Nephrolithiasis affects approximately 12% of the global population and is increasingly diagnosed at younger ages, highlighting the need for safer and more effective therapeutic options. Although Petroselinum crispum (P. crispum) is traditionally recognized for its diuretic properties, its specific curative efficacy against established calcium oxalate stones and its impact on the underlying oxidative stress pathways remain insufficiently characterized. Additionally, there is a critical need to validate the dose-dependent renoprotective mechanisms of the plant's extract to bridge the gap between ethnomedicinal use and clinical application. This study evaluated the renoprotective and antiurolithiatic potential of P. crispum ethanolic leaf extract in a well-established rat model of ethylene glycol-induced nephrolithiasis. Male albino rats received 1% ammonium chloride and 0.75% ethylene glycol for 28 days to induce lithiasis. From Day 15 onward, two groups were treated orally with P. crispum extract at 300 or 600 mg/kg. Biochemical analyses of urine, serum, and kidney tissue, along with histopathological assessments, were performed. Ethylene glycol administration caused marked lithogenic changes, including decreased urine volume, elevated urinary pH, increased calcium excretion, oxidative stress, and impaired renal function. Moreover, it restored antioxidant status by elevating glutathione and reducing malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels. Histopathological analysis confirmed a protective effect, with decreased crystal deposition and preservation of renal tubular architecture. These findings suggest that P. crispum exerts multimechanistic protective effects-diuretic, antioxidant, and nephroprotective-against urolithiasis. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the extract's molecular mechanisms and validate its clinical potential as a plant-based therapeutic agent for kidney stone prevention and management.

Background:Schizophrenia is considered a neuro-developmental disorder leading to disastrous lifelong disability of the patients and their families. There is a lack of data regarding pharmacogenomics of schizophrenia in Sudan. This study aimed to identify different genes affecting the treatment outcomes in Sudanese patients with schizophrenia. Methods:A case-control study was conducted on seven families having more than one member diagnosed with schizophrenia. This was a small exploratory family-based sequencing study involving 18 affected individuals and 8 controls from seven families. Ethical clearance and informed consent were obtained. Demographic data were collected using a standardized data collection sheet. DNA was extracted from blood samples collected from patients and control groups. Then, whole-exome and genome sequencing were performed. Sixty-six genes associated with schizophrenia, treatment, and treatment resistance were selected from the variant calling file. Variants showing single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. These variants were then classified based on their impact on the protein-coding sequence into high- and moderate-impact. Moreover, indel mutations were also identified. Results:Twelve variants of seven genes (COMT, FMO1, LPL, CYP2E1, ABCC1, GRM3, CYP2C9) were identified as genes with impact and potential association with schizophrenia (p-value=0.006632). Forty-three genes had a moderate impact, and they showed a potential association with schizophrenia (p-value=0.0004436). Two variants were indel mutations (CYP2D6, DTNBP1) and showed association with schizophrenia (p-value=0.004741). The p-values were generated from different databases. Conclusion:This exploratory family-based sequencing study identified several potentially relevant pharmacogenomic and schizophrenia-associated variants in Sudanese families, warranting validation in larger and ethnically diverse cohorts.

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Abstract Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated, neurodegenerative disease with devastating, disabling, and negative impacts on the patients’ quality of life (QoL). Although MS was not known in Sudan, it seems to be rising in recent years. This is a cross-sectional, hospital-based study aimed at assessing the impact of MS medications on patients’ QoL in neurology clinics in Khartoum City. Sixty-four patients diagnosed with MS were recruited. SF-36 questionnaire was used to assess the patients’ QoL. Data were collected from patients’ records in addition to the hand-delivered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using ANOVA test and logistic regression; p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The majority of patients were females from north Sudan (92.2%). The mean age was 28.2 ± 6.5. Relapsing–remitting was the most diagnosed MS type (65.6%). Fatigue and urinary incontinence were the most observed symptoms. All patients had vitamin D deficiency (5–20 ng/ml). Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) were prescribed to 37.5% of patients. The overall mean QoL was 53.9 ± 14.7 with fair physical and mental health (51.8 ± 19.2 and 57.0 ± 10.9, respectively). Patients on DMTs showed a significantly good QoL compared to azathioprine (p ≤ 0.01), corticosteroids (p ≤ 0.01.), and no medications (p ≤ 001). Azathioprine (OR = 0.12; p ≤ 0.05), corticosteroids (OR = 0.14; p ≤ 0.05) and no treatment (OR = 0.01; p ≤ 0.001) negatively affected MS patients’ QoL when compared to DMTs. Vitamin D supplementation was significantly (p ≤ 0.01) associated with good QoL. Conclusions MS was prominent in young females’ descendants of Sudanese northern tribes. DMTs improve the devastating effect of MS on patients’ QoL, and vitamin D supplementation was significantly associated with good QoL of MS patients.

BACKGROUNDMycetoma is a chronic granulomatous inflammatory disease that affects the cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues, leading to gruesome complications if not treated early. As a neglected disease, it has received scant attention in developing curable drugs. Mycetoma treatment is still based on expert opinions in the absence of guidelines.METHODSThis descriptive, cross-sectional, hospital-based study aimed to determine and assess the disease treatment outcomes observed at Mycetoma Research Center, Sudan.RESULTSIn this study, 75% of patients had eumycetoma, all of whom were treated with itraconazole and 37.4% underwent surgical excision, while 25% of the patients had actinomycetoma, 99.2% of whom were treated with a combination of cotrimoxazole and amoxicillin-clavulanate. The cure rate was 12.7% and 14.3% for patients with eumycetoma and actinomycetoma, respectively. Only 6.1% of eumycetoma patients underwent amputation. Remarkably, no patient with actinomycetoma underwent an amputation. Small lesions (OR=10.09, p<0.001) and good follow-up (OR=6.81, p=0.002) were positive predictors of complete cure. In terms of amputation, history of surgical recurrence at presentation (OR=3.67, p=0.020) and presence of grains (OR=7.13, p=0.012) were positive predictors, whereas small lesions were negative predictors (OR=0.06, p=0.009).CONCLUSIONSTreatment of mycetoma was suboptimal, with a low cure rate despite a long treatment duration. Complete cure has a significant association with small lesions and good follow-up.

Pain is a frequent symptom of various illnesses, and pain management is important for those who suffer from it. The purpose of this work is to estimate the analgesic and antinociceptive potentials of Acacia gerrardii Benth, Asparagus flagellaris (Kunth) Baker, and Tephrosia uniflora Pers in albino rats. Ethanolic extracts of the A. gerrardii, A. flagellaris, and T. uniflora (doses 100, 200, and 400 mg) were used. Normal saline was used as control and standard drugs morphine and diclofenac sodium were used in acetic acid writhing, hot plate, tail-flick, and formalin tests. Acetic acid and formalin were injected after one hour of administering the extracts and the standard drugs in acetic acid and formalin tests. A. flagellaris leaves and roots extracts (400 mg/kg) through oral administration caused the highest significant reduction in the writhing's number (P < 0.001) as comparing to the control normal saline (87.92% and 70.70%, respectively). Also, the highest activity in formalin test phases. & II; 86.51% and 79.89%, respectively was for A. flagellaris leaves (400 mg/kg) extract. For the hot plate test at 120 minutes, A. flagellaris leaves (400 mg/kg) extract increased latency period to 27.31 seconds and A. flagellaris roots (400 mg/kg) extract to 25.52 seconds (P < 0.05); the effect was inhibited by naloxone. In the tail flick test also A. flagellaris leaves 400 mg/kg produced retention of 14.80 seconds in 120 minutes (P < 0.05). A. flagellaris roots 400 mg/kg produced the highest retention of all extracts at 14.97 seconds in 120 minutes (P < 0.05). The current study suggests the ethanolic extracts of A. flagellaris leaves and roots had analgesic and antinociceptive activities in a dose-dependent manner.

PCOS is a cluster of metabolic, hormonal, and environmental factors coupled with infertility in patients within reproductive age. This cross-sectional study compared letrozole (LTZ) vs Clomiphene citrate (CC) as ovulation inducers in infertile Sudanese patients with PCOS. Follicles ≥18 mm and pregnancy tests were used for comparison. SPSS version 23 was used for analysis. Significance was calculated with Chi-square, t-test, and logistic regression. P ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Our results showed 49% of the patients were 20–30 years old, 60% had secondary infertility 98.4% were secondary to PCOS and 64% had a family history of infertility. Comparable results on positive pregnancy tests of 26% (P ≤ 0.017) and 17% (P ≤ 0.027) were observed for LTZ vs CC respectively. Similar strengths (P ≤ 0.000) in compacting the ovarian cysts were recorded. LTZ showed less activity (P ≤ 0.013) on follicles size maturation compared to (P ≤ 0.000) with CC. The endometrial thickness was increased with LTZ (51.87%) but reduced with CC (25.54%). The positive pregnancy test was associated with age and BMI. Conclusion Letrozole 20 mg single dose showed comparable results on positive pregnancy tests but less significance on follicle maturation compared to CC100mg. Both drugs compacted the ovarian cysts' sizes. letrozole significantly increased the endometrial lining thickness.

Purpose: Acne vulgaris is a skin disorder primarily affecting teenagers and young adults. Acne relapse is the main drawback of oral isotretinoin (OI), which is the golden therapy for severe acne. This study aimed to assess the rate and predictive factors of acne relapse among Sudanese patients using OI.Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a dermatology and venereology clinic-Sudan, using a self-administered questionnaire and data collection sheet. Patients using OI for acne treatment were enrolled in the study. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the association between variables. P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: 225 acne patients (mean age: 26.0 +/- 4.2 years, females: 88.9%) were included in this study. OI daily dose ranged from 0.25 to 1 mg/kg/day, with frequent daily doses of 40-49 mg (57.3%) over 3-6 months (81.8%). Around one-third of patients (36%) received maintenance therapy after completion of OI course. At a 2-year follow-up, approximately 36% of patients experienced acne relapse that commonly occurred within 6-18 months after the last OI therapy. Early discontinuation of OI was a positive predictor of acne relapse which was 3.99 times greater in patients who had early discontinued OI than those completing the planned OI course (OR=3.99; p=0.002). OI cumulative doses of 120-139 mg/kg and 140-159 mg/kg were negative predictors of acne relapse (OR=0.23; p=0.001 and OR=0.15; p=0.02, respectively). Most patients (94.2%) received prescription OI, and 76.4% of women were advised to use contraceptives. About 69% of patients practiced skin care.Conclusion: About one-third of patients experienced acne relapse. Early discontinuation and low cumulative doses of OI are the main risk factors for acne relapse. Long-term therapy of OI, with cumulative doses of 120-159 mg/kg, would be beneficial to reduce acne relapse.

Background. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a life-threatening genetic disorder due to the formation of sickle hemoglobin molecule (HbS) that polymerizes in hypoxic conditions leading to SCD-related complications. Different approaches have been used in the management of SCD including symptomatic management, supportive management, and preventive management. Objectives. To assess the management of SCD in pediatric patients in Gaafar Ibnauf Referral Hospital in Khartoum locality, Sudan. Method. A descriptive, retrospective, hospital-based study was conducted in Gaafar Ibnauf Hospital using a data collection sheet. The study included all medical files of pediatric patients with SCD attending the hospital during the period from the first of April 2018 to the first of July 2018. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results. Out of 207 pediatric patients, 53.1% were females (mean age of 7.5 ± 3.1 years), with a 1.1 : 1 female:male ratio and low socioeconomic status. Only 4.3% of participants had health insurance. The Messeryia tribe in western Sudan had the highest prevalence of the disease among the Sudanese tribes (11.1%). Vaso-occlusive crisis (33.3%), infections (13.5%), and neurological complications (10.6%) were the most frequent complications reported during routine visits. After initiation of management, only 3.4% of pediatric patients had hemolytic crises, and 1.4% of the anemic patients had splenomegaly. 100% of patients received folic acid, 73.9% used hydroxyurea, and 69.6% underwent blood transfusion for the management of SCD. Prophylactic penicillin was prescribed for 15% of patients, and 41.1% were immunized with pneumococcal vaccine (PPSV23). Most patients had been scheduled for planned follow-up visits every 3–6 months (93.2%). Hydroxyurea and blood transfusion significantly reduced fever and vaso-occlusive crisis. Conclusion. The SCD treatment protocol in Gaafar Ibnauf Children’s Hospital, involving preventive and symptomatic therapy, is consistent with the internationally implemented protocols for SCD management. However, immunization and prophylactic penicillin approaches are deficient.

Background and aims: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are common complications of diabetes that frequently lead to amputation and disability. Despite some promising results in using hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for DFUs treatment, its efficacy is still debatable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic outcomes of adjuvant HBOT in non-healing DFUs treatment. Methods: A descriptive, retrospective, hospital-based study was conducted at AleMo'alem Medical CityKhartoum, Sudan from August to December 2018. Medical records of Type 2 diabetic patients, treated with HBOT plus standard wound care for DFUs, were included in the study. Data were analyzed by simple descriptive statistics and logistic regression. P = 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study results showed that 51.7% of patients had Wagner grade-3 ulcers and 28.3% had complete loss of protective sensation. Almost 61% of patients achieved complete ulcer healing while 16.7% underwent amputation. Twenty percent of patients treated with HBOT experienced ear barotraumas as adverse effects. Protective sensation (OR = 6.00, 95% CI = 1.79-20.16, p = 0.004) and more sessions of HBOT (OR = 17.35, 95% CI = 4.51-66.73, p= 0.000) were positive predictors of complete ulcer healing. Loss of protective sensation (OR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.05-0.63, p = 0.007) was an indicator of amputation. Conclusions: Treatment with adjuvant HBOT enhanced ulcer healing and reduced amputation rate in patients with non-healing DFUs. HBOT could be considered a relatively safe intervention. (C) 2021 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

BackgroundExtracurricular academic activities such as journal clubs are extremely important for research education, professional development, science communication and discussion. Yet, they are lacking in countries with short and limited resources such as Sudan. Pharmacy club is a platform set to meet some of the need to those activities. The aim of this work is to describe how this club came forth, the activities presented thus far in the club, present feedback from the participants and share some lessons drawn over the years.MethodsWe started Pharmacy Club late in 2012 as a platform where basic and clinical research and other topics related to the field of pharmacy are shared and discussed publicly with everyone interested. We analysed the Pharmacy Club data archive which contains details of the lectures and activities organized from 2012 to 2020. A questionnaire was designed and sent to the participants in November 2019. Analysis and description are performed using Microsoft office excel 2019.ResultsPharmacy Club has organized more than hundred extracurricular lectures through complete voluntary work. Analysis of Pharmacy Club’s archive revealed prominent diversities in many aspects related to the type of topics presented, and presenters’ background, nationalities (12% international presenters), affiliations, and academic qualifications. Questionnaire results highlight the importance of using different advertisement strategies to reach out to the people. Among other reasons that deter folks to participate regularly, timing of the events as expected is the main challenge.ConclusionThere is a need for fora in the third world academic institutions where research and scientific topics could be shared among the like-minded fellows. Pharmacy club is a model of this fora with almost 8 years of voluntary and free service and many lessons can be drawn from its experience.

Metabolic syndrome is a complex of metabolic disorders characterized by oxidative stress which compromises cell functions and entails multiple organs pathologies. We investigated the therapeutic and protective potential of Adansonia digitata fruit -a potent antioxidant- in high sugar/high fat diet-simulated metabolic syndrome in Wistar rats. 42 male rats (140-200 g) were randomly divided into 7 groups. G1 was kept on standard laboratory diet (SLD) for all 9 weeks (negative control). 5 groups were fed high Sugar/high fat diet for 6 weeks then switched to SLD for another 3 weeks+ oral treatment as follows: G2+ no treatment (positive control), G3-G5+ 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg/day aqueous A. digitata fruit respectively, G6 + 10 mg/kg/day Simvastatin. G7 + HS/HFD + 400 mg/kg/day A. digitata fruit simultaneously and was terminated at W6. Our results showed that G2-G6 develops dyslipidemia, hyperglycaemia, weight gain, elevated hepatic biomarkers, elevated creatinine and urea plus pathological derangements in the heart, liver and kidney tissues compared to negative control at W6. 200 mg/kg/day A. digitata fruit significantly ameliorated the induced dyslipidemia (P <= 0.001), hyperglycaemia (P <= 0.001) with a significant reduction in the Atherogenic Index of Plasma (P <= 0.000) after 3 weeks treatment. The fruit normalized the elevated hepatic biomarkers as well as creatinine and urea. A dose dependent partial reduction in lesion intensity was observed in the hepatic tissue while the heart and kidney showed mostly reversed to normal histology. The inflammatory infiltration was eliminated. Relevant results were observed for the two higher doses. The simultaneous treatment showed significant lower levels in all biomarkers investigated compared to positive control which could be interpreted as protective activity. A reduction of 4-11% in whole body weight was achieved. Conclusion: MetS was successfully simulated with a HS/HFD formula in male Wistar rats. Treatment with aqueous A. digitata fruit showed anti-Metabolic Syndrome potential reflected by weight loss, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, hypoglycaemic, renal, hepatic and cardio-protective activities.

Cefepime is essentially used for life‐threatening infections. Although overutilisation of antibiotics is strongly discouraged around the world, they are still overused in developing countries including Sudan.

Diabetes is one of the world’s major health problems, and many reports have supported the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The present study aims to evaluate the antidiabetic and antioxidant activity of Bauhinia rufescens, a plant used in Sudanese folkloric medicine for the treatment of diabetes. It was also aimed to identify isolates and characterize the bioactive antidiabetic and antioxidant compounds using bioactivity-guided fractionation followed by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) autobiography, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Two potential compounds were successfully isolated and identified which may provide new leads for more potent analogues in drug discovery.

Background There is a paucity of studies in acute kidney injury in the intensive care unit, particularly in Sudan. Objectives The current study has estimated the incidence; risk factors and outcomes of subjects with acute kidney injury developed during admission to the intensive care unit at Fedail Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan. Methodology This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the intensive care unit during the period from July 2018 to June 2019. The data was collected from the clinical profiles of all adult subjects’ who have met the published criteria for acute kidney injury. Analysis of association (Chi square test χ2) and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze data. Main outcome measure The development of acute kidney injury during the subjects’ stay in the intensive care unit, length of hospital stay and death. Results From a total of 187 subjects admitted to the intensive care unit; only (105, 56.2%) have met the inclusion criteria (mean age was 61 ± 3.5 years). The main finding of the study was the high incidence of acute kidney injury 39%. The major significant predictors for the development of acute kidney injury with respective odds ratio (OR) were: sepsis (OR 7.5 [95% CI 3–19.7]; P .001); hypovolemia (OR 5.1 [95% CI 2–15.7]; P .001); chronic cardiovascular diseases (OR 3.4 [95% CI 1.2–9.4]; P .017); age > 60 years (OR 2.7 [95% CI 1.2–6.3]; P .018); diabetes mellitus (OR 2.6 [95% CI 1.2–6]; P .02); hypertension (OR 2.4 [95% CI 1.2–5.4]; P .028); and renal replacement therapy (OR 0.2 [95% CI 0.15–0.3]; P .001). The length of hospital stay within the AKI cohort was (6.7 ± 3.8; [range 2–17]) and the mortality rate was (36, 87.8%). Conclusion The major significant predictors for the development of acute kidney injury in the intensive care unit were: sepsis; hypovolemia; chronic cardiovascular diseases; age > 60 years; diabetes mellitus; hypertension; and renal replacement therapy. Sepsis and hypovolemia were common etiologies for acute kidney injury post-admission to the intensive care unit. Acute kidney injury was associated with increased length of hospital stay and a very high absolute mortality rate.

Background: Plant-based remedies play a crucial role as powerful health aid worldwide. In recent years, the usage of complementary and alternative medicines has grown rapidly. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of methanolic extract of Leptadenia arborea leaves in BCG-immunized rats. Materials and Methods: L. arborea extract suspended in 1% carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was administered in three doses viz 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o. All animals were challenged with 0.05 ml BCG, sc on day 0. Levamisole (18 mg/kg body weight; p.o.) was used as a positive control group. Results: L. arborea extract exhibited a significant doseand time-dependent increase in the plasma levels of IFN-γ and TGF-β. On day 14, plant's extract significantly increased TNF-α level at dose 200 mg/kg. Moreover, L. arborea extract elicited an inhibitory effect on IL-10 levels that was significantly observed at dose 200 mg/kg of the plant extract. LD50 value was calculated to be 15.5 g/kg body weight and the extract didn't display any behavioral changes or clinical signs after 12 hr of treatment. Conclusion: L. arborea methanol extract showed immunostimulatory effects through elevation of IFN-γ and thereby activation of cell-mediated immunity.

Medicinal plants are identified and used throughout human history; it has a great economic value especially in drugs discovery. Date palm pollen (DPP) is used traditionally in Sudan for treating sub-fertile male patients. Male infertility is heterogeneous group of disorders, most of them are idiopathic. This study is aimed to investigate the role of pharmaceutical preparation of DPP in amelioration of male sub fertility with detection of any possible adverse effects on the major body system functions, through blood picture, liver enzymes and kidney function. This study is a single group pretest-posttest experimental prospective comparative self-control. Sub-fertile men with Idiopathic oligoasthenozoospermia or azoospermia were received 500 mg capsules of DPP twice daily for three months after conducting their safety profiles to detect any toxic effects on hematological, hepatological and nephrological functions, Blood samples were taken from the patients for serum level of FSH (for azoospermic patients), FSH and Testosterone (for oligoasthenozoospermic patients). Finally, Semen sample have been obtained for computerized assisted semen analysis (CASA) report I and II. DPP administration induced significant increase (p≤0.001) in testosterone level (in oligoasthenozoospermic patients) and FSH level (in azoospermic patients). DPP induced significant changes (p≤0.001) towards improvement in the total and progressive sperm motility percentages measured in oligoasthenozoospermic patients by CASA dynamic analysis report I and II. The toxicological studies for DPP approved their safety use in human.

Traditionally, medicinal plants have inhabited an important position in the socio-cultural, spiritual and medicinal domain of rural and tribal lives in Sudan. In the recent years, there is an ever-increasing curiosity in elucidating the role of free radicals in biology. because of their involvement in a diverse range of diseases. Therefore, medicinal plants with antioxidant activity appear to be an intriguing area for research. Hence, the study was aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity together with anti-breast cancer activity for 14 selected medicinal plants used in Sudanese folkloric medicine. The phytoconstituents of ethanolic extracts were assessed using standard phytochemical screening method. The extracts were then subjected to assess the quantitative antioxidant activity using DPPH radical scavenging and iron chelating assays. MCF7 cell line was used to evaluate the antibreast cancer activity for the most powerful antioxidant extracts. Plant extracts of different concentrations; 5, 12.5, 25, 50 mu g/ml were used for the calculation of IC50 values using GRAPH PAD PRISM 5 SOFTWARE. Doxorubicin was used as the standard. All plants under study showed positive results for alkaloids, flavonoids, sterols and carbohydrate. L. inermis, L. camara, H. abyssinica, G. villosa, and R. communis, showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity with % RSA values of 93 +/- 0.01, 92 +/- 0.01, 74 +/- 0.14, 61 +/- 0.04, and 45 +/- 0.02, respectively. On the other hand, ethanolic extracts of T. foenum-graecum, C. decidua, B. oralceae, A. bracteolata, and R. communis were found to be the top most extracts in terms of iron chelating ability with percentage iron chelating ability values of 68 +/- 0.03, 50 +/- 0.01, 46 +/- 0.10, 44 +/- 0.01 and 38 +/- 0.02, respectively. All extracts of the selected plants showed marked cytotoxicity against MCF7 cells compared with reference control drug (Doxorubicin). However, among the top highest extracts showing antioxidant activity, Lawsonia inermis and Aristolochia bracteolata extracts reported the most potent cytotoxic activity with IC50 of 19.1 mu g/ml.

There is an ever-growing interest to identify plants that boost the immune system functions.The objective of the present study was to evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of Momordica balsamina (MB) leaves extract in BCG-immunized rats.Thirty rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 6).MB extract was suspended in 1% carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC).Firstly, animals were challenged subcutaneously with 0.05 ml BCG.The first group (vehicle control group) received 1% CMC (100 mg/kg body weight; p.o.), and the second group (positive control group) was provided with levamisole (18 mg/kg body weight; p.o.).The remaining groups (test groups) were dosed orally with different doses of MB extracts (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight) for 14 consecutive days.Blood samples were collected on day 0, 7 and 14, and then plasma samples were analyzed for Th1 cytokines (TNF-α and IFNγ) and Th2 cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β), using cytokine specific enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA).MB extracts significantly increased (p ≤ 0.01) IFN-γ production in a doseand time-dependent manner and elicited significant increase (P ≤ 0.05) of TNF-α level at the dose 200 mg/kg after 14 days.Low doses (50 and 100 mg/kg) significantly increased (p ≤ 0.05) TGF-β levels while a high dose (200 mg/kg) significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced TGF-β levels in a time-dependent manner.No significant changes were observed on IL-10 level after plant extract treatment.MB shows immunostimulatory effects and significantly activates cell-mediated immunity.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to describe the isolation, characterization, and antimicrobial activity of isolated compounds from Tarconanthus camphorantus.Materials and Methods: Bioactive compounds such as trifloculoside, parthenolide (sesquiterpene lactones), lupeol, and erythrodiol (pentacyclic triterpens) were isolated from n-hexane extract of T. camphoratus, and their antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Psuedomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Mycobacterium smegmatis was evaluated. The compounds were characterized using chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. Results: Trifloculoside, lupeol, and erythrodiol are being reported for the first time from T. camphoratus. The isolated compounds sesquiterpens and lupeol exhibited prodigious antimicrobial activity against B. subtilis and S. aureus with minimum inhibitory concentration values in the range of 25–1000 µg/mL but no activity was observed against other tested organisms, and erythrodiol showed no antimicrobial activity against any of the tested organisms. Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed that the new compounds trifloculoside, parthenolide, and lupeol isolated from T. camphoratus exhibited effective antimicrobial potential. It was inferred that T. camphoratus can be effectively used in traditional medicine.