Phytochemical screening, cytotoxicity, antimicrobial and anthelmintic activity of medical plants used in the reatment of lymphatic filariasis in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
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Date
2017-11
Authors
Tiwani, Thumeka
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Lymphatic filariasis is a disease caused by parasitic filarial nematodes that cause
excessive swelling of the limbs, genitalia and breasts due to the distraction of the
lymph system. This results in accumulation of lymph and lymphoedema. This disease
is one of the neglected tropical diseases found in 38 African countries.
In South Africa, there is no complete system for treatment of th is filarial disease. Many
patients tend to opt for traditional help to alleviate the suffering caused by the disease.
This research was aimed at identifying medicinal plants used as ethnomedicine for
treating lymphatic filariasis and to assess the in vitro antimicrobia l, antifungal, antimycobacterial
and anthelmintic activity of these medicinal plants. Six plant species
(Platycarpha glomerata , Euphorbia gorgonis, Ricinus communis, Ledebouria sp.,
Rumex obtusifolius and Tulbaghia alliacea) were collected from Raymond Mhlaba and
lntsika Yethu municipal areas of the Eastern Cape Province with the assistance of
traditional healers and herbalists. Plant extracts were extracted with methanol,
ethanol, water and acetone and screened for the presence of phytochemical
components, antimicrobial, anthelminthic and cytotoxic properties. The organic solvent extracts of R. communis displayed good inhibitory properties
against K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, E. coli and B. pumilus with MIC values ranging
between 0.098 mg/ml and 1.56 mg/ml. All the extracts of P. g/omerata effective ly
inhibited the growth of the bacterial strains with MIC values ranging from 0.098 to 1.56
mg/ml except the aqueous extract which displayed poor activity against K.
pneumoniae with an MIC value of 12.5 mg/ml. All the extracts of T. al/iacea showed
excellent inhibition of bacterial strains with MIC values ranging between 0.098 and
1.56 mg/ml. The best activity was also observed with the organ ic solvent extracts of
E. gorgonis by inhibiting the bacterial growth at lowest concentrations of 0.098 and
0.195 mg/ml.
The best antifungal inhibition against C. albicans was displayed by the organic solvent
extracts of T. alliacea, R. obtusifolius, Ledebouria sp. and R. communis with MIC
values ranging from 0.098 mg/ml to 1.56 mg/ml. with 50 % mortality while only the 0.5 mg/ml of T. alliacea and 1 mg/ml of P. glomerata
acetone extracts exhibited good activity against S. equinus.
This study has shown that medicinal plants assessed in this study have strong in vitro
antibacterial, antifungal, anti-mycobacterial and anthelmintic efficacy which indicates
that they are capable of acting against lymphatic filarial parasite infection. These
observations are in agreement with indigenous knowledge provided by traditional
healers. However, further in vivo studies using mammalian models are required in
order to give conclusive evidence that these medicinal plant extracts can be used
beyond reasonable doubt for treatment of lymphatic filariasis.
Description
Keywords
Medicinal plant extracts, Antimicrobial, Cytotoxicity, Anthelmintic, Antimcycobacterial, Dissertation (M.Sc. (Plant Sciences))--University of the Free State, 2017, Lymphatic filariasis