Terminalia Avicennioides Research Articles

Antimycobacterial Friedelane-terpenoid from the Root Bark of Terminalia avicennioides

Terminalia avicennioides is used to treat tuberculosis in the folk medicine of the Nupes of North Central Nigeria. Activity guided fractionation of the extract resulted in the isolation of triterpenoid friedelin. The structure of the isolated compound was elucidated with the aid of spectral comparison of IR, UV, one and two dimensional NMR experiments values. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time friedelin is reported from this plant. The in vitro antimycobacterial activity of the isolated compound (friedelin) was performed against Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) with MIC value at 4.9 μg/mL.

Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Anogeissus leiocarpus and Terminalia avicennioides against Infectious Diseases Prevalent in Hospital Environments in Nigeria

The crude methanol extracts of the two plants selected on the basis of ethnobotanical uses were phytochemically screened and found to contain saponins, steroids, tannins, terpenes, anthraquinone and carbohydrates. The crude methanolic extracts exhibited broad growth inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus subtilis, Sal- monella typhi, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Neisseria gonorrhoea and Candida albicans. The Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC) of Anogeissus leiocarpus methanol extract was found to be 0.4 mg/mL against S. aureus, St. pyogenes, P. aeruginosa and N. gonorrhoea, while B. subtilis has the MIC of 0.3 mg/mL. The rest of the microorganisms were resistant to Anogeissus leiocarpus methanol extract. Terminalia avicennioides methanol extract has the MIC of 0.4 mg/mL on S. aureus, S. typhi, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, N. gonorrhoea and C. albicans. Both S. pyogenes and B. subtilis have the MIC of 0.3 mg/mL against Terminalia avicennioides methanol extract. The rest of the microorganisms were resistant. Both Corynebacterium ulcerans and Klebsiella pneumoniae were resistant to the two plant extracts. The present investigation justify the use of these extracts in the treatment of infectious diseases particularly those caused by S. pyogenes having the highest zone of inhibition as well as the lowest MIC (0.3 mg/mL) for the two plants. Further purification of the most prom- ising extracts is currently being undertaken.

Evaluation of Medicinal Plants from Nupeland for Their in vivo Antitrypanosomal Activity

Over 25% of our common medicines contain at least some compounds obtained from plants. Nupeland located on the coastal basins of Rivers Niger and Kaduna in North Central Nigeria is greatly influenced by the savannah-forest vegetations with biodiversity rich in medicinal plants. This type of vegetation also harbours tsetsefly which are the vector of trypanosomes, thus making the area highly endemic to sleeping sickness. Trypanosomiasis is a tropical disease threatening human health and economical development and is responsible for the death of about half a million patients per year. Nupeland inhabited predominantly by Nupe tribe are traditionally noted for generations of using medicinal plants in curing human trypanosomal infections; many of which have not been scientifically proved. Natural products derived from plants offer novel possibilities to obtain new drugs that are active against trypanosomes. In furtherance to the earlier in vitro trypanocidal ac- tivity evaluation of some Nupeland medicinal plants; six medicinal plants traditionally used for treatment of sleeping sickness in Nupeland namely: Acacia nilotica, Bombax buonopozense, Heterotis rotundifolia, Pterocarpus erinaceus, Terminalia avicennioides and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides were investigated for in vivo antitrypanosomal activity. The solvent soluble extracts obtained by standard methods from various plant parts (stem barks and fruits) of Nupeland medicinal plants were evaluated for their in vivo antitrypanosomal activities against Trypanosoma brucei brucei as well as their phytochemical screening were performed by standard procedures. The extracts of A. nilotica (stem bark), B. buonopozense (stem bark), H. rotundifolia (whole plant), T. avicennioides (round fruit) and Z. zanthoxyloides (stem bark) were effective on trypanosomes. The extracts of A. nilotica, B. buonopozense and H. rotundifolia exhibited antitrypanosomal effects at 200, 300 and 800 mg/kg body weight respectively and cleared the parasites from circulation with prolonging survival period of up to 30 days. The stem bark extracts of P. erinaceus, T. avicennioides and Z. zanthoxyloides showed only trypanostatic effects and could not clear the parasites completely. These extracts contain metabolites that are associated antitrypanosomal effects; hence these medicinal plants may be sources of new antitrypanosomal compounds that may be active against T. b. brucei. The discovery of these potent antitrypanosomal extracts from these plants has increased their potentials to provide lead com- pounds for the development of new natural drugs for effective treatment of sleeping sickness. It has also justified the claim that some medicinal plants of Nupeland possess antitrypanosomal activity and could be useful in the management of try- panosomiasis. The isolation of trypanocidal compounds from these extracts will require State-Art-Instrumentation particu- larly for further bioactive fractionation and characterization using chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques.

Isolation and Elucidation of Three Triterpenoids and Its<b> Antimycobacterial </b><b>Activty </b>of Terminalia Avicennioides

Terminalia avicennioides Guill. & Perr. (Combretaceae) has been traditionally used as traditional medicine for centuries in Nupeland, North Central Nigeria for the treatment of respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis and cough. This study evaluates the in vitro antimycobacterial activities of the isolated compounds in order to support the therapeutic use of T. avicennioides for treating these infectious diseases. Chemical investigation by bioassay-guided fractionation led to the iso- lation of three triterpenoids namely, arjunolic acid (1), α-amyrin (2) and 2, 3, 23-trihydroxylolean-12-ene (3). Among them, arjunolic acid manifested the most potent antimycobacterial activity against a strain of Mycobacterium bovis (BCG). Structure elucidation of the isolated compounds were based primarily on the analysis of 1-D and 2-D NMR spectral data including HMQC, HMBC, COSY and NOESY correlations, as well as comparison with reported authentic data of arjunolic acid, α-amyrin and 2, 3, 23-trihydroxylolean-12-ene. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time these compounds (1-3) are reported from this plant. The present result further confirms the value of ethnopharmacological investigations into tradi- tional herbs for leads for potential drug development.

<i>In Vivo</i> Antitrypanosomal Effects Of Some Ethnomedicinal Plants From Nupeland Of North Central Nigeria

Four medicinal plants Acacia nilotica, Bombax buonopozense, Terminalia avicennioides and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides traditionally used for treatment of sleeping sickness in Nupeland were investigated for in vivo antitrypanosomal activity. Methanol extracts of different parts of each plant (stem barks and fruits) were obtained and evaluated for their in vivo antitrypanosomal activities against Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Phytochemical screening of the methanol extracts of each plant were performed by standard procedures. Methanol extracts of A. nilotica (stem bark), B. buonopozense (stem bark), T. avicennioides (round fruit) and Z. zanthoxyloides (stem bark) were effective on trypanosomes. The extracts of A. nilotica and B. buonopozense exhibited antitrypanosomal effects at 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight respectively. Doses were able to clear the parasites from circulation within 6 and 7 days of treatment respectively with prolonging survival period of up to 30 days. While the extracts of T. avicennioides and Z. zanthoxyloides showed trypanostatic effects and could not clear the parasites completely. The methanol extracts of these plants contain metabolites that are associated with antitrypanosomal effects; therefore, these medicinal plants may be sources of new compounds that may be active against T. b. brucei. This study has also justified the claim that some medicinal plants of Nupeland possess antitrypanosomal activity and could be useful in the management of trypanosomiasis.

Antimycobacterial activity of some medicinal plants in Niger state, Nigeria

Ten Nigerian medicinal plants Abrus precatorius, Annona senegalensis, Anogeissus leiocarpus, Crateva adansonii, Detarium microcarpum, Faba spp, Neocarya macrophylla, Ocimum gratissimum, Securidacalongpenduculata and Terminalia avicennioides used by traditional medicine practitioners for the management of infectious and chronic diseases such as tuberculosis and whooping cough were investigated for in vitro antimycobacterial activity against attenuated strains of Mycobacterium bovis (BCG). Hexane and methanol extracts of the plant materials were obtained by maceration. The antimycobacterial activity was determined by the broth microdilution method. The hexane extracts of Anogeissus leiocarpus and Terminalia avicennioides showed stronginhibitory activity at 312μg/ml. Eight of the ten plant extracts showed moderate inhibitory activity in either hexane or methanol extract at 1250μg/ml. While the hexane and methanol extracts of Detarium microcarpum and Neocarya macrophylla did not exhibit any significant activity. These observed activities could be associated with secondarymetabolites in these plants. This study demonstrates the efficacy of Nigerian medicinal plants as potential agents in the management of the tuberculosis disease.Key words: Antimycobacterial activity, Nigeria, Medicinal plants, Secondary metabolites, Tuberculosis

Energy value as a factor of agroforestry wood species selectivity in Akinyele and Ido local government areas of Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract Wood usage for cooking and heating is still very relevant in most developing countries especially those of sub-Saharan Africa and many parts of Asia. Therefore, sustainable means of generating it for this and other purposes are necessary bearing in mind the influence of indigenous knowledge/users' perspective on any production method regarding success and sustenance. In conformity with this view, questionnaires were administered on 240 respondents in 8 rural communities of Akinyele and Ido Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Oyo State, Nigeria, to elicit information on species that can be used as fuelwood, preferred by the respondents for incorporation into and/or retention in agroforestry plots, out of which 179 (i.e. 75% of the total number of questionnaires administered) were successfully retrieved for statistical analyses. Twelve woody species namely: Annona senegalensis , Anogeissus leiocarpus , Bridelia ferruginea , Daniellia oliveri , Detarium microcarpum , Gardenia ternifolia , Hymenocardia acida , Lophira lanceolata , Parkia biglobosa , Terminalia avicennioides , Triplochiton scleroxylon and Vitellaria paradoxa were prioritized on the basis of respondents' preference using a ranking pattern. Friedman chi-square analysis showed that there was no significant difference ( p −1 respectively. The result of a two-way analysis of variance indicated a significant variation ( p D. oliveri with a follow-up test using Fisher's Least Significant Difference. The Pearson's moment correlation analysis gave positive coefficient values ( r = 0.868 and 0.874, p p

Antibacterial activity of terpenoidal fractions from Anogeissus leiocarpus and Terminalia avicennioides against community acquired infections.

Terpenoidal fractions were isolated from both Anogeissus leiocarpus (DC) Guill and Perr (Stem) and Terminalia avicennioides Guill and Perr (Root) and assayed against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The terpenoidal fractions exhibited antimicrobial activities against all the test microorganisms. All test organisms were susceptible to the terpenoidal fractions. The minimum inhibitory concentration ranged between 0.213 and 5.0 µg/ml. The terpenoidal fractions from A. leiocarpus and T. avicennioides could be a potential source of chemotherapeutic agents. The antimicrobial activities of these terpenoidal fractions provide justification for the chemotherapeutic utilization of these plants.

Seed germination of herbaceous and woody species of the Sudanian savanna-woodland in response to heat shock and smoke

Fire-related cues (smoke and heat) contribute largely to changes in vegetation communities in fire prone habitats. The germination responses of seeds of species from Combretaceae, Leguminosae and Poaceae to smoke, heat or their interaction were examined. Half of the seed batch was first exposed to cold aerosol smoke for 60 min. Untreated and smoked seed batches were then subjected to heat treatment by incubating them at 40 °C, 80 °C or 120 °C for 2.5 min. The results showed that the seed germination of fire-adapted species, Terminalia avicennioides ( p < 0.01) and Pteleopsis suberosa ( p < 0.05), was stimulated by smoke, while the germination of fire-sensitive species, Anogeissus leiocarpus ( p < 0.001) and Andropogon gayanus ( p < 0.05) was inhibited by heat and smoke, respectively. Seeds of fire-tolerant species ( Combretum glutinosum and Combretum nigricans) germinated favorably in response to heat and smoke treatments. The germination response of leguminous species was not significant with respect to the smoke and heat levels applied. In conclusion, there was no persistent pattern across all species that can easily explain their responses to fire-related cues, which can be related to species-specific requirements for a given dosage–response level, which in turn is attributed to the levels of heat shock and smoke treatments adopted in the present study. Testing different exposure times to heat shock and varying doses of smoke on large number of species is needed before generalization about community level response to fire could be drawn.

English

The global threat of tuberculosis (TB) demands for search for alternative antimycobacterial drugs. Some Nigerian medicinal plants used in the treatment of TB and other respiratory diseases were evaluated for activity against a clinical isolate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and a strain of Mycobacterium bovis (BCG). The crude methanolic extracts of eight plant species were screened for activity against a clinical isolate of M. tuberculosis using broth microdilution method. Four out of the eight plant extracts exhibited inhibitory activities against M. tuberculosis at 78 and 1250 µg/mL. The crude extracts of Entada africana, Hymenocardia acida, Sterculia setigera and Stereospermum kunthianum did not inhibit significantly even at high concentration of 1250 ig/mL. The hexane fractions obtained after fractionation were the most active fractions for all the plants tested against BCG, having Anogeissus leiocarpus and Terminalia avicennioides exhibiting the highest activity at 312 and 200 µg/mL, respectively. Fractions Ta5 and Al4 obtained on further purification exhibited most significant activity (MIC of 4.7 and 7.8 g/mL, respectively). From the results of phytochemical analysis, terpenes and triterpenoid saponins are the most prominent compounds in these fractions and several reports earlier indicated that these metabolites are potential antimycobacterial agents. This class of metabolites presents interesting area for further investigation with special attention on the Combretaceae family from Nigeria flora.

Phytochemical and antimicrobial activity of Terminalia avicennioides extracts against some bacteria pathogens associated with patients suffering from complicated respiratory tract diseases

Ethanolic extracts of the stem bark, root bark and leaves of Terminalia avicennioides were assayed against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coliand Pseudomonas aeruginosa obtained from patients suffering from complicated respiratory tract infections for their antimicrobial activity. Analysis of variance showed that the ethanolic extracts of the plant material exhibit a significant (P > 0.05) antimicrobial activity against S. aureus. The various zone of inhibitions onEscherichia coli was moderate (P < 0.05) at different concentrations, very low antimicrobial activity was observed against P. aeruginosa. Important bioactive agents like phenols, steroids, glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, ellagic acids were detected in the bark, leaves and root of T. avicennioides. Anthraquinone was not absent in all the plant parts tested. The bioactive constituents detected in T. avicennioides may be responsible for the observed antimicrobial activity of the plant and hence, its potential use as antimicrobial agent. Key words: Antimicrobial activity, bacterial pathogens, Phytochemical, respiratory tract diseases, Terminalia avicennioides.

An antifungal property of crude plant extracts from &lt;i&gt;Anogeissus leiocarpus&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Terminalia avicennioides&lt;/i&gt;

Chloroform, ethanolic, methanolic, ethyl acetate and aqueous root extracts of Anogeissus leiocarpus and Terminalia avicennioides were investigated in vitro for antifungal activities against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium species, Microsporum audouinii and Trichophyton rubrum using radial growth technique. The plant extracts inhibited the growth of all the test organisms. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extracts ranged between 0.03 microg/ml and 0.07 microg/ml while the minimum fungicidal concentration ranged between 0.04 microg/ml and 0.08 microg/ml. Anogeissus leiocarpus appears to be more effective as an antifungal agent than Terminalia avicennioides. Ethanolic extracts of the two plant roots were more effective than the methanolic, chloroform, or aqueous extracts against all the test fungi.

Effect of Crude Methanol Extract of Terminalia avicennioides in Normal Gastric/Histamine-Induced HCl Secretions in Rats

ABSTRACT Terminalia avicennioides is used commonly in Nigeria and other countries worldwide in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments including gastroduodenal ulcers. The dark-brown methanol extract obtained from the bark of the plant was tested to determine its antisecretory gastric acid activities using rats. The extract at the dose rates of 350,420, and 504 mg/kg, inhibited significantly (P < 0.05) gastric acid secretion in normal rats. The extract at the highest dose (504 mg/kg) used also significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited gastric acid secretion in rats pre-treated with histamine, which may indicate that the extract inhibits HCl secretion by interacting with H2-receptors. This finding undoubtedly validates the folkloric use of T. avicennioides in the control of gastroduodenal ulcers.

Evaluation of medicinal plants from Mali for their in vitro and in vivo trypanocidal activity

Water, methanol and dichloromethane extracts prepared from various parts of 40 medicinal plant species from Mali were investigated for their trypanocidal activity against Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Of a total of 165 extracts tested in vitro in the Low Inoculation Long Incubation Test (LILIT), 24 extracts showed a high trypanocidal activity. Using the Long-Term Viability Assay (LtVA) for corroboration of the results of the 24 extracts, it was found that 15 samples had minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values > 10μg/ml, eight MIC values of 100 μg/ml and one MIC values of 50–100 μg/ml. So far, four extracts with MIC values ≤ 100 μg/ml were tested for antitrypanosomal activity in mice, experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Only, the aqueous extracts of the leaves of Terminalia avicennioides Guill. and Perr. (Combretaceae) and the stem bark of Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn. (Bombacaceae) were able to reduce the parasitaemia in animals treated at the dose of 100 mg/kg b.w. (intraperitoneally, two times daily for 3 days) and of 150 mg/kg b.w. (per os, two times daily for 3 days), respectively. The reduction of parasitaemia was, however, statistically significant ( p = 0.002) only in case of treatment with Terminalia avicennioides.

Comparative in vitro trypanocidal activities of petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and aqueous extracts of some Nigerian savannah plants

Using Trypanosoma brucei as test organism, about two hundred extracts of varying polarities obtained from different parts of about forty tropical plants harvested from the savannah vegetational belt of Nigeria were evaluated for their in vitro trypanocidal activities at concentrations of 2 and 4 mg/ml. The proportion of petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and aqueous extracts that eliminated motility within 60 min at the highest concentration tested were 77, 67, 50 and 47%, respectively, while 10, 11, 19 and 14% of these extracts were completely non-active under the test condition. Among the plants studied, extracts of Adenium obesum (stem bark), Afrormosia laxiflora (leaves and stem bark), Cochlospermum planchonii (stem bark), Prosopis africana (stem and root barks), Striga spp (leaves), Terminalia avicennioides (root and stem bark) and Swartzia madagascariensis (fruit pulp) exhibited the highest trypanocidal activity. These results suggest that tropical plants could be a very promising source of new generations of trypanocidal agents. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (2), pp. 177-182, 2005

Antifungal activities of seven West African Combretaceae used in traditional medicine

Seven species of Combretaceae were investigated for their antifungal activity against the pathogenic fungi Candida albicans, Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum. Pteleopsis suberosa and Terminalia avicennioides appear to be the most active plants. Phytochemical screening shows that these plants are particularly rich in tannins and saponins, which might be responsible for their antifungal activity.

Quelques arbres utiles, en voie de disparition, dans le Centre-Est du Niger

Attention is called on the rapid disappearance, mostly due to human interference, of a number of tree species in the sahelian savanna between Zinder and the Nigerian border. This a particularly the case for Terminalia avicennioides and Khaya senegalensis.