@article {1132, title = {Rubia cordifolia L. Crude Aerial Part Extracts Show a High Potential as Antimalarials against Chloroquine Resistant Plasmodium falciparum Strains in vitro}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {15}, year = {2023}, month = {February 2023}, pages = {288-296}, type = {Original Article }, chapter = {288}, abstract = {

Introduction: Plasmodium falciparum human malaria parasite is resistant to most available medicines in Africa, necessitating research for new drugs. Rubia cordifolia L. is used in traditional malaria treatment in Kenya despite no supporting scientific data. Objectives: To evaluate anti-plasmodial efficacy of extracts from the aerial part of Rubia cordifolia against chloroquine sensitive (3D7) and resistant (W2) Plasmodium falciparum strains. Methods: Hexane, methanol and water were separately used in crude extractions from open shade dried aerial plant parts. Phytochemical composition was determined qualitatively. Anti-plasmodial efficacy of serial dilutions (range; 0.4 to 50 μg/ml) of each extract were evaluated in vitro and compared using ANOVA and Tukey{\textquoteright}s HSD test, at p\<0.05). Results: All the extracts significantly inhibited parasites growth, in a dose dependent manner. At 50 μg/ml, inhibition was (84.07\%, 77.94\% and 66.08\%) for hexane, methanol and water extracts respectively against W2 and (80.06\%, 78.36\% and 60.92\%) against 3D7 strain. Hexane extract showed IC50 0.551 μg/ml and 2.747 micrograms/ml against W2 and 3D7 respectively. Methanol extract, IC50 1.231 and 3.528 μ g/ml respectively, aqueous extract showed moderate activity, IC50 5.348 μg/ml and 17.341 μg/ml against the strains respectively. Chloroquine resistant (W2 strain) was more responsive to the extracts than 3D7 strain. Conclusion: Anti-plasmodial activities were in the order, Hexane\>methanol\>aqueous and were attributed to the phytochemicals present in the extracts. This presents evidence of R. cordifolia as anti-malarial drugs{\textquoteright} source. Further work is required to identify, purify, and characterize active molecules for development of anti-malaria drugs.

}, keywords = {Antimalarial activity, Crude extracts, in vitro, Plasmodium falciparum, Rubia cordifolia.}, doi = {10.5530/pres.15.2.031}, author = {Magara Jeremiah and Lucy Kamau and Grace Nyambati and Hastings Ozwara} } @article {236, title = {In vitro Screening for Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Three Lebanese Medicinal Plants Crude Extracts}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {11}, year = {2019}, month = {April 2019}, pages = {127-133}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {127}, abstract = {

Background: Despite its small geographic area, Lebanon is characterized by a natural wealth in medicinal plants. Lebanese flora has about 2600 species, where \>100 are endemic and are used in traditional medicine for their therapeutic effects. Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of dichloromethane, methanol, and aqueous crude extracts of three Lebanese medicinal plants: Geranium robertianum, Asphodelus microcarpus, and Alcea setosa. Materials and Methods: The antioxidant activity of different crude extracts was determined using the free radical, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated in a plate-hole diffusion assay against two Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) bacterial strains, one Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacterial strain, and a fungal strain (Candida albicans). Results: Methanol and aqueous extracts of G. robertianum possessed high scavenging activity (Radical scavenging activity ( RSA) \>85\%) at 0.3 mg/mL followed by the extracts of A. microcarpus which showed a moderate activity. G. robertianum extracts exhibited good inhibition diameters against S. aureus growth. Conclusion: Obtained results give an overall view on the bioactivities of three Lebanese medicinal plants crude extracts.

}, keywords = {Alcea setosa, Antimicrobial activity, Antioxidant activity, Asphodelus microcarpus, Crude extracts, Geranium robertianum}, doi = {10.4103/pr.pr_171_18}, author = {Josiane Alhage and Hoda Elbitar} } @article {420, title = {In vitro Assessment of Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic, Anti-inflammatory, and Antidiabetic Activities of Campanula retrorsa Crude Extracts}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {10}, year = {2018}, month = {October 2018}, pages = {397-403}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {397}, abstract = {

Background: Campanula retrorsa belongs to the Campanulaceae family and the Campanula genus. The species of this latter are traditionally known for their antiallergic, spasmolytic, antiphlogistic, antioxidant, and antiviral properties. Few studies were realized on the bioactivity of Calicotome villosa crude extracts. Objective: The objective was to investigate, for the first time, the antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory potentials of dichloromethane, methanol, and aqueous crude extracts of C. retrorsa leaves, flowers, and stems. Materials and Methods: The antioxidant activity of different crude extracts was determined using the free radical, 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl. Antimicrobial activity against three Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Enterococcus faecium), two Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumanii) bacterial strains and a fungal strain (Candida albicans) was evaluated in a plate-hole diffusion assay. Cytotoxic activity of C. retrorsa dichloromethane and methanol crude extracts on Hela cells was realized using the Trypan blue dye exclusion technique. Antidiabetic activity against α-glucosidase and anti-inflammatory activity against bee venom phospholipase A2 (PLA2) were assessed using a colorimetric test. Results: Leaf and flower aqueous extracts possessed very high radical scavenging activity = 90\%. The dichloromethane extracts of leaves and flowers were the most active against A. baumanii and C. albicans. After 48 h of treatment, all extracts except the methanol flower extract showed an inhibition of 90\% of cell growth at 2 mg/mL. Dichloromethane and methanol stem crude extracts showed a modest inhibition of α-glucosidase. While no inhibition of the PLA2 was displayed by any of the tested extracts. Conclusion: Obtained results give an overall view on C. retrorsa crude extracts{\textquoteright} bioactivities.

}, keywords = {Antidiabetic activity, Bioactivity, Campanula retrorsa, Crude extracts, cytotoxicity}, doi = {10.4103/pr.pr_73_18}, author = {Josiane Alhage and Hoda Elbitar and Samir Taha and Thierry Benvegnu} } @article {779, title = {Analgesic activity and acute toxicity study of Semecarpus anacardium stem bark extracts using mice}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {3}, year = {2011}, month = {April 2011}, pages = { 57-61}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = { 57}, abstract = {

Background:\ The analgesic activity of petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol extracts of\ Semecarpus anacardium\ was investigated by tail flicking and writhing method using acetyl salicylic acid as the standard reference.\ Materials and Methods:\ The staircase method was adopted for the determination of the acute toxicity. LD\ 50\ of the petroleum ether extract and the chloroform extract was 700 mg/kg; however, the LD\ 50\ for the methanol extract was 500 mg/kg. After 1 h of oral administration of the extracts, 0.6\% acetic acid was administered intraperitoneally and the analgesic activity was evaluated.\ Results:\ The number of writhing observed in the control group was 73.33 writhes. The methanol extract showed a significant analgesic activity, with 28.33 writhes, than the petroleum ether extract and the chloroform extract. But, all the extracts showed proved to be less potent than the standard drug which showed 2.33 writhes. Animals pretreated with saline did not show a signify cant effect on the latent period of tail-flick response. The analgesic effect of the petroleum ether extract was comparatively less evident. The maximum possible analgesia (MPA) increased up to 9.1\% which remained elevated above the basal levels throughout the observation period. The MPA calculated for the chloroform extract increased to 14.03\%. However, the analgesic effect of the methanol extract was also observed at 0.5 h following oral administration and the effect remained significant throughout the 3 h observation period, and was increased to 20.43\%.\ Conclusion:\ Consistent analgesic activity of all the three\ S. anacardium\ extracts was observed by both the methods. The methanol extract was more potent than the petroleum ether and chloroform extracts but was less effective than the standard drug. This investigation supported the ethnomedicinal claims of\ S. anacardium.

}, keywords = {Acute toxicity study, Crude extracts, Tail-flicking method, Writhing method}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.79117}, author = {GM Lingaraju and H Joy Hoskeri, V Krishna and P Suresh Babu} }