Steppe harmala — sacred incense or dangerous drug?

Aim of the study: Peganum harmala L. is a perennial herb in the genus Peganum, family Zygophyllaceae. In Chinese folk medicine, it has been used as a traditional medicinal herb to strengthen muscles, warm the stomach, dispel cold, and remove dampness. In clinical practice, it is mainly used to treat conditions such as weak muscles and veins, joint pain, cough and phlegm, dizziness, headache, and irregular menstruation.

Results: P. harmala L. is an important medicinal plant with a variety of traditional uses according to the theory of Chinese medicine. Phytochemical research has shown that P. harmala L. contains alkaloids, volatile oils, flavonoids, triterpenoids, coumarins, lignins, and anthraquinones. Modern studies have shown that P. harmala L. has multiple bioactivities, including anticancer, neuroprotective, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, blood-sugar-lowering, blood-pressure-lowering, anti-asthmatic, and insecticidal activities. This review also summarizes and analyzes the plant’s quality markers and toxicity. The paper reviews the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality markers, and toxicity of P. harmala L. It will provide important clues for further research on P. harmala L., as well as an important theoretical basis and valuable reference for in-depth research and future development of this plant.

Aim of the study: Leishmaniasis is one of the most important vector-borne diseases and is endemic in tropical and subtropical areas. Several approved treatments are available for different types of leishmaniasis, but all have adverse side effects that limit their use.

Results: N. sativa and P. harmala are effective against L. major promastigotes and amastigotes and could be considered alternative treatments for leishmaniasis. Further studies are therefore recommended to confirm their effectiveness and evaluate the toxicity of the herbal extracts.

Aim of the study: This research aimed to evaluate the in vitro antiviral effect of Peganum harmala seed extract against influenza A virus infection and investigate its mechanism, using Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells.

Results: Our results showed that the extract inhibits viral RNA replication and viral polymerase activity, but has no effect on hemagglutination inhibition or virucidal activity. This study showed that the in vitro antiviral activity of P. harmala seed extract against influenza virus is most likely associated with the inhibition of viral RNA transcription. Therefore, this extract and its total alkaloid content should be further characterized for development as an anti-influenza A agent.

Aim of the study: Oropharyngeal avian trichomonosis is a potentially fatal parasitic disease affecting several orders of birds. This review focuses on treatments for the disease, since preventive treatment is prohibited in most countries and resistant strains are circulating.

Results: In addition to pigeons, treatment with nitroimidazoles has been reported in budgerigars, canaries, finches, bald eagles, a cinereous vulture, and several falcon species, but resistant strains have been reported mainly in domestic pigeons and budgerigars. New treatments include novel delivery systems for traditional drugs, as well as some plant extracts and their main components. Ethanolic extracts of ginger, curry leaf tree, and Dennettia tripetala, alkaloid extracts of Peganum harmala, and essential oils of Pelargonium roseum and some Lamiaceae were highly active. Pure active compounds from these extracts showed good activity against Trichomonas, although most studies lack cytotoxicity assessments or in vivo tests.

Aim of the study: Peganum harmala L. is a multipurpose medicinal plant increasingly used for psychoactive recreational purposes (as an Ayahuasca analogue).

Results: The inhibition of MAO-A by seed extracts was attributed quantitatively to harmaline and harmine, while inhibition by root extracts was caused by harmine, with no additional interference. Stem and leaf extracts were weak MAO inhibitors. The potent inhibition of MAO-A by seed and root extracts of P. harmala, which contain beta-carbolines, is likely to contribute to the plant’s psychopharmacological and toxicological effects and could be the basis for its purported antidepressant effects.

Aim of the study: Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by Leishmania species and transmitted by sand flies. Current strategies for controlling reservoir hosts and vectors are not environmentally friendly.

Results: The HA combined with MA (HA/MA) showed potent antileishmanial activity without toxicity. In vitro studies clearly showed that HA inhibited the growth of promastigotes and amastigotes. HA/MA was more effective at inhibiting parasite growth. Based on the study findings, HA and the HA/MA mixture can be considered viable treatment options for cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Aim of the study: Background/Objectives: Ovarian cancer is a common gynecological cancer with high mortality rates worldwide. Harmine hydrochloride (HMH), a tricyclic β-carboline alkaloid derived from the seeds of the medicinal plant Peganum harmala L., has shown antitumor activity.

Results: Furthermore, HMH effectively blocked the development of intraperitoneal xenografts and extended the lifespan of animals bearing HEY/Luc cells, when used alone or in combination with CDDP. Conclusions: The research indicated that HMH has anti-ovarian cancer effects, at least in part, by targeting NFAT1. In addition, our research showed that NFAT1 promotes ovarian cancer progression and plays a significant role in HMH’s anticancer activity. These findings may help in developing new candidates for ovarian cancer treatment and identify a new target for treating ovarian cancer.

Aim of the study: In this study, we developed starch-based bionanocomposite films by incorporating Peganum harmala extract (PE) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles into a sago-starch matrix. We evaluated their physicochemical properties and their ability to slow lipid oxidation and preserve sensory quality in chicken fillets during 12 days of refrigerated storage (4°C).

Results: A trained panel’s sensory evaluation found that the odor, color, and overall acceptability scores of the coated fillets remained above 7.5 (on a 9-point scale), while the control samples scored below 5. The improved oxidative stability is attributed to the combined effect of TiO2, which blocks UV light, and PE, which scavenges free radicals. The mechanical reinforcement is due to strong hydrogen bonding between the starch matrix and nanoparticles. These findings show that sago-starch/TiO2/PE bionanocomposite films can effectively improve oxidative stability and maintain sensory quality in refrigerated poultry, offering a promising biodegradable packaging solution.

Aim of the study: Metallic nanoparticles (NPs) can be used in various biomedical fields, for example as antibacterial and anticancer agents. Synthesizing metallic NPs through green chemistry makes them environmentally friendly and easier to prepare. This study aimed to develop three different gold (Au) NPs using plant extracts from the aerial parts of Artemisia absinthium (AA), the fruits of Morus nigra (MN), and the seeds of Peganum harmala (PH).

Results: AA-AuNPs, MN-AuNPs, and PH-AuNPs were cytotoxic to cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. The results also showed that PH-AuNPs were the most potent NPs (IC50 values of 7.7, 16.7, 30, and 40 μg/mL against HeLa, HT-29, OVCAR3, and MCF-7 cell lines, respectively). HeLa cells were significantly more sensitive to all the tested NPs than the other cell lines. Flow cytometry results confirmed that the cytotoxic effects of AuNPs occurred through the induction of apoptosis. Using plants to formulate metallic NPs is inexpensive, accessible, and renewable. Furthermore, given their considerable cytotoxicity, their use as a cancer treatment option is a promising approach that warrants further investigation. Thus, rapidly synthesized AuNPs may have a role in nanotechnology and biomedical applications.