The genus Alchemilla, belonging to the Rosaceae family, is a rich source of interesting secondary metabolites, including mainly flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic acids, which display a variety of ...biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant. Alchemilla species are used in traditional medicine for treatment of acute diarrhea, wounds, dysmenorrhea, and menorrhagia. In this review, we focus on the phenolic compound composition and antioxidative activity of Alchemilla species. We can assume that phytomedicine and natural products chemistry are of significant importance due to the fact that extract combinations with various bioactive compounds possess the activity to protect the human body rather than disturb damaging factors.
Ethnomedicinal records have long mentioned the historical usage of Alchemilla vulgaris L. in folk medicine, particularly for the treatment of gynecological issues. Building on this ethnomedicinal ...knowledge regarding female illnesses, the aim of this research was to evaluate the impact of ethanolic extract of A. vulgaris on mouse breast cancer cells (4T1) in vitro and in vivo, in addition to its effect on the immune compartment in the tumor microenvironment. Behind viability decrease of 4T1 cells induced by treatment with A. vulgaris extract was strong inhibition of cell proliferation accompanied by caspase-dependent apoptosis and autophagic cell death. Observed changes in 4T1 cell culture after treatment were well orchestrated and led to a reduction in metastatic potential through weakened adhesion, invasion, migration, and colony-forming abilities in vitro. Enhanced intracellular production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species promoted by the treatment might interfere with all the observed effects. Apart from the direct effect on tumor cells, the A. vulgaris extract significantly reduced tumor growth in the solid orthotropic mammary carcinoma model through restitution of efficient local and systemic immune response reflected in enhanced antigen-presenting potential of dendritic cells (DCs) as well as the extent and activity of effector T cells.
Medicinal plants are considered to be a major source of biologically active compounds, which provides unlimited opportunities for their use either as medical treatments or as novel drug formulations.
...The focus of our study was on basic phytochemical analysis and in vitro examination of the biological activity of Alchemilla vulgaris L. Methanolic extracts of above ground parts and roots of A. vulgaris (AVA and AVR, respectively) were prepared by maceration for 72h. Phytochemical profile of extracts was evaluated by spectrophotometric determinations of phenolic compounds and HPLC-PDA analysis. AVA and AVR were analysed for their antioxidant efficacy as total antioxidant capacity, metal chelation and reducing power ability, inhibition of lipid peroxidation as well as their potential to neutralise DPPH, ABTS, and OH radicals. Microdilution method was employed to investigate the antibacterial and antifungal activity of extracts against nine ATCC and isolates of bacteria and ten fungal strains from biological samples. Anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts was evaluated using cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) assays and the assay for determination of COX-2 gene expression, while biocompatibility of extracts was assessed by MTT assay.
Our results revealed the high amount of phenolic compounds in both extracts; especially they were rich in condensed tannins. Ellagic acid and catechin were tentatively identified in AVA and AVR, respectively. Full biocompatibility as well as remarkable bioactivity were observed for both extracts in all employed assays, so our further investigations will be focused on the identification of active constituents in A. vulgaris and the molecular mechanisms of their action.
•A. vulgaris aerial parts and roots extracts were analysed.•Methanol extracts of aerial parts and roots were rich in phenolic compounds.•Ellagic acid was detected in aboveground parts and (+)-catechin in the roots.•Extracts showed remarkable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.•Aerial parts extract exhibited better activity in all employed assays.
In the last decade, a growing interest particularly in determining the cardiovascular effects of herbal extracts took place among researchers.
Herein, we aimed to investigate the microvascular and ...blood pressure lowering effects of two differently processed extracts of the same herb, Alchemilla vulgaris (Rosaceaea), which was revealed to contain high levels of vasoactive compounds.
For the purpose, endothelium intact rat mesenteric arteries were mounted in a myograph system and contracted with prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α: 3 × 10(-5) M) or potassium chloride (K(+): 40 mM). Then, aqueous and methanol extracts were added at 0.01-10 mg/ml concentrations in a cumulative manner.
Both extracts produced relaxations in PGF2α (3 × 10(-5) M) precontracted arteries which were insensitive to the inhibitors of endothelium derived vasoactive substances namely, L(G)-nitro-L-arginine (10(-4) M), ODQ (10(-5) M) and indomethacin (10(-5) M) or removal of endothelium. Opposite vascular effects were observed when extracts were applied in K(+) precontracted arteries. In addition, oral administration of the methanol extract of Alchemilla vulgaris, but not the aqueous extract, reduced blood pressure significantly in L-NAME hypertensive rats.
Our results demonstrated that the methanol extract of Alchemilla vulgaris has more prominent and favourable vascular effects in normal and experimental hypertensive conditions reinforcing its traditional use in cardiovascular disorders, in particular hypertension. These results most likely give rise to further studies to reveal its mechanism of action and clinical value of this herb.
This paper presents a comparative study of the adsorption activity of the grass meal of lady's mantle aerial part (Alchemilla vulgaris) and modern adsorption materials - activated carbon (carbolenum) ...and hydrolyzed lignin (polyphepane) towards model substances (markers of adsorption). The model substances were used to effectively simulate a group of toxic substances with different molar mass and degree of ionogenicity in the environment that simulates gastric and intestinal juices. It was shown that hydrolized lignin had the highest protein adsorption activity and activated carbon appeared the most active in sorbing toxicants with low molar mass. The grass meal of lady's mantle aerial parts (Alchemilla vulgaris) was able to moderately absorb both high-molar mass and low-molar mass substances at an average degree of dispersion of the raw material. It is supposed that it was mainly due to the high-porous structure of the material. This shows the versatility of the enterosorbent under development.
Alchemilla mollis (Buser) Rothm. (Rosaceae) is a high-mountain medicinal plant growing in the Balkan Peninsula, with only one population in Bulgaria. Alchemilla plants (Lady's mantle) are commonly ...used in traditional medicine for treatment of many gynecological diseases. The commercial drugs “Herba Alchemillae” induce a rapid regeneration of skin epithelium and have styptic and anti-inflammatory actions. Because of the high content of phenolic compounds (tannins and flavonoids) and the ecological plasticity of the species, field cultivation or in vitro biomass production of A. mollis are possible alternatives to its collection from nature. Four MS based nutrient media differing in the concentration of the minerals and supplemented with α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and benzylaminopurine (BAP) were tested in order to examine their influence on the shoot multiplication effectiveness and the antioxidant activity of A. mollis, and also the possible relation between these parameters under the conditions of in vitro culture. The cultures grown for two months on these media differed significantly in their multiplication rates (p<0.001), as well as in their morphological features – height, leaf color and root development. Methanol extracts of in vitro cultivated and ex vitro adapted and acclimated on Vitosha Mt. (1500 m a. s. l.) plants were analyzed for tannin and flavonoid content and for free radical scavenging activity. The contents of flavonoids and tannins in the in vitro cultures of A. mollis cultivated on the four tested media differed significantly (p<0.05). The highest flavonoid content was found in the shoots cultivated on the control MS medium, as well as in the ex vitro adapted plants. The antioxidant activity of the in vitro cultures correlated positively with the concentrations of the PGRs in the respective media, and the ex vitro adapted plants had the highest antioxidant activity (IC50 13.1±1.9 μg/mL) commensurable with that of the commercial antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) used as a positive control, with an IC50 of 12.65 μg/mL.
Alchemilla mollis is a high-mountain medicinal plant that is critically endangered in Bulgaria. Recent studies have shown that the plant grows well in ex situ collections under different ...environmental conditions, making possible its cultivation. Biotechnological methods can be used for its rapid micropropagation. In the present study, in vitro cultures of the species were initiated from seeds. Half of them were stimulated with gibberellic acid and were maintained on solid and liquid MS-based nutrient media in a temporary immersion system. The media were supplemented with 3 mg/L benzylaminopurine and 1 mg/L α-naphthaleneacetic acid. The plantlets were subcultured every two or three months by separating shoots from shoot clusters and cutting the big ones into segments. The removal of the plantlets’ roots stimulated the formation of shoot clusters. The propagation coefficient increased progressively with every subcultivation, starting at averages of 1.9, 2.5 and 6.7 shoots per explant during the first passages, and reaching over 850 in vitro plantlets per initial seed over a period of 14 months. Additional increase of the multiplication effectiveness was achieved in liquid culture with the same composition, which led to the formation of enormous clusters of about 32 shoots within 6 weeks; however, submerged inferior shoots vitrified. The use of the temporary immersion system RITA® led to the improvement of the plantlets’ quality rather than of the propagation rate: formation of rhizome was observed, rooting during the next passage on agar medium occurred faster, and roots developed trichomes, which facilitated the ex vitro adaptation in a mixture of soil, sand and coconut fiber. In vitro rooting took place spontaneously after ca. 2-3 months of cultivation on agar medium. The first plants to be successfully adapted ex vitro were planted in Vitosha Mt. and are developing well; however, ex vitro adaptation to room conditions is still problematic and needs improvement.
A rational technique for preparing an extract of common lady’s mantle (
Alchemilla vulgaris
) by multistage countercurrent extraction is described, along with a method for standardizing the extract ...in relation to flavonoids.
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