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20 pages, 3567 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Study of Phytochemistry, Antioxidant and Biological Activities of Berberis libanotica Fruit and Leaf Extracts

by Michella Dawra, Nancy Nehme, Marc El Beyrouthy, Alain Abi Rizk, Patricia Taillandier, Jalloul Bouajila and Youssef El Rayess

Plants 2023, 12(10), 2001; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12102001 - 16 May 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1287

Abstract

Berberis libanotica Ehrenb. ex C.K. Schneider of the Berberidaceae family is an endemic Lebanese plant and is widely used in folk medicine. This study highlights the phytochemical composition and biological activities (in vitro) of fruit and leaf extracts. The two organs were extracted [...] Read more.

Berberis libanotica Ehrenb. ex C.K. Schneider of the Berberidaceae family is an endemic Lebanese plant and is widely used in folk medicine. This study highlights the phytochemical composition and biological activities (in vitro) of fruit and leaf extracts. The two organs were extracted by cold maceration with four solvents of increasing polarity: cyclohexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol. The extracts were screened for their chemical composition by HPLC-DAD to identify and quantify the phenolic compounds. Volatile compounds were detected by GC-MS. The antioxidant capacity through DPPH inhibition was tested. The anti-acetylcholinesterase, antibacterial and anti-proliferative activities were evaluated. Thirteen compounds, including 12 phenolics, were detected in the fruits, whereas 8 phenolic compounds were identified in the leaves. A total of 137 volatile compounds were identified in both organs. At 50 μg/mL, the methanolic leaf extract presented the highest antioxidant capacity, with an inhibition percentage of 54.9%. The dichloromethane fruit extract reduced the acetylcholinesterase activity by 65.3%. The cyclohexane leaf extract reduced the proliferation of the HCT-116 cells by 54.8%, while the dichloromethane fruit extract exhibited the best inhibition against the Caco-2 cells (54%). Interestingly, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of the cyclohexane fruit extract against Salmonella enterica serovar Kentucky was 2.4 μg/mL, and the MIC value of the cyclohexane leaf extract against E. coli was 9.7 μg/mL. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ethnobotanical Uses, Biological Properties and Phytoconstituents of Endemic Plants)

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22 pages, 10860 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adding New Scientific Evidences on the Pharmaceutical Properties of Pelargonium quercetorum Agnew Extracts by Using In Vitro and In Silico Approaches

by Annalisa Chiavaroli, Maria Loreta Libero, Simonetta Cristina Di Simone, Alessandra Acquaviva, Nilofar, Lucia Recinella, Sheila Leone, Luigi Brunetti, Donatella Cicia, Angelo Antonio Izzo, Giustino Orlando, Gokhan Zengin, Abdullahi Ibrahim Uba, Ugur Cakilcioğlu, Muzaffer Mukemre, Omer Elkiran, Luigi Menghini and Claudio Ferrante

Plants 2023, 12(5), 1132; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12051132 - 02 Mar 2023

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2079

Abstract

Pelargonium quercetorum is a medicinal plant traditionally used for treating intestinal worms. In the present study, the chemical composition and bio-pharmacological properties of P. quercetorum extracts were investigated. Enzyme inhibition and scavenging/reducing properties of water, methanol, and ethyl acetate extracts were assayed. The [...] Read more.

Pelargonium quercetorum is a medicinal plant traditionally used for treating intestinal worms. In the present study, the chemical composition and bio-pharmacological properties of P. quercetorum extracts were investigated. Enzyme inhibition and scavenging/reducing properties of water, methanol, and ethyl acetate extracts were assayed. The extracts were also studied in an ex vivo experimental model of colon inflammation, and in this context the gene expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) were assayed. Additionally, in colon cancer HCT116 cells, the gene expression of transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M (melastatin) member 8 (TRPM8), possibly involved in colon carcinogenesis, was conducted as well. The extracts showed a different qualitative and quantitative content of phytochemicals, with water and methanol extracts being richer in total phenols and flavonoids, among which are flavonol glycosides and hydroxycinnamic acids. This could explain, at least in part, the higher antioxidant effects shown by methanol and water extracts, compared with ethyl acetate extract. By contrast, the ethyl acetate was more effective as cytotoxic agent against colon cancer cells, and this could be related, albeit partially, to the content of thymol and to its putative ability to downregulate TRPM8 gene expression. Additionally, the ethyl acetate extract was effective in inhibiting the gene expression of COX-2 and TNFα in isolated colon tissue exposed to LPS. Overall, the present results support future studies for investigating protective effects against gut inflammatory diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ethnobotanical Uses, Biological Properties and Phytoconstituents of Endemic Plants)

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13 pages, 1898 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Free Amino Acids and Biogenic Amines Profiling and Variation in Wild and Sub-Endemic Cardueae Species from Sardinia and Corse

by Arianna Marengo, Larissa Silva Maciel, Cecilia Cagliero, Patrizia Rubiolo and Koit Herodes

Plants 2023, 12(2), 319; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12020319 - 10 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1479

Abstract

The cardueae are a common species in the Mediterranean area where they grow spontaneously and are traditionally employed as food and for health purposes. In this work, five Cardueae, including two sub-endemic species (four Carduus and three Ptilostemon casabonae (L.) Greuter samples from [...] Read more.

The cardueae are a common species in the Mediterranean area where they grow spontaneously and are traditionally employed as food and for health purposes. In this work, five Cardueae, including two sub-endemic species (four Carduus and three Ptilostemon casabonae (L.) Greuter samples from different locations) were collected from Sardinia and the Corse islands. All the considered plants are characteristic of the area, in particular the sub-endemic species C. cephalanthus and P. casabonae. This work aims to obtain, for the first time, the amino compounds profile (primary metabolites) of these little-studied species to detect for any similarities and differences among the different samples using statistical analyses. A recently developed method was employed, where diethyl ethoxymethylenemalonate (DEEMM) derivatives are detected in a neutral loss scan mode using high performance liquid chromatography in tandem with a mass spectrometry technique. In total, 42 amino compounds were detected, of which 33 were fully identified and semi-quantified. Overall, the results show that DEEMM-derivatized amino compounds are qualitatively similar among the considered samples. Nonetheless, a discrimination at the genus level is possible. This work adds more information regarding the phytochemical composition regarding the primary metabolites of the considered samples, their discriminations and the search for compounds with potential health benefits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ethnobotanical Uses, Biological Properties and Phytoconstituents of Endemic Plants)

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28 pages, 2537 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ethnopharmacobotany and Diversity of Mediterranean Endemic Plants in Marmilla Subregion, Sardinia, Italy

by Emma Cocco, Delia Maccioni, Enrico Sanjust, Danilo Falconieri, Emmanuele Farris and Andrea Maxia

Plants 2022, 11(22), 3165; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11223165 - 18 Nov 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2236

Abstract

Human populations in various regions across the world exploit the medicinal properties of plants to treat a wide variety of diseases. Areas with both high rates of endemic taxa and persisting traditional uses of the local botanical resources are key sites for the [...] Read more.

Human populations in various regions across the world exploit the medicinal properties of plants to treat a wide variety of diseases. Areas with both high rates of endemic taxa and persisting traditional uses of the local botanical resources are key sites for the investigation of Traditional Botanical Knowledge (TBK). Commonly, in these areas, information regarding the medicinal properties of native plants has been transmitted orally from generation to generation, however, a rapid decline in this knowledge has been observed, which can be attributed to socio-economic changes in recent years. The Mediterranean basin is one such site, where human history is intimately entwined with nature. The unique geographical situation and unrivaled environmental heterogeneity of the area, have allowed both the development of diverse civilizations as well as providing the basis for the evolution of extraordinary biodiversity. The Mediterranean basin can therefore be considered a global hotspot of endemic vascular plants, and of traditional knowledge of medicinal and aromatic species. This study researches the historical subregion of Marmilla (central-southern Sardinia, Italy), which was chosen because of its specific cultural and demographic characteristics: i.e., prolonged isolation and extreme longevity of the inhabitants of the area. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 145 people from the region, and 137 medicinal plants belonging to 62 families were identified, of which around 57,3% were taxa exclusive to the Mediterranean Basin. Findings showed that the most used parts of the plant were the leaves (49%), while as far as preparations are concerned, decoction (50%) was the most used to prepare medicinal formulations, making this the highest number of medico-botanical taxa reported in a study carried out in Sardinia using a similar methodology. In addition, this study contributes towards preventing the loss of TBK by documenting the medicinal traditions, passed down orally for centuries, in the words of the participants, shedding new light on the traditional knowledge of the inhabitants of the island. The findings lay the foundations for future applied studies in the fields of phytotherapy and phytochemical investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ethnobotanical Uses, Biological Properties and Phytoconstituents of Endemic Plants)

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25 pages, 2551 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Ethnoveterinary Practices and Ethnobotanical Knowledge on Plants Used against Cattle Diseases among Two Communities in South Africa

by Mompati Vincent Chakale, John Awungnjia Asong, Madeleen Struwig, Mulunda Mwanza and Adeyemi Oladapo Aremu

Plants 2022, 11(13), 1784; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11131784 - 05 Jul 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3046

Abstract

Ethnoveterinary practices and ethnobotanical knowledge serve as potential therapeutic approaches used to manage and prevent cattle diseases within poor communities in developing nations. Most of the knowledge and practices remain inadequately documented and threatened with extinction in the future. This study aimed to [...] Read more.

Ethnoveterinary practices and ethnobotanical knowledge serve as potential therapeutic approaches used to manage and prevent cattle diseases within poor communities in developing nations. Most of the knowledge and practices remain inadequately documented and threatened with extinction in the future. This study aimed to explore the ethnoveterinary practices and knowledge on plants used to treat cattle diseases in two communities of the Ramotshere Moiloa local municipality, South Africa. A semi-structured interview guide, snowball, and purposive technique were used to collect data and recruit 90 participants. Three ethnobotanical indices (informant consensus factor (Fic), use-value (UV), and relative frequency of citation (RFC) were used for quantitative analysis. A total of 64 medicinal plants from 32 families (dominated by Compositae, Fabaceae, and Asparagaceae) were used to treat 27 cattle diseases. The plants with a high frequency of citation and RFC were Gomphocarpus fruticosus (75, 0.83), Opuntia ficus-indica (74, 0.82), Schkuhria pinnata and Portulaca oleracea (73, 0.81), Solanum lichtensteinii (70, 0.77), and Senna italica. In addition, Schkuhria pinnata and Aloe greatheadii (0.077) had the highest UV. About 28.13% of 64 identified plants were documented as ethnoveterinary medicine for treating cattle ailments, for the first time. The remedies were mainly either prepared as a decoction (52.04%), ground, or prepared as an infusion (16.33%). The plants were administered either orally (69.79%) or topically (30.2%). The ailments with a high frequency of citations were: wounds and constipation (76); arthralgia and retained placenta (69); and lumpy skin disease (68). The categories with the highest number of plants used were gastrointestinal problems (53), skin problems (33), respiratory problems (25), and fertility/reproduction disorders (21). The highest Fic score was cited for tick-borne diseases (1), followed by musculoskeletal systems (Fic = 0.89), and general system infection (Fic = 0.88). The current findings contribute to the documentation and preservation of valuable knowledge from indigenous communities for extensive use. Additionally, ethnoveterinary uses of Portulaca oleracea, Securidaca longipedunculata, and Plumbago zeylanica were recorded for the first time. Further scientific evaluation of the most cited and indigenous/native plants is recommended to establish their therapeutic potential and possible integration into the conventional veterinary sector for the welfare of cattle. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ethnobotanical Uses, Biological Properties and Phytoconstituents of Endemic Plants)

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Review

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17 pages, 3819 KiB

Open AccessReview

Amphipterygium adstringens (Schltdl.) Schiede ex Standl (Anacardiaceae): An Endemic Plant with Relevant Pharmacological Properties

by Mireya Sotelo-Barrera, Marcela Cília-García, Mario Luna-Cavazos, José Luis Díaz-Núñez, Angélica Romero-Manzanares, Ramón Marcos Soto-Hernández and Israel Castillo-Juárez

Plants 2022, 11(13), 1766; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11131766 - 02 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3932

Abstract

Diseases, such as cancer, peptic ulcers, and diabetes, as well as those caused by drug-resistant infectious agents are examples of some of the world’s major public health problems. Amphipterygium adstringens (Schltdl.) Schiede ex Standl is an endemic tree to Mexico. Its stem bark [...] Read more.

Diseases, such as cancer, peptic ulcers, and diabetes, as well as those caused by drug-resistant infectious agents are examples of some of the world’s major public health problems. Amphipterygium adstringens (Schltdl.) Schiede ex Standl is an endemic tree to Mexico. Its stem bark has been used medicinally since pre-Hispanic times, but in recent decades it has been scientifically proven that it has properties that help counteract some diseases; extracts with organic solvents of the plant are outstanding for their anticancer, gastroprotective, and antimicrobial properties; terpenes and long-chain phenols have been identified as the main active compounds. Currently, overharvesting is causing a sharp reduction in natural populations due to an increase in demand for the stem bark by people seeking to improve their health and by national and transnational companies seeking to market it. Because of the growing interest of the world population and the scientific community, we reviewed recent studies on the bioactive properties of A. adstringens. Through the orderly and critical compendium of the current knowledge of A. adstringens, we provide a reference for future studies aimed at the rational use and protection of this valuable endemic natural resource. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ethnobotanical Uses, Biological Properties and Phytoconstituents of Endemic Plants)

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33 pages, 740 KiB

Open AccessReview

Poorly Investigated Ecuadorian Medicinal Plants

by Chabaco Armijos, Jorge Ramírez and Giovanni Vidari

Plants 2022, 11(12), 1590; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11121590 - 16 Jun 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2668

Abstract

Ecuador has, in proportion of its size, one of the richest floras of Latin America and the world; the country also has an immense cultural heritage due to the presence of different ethnic groups that have implemented the use of many wild and [...] Read more.

Ecuador has, in proportion of its size, one of the richest floras of Latin America and the world; the country also has an immense cultural heritage due to the presence of different ethnic groups that have implemented the use of many wild and cultivated plants, mainly as medicinal remedies. In a recent publication, we have summarized the results of research activities recently carried out on about 120 plants native to Ecuador, which includes the structures of non-volatile isolated compounds, as well as the chemical composition of essential oils (EOs) and the in vitro tested biological activity data. For the sake of completeness, we have collected in this paper the main information obtained from recent ethnobotanical investigations on other important Ecuadorian medicinal plants for which phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological studies are, however, still largely lacking. Thus, one of the objectives of this paper is to preserve the traditional knowledge of Ecuadorian Indigenous communities which, being transmitted orally, is in danger of becoming lost. Moreover, it is our intention to stimulate more extensive studies on the rich medicinal flora of the country, which can provide economic and social benefits, especially to the people who traditionally cultivate or collect the plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ethnobotanical Uses, Biological Properties and Phytoconstituents of Endemic Plants)

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22 pages, 17484 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review on the Ethnomedicinal Usage, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Properties of Gentianeae (Gentianaceae) in Tibetan Medicine

by Xiaofeng Chi, Faqi Zhang, Qingbo Gao, Rui Xing and Shilong Chen

Plants 2021, 10(11), 2383; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10112383 - 05 Nov 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2643

Abstract

Gentianaceae is a large plant family and is distributed worldwide. As the largest tribe in Gentianaceae, Gentianeae contains 939–968 species, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and adjacent areas are the main centers of diversity for Gentianeae. Species from the Gentianeae are widely used in [...] Read more.

Gentianaceae is a large plant family and is distributed worldwide. As the largest tribe in Gentianaceae, Gentianeae contains 939–968 species, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and adjacent areas are the main centers of diversity for Gentianeae. Species from the Gentianeae are widely used in traditional Tibetan medicine. In this review, a systematic and constructive overview of the information on botany, ethnomedicinal usage, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties of Gentianeae in Tibetan medicine is provided. The results of this study are based on a literature search, including electronic databases, books, websites, papers, and conference proceedings. Botanical studies showed that Gentianeae includes the subtribe Gentianeae and Swertiinae, and several new genera and taxa have been identified. Approximately 83 species from Gentianeae were used in Tibetan medicine, among which Gentiana and Swertia constituted the largest number of species with 42 and 24 species, respectively. The species from Gentianeae are mainly used as Bangjian (སྤང་རྒྱན།), Jieji (ཀྱི་ལྕེ།), Dida (ཏིག་ཏ།), and Ganggaqiong (གང་གྰཆུང་།) in Tibetan medicine with different clinical applications. More than 240 formulas were found containing Gentianeae species with different attending functions. Phytochemical studies showed that the main active components of Gentianeae species are iridoids, xanthones, flavonoids, and triterpenoids. The bioactivities of plants from Gentianeae include hepatic protection, upper respiratory tract protection, joint and bone protection, glucose regulation, antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, and antiviral effects. This review will provide a reference for future research on natural resource protection, plant-based drug development, and further clinical investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ethnobotanical Uses, Biological Properties and Phytoconstituents of Endemic Plants)

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