Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants commonly used by Kani tribals in Tirunelveli hills of Western Ghats, India

Ethnopharmacological relevance

For thousands of years, medicinal plants have played an important role throughout the world in treating and preventing a variety of diseases. Kani tribal people in Tirunelveli hills still depend on medicinal plants and most of them have a general knowledge of medicinal plants which are used for first aid remedies, to treat cough, cold, fever, headache, poisonous bites and some simple ailments.

Aim of the study

The present study was initiated with an aim to identify traditional healers who are practicing herbal medicine among the Kani tribals in Tirunelveli hills of Western Ghats, India and quantitatively document their indigenous knowledge on the utilization of medicinal plants particularly most common ethnomedicinal plants.

Methods

Field study was carried out over a period of 4 years in Tirunelveli hills. The ethnomedicinal information was collected through interviews among the Kani traditional healers. The collected data were analyzed through use value (UV), informant consensus factor (F_ic), fidelity level (FL) and relative importance (RI).

Results

A total of 90 species of plants distributed in 83 genera belonging to 52 families were identified as commonly used ethnomedicinal plants by the Kani traditional healers in Tirunelveli hills for the treatment of 65 types of ailments. These ailments were categorized into 15 ailment categories based on the body systems treated. Leaves were the most frequently used plant parts and most of the medicines were prepared in the form of paste and administered orally. F_ic values of the present study indicated that there was a high agreement in the use of plants in the treatment of jaundice and diabetes among the users. Dermatological infections/diseases and gastro-intestinal disorders had highest use-reports and 29 species of plants had the highest fidelity level of 100%. The most important species according to their use value were Gymneme sylvestre (2.00), Melia azedarach, Murraya koenigii, Syzygium cumini and Terminalia chebula (1.83).

Conclusion

As a result of the present study we can recommend the plants Alpinia galanga, Azadirachta indica, Calophyllum inophyllum, Gymnema sylvestre, Leucas aspera, M. azedarach, Mollugo nudicaulis, Ocimum tenuiflorum, S. cumini, T. chebula and Tribulus terrestris (with high UV and RI values), Bambusa arundinacea, Datura metel, Evolvulus nummularius, Opuntia dillenii and Physalis minima (newly reported claims with highest FL) for further ethnopharmacological studies for the discovery of potential new drugs.     

Ethnobotanical studies of medicinal plants used by Traditional Health Practitioners in the management of diabetes in Lower Eastern Province, Kenya

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Diabetes mellitus is a growing problem in many developing countries and the financial burden associated with it is enormous. In traditional African communities, majority of people relies on traditional medicines and Traditional Health Practitioners as the primary source of health care. Hence, this study was undertaken in the Lower Eastern province of Kenya to document the medicinal plants used by the traditional practitioners to treat diabetes and to assess the existing knowledge in management of this condition.

Materials and methods

Data was collected using structured open- and close-ended questionnaires.

Results

Thirty-nine species belonging to 33 genera and 26 families were encountered and the most frequently cited species were from Caesalpiniaceae, Ebenaceae, Solanaceae and Labiatae families. Twenty-eight percent of the plant species are reported to have hypoglycaemic activity.

Conclusions

Currently there is no data on medicinal plants used to treat diabetes in Kenya. Therefore, these findings are important in the management of diabetes and future research on traditional medicine in drug development.     

Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal herbs in Jordan, the Northern Badia region

Aim of the study

This study sought to gather information from aboriginal Bedouins in North Badia region of Jordan about used medicinal herbs besides their folk uses.

Materials and methods

The data were collected from 40 practitioners who utilized medicinal plants and who were regarded as professional. Subsequently, the uses were compared with the reported ones in the literature. The informant consensus factor (Fic) and use value (UV) have been calculated to those herbs and the managed illnesses.

Results

The data of 73 species were collected; the vast majority of them are safe such as Achillea falcata, Tamarix aphylla and Teucrium polium. Treatment of inflammation and pain presented the major targeted use of these herbs. While, the herbs used for delivery and female problems were limited. This might be due to the culture conservations about the talk of feminine issues. Diseases of kidney, gastrointestinal and respiratory systems as well as diabetes depicted the largest Fic values. Artemisia herba-alba possessed the highest UV value among the studied herbs.     

Xanthine oxidase inhibitory properties of Czech medicinal plants

Aim of the study

To investigate in vitro xanthine oxidase inhibitory properties of plants traditionally used in Czech Republic and Central-East Europe region for gout, arthritis or rheumatism treatment.

Materials and methods

Methylene chloride-methanolic and two ethanolic extracts of 27 plant species were screened for in vitro xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity using a spectrophotometric method.

Results

Around 50% of the species exhibited some degree of xanthine oxidase inhibitory properties at 200 μg/mL, showing a moderate correlation (r = 0.59) with total phenol content. The most active were methylene chloride-methanolic extracts of Populus nigra and Betula pendula, with IC₅₀ of 8.3 and 25.9 μg/mL, respectively, followed by 80% ethanolic extract of Caryophyllus aromaticus and Hypericum perforatum, both under 50 μg/mL.

Conclusions

Populus nigra and Betula pendula were identified as species with the highest xanthine oxidase inhibitory potential in our study. This correlates with the ethnobotanical data on their use in Central European folklore and provides the basis for further investigation on these plants.     

Anti-malarial herbal remedies of northeast India, Assam: an ethnobotanical survey

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Malaria is a serious public health problem in the north-eastern region of India including Assam, in view of development of chloroquine resistant Plasmodium falciparum. There is need for alternative and affordable therapy.

Aim of the study

This study was conducted to document indigenous knowledge, usage customs and practices of medicinal plant species traditionally used by the residents of Sonitpur district of Tezpur, Assam to treat malaria and its associated symptoms.

Materials and methods

A total of 50 randomly selected sampling represented by male (38.76%) and female respondents (12.24%) were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire.

Results

The present ethno-botanical survey revealed 22 species of plants belonging to 17 botanical families were reported to be used exclusively in this region for the treatment of malaria. Verbenaceae (three species), Menispermaceae (two species), and Acanthaceae (two species) botanical families represented the species that are most commonly cited in this survey work and the detailed use of plants has been collected and described.

Conclusions

The most serious threat to the existing knowledge and practice on traditional medicinal plants included cultural change, particularly the influence of modernization and lack of interests shown by the next younger generations were the main problems reported by the informants during the field survey. Hence, the proper documentation of traditional medicinal plants being used as anti-malarial agents and related indigenous knowledge held by the tribal community is an important approach to control the spread of vector-borne diseases like malaria reported in this survey work.     

Plants used by native Amazonian groups from the Nanay River (Peru) for the treatment of malaria

Aim of the study

In order to evaluate the antimalarial potential of traditional remedies used in Peru, Indigenous and Mestizo populations from the river Nanay in Loreto were interviewed about traditional medication for the treatment of malaria.

Materials and methods

The survey took place on six villages and led to the collection of 59 plants. 35 hydro-alcoholic extractions were performed on the 21 most cited plants. The extracts were then tested for antiplasmodial activity in vitro on Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistant strain (FCR-3), and ferriprotoporphyrin inhibition test was also performed in order to assume pharmacological properties.

Results

Extracts from 9 plants on twenty-one tested (Abuta rufescens, Ayapana lanceolata, Capsiandra angustifolia, Citrus limon, Citrus paradise, Minquartia guianensis, Potalia resinífera, Scoparia dulcis, and Physalis angulata) displayed an interesting antiplasmodial activity (IC₅₀ < 10 μg/ml) and 16 remedies were active on the ferriprotoporphyrin inhibition test.

Conclusions

The results give scientific validation to the traditional medical knowledge of the Amerindian and Mestizo populations from Loreto and exhibit a source of potentially active plants.     

Plants used to treat malaria in Nyakayojo sub-county, western Uganda

Aim of study

We performed an ethnobotanical study of plants used to treat malaria in Nyakayojo sub-county in south western Uganda because malaria in this region, and in Uganda at large, is still the single most important reason for ill health and mortality. Two of the most vulnerable groups affected by malaria are young children and pregnant women and plants are commonly used in their treatment.

Materials and methods

Twenty-eight traditional birth attendants were interviewed about how they used plants to treat malaria. Review of the literature available on all species identified was undertaken.

Results

Altogether 56 plant species were used by the informants, 48 of which have been identified to species level. Thirty-two (67%) of the species used by the respondents are documented for antimalarial use in other studies, and nearly half (44%) have documented anti-plasmodial activity. Fifty-five percent of the species were used by 2 or more of the respondents. The most commonly used species were Vernonia amygdalina, the indigenous Aloe species, Justicia betonica, Vernonia adoensis and Tithonia diversifolia. It was common to use more than one plant in a recipe (43%). The respondents had good knowledge of the symptom of malaria, and fairly good understanding of the causes.

Conclusion

The interviews show that the group of traditional birth attendants has an extensive and diverse knowledge on plants used in the treatment of malaria. The literature survey may indicate a possible explanation for the use of several plants.     

Herbal medicines used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus in Arunachal Himalaya, northeast, India

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Medicinal plants have played an important role in treating and preventing a variety of diseases throughout the world. Khampti tribal people living in the far-flung Lohit district of the Eastern Arunachal Himalaya, India still depend on medicinal plants and most of them have a general knowledge of medicinal plants which are used for treating a variety of ailments. This survey was undertaken in Lohit district in order to inventory the medicinal plants used in folk medicine to treat diabetes mellitus.

Materials and methods

Field investigations were conducted in seventeen remote villages of Lohit district starting from April 2002 to May 2004 through interviews among 251 key informants who were selected randomly during our household survey. To elucidate community domains and determine differences in indigenous traditional knowledge of medicinal plants with anti-diabetic efficacy, we repeated our field survey starting from April 2008 to May 2010 with one hundred traditional healers locally called as “Chau ya” in Khampti of Lohit district. “Chau ya” traditional healers who know and use medicinal plants for treating diabetes mellitus were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire.

Results

This study reports an ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh reputed for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Forty-six plant species were identified in the study area to treat diabetes mellitus by the Khamptis “Chau ya” traditional healers. Comparative published literature survey analysis of this study with other ethnobotanical surveys of plants used traditionally in treating diabetes mellitus suggests that eleven plant species make claims of new reports on antidiabetic efficacy. These plant species are Begonia roxburghii, Calamus tenuis, Callicarpa arborea, Cuscuta reflexa, Dillenia indica, Diplazium esculentum, Lectuca gracilis, Millingtonia hortensis, Oxalis griffithii, Saccharum spontaneum, and Solanum viarum. Some of the plants reported in this study have an antidiabetic effect on rodent models but none have sufficient clinical evidence of effectiveness.

Conclusions

The wide variety of medicinal plants that are used to treat diabetes mellitus in this area supports the importance of plants in the primary healthcare system of the rural people of Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh. The finding of new plant uses in the current study reveals the importance of the documentation of such ethnobotanical knowledge.     

Antidiabetic activity of Passiflora incarnata Linn. in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in mice

Ethnopharmacological relevance

The present study was designed to investigate the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties of Passiflora incarnata Linn. leaves which are widely used as traditional treatment for diabetes mellitus.

Materials and methods

The methanolic extracts of leaves of Passiflora incarnata were administered orally (100 and 200 mg/kg, for 15 days) to streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Hypoglycemic effects, oral glucose tolerance test, change in body weight and lipid profile of diabetic mice treated with methanolic extracts were assessed and compared with normal, diabetic control and standard drug treated mice. Histological examination during 15 days of treatment was also carried out.

Results

Methanolic extract (200 mg/kg) produced a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose level in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Significant differences were also observed in urine glucose level, oral glucose tolerance test, serum lipid profile and body weight of methanolic extract treated diabetic mice, when compared with diabetic, normal and standard drug treated mice. Histopathological studies of the pancreas showed comparable regeneration of the cells by extract which were earlier necrosed by streptozotocin.

Conclusion

Methanolic extract of Passiflora incarnata exhibit significant anti-hyperglycemic and hypolipidemic activities in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in mice.     

Practices of traditional birth attendants in Machakos District, kenya

Ethnopharmacological relevance

The aim of the study was to document TBAs practices as well as the indigenous herbal remedies they use to manage pre, intra and post partum complications in a rural Kenyan community.

Materials and Methods

A cross sectional study was conducted on practicing TBAs and their clients living in the study area. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and interviews. Focused group discussions were held with the TBAs to supplement the interviews and questionnaire survey.

Results

Two hundred TBAs and 20 clients were interviewed. The majority of the TBAs were females 75% of them having attended to over 200 pregnant women over a period of 5 years and above compared to only 6% of the males. A total of 10 pregnancy related complications and symptoms including threatened abortion, labor complications, post partum hemorrhage and retained after birth were recorded. Fifty five plant species most of them belonging to Euphorbiaceae family were identified for the management of the complications.

Conclusion

Traditional Birth Attendants still have a role to play in assisting pregnant women in rural communities. Their knowledge on herbal medicines is equally important and should be preserved for posterity.     

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in the Eastern Himalayan zone of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Aim of the study

The medicinal plants are integral source of easily available remedy used in rural healthcare system. This study was conducted among three major ethnic groups namely the Nocte, the Nyishi and the Adi in the Eastern Himalayan region of Arunachal Pradesh to evaluate their comparative knowledge on medicinal plants.

Materials and methods

The three remote districts of Arunachal Pradesh namely the Tirap, the Dibang Valley and the Papum Pare were surveyed through interviewing of randomly selected 237 participants using semi-structured questionnaire and regular field visits to selected districts.

Results

We recorded the traditional use of 74 medicinal plants species belonging to 41 taxonomic plant families used for treating a total of 25 different diseases/ailments. The informant consensus factor (ICF) values demonstrated that local people tend to agree more with each other in terms of the plants used to treat malaria (0.71), jaundice (0.62), urological problems (0.56), dermatological disorders (0.45), pain (0.30), and respiratory disorder (0.33), and while the general health (0.15) and gastro-intestinal disorders category (0.28) were found low ICF values.

Conclusion

Of the total 74 species recorded, the highest number of medicinal plants (36 species) was reported from the Adi of Lower Dibang Valley followed by the Nocte of the Tirap (25 species) and the Nyishi ethnic groups of Papum Pare districts (13 species). In the present study, we found that the men, elder people and illiterate ones had better knowledge on medicinal plants as compared to women, younger and literate people. Findings of this documentation study can be used as an ethnopharmacological basis for selecting plants for future phytochemical and pharmaceutical studies.     

Traditional plants used for medicinal purposes by local communities around the Northern sector of Kibale National Park, Uganda

Ethnopharmacological relevance

The study was done to establish medicinal plants used in the treatment of various diseases by the people in the Northern sector of Kibale National Park in western Uganda. It was also aimed at establishing the plant parts used and the mode of preparation of remedies. These plants create a basis for phytochemical evaluation which can lead to the discovery of biologically active compounds that can be used as starting materials in the development of new drugs targeting selected diseases such as malaria.

Materials and methods

The required information was obtained using open interviews, semi-structured questionnaires, focus group discussions and transect walks.

Results

Different medicinal plants (131 species) distributed over 55 families were observed to be used by the local communities around the Northern sector of Kibale National Park. The plants as reported in this paper are used to treat 43 physical illnesses/diseases. The most used parts of the plants are the leaves. Water is the main medium used for the preparation of the remedies which are mostly administered orally.

Conclusion

The people in the study area have a rich heritage of traditional plants that are used in the health care system to treat diseases. These medicinal plants have contributed significantly to several disease therapies. The most common diseases treated are malaria and cough, which are mostly treated by Vernonia amygdalina Del. and Albizia coriaria Welw. respectively. The main sources of medicinal plants include bush land, home gardens, grasslands, and the forest.     

Dose-response of berberine on hepatic cytochromes P450 mRNA expression and activities in mice

Ethnopharmacological relevance

: Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from the root and bark of plants such as goldenseal, Berberis, and Chinese goldthread. Berberine-containing crude drugs have been used as an antimicrobial remedy against gastrointestinal infections for thousands of years. It is also widely used in Asian countries for diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia therapy.

Aim of the Study

: Potential drug-drug interactions are of concern because of the wide usage of berberine. A few studies have reported interactions between berberine and cytochromes P450 (CYPs) in vitro, but little is known about whether berberine influences CYPs in vivo, especially after repeated administration. In this study, eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were given berberine orally (0, 10, 30, 100, 300 mg/kg, i.g., daily for 14 days), and the effect of berberine on over 20 major Cyps and related nuclear receptors in mice livers were examined at both the mRNA and enzyme activity levels.

Results

In general, liver function of mice treated with various doses of berberine had no significant change, and repeated oral administration of the 3 lower doses of berberine for 14 days did not affect the expression of genes examined. However, after the highest dose of berberine (300 mg/kg), Cyp3a11 and Cyp3a25 mRNA decreased 67.6 and 87.4%, respectively, whereas Cyp1a2 mRNA increased 43.2%, and enzyme activities of Cyp3a11 and Cyp2d22 decreased 67.9 and 32.4%, respectively. Cyp2a4, 2b10 and Cyp2c29 were not altered at both mRNA and enzyme activity levels.

Conclusions

If studies in mice extrapolate to humans, lower doses of berberine appear to present a low risk of producing drug-drug interactions as a result of changed Cyp enzyme activity. However, high doses of berberine may suppress Cyp activities and result in drug-drug interactions.     

Plants used for treating respiratory infections in rural Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Traditional remedies are frequently used in treating various respiratory ailments, and are very important in the primary health care of the people living in rural Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Novel information gathered from surveys like the present study is important in preserving indigenous knowledge.

Aim of the study

To explore the knowledge that the lay people of a rural community in northern Maputaland have about medicinal plants used in the vicinity to treat respiratory infections.

Materials and methods

Interviews were conducted among 80 homestead inhabitants, using structured questionnaires where convenience sampling was used. The focus was on plants used in treating respiratory infections. Some of the main topics discussed during the interviews were vernacular plant names, plant parts used, harvested amounts, preparation methods, dosage forms and quantities, use of plants in combination as well as the related symptomatic relief associated with respiratory infections.

Results

The study documented 30 plant species (18 families) which are used to treat respiratory infections by the rural people in the study area. Decoctions made with these plants are mostly taken orally, combined with the use of steaming. To the best of our knowledge, Acanthospermum glabratum, Aloe marlothii, Krauseola mosambicina, Ozoroa obovata, Parinari capensis and Plectranthus neochilus are recorded for the first time globally as medicinal plants used for treating respiratory infections and related symptoms. The indigenous aromatic shrub, Lippia javanica was by far the most frequently used plant species, followed by Eucalyptus grandis (an exotic), Tetradenia riparia and then Senecio serratulloides. Twenty-four different plant combinations were used where the most frequently used combination encountered was Eucalyptus grandis with Lippia javanica.

Conclusion

The large number of different plant species traditionally used against respiratory infections supports previous research on the importance of traditional medicine in the primary health care of this remote area. The finding of new vernacular plant names and plant uses in the current survey shows the importance of the documentation of such ethnobotanical knowledge.     

Panax notoginseng saponins inhibit Zymosan A induced atherosclerosis by suppressing integrin expression, FAK activation and NF-κB translocation

Ethnopharmacological significance

Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) are ingredients extracted from traditional Chinese medicinal herb Panax notoginseng. It has been demonstrated that PNS have extensive effects on the cardiovascular system, including inhibition of platelet aggregation, increasing blood flow, improving left ventricular diastolic function in hypertensive patients and anti-inflammatory effect.

Aim of study

Recent researches indicated that PNS administration inhibited foam cells’ formation. The present study was designed to study the effects of PNS on atherogenesis and to explore the relevant molecular mechanisms.

Materials and methods

The Zymosan A induced atherosclerosis models were used to investigate the anti-atherosclerosis effects of PNS. The integrin express array was used to check the changes of integrins. The foam cell formation was observed with transmission electron microscope. The effect of PNS on phosphorylation of FAK on threonine 397 and protein level of NF-κB was also evaluated in vitro.

Results

PNS treated rats had less plaque spots on the aortas compared with Zym induced group. The formation of foam cell was inhibited by PNS. Compared with Zym treated group, the expression of most integrin families decreased except Itgav and Itgb2 after PNS treatment. PNS inhibited phosphorylation of FAK on threonine 397 and translocation of NF-κB.

Conclusion

High fat diet together with Zym induces atherogenesis of rat. PNS inhibits zymosan A induced atherogenesis by suppressing FAK phosphorylation, integrins expression and NF-κB translocation.     

The neuroprotective effects of an extract of Gastrodia elata

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Gastrodia elata (GE) Blume (family Orchidaceae) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for treating headaches, dizziness, tetanus, and epilepsy, indicating neuronal protective functions.

Aim of the study

To evaluate the neuroprotection of GE and its molecular mechanism in preventing serum deprivation-induced PC12 cell apoptosis.

Materials and methods

An MTT assay and Hoechst staining were used to respectively validate serum deprivation-induced cell death and apoptosis. Cyclic (c)AMP formation and protein kinase (PK)A activity were also measured after GE treatment. Western blotting was used to detect the phosphorylation of the cAMP response element-binding (CREB) protein. Transient transfection of a dominant negative CREB was used to validate the importance of CREB.

Results

GE targeted the adenosine A_2A receptor (A_2A-R). GE increased cAMP formation, PKA activity, and phosphorylation of the CREB protein. GE-induced CREB protein phosphorylation and protection was blocked by a PKA inhibitor and overexpression of the dominant negative CREB, respectively.

Conclusions

These results support the neuroprotective effects of GE. The protective mechanism might be mediated through an A_2A-R/cAMP/PKA/CREB-dependent pathway.     

Ethnobotanical study on some Malaysian anti-malarial plants: A community based survey

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Various plants species are used in the traditional medicine for the treatment of malaria. This is the first community based ethnobotanical study in Peninsular Malaysia.

Aim of the study

To investigate the plants traditionally used in the treatment of malaria in Malaysia.

Materials and methods

An ethnobotanical survey was carried out among 233 Aboriginal and rural households, and traditional healers in malaria endemic areas in Peninsular Malaysia. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire.

Results

Nineteen species belonging to 17 families were identified. Twelve plant species have not previously been documented for the treatment of malaria in Malaysia.

Conclusions

Findings of this study can be used as an ethnopharmacological basis for selecting plants for further anti-malarial phytochemical and pharmaceutical studies.     

Antidiabetic activity of alcoholic stem extract of Nervilia plicata in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced type 2 diabetic rats

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Nervilia plicata (Orchidaceae) has long been used in the antidiabetic medicinal preparations of traditional healers of Wayanad (Kerala), but recuperative potential of the plant was remained undefined. We demonstrated the regenerative potential of the plant extract on kidney affected by type 2 diabetes besides lowering blood glucose.

Aim of the study

The aim of the current study was to investigate the recuperative and regenerative potential of alcoholic stem extract of Nervilia plicata on streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced type 2 diabetic models.

Materials and methods

Non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) was induced in overnight fasted rats by intramuscular injection (IMI) of 60 mg/kg STZ and 120 mg/kg of nicotinamide after 5 min interval. Blood glucose was assessed by a glucometer, serum urea and creatinine levels were determined by diacetylmonooxime method and Jaffe reaction respectively. Kidney sections were taken and stained with Masson's tri-dye and Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) and examined for structural changes. Also lipid peroxidation product (LPP) levels were determined as thio barbituric acid reactive substance levels (TBARS) method.

Results

On administration of 5 mg/kg of plant extract, blood glucose levels of the NIDDM rats showed 62.00 and 76.29% decrease in the blood glucose levels on day 0 and day 30 respectively. Damages caused to the kidney tissue were negligible or not seen. Serum urea and creatinine levels showed 61.49 and 70.96% decrease on day 30. LPP levels of kidney and pancreas showed 70.58 and 77.41% decrease respectively.

Conclusion

These results demonstrate significant antidiabetic and regenerative potential of the Nervilia plicata, justifying the use of plant in the indigenous system of medicine. Isolation and characterisation of the compound(s) playing pivotal role in the cure would open new vistas in the therapy of type 2 diabetes.     

Medicinal plants used in the management of chronic joint pains in Machakos and Makueni counties, Kenya

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Traditional medicines play an important role in the management of chronically painful and debilitating joint conditions, particularly in the rural Africa. However, their potential use as sources of medicines has not been fully exploited. The present study was carried to find the medicinal plants traditionally used to manage chronic joint pains in Machakos and Makueni counties in Kenya.

Materials and methods

To obtain this ethnobotanical information, 30 consenting traditional herbal medical practitioners were interviewed exclusively on medicinal plant use in the management of chronic joint pains, in a pre-planned workshop.

Results and discussion

In this survey, a total of 37 plants belonging to 32 genera and 23 families were cited as being important for treatment of chronic joint pains. The most commonly cited plant species were Pavetta crassipes K. Schum, Strychnos henningsii Gilg., Carissa spinarum L., Fagaropsis hildebrandtii (Engl.) Milve-Redh. and Zanthoxylum chalybeum Engl. Acacia mellifera (Vahl) Benth., Amaranthus albus L., Balanites glabra Mildbr. & Schltr., Grewia fallax K. Schum., Lactuca capensis, Launaea cornuta (Oliv. & Hiern) O. Jeffrey, Lippia kituiensis Vatke, Pappea capensis Eckl. & Zeyh. and Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. are documented for the first time as being important in the management of chronic joint pains.

Conclusions

The findings of this study show that a variety of medicinal plants are used in the management of chronic joint pains and the main mode of administration is oral.     

Screening of Caesalpinia bonduc leaves for antipsoriatic activity

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Leaves of Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb. (Caesalpiniaceae) have been used by traditional Siddha healer of Malabar region for psoriasis treatment.

Aim of the study

To evaluate the Caesalpinia bonduc decoction (CBD), Caesalpinia bonduc hydroalcoholic extract (CBHA) for antipsoriatic activity.

Materials and methods

Mouse tail test for psoriasis was used for the evaluation of antipsoriatic activity. Extracts were tested at a dose of 500 mg/kg b.w. and fractions at 250 mg/kg b.w. in Swiss albino mice. Parameters studied in the mouse tail test were changes in epidermal thickness and percentage orthokeratotic values. In vitro antiproliferant assay on HaCaT cell lines and in vitro lipoxygenase inhibition were also carried out.

Results

Butanol fraction of Caesalpinia bonduc hydroalcoholic extract (CBHAB) and water fraction of Caesalpinia bonduc hydroalcoholic extract (CBHAW) produced significant orthokeratosis (p < 0.001). In relative epidermal thickness, a significant (p < 0.05) reduction with respect to control was observed in groups treated with retinoic acid, CBD, butanol fraction of Caesalpinia bonduc decoction (CBDB), water fraction of Caesalpinia bonduc hydroalcoholic extract (CBHAW). Maximum antiproliferant activity was shown by CBHA (IC₅₀, 77.5 ± 12.7 μg/ml). In lipoxygenase inhibition assay, water fraction of Caesalpinia bonduc decoction (CBDW) showed maximum activity with an IC₅₀ value of 164.71 ± 4.57 μg/ml.

Conclusions

Among all the tested samples only CBHAW showed good activity in the mouse tail test, antiproliferant activity in HaCaT cells and lipoxygenase inhibition assay. Other extracts and fractions showed varying degrees of activity. The present study supports the traditional use of Caesalpinia bonduc leaves for psoriasis treatment.