The seed of Nigella sativa (N. sativa) has been used in different civilization around the world for centuries to treat various animal and human ailments. So far, numerous studies demonstrated the seed of Nigella sativa and its main active constituent, thymoquinone, to be medicinally very effective against various illnesses including different chronic illness: neurological and mental illness, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, diabetes, inflammatory conditions, and infertility as well as various infectious diseases due to bacterial, fungal, parasitic, and viral infections. In spite of limited studies conducted so far, the promising efficacy of N. sativa against HIV/AIDS can be explored as an alternative option for the treatment of this pandemic disease after substantiating its full therapeutic efficacy. Moreover, the strong antioxidant property of this valued seed has recently gained increasing attention with regard to its potential role as dietary supplement with minimal side effects. Besides, when combined with different conventional chemotherapeutic agents, it synergizes their effects resulting in reducing the dosage of concomitantly used drugs with optimized efficacy and least and/or no toxicity. A number of pharmaceutical and biological properties have been ascribed to seeds of N. sativa. The present review focuses on the profile of high-value components along with traditional medicinal and biological principles of N. sativa seed and its oil so as to explore functional food and nutraceutical potential of this valued herb.

Background: This study was undertaken to provide pharmacological basis for the medicinal use ofViola odorataLinn. in hypertension and dyslipidemia using thein vivoandin vitroassays.Results: Viola odorataleaves extract (Vo.Cr), which tested positive for alkaloids, saponins, tannins, phenolics, coumarins and flavonoids, caused a dose-dependent (0.1-1.0 mg/kg) decrease in mean arterial blood pressure in anaesthetized rats. In isolated guinea-pig atria, Vo.Cr equally inhibited force and rate of spontaneous atrial contractions. On the baseline of rat thoracic aortae (endothelium-intact and denuded), the plant extract caused phentolamine-sensitive vasoconstriction. When tested on phenylephrine (PE, 1 μM) and K⁺(80 mM)-induced vasoconstriction, Vo.Cr caused a concentration-dependent relaxation and also caused a rightward shift of Ca⁺⁺concentration-response curves as well as suppression of PE (1 μM) control peaks in Ca⁺⁺-free medium, similar to that caused by verapamil. In the presence of L-NAME, the relaxation curve of Vo.Cr was partially inhibited showing involvement of Nitric oxide (NO) mediated pathway. In Tyloxapol-induced dyslipidemia, Vo.Cr caused reduction in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In high-fat diet-induced dyslipidemia model, the plant extract caused a significant decrease in total cholesterol, LDL-C, atherogenic index and prevented the increase in average body weights, while it increased HDL-C.Conclusions: These data indicate that the vasodilator effect of the plant extract is mediated through multiple pathways like inhibition of Ca⁺⁺influx via membranous Ca⁺⁺channels, its release from intracellular stores and NO-mediated pathways, which possibly explain the fall in BP. The plant also showed reduction in body weight and antidyslipidemic effect which may be due to the inhibition of synthesis and absorption of lipids and antioxidant activities. Thus, this study provides a pharmacologic rationale to the medicinal use ofViola odoratain hypertension and dyslipidemia.

Morinda citrifolia (Noni) is an edible plant with wide range of medicinal uses. It occurs exclusively in tropical climate zone from India through Southeast Asia and Australia to Eastern Polynesia and Hawaii. The objective of this study was to explore the possible mode(s) of action for its antispasmodic, vasodilator and cardio-suppressant effects to rationalize its medicinal use in gut and cardiovascular disorders.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes irritation, inflammation, and ulceration in the linings of the colon and rectum. Otostegia fruticosa is traditionally used to treat various disorders in different parts of the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa. In the present study, we evaluated the ameliorative effects of crude leaves extract of O. fruticosa (OF.Cr) on acetic acid (AA)-induced UC model in Wistar albino rats. Wistar rats were administered orally with either vehicle (10 mL/kg), OF.Cr (200 and 400 mg/kg), or prednisolone (2 mg/kg) once a day for 6 days. On day 6, UC was induced in rats by intrarectal administration of a single dose of 5% AA (1.0 mL). Disease activity index (DAI) was recorded after one day of colitis induction by assessing the symptoms of colitis and then the rats were euthanized by cervical dislocation, and colon tissues were isolated for the histopathological examination and biochemical analysis of oxidative stress parameters and cytokines (Interleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α). OF.Cr pretreatment exhibits significant prevention against UC, as confirmed by a significant decrease of DAI, colonic ulceration, and reduced inflammatory score as compared to the AA-induced colitis rats. Depletion of total glutathione (GSH) levels and catalase (CAT) activities in the colitis group was significantly restored in the OF.Cr treated groups, while increased lipid peroxidation in the colon tissues was significantly reduced. OF.Cr prevented the activation of the IL-6 and TNF-α pathways in the colonic tissues, which were clearly observed by the decreased levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the OF.Cr treated animals. Hence, OF.Cr could be developed in the future for the treatment of UC.

Lepidium sativumis widely used in folk medicine for treatment of hyperactive airways disorders, such as asthma, bronchitis and cough. The crude extract ofLepidium sativum(Ls.Cr) inhibited carbachol (CCh, 1 μM-) and K⁺(80 mM-) induced contractions in a pattern similar to that of dicyclomine. Ls.Cr at 0.03 mg/mL produced a rightward parallel shift of CCh curves, followed by nonparallel shift at higher concentration (0.1 mg/mL), suppressing maximum response, similar to that caused by dicyclomine. Pretreatment of tissues with Ls.Cr (0.1–0.3 mg/mL) shifted Ca⁺⁺concentration-response curves (CRCs) to right, as produced by verapamil. Ls.Cr at low concentrations (0.03–0.1 mg/mL) caused leftward shift of isoprenaline-induced inhibitory CRCs, like that caused by rolipram, a phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor. These results indicate that bronchodilatory effect ofLepidium sativumis mediated through a combination of anticholinergic, Ca⁺⁺antagonist and PDE inhibitory pathways, which provides sound mechanistic background for its medicinal use in the overactive airways disorders.