An overview of anti-diabetic plants used in Gabon: Pharmacology and Toxicology

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Ethnopharmacological relevance: The management of diabetes mellitus management in African communities, especially in Gabon, is not well established as more than 60% of population rely on traditional treatments as primary healthcare. The aim of this review was to collect and present the scientific evidence for the use of medicinal plants that are in currect by Gabonese traditional healers to manage diabetes or hyperglycaemia based here on the pharmacological and toxicological profiles of plants with anti-diabetic activity. There are presented in order to promote their therapeutic value, ensure a safer use by population and provide some bases for further study on high potential plants reviewed. Materials and methods: Ethnobotanical studies were sourced using databases such as Online Wiley library, Pubmed, Google Scholar, PROTA, books and unpublished data including Ph.D. and Master thesis, African and Asian journals. Keywords including ‘Diabetes’ ‘Gabon’ ‘Toxicity’ ‘Constituents’ ‘hyperglycaemia’ were used. Results: A total of 69 plants currently used in Gabon with potential anti-diabetic activity have been identified in the literature, all of which have been used in in vivo or in vitro studies. Most of the plants have been studied in human or animal models for their ability to reduce blood glucose, stimulate insulin secretion or inhibit carbohydrates enzymes. Active substances have been identified in 12 out of 69 plants outlined in this review, these include Allium cepa and Tabernanthe iboga. Only eight plants have their active substances tested for anti-diabetic activity and are suitables for further investigation. Toxicological data is scarce and is dose-related to the functional parameters of major organs such as kidney and liver. Conclusion: An in-depth understanding on the pharmacology and toxicology of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is lacking yet there is a great scope for new treatments. With further research, the use of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is important to ensure the safety of the diabetic patients in Gabon.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Natural products for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by persistent hyperglycemia. High blood sugar can produce long-term complications such as cardiovascular and renal disorders, retinopathy, and poor blood flow. Its development can be prevented or delayed in people with impaired glucose tolerance by implementing lifestyle changes or the use of therapeutic agents. Some of these drugs have been obtained from plants or have a microbial origin, such as galegine isolated from Galega officinalis, which has a great similarity to the antidiabetic drug metformin. Picnogenol, acarbose, miglitol, and voglibose are other antidiabetic products of natural origin. This review compiles the principal articles on medicinal plants used for treating diabetes and its comorbidities, as well as mechanisms of natural products as antidiabetic agents. Inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase, effects on glucose uptake and glucose transporters, modification of mechanisms mediated by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B activity, modification of gene expression, and activities of hormones involved in glucose homeostasis such as adiponectin, resistin, and incretin, and reduction of oxidative stress are some of the mechanisms in which natural products are involved. We also review the most relevant clinical trials performed with medicinal plants and natural products such as aloe, banaba, bitter melon, caper, cinnamon, cocoa, coffee, fenugreek, garlic, guava, gymnema, nettle, sage, soybean, green and black tea, turmeric, walnut, and yerba mate. Compounds of high interest as potential antidiabetics are: fukugetin, palmatine, berberine, honokiol, amorfrutins, trigonelline, gymnemic acids, gurmarin, and phlorizin.Fil: Barrios, José Luis. Universidad de Valencia; EspañaFil: Francini, Flavio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - la Plata. Centro de Endocrinología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Cs.médicas. Centro de Endocrinología Experimental y Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Schinella, Guillermo Raúl. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; Argentin

Bioactive profile of Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart. & Zucc: An integrative review / Perfil bioativo de Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart. & Zucc: Uma revisão integrativa

The objective of this work was to evaluate the biological potential from Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart. & Zucc presents, through reports found in the literature. For this, articles were evaluated using compatible descriptors with the objective. As a result, it was observed that many studies have found several biological activities associated with the species

Comparative Antiproliferative activity of aerial parts of few Apocynaceae plants in HepG2, HT29 and SK-OV3 Human cancer cell lines

Aims: Apocynaceae family is the 5th largest medicinal plant family rich in potent secondary metabolites such as Alkaloids, Cardiac glycosides,Terpenoids, irridoid/secoirridoids, flavonoids and Phenolic contents. The present study was aimed to evaluate and compare in-vitroantiproliferative activity of three plants of this family.Methods: Aerial parts of Carissa carandas Linn. (C), Nerium indicum Mill. (N) and Wrightia tinctoria RBr. (W), were collected and dried. Thepowdered drugs were extracted in Ethanol (1), 60% Ethanol (2) and Water (3). Estimation of Phytoconstituents performed using standardmethods. In-vitro cytotoxic activity performed using Sulphorhodamine B (SRB) assay in HepG2, HT29 and SKOV3 human cancer cell lines takingAdriamycin (ADR) as standard. For extracts, GI50 value ≤ 20μg/ml was considered to demonstrate activity.Results: For HepG2 cell line graphs and photomicrographs showed GI50 value as ADR=39.79, C1=2.5, N2=66.3, N3<10 and C2=C3= N1=W1-3>80. Also TGI for C1>80. The extracts, C1, C2, N1, N2, and N3 were found to possess activity against HepG2.These extracts were screened onHT 29 and SKOV3cell lines. The GI50 value observed was<10 for C1, N2, N3 and ADR in HT 29 and <10 for N3 and ADR in SK OV3 cell lines.Thus it was found that aqueous extract of Nerium indicum (N3) and Ethanolic extract of Carissa carandas (C1) were most cytotoxic extractsagainst all three cell lines.Conclusions: our study establishes that Apocynaceae family plants could be an important anticancer lead and could serve as Botanical drug forneoplasia.Keywords: Apocynaceae, SRB Assay, Phytoconstituents, Anticancer drug screening models, Hep G2, HT 29, SK-OV3, HCC

Traditional Anti Malaria Plants Species of Balikpapan Botanic Garden, East Kalimantan-Indonesia

Numerous Kalimantan plants species were traditionaly utilized for its medicinal properties. Ex situ conservation of these species in Balikpapan Botanic Garden (BBG), one of the mostly recent launched botanic garden in Indonesia however, should be appreciated and encouraged to preserved the unique traditional plant-based medicine knowledge of Kalimatan people. An etnobotany literature study was conducted to documented traditional medicine plant species collected in BBG used by indigenous people of Kalimantan to treat malaria. This study found nine plant species collected in BBG namely Aleurites mollucanus (L.) Willd., Alstonia angustiloba Miq., Alstonia scholaris L. R. Br., Areca catechu L., Eurycoma longifolia Jack, Lansium parasiticum (Osbeck) K. C. Sahni & Bennet, Morinda citrifolia L., Peronema canescens Jack and Vitex pinnata L. were traditionally used to treat malaria. Further literature study showed that some of these species exhibits biological activity toward Plasmodium berghei and P. falciparum. Three species of this list were classified as rare medical plants in Indonesia. However, further study will still be needed to fully confirm anti malaria activity of these plant species and its potential to become new anti-malaria medicine. Keywords: Balikpapan Botanic Garden; ex situ conservation; Malaria; traditional medicin

Secondary Metabolites from Plants Inhibiting ABC Transporters and Reversing Resistance of Cancer Cells and Microbes to Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Agents

Fungal, bacterial, and cancer cells can develop resistance against antifungal, antibacterial, or anticancer agents. Mechanisms of resistance are complex and often multifactorial. Mechanisms include: (1) Activation of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, such as P-gp, which pump out lipophilic compounds that have entered a cell, (2) Activation of cytochrome p450 oxidases which can oxidize lipophilic agents to make them more hydrophilic and accessible for conjugation reaction with glucuronic acid, sulfate, or amino acids, and (3) Activation of glutathione transferase, which can conjugate xenobiotics. This review summarizes the evidence that secondary metabolites (SM) of plants, such as alkaloids, phenolics, and terpenoids can interfere with ABC transporters in cancer cells, parasites, bacteria, and fungi. Among the active natural products several lipophilic terpenoids [monoterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes (including saponins), steroids (including cardiac glycosides), and tetraterpenes] but also some alkaloids (isoquinoline, protoberberine, quinoline, indole, monoterpene indole, and steroidal alkaloids) function probably as competitive inhibitors of P-gp, multiple resistance-associated protein 1, and Breast cancer resistance protein in cancer cells, or efflux pumps in bacteria (NorA) and fungi. More polar phenolics (phenolic acids, flavonoids, catechins, chalcones, xanthones, stilbenes, anthocyanins, tannins, anthraquinones, and naphthoquinones) directly inhibit proteins forming several hydrogen and ionic bonds and thus disturbing the 3D structure of the transporters. The natural products may be interesting in medicine or agriculture as they can enhance the activity of active chemotherapeutics or pesticides or even reverse multidrug resistance, at least partially, of adapted and resistant cells. If these SM are applied in combination with a cytotoxic or antimicrobial agent, they may reverse resistance in a synergistic fashion

Phytochemical and physicochemical evaluation, and photoprotection, antioxidant, antifungal, and antibacterial activities of the floral extract of Schubertia grandiflora Mart. & Zucc. (Apocynaceae)

Schubertia grandiflora is a species belonging to the floral of the Cerrado domain, presented annually with aromatic flowers. The study aimed to evaluate the hydroethanolic floral extract of S. grandiflora for phytochemistry, physicochemical and photoprotection, antioxidant, antifungal and antibacterial activities. Fresh flowers were collected and the floral extract produced by maceration. Qualitative phytochemical tests were carried out for the main phytochemical classes, organoleptic physico-chemical parameters, extract mass, moisture content, pH, relative density, refractive index, phenolic and total flavonoid contents, color density, Hue tint, and tests biological factors for protection factor, DPPH free radical reduction activities, antifungal and antibacterial. Phytochemistry has demonstrated the presence of several groups of important metabolites mainly in pharmaceutical use, visual color of the citrus yellow floral extract, aromatic and homogeneous, extract mass = 12.57%, moisture content = 6.21%, pH = 5.85, refractive index = 1.4217 nD, relative density 0.9044 g mL-1 20 °C, total phenolics = 238.83 mg GAE 100 g-1 dried extract, total flavonoids = 17.93 mg QC 100 g-1 dried extract, color density = 1.05, Hue color = 8.24, protection factor UVA and UVC, antioxidant activity with CI50 = 9.44 µg mL-1. Antifungal activity demonstrated inhibition zone only for Candida tropicalis between 10-6 mm and for Candida krusei between 18-5 mm, and antibacterial for Escherichia coli between 13-7 mm, Pseudomonas aeruginosa between 21-5 mm and Enterococcus faecalis between 32-17 mm. The hydroethanolic floral extract of Schubertia grandiflora demonstrated potential biological activities, characterizing this natural product for the development of pharmaceutical, biological and agricultural formulations.Schubertia grandiflora es una especie perteneciente al dominio floral del Cerrado, presentada anualmente con flores aromáticas. El estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar el extracto floral hidroetanólico de S. grandiflora para actividades fitoquímicas, fisicoquímicas y fotoprotectoras, antioxidantes, antifúngicas y antibacterianas. Se recolectaron flores frescas y el extracto floral se produjo por maceración. Se realizaron pruebas fitoquímicas cualitativas para las principales clases de fitoquímicos, parámetros físico-químicos organolépticos, masa de extracto, contenido de humedad, pH, densidad relativa, índice de refracción, contenido de fenólicos y flavonoides totales, densidad de color, tinte Hue, y pruebas de factores biológicos de protección. factor, DPPH actividades de reducción de radicales libres, antifúngico y antibacteriano. La fitoquímica ha demostrado la presencia de varios grupos de metabolitos importantes principalmente en uso farmacéutico, color visual del extracto floral amarillo cítrico, aromático y homogéneo, masa del extracto = 12,57%, contenido de humedad = 6,21%, pH = 5,85, índice de refracción = 1,4217 nD , densidad relativa 0.9044 g mL-1 20 ° C, fenólicos totales = 238.83 mg GAE 100 g-1 extracto seco, flavonoides totales = 17.93 mg QC 100 g-1 extracto seco, densidad de color = 1.05, color de tono = 8.24, factor de protección UVA y UVC, actividad antioxidante con CI50 = 9,44 µg mL-1. La actividad antifúngica demostró zona de inhibición solo para Candida tropicalis entre 10-6 mm y para Candida krusei entre 18-5 mm, y antibacteriana para Escherichia coli entre 13-7 mm, Pseudomonas aeruginosa entre 21-5 mm y Enterococcus faecalis entre 32-17 mm. El extracto floral hidroetanólico de Schubertia grandiflora demostró actividades biológicas potenciales, caracterizando este producto natural para el desarrollo de formulaciones farmacéuticas, biológicas y agrícolas.Schubertia grandiflora é uma espécie pertencente ao domínio floral do Cerrado, apresentada anualmente com flores aromáticas. O estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o extrato floral hidroetanólico de S. grandiflora quanto às atividades fitoquímica, físico-química e fotoproteção, antioxidante, antifúngica e antibacteriana. Flores frescas foram colhidas e o extrato floral produzido por maceração. Foram realizados testes fitoquímicos qualitativos para as principais classes fitoquímicas, parâmetros físico-químicos organolépticos, massa do extrato, teor de umidade, pH, densidade relativa, índice de refração, teor de flavonóides fenólicos e totais, densidade de cor, tonalidade e testes de fatores biológicos de proteção fator, atividades de redução do radical livre DPPH, antifúngica e antibacteriana. A fitoquímica tem demonstrado a presença de vários grupos de metabólitos importantes principalmente em uso farmacêutico, cor visual do extrato floral amarelo cítrico, aromático e homogêneo, massa do extrato = 12,57%, teor de umidade = 6,21%, pH = 5,85, índice de refração = 1,4217 nD , densidade relativa 0,9044 g mL-1 20 ° C, fenólicos totais = 238,83 mg GAE 100 g-1 extrato seco, flavonóides totais = 17,93 mg QC 100 g-1 extrato seco, densidade de cor = 1,05, cor de matiz = 8,24, fator de proteção UVA e UVC, atividade antioxidante com CI50 = 9,44 µg mL-1. A atividade antifúngica demonstrou zona de inibição apenas para Candida tropicalis entre 10-6 mm e para Candida krusei entre 18-5 mm, e antibacteriana para Escherichia coli entre 13-7 mm, Pseudomonas aeruginosa entre 21-5 mm e Enterococcus faecalis entre 32-17 mm. O extrato floral hidroetanólico de Schubertia grandiflora demonstrou potencial atividade biológica, caracterizando este produto natural para o desenvolvimento de formulações farmacêuticas, biológicas e agrícolas

A PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND PHARMACOLOGICAL REVIEW ON ALSTONIA SCHOLARIS

Alstonia scholaris, commonly known as devil's tree, is an important medicinal plant in the various folk and traditional systems of medicine in Asia, Australia, and Africa. The plant is used in Ayurvedic, Unani, and Siddha types of alternative medicinal systems. The decoction, mostly prepared from the bark, is used to treat a variety of diseases, of which the most important is malaria. In Ayurveda, it is used as a bitter and as an astringent herb for treating skin disorders, malarial fever, urticaria, chronic dysentery, diarrhea, and in snake bite. A. scholaris is also observed to possess antioxidant, immunomodulatory effects, and free radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, anticancer, analgesic, hepatoprotective, wound healing, antidiarrheal, and antiplasmodial activities. The current review summarizes the numerous ethnobotanical and traditional uses as well as the phytochemical and pharmacological report on A. scholaris

Aloe-emodin novel anticancer Herbal Drug

The electrochemical behaviour of the anticancer herbal drug emodin hydroxyanthraquinone present in Aloe vera leaves has a specific in vitro and in vivo antineuroectodermal tumor activity. The compound does not inhibit the proliferation of normal fibroblasts n or that of hemopoietic progenitor cells. The cytotoxicity mechanism consists of the induction of apoptosis, whereas the selectivity against neuroectodermal tumor cells is founded on a specific energy-dependent pathway of drug incorporation. Natural compounds that have traditionally been used to treat a variety of diseases for hundreds of years (1, 2, 3) . We assayed only those natural compounds that have already been proven to be nontoxic, and we evaluated their efficacy against highly malignant tumors that are not normally included in the classical screening assays. Keywords: Anticancer herbal drug; Emodin; Electrochemical; Dynamics parameters