Letteratura scientifica selezionata sul tema "Phyto-pharmaceutical products"

Resveratrol (RVT) is a well known phyto-chemical and is widely used in dietary supplements and botanical products. It shows a wide range of pharmacological/beneficial effects. Therefore, it can be a potential candidate to be developed as phyto-pharmaceutical. Multiple diseases are reported to be treated by the therapeutic effect of RVT since it has antioxidant, anti-cancer activity and anti-inflammatory activities. It also has a major role in diabetes, arthritis, cardiac disorder and platelet aggregation etc. The major requirements are establishments regarding safety, efficacy profile and physicochemical characterization. As it is already being consumed in variable maximum daily dose, there should not be a major safety concern but the dose needs to be established for different indications. Clinical trials are also being reported in different parts of the world. Physicochemical properties of the moiety are also well reported. Moreover, due to its beneficial effect on health it leads to the development of some intellectual property in the form of patents.

In this work, the degradation of the pharmaceutical losartan, in simulated fresh urine (which was considered because urine is the main excretion route for this compound) by sonochemistry and UVC/H2O2 individually, was studied. Initially, special attention was paid to the degrading action of the processes. Then, theoretical analyses on Fukui function indices, to determine electron-rich regions on the pharmaceutical susceptible to attacks by the hydroxyl radical, were performed. Afterward, the ability of the processes to mineralize losartan and remove the phyto-toxicity was tested. It was found that in the sonochemical treatment, hydroxyl radicals played the main degrading role. In turn, in UVC/H2O2, both the light and hydroxyl radical eliminated the target contaminant. The sonochemical system showed the lowest interference for the elimination of losartan in the fresh urine. It was established that atoms in the imidazole of the contaminant were the moieties most prone to primary transformations by radicals. This was coincident with the initial degradation products coming from the processes action. Although both processes exhibited low mineralizing ability toward losartan, the sonochemical treatment converted losartan into nonphytotoxic products. This research presents relevant results on the elimination of a representative pharmaceutical in fresh urine by two advanced oxidation processes.

The discovery of antibiotics almost 100 years ago seemed to have forever solved the issue of treating infectious diseases for humanity. However, the avalanche-like growth in antibiotic resistance requires the search for alternative methods of treatment, one of which is treatment with herbal products created according to the phytoneering concept. It is a technology that combines the enormous potential of medicinal plants (phyto) with the knowledge and methodology of modern pharmaceutical research (engineering). The article presents 2 clinical cases of the use of the herbal product Canephron N for the prevention of cystitis and acute urolithiasis common disorders in the practice of a urologist.

This work aims to achieve the simultaneous qualitative and quantitative determination of two hydroxycinnamic acids (ferulic acid and caffeic acid) from standard solutions and from a phyto-homeopathic product using a carbon nanofiber-based screen-printed sensor (CNF/SPE). The two compounds are mentioned in the manufacturer’s specifications but without indicating their concentrations. The stability and reproducibility of the CNF/SPE were found to be effective and the sensitivity was high for both caffeic acid—CA (limit of detection 2.39 × 10−7 M) and ferrulic acid—FA (limit of detection 2.33 × 10−7 M). The antioxidant capacity of the compounds in the analyzed product was also determined by the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method. The electrochemical method was efficient and less expensive than other analytical methods; therefore, its use can be extended for the detection of these phenolic compounds in various dietary supplements or pharmaceutical products.

Abstract Species of the Carapa spp. complex, occurring in the Neotropics, Africa and India, have multiple uses, including timber, with the seed oil being used in phyto-pharmaceutical products and cosmetics. This study aimed to determine the thermal ranges of the germination process, comparing germination criteria used by seed physiologists and seed technologists, and to suggest recommendations for seed quality assessment. Germination was assessed at constant temperatures between 10 ─ 40 °C using three germination criteria: (1) radicle length ≥ 0.5 cm (physiological criterion); (2) epicotyl length ≥ 1 cm; and (3) epicotyl length ≥ 5 cm (criterion for seed quality tests). The base temperature was similar for the three criteria and ranged between 10 ─ 2 °C. The Maguire’s Speed Index indicated 30 °C as most adequate. However, the upper temperature limit differed: for radicle protrusion it was above 40 ºC; and for both epicotyl lengths, it was between 35 ─ 40 °C. Seed coat removal accelerated the germination process of these recalcitrant seeds, and is recommended for seed quality assessment, which allows completion of the germination trial in approximately one month.

Natural products represents an important source of new lead compounds in drug discovery research. Several drugs currently used as therapeutic agents have been developed from natural sources; plant sources are specifically important. In the past few decades, pharmaceutical companies demonstrated insignificant attention towards natural product drug discovery, mainly due to its intrinsic complexity. Recently, technological advancements greatly helped to address the challenges and resulted in the revived scientific interest in drug discovery from natural sources. This review provides a comprehensive overview of various approaches used in the selection, authentication, extraction/isolation, biological screening, and analogue development through the application of modern drug-development principles of plant-based natural products. Main focus is given to the bioactivity-guided fractionation approach along with associated challenges and major advancements. A brief outline of historical development in natural product drug discovery and a snapshot of the prominent natural drugs developed in the last few decades are also presented. The researcher’s opinions indicated that an integrated interdisciplinary approach utilizing technological advances is necessary for the successful development of natural products. These involve the application of efficient selection method, well-designed extraction/isolation procedure, advanced structure elucidation techniques, and bioassays with a high-throughput capacity to establish druggability and patentability of phyto-compounds. A number of modern approaches including molecular modeling, virtual screening, natural product library, and database mining are being used for improving natural product drug discovery research. Renewed scientific interest and recent research trends in natural product drug discovery clearly indicated that natural products will play important role in the future development of new therapeutic drugs and it is also anticipated that efficient application of new approaches will further improve the drug discovery campaign.

Plants are the richest resource of drugs of traditional systems of medicine, nutraceuticals, food supplements, pharmaceutical intermediates, and chemical entities for synthetic drugs due to their therapeutic alkaloidal, flavonoid and terpenoid content. The entire world is very rich in all levels of biodiversity namely, species diversity, genetic diversity and habitat diversity. A vast array of plant species is known to have medicinal value and the use of different parts of several medicinal plants to cure specific ailments has been in trend even before ancient civilization. Herbal medicine is still the mainstay of about 75% of the whole population in rural Africa, and a major part of traditional therapy involves the use of plant extract and their active constituents. The reliance could be attributed to our socio-cultural, socio-economic heritage, lack of basic health care and personnel in every nook and cranny of rural communities. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most prevalent hereditary disorders with prominent morbidity and mortality. Most of the 2.4 million Nigerians with sickle cell trait belong to lowest cadre of the society; consequently, they cannot afford the high cost of orthodox management of sickle cell disease. As a result, they rely on natural products such as herbs to alleviate the numerous symptoms presented in SCD. The main objective of this chapter is to highlight the potentials of Phyto materials and nutraceuticals in the management of SCD.

Abstract: Kakadu plum (KP), a native Australian fruit, is a rich source of vitamin C, minerals and phenolic compounds. A better understanding of the (phyto)chemical composition and biological properties of KP will facilitate the development of functional KP products for the food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic industry. KP is usually harvested wild and hence, its composition and functional properties may vary considerably depending on the cultivar, maturity, environmental conditions as well as post-harvest treatment. The present study aimed to assess the levels of ascorbic acid (AA) and ellagic acid (EA), the main bioactive compounds in KP, in a commercially available freeze-dried KP powder. The functional properties of a polyphenol-enriched extract obtained from this product were also evaluated. AA and EA were quantified by UHPLC_PDA. The polyphenol-enriched extract was tested for in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, using the DPPH radical scavenging assay and agar well diffusion, respectively. Total AA content in the freeze-dried powder was 200 mg/g dry weight (DW) and total EA was 46.6 mg/g DW. The polyphenol-enriched extract had a high DPPH radical scavenging capacity and strong antimicrobial activity against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Our findings demonstrate that AA and EA, the main bioactive compounds in KP, are retained at high levels in the freeze-dried KP fruit powder. Furthermore, the polyphenol-enriched KP extract has the potential to be used as a natural preservative in the food industry due to its strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activity.

Herbal plants have been the primary source of medicines for humans since ancient times, and currently around eighty per cent of global population depends on traditional medical system. World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that the international market value for herbal products is approximately equivalent to $6.2 billion till the date and is believed to reach up to $5 trillion at the end of 2050. The main objective of the study is to identify the traditional uses of ashwagandha root extracts for health and longevity, keeping focus on pharmaceutical and biochemical scientific evidence to support the validity. National and international journals have been examined for concrete evidence.

Enset (Ensete ventricosum) belongs to family Musaceae is a plant native to Ethiopia, it is often called false banana for its close resemblance to banana plant. Enset is drought-tolerant, multi-purpose crop which has been part of a sustainable cropping system with high agro-biodiversity in Ethiopia. It could improve food and health security in the country especially where other options is low. Enset plant contains starch and other minor/trace elements which contributes in its nutraceutical applications. Starch is major constituents of the plant and play crucial role in pharmaceutical activities including: Tablet binder and disintegrant, Pharmaceutical gelling agent, Sustained release agent. Nutrional values and major food products of enset, namely Koch, amicho and bulla along with medicinal values encompasses; anti-microbial, anti-nematodal diseases of humans, expel of placenta, healing bone fracture are some nutraceutical applications of enset.

Depuis plusieurs décennies, le déclin des oiseaux spécialistes des milieux agricoles anime le monde scientifique à travers une large documentation sur les causes et les conséquences de ce phénomène. Une des questions clefs porte sur la part de responsabilité des pesticides dans cette tendance, car les études menées jusqu’ici indiquent des relations de cause à effet sans pour autant identifier clairement les mécanismes sous-jacents. L'un des défis majeurs est donc de fournir des faits pertinents sur le plan biologique pour une meilleure évaluation des risques liés aux pesticides pour les oiseaux des champs. Ainsi, le but de cette thèse était d’appréhender les effet sublétaux des pesticides sur les traits d’histoire de vie de la perdrix grise (Perdix perdix) à la fois à l’aide d’expérimentations en conditions contrôlées mais aussi de suivi d’individus sauvages. Associée à la survie et à la reproduction, l’approche multi-trait réalisée ici a permis d’appréhender (1) les effets négatifs des pesticides sur plusieurs traits d’histoire de vie des perdrix, à la fois en captivité mais aussi in natura, (2) l’omniprésence de cocktails de pesticides dans le sang des oiseaux et leurs liens avec les effets sublétaux, (3) l’importance de prendre en compte les processus évolutifs dans les effets à long terme des pesticides en considérant les effets parentaux et la plasticité phénotypique des individus et enfin (4) la nécessité d’utiliser le biomonitoring des espèces sentinelles pour un meilleur suivi de la contamination des agroécosystèmes à l’échelle locale mais aussi comme outil de développement et de mise en place de zones refuges à l’exposition aux pesticides
For several decades, the farmland bird decline has been the subject of much scientific attention, with a large body of literature on the causes and consequences of this phenomenon. One of the major issue is whether pesticides are responsible for this trend, as studies conducted so far indicate cause and effect relationships without clearly identifying the underlying mechanisms. A major challenge is thus to provide biologically relevant evidences for a better assessment of pesticide-related risks to farmland birds. The aim of this thesis was to study the sublethal effects of pesticides on the life history traits of the grey partridge (Perdix perdix) using both experiments under controlled conditions and monitoring of free-living birds. In combination with survival and reproduction, the multi-trait approach carried out here allowed us to understand (1) the deleterious effects of pesticides on several life history traits of partridges, both in captivity and in natura, (2) the ubiquity of pesticide cocktails in the blood of birds and their links with sublethal effects, (3) the importance of considering evolutionary processes in the long-term effects of pesticides by considering parental effects and phenotypic plasticity of individuals and finally (4) the need to use biomonitoring of sentinel species for a better monitoring of the contamination of agroecosystems at the local scale but also as a tool for the development and implementation of refuge areas to pesticide exposure