Currently, there is a need for alternative antimicrobial and anti-biofilm strategies owing to the combined challenges of multidrug resistance and biofilm formation by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the antibacterial and antibiofilm effects of extracts from Thymus serpyllum, Mentha piperita, Rosmarinus officinalis, Tilia cordata, Salvia officinalis, and Thymbra spicata against S. maltophilia, as well as the interactions of carnosic acid, luteolin, and carnosol compounds in these extracts with potential target molecules.

Plant extracts were obtained using a Soxhlet device. Antimicrobial activity against 16 clinical S. maltophilia isolates was evaluated using the disk diffusion method, and the antibiofilm effect was assessed using the microtiter plate method. Carnosic acid, luteolin, and carnosol compounds in the extracts were selected as ligands, and a binding analysis was performed with proteins.

The T. serpyllum extract showed the highest inhibition zone (20.5 ± 2.8 mm; p < 0.005), with dose-dependent antimicrobial activity (1024 μg/mL > 512 μg/mL; p < 0.05). Among the assessed 15 biofilm-producing strains, T. serpyllum inhibited 10, S. officinalis inhibited six, and R. officinalis inhibited five strains. Molecular docking indicated strong binding energies (carnosic acid: –8.51 kcal/mol, luteolin: –7.62 kcal/mol, carnosol: –9.23 kcal/mol) and multiple interactions with the MlaC protein.

These findings suggest that extracts from T. serpyllum, S. officinalis, and R. officinalis may target the Mla pathway and exhibit promising antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects against multidrug-resistant S. maltophilia, likely through the associated active compounds. The molecular docking analyses further supported the potential of these extracts to disrupt membrane integrity by interfering with the Mla system, thereby enhancing bacterial susceptibility to antimicrobial agents. However, additional studies are required to validate these mechanisms and investigate their broader biological implications.

Medicinal plants are abundant in bioactive phytochemicals, which act as shields against harm and disease, and enhance the color, flavor, and aroma of these plants. Therefore, this study aimed to examine and compare the ethnopharmacological potential and phytochemical components of nine Aloe plant species cultivated in the western highlands of Saudi Arabia.

Nine Aloe plant species were collected from different locations (Taif, Al-Baha, Abha, and Jazan). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was performed on the nine Aloe species, demonstrating the production of six flavonoid compounds with different retention times.

A. parvicoma exhibited the highest concentration of apigenin (45.36 mg/g), A. hijazensis presented the highest for rutin (29.46 mg/g), A. sabaea had the highest of kaempferol (40.12 mg/g), and A. armatissima presented the highest for naringin (60.14 mg/g). Additionally, HPLC was used to separate the six phenolic compounds. A. armatissima had the highest concentrations of ellagic acid, quercetin, and gallic acid (27.99, 39.50, and 40.12 mg/g, respectively), while A. hijazensis had the highest for resorcinol (35.17 mg/g), A. fleurentiniorum had the highest for syringic acid (7.13 mg/g), and A. brunneodentata had the highest for ferulic acid (28.47 mg/g). Four alkaloid compounds were identified, with the highest concentration of coniine (6.58 mg/g) recorded in A. fleurentiniorum, while conhydrine and conmaculatin (5.60 and 4.99 mg/g) were recorded in A. abhaica, and 2-methylpiperidine (3.66 mg/g) was recorded in A. sabaea. The nine Aloe species exhibited significant divergence, as indicated by long Euclidean distances. The considerable concentration of identified compounds denotes the potential use of the Aloe plant species for different pharmacological purposes.

This study aimed to investigate the main active ingredients and potential mechanism of action of Euonymus alatus (Thunb.) Siebold (EA), a traditional Chinese medicine that is used to alleviate symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Potential targets of EA and related pathways in the treatment of RA were identified using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database and analysis tools, SymMap, GeneCards, Swiss Target Prediction database, Metascape, and molecular docking. The anti-inflammatory effect of the predicted core active ingredient in EA was validated using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages in vitro.

The main active ingredients in EA that are influential in the treatment of RA are likely to be flavonoids and polyphenols, such as kaempferol, quercetin, baicalein, wogonin, and oroxylin A. These active ingredients may target AKT1, BCL2, IGF1R, SRC, PTGS2, and EGFR to affect the NF-κB, mTOR, and related signaling pathways, as determined by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) analyses. Meanwhile, the molecular docking results suggested that these active ingredients most likely target AKT1, BCL-2, and PTGS-2. Experimental studies have shown that the EA active ingredient, baicalein, can suppress macrophage proliferation, TNF-α expression, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production.

The active ingredients in EA may target AKT, BCL-2, and PTGS-2 to mediate the regulation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in RA treatment.

This study aimed to elucidate the therapeutic efficacy and underlying mechanisms of the combining of Chuanxiong Rhizoma Hort. (CX) and Ganoderma lucidum Karst. (GL) in treating hypertension (HTN) induced by chronic oxidative stress (OS). This research provides novel insights into the development of anti-hypertensive agents within the scope of medicine and food homologues, using network pharmacology and in vivo experimental validation.

Active constituents and corresponding targets of CX and GL were respectively retrieved on the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) platform. Molecular docking was utilized to assess the binding efficacy between the constituents and core targets. Moreover, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and Gene Ontology Biological Process (GOBP) enrichment analyses were performed against the core targets. The anti-hypertensive effects of the combination were validated in the N-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-induced hypertensive rat model; meanwhile, the potential mechanism of action was investigated through indices assay and pathological examination.

A total of 6 and 14 core active constituents of CX and GL, respectively, were identified, along with 30 and 39 potential corresponding targets. The molecular docking established prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) as the target with the highest binding affinity for treating both HTN and OS. The KEGG pathway analysis revealed the presence of the “estrogen signaling” and “vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling” pathways. Additionally, the GOBP analysis showed significant enrichment in the terms “positive regulation of nitric oxide (NO) biosynthetic process” and “negative regulation of smooth muscle contraction”. These findings highlight the shared pathways between CX and GL in relation to HTN and OS. Moreover, the in vivo experiments validated that the combined CX and GL treatment contributed to significantly decreasing systolic blood pressure (SBP) and serum Ang-Ⅱ levels, increasing aortic prostaglandin I₂ (PGI2) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), reducing aortic vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and heart index, and improving the aortic damage in a synergistic pattern in the L-NAME-induced hypertensive rat model.

Administering the combination of CX and GL synergistically treated OS-induced HTN by improving vascular endothelial NO transduction, vasodilation, and anti-oxidative capacity, via co-regulation of the estrogen and VEGF signaling pathways. This finding provides a perspective for the development of novel therapeutic strategies in the treatment of HTN based on the dietary-medicinal properties of Chinese medicine in treatment of HTN.

The gastric mucosa is crucial for preventing gastric diseases. Isoschaftoside (Is), isolated from Dendrobium huoshanense, has shown a gastroprotective effect in our previous in vitro study. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the protective role of Is in an in vivo model of aspirin-triggered gastric injury in mice and explore the underlying mechanisms.

A total of 72 male C57BL/6J mice were classified into control, model, omeprazole (OME, 20 mg/kg), and low- (Is-L, 7.8 mg/kg), medium- (Is-M, 31.2 mg/kg), and high-dose isoschaftoside (Is-H, 93.6 mg/kg) groups. In the model group, aspirin (300 mg/kg) was administered orally for 14 days to induce gastric injury. At the end of the trial, blood sample were taken. Gastric tissues were harvested and prepared for histopathological examination and immunohistochemical identification of mucin 2 (MUC2) expression. ELISA was performed to measure serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6/1β, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels were measured by ELISA. Western blot was used o detect B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), cleaved caspase-9, phospho-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (p-PI3K), and phospho-protein kinase B (p-AKT) proteins.

Is promoted dose-dependent improvement mucosal structure and reduced inflammation, with high-dose efficacy comparable to that of OME. Furthermore, Is significantly decreased IL-6/1β, and TNF-α levels, increased COX-1 and PGE2, upregulated Bcl-2, downregulated Bax and cleaved-caspase-9, and inhibited PI3K/AKT phosphorylation. Additionally, Is reduced the aspirin-induced upregulation of MUC2 expression, further supporting the role of Is in promoting mucosal repair.

Is alleviates aspirin-induced gastric injury by inhibiting inflammation, regulating apoptosis-related proteins, suppressing the PI3K/AKT pathway, and modulating mucin expression, supporting the potential of using Is as a gastric mucosal protective agent.

Advancements in the management of toxicity-induced injury have led to improvements in disease prognosis. However, exposure to certain chemical substances can lead to toxic effects on various body cells and may contribute to infertility. Curcumin has an antioxidant effect on receptors in gonadal cells. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the ability of curcumin to restore thioacetamide-induced changes in germ cells.

A total of four groups were each allocated eight rabbits: Group I, the control group; Group II, the curcumin (Curc) group; Group III, the thioacetamide (TAA) group; Group IV, the TAA and Curc group. After the rabbits were sacrificed and the testes removed, the tissues were fixed and stained with hematoxylin–eosin (H&E). The sections were evaluated to assess the histological and spermatogenesis-associated changes. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 17.0, with p < 0.05 considered significant.

The serum testosterone level was significantly decreased in Group III (271.40 ± 101.20) compared to Groups I, II, and IV (435 ± 67.50; 457 ± 58.60; 398.80 ± 119.40, respectively). Moreover, marked improvement was observed in the oxidative stress induced by TAA following curcumin treatment for most measured parameters in the study. Histological examination using Johnson's testicular biopsy score (JTBS) criteria and mean seminiferous tubules diameter (MSTD) scores revealed an ameliorative effect of curcumin treatment against the toxic impact of TAA (JTBS was 6.55 ± 1.37 in the TAA group compared to 9.25 ± 0.83 in the TAA and curcumin group; MSTD was 235.90 ± 20.50 in the TAA group compared to 262 ± 15.14 in the TAA and curcumin group).

Curcumin decreases the cytotoxic effects of thioacetamide on germ cells, with the addition of improving the oxidants/antioxidants markers and testicular function in rabbits.