Oblongifolins A-D (2-5), four new polyprenylated 3,4-dihydroxybenzoylphloroglucinol compounds, were isolated from the bark of Garcinia oblongifolia collected in Vietnam. The bark was also found to contain the known compounds camboginol and guttiferone B. Extraction of the leaves gave 2 and camboginol. Details of the structure elucidation of 2-5 and stereochemical comparisons with known natural derivatives of general formula 1a,b are presented. The biological activity of these compounds concerning interactions with tubulin was investigated.

Desert truffles have high nutritional value and grow wild in the Mediterranean basin and Western Asia. Although, many studies were performed to evaluate truffles nutritious values and phytochemical composition, studies are limited to evaluate their anticancer and/ or immunomodulatory effects. Our study was conducted to evaluate the anticancer and immunomodulatory effects of Terfezia boudieri (desert truffle). Different solvent extracts were prepared from the truffle and MTT assay was used to measure their anticancer activity against cancer cell lines (T47D, MCF-7, MDA-MB231, HCT-116, and Hela). Total phenolic content in each extract was determined by using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and qualitative phytochemical screening was performed using standard methods. The degree of apoptosis induction (using caspase 3 assay) and vascular endothelial growth factor expression were detected using standard kits. Also, ELISA was used to measure levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 secreted by splenocytes after treatment with the extracts. The effect of the extracts on splenocytes proliferation was measured using MTT assay. Macrophage function was evaluated using nitro blue tetrazolium assay and pinocytosis function was evaluated using neutral red method. Terpenoids, phytosterols, and carbohydrates were present in all the solvent extracts, while tannins, alkaloids and flavonoids were detected only in aqueous/methanol and aqueous extracts. The highest total phenolic content was observed in aqueous and aqueous methanol extracts. The growth of cancer cell lines was inhibited by T. boudieri extracts in a dose dependent manner. N-hexane extract was the most potent against most cell lines. Aqueous/methanol extract showed high apoptosis induction and angiogenesis suppression effects. An increase in TH1 cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2) level and a decrease in TH2 cytokine (IL-4) level were evident after lymphocytes stimulation by aqueous/methanol, n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of T. boudieri. Ethyl acetate extract of T. boudieri were the most potent extracts to stimulate lymphocytes proliferation while all other extracts showed moderate stimulation. Aqueous/methanol extract was the most active extract to stimulate phagocytosis. Ethyl acetate extract was the most active extract to stimulate pinocytosis. The use of T. boudieri provides variable health benefits. N-hexane, ethyl acetate, and aqueous/methanol extracts exhibited anticancer activities and are potent stimulators of innate and acquired immunity. Further testing is needed to identify the biologically active compounds and detect them quantitatively using GC-MS analysis.

Mediterranean-native perennial plant Antirrhinum majus was scrutinized in this study for its antioxidant activity and its total phenolic content in order to test for the plant’s wound-healing capability. The traditional uses of this plant to treat gum scurvy, various tumors, ulcers, and hemorrhoids were the main idea behind this study. Leaves and flowers of the A. majus were extracted by maceration. Pilot qualitative phytochemical tests were made to check the presence of various secondary metabolites. Quantitatively, the flowers’ macerate indicated superlative results regarding antioxidant activity and total phenolic content. However, the in vivo wound-healing capability study was made using 30 Wistar strain albino rats. This innovative part of the study revealed that the healing power of the flowers’ extract ointment (5% w/w) was superior compared to the leaves’ extract (5% w/w) and the positive-control ointments (MEBO) (1.5% w/w) (p ≤ 0.001). This activity was assessed by visual examination, wound-length measurement, and estimation of hydroxyproline content. Antirrhinum majus is a promising plant to be considered for wound healing. However, further testing (including histological examination and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis) is necessary to understand more about its mechanisms of action.

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Silybum marianum is medicinally important plant species from Asteraceae family. It has been used for centuries as a herbal medicine for the treatment of many diseases particularly liver diseases. In the present work the seeds of the plant were extracted by two methods: maceration using 80 % ethanol and soxhlet extraction using petroleum ether and methanol, respectively. Fractional separation of ethanolic extract was carried out using solvents with various polarities like: petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. Ethanolic extract was subjected to phytochemical screening to detect the presence of bioactive compounds. The study revealed the presence of flavonoids, phenols, tannins, terpenoids, carbohydrates and proteins. All fractions and extracts were subjected to TLC analysis to determine the phytochemical compounds. Results of the retention factor (Rf) obtained were compared with that of the silymarin standard TLC system. The TLC finger print of the methanolic, ethanolic extracts and ethyl acetate fraction using the solvent system chloroform : acetone : formic Acid (75: 16.5:8.5), showed the spots having Rf = 0.63, 0.4, 0.35 which was equivalent to silybin, taxifolin and silichristin, respectively. Evaluation of antioxidant activity was carried out by two methods, the free radical scavenging activity of the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) by the phosphomolybdenum method. Estimation of total phenolic contents was performed using Folin-Ciocâlteu method. Antioxidant assays revealed that ethyl acetate fraction exhibited highest percent inhibition of DPPH followed by methanolic and ethanolic extracts. It also showed the highest value of total antioxidant capacity as well as highest amount of total phenolic compounds. Our findings revealed that Iraqi species of Silybum marianum seeds can be considered as a valuable source of natural antioxidants which may be attributed to the presence of silymarin a powerful antioxidant herbal drug which can protect biological systems against the oxidative stress.

The polyphenolic flavonoids found in several medical plants and herbal remedies containing flavonoids, have been used in folk medicine around the world. The weight of laboratory studies, epidemiological investigation and human clinical trials indicate that polyphenolic chemistry have important effects on cancer chemoprevention and chemo -therapy. Urtica dioica (UD) "stinging nettle" has been consumed for centuries as a phyto-medical agent and as a food substance. Although its history associated with alternative remedies was remarkable but the number of its cytotoxic studies are rather scarce. Therefore, more focused phyto and medicinal chemistry studies are required to establish whether such dietary effects of Urtica dioica 's extract can be exploited to achieve even preliminary cytotoxic effect on Hep -2 cell line. The major compounds detected and isolated from the ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of Urtica dioica were determined as flavonoids by chromatographic, chemical and spectral (UV, IR) methods. In this paper, the down ward viability -concentration curve of the ethanolic extract of the Urtica dioica 's methanolic extract, using Hep-2 cell line indicate its positive cytotoxic activity. The promising results will stimulate the full phytochemical and cytotoxic studies of flavonoids for cancer chemoprevention and chemotherapy. We believe that this one cell line study may be contradictory in part, and gives a conclusion that there's still a long way to go until we do a full phytochemical investigation for Urtica dioica 's different polyphenolic compounds; several works addressing this matter are referred to predict a full cytotoxic profile of Urtica dioica.