Origanum majorana L. extract exhibit positive cooperative effects on the main mechanisms involved in acute infectious diarrhea.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Origanum majorana L. (Lamiaceae) is commonly used in Moroccan folk medicine to treat infantile colic, abdominal discomfort and diarrhea. Liquid stools and abdominal discomfort observed in acute infectious diarrhea are the consequences of imbalance between intestinal water secretion and absorption in the lumen, and relaxation of smooth muscle surrounding the intestinal mucosa.

Cytotoxicity of the Aqueous Extract and Organic Fractions from on Human Breast Cell Line MDA-MB-231 and Human Colon Cell Line HT-29.

The toxicity of the aqueous extract of was tested (5 and 10 g/kg) in albino mice. No symptoms of toxicity or mortality were observed. The mice survived being active and healthy during all 14 days of observation.

Relaxant Effect of Essential Oil of Artemisia herba-alba Asso. on Rodent Jejunum Contractions.

Artemisia herba-alba Asso. is a shrub commonly encountered in Morocco. It is used in traditional medicine for treating intestinal disorders.

Anti-diarrhoeal activity of crude aqueous extract of Rubia tinctorum L. roots in rodents.

The anti-diarrhoeal effect of aqueous extract of Rubia tinctorum L. (Rubiaceae) roots in rodents was examined. At doses 300, 600 and 800 mg/kg aqueous extract protected rats, in a dose-dependent fashion, against castor oil-induced diarrhoeal dropping by 37, 59 and 64% respectively.

The Budding Yeast "Saccharomyces cerevisiae" as a Drug Discovery Tool to Identify Plant-Derived Natural Products with Anti-Proliferative Properties.

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a valuable system to study cell-cycle regulation, which is defective in cancer cells. Due to the highly conserved nature of the cell-cycle machinery between yeast and humans, yeast studies are directly relevant to anticancer-drug discovery. The budding yeast is also an excellent model system for identifying and studying antifungal compounds because of the functional conservation of fungal genes.

Anti-cancer effect of two alkaloids: 2R and 2S-bgugaine on mastocytoma P815 and carcinoma Hep.

The 2-alkylpyrrolidine R-bgugaine, a natural alkaloid isolated from tubers of Arisarum vulgare Targ. Tozz. (Araceae), and its isomer S-bgugaine, obtained by an asymmetric synthesis, were examined for their cytotoxic activities on two cancerous cellular lines: the murine mastocytoma cell line P815 and the human laryngeal carcinoma cell line Hep.

New synthesis of two tridentate bipyrazolic compounds and their cytotoxic activity tumor cell lines.

Two new tripodal compounds - 4-{bis[(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-1-yl)methyl]amino}butane-1-ol (1); ethyl 1-[((2-hydroxyethyl){[3-(ethoxycarbonyl)-5-methyl-1H-pyrazole-1-yl]methyl} amino)methyl]-5-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylate (2) were reported. The evaluation of the cytotoxic properties in vitro of these ligands, was examined on two tumor cell lines - P815 (mastocytome murine) and Hep (carcinoma of human larynx). The concentration required to induce 50% of lysis (IC(50)) was more pronounced against P815 cell line (IC(50): 39.

New pyrazolic compounds as cytotoxic agents.

The evaluation of the in vitro cytotoxic properties of two pyrazole compounds: 1-(4-nitrophényl)-3,5-diméthylpyrazole (1) and 1,1'-di(4-nitrophényl)-5,5'-diisopropyl-3,3'-bipyrazole (2) was investigated against Hep cell line (Human laryngeal carcinoma). These two compounds showed an important cytotoxic activity on the Hep cell line, with IC(50): 8.25 microg mL(-1) for the compound 1; IC(50): 10.

Anticancer effect of three pyrazole derivatives.

The evaluation of the cytotoxic properties in vitro of three synthetic tripods containing pyrazole: N,N-bis[(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)methyl]aniline (1); N,N-tetrakis[(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)methyl]-para-phenylenediamine (2); and N,N-tetrakis-[(1,5-dimethylpyrazol-3-yl)methyl]-para-phenylenediamine (3), was examined for their cytotoxic activity on two tumor cell lines: P815 (murin mastocytoma) and Hep (human laryngeal carcinome). While the compound 2 shows a small cytotoxic activity, compounds 1 and 3 are more cytotoxic against both cell lines. However, this cytotoxicity is more pronounced against Hep cell line (IC50: 3.

Relaxant effect of aqueous extract of Cistus ladaniferus on rodent intestinal contractions.

The effects of the aqueous extract of Cistus ladaniferus leaves and stems were studied on the rodent isolated jejunum. The extract produced a reversible concentration dose-dependent (0.1-3 mg/ml) inhibition of the spontaneous motility of the rabbit jejunum.

Cytotoxic effect and electrophysiological activity of S-irniine, a synthesised isomer of the natural R-irniine, on human MRC-5 fibroblasts.

Numerous original alkaloids are present in tubers of Arisarum vulgare Targ. a species belonging to the Araceae family known in Morocco for its toxicity. Some previous works deal with the activity of these natural compounds as R-irniine.

Cytotoxic effect and electrophysiological study on human MRC-5 fibroblasts of R-irniine, a natural alkylpyrrolidine alkaloid.

R-irniine is a natural 2-alkylpyrrolidine alkaloid extracted from Arisarum vulgare Targ., a species belonging to the Araceae family known in Morocco for its toxicity. Cytotoxic and electrophysiological studies of this compound on human MRC-5 fibroblasts were carried out.