@article {532, title = {Alpha-amylase inhibitory activity and sterol composition of the marine algae, Sargassum glaucescens}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {7}, year = {2015}, month = {October 2015}, pages = {314-321}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {314}, abstract = {

Background: Sargassum species (phaeophyceae) are economically important brown algae in southern parts of Iran. Sargassum is mainly harvested as a row material in alginate production industries and is a source of plant foods or plant bio-stimulants even a component of animal foods. Objectives: In this study, Sargassum glaucescens, collected from the seashore of Chabahar, was employed for phytochemical and biological evaluations. Materials and Methods: For that purpose, the dried algae was extracted by methanol and subjected to different chromatographic separation methods. Results: Six sterols, fucosterol (1), 24(S)-hydroxy-24-vinylcholesterol (2), 24(R)-hydroxy-24-vinylcholesterol (3), stigmasterol (4), β-sitosterol (5) and cholesterol (6) were identified by spectroscopic methods including 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and mass spectroscopy. In vitro alpha-amylase inhibitory test was performed on the methanolic extract and the results revealed a potent inhibition (IC50 = 8.9 {\textpm} 2.4 mg/mL) of the enzyme compared to acarbose as a positive control. Conclusion: Various biological activities and distribution of sterols in Sargassum genus have been critically reviewed here. The results concluded that these algae are a good candidate for further anti-diabetic investigations in animals and human.

}, keywords = {Alpha-amylase inhibitor, Brown algae, Sargassum glaucescens, Sterol.}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.167893}, author = {Nasrin Payghami and Shahla Jamili and Abdolhossein Rustaiyan and Soodabeh Saeidnia and Marjan Nikan and Ahmad Reza Gohari} } @article {720, title = {Presence of monoterpene synthase in four Labiatae species and Solid-Phase Microextraction- Gas chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy analysis of their aroma profiles}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {6}, year = {2014}, month = {March,2014}, pages = {138-142}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {138}, abstract = {

Background: The family Lamiaceae (Labiatae) has included some medicinal plants. some monoterpene synthases, including linalool and limonene synthases, have been cloned and functionally characterized from several plants of Labiatae family. Materials and Methods: In this study, presence of linalool and limonene synthases, in four species of Labiatae family including Nepeta cataria, Lavandula angustifolia, Hyssopus officinalis and Salvia sclarea has been determined by molecular biological techniques together with the Head space SPME - GC-MS analysis of the aroma profile of these species. Results: Indicated that none of the plant species produced distinguishable bands with primer pairs related to d-limonene synthase. Distinguishable bands around 1800 bp in cDNA samples of L. angustifolia, H. officinalis and S. sclarea were observed regarding to the presence of linalool synthase. Head space SPME-GC-MS analysis of the aroma profiles of the above-mentioned plants showed that linalool (31.0\%), linalyl acetate (18.2\%), were found as the major compounds of L. angustifolia, while geraniol (5.5\%), nerol (34.0\%) and α- citral (52.0\%) were identified as the main compounds of the N. cataria. The major components of H. officinalis and S. sclarea oils were determined as cis-pinocamphone (57.3\%), and linalool (19.0\%), linalyl acetate (51.5\%), respectively. Conclusion: H. officinalis was rich of cyclic monoterpenes, L. angustifolia, N. cataria and S. sclarea showed considerable amount of linear monoterpenes. The aroma profile of the above-mentioned plants contained low concentration of sesquiterpenes except N. cataria, which indicated no sesquiterpene. The profiles of the main components of these plants are in agreement with molecular assays.

}, keywords = {Essential oil, Headspace solid phase microextraction, Labiatae, Monoterpene synthase}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.129033}, author = {Soodabeh Saeidnia and Ahmad Reza Gohari and Azita Haddadi and Gholamreza Amin and Marjan Nikan and Abbass Hadjiakhoondi} }