Matthias F Melzig

Freie Universität Berlin | FUB · Institute of Pharmacy

Zusammenfassung Polyphenole hemmen unspezifisch hydrolytische Enzyme, die am Verdauungsprozess beteiligt sind, z.B. Amylasen, Proteasen, Lipasen. Dadurch wird der Verdauungsprozess verzögert, was sich in einer unvollständigen Resorption von Monosacchariden, Fettsäuren und Aminosäuren sowie in einer erhöhten Menge von unverdauten Makronährstoffen im...

Sanguisorba officinalis L. ist eine traditionell genutzte Arzneipflanze aus der Familie der Rosaceae. Das Kraut und die Wurzeln enthalten ein breites Spektrum phenolischer und terpenoider Inhaltsstoffe mit vor allem entzündungshemmenden und antiinfektiven Wirkungen. Die Wurzeldroge spielt in der Traditionellen Chinesischen Medizin zur Immunmodulati...

Zusammenfassung Antibiotikaresistente Krankheitserreger stellen eine zunehmende Gefahr bei der Behandlung von Infektionen dar. Insbesondere Biofilme als Bakteriengemeinschaften rücken hier in den Fokus, da gegen sie klassische Antibiotika zumeist wirkungslos sind. Eine wichtige Rolle bei der Biofilmbildung spielt das Quorum Sensing, das durch äther...

Human food-borne infections with the enteropathogen Campylobacter jejuni are becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide. Since antibiotics are usually not indicated in campylobacteriosis, alternative treatment regimens are important. We here investigated potential disease-alleviating effects of menthol and of extracts from tormentil, raspberry leave...

Galphimia glauca Cav., Rain of Gold Galphimia glauca, rain of gold (Malpighiaceae) is a plant endemic to Mexico that has been used therapeutically since pre-Columbian times. In addition to antiallergic effects, the leaf drug also shows anxiolytic and sedative effects, which have been confirmed in several clinical studies. Galphimines (nor-seco trit...

Zubereitungen mit Rosenwurz werden in vielen Ländern der Welt traditionell gegen Erschöpfungszustände eingesetzt – Studien geben Hinweise auf ihre Wirksamkeit.

b> Background: There are numerous reports on the use of polyphenol-containing foods and various medicinal plant preparations for the prophylaxis and therapy of metabolic diseases, such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus, respectively. One unifying aspect to the effect of these natural compounds is their ability to inhibit digestive enzymes...

Aim: In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the therapeutic potential of plant-derived miRNAs, which have been considered new bioactive ingredients in medicinal plants. Viscum album L., commonly used as an adjuvant cancer therapy in central Europe, contains a large number of miRNAs associated with human diseases such as cancer, cardi...

Cannabis, genauer die oberirdischen Pflanzenteile, v. a. Triebspitzen und Blüten der weiblichen Pflanze von Cannabis sativa L., enthalten mehr als 500 Verbindungen, von denen mindestens 100 als Cannabinoide bzw. Phytocannabinoide bekannt sind. Weitere Sekundärstoffe sind Flavonoide und Terpene.

Seit mehr als 2000 Jahren gehört Cannabis zur Materia medica der europäischen Heilkunde. Dioskurides beschreibt die therapeutische Anwendung bei Ohrenleiden. Gleichzeitig warnt er vor dem übermäßigen Gebrauch der Früchte, da sie „die Zeugung vernichten“. Eigentlich eine völlig unspektakuläre Droge, wenn nicht die blühenden, getrockneten Triebspitze...

Zusammenfassung Maisnarben (Stigmata Maydis) sind eine eher unbekannte Arzneidroge, gewonnen von Zea mays L. Volksheilkundlich und in der Homöopathie wird die Droge v. a. bei Erkrankungen der ableitenden Harnwege eingesetzt. Neuere Untersuchungen weisen auf eine Wirksamkeit bei Stoffwechselerkrankungen hin. Bisher strittig sind phytochemische Unter...

Zusammenfassung Laurus nobilis L., Echter Lorbeer, ist eine immergrüne Pflanze, die zur Familie der Lauraceaen gehört. Die Blätter und Früchte werden seit Jahrhunderten in der Volksmedizin eingesetzt, z. B. bei Magenbeschwerden, Entzündungen, Stoffwechselkrankheiten, Infektionen oder als Insektizid. In den letzten Jahren werden Drogen und Inhaltsst...

ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Das Echte Seifenkraut, Saponaria officinalis L., ist eine weit verbreitete Pflanze, die schon seit der Antike wegen ihrer vielfältigen Wirkungen therapeutisch und zu Reinigungszwecken eingesetzt wird. Phytotherapeutisch dienen Saponaria-Drogen wegen ihres Gehaltes an Triterpensaponinen als Expektorans und Sekretolytikum. Die Saponin...

Preparations from Hippophaë rhamnoides L. (sea buckthorn) have been traditionally used in the treatment of skin and digestive disorders, such as gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, uterine erosions, as well as oral, rectal, and vaginal mucositis, in particular in the Himalayan and Eurasian regions. An influence of an aqueous extract from the fr...

Essential oils (EOs) and their individual volatile organic constituents have been an inherent part of our civilization for thousands of years. They are widely used as fragrances in perfumes and cosmetics and contribute to a healthy diet, but also act as active ingredients of pharmaceutical products. Their antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflamma...

Targeting pancreatic lipase and α-amylase by digestion-derived fractions of ethanolic-aqueous (60%, v/v) extract from Cornus mas fruit (CM) in relation to the control and prevention of metabolic disorders, including diabetes, was the first purpose of the present study. Taking into consideration the significance of bio-accessibility of compounds, we...

Psilocybe mexicana R. Heim ist ein Pilz mit langer ethnopharmakologischer Tradition, der als wirkungsbestimmende Inhaltsstoffe Psilocybin und Psilocin enthält. Die psychostimulierende, halluzinogene Wirkung wurde bisher vor allem in traditionellen Zeremonien der indigenen Bevölkerung Mittel- und Südamerikas genutzt. Die Eignung als Therapeutikum fü...

To assess the toxic potential of the alkaloids, a quantification method is necessary. An ion pair extraction method was used for quantitative fluorometric determination of vincamine, protopine and all contained alkaloids in the mother tinctures of Vinca minor and Fumaria officinalis. The non-fluorescent alkaloids were transformed into an ion pair w...

Fruits of Cornus mas and Cornus officinalis are representative plant materials traditionally used in Europe and Asia, respectively, in the treatment of diabetes and diabetes-related complications, which are often mediated by pathogenic inflammatory agents. Additionally, due to the fact of mutual infiltration of Asian and European medicines, the dif...

Trotz aller Tendenzen zur immer schnelleren Globalisierung auf allen Gebieten des täglichen Lebens gibt es erstaunlicherweise eine starke Rückbesinnung auf nationale kulturelle Traditionen in vielen Ländern. Ausdruck dessen sind u. a. die internationale Anerkennung und der Schutz des immateriellen Kulturerbes durch die UNESCO.

Zusammenfassung Die Häufigkeit bakterieller Infektionen, bei denen Antibiotika nicht mehr wirken, steigt aufgrund der Resistenzentwicklung der Krankheitserreger weltweit. Um dieser Bedrohung zu begegnen, werden – neben der Entwicklung neuer Antibiotika und der Reaktivierung bereits vorhandener antibakterieller Wirkstoffe – auch die Resistenz-modifi...

The traditional use of plants and their preparations in the treatment of diseases as a first medication in the past centuries indicates the presence of active components for specific targets in the natural material. Many of the tested plants in this study have been traditionally used in the treatment of Diabetes mellitus type 2 and associated sympt...

Medicinal plants for prophylaxis and therapy of common infectious diseases in poultry have been studied for several years. The goal of this review was to systematically identify plant species and evaluate their potential in prophylaxis and therapy of common diseases in poultry caused by bacteria and gastrointestinal protozoa. The procedure followed...

Purpose: Ellagitannins are high molecular weight polyphenols present in high quantities in various food products. They are metabolized by human and animal gut microbiota to postbiotic metabolites-urolithins, bioavailable molecules of a low molecular weight. Following absorption in the gut, urolithins rapidly undergo phase II metabolism. Thus, to f...

The polar fraction of the MeOH extract of the roots of Corrigiola litoralis subsp. telephiifolia (Pourr.) Briq. (Caryophyllaceae) was investigated for its constituents and two previously unreported monodesmosides triterpene saponins, telephiifoliosides A and B (1 and 2), along with the known bonushenricoside A (3) were isolated. Their structures we...

While human extracellular vesicles (EVs) have attracted a big deal of interest and have been extensively characterized over the last years, plant-derived EVs and nanovesicles have earned less attention and have remained poorly investigated. Although a series of investigations already revealed promising beneficial health effects and drug delivery pr...

Zusammenfassung Colchicum autumnale L., die Herbstzeitlose, ist eine in Mitteleuropa verbreitete Pflanze, die v. a. Tropolonalkaloide wie Colchicin, Demecolcin sowie Colchicosid enthält. Der Hauptwirkstoff Colchicin verhindert die Ausbildung des zellulären Mikrotubuli-Apparates, was mit einer Entzündungshemmung verbunden ist. Trotz hoher Toxizität...

A screening of inhibitory activity of α-amylase, as well as pancreatic lipase (PL), under the influence of aqueous and ethanolic preparations from 12 plant materials was performed. The most active aqueous extracts from the fruits of Chaenomeles japonica (CJ) and Hippophaë rhamnoides (HR) were selected for artificial gastrointestinal digestion (GID)...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Phaseaoli pericarpium (bean pods) is a pharmacopeial plant material traditionally used as a diuretic and antidiabetic agents. Diuretic activity of pod extracts was reported first in 1608. Since then Phaseoli pericarpium tea figures in many textbooks as medicinal plant material used by patients. Aim of the study Despi...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Solidago virgaurea L. (also known as European goldenrod) is a pharmacopoeial plant material popularly used by patients in the form of an infusion. It was traditionally used in Europe and North America for the treatment of urinary tract conditions. It is also reported as a topical agent for skin disorders. Aim of the...

Lythrum salicaria herb (LSH) was applied in diarrhea therapy since ancient times. Despite empirically referenced therapeutic effects, the bioactivity mechanisms and chemical constituents responsible for pharmacological activity remain not fully resolved. Taking into consideration the historical use of LSH in treatment of diarrhea in humans and farm...

Background: C. arborea belonging to Araliaceae family is used traditionally to cure many alien diseases including gonorrhoeae infection, diarrhea, malaria, and diabetes mellitus. The plant has been examined on the basis of scientific in vitro and in vivo evaluations possessing the major pharmacological activities including antimicrobial, antibacter...

Zusammenfassung Der Liguster, Ligustrum vulgare L., gehört zu den vergessenen Arzneipflanzen, dessen Blätter, historisch belegt, v. a. zur Entzündungshemmung im Mund- und Halsbereich genutzt wurden. Der Nachweis relevanter Mengen an Secoiridoiden, wie Oleuropein, sowie Flavonoiden und Phenylpropanoiden stützen diese Indikation und sollten neue phar...

Agrostemma githago L. (corn cockle) is an herbaceous plant mainly growing in Europe. The seeds of the corn cockle are toxic and poisonings were widespread in the past by consuming contaminated flour. The toxic principle of Agrostemma seeds was attributed to triterpenoid secondary metabolites. Indeed, this is in part true. However Agrostemma githago...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Herb of purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L. from Lythraceae family) (LSH) was used in Europe since ancient times till early-20th century in the therapy of diarrhea and dysentery in human and veterinary medicine. Post-weaning diarrhea is a main problem affecting global piglet production, which leads to significant...

Cells reside in a dynamic microenvironment in which adhesive ligand availability, density, and diffusivity are key factors regulating cellular behavior. Here, the cellular response to integrin‐binding ligand dynamics by directly controlling ligand diffusivity via tunable ligand–surface interactions is investigated. Interestingly, cell spread on the...

Zusammenfassung Sisymbrium officinale (L.) Scop., die Wegrauke, ist eine weltweit verbreitete Pflanze, die v. a. Glucosinolate wie Glucoputranjivin sowie Schleimstoffe und Flavonoide enthält. Eine phytochemische Besonderheit ist das Auftreten von Cardenolidglykosiden. Die Droge weist vielfältige pharmakologische Aktivitäten auf, zu der antibakterie...

Potentilla erecta is a medicinal plant described under its traditional name Tormentil in medieval herbal books and used until today in many European countries. Today monographs for Tormentillae rhizoma in the European pharmacopeia, as well as a monograph of the Herbal Medicinal Product Commission as a drug for traditional use, exist. The present re...

The fruits of some Cornus species (dogwoods) are used in traditional medicine and considered potential anti-diabetic and hypolipemic agents. The aim of the study was to determine the ability of extracts from Cornus alba (CA), Cornus florida (CF), and Cornus sanguinea (CS) to inhibit digestive enzymes namely α-amylase, pancreatic lipase, and α-gluco...

Zusammenfassung Die Eberraute, Artemisia abrotanum L., ist eine seit dem Altertum bekannte Arzneipflanze, die traditionell bis ins 19. Jahrhundert bei Bronchial-, Lungen- und Darmkatarrhen genutzt wurde. In der Krautdroge sind neben ätherischem Öl v.a. Phenolsäuren, Cumarine, Flavonoide, Bitterstoffe sowie Peroxidhalbketale enthalten. Wegen des Thu...

It is known that extracellular vesicles (EVs) are shed from cells of almost every type of cell or organism, showing their ubiquity in all empires of life. EVs are defined as naturally released particles from cells, delimited by a lipid bilayer, and cannot replicate. These nano- to micrometer scaled spheres shuttle a set of bioactive molecules. EVs...

Zusammenfassung Rhodiola rosea L., Rosenwurz, ist eine ausdauernde Pflanze aus der Familie der Crassulaceae, die v. a. in der nördlichen Hemisphäre wächst. Der Rosenwurz-Wurzelstock enthält u. a. Phenylethanoide (Salidrosid und Tyrosol) und Phenylpropanoide (Rosavin, Rosin und Rosarin). Diese Stoffe haben antioxidative, antiinflammatorische sowie n...

A new saponin, 3- O -β- d -3-oxo-glucopyranosyl-ursa-12,20(30)-diene-27,28-dioic acid ( 1 ), was isolated from the methanol extract of stem bark of Crossopteryx febrifuga together with the known 3β- d -glucopyranosyl-ursa-12,20(30)-diene-27,28-dioic acid ( 2 ), shanzhiside methyl ester ( 3 ), shanzhiside ( 4 ), β-sitosterol ( 5 ), β-sitosterol-3- O...

Antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae has risen to worrying levels in the past few decades worldwide, and subsequently, effective treatment of respiratory tract infections has become even more challenging. While the need to develop new strategies to combat bacterial infections is urgent, novel antibiotic compounds are no longer a priori...

Zusammenfassung Leonurus cardiaca L. ist eine seit Langem genutzte europäische traditionelle Heilpflanze, die v. a. Terpene, Flavonoide, Stachydrin und das Pseudoalkaloid Leonurin enthält. Zubereitungen aus der Arzneidroge besitzen sedative, blutdrucksenkende, antioxidative bzw. entzündungshemmende Wirkungen. Ein therapeutischer Einsatz im Rahmen e...

The medicinal plant Actaea racemosa is a perennial, whose rhizome (black cohosh rhizome) is usually wild harvested on a multiton scale to meet market requirements. Since this North American species is increasingly endangered, cultivation is needed. Even though studies prove that cultivation is possible, it has not been widely established. This may...

Zusammenfassung Die Steppenraute Peganum harmala L. ist eine Pflanze der Trockengebiete Zentralasiens bis in den Mittelmeerraum aus der Familie der Nitrariaceae. Besonders die Samen (Semen Harmalae) werden seit der Antike zu rituellen Zwecken als Halluzinogen und in der traditionellen Heilkunde verwendet. Inhaltsstoffe sind v. a. Indolalkaloide, wi...

Background Medicinal plants have been used traditionally since centuries for wound care and treatment of skin diseases both in human and animals. Skin diseases are one of the most common reasons for owners to take their dog to the veterinarian. The demands for treatment and prophylaxis of these diseases are broad. A wide range of bacteria including...

In continuation of our search for anti-inflammatory constituents in lipophilic extracts of Isatis tinctoria, an HPLC-based profiling for inhibitors of human neutrophil elastase was performed. Using a linear gradient profile, fractions with significant activity (>50%) appeared in the second half of the chromatogram and corresponded to moderately to...

The long-term effects of a number of flavonoids (such as apigenin, luteolin and amentoflavone) and vinpocetine on the neutral endopeptidase (NEP) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) were investigated. It was shown that apigenin, luteolin and vinpocetin are able to induce the activity of both NEP and ACE associated with the inhibition of the pro...

The ability of certain triterpenoid saponins to modulate the endosomal release during the process of endocytosis and to ensure a nontoxic and efficient transfection recently led to an exceptional interest in the field of nonviral gene delivery. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated promising results in terms of tumor growth inhibition after the...

Although animal-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are moving increasingly into scientific focus, EVs from other kingdoms remain underestimated and our knowledge of them is still expandable, probably due to the lack of an easy and broadly executable isolation, purification and visualization method. Using differential centrifugation with subsequen...

The authors wish to make the following correction to their paper [...]

Zusammenfassung Cornus mas L. (Cornaceae), die Kornelkirsche, ist ein kleiner Baum oder Strauch, dessen Früchte (Corni fructus) als Lebensmittel und als traditionelles Arzneimittel seit dem Altertum vor allem bei Durchfall, Ruhr und Fieber angewendet wurden. Bis heute wird diese gut verträgliche Droge vor allem in Südosteuropa und im Orient volkshe...

The intestinal absorption of fatty acids, glucose and fructose is part of the basic requirements for the provision of energy in the body. High access of saturated longchain fatty acids (LCFA), glucose and fructose can facilitate the development of metabolic diseases, particularly the metabolic syndrome and type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Research...

In recent years, skin reactions such as phytophotodermatitis, contact dermatitis, and other inflammatory responses after contact with chemicals from various plants, e.g., Heracleum mantegazzianum or Hippomane mancinella, are one of the hot topics in phytobiology. Occupational skin inflammation after contact with latices of plants from Euphorbiaceae...

Among 65 species belonging to the genus Cornus only two, Cornus mas L. and Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc. (Cornaceae), have been traditionally used since ancient times. Cornus mas (cornelian cherry) is native to southern Europe and southwest Asia, whereas C. officinalis (Asiatic dogwood, cornel dogwood) is a deciduous tree distributed in eastern...

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogenous group of membranous vesicles comprising apoptotic bodies, microvesicles and exosomes. The distinct species are classified by their size and origin. Despite there is upcoming interest on animal derived EVs- resulting in an increasing knowledge of their function, composition, and cargo- little is known...

To this date, a number of different Gypsophila species from the family of Caryophyllaceae were phytochemically characterized and tested for diverse pharmacological effects. With Gypsophila elegans M. Bieb., we investigated a scarcely explored Gypsophila species, providing a number of potential transfection enhancing triterpene saponins, and so-call...

Less-common fruits from Cornus spp. (Cornaceae), also named dogwoods, have shown antidiabetic, antibacterial and anti-allergic properties and are thus considered a source of phytochemicals that are beneficial to human health. The study aimed to compare the chemical compositions of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of lyophilized fresh-picked and c...

The direct injection of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) is a promising strategy for bone tissue engineering applications. Herein, we have developed injectable degradable poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) microgels loaded with hMSCs and growth factors and prepared by a high-throughput microfluidic technology. The PVA-based microgels with tunable...

Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum simulans Hance) The species of Zanthoxylum belong to the plant family of Rutaceae and can be differentiated according to their growing area. Within the Western civilization, they are widely used as spice of the Sichuanese cuisine an are responsible for the unique spicy, tingling and numbing taste attributes. In addition...

Herbal medicine is now globally accepted as a valid alternative system of pharmaceutical therapies. Various studies around the world have been initiated to develop scientific evidence-based herbal therapies. Recently, the therapeutic potential of medicinal plant derived miRNAs has attracted great attraction. MicroRNAs have been indicated as new bio...

Neuroblastoma represents the third most common malign neoplasm occurring in children and the most common in newborn. Although mortality in childhood cancer declined in the last decade, high-risk patients have poor prospects, due to the aggressiveness of the cancer. In the recent past, we underlined the potential of sapofectosid as novel and efficie...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of approximately 22 nucleotides single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules that play crucial roles in gene expression. It has been reported that the plant miRNAs might enter mammalian bloodstream and have a functional role in human metabolism, indicating that miRNAs might be one of the hidden bioactive ingredients in me...

Primers for qRT-PCT. (XLSX)

Novel miRNA candidates from V. album. (XLSX)

GO analysis of target genes for miRNAs in V. album. (XLSX)

Predicted V. album targets for conserved and novel miRNAs. (XLSX)

Putative human targets of V. album novel miRNAs. (XLSX)

Conserved miRNAs identified in V. album. (XLSX)