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.

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Babungo, Northwest Region, Cameroon

Abstract: An ethnobotanical survey was undertaken to record information on medicinal plants from traditional medical practitioners in Babungo and to identify the medicinal plants used for treating diseases. Traditional Medical Practitioners (TMP's) who were the main informants were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires and open-ended conversations. Field trips were made to the sites where TMP's harvest plants. The survey identified and recorded 107 plants species from 54 plant families, 98 genera used for treating diseases in Babungo. The Asteraceae was the most represented plant family while herbs made up 57% of the total medicinal plants used. The leaf was the most commonly used plant part while concoction and decoction were the most common method of traditional drug preparation. Most medicinal plants (72%) are harvested from the wild and 45% of these have other non medicinal uses. Knowledge of the use of plants as medicines remains mostly with the older generation with few youth showing an interest. A divers number of plants species are used for treating different diseases in Babungo. In addition to their use as medicines, a large number of plants have other non medicinal uses. The youth should be encouraged to learn the traditional medicinal knowledge to preserve it from being lost with the older generation.

Phenolic composition and antioxidant properties of some traditionally used medicinal plants affected by the extraction time and hydrolysis

Abstract: Polyphenolic phytochemicals in traditionally used medicinal plants act as powerful antioxidants, which aroused an increasing interest in their application in functional food development. The effect of extraction time (5 and 15 minutes) and hydrolysis on the qualitative and quantitative content of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of six traditionally used medicinal plants (Melissa officinalis L., Thymus serpyllum L., Lavandula officinalis Miller, Rubus fruticosus L., Urtica dioica L., and Olea europea L.) were investigated. The content of total phenols, flavonoids, flavan-3-ols and tannins was determined by using UV/Vis spectrophotometric methods, whilst individual phenolic acids, flavones and flavonols were separated and detected by using HPLC analysis. Also, to obtain the relevant data on the antioxidant capacity, two different in vitro assays (ABTS and FRAP) were used. The extraction efficiency of phenolics, as well as the antioxidant capacity of plant extracts, was affected by both prolonged extraction and hydrolysis. The overall highest content of phenolic compounds was determined in hydrolized extract of blackberry leaves (2160 mg GAE/L), followed by the non-hydrolized extract of lemon balm obtained after 15 minutes of extraction (929.33 mg GAE/L). The above extracts also exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity, while extracts of olive leaves were characterized with the lowest content of phenolic compounds, as well as the lowest antioxidant capacity. The highest content of rosmarinic acid, as the most abundant phenolic compound, was determined in non-hydrolized extract of lemon balm, obtained after 15 minutes of extraction. The distribution of detected phenolic compounds showed a wide variability with regard to their botanical origin. Examined medicinal plants showed to be a valuable supplement to a daily intake of bioactive compounds.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of selected medicinal plants and fungi containing phenolic and flavonoid compounds

Abstract: Background This study aims to determine the relationship between the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the thirteen herbs and two fungi extracts, and their total phenolic and flavonoid contents.

The phytochemical and pharmacological profile of Persea americana Mill

Abstract: Over the past decades, herbal medicine has become a thing of global significance with medicinal and economic implications. Wide spread use of herbs throughout the globe has raised serious concerns over its quality, safety, and efficacy. Thus, exact scientific assessment has become a precondition for acceptance of herbal health claims. Persea americana Mill. (avocado) is a tree, native to central America, cultivated in tropical and subtropical climates around the world, belonging to the family Lauraceae, is widely used in Ayurveda and evidence-based phototherapy. There are 3 principal races or groups of avocado: Mexican, Guatemalan, and West Indian named for the areas where they were originally cultivated. The plant is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments, such as monorrhagia, hypertension, stomach ache, bronchitis, diarrhea, and diabetes. Peptone, b-galactoside, glycosylated abscisic acid, alkaloids, cellulose, polygalacto urease, polyuronoids, cytochrome P-450, and volatile oils are reported to be present in this plant. Biotechnologic approaches show that modified MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg benzyladenine/L, 0-1mg Indole Butyric Acid/L, 0.1 mg Gibberalic Acid 3/L was optimum for adventitious shoot development. In the present review, an effort has been made to study the different aspects of P. americana Mill.