Elephantorrhiza Elephantina Research Articles

Investigation of the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities of Elephantorrhiza elephantina (Burch.) Skeels root extract in male rats.

The anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities of the root extract of Elephantorrhiza elephantina (Burch.) Skeels (Fabaceae) were investigated using wistar rats. The extract was administered intraperitoneally (i.p) to rats at graded doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg BWt. Carrageenan and Histamine were injected into rat paws sub-plantar to induce paw oedema, while acetic acid and formalin were injected i.p to induce pain. Indomethacin (10 mg/kg) was used as reference drug, whereas the vehicle [0.9% normal saline in 3% tween 80 (2 ml/kg)] was used as negative control. Acute toxicity was tested in rats at doses of 200, 400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg BWt. Compared to control, the aqueous extract of E. elephantina at all doses investigated significantly (P tannins and flavonoids. The acute toxicity test showed that the plant is relatively safe to use.

Ethnobotanical Study of Plants Used for the Treatment of Diarrhoea in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

An ethnobotanical study of plants used for the treatment of diarrhoea in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa was carried out, using a questionnaire which was administered to herbalists, traditional healers and rural dwellers. Information collected revealed the names of plants used for the treatment of diarrhoea, the parts used and the methods of preparation. This survey indicated a total of 17 plant species from 14 families used in the Province. Elephantorrhiza elephantina, Hermannia incana, Pelargonium reniforme, Alepidea amatymbica and Bulbine latifolia were the most frequently mentioned and highly recommended plants for the treatment of diarrhoea by both the traditional healers and rural dwellers. Roots, bark and leaves are the common parts of plants used, while decoctions and infusions are the main methods of preparation.

Determination and quantification of the <i>in vitro</i> activity of <i>Aloe marlothii</i> (A. Berger) subsp. <i>marlothii</i> and <i>Elephantorrhiza elephantina</i> (Burch.) skeels acetone extracts against <i>Ehrlichia ruminantium</i>

An Ehrlichia ruminantium culture system was utilized for the anti-rickettsial evaluation of two ethnoveterinary plants, Elephantorrhiza elephantina and Aloe marlothii. Well-established E. ruminantium cultures were incubated with the plant leaf acetone extracts and compared to oxytetracycline and untreated controls. Effectivity was established by comparing the percentage parasitised cells and the calculation of both EC50 and extrapolated EC90 in microg/ml. The plant extracts were also screened for antibacterial activity using bioautography. Elephantorrhiza elephantina and A. marlothii demonstrated anti-ehrlichial activity with an EC50 of 111.4 and 64.5 microg/ml and EC90 of 228.9 and 129.9 microg/ml, respectively. The corresponding EC50 and EC90 for oxytetracycline was 0.29 and 0.08 microg/ml. Both plants appeared to produce their inhibitory activity by a similar mechanism, unrelated to that of the tetracyclines. Both the plant acetone extracts demonstrated antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC strains).

Antibacterial activities of medicinal plants used for the treatment of diarrhoea in Limpopo Province, South Africa

The ethnobotanical survey conducted in this study showed that 21 plant species belonging to 14 families are used in traditional medical practice in Limpopo Province, South Africa, for the treatment of diarrhoea. Methanol, ethanol, acetone and hot water extract from different plant parts (leaves, roots, bark and stem rhizome), of several of these plants ( Indigofera daleoides, Punica granatum, Syzygium cordatum, Gymnosporia senegalensis, Ozoroa insignis, Elephantorrhiza elephantina, Elephantorrhiza burkei, Ximenia caffra, Schotia brachypetala and Spirostachys africana), were screened for antibacterial activity against Vibro cholera, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella spp., Salmonella typhi. The antibacterial activity was determined by agar-well diffusion method and expressed as the average diameter of the zone of inhibition of bacterial growth around the wells. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of active extracts was determined by using the micro-plate dilution assay. Most of the extracts showed relatively high antibacterial activity against most of the tested microorganisms with the diameter of inhibition zones ranging between 10 and 31 mm. Of the plants studied, the most active extracts were those obtained from Punica granatum and Indigofera daleoides. All extracts from two plants, namely, Punica granatum and Ozoroa insignis, were active against all bacterial strains while only organic extracts of Indigofera daleoides inhibited the growth of all tested microorganisms. Water extract of Punica granatum were equally active as organic extracts against bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella sonnei and Shigella flexneri. All extracts of Elephantorrhiza elephantina, Elephantorrhiza burkei and Ximenia caffra and Schotia brachypetala were not active against Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi. The MIC values for active extracts ranged between 0.039 and 0.6 mg/ml. The results obtained appeared to confirm the antibacterial potential of the plants investigated, and their usefulness in the treatment of diarrhoea.

Identification of anti-babesial activity for four ethnoveterinary plants in vitro

A commonly available Babesia caballi culture system was utilized for anti-babesial screening of four commonly used ethnoveterinary plants, Rhoiscissus tridentata, Elephantorrhiza elephantina, Aloe marlothii and Urginea sanguinea, in vitro. Well-established B. caballi cultures were initially incubated with either imidocarb diproprionate and diminazene aceturate to validate the model, where after the studies were performed on the four plants. Effectivity was established as the degree of inhibition using a colour change method as well as by evaluating percentage parasitized cells on thin culture smears and calculating the degree of residual infectivity. The model was effective in demonstrating the in vitro efficacy of the well known anti-babesial drugs imidocarb and diminazene indicating an EC 50 value of 0.08 and 0.3 ug/ml, respectively. Only the E. elephantina rhizomes acetone extracts were effective at a concentration of 100 ug/ml. It was also shown that the colour change method of evaluation was not very sensitive for determining activity of crude plant extracts.

Growth inhibition of plant pathogenic bacteria and fungi by extracts from selected South African plant species

Extracts from 26 plant species representing 16 families, collected in the Free State Province of South Africa, were tested in vitro for their potential to inhibit the growth of eight plant pathogenic fungi and five plant pathogenic bacteria. None of the crude extracts showed any mycelial growth inhibition of the eight test fungi. All of the extracts inhibited the growth of one or more of the five plant pathogenic test bacteria, but to varying degrees. Crude extracts from Acacia karroo and Elephantorrhiza elephantina inhibited the growth of four bacteria, while that of Euclea crispa, Acacia erioloba, Senna italica and Buddleja saligna inhibited the growth of all five plant pathogenic bacteria. Of these, the crude extract of Euclea crispa was clearly superior to the rest as it compared more favourably to that of a commercial bactericide, Dimethyl Dodecyl Ammonium Chloride (DDAC). Subsequently, the Euclea crispa crude extract was fractionated by means of liquid-liquid extraction using four organic solvents, hexane, diethyl ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate, in order of increasing polarity. This was done in an attempt to assess the antimicrobial potential of the more concentrated fractions. Once again, none of the semi-purified fractions showed any antifungal activity. However, antibacterial activity was located in the more polar ethyl acetate fraction indicating that the substances involved were very similar in polarity and/or structure. From this it seems justified to further purify the ethyl acetate fraction of the Euclea crispa extract and attempt to identify the active substance(s) involved.

The in vitro evaluation of the efficacy of five plants traditionally used for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases

Up to 60% of South Africans consult traditional healers for treatment of diseases, including sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Medicinal plants play a major role in the treatment of STDs by traditional healers, but without any scientific support. During this study, five plants were chosen from literature due to their reputed use by traditional healers in the treatment of STDs. The plants were screened for anti-bacterial and anti-STD activity. The plants chosen were Clematis brachiata, Elephantorrhiza elephantina, Lepidium bonariense, Ranunculus multifidus and Typha capensis. The STD screening was conducted with Candida albicans, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Haemophilus ducreyi. Bacillus subtilus, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter sp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus niger were also included for screening purposes. Only Lepidium bonariense possesses activity against all the organisms tested. It is thus clear that a need exists to determine the efficacy of medicinal plants and that the obtained information is communicated to the traditional healers.

PHYLOGENY OF THE GENUS ROSTANGA (NUDIBRANCHIA), WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF THREE NEW SPECIES FROM SOUTH AFRICA

Rostanga elandsia sp. nov., Rostanga aureamala sp. nov. and Rostanga phepha sp. nov. are characterized by having the radula with slender innermost lateral teeth, which lack denticles on the inner side of the cusp and have a single denticle on the outer side. The outermost lateral teeth of these three species are elongate, but shorter than in other species of the genus. In addition, R. aureamala is the only species of the genus with rachidian teeth and R. phepha is unique within the genus Rostanga by virtue of its white coloration with dark spots. A phylogenetic analysis shows that the three new species from South Africa and Rostanga setidens (Odhner, 1939) are the sister group of the rest of the genus. The species from Japan and Marshall Islands (North Pacific Ocean) are basal in the sister clade containing the other species of Rostanga Bergh, 1879. The tropical Indo-Pacific species of Rostanga are not monophyletic. The Atlantic and Eastern Pacific species form a monophyletic, derived clade, being the sister group of Rostanga australis Rudman & Avern, 1989, which has a narrow range restricted to south eastern Australia. The widespread IndoPacific species Rostanga bifurcata Rudman & Avern, 1989, is the sister group of Rostanga dentacus Rudman & Avern, 1989, also widespread in the tropical western Pacific. This phylogeny suggests a vicariant origin of the South African, Atlantic-Eastern Pacific, and probably North Pacific species, whereas in the tropical Indo-Pacific most sister species are sympatric. SPECIES DESCRIPTIONS Rostanga elandsia new species (Figs 1A, 2 and 3) Rostanga sp. 1 Gosliner, 1987, p. 71, Fig. 97 Type material: Holotype: Bakoven Bay, Atlantic Coast of Cape Peninsula, Cape Province, South Africa, 4 April 1982, 19 mm preserved length, collected by T.M. Gosliner (CASIZ 073383). Paratypes: Bakoven Bay, Atlantic Coast of Cape Peninsula, Cape Province, South Africa, 4 April 1982, five specimens 12–20 mm preserved length, collected by T.M. Gosliner (CASIZ 115234). Off Llandudno, Atlantic Coast of Cape Peninsula, Cape Province, South Africa, February 1981, one specimen 11 mm preserved length, collected by T.M. Gosliner (CASIZ 086910); 30 March 1981, four speciJOCELYN B. GAROVOY, ANGEL VALDES & TERRENCE M. GOSLINER 132 Figure 1. Living animals. A. Rostanga elandsia sp. nov., specimen from Bakoven Bay, photo by T.M. Gosliner. B. Rostanga aureamala sp. nov., specimen from Algoa Bay, photo by T.M. Gosliner. C. Rostanga phepha sp. nov., specimen from Llandudno Bay, photo by T.M. Gosliner. mens 8–16 mm preserved length, collected by T.M. Gosliner (SAM A35406); 9 October 1982, two specimens 12–14 mm preserved length, collected by T.M. Gosliner (CASIZ 073382). Kommetjie, Atlantic Coast of Cape Peninsula, Cape Province, South Africa, 29 April 1938, eight specimens 7–12 mm preserved length, collected by U.C.T. Ecological Survey (SAM A54475); May 1963, three specimens 6–10 mm preserved length, collected by U.C.T. Ecological Survey (SAM A54487); 31 January 1980, two specimens 13–14 mm preserved length (SAM A35407). PHYLOGENY AND NEW SPECIES OF ROSTANGA 133 Figure 2. Rostanga elandsia sp. nov. (CASIZ 115234), scanning electron micrographs. A. Inner lateral teeth, scale 25 m. B. Mid-lateral teeth, scale 30 m. C. Outer lateral teeth, scale 43 m. D. Caryophyllidia, scale 75 m. Additional material: Hottentot’s Huisie, Atlantic Coast of Cape Peninsula, Cape Province, South Africa, October 1980, one specimen 14 mm preserved length, collected by T.M. Gosliner (CASIZ 086934); February 1981, one specimen 15 mm preserved length, collected by T.M. Gosliner (SAM A 35404). Llandudno, Atlantic Coast of Cape Peninsula, Cape Province, South Africa, 16 March 1980, one specimen 12 mm preserved length, collected by T.M. Gosliner (SAM A35408). Etymology: The name elandsia is an abbreviation for the elandsboontjie root (Elephantorrhiza elephantina), used by the Khoisan people of South Africa to make a red pigment, in reference to the colour of this species.

The distribution and dynamics of Elephantorrhiza elephantina on the farm Maccauvlei

The regenerative and established phases of E. elephantina were examined to explain its distribution and potential as an invasive species on Maccauvlei. The seedlings are able to establish under environmental conditions unfavourable to the grasses but during the early stages of growth do not appear to be highly competitive. The competitive ability of established plants however, is related to their ability to spread by rhizomes, to store large quantities of reserves in secondarily thickened roots and to root to depths below the other plant species.

The Morphology and Germination of the Seed of Elephantorrhiza elephantina

The Morphology and Germination of the Seed of Elephantorrhiza elephantina