Ethno-medicinal, phytochemistry, and pharmacological importance of Hunteria umbellate (K. Schum.) Hallier f. (Apocynaceae): a useful medicinal plant of sub-Saharan Africa

Background

Hunteria umbellate (K. Schum.) Hallier f. (Apocynaceae) is a tropical rainforest tree commonly found in sub-Saharan region of Africa. It is a useful and very popular plant among the locals due to the outstanding anti-diabetic activity of the seeds.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search on articles published on phytochemical analysis and various pharmacological activities of Hunteria umbellate was carried out using search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed and Science Direct.

Results

In this review, it was deduced that H. umbellate is employed in folk medicine as an elixir for obesity, fever, leprosy sores, menstrual pain, infertility, yaws, intestinal worms, abdominal discomfort and stomach ache. Due to their durability and immunity against termites, the stems are coveted and desired as timbers in the construction of houses, while the bark has been reportedly exported to Europe for medicinal uses. Pharmacological activities such as fertility enhancing, aphrodisiac, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, has been ascribed to the different morphological organs of H. umbellate. Moreover, compounds belonging to important classes of secondary metabolites with biological activities such as triterpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, quinic acids have been identified and characterized from the plant.

Conclusion

From this review, it can be inferred that, numerous and bioactive principles with known biological usefulness are present in the extracts of H. umbellate and might be responsible for the observed biological and pharmacological activities.

In vivo screening of essential oils of Skimmia laureola leaves for antinociceptive and antipyretic activity

OBJECTIVE

To study the screening of essential oils of Skimmia laureola leaves (SLO) for acute toxicity, antinociceptive, antipyretic and anticonvulsant activities in various animal models.

METHODS

SLO were extracted using modified Clevenger type apparatus. Acute toxicity test was used in mice to observe its safety level. Antinociceptive activity of SLO was evaluated in acetic acid induced writhing and hot plate tests. Yeast induced hyperthermic mice and pentylenetetrazole induced convulsive mice were used for the assessment of its antipyretic and anticonvulsant profile respectively.

RESULTS

Substantial safety was observed for SLO in acute toxicity test. SLO showed a high significant activity in acetic acid induced writhing test in a dose dependent manner with maximum pain attenuation of 68.48% at 200 mg/kg i.p. However, it did not produce any relief in thermal induced pain at test doses. When challenged against pyrexia evoked by yeast, SLO manifested marked amelioration in hyperthermic mice, dose dependently. Maximum anti-hyperthermic activity (75%) was observed at 200 mg/kg i.p. after 4 h of drug administration. Nevertheless, SLO had no effect on seizures control and mortality caused by pentylenetetrazole.

CONCLUSIONS

In vivo studies of SLO showed prominent antinociceptive and antipyretic activities with ample safety profile and thus provided pharmacological base for the traditional uses of the plant in various painful conditions and pyrexia. Additional detail studies are required to ascertain its clinical application.

In-vivo antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activity of pistagremic acid isolated from Pistacia integerrima

The current study was designed to explore the antinociceptive, antiinflammatory and antipyretic activity of pistagremic acid (PA), isolated from Pistacia integerima bark in various animal paradigms. The results illustrated significant inhibition of noxious stimulation in acetic acid induced writhing test with maximum effect of 68% at 10mg/kg i.p. In tail immersion test, pretreatment with PA demonstrated marked activity during various assessment times in a dose dependent manner. The maximum pain inhibition was 59.46% at 10mg/kg i.p. after 90 min of PA treatment. However, the injection of naloxone did not antagonize this induced effect. PA significantly ameliorated post carrageenan induced edema dose dependently during various stages of inflammation. The effect was most dominant (60.02%) after 3(rd) h of drug administration when examined for 5h. Similarly, it provoked dose dependent antipyretic effect in febrile mice with maximum of 60.04% activity at 10mg/kg i.p. after 3rd hour of PA post treatment. Furthermore, molecular docking was carried out to understand the binding mode of PA. From the docking study it was observed that PA fits well in the active site of COX-2 enzyme due to hydrogen and hydrophobic moiety interactions to the important active site of molecule. In conclusion, PA possesses strong peripheral and central antinociceptive activity independent of opioidergic effect which was augmented by its anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities.

Antipyretic Activity of Decoction of Joshanda and Its Saponin and Sterol Contents

Joshanda is a polyherbal product that is commonly used in the treatment of cold and flu usually accompanied by fever. The present study was designed to scrutinize the antipyretic activity of a decoction of Joshanda and its total saponin and sterol contents in brewer’s yeast induced febrile mice. The results revealed marked attenuation of induced pyrexia by the decoction and its saponin contents during various assessment times (1-5 hours) in a dose-dependent manner, which were not supported by sterol contents. The maximum antihyperthermic effect of the decoction and saponin contents were 75.38% and 81.32%, respectively, at 300 mg/kg i.p. This findings suggested that Joshanda extracts strongly ameliorated induced pyrexia and thus validated it as a useful household remedy for cold and flu accompanied by fever.