Nishat Fatima

BACKGROUND: Withania somnifera is an herbal medicine that has been known to possess memory-enhancing properties. The current study involved an assessment of cognitive and psychomotor effects of Withania somnifera extract in healthy human participants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective, double-blind, multi-dose, placebo-controlled, crossover study, 20 healthy male participants were randomized to receive 250 mg two capsules twice daily of an encapsulated dried aqueous extract of roots and leaves of Withania somnifera or a matching placebo for a period of 14 days. Cognitive and psychomotor performance was assessed pre-dose (day 1) and at 3 hrs post-dose on day 15 using a battery of computerized psychometric tests. After a washout period of 14 days, the subjects crossed-over to receive the other treatment for a further period of 14 days as per prior randomization schedule. Same battery of test procedures were performed to assess cognitive and psychomotor performance. RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed in reaction times with simple reaction, choice discrimination, digit symbol substitution, digit vigilance, and card sorting tests with Withania somnifera extract compared to placebo. However, no effect can be seen with the finger tapping test. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that Withania somnifera extract can improve cognitive and psychomotor performance and may, therefore, be a valuable adjunct in the treatment of diseases associated with cognitive impairment.

Epigenetic regulation involves reversible changes in histones and DNA modifications that can be inherited without any changes in the DNA sequence. Dysregulation of normal epigenetic processes can lead to aberrant gene expression as observed in many diseases, notably cancer. Recent insights into the mechanisms of DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs involved in altered gene expression profiles of tumor cells have caused a paradigm shift in the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches towards cancer. There has been a surge in search for compounds that could modulate the altered epigenetic landscape of tumor cells, and to exploit their therapeutic potential against cancers. Flavonoids are naturally occurring phenol compounds which are abundantly found among phytochemicals and have potentials to modulate epigenetic processes. Knowledge of the precise flavonoid-mediated epigenetic alterations is needed for the development of epigenetics drugs and combinatorial therapeutic approaches against cancers. This review is aimed to comprehensively explore the epigenetic modulations of flavonoids and their anti-tumor activities.

Dietary components present in foods, spices and herbs are source of natural compounds viz. phenols, flavonoids, tocopherols, ascorbic acid and carotenoids with potential benefits. Ginger is one such herb commonly used throughout the world as a spice for dietary as well as medicinal purpose since ancient period. Here, we investigated the methanolic extract of Zingiber officinale rhizome (ZOME) for anticancer activity against human cervical cancer HeLa cells and breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells and antioxidant activity using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydroxyl (DPPH) scavenging assay, 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiozoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) cation decolorization test. Antiproliferative activity was substantiated by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and colony formation assay for cell viability and cell proliferation, Hoechst staining was performed to examine apoptosis. Our results demonstrated that ZOME inhibited the proliferation and colony formation in HeLa and MDA-MB-231 cells, in a dose- and time-dependent manner and induced typical changes in nuclear morphology, chromatin condensation and fragmentation, membrane shrinkage and blebbing in both cells indicated apoptotic property of Z. officinale. ZOME exhibited potent antiradical activity against DPPH and ABTS. On the basis of the results of the present study, it may be suggested that Z. officinale has promising anticancer and antioxidant properties. Since, Z officinale has been commonly used throughout the world as a spice for dietary as well as for medicinal purposes since prehistoric times. Therefore, enriched use of Z. officinale as dietary material could be recommended in ethno-medicine for the management of cervical and breast cancers. Moreover, further studies are needed to isolate and characterize the potent compounds for further adjuvant therapy against such malignancies.

Oxygen is indispensable for most organisms on the earth because of its role in respiration. However, it is also associated with several unwanted effects which may sometimes prove fatal in the long run. Such effects are more evident in cells exposed to strong oxidants containing reactive oxygen species (ROS). The adverse outcomes of oxidative metabolism are referred to as oxidative stress, which is a staple theme in contemporary medical research. Oxidative stress leads to plasma membrane disruption through lipid peroxidation and has several other deleterious effects. A large body of literature suggests the involvement of ROS in cancer, ageing, and several other health hazards of the modern world. Plant-based cures for these conditions are desperately sought after as supposedly safer alternatives to mainstream medicines. Phytochemicals, which constitute a diverse group of plant-based substances with varying roles in oxidative reactions of the body, are implicated in the treatment of cancer, aging, and all other ROS-induced anomalies. This review presents a summary of important phytochemicals extracted from medicinal plants which are a part of Indian ethnomedicine and Ayurveda and describes their possible therapeutic significance.