Loranthus micranthusLinn.: Biological Activities and Phytochemistry

Abstract

Loranthus micranthus Linn. is a medicinal plant from the Loranthaceae family commonly known as an eastern Nigeria species of the African mistletoe and is widely used in folkloric medicine to cure various ailments and diseases. It is semiparasitic plant because of growing on various host trees and shrubs and absorbing mineral nutrition and water from respective host. Hence, the phytochemicals and biological activities of L. micranthus demonstrated strong host and harvesting period dependency. The leaves have been proved to possess immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, antioxidant, antidiarrhoeal, and hypolipidemic activities. This review summarizes the information and findings concerning the current knowledge on the biological activities, pharmacological properties, toxicity, and chemical constituents of Loranthus micranthus.

Host specificity and phytochemical constituents of mistletoe and twigs of parasitized plants: Implications for blanket application of mistletoe as cure-all medicine

“…In a separate study, Ibrahim et al [52] found no Alkaloids in all 27 mistletoe representing seven different species obtained from different locations spread across eight cities/towns in Nigeria palpably confirms the findings in this study and several others [13,23,24,25,26].…”

“…The contention that presence or accumulation of secondary metabolites in mistletoe depend on the season of the year, mode of extraction of secondary metabolites as well as mistletoe -host plant dependency [23,24] was accentuated as T. ogowenisis from M. oleifera recorded highest amount of alkaloids. Phytochemical studies on L. micranthus leaves harvested from six different host trees, namely, Persia americana, Baphia nitida, Kola acuminata, Pentaclethra macrophylla, Azadiratcha indica, and Irvingia gabonensis, revealed large quantities of alkaloids in the extracts of K. acuminata, P. americana, and I. gabonensis.…”

“…The phytochemical constituents of mistletoe largely depend on plant characteristics, season of the year, mode of extraction, etc. Using 'methanolic extract of the leaves harvested from Persea americana, Moghadamtousi et al [23] recorded higher concentrations of alkaloids during April compared to July which is the peak of raining season; but saponins, glycosides, etc. were not found in July samples.…”

Effects of methanol leaf extracts of <i>Loranthus micranthus</i> Linn from three host plants on some biochemical indices of diabetic rats

“…The chemical constituents were season-dependent, being highest during the peak of the rainy season [24]. In addition, several compounds, including alkaloids, steroids, terpenes and polyphenols have been isolated from the plant [25]. The level of phytochemicals in the leaf extracts ensured protective roles against oxidative stress associated with hyperglycemia.…”

Nigerian mistletoe (Loranthus micranthus Linn) aqueous leaves extract modulates some cardiovascular disease risk factors in monosodium glutamate induced metabolic dysfunction

“…They are semiparasitic plants and grow on various host trees and shrubs where they survive by depending on their respective host for mineral nutrition and water, although they produce their own carbohydrates through photosynthesis (Griggs, 1991). Mistletoe was described as "an all-purpose herb" due to its rich traditional uses and it has been widely used in ethnomedicine for various purposes, including antihypertensive, anticancer, antispasmodic, antidiabetic and for treatment of epilepsy, headache, infertility, menopausal syndrome and rheumatism (Moghadamtousi et al, 2013).…”