Sagheer Ahmed

Multiple pathways are responsible for Anti-inflammatory and Cardiovascular activities of Hordeum vulgare L.

BackgroundHordeum vulgare L. (HV or barley) is used by traditional healers to treat various inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases, without the knowledge of pharmacologic rationale behind its actions. This study was designed to explore the potential scientific mechanism(s) that could explain the use of Hordeum vulgare in traditional medicine as a treatment for various inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases.MethodsA crude extract and its three fractions were prepared from HV and screened for the inhibition of platelet aggregation and various metabolites of cyclooxygenase (COX), lipoxygenase (LOX) pathways of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism as well as for its effects on certain antioxidant enzymes. Platelet aggregation was monitored using turbidometric principle, AA metabolism through radioimmunoassay and antioxidant enzymes by commercial kits using spectrophotometer.ResultsResults show that HV exhibited activities against all human platelet agonists used except adenine diphosphate, and inhibited both COX and LOX pathways of AA metabolism. It also elevated the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). However, these activities were distributed in various fractions of HV. Aqueous fraction was most potent in elevating SOD activity; chloroform fraction had concentrated compounds responsible for COX inhibition while n-hexane seems to possess compounds responsible for LOX inhibition as well as the only fraction enhancing the activity of GPx.ConclusionsThese results suggest the likely mechanisms responsible for observed anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular effects of HV in traditional medicine.

The antioxidant potential of Brassica rapa L. on glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase enzymes and total antioxidant status

Abstract Research on antioxidant potential from vegetables is increasingly focused on their effects on human health. However, relatively little work has been done to investigate the antioxidant effect of crude extract and/or different fractions from Brassica rapa L. In the present study, the antioxidant potential of crude extract and its fractions from Brassica rapa L. fruit part was tested for glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes and total antioxidant status (TAS) in blood samples. Our results reveal the fact that crude extract and each analyzed fraction (i.e. aqueous, ethyl acetate and chloroform) showed a concentration dependent effects on GPx, SOD and TAS in respect with saline solution (0.9% NaCl) used as negative control and vitamin C, as positive control. Therefore, GPx levels showed a highest value in crude extract and chloroform fraction (6981 U/L both at 10 mg/ml), SOD levels showed the same results in aqueous and ethyl acetate fractions (220 U/ml both at 10 mg/ml) and TAS in crude extract and all three fractions (i.e. aqueous, ethyl acetate and chloroform, 1.68 mmol/L at 10 mg/ml for all three fractions) in respect with saline solution (p<0.05). Furthermore, vitamin C showed the highest values on all three analyzed enzymes (8769 U/L for GPx, 223 U/ml for SOD and 1.8 mmol/L for TAS at 100 μg/ml). Our investigations have been proved to be promising in terms of future potential applications of crude extract and its fractions as components in a range of phytochemicals composition and/or different pharmaceutical usage, owing to their antioxidant potential. Rezumat Cercetările asupra potenţialului antioxidant din legume prezintă o importanţă crescută a efectelor sale asupra sănătaţii umane. Cu toate acestea, puţine studii au fost realizate pentru a investiga efectul antioxidant al extractului crud şi/sau a diferitelor fracţiuni din Brassica rapa L. În studiul de faţă, potenţialul antioxidant al extractului crud şi a fracţiunilor acestuia din fructul Brassica rapa L. a fost testat pentru enzimele glutation peroxidaza (GPx), superoxid dismutaza (SOD) şi statusul total antioxidant (STA) în probe de sânge. Rezultatele noastre au arătat faptul că atât extractul crud cât şi fiecare fracţiune analizată (apoasă, de acetat de etil şi cloroformică) au arătat efecte dependente de concentraţie asupra GPx, SOD şi STA în comparaţie cu soluţia salină (0,9% NaCl) folosită ca şi control negativ şi vitamina C, ca şi control pozitiv. Prin urmare, nivelurile GPx au prezentat valori crescute în extractul crud şi fracţiunea cloroformică (6981 U/L ambele la 10 mg/ml), nivelurile SOD au prezentat aceleaşi rezultate în fracţiunea apoasă şi cea de acetat de etil (220 U/ml ambele la 10 mg/ml) şi STA în extractul crud şi toate cele trei fracţiuni (apoasă, de acetat de etil şi cloroformică; 1,68 mmol/L la 10 mg/ml pentru toate fracţiunile) în comparaţie cu soluţia salină (p<0,05). Mai mult, vitamina C a prezentat cele mai mari valori asupra celor 3 enzime analizate (8769 U/L pentru PGx, 223U/ml pentru SOD şi 1,8 mmol/L pentru STA la 100 μg/ml). Investigaţiile noastre se dovedesc a fi promiţătoare în ceea ce privesc viitoarele aplicabilităţi ale extractului crud şi fracţiunile acestuia ca şi componenţi în diferite preparate fitochimice şi/sau de uz farmaceutic datorită potenţialului lor antioxidant.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antiplatelet Activities of Plasma Are Conserved Across Twelve Mammalian Species

Human plasma inhibits arachidonic acid metabolism and platelet aggregation. This helps human form a haemostatic control system that prevents the progress of certain aggregatory or inflammatory reactions. Whether this property of plasma is unique to human or extends to other species is not well known. It is speculated that this protective ability of plasma remains evolutionarily conserved in different mammals. In order to confirm this, the effect of plasma from 12 different mammalian species was investigated for its inhibitory potential against arachidonic acid metabolism and platelet aggregation. Metabolism of arachidonic acid by cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways was studies using radio-immuno assay and thin layer chromatography while platelet aggregation in the plasma of various mammals was monitored following turbedmetric method in a dual channel aggregometer. Results indicate that inhibition of AA metabolism and platelet aggregation is a common feature of plasma obtained from different mammalian species, although there exists large interspecies variation. This shows that besides human, other mammals also possess general protective mechanisms against various aggregatory and inflammatory conditions and this anti-inflammatory property of the plasma is evolutionarily conserved in mammalian species. The most likely candidates responsible for these properties of plasma include haptoglobin, albumin and lipoproteins.