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John T. Arnason
University of Ottawa, 6363, Biology Department, Ottawa, Canada,

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Review
Published: 12 July 2021 in Botany
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This review describes an Indigenous led project by Q’eqchi’ Maya healers of Belize to strengthen and improve traditional botanical healing. Goals of the project were to conserve medicinal plant knowledge, leading to ethnobotanical studies, and to conserve the plants themselves, by creating a community ethnobotanical garden. A total of 169 medicinal species were collected in the ethnobotanical survey, which provided unique knowledge on many rainforest species of the wet lowland forest of Southern Belize, not found in neighbouring Indigenous cultures. Consensus on plant uses by the healers was high indicating a well conserved codified oral history. After horticultural experimentation by the healers, the Indigenous botanical garden provided a habitat for and conservation of 102 medicinal species including many epiphytes that were rescued from forested areas. Ethnopharmacological studies by the university partners showed a pharmacological basis for, and active principles of plants used for epilepsy and anxiety, for inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, for dermatological mycoses, and for type 2 diabetes complications. Overall, the project has provided a model for Indigenous empowerment and First Nation’s science, as well as establishing this traditional medicine as an important, unified healing practice, that can safely and effectively provide primary healthcare in its cultural context.

ACS Style

John Thor Arnason; Victor Cal; Todd Pesek; Rosalie Awad; Natalie Bourbonnais-Spear; Sean Collins; Marco Otárola-Rojas; Brendan Walshe-Roussel; Patrick Audet; Chieu Anh Ta; Michael J Balick; Jonathan Ferrier. A review of Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology of traditional medicines used by Q’eqchi' Maya healers of Xna'ajeb' aj Ralch'o'och', Belize. Botany 2021, 1 .

AMA Style

John Thor Arnason, Victor Cal, Todd Pesek, Rosalie Awad, Natalie Bourbonnais-Spear, Sean Collins, Marco Otárola-Rojas, Brendan Walshe-Roussel, Patrick Audet, Chieu Anh Ta, Michael J Balick, Jonathan Ferrier. A review of Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology of traditional medicines used by Q’eqchi' Maya healers of Xna'ajeb' aj Ralch'o'och', Belize. Botany. 2021; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

John Thor Arnason; Victor Cal; Todd Pesek; Rosalie Awad; Natalie Bourbonnais-Spear; Sean Collins; Marco Otárola-Rojas; Brendan Walshe-Roussel; Patrick Audet; Chieu Anh Ta; Michael J Balick; Jonathan Ferrier. 2021. "A review of Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology of traditional medicines used by Q’eqchi' Maya healers of Xna'ajeb' aj Ralch'o'och', Belize." Botany , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 06 June 2021 in Journal of Natural Health Product Research
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Cory S. Harris; John T. Arnason; Braydon Hall; Pierre S. Haddad; Roy M. Golsteyn; Bob Chapman; Michael J. Smith; Sharan Sidhu; Pamela Ovadje; Halton Quach; Jeremy Y. Ng. Canada and the Changing Global NHP Landscape: The 17th Annual Conference of the Natural Health Products Research Society of Canada. Journal of Natural Health Product Research 2021, 3, 1 -36.

AMA Style

Cory S. Harris, John T. Arnason, Braydon Hall, Pierre S. Haddad, Roy M. Golsteyn, Bob Chapman, Michael J. Smith, Sharan Sidhu, Pamela Ovadje, Halton Quach, Jeremy Y. Ng. Canada and the Changing Global NHP Landscape: The 17th Annual Conference of the Natural Health Products Research Society of Canada. Journal of Natural Health Product Research. 2021; 3 (1):1-36.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cory S. Harris; John T. Arnason; Braydon Hall; Pierre S. Haddad; Roy M. Golsteyn; Bob Chapman; Michael J. Smith; Sharan Sidhu; Pamela Ovadje; Halton Quach; Jeremy Y. Ng. 2021. "Canada and the Changing Global NHP Landscape: The 17th Annual Conference of the Natural Health Products Research Society of Canada." Journal of Natural Health Product Research 3, no. 1: 1-36.

Journal article
Published: 03 April 2021 in Molecules
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A novel botanical dietary supplement, formulated as a chewable tablet containing a defined mixture of Souroubea spp. vine and Platanus spp. Bark, was tested as a canine anxiolytic for thunderstorm noise-induced stress (noise aversion). The tablet contained five highly stable triterpenes and delivered 10 mg of the active ingredient betulinic acid (BA) for an intended 1 mg/kg dose in a 10 kg dog. BA in tablets was stable for 30 months in storage at 23 °C. Efficacy of the tablets in reducing anxiety in dogs was assessed in a blinded, placebo-controlled study by recording changes in blood cortisol levels and measures of behavioral activity in response to recorded intermittent thunder. Sixty beagles were assigned into groups receiving: placebo, 0.5×, 1×, 2×, and 4× dose, or the positive control (diazepam), for five days. Reduction in anxiety measures was partially dose-dependent and the 1× dose was effective in reducing inactivity time (p = 0.0111) or increased activity time (p = 0.0299) compared with placebo, indicating a decrease in anxiety response. Cortisol measures also showed a dose-dependent reduction in cortisol in dogs treated with the test tablet.

ACS Style

Aleksandar Masic; Gary Landsberg; Bill Milgram; Zul Merali; Tony Durst; Pablo Sanchez Vindas; Mario Garcia; John Baker; Rui Liu; John Arnason. Efficacy of Souroubea-Platanus Dietary Supplement Containing Triterpenes in Beagle Dogs Using a Thunderstorm Noise-Induced Model of Fear and Anxiety. Molecules 2021, 26, 2049 .

AMA Style

Aleksandar Masic, Gary Landsberg, Bill Milgram, Zul Merali, Tony Durst, Pablo Sanchez Vindas, Mario Garcia, John Baker, Rui Liu, John Arnason. Efficacy of Souroubea-Platanus Dietary Supplement Containing Triterpenes in Beagle Dogs Using a Thunderstorm Noise-Induced Model of Fear and Anxiety. Molecules. 2021; 26 (7):2049.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Aleksandar Masic; Gary Landsberg; Bill Milgram; Zul Merali; Tony Durst; Pablo Sanchez Vindas; Mario Garcia; John Baker; Rui Liu; John Arnason. 2021. "Efficacy of Souroubea-Platanus Dietary Supplement Containing Triterpenes in Beagle Dogs Using a Thunderstorm Noise-Induced Model of Fear and Anxiety." Molecules 26, no. 7: 2049.

Preprint content
Published: 31 January 2021
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Antipredation strategies are important for the survival and fitness of animals, especially in more vulnerable life stages. In insects, eggs and early juvenile stages are often either immobile or unable to rapidly flee and hide when facing predators. Understanding what alternative antipredation strategies they use, but also how those change over development time, is required to fully appreciate how species have adapted to biotic threats. Murgantia histrionica is a stink bug, conspicuously colored from egg to adult, known to sequester defensive glucosinolates from its cruciferous hosts as adults. We sought to assess whether this chemical defense is also present in its eggs and early nymphal instars and quantified how it fluctuates among life stages. In parallel, we looked at an alternative antipredation strategy, described for the first time in this species: tonic immobility. Our results show that the eggs are significantly more chemically defended than the first two mobile life stages, but not than the third instar. Tonic immobility is also favored by hatchlings, but less so by subsequent instars. We argue the case that over development time, tonic immobility is a useful defensive strategy until adequate chemical protection is achieved over an extended feeding period.

ACS Style

Eric Guerra-Grenier; Rui Liu; John T. Arnason; Thomas N. Sherratt. Chemical defense and tonic immobility in early life stages of the Harlequin cabbage bug, Murgantia histrionica (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). 2021, 1 .

AMA Style

Eric Guerra-Grenier, Rui Liu, John T. Arnason, Thomas N. Sherratt. Chemical defense and tonic immobility in early life stages of the Harlequin cabbage bug, Murgantia histrionica (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). . 2021; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Eric Guerra-Grenier; Rui Liu; John T. Arnason; Thomas N. Sherratt. 2021. "Chemical defense and tonic immobility in early life stages of the Harlequin cabbage bug, Murgantia histrionica (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)." , no. : 1.

Letter
Published: 22 April 2020 in Heritage
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The Maya employed the k’an |K’AN| glyph in Late Classic (~750 CE) hieroglyphs on murals and polychrome pottery as an adjective meaning precious, yellow. On cacao drinking vessels, the k’an glyph was suggested as a descriptor for a flavoring ingredient, allspice, Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr. (Myrtaceae). However, our previous consensus ethnobotanical fieldwork with Q’eqchi’ Maya healers of Belize revealed another candidate among antidiabetic plants, Tynanthus guatemalensis Donn. Sm. (Bignoniaceae), which was the healers’ top selection for treatment of diabetes and an exceptionally active extract in an antidiabetic assay for inhibition of protein glycation. Traits of T. guatemalensis observed after cross sectioning the liana were: (1) a cross-shaped xylem organization similar to the k’an glyph; (2) an allspice-like aroma; and (3) yellow color. Based on taxonomy and ethnobotany, confirmation of the allspice-like aromatic compound eugenol, and antidiabetic activity, we determined the plant described by the k’an glyph to be T. guatemalensis (chib’ayal in Q’eqchi’), not P. dioica (allspice). In contemporary Q’eqchi’ tradition, the section of the chib’ayal vine with its cross is associated with the eighth day of their Tzolk’in calendar, which is called the “nawal” (energy) of “q’anil” (ripe, full yellow). This day is represented with a different glyph from the k’an glyph, but notably has a cross representing the four cardinal points. The identification of a potent medicinal plant used in the late classic as well as contemporary times may suggest the long-term preservation of traditional medicinal knowledge in Maya culture for pharmacologically significant plants.

ACS Style

Jonathan Ferrier; Todd Pesek; Nicholas Zinck; Sharon Curtis; Phillip Wanyerka; Victor Cal; Michael Balick; John Thor Arnason. A Classic Maya Mystery of a Medicinal Plant and Maya Hieroglyphs. Heritage 2020, 3, 275 -282.

AMA Style

Jonathan Ferrier, Todd Pesek, Nicholas Zinck, Sharon Curtis, Phillip Wanyerka, Victor Cal, Michael Balick, John Thor Arnason. A Classic Maya Mystery of a Medicinal Plant and Maya Hieroglyphs. Heritage. 2020; 3 (2):275-282.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jonathan Ferrier; Todd Pesek; Nicholas Zinck; Sharon Curtis; Phillip Wanyerka; Victor Cal; Michael Balick; John Thor Arnason. 2020. "A Classic Maya Mystery of a Medicinal Plant and Maya Hieroglyphs." Heritage 3, no. 2: 275-282.

Journal article
Published: 18 February 2020 in Journal of Natural Health Product Research
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Introduction: A protocol for the in vitro culture of the anxiolytic medicinal plant Souroubea sympetala (Marcgraviaceae) was developed, representing one of the first in vitro cultures for the family. This species was previously very difficult to cultivate from seed or cuttings. Methods: Methods included (1) the improvement of seed germination by axenic culture (2) development of regenerative cultures in vitro, then cultivation under greenhouse and finally field conditions and (3) creation of cell suspensions. Phytochemical analysis was undertaken by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Results: The percentage of seed germination was improved from 2% to 59% in axenic culture and the full development of the seedling with its apical shoot and root took twenty-four days. The best seedling development was obtained in Gamborg B5 culture medium. Most friable callus formation, (66.7%) was obtained in the Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with naphthalene acetic acid (1 mg · L–1) and kinetin (0.5 mg · L–1) from which viable cell cultures were developed. Analysis identified 4 main triterpenes with both in vitro plants and greenhouse grown plants derived from them. The triterpenes were betulinic acid, ursolic acid, alpha-amyrin and beta-amyrin. The betulinic acid found in greenhouse plants was comparable to wild plants. The cell suspension cultures had much lower levels of betulinic acid than plants and are not at present a viable source of this anxiolytic triterpene. Discussion: The improvement in seed germination of this recalcitrant tropical species was highly successful. The subsequent in vitro propagation and progression of plants through greenhouse and field conditions to provide mature plants with active principle concentrations comparable to wild plants was promising. Friable callus was achieved but phytochemical analysis showed that the level of betulinic acid in callus was much lower than that found in mature plant tissue. Conclusion: The method provides healthy plants for cultivation of this new medicinal plant and consequently harvesting of wild plants is not required.

ACS Style

Alejandra Rojas Vargas; Ana Hine Gomez; Rui Liu; Marco Otarola Rojas; Pablo Sanchez Vindas; Tony Durst; John T. Arnason. In Vitro Culture of the New Anxiolytic Plant, Souroubea Sympetala. Journal of Natural Health Product Research 2020, 2, 1 -10.

AMA Style

Alejandra Rojas Vargas, Ana Hine Gomez, Rui Liu, Marco Otarola Rojas, Pablo Sanchez Vindas, Tony Durst, John T. Arnason. In Vitro Culture of the New Anxiolytic Plant, Souroubea Sympetala. Journal of Natural Health Product Research. 2020; 2 (1):1-10.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Alejandra Rojas Vargas; Ana Hine Gomez; Rui Liu; Marco Otarola Rojas; Pablo Sanchez Vindas; Tony Durst; John T. Arnason. 2020. "In Vitro Culture of the New Anxiolytic Plant, Souroubea Sympetala." Journal of Natural Health Product Research 2, no. 1: 1-10.

Journal article
Published: 18 June 2019 in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
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The Cree of Eeyou Istchee (James Bay area of northern Quebec) suffer from a high rate of diabetes and its complications partly due to the introduction of the western lifestyle within their culture. As part of a search for alternative medicine based on traditional practice, this project evaluates the biological activity of Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb. needle, bark, and cone, in preventing glucose toxicity to PC12-AC cells in vitro (a diabetic neurophathy model) and whether habitat and growth environment influence this activity. Three different organs (needle, bark, and cone) of P. mariana were collected at different geographical locations and ecological conditions and their 80% ethanolic extracts were prepared. Extracts were then tested for their ability to protect PC12-AC cells from hyperglycaemic challenge at physiologically relevant concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 μg/mL. Folin-Ciocalteu method was used to determine the total phenolic content of P. mariana extracts. All extracts were well-tolerated in vitro exhibiting LD50 of 25 μg/mL or higher. Extracts from all tested organs showed a cytoprotective concentration-dependent response. Furthermore, the cytoprotective activity was habitat- and growth environment-dependent with plants grown in bog or forest habitats in coastal or inland environments exhibiting different cytoprotective efficacies. These differences in activity correlated with total phenolic content but not with antioxidant activity. In addition, this paper provides the first complete Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight (UPLC-QTOF) mass spectrometry analysis of Picea mariana’s bark, needles and cones. Together, these results provide further understanding of the cytoprotective activity of Canadian boreal forest plants identified by the Cree healers of Eeyou Istchee in a cell model of diabetic neuropathy. Their activity is relevant to diabetic peripheral neuropathic complications and shows that their properties can be optimized by harvesting in optimal growth environments.

ACS Style

Ashleigh D. Downing; Hoda M. Eid; Andrew Tang; Fida Ahmed; Cory S. Harris; Pierre S. Haddad; Timothy Johns; John T. Arnason; Steffany A. L. Bennett; Alain Cuerrier. Growth environment and organ specific variation in in-vitro cytoprotective activities of Picea mariana in PC12 cells exposed to glucose toxicity: a plant used for treatment of diabetes symptoms by the Cree of Eeyou Istchee (Quebec, Canada). BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2019, 19, 1 -14.

AMA Style

Ashleigh D. Downing, Hoda M. Eid, Andrew Tang, Fida Ahmed, Cory S. Harris, Pierre S. Haddad, Timothy Johns, John T. Arnason, Steffany A. L. Bennett, Alain Cuerrier. Growth environment and organ specific variation in in-vitro cytoprotective activities of Picea mariana in PC12 cells exposed to glucose toxicity: a plant used for treatment of diabetes symptoms by the Cree of Eeyou Istchee (Quebec, Canada). BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2019; 19 (1):1-14.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ashleigh D. Downing; Hoda M. Eid; Andrew Tang; Fida Ahmed; Cory S. Harris; Pierre S. Haddad; Timothy Johns; John T. Arnason; Steffany A. L. Bennett; Alain Cuerrier. 2019. "Growth environment and organ specific variation in in-vitro cytoprotective activities of Picea mariana in PC12 cells exposed to glucose toxicity: a plant used for treatment of diabetes symptoms by the Cree of Eeyou Istchee (Quebec, Canada)." BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 19, no. 1: 1-14.

Article
Published: 25 April 2019 in Economic Botany
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Using a quantitative ethnobotanical methodology, we identified 107 plant species belonging to 49 families used by Q’eqchi’ Maya healers in the treatment of symptoms from 14 usage categories related to inflammation. The families with the largest number of medicinal species were Piperaceae, Araceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Adiantaceae with five or more medicinal species. Healer consensus for plant species was high, with 56 species (52%) being used by all the healers, and consensus for usage categories was also high, as informant consensus factor (FIC) values for each category were greater than 0.4.

ACS Style

Brendan Walshe-Roussel; Marco Otarola Rojas; Pablo Sanchez Vindas; Todd Pesek; Victor Cal; John Thor Arnason. Ethnobotany of Immunomodulatory Treatments Used by the Q’eqchi’ Maya of Belize. Economic Botany 2019, 73, 154 -170.

AMA Style

Brendan Walshe-Roussel, Marco Otarola Rojas, Pablo Sanchez Vindas, Todd Pesek, Victor Cal, John Thor Arnason. Ethnobotany of Immunomodulatory Treatments Used by the Q’eqchi’ Maya of Belize. Economic Botany. 2019; 73 (2):154-170.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Brendan Walshe-Roussel; Marco Otarola Rojas; Pablo Sanchez Vindas; Todd Pesek; Victor Cal; John Thor Arnason. 2019. "Ethnobotany of Immunomodulatory Treatments Used by the Q’eqchi’ Maya of Belize." Economic Botany 73, no. 2: 154-170.

Editorial
Published: 22 March 2019 in Journal of Natural Products
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John T. Arnason; Mario Figueroa; Rogelio Pereda-Miranda; Nicholas H. Oberlies. Special Issue in Honor of Professor Rachel Mata. Journal of Natural Products 2019, 82, 423 -424.

AMA Style

John T. Arnason, Mario Figueroa, Rogelio Pereda-Miranda, Nicholas H. Oberlies. Special Issue in Honor of Professor Rachel Mata. Journal of Natural Products. 2019; 82 (3):423-424.

Chicago/Turabian Style

John T. Arnason; Mario Figueroa; Rogelio Pereda-Miranda; Nicholas H. Oberlies. 2019. "Special Issue in Honor of Professor Rachel Mata." Journal of Natural Products 82, no. 3: 423-424.

Journal article
Published: 21 June 2018 in Journal of Ethnopharmacology
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Because of the recent increase in type 2 diabetes and the need for complementary treatments in remote communities in many parts of the world, we undertook a study of treatments for diabetic symptoms used by traditional Q’eqchi’ Maya healers of Belize. We used quantitative ethnobotany to rank culturally important taxa and subsequent pharmacological and phytochemical studies to assess bioactivity. Antidiabetic plants identified in field interviews with traditional healers were ranked by syndromic importance value (SIV) based on 15 symptoms of diabetes. Species ranked with high SIV were tested in an assay relevant to many diabetes complications, the advanced glycation endproduct (AGE) inhibition assay. Active principles were identified by phytochemical analysis and bioassay. We collected over 70 plant species having a promising SIV score. The plants represented a broad range of neotropical taxa. Selected Q’eqchi’ antidiabetic plants with high SIV were collected in bulk and tested in the advanced glycation endproduct (AGE) inhibition assay. All plant extracts showed AGE inhibition and the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) ranged from 40.8 to 733 µg/mL, while the most active species was Tynanthus guatemalensis Donn (Bignoniaceae). A linear regression showed a significant relationship between 1/ IC50 and SIV. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of verbascoside, as a major component and active principle of the T guatemalensis which had an IC50 = 5.1 µg/mL, comparable to the positive control quercetin. The results reveal a rich botanical tradition of antidiabetic symptom treatments among the Q’eqchi’. Study of highly ranked plants revealed their activity in AGE inhibition correlated with SIV. T. guatemalensis was identified as a promising species for further evaluation and local use.

ACS Style

J. Ferrier; A. Saleem; A. Carter Ramirez; R. Liu; Eric Chen; T. Pesek; V. Cal; M. Balick; J.T. Arnason. Traditional medicines used by Q’eqchi’ Maya to treat diabetic symptoms and their antiglycation potential. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2018, 224, 504 -511.

AMA Style

J. Ferrier, A. Saleem, A. Carter Ramirez, R. Liu, Eric Chen, T. Pesek, V. Cal, M. Balick, J.T. Arnason. Traditional medicines used by Q’eqchi’ Maya to treat diabetic symptoms and their antiglycation potential. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2018; 224 ():504-511.

Chicago/Turabian Style

J. Ferrier; A. Saleem; A. Carter Ramirez; R. Liu; Eric Chen; T. Pesek; V. Cal; M. Balick; J.T. Arnason. 2018. "Traditional medicines used by Q’eqchi’ Maya to treat diabetic symptoms and their antiglycation potential." Journal of Ethnopharmacology 224, no. : 504-511.

Comparative study
Published: 01 April 2018 in Journal of Ethnopharmacology
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This is the first study to show that copal incense from Protium copal elicits anxiolytic-like effects in fear and social interaction models as evidenced by a reduced learned fear behavior and an increase in active social interaction. It's high α and β-amyrin content suggests behavioral effects may be mediated, in part, by the known action of these terpenes at the benzodiazepine receptor. Furthermore, P. copal's observed activity through the eCB system via MAGL offers a new potential mechanism underlying the anxiolytic activity.

ACS Style

Zul Merali; Christian Cayer; Pamela Kent; Rui Liu; Victor Cal; Cory S. Harris; John T. Arnason. Sacred Maya incense, copal ( Protium copal - Burseraceae), has antianxiety effects in animal models. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2018, 216, 63 -70.

AMA Style

Zul Merali, Christian Cayer, Pamela Kent, Rui Liu, Victor Cal, Cory S. Harris, John T. Arnason. Sacred Maya incense, copal ( Protium copal - Burseraceae), has antianxiety effects in animal models. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2018; 216 ():63-70.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zul Merali; Christian Cayer; Pamela Kent; Rui Liu; Victor Cal; Cory S. Harris; John T. Arnason. 2018. "Sacred Maya incense, copal ( Protium copal - Burseraceae), has antianxiety effects in animal models." Journal of Ethnopharmacology 216, no. : 63-70.

Article
Published: 29 January 2018 in Phytotherapy Research
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Perturbations to extravillous trophoblast (EVT) cell migration and invasion are associated with the development of placenta-mediated diseases. Phytochemicals found in the lowbush blueberry plant (Vaccinium angustifolium) have been shown to influence cell migration and invasion in models of tumorigenesis and noncancerous, healthy cells, however never in EVT cells. We hypothesized that the phenolic compounds present in V. angustifolium leaf extract promote trophoblast migration and invasion. Using the HTR-8/SVneo human EVT cell line and Boyden chamber assays, the influence of V. angustifolium leaf extract (0 to 2 × 104 ng/ml) on trophoblast cell migration (n = 4) and invasion (n = 4) was determined. Cellular proliferation and viability were assessed using immunoreactivity to Ki67 (n = 3) and trypan blue exclusion assays (n = 3), respectively. At 20 ng/ml, V. angustifolium leaf extract increased HTR-8/SVneo cell migration and invasion (p < .01) and did not affect cell proliferation or viability. Chlorogenic acid was identified as a major phenolic compound of the leaf extract and the most active compound. Evidence from Western blot analysis (n = 3) suggests that the effects of the leaf extract and chlorogenic acid on trophoblast migration and invasion are mediated through an adenosine monophosphate-activated protein (AMP) kinase-dependent mechanism. Further investigations examining the potential therapeutic applications of this natural health product extract and its major chemical compounds in the context of placenta-mediated diseases are warranted.

ACS Style

Christina Ly; Jonathan Ferrier; Jeremiah Gaudet; Julien Yockell-Lelièvre; John Thor Arnason; Andrée Gruslin; Shannon Bainbridge. Vaccinium angustifolium (lowbush blueberry) leaf extract increases extravillous trophoblast cell migration and invasion in vitro. Phytotherapy Research 2018, 32, 705 -714.

AMA Style

Christina Ly, Jonathan Ferrier, Jeremiah Gaudet, Julien Yockell-Lelièvre, John Thor Arnason, Andrée Gruslin, Shannon Bainbridge. Vaccinium angustifolium (lowbush blueberry) leaf extract increases extravillous trophoblast cell migration and invasion in vitro. Phytotherapy Research. 2018; 32 (4):705-714.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Christina Ly; Jonathan Ferrier; Jeremiah Gaudet; Julien Yockell-Lelièvre; John Thor Arnason; Andrée Gruslin; Shannon Bainbridge. 2018. "Vaccinium angustifolium (lowbush blueberry) leaf extract increases extravillous trophoblast cell migration and invasion in vitro." Phytotherapy Research 32, no. 4: 705-714.

Original paper
Published: 04 October 2017 in Environmental Geochemistry and Health
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Geophagy, the deliberate consumption of earth materials, is common among humans and animals. However, its etiology and function(s) remain poorly understood. The major hypotheses about its adaptive functions are the supplementation of essential elements and the protection against temporary and chronic gastrointestinal (GI) distress. Because much less work has been done on the protection hypothesis, we investigated whether soil eaten by baboons protected their GI tract from plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) and described best laboratory practices for doing so. We tested a soil that baboons eat/preferred, a soil that baboons never eat/non-preferred, and two clay minerals, montmorillonite a 2:1 clay and kaolinite a 1:1 clay. These were processed using a technique that simulated physiological digestion. The phytochemical concentration of 10 compounds representative of three biosynthetic classes of compounds found in the baboon diet was then assessed with and without earth materials using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC–DAD). The preferred soil was white, contained 1% halite, 45% illite/mica, 14% kaolinite, and 0.8% sand; the non-preferred soil was pink, contained 1% goethite and 1% hematite but no halite, 40% illite/mica, 19% kaolinite, and 3% sand. Polar phenolics and alkaloids were generally adsorbed at levels 10× higher than less polar terpenes. In terms of PSM adsorption, the montmorillonite was more effective than the kaolinite, which was more effective than the non-preferred soil, which was more effective than the preferred soil. Our findings suggest that HPLC–DAD is best practice for the assessment of PSM adsorption of earth materials due to its reproducibility and accuracy. Further, soil selection was not based on adsorption of PSMs, but on other criteria such as color, mouth feel, and taste. However, the consumption of earth containing clay minerals could be an effective strategy for protecting the GI tract from PSMs.

ACS Style

Chieu Anh Kim Ta; Paula A. Pebsworth; Rui Liu; Stephen Hillier; Nia Gray; John T. Arnason; Sera L. Young. Soil eaten by chacma baboons adsorbs polar plant secondary metabolites representative of those found in their diet. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 2017, 40, 803 -813.

AMA Style

Chieu Anh Kim Ta, Paula A. Pebsworth, Rui Liu, Stephen Hillier, Nia Gray, John T. Arnason, Sera L. Young. Soil eaten by chacma baboons adsorbs polar plant secondary metabolites representative of those found in their diet. Environmental Geochemistry and Health. 2017; 40 (2):803-813.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chieu Anh Kim Ta; Paula A. Pebsworth; Rui Liu; Stephen Hillier; Nia Gray; John T. Arnason; Sera L. Young. 2017. "Soil eaten by chacma baboons adsorbs polar plant secondary metabolites representative of those found in their diet." Environmental Geochemistry and Health 40, no. 2: 803-813.

Review
Published: 11 September 2017 in The AAPS Journal
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As part of our ongoing research into botanical therapies for anxiety disorders, the neotropical vine Souroubea sympetala was chosen for study as a phytochemical discovery strategy focusing on rare Central American plant families. When orally administered to male Sprague-Dawley rats, the crude plant extract, its ethyl acetate fraction, supercritical carbon dioxide fraction, or its isolated triterpenes reduced anxiety and/or fear-related behavior in standardized behavioral models. Pharmacological studies showed that the extracts acted at the benzodiazepine GABAA receptor and reduced corticosterone levels. A preparation containing Souroubea fortified with a second triterpene containing plant, Platanus occidentalis, was shown to be safe in a 28-day feeding trial with beagles at 5 times the intended dose. Subsequent trials with beagles in a thunderstorm model of noise aversion showed that the material reduced anxiety behaviors and cortisol levels in dogs. The formulation has been released for the companion animal market in Canada and the USA under the Trademark "Zentrol." Ongoing research is exploring the use of the material in treatment of anxiety and post-traumatic stress in humans.

ACS Style

Rui Liu; Fida Ahmed; Christian Cayer; Martha Mullally; Ana Francis Carballo; Marco Otarola Rojas; Mario Garcia; John Baker; Aleksandar Masic; Pablo E Sanchez; Luis Poveda; Zul Merali; Tony Durst; John T. Arnason. New Botanical Anxiolytics for Use in Companion Animals and Humans. The AAPS Journal 2017, 19, 1626 -1631.

AMA Style

Rui Liu, Fida Ahmed, Christian Cayer, Martha Mullally, Ana Francis Carballo, Marco Otarola Rojas, Mario Garcia, John Baker, Aleksandar Masic, Pablo E Sanchez, Luis Poveda, Zul Merali, Tony Durst, John T. Arnason. New Botanical Anxiolytics for Use in Companion Animals and Humans. The AAPS Journal. 2017; 19 (6):1626-1631.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rui Liu; Fida Ahmed; Christian Cayer; Martha Mullally; Ana Francis Carballo; Marco Otarola Rojas; Mario Garcia; John Baker; Aleksandar Masic; Pablo E Sanchez; Luis Poveda; Zul Merali; Tony Durst; John T. Arnason. 2017. "New Botanical Anxiolytics for Use in Companion Animals and Humans." The AAPS Journal 19, no. 6: 1626-1631.

Journal article
Published: 01 April 2017 in Botany
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Blueberry leaves (Vaccinium spp. L.) are used as a natural health product and traditional medicine for health maintenance in type-2 diabetes. In this study, seven blueberry species available to northern communities in North America and one used by the Lukomir Highlanders in Europe were assessed for phytochemical content and antidiabetic activity using an in vitro advanced glycation end product (antiglycation) assay. All Vaccinium spp. were found to have potent antiglycation activity that was greater than that of the outgroup Gaylussacia sp. Inhibitory concentrations of leaf extracts from Vaccinium spp. varied from 4.1 to 79.0 μg/mL. The activity was correlated to phenolic content, and eight phenolic metabolites were found to provide species markers. These species have potential for complementary dietary strategies for type-2 diabetics in northern communities.

ACS Style

Jonathan Ferrier; Ammar Saleem; Sabrina Djeffal; James Schlarb; Pierre S. Haddad; Michael J. Balick; Alain Cuerrier; John T. Arnason. Comparison of the antiglycation activity of leaves of eight traditionally used wild blueberry species (Vaccinium L.) from northern Canada and Europe with their phytochemistry. Botany 2017, 95, 387 -394.

AMA Style

Jonathan Ferrier, Ammar Saleem, Sabrina Djeffal, James Schlarb, Pierre S. Haddad, Michael J. Balick, Alain Cuerrier, John T. Arnason. Comparison of the antiglycation activity of leaves of eight traditionally used wild blueberry species (Vaccinium L.) from northern Canada and Europe with their phytochemistry. Botany. 2017; 95 (4):387-394.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jonathan Ferrier; Ammar Saleem; Sabrina Djeffal; James Schlarb; Pierre S. Haddad; Michael J. Balick; Alain Cuerrier; John T. Arnason. 2017. "Comparison of the antiglycation activity of leaves of eight traditionally used wild blueberry species (Vaccinium L.) from northern Canada and Europe with their phytochemistry." Botany 95, no. 4: 387-394.

Letter
Published: 01 December 2016 in Planta Medica International Open
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Rhodiola rosea is a plant with adaptogenic qualities used by Inuit populations of Nunavik, Quebec (Canada) for general mental and physical rejuvenation. Previous studies have demonstrated that the Canadian populations of R. rosea significantly attenuate the expression of learned fear and anxiety-like behaviors in rodent models. In order to further characterize the anxiolytic activity of Nunavik R. rosea, experiments were conducted to assess the effects of oral administration of the plant extract on both the fear-potentiated startle response and corticosterone levels. Findings suggest that oral administration of R. rosea ethanolic extract (75 mg/kg) significantly attenuated fear-potentiated startle, but did not produce any effects on stress-induced secretion of corticosterone.

ACS Style

A.L. Murkar; Pamela Kent; Christian Cayer; Jon James; Alain Cuerrier; Zulfiquar Merali; John T. Arnason. Nunavik Rhodiola rosea Attenuates Expression of Fear-Potentiated Startle. Planta Medica International Open 2016, 3, 1 .

AMA Style

A.L. Murkar, Pamela Kent, Christian Cayer, Jon James, Alain Cuerrier, Zulfiquar Merali, John T. Arnason. Nunavik Rhodiola rosea Attenuates Expression of Fear-Potentiated Startle. Planta Medica International Open. 2016; 3 (4):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

A.L. Murkar; Pamela Kent; Christian Cayer; Jon James; Alain Cuerrier; Zulfiquar Merali; John T. Arnason. 2016. "Nunavik Rhodiola rosea Attenuates Expression of Fear-Potentiated Startle." Planta Medica International Open 3, no. 4: 1.

Journal article
Published: 01 June 2016 in Journal of Ethnopharmacology
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The medicinal plant, Piper amalago L. (Piperaceae), is used traditionally by Q’eqchi’ Maya healers for the treatment of “susto,”a culture-bound syndrome. Previous research suggests that susto symptoms may be a manifestation of anxiety. The objectives were to characterize the effect of ethanolic extract of P. amalago in behavioral assays of anxiety at doses representative of traditional use and to isolate active principles. Rats treated orally with low dose ethanolic extracts of P. amalago leaves (8-75 mg/kg) were tested in several behavioral paradigms including the elevated plus maze (EPM), social interaction (SI), and conditioned emotional response (CER) tests, and compared to diazepam, a positive control. The active anxiolytic principle was isolated by bioassay guided isolation using an in vitro GABAA competitive binding assay. Extracts had significant anxiolytic activity in all behavioral tests, with the strongest activity in the SI and the CER paradigms. In an in vitro GABAA competitive binding assay, a 66.5 µg/mL concentration of P. amalago ethanol extract displaced 50% of the GABAA–BZD receptor ligand [3H]-Flunitrazepam. Bioassay-guided fractionation identified a furofuran lignan, a molecule with structural similarity to yangambin, with high affinity for the GABAA-BZD receptor as the principle bioactive. The results suggest that the ethnobotanical use of this plant may have a pharmacological basis in its anxiolytic activity demonstrated in animal behaviour tests

ACS Style

M. Mullally; C. Cayer; A. Muhammad; B. Walshe-Roussel; F. Ahmed; P.E. Sanchez-Vindas; M. Otarola Rojas; Z. Merali; V. Cal; T. Durst; V.L. Trudeau; J.T. Arnason. Anxiolytic activity and active principles of Piper amalago (Piperaceae), a medicinal plant used by the Q’eqchi’ Maya to treat susto, a culture-bound illness. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2016, 185, 147 -154.

AMA Style

M. Mullally, C. Cayer, A. Muhammad, B. Walshe-Roussel, F. Ahmed, P.E. Sanchez-Vindas, M. Otarola Rojas, Z. Merali, V. Cal, T. Durst, V.L. Trudeau, J.T. Arnason. Anxiolytic activity and active principles of Piper amalago (Piperaceae), a medicinal plant used by the Q’eqchi’ Maya to treat susto, a culture-bound illness. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2016; 185 ():147-154.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Mullally; C. Cayer; A. Muhammad; B. Walshe-Roussel; F. Ahmed; P.E. Sanchez-Vindas; M. Otarola Rojas; Z. Merali; V. Cal; T. Durst; V.L. Trudeau; J.T. Arnason. 2016. "Anxiolytic activity and active principles of Piper amalago (Piperaceae), a medicinal plant used by the Q’eqchi’ Maya to treat susto, a culture-bound illness." Journal of Ethnopharmacology 185, no. : 147-154.

Validation study
Published: 10 May 2016 in Planta Medica
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Sorbus decora and Sorbus americana are used traditionally as medicine by the Eeyou Istchee Cree First Nation of the James Bay region of Quebec, Canada. Because the ethanol extracts of the bark and the isolated terpenes of these plants have shown promising in vivo antidiabetic effects, an analytical method was developed and validated by RP-HPLC-ELSD for the identification and quantification of eight lupane- and ursane-type terpenes. The extraction method reproducibly recovered the compounds above 70 % and the chromatographic separation of betulin, 23-hydroxy-betulin, 23,28-dihydroxylupan-20(29)-ene-3β-caffeate, betulinic acid, α-amyrin, uvaol, 3β,23,28-trihydroxy-12-ursene, and 23,28-dihydroxyursan-12-ene-3β-caffeate was achieved within 27 min by linear gradient. The method produced highly reproducible quantitative data at interday and intraday levels. The limits of detection were in the ng level on-column with remarkable range and linearity. The target compounds were present at mg levels in the populations, collected from inland (Mistissini and Nemaska) and costal (Waskagnish and Chisasibi) Cree communities of northern Quebec. A triterpene, 23-hydroxybetulin, was the most abundant, while betulinic acid and uvaol were minor constituents. Overall, HPLC-ELSD analyses produced very similar profiles and contents of the eight compounds in the plants collected from four geographic locations. The developed HPLC-ELSD method can be used as a targeted analysis of triterpenes in these medicinal plants.

ACS Style

Ammar Saleem; Rui Liu; José A. Guerrero-Analco; Anna Bailie; Brian Foster; Alain Cuerrier; Timothy Johns; Pierre S. Haddad; John Thor Arnason. An HPLC-ELSD Method for the Determination of Triterpenes in Sorbus decora and Sorbus americana Bark Used by the Eeyou Istchee Cree First Nation. Planta Medica 2016, 82, 1302 -1307.

AMA Style

Ammar Saleem, Rui Liu, José A. Guerrero-Analco, Anna Bailie, Brian Foster, Alain Cuerrier, Timothy Johns, Pierre S. Haddad, John Thor Arnason. An HPLC-ELSD Method for the Determination of Triterpenes in Sorbus decora and Sorbus americana Bark Used by the Eeyou Istchee Cree First Nation. Planta Medica. 2016; 82 (14):1302-1307.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ammar Saleem; Rui Liu; José A. Guerrero-Analco; Anna Bailie; Brian Foster; Alain Cuerrier; Timothy Johns; Pierre S. Haddad; John Thor Arnason. 2016. "An HPLC-ELSD Method for the Determination of Triterpenes in Sorbus decora and Sorbus americana Bark Used by the Eeyou Istchee Cree First Nation." Planta Medica 82, no. 14: 1302-1307.

Journal article
Published: 01 January 2016 in Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine
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Goji berry (: Goji juice, water, and ethanol extracts were examined for their effect on CYP2C9/19-, 2D6-, 3A4/5/7-, 4A11-, CYP19-, and FMO3-mediated metabolism by using: Data indicates that both fresh juice and commercially available juice caused strong inhibition (over 75 %) of most of the major CYP450 enzymes and moderate inhibition of FMO3 (30–60 %). Compared to juice, the Goji cold/hot water extracts effected low inhibition (below 30 %) of these enzymes. Ethanol (80 %) extracts exhibit the strongest inhibition on CYP2C9 and 2C19 (over 90 %). The inhibition pattern of dried and fresh berry extract and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-UV fingerprints were similar.: These findings suggest that Goji products (berries, tea, tincture, and juice) can inhibit phase I drug metabolism enzymes and have the potential to affect the safety and efficacy of therapeutic products.

ACS Style

Rui Liu; Teresa W. Tam; Jingqin Mao; Ammar Salem; John T. Arnason; Anthony Krantis; Brian C. Foster. In vitro activity of Lycium barbarum (Goji) against major human phase I metabolism enzymes. Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine 2016, 13, 257 -265.

AMA Style

Rui Liu, Teresa W. Tam, Jingqin Mao, Ammar Salem, John T. Arnason, Anthony Krantis, Brian C. Foster. In vitro activity of Lycium barbarum (Goji) against major human phase I metabolism enzymes. Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine. 2016; 13 (3):257-265.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rui Liu; Teresa W. Tam; Jingqin Mao; Ammar Salem; John T. Arnason; Anthony Krantis; Brian C. Foster. 2016. "In vitro activity of Lycium barbarum (Goji) against major human phase I metabolism enzymes." Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine 13, no. 3: 257-265.

Review
Published: 26 December 2015 in Molecules
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Microbial biofilms readily form on many surfaces in nature including plant surfaces. In order to coordinate the formation of these biofilms, microorganisms use a cell-to-cell communication system called quorum sensing (QS). As formation of biofilms on vascular plants may not be advantageous to the hosts, plants have developed inhibitors to interfere with these processes. In this mini review, research papers published on plant-derived molecules that have microbial biofilm or quorum sensing inhibition are reviewed with the objectives of determining the biosynthetic classes of active compounds, their biological activity in assays, and their families of occurrence and range. The main findings are the identification of plant phenolics, including benzoates, phenyl propanoids, stilbenes, flavonoids, gallotannins, proanthocyanidins and coumarins as important inhibitors with both activities. Some terpenes including monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes and triterpenes also have anti-QS and anti-biofilm activities. Relatively few alkaloids were reported. Quinones and organosulfur compounds, especially from garlic, were also active. A common feature is the polar nature of these compounds. Phytochemicals with these activities are widespread in Angiosperms in temperate and tropical regions, but gymnosperms, bryophytes and pteridophytes were not represented.

ACS Style

Chieu Anh Kim Ta; John Thor Arnason. Mini Review of Phytochemicals and Plant Taxa with Activity as Microbial Biofilm and Quorum Sensing Inhibitors. Molecules 2015, 21, 29 .

AMA Style

Chieu Anh Kim Ta, John Thor Arnason. Mini Review of Phytochemicals and Plant Taxa with Activity as Microbial Biofilm and Quorum Sensing Inhibitors. Molecules. 2015; 21 (1):29.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chieu Anh Kim Ta; John Thor Arnason. 2015. "Mini Review of Phytochemicals and Plant Taxa with Activity as Microbial Biofilm and Quorum Sensing Inhibitors." Molecules 21, no. 1: 29.