A Comprehensive review on Dichrostachys cinerea

For a very long time, the medical plants have been used worldwide to treat human diseases and it serves as a safe source of drugs to cure several diseases and conditions through complementary medicine system. It is a native plant of Indian subcontinent, Africa and North Australia and is known to have significant pharmacological activities. The wide range of pharmacological activities of D.cinerea are due to the presence of different groups of active biological compounds present in it. Traditionally, D.cinerea has been used for the treatment the treatment of many diseases such as headache, toothache, dysentery, leprosy, coughs, syphilis and also as diuretic, anthelmintic, purgative and laxative. Research on the pharmacological, biological isolation of metabolites and biologically active compounds of this plant have already been done worldwide. However, the study to evaluate the complete therapeutic values of this plant still needed to conduct. This paper briefly reviews the various pharmacological properties of D.cinerea that could be useful for further experimental and clinical investigations.

Life Cycle Assessment of Cogeneration Systems Using Raw and Torrefied Dichrostachys Cinerea (L.) Wight & Arm. (Marabou).

Purpose This study aims to assess environmentally three different alternatives related to the valorization of Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arm. (marabou), identified as an invasive tree, as a feedstock for cogeneration facilities installed in the sugarcane industry in Cuba. The alternatives are (A-1) Electricity generation from marabou in a conventional back-pressure steam turbine cycle, (A-2) Electricity generation from torrefied marabou in a back-pressure steam turbine cycle, and (A-3) Electricity generation from torrefied marabou using extraction-condensing turbines.Methods SimaPro 9.0.0.35 software was used for the modeling of the inventory, based on different operational parameters. The ReCiPe environmental impact assessment method was used in the hierarchical perspective, assessing 18 impact categories (midpoint), and 3 damage categories (endpoint).Results and discussion The results demonstrated that A-3 shows the lower environmental impacts (Fine Particulate Matter Formation, Terrestrial Acidification, and Water Consumption) as compared to A-2 and A-1. This performance is explained by a lower normalized marabou consumption (1.85 kg marabou/kWh generated), and lower emissions associated with marabou harvesting, transportation, and processing. The cogeneration stage was the main contributor to the environmental burdens in Water Consumption (100% in A-1; 87% in A-2 and A-3). Marine Ecotoxicity was the impact category with better environmental performance due to the substitution of synthetic mineral fertilizers by ashes produced during combustion. The human health damage category reached the higher impacts on the torrefaction subsystem in the A-3 scenario, representing over 94% of the total environmental burden of the process. PM<10, NO2, and SO2 contributed the most over this damage category, mainly in marabou combustion, causing injuries in respiratory systems by aspiration of organic compounds.Conclusions The use of more efficient technology (extraction-condensing steam turbine), using torrefied marabou as feedstock, compared with the previous alternatives, impacts beneficially on the environment. Thus, a combination of marabou torrefaction with cogeneration facilities in sugarcane industries can be considered as an environmental-friendly technology in the Cuban context. The current study results will help decision-makers implement more sustainable policies in the Cuban energy sector, using marabou as feedstock as an attractive bioenergy route pathway.

Density, diversity and community composition of trees in tropical thorn forest, peninsular India

Tropical thorn forests (TTFs) are characterized by the presence of small and thorny trees which usually shed their leaves in dry season. A quantitative phytosociological study was conducted in Uthumalai Reserve Forest of Peninsular India to record density, species richness, diversity and population structure of trees. Diameter of all free standing trees ≥1 cm diameter at breast height (DBH, cm) was measured at 1.37 m above the ground. A sum of 4135 trees ≥1cm DBH recorded from one hectare study plot. With 2272 (54.94%) individuals Dalbergia spinosa dominated the study plot followed by Commiphora berryi (484, 11.70%), Grewia flavescens (259, 6.26%), Dichrostachys cinerea (206, 4.98%) and Anogeissus pendula (171, 4.14%). In total, 26 species belonged to 19 genera and 15 families found in one ha study plot. The family Mimosaceae had a large number of species followed by Apocynaceae, Capparidaceae, Tiliaceae, Rhamnaceae. Rubiaceae (each 2 species). Stand basal area of tree community recorded as 15.238 m2 ha-1. Commiphora berryi constituted 50.80% (7.74 m2 ha-1) of stand basal area followed by Dalbergia spinosa (19.43%, 2.96 m2 ha-1). The forest showed a reverse J shaped population structure. Shannon diversity (H), equitability (H’) and Simpson’s dominance (D) indices of study area recorded as 1.76, 0.54 and 0.335, respectively. Dalbergia spinosa, Commiphora berryi, Grewia flavescens, Dichrostachys cinerea and Anogeissus pendula topped the species important value index with 87.80, 73.53, 20, 19.79, 17.43 scores, respectively. In family important value index, Papilionaceae topped the list followed by Burseraceae and Mimosaceae with scores 129.32, 74.23 and 34.43, respectively. The study area endowed with a moderate species richness and diversity, and acts as one of the homes for an IUCN’s vulnerable tree species.

Thermal and mechanical characteristics of local firewood species and resulting charcoal produced by slow pyrolysis

The main source of fuel for domestic cooking applications in Sub-Saharan Africa is either locally available firewood species or charcoal produced by slow pyrolysis of these species. However, very few studies exist that characterize and quantify physical properties, burning rates, peak temperatures, and calorific values of typical firewood species and resulting charcoal fuels produced by slow pyrolysis. This study evaluated the mechanical and thermal properties of firewood and charcoal from five tree species namely: Dichrostachys cinerea, Morus Lactea, Piliostigma thonningii, Combretum molle, and Albizia grandibracteata. Characterization was done by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, bomb calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, bulk density measurements, and durability, water boiling and absorption tests. SEM images showed the development of macropores on charcoal after slow pyrolysis. Peak temperatures during firewood and charcoal combustion ranged between 515.5–621.8 °C and 741.6–785.9 °C, respectively. Maximum flame temperatures ranged between 786.9–870.8 °C for firewood and 634.4–737.3 °C for charcoal. Bulk densities and calorific values of charcoal species were higher than those for firewood species. Drop strengths for firewood were all 100% while for charcoal were between 93.7 and 100%. Water boiling tests indicated that firewood fuel performed better that charcoal fuel for low amounts of water due to higher maximum flame temperatures obtained during combustion of firewood.

Dichrostachys cinerea: Ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities - A review

: Indigenous and medicinal plants have proven crucial to the health of mankind for a very long time. Dichrostachys cinerea is a traditional herb used in the treatment of a variety of human diseases in African and Indian traditional medicine. This paper reviews the ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemical constituents, pharmacology and toxicity of D. cinerea, in order to provide scientific consensus for further research and exploitation of its therapeutic potential of this plant. Information was accessed by literature searches in different sources including Science direct, PubMed and Google Scholar. The findings of this review paper highlight D. Cinerea as an important component of African and Indian traditional medicine. D. cinerea is traditionally used in the treatment of rheumatism, diabetes, coughs, asthma, kidney disorders, gonorrhea, syphilis, malaria, tuberculosis, epilepsy, snake bites, pains, wounds, boils, burns, toothache, headache, and scabies. D. cinerea displays a diverse phytochemistry, with a wide range of isolated compounds that have well documented biological activities. D. cinerea has demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo biological activities. In vitro biological activities exhibited include enzyme inhibition, antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-malarial activities. In vivo activities demonstrated by D. cinerea include anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal, anti-analgesic, hepatoprotective, anti-uro lithiatic, anti-lice, anti-dandruff and neuropharmacological activities. Animal studies have elucidated non-toxicity of D. cinerea for the ethanol root extract and methanol and water leaf extracts. It is vital that future studies on D. cinerea focus on the mechanisms of action behind these biological activities for both the crude extract and its individual chemical compounds. These studies could possibly lead to clinical trials to confirm biological activities found in animal studies. Further studies on multi-target network pharmacology, and molecular docking technology of D. cinerea sub fractions for enzyme inhibitions and neuropharmacological activities are of great importance and could accelerate the process of pharmaceutical development of this plant.

Savanna Rodents’ Selective Removal of an Encroaching Plant’s Seeds Increased With Grass Biomass

In savannas across the planet, encroaching woody plants are altering ecosystem functions and reshaping communities. Seed predation by rodents may serve to slow the encroachment of woody plants in grasslands and savannas. Our goals for this study were to determine if rodents in an African savanna selectively removed seeds of an encroaching plant and if foraging activity was influenced by the local vegetation structure or by the landscape context. From trials with two species of seeds (encroacher = Dichrostachys cinerea, non-encroaching overstory tree = Senegalia nigrescens) at 64 seed stations, we recorded 1,065 foraging events by seven species of granivorous rodents. We found a strong positive relationship between rodent activity and the number of seeds removed during trials. Foraging events were dominated by rodent seed predators, with &lt;10.6% of events involving a rodent with the potential for secondary dispersal. Rodents selectively removed the seeds of the encroaching species, removing 32.6% more D. cinerea seeds compared to S. nigrescens. Additionally, rodent activity and the number of seeds removed increased at sites with more grass biomass. Our results suggest a potential mechanistic role for rodents in mitigating the spread of woody plants in grass dominated savannas.

Usos etnofarmacológicos de plantas en el tratamiento de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles en Santiago de Cuba

Existe una marcada tendencia en la utilización empírica de plantas medicinales para el tratamiento de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles siendo necesario el inventario de las mismas. En el presente trabajo se realizó un estudio etnofarmacológico, exploratorio y descriptivo, con enfoque cualitativo y cuantitativo en comunidades urbanas y rurales de Santiago de Cuba. Se entrevistaron un total de 100 pacientes, realizando la caracterización sociodemográfica y clínica de la comunidad; el análisis de las variables relativas al uso de plantas medicinales y la selección de especies vegetales con potencialidades para el desarrollo de estudios fitoquímicos y farmacológicos. Los entrevistados refirieron las especies más empleadas para el tratamiento de sus enfermedades crónicas, prevaleciendo el sexo femenino, el grupo de edades comprendido entre 40 y 59 años de edad y el nivel de escolaridad en la enseñanza técnico-profesional. Se informaron un total de 51 especies, agrupadas 34 familias. Las plantas con mayores niveles de uso significativo, índice de valor de uso e índice de fidelidad fueron, en el municipio Santiago de Cuba: Allium sativum L. y Ocimum gratissimum (L.) (IF=96%), Chamaemelum nobile L. y Eucalyptus maculata (IF=90%), mientras que en Songo La Maya: Calendula officinalis (L.), Carica papaya (L.) (IF=100%) y Citrus reticulate (IF=95.65%). Las especies con mayores potencialidades para futuros estudios fitoquímicos y farmacológicos resultaron ser: Eucalyptus maculata, Camellia sinensis, Ocimum gratissimum L, Psidium guajaba L, Persea americana, Anacardium occidentale L., Nasturtiumo fficinale R. Br, Zingiber officinale, Citrus paradise, Plectranthus neochillus Benth ex E. Meg y Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight &Arn.