The anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities of some medicinal plant species used to treat inflammatory pain conditions in Southern Africa

The biological activities of 4 medicinal plants (Acokanthera oppositifolia, Plantago lanceolata, Artemisia vulgaris and Conyza canadensis) were investigated. These plant extracts were subjected to screening for their possible effects as analgesic, and anti-inflammatory agents. The plant materials (only leaves were used in this study) were used in 4 solvents (acetone, ethyl acetate, chloroform and hexane). Plantago lanceolata hexane leaf extract inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity with an IC50 value of 0.41 μg/mL. Quercetin, positive control in this study inhibited COX-2 with a recorded IC50 = 8.39 μg/mL. However, the COX-1 inhibition by same extract indicated an IC50 of 68.99 μg/mL compared to the positive control (quercetin), whose activity was represented with an IC50 value of 4.6 μg/mL. The lipoxygenase assay indicated that Plantago lanceolata hexane extract and Acokanthera oppositifolia acetone extract were the most active samples with an IC50 of 4.75 μg/mL and 7.73 μg/mL. Plantago lanceolata hexane extract was the most active in all enzyme inhibitions, revealing the great potential it presents as a source of new anti-oxidative, analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs, with less adverse effects.www.ijppr.comam2016Paraclinical Science

Anti- Sporothrix spp. activity of medicinal plants

ABSTRACT 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

Inhibition of nitric oxide production and free radical scavenging activities of four South African medicinal plants

INTRODUCTION : Traditional healing is often the preferred form of therapy especially in rural and resource-limited communities. The extracts of plants are used to treat many diseases such as arthritis and chronic pain. Four medicinal plant species, namely, Acokanthera oppositifolia, Plantago lanceolata, Conyza canadensis and Artemisia vulgaris used in Southern Africa to treat pain and inflammation-related diseases were selected for evaluation in laboratory-based experiments. METHODS : The selected plant species were evaluated for phytochemical content, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as cytotoxicity effects against mammalian cells in culture. RESULTS : The results indicated that the n-hexane and chloroform extracts of P. lanceolata had the best antioxidant activities with an IC50=0.41 μg/mL. Also, the acetone extracts of P. lanceolata had 93.76% nitric oxide (NO) inhibition. However, the chloroform and n-hexane extracts of C. canadensis produced NO inhibition of 98.53% and 99.2%, respectively, at 100 μg/mL with IC50=17.69 μg/mL. Furthermore, the ethyl acetate extracts also had promising NO inhibitory activity (96.33%), but the cytotoxicity results with cell viabilities of 5.31%, 5.7% and 5.89%, respectively, suggested that the observed activity was due to a cytotoxic effect. Acetone extracts of C. canadensis were also cytotoxic at 30 μg/mL with 6.07–6.67% cell viabilities compared with the acetone extracts of P. lanceolata (99.57%). CONCLUSION : The results partially validate the ethnomedicinal uses of the selected plant species used for inflammation-related conditions. However, because some of the extracts had potential cytotoxic effects, caution is advised in their use, especially those consumed orally.The University of South Africa (UNISA) and the National Research Foundation.http://www.dovepress.com/journal-of-inflammation-research-journalam2020Paraclinical Science