Polarity of extracts and fractions of four Combretum (Combretaceae) species used to treat infections and gastrointestinal disorders in southern African traditional medicine has a major effect on different relevant in vitro activities

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE : Infections and gastrointestinal (GIT) disorders such as diarrhoea causes many problems in human health and animal production. Many Combretum species are used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases by rural people in Africa and Asia. Much of the work done to date on some species to validate their ethnopharmacological use was on the non-polar or intermediate polarity components. Many species are yet to be studied against relevant disease parameters using more polar extracts. AIMS : The polar components were extracted and fractionated by solvent-solvent fractionation to yield fractions of different polarities. The activity of these fractions on different parameters that could be involved in infectious and gastrointestinal track (GIT) disorders was investigated. The cytotoxic activities of the extracts were also determined to evaluate the potential of these extracts to combat diarrhoea in production animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS : Phenolic-enriched leaf extracts of Combretum bracteosum (Cob), Combretum padoides (Cop), Combretum vendae (Cov) and Combretum woodii (Cow) were obtained by extracting with a mixture of 70% acetone acidified with 1% HCl and n-hexane. The extract was sequentially treated by solvent-solvent fractionation with dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and butanol to yield fractions with a large variation in polarity. The phenolic constituents of the extracts and fractions were determined using standard procedures. The antioxidant activities were determined using various standard methods. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the crude extracts and fractions against four bacterial and three fungal strains were assessed with a microplate serial dilution method. Cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) enzyme inhibitory assays and cytotoxicity studies against Vero cells were also carried out. RESULT : Some of the fractions had much higher antioxidant activity than the positive controls. The average EC50 values of the extracts for the DPPH and ABTS antioxidant assays were 0.21-12 μg/ml (Cop), 0.25-16 μg/ml (Cov), 0.33-9.41 μg/ml (Cow) and 4.97-85 μg/ml (Cob) respectively while the mean EC50 values for the positive controls ascorbic acid and trolox were 1.28-1.51 and 1.02-1.19 μg/ml respectively. All the crude extracts inhibited lipid peroxidation of linoleic acid by more than 80% at a concentration of 64 μg/ml. Even though some crude extracts had relatively low antimicrobial activity, fractions from these had high activity. Cop had the highest antibacterial activity with MICs ranging between 19-2500 μg/ml,followed by Cov with MICs ranging between 39-625 μg/ml. Cop also had the highest antifungal activity with MICs between 19-625 μg/ml. The MIC for Cow and Cov ranged from 19 to 1250 μg/ml. The extracts had no activity against COX 1 and 2 enzymes in the anti-inflammatory assay but had good lipoxygenase inhibition. The crude extracts had high concentrations of hydrolysable tannin (gallotannin). A good correlation (R2= 0.99) was found between the antioxidant activity and total tannin content indicating that, gallotannins may be responsible for the antioxidant activity. CONCLUSION : The results obtained in this study provided a scientific basis for the use of leaf extracts from these plant species to treatinfectious and GIT disorders. In general non-polar fractions had a high antimicrobial activity and polar fractions had a high antioxidant activity.South African Medical Research Council and the National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jephb201

Anti- Sporothrix spp. activity of medicinal plants

Cases of sporotrichosis in humans and animals without satisfactory clinical response have increased, a warning sign of strains resistant to conventional antifungal agents. The urgent search for alternative therapies was an incentive for research on medicinal plants with anti-Sporothrix spp. properties. A bibliographic survey was performed based on scientific papers about in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of essential oils and extracts of plants in differents solvents against the fungal of the Sporothrix schenckii complex. The study methodology consisted of a literature review in Google Scholar, Science Direct, Pubmed, Bireme and Springer link with papers from 1986 to 2015. We found 141 species of plants that were investigated, of which 100 species were concentrated in 39 botanical families that had confirmed anti-Sporothrix activity. Combretaceae, Asteraceae and Lamiaceae represented the botanical families with the greatest number of plants species with antifungal potential, using different methodologies. However, there are few studies with medicinal plants in experimental infection in animals that prove their activity in the treatment of sporotrichosis. It reinforces the need for further research related to standardization of in vitro methodologies and in vivo studies related to safety and to toxicity potential of these plants with anti-Sporothrix spp. activity.Casos de esporotricose em humanos e animais sem resposta clínica satisfatória têm aumentado, sinal de alarme para o surgimento de cepas resistentes aos antifúngicos convencionais. A urgente busca por alternativas terapêuticas tem incentivado as pesquisas em plantas medicinais com atividade anti-Sporothrix spp. Um levantamento bibliográfico foi realizado com base em artigos científicos sobre a atividade antifúngica in vitro e in vivo de óleos essenciais e extratos de plantas preparados em diferentes solventes contra o complexo Sporothrix schenckii. A metodologia do estudo consistiu em uma revisão bibliográfica em Google Scholar, Science Direct, Pubmed, Bireme e Springer link com artigos desde 1986 até 2015. Foram encontradas 141 espécies de plantas já investigadas, das quais 100 espécies concentradas em 39 famílias botânicas apresentaram atividade anti-Sporothrix spp. confirmada. Combretaceae, Asteraceae e Lamiaceae representaram as famílias botânicas com maior número de espécies vegetais com potencial antifúngico, empregando diferentes metodologias. Entretanto, há poucos estudos com plantas medicinais em infecção experimental animal comprovando sua atividade no tratamento da esporotricose. Reforça-se a necessidade de mais pesquisas relacionadas à padronização de metodologias in vitro e a estudos in vivo relacionados à segurança e potencial tóxico dessas plantas com atividade anti-Sporothrix spp

Anti-Sporothrix spp. activity of medicinal plants

Cases of sporotrichosis in humans and animals without satisfactory clinical response have increased, a warning sign of strains resistant to conventional antifungal agents. The urgent search for alternative therapies was an incentive for research on medicinal plants with anti-Sporothrix spp. properties. A bibliographic survey was performed based on scientific papers about in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of essential oils and extracts of plants in differents solvents against the fungal of the Sporothrix schenckii complex. The study methodology consisted of a literature review in Google Scholar, Science Direct, Pubmed, Bireme and Springer link with papers from 1986 to 2015. We found 141 species of plants that were investigated, of which 100 species were concentrated in 39 botanical families that had confirmed anti-Sporothrix activity. Combretaceae, Asteraceae and Lamiaceae represented the botanical families with the greatest number of plants species with antifungal potential, using different methodologies. However, there are few studies with medicinal plants in experimental infection in animals that prove their activity in the treatment of sporotrichosis. It reinforces the need for further research related to standardization of in vitro methodologies and in vivo studies related to safety and to toxicity potential of these plants with anti-Sporothrix spp. activity.Casos de esporotricose em humanos e animais sem resposta clínica satisfatória têm aumentado, sinal de alarme para o surgimento de cepas resistentes aos antifúngicos convencionais. A urgente busca por alternativas terapêuticas tem incentivado as pesquisas em plantas medicinais com atividade anti-Sporothrix spp. Um levantamento bibliográfico foi realizado com base em artigos científicos sobre a atividade antifúngica in vitro e in vivo de óleos essenciais e extratos de plantas preparados em diferentes solventes contra o complexo Sporothrix schenckii. A metodologia do estudo consistiu em uma revisão bibliográfica em Google Scholar, Science Direct, Pubmed, Bireme e Springer link com artigos desde 1986 até 2015. Foram encontradas 141 espécies de plantas já investigadas, das quais 100 espécies concentradas em 39 famílias botânicas apresentaram atividade anti-Sporothrix spp. confirmada. Combretaceae, Asteraceae e Lamiaceae representaram as famílias botânicas com maior número de espécies vegetais com potencial antifúngico, empregando diferentes metodologias. Entretanto, há poucos estudos com plantas medicinais em infecção experimental animal comprovando sua atividade no tratamento da esporotricose. Reforçase a necessidade de mais pesquisas relacionadas à padronização de metodologias in vitro e a estudos in vivo relacionados à segurança e potencial tóxico dessas plantas com atividade anti Sporothrix spp

A conspectus of Combretum (Combretaceae) in southern Africa, with taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on species and sections

Two subgenera of Combretum Loefl. occur in the Flora of southern Africa (FSA) region. Previous sectional classifications were assessed in view of molecular evidence and accordingly modified. Ten sections in subgen. Combretum, 25 species and eight subspecies are recognized. Subgen. Cacoucia (Aub!.) Exell & Stace comprises four sections and seven species. C. engleri Schinz, C. paniculatum Vent. and C. tenuipes Eng!. & Diels are reinstated as distinct species separate from C. schumannii Eng!., C. microphyllum Klotzsch and C. padoides Eng!. & Diels, respectively. C. schumannii occurs outside the FSA region. Records of C. adenogonium Steud. ex A.Rich., C. platypetalum Welw. ex M.A. Lawson subsp. oatesii (Rolfe) Exell and subsp. baumii (Eng!. & Gilg) Exell in Botswana are doubtfu!. C. celastroides Welw. ex M.A.Lawson subsp. orientale Exell is elevated to species level as C. patelliforme Eng!. & Diels. C. grandifolium F.Hoffm. is reduced to C. psidioides Welw. subsp. grandifolium (F.Hoffm.) Jordaan. Twenty-six names are lectotypified. The type, a full synonymy, other nomenclatural and taxonomic information, the full distribution range and a distribution map are provided for each taxon. Selected specimens examined are given for poorly known species. Keys to subgenera, sections and species are provided.http://www.sanbi.org/products/publications/bothalia.ht

Threatened plant species in Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, Limpopo province, South Africa: Problems and prospects of conservation and utilization

Threatened plant species are those species that are vulnerable or at the risk of extinction. According to Version 3.1 of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List Categories and Criteria, the three categories of threat in order of increasing risk of extinction are: Vulnerable (VU), Endangered (EN) and Critically Endangered (CR). These species are oftenly protected by both national and international obligations. Scientific evidence suggests that threatened plants are disappearing at an alarming rate. The current expansion of agricultural land, urbanization, over-exploitation of biological resources, climate change and invasive alien species are regarded as major drivers of biodiversity loss and high rate of species extinction worldwide. Scientists and conservation managers are seeking to understand and monitor plant species that are likely to be on the verge of extinction. Monitoring of threatened plants can be better achieved through insights about indigenous knowledge dynamics associated with such species. Scientific scholars including botanists, ethnobotanists, conservationists and anthropologists, all share common interest about the use of indigenous knowledge for livelihoods, scientific and economic growth. As a result, there is a growing interest on indigenous knowledge researches, particularly involving utilization and conservation of plant species. Given the fact that recent scientific evidence suggests that such studies are lacking in South African Biosphere Reserves, as well as the fact that scientist and conservation managers are seeking to understand species likely to be on the verge of extinction risk. It is within this context that this study is aimed at investigating threatened plant species utilization, conservation statuses and distribution in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, Limpopo Province in South Africa. The hypothesis of this study states that traditional knowledge about utilization, distribution and conservation statuses of threatened plant species provide suggestions for appropriate conservation practices. Since the current study is ethnobotanical in nature that is focusing on human interactions with plants, the research methods used addressed multidisciplinary aspects and involved disciplinary integration. An integrated participatory research approach focusing on shared learning, forging collaborative relations with participants, analyzing and validating the shared knowledge was used to document ethnobotanical data within the study area. This research approach was selected as it is considered to be a quick and effective way of acquiring data associated with indigenous knowledge systems. To offset the elements of bias during data collection, the research technique was designed to accommodate core principles that interlinked participatory rural appraisal (PRA) and rapid rural appraisal (RRA). Furthermore, the integrated core principles of participatory rural appraisal and rapid rural appraisal were used with conventional methods such as field surveys and interviews using questionnaires. Therefore, ethnobotanical data were collected through interviews with 203 participants. The data associated with threatened plant’s population size were gathered through literal counting of individual plants as per the IUCN’s Red List Criteria. Data associated with the conservation statuses were gathered from both the South African National Biodiversity Institute and IUCN databases. A total of 13 useful threatened plants belonging to 12 families were recorded with their conservation statuses ranging from being Vulnerable to Critically Endangered. The majority of the threatened plant species (46.0percent) were used for medicinal purposes only, followed by species used for medicinal purposes and as ornamentals (23.0percent). The frequently cited useful threatened species with use values (UV) > 0.024, relative frequency citation (RFC) > 0.059 and fidelity level percentage (FLpercent) > 5.911percent, included Asparagus sekukuniensis, Bowiea volubilis, Brackenridgea zanguebarica, Ocotea bullata, Rhynchosia vendae, Siphonochilus aethiopicus and Warburgia salutaris. About 47.0percent of the recorded useful threatened plants were distributed in remote areas of the Thathe Vonḓo and its surroundings. Threatened plants with population size < 100 adult individuals constituted the majority (61.54percent). Birdlime-making plant species were also documented in the current study. A total of 12 birdlime-making plants belonging to six families were recorded, including threatened Huernia nouhuysii, which is categorized as Vulnerable in South Africa. Amongst the recorded families, Loranthaceae and Euphorbiaceae were categorized as the most frequently utilized families. Among the recorded species, six of them were reported to being used in the birdlime-making for the first time and these species include Euphorbia pulvinata (17.2percent), followed by Tapinanthus forbesii (8percent), Tapinanthus rubromarginatus (7.2percent), Erianthemum ngamicum (7.2percent), Englerophytum magalismon-tanum (3.6percent), Huernia nouhuysii (2.0percent), and Euphorbia tirucalli (0.8percent). Only three plant parts were utilized for birdlime-making. The milky latex was preferred plant part (58.3percent), followed by fruit (33.3percent) and root bark (8.4percent). Birdlime-making techniques involved crushing, which accounted for 55.7percent, followed by air blown (29.6percent) and boiling (14.7percent). Furthermore, the complementary contribution of birdlime toward human development included, being used for bird hunting or trapping small birds (45.8percent), adhesion (23.2percent), teeth cleaning (17.2percent) and roof-waterproofing (13.8percent). The indigenous conservation strategies employed by participants included harvesting of single lateral root per individual medicinal plant (15.3percent), medicinal and timber materials are only harvested during winter season (16.7percent), the use of moist soil to cover injured plant part after bark harvest (18.2percent), prohibit harvesting of and/ or from an injured plant (11.8percent), collection of dried or fallen plants for firewood (8.4percent), issuing of permits by traditional council through the chief or headman to allow collection of medicinal materials and timber (9.9percent), prohibit chopping down of medicinal plant species (13.8percent) and collection of some Critically Endangered plant species such as Brackenridgea zanguebarica and Siphonochilus aethiopicus during the night by authorized people only (5.9percent). The hypothesis which stated that traditional knowledge about utilization, distribution and conservation statuses of threatened plant species provide suggestions for appropriate conservation practices can therefore, not be rejected as there is room for further and more detailed ethnobotanical investigations that is focused on human interactions with threatened plant species. The data presented in this thesis could be used as baseline information for formulating new conservation strategies, monitoring and management plans of threatened plant species not only in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, but in other regions of South African. This study provided insights associated with ethnomedicinal uses of Asparagus sekukuniensis, Protea laetans and Encephalartos hirsutus. Results of this study could also stimulate interest in other scientific disciplines such as the phytochemistry, pharmacology, bioprocessing, conservation and anthropology involving documentation threatened plant species.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 202

ABSTRACTS OF THE WORLD CONGRESS ON MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS, CAPE TOWN NOVEMBER 2008

In a meeting of the Secretariat of the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) in Paris, nine international organizations decided to establish an international non-governmental body entitled: International Council for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (ICMAP) [www.icmap.org] with the general objective of promoting international understanding and cooperation between national and international organizations on the role of medicinal and aromatic plants in science, medicine and industry, and to improve the exchange of information between them. One of the functions of ICMAP is to arrange a world conference on medicinal and aromatic plants [WOCMAP] every five years on different continents. The first was held in Europe [Maastricht, Netherlands 1992], the second in South America [Mendoza, Argentina 1997], and the third in Asia [Chiang Mai, Thailand, 2003]. ICMAP Bureau invited Prof J. N. Eloff, the Leader of the Phytomedicine Programme at the University of Pretoria to organize WOCMAP IV in South Africa in Cape Town in November 2008. With just more than 400 attendees WOCMAP was much smaller than previous WOCMAPs possibly due to the international financial crisis. A Business Forum and Trade Fair on medicinal and aromatic plants was also organized at the same time in the same venue to bring all the different role players in this field together. The scientific conference and Trade Fair was generously supported by several Private Companies and also by the South African Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation of South Africa. As in previous WOCMAPs The International Society for Horticultural Science has again agreed to publish the Proceedings in Acta Horticulturae. The presentations of the delegates who have submitted their manuscripts will eventually be available on their website. WOCMAP IV was privileged that some of the leading international figures accepted the invitation to deliver the plenary lectures. The rest of the oral and poster presentations were organized in different themes as presented below. We thank the Editor Prof Clement Awunmi for agreeing to publish the abstracts in the African Journal for Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Kobus Eloff Chairman Organizing Committee WOCMAP I

Threatened plant species in Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, Limpopo province, South Africa: Problems and prospects of conservation and utilization

Threatened plant species are those species that are vulnerable or at the risk of extinction. According to Version 3.1 of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List Categories and Criteria, the three categories of threat in order of increasing risk of extinction are: Vulnerable (VU), Endangered (EN) and Critically Endangered (CR). These species are oftenly protected by both national and international obligations. Scientific evidence suggests that threatened plants are disappearing at an alarming rate. The current expansion of agricultural land, urbanization, over-exploitation of biological resources, climate change and invasive alien species are regarded as major drivers of biodiversity loss and high rate of species extinction worldwide. Scientists and conservation managers are seeking to understand and monitor plant species that are likely to be on the verge of extinction. Monitoring of threatened plants can be better achieved through insights about indigenous knowledge dynamics associated with such species. Scientific scholars including botanists, ethnobotanists, conservationists and anthropologists, all share common interest about the use of indigenous knowledge for livelihoods, scientific and economic growth. As a result, there is a growing interest on indigenous knowledge researches, particularly involving utilization and conservation of plant species. Given the fact that recent scientific evidence suggests that such studies are lacking in South African Biosphere Reserves, as well as the fact that scientist and conservation managers are seeking to understand species likely to be on the verge of extinction risk. It is within this context that this study is aimed at investigating threatened plant species utilization, conservation statuses and distribution in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, Limpopo Province in South Africa. The hypothesis of this study states that traditional knowledge about utilization, distribution and conservation statuses of threatened plant species provide suggestions for appropriate conservation practices. Since the current study is ethnobotanical in nature that is focusing on human interactions with plants, the research methods used addressed multidisciplinary aspects and involved disciplinary integration. An integrated participatory research approach focusing on shared learning, forging collaborative relations with participants, analyzing and validating the shared knowledge was used to document ethnobotanical data within the study area. This research approach was selected as it is considered to be a quick and effective way of acquiring data associated with indigenous knowledge systems. To offset the elements of bias during data collection, the research technique was designed to accommodate core principles that interlinked participatory rural appraisal (PRA) and rapid rural appraisal (RRA). Furthermore, the integrated core principles of participatory rural appraisal and rapid rural appraisal were used with conventional methods such as field surveys and interviews using questionnaires. Therefore, ethnobotanical data were collected through interviews with 203 participants. The data associated with threatened plant’s population size were gathered through literal counting of individual plants as per the IUCN’s Red List Criteria. Data associated with the conservation statuses were gathered from both the South African National Biodiversity Institute and IUCN databases. A total of 13 useful threatened plants belonging to 12 families were recorded with their conservation statuses ranging from being Vulnerable to Critically Endangered. The majority of the threatened plant species (46.0percent) were used for medicinal purposes only, followed by species used for medicinal purposes and as ornamentals (23.0percent). The frequently cited useful threatened species with use values (UV) > 0.024, relative frequency citation (RFC) > 0.059 and fidelity level percentage (FLpercent) > 5.911percent, included Asparagus sekukuniensis, Bowiea volubilis, Brackenridgea zanguebarica, Ocotea bullata, Rhynchosia vendae, Siphonochilus aethiopicus and Warburgia salutaris. About 47.0percent of the recorded useful threatened plants were distributed in remote areas of the Thathe Vonḓo and its surroundings. Threatened plants with population size < 100 adult individuals constituted the majority (61.54percent). Birdlime-making plant species were also documented in the current study. A total of 12 birdlime-making plants belonging to six families were recorded, including threatened Huernia nouhuysii, which is categorized as Vulnerable in South Africa. Amongst the recorded families, Loranthaceae and Euphorbiaceae were categorized as the most frequently utilized families. Among the recorded species, six of them were reported to being used in the birdlime-making for the first time and these species include Euphorbia pulvinata (17.2percent), followed by Tapinanthus forbesii (8percent), Tapinanthus rubromarginatus (7.2percent), Erianthemum ngamicum (7.2percent), Englerophytum magalismon-tanum (3.6percent), Huernia nouhuysii (2.0percent), and Euphorbia tirucalli (0.8percent). Only three plant parts were utilized for birdlime-making. The milky latex was preferred plant part (58.3percent), followed by fruit (33.3percent) and root bark (8.4percent). Birdlime-making techniques involved crushing, which accounted for 55.7percent, followed by air blown (29.6percent) and boiling (14.7percent). Furthermore, the complementary contribution of birdlime toward human development included, being used for bird hunting or trapping small birds (45.8percent), adhesion (23.2percent), teeth cleaning (17.2percent) and roof-waterproofing (13.8percent). The indigenous conservation strategies employed by participants included harvesting of single lateral root per individual medicinal plant (15.3percent), medicinal and timber materials are only harvested during winter season (16.7percent), the use of moist soil to cover injured plant part after bark harvest (18.2percent), prohibit harvesting of and/ or from an injured plant (11.8percent), collection of dried or fallen plants for firewood (8.4percent), issuing of permits by traditional council through the chief or headman to allow collection of medicinal materials and timber (9.9percent), prohibit chopping down of medicinal plant species (13.8percent) and collection of some Critically Endangered plant species such as Brackenridgea zanguebarica and Siphonochilus aethiopicus during the night by authorized people only (5.9percent). The hypothesis which stated that traditional knowledge about utilization, distribution and conservation statuses of threatened plant species provide suggestions for appropriate conservation practices can therefore, not be rejected as there is room for further and more detailed ethnobotanical investigations that is focused on human interactions with threatened plant species. The data presented in this thesis could be used as baseline information for formulating new conservation strategies, monitoring and management plans of threatened plant species not only in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, but in other regions of South African. This study provided insights associated with ethnomedicinal uses of Asparagus sekukuniensis, Protea laetans and Encephalartos hirsutus. Results of this study could also stimulate interest in other scientific disciplines such as the phytochemistry, pharmacology, bioprocessing, conservation and anthropology involving documentation threatened plant species.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 202

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND POTENTIAL APPLICATION OF OILS FROM SOME SELECTED SUDANESE MEDICINAL PLANTS

الصراصير (Periplaneta Americana) هي أكثر الآفات الحشرية غير القاضمة البغيضة وفرة في المباني السكنية والمستشفيات والداخليات والمطاعم. و تعتبر الصراصير من بين أكثر المخلوقات الطبيعية قابلية للتكيف وقد عاشت على هذا الكوكب منذ ما لا يقل عن 250 مليون عام مما قد يشكل مشاكل صحية خطيرة في العديد من البلدان بما فيها السودان. ميلها للتدمير ونشر الأمراض و الكائنات المسببة للأمراض أكسبها كراهية الناس و لذلك فإن البحث عن عوامل طاردة واحدة من الطرق الفعالة للسيطرة على هذه الحشرات. هدفت الدراسة أولاً تحديد الخواص الفيزيوكيميائية لزيوت البذور الثلاثة: بذور الريحان A) )، بذور التبلدي B))، بذور المورينقا اوليفيرا C) ). بعد ذلك تحديد التركيب الكيميائي للزيوت الطيارة من اثنين من النباتات الطبية وهما الريحان D)) و السعدة E))، لاحقاً تقييم الزيوت (المتطايرة والثابتة) في تركيبة فعالة ضد طارد الصراصير. وأخيرا صياغة طارد حشري طبيعي من الزيوت. بالإضافة إلى اقتراح التطبيقات الصناعية المحتملة للزيوت. تم تقطير الزيوت الطيارة عن طريق التقطير بالبخار، في حين تم الحصول على زيوت البذور عن طريق طرق الاستخلاص بالسوكسليت. تم استخدام جهاز كروماتوجرافيا الغاز- مطياف الكتلة (GC-MS) لتحليل التركيبات الكيميائية للزيوت الأساسية وتركيبات الأحماض الدهنية من زيوت البذور. كما تم تقييم الخواص الفيزيائية والكيميائية للزيوت من خلال الطرق القياسية المعترف بها. اختبار Ebeling Choice-Box مع بعض التعديلات البسيطة استخدم في اختبارالطارد. وجد ان نسبة الدهون 18.01 ٪ ، 33.83 ٪ و 42.87 ٪ ل (A) و (B) و (C) علي التوالي. بينما كان محتوى الزيوت الطيارة 0.78 ٪ و 0.73 ٪ ، تقريباً تم اكتشاف واحد وأربعين وأربعة وأربعين مركب في الزيوت الطيارة. المكونات الغالبة منها هي سينامات الميثيل (25.32 %) و (-)- ايزولينوفيلول (7.63%) لكل من (D) و (E) علي التوالي.اللون الأصفر الشاحب مع رائحة الكافور و اللون الأصفر المحمر مع رائحة مميزة واللون الأصفر الذهبي مع الرائحة المميزة تم استخراجها من بذور (A) و (B) و (C). الزيوت الثابتة التي تم الحصول عليها لها الخصائص التالية: نقطة التجمد -2 و -14 و 0، درجة مئوية و نقطة انصهار 5 ، 8 و 21 درجة مئوية، و نقطة الغليان 215 و 227 و 225 درجة مئوية و معامل الانكسار (25 درجة مئوية) 1.485 و 1.436 و 1.447، و قيمة اليود و 108.6 و 98.3 و 96.6 جم / 100 غرام من الزيت ؛ و قيمة البيروكسيد 4.6 و 4.3 و 7.6 ميلمكافئO2 / كغ من الزيت ؛ الأحماض الدهنية الحرة 0.20 و 0.34 و 0.07 ٪ ؛ و قيمة الحمض 4.0 و 6.8 و 1.4 ملغ من KOH / جم من الزيت ؛ وقيمة التصبن 164.2 و 180.7 و 185.2 ملغ KOH / جم من الزيت ؛ و المواد غير القابلة للتصبن 1.6 و 1.7 و 3.2 ؛ و الرطوبة وقيمة التطاير4.97 و 14.79 و 4.91 (بالوزن) ؛ و الكثافة 0.914 و 0.867 و 0.900 جم / سم 3 ؛ و اللزوجة 10.29 و 35.03 و 60.99 مم 2 / ثانية ؛ و الثقل النوعي 0.921 و 0.874 و 0.907 ؛ الأحماض الدهنية الرئيسية لينولينيك (43.92 ٪) ، أوليك (51.74 ٪) وحمض اللينوليك (30.63 ٪)) ، على التوالي. في اختبار الفحص الحيوي ، يزداد طرد الزيوت للصراصير مع زيادة تركيز الزيت (يعتمد على تركيز الزيت) وكانت قيم IC50 و IC90 6.0% و 14.2% علي التوالي لتركيبة الزيت. في الختام أظهرت هذه الدراسة نتائج واعدة للزيت العطري باعتباره طاردًا للصراصير الأمريكية. و بالتالي تستدعي إجراء المزيد من الدراسة لتحديد المركبات النشطة حيوياً