Introduction: Oxidative stress is involved in many diseases, including hypertension, kidney failure, and heart disease. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of hydroalcoholic Cichorium intybus extract on blood pressure in rats. Antioxidant activity, phenolic and flavonoid contents of the plant extract were also evaluated. Methods: In this study, 32 male Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g were divided into four groups of eight each. Animals in the control group were administered with normal saline and in the C. intybus groups with extract at 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg for two weeks. Then, the homodynamic parameters were examined by the Power lab. The phenolic and flavonoid contents were also evaluated by a spectrophotometer and the rate of free radical scavenging activity was measured by the diphenyl-1-picyryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical method. Results: The free radical scavenging activity of C. intybus extract was obtained 47. 85% of DPPH, and flavonoid and phenolic contents were 8. 21 and 27. 19 mg/g of dry extract, respectively. Meanwhile, median (MAP), systolic (SAP) and diastolic arterial pressure (DAP) significantly decreased in the 50 mg/kg extract-treated group compared to the control and 200 mg/kg extracttreated groups. Conclusion: Ethanol extract of C. intybus plays a protective role against hypertension, which, in part, might be due to antioxidant compounds of the plant against free radicals.

The issues related to medicinal plants are among the most important and interesting issues of medical sciences in recent decades. The history of taking medicinal plants goes back to the existence of man on the Earth. Almost all tribes and nations have used medicinal plants in their history. Kasni (Cichorium intybus L.), which is known to have various effects including anti-hepatotoxic, anti-malaria, blood glucose decreasing, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects, has been widely used in Iran and many other countries. In the books of Iranian traditional medicine, the plant is known as Hendeba, and the traditional Hakims considered the plant to have a cold temperament. It was traditionally taken as diuretic, laxative, and also a medicine that improves liver and gall bladder function as well as the appetite. Some of these effects have been approved with modern laboratory evaluations. In this study, we have tried to introduce the plant and its effects in traditional and modern medicine. This is achieved by reviewing the references of Iranian traditional medicine as well as the observations cited in recent scientific evidence, and carrying out comparative evaluation of these items.

The effects of different concentrations of the hydroalcoholic extract of dried powdered leaves of Cichorium intybus L., on CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in vivo in rats and CCl4- induced cytotoxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes were investigated. Rats received different concentrations of the extract by i.p. injection for 3 consecutive days before the injection of (3ml/kg) CCl4 (i.p.). Twenty four h after CCl4 injection the animals were sacrificed and the livers were dissected for biochemical and histopathological studies. The results showed that the Cichorium intybus extract could protect the liver from CCl4-induced damages with doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg, but concentrations higher than 200 mg/kg were less effective. For in vitro studies, the extract were added to the suspension of freshly isolated rat hepatocytes incubated in Krebs-Henseleit buffer under a gas flow of 95% O2 and 5% CO2, 20 minutes before the addition of 10 mM of CCl4. The extract with concentrations of 60 to 600 mg/ml protected the cells against CCl4-induced cytotoxicity, but concentrations of ³1.5 mg/ml and higher increased the CCl4-induced cytotoxicity. The Cichorium intybus extract itself was toxic towards isolated hepatocytes in concentrations above 3.6 mg/ml. The results of the present study therefore supported the traditional believes on hepatoprotective effect of the Cichorium intybus extract, however, high concentrations were hepatotoxic.

Background: Cichorium intybus is a medicinal plant commonly used in traditional medicine for its benefits in immune-madiated disorders. There are several evidences showing that C. intybus can modulate immune responses.In the present study we have investigated the effects of the ethanolic root extract of this plant on the immune system by targeting dendritic cells (DCs). For this purpose, phenotypic and functional maturity of murine DCs after treatment with the extract was analyzed by flow cytometry and mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assay.Results: C. intybus did not change the expression of CD40, CD86 and MHC-II molecules as important co-stimulatory markers on DCs compared to the control, indicating that it could not promote DCs phenotypic maturation.Treatment of DCs with lower concentrations of the extract resulted in an increased production of IL-12 by these cells with no change in IL-10 release. The capacity of treated DCs to stimulate allogenic T cells proliferation and cytokines secretion was examined in the co-cuture of these cells with T cells in MLR. C. intybus at higher concentrations inhibited proliferation of allogenic T cells and in lower concentrations changed the level of cytokines such that IL-4 decreased and IFN-g increased.Conclusions: These results indicated that C. intybus extract at higher concentrations can inhibit T cell stimulating activity of DCs, whereas at lower concentrations can modulate cytokine secretion toward a Th1 pattern. These data may in part explain the traditional use of this plant in treatment of immune-mediated disorders.

Vincristine is an anti-cancer drug which fights the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of hydroalcoholic extract of chicory plant (Cichorium intybus)on hepatotoxicity of vincristine sulfate in rats. Adult male Wistar rats were used in this study. 56 mice were divided into 7 groups of eight. Treatments were intraperitoneally performed for 15 days. The control group contained healthy mice. Experimental groups 1 and 2, each contains three subgroups with defined concentrations: Experimental group a1 received 15 mg/kg of chicory extract, 0. 05 mg/kg of vincristine sulfate and again chicory extract. Experimental group b1 received 20 mg/kg of chicory extract, 0. 1 mg/kg of vincristine and chicory extract again. Experimental group c1 received 25 mg/kg of chicory extract,then, vincristine at a dose of 0. 2 mg/kg, and then chicory extract again. Experimental group a2: first 0. 5 mg/kg vincristine then chicory extract at 15 mg/kg dose, and received Wayne Christian. Experimental b2: First, they received 0. 1 mg/kg of vincristine,then, 15 mg/kg of chicory extract and again of vincristine. Experimental c2: first, they received 0. 2 mg/kg vincristine, then 15 mg/kg chicory extract, and again vincristine. After performing the above steps by anesthetizing the animals, blood sampling from mice, serum isolation, liver isolation, the measurement of the level of biochemical parameters, and liver enzymes, and their liver tissue were tested. In this study, a significant increase in ALT and AST enzymes was observed in experimental groups 1 compared to the control group, and also a significant decrease was observed in experimental groups 2 compared to experimental groups 1. The results showed that the subcutaneous injection of vincristine had additive effects on the number of liver enzymes in experimental group 1, the chicory extract had high antioxidant properties and significantly reduced liver enzymes.

The effects of different levels of alcoholic chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) extract were investigated on performance, cellular and humoral immunity in 200 one-day chicks (Ross 308) in a completely randomized design with 5 treat ments and 4 replicates and 10 chicks per replicate. The treatment groups received 0 (control), 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 ml/Lit of alcoholic chicory extract, (provided from Chicory roots), in drinking water respectively, during days 3 to 42. Daily feed intake, daily body weight gain and feed conversion ratio were measured. The birds were immunized with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) on days 8 and 22 of age and serum antibody levels produced in response to SRBC were measured on days 21, 28, 35 and 42. Skin response to phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) injected intradermally on day 16 were measured 24 h after injection. The results indicated that consumption of 2 ml Chicory extract increased feed intake and daily weight gain (P<0.05). Doses of 0.5, 1 and 1.5 ml Chicory extract increased the breast weight and 0.5 ml increased thymus weight percentage (P<0.05). Adding 2 ml chicory extract increased total Anti-SRBC, IgG and IgM titer in the experimental groups compared to control group (P<0.05). Consumption of 0.5 and 2 ml Chicory extract increased cellular immunity on PHA-P injection (P<0.05). It is concluded that use of 2 ml chicory extract in drinking water increases performance, cellular and humoral immunity in broilers.

Background: Fatty acid synthase (FASN) is a key enzyme in de novo lipogenesis pathway. FASN overexpression is a common feature of many human cancers like breast cancer. Furthermore, FASN expression in HER2-positive cell lines like SKBR3 is more than other cell lines, such as MCF-7, which are not HER2-positive. Cichorium intybus is a medicinal herb and methanolic extract of this plant significantly suppressed cell viability and growth in some cancer cells. Objectives: In this study, we aimed at investigating the effect of methanolic extract of Cichorium intybus on the FASN expression and, therefore, lipogenesis pathway in human breast cancer SKBR3 cell line. Methods: We assessed the cytotoxicity effect of Chicorium intybus on the cell viability of SKBR3 cells, using MTT assay. In addition, apoptosis rate was assessed by annexinV/PI flow cytometry. Finally, Real time q-PCR was used for the analysis of FASN gene expression. Results: The results showed that the methanolic extract of Cichorium intybus caused a dose-dependent decrease in the cell viability of SKBR3 cells. Additionally, the treatment of confluent SKBR3 cells with extract led to reduced FASN expression at mRNA level. Conclusions: These results suggest that Chicorium intybus not only inhibits cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, but also presumably inhibits lipogenesis by markedly decreased FASN expression as a key lipogenic enzyme.

Plants polyphenolics play an important role in reducing the effects of the diseases on the body. Chicory (Cichorium intybus L. ) is one of the natural sources of polyphenols. Chicory leaves contain minerals and glucosides called chicory (sicorin) and its roots contain sugars, inulin, pectin and essential oil. The liver is an essential organ of the body that performs over 500 vital functions. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of consumption on liver enzymes concentration, fertility, and masculinity in rats. Thirty-two rats were divided into four groups. Chicory extract was prepared using Soxhlet method and methanol solvent. The treatment groups received the chicory extract in different amounts and concentrations for 28 days. One group was also considered as the control group. On the 29th day, blood samples were taken from the ventricular area of the heart. To determine the effects of chicory consumption on fertility and masculinity, fertilization was performed naturally in each group and the number of offspring and their gender were determined and compared. The results showed that chicory methanol extract consumption made significant differences between the different treatments compared to the control on LH (in 100 (P<0. 01) and 200 (P<0. 001) mg. kg-1) and FSH (in 100 (P<0. 001) and 200 (P<0. 001) mg. kg-1) hormones, number of births (in 100 (P<0. 01) and 200 (P<0. 01) mg. kg-1) and male offspring (in 100 (P<0. 05) and 200 (P<0. 01) mg. kg-1), but there was no significant difference in the liver enzymes concentration in different treatments compared to the control.