Quantitative ethnobotanical study of common herbal remedies used against 13 human ailments catergories in Mauritius

Background and aim: Mauritius is a tropical multicultural island with a long-standing use of herbal remedies. The present ethnobotanical survey was geared towards documenting and preserving local knowledge pertaining to common medicinal plants (MP) used as therapeutic agents in Mauritius.Methods: Interviews were conducted among local people and herbalists (n=318). Also, 7 quantitative ethnobotanical parameters (variety of use (VU), relative frequency of citation (RFC), informant consensus factor (FIC), fidelity level (FL), index of agreement on remedies (IAR), relative importance (RI) and cultural importance index (CII)) were calculated for MP used.Results: A total of 87 plants belonging to 45 families were reported to be used in formulating herbal remedies among which 3 endemic plants have been documented. Mentha piperita was found to be the most used plant against gastrointestinal diseases with an RFC index of 0.55. Holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) had the highest RI value (RI=2.00), being cited for 9 different ailments. Therapeutic properties of some herbal remedies reported correlated to some extent with those of previous studies while others have open potential perspectives for further research as their chemistry and pharmacology have not been published.Conclusion: From the information obtained, it can be suggested that the Mauritian population still relies heavily on MP for their primary health care. Nonetheless, further research is needed to investigate the possible active constituents that could be the basis of an evidence based investigation to discover new drugs.Key words: Medicinal plants, ethnobotanical, therapeutic agents, Mauritiu

An Integrated NMR, LC-DAD-MS, LC-QTOF Metabolomic Characterization of Sartoria hedysaroides: Correlation of Antioxidant and Enzyme Inhibitory Activity with Chemical Composition by Multivariate Data Analysis

Sartoria hedysaroides Boiss and Heldr. (Fabaceae) is an endemic plant of Turkey that has received little scientific consideration so far. In the present study, the chemical profiles of extracts from the aerial part and roots of S. hedysaroides obtained using solvents with different polarities were analyzed combining integrated NMR, LC-DAD-MSn, and LC-QTOF methods. In vitro antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities were evaluated, and the results were combined with chemical data using multivariate approaches. Phenolic acids, flavonoids, ellagitannins, and coumarins were identified and quantified in the extracts of aerial part and roots. Methanolic extract of S. hedysaroides aerial part showed the highest phenolic content and the highest antioxidant activity and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity. Dichloromethane extract of S. hedysaroides roots showed the highest inhibition of butyryl cholinesterase, while methanolic extract of S. hedysaroides aerial part was the most active tyrosinase inhibitor. Multivariate data analysis allowed us to observe a good correlation between phenolic compounds, especially caffeoylquinic derivatives and flavonoids and the antioxidant activity of extracts. Acetylcholinesterase inhibition was correlated with the presence of caffeoylquinic acids and coumarins. Overall, the present study appraised the biological potential of understudied S. hedysaroides, and provided a comprehensive approach combining metabolomic characterization of plant material and multivariate data analysis for the correlation of chemical data with results from multi-target biological assays

Resveratrol-Based Nanoformulations as an Emerging Therapeutic Strategy for Cancer

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic stilbene derivative widely present in grapes and red wine. Broadly known for its antioxidant effects, numerous studies have also indicated that it exerts anti-inflammatory and antiaging abilities and a great potential in cancer therapy. Regrettably, the oral administration of resveratrol has pharmacokinetic and physicochemical limitations such as hampering its effects so that effective administration methods are demanding to ensure its efficiency. Thus, the present review explores the published data on the application of resveratrol nanoformulations in cancer therapy, with the use of different types of nanodelivery systems. Mechanisms of action with a potential use in cancer therapy, negative effects, and the influence of resveratrol nanoformulations in different types of cancer are also highlighted. Finally, the toxicological features of nanoresveratrol are also discussed.CR would like to acknowledge the UID/EQU/00511/2020 Project—Laboratory of Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), financed by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC). NC-M acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the Horizon 2020 Program (PTDC/PSI-GER/28076/2017). Some of the components of the illustrations are taken from freepik and flaticon

A qualitative study of healthcare professionals' perceived trust in and willingness to recommend alternative medicines for the management of diabetes mellitus.

This small qualitative study, conducted through the University of Mauritius, examined healthcare professionals’ engagement with and willingness to recommend alternative therapies (AT) for adjunctive management of diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes. Fifteen (15) healthcare practitioners were selected to participate, completing a questionnaire regarding their opinions about the appropriateness of AT to support type 2 diabetes patients. The results highlight nutritionists’ and dieticians’ relative familiarity with AT, for personal use and with clinic patients. However, nurses and medical doctors were often sceptical, unwilling to discuss or recommend AT, and knew little about potential benefits. There appears an emerging need to improve training of Mauritian healthcare professionals regarding AT, to improve their ability to provide up-­to-­date clinical information to the many diabetic patients in the community who often use AT

Shining the spotlight on NMR metabolic profiling and bioactivities of different solvent extracts of Piliostigma thonningii

Piliostigma thonningii (Fabaceae) is a versatile medicinal plant used as a traditional remedy, especially in African countries. In the present study, ethyl acetate, methanolic and water extracts of different parts of (fruits, leaves, stem barks) P. thonningii were evaluated for their bioactive contents, enzyme inhibitory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Antioxidant potentials were also displayed in various methods like phosphomolybdenum assay (0.79-5.94 mmol TE/g), radical scavenging assays (DPPH: 20.39-471.28 mg TE/g; ABTS: 42.43-654.14 mg TE/g); reducing assays (CUPRAC: 102.98-1207.42 mg TE/g; FRAP: 45.30-656.25 mg TE/g) and metal chelating activity (2.55-22.32 mg EDTAE/g). In particular, the methanolic and water extracts showed better antioxidant potential. Except for a few, the extracts were also found to act as inhibitors of enzymes such as acetylcholinesterase (2.35-5.35 mg GALAE/g), butyrylcholinesterase (0.83-13.80 mg GALAE/g), tymsinase (4.03-143.86 mg KAE/g), amylase (0.21-1.39 mmol ACAE/g) and glucosidase (3.52-7.13 mmol ACAE/g). Additionally, all the tested extracts possessed significant antibacterial (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration: 0.11-0.61 mg/ml) and antifungal (MIC and minimum fungicidal concentration: 0.04-0.61 mg/ml) effects. Indeed, the data garnered from the present study provides a bright scope for the advanced investigation on this particular plant possessing pharmacologically active traits