Abstract
In the present study, we tested in vitro different parts of 35 plants used by tribals of the Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR, Mayurbhanj district, India) for the management of infections. From each plant, three extracts were prepared with different solvents (water, ethanol, and acetone) and tested for antimicrobial (E. coli, S. aureus, C. albicans); anthelmintic (C. elegans); and antiviral (enterovirus 71) bioactivity. In total, 35 plant species belonging to 21 families were recorded from tribes of the SBR and periphery. Of the 35 plants, eight plants (23%) showed broad-spectrum in vitro antimicrobial activity (inhibiting all three test strains), while 12 (34%) exhibited narrow spectrum activity against individual pathogens (seven as anti-staphylococcal and five as anti-candidal). Plants such as Alangium salviifolium, Antidesma bunius, Bauhinia racemosa, Careya arborea, Caseria graveolens, Cleistanthus patulus, Colebrookea oppositifolia, Crotalaria pallida, Croton roxburghii, Holarrhena pubescens, Hypericum gaitii, Macaranga peltata, Protium serratum, Rubus ellipticus, and Suregada multiflora showed strong antibacterial effects, whilst Alstonia scholaris, Butea monosperma, C. arborea, C. pallida, Diospyros malbarica, Gmelina arborea, H. pubescens, M. peltata, P. serratum, Pterospermum acerifolium, R. ellipticus, and S. multiflora demonstrated strong antifungal activity. Plants such as A. salviifolium, A. bunius, Aporosa octandra, Barringtonia acutangula, C. graveolens, C. pallida, C. patulus, G. arborea, H. pubescens, H. gaitii, Lannea coromandelica, M. peltata, Melastoma malabathricum, Millettia extensa, Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, P. serratum, P. acerifolium, R. ellipticus, S. multiflora, Symplocos cochinchinensis, Ventilago maderaspatana, and Wrightia arborea inhibit survival of C. elegans and could be a potential source for anthelmintic activity. Additionally, plants such as A. bunius, C. graveolens, C. patulus, C. oppositifolia, H. gaitii, M. extensa, P. serratum, R. ellipticus, and V. maderaspatana showed anti-enteroviral activity. Most of the plants, whose traditional use as anti-infective agents by the tribals was well supported, show in vitro inhibitory activity against an enterovirus, bacteria (E. coil, S. aureus), a fungus (C. albicans), or a nematode (C. elegans).
Highlights
It has been estimated that less than 1–10% of plant species of the world have been studied chemically and pharmacologically for their potential medicinal value (Verpoorte, 2000)
The ethnomedicinal uses of 35 plant species belonging to 21 families were recorded from tribes of the Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR) and periphery (Table 1)
Antibacterial activity in microdilution broth assays with crude extracts of different plant parts of different species is presented in Table 2
Summary
It has been estimated that less than 1–10% of plant species of the world have been studied chemically and pharmacologically for their potential medicinal value (Verpoorte, 2000). Plants species of tropical forests produce more chemical compounds for defense against pathogens and herbivores due to the high temperatures and scarcity of water during the summer, in addition to competing for space and light which force them to develop a robust means of energy and nutrient utilization along with adequate resources for secondary metabolite production (Fyhrquist, 2007). For these reasons, many tropical plant species contain secondary metabolites with potential medical utility (Wood–Sheldon et al, 1997). The Similipal Biosphere Reserve (https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Simlipal_National_Park#Flora_and_fauna and Panda, 2014) is part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2009, contains a fauna treasure trove of 1,076 plants (1,012 wild and 64 cultivated) from 168 families, including 60 species of pteridophytes, 92 species of orchids and two gymnosperms (Saxena and Brahmam, 1994-1996)
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