Due to the high volume of peel produced, Citrus by-product processing could be a significant source of phenolic compounds, in addition to essential oil. Citrus fruit residues, which are usually dumped as waste in the environment, could be used as a source of nutraceuticals. Citrus aurantium (L), also known as sour or bitter orange, is a member of the Rutaceae family and is the result of interspecific hybridization between Citrus reticulata and Citrus maxima. The purpose of this study is to chemically and biologically evaluate the peel of C. aurantium, which is considered a solid waste destined for abandonment. To achieve more complete extraction of the phytochemicals, we used a sequential extraction process with Soxhlet using the increasing polarity of solvents (i.e., cyclohexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, acetone, and ethanol–water mixture). Essential oil (EO) from the Citrus peel, which was present at 1.12%, was also prepared by hydrodistillation for comparison. Various phytochemical assays were used to determine the qualitative chemical composition, which was subsequently characterized using GC-MS and HPLC-DAD. The inhibitory effects of C. aurantium peel extract on two enzymes, intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase, were measured in vitro to determine their potential hypoglycemic and antidiabetic actions. Each extract had a significantly different phytochemical composition. According to GC-MS analyses, which allow the identification of 19 compounds, d-limonene is the most abundant compound in both EO and cyclohexane extract, at 35.17% and 36.15% (w/w). This comparison with hydrodistillation shows the value of the sequential process in extracting this valuable terpene in large quantities while also allowing for the subsequent extraction of other bioactive substances. On the contrary, linoleic acid is abundant (54.35% (w/w)) in ethyl acetate extract (EAE) with a lower amount of d-limonene. HPLC-DAD analysis allows the identification of 11 phytochemicals, with naringenin being the most abundant flavanone, detected in acetone extract (ACE) (23.94% (w/w)), ethanol–water extract mixture (EWE) (28.71% (w/w)), and chloroform extract (CFE) (30.20% (w/w)). Several extracts significantly inhibited α-amylase and/or α-glycosidase in vitro. At a dose of 332 g/mL, ACE, CFE, and EWE inhibited the two enzymes by approximately 98%. There were strong significant correlations between naringenin and α-glucosidase inhibition and between gallic acid and α-amylase inhibition. Molecular docking experiments further verified this. Finally, oral administration of C. aurantium extracts at a dose of 2000 mg/kg did not cause any effect on mice mortality or signs of acute toxicity, indicating that it is non-toxic at these doses. These findings suggest that C. aurantium peels could be a valuable by-product by providing a rich source of non-toxic phytoconstituents, particularly those with potential antidiabetic action that needs to be confirmed in vivo. Full article

There have been magnificent advancements in the understanding of molecular mechanisms of chronic diseases over the past several years, but these diseases continue to be a considerable cause of death worldwide. Most of the approved medications available for the prevention and treatment of these diseases target only a single gene/protein/pathway and are known to cause severe side effects and are less effective than they are anticipated. Consequently, the development of finer therapeutics that outshine the existing ones is far-reaching. Natural compounds have enormous applications in curbing several disastrous and fatal diseases. Oroxylin A (OA) is a flavonoid obtained from the plants Oroxylum indicum, Scutellaria baicalensis, and S. lateriflora, which have distinctive pharmacological properties. OA modulates the important signaling pathways, including NF-κB, MAPK, ERK1/2, Wnt/β-catenin, PTEN/PI3K/Akt, and signaling molecules, such as TNF-α, TGF-β, MMPs, VEGF, interleukins, Bcl-2, caspases, HIF-1α, EMT proteins, Nrf-2, etc., which play a pivotal role in the molecular mechanism of chronic diseases. Overwhelming pieces of evidence expound on the anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-cancer potentials of this flavonoid, which makes it an engrossing compound for research. Numerous preclinical and clinical studies also displayed the promising potential of OA against cancer, cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, neurological disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, etc. Therefore, the current review focuses on delineating the role of OA in combating different chronic diseases and highlighting the intrinsic molecular mechanisms of its action. Full article

The genus Mimosa belongs to the Fabaceae family and comprises almost 400 species of herbs, shrubs and ornamental trees. The genus Mimosa is found all over the tropics and subtropics of Asia, Africa, South America, North America and Australia. Traditionally, this genus has been popular for the treatment of jaundice, diarrhea, fever, toothache, wound healing, asthma, leprosy, vaginal and urinary complaints, skin diseases, piles, gastrointestinal disorders, small pox, hepatitis, tumor, HIV, ulcers and ringworm. The review covered literature available from 1959 to 2020 collected from books, scientific journals and electronic searches, such as Science Direct, Web of Science and Google scholar. Various keywords, such as Mimosa, secondary metabolites, medicines, phytochemicals and pharmacological values, were used for the data search. The Mimosa species are acknowledged to be an essential source of secondary metabolites with a wide-ranging biological functions, and up until now, 145 compounds have been isolated from this genus. Pharmacological studies showed that isolated compounds possess significant potential, such as antiprotozoal, antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, and antiproliferative as well as cytotoxic activities. Alkaloids, chalcones, flavonoids, indoles, terpenes, terpenoids, saponins, steroids, amino acids, glycosides, flavanols, phenols, lignoids, polysaccharides, lignins, salts and fatty esters have been isolated from this genus. This review focused on the medicinal aspects of the Mimosa species and may provide a comprehensive understanding of the prospective of this genus as a foundation of medicine, supplement and nourishment. The plants of this genus could be a potential source of medicines in the near future. Full article