104 research outputs found
Evaluation of indigenous medicinal plants with potential antidepressant effects
Full text linkMSc (Biology), North-West University, Mahikeng CampusMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental health condition that represents one of the foremost causes of disease burden worldwide, including in South Africa. The search for safe and potent natural-based treatment for depression is receiving renewed interest given the numerous side-effects associated with existing antidepressant drugs. In South Africa, the use of plants to manage depression is fairly documented among different ethnic groups.
The aim of this study was to review South African medicinal plants used traditionally to manage depression-like ailments, to estimate the total phenolic content and evaluate the in vitro antidepressant-like effects of these plants. A literature review of existing ethnobotanical, ethnopharmacological and phytochemical studies was conducted from which Artemisia afra Jacq. ex Willd., Adenia gummifera (Harv.) Harms and Olea woodiana Knobl. were selected for evaluation. The plant materials were extracted using three solvents of increasing polarities (hexane, acetone and water) to evaluate the effects of solvent polarity on extraction yield, total phenolic content and biological activity. The total phenolic content of 12 extracts was estimated using the Folin-Ciocalteu’s method. Thereafter, the antidepressant potential of each extract was evaluated using the serotonin transporter (SERT) and the adenosine A1R & A2AR radioligand binding assays.
The systematic review of twenty eligible ethnobotanical publications identified 186 indigenous South African plants from 63 families used traditionally to manage depression and related ailments. Only 27 of these plants were previously screened for antidepressant activity using various in vitro and in vivo tests. Phytochemical investigation on 9 plants revealed 24 compounds with antidepressant-like effects. A significant portion (≈85%) of the 186 plants with ethnobotanical records still requires pharmacological studies to assess their potential antidepressant-like effects. In this study, water and acetone extracts exhibited a higher phenolic content than the hexane extracts, suggesting that total phenolic content levels increased significantly with increasing polarity of the solvents. The acetone extract from A. afra leaf exhibited significant affinity to the adenosine A1 receptor, indicating the potential antidepressant-like effects of this plant, however, this needs to be confirmed in an animal model of depression. None of the other extracts showed any significant affinity in any of the assays conducted.
This study serves as an essential step towards the authentication of the antidepressant-like effects of indigenous medicinal plants and their phytochemicals.Master
Applications of cytokinins in horticultural fruit crops : trends and future prospects
Full text linkCITATION: Aremu, Adeyemi O. et al. 2020. Applications of cytokinins in horticultural fruit crops : trends and future prospects. Biomolecules, 10(9):1222, doi:10.3390/biom10091222.The original publication is available at: https://mdpi-res.comCytokinins (CKs) are a chemically diverse class of plant growth regulators, exhibiting wide-ranging actions on plant growth and development, hence their exploitation in agriculture for crop improvement and management. Their coordinated regulatory effects and cross-talk interactions with other phytohormones and signaling networks are highly sophisticated, eliciting and controlling varied biological processes at the cellular to organismal levels. In this review, we briefly introduce the mode of action and general molecular biological effects of naturally occurring CKs before highlighting the great variability in the response of fruit crops to CK-based innovations. We present a comprehensive compilation of research linked to the application of CKs in non-model crop species in different phases of fruit production and management. By doing so, it is clear that the effects of CKs on fruit set, development, maturation, and ripening are not necessarily generic, even for cultivars within the same species, illustrating the magnitude of yet unknown intricate biochemical and genetic mechanisms regulating these processes in different fruit crops. Current approaches using genomic-to-metabolomic analysis are providing new insights into the in planta mechanisms of CKs, pinpointing the underlying CK-derived actions that may serve as potential targets for improving crop-specific traits and the development of new solutions for the preharvest and postharvest management of fruit crops. Where information is available, CK molecular biology is discussed in the context of its present and future implications in the applications of CKs to fruits of horticultural significance.Publisher's versio
Potential of Smoke-Water and One of Its Active Compounds (karrikinolide, KAR1) on the Phytochemical and Antioxidant Activity of Eucomis autumnalis
Full text linkEucomis autumnalis (Mill.) Chitt. subspecies autumnalis is a popular African plant that is susceptible to population decline because the bulbs are widely utilized for diverse medicinal purposes. As a result, approaches to ensure the sustainability of the plants are essential. In the current study, the influence of smoke-water (SW) and karrikinolide (KAR1 isolated from SW extract) on the phytochemicals and antioxidant activity of in vitro and greenhouse-acclimatized Eucomis autumnalis subspecies autumnalis were evaluated. Leaf explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) media supplemented with SW (1:500, 1:1000 and 1:1500 v/v dilutions) or KAR1 (10−7, 10−8 and 10−9 M) and grown for ten weeks. In vitro regenerants were subsequently acclimatized in the greenhouse for four months. Bioactive phytochemicals in different treatments were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC-MS/MS), while antioxidant potential was evaluated using two chemical tests namely: DPPH and the β-carotene model. Smoke-water and KAR1 generally influenced the quantity and types of phytochemicals in in vitro regenerants and acclimatized plants. In addition to eucomic acid, 15 phenolic acids and flavonoids were quantified; however, some were specific to either the in vitro regenerants or greenhouse-acclimatized plants. The majority of the phenolic acids and flavonoids were generally higher in in vitro regenerants than in acclimatized plants. Evidence from the chemical tests indicated an increase in antioxidant activity of SW and KAR1-treated regenerants and acclimatized plants. Overall, these findings unravel the value of SW and KAR1 as potential elicitors for bioactive phytochemicals with therapeutic activity in plants facilitated via in vitro culture systems. In addition, it affords an efficient means to ensure the sustainability of the investigated plant. Nevertheless, further studies focusing on the use of other types of antioxidant test systems (including in vivo model) and the carry-over effect of the application of SW and KAR1 for a longer duration will be pertinent. In addition, the safety of the resultant plant extracts and their pharmacological efficacy in clinical relevance systems is required
Comparative Effects of Postharvest Ultraviolet-Light Treatments on Antioxidants Properties, Nutritional and Vitamin D Contents of Some Indigenous Green Leafy Vegetables
Full text linkUltraviolet lamps irradiation has been extensively used in water treatment, surface disinfection, and as a germicidal agent. Yet, activation of some essential reactions in fruits and vegetables occurs at low doses of irradiation, which in turn leads to an improvement of their shelf-life or bioactive compounds. In this study, postharvest effects of ultraviolet irradiation at different wavelengths were investigated on antioxidants properties, nutritional and vitamin D contents of six leafy vegetables. The six vegetables were each subjected to UV-A, B, and C lamps irradiation at wavelengths of 400, 315, and 230 nm respectively in irradiation chambers. The results revealed that ultraviolet irradiation increased the phenolic and flavonoid contents with a better-reducing power ability and antioxidant capacity in tested vegetables. More also, the essential amino acid contents were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased. In UV-A treatment, increased nutritional and antioxidant properties were significant (P ≤ 0.05) in M. oleifera leaf extract. On the other hand, a significant (P ≤ 0.05) increase in the level of vitamin D2 and D3 synthesis in the leaves of all the vegetables was observed under UV-B treatment. The results revealed that M. oleifera leaf responds more positively to ultraviolet irradiation than other treated vegetables. Therefore, this study shows that postharvest treatments with UV-A and B lamps may be a useful biological strategy for enhancing the antioxidant and nutritional quality of vegetables. Keywords: Antioxidant activity, UV-radiation, Vegetables, Bioactive compounds, Vitamin D. DOI: 10.7176/ALST/88-04 Publication date:July 31st 202
Deciphering the role of materia medica in the primary healthcare needs and managing livestock diseases among the Batswana in South Africa
No full textBackground: The Batswana descended mainly from Bantu-speaking tribes and regarded as an indigenous group in Southern Africa. Among this native group, medicinal plants play key roles for their primary healthcare needs and general well-being as well as managing livestock diseases. Purpose: This study documented the ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants used by the Batswana for managing their healthcare needs and livestock diseases in Mahikeng Local Municipality, South Africa. Methods: A total of 128 participants comprising traditional healers and community members from 28 of the 35 wards in Mahikeng Local Municipality were interviewed, using semi-structured questionnaires. Ethnobotanical data including the local names, plant parts used, method of preparation and administration of the identified plants were documented. The data was analysed using relative frequency of citation (RFC) and use-value (UV). Results: We recorded 100 plants representing 40 families used for alleviating 74 health problems affecting humans and livestock. The commonly treated health issues were dermatological (39 %), gastrointestinal (18 %) and respiratory (16 %) diseases. A total of 34 plants were used for treating diseases in humans and livestock. Based on the RFC values, the dominant plants were Hypoxis hemerocallidea Fisch.C. A Mey & Ave (0.73), Entada elephantina (Burch.) S.A.O’Donell & G.P. Lewis (0.66), Helichrysum paronychioides DC. Humbert (0.63) and Drimia sanguinea (Schinz) Jessop (0.63). In terms of UV, the top-ranked plants were Hypoxis hemerocallidea (0.18) and Entada elephantina (0.13). The dominant parts used for making herbal recipes were the leaves (27 %), roots (24 %) and whole plants (22 %). Conclusion: The high number of plants recorded highlights the value and dependence on botanicals in folklore medicine among the Batswana. The current endeavour was vital towards preventing the erosion of important traditional knowledge and applications for the benefit of the present and future generations as well as potential downstream applications in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries
SUSTAINING EMPLOYEES AND ORGANIZATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE IN CONSUMERS’ GOODS INDUSTRY
Full text linkThe collapse of most organization in Nigeria to sustain and raise productivity was billedto employees’ opposition to technological change. The major objective of the study is toexamine how to sustain workforce and organizational productivity during technologicalchange in consumers’ goods industry. Purposive sampling technique was used for thestudy. The sample was selected from the population of 400 staff of 7UP BottlingCompany Plc Ilorin. The study sample size was 200 and the total number of 174questionnaire representing 87% of the sample size were returned and analyzed.Primary data was used to gather information from respondents through questionnaire.Data were analyzed using simple percentage, frequency distribution analysis and simpleregression analysis. Findings revealed that technological change has significant effect onemployees and organizational productivity. It was concluded that for technologicalchange to be effective, organizations must not neglect the roles employees in activity ofgoods and services. The study recommended that employers should consider growth ofworkers skills during training, apprentice and increase in order to recover the generalperformance in consumers’ goods industry. Implication of the study is that employeesmust be prepared to adjust to change in the organizations because it has constructiveimpact on the organizational productivity. Consumers goods industry are stronglyencouraged to be conscious of timing they introduce changes. The study further implythat there is awful need for training and retraining of staff and effectively communicatethe magnitude of technological change and its consequences in short and long scuttle onthe life of the organizations and employees
Antimicrobial Activity, Antioxidant Potential, Cytotoxicity and Phytochemical Profiling of Four Plants Locally Used against Skin Diseases
No full textAlthough orthodox medications are available for skin diseases, expensive dermatological services have necessitated the use of medicinal plants as a cheaper alternative. This study evaluated the pharmacological and phytochemical profiles of four medicinal plants (Drimia sanguinea, Elephantorrhiza elephantina, Helichrysum paronychioides, and Senecio longiflorus) used for treating skin diseases. Petroleum ether and 50% methanol extracts of the plants were screened for antimicrobial activity against six microbes: Bacillus cereus, Shigella flexneri, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton tonsurans using the micro-dilution technique. Antioxidant activity was conducted using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging and β-carotene linoleic acid models. Cytotoxicity was determined against African green monkey Vero kidney cells based on the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay. Spectrophotometric and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) methods were used to evaluate the phytochemical constituents. All the extracts demonstrated varying degrees of antimicrobial potencies. Shigella flexneri, Candida glabrata, Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton tonsurans were most susceptible at 0.10 mg/mL. In the DPPH test, EC50 values ranged from approximately 6–93 µg/mL and 65%–85% antioxidant activity in the β-carotene linoleic acid antioxidant activity model. The phenolic and flavonoid contents ranged from 3.5–64 mg GAE/g and 1.25–28 mg CE/g DW, respectively. The LC50 values of the cytotoxicity assay ranged from 0.015–5622 µg/mL. GC-MS analysis revealed a rich pool (94–198) of bioactive compounds including dotriacontane, benzothiazole, heptacosane, bumetrizole, phthalic acid, stigmasterol, hexanoic acid and eicosanoic acid, which were common to the four plants. The current findings provide some degree of scientific evidence supporting the use of these four plants in folk medicine. However, the plants with high cytotoxicity need to be used with caution
Antimicrobial Properties and Cytotoxicity of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Melia azedarach Leaf Extract Against Diarrhoeal Pathogens
Full text linkJournal Article, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science, North--West UniversityThe high mortality and morbidity resulting from an increasing incidence of antibiotic resistance among pathogens highlight a crucial need for the development of novel alternative therapy. In the quest for alternative therapy, this study was conducted tosynthesise nanoparticles (NPs) from ferric chloride hexahydrate (FeCl3.6H2O) via Melia azedarach L. (Meliaceae) leaf extract and evaluate their antibacterial properties against multidrug resistant pathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, and Vibrio cholerae. Multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria were isolated from cattle faeces and characterised by whole genome sequence analysis. The extracts from M. azedarach leaves were used as reducing, capping, and stabilising agents on the precursor metal (FeCl3.6H2O) to produce NPs. The biosynthesised NPs were characterised by ultraviolent visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The NPs were tested against multidrug-resistant bacteria to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and rate of kill. In this study WGS analysis confirmed the bacteria (E. coli, V. cholerae, and S. enterica) isolates to be multidrug-resistant pathogen and NP that has a spherical shape with an average particle size of 49.75 nm was successfully biosynthesised. The NPs displayed significant antimicrobial activities with MIC of 62, 31, and 62 mg/mL, MBC of 500, 250, and 500 μg/mL, and the lowest killing times of 4, 2, and 3 h against E. coli, V. cholerae, and S. enterica, respectively. Interestingly, the concentrations of the NPs required to inhibit the growth of E. coli, V. cholerae, and S. enterica were not toxic to HEK293 cells. Based on the promising antimicrobial activities of the biosynthesised NPs in this study, they could be useful in important therapeutic applications aimed at combating multidrug-resistant pathogens
Department of Error: Mapping geographical inequalities in childhood diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality in low-income and middle-income countries, 2000–17: analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 (The Lancet (2020) 395(10239) (1779–1801), (S0140673620301148), (10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30114-8))
No full textReiner RC Jr, Hay SI. Mapping geographical inequalities in childhood diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality in low-income and middle-income countries, 2000–17: analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet 2020; 395: 1779–801—In this Article, the author byline has been amended to Local Burden of Disease Diarrhoea Collaborators. This correction has been made to the online version as of June 4, 2020, and the printed version is correct.</p
Author Correction: Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2017 (Nature Medicine, (2020), 26, 5, (750-759), 10.1038/s41591-020-0807-6)
Full text linkAn amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. © 2020, The Author(s)
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