Topic
Medicinal plants
About: Medicinal plants is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 3816 publications have been published within this topic receiving 108681 citations. The topic is also known as: medicinal herbs & medicinal plants.
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TL;DR: Fractionation of selected plant extracts from Turkish medicinal plants resulted in the identification of active compounds representing a wide range of structures, including alkaloids, terpenoids and phenolic compounds, which can result in the development of novel and safe medicinal agents.
Abstract: Turkey has an extraordinarily rich flora and wide knowledge of their indigenous medicinal plants. Medicinal plants constitute an important componbnt of flora and are widely distributed in different floristic regions of Turkey. Historically, plants have supplied the chemistry for over 25 % of prescription drugs used in human medicine( 1) and such biologically active plants have also provided leads to natural insecticides(2). Accordingly, we are investigating the potential of Turkish medicinal plants as a resource of new chemistry for public health and plant protection. The biological evaluation of substances from plant sources is highly releavant for the identification of lead compounds which can result in the development of novel and safe medicinal agents. During our extensive studies with Turkish medicinal plants, we have isolated and characterized a large number of natural products. On the other hand, a more systematical approach to the discovery of drugs from these plants has been initiated using bioassay-guided fractionation. At the end of this fractionation of selected plant extracts has resulted in the identification of active compounds representing a wide range of structures, including alkaloids, terpenoids and phenolic compounds(3). Fifty five organosoluble extracts prepared from Turkish medicinal plants were investigated for their biological activities against insects, nematodes, plant pathogens and brine shrimp in addition to their biological activities such as antimalarial, anticholinergic, analgesic and antiplatelet activities.
33 citations
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TL;DR: Endophytic fungi inhabiting the inner tissue of medicinal plants studied may be the source of the curative properties of the plants and show potential antimicrobial activity against at least one of the tested pathogens.
Abstract: Background: Endophytes represent a promising source of biologically active metabolites for pharmaceutical and agricultural applications. Objective: This study was aimed to investigate the endophytic fungi diversity and the antimicrobial potential of three popular medicinal plants (Alstonia boonei‐Ahun, Enantia chlorantha‐Awopa and Kigelia africana‐Pandoro) that have ethnobotanical history in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The stem barks were used for isolation of endophytic fungi and fermented, and the cell free fermentation broths were subjected to antimicrobial screening against six human pathogens; Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Candida albicans by using standard agar well diffusion method. Results: A total of ten endophytic fungi were isolated from the stem bark of the plants. Seven of these fungi were identified,which include; Aspergillus niger, Macrophomina spp., Trichoderma spp. and four different Penicillium species, while three of the isolated endophytes remained unknown. Furthermore, nine of the isolated endophytes showed potential antimicrobial activity against at least one of the six tested pathogens. Conclusion: This study shows that endophytic fungi inhabiting the inner tissue of medicinal plants studied may be the source of the curative properties of the plants. Key words: Agar well diffusion, antimicrobial activity, endophytes, medicinal plant
33 citations
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TL;DR: Hemostatic tests performed in vitro on hydro alcoholic extracts of these plants revealed that all of them have coagulant properties, with a percentage reduction of plasma re-calcification time which is 31% for C. filiformis and 39% for A. senegalensis .
Abstract: Annona senegalensis (Leaves), Newbouldia laevis (Leaves), Cassytha filiformis (aerial part), Cissampelos mucronata (aerial part) are four species of medicinal plants commonly sold by herbalists in South Benin for treatment of bleeding. Hemostatic tests performed in vitro on hydro alcoholic extracts of these plants revealed that all of them have coagulant properties, with a percentage reduction of plasma re-calcification time which is 31% for C. filiformis and 39% for A. senegalensis . The action of these plant extracts is different from that of the classical pathway of blood coagulation. A. senegalensis extract also showed an astringent power. The phytochemical study of these plants revealed that: C. mucronata contains alkaloids and tannins; A. senegalensis contains tannins, mucilages and reducing compounds; C. filiformis contains alkaloids, tannins (gallic tannins and cathetics) and mucilage; N. leavis contains tannins, triterpenoids, mucilages and reducing compounds. The traditional use of plants as hemostatic is convicted with these results.
33 citations
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TL;DR: The findings confirm the traditional use of Breonadia salicina and demonstrate the potential value of developing biopesticides from plants.
Abstract: Background: Medicinal plants are used by many ethnic groups as a source of medicine for the treatment of various ailments in both
humans and domestic animals. These plants produce secondary metabolites that have antimicrobial properties, thus screening of
medicinal plants provide another alternative for producing chemical fungicides that are relatively non-toxic and cost-effective.
Materials and methods: Leaf extracts of selected South African plant species (Bucida buceras, Breonadia salicina, Harpephyllum
caffrum, Olinia ventosa, Vangueria infausta and Xylotheca kraussiana) were investigated for activity against selected
phytopathogenic fungi (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus parasiticus, Colletotricum gloeosporioides, Penicillium janthinellum, P.
expansum, Trichoderma harzianum and Fusarium oxysporum). These plant fungal pathogens causes major economic losses in fruit
industry such as blue rot on nectaries and postharvest disease in citrus. Plant species were selected from 600 evaluated inter alia,
against two animal fungal pathogens (Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans). Antioxidant activity of the selected plant
extracts were investigated using a qualitative assay (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)). Bioautography assay was used to
determine the number of antifungal compounds in plant extracts.
Results: All plant extracts were active against the selected plant phytopathogenic fungi. Moreover, Bucida buceras had the best
antifungal activity against four of the fungi, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values as low as 0.02 mg/ml and 0.08
mg/ml against P. expansum, P. janthinellum, T. harzianum and F. oxysporum. The plant extracts of five plant species did not possess
strong antioxidant activity. However, methanol extract of X. kraussiana was the most active radical scavenger in the DPPH assay
amongst the six medicinal plants screened. No antifungal compounds were observed in some of the plant extracts with good
antifungal activity as shown in the microdilution assay, indicating possible synergism between the separated metabolites.
Conclusion: The results showed that acetone was the best extractant. Furthermore, our findings also confirm the traditional use of
Breonadia salicina and demonstrate the potential value of developing biopesticides from plants.
33 citations