Ian Edwin Cock

Griffith University · Environmental Futures Research Institute

Plants of the genus Terminalia are amongst the most widely used plants for traditional medicinal purposes worldwide. Many species are used for their antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antiviral, antidiarrhoeal, analgesic, antimalarial, antioxidant, antiinflammatory and anticancer activities. Wound healing and cardiovascular effects have also...

Plants of the genus Aloe have perhaps the longest recorded history of medicinal usage and are amongst the most widely used plants for traditional medicinal purposes worldwide. Aloe vera , Aloe ferox , Aloe arborescens and Aloe perryi are the best known and most widely used, but many other species are also used for their therapeutic properties. The...

We report carbon nanodots that can be utilized as effective color converting phosphors for the production of white LEDs. Blue-excitable and yellow-emitting carbon nanodots, functionalized with 3-(imidazolidin-2-on-1-yl)propylmethyldimethoxysilane (IPMDS)-derived moieties (IS-CDs), are synthesized by a novel one-pot reaction in which the products fr...

A wide variety of herbal remedies are used in traditional Australian medicine to treat inflammatory disorders, including autoimmune inflammatory diseases. One hundred and six extracts from 40 native Australian plant species traditionally used for the treatment of inflammation and/or to inhibit bacterial growth were investigated for their ability to...

Bark from the Handroanthus impetiginosus (Mart. ex DC.) Mattos (Bignoniaceae) tree has long been used in traditional South American healing practises to treat inflammation. However, its anti-inflammatory activity has not been closely examined. Here we use chemical extraction, qualitative phytochemical examination, toxicity testing and quantitative...

Terminalia petiolaris A. Cunn. Ex Benth. (genus: Terminalia, family: Combretaceae) is native to Australia. Terminalia spp. have traditionally been used to treat various ailments, including bacterial infections. Solvents of varying polarity were used to extract compounds from leaves of this species, and the extracts were tested against a panel of ba...

A Canadian research team recently published a study in ACS Omega reporting that an essential oil produced using Rhododendron subarcticum leaves was effective at inhibiting the growth of Plasmodium falciparium parasites (IC50 = 105nM).1 The parasite stain tested in that study was reported to be a drug-resistant strain, although the authors did not d...

Dear Readers and Authors I am pleased to bring you Volume 13, Issue 4 of Pharmacognosy Communications. In this issue, we present a review of the use of Ayuvedic plants to treat gastrointestinal; bacterial infections. This review also summarises Ayuverdic principles and thereby explains the selection of plants for this purpose. This issue also prese...

Climate change is increasingly being recognized as one of the most serious threats to humanity and all other forms of life on Earth. Global climate change has been blamed for changes in seasonal patterns, weather events, temperature ranges, and other related phenomena. Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), like all living members of the biosphere,...

Several cyanobacterial-derived compounds have been identified with noteworthy inhibitory activity against bacterial, fungal and protozoal growth, as well as viral replication. In addition to the potent cyanotoxins, cyanobacteria also produce a wealth of interesting compounds with therapeutic potential. Perhaps because of the well-established cytoto...

The development of multiple-drug-resistant pathogens has prompted medical research toward the development of new and effective antimicrobial therapies. Much research into novel antibiotics has focused on bacterial and fungal compounds, and on chemical modification of existing compounds to increase their efficacy or reactivate their antimicrobial pr...

The escalating global crisis of bacterial resistance to antibiotics poses a threat to public health. Urgent measures are required to identify novel antibacterial treatments. Multidrug-resistant bacterial strains limit the effective therapeutic options available, raising concerns about a post-antibiotic era and a reduced ability to treat infections...

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), diarrhoea is the second leading cause of death in children under the age of five. It is a common symptom associated with gastrointestinal bacterial infections. Many antibiotics have lost their efficacy due to the rapid emergence of Antimicrobial Resistant (AMR) bacterial pathogens. Traditional Ayurv...

Introduction: The recent development of extensively antibiotic resistant bacteria has necessitated the search for novel anti-bacterial compounds. An examination of aromatic plants and traditional medicines is an attractive option for drug discovery. Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. Ex Steud. Reed is native to many regions globally, including Austr...

Background: Rubus idaeus L. leaves have been used in traditional healing systems for the treatment of morning sickness, easing labour pains and for preventing miscarriage. Whilst few studies have examined the leaves of this species for therapeutic properties, the fruit have antibacterial activity against multiple bacterial pathogens. This study exa...

Figure 1: Eremophila arachnoides subsp. arachnoides Chinnock (family Scrophulariaceae) is an endemic Australian plant. Several Eremophila spp. were used in traditional First Australian medicine to treat a wide variety of ailments.1,2 Additionally, many other members of the genus Eremophila also have traditional medicinal uses. The genus consists of...

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Virginian witch hazel (WH; Hamamelis virginiana L.; family: Hamamelidaceae) is a North American plant that is used traditionally to treat a variety of ailments, including bacterial infections. Solvents of varying polarity (water, methanol, ethyl acetate, hexane and chloroform) were used to prepare extracts from this plant. Resuspensions of each ext...

The harmful side effects associated with conventional anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals has focussed attention on medicinal plants as alternative therapeutics. However, the use of medicinal plants is predominantly based on ethnobotanical knowledge and often lacks toxicity data and safety validation. A comprehensive review of the toxicity and phytoc...

Background: Tasmannia lanceolata berries and leaves have high antioxidant capacities and high levels of therapeutic phytochemicals. Despite this, the anticancer activity of T. lanceolata extracts has not been adequately explored. Materials and Methods: This study examined the anti-proliferative of T. lanceolata berry and leaf extracts against a pan...

Dear readers and authors, I am pleased to bring you Volume 13, Issue 3 of Pharmacognosy Communications. In this issue, we present an evaluation of the antibacterial activity of Acacia disparrima Benth. and Acacia leicalyx Pedley leaf extracts in combination with conventional antibiotics against the bacterial triggers of selected autoimmune diseases...

Background: Plants of the genus Acacia have been used by Australian Aborigines to treat a variety of conditions including bacterial pathogens and inflammation. Despite this, many Acacia spp. have not been evaluated for the ability to inhibit the growth of bacterial triggers of autoimmune inflammatory diseases. This study evaluated the effects od Ac...

Duiakenchuto (DKT) is one of the most commonly used herbal remedies in Japanese Kampo medicine, particularly for digestive complaints.1,2 It is a poly-herbal preparation, which consists of Ginseng radix (commonly known as ginseng), Zanthyoxylum fructus (Japanese pepper) and Zingiberis siccatum rhizome (ginger), mixed with maltose powder. Despite it...

Introduction: An increase in antibiotic resistance and a corresponding decrease in antimicrobial discovery have directed researchers towards alternative therapies, including plant based medicines. However, synergistic combinations of plant extracts with conventional antibiotics may be a far more effective approach in overcoming resistance and poten...

Terminalia ferdinandiana Exell. (Family Combretaceae), commonly known as as Kakadu plum, gubinge, billy goat plum and salty plum, is an endemic Australian tree which occurs in tropical grassland regions of northern Australia. The fruit has traditional uses for indigenous Australians as nutritious food and as a medicinal plant.1,2 Recent studies hav...

Cancer is a group of illness that collectively are the second highest cause of death globally after cardiac disease. They can also affect the social, psychological, physical and economic well-being of individuals, families and societies. Novel drug discovery for new cancer chemotherapeutics is a lengthy, complex, and costly process. Cancer drugs th...

Previous studies have reported anticancer activity for Carica papaya leaves and fruit. However, to date there are no reports on the anticancer properties of C. papaya roots. The current study was undertaken to test whether C. papaya root extracts inhibit the proliferation of two extensively studied human carcinoma cell lines: Caco-2 colorectal canc...

Mistletoe has been used as a complementary therapy in cancer patients to improve the quality of life during clinical treatment. However, there is a lack of research to support its use for these purposes. A recent study from a research group at Johns Hopkins Cancer Centre in Baltimore, USA have published the results of a phase 1 clinical trial of in...

Dear Readers and Authors, I am pleased to bring you Volume 13, Issue 2 of Pharmacognosy Communications. In this issue, we present an evaluation of the antibacterial activity of Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. (commonly known as Bringaraja and false daisy) against selected bacterial triggers of autoimmune inflammatory diseases. We also present a study tha...

Acute diarrhoea is becoming a major public health problem in Malaysia, with more than 13.5 million cases reported annually. Foodborne bacterial pathogens are a predominant cause of diarrhoea, with infections causing prolonged illness durations and higher patient mortality rates, placing a tremendous burden on the Malaysian economy. Due to increasin...

Figure 1: Eremophila macdonnelli F. Muell. (Family: Scrophulariaceae) is an endemic Australian plant. Several Eremophilia spp. have been used in traditional First Australian medicine to treat a wide variety of ailments.1,2 The genus consists of more than 200 species that grow in semi-arid and arid regions of Australia. Multiple Eremophila spp. are...

Antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) suppress the growth of infectious pathogens. These pathogens negatively impact agricultural production worldwide and often cause health problems if left untreated. Here, we evaluate six Bacillus strains (BPR-11, BPR-12, BPR-13, BPR-14, BPR-16 and BPR-17), which are known for their ability to survive harsh environm...

Dear Readers and Authors I am pleased to bring you Volume 13, Issue 1 of Pharmacognosy Communications. In this issue, we present an evaluation of the antibacterial activity of Epilobium parviflorum (Schreb.) Schreb. extracts against some bacterial triggers of autoimmune inflammatory diseases. Furthermore, that study also screened the extracts in co...

Oral infections and dental disorders are amongst the most common diseases in humans, affecting approximately four billion people globally each year. In southern Africa, a high percentage of people rely on traditional medicines to treat illnesses, including for the treatment of oral pathogens. This study critically reviews the literature on the ethn...

Multiple bacterial species including Escherichia coli, Bacillus spp., Streptococcus spp., Proteus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Enteroccus faecalis and Klebsiella spp. were collected and isolated from multiple geographical niches of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state in Nigeria. 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing ana...

A recent study from a Pohang University, Korea group has reported that the hydroflavone gossypeptin, which is found in relative abundance in Hibiscus sabdariffa L., has therapeutic effects in a 5XFAD Alzheimer's Disease (AD) mouse model. 1 That mouse strain possesses human APP and PSEN1 transgenes, which are linked to familial AD and are known to e...

Citation: Cock, I.E.; Baghtchedjian, L.; Cordon, M.-E.; Dumont, E. Phytochemistry, Medicinal Properties, Bioactive Compounds, and Therapeutic Potential of the Genus Eremophila (Scrophulariaceae). Abstract: The genus Eremophila (family Scrophulariaceae) consists of approximately 200 species that are widely distributed in the semi-arid and arid regio...

Introduction: The recent development of extensively antibiotic resistant bacteria has necessitated the search for novel antibacterial compounds. An examination of aromatic plants and traditional medicines is an attractive option for drug discovery. Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees is used in southern Asian traditional medicine for a variety o...

Whilst the range of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines introduced globally since the start of the current pandemic have dramatically reduced the adverse effects of the disease and stemmed the spread of the virus, there is still a need for chemotherapies to relieve the symptoms of the disease and to further decrease its spread. Traditional medicines may provide dr...

Introduction: Closely related plant species often share similar secondary metabolites and bioactivities and are therefore good targets for bioactivity testing when one or more species within a genus are known to possess therapeutic properties. The genus Citrus has a long history of ethnobotanbical usage in many areas of the world. Many species are...

Introduction: Many high antioxidant fruit extracts can inhibit the growth of multiple bacterial pathogens. They may also inhibit the growth of malodour producing bacteria and thus be useful deodorant components, although this is yet to be tested for many Australian native fruits. Materials and Methods : Methanolic and aqueous K. pomifera and P. ela...

I am pleased to bring you Volume 12, Issue 4 of Pharmacognosy Communications. In this issue, we present evaluations of the antibacterial activity of Citrus australasica F. Muell. leaf extracts against a panel of human gastrointestinal bacterial pathogens, and of Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees leaf extracts against bacterial triggers of some...

Figure 1: Tasmannia lanceolata (Poir) A. C. Sm. (family Winteraceae), commonly known as Tasmanian pepper or mountain pepper berry, is shrub which is endemic to the woodlands and cool temperate rainforests of Tasmania and the south-eastern region of the Australian mainland. The leaves, berries and bark of this plant have traditional uses as a food f...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Multiple plant species are used traditionally in southern Africa to treat fever. This review summarises the traditional use, highlights promising plant species and focuses on validation studies to highlight future areas of research. Aim of the study This study aimed to critically review the use of southern African pl...

Ophthalmic infections are common and can cause substantial loss of eyesight. It is estimated that nearly 45% of the South African population has suffered from partial or total loss of eyesight with a substantial portion of this being due to infections. However, in approximately 80% of cases, this loss of eyesight could have been easily prevented or...

Introduction: Acne vulgaris is a skin conditions that affects most adolescents and may also afflict adults. Medicinal plant extracts may provide leads for the development of new topical and/or oral therapies for acnes vulgaris, yet many traditional medicine plants are yet to be screened for growth inhibitory activity against Cutibacterium acnes (th...

Introduction: An increase in antibiotic resistance and a corresponding decrease in antimicrobial discovery have directed researchers towards alternative therapies, including plant-based medicines. However, synergistic combinations of plant extracts with conventional antibiotics may be a more effective approach in overcoming resistance and potentiat...

This occasional section within the journal surveys visions and achievements, often not on the main track of the developing biomedical sciences, but all relating to discoveries and developments of medicinals-both ancient and modern. What they have in common, in one way or another, is providing further background and glances around the edges of the c...

This occasional section within the journal surveys visions and achievements, often not on the main track of the developing biomedical sciences, but all relating to discoveries and developments of medicinals-both ancient and modern. What they have in common, in one way or another, is providing further background and glances around the edges of the c...

Introduction: The recent development of extensively antibiotic resistant bacteria has necessitated the search for novel antibacterial therapies. An examination of aromatic plants and traditional medicines is an attractive option for drug discovery. Terminalia sericea Burch. ex DC. is a southern African native species, which has been reported to hav...

Figure 1: Onopordum acanthium L. (family Asteraceae; commonly known as Scotch (or Scottish) thistle) is native to the British Isles, although it has been widely naturalised globally. It is used in traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory, anticancer and cardiotonic agent.1 The aerial parts is rich in flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, lignans, tritr...

Dear Readers and Authors, I am pleased to bring you volume 12, issue 3 of Pharmacognosy Communications. In this issue, we present an evaluation of the antioxidant and peroxidase inhibitory activity of Triclisia gilletti (De Wild) Staner decoction. We also present new research reports examining the antibacterial properties of Rheum palmatum L root e...

Background: Artemisia annua L. has been used traditionally to treat numerous infectious diseases, including many caused by bacterial pathogens. However, A. annua extracts are yet to be tested for the ability to inhibit the growth of bacterial triggers of autoimmune diseases. Methods: Antimicrobial activity was assessed using disc diffusion and liqu...

Background: Apium graveolens L. (commonly known as celery) seeds have been used traditionally to treat a variety of conditions including bacterial infections and inflammation. There is also considerable recent interest in its use as a complementary medicine. However, they are yet to be tested for the ability to inhibit the growth of bacterial trigg...

Age-related macula degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in aging people, with 170 million people globally estimated to suffer from AMD (as reviewed in). 1 A recent study published in the journal Nutrients examined the effects of consumption of 28 g of goji berries five times a week on macular optical density (MOPD) and on the leve...

Background: Curcumin, lupeol and piperine are phytochemical constituents of multiple plants that are used traditionally to treat inflammation, including for treating autoimmune inflammatory diseases. Despite this, relatively few studies have examined the ability of these compounds to inhibit the etiological events of these diseases by examining the...

Introduction: Tasmannia spp. extracts inhibit the growth of many bacterial pathogens. They may also inhibit the growth of malodour producing bacteria and thus be useful deodorant components, although this is yet to be tested. Methods: T. lanceolata and T. insipida fruit and leaf solvent extracts were investigated by disc diffusion and liquid diluti...

Dear Readers and Authors, I am pleased to bring you volume 12, issue 2 of Pharmacognosy Communications. In this issue, we present evaluations of the behavioural and metabolic responses to coercive stress in Wistar rats, as well as the phytochemistry and haem polymerisation activity of Strychnos lucida. We also present new research reports examining...

Assay schemes have been highlighted and their comparative performances measured using chronoamperometry method. Nanozyme (Au-Fe2O3) assay exhibited intrinsic unrivalled properties compared to the other assays, attributed to material’s porosity, accessibility of biomarkers, and the presence of iron or oxide derivative. Keywords: amperometry detect...

The agricultural industry utilizes antibiotic growth promoters to promote livestock growth and health. However, the World Health Organization has raised concerns over the ongoing spread of antibiotic resistance transmission in the populace, leading to its subsequent ban in several countries, especially in the European Union. These restrictions have...

Traditional medicines prepared using Terminalia species have been used globally to treat inflammation and pathogenic infections. Recent studies have demonstrated that multiple Asian and African Terminalia spp. inhibit bacterial triggers of some autoimmune inflammatory diseases, including ankylosing spondylitis. Despite this, the effects of Australi...

Dear Readers and Authors, I am pleased to bring you Volume 12, Issue 1 of Pharmacognosy Communications. In this issue, we present a review on the uses of mucilage for industrial processes. We also present new research reports examining the antimalarial properties and phytochemistry of Streptomyces hygroscopicus, the antibacterial activity of th...

A recent report in Nature Communications highlighted the potential of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a common component in green tea, for its ability to protect against some cancers. 1 The ability of EGCG to induce apoptosis in cancer cells is well known, although the apoptotic mechanism(s) were relatively poorly understood. For the first time, t...

Background: Recent increases in the numbers of antibiotic resistant bacteria and corresponding decreases in antimicrobial discovery have focussed drug discovery efforts towards plant based medicines. Harpagophytum procumbens has been used in southern African traditional medicine for a variety of conditions including inflammation, and to treat...

Aloe and Aloe products have at a long history of use dating back to antiquity. Use and trade were originally dominated by Barbados or Cura¸cao (A. vera), and Socotra aloe (A. perryi). Commercialization of Cape Aloe was initiated by the Dutch East India Company (VOC), likely to add to their existing aloe trade, and Cape Aloe was brought back to Euro...

The contact angle was used to estimate the rate of evaporation of liquid droplets on bare glass or gold (Au) sputtered glass surfaces. The rate of evaporation of water (a pure liquid) was higher than non-pure liquid composed of a 3 wt. % solution of silica nanoparticles (SNP) on these two solid supports. Despite using the same initial drop volume (...

Solvatochromic behaviours of triazine substituted dyes were evaluated using a novel approach derived from the red shift index (RsI) and associated solvation energy (ASE). These parameters were used to describe the solvation trends of the dye-solvent interactions based on their polarity changes. The concept demonstrates the effect of substituent cha...

The high rate of illegal municipal solid waste disposal is alarming, as it is a global factor affecting the human environment. This applies to most developing countries without proper and active environmental protection laws and Agencies to keep the environment safe. Science and technology have proven to be a lead factor towards high rise of indust...

Traditional medicines prepared using Terminalia species have been used globally to treat inflammation and pathogenic infections. Recent studies have demonstrated that multiple Asian and African Terminalia spp. inhibit bacterial triggers of some autoimmune inflammatory disease, including ankylosing spondylitis. Despite this, the effects of Australia...

The spectroscopic data for a range of cyclopenta-[d][1,2,3]-triazine derivative dyes have been evaluated using various standard computational approaches. Absorption data of these dyes were obtained using the ZINDO/S semi-empirical model for vertical excitation energies of structures optimised with the AM1, PM3, and PM6 methods. These studies were c...

Background: Antibiotic drugs have been widely applied in the treatment of bacterial infections. However, with the overuse and unreasonable adoption of antibiotics, a variety of bacteria have developed resistance to commonly used antibiotics. Bacterial pathogens with multi-drug resistance mechanisms have made many infectious diseases more difficult...

Introduction: An increase in antibiotic resistance and a corresponding decrease in antimicrobial discovery have directed researchers towards alternative therapies, including plant based medicines. However, synergistic combinations of plant extracts with conventional antibiotics may be a far more effective approach in overcoming resistance and poten...

Dear readers and authors, I am pleased to bring you Volume 11, Issue 4 of Pharmacognosy Communications. In this issue, we present new research reports examining the pharmaceutical properties of Panax spp. ginsenosides, the ability of selected Australian plants to induce apoptosis in human hepatocarcinomas, the growth inhibitory activity of Arctium...

Uncaria tomentosa Willd. DC. (Family: Rubiaceae) is a woody vine (Figure 1a) that is restricted to tropical regions in Central and South America and is indigenous to the Amazon rainforest. It is commonly known as cat’s claw (or uña de gato in Spanish) due to claw shaped thorns. It is particularly well known for its use by the Ashaninka Indians...

Introduction: Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight and Arn. is a southern Asian plant commonly used in Ayurveda to treat multiple conditions, including for the treatment of inflammation, and as a general antimicrobial agent. Despite this, few studies have tested this species for the ability to block the growth of bacterial triggers of some autoimmune in...

Introduction: The development of bacterial strains that are resistant to multiple antibiotics has made the discovery of new antibiotics a priority for medical research. Examination of plants for new antimicrobial agents is an attractive prospect and numerous recent studies have screened plants for antibacterial activity. Despite this, Australia...