Rutin, a well-known bioflavonoid, was found abundantly in cassava leaves. In the present study, extraction techniques including maceration, boiling, reflux, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) were optimised to increase the yield of rutin. Extraction parameters such as solvents, solid-liquid ratio, temperature, and time were optimised to give better extraction yields for each method. HPLC analysis showed a high content of rutin which is up to 2.4% per dry weight of cassava leaves. The extraction yields under optimised condition were found to be 16.00 ± 0.21, 20.38 ± 0.66, 22.33 ± 2.3, 24.49 ± 0.41, and 23.37 ± 1.00 g rutin per kg dry weight for maceration, boiling, reflux, UAE and MAE methods, respectively. Specifically, UAE reduced the extraction time to 90 min, using only 40-60% of aqueous ethanol. Meanwhile, MAE completed the extraction under 5 min and no significant differences in output was observed between the use of water and aqueous ethanol. Accordingly, with the extraction efficiency of up to 99 and 94%, respectively, both processes provided better results. The subsequent green purification using chilling method produced a typical cassava bioflavonoid containing 82% of rutin and 17% of nicotiflorin. This study informs a new abundant source of rutin and provides the optimum condition of extraction methods for high yield of rutin from cassava leaves.Traditional and complementary medicine constitutes an important, and often underestimated, source of healthcare for multiple diseases including cancer. However, little is known about the ethnomedical knowledge and practices in Northern Africa. The main objective of this study is to identify and analyze the variety of natural products used in Algerian ethnopharmacology for cancer therapy. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews with 225 traditional healers, herbalists and practitioners were realized in twelve locations in Algeria throughout field studies performed from June 2015 to July 2019. Interviews covered popular and vernacular names of the natural product, mode of use and administration, dose, period of treatment, toxicity and side effects among other data. The obtained results reveal the use of 113 medicinal plants (belonging to 53 families and 104 genera), 10 animal species and various products and by-products from different origins such as honey, olive oil, thorns, urine, milk, animal fat and thumerous natural products and to provide background basis to search for novel compounds for cancer therapy.

This study assessed adjuvant potential of

hydroalcoholic extract (OSHE) with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) carbamazepine (CBZ) and phenytoin (PHT) in maximal electroshock seizure (MES) model in male Wistar rats.

Pharmacodynamic effect of OSHE (1000mg/kg) was assessed through seizure protection potential, neurobehavioral tests and oxidative stress estimation in MES model after 14days administration of OSHE alone or combination with maximal (M) and sub-maximal (SM) dose of CBZ or PHT. Pharmacokinetic interaction of OSHE with AEDs was also assessed after 14days of drug treatment.

OSHE

showed 50% protection against MES-induced seizures. Combination of OSHE with AEDs’ SM dose enhanced its seizure protection potential. Significant reduction in duration of tonic hind limb extension was observed in CBZ-SM+OSHE as compared to control group (p=0.006). Among neurobehavioral tests in Morris water maze test rats of CBZ-M+OSHE took significantly less time to reach the platform (p=0.022) and spent more time in target quadrant (p=0.016) as compared to other groups. Similarly, rats of PHT-SM+OSHE group spent significantly more time in the target quadrant (p=0.013). In elevated plus maze test, CBZ-M+OSHE had significantly decreased transfer latency compared to other groups (p=0.013). OSHE alone treated group had significantly lower oxidative stress as compared to other groups. No significant pharmacokinetic interaction was observed between OSHE and AEDs (CBZ, PHT).

Ocimum’s potential of enhanced seizure protection and neuroprotection along with minimal drug interaction with AEDs substantiate its adjuvant role in the management of epilepsy.

Ocimum’s potential of enhanced seizure protection and neuroprotection along with minimal drug interaction with AEDs substantiate its adjuvant role in the management of epilepsy.The first case of COVID-19 was announced at the end of year 2019, and later many cases were identified worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, the first case was announced on 2 March 2020. To prevent the spread of this pandemic disease, many precautionary actions were taken by Saudi government. One of these actions was closing public and private schools and universities and transfer the educational activities to virtual platforms. All colleges of Pharmacy in Saudi Arabia, whether the 21 public or the eight private ones, were affected by those sudden transitions and their responses varied according to their preparedness levels. Here we shared our experience in king Saud University in the curricular components of pharmacy school that includes classroom teaching, laboratory teaching, experiential training, assessment, and extracurricular activity and student support during COVID-19 compulsory lockdown. Lastly, we presented the lesson learned toward pharmacy education from COVID-19 pandemic.Diabetic wounds are difficult to treat due to multiple causes, including reduced blood flow and bacterial infections. selleck Reduced blood flow is associated with overexpression of prostaglandin transporter (PGT) gene, induced by hyperglycaemia which causing poor vascularization and healing of the wound. Recently, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been biosynthesized using cold and hot sclerotium of Lignosus rhinocerotis extracts (CLRE and HLRE, respectively) and capped with chitosan (CS) to produce biocompatible antibacterial nanocomposites. The AuNPs have shown to produce biostatic effects against selected gram positive and negative bacteria. Therefore, in this study, a dual therapy for diabetic wound consisting Dicer subtract small interfering RNA (DsiRNA) and AuNPs was developed to improve vascularization by inhibiting PGT gene expression and preventing bacterial infection, respectively. The nanocomposites were incorporated into thermoresponsive gel, made of pluronic and polyethylene glycol. The particle size of AuNPs synthesized using CLRE (AuNPs-CLRE) and HLRE (AuNPs-HLRE) was 202 ± 49 and 190 ± 31 nm, respectively with positive surface charge (+30 to + 45 mV).