Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by the community of Sobradinho, LuÃs Correia, PiauÃ, Brazil
August 2015
An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by the Sobradinho community, Luís Correia, Piauí, Brazil was undertaken to recover and document traditional knowledge with the aim of supporting chemical, biological, agronomic, pharmaceutical and socio-economic studies related to the region's biodiversity. Fifteen research visits to the community were made between March 2013 to January 2014 involving...
A review on antimicrobial potential of species of the genus Vernonia (Asteraceae)
August 2015
Natural products are sources of various biologically active chemicals. Therefore, ethnopharmacological and ethnobotanical studies are essential to discover new substances for the treatment of diseases. In this context, many studies have been conducted of the Asteraceae family demonstrating medicinal properties of its representatives, such as species of the genus Vernonia, which are rich in bioactive substances like...
Ethnobotanical study of some medicinal plants from Hoggar, Algeria
August 2015
Study was conducted from July, 2011 to March, 2012 to explore and enumerate the medicinal uses of some plants in folkloric medicine of Hoggar (Algerian Sahara). Semi-structured questionnaires were used to conduct interviews with traditional healers, herb sellers and other knowledgeable individuals on use of medicinal plants. The informants (100) consist of 63% females and 37% males of which 6% were traditional healers,...
Isolation and analgesic property of lupeol from Diospyros mespiliformis stem bark
August 2015
Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst (Ebenaceae) stem bark is used in traditional medicine for the management of pain related ailments. Several bioactive compounds have previously been isolated from the plant material that includes pentacyclic triterpenes. This study sequentially extracted and carried out a bioassay-guided fractionation of the plant crude material with solvents of varying polarity using analgesic...
Effect of the speed of the drying air on the quality of essential oil from Aristolochia cymbifera Mart. and Zucc.
August 2015
Dehydrating plant material ensures the conservation of active compounds in medicinal plants. Thus, the object of the present study was to evaluate the effect of three drying air speeds on the content and the chemical composition of essential oil from Aristolochia cymbifera Mart. and Zucc. The tests were conducted in a fixed-layer dryer with drying chambers measuring 0.60 x 0.60 x 0.60 m on a plate with 25% perforation....
Effect of Mansoa alliacea (Bignonaceae) leaf extract on embryonic and tumorigenic mouse cell lines
August 2015
Mansoa alliacea contains high concentrations of chemicals thought to be associated with the suppression of tumor growth. Additionally, this plant has been reported to possess analgesic, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties, thereby providing other potential benefits for cancer patients. Low doses of a water extract of M. alliacea were applied to a cancerous and non-cancerous cell line. Doses between 1.254 to 10.04...
Role of sacred groves in the conservation and management of medicinal plants
August 2015
Sacred groves play a vital role in context of sustainable use and conservation of medicinal plants. The involvement of local communities offers several advantages in the management of traditionally known medicinal wealth of forests. Considering the importance of sacred groves in the conservation of medicinal plants, a study was carried out in Phulbani forest division of Odisha to record the status, distribution and use...
Effects of organic fertilizer in the capsaicinoids of red pepper (Capsicum baccatum L.)
August 2015
This study aimed to quantify the contents of capsaicinoids (capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin and nordihydrocapsaicin) in the Capsicum baccatum L. species grown in soil with different concentrations of organic fertilizer (0, 1, 2 and 4%). The quantification of capsaicinoids was made by reverse-phase chromatography using the high-performance liquid technique (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) detection. The peppers were harvested...
Impact of certain Solanum species’s natural products as potent cytotoxic and anti-Inflammatory agents
August 2015
The present study was conducted to evaluate both the cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities of ethanol extracts (T), and both n-butanol (B) and total glyco-alkaloid fractions (TGA) of Solanum seaforthianum Andr. (SS) and Solanum macrocarpon L. (SM) growing in Egypt. Cytotoxic activity was measured using sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay on prostate cancer cell line (PC-3), breast cancer cell line (MCF7), liver cancer...
Serjania erecta Radlk. improves endothelial function in isolated aortic rings
July 2015
Arterial hypertension presents a high incidence in the population, and it is a chronic degenerative disease. The roots of Serjania erecta Radlk. popularly known as “cipó-cinco-folhas”, are used as a decoction against hypertension. This plant belongs to the Sapindaceae family and is plentiful in the Brazilian swamps. The present study was designed to study the effects of daily intake of S. erecta root...
Identification of bio-active components in leaf extracts of Aloe vera, Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulasi) and Tinospora cordifolia (Amrutballi)
July 2015
Plants are an integral part of life in many indigenous communities. Besides, being the source of food, fodder, fuel, etc., the use of plants as herbal medicines in curing several ailments goes parallel with the human civilization. The present study was carried out to identify the bio-active compounds in various leaf extracts of Aloe vera, Ocimum tenuiflorum and Tinospora cordifolia using different phytochemical...
Anti-acne activity of Achillea ‘Moonshine’ petroleum ether extract
July 2015
Achillea millefolium (yarrow) is a traditionally used plant to treat wounds. The present study was conducted to evaluate the anti-acne activity of Achillea ‘Moonshine’, a hybrid variety of Achillea. The plant was extracted in four solvents- petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, ethanol and water. These extracts were screened for anti-microbial, free radical scavenging, anti-tyrosinase,...
A new pterocarpan from the leaves of Abrus precatorius L.
July 2015
A pterocarpan, 2,3,4,8-tetramethoxy-6a,11a-dihydro-6H-benzo[4,5]furo[3,2-c]chromene-7,9-diol (compound 1) was isolated from the dichloromethane extract of the leaves of Abrus precatorius L. The structure of the compound was elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis such as 1H NMR, 13C NMR, Distortionless Enhancement by Polarisation Transfer (DEPT), Heteronuclear Multiple-Quantum Correlation (HMQC) and Heteronuclear...
Synergistic activity from Hymenaea courbaril L. and Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville against multidrug-resistant bacteria strains
July 2015
Infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria are a problem of public health, turning the search for natural products an alternative to antibiotics of great importance. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial activities of Hymenaea courbaril and Stryphnodendron adstringens against bacterial clinical isolates. The crude extracts of both vegetal species in study showed bacteriostatic...
Hepatoprotective effect of Amaranthus hypochondriacus seed extract on sodium arsenite-induced toxicity in male Wistar rats
July 2015
The hepatoprotective effect and antioxidant activity of ethanol extract of Amaranthus hypochondriacus seed (ESAH) were evaluated in sodium arsenite (SA) treated rats. Animals were divided into eight groups. The first group was used as control, group II was administered SA (2.5 mg/kg body weight). Groups III, IV and V were administered different doses of ESAH (100, 200 or 300 mg/kg b.w., respectively); groups VI, VII and...
Testicular damage in Wistar rats caused by methanolic extracts of plants from the North of Mexico
July 2015
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of methanolic extract of plants from the north of Mexico, on testicular morphology and spermatic quality in Wistar rats. Methanolic extracts were orally administered to 4 experimental groups (n=6) of rat for 30 days; a control group not treated with plant extract was included. All animals were sacrificed 24 h after the last dose. Samples of testicles were...
Anti-arthritic and cytotoxic effects of methanolic extract of Ixora nigricans leaf
July 2015
This study aimed to evaluate anti-arthritic and cytotoxic effects of methanolic extract of Ixora nigricans leaf. Anti-denaturation method was performed by using bovine serum albumin (BSA) to evaluate the anti-arthritic potential. The screening of cytotoxic activity was done using brine shrimp lethality bioassay. The in vitro study on Ixora nigricans leaf showed the presence of significant anti-arthritic activity. Here,...
Foliar bioactive compounds in Amburana cearensis (Allemao) A.C. Smith seedlings: Increase of biosynthesis using mycorrhizal technology
June 2015
Amburana cearensis (Allemao) A.C. Smith is a widely used legume by the population due to its medicinal properties. This species establish symbiosis with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that can increase the production of secondary metabolites, a fact which has not been clarified for this plant. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the contribution of the AMF in the production increase of foliar...
A review of four common medicinal plants used to treat eczema
June 2015
Many medicinal plants are commonly used to treat skin diseases such as eczema, psoriasis, vitiligo, cellulitis, herpes and cancer. Herbal medicine is as old as civilization. Application of traditional herbal medicine is widespread in different regions of the world. It is more common in villages and desert areas where medical services are less accessible. Herbal treatments are generally perceived as effective and have...
Anti-inflammatory property and redox profile of the leaves extract from Morinda citrifolia L.
June 2015
Morinda citrifolia Linn (Rubiaceae), popularly known as noni, is widely used in folk medicine in the form of decoction and infusion, particularly as anti-inflammatory, depurative, anti-rheumatic and antiulcer remedy. The infusion of M. citrifolia L. leaves is used in popular medicine in Northeast of Brazil to treat inflammatory and painful diseases. The present study was designed to evaluate the antioxidant potential...
Potential medicinal application and toxicity evaluation of extracts from bamboo plants
June 2015
Bamboo plants play a significant role in traditional Asian medicine, especially in China and Japan. Biomedical investigations on the health-benefiting effects as well as toxicity of different parts and species of bamboo have been carried out worldwide since the 1960s. This review summarizes the current scientific findings on the biological effects of bamboo-based products, and contrasts these findings with the...
Effects of the stem barks aqueous extract of Anthocleista schweinfurthii Gilg (Loganiaceae) on acute and chronic gastric ulcers rats models
June 2015
Anthocleista schweinfurthii is used in the traditional management of gastro-duodenal ulcers; this led us to evaluate the gastro-cytoprotective and healing effects of this plant. Anti-ulcer activity of the stem barks aqueous extract of A. schweinfurthii (EAS) was evaluated using five methods: HCl/ethanol; indomethacin-HCl/ethanol; absolute ethanol; pylorus-ligated (acute gastric lesions); and acetic acid-induced chronic...
Studies on Chemical and Biological properties of Bryonia epigaea (Rottler)
June 2015
To investigate the phytochemical, antimicrobial and antioxidant potentials of Bryonia epigaea (Rottler). The study was performed by using various in-vitro methods such as 1, 1 Diphenyl 2 picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), and Agar well diffusion method for different concentrations of methanolic extracts. Phytochemical constituents of the three extracts (Hexane, Acetone and Methanol) were determined. Total Phenol content was...
Antituberculous, antimicrobial, cytotoxicity and phytochemical activity study of Piliostigma thonningii extract fractions
June 2015
World Health Organization studies have demonstrated that 80% of the world’s population depends on medicinal plants for their primary health care. This has prompted increased efforts to the adoption and integration of herbal practices in health systems. This study soughts to answer the question whether Piliostigma thonningii has antitubercular, antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic activity. Antimicrobial...
Antiplatelet aggregation and cytotoxic activity of betulinic acid and its acetyl derivative from Melaleuca bracteata
June 2015
Platelet dysfunctions are implicated in cardiovascular diseases. Management of abnormal platelet aggregations with natural products is a promising approach to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, betulinic acid (BA) isolated from Melaleuca bracteata leaf extract, and its acetyl derivative (3-β acetylbetulinic acid) (BAA) were investigated for their antiplatelet aggregation and cytotoxic...
Antimicrobial activity and synergistic effects of an ethyl acetate fraction from methanol extract of Myracrodruon urundeuva bark
June 2015
This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial action of different methanolic extract fractions from Myracrodruon urundeuva (Anacardiaceae) bark and to evaluate the interaction between the most active fraction and some commercial antibiotics. After methanolic extraction, the extract obtained was submitted to liquid/liquid fractionation using cyclohexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water. All fractions showed...
A review on gall karkatshringi
June 2015
Karkatasringi (Pistacia integerrima) is a well known medicinal plant which belongs to the family of Anacardiaceae. The plant is indigenous to India and is found in the outer ranges of the North-Western Himalayas at an altitude of 500 to 2500 m. The different parts of the plant like leaf, bark, root and galls are reported to contain the secondary metabolites. Among them, the galls are more used in folk medicines. They...
Refining the methods of extraction and purification of apigenin from Viola yedoensis makino
May 2015
In this study, the effects of supercritical CO2 extraction and macroporous adsorbent resin on separation and purification of apigenin were compared. A better separation and purification macroporous adsorbent resin was selected according to static adsorption and desorption results. Silica gel column chromatography and LSA-10 macroporous adsorbent resin performed better in the separation and purification procedure. The...
Hypoglycemic activity in diabetic rats of stigmasterol and sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside isolated from Pseuderanthemum palatiferum (Nees) Radlk. leaf extract
May 2015
Two major compounds, stigmasterol (ST) and sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (SG) were isolated from Pseuderanthemum palatiferum leaf extract which is used traditionally as an antidiabetic. ST and SG at doses of 0.25 and 0.50 mg/kg were fed to diabetic rats for 21 days, and the fasting blood glucose (FBG) level and biochemical data on day 0, 4, 7, 10, 14, 17 and 21 were determined and compared with the...
Anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory activity of a triterpene from Protorhus longifolia stem bark
May 2015
This work evaluated the anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory activity of a lanosteryl triterpene (3β-hydroxylanosta-9,24-dien-21-oic acid) isolated from Protorhus longifolia stem bark. Tail bleeding time assay was used to investigate the ex vivo anticoagulant activity. The effect of the triterpene on the thermally induced aggregation of malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and citrate synthase (CS) was studied. The...
Nutritional and medicinal potential of Grewia subinaequalis DC. (syn. G. asiatica.) (Phalsa)
May 2015
Grewia subinaequalis DC. (syn. G. asiatica) (Phalsa) is a food plant and can also be used as an herbal medicine for the treatment of various diseases. In traditional folklore medicine, the fruit has been used as astringent, stomachic and cooling agent. When unripe, it has been reported to alleviate inflammation and was administered in respiratory, cardiac and blood disorders, as well as in fever. Root and bark has been...
The effect of light quality, temperature and substrate on seed germination and epicotyl development of Carapa guianensis, a multi-use neotropical tree
May 2015
The neotropical tree Carapa guianensis has several economic and medicinal applications, and is valued for both the high-quality oil extracted from its seeds and its mahogany-like wood. Recruitment and expansion of C. guianensis depend mainly on sexual reproduction. However, germination conditions for C. guianensis are poorly studied. This makes the understanding of its germination requirements vital for conservation and...
Evaluation of extract from leaves of Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess. (Clusiaceae) using micronucleus assay in mouse bone-marrow cells
May 2015
This study evaluated the chomosomal damage potential of the extract from leaves of Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess. (Clusiaceae) in mouse bone-marrow cells. The extract was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to assess the concentration of coumarin (-) mammea A/BB, a compound with antileishmanial activity. The chromosomal damage potential of the extract was evaluated by the micronucleus test in...
Antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoids contents in Stachytarpheta cayennensis, (Rich.) Vahl. (Verbenaceae)
May 2015
In recent years, a substantial amount of evidence has pointed to the key role of free radicals and other oxidants as the main culprits for aging and degenerative diseases associated with aging, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, cataract, decline of the immune system and brain dysfunctions. The objective of this work was therefore to detect variations in total phenol and flavonoid content, and in the antioxidant...
Anti-carcinogenic effects of ethanolic extracts from root and shoot of Lupinus angustifolius on breast carcinoma cell lines MCF-7 and BT20
May 2015
The identification of medicinal plants and derived natural products for development as anti-cancer agents is of long standing interest. We have investigated the anti-proliferative properties of Lupinus angustifolius on breast cancer and, in particular, whether the extracts of roots and shoots of L. angustifolius can be considered as candidates for primary and secondary cancer prevention. Ethanolic extracts of roots and...
Effect of different water regimes and organic manures on indole acetic acid (IAA), oxidase activity, leaf area, light transmission ratio, chlorophyll stability index, relative water content and yield attributes of noni (Morinda citrifolia L.)
April 2015
An experiment was conducted at Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Periyakulam in split plot design with irrigation regimes on main plot (four levels) and organic manures on sub plot (eight levels) with two replications. Among the different treatment combinations, M2S4 (100% WRc through drip irrigation + 50% farmyard manure + 50% vermicompost) exhibited superior performance...
Flavonoids from the rhizomes of Elephantorrhiza elephantina and Pentanisia prunelloides
April 2015
This paper is reports on the isolation of flavonoid compounds from two medicinal plant species that are widely used in Southern Africa, Elephantorrhiza elephantina and Pentanisia prunelloides which belong to families Fabaceae and Rubiaceae, respectively. The identification and comparative analysis of flavonoids in E. elephantina and P. prunelloides as well as the structural elucidation of flavonoids were performed...
GC-MS analysis of esterified fatty acids obtained from leaves of wild and cultivated specimens of Leonotis nepetifolia
April 2015
Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br. is an African bush that belongs to the Lamiaceae family which was introduced as ornamental plant in all the continents. In Brazil, the plant is known as “cordão de são francisco” or “cordão de frade”. The plant has a traditional use in folk medicine for the treatment of some human diseases. In this study, it was realized for the first time,...
Antioxidant and α-amylase inhibition activities in vitro of various solvent extracts of Thymus schimperi Ronniger
April 2015
Thymus schimperi Ronniger is a wild endemic herb to Ethiopia, and is traditionally used as food flavoring, preservative as well as medicinal ingredient. This paper reports the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant capacity and α-amylase inhibition activity of various solvent extracts of the dried leaves. The acetone extracts contained the highest total phenolic content (122.0±11.6 mg GAE/g)....
Haematological parameters, semen characteristics and sperm morphology of male albino rat (wistar strain) treated with Aloe vera gel
April 2015
Haemograms, semen characteristics and sperm morphology of the male albino rat (wistar strain) treated with Aloe vera gel was studied. A. vera gel has been widely used for both medicinal and non-medicinal purposes. Fifteen male clinically healthy albino rats weighing between 0.15 to 0.24 kg and 16 to 20 weeks of age were randomly assigned to three groups A, B and C. Groups A and B were the experimental groups while Group...
Traditional medicinal plants used by Kunama ethnic group in Northern Ethiopia
April 2015
Utilization of medicinal plants is almost as old as the history of mankind. Semi-structured interview, guided field walk, group discussion and market survey were used to collect ethnobotanical data in Tahitay Adiyabo and Kafta Humera districts in northern Ethiopia. A total of 47 informants (30 males and 17 females) were selected purposefully from three sub-districts: Lemlem (n = 27), Adi-Goshu (n = 10) and Hilet-Coca (n...
Effects of 1.8-cineole (eucalyptol) on the spontaneous contractile activity of smooth muscles fibre
April 2015
Eucalyptus oil is frequently used in phytotherapy. The objective of the present paper was to investigate to what extent 1.8-cineole influences the activity of smooth muscle fibres. The effects of 1.8-cineole on the spontaneous contractile activity were investigated in in vitro experiments with circular smooth muscle fibres of guinea pig stomach. 1.8-cineole was found to have agonistic effects on the a1 and a2 adrenergic...
Isolation and characterization of filaricidal compounds from the stem bark of Voacanga africana, a plant used in the traditional treatment of onchocerciasis in Cameroon
April 2015
This study was carried out to isolate active ingredients from Voacanga africana Stapf (Apocynaceae) used as herbal medicine in Cameroon, and also to assess the efficacy of the compounds on Onchocerca ochengi and Loa loa worms. The compounds were isolated using solvent partitioning, column chromatography and fractional crystallization. The O. ochengi worms were isolated from cow skin while Loa loa was isolated from...
Identification of phenolic compounds by high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) and in vitro evaluation of the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Ceratonia siliqua leaves extracts
April 2015
Ceratonia siliqua is a typical plant of the Mediterranean area, which is mainly used as animal and human food and in folk medicine for treating some diseases such as antidiarrheal and diuretic. The present study was planned to evaluate the potential of antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of C. siliqua leaves extract and the identification of bioactive compounds by high performance liquid chromatography/mass...
Antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of black and green tea from Vaccinium meridionale Swartz leaves
April 2015
Tea is a beverage made from leaves with high contents of polyphenolic substances that vary based on the process they are subjected to. In this study, the apical and young leaves from Vaccinium meridionale (named mortiño) were processed to obtain two kinds of tea: green and black tea. This was done in order to compare their antioxidant activity, content of secondary metabolites at different temperatures of...
Morelloflavone and its semisynthetic derivatives as potential novel inhibitors of cysteine and serine proteases
April 2015
This article reports the three biflavonoids isolated from the fruit pericarp of Garcinia brasiliensis Mart. (Clusiaceae): Morelloflavone-4```-glycoside (compound 1), (±)-Fukugiside (compound 2), and Morelloflavone (compound 3). Structural modifications by acylation and alkylation reactions were performed on the natural biflavonoid (±) morelloflavone to obtain three semisynthetic compounds:...
One-pot synthesis of potential antioxidant agents, 3-carboxylate coumarin derivatives
April 2015
A simple and efficient route to synthesize 3-carboxylate coumarin derivatives through three-component one-pot reaction in a single step has been recommended. This method provides a direct and rapid access to get 3-carboxylate coumarin derivatives. The structures of these synthetic products were identified and the antioxidant activities were tested by inhibiting DPPH· and ·OH radicals capacities. The data...
Antioxidant capacity of different African seeds and vegetables and correlation with the contents of ascorbic acid, phenolics and flavonoids
April 2015
The antioxidant capacity of 2 African seeds and 8 vegetables were analyzed using ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP assay) after water and acetone extractions. The contents of ascorbic acid, phenolics and flavonoids were determined and their correlations with FRAP value were investigated. The results showed that Vernonia amygdalina was stronger (4.84 mM/100 g dry weight (DW)) than other vegetables analyzed in...
Effect of Commiphora swynnertonii resin extract on various physiological parameters in chickens
April 2015
In the current study, various haematological and biochemical parameters of chickens were evaluated following an oral administration of resin extract from Commiphora swynnertonii. Sixty chickens (8 months old) were randomly assigned into 5 groups (n=12): G1 served as a negative control, that is, chickens received normal saline only, while G2 to G5 chickens were given different doses of the resin extract orally for 14...
Evaluation of antibacterial activity and modulatory effect of the hexane fraction from methanol extract of Cordia verbenacea DC leaves
March 2015
Medicinal plants have been used since the beginning of civilization, and even today, it is still widely used mainly due to the lack of necessary information on their physical and chemical components. Cordia verbenacea DC is a typical plant of the Brazilian coast, popularly known as "grass whaling" and is mainly used as antimicrobial agents, anti - inflammatory and analgesic. This study was conducted in order...
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