An ethnobotanical study of traditional anti-inflammatory plants used by the Lohit community of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Effects of Lamiaceae family plants and their bioactive ingredients on coronavirus-induced lung inflammation

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a family of viruses that cause infection in respiratory and intestinal systems. Different types of CoVs, those responsible for the SARS-CoV and the new global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 in people, have been found. Some plants were used as food additives: spices and dietary and/or medicinal purposes in folk medicine. We aimed to provide evidence about possible effects of two Lamiaceae family plants on control or treatment of CoVs-induced inflammation. The keywords including coronaviruses, Thymus vulgaris, Zataria multiflora, thymol, carvacrol, antivirus, and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects were searched in various databases such as PubMed, Web of Sciences (ISI), and Google Scholar until September 2022. The medicinal herbs and their main ingredients, thymol and carvacrol, showed antiviral properties and reduced inflammatory mediators, including IL-1β; IL-6, and TNF-α, at both gene and protein levels but increased the levels of IFN-γ in the serum as anti-inflammatory cytokine. These medicinal herbs and their constituents also reduce oxidative stress and enhance antioxidant capacity. The results of molecular docking analyses also indicated that polyphenol components such as thymol, carvone, and carvacrol could inhibit the entry of the viruses into the host cells in molecular docking analyses. The antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects of these plants may be due to actions of their phenolic compounds that modulate immune response and may be useful in the control and treatment of CoV-induced lung disorder.

Biological Properties of Extracts Obtained from In Vitro Culture of Plectranthus scutellarioides in a Cell Model

Plectranthus scutellarioides (L.) R.Br. is a medicinal plant that has long been used in traditional medicine to treat conditions such as abscesses, ulcers, and ear and eye infections. It is known to have a wide range of biological properties, such as antibacterial, antioxidant, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-cancer effects. In this study, we established in vitro cultures from both the aerial parts and roots of Plectranthus scutellarioides. Subsequently, we compared the basic phytochemical profile of the obtained extracts and conducted a biological analysis to assess their potential for inducing apoptosis in breast (MCF-7) and lung (A549) cancer cells. Phytochemical analysis by HPLC-MS revealed the presence of compounds belonging to phenolic acids (ferulic, syringic, vanillic, rosmarinic, chlorogenic, caffeic, coumaric, dihydroxybenzoic acids), flavonoids (eriodyctiol and cirsimaritin), and terpenes such as 6,11,12,14,16-Pentahydroxy-3,17diacetyl-8,11,13-abietatrien-7-one, 6,11,12,14,16-Pentahydroxy-3,17-diacetyl5,8,11,13-abietatetraen-7-one, and 3,6,12-Trihydroxy-2-acetyl-8,12-abietadien7,11,14-trione. The results show that both extracts have a cytotoxic and genotoxic effect against MCF-7 and A549 cancer cells, with a different degree of sensitivity. It was also shown that both extracts can induce apoptosis by altering the expression of apoptotic genes (Bax, Bcl-2, TP53, Fas, and TNFSF10), reducing mitochondrial membrane potential, increasing ROS levels, and increasing DNA damage. In addition, it has been shown that the tested extracts can alter blood coagulation parameters. Our results indicate that extracts from in vitro cultures of Plectranthus scutellarioides aerial parts and roots have promising therapeutic application, but further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms of their action in the in vitro model.

Phytochemical Profiling, Antioxidant Activity, and In Silico Analyses of Sterculia villosa and Vernonia patula

Our study aims to evaluate the chemical profiles and antioxidant activities of a methanolic extract of Sterculia villosa bark (MESV) and a methanolic extract of the Vernonia patula whole plant (MEVP). The chemical profiling of MESV and MEVP was performed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), which identified 52 and 33 chemical compounds, respectively. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay indicated that both MESV and MEVP displayed concentration-dependent scavenging activities, and half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for MEVP, MESV, and ascorbic acid were 305.30, 555.44, and 36.32 μg/mL, respectively. The total flavonoid content (TFC) and total phenolic content (TPC) of MESV were 81.44 ± 2.70 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/g dry extract and 62.58 ± 1.93 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry extract, whereas these values for MEVP were 291.31 ± 6.61 mg QE/g dry extract and 58.99 ± 3.16 mg GAE/g dry extract, respectively. Molecular docking studies were also evaluated, and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) and toxicological properties were assessed. Therefore, these two plants, S. villosa and V. patula, showed potential options for further advanced studies into oxidative stress.

Immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of Aerva lanata in ovalbumin induced allergic asthmatic mice

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Aerva lanata Linn. (A. lanata) is traditionally used for cough, sore throat and asthma.

AIM OF STUDY

The aim of the present study was to investigate the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory potentials of A. lanata in allergic asthmatic mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

BALB/c mice were administered with three different (methanol, n-hexane and ethyl acetate) extracts of A. lanata two weeks after immunization with ovalbumin and continued for 7 days. Inflammatory cells count was estimated in blood and broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF). RT-PCR was used to find out mRNA expression levels of inflammatory mediators. GC-MS analysis was also carried out.

RESULTS

Among three extracts of A. lanata, ethyl acetate extract ameliorated (p < 0.001) count of inflammatory cells both blood and BALF remarkably. This study indicated that ethyl acetate extract of A. lanata lowered (p < 0.001) the level of inflammatory modulator TNF-α and IgE antibodies. A. lanata reduced (p < 0.001) interleukin 4, 5, 13 and enhanced (p < 0.001) expression levels of AQP1 and AQP5 in asthmatic mice. GC-MS analysis of ethyl acetate fraction indicated the presence of various anti-oxidant phyto-constituents. The groups treated with A. lanata improved inflammatory, goblet cells hyperplasia scoring and alveolar thickening.

CONCLUSIONS

The anti-asthmatic effect of A. lanata might be contributed by the suppression of edema, pro-inflammatory cytokines and IgE antibodies, and elevation of aquaporin expression levels, suggesting future study and clinical trials to propose it as a candidate to treat allergic asthma. The anti-oxidant phytochemicals present in A. lanata might be responsible for such potential.

Anti-Inflammatory Medicinal Plants of Bangladesh—A Pharmacological Evaluation

Inflammatory diseases are considered major threats to human health worldwide. In Bangladesh, a number of medicinal plants have been used in traditional medicine from time immemorial in the treatment of diverse diseases, including inflammatory disorders. This assignment aims at providing the status of the medicinal plants of Bangladesh which are traditionally used in the management of inflammatory disorders and are investigated for their anti-inflammatory prospects using different preclinical studies and future research directions. The information of medicinal plants assembled in this review was obtained from a literature search of electronic databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect up to December, 2020 from publications on plants investigated for their anti-inflammatory activities, in which the place of plant sample collection was identified as Bangladesh. Keywords for primary searches were “anti-inflammatory,” “Bangladeshi,” and “medicinal plants.” Criteria followed to include plant species were plants that showed significant anti-inflammatory activities in 1) two or more sets of experiments in a single report, 2) same or different sets of experiments in two or more reports, and, 3) plants which are traditionally used in the treatment of inflammation and inflammatory disorders. In this study, 48 species of medicinal plants have been reviewed which have been used in traditional healing practices to manage inflammatory disorders in Bangladesh. The mechanistic pathways of the in vivo and in vitro study models used for the evaluation of anti-inflammatory properties of plant samples have been discussed. Selected plants were described in further detail for their habitat, anti-inflammatory studies conducted in countries other than Bangladesh, and anti-inflammatory active constituents isolated from these plants if any. Medicinal plants of Bangladesh have immense significance for anti-inflammatory activity and have potential to contribute toward the discovery and development of novel therapeutic approaches to combat diseases associated with inflammation. However, the plants reviewed in this article had chiefly undergone preliminary screening and require substantial investigations including identification of active molecules, understanding the mechanism of action, and evaluation for safety and efficacy to be followed by the formulation of safe and effective drug products.

Documentation of Commonly Used Ethnoveterinary Medicines from Wild Plants of the High Mountains in Shimla District, Himachal Pradesh, India

The aim of current study is to provide a significant traditional knowledge on wild medicines used for ethnoveterinary purposes in the rural area of Maraog region in district Shimla. The medicinal plants have played a significant role in the treatment of human as well as animal’s diseases. The rural people of the Maraog region were interviewed through a questionnaire and extensive field surveys were conducted from June 2020 to July 2021. The discussion, observations and interviews were conducted in study site and included 96 informants. The information gathered from the residents is presented in a table format and includes scientific and local names, different parts used, diseases treated and mode administration. The most commonly used taxa are calculated with used value. The study revealed 100 plants in which trees (7), shrubs (26), herbs (56), ferns (5), grasses (3) and climbers (3) were identified. The most commonly documented livestock diseases were found to be hoof infections, eyes infections, poisoning and skin infections. In the current study, the Rosaceae family was reported as being the highest number (11), followed by Asteraceae (10) and then Lamiaceae (6). It was found that leaves, roots, flowers and fruits are the commonly used parts for ethnoveterinary medications. The phytochemicals present in the plant, such as alkaloids, sterols, glycosides, flavonoids, lignin, coumarins and terpenoids, etc., may be responsible for their medicinal properties. In this documentation, it was observed that the younger generation does not have good knowledge of medicinal plants as compared to the older ones. Therefore, it is necessary to preserve the traditional knowledge of these medicinal plants before their permanent loss. The documentation and conservation of medicinal plants can be a good start for novel phytopharmacological research in the veterinary field.

Ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity of Centella asiatica (L.) Urban: A comprehensive review

The well-known medicinal plant Centella asiatica (L.) Urban is an Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine used in the treatment of different health problems and as an edible vegetable in a regular diet. Ease of availability in the wide range of environmental conditions plus low-cost cultivation process has made the plant popular in ethno-medicinal healthcare systems. In the present review, phytochemical analysis of plant-extract and pharmacological activities of bioactive-compounds are discussed based upon the available reports to understand their therapeutic potentialities along with the mechanisms behind. The results exhibited that C. asiatica and its triterpenoids demonstrated an array of pharmacological effects and health benefits, some of which were confirmed in many preclinical and clinical studies. Those reports also provided considerable evidences in support of the principles of folk treatment in different countries. Increase and maintenance of the prospective plant secondary metabolites would provide an enriched resource of drug molecules. Development of suitable derivatives of the therapeutic compounds can give an assurance for getting more effective drug candidates with reduced side effects. The review also enumerates the application of advanced nanotechnology, toxicology, and clinical-trial reports on the plant with notes on the shortcomings in the present research and future perspectives of using this medicinal plant.

Ageratum conyzoides L. and Its Secondary Metabolites in the Management of Different Fungal Pathogens

Ageratum conyzoides L. (Family—Asteraceae) is an annual aromatic invasive herb, mainly distributed over the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It owns a reputed history of indigenous remedial uses, including as a wound dressing, an antimicrobial, and mouthwash as well as in treatment of dysentery, diarrhea, skin diseases, etc. In this review, the core idea is to present the antifungal potential of the selected medicinal plant and its secondary metabolites against different fungal pathogens. Additionally, toxicological studies (safety profile) conducted on the amazing plant A. conyzoides L. are discussed for the possible clinical development of this medicinal herb. Articles available from 2000 to 2020 were reviewed in detail to exhibit recent appraisals of the antifungal properties of A. conyzoides. Efforts were aimed at delivering evidences for the medicinal application of A. conyzoides by using globally recognized scientific search engines and databases so that an efficient approach for filling the lacunae in the research and development of antifungal drugs can be adopted. After analyzing the literature, it can be reported that the selected medicinal plant effectively suppressed the growth of numerous fungal species, such as Aspergillus, Alternaria, Candida, Fusarium, Phytophthora, and Pythium, owing to the presence of various secondary metabolites, particularly chromenes, terpenoids, flavonoids and coumarins. The possible mechanism of action of different secondary metabolites of the plant against fungal pathogens is also discussed briefly. However, it was found that only a few studies have been performed to demonstrate the plant’s dosage and safety profile in humans. Considered all together, A. conyzoides extract and its constituents may act as a promising biosource for the development of effective antifungal formulations for clinical use. However, in order to establish safety and efficacy, additional scientific research is required to explore chronic toxicological effects of ageratum, to determine the probability of interactions when used with different herbs, and to identify safe dosage. The particulars presented here not only bridge this gap but also furnish future research strategies for the investigators in microbiology, ethno-pharmacology, and drug discovery.

Ethnopharmacology, biological activities and chemical compounds of Canarium strictum: An important resin-yielding medicinal tree in India

The resin of Canarium strictum Roxb. is used for rheumatism and asthma; the bark is used as a mosquito repellent. The major compounds in the resin are triterpenoids, but as no studies have been performed on the bark, this study investigated this economically important resource. Ten folk healers were interviewed about their medicinal uses of C. strictum. Resin and bark were extracted with dichloromethane followed by methanol using accelerated solvent extraction. The extracts were fractionated using different chromatographic methods, and isolated compounds were identified by NMR spectroscopy and GC-MS. Resin and bark extracts were investigated for DPPH radical scavenging, 15-lipoxygenase inhibition, effects on nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-activated dendritic D2SC/I cells and toxicity against Artemia salina nauplii. Traditional healers used resin to treat colds, airway afflictions and rheumatoid arthritis. α-Amyrin and β-amyrin were identified as the major constituents in the dichloromethane resin extract. From the stem bark, procyanidins, gallic acid, methyl gallate, scopoletin, 3,3'-di-O-methylellagic acid 4-O-α-arabinofuranoside and elephantorrhizol (3,3',4',5,6,7,8-heptahydroxyflavan) were isolated and identified. By GC-MS, α-amyrin and β-amyrin and their acetates, lupeol, and taraxasterol were identified. Radical scavenging, 15-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity and inhibition of NO production was observed from resin and bark extracts, and no toxicity towards Artemia salina nauplii was found. Triterpenoids and procyanidins are the major compounds in C. strictum resin and stem bark, respectively. The high content of triterpenoids might contribute to anti-inflammatory effects and give a rationale for the widespread usage of the resin in India.

Pharmacologic activities of phytosteroids in inflammatory diseases: Mechanism of action and therapeutic potentials

Natural products and their derivatives are known to be useful for treating numerous diseases since ancient times. Because of their high therapeutic potentials, the use of different medicinal plants is possible to treat varied inflammation-mediated chronic diseases. Among natural products, phytosteroids have emerged as promising compounds mostly because they have diverse pharmacological activities. Currently, available medications exert numerous systemic toxicities, including hypertension, immune suppression, osteoporosis, and metabolic abnormalities. Thus, further research on phytosteroids to subside these complications is of significant importance. In this study, the information on phytosteroids, their types, and actions against inflammation, and allergic complications was collected by a systematic survey of literature on several scientific search engines. The literature review suggested that phytosteroids exhibit antiinflammatory action via different modes through transrepression or selective COX-2 enzymes. Also, in silico ADMET analysis was carried out on available phytosteroids to uncover their pharmacokinetic properties. Our analysis has shown that eight compounds: withaferin A, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, guggulsterone, diosgenin, sarsasapogenin, physalin A, and dioscin, -isolated from medicinal plants show similar pharmacokinetic properties as compared to dexamethasone, commercially available glucocorticoid. These phytosteroids could be useful for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases, multiple sclerosis, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Thus, systematic research is required to explore potent phytosteroids with lesser side effects, which might substitute the current medications.

Evaluation of efficacy of Bombax ceiba extract and its major constituent, mangiferin in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats

OBJECTIVES

Based on the ethno-medicinal use of Bombax ceiba leaf, in the treatment of diabetes, the present study is aimed at evaluation of antidiabetic potential of leaf extract and its major constituent mangiferin.

METHODS

Efficacy of hydroalcoholic extract of Bombax ceiba leaf (BCL, 200 and 400 mg/kg body wt.) and mangiferin (MF, 20 mg/kg body wt) was studied in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and associated complications visually, retinopathy, cardiopathy and nephropathy. After 20 days, serum glucose, lipid profiles, glycol-hemoglobin % (HbA1c%), liver enzymes activity and glycogen content, and histopathology of the pancreas were corroborated. The study was coxswained for development of validated RP-HPLC method for the estimation of MF in BCL.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated significant reductions in the levels of glucose (p<0.001), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c%, p<0.001), cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins, and concurrent elevation of high density lipoproteins level in the groups administered BCL and MF relative to the controls. It significantly reversed most of the altered metabolic and oxidative stress parameters and histopathological changes. Mangiferin content in BCL was found to be 0.04%w/w.

CONCLUSIONS

The anti-diabetic effects of BCL may be attributed to its ability to enhance insulin release, antioxidant and hypolipidemic potential.

Phenolic Composition and Skin-Related Properties of the Aerial Parts Extract of Different Hemerocallis Cultivars

Hemerocallis plants are important vegetables with nutritional and health value, especially in eastern Asia, where they have been used as medicines to cure disease such as depression and inflammation for thousands of years. The present study concerns the determination of flavonoids and phenolic acids, as well as antioxidant, anti-collagenase, anti-elastase, anti-tyrosinase and antimicrobial properties of taxa cultivated in Poland. For chemical composition estimation, LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis and spectrophotometric assays were performed. The results show the presence of sixteen compounds in all analyzed species. Among the investigated cultivars, it was found that H. “Chicago Apache” and H. fulva var. kwanso have the highest total phenolic acid and flavonoid content. The most abundant compounds in all analyzed extracts were chlorogenic acid (209.8 to 1010.0 µg/g of DE) and quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (114.7 to 1049.7 µg/g of DE). The studied extracts exhibited moderate to high skin-related activities. These properties were correlated with a high concentration of polyphenols. The present study demonstrated that Hemerocallis cultivars contain significant amounts of phenolic compounds with good skin-related activities and could be interesting as novel sources of bioactive agents for the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries.

Cytotoxic lycodine alkaloids from the aerial parts of Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides

A phytochemical investigation on the 75% EtOH extract of the aerial parts of Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides resulted in the isolation of three new lycodine alkaloids, 16-hydroxy-9-oxo-lycocasuarinine D (1), 6α-hydroxy-16-dehydroxy-lycocasuarinine A (2), and 6α,16-dihydroxy-lycocasuarinine B (3). Structural elucidation of all the compounds was performed by spectral methods such as 1D- and 2D-NMR, infrared, ultraviolet, and HR-ESI-MS. The isolated alkaloids were tested in vitro for cytotoxic potential against six lung cancer cell lines. Consequently, alkaloid 1 exhibited cytotoxicity against all the tested tumor cell lines with IC₅₀ values less than 20 μM.[Formula: see text].

Vascular Epiphytic Medicinal Plants as Sources of Therapeutic Agents: Their Ethnopharmacological Uses, Chemical Composition, and Biological Activities

This is an extensive review on epiphytic plants that have been used traditionally as medicines. It provides information on 185 epiphytes and their traditional medicinal uses, regions where Indigenous people use the plants, parts of the plants used as medicines and their preparation, and their reported phytochemical properties and pharmacological properties aligned with their traditional uses. These epiphytic medicinal plants are able to produce a range of secondary metabolites, including alkaloids, and a total of 842 phytochemicals have been identified to date. As many as 71 epiphytic medicinal plants were studied for their biological activities, showing promising pharmacological activities, including as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer agents. There are several species that were not investigated for their activities and are worthy of exploration. These epipythes have the potential to furnish drug lead compounds, especially for treating cancers, and thus warrant indepth investigations.

Anti-MRSA activity of abietane diterpenes from Coleus blumei Benth

Two heretofore uncharacterised abietane diterpenes, sincoetsin C (1) and 3-hydroxyspirocoleon 7-O-β-D-glucoside (4), were isolated from a methanolic extract of Coleus blumei Benth. (Lamiaceae), along with the known compounds, scutellarioidone A (2) and spirocoleon 7-O-β-D-glucoside (3) using chromatographic techniques. Their structures were determined by 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance including HSQC, HMBC, COSY and NOESY experiments, mass spectrometry (HR-MS) and other spectroscopic methods (UV, IR). Their antibacterial activity against the reference strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus CCM 4750 (MRSA) was evaluated using optical absorption to obtain quantitative information on their growth. All isolated compounds displayed anti-MRSA 4750 activity at the concentration of 512 μg/mL. Sincoetsin C (1) was the abietane diterpene most active against MRSA 4750, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 128 μg/mL.

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used to treat skin diseases in northern Pakistan

Background

Skin diseases are a major health concern especially in association with human immune deficiency syndrome and acquired an immune deficiency. The aim of this study was to document the ethnomedicinal information of plants used to treat skin diseases in Northern Pakistan. This is the first quantitative ethnobotanical study of therapeutic herbs utilized by the indigenous people of Northern Pakistan for skin diseases.

Methods

Interviews were taken to obtain information from 180 participants. Quantitative methods including fidelity level (FL), Frequency of citation (FC), Use-value (UV), Jaccard indices (JI), Family importance value (FIV), Relative frequency of citation (RFC) and Chi-square test were applied. Medicinal plants uses are also compared with 50 national and international publications.

Results

In this study, we recorded 106 plant species belonged to 56 floral families for treatment of skin ailments. The dominant life form reported was herb while the preferred method of utilization was powder, along with leaf as the most used plant part. RFC ranges from 0.07 to 0.25% whereas the highest FIV was recorded for family Pteridaceae. FL values range from 36.8 to 100%. The study reported 88% of new plant reports for the treatment of skin diseases.

Conclusion

The present study revealed the importance of several plants used to treat skin diseases by the local communities of Northern Pakistan. The available literature supported the evidence of plant dermatological properties. Plants having high UV and RFC can be considered for further scientific analysis. There is dire need to create awareness among local, government and scientific communities for the preservation of medicinal species and ethnomedicinal knowledge in Northern Pakistan.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12906-019-2605-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Traditional Uses of Medicinal Plants in Polonnaruwa District in North Central Province of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka harbors over 3000 plant species, and most of these plants have been of immense importance in the traditional systems of medicine in the country. Although there is a rich reserve of indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants, in-depth studies have not been pursued yet to compile the ethnoflora with traditional medicinal applications for the scientific community. Thus, as a continuation of our ethnobotanical inventory work in different regions in the country, the present study was carried out in one of the administrative districts in the North Central area of Sri Lanka known as Polonnaruwa district. The information on the significance of medicinal plants as curative and preventive agents of diseases was collected through semistructured and open-ended interviews from 284 volunteers who were randomly recruited for the study. Ethnobotanical data were analyzed using relative frequency of citation (RFC), family importance value (FIV), and use value (UV). Out of the total participants, 53.7% claimed the use of herbal remedies. A total of 64 medicinal plants belonging to 42 plant families were recorded, out of which Coriandrum sativum L. (RFC = 0.163) was the most cited species. Out of the 42 plant families recorded, the FIV was highest in Zingiberaceae. Coscinium fenestratum (Goetgh.) Colebr. was found as the plant with the highest use value. Furthermore, the majority of the nonusers of the herbal remedies were willing to adopt herbal products upon the scientific validation of their therapeutic potential. This study revealed that the indigenous herbal remedies are still popular among the local communities in the study area.

Green Ultrasound Assisted Extraction of trans Rosmarinic Acid from Plectranthus scutellarioides (L.) R.Br. Leaves

Painted nettle (Plectranthus scutellarioides (L.) R.Br.) is an ornamental plant belonging to Lamiaceae family, native of Asia. Its leaves constitute one of the richest sources of trans-rosmarinic acid, a well-known antioxidant and antimicrobial phenolic compound. These biological activities attract interest from the cosmetic industry and the demand for the development of green sustainable extraction processes. Here, we report on the optimization and validation of an ultrasound-assisted extraction (USAE) method using ethanol as solvent. Following preliminary single factor experiments, the identified limiting extraction parameters (i.e., ultrasound frequency, extraction duration, and ethanol concentration) were further optimized using a full factorial design approach. The method was then validated following the recommendations of the association of analytical communities (AOAC) to ensure the precision and accuracy of the method used to quantify trans-rosmarinic acid. Highest trans-rosmarinic acid content was obtained using pure ethanol as extraction solvent following a 45-minute extraction in an ultrasound bath operating at an ultrasound frequency of 30 kHz. The antioxidant (in vitro radical scavenging activity) and antimicrobial (directed toward Staphylococcus aureus ACTT6538) activities were significantly correlated with the trans-rosmarinic acid concentration of the extract evidencing that these key biological activities were retained following the extraction using this validated method. Under these conditions, 110.8 mg/g DW of trans-rosmarinic acid were extracted from lyophilized P. scutellarioides leaves as starting material evidencing the great potential of this renewable material for cosmetic applications. Comparison to other classical extraction methods evidenced a clear benefit of the present USAE method both in terms of yield and extraction duration.

Floristic composition and utilization of ethnomedicinal plant species in home gardens of the Eastern Himalaya

BACKGROUND

Home gardens are popular micro land-use system and are socioeconomically linked with people for their livelihood. In the foothill region of Eastern Himalaya, very less documentations are available on species richness of the home gardens, particularly on the ethnomedicinal plants. We assumed that the home garden owners of the study site are domesticating ethnomedicinal plants which are not easily accessible to them in the wild due to distant forest. This study was planned to explore and document the diversity and population status of ethnomedicinal plants in the home gardens along with its ethnomedicinal use.

METHODS

The present study was conducted in the home gardens of Cooch Behar district of West Bengal from May 2017 to May 2018. A multidisciplinary approach like collection of plant specimen, interview with structured questionnaire for documenting the utilization pattern, and quadrat methods for population study was applied. We selected 150 study sites randomly in the village cluster. The owners of the gardens were the respondents for the household survey. The study documented diversity, population size, and medicinal uses of ethnomedicinal plant species identified by the garden owners growing or being grown in their gardens.

RESULTS

A total of 260 plant species were reported, of which, 53 were utilized for different ethnomedicinal applications. These 53 species were represented by 35 families and 45 genera. Most of these ethnomedicinal species were woody perennials (37.73%). Cocus nucifera dominated the list with highest number of use followed by Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. The use value of the species varied from 0.006 to 0.53, while the fidelity value (%) ranged from 2.29 to 93.75%. The leaves of the plants were mostly used for ethnomedicinal applications (19 species) followed by fruits (12 species) and bark (9 species), and the least was the root (7 species). We documented 20 different ailments/diseases cured by using these plants. In some cases, more than one species are used to cure a disease or ailment. As many as 10 species were used to cure only stomach-related problems. Some more diseases like cough and cold and jaundice were treated using six and four species, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This documented list of 260 plant species including 53 ethnomedicinal ones from the home gardens of the study area indicates that these gardens are key in maintaining diversity and source of healthcare system in agricultural dominant landscape. Documenting such ecological status and traditional applications becomes a prerequisite for developing conservation and management strategies of home gardens to be included in the mainstream conservation processes.

Lycodine type alkaloids from Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides with cytotoxic and cholinesterase inhibitory activities

A chemical investigation on the 70% EtOH extract of the aerial parts of Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides led to the isolation of six novel lycodine type alkaloids, lycocasuarines A-F (1-6). The structures of the isolated compounds were established based on 1D and 2D (¹H¹H COSY, HMQC, and HMBC) NMR spectroscopy, in addition to high resolution mass spectrometry. The isolated alkaloids were tested in vitro for cytotoxic potentials against seven malignant melanoma cell lines as well as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrocholinesterase (BuChE) inhibitory activities. As a result, alkaloids 1 and 3 exhibited significant cytotoxic activities against all the tested tumor cell lines with IC₅₀ values <10 μM and the inhibitory activities for AchE (0.94 ± 0.15 and 0.24 ± 0.03 μM, respectively) and BuchE (1.82 ± 0.12 and 7.31 ± 0.42 μM, respectively).

Ethnobotany of dioecious species: Traditional knowledge on dioecious plants in India

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

More than 15,000 angiosperm species are dioecious, i.e., having distinct male and female individual plants. The allocation of resources between male and female plants is different, and also variation in secondary metabolites and sex-biased herbivory is reported among dioecious plants. However, little is known about the ethnobotany of dioecious species and whether preferences exist for a specific gender, e.g., in food, medicine or timber.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study was: 1) to study whether Indian folk healers have preference for plant genders, and to document their knowledge and use of dioecious species; 2) to understand the concept of plant gender in Indian systems of medicine and folk medicine, and whether Ayurvedic literature includes any references to gender preference.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Lists of dioecious plants used in Indian systems of medicine and folk medicine were compiled. Ethnobotanical data was collected on perceptions and awareness of dioecious plants, and preferences of use for specific genders of dioecious species using semi-structured interviews with folk healers in Tamil Nadu, India. In addition, twenty Ayurvedic doctors were interviewed to gain insight into the concept of plant gender in Ayurveda.

RESULTS

Indian systems of medicine contain 5-7% dioecious species, and this estimate is congruent with the number of dioecious species in flowering plants in general. Informants recognized the phenomenon of dioecy in 31 out of 40 species, and reported gender preferences for 13 species with respect to uses as timber, food and medicine. Among informants different plant traits such as plant size, fruit size, and visibility of fruits determines the perception of a plant being a male or female. Ayurvedic classical literature provides no straightforward evidence on gender preferences in preparation of medicines or treatment of illness, however it contains details about reproductive morphology and sexual differentiation of plants.

CONCLUSIONS

A knowledge gap exists in ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological literature on traditional knowledge of dioecious plants. From this explorative study it is evident that people have traditional knowledge on plant gender and preferential usages towards one gender. Based on this, we propose that researchers conducting ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies should consider documenting traditional knowledge on sexual systems of plants, and test the existence of gender specific usages in their conceptual framework and hypothesis testing. Incorporating such concepts could provide new dimensions of scientific knowledge with potential implications to conservation biology, chemical ecology, ethnoecology and drug discovery.

A review on ethnomedicinally important pteridophytes of India

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Pteridophytes have been considered an excellent source of medicine since ancient times and remain underexplored in ethnobotanical aspects when compared to other vascular plants. Hence, an attempt has been made to compile medicinally important pteridophytes used by different ethnic minorities and local people in India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Relevant information on the uses of pteridophytes was extracted from scientific journals (local, regional, and international), books, book chapters, conference proceedings, M.Sc. and Ph.D. dissertations, and other scientific databases. Recent and accepted names of plants were validated using standard nomenclature databases.

RESULTS

In total, 283 species of pteridophytes are enumerated in this review which are used to treat 129 ailments. Ethnobotanical records from the states Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand revealed 59% of overall uses of pteridophytes from India. Pteridaceae was recorded with highest number of medicinally important species (57), followed by Polypodiaceae, Dryopteridaceae, Thelypteridaceae, and Aspleniaceae with 36, 27, 22, and 21 species respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of medicinal plants in the primary healthcare of humans and livestock has been documented since ancient times, and they offer a useful source of new therapeutics. While pteridophytes have considerable importance in traditional pharmacopoeias, scientific studies on pharmacology of this group are scanty. Hence, studies on the phytochemistry and pharmacology of medicinally important pteridophytes with more citations may reveal active principles that can be further developed into novel therapeutic agents. Records of indigenous medicinal knowledge about pteridophytes need to be given top priority to aid the protection of such knowledge before they vanish from present day traditional healers.

An Ethnobotanical Study of the Medicinal Plants Used as Anti-Inflammatory Remedies in Gampaha District, Western Province, Sri Lanka

The application of traditional medicinal plants as anti-inflammatory remedies has been practiced in Sri Lanka for thousands of years. Although there is a rich reserve of indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants, the preservation and the scientific validation of these claims are still in its infancy. Thus, the study was carried out in one of the administrative areas of Sri Lanka known as Gampaha District to assess the significance and contribution of medicinal plants in inflammatory conditions. The data were collected through semistructured and open-ended interviews from 458 volunteers. Ethnobotanical data were analyzed using the relative frequency of citation (RFC), family importance value (FIV), and use value (UV). Out of the total participants, 50.7% claimed the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of inflammatory conditions such as fever, cough, asthma, swellings, and pain in the joints. A total of 43 medicinal plants belonging to 28 plant families were mentioned, out of which Coriandrum sativum (RFC = 0.23) was the most cited species. The most cited plant family was Fabaceae, and the family importance value was highest in Apiaceae. The majority of the nonusers of the herbal remedies mentioned that they would shift to herbal products if scientific information is available on the efficacy of these products.

Evaluation of the antileishmanial potency, toxicity and phytochemical constituents of methanol bark extract of Sterculia villosa

CONTEXT

Visceral leishmaniasis is a protozoan disease caused by Leishmania donovani parasite. The genus Sterculia (Malvaceae) possesses ethnobotanical potential against this protozoan infection.

OBJECTIVE

Determining the potential role of methanol bark extracts from Sterculia villosa Roxb (SVE) and its phytoconstituents against Leishmania donovani promastigotes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

SVE was analysed by TLC, UV-Vis, IR spectroscopy and biochemical assays. Antileishmanial potential of SVE (0.5-130 μg/mL for 72 h) was characterized by MTT assay. Fluorescent microscopy was performed to validate the IC₅₀ dose. To determine the effect of SVE on promastigotes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and superoxide generation, lipid peroxidation and DNA fragmentation assays were performed. Molecular aggregation of compounds was determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Extent of cytotoxicity of SVE at IC₅₀ dose was determined against RAW 264.7 macrophages, peritoneal macrophages and murine RBCs. In vivo cytotoxicity of SVE was evaluated in BALB/c mice.

RESULT

SVE exhibited reverse dose dependent antileishmanial activity when 130-0 μg/mL doses were tested against promastigotes. The IC₅₀ and IC₇₀ values were found to be 17.5 and 10 μg/mL, respectively. SVE at IC₅₀ dose demonstrated elevated level of ROS, superoxide, lipid peroxidation and DNA fragmentation against promastigotes with no cytotoxicity. AFM analysis suggested increasing size of molecular aggregation (31.3 nm < 35.2 nm < 2.93 μm) with increase in concentration (10 μg < 17.5 μg < 130 μg).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The study elucidates the antileishmanial potential of SVE against Leishmania donovani promastigotes by exerting oxidative stress and DNA damage. In sum, SVE can be explored as an immunotherapeutic candidate against leishmaniasis and other infectious diseases.

Benefits of Preventive Administration of Chlorella sp. on Visceral Pain and Cystitis Induced by a Single Administration of Cyclophosphamide in Female Wistar Rat

Chlorella sp. is a green microalgae containing nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and chlorophyll. In some communities, Chlorella sp. is a traditional medicinal plant used for the management of inflammation-related diseases. In a rat model, ROQUETTE Chlorella sp. (RCs) benefits were investigated on visceral pain and associated inflammatory parameters related to cystitis both induced by cyclophosphamide (CYP). RCs was orally administered every day from day 1-16 (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight). Six hours after an intraperitoneal injection of 200 mg/kg body weight of CYP, body temperature, general behavior, food intake, and body weight were recorded. Twenty-four hours after CYP injection, rats were tested in two behavioral tests, an open field and the aversive light stimulus avoidance conditioning test, to evaluate the influence of pain on general activity and learning ability of rats. After euthanasia, bladders were weighed, their thickness was scored, and the urinary hemoglobin was measured. RCs orally administered at the two dosages significantly reduced visceral pain and associated inflammatory parameters related to cystitis both induced by CYP injection, and improved rat behavior. To conclude, RCs demonstrated beneficial effects against visceral pain and cystitis.

Andrographis paniculata extract attenuates pathological cardiac hypertrophy and apoptosis in high-fat diet fed mice

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees (Acanthaceae) has a considerable medicinal reputation in most parts of Asia as a potent medicine in the treatment of Endocrine disorders, inflammation and hypertension.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Water extract of A. paniculata and its active constituent andrographolide are known to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects. Our aim is to identify whether A. paniculata extract could protect myocardial damage in high-fat diet induced obese mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The test mice were divided into three groups fed either with normal chow or with high fat diet (obese) or with high fat diet treated with A. paniculata extract (2g/kg/day, through gavage, for a week).

RESULTS

We found that the myocardial inflammation pathway related proteins were increased in the obese mouse which potentially contributes to cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial apoptosis. But feeding with A. paniculata extract showed significant inhibition on the effects of high fat diet.

CONCLUSION

Our study strongly suggests that supplementation of A. paniculata extract can be used for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease in obese patients.

Health seeking behavior and use of medicinal plants among the Hamer ethnic group, South Omo zone, southwestern Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Health seeking behavior of people around the globe is affected by different socio-cultural and economic factors. In Ethiopia, people living in rural areas in particular, are noted for their use of medicinal plants as a major component of their health care option. This study was conducted to document ethnopharmacological information of the Hamer semi-pastoralists ethnic group in southwestern Ethiopia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out whereby information on demographic characteristics, prevalence of perceived illnesses, factors associated with preference of health care seeking options, medicinal plants used and hoarded as well as some healers' socio-economic characteristics were collected using two sets of semi-structured questionnaires - one for household (HH) heads and the other for traditional healers supplemented by focus group discussions (FGDs). Households were selected using a cluster sampling followed by systematic sampling techniques; whereas healers and FGD participants were purposively selected with the assistance of local leaders and elders from the community.

RESULTS

The study revealed that the use of traditional medicine among the Hamer ethnic group is very high. Females preferred traditional medicine more than males. The main reasons for this preference include effectiveness, low cost and ease of availability. Malaria (gebeze) was the most frequently occurring illness in the area identified by all FGD participants. A total of 60 different medicinal plants were reported [34 by HH respondents, 14 by traditional healers and 12 by both]. Fifty-one medicinal plants were fully identified, 3 at generic level and 6 have not yet been identified.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that traditional medical practices, particularly herbal aspect, is widely used by the Hamer ethnic group, although health seeking behavior of the community is affected by different socio-economic and cultural factors.

The traditional use of plants to manage candidiasis and related infections in Venda, South Africa

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

This paper presents results of an ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used for the management of candidiasis and related fungal infections in the Venda area, South Africa.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ethnobotanical data about the uses of plants were gathered from eleven rural traditional healers using semi-structured interviews.

RESULTS

A total of 45 species belonging to 24 different families were identified, of which the dominant family was the Fabaceae with 13 species (28.9%) followed by the Asteraceae and Solanaceae with 3 species each (6.7 %). A total of 28 of these plant species (62.2%) have been shown to have anticandidal activity and 14 species (31%) have been recorded for antifungal uses in the literature. Amongst the 45 species recorded, 51% were trees, 33% were shrubs, and 16% were herbs. The most widely used plant species were Acacia caffra, Clerodendrum glabrum, Croton gratissimus, Elaeodendron transvaalense, Faurea saligna, Hippocratea longipetiolata, Osyris lanceolata, Richardia brasiliensis, Schkuhria pinnata, Schotia brachypetala, Spilanthes acmella, Strychnos potatorum, Vangueria infausta subsp. infausta and Withania somnifera. The plant parts mostly used in the therapeutic preparations were roots (27.7%), bark (23.2%), and a combination of roots, bark (18.7%) and leaves (14.3%). Decoctions (44.4%), infusions (20%), macerations (17.7%), burning (11.4%) and paste (6.5%) were used. Most of the herbal remedies were administered orally. The main factors threatening the conservation status of these plants are unsustainable methods of harvesting, logging for firewood, building materials and crafts.

CONCLUSION

The Venda area is rich in plant diversity and local indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants can play an important role as a model for low cost primary health care. Further studies are in progress to validate the indigenous plants recorded as traditional remedies in this area.

Suppressive effects of total alkaloids of Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides on adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides is a folk medicine used to treat inflammation-associated diseases including rheumatoid arthritis in South China. Since the major secondary metabolites in Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides are alkaloids, the present study aims to investigate the suppressive effects of total alkaloids of Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides (ALC) on adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA) in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

AA was induced (day 0) in male Sprague-Dawley rats by intradermal injection of complete Freund׳s adjuvant (CFA) in right hind footpad. Diclofenac sodium (SD) was chosen as the positive drug. SD (10mg/kg) and ALC (20 and 40 mg/kg) administration started from day 1 and continued for 28 days. Paw swelling, arthritis scores, and histopathological changes were evaluated. In addition, the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), as well as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB expressions in joint synovial tissues were detected.

RESULTS

ALC administration significantly suppressed the inflammatory responses in the joints of AA rats. It also decreased the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and PGE2. Moreover, Western blot analysis showed that COX-2 and NF-κB expressions in synovial tissues of AA rats were significantly reduced.

CONCLUSION

These results indicated that ALC prevented the pathological development of AA in rats. ALC may be a potential candidate for the treatment of inflammation and arthritis.

Effect of Melilotus extract on lung injury via the upregulation of tumor necrosis factor-α-induced protein-8-like 2 in septic mice

As a Traditional Chinese Medicine, Melilotus extracts have been reported to function as an anti-inflammatory agent, antioxidant and inhibitor of capillary permeability. The present study aimed to identify the mechanisms by which Melilotus interferes with inflammation-associated and oxidative stress pathways during sepsis. An animal model of cecal ligation-perforation (CLP)-induced sepsis was established. Two hours prior to surgery, animals in the treatment group were administered 25 mg/kg Melilotus extract tablets and subsequently every 8 h. At 24 h post-administration, pathological modifications in lung tissue and expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α-induced protein-8-like 2 (TIPE2) expression, nuclear factor (NF)-κB, toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), inhibitor of κB kinase (IκB), pro-inflammatory mediators (interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α), myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were examined. The results showed that Melilotus extract had a marked effect on the pathological manifestation of lung tissue and lung inflammatory response, the upregulation of TIPE2, HO-1 and IκB expression, and the inhibition of TLR4 and NF-κB activities. In addition, following treatment with Melilotus extract, the model animals demonstrated decreased levels of MPO and MDA as well as increased levels of SOD. In conclusion, these results indicated that Melilotus extract may be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of CLP-induced lung injury, the mechanism of which proceeded via inflammation- and oxidation-associated pathways by increasing TIPE2 expression.

Multi-constituent synergism is responsible for anti-inflammatory effect of Azadirachta indica leaf extract

CONTEXT

Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Meliaceaes) leaves have been used traditionally to treat swelling and rheumatism in Indian cultures.

OBJECTIVE

To fractionate A. indica leaf extracts using bioactivity guided manner for identification of the active anti-inflammatory principles.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Polarity-gradient sequential extracts (petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, and water) of A. indica leaves were screened for their anti-inflammatory potential using the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model (1 g/kg). The chloroform extract was sequentially fractionated to obtain n-hexane (F-1), n-hexane-chloroform (F-2), and chloroform (F-3) fractions and their inhibitory effect on rat paw edema was evaluated (500 mg/kg). Inhibitory effect of F-2 on granuloma formation, plasma interleukin (IL-1), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) was assessed at the doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg using the cotton pellet assay in rats. Three sub-fractions (SF-1, SF-2, and SF-3) were obtained upon chromatography of F-2, and their inhibitory effect on cyclooxygenase was assessed at 200 µg/mL concentration. The sub-fractions were subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

RESULTS

All the extracts showed significant anti-inflammatory effect; however, chloroform extract was the most effective against paw edema (53.25% inhibition). The three fractions of chloroform extract showed significant effect, while F-2 being the most potent (51.02%). F-2 demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of granuloma and cytokines. Interestingly, all the sub-fractions of F-2 inhibited COX-1 and COX-2 with almost equal potential. GC-MS revealed that chemically the sub-fractions were totally different from each other.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Anti-inflammatory effect of A. indica is a result of cumulative and synergistic effects of diversified constituents with varying polarities that collectively exert the effect via suppression of cyclo-oxygenases and cytokines (IL-1 and TNF-α).

Promising medicinal plants for bioprospection in a Cerrado area of Chapada do Araripe, Northeastern Brazil

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Traditional medical systems represent an important source of knowledge about the use of biodiversity. Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies can encourage bioprospecting in the pursuit and selection of promising medicinal plants. This study investigated the diversity of medicinal plants in a disjunct area of cerrado in Chapada do Araripe, Ceará, Brazil, and assessed the species of interest for bioprospecting.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Structured and semi-structured interviews were conducted through free listing, and the informants were recruited using the "snowball" technique. The relative importance and informant consensus factor were analyzed for the selection of plant species with therapeutic potential.

RESULTS

A total of 68 species were recorded and cited for 91 therapeutic purposes. Of these, 10 species showed great versatility of use, including Copaifera langsdorffii Desf., Caryocar coriaceum Wittn., Himatanthus drasticus (Mart.) Plumel, Stryphnodendron rotundifolium Mart., and Dimorphandra garderiana Tull. The therapeutic citations were grouped into 16 categories of body systems, of which Injuries, Poisonings and Other Consequences of External Causes, and Neoplasias showed the highest agreement of use.

CONCLUSIONS

Regarding the diversity of the species, some including Tocoyena Formosa (Cham. & Schlecht.) Schum., Himatanthus drasticus, Caryocar coriaceum, Roupala montana Aubl. and Stryphnodendron rotundifolium showed both high relative importance and strong consensus among informants, and although many have already been investigated scientifically, others are almost unknown with respect to their medicinal properties and can be targets for bioprospecting.

Evaluation of antihyperglycemic and antinociceptive activity of Xanthium indicum stem extract in Swiss albino mice

Background

Xanthium indicum stem is used in folk medicine of Bangladesh to control sugar in diabetic patients and to alleviate pain. The objective of the study was to evaluate antihyperglycemic and antinociceptive activity of methanolic extract of Xanthium indicum stems (XISE) in mice.

Methods

Antihyperglycemic activity was measured by oral glucose tolerance tests in glucose-loaded Swiss albino mice. Antinociceptive activity was determined by observed decreases in abdominal constrictions in acetic acid-induced gastric pain model in mice.

Results

The methanol extract of stems showed dose-dependent and statistically significant antihyperglycemic activity at doses of 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg per kg body weight (p values, respectively, < than 0.01, 0.01, 0.005, and 0.01). Highest reduction in blood glucose level (31.2%) was observed with the highest dose (400 mg) of the extract. A standard antihyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide, reduced blood glucose levels by 46.2%, when administered at a dose of 10 mg per kg body weight. In antinociceptive activity tests, the extract when administered at the afore-mentioned four doses, reduced the number of abdominal constrictions in mice, respectively, by 41.7, 50.0, 54.2, and 61.0%. In comparison, a standard antinociceptive drug, aspirin, when administered at a dose of 200 mg per kg body weight, reduced the number of abdominal constrictions by 37.5%.

Conclusion

The experimental results obtained in the present study validate the use of X. indicum stems in folk medicines of Bangladesh to lower blood sugar in diabetic patients and to alleviate pain.

Ethnopharmacological in vitro studies on Austria's folk medicine--an unexplored lore in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of 71 Austrian traditional herbal drugs

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

In Austria, like in most Western countries, knowledge about traditional medicinal plants is becoming scarce. Searching the literature concerning Austria's ethnomedicine reveals its scant scientific exploration. Aiming to substantiate the potential of medicinal plants traditionally used in Austria, 63 plant species or genera with claimed anti-inflammatory properties listed in the VOLKSMED database were assessed for their in vitro anti-inflammatory activity.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

71 herbal drugs from 63 plant species or genera were extracted using solvents of varying polarities and subsequently depleted from the bulk constituents, chlorophylls and tannins to avoid possible interferences with the assays. The obtained 257 extracts were assessed for their in vitro anti-inflammatory activity. The expression of the inflammatory mediators E-selectin and interleukin-8 (IL-8), induced by the inflammatory stimuli tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and the bacterial product lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was measured in endothelial cells. The potential of the extracts to activate the nuclear factors PPARα and PPARγ and to inhibit TNF-α-induced activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in HEK293 cells was determined by luciferase reporter gene assays.

RESULTS

In total, extracts from 67 of the 71 assessed herbal drugs revealed anti-inflammatory activity in the applied in vitro test systems. Thereby, 30 could downregulate E-selectin or IL-8 gene expression, 28 were strong activators of PPARα or PPARγ (inducing activation of more than 2-fold at a concentration of 10µg/mL) and 21 evoked a strong inhibition of NF-κB (inhibition of more than 80% at 10µg/mL).

CONCLUSION

Our research supports the efficacy of herbal drugs reported in Austrian folk medicine used for ailments associated with inflammatory processes. Hence, an ethnopharmacological screening approach is a useful tool for the discovery of new drug leads.

Chlorin e6 Prevents ADP-Induced Platelet Aggregation by Decreasing PI3K-Akt Phosphorylation and Promoting cAMP Production

A number of reagents that prevent thrombosis have been developed but were found to have serious side effects. Therefore, we sought to identify complementary and alternative medicinal materials that are safe and have long-term efficacy. In the present studies, we have assessed the ability of chlorine e6 (CE6) to inhibit ADP-induced aggregation of rat platelets and elucidated the underlying mechanism. CE6 inhibited platelet aggregation induced by 10 µM ADP in a concentration-dependent manner and decreased intracellular calcium mobilization and granule secretion (i.e., ATP and serotonin release). Western blotting revealed that CE6 strongly inhibited the phosphorylations of PI3K, Akt, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and different mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) including extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) as well as p38-MAPK. Our study also demonstrated that CE6 significantly elevated intracellular cAMP levels and decreased thromboxane A₂ formation in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, we determined that CE6 initiated the activation of PKA, an effector of cAMP. Taken together, our findings indicate that CE6 may inhibit ADP-induced platelet activation by elevating cAMP levels and suppressing PI3K/Akt activity. Finally, these results suggest that CE6 could be developed as therapeutic agent that helps prevent thrombosis and ischemia.

Anti-bacterial activity and brine shrimp lethality bioassay of methanolic extracts of fourteen different edible vegetables from Bangladesh

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the antibacterial and cytotoxic activity of fourteen different edible vegetables methanolic extract from Bangladesh.

METHODS

The antibacterial activity was evaluated using disc diffusion assay method against 12 bacteria (both gram positive and gram negative). The plant extracts were also screened for cytotoxic activity using the brine shrimp lethality bioassay method and the lethal concentrations (LC50) were determined at 95% confidence intervals by analyzing the data on a computer loaded with "Finney Programme".

RESULTS

All the vegetable extracts showed low to elevated levels of antibacterial activity against most of the tested strains (zone of inhibition=5-28 mm). The most active extract against all bacterial strains was from Xanthium indicum which showed remarkable antibacterial activity having the diameter of growth inhibition zone ranging from 12 to 28 mm followed by Alternanthera sessilis (zone of inhibition=6-21 mm). All extracts exhibited considerable general toxicity towards brine shrimps. The LC50 value of the tested extracts was within the range of 8.447 to 60.323 µg/mL with respect to the positive control (vincristine sulphate) which was 0.91 µg/mL. Among all studied extracts, Xanthium indicum displayed the highest cytotoxic effect with LC50 value of 8.447 µg/mL.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the present investigation suggest that most of the studied plants are potentially good source of antibacterial and anticancer agents.

Diuretic effects of young fruit extracts of bombax ceiba L. In rats

The present study was aimed to investigate the diuretic effects of aqueous and crude ethanol extracts of Bombax ceiba L. fruits (family, Bombacaceae) using acute model in rats. A single individual dose of aqueous and ethanol extract of B. ceiba fruit (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg, p.o., each), frusemide and hydrochlorothiazide, (25 mg/kg, p.o., each) as reference diuretic drugs, were administered orally to dehydrated rats. Control group rats were fed with normal saline (25 ml/kg, p.o.). All rats were caged in metabolic cages in pairs and their urine output was monitored at 5 and 24 h intervals. Both extracts significantly increased the urine output in higher doses. Although, the onset of this diuretic action was gradual (within 5 h), it lasted throughout the studied period (up to 24 h). Further, the intensity of diuresis induced by aqueous extract (400 mg/kg) in 5 h was almost similar to that of frusemide and hydrochlothiazide. Aqueous extract of B. ceiba fruit also caused marked increase in urinary Na⁺ and K⁺ levels. However, the routine urinalysis showed non-significant alterations in pH and specific gravity by either dose of crude extracts of B. ceiba fruits. These effects demonstrate possible diuretic actions of B. ceiba fruit extracts and support its folklore use in various urinary ailments. Further studies need to be done to characterize the active phytoconstituents from fruits.

Ethnopharmacological survey of native remedies commonly used against infectious diseases in the tropical island of Mauritius

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Infectious diseases (IDs) still remain a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. This study has been geared to gather primary ethnopharmacological information on common native remedies (NRs) used to treat and/or manage common infectious diseases from different regions of Mauritius, a tropical multicultural island in the Indian Ocean. Given the dearth of updated information on traditional medicine of Mauritius, this work can provide an opportunity to establish valuable primary information on the different NRs used by the local people and hence open new perspectives for further pharmacological research.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To collect, preserve and document primary ethnopharmacological data from the local population concerning NRs commonly used against IDs in the tropical island of Mauritius.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Face to face interviews were conducted with Mauritians and herbalists (n=307) using a semi-structured questionnaire. Quantitative ethnobotany parameters such as informant consensus factor (F(IC)), fidelity level (FL), use value (UV) and variety of use (VU) were used for herbal and animal products. Statistical analysis such as Pearson correlation and Chi-squared test were performed to delineate any association.

RESULTS

It was found that 94.8% of the local people claimed that managing IDs with NRs was part of their culture and have been using it since childhood. A total of 39 plant species belonging to 24 families and 9 animal species were reported to be traditionally used in the formulation of herbal remedies and animal products, respectively. Sociodemographic characteristics (gender, age, place of residence and income) had a significant (p<0.01) impact on the use of these NRs. The most relevant family contributing much to the medicinal flora was Zingiberaceae (No of citation=301). The average F(IC) for all ailments for medicinal plants and animal products were 0.963 and 0.972, respectively. Acalypha indica L. had the highest FL (0.83) for skin and subcutaneous tissue problems. Panoply of animal products (Anguilla japonica, Periplaneta americana and Helix aspersa) were culturally used, whereby products from Bos taurus, (42.0%) were the most utilized zootherapy. Other remedies used in concurrence with herbal and animal products involved cultural rituals and prayers that were never reported in previous studies. Therapeutic properties of some herbal remedies reported correlated to some extent with those of previous studies while others have open potential perspectives for further research as their chemistry and pharmacology have not been published.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the plethora of novel information obtained from the present survey, it is obvious that the indigenous population still relies to a great extent on NRs which need to be preserved and used sustainably. Nonetheless, further research is needed to probe the possible active constituents that could be the basis of an evidence based investigation to discover new drugs.

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.

An ethnomedicinal survey on phytotherapy with professionals and patients from Basic Care Units in the Brazilian Unified Health System

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

In this study, an ethnomedicinal survey was conducted in the city of Pelotas, Brazil, with professionals and patients in the Unified Health System (SUS). With the approval of the National Policy on Medicinal Plants and Herbal Medicines, and with the adoption of a National Policy on Integrative and Complementary Practices in the SUS in Brazil, there is growing concern regarding Brazilian medicinal plants and their proper use in medicine. The expansion of the therapeutic options offered to the users of the SUS includes access to medicinal plants and herbal drugs, as well as related services, such as phytotherapy. For improving health and for the social inclusion of phytotherapies, safety, efficacy, and quality are important strategies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Interviews of both professionals and patients were conducted at five Basic Care Units, and a sample size of 393 was obtained.

RESULTS

Of the patients attending the Basic Care Units, 91.6% had experienced the use of medicinal plants at least once to treat certain diseases. Of the professionals, 65% had used medicinal plants but only 10% prescribed phytotherapeutics to their patients. Generally, the users were homemakers (26%) of the female gender (71.5%) who were older than 60 years (26%) and had a family income between 1 and 2 Brazilian minimal salaries. The professionals were predominantly female (80%), and a high proportion (80%) believed in the positive effects of phytotherapy (80%), even though these professionals had not been taught phytotherapy as undergraduate students (75%) and had not discussed the topic with their teachers (85%). Patients (81.5%) and professionals (45%) reported that their knowledge of medicinal plants came from their parents or grandparents. From a total of 66 different herbs used by the subjects, mauve (24%) was the most commonly used, often to treat toothaches (24.2%).

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that a high proportion of users and professionals made use of medicinal plants, and of the large number of plants mentioned in the questionnaire, mauve was the most commonly used, mainly for the treatment of toothaches. The major source of the transmission of knowledge concerning herbal medicine was parents or grandparents.

Curative treatment with extracts of Bombax ceiba fruit reduces risk of calcium oxalate urolithiasis in rats

CONTEXT

Drawbacks of presently available treatments for urolithiasis necessitate finding the treatment of hyperoxaluria specifically aimed at reduction in oxalate excretion. Interestingly, many Indian tribes use Bombax ceiba L. (Bombacaceae) fruits as a traditional medicine for the treatment of urinary stones.

OBJECTIVE

The present study investigated the efficacy of B. ceiba fruit extracts as curative agents in experimentally induced calcium oxalate urolithiatic rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Calcium oxalate lithiasis was induced in rats by oral administration of 0.75% ethylene glycol for 14 consecutive days. Treatments with aqueous and ethanol extract of B. ceiba fruit (400 mg/kg body weight) was performed in the same manner for further 14 consecutive days. Cystone (750 mg/kg body weight) was used as reference antiurolithiatic drug. The urinary excretion and kidney deposition of offending salt components, and serum biochemical parameters were investigated.

RESULTS

Oral administration of ethylene glycol resulted in hyperoxaluria and increased renal excretion of calcium and phosphate. However, supplementation with aqueous and ethanol extracts of B. ceiba fruit significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the elevated urinary oxalate, showing a regulatory action on endogenous oxalate synthesis. The increased deposition of stone forming constituents in kidneys of calculogenic rats was also significantly lowered with curative treatment of aqueous and ethanol extract.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

The results indicate that the fruit of B. ceiba is endowed with lithontriptic activity warranting further development for curative treatment of urolithiasis.