African Flora as Potential Sources of Medicinal Plants : Towards the Chemotherapy of Major Parasitic and Other Infectious Diseases : A Review

Gurib-Fakim, Ameenah; Mahomoodally, Mohamad Fawzi

doi:10.12816/0000263

Cited by 27 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Several investigations tend to suggest that it is often difficult to speculate and decipher the exact mode of action by which plant extracts exhibit their trypanocidal action. Indeed, the possible mechanisms by which plant extracts and phytochemicals therein carry out this role remain a subject of great speculations and debate in the scientific community [ 34 ]. Thus, for the DCM extract in our study, the antitrypanosomal effect produced would most likely be ascribed to either of the terpenoids, polyphenols or phytosteroids detected in the extract.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of in vivo antitrypanosomal activity of crude extracts of Artemisia abyssinica against aTrypanosoma congolense isolate

Feyera

Terefe

Shibeshi

2014

BMC Complement Altern Med

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BackgroundAfrican trypanosomiasis is a major disease of economic and public health importance affecting agricultural and human development. The search for alternative compounds against African trypanosomiasis is justified by various limitations of existing chemotherapeutic agents. This study was aimed at screening the hydromethanolic and dichloromethane (DCM) crude extracts of aerial parts of Artemisia abyssinica for in vivo antitrypanosomal activity against Trypanosoma congolense isolate in mice.MethodsThe aerial parts of the plant were extracted by maceration technique using dichloromethane and 80% methanol to obtain the corresponding crude extracts. The plant extracts at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight were administered intraperitoneally daily for 7 days to mice infected with Trypanosoma congolense. Diminazene aceturate and distilled water were used as positive and as negative controls respectively. The level of parasitaemia, body weight, packed cell volume, differential leukocyte counts and mean survival period were monitored.ResultsThe study showed that the DCM extract at 200 and 400 mg/kg, and the hydromethanolic extract at 400 mg/kg reduced parasitaemia (p < 0.05), ameliorated anaemia (p < 0.05), prevented body weight loss (p < 0.05) and resulted in significant increase in neutrophil levels (p < 0.05) and marked decrease in lymphocyte levels (p < 0.05) compared to the negative control.ConclusionsThis study established that aerial parts of A. abyssinica have antitrypanosomal potential and can be considered a potential source of new drugs for the treatment of tropical diseases caused by trypanosomes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of in vivo antitrypanosomal activity of crude extracts of Artemisia abyssinica against aTrypanosoma congolense isolate

Feyera

Terefe

Shibeshi

2014

BMC Complement Altern Med

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“…It has been reported that Africa has some 216 million hectares of forest, but the African continent is also notorious to have one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world, with a calculated loss through deforestation of 1% per annum [7, 12]. Interestingly, the continent also has the highest rate of endemism, with the Republic of Madagascar topping the list by 82%, and it is worth to emphasize that Africa already contributes nearly 25% of the world trade in biodiversity.…”

Section: African Traditional Medicinementioning

confidence: 99%

Traditional Medicines in Africa: An Appraisal of Ten Potent African Medicinal Plants

Mahomoodally

2013

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

428

297

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The use of medicinal plants as a fundamental component of the African traditional healthcare system is perhaps the oldest and the most assorted of all therapeutic systems. In many parts of rural Africa, traditional healers prescribing medicinal plants are the most easily accessible and affordable health resource available to the local community and at times the only therapy that subsists. Nonetheless, there is still a paucity of updated comprehensive compilation of promising medicinal plants from the African continent. The major focus of the present review is to provide an updated overview of 10 promising medicinal plants from the African biodiversity which have short- as well as long-term potential to be developed as future phytopharmaceuticals to treat and/or manage panoply of infectious and chronic conditions. In this endeavour, key scientific databases have been probed to investigate trends in the rapidly increasing number of scientific publications on African traditional medicinal plants. Within the framework of enhancing the significance of traditional African medicinal plants, aspects such as traditional use, phytochemical profile, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies and also future challenges pertaining to the use of these plants have been explored.

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“…8.07 ± 0.06 a (2) 9.83 ± 0.15 b 3) 0.00 c (3) 9.47 ± 0.11 d Solanum incanum (4) 7.17 ± 0.06 a (3) 8.83 ± 0.06 b…”

Section: Ethanolmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, adequate studies have not been done to examine the existence of bioactive compounds and possible biological properties of the medicinal plants [1,2]. Promising results have been obtained in the emerging research investigations on the therapeutic potentials of African flora as reviewed by Gurib-Fakim and Mahomoodally [3]. Moreover, plants are known for their use as spices applied to modify the flavor and aroma of foods and beverages depending on the knowledge and tradition of local practitioners.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Ficus carica L. and Solanum incanum L. Extracts in Coagulation of Milk: The Case of Traditional Practice in Ab’ala Area, Afar Regional State, Ethiopia

Desta

Shumbahri

Gebrehiwot³

2020

Biochemistry Research International

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People living in and around Ab’ala area of the Afar Regional State, Ethiopia, have a traditional practice of applying Ficus carica leaf and Solanum incanum fruit extracts to milk in order to coagulate it as soon as possible. Thus, to investigate the role of the extracts in the coagulation of milk and their health threats, the milk-clotting activity, phytochemical screening tests, antimicrobial activities by the agar well diffusion method, and heavy metal content by ICP-OES technique were determined. Accordingly, both Ficus carica and Solanum incanum were found to possess phenolics, saponins, and tannins. Likewise, positive tests for flavonoid in Ficus carica and alkaloid in Solanum incanum were observed. However, no terpenoids, glycosides, and oxalates were detected in the plants. Moreover, the crude and concentrated enzyme extracts of the plants exhibited clotting activity. In this regard, the enzyme extracts of Ficus carica were superior with the highest clotting activity of 1.20 U. On the other hand, ethanol and chloroform extracts of the samples showed inhibition zones against all tested microorganisms except their chloroform extract which did not exhibit inhibition against Escherichia coli and Aspergillus niger. Likewise, the metals Cr, Cd, Mn, Cu, and Fe were detected in the plant samples, with the Mn content of 3.67±0.10 mg per kg of dry weight of the plant in Ficus carica being the highest. Indeed, the level of the heavy metal contents is considerably lower than those maximum permissible limits set by international standards. On the other hand, no Pb and Zn were detected in the plant samples. Therefore, the higher clotting activity of the enzyme extracts was an indicator that enzymes, rather than other phytochemicals, are the most probable agents responsible for the milk-clotting ability of the plants, resulting in the formation of cheese. Furthermore, the growth inhibition to most of the test microbes is a manifestation that bacterial fermentation is not a means of clotting the milk as bacteria introduced to the milk would be killed by the sample extracts. Moreover, the use of the plants in the coagulation process would not pose health threats as far as oxalate and metal toxicity is concerned.

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African Flora as Potential Sources of Medicinal Plants : Towards the Chemotherapy of Major Parasitic and Other Infectious Diseases : A Review

Cited by 27 publications

References 36 publications

Evaluation of in vivo antitrypanosomal activity of crude extracts of Artemisia abyssinica against aTrypanosoma congolense isolate

Evaluation of in vivo antitrypanosomal activity of crude extracts of Artemisia abyssinica against aTrypanosoma congolense isolate

Traditional Medicines in Africa: An Appraisal of Ten Potent African Medicinal Plants

Application of Ficus carica L. and Solanum incanum L. Extracts in Coagulation of Milk: The Case of Traditional Practice in Ab’ala Area, Afar Regional State, Ethiopia

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