Momentum of Ajwa Dates towards Cardiovascular Diseases Momentum of Ajwa Dates towards Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the top most cause of morality around the world.  It is predicted that the number casualties from CVDs will increase to more than 24 million till 2030 people. Medicinal plants provide the major raw materials for medicine preparations. They are gaining high consideration due to their effectiveness and increasing cost of modern medicines. Many successful drugs are plant based, including aspirin from the willow bark, morphine from opium poppy, quinine from the cinchona bark, and digoxin from the foxglove. According to World Health Organization (WTO), ~70% to 80% of people around the world rely on herbal sources for the treatment of their disease. Plant sources are endorsed due to the fact that they contain an optimal amount of  antioxidants and phytochemicals that help to avoid and treat many diseases. Phoenix dactylifera L. Particularly Ajwa variety, is the most rich in phytonutrientsthat can benefit to control many cardiovascular diseases. It contains6 vitamins (vitamin A, C, B1, B2, B3 &riboflavin), high amount of fibers, Potassium, Magnesium and 23 amino acids which play a healthy role towards hypertension, muscular contractions, and blood pressure control. It has been studied that Niacin (B3) helps to control cholesterol and low density lipoprotein levels (LDL), as high cholesterol is the one of the main cause of cardiovascular diseases so, Ajwa could be a vital regulatory source. According to the findings of Sabbah M. Et al, Ajwa extracts significantly improved the DNA integrity and also reduced the cardiomyocytes congestion, edema and the cellular stress wielded on cardiac muscles resulting the restoration of cardiomyocytes architecture in Doxorubicin (DOX) induced cardiotoxicity in rats. Research done by Alqarni et al, proves that Ajwa extracts has successfully decreased the LDL‐C, VLDL‐C, and triglycerides concentration. Additionally, treatment with ajwa pulp also improved the HDL‐C level and antioxidant enzymes activity. In another invivo study, Ajwa preparation has successfullydecreased the diclofenac-induced pulmonary and hepatic instabilities. Vitamin-K play important role in blood coagulation, and in case of anticoagulant therapy, activity of vitamin-K controlled by drugs (warfarin) that sometimes causes serious side effects. According to the reported data, Salicylic acid is the vitamin-K antagonist and has capability to block the action of vitamin K during the coagulation pathway. Dates contain ~3.75 to 4.50 mg/100 g of salicylic acid. Thus, providing anticoagulation effect too. So, the limelight of the reported data provides an enough reason that plants can be used as primary source of drug designing for the cardiovascular disease. They hold true momentum to address the increasing healthdiseases, which cannot be lost to distraction or apathy. Fight against the burden of CDVs, is affecting all countries and specially, under developing and the poor countries.

Biochemical Studies on Berberis Lyceum Royal and Analysis of its Extracts for Bioactivity

Medicinal plants are major source of drugs used for the treatment of various health disorders. Berberis lyceum Royal, an indigenous plant of the North-East of Pakistan was selected to explore its medicinal value during this study. This plant has many therapeutic values and is being used against many diseases / infections by local population since centuries. B.lyceum remedies provided against swollen and sore eyes, broken bones, wounds, gonorrhea, curative piles, unhealthy ulcers, acute conjunctive, and in chronic ophthalmia. Therefore, thorough investigation was conducted for proximate analysis, fatty acid contents, metal ion analysis, isolation and purification of alkaloids. Bioactivity of crude extract for antimicrobial, antidiabetic and wound healing have been investigated in this study. Biochemical analysis of root samples of B. lyceum Royal showed the variation among different parameters, which include protein contents (4.4 – 6.24 %), crude fiber (14.96 – 16.40 %) and crude ash (3.79 – 6.99 %) on dry weight basis. No variation regarding crude fats (0.5 %) was found in any samples analyzed. The oil contents were determined by Soxhlet method and results revealed that the principal saturated and unsaturated fatty acid components of B. lyceum Royal root were Palmitic (16:0), Oleic (18:1) and Linoleic (18:2) acids. Palmitic acid (11.73 – 32.04 %), stearic acid (1.09 – 2.66 %), oleic acid (12.01 – 39.67 %), Linoleic acid (42.59 – 47.43 %) and linolenic acid (1.70 – 5.71) were found when oil was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In all cases polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were greater than monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). The micro and macro elements of different samples were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry and flame photometer. The results showed that the higher mineral ion contents under investigation were found in Mansehra sample i.e. 599.12 μg /g, whereas Abbotabad had the lowest content, 242.63 μg/g. The total mineral ion contents was in the sequence of Mansehra> Kotlisattian> Bagh> Abbotabad. Calcium (Ca2+) was the highest, ranging from 456 to 187.33 μg/g and copper (Cu2+) was the lowest, ranging from 0.37 to 0.013 μg/g. Two alkaloids, berberine and palmatine were analyzed and quantified by TLC and HPLC and proton and carbon signals were detected in 1H and 13C -NMR spectra. The analysis of the NMR spectra of berberine and Palmatine revealed that the proton H-13 resonating as a singlet (H-13 of 1: δ 8.72; H-13 of 2: δ 8.81) could be used for quantification. The 1H NMR method used in this study was found to be simple, rapid and specific for the analysis of protoberberine alkaloids and required reference compound, apart from the internal standard, and an overall profile of the preparation was obtained directly. Using this method the content of protoberberine alkaloids can be determined in Berberis lyceum and other plant extracts in a shorter time than conventional method of HPLC. Bioactivity of crude extract and Berberine of B. lyceum Royal was evaluated for antimicrobial, antidiabetic and wound healing. For antimicrobial bioassay, root extracts of B. lyceum prepared in three different solvents, methanol, ethanol and aqueous and tested against different bacteria, fungi and yeast strains. Antimicrobial activities were assessed by using Disc diffusion method and Micro dilution assays. It was observed that all root extracts of Berberis lyceum were highly effective against different bacteria and fungi. The methanolic and ethanolic extracts have inhibited growth of microorganisms more effectively as compared to aqueous extract. The results obtained in present study indicates that root of B. lyceum contained some phytochemicals having antimicrobial activity and could be used for pharmaceutical industries for the development of new drugs required for human and animal health. The wound healing activities of the aqueous and methanol extracts of the root of B. lyceum were assessed using incision, excision and dead wound space models of wound repair in rats. After application of both extracts it was observed that the area of epithelialization increased, followed by an increase in wound contraction, skin breaking strength, tissue granulation, dry weight and hydroxyproline content. Histopathological studies of the granulation tissue also indicated that there was an increase in collagen formation in those rats treated with the methanol extract, compared with the control group animals. The methanol extract was more effective than the aqueous extract, but both showed significant results as compared to the control. The antidiabetic activity of the ethanol root extract of Berberis lyceum was compared with pure berberine in normal and alloxan-diabetic rats using similar doses of each. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of berberine and a whole extract of B. lyceum on blood glucose and other parameters associated with diabetes, to compare the effects of the crude extract with those of pure berberine and thus validate its use as a therapeutic agent, and finally to identify any contribution of the other components of the extract to these effects. Oral administration of 50 mg/kg of Berberis extract and berberine to normal and experimental diabetic rats produced a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in blood glucose levels from days 3 –7 days of treatment. Significant effects were also observed on the glucose tolerance, glycosylated haemoglobin, serum lipid profiles and body weight of experimental animals. Berberis extract and berberine demonstrated similar effects on all parameters measured, and although the extract was comparable in efficacy to berberine, it did not produce any effects additional to those shown by pure berberine. The results support the use of the extract in traditional medicine, and demonstrate that apart from being a highly cost- effective means of treating with berberine, as compared to root extract which is cheaper, easily available to rural community and also show no or very less adverse effects as compared to pure compound (berberine).