Abstract
Medicinal plants are used for primary health care in many countries. In Brazil, there are hundreds of street markets selling a wide variety of herbs for medicinal purposes without quality control or scientific evidence; instead, their purported efficacy is based exclusively on empirical ethnobotanical knowledge. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of five medicinal plants widely utilized in Brazil to treat infections, as well as determined their chemical profiles. The results revealed that the five plants investigated (Anacardium occidentale L., Handroanthus impetiginosus Mart., Bumelia sartorum Sw., Zornia brasiliensis Vogel and Cnidosculus urens Pohl) demonstrated moderate to strong antimicrobial activity against most fungi and bacteria tested, principally for infections caused by gram-negative bacteria. The extracts of four plants exhibited MIC of 19.5 µg mL-1 against the bacterium Escherichia coli. The results also confirmed that these five traditional medicinal plants are efficient and inexpensive alternative sources of substances to treat infections. The samples of the commercially marketed plants did not have consistent chemical compositions in at least one type of HPLC, GC/MS, UV or 1H NMR analysis.
Highlights
Since the beginning of human civilization, plants have been utilized for a wide array of purposes[1]
The present study evaluated the effectiveness of five medicinal plants widely utilized in Brazil to treat infections, as well as determined their chemical profiles
The results revealed that the five plants investigated (Anacardium occidentale L., Handroanthus impetiginosus Mart., Bumelia sartorum Sw., Zornia brasiliensis Vogel and Cnidosculus urens Pohl) demonstrated moderate to strong antimicrobial activity against most fungi and bacteria tested, principally for infections caused by gram-negative bacteria
Summary
Since the beginning of human civilization, plants have been utilized for a wide array of purposes[1]. Over a period of 30 years (1981 to 2014), 43.5% of the medicines in the world approved for the treatment of infections caused by bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses were obtained from natural products[5]. The present study aimed to determine the chemical profile and antimicrobial potential of five medicinal plants (Anacardium occidentale L., Handroanthus impetiginosus Mart., Bumelia sartorum Sw., Zornia brasiliensis Vogel and Cnidosculus urens Pohl) popularly used in Brazil for the treatment of infections. A. occidentale, known in Brazil as purple cashew, used in the form of tea and juice, is indicated for treatment of infections via oral administration and for wound healing by topical application[15,16]. Extracts from roots of the white nettle, C. urens, are indicated for the treatment of cancer, inflammation, infection and dermatological lesions, besides being used for their antiseptic, expectorant, tonic, antispasmodic, diuretic, sedative and hemostatic activities[22]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
