Introduction. Cholestasis is caused by malfunction of the hepatobiliary system. This disorder is the result of the accumulation of bile fatty acids and other toxins in the liver. The aim of the current study was to investigate the antioxidative and hepatoprotective effects of methanolic extract of Origanum majorana L. (OM) on hepatic disorder and tissue damage induced by bile duct ligation (BDL) in rats. Materials and methods. Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups including sham control group received vehicle (SC-V), bile duct ligation received vehicle (BDL-V), bile duct ligation group received OM extract (BDL+OM), and sham control group received OM extract (SC+OM). One day after surgery, the animals received vehicle or methanolic extract of OM 300mg/kg/day for 7 consecutive days by oral gavage. Finally, the animals were anesthetized and the blood samples were collected from each animal. After sacrificing of animals, liver tissue from each rat was removed and divided into three parts: one part was used for preparing of homogenized tissue, one part was fixed in 10 neutral formalin for histopathology examination, and the third part was kept in liquid nitrogen for gene expression analysis. Biomarkers of oxidative stress in the liver tissue and serum, as well as histopathological changes of the liver, were assessed. Also, the gene expression of IL-1, TNF-α, TGF-β, and α-SMA has been measured. Results. The results showed that BDL-V significantly increased the activity of ALT, AST, ALP, and total bilirubin compared to the SC-V group. The oxidative stress markers such as MDA and FRAP significantly increased due to BDL, while the CAT activity reduced in the BDL-V group compared to SC-V group. Oral treatment with OM reduced ALT and AST activity, although it was not statistically significant. OM treatment considerably increased the activity of CAT compared to BDL group. BDL-V induced a significant histological change in the liver, while treatment with OM at a dose of 300mg/kg showed a minor effect on histopathological changes. In addition, the mRNA of IL-1, TNF-α, TGF-β, and α-SMA significantly increased in the BDL-V group, while treatment with OM only significantly reduced TGF-β in comparison with BDL-V rats. Conclusions. The results of the present study showed that oral administration of OM extract had a moderate protective effect on cholestasis due to BDL. Indeed, more studies with different doses of extract are needed to confirm this finding.

Background. Stachys L. (Lamiaceae) includes more than 300 annual or perennial species growing in temperate regions of Southern Africa, the Mediterranean, America, and Asia. Stachys pilifera Benth (S. pilifera), also known as Marzeh Kuhi, is an endemic species from Iran. It is found in the mountainous habitats of the Zagros area. It has various traditional uses, and the phytochemical ingredients and some biological activities of this species have been examined in previous studies. Methods. PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Science Web databases were used to gather the data. The purpose of this review is to consolidate the scattered knowledge reported in the literature about botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological properties, and safety of S. pilifera and suggest its potential medicinal properties. Key Findings. In traditional Iranian medicine, S. pilifera manages various illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis, common cold, infections, asthma, and tussive. More than 30 compounds have been identified in S. pilifera essential oil. The compounds found in S. pilifera are phenolic compounds, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids, which have various properties such as antioxidant, nephroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, and anticancer properties. Conclusions. The literature reveals that S. pilifera is an essential source of bioactive phytochemicals and illustrates the unknown area of this plant for new investigations. Moreover, we recommend that future research focus on toxicology and quality control studies for S. pilifera to fill the knowledge gap and provide theoretical support for the plants possible functional and clinical uses.

Background and purpose: Previously, we reported the anti-inflammatory properties of Nasturtium officinale (watercress) in several models of acute inflammation. This study was designed to explore the effects of topical and systemic administrations of N. officinale in the two chronic inflammatory models and to evaluate the role of TNF-α and IL-1β in these effects. Experimental approach: Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods were used to estimate the extract’s total phenol and flavonoid content, respectively. Carrageenan-induced paw edema was carried out and TNF-α and IL-1β concentrations in the carrageenan-treated paw tissue were determined. Formalin injection into rat hind paws (7 days) and the application of 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) on mouse ears (9 days) were used to simulate chronic inflammation. Furthermore, a histological assessment of the inflamed tissues was carried out. Findings/Results: The extract’s flavonoid and phenolic contents were 90.26 ± 4.81 mg rutin equivalents/g and 68 ± 8.16 gallic acid equivalents/g gallic acid, respectively. N. officinale pretreatment in all doses administered considerably decreased carrageenan-induced edema. The extract also reduced IL-1β levels in carrageenan- treated paws while did not affect TNF-α levels. Oral and topical administrations of N. officinale considerably reserved the paw and ear edema. The extract also ameliorated the tissue injuries due to formalin and TPA challenges. Conclusion and implications: The data confirmed the topical and systemic anti-inflammatory effects of watercress against two chronic models of inflammation. They suggested that these properties are not related to TNF-α but could be attributed to inhibition of IL-1β and inhibition of leukocyte infiltration.

Background and Aim. Fibrosis of the lungs is an interstitial lung disease whose diagnosis and treatment are not well-established. Stachys pilifera Benth. (Lamiaceae) has been proven to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study was performed to determine the effect of S. pilifera extract on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats. Methods. In this experimental study, 35 male Wistar rats (120180g) were divided into five groups (n=7) as follows: intratracheal instillation of bleomycin (BLM, 7.5IU/kg) was administered to group II. The third and fourth groups received BLM plus Stachys pilifera hydroalcoholic extract (SPHE) (300mg/kg/day, gavage). Vitamin E (500mg/kg/day, gavage) was given to group V in addition to BLM. After 14 days, the animals were euthanized to assess biochemical parameters and lung histopathology. Malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), total thiol (TSH), and glutathione (GSH) levels were measured. In addition, hydroxyproline (HYP) levels along with histological changes in lung tissue were also assessed. Results. MDA, NO, and HYP elevations induced by BLM toxicity were significantly inhibited by SPHE (300 and 600mg/kg), and Vit E. SPHE also significantly increased GSH and TSH levels in comparison to the BLM group.HPLC analyses showed the presence of thymol (55.47ng/mL) and carvacrol (109.91ng/mL) in SPHE as potential bioactive phenolic compounds. Conclusion. The results suggest that SPHE alleviates the development of BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting the proliferation of fibroblasts mediated by antioxidant pathways. Other mechanisms underlying this Effect of SPHE need to be clarified through further research.

Background: The effect of Astragalus has been recognized in traditional Chinese medicine, and the roots are believed to have anti-cancer properties. This study investigated the effects of the ethanolic extract and polysaccharide fraction of Astragalus ovinus roots on MCF7 cell line. Methods: We used MTT assay to evaluate the cytotoxicity of A. ovinus roots. The status of cell cycle and apoptosis were examined, using flow cytometry. The gene expressions related to the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways (caspases 8 & 9) were also examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The cytotoxicity data showed that the A. ovinus extract inhibited the proliferation of MCF7 cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. The IC50 of Cisplatin , ethanolic extract and polysaccharides fraction were 22.42, 560.9, and 961.2 in µg/ml, respectively. Also, the cell cycle analysis showed that the ethanolic extract and polysaccharide fractions arrested the cell cycle in the G1 phase. Examination of the apoptotic effects showed that treatment with either the A. ovinus extract or the polysaccharide fraction induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cancer cells. The expression of caspases 8 and 9 genes was inhibited after exposure to either cisplatin or the polysaccharide fraction (PFA). However, treatment with the extract inhibited only the caspase-8 gene expression. Conclusion: The results confirmed that treatment with the extract and polysaccharide fraction caused anti-proliferative effect and apoptosis of MCF-7 cell line. Therefore, it can be concluded that the A. ovinus extract and the polysaccharides have potential therapeutic effects against human breast cancer cells.