Fitoterapia
-
The dried stigmata from Zea mays L. are used traditionally for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections. A recent screening has indicated that hydroalcoholic extract of the herbal material inhibits the adhesion of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) to T24 bladder cells. For verification of these data EtOH-water (1:1) extracts from 4 different batches of Maydis stigmata were investigated. ⋯ The presence of such nondeclared and illegal contaminants in the herbal raw material market has to be discussed intensively. From benzethonium-free raw material (batch S2) as well as from batch S1 fraction XI was further fractionated by MPLC and preparative HPLC, leading to a still complex subfraction XIG, which was analyzed by UHPLC/+ESI-QTOF-MS analysis. Advanced data processing and species-metabolite relationship database revealed the tentatively existence of the unusual C-glycosidic flavones derhamnosylmaysin (6), 3'-deoxyrhamnosylmaysin (4), 3'-O-methylderhamnosylmaysin (3), apiferol (2) and alternanthin (8) which might be related to the antiadhesive activity of this subfraction against UPEC.
-
Neuropathic pain is a chronic condition that is difficult to be treated. Current therapies available are either ineffective or non-specific thus requiring newer treatment approaches. In this study, we investigated the antiallodynic and antihyperalgesic effects of zerumbone, a bioactive sesquiterpene from Zingiber zerumbet in chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced neuropathic pain animal model. ⋯ Zerumbone significantly alleviated tactile and cold allodynia as well as mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia. Our findings are in comparison to the positive control drugs thatused gabapentin (20 mg/kgi.p.) and morphine (1 mg/kgi.p.). Together, these results showed that the systemic administration of zerumbone produced marked antiallodynic and antihyperalgesic effects in the CCI-induced neuropathic pain in mice and may serve as a potential lead compound for further analysis.