South African traditional medicinal plant trade—Challenges in regulating quality, safety and efficacy

Street, Renée; Stirk, Wendy A.; Staden, J. Van

doi:10.1016/j.jep.2008.06.019

Cited by 96 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…In fact, for most aromatic and medicinal plants, evaluation of toxicological effects has started only in recent years (AguilarSantamarı´a et al, 2007;De´ciga-Campos et al, 2007). Even so, for most plants its toxicological effects are still poorly described (Jordan et al, 2010;Street, Stirk, & Van Staden, 2008). Despite the secondary metabolites' toxicity (Sirikantaramas, Yamazaki, & Saito, 2008), other internal components can be toxic, as heavy metals often bio-accumulated by aromatic plants (Broadley et al, 2001;F.M.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antioxidant capacity and toxicological evaluation ofPterospartum tridentatumflower extracts

Ferreira

Dinis

Azedo

et al. 2012

CyTA - Journal of Food

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Pterospartum tridentatum Willk. (prickled broom) is an autochthonous plant, common in Portuguese territory. The yellow flowers are used in traditional medicine, as a potential cure for all body illnesses, mainly to treat throat irritations or for diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia therapy. Despite its traditional use, no toxicological assessment has been performed to our knowledge. A high antioxidant activity of P. tridentatum flower water extract was found, in good agreement with its electrospray ionisation-mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS) spectrum which revealed the presence of several flavonoids, such as luteolin-O-(O-acetyl)-glucuronide, luteolin-Oglucuronide or isorhamnetin-O-hexoside. Mitocondrial respiratory rates (state 4, state 3 and FCCP-stimulated respiration) and respiratory indexes (respiratory control and P/O ratios) showed no consistent decrease of respiratory and phosphorylative efficiencies for the concentrations tested (up to 500 mg.mL 71 ). Cytotoxicity evaluation, using MTT assay, was in agreement with the previous results. In conclusion, for the concentration range commonly used, P. tridentatum flower usage can be regarded as harmless and credible.Keywords: antioxidant capacity; cytotoxicity; oxidative phosphorylation; phytotherapy; Pterospartum tridentatum (L.); Willk.; toxicologic evaluation Pterospartum tridentatum Willk. es una planta auto´ctona comu´n en el territorio portugue´s. Las flores amarillas se usan en medicina tradicional como cura potencial para todas las enfermedades, especialmente para tratamientos de irritacio´n de garganta o para tratamientos contra diabetes, hipertensio´n o hipercolesterolemia. A pesar de su uso tradicional, ninguna evaluacio´n toxicolo´gica se ha llevado a cabo. Se encontro´una alta actividad antioxidante de extracto acuoso de flor de P. Tridentatum, concordando con su espectro ESI-MS, el cual revelo´la presencia de varios flavonoides, como luteolina O-(O-acetil)-glucuro´nido, luteolina-Oglucuro´nido o isorramntina-O-hexo´sido. Las frecuencias respiratorias mitocondriales (estado 4, estado 3 y respiracio´n estimulada por FCCP) mostraron un descenso no consistente de eficiencia respiratoria y fosforilativa para las concentraciones analizadas (hasta 500 mg.mL -1 ). La evaluacio´n de citotoxicidad, usando ensayo MTT, coincidio´con los resultados previos. En conclusio´n, para las concentraciones comu´nmente empleadas, el uso de las flores de P. tridentatum se puede considerar inocuo y verosı´mil.Palabras claves: capacidad antioxidante; citotoxicidad; fosforilacio´n oxidativa; fitoterapia; Pterospartum tridentatum (L.) Willk; evaluacio´n toxicolo´gica Abbreviations: ESI, electrospray ionization; FCCP, carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone; HepG2, a human hepatoma cell line; MS, mass spectrometry; MTT, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide; P/O ratio, ratio of ADP molecules phosphorylated to atoms of oxygen consumed; RCR, respiratory control ratio (state 3 respiratory rate/state 4 respiratory rate)

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antioxidant capacity and toxicological evaluation ofPterospartum tridentatumflower extracts

Ferreira

Dinis

Azedo

et al. 2012

CyTA - Journal of Food

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“…[54][55][56] As leaf extract of C. fistula has been used for healing from several diseases, therefore, heavy metals in leaf extracts need a thorough investigation to prevent elevated concentrations of heavy metals reaching the consumer. 6 High amount of Fe in C. fistula supported the finding of Devi and Sarma (2010).…”

Section: Metal In the Leaf Extractsmentioning

confidence: 99%

nfluence of Metals In Soil on The Comparative Phyto chemical Characterization and Antioxidant Study of Indian Golden Shower (Cassia Fistula)

Das¹,

Dang²,

Sutar³

et al. 2016

IJPER

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Objective: This paper highlighted the effect of selected soil containing metals, viz. Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn on the biochemical compositions and antioxidant activity in leaf of 20 years old two Cassia fistula L. (CF) cultivars. The leaf samples were collected from CF grown on road sides from the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka in India. Methods: Antioxidant activity and total phenol contents from methanolic and aqueous leaf extract were evaluated by assays like oxygen radical absorbance capacities (ORAC), 2, 2 / -Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiozoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) and folin-ciocalteu reagent methods respectively. Maximum dose dependent antioxidant activity was observed in methanol leaf extract of both the cultivars, but marginal variation observed in antioxidant activity. Results: The result revealed that total phenolic content was maximum in the methanolic leaf extract (11.40 ± 0.37 mg g −1 of gallic acid equivalent). A positive correlation between antioxidant activity and total phenol compounds was noticed from both the samples. Furthermore a significant correlation was observed between element contents and antioxidant activities. Conclusion: This was may be due to elements like Fe, Cu, and Zn for accumulation of secondary constituents in the methanolic leaf extract that are major contributors to the antioxidant potential of CF. There were no other heavy metals (Ni, Cd, Pb and Cr) reported in both the samples.

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“…4 Moreover, legislative loopholes exist whereby traditional and herbal preparations may be sold without the necessary documented safety, efficacy, or drug interaction profiles needed for doctors to be aware of their potential harmful effects. 5 It is currently estimated that only 3% of herbal remedies sold in the United States have adequate scientific literature to support their claims. 6 In South Africa this value might even be lower.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conditions frequently self-treated with herbal remedies by patients visiting a tertiary hospital in Gauteng, South Africa

Marais

Steenkamp

Plooy

2015

South African Family Practice

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Background: Herbal medications are used worldwide for a variety of diseases and conditions. Patients often elect not to disclose their herbal use history, or health care practitioners fail to enquire about specific alternative therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the conditions most frequently self-treated with herbal remedies by patients visiting a tertiary hospital in Garankuwa, South Africa. Methods: Patients attending an out-patient's clinic at the Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital were given a questionnaire regarding their use of herbal remedies for various reasons. Assessment was done on past, current, and possible future use of herbal interventions. These interventions were categorised into acute medical conditions, chronic ailments, and cultural uses. Results: Respiratory tract infections were most frequently treated (34%). Other highly ranked uses included protection from evil spirits (32%) and for HIV/AIDS (29%). Digestive ailments (27%), hypertension (18%), and general malaise (17%) accounted for the remainder. Previous herbal use amounted to 74%, but only 30% indicated that they would use herbal medication in future. Conclusions: Traditional medication plays an important role in many communities in South Africa. For this reason health care workers need to be aware of the conditions most frequently self-treated with herbal remedies. Having knowledge about the incidence of herbal treatment for a specific condition could alert the health care practitioner to possible reasons for unidentifiable drug interactions, adverse events, treatment failure, or even death.Keywords: chronic conditions, herbal remedies, out-patients, South Africa, traditional medicine IntroductionSouth Africa has 20 456 indigenous plant species of which 2 062 (~10%) are used for ethnomedicinal purposes according to the latest International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List index assessment of South African plants surveyed in 2009. 1 These plants have been used in the treatment of various diseases, either as a primary intervention or an add-on alternative therapy since the earliest days in our history. The Voortrekker Louis Treghardt's 1836 diary describes the use of natural remedies for a multitude of diseases. 2 Without exception, visits to traditional healers are a familiar activity for many people who rely on ancestral knowledge passed down from one generation to the next. 3 This practice accounts for innumerable hospitalisations resulting from adverse effects and drug interactions. Despite this fact very few studies have been conducted on assessing the safety of these traditional medicines, which continue to be marketed as harmless forms of treatment with unsubstantiated and exaggerated claims in treating every disease known to man. 4 Moreover, legislative loopholes exist whereby traditional and herbal preparations may be sold without the necessary documented safety, efficacy, or drug interaction profiles needed for doctors to be aware of their potential harmful effects. 5 It is currently estimated th...

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South African traditional medicinal plant trade—Challenges in regulating quality, safety and efficacy

Cited by 96 publications

References 59 publications

Antioxidant capacity and toxicological evaluation ofPterospartum tridentatumflower extracts

Antioxidant capacity and toxicological evaluation ofPterospartum tridentatumflower extracts

nfluence of Metals In Soil on The Comparative Phyto chemical Characterization and Antioxidant Study of Indian Golden Shower (Cassia Fistula)

Conditions frequently self-treated with herbal remedies by patients visiting a tertiary hospital in Gauteng, South Africa

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