Plants have been used as a source for food material and natural remedies for the treatment of vast range of diseases. Nature provides us remedies for the treatment of various types of disorders ranging from simple ailments to complicated diseases. Plants are known to possess different pharmacological activities due to the presence of various phytoconstituents. Flavonoids are one of the main active phytoconstituents found in fruits, vegetables, wines, tea and cocoa. Flavonoids exhibit various pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antibacterial, oestrogenic, cytotoxic antitumoural, hepatoprotective, antithrombotic and antiviral activity. Diosmetin (3', 5, 7-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone), the aglycone part of the flavonoid glycosides diosmin occurs naturally in citrus fruit. Although it is found in herbal medicines and plays an important role in the treatment of various ailments, only limited scientific researches have been conducted. The aim of this review is to collect all available scientific literature published on diosmetin and combine it into this paper. This review contains an overview of pharmacological activities, isolation techniques and analytical techniques for diosmetin. Thus, valuable information provided in the present review will help researchers in developing alternative methods for the treatment of diseases from diosmetin.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; analysis ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; analysis ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents ; analysis ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Antioxidants ; analysis ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Humans

AIMTo observe the alterations in the biochemical and biophysical changes in the sperm membrane during sperm maturation in male rats treated with the water extract of the fruit pericarp of S. mukorossi.

METHODSAdult male Sprague-Dawley rats were gavaged the aqueous extract of the fruit pericarp of S. mukorossi at a dose of 50 mg/kg/d for 45 days. On day 46, the sperm parameters were observed in different sections of the epididymis and the sperm superoxide dismutase and the lipid peroxidation was determined and compared with the controls. The testis and epididymis were routinely prepared for histological examination under the light microscope.

RESULTSNo significant differences in the sperm number and morphology were observed between the control and treated groups. However, a significant inhibition (P<0.05-0.01) of sperm motility in the caput, corpus and cauda regions of the epididymis was seen in the treated group. No significant histopathological changes were found in the testis and epididymis. The important finding was that in the treated animals, the spermatozoa showed an abnormal distribution of the superoxide dismutase activity, being minimum in the caput and maximum in the corpus, which was just opposite to that of the controls.

CONCLUSIONThe study provides a unique observation where the plant extract alters the sperm membrane physiology without change the testicular and epididymal morphology.

Animals ; Cell Membrane ; drug effects ; Epididymis ; cytology ; drug effects ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Plant Preparations ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sapindus ; Sperm Maturation ; drug effects ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism