Vitellaria paradoxa nutshells from seven sub-Saharan countries as potential herbal medicines for treating diabetes based on chemical compositions, HPLC fingerprints and bioactivity evaluation

The aim of the study was to determine the feasibility of the Vitellaria paradoxa nutshell as a new medicinal resource for treating diabetes. A total of forty-one compounds were identified by HPLC-DAD-Q-TOF-MS and phytochemical methods in V. paradoxa nutshell methanol extract. Based on HPLC fingerprints, four characteristic constituents were quantified and the origin of twenty-eight V. paradoxa nutshells from seven sub-Saharan countries was compared, which were classified into three groups with chemometric method. Twenty-eight samples contained high total phenolic content, and exhibited moderate-higher antioxidant activity and strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Furthermore, all fractions and isolated compounds were evaluated for their antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, and α-glucosidase inhibitory action mechanism of four characteristic constituents including protocatechuic acid, 3, 5, 7-trihydroxycoumarin, (2R, 3R)-(+)-taxifolin and quercetin was investigated via molecular docking method, which were all stabilized by hydrogen bonds with α-glucosidase. The study provided an effective approach to waste utilization of V. paradoxa nutshell, which would help to resolve waste environmental pollution and provide a basis for developing potential herbal resource for treating diabetes.

Regional trade of medicinal plants has facilitated the retention of traditional knowledge: case study in Gilgit-Baltistan Pakistan

The ethnic groups in Gilgit-Baltistan have been utilizing local resources in their centuries-old traditional healing system. Most tribes within these ethnic groups still rely on traditional healing systems. We aim to understand the current status, uses, and abundance of medicinal plants, associated traditional knowledge, and trade. The study incorporated over 300 local community members (70% men and 30% women) in focused group discussions, semi-structured interviews, and homework assignments for 8th to 12th grade students to document traditional knowledge (TK) in six districts in Northeast Pakistan. We calculated various indices such as informant consensus factor, use value, relative frequency of citation, and CoKriging. These indices, along with repetitively used medicinal plants, were used to analyze differences in studied locations. Most of the community members still rely on traditional medication in the study areas. However, we found the highest number of medicinal plants used in Skardu and Gilgit compared to other districts and these two districts also represent trade centers and a highly populated area regarding medicinal plants. Results indicate connection amongst the surveyed villages signifying mixing of knowledge from different sources, with certain areas more influenced by traditional Chinese medicine and others more by Ayurveda and Unani. TK is mostly retained with elder community members; however, those directly linked with market value chain retain rich knowledge on traditional use of the medicinal plants from the region. Major trade centers in the region also coincide with a high density of medicinal plant occurrence, knowledge, and higher utilization. Therefore, with the increasing trade in medicinal plant in the region, there is potential for rejuvenation of this knowledge and of plant use in the region.

Diversity, Ethnobotanical Potential and Sustainability Assessment of Plants Used by Traditional Healers to Treat Cancer in Boyo Division, North-West Region, Cameroon

Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally. Therefore, the knowledge on medicinal plants used to cure human cancer could be of great importance for their widespread use and scientific validation. The present study records information on anticancer plants in Boyo Division, in the western highland of Cameroon. Thirty traditional healers, were interviewed to document their know-how on the type of human cancer allegedly cured, the plant species used as well as their use pattern. Guided field walks were made to the collection sites for plant and its habitat characterization as well as herbarium voucher collection. Ethnobotanical quantitative tools were used to analyze and summarize collected data. Sustainability of harvest was assessed using a vulnerability index based on seven parameters. A total of 25 medicinal plants cited were identified as belonging to 13 families and 23 genera. The most represented families were Asteraceae (28%), Lamiaceae (16%), Fabaceae (12%) and Acanthaceae (8%). Out of the seven categories of cancer diseases reported, the highest number of plants species were reported to treat stomach, pancreas, liver, skin and breast cancers, with informant consensus factor (ICF) ranging from 0.79 to 0.82. Leaves (60%) and bark (20%) were the major plant parts used mostly in form of decoction (45.45%) and concoction (38.18%). The result of Relative frequency citations (RFCs) revealed that 9 of the 25 plants species cited were the most frequently used with fidelity levels ranging from 92% (Geniosporum rotundifolium and Ocimum tenuiflorum Aframomum melegueta and Entada abyssinica) to 100% (Coleus blumei, Ocimum gratissimum, Eremomastax speciosa, and Dichrocephala integrifolia). Six species were assessed as vulnerable (Vi ≥ 2), while two species were rated as highly vulnerable namely G. rotundifolium (Vi = 2.71) and E. abyssinica (Vi = 2.85). New traditionally effective anticancer plants were identified in the present study, some of which were already vulnerable for exploitation in their actual habitat. Plants with high ICF, RFCs and FL values should be subjected to further phytochemical and pharmacological investigations for scientific validation while those with high Vulnerability index should be recommended for participatory domestication by the main users.

Prunus africana: how agroforestry can help save an endangered medicinal tree

I studied the uses of the African cherry (Prunus africana) by four ethnic groups who live near the Kilum-Ijim Forest Preserve on Mount Oku, Cameroon. Prunus africana is valued for its timber, which is used for tool handles and for fuel, and it is an important wildlife food. However, its greatest value is for traditional medicines. Healers use the bark and leaves to treat more than 30 human ailments and several animal diseases and it is the most important plant used in their practices. This study is the first to document this importance, particularly for animal medicines. I also examined the growing worldwide herbal use to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia. Market demand has caused resource depletion and an erosion of traditional resource protection practices. Preservation of the species will depend on sustainable harvesting methods and on cultivation.

Polyporus umbellatus, an Edible-Medicinal Cultivated Mushroom with Multiple Developed Health-Care Products as Food, Medicine and Cosmetics: A Review

Polyporus umbellatus is a medicinal mushroom belonging to the family Polyporaceae which forms characteristic underground sclerotia. These sclerotia have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries and are used to treat edema and promote diuretic processes. Over the past few decades, researchers have found this taxon to contain many bioactive compounds shown to be responsible for antitumor, anticancer, antioxidant, free radical scavenging, immune system enhancement and antimicrobial activities. Due to its promising medicinal value, P. umbellatus is used as an ingredient in many medicinal products and food supplements. Thus demand for P. umbellatus has increased. To supply the high global demand, P. umbellatus is cultivated under natural or industrial conditions. In this review we discuss optimal conditions for the cultivation and culture of P. umbellatus . We also focus on the medicinal uses of P. umbellatus , the diversity of bioactive metabolites with various pharmacological properties and the medicinal products of great interest for health care or as alternative drugs

Variation of alkaloids in the Kenyan Zanthoxylum gilletii (De Wild Waterman)

Zanthoxylum gilletii is an African indigenous deciduous tree which is important for its medicinal use in many communities to treat a wide range of ailments. This study was conducted to identify the alkaloids present in the bark, root and leaves of the Kenyan Z. gilletii. The plant materials were randomly sampled, dried at room temperature, powdered and subjected to thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analyses for the alkaloid confirm atory tests. The bark, root and leaf extract contained peroxysimulenoline, sanguinarine, fagarine I, norchelerythrine (dihydroavicine or demethylnitidine), trans-fagaramide, 8 – methylnorchelerythrine and dihydronitidine alkaloids. The distribution of the alkaloids appeared to be quite variable within different plant parts and different regions. The identified alkaloids have been documented to be useful for their medicinal value in humans and also protect the plants against predation. The medicinal value of Z. gilletii may be due to its contents of varied alkaloids. The information on alkaloidal variation in the species has potential value and practical applications in chemotaxonomy, toxicology and pharmacognosy. The present findings may be useful in optimizing the processing and wild-harvesting of these alkaloids.

Effects of cultivation practices on biomass partitioning of Boerhavia diffusa L.

Although traditional knowledge on the medicinal properties of Boerhavia diffusa L. of the family Nyctaginaceae is known, production potential, assimilate partitioning to economic yields and agronomic requirements for commercial cultivation are poorly understood. Consequently, the objective of this study was to identify agronomic practices that could partition more assimilate to economic components to obtain optimum yield from cultivation. A factorial experiment was carried out at the University of Peradeniya Experimental Station, Dodangolla, Sri Lanka from July 2006 to August 2008. Treatments include two types of planting materials, five types of fertilizers and five harvesting methods. The results revealed that the seedlings performed better than cuttings in all studied parameters. Among types of fertilizers, the recommendation for Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. (Sweet potato) was the best for production of below ground dry matter in seedling plants. The optimum rate of below ground dry matter was attained at 8 months after planting (MAP) in seedlings. Organic or inorganic fertilizer recommendation for Trianthema portulacastrum L. (Sarana) was the most suitable for harvesting of above ground dry matter of seedling plants. The study also showed that B. diffusa could be managed by repeated harvesting of above ground dry matter as a leafy vegetable at two month intervals up to six months followed by harvesting the entire plant at eight MAP for medicinal as well as a leafy vegetable. Implications of research findings are discussed.

Seed germination and in vitro regeneration of the African medicinal and pesticidal plant, Bobgunnia Madagascariensis

Propagation of the medicinal and pesticidal tree, Bobgunnia madagascarensis is difficult due to poor and erratic germination of its seeds and slow growth of its seedlings. This study involved two separate experiments. The first evaluated the effect of pre-sowing treatments and growing medium on ex vitro seed germination and early seedling development. The second experiment involved in vitro germination, shoot initiation and rooting of shoots. Pre-sowing seed treatments involved soaking seeds in cold and hot water for 12 and 24 h and soaking in different concentrations (0, 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/l) of gibberellic acid for 24 h. Soaking of seeds in cold or hot water for up to 24 h did not achieve more than 45% germination, while seeds treated with gibberellic acid achieved 76%) when seeds were sown in a growing medium without compost compared with a medium with compost (<43%). All shoot-tips isolated from the in vitro germinated seedlings on B5 media without plant growth regulators continued to grow as a single shoot, while shoot-tips cultured on B5 supplemented with 0.1 mg/l of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and thidiazuron (TDZ) produced two shoots each after four weeks. It was concluded that B. madagascariensis seeds had very low ex vitro germination percentages. Although, in vitro cultures improved seed germination, axillary shoot multiplication and rooting were not satisfactory. Therefore, further studies are needed to develop an optimal in vitro multiplication protocol for B. madagascariensis.

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