Characterization of Bioactive Compounds from Aqueous Layer of Guiera senegalensis Leaf Extract

The emergence of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) has resulted in millions of deaths worldwide. Nigeria has recorded over 2000 deaths due to the disease. Development of alternative medicine from plants against SARS-COV-2 can be a potential therapy for treatment of secondary complications. To investigate plants with potential to manage respiratory tract infections. The plants were extracted and screened for phytochemical constituents; their acute and subacute toxicity profile was evaluated. The plant extracts were tested against clinical microbial isolates associated with respiratory tract infection. All the plants extract were found to have acute toxicity dose above 5000 mg per kg body weight. Among the four tested medicinal plants Guiera senegalensis was found to have significant zone of inhibition against Klebsiella pneumonia and Moraxella catarrhalis more than the standard drug (Gentamicin). Guiera senegalensis has been used in traditional medicine to treat bacterial infections without any report of toxicity. The preclinical study indicated that Guiera senegalensis can be used in the management of respiratory infections associated with symptoms of COVID 19. Guiera senegalensis can therefore be used as a potential medicinal plant for management of secondary bacterial infections in Covid19 patients.

Three medicinal plant (Milletia laurentii, Tephrosia vogelii, Croton macrostachyus) extracts traditionally used in Cameroon to manage infectious diseases, were chosen and screened for their phytochemicals composition, antioxidant properties and antifungal activity againstTrichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton soudanense and Trichophyton violaceum. Plant powders were extracted by maceration in methanol and water. Afforded extracts were studied for their: phytochemical composition using indicators, antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging methods and antifungal activity using the agar dilution methods. Extraction yield were better with methanol than water for all the medicinal plants. Amongst the 11 phytochemical compounds (alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, triterpenoids, saponines, anthraquinones, tannins, anthocyanins, coumarins, essential oils, steroids, glycosides, lipids) tested, 9 were differently present in relative high amount in extracts, while glycosides and steroids were absent in all plant extracts. Aqueous extracts of T. vogelli showed the best antioxidant activity while methanolic extract of C. macrostachyus showed the lowest with IC50 values of 0.30 and 0.11 mg/ml, respectively.M. laurentii showed IC50 of 0.19 and 0.21 mg/ml for aqueous and methanolic extracts, respectively. All the extracts tested showed significant activity against the threeTricophyton species tested, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFC) varying from 17.50 to 27.50 and 20 to 30 mg/ml, respectively. These findings support the continued sustainable screen of medicinal plants as source of bioactive principles. Key words: Medicinal plant, phytochemical screening, antifungal, antioxidant.

Renewed interest in medicinal and aromatic plants during the past 20 years has brought surging markets and production opportunities for these plant species. To enhance and maintain market growth, however, MAP production systems, whether cultivated or collected, will need to ensure sustainable production of quality plant materials that have been wholesomely grown and processed. The growing familiarity of western consumers with medicinal and aromatic plants places a premium on standardized plant materials that are organically produced and meet expectations for efficacy. Currently, market demand for MAP is nurtured by consumer demographics and by favorable impressions of bioactivity, but this demand remains susceptible to myths, traditions, and science reports associated with the plant materials. By addressing the problems of standardization and verifiable marker compounds along with issues such as plant domestication, conservation, biotechnology, and others that affect plant cultivation, producers and processors can assure acceptable products reach the marketplace and crop production opportunities will continue to grow. Introduction A recent resurgence of interest in medicinal plants in many Western nations, the continued dependence of people in much of the world on these species, and the advent of a globalized economy has brought sustainability challenges to the medicinal plant trade. The modern market for medicinal plants has, in general, grown over the past 15 years (Fig. 1), but remains fragile, subject to governmental regulations, research findings, and media publicity along with the usual factors associated with supply and demand. Indeed, many challenges to the continued growth of the market exist, including appropriate education of consumers, assurances of high quality products, and availability of a sustainable supply of plant material. The development of patentable, synthetic pharmaceuticals in the 1930s and 1940s in America and other Western countries (Table 1) resulted in the active abandonment of medicinal plants in health care, leaving new generations of both health care practitioners and the general populace with only a limited history, culture, and understanding about the appropriate use of medicinal species for preventing and treating human ailments (Craker and Gardner, 2003). Consumer confidence in pharmaceutical drug development, enhanced by the discovery of antibiotics and vaccinations that prevent or treat many diseases has lately decreased as drug costs escalate and major health problems, such as cancer, AIDS, cardiovascular disease, and numerous other problems continue to exist. An array of interests from medical professionals essentially committed to “modern” pharmaceuticals, consumers seeking alternative health care options, and herbalists promoting the use of medicinal and aromatic plants can convert challenges to market opportunities if growers and processors provide safe, useful plant products and educate consumers and health care professionals on benefits of medicinal plant products. Education of consumers and healthcare practitioners about the correct use of medicinal and aromatic plants and plant extracts will help ensure the continued recognition of the value of these products. For example, Western consumers accustomed Proc. WOCMAP III, Vol 2: Conservation Cultivation & Sustainable Use of MAPs Eds.: A. Jatisatienr, T. Paratasilpin, S. Elliott, V. Anusarnsunthorn, D. Wedge, L.E. Craker and Z.E. Gardner Acta Hort. 676, ISHS 2005 26 to taking a pharmaceutical drug and experiencing the effect of the drug within minutes to hours must learn that an herbal product that may take much longer to exhibit noticeable activity. Similarly, consumers and producers must replace the concept of taking drugs to treat pre-existing conditions with the concept of taking medicinal plants to improve general health and to treat both clinical and sub-clinical conditions. If consumers and health care providers are unfamiliar with the concepts of medicinal herb use, they cannot be expected to seek, recommend, or use these plants as medicine. Consumer Demographics As with any commodity, sales and use of medicinal plant products are influenced by the type of people that use these products. Indeed, a good share of the growth in sales of medicinal and aromatic plants and other natural products over the past 15 years can be attributed to the growth of certain demographic groups. Immigrants from Asia and Latin America have popularized a new palette of herbs and spices in restaurants and homes in the United States. This popularization has been such that U.S. spice consumption grew from 2 pounds per capita in 1976 to 3.2 pounds per capita in 1995 (Anonymous, 1998) (Fig. 2). Contributing to the increase in spice consumption is a change in lifestyle in many industrialized nations. The movement of women, historically the people responsible for meal preparation, from the home to workplace has altered traditional roles, requiring easier food preparation within the limited time available after work. In these instances, spices are frequently used to enhance the flavor of homemade and prepared meals. A highly significant trend among consumers is the increase in consumers interested in environmental issues, the so-called “green” consumers (Roper, 2002). Such consumers are willing to pay a premium for eco-friendly products, including organic foods, recycled products, and herbal remedies. These consumers value natural alternatives to conventional products including foods and medicines, thus medicinal plant products and natural food flavorings are favored by these consumers. Media Influences Media stories featuring medicinal plants appear highly influential in consumer demand and acceptance of medicinal plants. While medicinal plants were featured positively in several highly publicized stories in the late 1990s (Greenwald, 1998; Johnson et al., 1997), many of the more recent stories have been negative with concerns focused on several plant species (such as kava and ephedra) (Burros, 2002; Strugatch, 2002), with few headlines highlighting the benefits or proper use of medicinal plants. Most of the negative stories are concerned with the lack of standardization of dose or with reports of results from poorly designed research studies (Brody, 1999). Product Quality The popularization of medicinal plants in Western nations during the 1990s encouraged the formation of numerous new companies producing herbal medicines. Unfortunately, the quality of the plant materials (including differences due to natural variation, cultivation practices, and post harvest handling) and processing vary among companies, and thus the quality of oils and other extracts is highly variable. Surveys by independent laboratories have demonstrated significant variation in the quality and reported content of packaged herbal remedies (Anonymous, 2001; ConsumerLab, 2002). News reporting of such variation undoubtedly lowers consumer and health care provider confidence in medicinal plant products. Standardization of herbal products is the most commonly suggested solution for overcoming the natural variation of constituents in plant material. While standardization can help ensure product quality, recognized drawbacks to standardization exist. For example, in many plant species the active constituents of the species are not fully known. Secondly, a combination of plant constituents may be responsible for biological action of the plant or plant extract. Yet, if standard guidelines for marker compounds can be recognized and if plant selection, cultivation methodology, and processing can be

Medicinal plants, either as standardized extracts or in their pure forms, offer countless propects for new drug leads and also possess a good range of nutritional benefits due to the presence of bioactive organic chemical compounds called phytochemicals that act as a defense against a variety of diseases. This study focus was to investigate the bioactive compounds, and identification of functional groups of three medicinal plants; Monodora myristica, Parkia biglobosa, and Azadirachta indica. The solvents used were methanol, water and ethanol respectively. Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) assay was used for the analysis of bioactive compounds and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) method was used for the identification of functional groups in the plant extracts. Results revealed several bioactive compounds at different peaks that were confirmed by their retention time, compound name, structure and percentage composition. FTIR analysis revealed different functional groups with distinct characteristic wave numbers, peak intensity, peak shape and bonds in the plant extracts. Among the identified phytocompounds of Monodora myristica, phenol, dodecanoic acid, hexadecane, n-hexadecanoic acid, 1-octadecene, and 1-eicosanol possess antioxidant property. Similarly, some of the identified phytocompounds of Parkia biglobosa; dodecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, 9-octadecene, naphthalene, 3-eicosene and n-hexadecanoic acid possess antioxidant property. Likewise, Hexadecane, hexadecenoic acid, 3-eicosene and n-hexadecanoic acid are phytocompounds of Azadirachta indica with antioxidant property. This study demonstrated these plants as a great source of naturally occurring bioactive compounds with therapeutic value, which supports their application in medicine to treat a variety of diseases.

The development of green nanotechnology has revolutionized the synthesis of nanoparticles by providing safer, more eco-friendly, and sustainable alternatives to conventional physical and chemical methods. Among the various metal oxide nanoparticles, vanadium oxide nanoparticles (V₂O₃ NPs) have attracted significant attention due to their diverse applications in biomedical, catalytic, and electronic fields. The present study focuses on the green synthesis of vanadium oxide nanoparticles using Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, a medicinal plant known for its bioactive compounds. This biogenic approach not only reduces the use of hazardous chemicals but also provides a cost-effective and scalable method for nanoparticle production. In this work, fresh leaves of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis were used to prepare an aqueous extract, which served as a reducing and stabilizing agent in the synthesis process. The reaction was initiated by mixing the plant extract with 100 mL of 5% NaOH solution and vanadium oxide precursor. A rapid colour changes in the solution marked the formation of vanadium oxide nanoparticles, indicating a successful reduction of vanadium ions by the phytochemicals present in the leaf extract. This colour change served as a visual indicator of nanoparticle synthesis and was further confirmed by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The biosynthetic route employed in this study proved to be rapid, simple, and environmentally friendly. UV-Vis analysis showed a characteristic absorption peak indicating the formation of V₂O₃ nanoparticles, confirming the optical properties and successful synthesis. The presence of plant-based biomolecules in the extract plays a dual role by not only reducing vanadium ions to nanoparticles but also stabilizing them and preventing aggregation. To further explore the structural and morphological characteristics of the synthesized nanoparticles, a series of analytical techniques were employed. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to identify the functional groups involved in nanoparticle stabilization. The FTIR spectra revealed the presence of various biomolecules such as alcohols, phenols, carboxylic acids, and amines, which contributed to capping and stabilizing the nanoparticles’-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the crystalline nature of the synthesized vanadium oxide nanoparticles. The XRD pattern exhibited prominent Bragg reflections corresponding to planes (012), (104), (110), (113), (202), (024), (116), (122), (214), (300), and (1010), which matched the standard data for face-centered cubic (fcc) V₂O₃. These results verified the crystalline structure of the particles and their phase purity. Morphological studies were conducted using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). SEM images provided insight into the surface structure and general shape of the particles, while TEM offered higher-resolution images that revealed uniform dispersion of nanoparticles. TEM analysis showed that most particles were spherical to slightly irregular in shape and ranged in size from approximately 1 to 500 nm. Although a generally homogeneous distribution was observed, some degree of agglomeration occurred, which is common in plant-mediated syntheses. Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) was performed to confirm the elemental composition of the nanoparticles. The EDX spectra confirmed the presence of vanadium, along with oxygen and trace elements derived from the plant extract. These results validated the successful synthesis of vanadium oxide nanoparticles with minimal impurities. The synthesized nanoparticles were also evaluated for their antimicrobial properties. The antibacterial activity of V₂O₃ nanoparticles was tested against several clinical bacterial isolates. Results indicated that the nanoparticles exhibited stronger antibacterial effects than the crude plant extract, demonstrating broad-spectrum efficacy. This enhanced activity is likely due to the small size and increased surface area of the nanoparticles, allowing better interaction with microbial membranes.

Medicinal plants have been used since ancient times to prepare medicines in the form of extracts. Alcoholic and aqueous extracts of various parts of medicinal plants may contain potentially useful chemical compounds with biological activity. Therefore, extracts of some plants are still used to obtain effective and even potent medicines. It is believed that some medicinal plants contain chemical compounds that can have a protective effect on the kidneys in their diseases. However, the existing information on renal-tropic drugs obtained from medicinal plant raw materials and on the biological activity of extracts of medicinal plants does not allow us to draw unambiguous conclusions. A critical analysis of the information is required to sift out the “wheat from the chaff”. In this regard, the article provides a critical review of the available information on the pharmacological activity of extracts of medicinal plants claiming to have a renal protective effect. A list of information and features of the therapy of kidney diseases using extracts of various medicinal plants is provided. It has been shown that the development of effective herbal therapy for the treatment of severe renal diseases requires a systematic study of such properties of finished drugs (extracts) as the volume of solvent (alcohol or water). Attention is drawn to the fact that the analysis of information is not possible without taking into account the single, daily and course dose of water (or alcohol), as well as the physico-chemical properties of the extract taken. Only after taking into account these factors of therapy, it will be possible to critically re-evaluate the therapeutic effect of the applied extracts of medicinal plants, taking into account the dose of water and the physico-chemical properties of the corresponding extracts for specific kidney diseases. Most likely, it is advisable to analyze the effectiveness of specific extracts in such kidney diseases as acute renal failure, nephrotic syndrome and chronic interstitial nephritis. It should be noted that in chronic renal failure, the patient may have a different glomerular filtration rate, namely, be below 30 ml/min. In this regard, different glomerular filtration in patients may have different effects on the pharmacokinetics of drugs, including water and table salt. In addition, it is reported that researchers ignoring the osmotic activity of extracts does not allow taking into account the osmotic component of their effect on diuresis. Also, the traditional approach to the treatment of critical conditions in renal failure includes dialysis and renal replacement therapy, which are difficult to access for some rural residents due to their geographical and economic location. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the effect of medicinal plant extracts not only on patients, but also on the clinical effectiveness of dialysis and renal replacement therapy. The article analyzes the available information from other sides as well. Certain herbs in herbal collections have proven nephroprotective properties nephroprotective properties. In particular, it is reported that today extracts of plants such as Kanchnar (bauhinia raznolistnaya), Kushmanda (Benincasa Hispid) and Yeshtimadu (licorice naked) can have a more reliable renal protective effect. Nevertheless, the renal-protective activity of these plant extracts has not been scientifically substantiated.

Abstract. Medicinal plants have been used since ancient times to prepare medicines in the form of extracts. Alcoholic and aqueous extracts of various parts of medicinal plants may contain potentially useful chemical compounds with biological activity. Therefore, extracts of some plants are still used to obtain effective and even potent medicines. It is believed that some medicinal plants contain chemical compounds that can have a protective effect on the kidneys in their diseases. However, the existing information on renal-tropic drugs obtained from medicinal plant raw materials and on the biological activity of extracts of medicinal plants does not allow us to draw unambiguous conclusions. A critical analysis of the information is required to sift out the "wheat from the chaff". In this regard, the article provides a critical review of the available information on the pharmacological activity of extracts of medicinal plants claiming to have a renal protective effect. A list of information and features of the therapy of kidney diseases using extracts of various medicinal plants is provided. It has been shown that the development of effective herbal therapy for the treatment of severe renal diseases requires a systematic study of such properties of finished drugs (extracts) as the volume of solvent (alcohol or water). Attention is drawn to the fact that the analysis of information is not possible without taking into account the single, daily and course dose of water (or alcohol), as well as the physico-chemical properties of the extract taken. Only after taking into account these factors of therapy, it will be possible to critically re-evaluate the therapeutic effect of the applied extracts of medicinal plants, taking into account the dose of water and the physico-chemical properties of the corresponding extracts for specific kidney diseases. Most likely, it is advisable to analyze the effectiveness of specific extracts in such kidney diseases as acute renal failure (ARF), nephrotic syndrome and chronic interstitial nephritis. It should be noted that in chronic renal failure (CRF), the patient may have a different glomerular filtration rate (GFR), namely, be below 30 ml/min. In this regard, different glomerular filtration in patients may have different effects on the pharmacokinetics of drugs, including water and table salt. In addition, it is reported that researchers ignoring the osmotic activity of extracts does not allow taking into account the osmotic component of their effect on diuresis. Also, the traditional approach to the treatment of critical conditions in renal failure includes dialysis and renal replacement therapy (RRT), which are difficult to access for some rural residents due to their geographical and economic location. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the effect of medicinal plant extracts not only on patients, but also on the clinical effectiveness of dialysis and renal replacement therapy. The article analyzes the available information from other sides as well. In particular, it is reported that in such a medicinal collection as Ayurveda, some herbs have proven nephroprotective properties. In particular, it is reported that today extracts of plants such as Kanchnar (bauhinia raznolistnaya), Kushmanda (Benincasa Hispid) and Yeshtimadu (licorice naked) can have a more reliable renal protective effect. Nevertheless, the renal-protective activity of these plant extracts has not been scientifically substantiated.

Chapter 8 - Indian Berries and Their Active Compounds: Therapeutic Potential in Cancer Prevention

Gallic acid and catechin are the most abundant phenolic and flavonoid contents found in all plant extracts. The contents and the bioassay-guided fractionating substances of the Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich) Hochst (Anacardiaceae) fraction played vital roles. The goals of the study were to determine the contents of some useful medicinal plants and the bioassay-guided fractionation substances of S. birrea fraction compounds capable of acting against Salmonella isolate using LC-MS/LC-HRMS (Dionex ultimate 3000 RS UPLC with Thermo Scientific Q Exactive Orbitrap Hybrid Tandem Mass Spectrometer). The Folin–Ciocalteu reagent procedure and flavonoid content determination were conducted spectrophotometrically. Bioassay-guided fractionation, chronological partitioning, and screening of the antibacterial action against Salmonella typhi were performed. The ethyl acetate fraction extracts of S. birrea stem (bark) extract were analyzed using LC-MS/LC-HRMS. The gallic acid content increased tremendously in Vachellia nilotica (L.) P.J.H. Hurter and Mabb (Fabaceae) pod extracts with curve fitting (R 2 = 0.9958). Catechin content increase was significantly increased in S. birrea stem (bark) extracts followed by that of V. nilotica pod extracts with curve fitting (R 2 = 0.9993); they were all significantly different in the Guiera senegalensis J.F. Gmel. and the Leptadenia lanceolata (Poir.) Goyder leaves extracts at p value <0.0001. Subsequently, 10 mg/ml of S. birrea stem (bark) ethyl acetate fraction extract was the MIC, where no MBC was recorded and susceptible to the positive control with the highest inhibition zone, followed by the ethyl acetate fraction extract at 10 mg/ml (9.7 ± 0.0) at Turkey’s p < 0.0001. Vidarabine is one of the novel compounds, specifically having antimicrobial actions, found in the S. birrea stem (bark). Reasonable amounts of phenolic and flavonoid contents determined the actions of the individual plant extract.

: The issue of snakebite continues to be a distinctive matter of public health in various regions across the globe, with a particular emphasis on India, where the ailment is widely prevalent. Snakebites in the country disproportionately affect rural and indigenous populations, resulting in some of the highest morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Regrettably, in numerous tropical nations, the accessibility of antivenom is frequently postponed or restricted, thereby rendering antiserum the only targeted therapeutic alternative. Nevertheless, administering antiserum in isolation does not provide adequate safeguard against the adverse effects of venomtriggered hypersensitivity complications, which may be grave. Hence, this study aims to review the plant-derived bioactive compounds used to treat snakebites in India. This review compiles a list of medicinal plants and plant-derived bioactive compounds used in treating snakebites in India, which were reviewed from the available literature in public databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Springer, and Scopus). Search words used were 'bioactive compounds,' 'treatment for a snakebite,' 'antivenom and snakebite,' 'Medicinal plants for snakebite, and 'composition of snake venom'. : A list of 200 medicinal plants traditionally used in several countries for treating snake bites was obtained. Based on scientific data, we reviewed only 83 medicinal plant extracts and bioactive compounds obtained from various families, tested under in-vivo and in-vitro conditions to determine their neutralization potency of snakebite envenomation. In this article, we have presented a comprehensive review, judgmentally analyzed medicinal plants and their bioactive compounds for their therapeutic potential against snake envenomation, and offer a thorough discourse on diverse herbal plants employed globally for managing snakebites.

Rice cultivation is often subjected to several biotic stresses caused by fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens of which diseases like blast, sheath blight, stem rot and bacterial blight are the important ones. Among these, sheath blight and rot of rice caused by Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoetonia solani Kuhn and Thanatephorus cucumeris causes destructive disease in all the crop-growing areas of the world. Use of synthetic fungicide many a times causes serious ecological issues. It is in this regards that this research was carried out to investigate and screen some plant extract that can be used in the elimination of the fungal pathogen causing rice blast as alternative to synthetic fungicide. The Azadirachta indica, Khaya senegalensis, Guiera senegalensis, Mangifera indica and Sclerocarya birrea identified plant’s leaves were prepared as 125mg/mL, 62.5mg/mL, 31.2mg/mL and 15.6mg/mL. Metabolites including Saponins, flavonoids, glycosides, Alkaloids and Reducing Sugars were tested. Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) Culture Media were prepared and sensitivity test to the extract was carried out. Results of phytochemical screening indicated that virtually all the plant extracts were found to contain most of the metabolites and has antifungal potential on the tested fungi. All five leaves extracts showed inhibition to the tested pathogens. Guiera senegalensis, Khaya senegalensis and Azadirachta indica showed higher inhibition against the tested pathogens at concentration of 125mg/mL and 15.6mg/mL Guiera senegalensis, Khaya senegalensis and Azadirachta indica at concentration 125mg/mL and 15.6mg/mL are the most suitable recommended for the control of rice blast in the stud Azadirachta indica area and similar places.

The toxic reactive aldehyde 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) belongs to the advanced lipid peroxidation end products. Accumulation of 4-HNE and formation of 4-HNE adducts induced by redox imbalance participate in several cytotoxic processes, which contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of oxidative stress-related human disorders. Medicinal plants and bioactive natural compounds are suggested to be attractive sources of potential agents to mitigate oxidative stress, but little is known about the therapeutic potentials especially on combating 4-HNE-induced deleterious effects. Of note, some investigations clarify the attenuation of medicinal plants and bioactive compounds on 4-HNE-induced disturbances, but strong evidence is needed that these plants and compounds serve as potent agents in the prevention and treatment of disorders driven by 4-HNE. Therefore, this review highlights the pharmacological basis of these medicinal plants and bioactive compounds to combat 4-HNE-induced deleterious effects in oxidative stress-related disorders, such as neurotoxicity and neurological disorder, eye damage, cardiovascular injury, liver injury, and energy metabolism disorder. In addition, this review briefly discusses with special attention to the strategies for developing potential therapies by future applications of these medicinal plants and bioactive compounds, which will help biological and pharmacological scientists to explore the new vistas of medicinal plants in combating 4-HNE-induced deleterious effects.

Bioactive plant compounds and extracts are of special interest for the development of pharmaceuticals. Here, we describe the screening of more than 1100 aqueous plant extracts and synthetic reference compounds for their ability to stimulate or inhibit insulin secretion. To quantify insulin secretion in living MIN6 β cells, an insulin–Gaussia luciferase (Ins-GLuc) biosensor was used. Positive hits included extracts from Quillaja saponaria, Anagallis arvensis, Sapindus mukorossi, Gleditsia sinensis and Albizia julibrissin, which were identified as insulin secretion stimulators, whereas extracts of Acacia catechu, Myrtus communis, Actaea spicata L., Vaccinium vitis-idaea and Calendula officinalis were found to exhibit insulin secretion inhibitory properties. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) were used to characterize several bioactive compounds in the selected plant extracts, and these bioactives were retested for their insulin-modulating properties. Overall, we identified several plant extracts and some of their bioactive compounds that may be used to manipulate pancreatic insulin secretion.

Background: Scientific investigation supporting the use of various African plant species for the management of diseases, including neurological disease is currently ongoing. Plant-based antioxidants have recently received a lot of attention because of their purported positive impact on human health. Medicinal plants selected for this study are widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of neurological disorders. Aims: This study investigated the phytochemical, antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of ethanol leaf extracts of Costus afer, Irvingia gabonensis and Sida acuta. Materials and Methods: Fresh leaves of Costus afer, Irvingia gabonensis and Sida acuta were collected from a farm at Egbu in Owerri North LGA of Imo state. They were washed and spread to air dry at room temperature and ground into fine powder. Phytochemistry was carried out through gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to determine the functional groups in the plant extracts. The in vitro antioxidant activity was determined for total flavonoid content (TFC) and total phenol content (TPC). Free radical scavenging potential was evaluated by measuring 2, 2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP), nitric oxide (NO), and hydroxyl (OH) radicals. Results: A total of thirty-seven (37) phytocompounds were revealed in Costus afer, while Irvingia gabonensis and Sida acuta exhibited sixty-seven (67) and ninety-four (94) phytocompounds respectively. Bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, carboxylic acids, fatty acids, alkenes, glycosides, steroids, alcohol, and aldehydes were present in the plant extracts. The functional groups present in the extracts included disubstituted aromatic compounds, phenols, alkenes, aromatic amines, isothiocyanates, phosphonic acids, amine salts, secondary amines, phosphines, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, intramolecular bonded alcohols, aromatic esters and free alcohols. Sida acuta extract exhibited the highest levels of total flavonoid (9.29 ± 0.23 mg/ml) and phenolic content (6.15 ± 0.15 mg/ml). All three samples exhibited statistically significant (p&lt;0.05) values for DPPH, FRAP and OH scavenging activities. Conclusion: The results suggested that the ethanol leaf extracts of Costus afer, Sida acuta and Irvingia gabonensis had considerable number of phytochemicals, antioxidant and free radicals scavenging properties, hence supporting the traditional use of the plants in the management and treatment of neurological disorders.

Plant-based medicines have received a lot of attention in recent years. Such medicines have been employed to treat medical conditions since ancient times, and in those times only the observed symptoms were used to determine dose accuracy, dose efficacy, and therapy. Rather than novel formulations, the current research work on plant-based medicines has mostly concentrated on medicinal active phytoconstituents. In the past recent decades, however, researchers have made significant progress in developing “new drug delivery systems” (NDDS) to enhance therapeutic efficacy and reduce unwanted effects of bioactive compounds. Nanocapsules, polymer micelles, liposomes, nanogels, phytosomes, nano-emulsions, transferosomes, microspheres, ethosomes, injectable hydrogels, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, and other innovative therapeutic formulations have all been created using bioactive compounds and plant extracts. The novel formulations can improve solubility, therapeutic efficacy, bioavailability, stability, tissue distribution, protection from physical and chemical damage, and prolonged and targeted administration, to name a few. The current study summarizes existing research and the development of new formulations, with a focus on herbal bioactive components.