BACKGROUND:Today, the plant Prosopis farcta is frequently used for traditional medicinal purposes. The aim of this study was the identification of luteolin in P. farcta extract (PFE) and to evaluate its effect on morphine discontinuation syndrome in ...

Background: Nowadays, the drug delivery system is important in the treatment of diseases. Purpose: A polymeric nanoparticle modified by oleic acid (NPMO) as a Thymol (Thy) drug release system was synthesized from Thymbra spicata and its neurotrophic and angiogenic effects on rat’s olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) in normal (NG) and high glucose (HG) conditions were studied. Methods: The NPMO was characterized by using different spectroscopy methods, such as infrared, HNMR, CNMR, gel permeation chromatography, dynamic light scattering, and atomic force microscopy. Load and releasing were investigated by HPLC. The toxicity against OECs diet-induced by MTT assay. ROS and generation of nitric oxide (NO) were evaluated using dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein and Griess method, respectively. The expression of protein integrin-linked kinase (ILK), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and nerve growth factor (NGF) were evaluated by Western blotting. Results: ThyNPMO is desirable for transferring drug as a carrier. The amount of Thy and extract (E) loaded on NPMO estimated at 43±2.5% and 41±1.8%, respectively. Then, 65% and 63% of the drug load were released, respectively. Thy, ThyNPMO, E, and ENPMO prevented HG-induced OECs cell death (EC50 33±1.5, 22±0.9, 35±1.8, and 25±1.1 μM, respectively). Incubation with Thy, ThyNPMO, E ,and ENPMO at high concentrations increased cell death with LC50 105±3.5, 82±2.8, 109±4.3, and 86±3.4 μM, respectively in HG states. Conclusion: OECs were protected by ThyNPMO and ENPMO in protective concentrations by reducing the amount of ROS and NO, maintaining ILK, reducing VEGF, and increasing BDNF and NGF. The mentioned mechanisms were totally reversed at high concentrations.

Background: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been used as an antimicrobial and disinfectant agent. Nevertheless, there is limited data about antitumor potential. This study has focused on investigating cytotoxic effects of AgNPs from Scrophularia striata flower extract on MCF-7 breast cancer cells and its mechanism of action. Materials and Methods: Thus, a green method was created for the synthesis of AgNPs using an aqueous extract of S. striata flower. Synthesis of AgNPs was described by different analytical techniques including ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy. Cell viability was determined by the 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-a 2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation was measured using probe 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate and intracellular calcium (Cai²⁺) was evaluated with probe flu3-AM. Cells were treated with different concentrations of AgNPs (1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 25, 50, and 100 μg/mL). Results: The results showed that AgNPs hindered cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. AgNPs appeared to have dose-dependent cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells through activation of the ROS generation and an increase in the intracellular Cai²⁺ (IC₅₀ 52 ± 3.14). Conclusion: In conclusion, the results of this preliminary study demonstrated that AgNPs from S. striata flower extract may be a potential therapeutic agent for human breast cancer treatment. Abbreviations used: S. striata: Scrophularia striata; FESEM: Field-emission scanning electron microscopy; XRD: X-ray diffraction; FTIR: Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy; MTT: 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-a 2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide; ROS: Reactive oxygen species; DCF: 2′, 7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate; Cai²⁺: Intracellular calcium.

Drug delivery systems have been of interest to researchers. The effects of synthesized nano-polymers as silibinin and silymarin extract drug delivery systems on olfactory ensheathing cells under normal and high-glucose conditions were studied. The structure of the nanopolymer was characterized by IR, HNMR, GPC, DLS, and AFM. The toxicity was evaluated by an MTT assay. The production of ROS and the generation of NO were evaluated by a probe of fluorescein diacetate and Griess methods, respectively. The expressions of the protein levels of ILK, VEGF, BDNF, and NGF were investigated by western blotting. The polymer size was between 50 and 150 nm. The loading capacities for silibinin and silymarin were 68.5% and 56.4%, respectively, and the drug release for them was estimated at 54.1% and 50.8%, respectively. In high-glucose conditions, the cells were protected (EC₅₀ = 4.88 ± 0.5 μM) by silibinin and nanopolymer in low concentrations by reducing the amount of ROS and NO, maintaining ILK, reducing VEGF and increasing NGF and BDNF. Incubation with silibinin and nanopolymer at high concentrations increased cell death with LC₅₀ = 57.36 ± 2.5 and 43.18 ± 1.8 μM, respectively, in high-glucose states. Thus, the cells were protected by silibinin and nanopolymer in protective concentrations by reducing the amount of ROS and NO, maintaining ILK, reducing VEGF, and increasing BDNF and NGF. The mentioned mechanisms were totally reversed at high concentrations.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of thymol and thymol nano polymer on the blood biochemical parameters and anti-diabetic activity in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Methods: The synthesized nano polymer (NP) was characterized by using different spectroscopy methods, such as IR, HNMR and CNMR. Loading and releasing of thymol were investigated by HPLC. Eleven groups of the Streptozotocin-induced diabetic and normal rats (overall 110 males) were tested through various biochemical factors such as: serum glucose, insulin, liver function-related enzymes including ALT, AST, ALP and bilirubin by ELISA kit methods. Results: It has shown that thymol nano polymer is desirable for transferring drug. The amount of thymol loaded on NP estimated at 43±2.5 %. Then, 65% of the loaded drug was released. LD₅₀ for thymol and thymol nano polymer were 435 and 583 mg/kg, respectively. thymol nano polymer at doses of 30, 60 and 90 mg/kg, in a dose-dependent manner, reduced blood glucose, increased insulin levels, and controlled liver enzymes ALT, AST, ALP and bilirubin in the STZ-induced diabetic rats. Conclusion: The use of thymol nano polymer appears to be a new aspect concerning to protect diabetes-induced damage in the animal model.