Evaluation of anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties artemisia afra, gunnera perpensa and eucomis autumnalis

Infectious disease is an illness resulting from the invasion of the host species by a pathogenic microbial agent, and outcome of the disease depends on the degree of success of the invading pathogen and immune system of the host [1]. They are considered a major threat to human health, because of the unavailability of vaccines or limited chemotherapy even in the developed parts of the world, although developing countries are carrying the major part of the burden Sub Saharan African countries, including South Africa are mostly affected by respiratory infections, diarrhea, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria [2,3] The continued resurfacing of antibiotic- resistant infections drives research to produce better drugs to combat the more resistant pathogens [4]. Auto immune diseases such as lupus are becoming a major concern in both the developed and third world countries [5]. Investigating plants that could be included in affected people’s diet would assist in managing such diseases

Pharmacological properties of Pomaria sandersonii, Pentanisia prunelloides and Alepidea amatymbica extracts using in vitro assays

The antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenging activities of root crude acetone extracts and fractions of different polarities from Pomaria sandersonii (Fabaceae), Pentanisia prunelloides (Rubiaceae) and Alepidea amatymbica (Apiaceae) were determined using in vitro assays. The antioxidant properties of extracts and fractions were assessed by reduction of 2, 2´-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid and 2, 2-di (4-tert-octylphenyl)-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals which was measured by changes in absorbance using an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer. Anti-inflammatory activity of the plant extracts against 15 soybean lipoxygenase enzyme was measured by monitoring the change in absorbance at 234 nm after incubation of 15-LOX with linoleic acid (134 µM) as substrate. The anti-microbial activities were determined by measuring the minimum inhibitory concentrations using a serial dilution microplate method with terazolium violet as a growth indicator. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of the dichloromethane (DCM) and ethyl acetate fractions (1 mg/ml) of P. sandersonii was 80 µg/ml in each case against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The inhibition activity of 15 soybean lipoxygenase enzyme by the crude extracts at concentration of 25 μg/ml was 97% for P. sandersonii, 79% for P. prunelloides and 55% for A. amatymbica. This indicates that extracts for these plants can be used as dietary supplements in the management of inflammation related conditions