Traditional use of medicinal plants in south-central Zimbabwe: review and perspectives

Ficus plants: State of the art from a phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological perspective

Ficus genus is typically tropical plants and is among the earliest fruit trees cultivated by humans. Ficus carica L. is the common fig, Ficus benjamina L. is the weeping fig, and Ficus pumila L. is the creeping fig. These species are commonly used in traditional medicine for a wide range of diseases and contain rich secondary metabolites that have shown diverse applications. This comprehensive review describes for Ficus genus the phytochemical compounds, traditional uses and contemporary pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiulcer, and anticonvulsant. An extended survey of the current literature (Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed) has been carried out as part of the current work. The trends in the phytochemistry, pharmacological mechanisms and activities of Ficus genus are overviewed in this manuscript: antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity, antiseizure and anti-Parkinson's diseases, cytotoxic and antioxidant. Health-promoting effects, recent human clinical studies, safety and adverse effects of Ficus plants also are covered. The medical potential and long-term pharmacotherapeutic use of the genus Ficus along with no serious reported adverse events, suggests that it can be considered as being safe.

Medicinal plants used by 'root doctors', local traditional healers in Bié province, Angola

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

This study is one of the first post-civil war efforts to document traditional botanical knowledge in Bié province, central Angola, in a first step to bring more studies on the use of medicinal plant resources in this area so as to bring new insights into Angolan bio-cultural diversity.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Examine the variety of plant species used for medical purposes, as well as characterize their social and cultural values. Also, it is aimed to compare their uses in the studied region with those in Sub-Saharan Africa and report new ethnomedicinal uses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We documented traditional medicinal plant knowledge among professional herbalists in two areas in Bié province through participatory observation, semi-structured interviews and transect walks. Ethnobotanical information was quantified based on Use Reports to (1) rate traditional knowledge; and (2) determine most useful taxa.

RESULTS

In total, 10 traditional healers shared information on their knowledge. A total of 87 plant species distributed among 57 genera and 36 botanical families were documented with Fabaceae being the best-represented family with 18 species, followed by Phyllanthaceae (6), Apocynaceae (5), Asteraceae (5), Rubiaceae (5), Lamiaceae (4), and Ochnaceae (3). Most medicinal plants are usually gathered at a distance from human settlements because of the belief in the higher efficacy of 'wild' plants shared by all herbalists. Roots are the most common plant part used (79%), explaining why the consulted herbalists call themselves 'root doctors'.

CONCLUSIONS

The culturally most important medicinal species identified in this study, i.e. Securidaca longepedunculata, Garcinia huillensis, Annona stenophylla, Afzelia quanzensis and Strychnos cocculoides, were previously reported for the same use in neighbouring countries and elsewhere in Africa. Our study also indicates that there are several locally valuable species that have not yet been studied for their medical potential, to name a few: Alvesia rosmarinifolia, Diplorhynchus condylocarpon, Eriosema affine, Paropsia brazzaeana, Rhus squalida, Sclerocroton cornutus or Xylopia tomentosa. Moreover, the ethnomedicinal use of 26 species was reported for the first time to sub-Saharan Africa.

CLASSIFICATION

Ethnopharmacological field studies.

Medicinal plants used in managing diseases of the respiratory system among the Luo community: an appraisal of Kisumu East Sub-County, Kenya

BACKGROUND

Poor access to healthcare in rural communities causes many people to seek herbalists who use medicinal plants for the treatment of various disease conditions. Most knowledge of traditional herbal medicine makes use of indigenous remedies which are often undocumented and are at risk of being lost. The preservation of this knowledge may facilitate scientific inquiry into promising new therapeutic molecules.

METHODS

Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect the sociodemographic information of 30 herbalists in Kisumu East Sub County. The local names of medicinal plants used in managing illnesses of the respiratory system, their habit, active parts, indications, methods of preparation, routes of administration, scientific identity, and conservation status were also recorded. Other reported traditional uses, pharmacological activities, and toxicological data were identified via a literature search.

RESULTS

Most herbalists were female (86.7%), aged between 61 and 70 years (43.3%) with no formal education (56.7%), and had 21-30 years of practice (30%). 44 plant species, belonging to 43 genera and 28 families were identified. Leguminosae and Rutaceae plant families were predominant, leaves were frequently used (33%), and trees were the most common habit (44.4%). Most plants were collected in the wild (79.2%), preparation was mainly by decoction (68.8%), and the administration was mainly orally. The main indication was cough and 79.5% of all documented plant species had previously been reported to have a pharmacological activity relevant to the mitigation of respiratory illnesses. Toxicological data was available for 84.1% of the plant species identified.

CONCLUSIONS

The predominant use of roots, root barks, and root tubers by herbalists in Kisumu East Sub County threatens to negatively impact the ecological survival of some plant species. The preservation of herbalists' knowledge of medicinal plants in the study area is a pressing concern considering their advanced age and little formal education. There is a need to conserve some of the medicinal plants documented in this study. The medicinal claims made by herbalists also warrant scientific scrutiny.

In vivo the antioxidative extract of Averrhoa carambola Linn. leaves induced apoptosis in Ehrilch ascites carcinoma by modulating p53 expression

This study was designed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of methanol extract of Averrhoa carambolla Linn. leaves (MELA) using DPPH· and ABTS·+ free radical scavenging assays whereas its antineoplastic effect against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) was assed using viable cell count, life span, body weight gain and hematological parameters of experimental mice. Results showed that rich phenolic and flavonoid content of MELA had moderate dose dependent free radical scavenging activity (IC50: 62.0 μg/mL for DPPH· and 6.0 μg/mL for ABTS·+). In vivo antineoplastic assay, MELA significantly (P < 0.05) decreased viable cells and body weight gain, increased the survival time and restored altered hematological profiles of cancer cell bearing mice. Fluorescence microscopic view of EAC cells derived from MELA-treated group showed apoptotic characteristics and this observation was also supported by overexpression of pro-apoptotic genes coding p53 and Bax proteins in treated cancer cells. The anti-apoptotic genes coding Bcl-2 protein was also absent in treated EAC cells as compared with the control. Moreover, phytochemical profiles of MELA as identified by GC/MS analysis are also consistent with its activities.

Medicinal plants utilized for hepatic disorders in Ethiopian traditional medical practices: a review

Background

Ethiopia is among the top floral biodiversity rich countries in the world. More than 7000 species of plants, 15% of they are endemic, are reported in the country. Accessibility, cultural enrichment, and cheapness make 80% of the Ethiopian people used indigenous plants for various health ailments and diseases in their traditional medical practices. Therefore, the current review examined the use patterns of medicinal plants utilized for hepatic disorders in Ethiopian traditional medical practices for further scientific investigations.

Methods

Ethnobotanical and related studies on medicinal plants utilized for hepatic disorders in Ethiopia were reviewed. Ethiopian university websites, Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, Medline, and other online internet search engines were used to access literature articles. The number of plant species and families, used parts, used conditions, modes of preparation, and routes of administration were tabulated and summarized using Excel spreadsheet and descriptive statistics, respectively.

Results

The current review showed that 276 plant species belonging to 89 families were used for hepatic disorders in Ethiopian traditional medical practices. The commonly utilized plant families were Asteraceae (10.14%), Fabaceae (9.08%), Euphorbiaceae (7.61%), Laminaceae (4.35%), Solanaceae (3.99%), and Aloaceae (2.90%). Justicia schimperiana (34.34%), Croton macrostachyus, and Phytolacca dodecandra (each 20.20%), Cordia africana, Cucumis ficifolius, and Rumex abyssinica (each 10.10%) were among the most utilized plant species. They were mainly distributed in Oromo (58%), southern (36%), and Amhara (35.5%) regions. Herbs (47.10%), shrubs (26.09%) and trees (20.65%) were their primary growth forms, while leaves (34.30%) and roots (33.06%) were their commonly utilized parts. Pounding (24.59%), decoction (19.67%), powdering (9.84%), and concoction (9.13%) were their major modes of preparations. Water was the most utilized solvent (48.26%) for the remedy preparations, which were mainly administered orally (76.35%).

Conclusions

This review showed that many claimed medicinal plants were utilized for the treatment of hepatic disorders in Ethiopian traditional medical practices. Hence, further experimental investigation is recommended to standardize their quality and phytochemistry and validate their safety and efficacy. Documentation and conservation of indigenous herbal knowledge have also been strengthened.

Ethnobotanical study of selected medicinal plants traditionally used in the rural Greater Mpigi region of Uganda

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

This study provides the first report on selected traditional medicinal plant use, including parts used and methods of preparation, in the Greater Mpigi region of Uganda. This data supports the conservation of local traditional ecological knowledge and will facilitate future drug discovery research.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Our study aimed to conserve culturally and scientifically-valuable medical knowledge of 16 plant species traditionally used in the Greater Mpigi region in Uganda, namely Albizia coriaria, Cassine buchananii, Combretum molle, Erythrina abyssinica, Ficus saussureana, Harungana madagascariensis, Leucas calostachys, Microgramma lycopodioides, Morella kandtiana, Plectranthus hadiensis, Securidaca longipedunculata, Sesamum calycinum subsp. angustifolium, Solanum aculeastrum, Toddalia asiatica, Warburgia ugandensis and Zanthoxylum chalybeum. An additional objective of the study was an ethnological investigation of the socio-cultural background and medical understanding of diseases treated by traditional healers in the study area.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A pilot survey in the study area revealed that 16 plant species were frequently used in treatment of a variety of medical disorders. In order to obtain more complete information, we conducted a broader ethnobotanical survey using structured interviews with 39 traditional healers from 29 villages, specifically asking about the traditional uses of these 16 medicinal species.

RESULTS

Results of the survey confirmed a high level of traditional use of these species in the Greater Mpigi region. In addition, various other traditional uses and methods of preparation were recorded, most of them for the first time. In total, 75 different medical disorders treated with the plants were documented.

CONCLUSIONS

Conservation of traditional knowledge for future generations is vital, as loss has already been recorded due to multiple causes. The need for novel and more effective drugs derived from natural products is more important than ever, making future studies on herbal remedies both justified and urgently required. The traditional healers surveyed in this project also have expectations of the research - they would like to be updated about any resulting studies into the pharmacological efficacy of medicinal plants so that the research findings can inform their confidence in each herbal remedy.

Antimalarial Plants Used across Kenyan Communities

Malaria is one of the serious health problems in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Its treatment has been met with chronic failure due to pathogenic resistance to the currently available drugs. This review attempts to compile phytotherapeutical information on antimalarial plants in Kenya based on electronic data. A comprehensive web search was conducted in multidisciplinary databases, and a total of 286 plant species from 75 families, distributed among 192 genera, were retrieved. Globally, about 139 (48.6%) of the species have been investigated for antiplasmodial (18%) or antimalarial activities (97.1%) with promising results. However, there is no record on the antimalarial activity of about 51.4% of the species used although they could be potential sources of antimalarial remedies. Analysis of ethnomedicinal recipes indicated that mainly leaves (27.7%) and roots (19.4%) of shrubs (33.2%), trees (30.1%), and herbs (29.7%) are used for preparation of antimalarial decoctions (70.5%) and infusions (5.4%) in Kenya. The study highlighted a rich diversity of indigenous antimalarial plants with equally divergent herbal remedy preparation and use pattern. Further research is required to validate the therapeutic potential of antimalarial compounds from the unstudied claimed species. Although some species were investigated for their antimalarial efficacies, their toxicity and safety aspects need to be further investigated.

Antimicrobial and wound healing activities of certain Sudanese medicinal plants

The emergence of drug-resistant organisms have been increasing globally; therefore, it is a burning need to find an alternative drug to get rid of the diseases caused by resistant strains. This study aims to evaluate the antimicrobial and wound healing activities of Loranthus acacia, Cassia obtusifolia and Cymbopogon proximus plants. All the plants were collected and extracted — by maceration method. Antimicrobial activities determined using standard ATCC strain for Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus crew, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Shigella sonnnei, Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella pnuemoniae, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) following agar well diffusion method. Plants extracts were prepared as gel and investigated for in vivo wound healing activities in rats. Histological studies were performed on animals’ skin. The results showed that all tested plants have various antimicrobial and wound healing activities. Out of these plants, L. acacia exhibited the best result; it revealed a significant result for antimicrobial activities counter to all Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and wound healing activities in comparing with the reference drug. Thus, it is essential to consider L. acacia as a prospective source in progress in the synthesis of a new antimicrobial drug for the treatment of infectious diseases.

Phytochemical content, antioxidant activities and androgenic properties of four South African medicinal plants

Introduction:This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical contents, antioxidant activities, and androgenic properties ofPeltophorum africanumSond,Trichilia emeticaVahl,Terminalia sambesiaca, andXimenia caffra.Methods:The finely powdered leaves of the selected plants were extracted using acetone, aqueous, and methanol as solvents. The total phenolics and flavonoids contents were determined from gallic acid and quercetin standard curves. The antioxidant activities of these extracts were evaluated using 1, 1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl ( DPPH) assay. The effect of plant extracts (100-1000 µg/mL) on TM3 Leydig cells was assessed using 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) assay. Testosterone levels were measured using ELISA kit.Results:The methanol extracts ofT. sambesiacaandX. caffrarevealed higher total phenolic and flavonoid contents (102.13±2.32 mg/g GAE and 1.05±0.04 mg/g QE, respectively) than other plant extracts. The acetone and methanol extracts ofP. africanumrevealed the best IC50value (12.50 ± 0.052 µg/mL) against DPPH than the other plant extracts and ascorbic acid. The MTT assay results showed that all varying concentrations of plant extracts maintained cell viability and were not cytotoxic with IC50values of greater than 20 µg/mL. The methanol extract ofT. sambesiacahad the highest testosterone production at 500 µg/mL (0.399 ng/mL) when compared with the basal control while at the concentration of 500 µg/mL the acetone extracts ofP. africanumandT. sambesiacahad significantly high testosterone production 0.147 and 0.188 ng/mL respectively when compared with basal control.Conclusion:The results reveal that these plants possess antioxidants and androgenic property and suggest the potential use for the treatment of male infertility.

Ethnopharmacological importance and medical applications of Myrothamnus flabellifolius Welw. (Myrothamnaceae)-A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Myrothamnus flabellifolius Welw. (resurrection plant) is a desiccant-tolerant, woody, and shrubby plant. It is popularly used as a local medicinal herbal tea in South Africa, other Southern Africa nations, and Central Africa. M. flabellifolius is used in treating several ailments including epilepsy, mental disorder, cough, pain, stroke, shingles, diabetes, hypertension, wounds, asthma, kidneys and chest ailments.

AIM OF THIS REVIEW

This review focuses on the botanical description, distribution, conservation status, ethnobotany, chemistry and pharmacological properties of M. flabellifolius to spur further research that will promote its sustainable harvesting and commercialization.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A literature search on diverse scientific databases, including Google, Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, theses, dissertations and ethnobotanical textbooks, were conducted.

RESULTS

The conducted search reveals that M. flabellifolius has many traditional uses that can be categorized into infectious diseases, Well-being, respiratory, inflammation, wound and kidney ailments. M. flabellifolius is a natural caffeine-free medicinal herbal tea reported to have antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral, antidiabetic and antimicrobial properties. Toxicological tests on M. flabellifolius were found scarce with gaps in genotoxicological and in vivo studies. Essential oils and isolated compounds were identified from M. flabellifolius with biological activities such as anticancer, antiinflammation, antimicrobial, antiarthritic, antiulcer, antioxidant and antiviral properties.

CONCLUSION

It is envisaged that the current review will add value to more scientific research on M. flabellifolius and enhance/promote the increased interest in the sustainable commercialization of M. flabellifolius herbal tea as well as lead to the validation of unverified ethnobotanical claims.

Ziziphus mucronata Willd. (Rhamnaceae): it's botany, toxicity, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities

Ziziphus mucronata is an important multi-purpose plant species that has been used in African traditional medicine for ages in the treatment of various devastating human and animal infections. The current paper is aimed at providing an overview of uses, toxicology, pharmacological properties and phytochemistry of Z. mucronata. The information used in the current work was retrieved using various search engines, including Pubmed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Scielo, SciFinder and Scopus. The key words used included Ziziphus mucronata, secondary metabolites, chemistry, biological activity and pharmacology, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, ethnobotanical survey, medicinal uses, safety, toxicology and other related words. Out of the 46 infections which the plant species is used to treat, the most common uses includes sexually transmitted infections, skin infections, diarrhoea and dysentery, respiratory and chest complaints and gynaecological complaints (citations ≥6). Pharmacologically, the plant species exhibited a potential antimicrobial activity yielding a minimum inhibitory concentration of <1 mg/ml against important pathogens which includes Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Moraxella catarrhalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Propionibacterium acnes, Candida albicans, Cryptoccoos neoformans amongst other microorganisms. Furthermore, the extracts and compounds from Z mucronata revealed potent antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and other activities in vitro. Phytochemically, cyclo-peptide alkaloids (commonly called mucronines) dominates and in conjunction with triterpenes, flavonoids, phenolic acids and anthocyanins. Besides these compounds, the plant species exhibited the presence of important in minerals. These phytoconstituents may well explain the reported biological activities. Although the extracts revealed no cytotoxic effect to Vero cells, further toxicological characteristics of the plant species still needs to be explored. There is also a need to carry out the comprehensive safety profiles of the plant species, including heavy metal detection. Although the plant species revealed important biological activities, which includes antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-plasmodial, anthelmintic, and anti-anaemic activity in vitro, further research is needed to explore the in vivo studies, other compounds responsible for such activities and the mechanisms of action thereof. Such activities validates the use of the plant species in traditional medicine. The data on the possible use of the plant species in the treatment of diarrhoea, sexually transmitted infections, skin related and gynaecological complaints are scant and still needs to be explored and validated both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the anticancer and anthelmintic activity of the plant species also needs to be explored.

Diversity and Conservation through Cultivation of Hypoxis in Africa—A Case Study of Hypoxis hemerocallidea

Africa has the largest diversity of the genus Hypoxis, accounting for 61% of the current globally accepted taxa within the genus, including some endemic species. Using Hypoxis hemerocallidea as a case study, this review addresses the conservation concerns arising from the unsustainable, wild harvesting of a number of Hypoxis species. Hypoxis hemerocallidea is one of the wild-harvested, economically important, indigenous medicinal plants of southern Africa, with potential in natural product and drug development. There are several products made from the species, including capsules, tinctures, tonics and creams that are available in the market. The use of H. hemerocallidea as a “cure-all” medicine puts an important harvesting pressure on the species. Unsustainable harvesting causes a continuing decline of its populations and it is therefore of high priority for conservation, including a strong case to cultivate the species. Reviewing the current knowledge and gaps on cultivation of H. hemerocallidea, we suggest the creation of a platform for linking all the stakeholders in the industry.

Nature's Contributions to Human Health: A Missing Link to Primary Health Care? A Scoping Review of International Overview Reports and Scientific Evidence

Nature's contributions to human health (NCH) have gained increased attention internationally in scientific and policy arenas. However, little attention is given to the role of the health care sector in this discussion. Primary health care (PHC) is a vital backbone for linking knowledge and practice within the organization of health care. The objective of this scoping review is to evaluate how international overview reports and scientific literature on NCH address to PHC. More specifically, we extracted data on arguments, practice supporting tools and guidelines, challenges and constraints, and management approaches to integrate NCH and PHC. The scientific literature search was run in Web of Science. Two independent reviewers screened the scientific publications. Through the scientific literature search, we identified 1,995 articles of which 79 were eligible for analysis. We complemented the search with a selection of six international overview reports. Both the international overview reports and the scientific publications paid limited attention to the role of PHC regarding NCH. To cope with the current challenges and constraints to integrate NCH and PHC, more evidence on NCH, further development of PHC practice supporting tools, bottom-up integrated approaches, and closer interdisciplinary collaborations are required.

Review: Southern African medicinal plants used as blood purifiers

ETHNOPHARMALOGICAL RELEVANCE

Blood purification practices, also referred to as blood cleansing or detoxification, is an ancient concept which is widespread amongst African traditional medicine, but for which no modern scientific basis exists. There prevails considerable ambiguity in defining what a blood purifier is.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this review is to firstly define what a blood purifier is in the context of African traditional medicine and compare to other cultural and westernized interpretations. Thereafter, this study identifies traditionally used medicinal plants used as blood purifiers in southern Africa and correlates these species to scientific studies, which may support evidence for these "blood purifying plant species".

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ethnobotanical books and review articles were used to identify medicinal plants used for blood purification. Databases such as Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed and Google Scholar were used to source scientific articles. An evaluation was made to try correlate traditional use to scientific value of the plant species.

RESULTS

One hundred and fifty nine plant species have been documented as traditional remedies for blood purification. Most of the plant species have some pharmacological activity, however, very little link to the traditional use for blood purification. There has been some justification of the link between blood purification and the use as an antimicrobial and this has been explored in many of the plant species identified as blood purifiers. Other pharmacological studies specifically pertaining to the blood require further attention.

CONCLUSION

Irrespective of the ambiguity of interpretation, medicinal plants used to "cleanse the blood", play an important holistic role in traditional medicine and this review with recommendations for further study provides some value of exploring this theme in the future.

The Use of Medicinal Plants for the Treatment of Toothache in Ethiopia

This paper presents a review of relevant medicinal plants used for toothache treatment in Ethiopia. This finding is based on a review of the literature published in scientific journals. A total of 130 medicinal plants, distributed in 117 genera and 62 families, are reported in the reviewed literature. Of the 130 species of medicinal plants reported in the literature, ninety-two (70.7%) were obtained from the wild whereas twelve (9.2%) were from home gardens. Shrubs (34.6%) were the primary source of medicinal plants, followed by herbs (30%). The Asteraceae came out as a leading family with 12 medicinal species while the Fabaceae followed with nine. Some findings include the predominance of root material used (31%), followed by leaves (29%). This study demonstrates the importance of traditional medicines in the treatment of toothache in Ethiopia. It is essential for the health of users to phytochemically demonstrate the effects of medicinal plants for their possible therapeutic applications. Hence, future phytochemical and pharmaceutical studies should give due consideration on frequently reported medicinal plants in order to produce natural drugs that could be effective in toothache treatment and without side effects.

Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Used to Treat Mental Illnesses in the Berea, Leribe, and Maseru Districts of Lesotho

Mental illnesses (MIs) such as anxiety, epilepsy, major depression, schizophrenia, sleep disorder, and pain influence the quality of life severely. According to the World Health Organization Atlas for Mental Health (2014), the formal health sector in Lesotho has only 13.7 mental health workers per 100 000 of the population, which breaks down to 0.1 psychiatrist and other medical doctors, 0.3 psychologists, 4.7 nurses, and 5.2 social workers. Traditional health practitioners (THPs) have always played a significant role in the prevention and treatment of MIs, via utilization of Lesotho’s vast diversity of plants. This investigation aims to determine which medicinal plants are used for the treatment of MIs in the Berea, Leribe, and Maseru districts of Lesotho. A combination of unstructured and semistructured one-on-one interviews were conducted with 27 THPs. They were interviewed about the status of MIs in Lesotho, diagnostic methods, medicinal plants used, and preparation and administration of the herbal remedies in the treatment of MIs. A total of 43 different plant species (indigenous and exotic) were indicated by the THPs as commonly used to treat neurological disorders. With the exception of one unidentified plant, the plants represented 26 families and 42 genera. The most common families are the Asteraceae (9 species), Fabaceae (5 species), and Rosaceae (3 species). The most cited plant species were Morella serrata (Myricaceae) (26%), followed by Xysmalobium undulatum (Asclepiadaceae) (22%), and Afroaster hispidus (Asteraceae) (15%). This survey provides, for the first time, a database of Lesotho’s medicinal plants that are used to treat MIs.

Antimicrobial activity of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn. plant extracts and essential oils: A review

Eucalyptus has become one of the world's most widely planted genera and E. camaldulensis (The River Red Gum) is a plantation species in many parts of the world. The plant traditional medical application indicates great antimicrobial properties, so E. camaldulensis essential oils and plant extracts have been widely examined. Essential oil of E. camaldulensis is active against many Gram positive (0.07-1.1%) and Gram negative bacteria (0.01-3.2%). The antibacterial effect is confirmed for bark and leaf extracts (conc. from 0.08 μg/mL to 200 mg/mL), with significant variations depending on extraction procedure. Eucalyptus camaldulensis essential oil and extracts are among the most active against bacteria when compared with those from other species of genus Eucalyptus. The most fungal model organisms are sensitive to 0.125-1.0% of E. camaldulensis essential oil. The extracts are active against C. albicans (0.2-200 mg/mL leaf extracts and 0.5 mg/mL bark extracts), and against various dermatophytes. Of particular importance is considerable the extracts' antiviral activity against animal and human viruses (0.1-50 μg/mL). Although the antiprotozoal activity of E. camaldulensis essential oil and extracts is in the order of magnitude of concentration several hundred mg/mL, it is considerable when taking into account current therapy cost, toxicity, and protozoal growing resistance. Some studies show that essential oils' and extracts' antimicrobial activity can be further potentiated in combinations with antibiotics (beta-lactams, fluorochinolones, aminoglycosides, polymyxins), antivirals (acyclovir), and extracts of other plants (e.g. Annona senegalensis; Psidium guajava). The present data confirm the river red gum considerable antimicrobial properties, which should be further examined with particular attention to the mechanisms of antimicrobial activity.

Medicinal plants used for contraception in South Africa: A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The indigenous people of South Africa, such as the Khoisan, Zulu, and Ndebele, have used medicinal plants for contraception. One of the reasons for using contraception among indigenous communities is for child spacing.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The study aims to review medicinal plants used for contraception in South Africa as potential sources for the discovery and development of safe male and female hormonal contraceptives.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A literature search was conducted on medicinal plants used for contraception in South Africa by referencing textbooks and scientific databases such as Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, North-West University Institutional Repository, National ETD Portal, government policies and documents on contraception, theses and dissertations, and other web sources such as records from SANBI and PROTA.

RESULTS

A minimum of 25 medicinal plants were identified as being used for contraception in South Africa, and these plants included local and exotic plants. Medicinal plants with contraceptive activity are Bulbine latifolia, Pouzolzia mixta, Salsola tuberculatiformis, Securidaca longipedunculata, and Typha capensis. In vivo and in vitro studies showed a decrease in mount, intromission and ejaculatory frequencies, inhibition of implantation, contraceptive effect, displaced glucocorticoids, and prolonged diestrus or had negative effects on vitality, motility, and sperm production.

CONCLUSIONS

Some of the plants used for contraception in South Africa are toxic to both animals and humans. Research is needed focusing on medicinal plants used by men for contraception and by women for postcoital contraception in South Africa. Traditional healers must be included when drafting contraception policies and interventions. Medicinal plants such as B. latifolia and P. mixta demonstrated that medicinal plants used for contraception in South Africa are potential sources for the discovery and development of safe male and female hormonal contraceptives.

Biochemical, Histopathologic, and Genotoxic Effects of Ethanol Extract of Salvia hypargeia (Fisch. & Mey.) on Incisional and Excisional Wounded Diabetic Rats

Purpose: Nonhealing wounds are a serious problem of diabetic patients. Salvia species are traditionally used for the treatment of wounds. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of ointment prepared with ethanol extract obtained from the aerial parts of Salvia hypargeia, an endemic plant from Turkey, on diabetic rat incisional and excisional skin wounds. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar albino rats (n: 60) were divided into five groups. Diabetes was induced and two concentrations (0.5% and 1%) of the extract were used for ointments and applied on wounds for 7 and 14 days. Fito cream was chosen as a reference drug. Results: In excisional wounds, healing ratios of 0.5% (63.4% and 99.3%) and 1% (65.5% and 99.9%) S. hypargeia groups were higher compared to control (35.9% and 75.1%), and in incisional wounds, healing ratios of 0.5% (78.1% and 98.5%) and 1% (84.4% and 99.4%) S. hypargeia groups were higher compared to control (30.5% and 72.9%) (p < .01). Hydroxyproline (0.31 ± 0.3 and 0.34 ± 0.2) levels were lower and GSH (10.7 ± 3.1 and 7.6 ± 0.9) levels were higher in 0.5% and 1% S. hypargeia groups on the 14th day (p < .01). Histopathological results revealed re-epithelialization and formation of granulation tissue in all S. hypargeia groups. Genotoxicologic results indicated, GDI, DCP values, and MN frequency of 0.5% and 1% S. hypargeia groups did not reach to significant levels both on the 7 and 14 days. Conclusions: S. hypargeia may have a potential for therapeutic use in treatment and management of diabetic wounds with a successful topical application.

An ethnobotanical survey and antifungal activity of Piper guineense used for the treatment of fungal infections in West-African traditional medicine

ETHNOBOTANICAL RELEVANCE

Piper guineense occurs commonly in West Africa where it is used for fungal infections instead of the costly and not always accessible conventional antifungals. Fungal, yeast-based diseases are common in West-Africa especially among those living with HIV/AIDS, and thus this study was performed in Imo state, South-Eastern Nigeria, where P. guineense is predominantly used for the treatment of fungal diseases, such as skin rashes, oral thrush and vaginosis.

AIM OF STUDY

The scarce number of previous studies on the documentation of the traditional uses of P. guineense extracts for the treatment of fungal infections in Nigeria prompted this survey. The investigation focused on how traditional healers recognize and diagnose fungal infections, how P. guineense is collected, on the various parts used for the treatments, methods of preparations, administrations and treatments. In addition, an in vitro antifungal screening of P. guineense fruit and leaf extracts of various polarities, and piperine and piperlongumine, representing the main constituents in these extracts, were performed.

METHODS

A house to house ethnobotanical survey was conducted using questionnaires. Twenty traditional medical practitioners (TMP) and herb sellers from ten villages were interviewed. Four human pathogenic strains of yeast and Cryptococcus neoformans, a yeast-like basidiomycete causing meningitis in immunocompromised individuals, were used for the antifungal screening.

RESULTS

The traditional medical practitioners (TMP) and herb sellers explained that the leaves and fruits are the most commonly used plant parts for the treatments. The oral intake of the extracts in locally produced bamboo alcohol (Kai-kai) is the most common method of administration. In accordance with these recorded traditional uses, we found that extracts of P. guineense were growth inhibitory against the fungal strains with MIC values ranging from 39 to 2500 µg/mL. The lowest MIC value of 39 µg/mL was recorded for a methanol fruit extract against Candida albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis. In addition, ethanol and hexane fruit extracts were effective against the growth of C. albicans and C. glabrata, respectively, with a MIC of 78 µg/mL. Piperlongumine and piperine were active against C. albicans with MIC values of 39 and 78 µg/mL respectively.

CONCLUSION

P. guineense fruit and leaf extracts, as well as their piperamide alkaloid constituents piperine and piperlongumine, have interesting antifungal properties and could have potential as new antifungal scaffolds. Our results warrant further in-depth investigations to isolate and characterize piperamide alkaloids and other compounds responsible for the antifungal activity in the extracts.

Efficacy of Pterocarpus angolensis crude extracts against Candida krusei, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Escherichia coli

BACKGROUND

The medicinal plants used to treat different ailments in Malawi contain important phytochemicals which have bactericidal and anti-fungal properties. Pterocarpus angolensis, locally known as mlombwa tree, which is found in many parts of Malawi, is one such a plant and was studied.

AIMS

In vitro analysis of the antimicrobial properties of Pterocarpus angolensis crude extracts on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus agalactiae, Candida krusei and determination of the phytochemicals there in.

METHODS

In this study, different organs of P. angolensis, a medicinal plant which is locally used to treat skin diseases, were qualitatively screened for the presence of phytochemical constituents and quantitatively assayed for the antimicrobial activity to ascertain their pharmaceutical potential. The aqueous, dichloromethane and methanolic extracts of the leaves, stem-bark, fruits and roots of the plant were tested against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Candida krusei by the macro tube dilution method. These pathogens were selected due to their significant contribution to infectious disease burden of most hospitals and also the fact that of late, they have shown signs of resistance to conventional antibiotics.

RESULTS

The study revealed that P. angolensis contained tannins, flavonoids, saponins and terpenoids. All the extracts exhibited some antimicrobial activity against the test organisms. However, the activity of the extracts depended on concentration and microbial species. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) values of the extracts ranged from 0.166 g/ml to 0.01046 g/ml with the dichloromethane and methanolic extracts exhibiting more activity than the aqueous extracts. The minimum bactericidal concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration (MBC and MFC respectively) values of the extracts ranged from 0.166 g/ml to 0.0417 g/ml.

CONCLUSION

The results obtained indicate that Pterocarpus angolensis has both antibacterial and antifungal properties and could be used for the treatment of Taenia capitis (ring worm) and other ailments. Use of the isolated and purified compounds from P. angolensis could increase the susceptibility of the tested pathogenic microorganisms in this study.

African Herbal Remedies with Antioxidant Activity: A Potential Resource Base for Wound Treatment

The use of traditional herbal remedies as alternative medicine plays an important role in Africa since it forms part of primary health care for treatment of various medical conditions, including wounds. Although physiological levels of free radicals are essential to the healing process, they are known to partly contribute to wound chronicity when in excess. Consequently, antioxidant therapy has been shown to facilitate healing of such wounds. Also, a growing body of evidence suggests that, at least, part of the therapeutic value of herbals may be explained by their antioxidant activity. This paper reviews African herbal remedies with antioxidant activity with the aim of indicating potential resources for wound treatment. Firstly, herbals with identified antioxidant compounds and, secondly, herbals with proven antioxidant activity, but where the compound(s) responsible for the activity has not yet been identified, are listed. In the latter case it has been attempted to ascribe the activity to a compound known to be present in the plant family and/or species, where related activity has previously been documented for another genus of the species. Also, the tests employed to assess antioxidant activity and the potential caveats thereof during assessment are briefly commented on.

Indigenous medicinal plants of Pakistan used to treat skin diseases: a review

Ethno-pharmacological relevance

Plants are providing reliable therapy since time immemorial. Pakistan has a great diversity in medicinal flora and people use these ethno-medicines to deal with many skin problems. This review explores the fundamental knowledge on various dermatological properties of medicinal plants of Pakistan and is aimed to provide a baseline for the discovery of new plants having activities against skin issues.

Material and method

A total of 244 published articles were studied using different research engines like PubMed, Google, Google-scholar and science direct.

Results

Review of literature revealed ethno-pharmacological use of 545 plant species, belonging to 118 families and 355 genera, to combat various skin ailments. Out of these, ten most commonly used plant species belonging to ten different families are documented in this review. It was also found out that ehno-medicines are prepared using various parts of the plants including leaves (28.32%), whole plant and roots 13.17% and 10.97% respectively, in the form of powder (23.5%) and paste (22.75%). A total of 13 endangered plant species and ten commercially important plants were recorded.

Conclusion

Medicinal plants of Pakistan have therapeutic effects against several skin problems; however most of medicinal plants are still not evaluated scientifically to support their ethno-pharmacological claim on skin. Dermatological pathogens are recommended to study. Further, the conservational programs should be established for endangered species.

Medicinal plants with anti-inflammatory activities from selected countries and regions of Africa

Various nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been shown to reduce pain and inflammation by blocking the metabolism of arachidonic acid by isoform of cyclooxygenase enzyme, thereby reducing the production of prostaglandin. Sadly, there are many side effects associated with the administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. However, there are medicinal plants with anti-inflammatory therapeutic effects with low or no side effects. The Afri-can continent is richly endowed with diverse medicinal plants with anti-inflammatory activities that have been shown to be effective in the treatment of inflammatory conditions in traditional medicine. Interestingly, scientists have examined some of these African medicinal plants and documented their biological and therapeutic activities. Unfortunately, medicinal plants from different countries in Africa with anti-inflammatory properties have not been documented in a single review paper. It is important to document the ethnobotanical knowledge and applications of anti-inflammatory medicinal plants from selected countries representing different regions of the African continent. This paper therefore documents anti-inflammatory activities of various medicinal plants from different geographical regions of Africa with the aim of presenting the diversity of medicinal plants that are of traditional or therapeutic use in Africa.

Antibacterial Properties of Medicinal Plants From Pakistan Against Multidrug-Resistant ESKAPE Pathogens

Local people in the Sudhnoti district of Pakistan share a rich practice of traditional medicine for the treatment of a variety of ailments. We selected nine plants from the Sudhnoti ethnopharmacological tradition used for the treatment of infectious and inflammatory disease. Our aim was to evaluate the in vitro anti-infective potential of extracts from these species against multidrug-resistant (MDR) ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumanii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) pathogens. Plant specimens were collected in the Sudhnoti district of Pakistan and vouchers deposited in Pakistan and the USA. Dried bulk specimens were ground into a fine powder and extracted by aqueous decoction and maceration in ethanol. Extracts were assessed for growth inhibitory activity against ESKAPE pathogens and biofilm and quorum sensing activity was assessed in Staphylococcus aureus. Cytotoxicity to human cells was assessed via a lactate dehydrogenase assay of treated human keratinocytes (HaCaTs). Four ethanolic extracts (Zanthoxylum armatum, Adiantum capillus-venaris, Artemisia absinthium, and Martynia annua) inhibited the growth of MDR strains of ESKAPE pathogens (IC₅₀: 256 μg mL^-1). All extracts, with the exception of Pyrus pashia and M. annua, exhibited significant quorum quenching in a reporter strain for S. aureus agr I. The ethanolic extract of Z. armatum fruits (Extract 1290) inhibited quorum sensing (IC₅₀ 32-256 μg mL^-1) in S. aureus reporter strains for agr I-III. The quorum quenching activity of extract 1290 was validated by detection of δ-toxin in the bacterial supernatant, with concentrations of 64-256 μg mL^-1 sufficient to yield a significant drop in δ-toxin production. None of the extracts inhibited S. aureus biofilm formation at sub-inhibitory concentrations for growth. All extracts were well tolerated by human keratinocytes (LD₅₀ ≥ 256 μg mL^-1). Chemical analysis of extract 1290 by liquid chromatography-Fourier transform mass spectrometry (LC-FTMS) revealed the presence of 29 compounds, including eight with putative structural matches. In conclusion, five out of the nine selected anti-infective medicinal plants exhibited growth inhibitory activity against at least one MDR ESKAPE pathogen at concentrations not harmful to human keratinocytes. Furthermore, Z. armatum was identified as a source of quorum quenching natural products and further bioassay-guided fractionation of this species is merited.

Solvent Extraction of Polyphenolics from the Indigenous African Fruit Ximenia caffra and Characterization by LC-HRMS

Indigenous and non-commercial fruits can be an important source of antioxidant polyphenols; however, the identity and content of polyphenols from non-commercial fruits are often poorly described. The study aimed to extract, identify, and quantify polyphenols from the skin of the indigenous Africa fruit Ximenia caffra, using solvent extraction. Three solvents (hexane, acetone, and 70% v/v ethanol) over three extraction times (30, 60 and 120 min) were used in a 3² full factorial experimental design to determine effects on polyphenol recovery, and individual polyphenolics were characterised using liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Ethanol was the most effective extraction solvent, and extracts had high levels of total phenolics and flavonoids (65 mg gallic and 40 mg catechin equivalents per gram dry sample respectively), and high antioxidant activity (18.2 mg mL-1 ascorbic acid equivalents). LC-HRMS positively identified 16 compounds, of which 14 were flavonoids including flavonoid glycosides, and indicated that concentrations of some flavonoids decreased for extraction times beyond 60 min. It was concluded that the fruit of Ximenia caffra is rich in natural polyphenolic antioxidants; the present work identified and quantified a number of these, while also establishing suitable solvent extraction conditions for the recovery of these potentially high-value compounds.

Medicinal plants used by the people of Nsukka Local Government Area, south-eastern Nigeria for the treatment of malaria: An ethnobotanical survey

ETHNOBOTANICAL RELEVANCE

Malaria is a serious public health problem especially in sub-Saharan African countries such as Nigeria. The causative parasite is increasingly developing resistance to the existing drugs. There is urgent need for alternative and affordable therapy from medicinal plants which have been used by the indigenous people for many years.

AIM OF STUDY

This study was conducted to document the medicinal plant species traditionally used by the people of Nsukka Local Government Area in south-eastern Nigeria for the treatment of malaria.

METHODS

A total of 213 respondents, represented by women (59.2%) and men (40.8%), were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The results were analysed and discussed in the context of previously published information on anti-malarial and phytochemical studies of the identified plants.

RESULTS

The survey revealed that 50 plant species belonging to 30 botanical families were used in this region for the treatment of malaria. The most cited families were Apocynaceae (13.3%), Annonaceae (10.0%), Asteraceae (10.0%), Lamiaceae (10.0%), Poaceae (10.0%), Rubiaceae (10.0%) and Rutaceae (10.0%). The most cited plant species were Azadirachta indica (11.3%), Mangifera indica (9.1%), Carica papaya (8.5%), Cymbopogon citratus (8.5%) and Psidium guajava (8.5%).

CONCLUSION

The present findings showed that the people of Nsukka use a large variety of plants for the treatment of malaria. The identified plants are currently undergoing screening for anti-malarial, toxicity and chemical studies in our laboratory.

Medicinal Plants Used for Treatment of Diarrhoeal Related Diseases in Ethiopia

This paper presents a review of relevant antidiarrhoeal medicinal plants based on the fundamental knowledge accumulated by indigenous people of Ethiopia. The review includes an inventory carried out on the phytochemical and pharmacological analysis of plant species used in the treatments of diarrhoeal diseases. This study is based on a review of the literature published in scientific journals, books, theses, proceedings, and reports. A total of 132 medicinal plants used by local people of Ethiopia are reported in the reviewed literature. Herbs (43.6%) were the primary source of medicinal plants, followed by trees (27%). Some findings include the predominance of leaf material used (78%), as well as the frequent use of crushing of the plant parts (38%) as a mode of preparation. This study demonstrates the importance of traditional medicines in the treatment of basic human ailments such as diarrhoeal diseases in Ethiopia. Baseline information gaps were observed in different regions of Ethiopia. Thus, documentation of the knowledge held by other regions of Ethiopia that have so far received less attention and urban ethnobotany is recommended for future ethnobotanical studies. In addition, phytochemical studies are recommended mainly on frequently utilized medicinal plants for treatment of diarrhoeal diseases which can serve as a basis for future investigation of modern drug development. Although societies in Ethiopia have long used medicinal plants for diarrhoeal diseases treatment, it is also a good practice to perform toxicological tests.

Ethnomedicobotanical study of indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants used for the treatment of reproductive problems in Nalbari district, Assam, India

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Reproductive problems are becoming the most predominant health care problems in many countries. World Health Organization (WHO), in 2012, also exemplified maternal illnesses, for instance, birth asphyxia and post birth difficulties are rising at an alarming rate. In addition, not all abnormalities of the human reproductive system have the same origin; the effects of reproductive problems would likely been affected by both male and female. For easy accessibility and affordability, medicinal plants are playing crucial role in primary healthcare services in India and their use is moreover, an integral part of the cultural heritage. However, our growing understanding of the human reproductive problems are segregated and scanty for herbal medications.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To document the local name of the medicinal plants used by both male and female from indigenous knowledge for the treatment of reproductive ailments and to explore their biological and pharmacological confirmation and to address the class of secondary metabolites present therein.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The results stem in September 2015-April 2016 from an array of informations that were collected by direct interviews of the traditional medicinal practitioners in three villages, viz. Jaha, Niz-Bahjani and Madhupur of the southern Nalbari district, Assam. Both semi-structured and open-ended interview schedule was carried out with purposively selected individuals and focus group discussion (FGD) in the three selected sites for this study. Systematic analysis of fidelity level percentage (FL %), preference ranking percentage (PR %) and formulation scoring (FS) were calculated. Electronic databases such as Google, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect were also been used to search existing pharmacological citations. Finally, qualitative chemical profiling were executed for the plants whose PR % scores ≥ 65.

RESULTS

A total of 71 plant species belonging to 48 families and 64 genera are reported to be used for the treatment of several reproductive problems such as, infertility in male, impotence, erectile dysfunctioning, retrograde ejaculation and sexual potency in men and in women, aphrodisiac, metrorrhagia, infertility, dysmenorrhea and/or post birth difficulties under mono (57), di (17) and poly (8) herbal formulations. Herbs (40.85%) were reported as the most common lifeform, whereas leaves (22.54%) and the roots (22.54%) were the commonly used plant parts against different ailments. Extracts of Abroma augusta L. (stem) (FL: 66.67%, PR: IM-77.33%, L-65.33, FS: 2), Morinda angustifolia Roxb. (bark) (FL: 64.29%, PR: L-68%, FS: 1), Hodgsonia heteroclita Roxb. (fruit) (FL: 63.64%, PR: IF-65.33, FS: 0.25) and Hibiscus mutabilis L. (stem) (FL: 40%, PR: IM-68%, IIM: 65.33%, IML-68%, FS: 2) were than selected for further phytochemical analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Of the 71 plants used for reproductive management system, the highest number of plants were used for the treatment of irregular menstruation (22) followed by infertility (in both men and women) (19), vaginal disorder and leucorrhoea (9) and sexual potency (8). The qualitative chemical profiling have demonstrated the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, flavonoids and phytosterols, in maximum concentrations. Additionally, these data may be the most important resource for the new discovery of many bioactive principles.

Ethanol Extract of Blighia sapida Stem Bark Show Remarkable Prophylactic Activity in Experimental Plasmodium berghei-Infected Mice

This work explores the antiplasmodial potential of ethanol extract of Blighia sapida (Lin. Sapindaceae) in chloroquine (CQ)-resistant Plasmodium berghei (ANKA strain)-infected mice. Chloroquine-resistant (ANKA) strain of P berghei was inoculated intraperitoneally into Swiss albino mice. Mice were treated orally for 4 consecutive days, before and after inoculation (prophylactic, suppressive, and curative models) with graded doses of the plant extracts with Artemether-Lumefantrine (Coartem) as control. Prophylactically, the extract showed a remarkable activity in the chemosuppression of P berghei parasites (P < .01) ranging from 57% to 36.5% at doses of 200 to 800 mg/kg, respectively, whereas Coartem (10 mg/kg) produced 62.1% chemosuppression. No significant chemosuppression was observed in the curative and suppressive models. The plant extract appeared to be safe at the highest dose tested (5000 mg/kg) for acute toxicity, with no adverse effect on the different organs. The plant extract possesses prophylactic antimalarial activity, which supports its use in the prevention of malaria.

Systematic review and technological overview of the antimicrobial activity of Tagetes minuta and future perspectives

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The antimicrobial potential of Tagetes minuta was correlated with its traditional use as antibacterial, insecticidal, biocide, disinfectant, anthelminthic, antifungal, and antiseptic agent as well as its use in urinary tract infections.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to systematically review articles and patents regarding the antimicrobial activity of T. minuta and give rise to perspectives on this plant as a potential antimicrobial agent.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A literature search of studies published between 1997 and 2015 was conducted over five databases: MedLine (PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, Portal de Periódicos Capes and SciFinder, grey literature was explored using the System for Information on Dissertations database, and theses were searched using the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Full text database and the Periódicos Capes Theses database. Additionally, the following databases for patents were analysed: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Google Patents, National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) and Espacenet patent search (EPO). The data were tabulated and analysed using Microsoft Office Excel 2010.

RESULTS

After title screening, 51 studies remained and this number decreased to 26 after careful examinations of the abstracts. The full texts of these 26 studies were assessed to check if they were eligible. Among them, 3 were excluded for not having full text access, and 11 were excluded because they did not fit the inclusion criteria, which left 10 articles for this systematic review. The same process was conducted for the patent search, resulting in 4 patents being included in this study.

CONCLUSION

Recent advances highlighted by this review may shed light on future directions of studies concerning T. minuta as a novel antimicrobial agent, which should be repeatedly proven in future animal and clinical studies. Although more evidence on its specificity and clinical efficacy are necessary to support its clinical use, T. minuta is expected to be a highly effective, safe and affordable treatment for infectious diseases.

Systematic review on traditional medicinal plants used for the treatment of malaria in Ethiopia: trends and perspectives

BACKGROUND

Ethiopia is endowed with abundant medicinal plant resources and traditional medicinal practices. However, available research evidence on indigenous anti-malarial plants is highly fragmented in the country. The present systematic review attempted to explore, synthesize and compile ethno-medicinal research evidence on anti-malarial medicinal plants in Ethiopia.

METHODS

A systematic web search analysis and review was conducted on research literature pertaining to medicinal plants used for traditional malaria treatment in Ethiopia. Data were collected from a total of 82 Ethiopian studies meeting specific inclusion criteria including published research articles and unpublished thesis reports. SPSS Version 16 was used to summarize relevant ethno-botanical/medicinal information using descriptive statistics, frequency, percentage, tables, and bar graphs.

RESULTS

A total of 200 different plant species (from 71 families) used for traditional malaria treatment were identified in different parts of Ethiopia. Distribution and usage pattern of anti-malarial plants showed substantial variability across different geographic settings. A higher diversity of anti-malarial plants was reported from western and southwestern parts of the country. Analysis of ethno-medicinal recipes indicated that mainly fresh leaves were used for preparation of remedies. Decoction, concoction and eating/chewing were found to be the most frequently employed herbal remedy preparation methods. Notably, anti-malarial herbal remedies were administered by oral route. Information on potential side effects of anti-malarial herbal preparations was patchy. However, some anti-malarial plants were reported to have potentially serious side effects using different local antidotes and some specific contra-indications.

CONCLUSION

The study highlighted a rich diversity of indigenous anti-malarial medicinal plants with equally divergent herbal remedy preparation and use pattern in Ethiopia. Baseline information gaps were observed in key geographic settings. Likewise, herbal remedy toxicity risks and countermeasures generally entailed more exhaustive investigation. Experimental research and advanced chemical analysis are also required to validate the therapeutic potential of anti-malarial compounds from promising plant species.

Inhibition of biofilm formation in Mycobacterium smegmatis by Parinari curatellifolia leaf extracts

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious public health problem worldwide. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) grows as drug tolerant pellicles. Agents that inhibit biofilm formation in M. tuberculosis have the potential to reduce the disease treatment period and improve the quality of tuberculosis chemotherapy. Parinari curatellifolia (P. curatellifolia) leaf extracts are claimed to treat symptoms similar to tuberculosis in ethnomedicinal practices. Mycobacterium smegmatis (M. smegmatis) is a surrogate organism used in antimycobacterial drug discovery assays. In this study, the effect of the leaf extracts of P. curatellifolia on M. smegmatis growth and biofilm formation was investigated in order to determine the basis of its use in traditional medicinal use.

Methods

Phytochemicals from P. curatellifolia leaves were prepared using a mixture of 50% dichloromethane (DCM): 50% methanol and by serial exhaustive extraction using different solvents of decreasing polarity. The solvents were used in the following order, hexane > dichloromethane > ethyl acetate > acetone >ethanol > methanol > water. The micro-broth dilution method was used as an antimycobacterial susceptibility test to screen for the extract that effectively inhibited M. smegmatis growth and biofilm formation. Biofilm quantification was performed by staining the biofilms with crystal violet and determining the amount of the stain using a spectrophotometer. In addition, the effects of combining the most active extract with kanamycin were also investigated.

Results

The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the extracts were found to be 6.2 μg/ml for the acetone extract, 12.5 μg/ml for both the ethanol and the total extract and 50 μg/ml for both the methanol and ethyl acetate extracts. The ethanol extract, dichloromethane extract and water extract were the only extracts that effectively inhibited biofilm formation in M. smegmatis. Combining the ethanol extract with kanamycin enhanced the effect of the ethanol extract in terms of inhibition of biofilm formation.

Conclusions

P. curatellifolia leaves contain phytochemicals that have the potential to be used both as antimycobacterial and anti-biofilm formation compounds.

Cyclooxygenase inhibitory compounds from Gymnosporia heterophylla aerial parts

Gymnosporia heterophylla (Celastraceae) is an African medicinal plants used to treat painful and inflammatory diseases with partial scientific validation. Solvent extractions followed by repeated chromatographic purification of the G. heterophylla aerial parts led to the isolation of one new β-dihydroagarofuran sesquiterpene alkaloid (1), and two triterpenes (2-3). In addition, eight known compounds including one β-dihydroagarofuran sesquiterpene alkaloid (4), and six triterpenes (5-10) were isolated. All structures were determined through extensive analysis of the NMR an MS data as well as by comparison with literature data. These compounds were evaluated for the anti-inflammatory activities against COX-1 and -2 inhibitory potentials. Most of the compound isolated showed non selective COX inhibitions except for 3-Acetoxy-1β-hydroxyLupe-20(29)-ene (5), Lup-20(29)-ene-1β,3β-diol (6) which showed COX-2 selective inhibition at 0.54 (1.85), and 0.45 (2.22) IC₅₀, in mM (Selective Index), respectively. The results confirmed the presence of anti-inflammatory compounds in G. heterophylla which are important indicators for development of complementary medicine for inflammatory reactions; however, few could be useful as selective COX-2 inhibitor.

Inventorization of some ayurvedic plants and their ethnomedicinal use in Kakrajhore forest area of West Bengal

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Medicinal Plant resources of forest origin are extensively used in India for various systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Unani, Homeopathy, Allopathy, Siddha and Ethnic etc. The tribal communities around the Kakrajhore forest in West Medinipur district of West Bengal have their own traditional knowledge based system of curing many diseases using the forest based plant resources similar to ayurveda. The forest comprises of one of the unique treasure and rich source of diversified ethno-botanical wealth and therefore extensive studies is required for proper documentation including ethnomedicinal knowledge of local tribes.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present study was initiated with an aim to inventorize the ayurvedic medicinal plant recourses and explore the traditional knowledge of tribal people of Kakrajhore forest to treat several diseases along with the sustainable management and conservation of medicinal plants.

METHODS

The information on the medicinal plant resources were gathered through floristic inventorization with proper sampling method in the study area (N22°42'57.05″, E86°34'58.02″) during the year 2015. For floristic inventorization the study area of 312 ha was delineated by using GPS Receiver. Then total mapped area was divided by virtual grid of 100m apart in both East-West and North-South direction to allocate 60 sample plots by random sampling. In addition to inventorization, the use value (UV) of the species was determined and the informant consensus factor (ICF) was calculated for the medicinal plants found in the study area based on personal interview. Further exploration was carried out to establish linkage with Ayurveda.

RESULTS

The present survey has identified 57 numbers of ethno-medicinal plants belonging to 39 families, used for preparing medicinal remedies. The habit of the plants includes 35% trees, 28% shrubs, 23% herbs and 14% climbers. The most frequently utilized plant parts were the Roots & Tuber roots (26%), Stem which includes Bark, Tubers, Bulb, Rhizome, Gum, Wood & Young shoots (24%), Leaves (18%), Fruits (13%), and Seeds (10%). The most frequent happening ailments are asthma and bronchitis, constipation and dyspepsia, diarrhea, dysentery, ulcer, rheumatism, arthritis, fistula and piles troubles. Most of the Plants (88%) had more than a single therapeutic use. The most important plant species on the basis of use value were Smilex ovalifolia, Emblica officinalis, Curculigo orchioides, Croton roxburghii, Asparagus racemosus, Ziziphus nummularia, Ichnocarpus frutescens, Cisssus adnata, Buettneria herbacea, Litsea glutinosa, Vernonia anthelmintica and Chlorophytum borivilianum. There was a strong agreement among the informants related to the usage of the plants (ICF 0.65-0.93). As per the standard literature in Ayurveda, maximum numbers of documented species (33) are found to be used for 'digestive system disorder' which is analogous to ethnomedicinal use (30), followed by 'skin related problem' i.e. 13 and 20 respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Results show that people living around Kakrajhore forest area hold valuable knowledge of the uses of plant resources and some of the ayurvedic plants represent an important component in local livelihood. Though the Kakrajhore Forest area is rich in medicinal plant resources but the species are susceptible to be endangered by intense exploitation by human communities. More in-depth investigations are required for plants with high UV values on their possible phytochemical and pharmacological activity. Apart from this, sustainable management approach and proper conservation strategy for the area is recommended by involvement of local communities and forest department.

KIRKIA ACUMINATA OLIV.: A REVIEW OF ITS ETHNOBOTANY AND PHARMACOLOGY

BACKGROUND

Local communities in sub-Saharan Africa have a long history of medicinal plant usage. Like in other parts of the developing world, rural and urban communities are still dependent on herbal medicines for primary health care, and the use of herbal medicines is still an integral part of their daily life and socio-cultural life style. The objective of this paper is to summarise information on the ethnobotany and pharmacology of Kirkia acuminata Oliv. throughout its distributional range.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The information documented in this article is derived from books, theses, scientific journals and reports obtained from library collections, Scopus, Pubmed, MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, Google Scholar and Science Direct.

RESULTS

Kirkia acuminata is the most known and widely distributed Kirkia species in the genus and is one of the most popular and promising plant resources due to its several beneficial uses. Kirkia acuminata is used to treat abdominal pains, backache, cholera, constipation, cough, diarrhea, dysentery, snake bites, toothache and wounds. Other applications include its use as charcoal; hedge, ornamental or shade; stock feed, timber and source of water during drought periods. Preliminary phytochemical assessment of roots and stem bark of K. acuminata showed presence of lignans, neo-lignans, nor-carotinoids and other compounds. The extracts of K. acuminata exhibited antibacterial and antimycobacterial activities. These phytochemical compounds may be responsible for the medicinal uses and biological activities demonstrated by K. acuminata.

CONCLUSION

Detailed research is required aimed at exploring mode of action of bioactive compounds of Kirkia acuminata that are responsible for the documented pharmacological effects. Kirkia acuminata is an important plant species that has potential to contribute to the primary health care and livelihood improvement of local communities in the geographical areas where it is indigenous and found in abundance.

Herbal Drugs from Sudan: Traditional Uses and Phytoconstituents

Sudan folklore medicine is characterized by a unique combination of Islamic, Arabic, and African cultures. In poor communities, traditional medicine has remained as the most reasonable source of treatment of several diseases and microbial infections. Although the traditional medicine is accepted in Sudan, to date there is no updated review available, which focuses on most effective and frequently used Sudanese medicinal plants. Thus, this review aims to summarize the published information on the ethnobotanical uses of medicinal plants from Sudan, preparation methods, phytochemistry, and ethnopharmacology. The collected data demonstrate that Sudanese medicinal plants have been reported to possess a wide range of traditional medicinal uses including different microbial infections, gastrointestinal disorders, malaria, diabetes, rheumatic pain, respiratory system disorders, jaundice, urinary system inflammations, wounds, cancer, and different microbial infections. In most cases, the pharmacological studies were in agreement with traditional uses. Moreover, several bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, steroids, terpenes, tannins, fatty acids, and essential oils have been identified as active constituents. Although this review demonstrates the importance of ethnomedicine medicines in the treatment of several diseases in Sudan, further researches to validate the therapeutic uses and safety of these plants through phytochemical screening, different biological activity assays, and toxicological studies are still needed.

Lippia javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng.: Traditional and Commercial Uses and Phytochemical and Pharmacological Significance in the African and Indian Subcontinent

Lippia javanica occurs naturally in central, eastern, and southern Africa and has also been recorded in the tropical Indian subcontinent. The potential of L. javanica as herbal or recreational tea and herbal medicine and its associated phytochemistry and biological properties are reviewed. The extensive literature survey revealed that L. javanica is used as herbal tea and has ethnomedicinal applications such as in colds, cough, fever, malaria, wounds, diarrhoea, chest pains, bronchitis, and asthma. Multiple classes of phytochemicals including volatile and nonvolatile secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, amino acids, flavonoids, iridoids, and triterpenes as well as several minerals have been identified from L. javanica. Scientific studies on L. javanica indicate that it has a wide range of pharmacological activities which include anticancer, antiamoebic, antidiabetic, antimalarial, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiplasmodial, and pesticidal effects. Although many of the traditional uses of L. javanica have been validated by phytochemical and pharmacological studies, there are still some gaps where current knowledge could be improved. Lippia javanica is popular as both herbal and recreational tea, but there is need for more precise studies to evaluate the safety and clinical value of its main active crude and pure compounds and to clarify their mechanisms of action.