Sawsan A. Oran

Fetotoxic potentials of Globularia arabica and Globularia alypum (Globulariaceae) in rats.

Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats received by intragastric application, ethanolic extracts of Globularia arabica and Globularia alypum dried leaves. The effect of the extracts was monitored on fertility. The ingestion by female rats of 800 mg/kg of ethanolic extracts of G. arabica and G. alypum, from day 1 to day 6 of pregnancy, did not cause pregnancy failure. However, the ingestion of ethanolic extracts of G. alypum significantly reduced the number of viable fetuses. The number of resorptions was significantly increased in pregnant females administered ethanolic extracts of both G. arabica and G. alypum. The ingestion of 800 mg/kg of ethnologic extracts of G. arabica and G. alypum for 30 consecutive days by adult female rats had no significant effect on the occurrence of pregnancy. However, the ingestion of extracts of both species increased the number of resorptions and only G. alypum extract caused a significant reduction in the number of viable fetuses. These results indicate that ingestion of G. arabica and G. alypum could have some reproductive toxicity in female rats.

The application of duckweed (Lemna sp.) in wastewater treatment in Jordan

A flowering plant called duckweed (Lemna sp.) has been used to upgrade the quality of wastewater at Khirbet As-Samra wastewater treatment plant, which is the largest in Jordan. It was originally designed to receive 68,000 m?/day but it is currently receiving 160,000 m³/day. Laboratory experiments showed that the average percentage removal efficiency of Total Coliform (TC) was 68%, Faecal Coliform (FC) 69%, Total Viable Count (TVC) 75%, BOD5 51%, NO3− 56%, TN 48%, organic nitrogen 46%, PO43− 56% and total phosphorus 50%. At the experimental site of Khirbet As-Samra, the results were 57, 59, 50, 44, 30, 26, 25, 28 and 26%, respectively, and the removal efficiency of NH4+ was 27%. Experimental results showed that Lemna gibba could be used to upgrade the quality of the pond effluent with respect to pathogens, biological oxygen demand, nitrogen and phosphorus. The results of this project will be the first of its kind in Jordan and it will establish a baseline for future research on the use of duckweed for wastewater treatment.

Antioxidant activity of leaf and fruit extracts of Jordanian Rubus sanguineus Friv. (Rosaceae)

In vitro antimicrobial activity of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of the leaf and fruit of Rubus sanguineus were investigated against pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Candida albicans using agar well diffusion and microdilution broth assays. This study showed that leaf ethanolic extract exhibited the best antimicrobial activity with zone of inhibition ranging from 20 to 22 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the ethanolic leaf extract range was 1.56 and 12.5 mg/mL while that of methanolic extract range was 0.78 to 12.5 mg/mL. The ethanolic leaf extract exhibited appreciable activity against Candida albicans with zone of inhibition of 20 mm. The anticandida activity was support by MIC tests. In conclusion, the methanolic and ethanolic leaf and fruit extracts of Rubus sanguineus have a significant activity against Gram positive bacteria and Candida but have not shown any significant activity against Gram negative bacteria investigated in this work. Results showed that there is a basis for the traditional use of this plant as a healthy remedy in Jordanian culture.

In vitro propagation of an endangered medicinal bulbous plant Sternbergia clusiana Ker-Gawler (Amaryllidaceae)

Summary Sternbergia clusiana belongs to the family Amaryllidaceae. It is an endangered medicinal plant grown in Jordan and neighbouring countries. A protocol has been developed for efficient rapid vegetative propagation of S. clusiana through direct bulblet regeneration. Two types of explants have been used: (1) single-bulb scales, and (2) twin-bulb scale explants. Field-derived material was successfully sterilised using 70% ethanol for 1 min, and 6.5% NaOCl with Tween 80 (2–3 drops 100 ml–1) for 30 min before dissecting out the bulb scales. Combination treatments were conducted using two types of growth regulators: 0, 1, 5, 10 or 20 µM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and benzyladenine (BA). The highest rate of regeneration from single-bulb scales (73%) was observed in induction medium containing 20 µM IBA without added BA. In addition, 73% of twin-bulb scale explants were induced to form bulblets directly when cultured on a medium containing 10 µM IBA and 1.0 µM BA. Bulblet plants were rooted on similar medium without any growth regulators. A plant regeneration system from single-scale and twin-bulb scale explants of S. clusiana was thus established.

Inhibitory effects of methanolic extract of Salvia fruticosa Mill. on pro-inflammatory cytokines production in RAW 264.7 in vitro cellular model and in Balb/c mice in vivo animal model.

The aim of this study is to elucidate the anti-inflammatory effects of methanolic extract (MeOH) of Salvia fruticosa Mill. on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and in Balb/c mice. Tumor necrosis factor –α (TNF-α), Interlukin-6 (IL-6), and Interlukin 1β (IL-1β) production in RAW 264.7 cells and in Balb/c mice were evaluated. The extract of S. fruticosa exhibited potent inhibitory effects on pro-inflammatory cytokines production in both cellular and animal models stimulated by LPS. Our data suggested that, the methanolic extract of S. fruticosa could be developed as a potential anti-inflammatory candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases mediated by overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as rheumatoid arthritis.

New records and synopsis to the genus Alyssum (Cruciferae) in Jordan

Summary Alyssum condensatum and A. repens are new for the flora of Jordan and A. subspinosum, previously known only from the holotype in Jordan and then recorded in Saudi Arabia, has been collected in a new locality on the top of Jabal Rum (1750 m). Synopsis of taxa as well as a key to the species of Alyssum in Jordan are here supplied.

Topical Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Six Salvia Species Grown in Jordan

Inflammation is a host defense mechanism to get rid of injurious stimuli and to induce tissue healing process. In Jordan, Salvia species are traditionally used to treat inflammation and other ailments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of six Salvia species grown in Jordan to inhibit cutaneous inflammation. Topical anti-inflammatory activities of hexane (Hex), ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol (MeOH) extracts from Salvia species aerial parts (S. ceratophylla, S. dominica, S. multicaulis, S. palaestina, S. spinosa and S. syriaca) were evaluated for the inhibition of croton oil-induced mouse ear oedema. Almost all extracts reduced oedema at the tested dose (300 µg/cm2). Hex and EtOAc extracts exhibited the best anti-inflammatory effect in a dose-dependent pattern. Dose inducing 50% oedema inhibition (ID50) in vivo was found to be in the range of 87 - 300 µg/cm2 and 47-146 µg/cm2 for Hex and EtOAc extracts, respectively. In comparison with indomethacin (ID50 96 µg/cm2), S. palaestina and S. multicaulis EtOAc extracts were two folds more potent (ID50 47 and 50 µg/cm2, respectively).Whereas, the ID50 of S. syriaca Hex extract (87µg/cm2) was comparable to that of indomethacin. In conclusion, the results illustrated that S. multicaulis, S. palaestina and S. syriaca can be regarded as promising natural sources of anti-inflammatory drugs.