Ferox Mill Research Articles

Preparative isolation of bio-markers from the leaf exudate of Aloe ferox (“aloe bitters”) by high performance counter-current chromatography

One of the most crucial factors determining the safety and efficacy of any herbal medicine or natural product-based formulation is the quality of the raw material. The absence of readily available bio-markers (standards) is one of the hurdles which need to be overcome to develop robust and effective quality control protocols.Aloe ferox Mill. is a most coveted ethnomedicinally import plant indigenous to South Africa. A. ferox has been used since ancient times in folk medicine and recently it has gained popularity as an ingredient in cosmetic formulations and food supplements. This study aimed to develop a superior method for the isolation of bio-markers from “aloe bitters” (exudate) obtained from A. ferox.For separation by HPCCC the solvent system comprising of EtOAc/n-BuOH/H2O (3.5:1.5:5, v/v/v) was used in reversed phase mode. By this method, and only in one run, eight bio-markers were separated and isolated on semi-preparative scale including aloesin, aloeresin C, aloeresin A, 5-hydroxyaloin, aloin B, aloinoside B, aloin A and aloinoside A. The isolation of bio-active molecules from A. ferox (Cape aloes) is presented to illustrate the efficiency and advantages of high performance counter-current chromatography (HPCCC).

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the management of skin disorders among the Xhosa communities of the Amathole District, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Ethnopharmacological relevanceSkin diseases have been of major concern recently due to the association of skin opportunistic infections and HIV/AIDS, are usually the first sign of HIV infection and conversion to AIDS. More than 90% of HIV-infected individuals develop skin and mucosal complications at some stage during the disease. Although classical medicine is undoubtedly addressing these diseases, the people of the Eastern Cape, South Africa still depend, to a large extent on traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of various diseases. The current study was undertaken to investigate the local peoples characterisation of skin diseases/disorders and to document the medicinal plants used for various skin disorders among the Xhosa-speaking communities of the Amathole District, Eastern Cape. Materials and methodsInformation was obtained by interviewing 54 respondents in 7 locations. Collection of the reported medicinal plants from the wild was assisted by the informants and identification of the collected plants specimens was done with the help of floristic works of South Africa. Quantitative methods including the use-value and the informant consensus factor (ICF) were computed for determining the relative importance of species known locally and the homogeneity of the informants׳ knowledge respectively. ResultsTwenty five skin disorders, classified under 5 categories are being treated with the listed medicinal plants in the study area. The highest ICF (0.45) was linked to bacteria-related skin disorders. This category comprised of 57 use citations, 3 skin disorders; with sore throat being the most frequently mentioned (4.2%). In this study, 106 plant species distributed in 61 families and 107 genera were identified as being used to treat one or more of the skin disorders. The species with the highest use-value was Aloe ferox Mill. (Xanthorrhoeaceae) known locally as Umhlaba. The most representative families were Solanaceae and Asteraceae with 6 species each, followed by Fabaceae, Poaceae and Rutaceae (5 species each). The leaves were the most frequently used plant part, followed by the bark (10%) and fruits (7%). Administration of the different plant parts was mostly topical (77%) on the affected area. ConclusionA total of twenty five skin disorders/conditions, classified under 5 categories are being treated with the listed medicinal plants in the study area. 106 plant species distributed in 61 families and 107 genera were identified as being used to treat one or more of the skin disorders. The species with the highest use-value was Aloe ferox Mill. (Xanthorrhoeaceae) known locally as Umhlaba. The most representative families were Solanaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae, Rutaceae and Euphorbiaceae. Majority of the plant species were herbs and the leaves were the most frequently used, mostly applied topically as a paste, powder or sap on the affected skin area.

In Vivo skin hydration and anti-erythema effects of Aloe vera, Aloe ferox and Aloe marlothii gel materials after single and multiple applications.

Objective:To investigate the skin hydrating and anti-erythema activity of gel materials from Aloe marlothii A. Berger and A. ferox Mill. in comparison to that of Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera) in healthy human volunteers.Materials and Methods:Aqueous solutions of the polisaccharidic fractions of the selected aloe leaf gel materials were applied to the volar forearm skin of female subjects. The hydration effect of the aloe gel materials were measured with a Corneometer® CM 825, Visioscan® VC 98 and Cutometer® dual MPA 580 after single and multiple applications. The Mexameter® MX 18 was used to determine the anti-erythema effects of the aloe material solutions on irritated skin areas.Results:The A. vera and A. marlothii gel materials hydrated the skin after a single application, whereas the A. ferox gel material showed dehydration effects compared to the placebo. After multiple applications all the aloe materials exhibited dehydration effects on the skin. Mexameter® readings showed that A. vera and A. ferox have anti-erythema activity similar to that of the positive control group (i.e. hydrocortisone gel) after 6 days of treatment.Conclusion:The polysaccharide component of the gel materials from selected aloe species has a dehydrating effect on the skin after multiple applications. Both A. vera and A. ferox gel materials showed potential to reduce erythema on the skin similar to that of hydrocortisone gel.

English

  Ticks are vectors of tick-borne diseases, cause teat damage and tick-worry. They are commonly controlled using conventional acaricides, which are expensive to the resource-limited farmers, making them to resort to alternative tick control materials. The objective of this study was to validate the acaricidal properties of various ethno-veterinary materials used by rural farmers in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. In vitro repellency and contact bio-assay models were carried out to determine the repellency and acaricidal properties of Ptaeroxylon obliquum, Aloe ferox Mill, Lantana camara L, Tagetes minuta,used engine oil and Jeyes fluid on Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks. The optimum repellency of Jeyes fluid at concentrations of 76.8 and 100% lasted for 6 and 7 h, respectively. Tabard the reference product lasted for 4 h. P. obliquum (40%) repelled the ticks for 40 min. For the contact bio-assay, used engine oil, T. minuta oil (50%), Ektoban®and Jeyes fluid (76.8%) caused tick mortality of more than 86%. This study reveals that the materials rural farmers use to control ticks vary in their efficacy. Jeyes fluid and used engine oil have acaricidal effect as the conventional acaricides whereas extracts of A. ferox, L. camara and T. minuta are not.   Key words: Acaricides, ethno-veterinary materials, repellency, Rhipicephalus sanguineus.

Phytochemical constituents and allelopathic effect of Aloe ferox Mill. root extract on tomato

Phytochemical constituents of the root extract of Aloe ferox were estimated using standard quantitative analysis. The extract contained phenols, flavonoids, flavonols, tannins alkaloids and saponins in different proportions; with more of phenols and saponins. Allelopathic effect of the aqueous root extract of the plant on tomato was also investigated. The extract reduced the germination of the tomato seeds. However, root and shoot elongations of the tomato seedlings were significantly inhibited by the extract, with the percentage inhibition increasing as the concentration of the extract increased. The observed allelopathic activity of the root extract of A. ferox on the seed germination and seedling growth of tomato was attributed to the presence of the allelopathic phytochemicals in A. ferox roots.

Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of some selected plants used for the treatment of cattle wounds in the Eastern Cape

This study was carried out to determine the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of selected medicinal plants (Aloe ferox Mill, Ptaeroxylon obliquum (Thunb) Radlk. and Calpurnia aurea (Aiton) Benth) used for the treatment of cattle wounds. DPPH 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphuric acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), radical scavenging assays were used to determine the antioxidant activity of selected plants. Microbial susceptibility assay using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was used to test plant extracts against gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial strains. Each extract was also assayed to determine the total phenol, flavonoid, flavonol and prothocyanidin contents. The methanol extracts produced better results in all the assays. All plant extracts inhibited both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria but there was more inhibition on gram-positive strains. Plant extracts tested also showed considerable scavenging activities against both DPPH and ABTS radicals at 0.2 mg/ml. These results are probably due to the level of phenols, flavonoids and flavonols in the extracts. The antibacterial and antioxidant activities displayed by these plants might justify their traditional use in wound healing and out of the three species tested, P. obliquum displayed the best antibacterial and antioxidant properties.

Assessment of allelopathic properties of Aloe ferox Mill. on turnip, beetroot and carrot

Turnip (Brassica rapa var. rapa L.), beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) and carrot (Daucus carota L.) are common vegetables in South Africa. The allelopathic potential of aqueous leaf and root extracts of Aloe ferox Mill.- a highly valued medicinal plant- was evaluated against seed germination and seedling growth of the three vegetables in Petri dish experiments. The extracts were tested at concentrations of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 mg/mL. Leaf extract concentrations above 4 mg/mL inhibited the germination of all the crops, while the root extract had no significant effect on germination irrespective of concentration. Interestingly, the lowest concentration of leaf extract stimulated root length elongation of beetroot by 31.71%. Other concentrations significantly inhibited both root and shoot growth of the vegetable crops except the turnip shoot. The most sensitive crop was carrot, with percentage inhibition ranging from 29.15 to 100% for root and shoot lengths. Lower percentage inhibition was observed for the root extract than the leaf extract against shoot growth of beetroot and carrot. The results from this study suggested the presence of allelochemicals mostly in the leaves of A. ferox that could inhibit the growth of the turnip, beetroot and carrot.

Phytochemical constituents and antioxidant activities of the whole leaf extract of Aloe ferox Mill.

Background:Aloe ferox Mill. (Asphodelaceae) is used in South Africa for the treatment of constipation among various ailments. Despite the extensive studies conducted on the antioxidant activities of the leaf gel and pulp extract of the plant, there is no information on the antioxidant properties of the whole leaf extract of the species.Materials and Methods:The antioxidant activities of ethanol, acetone, methanol and aqueous extracts of A. ferox were investigated spectrophotometrically against 1,1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) diammonium salt, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitric oxide (NO), lipid peroxidation and ferric reducing power. Total phenols, flavonoids, flavonols, proanthocyanidins, tannins, alkaloids and saponins were also determined using the standard methods.Results:The percentage compositions of phenols (70.33), flavonols (35.2), proanthocyanidins (171.06) and alkaloids (60.9) were significantly high in the acetone extract, followed by the ethanol extract with values of 70.24, 12.53, 76.7 and 23.76 respectively, while the least composition was found in the aqueous extract. Moreover, both flavonoids and saponins contents were appreciably high in both methanol and ethanol extracts, while others were very low. Tannins levels were, however, not significantly different (P > 0.05) in all the solvent extracts. At 0.5 mg/ml, the free radical scavenging activity of the methanol, acetone and ethanol extracts showed higher inhibition against ABTS, hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide radicals. Whereas, scavenging activity of the extracts against DPPH* and lipid peroxidation were observed at a concentration of 0.016 and 0.118 mg/ml respectively in comparison to the butylated hydroxyltoluene (BHT), gallic acid and rutin. The ferric reducing potential of the extracts was concentration dependent and significantly different from that of vitamin C and BHT.Conclusion:The present study showed high level of radical scavenging activity by ethanol and methanol whole leaf extracts of A. ferox with higher antioxidant activities than acetone and aqueous extracts. The significant differences show that the whole leaf extract could be used as a potent antioxidant in medicine and food industries.

The effect of Aloe ferox Mill. in the treatment of loperamide-induced constipation in Wistar rats

BackgroundConstipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint all over the world and it is a risk factor of colorectal cancer. In this study, the efficacy of aqueous leaf extract of Aloe ferox Mill. was studied against loperamide-induced constipation in Wistar rats.MethodsConstipation was induced by oral administration of loperamide (3 mg/kg body weight) while the control rats received normal saline. The constipated rats were treated with 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight/day of the extract for 7 days during which the feeding characteristics, body weight, fecal properties and gastrointestinal transit ratio were monitored.ResultsThe extract improved intestinal motility, increased fecal volume and normalized body weight in the constipated rats, which are indications of laxative property of the herb with the 200 mg/kg body weight of the extract showing the best efficacy.ConclusionThe effect of the extract compares favourably well with senokot, a standard laxative drug. These findings have therefore, lent scientific credence to the folkloric use of the herb as a laxative agent by the people of the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of Aloe ferox Mill. aqueous extract.

Pharmacological activities of leaf gel and pulp of Aloe ferox have been extensively evaluated. However, there is scanty information on the pharmacological activities of the whole leaf of A. ferox. Carrageenan, histamine and formaldehyde-induced rat paw oedema were conducted to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity of A. ferox whole leaf aqueous extract. Tail flick, formalin and acetic acid tests were conducted to assess the analgesic activity of the plant. A. ferox exhibited highest anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities in the highest dose (400 mg/kg) tested. This dose level exerted highest anti-inflammatory activity; 78.2 and 89.3% for carrageenan and formaldehyde-induced rat paw oedema, respectively. The analgesic activity was 57.1 and 67.3% for the 400 mg/kg dose in phase 1 and 2, respectively of formalin test and 88.2% in acetic acid test. A. ferox reduced inflammation and relieved pain in rats at the highest dose level studied. This supports the extensive use of the plant as an antihelmintic reducing the inflammation and pain that might have been caused by gastro-intestinal parasite infections. Key words: Leaf extract, pain reduction, oedema inhibition.

Toxicological evaluation of aqueous extract of Aloe ferox Mill. in loperamide-induced constipated rats

Aloe ferox Mill. is a widely used medicinal plant in South Africa for the treatment of many ailments including constipation. The present study evaluated the toxicological effect of aqueous leaf extract of the herb at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight for 7 days on the haematological parameters as well as liver and kidney function indices in loperamide-induced constipated rats. The extract did not cause any significant (p > 0.05) effect on the kidney and liver-body weight ratio as well as the kidney function indices including serum levels of creatinine, uric acid, urea, calcium and potassium ions at all the dosages investigated. Whereas the serum levels of total protein, albumin, bilirubin and gamma glutamyl trasferase (GGT) were not affected, the elevated activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) in the untreated constipated animals were normalized following treatment with extract. The data obtained with respect to the haematological analysis indicated that the extracts had no significant (p > 0.05) effect on the haematological parameters with the exception of lymphocyte count which was increased in the untreated constipated rats. This was however attenuated after administering the herb. The available evidence in this study suggests that A. ferox may be safe as an oral remedy for constipation. Generally, the effect of the extract compared favourably well with senokot, a recommended drug for the treatment of constipation.

Growth of Aloe ferox Mill. at selected sites in the Makana region of the Eastern Cape

There is widespread harvesting of the leaves of Aloe ferox to supply bitters and gel for cosmetic and health products. Government and private agencies are interested in expanding the industry as a means of providing income for poor rural communities. With the growing interest in the commercial use of A. ferox it is important that harvesting programmes are based on an adequate understanding of the ecology and productivity of the species, which will underpin estimates of possible sustainable yields. In this paper we report mean annual growth rates of 283 A. ferox plants (at six sites) during the 2005/2006 season. Growth was variable across sites and plant height. In terms of sites, the mean height growth ranged between 1.7 cm per plant per year at site 4 and 4.6 cm at site 2. The mean height increment across all sites and plants was 2.8±0.2 cm. Plant height had a strong effect on annual increment with small plants (<6 cm) more than doubling their height in the 12 month period, whereas plants taller than 2 m grew by approximately 1% over the year. Across the five unburnt sites, the mean standing stock of leaves grew by two per plant. The proportion of plants flowering increased progressively with plant height. Most (90%) of the plants that flowered in 2005 did so again in 2006.

Wild Aloe harvesting in South Africa.

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary MedicineVol. 5, No. 2 PhotoessayWild Aloe Harvesting in South AfricaHassan Sachedina and Dr. Gerard BodekerHassan SachedinaSearch for more papers by this author and Dr. Gerard BodekerSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:24 Sep 2007https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.1999.5.121AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byCape aloe bitters – past and presentSouth African Journal of Botany, Vol. 147Analysis of enablers for vertical integration to enhance rural employabilityJournal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Vol. 34, No. 4Aloe Genus Plants: From Farm to Food Applications and Phytopharmacotherapy19 September 2018 | International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol. 19, No. 9Micropropagation of Aloe vera for Improvement and Enhanced Productivity8 November 2013Research on Water Soluble Polysaccharides Separated from Skin Juice, Gel Juice and Flower of Aloe ferox MillerFood Science and Technology Research, Vol. 19, No. 5African aloe ecology: A reviewJournal of Arid Environments, Vol. 85Current perspectives on the economic botany of the genus Aloe L. (Xanthorrhoeaceae)South African Journal of Botany, Vol. 77, No. 4Taxonomic significance of leaf surface morphology in Aloe section Pictae (Xanthorrhoeaceae)Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, Vol. 160, No. 4Therapeutic uses of Aloe L. (Asphodelaceae) in southern AfricaJournal of Ethnopharmacology, Vol. 119, No. 3Growth of Aloe ferox Mill. at selected sites in the Makana region of the Eastern CapeSouth African Journal of Botany, Vol. 73, No. 2 Volume 5Issue 2Apr 1999 InformationCopyright 1999, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Hassan Sachedina and Dr. Gerard Bodeker.Wild Aloe Harvesting in South Africa.The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.Apr 1999.121-123.http://doi.org/10.1089/acm.1999.5.121Published in Volume: 5 Issue 2: September 24, 2007PDF download

High-performance liquid chromatographic separation and determination of diastereomeric anthrone-C-glucosyls in Cape aloes

Isocratic high-performance liquid chromatography using reversed-phase packing (C 18) and the solvent system methanol-water (1:1) was successful in separating and determinating the anthrone-C-glucosyls in Cape aloes, allowing a rapid and high resolution of each diastereomer for the first time. By applying this method to fifteen commercial Cape and East African aloes of different origin, all Cape aloes samples showed the same anthrone-C-glucosyl pattern comprising 5-hydroxyaloin A, aloins A/B and aloinosides A/B. For differentiating non-official East African aloes from Cape aloes, 5-hydroxyaloin A proved to be the most specific marker of the official drugs in high-performance liquid and also thin-layer chromatography, replacing the aloinosides. Previous assumptions of chemical races of Aloe ferox MILL. based on the aloinosides have to be revised.

The pollination ecology of Aloe ferox Mill.

The breeding system and pollination ecology of Aloe ferox Mill. were investigated. The relationship between plant height, raceme number, raceme length and percentage fruit success was determined for 93 plants. There was a significant positive relationship between plant height and raceme number but the percentage fruit success did not increase with an increase in plant height, number of racemes and mean and total raceme length. A description of post-anthesis flower development is given. Optimal stigma receptivity occurs 8 to 24 h after anthesis and is synchronized with maximum nectar concentration and volume. The flower morphology of this species suggests a bird- pollinated syndrome. This study shows, however, that African honey bees may also play a role in its pollination. Bees visit the anthers as soon as they are exerted beyond the floral tube and, because the stigmas are at least partially receptive at this early post-anthesis stage, fertilization can be affected. This species is self-incompatible and selection pressures have probably been to minimize the number of flowers open on an inflorescence at any one time.

Habitat Occupation by Aloe ferox Mill. (Liliaceae) in Relation to Topographic Variations in Direct Beam Solar Radiation Income

This study concerns both the variety of physical habitats occupied by an arid land plant species and the intermeshing of its geographical range with that of the Cape sclerophyll vegetation in South Africa. On the basis of theoretical values for the direct beam solar radiation incomes of slope facets, eight predictions are made of the topographic situations which Aloe ferox, and the named vegetation type, might be expected to occupy in, successively, areas of below-optimum, optimum and above-optimum mean annual rainfall. Good agreement between field observations and these physically-based predictions was obtained for the Cape sclerophyll vegetation, but poorer agreement for those predicitions relevant to the distribution of the aloe. Of the predictions, those dealing with slope azimuth were generally more successful than were those dealing with the slope angles of habitats which were capable of being occupied.

THE ORIGIN OF CAPE AND NATAL ALOES

The Aloe species which are mentioned in the literature as sources of Gape and Natal Aloes, were investigated. The conclusion is drawn that only A. ferox Mill, (for Gape Aloes) and a chemical strain of A. marlothii Berger (for Natal Aloes) is and was used.