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      • Open Access Article

        1 - Evidence-based phytotherapy: what, why and how?
        Satyajit d. Sarker Lutfun Nahar
        With the ever-increasing popularity and extensive usage of phytotherapy all over the globe, it has now become absolutely necessary to ensure its efficacy, toxicity and adverse effects on the basis of suitable scientific evidence, and to put proper measures in place to r More
        With the ever-increasing popularity and extensive usage of phytotherapy all over the globe, it has now become absolutely necessary to ensure its efficacy, toxicity and adverse effects on the basis of suitable scientific evidence, and to put proper measures in place to regulate practice of phytotherapy as well as phytotherapeutic products. Before getting into the nitty-gritty of evidence-based phytotherapy, let us quickly remind ourselves of the definition of phytotherapy. Simply, phytotherapy, the term first introduced by the French physician Henri Leclerc in 1993, is the plant-based therapy or medical practice that is offered to treat and/or prevent various human diseases. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        2 - Study of the antileukemic activity of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. ethanolic extract and fractions
        Gabriele Taumaturgo Mororó José Roberto de Oliveira Ferreira Michel Mualén de Morais Alves Nayana Bruna Nery Monção Laís Campos Teixeira de Carvalho-Gonçalves Antônia Maria das Graças Lopes Citó Paulo Michel Pinheiro Ferreira Fernando Aécio de Amorim Carvalho Juan Carlos Ramos Gonçalves
        Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. is a native plant to northeastern Brazil, traditionally used in folk medicine, with several pharmacological activities reported including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor. The present study evaluated the antileukemic potenti More
        Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. is a native plant to northeastern Brazil, traditionally used in folk medicine, with several pharmacological activities reported including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor. The present study evaluated the antileukemic potential of M. caesalpiniifolia Benth. ethanolic extract (EtOH) and its n-hexanic (HexF) and dichloromethane (DCMF) fractions. Previous analysis by our team revealed the constituents of high relative abundance in EtOH, HexF, and DCMF, like phytol (11.7%), lupeol (14.7%), and betulinic acid (70.3%), respectively. In the MTT cell viability test, EtOH, HexF, and DCMF induced dose-dependent cytotoxicity in human chronic myeloid cells (K562), with IC50 of 153.6 ± 0.1, 118.40 ± 0.2, and 40.0 ± 0.1 μg/mL, respectively (p <0.05). Additionally, DCMF (6-800 μg/mL) presented minor toxicity against normal human erythrocytes and murine macrophage cells. DCMF induced similar antileukemic effects (IC50=64.2 ± 5.0 μg/mL) against human acute myeloid cells (HL-60). However, it did not exert antitumor activity on murine sarcoma (S180) cells (p >0.05). Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        3 - Isolation, characterization and biological activities of phytoconstituents from Lonchocarpus eriocalyx Harms leaves
        Lawrence Onyango Arot Manguro Phillip Okind Owuor Angeline Atieno Ochung
        The plant species Lonchocarpus eriocalyx Harms (Fabaceae) is a deciduous slender tree or shrub which grows up to 15 m tall. It is an important medicinal plant in Kenya used to treat a wide range of ailments including eye infection, wound and ulcer. However, littleis kno More
        The plant species Lonchocarpus eriocalyx Harms (Fabaceae) is a deciduous slender tree or shrub which grows up to 15 m tall. It is an important medicinal plant in Kenya used to treat a wide range of ailments including eye infection, wound and ulcer. However, littleis known about its chemical constituents. The present study aims to isolate secondary metabolites from the plant leaves along with their various biological activities. Eight compounds, namely friedelin (1), lupenone (2), lupeol (3), stigmasterol (4), chrysin (5), stigmasterol 3-O-β-glucoside (6), apigenin (7) and 3,5,7,2’,4’-pentahydroxyflavonol (8) were isolated from the CH₂Cl₂ and MeOH extracts of Lonchocarpus eriocalyx Harms leaves. Their structures were determined by using physical and spectroscopic methods as well as comparison with literature data. The CH₂Cl₂ and MeOH extracts together with the isolated compounds were subjected to an array of biological tests including antiplasmodial, larvicidal and mosquitocidal, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory assays. The compounds 1-4 and 6 together with their anti-inflammatory activities are reported from this plant for the first time. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        4 - Intra-specific differentiation, genetic variability and their prospect for exploitation in medicinally important plant Black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger L.)
        Renu Yadav Raj Kishori Lal Ved Ram Singh
        Black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger L.) is frequently cultivated as a rich source of tropane alkaloids particularly hyoscyamine and hyoscine (Scopolamine) which are extracted from its whole aerial herb including dried leaves and flowering tops. These valuable natural compou More
        Black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger L.) is frequently cultivated as a rich source of tropane alkaloids particularly hyoscyamine and hyoscine (Scopolamine) which are extracted from its whole aerial herb including dried leaves and flowering tops. These valuable natural compounds are widely used in modern medicinal preparations as well as pharmaceutical industries in India and around the world. In the present study, genetic divergence among twenty-nine accessions of Hyoscyamus niger L. was evaluated for the nature along with amount of genetic diversity for eleven economic traits. Accordingly, all the twenty-nine accessions were grouped into eight diverse clusters (cluster I-VIII). The enormous diversity was also indicated by the wide range of D²-values (4.032 to 544.535). A number of unique accessions HN-30, HN-31, HN-15, HN-22-Y, and HN-29-Y were identified that may be interesting genotypes for the genetic improvement of the different morphometric and tropane alkaloid traits. Therefore, these accessions can be further exploited in future hybridization programs for the development of a new variety/cultivar for commercial productions. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        5 - Secondary metabolites of Hypericum richeri Vill. collected in Central Italy: chemotaxonomy and ethnomedicinal relevance
        Alessandro Venditti Armandodoriano Bianco
        The results of the phytochemical analysis of a Hypericum richeri Vill. accession collected from a population living in Appennines, Central Italy, are reported in this paper. The secondary metabolites pattern resulted mainly composed of flavonoids as both aglycones and i More
        The results of the phytochemical analysis of a Hypericum richeri Vill. accession collected from a population living in Appennines, Central Italy, are reported in this paper. The secondary metabolites pattern resulted mainly composed of flavonoids as both aglycones and in glycosidic form, such as quercetin (2), quercetin-3-O-methyl ether (3), 5,7,3′,5′-tetrahydroxyflavanone (8), isorhamnetin glucoside (7), isoquercitrin (9), hyperoside (10), quercitrin (11) and myricetin-3-O-rutinoside (12). It was also observed the presence of the naphtodianthrones hypericin (5) and pseudohypericin (6) together with organic acids (benzoic acid (4)), a glycolipid (2S)-1,2-di-O-[(9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadeca-9,12,15-trienoyl]-3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl glycerol (1) and the saccharides glucose (13), galactose (14) and sucrose (15). Among these constituents, compounds (1) and (3) have been identified in H. richeri Vill. for the first time during this study. The other difference in composition observed in the present study in respect to population from different regions is the absence of hyperforin and caffeoylquinic derivatives. The observed chemovariability, already reported in H. perforatum L., might be derived fromthe environmental characteristic of the collection site. The chemotaxonomic aspects, together with the pharmacologic relevance in traditional medicine of the isolated compounds were also discussed. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        6 - Effect of solvent, time and method of extraction on the amounts of phenolic, flavonoid and the antioxidant activity of the extract of Ixiolirion tataricum (Pall.) Schult. & Schult.f.
        Fatemeh Rabbani Malihe Samadi Kazemi
        Solvent type, extraction time and method are among important parameters in the evaluation of extraction efficiency. The selection of appropriate conditions to increase the extraction efficiency is of great importance. The response surface method (RSM) is a statistical a More
        Solvent type, extraction time and method are among important parameters in the evaluation of extraction efficiency. The selection of appropriate conditions to increase the extraction efficiency is of great importance. The response surface method (RSM) is a statistical and mathematical technique which can be used to examine the dependence between the responses with variables and also to determine the optimal conditions. In this study, the experimental design of general full factorial (GFF) was used using Minitab 17 software. The variables were time (60, 90 and 120 min), solvent (water, methanol and n-hexane) and method (soxhlet and ultrasound-assisted extraction). The main effects and also interaction terms were investigated on amounts of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and the antioxidant activity (according to IC50, FRAP and BCB) of the extract of Ixiolirion tataricum (Pall.) Schult. & Schult.f.. Under optimal conditions, the best extraction method for the TFC was the ultrasound-based approach, whereas for other responses the soxhlet-based was better. Water was the optimal solvent for TPC, FRAP and BCB, but methanol was found as the best solvent for the determination of TFC and IC50. Also, the extraction time for all of the responses was 90 min. The amounts of TPC, TFC, IC50, FRAP and BCB in the optimum conditions obtained were 22.45 ± 0.60 (mg GAE/g extract), 114.57 ± 1.59 (mg QC/g extract), 0.36 ± 0.08 (mg/mL), 1014.7 ± 12.4 (mmol Fe2+/g extract) and 53.02 ± 0.05, respectively. The R² values for responses were close to unity, which indicates the compatibility between the experimental and the real data. A linear correlation was observed between phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Also, the effect of solvent was more important than time and extraction method on the amounts of TPC, TFC, IC50, FRAP and BCB. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        7 - Volatile oil composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Boerhavia erecta L. and Euphorbia hirta L.
        Omosalewa Olaoluwa Dorcas Moronkola Olayombo Taiwo Peremobowei Iganboh
        This study investigated the volatile oil composition of Boerhavia erecta L. and Euphorbia hirta L. along with the corresponding antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. In thisregard, stems and roots of Boerhavia erecta together with aerial parts of Euphorbia hirta L. More
        This study investigated the volatile oil composition of Boerhavia erecta L. and Euphorbia hirta L. along with the corresponding antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. In thisregard, stems and roots of Boerhavia erecta together with aerial parts of Euphorbia hirta L. were used. Essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation method using Clevenger-type apparatus, while identification and characterization were done by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. Antioxidant activities were evaluated by 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) method and the antimicrobial properties were assessed by agar diffusion method. GC-MS analyses revealed seven and twenty-four components in stem and root oils of Boerhavia erecta L., respectively representing 81.84% and 76.93% of the total oil contents with phytol (61.31%) and 9-octadecenamide (33.95%) as the most abundant components, respectively. Eleven compounds were identified in E. hirta L. oil representing 92.79% of the oil. The major compound of this essential oil was (Z)-9-octadecenamide (60.71%). The other minor components were methyl hexadecanoate (7.02%) and phytol (4.80%). B. erecta and E. hirta oils showed significant antioxidant activities compared to α-tocopherol. B. erecta L. stem oil inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacterial strains, while root oil showed moderate inhibition against Salmonella typhi and Bacillus subtilis at inhibition zones of 14-20 mm over a concentration of 12.5-50%. The three oil samples displayed significant antifungal activities against Candida albicans. Chemical constituents of B. erecta L. and E. hirta L. oils may be responsible for these biologicalactivities. These evaluations are reported for the first time. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        8 - The rhizome essential oil of Curcuma aeruginosa Roxb. (Zingiberaceae) from Vietnam
        Pham T. Oanh Nguyen T. Thanh Do T. Xuyen Le T. Huong Opeyemi N. Avoseh Isiaka A. Ogunwande
        The volatile compounds identified from the rhizome oil of Curcuma aeruginosa Roxb (Zingiberaceae) collected from Cham Chu Natural Reserve, Tuyen Quang Province, Vietnam, are reported. The plant sample was air-dried for two weeks under laboratory shade. Essential oils we More
        The volatile compounds identified from the rhizome oil of Curcuma aeruginosa Roxb (Zingiberaceae) collected from Cham Chu Natural Reserve, Tuyen Quang Province, Vietnam, are reported. The plant sample was air-dried for two weeks under laboratory shade. Essential oils were obtained by hydrodisitllation in a Clevenger-type apparatus. The yield of the oil was 0.18% (v/w) regarding the dry weight of the plant material. The constituents of the oil were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The main constituents of the oil were found to be β-pinene (21.9%), neocurdione (16.1%) and curcumol (15.2%). Manuscript profile