Dr. Fabio Boylan

Summary

The aim of this project is to check the validity of the ethnopharmacological information for Orbignya speciosa in folk medicine. This plant is used, among other purposes, for the treatment of leukaemia and inflammatory conditions. Using modern techniques of isolation and purification of natural products and up-to-date spectroscopy techniques we aim to isolate the constituents responsible for such activities. It is also intended to test the activity for the extracts and isolates using in vivo (mice) and in vitro (cell culture) methodologies, allied to techniques in molecular pharmacology: DNA-fragmentation, electrophoresis, zymography, western-blot, apoptosis studies (flow cytometry), microscopy (SEM) among others.

Summary

Acmella oleracea (Jambu) and Caryocar villosum (Piquiá) are two edible plants from the Amazon Region in Brazil. They are part of the local cuisine but also used as medicines to treat cancer. Metabolomic analysis will be employed for the study of the full chemical composition of these two species, using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Isolation of compounds for pharmacological assays will be performed by the use of High-Speed Counter Current Chromatography. Appropriate synthetic strategies will be used to allow for the preparation of large enough quantities of material to be assayed pharmacologically. The pharmacological activity for these two species will be also be assessed using Zebrafish methodology, and specifically the anticancer activity will be determined in cell culture using prostate, breast, intestine and lung cancer cell lines. These four cancers represent the highest incidence of mortality by cancer in Ireland. After standardisation of both chemistry and pharmacology, we envisage to prepare a formulation using modern technology for the development of a food supplement, potentially to be used as chemopreventative. As a long-term goal, we will be setting the basis for the development of a new medicine to treat symptoms associated with cancer.

Summary

Continue the research developed in conjunction with the Republic of Kazakhstan, in the Kazakh National Medical University, specifically in the area of Natural Products aiming to help them to validate their indigenous knowledge and to try and build their own identity in terms of pharmaceutical natural products to enter in their own pharmacopoeia. So using similar approach to the ethnopharmacological knowledge of their plants, the aim is the validation of chemical and pharmacological properties of endemic plants allowing for their inclusion in the National Pharmacopoeia.

Summary

People of Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula, in general, have been using medicinal plants to heal various routine maladies and chronic diseases including skin-related diseases, rheumatism, bone fracture, asthma, diabetes, and eye and ear problems. This unique relationship with the flora continues to this day as people still rely heavily on folklore and traditional medicine to meet their healthcare needs despite of the presence of modern hospitals and well-trained medical staff. However, these traditional practices and folklore, don't specifically present a rational and defined picture of such plants, often using many terms indiscriminately and mixing or distortion of many facts. Often the traditional medicine presents an abstract explanation and consists of imaginative information that can be misleading. Hence the need of a scientific study to evaluate those claims. In this study five medicinal plants widely used in Saudi Arabia as an analgesic and for inflammatory diseases are selected and being studied in order to assess whether the pharmacological activities that have been reported for them is in fact justifiable. The selection criteria for the plants to be studied was based on their ethnopharmacology, and their availabilities. The main aim of this study is to provide the scientific evidence for the reputed efficacy of the Saudi traditional medicinal plants Artemisia judaica, Pistacia falcata Capparis cartilaginea, Lavandula dentata, and Lavandula pubescens, in the maintenance of inflammatory conditions as possessing analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. This study will also examine the volatile composition of two Lavandula species (dentata, and Lavandula pubescens) collected monthly for one year in order evaluate the chemical variation and establish the best time for collection for medicinal purposes and drug development. The specific objectives are: 1. To investigate extracts from A. judaica, P. falcata C. cartilaginea, L. dentata, and L. pubescens for anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities. 2. To isolate, purify and identify bioactive compounds from A. judaica, P. falcata C. cartilaginea, L. dentata, and L. pubescens. 3. To prepare Nano-formulations containing the plant extracts. 4. To evaluate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the plant extracts and isolates through formalin-induced, acetic acid-induced and hot plate models. 5. To carry out Multivariate analysis in order to characterize and compare the phytochemical constituents from L. dentata, and L. pubescens samples collected monthly. This study may be of great help for chemotaxonomic purposes, the interpretation of medicinal properties and for quality assessment of herbal supplements containing Lavandula leaves. 3. Research Questions. The main question for this research is 'Do Artemisia Judaica, Pistacia falcata Capparis cartilaginea, Lavandula dentata, and Lavandula pubescens have anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities? These questions are further divided into following questions; · What are the compounds responsible for the biological activities? · How effective are these natural compounds in curing the symptoms inflammatory diseases? This study will also answer the questions: · What are the major phytochemical differences between L. dentata and L. Pubescence? · Which compounds are essential for anti-inflammatory activity?

Summary

St. Stephen"s Green park houses over 100 species of plants belonging to over 20 different botanical families. This project proposes the investigation of the essential oil (EO) constituents of all plants growing in the park using two different methodologies - microwave-assisted extraction and headspace. The oil composition will be analysed via gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy. In the event of unknown chemical compounds, their structures will be confirmed by means of synthesis. EOs and EO constituents will be assayed against a panel of normal and cancer cell lines. The potential mechanism of their anticancer activity will be investigated for the EOs and EO constituents using viability and proliferative cell assays, flow cytometry, ELISA and immunoblotting. The best candidates from those with the highest anticancer activity will be formulated using reverse micellar and silver nanoparticle production. The resultant successful nanoformulations will be fully characterised, and their effect will be evaluated once again in vitro