Background: PYCNOCYCLA SPINOSA (P. SPINOSA) a member of the Umbelliferae family is traditionally used for treatment of different ailments.Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the total phenolic and flavonoid content of P. SPINOSA extracts (methanol, ethanol and aqueous) and their antioxidant and antimicrobial effects.Materials and Methods: The antimicrobial activity of different extracts of P. SPINOSA was evaluated using micro broth dilution. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were measured. Their antioxidant effect was evaluated using DPPH assay and b-carotene linoleic acid test.Results: P. SPINOSA ethanol extract with higher-level phenolic and flavonoid contents showed the highest antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, in comparison with the other extracts. Bacillus sp. and Streptococcus sp. showed higher sensitivity to P. SPINOSA ethanol extract.Conclusions: P. SPINOSA ethanol extract can be used as a mouthwash for treatment of the oral infections. More clinical and toxicological studies are required for providing its efficacy.

Background and purpose: Infectious diseases account for approximately one-half of all deaths in tropical country. In developed country, despite the progress made on the control of disease, incidence of epidemics due to drug resistant microorganisms and unknown diseases spreading microbes pose enormous public health concerns. On the other hand, in spite of improvements in food production hygiene, food safety is increasingly an important health issue. There is, therefore, still a need for new antimicrobial agent to reduce or eliminate foodborne pathogen as well as food spoilage microorganisms. Historically, plants play a major role in primary health-care as therapeutic remedies in developing countries. The screening of plant extracts has been of great interest to scientists for the discovery of new drugs effective in the treatment of infectious disease. Umbelleferea is known to be a potential source for the antimicrobial agents. The present study attempts to investigate the antimicrobial activity of PYCNOCYCLA SPINOSA as a member of Umbelleferea against selected microorganisms.Materials and Methods: The plants were collected from Isfahan and different solvent extracts of plants were prepared. Then, the antimicrobial activity of extract was determined, using disk diffusion method. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by tube dilution method.Results: Results demonstrated that different extracts of plants indicate antimicrobial activity against bucillu subtilis, aspergiluse niger and candida albicans. Generally, the antimicrobial activity of the plant’s fruit extracts is considered medium.Conclusion: PYCNOCYCLA SPINOSA fruit's extract showed medium antimicrobial activity. Hydroalcoholic extract of the fruit demonstrated higher antimicrobial activity. This may reflect a low concentration of active components in extracts. Further studies are needed to investigate antimicrobial activity of the plant's essential oil and other parts of the plant.

‫ Pycnocyla SPINOSA (Umbellifereae) is a wild growing plant in Isfahan, Fars, and Yazd provinces, Iran. The roots of the plant contain substantial amount of sucrose. Seasonal variation of sucrose in the plant was evaluated in order to find out the best collection time for the plant. The root of the plant was collected weekly. The sucrose content of the roots was determined using polarimetr. The results indicate that the best time of collection of P. SPINOSA is in July. It seems P. SPINOSA can be considered as a source of sucrose for further agrochemical studies.

Hydroalcoholic extract of PYCNOCYCLA SPINOSA Decne. exBoiss. var. SPINOSA has in vitro spasmolytic action, and at oral dose of 250µg/kg inhibits castor oil induced diarrhoea in mice. In this investigation, effects of P. SPINOSA var. SPINOSA extract in comparison with nifedipine on blood pressure and heart rate in animal model was studied. Injection of three bolus doses of P. SPINOSA var. SPINOSA extract (100µg/kg, 500µg/kg and 1mg/kg) into the jugular vein, temporary reduced blood pressure and heart rate. However, soon after completion of extract administration blood pressure and heart rate returned to normal. Nifedipine on the other hand caused a sustained reduction in blood pressure and decreased heart rate compared with the control group. From this study it was concluded that P. SPINOSA var. SPINOSA extract at antidiarrhoeal dose has no significant effect on blood pressure and heart rate.

The hydrodistilled aerial parts oil of PYCNOCYCLA SPINOSA var. SPINOSA was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Thirty three components were identified. Geranyl isovalerate (14.9%), caryophyllene oxide (10.6%), a-eudesmol (9.2%) b-citronellol (7.2%), elemicin (6.8%), r-cymene (4.7%), citronellyl acetate (4.3%), and a-cadinol (3.3%) were found as major components.

Hydroalcoholic extract of PYCNOCYCLA SPINOSA is a relaxant of rat ileum and inhibits diarrhea in mice. As P. SPINOSA extract has spasmolytic activity on ileum, it could also affect other smooth muscles like bladder. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of P. SPINOSA extract on rat bladder contraction.In an in vitro study, the effects of P. SPINOSA extract, nifedipine and propantheline were tested on isolated rat bladder contractions induced, by acetylcholine (ACh, 10 M) and KCl (80mM).P. SPINOSA extract, concentration-dependently, inhibited the bladder contractions induced by ACh with an IC50 of 265±28 mg/ml and KCl with an IC50 of 5l8±86 µg/ml. The muscarinic cholinoceptor antagonist, propantheline, inhibited the response of ACh without affecting KCl response. Nifedipine, on the other hand, abolished the KCI response, while partially inhibiting the ACh contraction in rat bladder. The antispasmodic effect of P. SPINOSA extract on bladder was observed at higher concentrations as compared to that of ileum. Therefore, it is unlikely that P. SPINOSA extract at anti-diarrheal doses affect the normal bladder emptying function.

Background: Hydro alcoholic extract from aerial part of PYCNOCYCLA SPINOSA have shown to possess antispasmodic and anti diarrhoeal activities. Anti diarrhoeal effect of the extract both quantitatively and in quality are very close to lope ramide. The aim of this research was identification of active fraction separated from extract of P. SPINOSA by applying bioassay method on contraction of rat ileum.Methods: From aerial part of P. SPINOSA methanolic extract was prepared and then medium polar fractions were separated. The antispasmodic activities of separated fractions were assessed on rat isolated ileum contraction induced by KCl and compared with total extract. After that the most active fraction was identified for further comparison with control groups. Contraction were measured as maximum recorded amplitude and express as % of initial contraction. Full concentration response curve were plotted for each group of experiment and the IC50 value (inhibitory concentration of extract causing 50% of maximum response) was calculated.Findings: From nine fractions isolated from P. SPINOSA extract, the third fraction identified as the most active fraction which contains the active substance (s). Five fractions had a medium activity and two fractions were ineffective.Conclusion: This research demonstrated that P. SPINOSA possessed a number of active substances with different potencies. The most potent substance was in the third fraction and therefore, purification and identification of this substance is recommended.