Medicinal Uses, Biological and Chemical Properties of Wild Plum (Harpephyllum caffrum): An Indigenous Fruit Plant of Southern Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 258-268
Author(s):  
Alfred Maroyi

Harpephyllum caffrum is a fruit plant widely used as herbal medicine throughout its distributional range in southern Africa. This study was aimed at providing a critical review of the biological activities, phytochemistry and medicinal uses of H. caffrum. Documented information on the botany, biological activities, medicinal uses and phytochemistry of H. caffrum was collected from several online sources which included BMC, Scopus, SciFinder, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Elsevier, Pubmed and Web of Science. Additional information on H. caffrum was gathered from pre-electronic sources such as book chapters, books, journal articles and scientific publications sourced from the University library. This study showed that the bark, fruits and roots of H. caffrum are used as blood purifier and emetic, and as herbal medicine against asthma, wounds, bone fractures, sprains and skin problems. Phytochemical compounds identified from the fruits, leaves and stem bark of H. caffrum include cardanols, fatty acid esters, flavonoids, phenolics and triterpenoids. Ethnopharmacological research revealed that H. caffrum extracts and compounds have in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities such as acetylcholinesterase, analgesic, antibacterial, anticonvulsant, antimycobacterial, antifungal, anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antipyretic, melanogenesis and antityrosinase, hypoglycaemic and hypotensive, hepatoprotective and cytotoxicity activities. Harpephyllum caffrum should be subjected to detailed phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological evaluations aimed at correlating its medicinal uses with its phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of the species.

Author(s):  
ALFRED MAROYI

Boscia albitrunca is a medium-sized tree widely used as herbal medicine in Southern Africa. The current study critically reviewed the botany, medicinal uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of B. albitrunca. Literature on botany, medicinal uses, phytochemical, and biological activities of B. albitrunca was collected from multiple internet sources including Elsevier, Google Scholar, SciFinder, Web of Science, PubMed, BMC, Science Direct, and Scopus. Complementary information was gathered from pre-electronic sources such as books, book chapters, theses, scientific reports, and journal articles obtained from the university library. This study revealed that the species is used as herbal medicine in 75.0% of the countries in Southern Africa where the species is indigenous. The bark, leaves, and roots of B. albitrunca are mainly used as herbal medicines for constipation, epilepsy, hemorrhoids, headache, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome, skin diseases, syphilis, and as ethnoveterinary medicine. Ethnopharmacological research identified phenolic compounds, alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, tannins, and triterpernoids from leaves of B. albitrunca. The crude extracts of the species and the compound martynoside isolated from B. albitrunca exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activities. B. albitrunca should be subjected to detailed phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological evaluations aimed at correlating its medicinal uses with its phytochemistry and pharmacological activities.


Author(s):  
ALFRED MAROYI

Cussonia paniculata is a small tree widely used as herbal medicine throughout its distributional range in southern Africa. This study is aimed at providing a critical review of the botany, biological activities, phytochemistry, and medicinal uses of C. paniculata. Documented information on the botany, biological activities, medicinal uses, and phytochemistry of C. paniculata was collected from several online sources which included BMC, Scopus, SciFinder, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Elsevier, PubMed, and Web of Science. Additional information on the botany, biological activities, phytochemistry, and medicinal uses of C. paniculata was gathered from pre-electronic sources such as book chapters, books, journal articles, and scientific publications sourced from the University library. This study showed that the bark, fruits, leaves, roots, and stems of C. paniculata are used as emetic, immune booster, and herbal medicine for dysmenorrhea, intestinal parasites and worms, mental problems, boils, shingles and skin diseases, indigestion and stomach complaints, sores, and wounds. Phytochemical compounds identified from the leaves of C. paniculata include acetylated triterpene glycosides, unacetylated triterpene glycosides, flavonoid, steroidal saponin, and triterpenoid saponins. Pharmacological research revealed that C. paniculata extracts have analgesic, antibacterial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiplasmodial, antiprotozoan, Aβ42 protein reduction, and cytotoxicity activities. Future research should focus on evaluating the phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological properties of C. paniculata crude extracts as well as compounds isolated from the species.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Paula R. Santana ◽  
Nathalia M. Pinheiro ◽  
Márcia Isabel B. Mernak ◽  
Renato F. Righetti ◽  
Mílton A. Martins ◽  
...  

Pulmonary inflammation is a hallmark of many respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and acute respiratory syndrome distress (ARDS). Most of these diseases are treated with anti-inflammatory therapy in order to prevent or to reduce the pulmonary inflammation. Herbal medicine-derived natural products have been used in folk medicine and scientific studies to evaluate the value of these compounds have grown in recent years. Many substances derived from plants have the biological effectsin vitroandin vivo, such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids. Among the biological activities of natural products derived from plants can be pointed out the anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antiplatelet, antitumor anti-allergic activities, and antioxidant. Although many reports have evaluated the effects of these compounds in experimental models, studies evaluating clinical trials are scarce in the literature. This review aims to emphasize the effects of these different natural products in pulmonary diseases in experimental models and in humans and pointing out some possible mechanisms of action.


Author(s):  
ALFRED MAROYI

Berchemia zeyheri is a small-to-medium-sized deciduous fruit tree widely used as herbal medicine. This study was aimed at providing a critical review of the medicinal uses, phytochemistry, and biological activities of B. zeyheri. Documented information on the biological activities, medicinal uses, and phytochemistry of B. zeyheri was collected from several online sources which included BMC, Scopus, SciFinder, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Elsevier, PubMed, and Web of Science. Additional information on the biological activities, phytochemistry, and medicinal uses of B. zeyheri was gathered from pre-electronic sources such as book chapters, books, journal articles, and scientific publications obtained from the university library. This study showed that the bark and roots of B. zeyheri are used for magical purposes and as herbal medicine for anemia, backache, baby’s navel problems, cough, dysentery, headache, rectal ulcers, stomach problems, tonic, and vomiting and ethnoveterinary medicine for infectious diseases in cattle. Phytochemical analyses revealed that the aerial parts, bark, and heartwood of B. zeyheri are characterized by alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, polyphenols, and steroids. Pharmacological research revealed that B. zeyheri crude extracts have anthelmintic, antibacterial, antioxidant, and toxicity activities. Future ethnopharmacological research should focus on conducting detailed phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological studies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 5876-5885
Author(s):  
Alfred Maroyi

Gardenia ternifolia Schum. & Thonn. is a shrub or small tree widely used as a traditional medicine throughout its distributional range in tropical Africa. Gardenia ternifolia is widespread in tropical Africa, extending from Senegal eastwards to Ethiopia and Kenya, through the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) southwards to Namibia, South Africa and Mozambique. This study was aimed at providing a critical review of the medicinal uses, phytochemistry and biological activities of G. ternifolia. Documented information on the medicinal uses, phytochemistry and biological activities of G. ternifolia was collected from several online sources which included Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed and Science Direct. Additional information was gathered from pre-electronic sources such as book chapters, books, journal articles and scientific publications obtained from the university library. This study showed that the species is widely used as an aphrodisiac and protective charm, and traditional medicine for headache, migraine, respiratory infections, sore eyes, hypertension, diabetes, gastro-intestinal problems, erectile dysfunction, malaria, convulsions and epilepsy. Phytochemical compounds identified from the species include alkaloids, anthocyanins, coumarins, flavonoids, phenols, quinones, saponins, steroids, stereoisomeric neolignans, tannins and terpenoids. Pharmacological research revealed that G. ternifolia extracts and compounds isolated from the species have antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antileishmanial, antioxidant, antiplasmodial, antisickling, antitheilerial, hepatotoxicity, larvicidal and cytotoxicity activities. Future research on G. ternifolia should focus on detailed phytochemical evaluations, including toxicological, in vivo and clinical studies to corroborate the traditional medical applications of the species.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 4760-4766
Author(s):  
Hartati R ◽  
Suarantika F ◽  
Fidrianny I

Ananas comosus L. Merr, known as pineapple, belongs to the Bromeliaceae family. This plant has been used as traditional medicine and continues until now in conventional herbal medicine. The pineapple was distributed in some countries such as China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and originated from South America. This article delved the scientific work about Ananas comosus focussing their usage as traditional medicine, chemical compounds and biological activities. All of the pieces of information were obtained from the scientific literature such as Science Direct, Google Scholar, Scopus and PubMed. Based on the literature survey,different parts of pineapple (Ananas comosus) are used in traditional medicine, used asan anti-inflammatory agent,anti-oedema, digestive disorder, antimicrobial, vermicide, and purgative. Phytochemical compounds from A. comosus have been provided, including ascorbic acid, quercetin, flavones-3-ol, flavones, and ferulic acid. The crude extracts of A. comosus have many pharmacological activities such as anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial. This discovery becomes possible due to scientific isolation and in vivo or in vitro analysis of A.comosus.


Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 1913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bahare Salehi ◽  
Lorene Armstrong ◽  
Antonio Rescigno ◽  
Balakyz Yeskaliyeva ◽  
Gulnaz Seitimova ◽  
...  

This work is an updated snapshot of Lamium plants and their biological activities. The main features of the plant are described and the components of its essential oils are summarized. The traditional medicinal uses of Lamium plants has been reported. The presence of these chemicals i.e., hydroxycinnamic acids, iridoids, secoiridoids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenylpropanoids, phytoecdysteroids, benzoxazinoids, betaine can provide biological activities. After the discussion of antioxidant properties documented for Lamium plants, the biological activities, studied using in vitro models, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive activity, and pain therapy and cytotoxicity and cytoprotective activity are here described and discussed. Finally, targeted examples of in vivo studies are reported.


Author(s):  
ALFRED MAROYI

Sansevieria hyacinthoides is a succulent perennial herb widely used as herbal medicine. This study is aimed at providing a critical review of the botany, biological activities, phytochemistry, and medicinal uses of S. hyacinthoides. Documented information on the botany, biological activities, medicinal uses, and phytochemistry of S. hyacinthoides was collected from several online sources which included BMC, Scopus, SciFinder, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Elsevier, PubMed and Web of Science. Additional information on the botany, biological activities, phytochemistry, and medicinal uses of S. hyacinthoides was gathered from pre-electronic sources such as book chapters, books, journal articles, and scientific publications obtained from the university library. This study showed that the leaf sap, leaves, rhizomes, roots, and whole plant parts of S. hyacinthoides are used as ethnoveterinary medicine, magical purposes, to dilate birth canal and as herbal medicine for fever, respiratory problems, intestinal parasites, worms, rheumatism, swellings, skin infections, sexually transmitted infections, hemorrhoids, toothache, diarrhea, stomach problems, insect and snake bites, earache, and infections. Phytochemical analyses revealed that the leaves, rhizomes, and roots are characterized by alkaloids, flavonoids, and steroids. Pharmacological research revealed that S. hyacinthoides crude extracts have anthelmintic, antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities. Future ethnopharmacological research should focus on carrying out detailed phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological studies.


2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Ascari ◽  
J.A. Takahashi ◽  
M.A.D. Boaventura

The Caryocaraceae family is constituted of 25 species distributed in two genera (Caryocar and Anthodiscus). Plants of this family have been used in several phytochemical studies for isolation and characterization of chemical compounds. Some of these studies evaluated in vitro and in vivo biological activities of extracts and pure substances isolated from plants of this family. Nine species of Anthodiscus genus have been described, while no phytochemical study related to them has been reported. On the other hand, Caryocar genus presents 16 species with several medicinal uses like for the treatment of colds and bronchitis, in the prevention of tumours, as a regulating agent of the menstrual flow, to treat ophthalmological problems and for the cure of hematomas and bruises. Some species of this genus were targeted by phytochemical studies and presented, in their composition, the following classes of secondary metabolites: triterpenes, fatty acids, tannins, carotenoids, triterpenic saponins, phenolic coumarins, phenolic glycosides, and others. The fruits of Caryocar species are very nutritive, containing in their composition fibers, proteins, carbohydrates and minerals. Seeds have been widely used as oil source with nutritional and cosmetic value. The biological evaluation of some species was carried out by using relevant biological assays such as: antioxidant, allelopathic and antifungal activities against Biomphalaria glabrata and toxicity on Artemia salina.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (22) ◽  
pp. 12255
Author(s):  
Niti Sharma ◽  
Mario A. Tan ◽  
Seong Soo A. An

Phytosterols constitute a class of natural products that are an important component of diet and have vast applications in foods, cosmetics, and herbal medicines. With many and diverse isolated structures in nature, they exhibit a broad range of biological and pharmacological activities. Among over 200 types of phytosterols, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol were ubiquitous in many plant species, exhibiting important aspects of activities related to neurodegenerative diseases. Hence, this mini-review presented an overview of the reported studies on selected phytosterols related to neurodegenerative diseases. It covered the major phytosterols based on biosynthetic considerations, including other phytosterols with significant in vitro and in vivo biological activities.


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