Plants are a rich source of antibiotics, but screening all the existing plant species for biological activity using current methods can be time and resource consuming. The present study is to investigate whether powdered plant materials would perform as well as plant extracts in the screening of plants with antimicrobial activity. In the new method proposed (STAMP), we compared in vitro antimic...

Natural by-products, especially phenolic compounds, are in great demand by the nutra-pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. An analytical study was performed to investigate, for the first time, the presence of antioxidant constituents and the corresponding in vitro antioxidant activity in the extract of cladodes from Ficodindia di San Cono (Opuntia ficus-indica) protected designation of orig...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE Rhodiola rosea (RR) rhizomes with roots extracts are traditional natural drugs originated from Asia and now commonly used as adaptogens and antidepressants. The aim of this work was to study the in vivo effect of aqueous (RRW) and 50% hydro-alcoholic (RRA) extracts on the number and metabolic activity of blood granulocytes in mice. MATERIAL AND METHODS Mice were fed...

BACKGROUND Today most of herbal medicines are marketing without any standard safety profiles. Although common assumption is that these products are nontoxic but this assumption may be incorrect and dangerous, so toxicological studies should be done for herbal drugs. According to the frequent use of Echium amoenum as immunostimulant and useful in conditions including pain, cough, sore throat and...

Background: Urtica dioica L. is a common Himalayan species which produces allergenic substances causing oedema and inflammation in humans. It has become a source of folk medicine for the treatment of many diseases. The leaves and roots both are used internally as a blood purifier and diuretic and an infusion of the plant is used for nasal and menstrual haemorrhage, diabetes, rheumatism, eczema,...

BACKGROUND Olive (Olea europea), from the Oleaceae family, is known as a phytoestrogen plant compound, containing Lignans and phenoliccompounds. Some studies have shown phytoestrogens to have spermatogenesis-decreasing effects. OBJECTIVE The present study investigated the effects of a hydro-alcoholic extract of olive fruit on reproductive argons in male rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS The hydro...

OBJECTIVE Leishmaniasis is one of the most important parasitic infectious diseases in the world. Since last century, many efforts have been made to control and treat the disease, but appropriate vaccines, pesticides and medicines are not available or even eligible. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of Seidlitzia rosmarinus on the lesions of experime...

OBJECTIVES Diabetes mellitus manifests itself in a wide variety of complications and the symptoms of this disease are multifactorial. Previous studies proved that this disease is directly related to hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Prangos frulacea (L.) Lindl in alloxan-induced diab...

Objectives. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Asteraceae and has medicinal and culinary uses. Dandelion has been used as a remedy for anemia, purifing the blood, and providing immune modulation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hydro alcoholic extract on blood cells in mice. Methods. Five groups each including ten adu...

BACKGROUND Nicotine consumption can decrease fertility drive in males by inducing oxidative stress and DNA damage. Urtica dioica L (U.dioica) is a multipurpose herb in traditional medicine for which some anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties have been identified. OBJECTIVE The main goal is to investigate whether the U.dioica could inhibit nicotine adverse effects on sperm cells viab...