Aloe greatheadii var. davyana or spotted aloe is indigenous to South Africa and widely distributed in the northern provinces. The plant has a vast ethnopharmacological application which is mostly attributed to its phytochemical content. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of abiotic stress factors on the plant’s phytochemical content. The phytochemical content of A. greatheadii hexane extracts from four different provinces (Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and North West), harvested from the wild at varied altitudes, rainfall patterns, and soil types, was examined using gas chromatography-mass spectra (GC-MS). The phytochemical content of hexane extracts from the four South African provinces was analysed using heat map analysis and hierarchical clustering dendrogram. The phytochemical content of A. greatheadii hexane extracts was composed of fatty acids, alkanes, benzene, carboxylic acids, ketones, phytosterols, and vitamins. Eicosane, henicosane, and [(2S)-2-[(2R)-4-hexadecanoyloxy-3-hydroxy-5-oxo-2H-furan-2-yl]-2-hydroxyethyl] hexadecanoate were the only compounds detected in all samples from the four provinces. The concentration levels of 2-(((2-ethylhexyl)oxy)carbonyl) benzoic acid, beta-sitosterol, tritetracontane, and ethyl 13-methyltetradecanoate were closely related and expressed a low clustering distance amongst the samples. Variations in soil pH, soil type, and rainfall patterns were detected and differed in the four provinces. The different abiotic stress factors affected the biochemical pathways for the different compounds, with conditions in Gauteng being less favourable for many of the compounds detected. Abiotic stress factors have shown to influence phytochemical biochemical pathways and quantity. Aloe greatheadii plants can be selected based on location seemingly due to the variations that persist in their phytochemical content.
The current study was aimed at the determination of the phytochemical contents and antioxidant capacity of the leaves of A. greatheadii from four provinces of South Africa. The leaves samples of A. greatheadii were collected at four different locations in South Africa; namely, Limpopo province (Polokwane), Gauteng province (Ga-Rankuwa), Mpumalanga province (Siyabuswa) and North-West province (Brits) during the summer season of the year. The ground samples were then extracted in a serial sequential procedure with different organic solvents using cold maceration extraction method. The extracts were then subjected to quantitative phytochemical analysis for the determination of total phenolic, total tannin, total flavonoid and total saponin content. In addition, the antioxidant capacity of the methanol extracts were evaluated through the DPPH assay. Quantitative phytochemical analysis showed variation in the total phenolic, total tannin, total flavonoid and total saponin contents of the samples from different locations, with specific phytochemicals found in higher amounts at different locations. However, upon calculation of the total phytochemical content the high amount was recorded with the Limpopo province sample. Variation in the antioxidant capacity (EC50 based) of the samples from different locations was demonstrated, with the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces’ samples showing high capacity. The results demonstrated that the variation in geographical locations has an effect on the phytochemical contents and antioxidant capacity of the leaves of A. greatheadii. Furthermore, the Limpopo province area with a high altitude appeared to be providing suitable growing conditions for high accumulation of phytochemicals and higher antioxidant capacity.
The aim of the study was to profile the metabolite content of Aloe greatheadii and investigate their antibacterial potential against illness causing bacteria. The metabolite profile of A. greatheadii was determined and the antibacterial activity tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The metabolite profile resolved on TLC plates indicated an almost similar pattern of bands for majority of the separated compounds. The results on the maximum absorption wavelength of extracts from all locations ranged between 240 and 320 nm. The most susceptible bacteria for the treatment by samples from all the provinces was the Gram-positive E. faecalis with MIC values ranging from 0.54 to 0.067 mg/mL. It was interesting to note that susceptibility of the tested bacteria to treatment by the plant extracts was not specific to either Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria.
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