1.
Botanicals in Postmenopausal Osteoporosis.
Słupski, W, Jawień, P, Nowak, B
Nutrients. 2021;13(5)
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One of the main age-associated hormonal imbalances women experience during peri- and post-menopause is osteoporosis. Oestrogen plays a protective role in maintaining bone mineral density, so a decrease in this hormone that naturally occurs with menopause leads to an increased risk of osteoporosis. Due to the various side effects associated with pharmaceutical drugs, many women seek complementary or alternative treatments during menopause. The aim of this review is to present the current information on the efficacy and mechanism of plant-derived compounds in modulating menopause-associated bone metabolism. The main plant compounds that have been studied in detail are phytoestrogens, specifically isoflavones. The literature shows these compounds not only prevent bone resorption, but also promote bone formation. This review also highlights the many biologically plausible mechanisms by which these compounds influence bone metabolism. According to these findings, the authors conclude there are many bioactive, plant-based compounds that may be useful alternative therapies for peri- and post-menopausal women experiencing osteoporosis. While there is promising potential therapeutic use for these botanicals, further clinical research is needed.
Abstract
Osteoporosis is a systemic bone disease characterized by reduced bone mass and the deterioration of bone microarchitecture leading to bone fragility and an increased risk of fractures. Conventional anti-osteoporotic pharmaceutics are effective in the treatment and prophylaxis of osteoporosis, however they are associated with various side effects that push many women into seeking botanicals as an alternative therapy. Traditional folk medicine is a rich source of bioactive compounds waiting for discovery and investigation that might be used in those patients, and therefore botanicals have recently received increasing attention. The aim of this review of literature is to present the comprehensive information about plant-derived compounds that might be used to maintain bone health in perimenopausal and postmenopausal females.
2.
Screening Papaveraceae as Novel Antibiofilm Natural-Based Agents.
Zielińska, S, Dziągwa-Becker, M, Junka, A, Piątczak, E, Jezierska-Domaradzka, A, Brożyna, M, Paleczny, J, Sobiecka, A, Słupski, W, Mess, E, et al
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). 2021;(16)
Abstract
The antimicrobial properties of herbs from Papaveraceae have been used in medicine for centuries. Nevertheless, mutual relationships between the individual bioactive substances contained in these plants remain poorly elucidated. In this work, phytochemical composition of extracts from the aerial and underground parts of five Papaveraceae species (Chelidonium majus L., Corydalis cava (L.) Schweigg. and Körte, C. cheilanthifolia Hemsl., C. pumila (Host) Rchb., and Fumaria vaillantii Loisel.) were examined using LC-ESI-MS/MS with a triple quadrupole analyzer. Large differences in the quality and quantity of all analyzed compounds were observed between species of different genera and also within one genus. Two groups of metabolites predominated in the phytochemical profiles. These were isoquinoline alkaloids and, in smaller amounts, non-phenolic carboxylic acids and phenolic compounds. In aerial and underground parts, 22 and 20 compounds were detected, respectively. These included: seven isoquinoline alkaloids: protopine, allocryptopine, coptisine, berberine, chelidonine, sanguinarine, and chelerythrine; five of their derivatives as well as non-alkaloids: malic acid, trans-aconitic acid, quinic acid, salicylic acid, trans-caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol; and vanillin. The aerial parts were much richer in phenolic compounds regardless of the plant species. Characterized extracts were studied for their antimicrobial potential against planktonic and biofilm-producing cells of S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and C. albicans. The impact of the extracts on cellular metabolic activity and biofilm biomass production was evaluated. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of the extracts introduced to the polymeric carrier made of bacterial cellulose was assessed. Extracts of C. cheilanthifolia were found to be the most effective against all tested human pathogens. Multiple regression tests indicated a high antimicrobial impact of quercetin in extracts of aerial parts against planktonic cells of S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and C. albicans, and no direct correlation between the composition of other bioactive substances and the results of antimicrobial activity were found. Conclusively, further investigations are required to identify the relations between recognized and unrecognized compounds within extracts and their biological properties.