Ethno medicinal survey of plants used by the indigenes of Rivers State of Nigeria

Context: The medicinal plants used in the traditional medicine of Rivers State of Nigeria were surveyed. Objective: The survey aims to identify and document the plants used amongst the indigenes of Rivers State. Materials and methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted during a field trip to gather information from traditional medical practitioners (TMPs) and community elders. Results: Medicinal plant species (188) representing 169 genera and 82 families used in the ethno medicine of the people of Rivers State were recorded from 460 households. The most represented genera were Ipomoea and Citrus providing four species each. The most important species showed the highest Fidelity level (FL) value and these included Ageratum conyzoides L. (Asteraceae) (100%) and Tridax procumbens L. (Asteraceae) (100%). The most important categories of diseases were those that showed the highest Informant consensus factor (ICF) value of 0.99, such as dermal or digestive problems and fever/malaria. The most used plant part was leaves (42%), while decoction was the main method of drug preparation (36%). Discussion and conclusion: The survey shows that more than half of the medicinal plants gathered in Rivers State are also used in other countries of the world for various ailments. The high values of ICF recorded indicate high degree of agreement among the informants, while the high FL values suggest the popular use of the plants. The survey provides a useful source of information for TMPs and medicinal plant researchers. These medicinal plants gathered may bring about drug discovery and may also be incorporated into the healthcare delivery system of the country.     

Lead finding from medicinal plants with hepatoprotective potentials

Background: Several lead compounds have been developed from natural resources as hepatoprotective. The hepatotoxic nature of the drugs, industrial toxins and drug-induced hepatotoxicity has been recognized as the major problem associated with liver diseases. Natural products including herbs have great potential in treating liver disorders. Objective: Botanicals have been used traditionally by herbalists and indigenous healers worldwide for several years for the prevention and treatment of liver disease and clinical research in this century has confirmed the efficacy of several plants in the treatment of liver disease. Many herbs used in several systems of alternative medicines have a long history of traditional use in revitalizing the liver and treating liver dysfunction and disease. Many of these herbs have been evaluated in clinical studies and are now being investigated phytochemically to understand their actions in a better way. Conclusion: An attempt has been made through this article to review the most potential medicinal plants with pharmacologically established hepatoprotective activity. Further, this article highlights their phytochemical profile and finds the effective leads from natural resources for the desired therapeutic benefit.     

Ethnoveterinary uses of medicinal plants: A survey of plants used in the ethnoveterinary control of gastro-intestinal parasites of goats in the Eastern Cape Province,South Africa

Conventional drugs have become expensive and therefore unaffordable to resource-limited farmers, causing farmers to seek low cost alternatives, such as use of medicinal plants. In this study, a survey was conducted in order to document information on medicinal plants used by farmers in the control of internal parasites in goats in the Eastern Cape Province. Structured questionnaires and general conversation were used to collect the information from farmers and herbalists. The survey revealed 28 plant species from 20 families that are commonly used in the treatment of gastro-intestinal parasites in goats. The plant family Asphodelaceae was frequent in usage, comprising 21.4% of the plants, and the Aloe was the most utilized species (50%). Leaves were the most frequently used plant parts (45.9%), and decoctions constituted the majority of medicinal preparations (70%). Medicinal plants are generally used in combination with other plants, and/or non-plant substances, but a few plants are used on their own. These medicinal plant remedies are administered orally, mainly by use of bottles and this is done twice in summer at intervals of one month, only once in winter and when need arises thereafter. Some of the mentioned plants have been reported in literature to possess anthelmintic properties, while others possess activities ranging from anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, purgative, anti-edema to immuno-regulation. If their safety and efficacy could be confirmed, these plants could form an alternative cost effective strategy in managing helminthiasis in the province.     

高通量代谢组学在药用植物研究中的应用

高通量代谢组学近年来发展十分迅速,并在药用植物的研究中得到了广泛的应用。目前,它主要被用于通过指纹图谱对药用植物进行质量控制,比较基因改造后药用植物的代谢差异,监测不同环境对药用植物的代谢变化以及研究药用植物基因的功能。高通量代谢组学具有良好的前景,但也存在对仪器要求较高及数据整合烦琐等问题,限制其更好的推广和应用。随着科学技术的发展及仪器设备联用的普及,高通量代谢组学必将在药用植物的研究中发挥不可替代的作用。     

Antibacterial activity in spices and local medicinal plants against clinical isolates of Karachi,Pakistan

Context: Development of resistance in human pathogens against conventional antibiotic necessitates searching indigenous medicinal plants having antibacterial property. Twenty-seven medicinal plants used actively in folklore, ayurvedic and traditional system of medicine were selected for the evaluation of their antimicrobial activity for this study. Eleven plants chosen from these 27 are used as spices in local cuisine.

Objective: Evaluation of the effectiveness of some medicinal plant extracts against clinical isolates.

Material and methods: Nonedible plant parts were extracted with methanol and evaporated in vacuo to obtain residue. Powdered edible parts were boiled three times and cooled in sterile distilled water for 2?min each and filtrate collected. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of plant extracts and filtrates/antibiotics was evaluated against clinical isolates by microbroth dilution method.

Results: Water extract of Syzygium aromaticum L. (Myrtaceae) buds, methanol extracts of Ficus carica L. (Moraceae) and Olea europaea L. (Oleaceae) leaves and Peganum harmala L. (Nitrariaceae) seeds had MIC ranges of 31.25–250 µg/ml. S. aromaticum inhibited growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. F. carica and O. europaea inhibited growth of S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and S. pyogenes whereas P. harmala was effective against S. aureus, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Candida albicans. Ampicillin, velosef, sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline and ceftazidime, cefotaxime, cefepime, which are used as control, had MIC ≥50 and 1.5 µg/ml, respectively, for organisms sensitive to extracts.

Discussion and conclusion: Mono/multiextract from identified plants will provide an array of safe antimicrobial agents to control infections by drug-resistant bacteria.     

Anti-Streptococcus mutans efficacy of Thai herbal formula used as a remedy for dental caries

Context: Traditional knowledge of herbal remedies plays an important role in the search for more effective alternative treatment of a variety of disorders. The ethnobotanical surveys in southern Thailand have revealed that 35 Thai herbal formulas have been used by Thai traditional healers against dental caries. However, the scientific evaluation to confirm their rational uses is scarce.

Objective: To test in vitro anti-Streptococcus mutans activity of Thai herbal formulas used against dental caries (THF-DC).

Materials and methods: Ethanol extracts of Thai herbal formulas were evaluated for antibacterial activity against S. mutans. Agar disc diffusion was employed as a preliminary screening assay, followed by broth microdilution assay to assess minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Furthermore, medicinal plants contained in the most active THF-DC were investigated for their phytochemicals.

Results: Eleven THF-DC extracts exhibited clear inhibition zones of 7.0–22.5?mm against S. mutans. Subsequent determination of their MIC revealed that the formula containing Albizia myriophylla Benth. (Leguminosae), Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd. (Zingiberaceae), Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. (Acanthaceae), and Ocimum sanctum L. (Lamiaceae) was the most active, with MIC at 250 µg/mL. Among these medicinal plants, A. myriophylla gave the strongest activity with MIC at 3.9 µg/mL, followed by A. marina with MIC at 62.5 µg/mL. Various classes of bioactive phytochemicals including tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids were found in these extracts.

Conclusion: Anti-S. mutans activity of THF-DC extracts was established. Further investigations may be required for the isolation and chemical characterization of the active ingredients in A. myriophylla.     

Antifungal activity of extracts of some plants used in Brazilian traditional medicine against the pathogenic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic granulomatous disease caused by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Almeida (Onygenales) that requires 1–2 years of treatment. In the absence of drug therapy, the disease is usually fatal, highlighting the need for the identification of safer, novel, and more effective antifungal compounds. With this need in mind, several plants employed in Brazilian traditional medicine were assayed on P. brasiliensis and murine macrophages. Extracts were prepared from 10 plant species: Inga spp. Mill. (Leguminosae), Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Anacardiaceae), Punica granatum L. (Punicaceae), Alternanthera brasiliana Kuntze (Amaranthaceae), Piper regnellii CDC. (Piperaceae), P. abutiloides Kunth (Piperaceae), Herissantia crispa L. Briz. (Malvaceae), Rubus urticaefolius Poir (Rosaceae), Rumex acetosa L. (Polygonaceae), and Baccharis dracunculifolia DC. (Asteraceae). Hexane fractions from hydroalcoholic extracts of Piper regnellii and Baccharis dracunculifolia were the most active against the fungus, displaying minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 7.8 μg/mL and 7.8–30 μg/mL, respectively. Additionally, neither of the extracts exhibited any apparent cytotoxic effects on murine macrophages at 20 μg/mL. Analyses of these fractions using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that the major components of B. dracunculifolia were ethyl hydrocinnamate (14.35%) and spathulenol (16.02%), while the major components of the hexane fraction of Piper regnellii were 1-methoxy-4-(1-propenyl) benzene (21.94%) and apiol (21.29%). The activities of these fractions against P. brasiliensis without evidence of cytotoxicity to macrophages justify their investigation as a potential source of new chemical agents for the treatment of PCM.     

Assessment of selected Yemeni medicinal plants for their in vitro antimicrobial,anticancer, and antioxidant activities

Context: The role of natural products as a source for remedies has been recognized since the beginning of mankind. Nevertheless, a minority of folkloricly used medicinal plants have been evaluated for their pharmacological activities.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate 33 selected Yemeni plants for their in vitro anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities.

Materials and methods: The plants were extracted with methanol and hot water. The obtained 66 extracts were tested for their in vitro cytotoxic activity using the neutral red uptake assay against two cancer cell lines (5637 and MCF-7). The antimicrobial activity was determined using the agar diffusion method and MIC-determination. The DPPH radical method was used for the determination of antioxidant activity.

Results: Interesting cytotoxic activity was observed for Hypoestes forskalei (Vahl) R. Br. (Acanthaceae), Lycium shawii Roem. & Schult. (Solanaceae), Pergularia tomentosa L. (Asclepiadaceae), Psiadia punctulata (DC.) Vatke (Compositae), Pulicaria petiolaris Jaub. & Spach (Compositae) and Rosmarinus officinalis L. (Labiatae) (IC₅₀ values < 50 μg/mL). Antimicrobial activity with MIC values ≤ 125 μg/mL was exhibited against Gram-positive bacteria by Chrozophora oblongifolia (Del.) A.Juss. ex Spreng. (Euphorbiaceae), Myrtus communis L. (Myrtaceae), Phragmanthera regularis (Steud. ex Sprague) M.G. Gilbert (Loranthaceae) and R. officinalis. Antioxidant activity was observed for C. oblongifolia, M. communis, and P. regularis.

Conclusion: The results justified the use of some investigated plants in the Yemeni ethnomedicine. These findings demonstrated that some of the investigated plants could be a source of new cytotoxic and antibiotic compounds; however, further work is needed.     

甘肃鹅绒藤属药用植物学名订正

通过实地调查、标本采集与鉴定及文献考正 ,订正了甘肃鹅绒藤属药用植物 5种 1亚种的拉丁学名。它们是 :戟叶鹅绒藤、牛皮消、华北白前、徐长卿、地梢瓜、隔山消。     

Cytotoxic,antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of nine species of woundwort (Stachys) plants

Context: Woundwort (Stachys) plants from the Lamiaceae family have been used in folk medicine for various purposes.

Objective: This study was designed to analyze cytotoxic, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Stachys plants, because these fields have extensively benefited of drug discovery from natural sources.

Materials and methods: Nine Stachys plants were collected from different regions of Iran. Cytotoxic activities of methanol, 80% methanol and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of these plants were assessed on three human cancer cell lines (HL-60, K562 and MCF-7 cells) with the MTT assay, while antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were determined on methanol extracts by DPPH and nutrient broth micro-dilution assays, respectively.

Results: DCM extract of St. pilifera Benth. had the lowest IC₅₀ in three cancer cell lines ranging from 33.1 to 48.2?µg/ml, followed by the 80% methanol extract of St. persica S.G.Gmel. ex C.A.Mey. (IC₅₀ range: 62.1–104.1?µg/ml) and DCM extract of St. byzantina C. Koch (IC₅₀ range: 62.7–131.0?µg/ml). St. byzantina. St. lavandulifolia Vahl., St. acerosa Boiss., St. obtusicrena Boiss. and St. persica showed lowest IC₅₀ values in the DPPH scavenging assay (135.1, 162.6, 164.7, 169.4 and 172.4?µg/ml, respectively), while their total phenolic contents were 23.9, 18.2, 18.6, 20.4, 27.8?mg equivalent of gallic acid in 1?g dry plant, respectively. The methanol extracts of St. byzantina and St. persica inhibited all six tested Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains.

Conclusion: Various Stachys species (especially St. byzantina and St. persica) are valuable sources of natural compounds with important biological properties.     

The effect of sixteen medicinal plants used in the Brazilian pharmacopoeia on the expression and activity of glutathione S-transferase in hepatocytes and leukemia cells

Glutathione S-transferase (GST) is a family of enzymes involved in the detoxification of electrophilic compounds. Different classes of GST are expressed in various organs, such as liver, lungs, stomach and others. Expression of GST can be modulated by diet components and plant-derived compounds. The importance of controlling GST expression is twofold: increasing levels of GST are beneficial to prevent deleterious effects of toxic and carcinogenic compounds, while inhibition of GST in tumor cells may help overcoming tumor resistance to chemotherapy. A screening of 16 plants used in the Brazilian pharmacopoeia tested their effects on GST expression in hepatocytes and Jurkat (leukemia) T-cells. The methanol extracts of five plants inhibited GST expression in hepatocytes. Three plants significantly inhibited and four others induced GST expression in Jurkat cells. Among these, the extracts of Bauhinia forficata Link. (Leguminosae) and Cecropia pachystachya Tréc. (Urticaceae) inhibited GST expression at relatively low concentrations. With the exception of B. forficata, all plants were cytotoxic when administered to Jurkat cells at high doses (1?mg/mL) and some extracts were considerably cytotoxic even at lower concentrations.     

佳木斯大学校园药用植物资源调查

目的：为了配合我校药学专业学生药用植物分类学实习及理论知识的拓展,培养大学生科技创新精神,有必要对我校丰富的药用植物资源进行调查以及校园常见药用植物名录的编制。方法：通过实地调查,标本收集、数码拍照,查阅资料,访谈及向专家请教等方法对大学校园内的植物尤其是药用植物进行摸底调查。结果：现已调查校园内药用植物33科74种,并已拍摄照片。     

从87种中草药植物中分离内生放线菌及其规律的初探

为了考察从植物中分离内生放线菌的规律,采集了87种中草药植物,包括62种草本植物和25种木本植物.减少系统误差后的统计数据显示,从55种草本植物和13种木本植物中各分离和初步鉴定了519株和41株内生放线菌,暗示从大多数草本植物比从木本植物中分离到内生放线菌的概率大.通过比较不同植物组织的出菌率,发现不论是草本还是木本植物,植物的地上部分(茎和叶)分离到的内生放线菌的数量比地下根部的多.这些初步的分离规律对于今后从中草药植物中高效地分离内生放线菌提供了借鉴意义.     

光调控对药用植物次生代谢成分合成的影响

药用植物次生代谢成分,因具有特殊的药理活性或功效对人类的健康极为重要,是药品、保健品、化妆品的主要来源。随着人类对于健康和长寿的不断追求,医药市场的需求规模持续增长,提高药用植物次生代谢成分的产量和质量变得特别重要。植物次生代谢成分是植物对环境的一种适应,是在长期进化过程中植物与生物和非生物因素相互作用的结果。药用植物次生代谢成分的产生和积累主要受植物遗传因素和环境因素的影响,其中光环境对其合成影响尤为重要,因而,长期以来光调控一直是国内外众多学者研究的热点。本文综述近年来有关光调控对药用植物次生代谢成分影响的研究进展,主要从光质、光强、光周期的影响分别阐述,以期为高效生产具有重要药理活性的次生代谢成分提供理论依据和实践指导。     

Screening of traditionally used Tanzanian medicinal plants for antifungal activity

Fungal infections represent a significant cause of morbidity and mortality especially in immunocompromised patients in the world today. Dichloromethane (DM) and aqueous (W) extracts of nine plants used traditionally for the treatment of fungal infections in Bukoba rural district in Tanzania were screened for antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Aspergillus niger using agar well and disk diffusion methods. Dichloromethane extracts of Capparis erythrocarpos [CE] Isert (Capparaceae), Cussonia arborea [CA] Hochst. Ex A. Rich (Araliaceae), Dracaena steudneri [DS] Engl. (Dracaenaceae), Lannea schimperi [LS] (A. Rich) Engl. (Anacardiaceae), Rauvolfia vomitoria [RV] Afz (Apocynaceae), and Sapium ellipticum [SE] (Krauss) Pax (Euphorbiaceae) showed activity against all three fungi. Extracts of Rumex usambarensis [RU] (Dammer) Dammer (Polygonaceae) and Zehneria scabra [ZS] (L.f.) Sond. (Cucurbitaceae) had an activity limited to only one or two of the test organisms. Rhoicissus tridentata [RT] (L.f.) Wild & Drum (Vitaceae) was the only plant without activity. Fractions of the active extracts CE, CA, DS, LS, and SE exhibited higher antifungal activity against one or more of the three fungi. Four compounds isolated from S. ellipticum also exhibited antifungal activity against one or more of the three fungi. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs), determined using the microplate assay method, ranged between 0.4 and 50.0 μg/mL for crude extracts, 1.6 and 50.0 μg/mL for semi-purified fractions, and 0.12 and 1.0 μg/mL for pure compounds, as compared to 0.016–1.5 μg/mL for fluconazole. We confirm the potential of traditionally used plants as a source of new drugs for treatment of fungal infections.     

Role of medicinal plants in HIV/AIDS therapy

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes the potentially life‐threatening and chronic disease called acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The main target of this viral disease is to suppress the immune system and make the body unresponsive to external stimuli. According to global health observatory data since epidemic, more than 78 million people were affected by HIV and 39 million people died globally. Until 2017, 36.5 million people were living with HIV. An estimated 0.8% (0.6%–0.9%) of adults aged 15–49 years worldwide is living with HIV. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the African region remains most severely affected, with nearly one in every 25 adults (4.1%) living with HIV and accounting for nearly two‐thirds of the people living with HIV worldwide. WHO reported that globally only 21.7 million (19.1 million–22.6 million) people have had access to antiretroviral therapy up to 2017. Currently, antiretroviral therapy (ART) is available for the control of HIV but has serious associated side effects such as lipodystrophy. Because of the limitations, associated with ART, researchers throughout the world are trying to explore and develop more reliable and safe drugs from natural resources to manage HIV infection. A wide range of medicinal plants have been studied and have reported significant potential against HIV. Plants like Rheum palmatum L., Rheum officinale, Trigonostem axyphophylloides, Vatica astrotricha, Vernonia amygdalina, Hypoxias pelargonium, Sidoides hemerocallidea and Sutherlandia frutescens etc. have high efficacy to cure HIV. The exact mechanism of action is still not known but various phytoconstituents isolated from medicinal plants such as alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, terpenoids, tannins, proteins and coumarins have the potential to interrupt the life cycle of HIV as well as act as immunomodulators to enhance the immune system of infected patients with no well reported side effects. It could be concluded that medicinal plants have potential for the management of HIV/AIDS but more studies are needed to reveal rigorous efficacy and safety concerns by conducting clinical trials at vast level to explore therapeutic impact of medicinal plants.     

西地那非原料及其中成药制剂的红外光谱鉴别

目的检查非法生产的枸橼酸西地那非原料和非法加入补肾壮阳中成药及性保健药品中的枸橼酸西地那非.方法建立化学分离方法,从高效液相色谱法初步确认含有枸橼酸西地那非的原料药、中成药及性保健品中分离提取西地那非,并用中红外分光光度法(溴化钾压片)进行定性鉴别.结果对高效液相色谱法检测含有西地那非的28批原料、62批各种剂型的中成药,进行红外鉴定,均检出含有西地那非.结论该方法专属性强,快速,简便.     

Psychoactive Ubulawu Spiritual Medicines and Healing Dynamics in the Initiation Process of Southern Bantu Diviners

Abstract

The use of psychoactive plants by traditional healers in southern Africa appears to be a neglected area of ethnobotanical research. This article explores the healing dynamics involved in the use of popular psychoactive plant preparations known as ubulawu in the initiation rituals of Southern Bantu diviners. Research methods include a review of the literature, fieldwork interviews with Southern Bantu diviners, and an analysis of experiential accounts from diverse informants on their use of ubulawu. Findings reveal that there is widespread reliance on ubulawu as psychoactive spiritual medicines by the indigenous people of southern Africa to communicate with their ancestral spirits—so as to bring luck, and to treat mental disturbances. In the case of the Southern Bantu diviners, ubulawu used in a ritual initiation process acts as a mnemonic aid and medicine to familiarize the initiates with enhanced states of awareness and related psychospiritual phenomena such as enhanced intuition and dreams of the ancestral spirits, who teach the initiates how to find and use medicinal plants. The progression of the latter phenomena indicates the steady success of the initiates' own healing integration. Various factors such as psychological attitude and familiarization, correct plant combinations/synergy and a compatible healer-initiate relationship influence ubulawu responsiveness.