Plants form an integral part of daily life of human beings. The term ethnobotany refers to relationships and interactions between people and plants. Worldwide, plants are being used as sources of food, medicine, dyes, and timber. Traditional medicinal practitioners and indigenous systems of medicine (such as Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani) make use of several plant species to treat a range of ailments of humans and livestock. The therapeutic potential of plants lies in the presence of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, terpenes, and polyphenolic compounds. Azima tetracantha Lam., belonging to the family Salvadoraceae, is a small, armed shrub with quadrangular branches. The present review is a compilation of available data on the ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of A. tetracantha. Phytochemical investigations on the plant revealed the presence of chemicals such friedelin, euphanol, gallic acid, genstisic acid, cinnamate, ferulic acid, azimine, azcarpine, and carpaine. An extensive literature survey was carried out to compile data on traditional uses, phytochemicals, and the pharmacological activities shown by A. tetracantha. It is evident from the literatures that the plant is versatile with respect to its traditional uses as a remedy for various illnesses and disorders in humans and animals. The plant is used for treatment of asthma, cold, cough, rheumatism, diabetes, dysentery, fever, toothache, dog bite, snake bite, and liver diseases. It is experimentally shown that the plant exhibits pharmacological activities such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, antivenom, hepatoprotective, antiepileptic, diuretic, antiulcer, antiasthmatic, antidiarrheal, analgesic, nephroprotective, antipyretic, and insecticidal activity. The nanoparticles synthesized from A. tetracantha have shown antimicrobial, antioxidant, and insecticidal properties. A pentacyclic triterpenoid friedelin isolated from the plant is shown to exhibit many bioactivities such as antimicrobial, hypolipidemic, antidiarrheal, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, insecticidal, gastroprotective and antiradical activity. The therapeutic potential and pharmacological properties of A. tetracantha could be ascribed to the presence of a wide array of phytochemicals in it. The pharmacological activities of the plant reported justify the traditional use of A. tetracantha in treating several diseases or disorders.

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Phytochemistry, traditional uses, and pharmacological activities of Azima tetracantha Lam. (Salvadoraceae) - An updated review

The South Pacific island countries (SPIC) are among the most vulnerable countries in the world to economic shocks, climate change and natural disasters. Agriculture including livestock production makes important contribution to socio-economic development in the region. However, the livestock sector is marred by many livestock diseases, which are crippling the economies as well as threatening the food security of the island nations, most of which have high dependence on imports. Limited veterinary medical facilities, high cost of conventional medicine and remoteness of some rural farming communities make it difficult for farmers to treat their diseased animals. Nevertheless, the island nations are endowed with vast reserves of medicinal plants in diverse ecosystems including mangroves, rainforests and tropical dry forests. Despite the ubiquity of traditional medicine systems, most of the plant species have been used to treat human aliments in the SPIC and very few farmers utilise herbal medicine to treat their animals. This review highlights the common diseases affecting livestock production in the SPIC, threats to ethno-veterinary knowledge, and potential plant species and their efficacies to treat animal diseases and parasites. It also discusses the common methods of preparation of veterinary herbal medicine and possible ways of making the medicine available in the formal and informal markets in the region. It is envisaged that the review will stimulate further ethno-veterinary research among livestock disease management practices in the SPIC.

Potential of ethno-veterinary medicine in animal health care practices in the South Pacific Island countries: a review.

Cancer is considered to be a very atrocious disease since the time man started
to imagine about therapeutics. It is one of the leading causes of morbidity and
mortality worldwide. The majority of world’s population in developing countries still
relies on herbal medicine to meet their health needs. The impact of toxicity/ ADR of
the synthetic anticancer drug also paved the way for the focus on herbal medicines.
Azima tetracantha Lam., is belonging to the family Salvadoraceae used in the Folk
medicine to treat various ailments. In the present work, the various extracts of leaves
and stem of Azima tetracantha were subjected to pharmacognostical, phytochemical
and pharmacological studies. The plant extracts were evaluated for in vitro anticancer
activity against MCF-7 cell lines using MTT assay. Based on MTT assay, the active
extract was subjected to bioactivity guided isolation by column chromatography using
hexane, chloroform and ethanol. All the fractions and isolated compounds were
evaluated for their invitro antioxidant activity and the compound that showed high
antioxidant effect on DPPH further evaluated for invivo acute toxicity studies and
spectral studies. From all the fractions tested, the more effecient fraction (IBC32)
subjected to invitro anticancer activity on various cell lines (MCF-7, HeLa and A549)
using MTT assay. Docking studies were carried out for the isolated bioactive
compound (IBC32) with various targeting enzymes such as PDB ID- 4O33, 2Y3I,
3UEN and 3ZOZ.

Evaluation of Anticancer Potential of Leaves And Stem of Azima Tetracantha Lam

Ethnoveterinary practises of medicinal plants used for the treatment of different cattle diseases: A case study in East Khasi Hill district of Meghalaya, North East India

An Ethnoveterinary survey was carried out on the indigenous knowledge of tribes and folk medicine
practitioners of Mallenahalli village, Chikmagalur Taluk, Karnataka. The study was conducted during
2011 and 2012 using open ended questionnaires, frequent field visits and interviews with tribal
practitioners Ethnomedicinal information. A total of 52 medicinal plant species belonging to 32 families
that have been recorded from the tribal practitioners to treat against anthrax, foot and mouth diseases,
bloat conjunctivitis, dysentery, fractures, snake bite, rot tail, Kasanoor forest disease etc. The present
study may provide the traditional knowledge of tribes and local healers to cure cattle diseases. Further
studies are needed for the Phytochemical and Pharmaceutical analysis of drugs and to conserve medicinal
plants for future use.

https://www.plantsjournal.com/archives/2015/vol3issue1/PartA/3-1-3.1.pdf

Ethnoveterinary Practices in Mallenahalli of Chikmagalur Taluk, Karnataka

Teais one of the most significant plantation crops to be emphasized towards research on development for climate-resilient variants that suits across different climate crisisimpacted countries including India. Recent tea genome research advancements eased our thoughts to begin, and apply that addresses biotic, abiotic stresses and productivity. Though the effect of climate change with unpredictable weather conditions on tea crop’s resistance is unclear, DNA based and genomics-assisted breeding techniques might play prominent role in facing future challenges of crop improving set-ups. Transgene based technological advancements and molecular breeding strategies have simplified the progress of elite tea genotypes with robust adaptation to climate change and the genomics-assisted breeding strategies in specific, found to play a substantial part in the advance of climate resilient tea crops. In this review, we briefed the signs of progress in tea genome-based research and their further perspectives needed to address the current challenges we face due to the climate crisis that resolve to breed for the water-stress-tolerant tea plant.

VN Sudhama

Papers

Ethnoveterinary Practices in Mallenahalli of Chikmagalur Taluk, Karnataka

A review on the genome-based approaches for the development of stress and climate resilient tea crops