Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used in the management of diabetes mellitus and hypertension in the Central Region of Togo

Context: The Tem tribe in the Central Region of Togo is a population with an extensive knowledge of medicinal plants. However, little is known about their medical practices, principally the use of plants in the management of diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN).

Objective: The present study documented the indigenous medicinal plant utilization for the management of DM and HTN in the Togo Central Region.

Methodology: From March to October 2010, 55 traditional healers were interviewed about their knowledge on the use of plants for DM and HTN treatment.

Results: The results revealed that 35/55 (63.64%) healers had treated at least one case of DM and/or HTN. They highlighted the use of 64 species belonging to 31 families in the treatment of DM and/or HTN. The most used plants against diabetes were Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae), Khaya senegalensis A. Juss. (Meliaceae), Sarcocephalus latifolius (Sm.) E.A. Bruce (Rubiaceae), Annona muricata L. (Annonaceae), Bridelia ferruginea Benth. (Phyllanthaceae), and Securidaca longepedunculata Fresen. (Polygalacae), while Allium sativum L. (Liliaceae) and Parkia biglobosa Benth. (Fabaceae), followed by Khaya senegalensis A. Juss. (Meliaceae), Gardenia ternifolia Schumach. (Rubiaceae), and Persea americana Mill. (Lauraceae) were the most commonly cited as antihypertensive.

Conclusion: The issue revealed that traditional healers of the above mentioned region have basic knowledge regarding herbal medicine for DM and HTN in comparison with previous published reports. Further pharmacological screening of the identified plants should be conducted to ascertain the effectiveness of these plants.     

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.     

Plants traditionally used in age-related brain disorders (dementia): an ethanopharmacological survey

Context: Epidemiological studies have shown that despite mortality due to communicable diseases, poverty and human conflicts, the incidence of dementia increases in the developing world in tandem with the ageing population. Although some FDA approved drugs are available for the treatment of dementia, the outcomes are often unsatisfactory. In traditional practices of medicine, numerous plants have been used to treat cognitive disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other memory-related disorders. In western medicine most of the drugs used for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders are derived from plant sources.

Objective: This article reviews plants and their active constituents that have been used for their reputed cognitive-enhancing and antidementia effects.

Methods: A literature survey in Science Direct, Pubmed, and Google Scholar was performed to gather information regarding drug discovery from plants sources for the treatment of congnitive disorders and dementia.

Results: More than forty herbal remedies were identified with cholinesterase inhibitory, anti-inflammatory, or antioxidant activities. Bioactive compounds include alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, terpenoids, and essential oils. About eleven herbal plants with multipotent activity against AD are discussed.

Conclusion: Literature surveys show that most of the research has been conducted on herbal remedies effect on cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant activities. Studies regarding the effect of herbal drugs on β-secretase inhibitory activity and antiaggregation property are lacking. This review provides leads for identifying potential new drugs from plant sources for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.     

Estonian folk traditional experiences on natural anticancer remedies: From past to the future

Context: Despite diagnostic and therapeutic advancements, the burden of cancer is still increasing worldwide. Toxicity of current chemotherapeutics to normal cells and their resistance to tumor cells highlights the urgent need for new drugs with minimal adverse side effects. The use of natural anticancer agents has entered into the area of cancer research and increased efforts are being made to isolate bioactive products from medicinal plants.

Objective: To lead the search for plants with potential cytotoxic activity, ethnopharmacological knowledge can give a great contribution. Therefore, the attention of this review is devoted to the natural remedies traditionally used for the cancer treatment by Estonian people over a period of almost 150 years.

Methods: Two massive databases, the first one stored in the Estonian Folklore Archives and the second one in the electronic database HERBA (http://herba.folklore.ee/), containing altogether more than 30?000 ethnomedicinal texts were systematically reviewed to compile data about the Estonian folk traditional experiences on natural anticancer remedies.

Results and conclusion: As a result, 44 different plants with potential anticancer properties were elicited, 5 of which [Angelica sylvestris L. (Apiaceae), Anthemis tinctoria L. (Asteraceae), Pinus sylvestris L. (Pinaceae), Sorbus aucuparia L. (Rosaceae), and Prunus padus L. (Rosaceae)] have not been previously described with respect to their tumoricidal activities in the scientific literature, suggesting thus the potential herbal materials for further investigations of natural anticancer compounds.     

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.     

Herbal remedies affecting coagulation: A review

Context: Herbal remedies are used to treat a large variety of diseases, including blood-related disorders. However, a number of herbal preparations have been reported to cause variations in clotting time, this is mainly by disruption of the coagulation cascade.

Objective: The compiling of plants investigated for effects on the coagulation cascade.

Methods: Information was withdrawn from Google Scholar and the journal databases Scopus and PubMed.

Results: Sixty-five herbal remedies were identified with antiplatelet, anticoagulant, or coagulating ability. Bioactive compounds included polyphenols, taxanes, coumarins, saponins, fucoidans, and polysaccharides.

Conclusion: Although research has been conducted on the effect of herbal remedies on coagulation, most information relies on in vitro assays. Contradictory evidence is present on bleeding risks with herbal uses, though herb–drug interactions pose a threat. As the safety of many herbals has not been proven, nor their effect on blood parameters determined, the use of herbal preparations before undergoing any surgical procedure should discontinued.     

Medicinal plants in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections

Abstract

Context: Helicobacter pylori is a small, spiral, Gram-negative bacillus that plays a role in the pathogenesis of a number of diseases ranging from asymptomatic gastritis to gastric cancer. Schedule compliance, antibiotic drug resistance, and side-effects of triple or quadruple therapy have led to research for novel candidates from plants.

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to review the most potent medicinal plants of recently published literature with anti-H. pylori activity. For centuries, herbals have been used by traditional healers around the world to treat various gastrointestinal tract disorders such as dyspepsia, gastritis, and peptic ulcer disease. The mechanism of action by which these botanicals exert their therapeutic properties has not been completely and clearly elucidated. Anti-H. pylori properties may be one of the possible mechanisms by which gastroprotective herbs treat gastrointestinal tract disorders.

Materials and methods: Electronic databases such as PubMed, Google scholar, EBSCO, and local databases were explored for medicinal plants with anti-H. pylori properties between 1984 and 2013 using key words “medicinal plants” and “Helicobacter pylori” or “anti-Helicobacter pylori”.

Results: A total of 43 medicinal plant species belonging to 27 families including Amaryllidaceae, Anacardiaceae, Apiaceae, Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae, Asteraceae, Bignoniaceae, Clusiaceae, Chancapiedra, Combretaceae, Cyperaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Geraniaceae, Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Lythraceae, Menispermaceae, Myristicaceae, Myrtaceae, Oleaceae, Papaveraceae, Plumbaginaceae, Poaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, and Theaceae were studied as herbs with potent anti-H. pylori effects.

Conclusion: Traditional folk medicinal use of some of these plants to treat gastric infections is substantiated by the antibacterial activity of their extracts against H. pylori.     

Ethnobotanical research of medicinal plants in Mihalgazi (Eskişehir,Turkey)

Context: Human beings have long utilized plants for medicinal purposes. Investigation of these plants has led to the discovery of several modern drugs.

Objective: This paper documents and evaluates traditional knowledge on medicinal plants used by the local people of Mihalgazi district of Eski?ehir, Turkey.

Materials and methods: Six villages of the study area were visited between February 2014 and April 2015 to collect the data. One hundred and eighty-nine informants were interviewed by the survey method and face to face semi-structured interviews. Taxonomic identification, the most commonly used plant parts, preparation and administration methods were evaluated. Ethnomedicinal data were analyzed quantitatively with relative importance (RI) and the informant consensus factor (FIC).

Results: This paper reported a total of 52 medicinal plants (37 wild, 15 cultivated) belonging to 34 families. Some uses of 22 plants were not found in the literature and are reported for the first time in this study. Furthermore, one of the plants, Calamagrostis arundinacea (L.) Roth (Poaceae), was reported for the first time as being used within the scope of traditional therapies.

Discussion and conclusion: This study recorded traditional knowledge on medicinal plants used in Mihalgazi, Turkey. This paper provides a basis for further investigations to discover efficient pharmaceuticals.     

Insights into the search for new drugs from traditional knowledge: An ethnobotanical and chemical–ecological perspective

Context: The variety of pathways for the introduction of a species into the medical collection of traditional communities has led many researchers to question the processes of selection and the use of these resources. A better comprehension of these processes will allow us to understand the cultural dynamics that are related to traditional medical practices, as well as to provide us with new ways in which to facilitate the exploration of natural products.

Objective: This study aims to test the predictive power of the plant apparency hypothesis as it relates to medicinal plant selection by the rural communities of the Caatinga and the Atlantic Forest in northeast Brazil.

Material and methods: Initially, a survey of the medicinal plants used by these communities was conducted using semistructured interviews. Subsequently, data on the life strategies and the habits of each species were collected. More detailed data on the specific plant parts indicated in interviews were also collected. A phytochemical screening for seven classes of chemical compounds was carried out to test the predictions of the plant apparency hypothesis.

Results: The medicinal plants from the Caatinga (especially those that are considered to be trees in habit) have a strong ability to accumulate quantitative compounds, and these species are most likely to be plants with significant biological activity related to these compounds; the medicinal plants from the Atlantic Forest, on the other hand, tend to have a high occurrence of qualitative compounds, especially in herbaceous life forms.

Discussion and conclusion: It was concluded that the plant apparency hypothesis does not adequately explain the selection of medicinal plants in the two environments studied. Our findings highlight some important implications for bioprospecting that need to be further tested experimentally, and through systematic studies, in different regions.     

The good and the bad: Alkaloid screening and brineshrimp bioassays of aqueous extracts of 31 medicinal plants of eastern Nicaragua

Context: Presence/absence tests for alkaloids of 31 medicinal vascular plant species from 31 genera and 26 families of eastern Nicaragua provided a baseline for bioactivity tests.

Objective: To determine the bioactivity and cytoxicity of aqueous extracts of widely used medicinal species in eastern Nicaragua.

Materials and methods: Ethnomedicinal applications were obtained from interviews of traditional healers. We used Dragendorff’s reagent to test alkaloids and brine shrimp for cytotoxicity of aqueous extracts.

Results: Twenty-nine of the 31 species tested positive for alkaloids. The median lethal concentration that kills 50% of the larvae within 24?h of contact with the extract (LC₅₀ was less than 1000 µg/mL for 4 (13%) species (the usual cytotoxic category), 1001–5000 µg/mL for 23 (74%) species, and between 5001–7500 µg/mL for the remaining 4 (13%) species.

Discussion and Conclusion: Twenty-five of the ethnomedicines contain alkaloids but are not cytotoxic. In contrast to first suppositions, we suggest that this is a good and desirable, and perhaps expected, outcome. Medicinal plants that are cytotoxic may obviously control or kill bacteria or other pathogens, but may also negatively affect the patient; some high alkaloid levels have been associated with carcinogens. Thus, perhaps the majority of effective medicinals should be expected to be noncytotoxic. We suggest that this is a new paradigm for consideration of the overall value and effectiveness of medicinals. Of course, medicinals also can be effective in numerous ways (e.g., organ stimulation or other physiological functions) other than simply as antimicrobials or antipathogens.     

Ethno-medicinal documentation of polyherbal medicines used for the treatment of tuberculosis in Amathole District Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province,South Africa

Context: Tuberculosis (TB) has remained a devastating global public health problem. In the continuing search for effective treatment, polyherbal remedies used as alternative medicines in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa were surveyed.

Objective: The survey collected information and documents the list of ingredients such as the name of the plants used including the non-herbal inclusions, type and dosage of polyherbal formulations used for the treatment of TB.

Materials and methods: The survey was conducted over a period of 6 months using semi-structured questionnaires amidst informal conversations with the traditional healers in five communities in the study area. The chosen study area is the third infected Province with TB in South Africa.

Results: A total of nine polyherbal preparations were collected. Information on the parts of the plant used, mode of preparation and the dosage used were documented. In total, the herbs belong to 20 families of which Apiaceae, Liliaceae, Strychnaceae, Rutaceae and Hypoxidaceae are the most prominent. However, members of Apiaceae were commonly mentioned for the preparation of the remedies. The two most frequently used plants were Allium sativum L. (Liliaceae) and Strychnos decussata (Pappe) Gilg. (Strychnaceae). Rhizome was the commonest parts used, followed by the roots and barks.

Conclusions: This paper provides significant ethno-medicinal information on polyherbal medicines used for the treatment of TB in the study area. The therapeutic claims made on medicinal plants used for the preparations are well supported by the literature, with many of the species having antimicrobial properties.     

In vitro anti-aging activities of Terminalia chebula gall extract

Context: The Thai Lanna region has its own folklores and wisdoms in various fields such as traditional medicines. The galls of Terminalia chebula Retz. (Combretaceae) frequently appear in many Thai Lanna medicinal plant recipes for promoting longevity.

Objectives: To investigate the in vitro anti-aging activities of the extracts from 15 plants including T. chebula gall selected from the Thai medicinal plant recipes that have been traditionally used for longevity.

Materials and methods: The plant extracts were prepared by four extraction methods including hot (HW) and cold (CW) aqueous processes and hot (HM) and cold (CM) methanol processes. These extracts were tested for antioxidative and tyrosinase inhibition activity as well as the proliferative and MMP-2 inhibition activity on early aging human skin fibroblasts in order to evaluate their in vitro anti-aging activity.

Results: At 0.1?mg/mL, the CW extract of T. chebula gall exhibited the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity with scavenging of 84.64%?±?2.22%, whereas ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol and butylated hydroxyl toluene gave 96.50%?±?0.1%, 35.74%?±?0.2% and 27.43%?±?0.1%, respectively. The CW extract of T. chebula gall indicated the highest stimulation index (SI) on normal human fibroblast proliferation of 1.441 which was more active than ascorbic acid (SI 1.21). This extract has also demonstrated MMP-2 inhibition on fibroblasts determined by zymography 1.37 times more potent than ascorbic acid.

Discussion and conclusion: This study has confirmed the traditional use of T. chebula gall in many Thai medicinal plant recipes for longevity which will be beneficial for further development of anti-aging products.     

Potent antihypertensive activity of Thai-Lanna medicinal plants and recipes from “MANOSROI III” database

Abstract

Context: Traditional medicines have long been used by Thai practitioners for the treatment of many diseases including hypertension. The antihypertensive recipes and plants were searched and selected by a computer program from Thai/Lanna medicinal plant recipe database “MANOSROI III” using hypertensive symptoms as keywords.

Objectives: To evaluate the antihypertensive potential of 30 recipes and 10 Thai-Lanna medicinal plants selected from “MANOSROI III” database using l-NAME induced hypertensive rat model.

Materials and methods: Extracts from the selected recipes and plants were prepared according to the traditional indications. Antihypertensive activities including the decrease of the mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and heart rate (HR) of the extracts as well as duration of action were investigated by intra-arterial assessment technique. All extracts were screened for phytochemicals including anthraquinone, glycoside, xanthone, tannin, carotenoid, flavones and alkaloids using standard methods.

Results and conclusions: All 12 of the 30 selected recipes (40%) demonstrated antihypertensive activity with the maximum decrease of MABP at 27.17?±?3.17% that was 2.41-fold of prazosin hydrochloride. Most recipes exhibiting antihypertensive activity contained plants in the families of Zingiberaceae and Piperaceae. The top five antihypertensive recipes showed the presence of glycosides, xanthones and alkaloids. Ten single plants from these recipes were extracted and evaluated for antihypertensive activity. The cassumunar ginger extract exhibited the maximum decrease of MABP at 39.83?±?3.92%, which was 3.54-times that of prazosin hydrochloride. This study demonstrated the potent antihypertensive activity of Thai medicinal plants and recipes that can be further developed as antihypertensive agents.     

Antimicrobial activity of traditional medicinal plants from Ankober District,North Shewa Zone,Amhara Region,Ethiopia

Context: Traditional medicinal plants have long been used in Ethiopia to treat human and livestock ailments. Despite a well-documented rich tradition of medicinal plant use in the country, their direct antimicrobial effects are still poorly known.

Objective: To investigate the antimicrobial activity of 19 medicinal plant species that were selected based on the ethnobotanical information on their traditional use to treat infectious diseases in Ankober District.

Methods: About 23 different ethanol extracts of plants obtained by maceration of various parts of 19 medicinal plant species were studied for potential antimicrobial activity using a broth microdilution method against Bacillus cereus, Bacteroides fragilis, Candida albicans, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus pyogenes.

Results: Plant extracts from Embelia schimperi Vatke (Myrsinaceae) showed the strongest antibacterial activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 64 µg/ml against B. cereus, L. monocytogenes, and S. pyogenes. Growth inhibitory activities were also observed for extracts of Ocimum lamiifolium Hochst. (Lamiaceae) against S. pyogenes, and those of Rubus steudneri Schweinf. (Rosaceae) against S. epidermidis at an MIC value of 128 µg/ml. Generally, 74% of ethanol extracts (17 extracts) showed antimicrobial activity against one or more of the microbial strains tested at an MIC value of 512 µg/ml or below.

Discussion and conclusions: Results confirm the antimicrobial role of traditional medicinal plants of Ankober and warrant further investigations on promising medicinal plant species so as to isolate and characterise chemicals responsible for the observed strong antimicrobial activities.     

Mutagenic and Antimutagenic Activities in Philippine Medicinal and Food Plants

Abstract

In developing countries there is increasing interest and research in the area of herbal medicines as an approach to reducing costs of health care. The chemically complex nature of these medicinal preparations results in a significant increased risk of toxicity, including genotoxicity. A total of 138 medicinal plant preparations used in the Philippines have been examined for genotoxicity using various short term bacterial and mammalian tests. Of the plants examined only the following 12 exhibited detectable genotoxicity in any system: Alli um sativum L., Aloe barbadensis Miller, Archangelisa flava (L.) Merr., Canarium luzonicum (Blume) A. Gray, Capsicum frutescens L., Entada phaseoliodes (L.) Merr., Moringa oleifera K., Nfrium indicum Mill., Piper betle L., Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb) Benth., Pittosporum pentandrum (Blanco) Merr., and Plantaqo major L. Little is known about the chemical nature of the mutagenic agents in these preparations.

Some plants also contain substances which reduce genotoxicity either by acting directly on the mutagen (desmutagens) or by acting on the affected organism (antimutagens). Examination of Philippine food and medicinal plants has identified numerous plants which contain antimutagenic activity. The chemical nature of the antimutagens has not been established but it has been speculated that part of the activity could be related to the vitamin content.     

A review of the literature and latest advances in research of Piper sarmentosum

Context: Piper sarmentosum Roxb. (Piperaceae) is a traditional medicinal as well as a culinary plant in South East Asian countries, whereby aerial parts of the plant are consumed as a vegetable in various forms and the whole plant or parts are used as folk remedies, alone or in combination with other herbs, to treat various ailments. The plant has extensively been investigated in a broad range of studies to provide scientific evidence for folklore claims or to find new therapeutic uses; however, heretofore, a summary of the data are not available.

Objective: In order to describe nutritional and therapeutic potential of P. sarmentosum and summarize scientific evidence that supports traditional claims, a literature review and latest advances in research of the plant are given herein.

Materials and methods: The literature has been retrieved from a number of databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Medline, Science Direct and SciFinder. The articles related to synthetic work, ecology and agriculture have been excluded.

Results and discussion: The review has not only revealed a number of pharmacological activities supporting the traditional claims but indicates new prospects for the plant. Antiangiogenic activity and toxicity studies suggest the usage of the plant in treating diseases involving neo-vascularization. The available efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetic and stability data urge clinical studies on extracts of the plant.

Conclusion: The present review may be helpful to future researchers intending to investigate the plant and natural pharmaceutical industry for preparing evidence-based formulations.     

Anti-Helicobactor pylori activity of some Jordanian medicinal plants

Context: Natural flora are considered a major source of new agents for the treatment of Helicobactor pylori. The plants used in this study were selected based on previous traditional use.

Objective: In this study, we evaluated the effect of extracts of 16 medicinal plants grown in Jordan against clinical isolates of H. pylori.

Materials and methods: Tested plant extracts included Aloysia triphylla (L'Her.) Britton (Verbenaceae), Anethum graveolens L. (Apiaceae), Artemisia inculata Delile (Asteraceae), Capparis spinosa L. (Capparaceae), Crataegus aronia (L.) Bosc ex. DC. (Rosaceae), Inula viscose (L.) Ait (Asteraceae), Lavandula officinalis Chaix. (Lamiaceae), Lepidium sativum L. (Cruciferae), Origanum syriaca L. (Lamiaceae), Paronychia argentea Lam. (Caryophyllaceae), Passiflora incarnate L. (Passifloraceae), Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae), Sarcopoterium spinosum (L.) Spach (Rosaceae), Sesamum indicum L. (Pedaliaceae), Urtica urens L. (Urticaceae) and Varthemia iphionoids Boiss (Asteraceae). Clinical isolates of H. pylori were tested in vitro for susceptibility to each of the above plant crude extracts using disk diffusion method, and the MIC value was determined for each plant extract using the serial dilution method.

Results: Results showed that ethanol extracts of most medicinal plants exerted cytotoxiciy against H. pylori isolates. Among the tested plant extracts, A. triphylla (MIC: 90?µg/mL, MBC: 125?µg/mL) and I. viscosa (MIC: 83?µg/mL, MBC: 104?µg/mL) showed the strongest activity against both isolates of H. pylori.

Discussion and conclusion: Jordanian medicinal plants might be valuable sources of starting materials for the synthesis of new antibacterial agents against H. pylori.