the anoxic zone and incubated for 24 h (short) and 15 weeks (long) under either oxic or anoxic conditions...