Effect Of Plant Extracts Research Articles

In vitro antibacterial potential of acetone leaf extract of Otostegia integrifolia Benth against human selected bacterial pathogens

Otostegia integrifolia Benth (O. integrifolia) is the endogenous medicinal plant of Ethiopia mostly used for the treatment of Stomach ache, tonsillitis, hypertension, malaria, ascariasis, and lung diseases. The current study was focused on phytochemical analysis and evaluation of the antibacterial activity of O. integrifolia Benth leave extracts against selected human bacterial pathogen by the agar well diffusion and microtube broth dilution method. Plant leaves were extracted with less polar to high polar solvents such as petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, and ethanol. Phytochemical investigation was carried out for the identification of secondary metabolites responsible for antibacterial activity. In vitro antibacterial potential of O.integrifolia Benth leaf organic extracts against human pathogenic gram-negative (E. coli, K. pneumonia, V. cholera) and positive bacteria (B.subtilis, E. faecalis, S.aureus) were assessed by agar well diffusion, and bacterial inhibitory concentration of effective plant extracts was determined by 96 well plate broth dilution assay. Among all the tested organic leaf extracts, the acetone leaf extract of O.integrifolia Benth exhibited a promising broad spectrum of in vitro antibacterial activity against all tested multiple drug-resistant bacteria pathogens with significant MIC values of K.pneumoniae (2.144µg/ml), V. cholera (2.025µg), B.substilis (2.604 µg), and S.aureus (3.028 µg), respectively. The significant antibacterial activity of acetone leaf extracts of O. integrifolia Benth was due to the existence of flavonoids and phenolic compounds. The current studies demonstrated that the broad-spectrum antibacterial activity of acetone leaf extracts of O.integrifolia Benth might be helpful for the isolation of novel potent antibacterial agents against infectious bacterial pathogens without any side effects.

Screening and Phytochemical Analysis of Some Plants Extracts against Aflatoxin Producing Fungi in Sesame, Benue State, Nigeria

This study investigated the phytochemical screening of some plant extracts against aflatoxin producing fungi in sesame (Sesamum indicum). The plants are Prosopis africana, Psorospermum febrifugum and rhizome of Curcuma longa. Various parts of the plants were dried, grounded and extracted in methanolic solvent. The preliminary phytochemical screening of methanol extracts for stem bark, leaves and rhizome of Curcuma longa revealed the presence of saponins, flavonoids, steroids, cardiac, glycosides, terpenoids, phenols and tannins. The result of anti-aflatoxigenic activity indicates that methanol extracts of these plants show significant activity against the fungi isolates. The effect of plants extracts on mycelia growth of the test organism reduced the mycelia growth significantly as compared to the control (Plate 6 (a-f)). In view of the efficacy of the activity of the plant extracts, it could be concluded that these medicinal plants possess antifungal properties that can be exploited for the control of aflatoxin in sesame. Further works are needed to investigate the biological active ingredients of these plants.

Antibacterial, Antidiabetic and Brine Shrimp Lethality Activities of Some Selected Medicinal Plants from Kavrepalanchok District of Nepal

The methanol extracts of nine medicinal plants collected from Kavrepalanchok district of Nepal were subjected to their potential bioactivity viz. antibacterial, antidiabetic and toxicity tests. Antibacterial property of the extracts was evaluated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria by agar well diffusion method and antidiabetic activity was investigated by α-amylase inhibition assay. The toxicity of plant extracts was assessed by brine shrimp lethality test. All the nine different plant extracts showed antibacterial activity with the zone of inhibition (ZOI) ranging from 5 to 35 mm. Among the studied plant extracts, Psidium guajava showed the highest ZOI against Salmonella typhi (35 mm) while Melia azedarach was most effective against Staphylococcus aureus (22 mm). The percentage of α- amylase enzyme inhibition was found up to 88.56 ± 3.50 in dose dependent manner. The enzyme inhibitory concentration IC50 value of standard, acarbose was 166.01 μg/mL while the most effective anti-diabetic plant extract of Utrica dioica has 186.67 μg/mL. Moreover, various plant extracts depicted various levels of toxic activities; Curcuma longa demonstrated significant toxicity to Artemia salina with LC50 value 62.10 μg/mL, while Agerantina adenophora, P. guajava and M. azedarach showed moderate toxicity with 103.77, 109.37 and 383.58 μg/mL, respectively.

English

Groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) is an important food source as well as cash crop for the people of Northern Ghana. The crop yield is low partly due to biological constraints which include diseases like leaf spot. A survey was conducted among 200 farmers in four districts of the Northern Region of Ghana, from June to August, 2014 using a structured questionnaire. The objectives of this study were to assess farmers’ knowledge, perception and management of leaf spot disease of groundnut. Differences in farmer responses were evaluated using Chi-square test. A significantly higher (P =0.005) number of farmers (87.5 %) were aware of leaf spot disease of groundnut and could identify symptoms of the disease, but could not differentiate symptoms from herbicide injury. Majority (84.5 %) of the farmers reported the incidence of leaf spot disease on their farms to be 50 % and above. Most farmers (74.5 %) also reported the disease severity to be above 50 %. Male farmers (33.5 %) who used defoliation or brown spots as signs of maturity of the groundnut crop were significantly more (P =0.031) than their female counterparts (26 %). Farmers who used non-chemical methods (62 %) of managing leaf spot disease were significantly (P <0.001) higher than those who used recommended methods including the use of chemicals (38 %). It is important to educate farmers to enhance their capabilities for leaf spot disease management through farmers’ field days. Also, since most of them use traditional methods such as crop rotation, appropriate spacing and mixed cropping as means of controlling the disease, and the use of effective plant extracts as an integrated management strategy would be ideal. Key words: Leaf spots, knowledge, perception, management, Northern region.

Aflatoxigenic fungi occurrence in some processed meat products and their control by some plant extracts in vitro

THE CURRENT research was focused on the isolation and identification of aflatoxigenic fungi and aflatoxins associated with some processed meat samples, i.e. basterma, beef burger, luncheon meat, and sausage samples and their control using some plant extracts as Euphorbia cotinifolia L., E. tirucalli L. and Rhus coriaria L. Randomly 48 samples of processed meat products (12 for each) were collected from different companies and analyzed for mycological examination and aflatoxins contamination. Data indicated that, Basterma samples had the highest mean total fungal count, (674 fungal colonies/10g). Identification of all isolated fungal genera were Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Epicoccum, Geotrichum, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Phoma and Trichoderma. The highest aflatoxins contamination was found in basterma meat sample. Results also cleared that, all tested ethanolic plant extracts were found to significantly decrease the mycelium dry weight (g) and spore germination of A. flavus and A. parasiticus at all different concentrations. The most effective plant extract against tested fungi was R. coriaria L. extract.

Potent Antitumor Effects of a Combination of Three Nutraceutical Compounds

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is associated with low survival, and the current aggressive therapies result in high morbidity. Nutraceuticals are dietary compounds with few side effects. However, limited antitumor efficacy has restricted their application for cancer therapy. Here, we examine combining nutraceuticals, establishing a combination therapy that is more potent than any singular component, and delineate the mechanism of action. Three formulations were tested: GZ17-S (combined plant extracts from Arum palaestinum, Peganum harmala and Curcuma longa); GZ17-05.00 (16 synthetic components of GZ17-S); and GZ17-6.02 (3 synthetic components of GZ17S; curcumin, harmine and isovanillin). We tested the formulations on HNSCC proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, macrophage viability and infiltration into the tumor and tumor apoptosis. GZ17-6.02, the most effective formulation, significantly reduced in vitro assessments of HNSCC progression. When combined with cisplatin, GZ17-6.02 enhanced anti-proliferative effects. Molecular signaling cascades inhibited by GZ17-6.02 include EGFR, ERK1/2, and AKT, and molecular docking analyses demonstrate GZ17-6.02 components bind at distinct binding sites. GZ17-6.02 significantly inhibited growth of HNSCC cell line, patient-derived xenografts, and murine syngeneic tumors in vivo (P < 0.001). We demonstrate GZ17-6.02 as a highly effective plant extract combination and pave the way for future clinical application in HNSCC.

Zoonotic Diseases and Phytochemical Medicines for Microbial Infections in Veterinary Science: Current State and Future Perspective.

Diseases caused by bacterial infections in small-scale and industrial livestock are becoming serious global health concern in veterinary science. Zoonotic bacteria, including Staphylococcus, Campylobacter, and Bartonella species, that infect animals and humans cause various illnesses, such as fever, diarrhea, and related complications. Bacterial diseases in animals can be treated with various classes of antibiotics, including fluoroquinolones, beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, and macrolides. However, the overuse and misuse of antibiotics have led to drug resistance in infectious agents, e.g., methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus; this hampers the treatment of infections in livestock, and such problems are increasing worldwide. Dietary phytochemicals and herbal medicines are useful and viable alternatives to pharmaceuticals because they are economical, effective, non-resistance-forming, renewable, and environmentally friendly. They are small molecules with high structural diversity that cause selective stress to or stimulation of resident microbiota, consequently causing an abundance of such microorganisms; thus, they can be used in preventing various diseases, ranging from metabolic and inflammatory diseases to cancer. In addition, the antioxidant effects of phytochemicals prevent substantial losses in the livestock industry by increasing animal fertility and preventing diseases. Potentially effective plant extracts could be used in combination with antibiotics to decrease the required dose of antibiotics and increase their effectiveness. This strategy can help avoid the side effects of chemical antimicrobials and allow the effective use of phytochemicals for treating diseases. Furthermore, phytochemicals are considered as potential alternatives to antibiotics because of their economical, non-resistance-forming and environmentally friendly properties. Flavonoids such as resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, and phenols such as galangin, puerarin, and ursolic acid are proven to be effective as antimicrobial agents. This review provides invaluable information about the types of microbial infections in animals and the current knowledge on phytotherapeutic agents classified by their mode of actions. It also provides insights into potential strategies for effectively treating animal infections using phytochemicals.

Antibacterial Effects of Methanol Extracts of Some Plant Species Belonging to Lamiaceae Family

Species belonging to Lamiaceae family are used as an antibacterial agent among medical plants. The aim of the present study was to determinate the antibacterial effects of the methanolic extracts of some plant species belonging Lamiaceae family which distributed to different ecological conditions in Amasya. The antibacterial effects of Stachys annua , Scutellaria salviifolia and Nepata nuda plant extracts were determined by disc diffusion and micro dilution methods. The antibacterial effects of plant extracts were tested against standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 35218, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 70600, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Salmonella enteritidis ATCC 13076. We observed that plant extracts had antibacterial effect when they compared with control group antibiotics. According to the results of disc diffusion method, the highest antibacterial effect was identified in Scutellaria salviifolia , Stachys annua and Nepata nuda , respectively. The microdilution method was studied concentration range from 6.25 - to 50 mg/ml. MICs of the most effective Scutellaria salviifolia plant extract were 12.5 mg/ml for S. aureus , S. enteritidis and E. coli ; 25 mg/ml for K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa . The MICs of Stachys annua extract were 12.5 mg/ml for P. aeruginosa , S. enteritidis and E. coli ; 25 mg/ml for S. aureus and 50 mg/ml for K. pneumoniae . MICs of Nepata nuda were 12.5 mg/ml K. pneumonia ; 25 mg/ml for S. aureus ; 50 mg/ml for P. aeruginosa , S. enteritidis and E. coli. This study showed that Scutellaria salviifolia, Stachys annua and Nepata nuda species have in vitro antibacterial activities.

Vernonia adoensis Leaf Extracts Cause Cellular Membrane Disruption and Nucleic Acid Leakage in Mycobacterium smegmatis

Vernonia adoensis is a folk herbal medicine traditionally used to treat tuberculosis and tuberculosis-related ailments. The study aimed to determine the antitubercular activity of V. adoensis and its possible mode of action against Mycobacterium smegmatis. Extracts and phytochemicals were tested for growth inhibitory and bactericidal activities against M. smegmatis. The effects of the most effective plant extract on drug transport across the membrane and its ability to cause membrane and protein leakage in mycobacterial cells were determined. Its capacity to quench DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl) was also evaluated. The ethyl acetate extract from Vernonia adoensis leaf was most effective against M. smegmatis with a minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of 63 μg/ml and 125 μg/ml respectively. The most active phytochemical was the alkaloid fraction with an MIC of 125 μg/ml. Significant nucleic acid and protein leakage in M. smegmatis was observed after exposure to the leaf extract. The extract did not possess significant free radical scavenging activity and did not affect drug transport in mycobacterial cells. Results showed that the ethyl acetate leaf extract exhibited potential antimycobacterial activity against M. smegmatis. Cell membrane disruption resulting in protein and nucleic acid leakage could be the plant’s possible mode of action.

Antimicrobial activity of some plant extracts against bacterial strains causing food poisoning diseases.

Prevention of food spoilage and food poisoning pathogens is usually achieved by use of chemical preservatives which have negative impacts including: human health hazards of the chemical applications, chemical residues in food & feed chains and acquisition of microbial resistance to the used chemicals. Because of such concerns, the necessity to find a potentially effective, healthy safer and natural alternative preservatives is increased. Within these texts, Plant extracts have been used to control food poisoning diseases and preserve foodstuff. Antimicrobial activity of five plant extracts were investigated against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi using agar disc diffusion technique. Ethanolic extracts of Punica granatum, Syzygium aromaticum, Zingiber officinales and Thymus vulgaris were potentially effective with variable efficiency against the tested bacterial strains at concentration of 10 mg/ml while extract of Cuminum cyminum was only effective against S. aureus respectively. P. granatum and S. aromaticum ethanolic extracts were the most effective plant extracts and showed bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities against the highly susceptible strains of food borne pathogenic bacteria (S. aureus and P. aeruginosa) with MIC's ranged from 2.5 to 5.0 mg/ml and MBC of 5.0 and 10 mg/ml except P. aeruginosa which was less sensitive and its MBC reached to 12.5 mg/ml of S. aromaticum respectively. These plant extracts which proved to be potentially effective can be used as natural alternative preventives to control food poisoning diseases and preserve food stuff avoiding healthy hazards of chemically antimicrobial agent applications.

In vitro effects of plant extracts and fungicides to control wilt of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Five fungicides viz., Bavistin DF, Capvit 50 WP, Dithane M-45, Greengel 72 WP and Tilt 250 EC were selected to evaluate in vitro efficacy against Fusarium oxysporum and F. solani at 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 ppm following poisoned food technique. Bavistin, Capvit and Tilt were found to be most effective inhibitor against the test pathogens isolated from brinjal wilt. Bavistin and Tilt completely inhibited the growth of F. oxysporum and F. solani at all the tested concentrations. Out of five plant extracts, Allium sativum identified as the promising botanical fungicide for testing against wilted plants of brinjal. The result of present study will be helpful in suggesting some effective plant extracts and fungicides for controlling wilting of brinjal.&#x0D; Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 26(1): 39-44, 2017 (January)

Biofilm inhibition activity of traditional medicinal plants from Northwestern Argentina against native pathogen and environmental microorganisms.

Plants have been commonly used in popular medicine of most cultures for the treatment of disease. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of certain Argentine plants used in traditional medicine has been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial, anti-biofilm, and anti-cell adherence activities of native plants (Larrea divaricata, Tagetes minuta, Tessaria absinthioides, Lycium chilense, and Schinus fasciculatus) collected in northwestern Argentina. The activities of the five plant species were evaluated in Bacillus strains and clinical strains of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus isolated from northwestern Argentina and identified by 16S rDNA. Lycium chilense and Schinus fasciculatus were the most effective antimicrobial plant extracts (15.62µg/ml and 62.50µg/ml for Staphylococcus sp. Mcr1 and Bacillus sp. Mcn4, respectively). The highest (66%) anti-biofilm activity against Bacillus sp. Mcn4 was observed with T. absinthioides and L. divaricate extracts. The highest (68%) anti-biofilm activity against Staphylococcus sp. Mcr1 was observed with L. chilense extract. T. minuta, T. absinthioides, and L. divaricata showed percentages of anti-biofilm activity of between 55% and 62%. The anti-adherence effects of T. minuta and L. chilense observed in Bacillus sp. Mcn4 reflected a difference of only 22% and 10%, respectively, between anti-adherence and biofilm inhibition. Thus, the inhibition of biofilm could be related to cell adherence. In Staphylococcus sp. Mcr1, all plant extracts produced low anti-adherence percentages. These five species may represent a source of alternative drugs derived from plant extracts, based on ethnobotanical knowledge from northwest Argentina.

Integrated Management of Root Rot Disease of Papaya (Carica papaya L.) caused by Fusarium solani

Present study the most effective fungicides, plant extract, organic cake and bio-agent were evaluated in different combinations under field conditions for the management of papaya root rot disease. It was observed that there was 81.5% disease incidence in control while the lowest disease incidence (29.60%) was recorded in treatment (T ) (Comprising disease free seedling + mustard 13 cake (10%)+ wild garlic (10%) + dipping of seedlings in thiophanate methyl (0.1%) 30 min.+ soil drenching with thiophanate methyl (0.1%) solution three times (1st at time of transplanting, second at 3rd MAT and third at 5th month after transplanting)+ Soil application of Trichoderma viride @ 50g/plant three times (i.e. 1st at time of transplanting, second at 3rd MAT and third at 5th MAT)+ soil application of Pseudomonas florescence @ 50g/plant three times (i.e. 1st at time of transplanting, second at 3rd MAT and third at 5th MAT). This was followed by treatment T (37.0%), T (40.7%) and T 6 9 5 (44.4%). The effect of different treatments on yield was also studied and the highest fruit yield (1064.67 kg/plot) was obtained from the treatment T followed by treatment T (848.67 kg/plot) and 13 9 T (810.00 kg/plot) over the control T (209.00 kg/plot).

In Vitro Efficacy of Different Plant Extracts as Botanical Controls of Pectinolysis

Generally pectinolytic organisms are related with agricultural manufacture which is the backbone of cost-cutting measure of many developing countries. Numerous published reports outlined the antibacterial effects of plants extracts and authenticated their use as effective inhibitors of phytopathogenic bacteria. Evaluation of these effective plant extracts against the soft rot bacteria yielded satisfactory results. However, no attempts have been made to utilize them in controlling the soft rot pathogens in Saudi Arabia. In this study, we have analyzed the species of bacteria responsible for soft rot of potato onions, carrots and tomato and also tested the efficacy of seven plant extracts in controlling soft rot of vegetables. The plant extracts which showed maximum antibacterial effect was selected for the in vivo testing against the vegetable which showed more pectinolytic count. The highest percentage of pectinolytic bacteria recorded in potatoes and carrots were 92 and 80.6 %, respectively. The percentage of pectinolytic count for tomatoes and onions were 60 and 75 %, respectively. Out of seven different plant extracts, only jute, garlic and neem extracts suppressed the growth of the control strain Ecc P-138 in low concentration. Irrespectively, the use of plant extracts to preserve food products is an eco-friendly and viable natural technique to minimize the spoilage of vegetables by soft rot pathogens. This could invariably reduce the cost of production by reducing the use of expensive chemical pesticides.

Phytochemical, Antimicrobial, and Toxicological Evaluation of Traditional Herbs Used to Treat Sore Throat.

The in vitro antibacterial activities of 29 traditional medicinal plants used in respiratory ailments were assessed on multidrug resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria isolated from the sore throat patients and two reference strains. The methanolic, n-hexane, and aqueous extracts were screened by the agar well diffusion assay. Bioactive fractions of effective extracts were identified on TLC coupled with bioautography, while their toxicity was determined using haemolytic assay against human erythrocytes. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis of effective extracts was also performed. Methanolic extract of 18 plants showed antimicrobial activity against test strains. Adhatoda vasica (ZI = 17–21 mm, MIC: 7.12–62.5 μg/mL), Althaea officinalis (ZI = 16–20 mm, MIC: 15.62–31.25 μg/mL), Cordia latifolia (ZI = 16–20 mm, MIC: 12.62–62.5 μg/mL), Origanum vulgare (ZI = 20–22 mm, MIC: 3–15.62 μg/mL), Thymus vulgaris (ZI = 21–25 mm, MIC: 7.81–31.25 μg/mL), and Ziziphus jujuba (ZI = 14–20 mm, MIC: 7.81–31.25 μg/mL) showed significant antibacterial activity. Alkaloid fractions of Adhatoda vasica, Cordia latifolia, and Origanum vulgare and flavonoid fraction of the Althaea officinalis, Origanum vulgare, Thymus Vulgaris, and Ziziphus jujuba exhibited antimicrobial activity. Effective plant extracts show 0.93–0.7% erythrocyte haemolysis. The results obtained from this study provide a scientific rationale for the traditional use of these herbs and laid the basis for future studies to explore novel antimicrobial compounds.

Antioxidant and Ecofriendly Ovicidal Activityof Medicinal plants Against Some CommonPlant Pests

Chemical and synthetic pesticides used for controlling various plant pest have resulted in the development of resistance to several classes of pesticides. In the present study, five medicinal plants were screened for their ovicidal activity againstHelicoverpaamigera ,Spodopteralitura ,Plutellaxylostella,Corcyracephalonica. Hexane, Diethyl ether extract of plants was studied at 1% concentration. Effective plant extracts identified based on total antioxidant, flavonoid and phenolic contents and Maximum ovicidal activity was recorded in hexane extract of Vitexagnuscastus (96%) for Spodoptera,(93.5%) for Plutella and (90.5%) for Corcyra followed by hexane extract of Ricinuscommunis (92%) for Corcyra and Pongamiapinnata(84.5%) for Corcyra. Diethyl ether extract showed lower activity when compared to hexane extract. Further isolation and identification of bioactive principles responsible for the ovicidal activity is needed

Toxicity of some plant extracts against vector of lymphatic filariasis, Culex pipiens.

Many insecticides are generally used as larvicides to control Culex pipiens, vector of lymphatic filariasis. This study was undertaken to evaluate the larvicidal activity of some potential larvicidal plants extracts against C. pipiens larvae. The toxic effects of both ethanolic and petroleum ether plant extracts were evaluated under laboratory conditions against 3rd instar larvae of C. pipiens. Forty ethanolic and petroleum ether extracts of 10 plants namely Echinochloa stagninum, Phragmites australis, Eichhornia crassipes, Rhizophora mucronata, Cichorium intybus, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum majorana, Azadirachta indica, Rosmarinus officinalis and Nigella sativa. On the basis of LC50, the toxic effect of the plant extracts tested varied depending on the plant species, part, solvent used in extraction and the extract concentrations. The petroleum ether extraction was more effective against mosquito as compared with ethanolic extraction. The most effective plant extract was A. indica followed by Ph. australis, N. sativa, C. intybus, R. officinalis, O. basilicum, O. majorana, E. stagninum, Rh. Mucronata and E. crassipes.

Antifungal activity of some invasive alien plant leaf extracts against mango (Mangifera indica) anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

The antifungal activity of five invasive alien plant leaf extracts against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was studied in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro antifungal activity was based on the inhibitory effects of the extracts on C. gloeosporioides radial growth and conidia formation, while the in vivo activity was based on the development of anthracnose disease on detached mango fruits. For the in vivo test, two plant extracts that showed higher inhibitory effect in vitro were selected and their minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined and tested against the disease on detached mango fruits applying the extracts at three times of application. The study revealed that the inhibitory effect of the extracts depends on the type of plant species used, method of extraction and time of application of the extracts. Prosopis juliflora and Lantana camara extracts were the most effective plant extracts that significantly reduced radial growth and conidia formation, and reduced disease development on mango fruits. Thus, P. juliflora and L. camara extracts can serve as an alternative means of post-harvest mango anthracnose disease management.

Anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous extract of Mangifera indica in Wistar rats.

Recent studies in standard laboratories have indicated that a typical mango stem bark aqueous extract (Magnifera indica Linn) possess anti-malaria and anti-fever properties. Recent information also exists in the literature, suggesting its potency as a very effective anti-inflammatory plant extract. This study will therefore contribute immensely to the systemic search for a useful, less toxic and natural bioactive medicinal compound. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of the aqueous extract of Mangifera indica (MI) in a carrageenin-induced rat paw oedema model of acute inflammation. Rats (n=5) were treated orally with MI (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg), acetylsalicylic acid (100 mg/kg) or distilled water (3 mL). Thirty minutes later, acute inflammation was induced with a sub-plantar injection of 0.1 mL of 1% carrageenin solution into the right hind paw of the rats. The paw oedema sizes were measured with the aid of a Vernier calliper over a period of 3 hours. The aqueous extract of MI (50-200 mg/kg, p.o.) produced a dose-dependent and significant inhibition of the acute inflammation induced by the carrageenin in rats when compared with controls. The percentage inhibition of oedema formation produced by MI (200 mg/kg, p.o.) was similar to that elicited by acetylsalicylic acid (100 mg/kg, p.o.). The results of this preliminary investigation suggest that MI contains active compounds with an anti-inflammatory activity. However, more detailed studies using additional models are necessary to further characterise the effects of MI in inflammatory disorders.

Antifungal activity using medicinal plant extracts against pathogens of coffee tree

Generally, the medicinal plants have antifungal substances that can be used for the plant protection against phytopathogens. The objective of this study was to know the efficiency of aqueous extracts from medicinal plants against the major etiological agents of coffee tree. The aqueous extracts used were extracted from bulbs of Allium sativum, leaves of Vernonia polysphaera, Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon nardus, Cordia verbenacea, Eucalyptus citriodora, Ricinus communis, Azadirachta indica, Piper hispidinervum and flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum. The etiological agents considered for this study were Cercospora coffeicola, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Fusarium oxysporum, Phoma tarda, Rhizoctonia solani and Hemileia vastatrix. The screening for harmful extracts was done based on mycelial growth and conidial germination inhibition. All experiments performed were in vitro conditions. The inhibition of mycelial growth was performed mixing the extracts with the PDA. This mixture was poured in Petri dishes. On the center of the dishes was added one PDA disc with mycelium. It was incubated in a chamber set to 25ºC. The evaluation was done daily by measuring the mycelial growth. The germination assessment was also performed with Petri dishes containing agar-water medium at 2%. These were incubated at 25ºC for 24 hours. After this period the interruption of germination was performed using lactoglycerol. The experiments were conducted in a completely randomized design. The most effective plant extracts against the micelial growth and conidial germination were V. polysphaera, S. aromaticum and A. sativum.