1
|
Seetah K, Manfio S, Balbo A, Farr RH, Florens FBV. Colonization During Colonialism: Developing a Framework to Assess the Rapid Ecological Transformation of Mauritius’s Pristine Ecosystem. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.791539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The colonization of Mauritius exemplifies the role played by humans in altering the ecosystems of remote oceanic islands. This paper focuses on how we study those islands first colonized under the global mantle of colonialism. Here we aim to provide a theoretical framework for historical ecological investigations to disentangle the processes, impacts, and outcomes of colonization during colonialism, considering local, regional, and global drivers. The paper provides a review of existing literature, outlines a proposed research program encompassing paleoecology, paleoclimatology, archeology, and history, and offers details of potential research sites. We present “historical ecology” as a framework to aid future work, and argue that a refined understanding of the impact of human colonization can help create a nuanced chronology of environmental degradation that typifies Mauritius. Such detailed assessment is necessary to inform contemporary ecological conservation efforts. Finally, we argue that narratives of changing ecosystems and practice can help construct “usable pasts,” often missing from historical records, for the multicultural populace of the island.
Collapse
|
2
|
Rummun N, Serag A, Rondeau P, Ramsaha S, Bourdon E, Bahorun T, Farag MA, Neergheen VS. Antiproliferative activity of Syzygium coriaceum, an endemic plant of Mauritius, with its UPLC-MS metabolite fingerprint: A mechanistic study. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252276. [PMID: 34061874 PMCID: PMC8168845 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Flowering plants from the Syzygium genus have long been used in different ethnomedicinal systems worldwide and have been under scrutiny for their biological activities. Syzygium coriaceum, an endemic plant of Mauritius has been poorly studied for its potential application against cancer. Herein, Syzygium coriaceum leaf extract has been investigated for its anticancer effect against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. The anticancer activity was assessed using cell proliferation assays, flow cytometry, JC-1 mitochondrial membrane potential assay, and the COMET assay. Un-targeted metabolite profiling via ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution qTOF-MS (UPLC-MS) and aided by molecular networking was employed to identify the crude extract metabolites. S. coriaceum treatment induced a dose-dependent increase in lactate dehydrogenase leakage into the culture media, peaking up to 47% (p ≤ 0.0001), compared to untreated control. Moreover, at 40 μg/mL, S. coriaceum led to 88.1% (p ≤ 0.0001) drop in mitochondrial membrane potential and 5.7% (p ≤ 0.001) increased in the number of the cell population in G0/G1 phase as well as increased (p < 0.05) the proportion of cells undergoing apoptotic/necrotic cell death. More so, at 10 μg/mL, S. coriaceum induced DNA damage which was 19 folds (p < 0.001) higher than that of untreated control cells. Metabolite profiling indicated the presence of 65 metabolites, out of which 59 were identified. Tannins, flavonoids, nitrogenous compounds, and organic acids were the most predominant classes of compounds detected. Our findings showed that the presence of tannins and flavonoids in S. coriaceum leaf extract could account for the multiple mechanisms of actions underlying the antiproliferative effect against HepG2 cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nawraj Rummun
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Republic of Mauritius
- Biopharmaceutical Unit, Centre for Biomedical and Biomaterials Research, MSIRI Building, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Republic of Mauritius
| | - Ahmed Serag
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Analytical Chemistry Department, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Philippe Rondeau
- Université de La Réunion, INSERM, UMR 1188 Diabète athérothrombose Thérapies Réunion Océan Indien (DéTROI), Saint-Denis de La Réunion, France
| | - Srishti Ramsaha
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Republic of Mauritius
- Biopharmaceutical Unit, Centre for Biomedical and Biomaterials Research, MSIRI Building, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Republic of Mauritius
| | - Emmanuel Bourdon
- Université de La Réunion, INSERM, UMR 1188 Diabète athérothrombose Thérapies Réunion Océan Indien (DéTROI), Saint-Denis de La Réunion, France
| | - Theeshan Bahorun
- Biopharmaceutical Unit, Centre for Biomedical and Biomaterials Research, MSIRI Building, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Republic of Mauritius
| | - Mohamed A. Farag
- Pharmacognosy Department, College of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr el Aini St., P.B., Cairo, Egypt
- Chemistry Department, School of Sciences & Engineering, The American University in Cairo, New Cairo, Egypt
| | - Vidushi S. Neergheen
- Biopharmaceutical Unit, Centre for Biomedical and Biomaterials Research, MSIRI Building, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Republic of Mauritius
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Florens F, Baider C, Marday V, Martin G, Zmanay Z, Oleksy R, Krivek G, Vincenot C, Strasberg D, Kingston T. Disproportionately large ecological role of a recently mass-culled flying fox in native forests of an oceanic island. J Nat Conserv 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
4
|
Florens F, Baider C, Martin GM, Seegoolam NB, Zmanay Z, Strasberg D. Invasive alien plants progress to dominate protected and best-preserved wet forests of an oceanic island. J Nat Conserv 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2016.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|