Publications by authors named "Helle Wangensteen"

Gentiana pupurea L. (Gentianaceae) is an important medicinal plant in Norway and the bitter roots were used against a number of diseases, often related to gastrointestinal ailments and respiratory diseases. Gentian species are reported to be used against malaria in several geographic regions, and in vitro and computational experiments indicate that secoiridoids have an anti-plasmodial effect.

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Today, inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease represent a major health burden in Western societies. Such diseases are treated with drugs aiming at suppressing inflammatory symptoms. In Norway, several medicinal plants share a history of ethnomedical use towards the treatment of various inflammatory conditions which could represent sources of new anti-inflammatory drugs.

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The plant kingdom serves as a valuable resource for cancer drug development. This study explored the antitumor activity of different sub-fractions (hexane, dichloromethane and methanol) of (gorse) methanol extract in glioblastoma (U-87MG and U-373MG) and neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cell lines, along with their phytochemical profiles. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays, and cell cycle arrest and apoptosis were assessed through flow cytometry and by measuring reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protein expression levels.

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Daphne mezereum L. (Thymelaeaceae) was an important medicinal plant in Norway during the 18th and 19th centuries and used against diseases such as diarrhea, swelling, stomach pain, and tuberculosis. Five previously undescribed phenolic compounds, including two biflavonoids with a catechin core structure, two tricoumarins, and one bicoumarin, together with ten known compounds were isolated from a 50% EtOH extract of the bark of D.

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Article Synopsis
  • The roots of Gentiana purpurea are known for their intense bitterness due to high secoiridoid content, often prepared traditionally in various ways for medicinal use.
  • Different preparation methods were tested for their effectiveness in extracting gentiopicrin, with maceration in ethanol and boiling with acetic acid yielding the best results.
  • The study highlighted that traditional methods significantly influence the extraction of bioactive compounds, suggesting that how the roots are prepared can optimize their medicinal benefits.
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Flavonoids, polyphenolic compounds found in plant-based diets, are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and longevity. These components are reported to reduce plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) through an upregulation of the LDL receptor (LDLR), but the mechanism is still largely unknown. In this study, we have systematically screened the effect of 12 flavonoids from six different flavonoid subclasses on the effect on LDLR.

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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal products are increasingly used in Europe, but prevalent authentication methods have significant gaps in detection. In this study, three authentication methods were tested in a tiered approach to improve accuracy on a collection of 51 TCM plant ingredients obtained on the European market. We show the relative performance of conventional barcoding, metabarcoding and standardized chromatographic profiling for TCM ingredients used in one of the most diagnosed disease patterns in women, endometriosis.

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This study explores the traditional knowledge of plants used by traditional health practitioners (THPs) in the treatment of symptoms or syndromes related to mental illnesses in the district of Bamako in Mali, along with the identification of affiliated traditional treating methods. An exploratory and cross-sectional ethnopharmacological survey was conducted in the district of Bamako. The Malian Federation of Associations of Therapists and Herbalists (FEMATH) assisted in the identification and inclusion of the THPs.

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(St. John's wort) has been described to be beneficial for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Different extractions have demonstrated efficiency in mice and humans, esp.

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Plants used in traditional medicine in the management of epilepsy could potentially yield novel drug compounds with antiepileptic properties. The medicinal plant is widely used in traditional medicine in the African continent, and epilepsy is among several indications. Limited knowledge is available on its toxicity and medicinal effects, such as anticonvulsant activities.

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Article Synopsis
  • Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is gaining popularity for treating endometriosis, but the market is vulnerable to product adulteration, prompting the need for better quality control.
  • Through advanced techniques like dual-locus DNA metabarcoding and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), researchers tested the authenticity of two herbal formulas used for women's healthcare, revealing unexpected species diversity and contamination in commercial products.
  • The study highlights that combining DNA analysis with phytochemical methods can provide comprehensive data for authenticating TCM, ensuring their quality and safe usage.
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Daphne mezereum L., an important medicinal plant in Scandinavian folk medicine, was used to treat ailments such as diarrhea, swelling and stomach pain. A range of natural compounds have been isolated, but little attention has been given to the polysaccharides in this plant.

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Background: Aconitum carmichaelii is an industrially cultivated medicinal plant in China and its lateral and mother roots are used in traditional Chinese medicine due to the presence of alkaloids. However, the rootlets and aerial parts are discarded after collection of the roots, and the non-toxic polysaccharides in this plant have attracted less attention than the alkaloids and poisonous features. In this study, five neutral and 14 acidic polysaccharide fractions were isolated systematically from different plant parts of A.

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Aconitum septentrionale is known to contain toxic diterpene alkaloids, while other bioactive compounds in the plant remain unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the phenolic compounds and polysaccharides from the water extract of A. septentrionale roots.

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The industrial processing of Aconitum carmichaelii roots for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine generates a high amount of waste material, especially leaves. An acidic polysaccharide fraction isolated from these unutilized leaves, AL-I, was in our previous work shown to contain pectic polysaccharides. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of AL-I on ulcerative colitis for the possible application of A.

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Gentiana purpurea was one of the most important medicinal plants in Norway during the 18th and 19th centuries, and the roots were used against different types of gastrointestinal and airway diseases.

Aim Of The Study: To explore the content of bioactive compounds in a water extract from the roots, a preparation commonly used in traditional medicine in Norway, to assess the anti-inflammatory potential, and furthermore to quantify the major bitter compounds in both roots and leaves.

Materials And Methods: G.

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Roots of Aconitum carmichaelii are used in Asian countries due to its content of bioactive alkaloids. In the production of root preparations, tons of leaves are usually discarded, leading to a huge waste of herbal material. The aim of this study is to investigate the polysaccharides in these unutilized leaves.

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: With the advent of immunotherapies against cancers, autoimmune diseases and infections, there is a steady demand for novel medicines. New sources for discovery of potentially novel immunomodulatory compounds are therefore needed. Nature contains a large and diverse reservoir of novel compounds that can be exploited for their potential as new drugs, and exploring the pharmaceutical potential of medicinal plants used in traditional medicine is highly relevant.

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Aconitum carmichaelii, belonging to the Ranunculaceae family, is a widely used traditional herbal plant in Asian countries, especially in China. The lateral ("Fuzi") and mother ("Chuanwu") roots are the two main plant parts used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where they are used in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis, and as analgesics.

Aim Of The Study: In order to further guide the research direction and application of A.

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The resin of Canarium strictum Roxb. is used for rheumatism and asthma; the bark is used as a mosquito repellent. The major compounds in the resin are triterpenoids, but as no studies have been performed on the bark, this study investigated this economically important resource.

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, syn. , is a tree growing in West Africa and is used in traditional medicine against a variety of diseases, including malaria. In the work reported here, root bark and stem bark extracts of this tree, as well as compounds isolated from the extracts, have been investigated for activity against chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant strains of .

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Four undescribed lignans and two undescribed sesquiterpenic acids, together with three known compounds (hypochoeroside C, hypochoeroside D, and 5-O-caffeoylshikimic acid) were isolated from the roots of Hypochaeris radicata subsp. neapolitana (Asteraceae, Cichorieae). The lignans were identified as 4-(3,4-dihydroxybenzyl)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)tetrahydrofuran-3-carboxy-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, 4-(3,4-dihydroxybenzyl)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)tetrahydrofuran-3-carboxy-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-2'-O-methacrylate, (7S,8R,8'R)-7-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3',4'-dihydroxy-7,8,7',8'-tetrahydronaphtho [8,8'-c]furan-1(3H)-one, and (7S,8R,8'R)-7-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3',4'-dihydroxy-8'-(hydroxymethyl)-7,8,7',8'-tetrahydronaphthalen-8-carboxylic acid.

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Article Synopsis
  • The increasing commercialization of Ayurveda products has led to heightened adulteration and substitution issues, fueled by supply constraints and fraudulent practices in the herbal market.
  • Despite the use of DNA metabarcoding to assess the authenticity of 79 Ayurvedic herbal products, results showed a low ingredient fidelity, with only 67% for single ingredient products and just 21% for multiple ingredients.
  • The study underscores the need for better quality control in herbal products and the potential of DNA metabarcoding as an authentication tool, while stressing the importance of standardizing this method for regulatory use.
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Article Synopsis
  • Garcinia L. fruits are known for their high (-)-hydroxycitric acid content, which is linked to weight loss and anti-obesity benefits.
  • The study utilized DNA barcoding to confirm the authenticity of Garcinia samples in Indian herbal markets, revealing that G. gummi-gutta and G. indica were predominant with no adulteration found.
  • NMR analysis showed varied levels of (-)-hydroxycitric acid in both raw and supplement forms, emphasizing the inconsistency in the amounts present across different products.
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