Fatma U. Afifi

Simple evaluation of the wound healing activity of a crude extract of Portulaca oleracea L. (growing in Jordan) in Mus musculus JVI-1.

The preliminary wound healing activity of Portulaca oleracea was studied using Mus musculus JVI-1. For this purpose fresh homogenized crude aerial parts of Portulaca oleracea were applied topically on the excision wound surface as single and two doses in different amounts. Wound contraction and tensile strength measurements were used to evaluate the effect of Portulaca oleracea on wound healing. The results obtained indicated that Portulaca oleracea accelerates the wound healing process by decreasing the surface area of the wound and increasing the tensile strength. The greatest contraction was obtained at a single dose of 50mg and the second greatest by two doses of 25mg. Measurements of tensile strength and healed area were in agreement.

Volatile oil composition and antiproliferative activity of Laurus nobilis, Origanum syriacum, Origanum vulgare, and Salvia triloba against human breast adenocarcinoma cells

Medicinal plants and culinary herbs have gained importance in the last decade as cytotoxic and antitumor agents. We hypothesized that some of the commonly used spices with reported antimicrobial activity might have antiproliferative activity. In the present study, selected spices used in Jordan were chemically analyzed and investigated for their antiproliferative activity to the adenocarcinoma of breast cell line (MCF7). The composition of the essential oils of Laurus nobilis L, Origanum syriacum L, Origanum vulgare L, and Salvia triloba L was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The antiproliferative activities of the hydrodistilled volatile oils and the crude ethanol and water extracts were evaluated using the sulphorhodamine B assay. 1,8-Cineol was the major constituent in the hydrodistilled oils of both plants, L nobilis and S triloba, with concentrations of 40.91% and 45.16%, respectively. The major constituent of O syriacum was the carvacrol (47.10%), whereas that of O vulgare was trans-sabinene hydrate (27.19%). The ethanol crude extracts of O syriacum, L nobilis, and S triloba showed antiproliferative activity to MCF7 with IC(50) values 6.40, 24.49, and 25.25 microg/mL, respectively. However, none of the hydrodistilled essential oils of the tested plant species or their aqueous extracts demonstrated cytotoxic activity.

Evaluation of the gastroprotective effect of Laurus nobilis seeds on ethanol induced gastric ulcer in rats

The possible antiulcerogenic activity of Laurus nobilis seeds was tested on experimentally (ethanol) induced gastric ulcer in rats. The results indicated antiulcerogenic activity for 20 and 40% aqueous extracts as well as for the oily fraction of these seeds. In acute toxicity studies, the aqueous extract was found safe with LD50 compared to oil LD50 0.33 ml/kg body weight.

Effect of isoorientin isolated from Arum palaestinum on uterine smooth muscle of rats and guinea pigs

The phytochemical investigation of Arum palaestinum resulted in the isolation of two flavone C-glucosides, namely isoorientin (luteolin 6-C-glucoside) and vitexin (apigenin 8-C glucoside). The effects of isoorientin on rat isolated aorta, ileum, trachea and uterus and on guinea-pig uterus were studied. Isoorientin (10(-7)M-6 x 10(-4)M) caused concentration-dependent inhibition of the amplitude and the frequency of the phasic contractions of the rat and guinea-pig uterus but did not affect the isolated aorta, ileum or trachea. The results were discussed in relation to the effects of its aglycone luteolin reported in the literature.

In vitro and in vivo acute antihyperglycemic effects of five selected indigenous plants from Jordan used in traditional medicine.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Achillea santolina L., Pistacia atlantica Desf, Rheum ribes L., Sarcopoterium spinosum (L.) Spach and Teucrium polium L. have traditionally been used as herbal antidiabetic medicines. However their alleged benefits and mechanisms remain elusive. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aimed to evaluate the effect of water extracts of these plants in in vitro and in vivo experiments. MATERIALS AND METHODS In vitro enzymatic starch digestion with aqueous extracts from plants at concentrations of 1, 5, 10, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 mg/ml was assayed using α-amylase and α-amyloglucosidase. Acarbose was used as control and glucose liberation was determined by glucose oxidase method. Oral starch tolerance test (OSTT) and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were determined for the plant extracts at concentrations 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg b.wt. on Sprague-Dawley rats. Blood glucose levels in rats treated with plant extracts and drugs (acarbose or metformin and glipizide) were measured at -30, 0, 45, 90 and 135 min. RESULTS Compared to acarbose (IC(50)=1.2 μg/ml), water extracts of Pistacia atlantica, Rheum ribes and Sarcopoterium spinosum exerted significant dose dependent dual inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase in in vitro enzymatic starch digestion bioassay, with IC(50)s; 46.98, 58.9 and 49.9 mg/ml, respectively. Comparable in vivo results were obtained for starch-fed rats, exhibiting significant acute postprandial antihyperglycemic efficacies. While Achillea santolina and Teucrium polium extracts lacked any favourable in vitro anti-α-amylase and anti-α-glucosidase effect, other modes of action can possibly explain their substantial acute antihyperglycemic activities in starch-treated rats. Except for Pistacia atlantica extracts, none of the investigated extracts qualified for improving the glucose intolerance in fasted rats on glucose loading. CONCLUSIONS Pistacia atlantica, Rheum ribes and Sarcopoterium spinosum can be considered as potential candidates for amelioration/management of type 2 diabetes.

The use of herbal preparations as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in a sample of patients with cancer in Jordan.

PURPOSE This study sought to describe the type, frequency, purpose and pattern of herbal preparation use as complementary medicine in a sample of patients with cancer in Jordan. METHOD The study took the form of a cross-sectional survey of patients attending the outpatient departments at King Hussein Cancer Centre (KHCC), a specialist cancer centre in Amman. The method was based on using a semi-structured questionnaire. RESULTS A total of 1138 patients with cancer were interviewed, out of which 404 (35.5%) reported using botanicals based complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) primarily bought form Jordan (85.1%) and used in the crude form as infusions (73.3%). Only 6.8% used herbal products in a dosage form. Most of CAM users were above 40 years of age (63.1%). Recommendation of a friend was the main factor that prompted them to use CAM (41.8%). CONCLUSION This study revealed that CAM use is common among patients with cancer in Jordan.

Complementary and alternative medicine use among Jordanian patients with diabetes.

PURPOSE This study explores the prevalence, type, frequency, purpose and pattern of herbal preparation use as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in a cohort of patients with diabetes in Jordan. METHOD The study took the form of a cross-sectional survey of patients attending the outpatient departments at The National Centre for Diabetes, Endocrine and Genetics (NCDEG), in Amman. The method was based on semi-structured questionnaire. RESULTS A total of 1000 diabetes patients were interviewed. Of the participants, 16.6% (n=166) reported using herbs. Most of CAM users were in the age group 51-60 years (n=73, 44.0%) and predominantly female (59.6%). 139 of the CAM users (83.7%) had at least obtained a high school degree. The most common herbal product to be used was green tea (20.5%). CONCLUSION This study confirmed that there is an appreciable prevalence of herbal use among patients with diabetes in Jordan.

Integrative oncology research in the Middle East: weaving traditional and complementary medicine in supportive care

IntroductionComplementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has an important role in supportive cancer care in the Middle East and is often used in association with traditional medicine. This article provides a comprehensive review of published data on CAM research in supportive cancer care in the Middle East.Methods and resultsA multi-disciplinary Middle-Eastern Research Group in Integrative Oncology (MERGIO) was established in six countries. Authors independently searched Medline database for articles in Arabic, Hebrew, French, and Turkish using oncology and CAM-related keywords. Articles were recorded according to the first author’s affiliation with an academic or clinical institution in the Middle East.ResultsWe identified 143 articles on CAM and cancer care that had been published in12 Middle-Eastern countries. Eighty-five articles were directly related to cancer supportive care. The latter included studies on the prevalence of CAM use by patients with cancer, aspects related to of doctor–patient communication, ethics and regulation, psychosocial aspects of CAM, CAM safety and quality assurance, studies of CAM education for health care providers, and ethno-botanical studies and reviews. Twenty-eight articles referred to clinical research on supportive care, and the use of specific CAM modalities that included acupuncture, anthroposophic medicine, dietary and nutritional therapies herbal medicine, homeopathy, mind–body medicine, shiatsu, therapeutic touch, and yoga.ConclusionsCAM-related supportive care research is prevalent in the Middle East, a fact that may serve as a basis for future multinational-multidisciplinary research work in supportive care in oncology.

Plants used for the treatment of diabetes in Jordan: A review of scientific evidence

Context: Diabetes is a serious disease which has reached epidemic proportions in many parts of the world. Despite the tremendous developments in medicinal chemistry, traditional medicine is still a common practice for the treatment of diabetes. Objectives: In Jordanian traditional medicine, 69 plant species are used by diabetic patients to reduce glucose levels in blood. The aim of the present study is to report these plants and link their traditional use with scientific evidence confirming their claimed activity. The plant part(s) used, method(s) of preparation, common Arabic names, and other ethnopharmacological uses are also listed. Materials and methods: The literature and databases (SciFinder, PubMed, ScienceDirect and Scirus) have been thoroughly investigated and the plants used have been grouped according to the reported scientific evidence. Results: Results showed that 40 plants have been reported to possess hypoglycemic activities in in vivo/in vitro experiments. Five plant species did not exhibit in vivo hypoglycemic activity, while 24 plants had not been studied for such an activity. Twenty plants had been screened for their α-amylase/α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. Discussion: The reported in vivo and in vitro hypoglycemic as well as α-amylase/α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of these plants are discussed. Conclusion: Additional in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to test the hypoglycemic activity of the plants with claimed antidiabetic activity which has not yet been evaluated. Identification of the active ingredients of potent plants might generate lead compounds in drug discovery and development.

Effect of Varthemia iphionoides on blood glucose level of normal rats and rats with streptozocin-induced diabetes mellitus

Abstract The use of plants for the treatment of patients with diabetes is common throughout the world. Varthemia iphionoides (Compositae) is widely distributed in Jordan, and its extract has been used in the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus. The present study investigates the effect of an aqueous extract of V iphionoides on blood glucose levels in 12 normal rats and 12 rats with streptozocin-induced diabetes mellitus. The aqueous extract of V iphionoides reduced mean ± SEM blood glucose levels in normoglycemic rats from 95.4 ± 6.2 mg/dL to 75.3 ± 7.9 mg/dL and to 63 ± 10 mg/dL 4 and 24 hours, respectively, after administration of the extract by gastric intubation. No changes in the blood glucose concentration of normoglycemic rats were noticed 1 hour after administration. Significant decreases in the blood glucose levels of the hyperglycemic rats were observed 1, 4, and 24 hours after administration of the plant extract (from 535.8 ± 15.5 mg/dL to 145.7 ± 33.4 mg/dL, 247.5 ± 40.1 mg/dL, and 345.1 ± 65.5 mg/dL, respectively). However, no significant dose-response relationship was observed in the hyperglycemic rats on administration of various doses of the plant extract. Study results show that an aqueous extract of V iphionoides has hypoglycemic properties that should be investigated further.