Invasive species are detrimental ecologically and economically. Their negative impacts in Africa are extensive, and call for a renewed commitment to better understand the correlates of invasion success. Here, we explored several putative drivers of species invasion among non-native trees in southern Africa, a region of high floristic diversity. We tested for differences in functional traits between plant categories using a combination of phylogenetic independent contrasts and a simulation-based phylogenetic ANOVA. We found no strong correlation in biological traits between alien invasive and alien non-invasive. However, we reveal that non-native species generally have longer flowering duration compared to native species, are generally hermaphroditic and their dispersal is mostly abiotically mediated. Non-native trees in southern Africa are characterized by a suite of traits, including long flowering times, a hermaphroditic sexual system, and abiotic dispersal, that may represent important adaptations promoting establishment.Progressive Macular Hypomelanosis (PMH) is a common hypopigmentation disease and is found mainly on the central parts of the chest, similar to the areas where acne occurs. The literature revealed that porphyrin-producing bacteria, such as Propionibacterium acnes residing in the sebum of the pilosebaceous duct, generate a follicular red fluorescence under Wood's lamp which was restricted to lesional skin (hypopigmented spots). It was proposed that P. acnes, the main cause for Acne vulgaris, is also responsible for Progressive macular hypomelanosis. Twelve ethanol plant extracts were screened for their cytotoxicity, melanin production activity, antioxidant activity, antibacterial activity and lipase inhibitory activity. The cytotoxic ability was measured using XTT (Sodium 3′-[1-(phenylamino-carbonyl)-3,4-tetrazoluum]-bis-[4methoxy-6-nitro] benzene sulfonic acid hydrate) colorimetric assay. Both cytotoxicity and melanin stimulatory activity were screened on B16-F10 mouse melanocytes and compared to the cytotoxic actinomycin D and melanin stimulatory alkaloid, theophylline respectively. Aspalathus linearis and Leucas martinicensis showed intracellular melanin production at concentrations of 200 and 250 μg/mL respectively and showed low cytotoxicity. Euclea crispa and Combretum molle showed both antioxidant and antibacterial activity. Antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH (1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) and compared to the known antioxidant, vitamin C. These extracts showed a 50% inhibition (IC 50 ) of free radicals at concentrations of 4.5 μg/mL and 3.3 μg/mL respectively. Antibacterial activity was screened on P. acnes (ATCC 11827 and ATCC 6919) with the Pestoblue colorimetric assay and compared with the antibiotic tetracycline, both obtained an IC 50 of ± 250 μg/mL. The results of these studies indicate the potential of A. linearis and L. martinicensis for PMH treatments.The genus Bulbine comprises ca. 70 species distributed in South Africa and Australia. In South Africa the species ha...
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