Abstract
It has been reported that more than 80% of the African population uses traditional medicine to primary healthcare. The aim of the study was to determine the histological elements, the phytochemical composition and evaluate the bioactivities of <i>Ocimum canum</i> in order to promote this plant used in Congolese traditional medicine. The earthworms were collected from the ponds of the secondary forest of Monastère Prieure Notre Dame de l’Assomption in Kinshasa city and the blood used in this study was provided by the Centre de Médecine Mixte et d’Anémie SS in Yolo-Sud quarter, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The histological elements were determined by microscopic examination while different metabolites were determined using thin layer chromatography. Microscopic examination revealed the presence of crystalliferous fibres, fragment of parenchyma, grandular and non-glandular pluricellular trichomes, spheroidal pollen grains, diacytic stomata, spiral vessels. With regard to chromatographic analysis, phytochemicals identified were anthocyanins, coumarins, flavonoids, terpenoids and iridoids. The extracts from <i>O. canum</i> showed good antihelminthic, antisickling and antioxidant activities related to their phytochemicalsAll these findings constitute a scientific evidence validating the use of this medicinal plant for the management of various ailments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Highlights
Phytotherapy has undergone a major expansion in recent years throughout the world, because that compounds synthetized from plants are infinitely more varied than those found in drugs that have several side effects, but they are better tolerated by the human body [1]
The main aim of this study was to enhance the value of O. canum species growing in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
The aerial part of Ocimum canum was used. These organs were harvested in the Kinkole district, N’sele municipality, Kinshasa, DRC. These samples were identified at the herbarium of the Institut National des Etudes et Recherches Agronomiques (INERA) located at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Kinshasa
Summary
Phytotherapy has undergone a major expansion in recent years throughout the world, because that compounds synthetized from plants are infinitely more varied than those found in drugs that have several side effects, but they are better tolerated by the human body [1]. Medicinal plants are considered as a major and inexhaustible source of substances with therapeutic properties. They have shown through several studies various important biological activities including antisickling activity. The use of medicinal plants for various health problems is a choice, but is linked to poverty and the high costs of modern medicines [3,4,5,6].
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