DC (Ebenaceae): A Review

Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst. ex. A. DC is widely distributed throughout Africa and around the world. It is utilized ethnobotanically to treat fevers, wounds, malaria, diabetes mellitus, and other diseases. This review aims to provide an exhaustive overview of the traditional uses, pharmacology, and phytochemical analysis of D. mespiliformis, with the objective of identifying its therapeutic potential for further research. Scientific resources, including Google Scholar, Science Direct, Web of Science, Pub Med, and Scopus, were used to find pertinent data on D. mespiliformis. Secondary metabolites tentatively identified from this species were primarily terpenoids, naphthoquinones, phenolics, and coumarins. D. mespiliformis has been reported to demonstrate pharmacological activities, including antimicrobial, antiproliferative, antiparasitic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-hypersensitivity, and antidiabetic properties. The phytochemicals and extracts from D. mespiliformis have been reported to have some pharmacological effects in in vivo studies and were not toxic to the animal models that were utilized. The D. mespiliformis information reported in this review provides researchers with a comprehensive summary of the current research status of this medicinal plant and a guide for further investigation.

Renoprotective effects of the crude extract and solvent fractions of the leaves of Euclea divinorum Hierns against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Euclea divinorum Hierns (Ebenaceae) is used in Ethiopian folklore medicine to treat scabies, inflammation of the skin, eczema, abdominal pain, gonorrhea, and kidney problems. However, the claim has not been scientifically validated.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To assess the renoprotective effects of the crude extract and solvent fractions of E. divinorum leaves against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

Rats of either sex were divided into seven experimental groups, each comprising six animals. Group I served as control and given vehicle (Tween 80, 2%, v/v in water) and Group II were treated with gentamicin intraperitoneally (100mg/kg/day) for eight days. Group III-V received crude extract at three different doses 100mg/kg, 150mg/kg and 200mg/kg, respectively. Group VI received 100mg/kg of the methanolic fraction and Group VII 100mg/kg of the aqueous fraction. The extract was administered orally two days before and eight days concomitantly with gentamicin. Following treatment, blood and renal tissue were used to assess creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant enzymes and tubular necrosis using recommended procedures. In addition, free radical scavenging activity was determined using in vitro methods.

RESULTS

Gentamicin significantly increased serum creatinine and BUN, MDA and tubular necrosis in rats. It also decreased activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase as well as levels of gluthatione. Pre- and co-treatment with the crude extract and solvent fractions of Euclea divinorum leaves reversed gentamicin-induced alterations as evidenced by a decrease in tubular necrosis, serum and oxidant markers as well as by an increase in antioxidant molecules. Effect was found to decrease with dose when the crude extract was used and maximum protection was conferred by 100mg/kg of the methanolic fraction in both in vivo and in vitro studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Euclea divinorum reversed gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity, probably via its antioxidant activity. The fact that the methanol fraction conferred maximum protection suggests that semi-polar antioxidant principles might be responsible for the observed effect.

Preliminary investigation of contractile activity of Ricinus communis and Euclea divinorum extracts on isolated rabbit uterine strips

Ricinus communis and Euclea divinorum of the family Euphorbiaceae and Ebenaceae, respectively, are traditionally used by Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in Machakos district of Kenya to induce or augment labor, manage protracted labor, post-partum hemorrhage and retained after birth. Ethno-pharmacological relevance of the study will be the provision of scientific evidence and justification for the ethnic use of both plants as oxytocic agents in the initiation of labor, treatment of prolonged labor, post-partum hemorrhage and retained placenta.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The plants were harvested in the wild, identified and voucher specimens preserved. The root bark was processed to powder form, from which aqueous and ethanol extracts were obtained. Each of the extracts was separately tested on isolated uterine muscle tissue from non-pregnant and pregnant rabbits. The effect on contraction frequency (number of contractions per second) in the absence or presence of oxytocin was evaluated statistically using ANOVA. P values <0.05 were considered significant.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

All uteri exhibited a strong initial contraction following exposure to the aqueous and ethanol root bark extracts of both plants. After recovery, the resumed contraction frequencies varied with the plant extract and exogenous hormone. The results show that the extracts of both plants were able to stimulate uterine tissue contractility directly and to augment the tissue's response to oxytocin. The increase in uterine contractions as a percentage relative to negative controls was particularly significant in pregnant rabbit tissues in the presence of oxytocin, where increments of up to 245% were observed. Further pharmacological studies are however required to determine the active principles, possible mechanisms of action, efficacy and safety margins of the plant extracts.

(Rubiaceae)

The African flora contains numerous medicinal plants whose biological and chemical properties are incompletely known. Antioxidant and radical scavenging properties of plants are subject to intensive research. In the work described here, we have investigated the antioxidant activity of the plants Diospyros abyssinica (root bark), Lannea velutina (root bark and stem bark) and Crossopteryx febrifuga (seeds). Extracts of different polarity were assayed for radical scavenging activity, using the stable free radical diphenylpicrylhydrazyl, and for inhibition of enzymatic lipid peroxidation mediated by soybean 15-lipoxygenase. All plants investigated showed activity, but there were large differences between plants and between extracts. In general, Diospyros abyssinica and Lannea velutina were richer in antioxidants than Crossopteryx febrifuga. Lipophilic extracts were not active as radical scavengers, but did inhibit 15-lipoxygenase. Semipolar extracts (80% aqueous ethanol and methanol) of Diospyros abyssinica and Lannea velutina showed the highest activity both as radical scavengers and lipoxygenase inhibitors, and also gave the highest extract yields. These plants therefore appear to be excellent sources of antioxidants.