This study provides the first findings for the comprehensive molecular characterization of CL in Saudi Arabia.

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Ultrasound-assisted extraction of curcumin from Curcuma longa was performed in an ultrasonic bath at 30°C using ethanol for 40 min. A successful attempt has been made to prepare curcumin-zinc (Zn) complex using a simple chemical procedure. The complex formation and its stoichiometry were characterized using elemental analysis, Fourier transform (FT)-IR and UV spectroscopy which revealed the interaction of Zn(II) ion (M) with curcumin (ligand, L) to proceed via (ML) complex type formation. Oral administration of curcumin-Zn complex at a concentration of 150 mg/kg body weight/rat/d for 45 d in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats in comparison to curcumin and/or Zn administration exerted a hypoglycemic effect. A significant reduction in blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (Hb)A1c, and lipid profile parameters with an excellent improvement in plasma insulin levels have been attained. Also, the reduced activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), urea, and creatinine in the diabetic rats treated with the complex exhibited the non-toxic nature of the curcumin-Zn complex. Finally, the larger extent of the complex in hyperglycemic improvement in comparison to curcumin and/or Zn supplementation was interpreted by its dual action on glucose and insulin maintenance.Key words diabetes; curcumin-zinc complex; dual action; curcumin; zinc metal; diabetes complication Diabetes mellitus, the most common endocrine disorder characterized by a state of chronic hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is projected to rise over 215 million people worldwide by the year 2010.

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Labiatae family is represented in Saudi Arabia. The aim of the present study was to go insight to investigate the anticancer activity and antioxidative potentials of methanolic extracts of Mentha longifolia L. (ML) and Ocimum basilicum L. (OB) that grown in Madina province, western region, Saudi Arabia. OB exhibited the greater phenolic contents as mg gallic acid equivalent/g weight (mg GAE/g) for a value of 105 +/- 5.5 mg GAE/g. On the other hand, ML produced 29 +/- 3.12 mg GAE/g. The standard antioxidant vitamin E used in this experiment elicited a value of total phenolic contents equal 22 +/- 2.2 mg GAE/g. The percentage scavenging activity of against diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was 850 and 160% for OB and ML extracts, respectively. Vitamin E elicited% scavenging activity of against DPPH equal to 198%. Brine shrimp cytotoxic assay clearly indicated the cytotoxic effects of either ML or OB extract. The brine shrimp survival is inversely proportional to the concentration of either ML or OB extract used with LD50 191.23 and 235.50 ppm, respectively. Toxic effects on brine shrimps indicated the anticancer potential of ML or OB extract. The ML or OB extract was unable to produce pbluescript (pBS) plasmid DNA damage, while the plasmid DNA treated with EcoRI produced a single band as a result of DNA damage. Also, both ML and OB extract exhibited marked cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cells at various concentrations (20, 40, 80, 160 and 320 microg mL(-1)). The 160 and 320 microg mL(-1) showed more cytotoxic effect against MCF-7 cells. Based on results achieved, we can concluded that, OB and ML extracts have the potency to act as powerful antioxidants and protect against DNA damage and have cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cell line.

Mentha is one of the genera of Lamiaceae family. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimutagenic and anticancer activity of the water and methanolic extract of Alhasawy mint (Mentha longifolia), that grown in Madina Province, western region, Saudi Arabia using three different bioassays namely; Brine shrimp bioassay, Ames mutagenicity bioassay using 3 Hist-Salmonella typhimurium strains of different mutations (TA98, TA97 and TA100) and 2 reference mutagenic drugs nitrosopiperidine (NP) and 2-amino-3-methylimidazo-quinolidine (IQ) and Mammalian cell lines bioassays using 2 different cell lines HepG2 and Vero cell lines. The plant extract showed an efficient antimutagenic activity against the studied bioassays in a directly proportional effect with concentration.