Essential oils (EO) are complex secondary metabolites, which are produced by aromatic plants and identified by their powerful odors. Present studies on EO and their isolated ingredients have drawn the attention of researchers to screen these natural products and evaluate their effect on the cardiovascular system. Some EO, and their active ingredients, have been reported to improve the cardiovascular system significantly by affecting vaso-relaxation, and decreasing the heart rate and exert a hypotension activity. Several mechanisms have been proposed for the role of EO and their main active components in promoting the health of the cardiovascular system. The objective of this review is to highlight the current state of knowledge on the functional role of EO extracted from plants for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and their mechanisms of action. Research on EO has the potential to identify new bioactive compounds and formulate new functional products for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as arterial hypertension, angina pectoris, heart failure, and myocardial infarction.
BackgroundThe efficient and rapid extraction of high‐quality genomic DNA from clotted blood samples, which normally have a low yield and poor quality, is an important factor in genomic research. The objective of this study was to develop a simple and safe technique for dispersing the blood clots by the ball bearing metal shots. Normally, such clot samples may not have an acceptable yield by conventional DNA extraction methods. Also, in the present study, we have further investigated to improve salting‐out DNA extraction methods.MethodsInitially, 500 µL phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) (1×) and two ball bearing metal shots were added to each tube of the clotted blood sample and then were gently rotated in an electric laboratory rotator for 1 hour at room temperature (18‐25°C). Genomic DNA was then extracted from samples using a modified salting‐out method and a modified QIAamp® DNA Blood Midi Kit and was compared with QIAamp® DNA Blood Midi Kit as a control. An assessment of the concentration and quality of the extracted DNA was performed using the UV‐visible spectrophotometer. The isolated DNA proved amenable to PCR amplification and gel electrophoresis.ResultsThe yield and purity of DNA obtained by these three methods were significantly different (P < 0.001), with a higher yield in the modified salting‐out method.ConclusionsOur proposed modified salting‐out method is simple and efficient for the isolation of DNA from old blood clot samples. It is both easy to use and is of low cost in routine laboratory tasks.
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