Figure - available from: Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
This content is subject to copyright. Terms and conditions apply.
(a) Alepidea amatymbica Eckl. & Zeyh. in its natural habitat (source: http://www.Plantzafrica.com), (b) dried rhizome of Alepidea amatymbica, and ((c) and (d)) Alepidea amatymbica growing in the nursery.
Source publication
Alepidea amatymbica is an important medicinal plant in Southern Africa with a long history of traditional use for the management of conditions like colds, coughs, sore throat, influenza, asthma, and abdominal cramps. Despite the much acclaimed traditional uses of the plant, there is a dearth of scientific information on the review of this plant. He...
Citations
... Extracts from Alepidea amatymbica, have shown efficient anti-HIV activities, as well as inhibitory effect on HIV replication [376]. Artemisinin from the plant Artemisia annua, hasestablished antimalarial and anti-HIV activities [377]. ...
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which chiefly originatesfroma retrovirus named Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), has impacted about 70 million people worldwide. Even though several advances have been made in the field of antiretroviral combination therapy, HIV is still responsible for a considerable number of deaths in Africa. The current antiretroviral therapies have achieved success in providing instant HIV suppression but with countless undesirable adverse effects. Presently, the biodiversity of the plant kingdom is being explored by several researchers for the discovery of potent anti-HIV drugs with different mechanisms of action. The primary challenge is to afford a treatment that is free from any sort of risk of drug resistance and serious side effects. Hence, there is a strong demand to evaluate drugs derived from plants as well as their derivatives. Several plants, such as Andrographis paniculata,Dioscorea bulbifera,Aegle marmelos, Wistaria floribunda, Lindera chunii, Xanthoceras sorbifolia and others have displayed significant anti-HIV activity.Here, weattempt to summarize the main results, which focus on the structures of most potent plant-based natural products having anti-HIV activity along with their mechanisms of action and IC50 values, structure-activity-relationships and important key findings.
... [Cannabaceae]), influenza, and abdominal cramps [24], while its application as an antimicrobial, antihypertensive, diuretic [37], antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitrypanosomal, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, antihypertensive, antiplasmodial, anti-HIV, and anthelminthic are also documented. Wintola and Afolayan reported on the cytotoxicity of the plant and its safety profile in a comprehensive review [38]. ...
South Africa contains 9% of the worldʼs higher plants, and despite its rich biodiversity, it has one of the highest prevalence of hypertension in Africa. This review provides information on medicinal plants embraced in South Africa for hypertension management, with the aim of reporting pharmacological information on the indigenous use of these plants as antihypertensives. This review not only focuses on the activity of antihypertensive medicinal plants but also reports some of its phytochemical constituents and other ethnopharmacological and therapeutic properties. Information obtained from scientific and or unpublished databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, SciFinder, JSTOR, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and various books revealed 117 documented antihypertensive plant species from 50 families. Interestingly, Asteraceae
topped the list with 16 species, followed by Fabaceae with 8 species; however, only 25% of all plant species have demonstrated antihypertensive effects originating from both in vitro and in vivo studies, lending credence to their folkloric use. Only 11 plant species reportedly possess antihypertensive properties in animal models, with very few species subjected to analytical processes to reveal the identity of their bioactive antihypertensive compounds. In this review, we hope to encourage researchers and global research institutions (universities, agricultural research councils, and medical research councils), particularly those showing an interest in natural products, for the need for concerted efforts to undertake more studies aimed at revealing the untapped potential of these plants. These studies are very important for the development of new pharmaceuticals of natural origin useful for the management of hypertension.
... [Cannabaceae]), influenza, and abdominal cramps [24], while its application as an antimicrobial, antihypertensive, diuretic [37], antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitrypanosomal, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, antihypertensive, antiplasmodial, anti-HIV, and anthelminthic are also documented. Wintola and Afolayan reported on the cytotoxicity of the plant and its safety profile in a comprehensive review [38]. ...
South Africa contains 9% of the worldʼs higher plants, and despite its rich biodiversity, it has one of the highest prevalence of hypertension in Africa. This review provides information on medicinal plants embraced in South Africa for hypertension management, with the aim of reporting pharmacological information on the indigenous use of these plants as antihypertensives. This review not only focuses on the activity of antihypertensive medicinal plants but also reports some of its phytochemical constituents and other ethnopharmacological and therapeutic properties. Information obtained from scientific and or unpublished databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, SciFinder, JSTOR, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and various books revealed 117 documented antihypertensive plant species from 50 families. Interestingly, Asteraceae topped the list with 16 species, followed by Fabaceae with 8 species; however, only 25% of all plant species have demonstrated antihypertensive effects originating from both in vitro and in vivo studies, lending credence to their folkloric use. Only 11 plant species reportedly possess antihypertensive properties in animal models, with very few species subjected to analytical processes to reveal the identity of their bioactive antihypertensive compounds. In this review, we hope to encourage researchers and global research institutions (universities, agricultural research councils, and medical research councils), particularly those showing an interest in natural products, for the need for concerted efforts to undertake more studies aimed at revealing the untapped potential of these plants. These studies are very important for the development of new pharmaceuticals of natural origin useful for the management of hypertension.
... Eckl. & Zeyh is associated with the genus Alepidea a member of the Apiaceae family and known as ikhathazo by the Zulu and larger tinsel flower by the British. It is one out of the twenty-eight species of commonly used medicinal plants[1], 1 endemic to lowlands of Eastern and Southern Africa[2,3]. It is a herbaceous plant arising from a single branched rhizome with dark green leaves, which is used in the treatment of conditions such as malaria, diarrhoea, flu, chest complaints, asthma and rheumatism[4]. ...
Alepidea amatymbica, an herbaceous plant with a broad ethnomedicinal
application among the native of Eastern and Southern Africa. The isolation of
diterpenoids from A. amatymbica and evaluation of their biological activities,
based on the ethnomedicinal information, was the primary focus of this
investigation. Five bioassay guided isolated diterpenoids: ent-13-hydroxy-16-
kauren-19-oic acid (1), 16-hydroxy-kaur-6-en-19-oic acid (2), 14- acetoxy ent-
kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (3), 14-oxokaur-16-en-19-oic acid (4), and 14-acetoxo-12-
oxokaur-16-en-19-oic acid (5) were screened in vitro for their anti-inflammatory,
cytotoxicity, and antimicrobial. The diterpenoids were isolated and purified
using open column chromatography, PTLC, and characterised with FTIR, NMR,
and HRMS EI. The diterpenoids were not cytotoxicity on the normal cell but
showed a significant effect of cancer cell lines. 14-acetoxo-12-oxokaur-16-en-19-
oic acid showed a high inhibitory effect on lipoxygenase with an EC50 of 19.10 ±
3.15 µg/ml compared to standard indomethacin with EC50 of 17.22 ± 5.48 µg/
ml. Among the diterpenes isolated and tested, 14-oxokaur-16-en-19-oic acid and
14-acetoxo-12-oxokaur-16-en-19-oic acid showed significant antibiotic activities
against bacteria (MIC 125 µg/ml) compared to gentamycin. Consequently, the
antibiotic activity is structurally linked to the positions of acetate and oxo groups
at C-14 and C-12 which enhances the activity of the diterpenoids. The in-vitro
biological activities confirmed that the diterpenoids are sources of treatment
and management of inflammation-related diseases, justifying its traditional
applications.
... The following specific search terms or keywords were used to search literature sources: "herbal medicines used to treat diarrhoea, gastrointestinal diseases, cholera or dysentery", "medicinal plants used to treat diarrhoea, gastrointestinal diseases, cholera or dysentery", "traditional medicines used to treat diarrhoea, gastrointestinal diseases, cholera or dysentery". Some of the information included in this study are based on studies carried out in both South Africa and Zimbabwe (Gelfand et al., 1985;Lin et al., 2002;Mathabe et al., 2006;Appidi et al., 2008;de Wet et al., 2008;Mlambo, 2008;Bisi-Johnson et al., 2010;de Wet et al., 2010;Maroyi, 2011Maroyi, , 2012Maroyi, , 2013Madikizela et al., 2012;Olajuyigbe & Afolayan, 2012;Semenya & Maroyi, 2012;Nkwanyana, 2013;Wintola & Afolayan, 2014;van Vuuren et al., 2015). ...
... Anacardi aceae Bark, leaves Gelfand et al., 1985;de Wet et al., 2010;Maroyi, 2011;Maroyi, 2012;Nkwanyana, 2013;van Vuuren et al., 2015 Guianas (DeFilipps, 2004), Kenya (Njoroge & Kibunga, 2007) (Wintola & Afolayan, 2014). Solomon-Wisdom et al. (2011) provided some insight into the bacterial and fungal in vitro efficacies of the leaves and stem bark extracts of Ficus sur Forssk., which inhibited Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimorium and Candida pseudotropicalis at minimum inhibitory concentration of at least 0.5 mg/ml. ...
Background
Gastrointestinal disorders, diarrhoea in particular remain a major concern in South Africa and Zimbabwe resulting in high mortality rates when left untreated. This investigation was aimed at documenting herbal medicines used in the treatment of diarrhoea in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Materials and Methods
A review of literature on plant species used as remedies for diarrhoea in South Africa and Zimbabwe was undertaken by the use of different electronic databases such as Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Scopus as well as library searches at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa and the National Herbarium of Zimbabwe (SRGH) in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Results
This study reported ten plant species most widely used to treat diarrhoea in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Of the lot, Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst. was the most popular medicinal plant used as antidiarrhoeal remedy (11 literature citations) in South Africa and Zimbabwe, followed by Elephantorrhiza elephantina (Burch.) Skeels and Schotia brachypetala Sond. with eight literature citations each. The roots (47.4%) are the most frequently used plant parts, followed by bark (26.3%), leaves (21.1%) and rhizomes (5.3%).
Conclusion
The documented antidiarrhoeal activities of this repository of selected plant species against diarrhoea causing agents such as rotavirus, Escherichia coli, Shigella, Campylobacter, Giardia, Entamoeba histolytica, Salmonella, Yersinia and Vibrio cholerae calls for further investigation aimed at isolating phytochemical compounds responsible for antidiarrhoeal activities, their mode of action, and also establish their safety and efficacy. This cross-cultural acceptance of antidiarrhoeal herbal medicines and the use of the same plant species in different geographical zones serve as an indication of the importance of herbal medicines in primary healthcare of local communities.
Respiratory diseases have in the recent past become a health concern globally. More than 523 million cases of coronavirus disease (COVID19), a recent respiratory diseases have been reported, leaving more than 6 million deaths worldwide since the start of the pandemic. In Zimbabwe, respiratory infections have largely been managed using traditional (herbal) medicines, due to their low cost and ease of accessibility. This review highlights the plants’ toxicological and pharmacological evaluation studies explored. It seeks to document plants that have been traditionally used in Zimbabwe to treat respiratory ailments within and beyond the past four decades. Extensive literature review based on published papers and abstracts retrieved from the online bibliographic databases, books, book chapters, scientific reports and theses available at Universities in Zimbabwe, were used in this study. From the study, there were at least 58 plant families comprising 160 medicinal plants widely distributed throughout the country. The Fabaceae family had the highest number of medicinal plant species, with a total of 21 species. A total of 12 respiratory ailments were reportedly treatable using the identified plants. From a total of 160 plants, colds were reportedly treatable with 56, pneumonia 53, coughs 34, chest pain and related conditions 29, asthma 25, tuberculosis and spots in lungs 22, unspecified respiratory conditions 20, influenza 13, bronchial problems 12, dyspnoea 7, sore throat and infections 5 and sinus clearing 1 plant. The study identified potential medicinal plants that can be utilised in future to manage respiratory infections.
A taxonomic revision of the Alepidea amatymbica group is presented. The species in this group are readily distinguished by the predominantly glabrous fruit and the well-developed rhizomes. It is these well-developed rhizomes which are known and traded under the local isiZulu name ‘ikhathazo’ and reported to be one of the most frequently utilized medicinal plants in southern Africa. Three species are recognised, A. amatymbica Eckl. and Zeyh., A. cordifolia B.-E.van Wyk and A. macowanii Dümmer. Two taxa, A. amatymbica var. aquatica and A. amatymbica var. microbracteata, are reduced into synonymy with A. amatymbica. The repeated misconception that A. amatymbica is the most widely utilized medicinal species within the genus is exposed in the ethnobotanical overview and refuted. Rather, A. cordifolia is clarified as the more extensively utilized species, validated by its much wider geographical range. A key to the species, updated nomenclature, typifications, complete descriptions, illustrations and the known geographical distributions for all three species are presented. Lectotypes are designated for four names (A. amatymbica, A. amatymbica var. microbracteata, A. aquatica and A. macowanii).
There is a need to scientifically validate the claim that wild species of medicinal plants are more potent than the cultivated plants. Thus, this study evaluated the phytochemical and antioxidant properties of wild and cultivated Alepidea amatymbica. Acetone, methanol, and water extracts of the rhizome of wild and cultivated A. amatymbica were evaluated for total phenol, flavonol, flavonoid, tannin, proanthocyanidin, saponin, and alkaloid contents using spectrophotometric methods. In vitro antioxidant activity was measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), nitric oxide (NO), and hydrogen peroxide assays. The wild extracts had higher phytochemical contents in most of the assays than cultivated extracts. Total phenol in the wild extracts ranged from 32.30 to 117.8 mg GAE/g with the acetone extracts having the highest content while the water extracts were the least. The range in the total phenol of the cultivated species was 66.46 to 98.44 mg GAE/g with the methanol extracts having the highest content while water extracts was the least. The flavonoid content ranged from 55.01 to 99.09 mg QE/g and from 48.65 to 67.32 mg QE/g for the wild and cultivated plants, respectively. The alkaloid contents ranged from 14.70 to 17.80% in the wild species while it ranged from 11.98 to 13.21% in the cultivated species. The wild species also showed higher antioxidant activities in most of the assays evaluated. This study has implications for both pharmacological and conservation purposes.
Inflammation is implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. Inflammation is a complex process, involving the activation of specific mediators such as enzymes, cytokines, as well as growth and nuclear factors. The inhibition of pro-inflammatory enzymes is regarded as an effective strategy to combat inflammation. The undesirable side effects associated with many current anti-inflammation drugs have necessitated an increased search for natural principles with the capacity to suppress or inhibit inflammation mediators and with much reduced side effects. South Africa has a rich floral biodiversity coupled with indigenous knowledge systems on the use of medicinal plants, which has become widely explored for meeting primary health care needs, especially in resource-limited areas. Using electronic search engines and library resources, this review highlights the successes, challenges and prospects associated with the exploration of the South African floral diversity for inflammatory inhibitors. Several South African plant extracts demonstrated pro-inflammatory enzyme inhibitory potential with very low cytotoxicity. However, these reports have been based largely on in vitro evaluation. This has resulted in, at least, partial valorisation of their traditional uses. Notwithstanding the vast natural endowment and the available technology in bioprospecting the floral diversity for natural inflammatory enzyme inhibitors, only a limited number of plant species has been exploited and a relatively negligible fraction has been developed into natural products. The current limited bioprospecting ‘success’, when examined in the light of relatively untapped opportunity, underscores the potential for the discovery of new sources of natural inflammatory enzyme inhibitors.
