Evolution of Antimicrobial, Antioxidant Potentials and Phytochemical Studies of Three Solvent Extracts of Five Species from Acacia Used in Sudanese Ethnomedicine

The ethanol, chloroform and acetone extracts of five species from Acacia (Acacia albidia stems, Acacia mellifera aerial parts, Acacia nubica aerial parts, Acacia seyal var. seyal stems and Acacia tortilis aerial parts) were investigated for their antimicrobial activity against two standard bacterial strains of Gram +ve bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923)), Gram -ve bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853)) and standard fungi Candida albicans (ATCC 90028) using the agar-plate well diffusion method. The chloroform extract was inactive compared to ethanol and acetone extracts. But ethanol extracts showed the maximum antimicrobial activity against the test organism. Amongst the plant species screened, ethanol extract of Acacia seyal stems showed maximum inhibitory activity (38 mm) and (37 mm) against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, respectively. The ethanol, chloroform and acetone extracts of Acacia mellifera (aerial parts) did not show any activity against the test organisms. Cholorophorm and acetone extracts via DPPH, the radical scavenging activities were found to be 91 ± 0.03, 88 ± 0.01 and 85 ± 0.04, respectively. The results of phytochemical screening showed that all extracts of studied plant contain flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, steroids, alkaloids, phenols and tannins.

Innovative development path of ethnomedicines： an overview of ethnomedicines in China

In the long history of disease prevention and treatment, ancestral populations worldwide have gained knowledge and experiences in traditional medicines. For instance, ethnomedicines of Chinese ethnic minorities constitute an important part of traditional medicines. In our study, we firstly clarified the concept of ethnomedicines and the connotations of ethnopharmacology. The particularity of ethnomedicine research were then summed up, and the development profiles of the ethnomedicines of Chinese ethnic minorities were discussed by investigating the current status and existing problems. On this basis, we abstracted the innovative development path of ethnomedicines for the first time, which was found to follows：resource study -, standardized development research -~ industrialization of the achievements and efforts for internationalization. We found that platform establishment and team training are keys to achieving innovative development. Hence, this study provided a basis for ethnomedicine development.

Innovative development path of ethnomedicines： a case study

Innovative development extends the vitality of ethnomedicines. Developing ethnomedicines is not only beneficial to the public but also to the related industry and transforms economic growth, driving local social and economic development further. Its economic benefit can be used to optimize and promote the hardware and software of the platform, as well as support the sustainable development of ethnomedicines. Apart from research and discussion on the innovative development of ethnomedicines on the basis of theory and regulations, this series of articles also summarizes cases that are conducive to the overall understanding of the necessity and feasibility of the innovative development. In terms of industrial development, large enterprises and products, such as Yunnan Baiyao, Guizhou Miao ethnomedicines, Cheezheng Tibetan Medicine, products developed from Dengzhanhua （Erigeron breviscapus）, the Gold series of Yi ethnomedicines, and products developed from Sanqi （Panax notoginseng）, in China are introduced and summarized, focusing on resource superiority, sustainable innovation, standard research and development, and production, as well as intellectual property protection.

Innovative development path of ethnomedicines： the interpretation of the path

One of the primary purposes of the innovative development of ethnomedicines is to use their excellent safety and significant efficacy to serve a broader population. To achieve this purpose, modern scientific and technological means should be referenced, and relevant national laws and regulations as well as technical guides should be strictly followed to develop standards and to perform systemic research in producing ethnomedicines. Finally, ethnomedicines, which are applied to a limited extent in ethnic areas, can be transformed into safe, effective, and quality-controllable medical products to relieve the pain of more patients. The innovative development path of ethnomedicines includes the following three primary stages： resource study, standardized development research, and industrialization of the achievements and efforts for internationalization. The implementation of this path is always guaranteed by the research and development platform and the talent team. This article is based on the accumulation of long-term practice and is combined with the relevant disciplines, laws and regulations, and technical guidance from the research and development of ethnomedicines. The intention is to perform an in-depth analysis and explanation of the major research thinking, methods, contents, and technical paths involved in all stages of the innovative development path of ethnomedicines to provide useful references for the development of proper ethnomedicine use.

Trichosanthes dioica Roxb.: A vegetable with diverse pharmacological properties

Trichosanthes dioica Roxb.is a climber of the Cucurbitaceae family mainly found in tropical Asia.The fruit is widely consumed as a vegetable and different parts of this plant are used in the traditional medicine to treat various types of human ailments.In this review,we critically analyzed and presented the scientific studies on T.dioica available in three electronic databases viz.PubMed,Web of Science and Google Scholar.Our aim was to find the scientific basis of the traditional use to understand the plant’s potential in therapy.Studies have found promising antihyperglycemic,antihyperlipidemic,antitumor,cytotoxic,arsenic poisoning ameliorative,anti-inflammatory,antidiarrheal,and varieties of pharmacological activities of T.dioica.Different types of bioactive compounds have been identified and isolated from T.dioica including peptides namely trichosanthin and lectin;a number of triterpenes like cucurbitacin B,euphol,α-amyrin,-amyrin,lupeol,taraxerol,betulin,and karounidiol;sterols,steroidal saponin,tannin,flavonoids etc.T.dioica contains a number of well-known bioactive phytochemicals and the plant has shown an array of pharmacological activities in vivo.This review will expand our understanding of the therapeutic potential of T.dioica and their phytochemical basis which may help in further research on this species.

Sacred groves of India:repositories of a rich heritage and tools for biodiversity conservation

Sacred groves preserve a rich religious and socio-cultural heritage of Indian biodiversity from primeval times,due to their values.They act as a bridge between man and nature.Groves help to improve soil quality,replenish water resources and are pivotal for biodiversity conservation of plants and animals including rare,endemic,threatened,vulnerable species and ethnobotanical species.Most of India's sacred groves are associated with a deity or a spiritual being,who protects the grove and local people.Vegetation cover of these groves has traditional ethnobotanical value,especially in the field of ethnomedicine,which accounts for the conservation of groves over the years.Numerous plant species from sacred groves are used according to tradition and culture to prevent or cure various health problems.However,modernisation,industrialisation,increased encroachment and misuse of forest resources increasingly threaten sacred groves.These treasures of nature must be conserved by formulating and applying new laws and policies while creating awareness among people about the value of sacred groves.Toward this aim,we review the distribution,ecological and socio-cultural significance of sacred groves of India and strategies to conserve them.

Therapeutic role of Ricinus communis L. and its bioactive compounds in disease prevention and treatment

Ricinus communis L.(R. communis), commonly known as castor oil plant, is used as a traditional natural remedy or folkloric herb for the control and treatment of a wide range of diseases around the globe. Various studies have revealed the presence of diverse phytochemicals such as alkaloids.flavonoids, terpenes, saponins,phenolic compounds such as kaempferol, gallic acid, ricin, rutin, lupeol, ricinoleic acid, pinene, thujone and gentisic acid.These phytochemicals have been responsible for pharmacological and therapeutic effects,including anticancer, antimicrobial, insecticidal, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, antinociceptive,anti-inflammatory. bone regenerative, analgesic, and anticonvulsant activity. R. communis harbours phytochemicals which have been shown to target peroxisome proliferator activated receptor(PPAR), nuclear factor NF-κ-B, cytochrome p450, P38 mitogen-activated protein kinases kinase(p38 MAPK), tumor protein P53, B-cell lymphoma-extra-large(Bcl-xL) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2(VEGFR-2). Considering its wide variety of phytochemicals, its pharmacological activity and the subsequent clinical trials, R. communis could be a good candidate for discovering novel complementary drugs. Further experimental and advanced clinical studies are required to explore the pharmaceutical, beneficial therapeutic and safety prospects of R. communis with its phytochemicals as a herbal and complementary medicine for combating various diseases and disorders.

Phytochemicals,pharmacological and ethnomedicinal studies of Artocarpus:A scoping review

This article aims to review the scientific data on phytochemical and pharmacological studies of Artocarpus collected from Malaysia as well as to highlight their usage as ethnomedicine worldwide.About 55 Artocarpus species are distributed worldwide and 32 of the Artocarpus species can be found in Malaysia.Artocarpus species are well known worldwide for their edible fruits such as Artocarpus heterophyllus(jackfruit),Artocarpus integer(chempedak),and Artocarpus communis(breadfruit).Aside from its edible fruits,the timber is valued for light constructions,crates,large canoes,and boats.The literature for this review was searched using the term‘Artocarpus’,‘Artocarpus Malaysia’,‘Artocarpus extracts’,‘Artocarpus traditional medicine’and‘Artocarpus ethnomedicine’from published books and scientific journals via various engines such as The Web of Science,PubMed,Science Direct,Scopus,Research Gate,and Google Scholar.The references cited from the retrieved articles were also scanned and cross-checked.All published studies on phytochemical and pharmacological activities of Malaysia’s Artocarpus species up to January 2021 were included in this review.Articles on phytochemical studies of Malaysia’s Artocarpus revealed the isolation of flavonoids as the major constituents.Research on pharmacological activities of the isolated phytochemicals showed that these compounds exhibited significant disease-linkedenzyme(tyrosinase,cholinesterase,glucosidase)inhibitors as well as antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,antimicrobial,and cytotoxic activities.The ethnomedicinal data gathered are useful to understand and prioritize Artocarpus species that can contribute to potent phytochemicals and possibly new drug leads.This review also provides valuable information for the future development of isolated compounds from Artocarpus species.

Ethnobotanical,phytochemical and pharmacological review of Mimusops elengi Linn.

Mimusops elengi is Indian native plant and is used for a long time in the history of the medicine.Plant was well studied in majority of the world because of its high potential medicinal value.Traditionally all different part of this plant,namely leaf,root,fruit,seed,bark and flower arc used to cure various kinds of disorders.Information compiled here will be useful to improve the present investigation of several health care research regarding the Mimusops elengi.

The Genus Terminalia(Combretaceae):An Ethnopharmacological,Phytochemical and Pharmacological Review

Terminalia Linn,a genus of mostly medium or large trees in the family Combretaceae with about 250 species in the world,is distributed mainly in southern Asia,Himalayas,Madagascar,Australia,and the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa.Many species are used widely in many traditional medicinal systems,e.g.,traditional Chinese medicine,Tibetan medicine,and Indian Ayurvedic medicine practices.So far,about 39 species have been phytochemically studied,which led to the identification of 368 compounds,including terpenoids,tannins,flavonoids,phenylpropanoids,simple phenolics and so on.Some of the isolates showed various bioactivities,in vitro or in vivo,such as antitumor,anti HIV-1,antifungal,antimicrobial,antimalarial,antioxidant,diarrhea and analgesic.This review covers research articles from 1934 to 2018,retrieved from SciFinder,Wikipedia,Google Scholar,Chinese Knowledge Network and Baidu Scholar by using“Terminalia”as the search term(“all fields”)with no specific time frame setting for the search.Thirty-nine important medicinal and edible Terminalia species were selected and summarized on their geographical distribution,traditional uses,phytochemistry and related pharmacological activities.

The Genus Carissa:An Ethnopharmacological,Phytochemical and Pharmacological Review

Carissa L.is a genus of the family Apocynaceae,with about 36 species as evergreen shrubs or small trees native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa,Asia and Oceania.Most of Carissa plants have been employed and utilized in traditional medicine for various ailments,such as headache,chest complains,rheumatism,oedema,gonorrhoea,syphilis,rabies.So far,only nine Carissa species have been phytochemically studied,which led to the identification of 123 compounds including terpenes,flavonoids,lignans,sterols,simple phenolic compounds,fatty acids and esters,and so on.Pharmacological studies on Carissa species have also indicated various bioactive potentials.This review covers the peer-reviewed articles between 1954 and 2016,retrieved from Pubmed,ScienceDirect,SciFmder,Wikipedia and Baidu,using“Carissa”as search term(“all fields”)and with no specific time frame set for search.Fifteen important medicinal or ornamental Carissa species were selected and summarized on their botanical characteristics,geographical distribution,traditional uses,phytochemistry,and pharmacological activities.

Therapeutic roles of plants for 15 hypothesised causal bases of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease(AD)is progressive and ultimately fatal,with current drugs failing to reverse and cure it.This study aimed to find plant species which may provide therapeutic bioactivities targeted to causal agents proposed to be driving AD.A novel toolkit methodology was employed,whereby clinical symptoms were translated into categories recognized in ethnomedicine.These categories were applied to find plant species with therapeutic effects,mined from ethnomedical surveys.Survey locations were mapped to assess how this data is at risk.Bioactivities were found of therapeutic relevance to 15 hypothesised causal bases for AD.107 species with an ethnological report of memory improvement demonstrated therapeutic activity for all these 15 causal bases.The majority of the surveys were found to reside within biodiversity hotspots(centres of high biodiversity under threat),with loss of traditional knowledge the most common threat.Our findings suggest that the documented plants provide a large resource of AD thera-peutic potential.In demonstrating bioactivities targeted to these causal bases,such plants may have the capacity to reduce or reverse AD,with promise as drug leads to target multiple AD hallmarks.However,there is a need to preserve ethnomedical knowledge,and the habitats on which this knowledge depends.

Studies on the Traditional Uses of Some Medicinal Shrubs of Swat Kohistan,Pakistan

This paper is based on an ethnobotanical project carried out in the remote Hindukush mountain region of Swat Kohistan.Most of the local people still rely on medicinal plants for curing different diseases.However,the traditional use and pertinent knowledge of medicinal plants are on decline with the introduction of allopathic drugs in the study area.During present study,an effort was made to document the traditional knowledge of some important medicinal shrubs of Swat Kohistan.The traditional uses of 18 frequently used shrubs belonging to 12 different families were thus documented.The Kohistani people use these medicinal shrubs for curing multiple ailments and some of these are also exported to other parts of Pakistan.

Antibacterial Activity of <i>Bougainvillea Glabra, Eucalyptus Globulus, Gnaphalium Attenuatum</i>, and Propolis Collected in Mexico

Bougainvillea glabra C., Eucalyptus globules Labill., and Gnaphalium attenuatum DC., as well as propolis, have been used in Mexican traditional medicine as a remedy to treat respiratory illnesses. There are few biological reports of such material collected in Mexico, despite the high demand for them as raw material for popular and industrial uses. The antibacterial activity of the plants and propolis studied here were evaluated against a panel of bacteria using three different methodologies: agar disc diffusion, macro and micro dilution methods. E. globules and G. attenuatum extracts showed the strongest active values (P > 0.05) in the agar disc diffusion method with a range of 8 - 22 mm inhibition zone, MIC values ranging from 25 - 250g/mL, and MBC values of 25 - 500g/mL obtained by macro and micro dilution methods. B. glabra extracts were active against E. coli, S. typhi, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus and S. agalactiae, with 8 - 13 mm inhibition zone, MICs ranging from 500 - 3000g/mL, and MBCs of 1000 - 3000g/mL. The propolis extract turned out to be active against E. coli, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus and S. agalactiae, with values of 7 - 12 mm, MICs of 1000 - 2000g/mL, and MBCs of 2000 - 2500g/mL. E. globules and G. attenuatum extracts were the most active in the three methodologies assayed. This is also the first time that the antibacterial activity of G. attenuatum has been experimentally demonstrated. The microdilution method showed to be more sensitive, less expensive and minor time-consuming technique compared with the other two.

Phytochemical Screening of Two Tropical Moss Plants: <i>Thidium gratum</i>P. Beauv and <i>Barbula indica</i>Brid Grown in Southwestern Ecological Zone of Nigeria

Chemical tests were carried out on the aqueous extracts of the air-dried powders of two tropical moss plants, Thidium gratum and Barbula indica using standard procedures, to identify the phytochemical constituents. The extracts were screened for the presence and quantities of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponins and steroids with a view to assess their therapeutic values in ethnomedicine. The results of the phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponins and steroids in varying quantities in the two moss plants but there was absence of phenol in Barbula indica. These results suggest that the two moss plants can be veritable and potential source of useful drugs in treatment of ailments.

Modernization of Medical Traditions:Indian and Chinese Approaches to Health and Well‑being

The provisioning of health and well-being for every human being on the planet calls for a rethink of conventional medical practices.In both the developed as well as developing world contexts,there is a growing need to rejuvenate alternative medical systems,but they have to be modernized to have cross-cultural appeal and acceptance.This paper explores the clash between Western medicine and Indian traditional medicine in 19th century colonial India which offers a historical precedent that could hold key lessons to the spread of traditional medicine across the world.The paper argues that the British government used biomedicine as a political tool to dominate Indians and resistance from Indian practitioners of traditional systems of medicines(TSMs)was systematically put down through policy measures.However,it was the clash between the medical modalities that transformed Indian TSMs forever as systems such as Ayurveda(the science of life)and Yoga took on the challenge and modernized and continue to have global appeal.The paper compares Indian and Chinese medical systems and argues that similarities in theory and practice in two different historical contexts,19th century India and modern-day China,enable us to understand the relevance of modernization practices in our contemporary world.

Antidiabetic and haematological effect of aqueous extract of stem bark of Afzelia africana(Smith) on streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats

Objective:To investigate the antidiabetic properties of aqueous extract of stem bark of Afzelia africana(A.africana)and its beneficial effect on haematological parameters in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.Methods:A total of 30 rats including 24 diabetic and 6 normal rats were used for this study.Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin.After being confirmed diabetic,animals were orally treated with distilled water or extracts at 100 or 200 mg/kg body weight daily for 10 days.The haematological parameters including red blood and white blood cells and their functional indices were evaluated in diabetic treated groups compared with the controls.Results:The extract significantly reduced the blood glucose levels while the best result was obtained at 200 mg/kg body weight The feed and water intake in diabetic rats were significantly reduced while weight loss was minimized at both dosages.Similarly,the levels of red blood,white blood cells and their functional indices were significantly improved after extract administration at both doses.Conclusions:It can be concluded that the aqueous extract of bark of A.africana possesses antihyperglycemic properties.In addition,the extract can prevent various complications of diabetes and improve some haematological parameters.Further experimental investigation is needed to exploit its relevant therapeutic effect to substantiate its ethnomedicinal usage.

Euphorbia neriifolia L.:Review on botany,ethnomedicinal uses,phytochemistry and biological activities

The present review is intended to provide information on botany,ethnomedicinal uses,phytochemistry and biological activities of various parts of Euphorbia neriifolia(E. neriifolia). E. neriifolia has several ethnomedicinal uses. The latex of E. neriifolia is used as laxative,purgative,rubefacient,carminative and expectorant as well as in treatment of whooping cough,gonorrhea,leprosy,asthma,dyspepsia,jaundice,enlargement of the spleen,tumors,stone in the bladder,abdominal troubles and leucoderma. Leaves are brittle,heating,carminative,and good for improving the appetite and treatment of tumors,pains,inflammations,abdominal swellings and bronchial infections. Roots are used as symptomatic treatment of snake bite,scorpion sting and antispasmodic. Various plant parts or whole E. neriifolia extract and its isolates have been reported scientifically using various in-vivo and in-vitro experimental methods for anaesthetic,analgesic,anti-anxiety,anti-convulsant,anti-psychotic,anti-arthritis,anti-carcinogenic,antidiabetic,anti-diarrhoeal,anti-inflammatory,anti-thrombotic,antimicrobial,antioxidant,antiulcer,cytotoxic,death-receptor expression enhancing,dermal irritation,diuretic,hemolytic,immunomodulatory,radioprotective,scorpion venom and wound healing properties. It is reported to have chemical constituents like,neriifolin-S,neriifolin,neriifoliene,euphol,neriifolione,cycloartenol,nerifoliol,lectin,euphonerins A–G,3-O-acetyl-8-O-tigloylingol,taraxerol,antiquorin,etc. Identified chemical constituents are still required to be explored for their advanced isolation techniques and biological activities.

Cytokinin induced shoot regeneration and flowering of Scoparia dulcis L.(Scrophulariaceae)-an ethnomedicinal herb

Objective:To develop an improved protocol for micropropagation of ethnomedicinally important Scoparia dulcis(S.dulcis) L.Methods:Explants were inoculated on MS basal medium supplemented with kinelin and 6-benzylaminopurine for shoot bud induction.To enhance the shoot induction,various auxins like 3-indoleacetic acid or 3-indolebutyric acid or a-naphthylacetic acid were tested along with 2.32 M KI and 4.44 μ M BAP.The regenerated shoots were rooted in half strength MS medium supplemented with various concentrations of IAA,IBA or NAA.After roots were developed,the plantlets were transplanted to pots filled with vermiculate and sand and kept in growth chamber with 70%-80%humidity under 16 h photoperiod.After acclimatization,the plantlets were transferred to the garden and survival percentage was calculated.Data were statistically analyzed and means were compared using Duncan's multiple range test(P<0.05).Results:An in vitro method was developed to induce high frequency shoots regeneration from stem,mature leaf and young leaf explants of S.dulcis.Shoot induction on young leaf explants was most successful in MS medium supplemented with combination of two cytokinins(2.32 μ M KI and 4.44 μ M BAP) 2.85 μ M IAA,10%CM and 1 483.79 μM adenine sulfate.A single young leaf explant was capable of producing 59 shoots after 13 days of culture. Flower was induced in medium supplemented with combination of KI and BAP.Conclusions: Cytokinins are the key factor to induce the direct shoot regeneration and flowering of S.dulcis.

Ethnomedicinal values of some selected plant species in Federal College of Wildlife Management

Objective:The objective of this study was to identify the ethno-medicinal values of some selected plant species in Federal College of Wildlife Management,New Bussa,Niger state,Nigeria.Methods:Three methods of data collection were employed:(1) reconnansance survey of the College Estate was carried out to identify some selected medicinal plants found within the area:(2) field observations alongside personal recognition of some of these plant species were carried out and(3) interview was also carried out in three villages around the College Estate to determine the plants being utilized by the villagers.The villages were Kere,Labararu and Poppoi. The various uses of the identified plants and their parts used for the said purposes were recorded.One hundred people were interviewed altogether in these villages.Recorded information gathered on the medicinal uses of plants includes the type of plants,the part used to cure sickness,preparation of concoction,and the type of sickness cured.The data gathered were presented and analyzed using tables.Results:The results revealed that the identified plant species were being used in curing various diseases such as dysentery,fever, stomach pains,cough,malaria,yellow fever,diarrhea,gonorrhea,pile,body pains and other diseases.Conclusion: The study concluded that since the vast numbers of species in the study area possess medicinal values, there is need to conserve and protect the vegetation of the area from unsustainable exploitations which are the common features of vegetation in the surrounding land uses.